There was an issue posting Chapters 10-12 but they are up now if you have yet to read them.

Chapter 13

If you were to put it bluntly, Nala was present to bug Fili. The young Dwarf prince was in a study room going over new legislation that Thorin had ordered for him to revise and amend before it was put into action. Fili had told her exactly what it was about but each word blurred through the air before it reached her ears leaving her only with a fuzzy memory of something along the lines of 'population' and 'restraint.'

The study room wasn't as cozy as Thorin's but that was perhaps due to the fact that it was almost a mini library. The walls, instead of stone, were covered in shelves of books which Nala was currently looking at. Her finger ran over the spines, one foot slowly making its way in front of the other as she paced leisurely down the wall.

Fili was at the desk with a piece of paper tilted up slightly. His eyes were squinted, having been trying to read over the entire thing for at least two hours now. He knew as king he would have much more tedious duties, but it was just so boring.

With none of the books' titles capturing her interest, Nala pouted slightly, her walk slowly curving around to behind Fili's chair. He doesn't make any acknowledgment of her presence - not that he needed to since she had been in there for the past hour or so with him. Resting her forearms against the back of the chair she leans down, resting her cheek on her arms.

"Are you nearly done?" she questioned in a dreary tone. As his answer, Fili held up the paper with his finger signalling his current position. A gruntled moan escapes her throat at the three pages below his current mark. "When does it have to be done by?"

Fili sighed, dropping the paper and rubbed his eyes with his fist. "Tomorrow morning," he moaned. He tipped his head back, resting his against her forearms still over the back of his chair. "Do you want to read it for me?"

"I would rather work in the mines bare-handed," she snorted. "And speaking of jobs, I don't really know what to do around here."

"You mean besides annoying me," Fili remarked, already picking up the paperwork again. Nala scuffed the back of his head, swinging around to his side. "You could pick up a trade if you're interested. We could always use a healer, seamstressing, Ori could use a hand at the library. But really you don't have to. Your brother has a share of the treasure which is more than enough for triple your lifetimes combined and you don't need to pay for food."

Nala considered each of the options, wondering what else she could possibly do to pass the time. A part of her was enjoying the freedom of not having responsibilities but after fifty years of living on the road - deadlines, packing and unpacking - it was constant movement and planning. Now she was sitting put but itching to go.

There was one thing she wanted to suggest, not so much a job, rather just something to pass the time but the fear of his and others' opinions kept her mouth shut. "Maybe," she replied half-heartedly. Fili smiled softly at her, but he quickly moved his eyes back to the document. It made her feel guilty - she knew she was distracting him but unless she wanted to stay by herself all day she had little choice in companionship since Bola was with Yorna down at the training grounds with the younglings.

She should attempt to make other friends, but Nala had no idea where to even look for them, let alone approach someone. Should she find other nobles? Commoners? She hadn't had the enjoyment of female company in such a long time but then again, she never found herself in it very often. It wasn't that she didn't like having female friends, but they frightened her more than their male counterparts.

Besides, she felt content with her small number of companion choices. Her own company was usually enough but that day she just hadn't felt like being alone.

Pursuing her lips, Nala plopped herself on the desk to Fili's left. Her palms bent over the edge of the table and her legs dangled a few inches above the ground. Swinging them slightly, she hummed a tune softly enough that she didn't think it would reach Fili's ears.

The tune continued on for a minute or so until she abruptly stopped, feeling intense eyes on the side of her face. She turned back to Fili with a guilty smile. "Sorry," she whispered. "You can tell me to go if you want. Otherwise, I'm sticking around until you finish."

Fili shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "I don't mind. The company's nice and Kili would never stick around."

"Does he not do this sort of stuff for Thorin? He may not be the next in line but he's still a prince."

"He probably does more than we all give him credit for," he admitted. "He represents Thorin down at Dale often. Not at Mirkwood since Thorin hates the idea of any Dwarf travelling there. He helps Dwalin out a lot with the guard. I suppose it's more of the less-business side of it all."

Nala nodded slowly through Fili's words. His apology from the week before still often played through her mind. She had only passed him briefly over the week, mostly at the dinner which she went to twice more. It unnerved her more than she wanted to admit. A good portion of her was thrilled that he was the one to step forward and apologise - even if it was his own fault. It gave her a sense of hope for a friendship. But the rationale side of her continued to thrust the idea away as soon as it stayed in her brain too long. They had a terrible history and she couldn't forget how he always treated her when she had done nothing. He doesn't deserve anything from her.

