Ori's apartment is a neat little collection of rooms. There is no bathroom here as there is in the one above Dori's store, the shop below having been extended into the space at some time in the past to make room for the printing press in the back. Her people, as a rule, prefer hand crafted items and dislike machines which might reduce the skill required to produce something. They also, however, occasionally enjoy the convenience and when it comes to reading and contracts that is definitely the case. More often than not the printers are used to mass produce contracts and books. It is miserable work for a scribe like Ori, but it pays well and knowing how to bind books and illuminate the more expensive copies will serve him well in later life anyway. Being the sole occupant of the apartment, Ori fairs well enough without the attached room for bathing, and there is a public bath house just down the street regardless. The main living space consists of a small kitchen area attached to an open sitting room and two bedrooms since this was intended as accommodation for a small family when the shop was built hundreds of years before. Hjalmer's family outgrew it decades ago, which is why he allows Ori the use of the place now, but it is clear that neither her brother nor the owner have done anything about the decor in some time.
Then again Ori never really cared about stuff like that anyway.
"What happened?" Ori asks as soon as they get inside.
"Meet Cadan," she waves a hand at Kíli, "who is also known as Kíli, son of Dís."
Ori's jaw drops. Nori never told Ori and Dori about Cadan's real identity, they did not need to know and the fewer people who do the better. In this situation, however, it is better that she be honest with Ori.
"So you did kidnap a prince?" Ori almost squeaks. Nori gives him an unimpressed look.
"Actually, I stole her," Kíli pipes up helpfully. "I was leaving with or without her and your sister was smart enough to know it."
"But…" Ori looks between them, "she took a dozen guards to Dori's shop! They tore the apartment apart looking for somewhere you might have hidden away."
"I told her I was leaving town," Kíli scowls. "Why would she do that?"
"Mother's don't always do things that make sense when they think their children are in danger," Nori observes. "Did she have a big guard with her?" She demands. "Burly with tattoos on his head? Twin axes."
"Prince Fíli's guard?" Ori asks. "I was there when they left with the caravan. I had a last minute delivery for the caravan master." Nori nods. "No. Dori said they were just normal guards, but that Dwalin came in the afternoon to ask if he had seen the two of you. He didn't tell you?"
"He was too busy telling me to get out and stay away from you, honestly," Nori replies. "Not that I blame him if they did half as much damage as you say they did."
"I saw it, Nori," he whispers. "They really messed up the place. Dori said they found a coat and tunic."
"I did leave them there," Kíli admits. "I changed before we left. But she shouldn't have done that."
"She's capable," Nori observes, remembering the few encounters she has had with his mother in a private setting. The conversation, which is being rather generous in description, about Kíli learning to catch knives had come very close to Dís pulling a knife on Nori. The thief knows enough about the princess' abilities to know that it would likely come close to being the last time that Dís ever pulled a blade on someone. She does not have the skill of her brother and sons, and Nori has spent enough time training with Dwalin and the two boys to be confident of her own skill. "It isn't the point right now, though. Go and get changed. I'll make sure you get home and find somewhere to stay tonight." The lad nods.
"You can stay here," Ori offers as he watches Kíli walk away. Nori hums thoughtfully. "Permanently, I mean."
"Dori was very clear that I not get you mixed up in all of this," Nori replies. "And I'm inclined to agree with him. That shop is as good as his, long as he keeps up on the rent and he doesn't need us for that. Might be better that he downsize come to think of it. Hjalmer isn't going to be so forgiving if Dís marches in here looking for me and Kíli again."
"But he would welcome the protection that comes from having a thief in residence," Ori points out. "Does Dori realise he's lost that by throwing you out?"
"I never told him," Nori shrugs. "You know as well as I do that he hates hearing about my work. Speaking of my work," she adds. "Got a couple of contracts I need you to adjust for me," she pulls out the two documents that Kíli had signed when joining the caravans to and from Ered Nimrais. "Just the names; Cadan for Kíli."
Ori takes the two contracts and looks them over.
"It's decent paper," he says, "shouldn't be too hard to change. I can do it now if you want." He makes his way to a desk that has been haphazardly shoved into one corner of the room, digging out a bottle and a cloth which he pours a small amount of the liquid on to. Every now and then, however, his eyes drift to the room that Kíli has gone into.
"Don't even go there," Nori tells him, her voice hushed. "He's pretty enough, but he's got his eye on someone already."
"Oh well," Ori shrugs, eyes not leaving the contract he is working on. "No harm in looking."
"There's always Dorn," Nori says. "He's not bad to look at."
"The forger?" Ori looks away from the paper for a moment and pulls a face. "Nice enough to look at but all he wanted to talk about was himself. Do you have anything else this Asger's written for me to copy?"
