"Honestly, did you get any sleep last night?"
Briseis rolled her grey eyes skyward at Selene's admonishing tone. The surprisingly young woman had come to collect the new Privileged shortly after the King had left the bathing chamber. Briseis shuddered at the memory of the dwarf, trying hard not to think of him between her legs, but despite her best efforts, most of the girl's thoughts had been consumed by Thorin since this morning. Something about his behaviour gnawed at the girl - she had figured his demeanour a product of brutish uncivilization, however there had been a split second in that chamber which made the girl think otherwise.
His clouded eyes had raked over her bruises and suddenly, like the parting of stormy clouds against a clear sky, his eyes lightened. In that instance he gazed upon her in regret, as though she were a crystal goblet he had accidentally broken. Briseis chewed her bottom lip in thought, Auntie Nora's lectures echoing in her mind. Cases of intangible illnesses...illnesses of the mind to which there were no cures.
"Stop doing that!" Selene's frustrated huff broke her contemplation, she had been so deep in thought that the sound of the woman's voice nearly made her jump. "Your lips don't need the extra abuse."
Forcing thoughts of the King away, the girl with the stoney eyes quickly focused her attention on the woman standing before her.
Sel - as she insisted being called - turned with a flick of her jet black locks to an array of jars which stood on the small hand table. Clucking monotonously as she brushed through the collection of vibrantly coloured concoctions, she finally let out a small 'ahh,' before rounding on the girl with a wide smile. Briseis felt a sharp pang of what could only be identified as envy at the sight of her perfectly straight, white teeth. Running her tongue over the chip in her left canine and the dark stain between her two front teeth, the girl sighed internally at the imperfections. Both were far from hideous, but being in the presence of Sel made her feel like a goblin with rotting, yellow chompers. Sel was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman Briseis had ever met, and more than once now, the girl had caught herself staring at Sel's alabaster skin wondering how anyone could be so annoyingly perfect.
The woman hummed softly while prying open the lid of a bright yellow paste. Although the insecurity that came with being in her presence was nearly crippling, Briseis found herself enjoying Selene's company - somehow being reminded of her mother's constant fussing.
The girl took a deep sigh at the thought of her wonderfully aloof, kind hearted mom but was abruptly seized into a fit of coughing as she choked on the overwhelming smell of sage and rosewater that seemed to smother everything within the confines of the heavily furnished chamber.
"What is this place?" The girl asked hoarsely, swallowing the thick scent that filled her throat as she spoke.
"My favourite ready room," the woman answered cooly, scooping a dollop of cream into her palm. "I've prepared every one of the King's companions in here for the past nine years." Briseis furrowed her dark brows in confusion, where were the other girls then? Were they not also considered companions of the King? "Ugh, look at these bags under your eyes!" Selene tutted disapprovingly, distracting the girl from her current train of thought as she smeared the yellow, cool paste on Briseis' upturned face.
"What is this stuff?" The girl inquired as a pleasant tingle ran across her skin while the concoction settled on her face.
"It's called Haldi - a spice native to my home. We grind the root, mix it with honey and milk and apply it to the skin - it works wonders."
Briseis nodded politely, quietly digesting the information while wondering if all the women from her country were just as beautiful as she. "Where exactly do you hail from?" The girl pondered aloud. It was a question that had been in the back of her mind since the initial impact of Sel's beauty had distracted her from the woman's bizarre accent. It was definitely guttural, but an elegant lilting emphasized certain words, completely softening the way she spoke.
There was a short silence in which Selene's perfect features remained stoic, her dark brown eyes focused intently on the cream she was still administering until Briseis fidgeted uncomfortably, unsure of whether or not the woman had been offended. "I'm from Khand." She stated brusquely, registering the look of slight shock on the girl's face
face before suddenly laughing. "Not all who hail from Khand are allies of Mordor," she added, as though reading Briseis' thoughts. "Do you know how many times I've had people run away from me once I tell them that?" She asked, still laughing as she rested an elbow on her hip for a moment.