"Oh I should probably tell you before I forget," Fili announced, breaking the thick silence which had been growing without her knowledge. "Kili and I are going on a short hunting trip. We leave on the twentieth and come back on the twenty-eighth."

"A whole week?"

"Hm-mm. I'm sure you can handle a single week without me," he taunted. Fili leant back in his seat, leaving the paperwork forgotten on the desk. Nala played with his taunt, crossing her arms and swaying in her steps closer.

"I was more so worried about how you are going to handle a week without me," she goaded."Let us be honest here. Your life has improved drastically since my return."

Fili rolled his eyes, resting his cheek on his fist. "You are much better than Bola's company, I'll give you that."

"Yes, but from what I hear you'll be spending a lot more time together," Nala drawled. Fili hadn't mentioned anything to do with the Durin's Guard to her and she wasn't sure why that was. Fili perked his eyebrows for a moment. "You know you don't have to accept the oath. He could be Kili's guard."

At that suggestion, Fili barely held his chuckle behind his hand. "Kee's terrified of your brother. I think he'd rather you be his."

"Me?"

Fili's humorous smile dropped slightly as he sat straighter. "Yeah, you know. You are a Durin Guard by blood as well technically. But Bola has been training for it his whole life-"

Nala stopped listening to him, her mind caught up in envisioning herself in Bola's position. A warrior with a duty to protect a member of the royal line. Would she ever be willing to lay down her life for that cause? Of course, she would quite willingly risk her life for Fili but that was because she cared for him, not because of duty. But Thorin had described the relationship in a very specific way. He said it was a 'kinship. It would be a similar relationship to her and her brother.

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

Nala finally snapped from her thoughts, head turning to Fili. "Sorry, I got lost in thought."

"Typical."

Nala rolled her eyes at the guilty trip as Fili sulked at the desk. Motivated by a mix of entertainment and guilt she trotted over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, propping her head over his left. "I promise I'm listening now." Fili gave her a disbelieving look and she tried to hold a sincere one but it only lasted a few seconds. She broke out in a laugh that was almost a whisper, dropping her forehead to his shoulder. She felt his own shoulders jostling slightly as he shook his head.

The door to the study opened without warning, causing her head to shoot upwards. Kili had opened it with his shoulder, two plates occupying his hands. At his presence, Nala straightened back up, pulling her arms back to her sides.

Kili had that look that he always had around her. One of distaste and boredom. It was so different from the one she had spied on him when he didn't know she was there.

The sight of the meal shocked her into the reality of how late the day actually had become. It must have been near nightfall if dinner was being served. She made the guess, deducing that Kili had brought him and his brother dinner and that she should probably leave and source her own.

"I thought you'd be caught up," Kili smirked as he marched towards the desk. Nala stepped to the side to wait for a moment to say her farewell. "I'll have you know that my day was as breezy as a mountain top."

"Shut up," Fili growled though his tone was mirthful and decorated with a smile watching one of the plates be put down in front of him. "How did it go telling Dwalin you will be away for a week."

Kili held his smirk wider, cocking out a leg. "Pissed," he replied. "Went on a huge rant about something to do with being lazy. He was just annoyed because I think he wanted help dealing with Gamble's son."

Nala watched the interaction with interest. They were just the same as they used to be but...older. Mature. It was still a little weird to see them as adults when her last memory was when they were barely twenty. Deciding that she should probably make her move, Nala took a step forward.

The words caught in her throat though as Kili turned his attention to her and held out the plate. "Here." She looked between the plate and Dwarf in a more-than-mild shock. "Thought you might be hungry too."

Slowly she reached towards the plate. "Thank you," she replied in an overly slow tone, not quite sure if she meant it yet.

"Don't get used to it," he drawled. "Your brother asked me to."

Nala exhaled slowly, slightly relieved that Kili didn't have some hidden intention (like putting something in the food) and that he was only doing so at her brother's request. "I'll be sure my thanks reach him."

"And don't I get any for bringing it to you?"

"Perhaps once I'm sure you didn't spit in it on the way over."