"Nope," Nori smiles, "but that isn't usually a problem for something as simple as a name." Ori glares at her, then carefully approximates the same carefully formed runes that Asger had used to fill in the original name on the contract. "Usual payment?" She asks as he sands the ink.
"You can have this one free," Ori shakes his head. "It's nothing like as big as the stuff you normally ask me for." He checks the ink and then hands the modified contracts back to her. "Are you sure you don't want that room? I'm a big boy now, with my own house and everything. Dori doesn't control me, and he doesn't control you. Move in."
"I might store some of my stuff here," Nori hedges, "you know, for when I have to go out of town, but I'll find a place to go. Most of the taverns are happy enough to let a room out to a member of the Guild."
"Most would be if they knew of the perks," Ori observes. "Stay here tonight, anyway," he insists. "I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."
She gives him an amused nod, although it is one less thing for her to worry about after months on the road, especially as she is going to need to have words with Dís and Thorin. Then she crosses the room and bangs on the door.
"You done making yourself beautiful?" She asks through the door.
Kíli opens the door. He has redone his braids and is just finishing placing the clip in his beard. Anyone who knows him well would know that he and Cadan are the same person. Anyone who does not would take a while to make the connection, if they managed it at all, and it is one of the reasons that Nori changes her hair so often when not travelling with a fixed group of people. Kíli wears his hair loose with only a pair of braids on either side of his temples, it renders his face soft and youthful and makes him that little bit more approachable. Cadan wears his hair pulled back in a lattice of braids that accent the angles of Kíli's face and make him look older. As long as he does not end up with any distinct scars on his face, this should be enough of a simple disguise to get them by.
"You can't improve on perfection," Kíli quips in return, then turns to Ori. "So that your employer doesn't get too upset with you, I wrote this up while I was getting sorted."
He hands Ori a sheet of paper with Kíli's typical untidy scrawl all over it detailing the title of the book he wants printed with the details he wants added. Ori turns scarlet and Nori turns an amused smirk on the younger prince.
"Where did you hear about that book?" She asks with a grin. "It's not something I would have expected your ma to let you anywhere near."
"I borrowed it from a visiting diplomat once," Kíli smirks. "It was very informative. Until one of the guards found it and told Uncle anyway."
Nori laughs, clapping Ori on the shoulder as her little brother seems to choke on his tongue for a moment.
"This will be expensive," he breathes, "we'd have to get new image plates etched and if you want them coloured it would take hours of work per page. We're talking maybe a hundred gold, just for a book."
"Perfect," Kíli beams, "it's in character then." Ori stares at him.
"I don't want to know," he declares after a beat.
"You're better off if you don't," Nori agrees. "Besides, you need your master work. Why not that?"
"I am not illuminating a book of bawdy poetry as my master work!" Ori objects.
"That's up to you I suppose," Nori shrugs. "Come on then, lad," she adds as she picks up Kíli's bag and throws it at him, "let's go and give your ma a chance to scream at me a bit."
"Nori," her brother stops them as they reach the door. She turns to look at him, "be careful. She had no trouble tearing Dori's place apart. I don't want to consider what she might do to you."
"I'll be careful," Nori promises, knowing that if her own past is anything to go by she'll probably spend a few hours locked up regardless.
She and Kíli move through the streets quickly. Her apprentices strides ahead of her, head held high as he greets any passerby that he recognises with a smile, a wave, and the occasional stop for a quick chat. Nori, as is her habit, trails behind him as she watches him. On an average day she would not bother, but since they have been gone for over a year and a half it makes sense that she keep an eye on him to be certain he gets back home. The last thing Nori needs is her apprentice to go missing after absconding with him for so long. Eventually, although it takes longer than she had expected, a guard spots the young prince and Nori watches him dart off in the direction of the home Dís shares with her brother and sons.
Predictably, then, Dís is waiting at the door when Kíli ambles up with a careless grin and his arms open as though expecting a hug.
"Amad!" He chirrups happily. "Did you miss me?"
It fits the image of arrogant and careless princeling that they have been cultivating since Nori started training him, but she wants to bury her face in her hands all the same. That is not a greeting that will endear the boy to his mother in the slightest, especially since, for the sake of public image, Dís will not dress him down in the street, no matter the fact that it is late and sparsely populated.
"Where is she?" His mother demands, loud enough for Nori to hear but softly enough that it will not carry too far.
"I have no idea who you're talking about," Kíli grins. "I'm starving, have I missed dinner?"
If Dís does not kill him, Nori muses as she slips away to enter the building somewhat less publicly, she just might.
A.N: It occurred to me this morning that I will be very busy over the next few days preparing for my daughter's birthday on Tuesday. Which means that I won't be able to post on Monday night. So this is Monday's chapter nice and early for you all to enjoy (and I know myself, I may manage to cram a post in on Monday but I don't want to risk it so here's your fair warning). Also, Kili is such a little shit.