The girl laughed at her own naivety, suddenly realizing the ignorance of viewing an entire people based on story books and tall tales she had heard as a child.
"Please forgive me," Briseis chuckled sheepishly, "It's just so odd to have read about the dreadful people of Khand with their supposed burnt skin and fiery eyes - and then to compare them to you!"
Selene smirked in amusement as she continued rubbing the Haldi into the girl's now bright yellow face. "Yes, well there are wicked people, and there are good people - you'll find both all over Middle Earth, regardless of the colour of their skin or where they are from."
Briseis nodded her head in agreement, unable to form coherent questions from the plethora which swirled in her mind. Unfortunately, Selene spoke first.
"Alright, now we'll let this set on your face for ten minutes while I brush out your hair."
The girl smiled to show her cooperation and let the woman from Khand comb through her thick locks of knotted, damp hair while she hummed a soft tune.
After washing her face with vinegar and water, Briseis returned to the stone chair in the centre of the room, her skin feeling fresh and blissfully rejuvenated.
"Ah, you look positively radiant!" Selene beamed, her hands already grasping the next jars of ointments and salves. "Now to start w-"
Knock, knock, knock.
Briseis' heart leapt into her throat at the sound of the loud thuds which seemed to resonate through her ribcage. Could it be Kili? Or Fili? Would they be back so soon? The thought of seeing either of their faces caused a small balloon of hope to swell within her chest.
Selene let out a frustrated sigh before turning towards the large wooden door. "Who is it?" She called, mockingly sweet.
Nothing but silence met both women and Briseis began to feel the good natured bubble deflate as they continued to wait in quiet. Surely Fili or Kili would have answered by now. Sel rolled her eyes and set the jars back down before making her way to the door.
She repeated her inquiry again as she cracked the frame open with a creak - all the while Briseis tried in vain to steal a peek at the unexpected visitor.
"Please forgive me. What can I do for you, my lord?" Sel asked gently after bowing. Briseis felt her stomach give way when the deep sound of Thorin's voice broke through the air.
"Is...is Briseis with you?"
The girl in question cringed at the foreign sound of her name upon the King's tongue.
"Yes my lord, she is," Sel answered warmly, not knowing she was being cursed silently by the newest member of the Privileged from within the room.
"Give us a few minutes alone," Thorin ordered softly.
Briseis jumped out of the chair at his words and stood behind the stone slab as though it would protect her from the dwarf. She told herself to stay calm and steeled her nerves as the lone form of the King entered the chamber.
There was a slight hitch in her breath at the sight of him - he wasn't naked this time or anything, but the effect of his crimson robes seemed almost as surprising to the girl. The deep red fabric caught every ounce of warmth in his skin, making him seem disturbingly handsome. His inky black hair was pulled back from his face into a neat braid, bringing into focus his wonderfully square jaw and straight, proud nose. His blue eyes hastily scanned the room, deliberately avoiding her gaze.
"What do you want?" Briseis snapped, unable to keep her voice steady while trying to ignore the deafening thud of her heart. He just wants to talk, she reassured herself over and over again even though she didn't believe it for a second.
Instead of snapping back, Thorin returned her question with a look of distracted confusion before immediately averting his gaze once more.
Utter silence engulfed them both as she continued to glare cautiously at the dwarf, afraid he would attack if she drew breath too loud. "What do you want?" The girl repeated, trying to sound authoritative.
Something was wrong.
The king looked at her oddly, as though he was unsure of what to say, but after another moment of quiet, he reached into the pocket of his blood red tunic and pulled out a long band of thick string.
Briseis felt her head begin to swim violently, sweat pooling beneath her arms as she stared at the string - he was going to strangle her.
"I need to take your measurements," Thorin said slowly, staring at the terrified girl as though she were insane.