Kili snarled, looking more offended then she had expected. "I'm a prince, not a runt." Nala only shot her eyebrows up for a swift moment before turning her head away. It was not a startling revelation – but a fact she needed to remember. Kili was indeed a prince. And that meant she should learn to watch her own tongue, especially if they were not alone. He could quickly have her escorted to the dungeons with a simple command if she annoyed him enough. "Let me know if I need to set fire to anything so you can have more time to read," he taunted to his brother, the playful glint back in his eye.

Fili chuckled, placing the paper aside in favour of the meal. He gave his thanks through a mouthful of food and Kili waved a hand in appreciation before heading towards the door. Nala's eyes darted between her plate and Kili fast enough to make them hurt.

"Kili?" Kili half-turned at his name, staring at her. Nala bit her lip, giving the brunette a tiny, but sincere smile. "Thank you. For bringing me dinner."

The air was tense as she waited for the response – if there was even going to be any. She watched his eyes move from her to his brother than back to her. His lips pulled back into the same smile that she held. "Anytime." Then he left.

Nala wasn't sure what to feel so she settled on satisfied. Their interaction may have started with bickering but at least it ended on a nice note. There was still that flame of hope in her. Her daydreaming is broken as a loud crashing sound came from her right.

The plate nearly dropped from her hand as Fili's chair was turned over to the side, his body sprawled across the ground with his arms up above his head.

"Fili?!"

She sprinted around the desk - discarding her dinner as she does – around to his side. His eyes are clenched shut, one hand gripping at his chest. Her knees skid the ground by his side brushing the hair out of his face.

"Fee? Hey? What's wrong?" she peppered through her panic. Her hands hovered over his chest, debating whether she should stay with him or call for help. Kili wouldn't be too far off. "Are you hurt?"

"Heart-attack," Fili moaned. "Never thought I'd see the day when you two had a semi-decent interaction."

Nala's mouthed slowly dropped open as she registered his words. Her panic turned to relief. Scrunching her nose, she smacked his chest hard enough so it would actually hurt. Fili grunted, rising slightly to curl up. "That was cruel," she cried, beginning to smack him with both her hands. "I can't believe you."

"O-Ow! Now I'm actually hurt."

She smacked his shoulder slightly harder. "Good! Hopefully it will balance the emotional stress you just put me through. My heart is pounding!"

Fili pushed himself up through her soft fists, wrapping his fingers around her wrist. "Are you going to stop anytime soon? At this rate I'm going to need to see Oin for some bruise ointment." Nala pouted but stopped her arms from moving. Fili smiled in content, slowing releasing her arms. "Good. And I'm sorry. It was a bit more dramatic than I was expecting. I honestly didn't mean to topple the chair," he chuckled. Nala snorted, mentally noting that he deserved it for scaring her.

"Did you hurt your head?"

Fili scrunched his face. "A little," he admitted with slight sheepishness, rubbing the back of his scalp. "But I'm glad to be assured that you care about me."

Nala lent forward, winding her arm around his shoulders and resting her chin next to his neck. "Of course I do. I'm offended that you doubted it."

Fili laughed through his nose, returning her gesture. "I'm teasing." Nala closed her eyes, content enough to just sit there on the ground. After a minute, Fili rubbed a hand down her spine. "Our dinner is going to be cold."

"That sucks," she smiled, not moving. Fili huffed, changing the position of his legs and feet. Once in position, her smile widened as Fili tried to heave both of them to their feet. Her arms stayed tightly wound but not wanting to her his neck, used her legs to hold her weight. "You're stuck with me now."

"That'll be entertaining at tomorrow morning's council. They'll probably think I have a wife already who's overly infatuated." She felt him sigh. "They've been hinting at the idea actually. Since Thorin doesn't have any heirs."

Nala frowned, tilting her head back. "Don't let them pressure you," she said softly. "Marriage works best when it's bonded through love. And love doesn't happen overnight."

Fili nodded softly with tightly pursed lips. "I won't," he promised. "But it does mean they'll be making suggestions and prompting introductions at every event we hold until I do. I'm counting on you to scare off the ones I don't like."

"I can do that. I've been practising my Bola face." She dropped her mouth and eyes into a broody stare, but more so with a tinge of annoyance rather than Thorin's typical features. "How was that?"

"Scarily accurate," Fili confessed. Nala grinned at the compliment. Fili leaned forward, placing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm glad you're back."

"So am I."