The sentence was so far from what Briseis had expected to hear that she nearly laughed. "Whatever for?" She asked, careful not to let Thorin hear the relief in her voice.
"Its for the seamstress...for...your gown for the Ceremony," The King had started his sentence off strong, but his last few words were unsure and wavering.
The Ceremony? Why did that sound so familiar? Briseis screwed her face up as she wracked her brain, a few seconds passing until she remembered Kili's letter - that's what he had meant by the feast tonight! The girl's expression suddenly morphed into one of deep skepticism at Thorin's words. There was no way any seamstress would be able to cut, stitch and embroider a gown before sundown. She looked at him suspiciously but the dwarf was already marching in her direction with the measuring tape clenched tightly in one hand.
The sound of his clunky boots were muffled by the thick carpet as he made his way before her.
They stood a foot apart, shrouded in a blanket of awkward silence before locking gazes for a split second. The King's eyes were the same bright, hypnotic blue they had been in the bathing chamber this morning and immediately caused Briseis to look away, afraid that he would cast some sort of curse on her if she stared into his wicked irises too long.
The King cleared his throat quietly and the girl stole another guarded glance at him. He seemed to be chewing the inside of his lip before he caught her questioning stare. He shot an awkward smile in her direction which she did not return.
"Uh - I'll start with your arms," he stated, stretching out the long white tape in both his hands.
Briseis had nearly forgotten what he'd come for, having to shake her head slightly to jostle her memory.
Thorin stood back and waited for her to spread her arms out, eyes raking over the thin, purple shift she wore.
"Couldn't get one of your loyal subjects to do this for you?" The girl asked icily as she crossed her arms over her chest, not appreciating the way his gaze seemed to linger in certain areas.
"Thought I would do the honours myself," Thorin retorted smugly, "I can be terribly picky when it comes to gown making."
Briseis responded to his lame attempt at a joke with a stoic glare, arms still crossed tightly over one another.
The King sighed, dropping his arms in resignation. "Look, I...I didn't want…I didn't intend..." He huffed again, this time biting his lip in an effort to find the right words. The girl felt her face darken...this was an apology. And she did not want it. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Briseis - and I definitely did not mean to hit you. I lost control. Sometimes I…I barely recognize myself." Thorin's voice was low and earnest, and if the girl didn't know any better, she would have accepted the apology. But as it were, there was nothing the dwarf could do or say at this point that would atone for the terrible things he had done to her.
Regardless of her conclusion, Briseis warily eyed the thick band of measuring tape in the King's hand, her thoughts returning to the previous notion of being strangled.
That, and only that, made her nod at the dwarf with the faintest trace of a smile.
Thorin's frown transformed into a huge grin, his blue irises glinting even in the hazy light. But what really seemed to strike a chord with the girl were the wrinkles around his eyes and the subtle way they completely softened his features. Briseis hated to admit it, but he was beautiful like this.
The dwarf didn't seem to notice her scrutiny, instead he brandished the tape and cocked his head towards her crossed arms. "Can I take your measurements now?"
The girl eyed him cautiously before reluctantly spreading her arms out once more.
"Bend your knees," The King ordered brusquely as he made sure to keep his gaze locked on her face. Briseis nearly scoffed at him but then thought against it, instead choosing to do as she'd been told for once. And regretted it immediately.
Now standing at eye level with the dwarf, she felt even more uncomfortable and self conscious as he stepped closer - her skin was nowhere near as flawless as Selene's. She inhaled deeply to take her mind off of such foolish notions and to calm her nerves, inadvertently taking in his scent through the sage and rose water.
The medicinal warmth of saffron wafted gently through the air, creating a musky backdrop upon which the smooth notes of cherry almond and tobacco played deliciously. She had never smelt anything more wonderful in her life, and it made her skin tingle with a perplexing wave of desire.
"You're cold?" Thorin asked softly, his deep voice suddenly little more than a whisper as he gently trailed his thumb down her bare shoulder, the goose bumps intensifying at his touch.
"No," Briseis said bluntly, shaking her head with extra force as she tried to regain her senses. She noticed him smile as he leaned in closer, bringing another wave of his intoxicating scent with him.
"I won't be too long," Thorin assured, his gaze lingering distractedly on her parted lips before turning his attention to her outstretched arms as he began to measure her from wrist to shoulder.
His touch was alarmingly gentle, grazing only a few patches of bare skin with his cool hands as he worked. Despite the lack of physical contact, the strange sense of arousal seemed to intensify with every passing second as she became overly aware of the way his hot breath fanned her face and neck, the way his icy blue eyes carefully stole glances at her from beneath his lashes, and the way he moved incrementally closer and closer.
Briseis wanted to break free, but the thick air in the room seemed to press the two together. The wisps of his fragrance continued to snake their way into her brain - clouding her thoughts and driving the strange sense of yearning which both confused and terrified the girl.
She needed to get out of the room.
Thorin's eyes glinted as he suddenly caught her gaze, immediately making her tense up. A small, frazzled smile played on his lips before he leaned in, causing the girl's heart to pound uncontrollably - from fear or anticipation, she could not decide. Was he going to kiss her? No. No, she didn't want him to. Despite telling herself so, she did nothing but stare at him with wide, unblinking eyes even as he reached behind her back, bringing the tape around to measure her chest.
Both of them let out a small, shaky laugh as he withdrew.
"I thought you were going to kiss me," Briseis blurted out breathlessly, nearly lightheaded with relief, excitement, and confusion all at once.
"Looks like you wanted me to," Thorin observed slyly, his mouth curling into a devilish smirk as he fixed the tape over her stiff nipples which blatantly poked through the flimsy shift.
"I'm cold," Briseis lied immediately, her face turning bright red at her obvious sign of arousal. "Don't flatter yourself."
The King tightened the tape around her chest, her breasts squeezing together from the force. "Can you breathe comfortably?"
The girl nodded and tried to ignore the feeling of the band slipping gently over her nipples before coming to a stop again just below her bust.
The dwarf pulled the measuring string tighter, this time staring directly into Briseis' eyes as he repeated his question. "Can you breathe comfortably?" He whispered, his voice seemed strained and hoarse as he leaned in closer, his own blue orbs burning with frenzied excitement.
She nodded again, barely aware of what she had agreed to, all of her senses preoccupied with trying to fight the strange pull which seemed to emanate from Thorin.
The King let the band slip free completely, instead coming to push his body up against hers, wrapping his arms around her waist with a grip that could crush bone.
"And now?" He asked, voice nearly cracking with eager anticipation as he moved in, not even waiting for her answer before moving to close the gap between their parted, panting mouths. Every fibre of the girl's being screamed in protest as she watched him in what seemed like slow motion, but it was as though he had turned her stone. She stood limp, waiting for the dwarf's lips to engulf her own.
"My lord, there's - Oh…" Selene's soft voice broke off in a surprised gasp as she spotted the two from the doorway.
Thorin and Briseis were taken so off guard by the intruder's voice that they simultaneously jumped, effectively popping the intense bubble which had previously engulfed the pair. The girl was more than thankful for it now that her mind seemed a fraction clearer. Yet, there was no denying that some twisted part, deep within her had wanted the kiss. And that truth made her sick.
"Please forgive me, I can come back…" Selene interrupted sheepishly.
"No...it's fine," Thorin tried to keep his voice steady but there was a blatant edge of annoyance in his deep baritone. He closed his eyes and let out a long frustrated sigh, resting his forehead on hers with a soft thud. She could feel the perspiration beading on the dwarf's skin as his iron grip lessened around her waist, hands slowly sliding down her hips before he stood back and let out another deep, shaky breath. His eyes never left Briseis, the previous hunger which burned deep within their blue depths now significantly diminished. He inclined his head once in goodbye and abruptly made his way out of the room in a huff of crimson without another word or glance.
The two women stood in perplexed silence for a few seconds before Briseis realized that she was shaking. Her knees were still locked from when the dwarf had asked her to bend down, and it seemed as though they were going to pop out of their sockets as she tried straightening out now. Wobbling absentmindedly, the girl groped her way towards the chair, plopping down ungracefully before letting out a deep breath. Her mind felt stuffy and crowded, trying desperately to grasp what on Earth had just happened between herself and the King. Had he put some kind of spell on her?
"Well, well, well," Selene cooed, sauntering towards the girl with a teasing smile on her porcelain face. "Looks like the King can't even wait for the Ceremony to bed his companion!"
Whatever remnants of confusion had been lingering in Briseis' mind were blown clear at the woman's words. The girl with the grey eyes snapped towards Sel as though she had just admitted to murder.
"The King can't wait to bed who now?" Briseis balked, there were too many words in that sentence that made her want to puke.
At first Selene looked at her amusedly, as though she'd made a joke, but when the nonplussed expression failed to fade from Briseis' face, the woman's smirk faded. Her dark features fixated now into look of deep concern.
"The Ceremony - the entire significance of which is the King picks his Companion for the first night and we celebrate with a feast and dancing."
The girl felt the blood drain from her face faster than if someone had punctured her veins. She didn't need any explanation of what 'companion for the first' night entailed.
"Surely someone told you?" Selene offered gently, placing a cool hand on her despondent shoulder.
"Does it look like someone told me?!" Briseis snapped, rounding on the woman with half an impulse to smack the stupidity out of her.
Sel shrewdly narrowed her eyes at the girl, clicking her tongue in an effort not to snap back. "Well, I'm sorry no one informed you sooner." She managed to offer icily before turning back to her jars of salves and ointments leaving Briseis to drown in her newly awakened panic and anger.
So that's what she was doing here - being prepared like a lamb before the slaughter.
The girl's buzzing mind went once again to Kili's letter.
As you might hear, there is a feast tonight at sundown. I will visit before then and tell you everything you need to know. Just trust me and know that everything will be fine.
That bastard! He knew. Fili and Kili had both known the fate which awaited her and done nothing! The very least he could have done was tell her sooner, that way she might have kicked Thorin between the legs rather than let him take her measurements!
The girl let out an exasperated growl and threw her head into her hands, desperately wishing that once she opened her eyes again, the sights and sounds of this dreadful place would disappear and be replaced with her cozy, small bedroom in Norwoth Dale.
"It's not all that bad," Selene's voice crept through her delusion, an overwhelming note of sympathy evident in her tone.
"Yeah, how would you know? I don't see you sitting here being prepped like some mantle piece trophy whore." Briseis mumbled miserably through her hands, refusing to relinquish her asylum of darkness.
Rather than take offense at her remark, Sel actually laughed. "Mantle piece trophy whore...I quite like that," she chortled quietly. "I don't remember feeling that way when I was chosen Companion. I was definitely nervous, perhaps a bit scared. You see, Thorin was my first, so I was terrified of embarrassing myself."
Briseis poked her head out of her hands to peer at the woman in abject horror. The thought of losing your maidenhood to an animal like Thorin made the girl one hundred times more thankful she had already engaged in intercourse with other men.
Selene smiled ruefully at the girl's expression, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "I'm actually glad it was him...especially back when he was...different."
"What do you mean?" Briseis inquired with a bit more zeal than intended.
"The King, shall we say… had a much firmer grasp on reality when I first came to Erebor. But don't worry, he can still make love like you would not believe. Trust me, he's just incredible. Especially the way he s-"
"Ahhhhhhh," the girl drowned out the rest of the sentence while trying to force images of Thorin and Sel having sex from her mind.
"Prince Fili was remarkable in bed too, it's a shame he's betrothed to that straw haired chit-"
"Prince Fili?" Briseis nearly shouted, glaring at the woman with wide, unbelieving eyes.
Selene nodded reluctantly, looking at the girl with serious doubts in regards to her mental stability.
The overwhelming sense of betrayal that hit Briseis nearly knocked the wind out of her lungs. Her eyes stung with tears as she tried to keep her voice steady. "Fili and Kili...they are his sons?" She swallowed thickly, trying not to choke on the knot which seemed lodged in the back of her throat.
This was all some sort of sick, twisted 'family' plan of theirs. Thorin couldn't get what he wanted from her on his own, so he sent his boys to do his bidding! Why else would both Kili and Fili develop such an immediate attachment to her? Why would a prince bother to rescue a lowly commoner from indecency? Why would either of them care otherwise? She wasn't special or important - It was just all a ruse. To gain her trust, and then drop her into Thorin's lap when the time was right.
"Oh no," Sel said shaking her head, suddenly turning around to make sure there was no one behind her, "the King cannot have children," she whispered. Briseis never wanted to hear of someone's sterility, but in this case it brought her a strange sense of comfort to know that a sick bastard like that would never be able to father children. "Fili and Kili are his sister's sons. She left them to Thorin after she died, although, I'm sure they wish she hadn't."
The girl blinked back her anger at the two dwarf princes for a second. Not daring to get her hopes up.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the boys don't exactly get along with their dear uncle," Selene shrugged her shoulders at this and reached forward to smear something over the girl's arms.
"How do you know that? What does that mean?" The girl asked eagerly, pulling away from the woman's grasp. Her heart was pounding loudly with anticipation, praying to the stars that what she was hearing was the truth. Sel smiled and reached forward again, this time catching Briseis' arm with a surprisingly firm grip as she slathered the cream on her skin.
"I know because Prince Fili opens up a lot more than he should after sex - considering you've fucked him properly." Sel added with a wink. "He said Kili was still naive enough to hope for Thorin's recovery, but as for Fili - I don't think there's anyone who detests the King more he."
Briseis fought back the overpowering relief of Sel's story, not even bothering to cringe at the woman's crude description of her time with Fili. She was simply too happy to care - their friendship had been built on something real. The comfort that came along with the notion also made her realize just how much those two brothers had come to mean to her. And all in less than three days… If this had been under any other circumstance, she may have questioned her own judgement, but here - where she expected to have no one and nothing, Kili and Fili had provided her with care, support and company. They gave her a reason to keep going. They gave her hope.
"Are you alright?" Sel inquired gently, stooping to try and assess the girl's expression. Briseis nodded and smiled widely, careful to blink back the moisture in her eyes lest it seem too obvious. "Is it your bleeding time?" The woman tried again, obviously wondering if the monthly blood had something to do with her overly emotional behaviour.
The girl shook her head, "No, this month's cycle has already passed," she assured. "I'm just tired." Sel nodded, going back to working the cream into her other arm. The woman's earlier words suddenly refreshed in her memory, her attention now focused on another aspect of the story. "What did Fili mean by Thorin's recovery - is he sick?"
The woman pursed her lips as she tried to recall some distant memory. "He's not physically sick, Fili called it something like Dragon madness? Dragon something...Ah! Dragon sickness," she confirmed with a smile.
The girl furrowed her brows, deep in concentration as every mental illness she knew flew past her mind's eye. "I don't know what that is," she finally admitted somewhat annoyed.
Sel shrugged her shoulders, wiping her hands dry on her green tunic. "I've heard it has to do with gold," she relayed in a slight whisper.
A deep frown etched its way onto Briseis' lips as she carefully digested the information. Perhaps the King was mad, but even if he was, the girl would rather be damned than help that monster. Regardless, she would still like to know more about this dragon sickness...perhaps the palace had a library?
Hello my lovelies! Thank you all so much for sticking with my stories for the past while, life has been so crazy with the baby a house move. Anyway, hope you like the chapter and I would love to read your wonderful reviews :-*