So yeah! Another chapter. Thank you so much for those who have follow and fav the story. I also want to thanks to my dear guest and to StoriesNMore for their review. Thank you so much and I hope you like this chapter!
Brine peeked down the side of the boat of Bard, the smuggler who had offered to take them to Lake City, where they could recover to continue their journey to Erebor.
"What's going on," Brine asked Fili when he approached her, leaning on his elbows and looking into the thoughtful distance.
"We need money," Fili confessed, biting the inside of his lip. "And according to Gloin's accounts, there isn't enough. If we don't give him what he asks for, he'll give us to the elves."
"Why them?"
"Because your dear friend, the blond elf, has put a high price on our heads," Fili replied as he turned in on himself, leaning against the side of the boat and looking Brine in the eyes.
"Fili." Brine rebuked him. She knew why he referred to Legolas the way he had. She could hear the jealousy in his voice. "Why will he give us to them? Is he not afraid of the orcs?"
"I doubt if he knows that a pack of Orcs are after us," Fili replied by crossing his arms. "These people need to eat, Brine. They won't hesitate." Brine felt a chill as she heard Fili's words, which he noticed and quickly moved a little closer to her, gently stroking her arm. Brine raised her hand and caressed Fili's, only brushing her fingertips against his back.
"I'm very sorry I can't help you." Brine fled from Fili's gaze. Everyone was making a great effort to continue and she could not help but feel like a hindrance.
"Don't worry about it." Fili put his hand under her chin, raising her face and making their eyes meet. Brine felt a heat invading her chest. Something she was finding very comforting lately and felt she needed more and more every day. Gloin's moans broke the moment. Brine took a step back, looking away from Fili.
"I'm going to see Kili." She said excusing herself as she walked away from him and left him with a frustrated expression.
Kili was sitting away from the group. He had cut himself a little during the escape. He had not given it much thought and, as much as Brine had insisted, he had not given in to her examining him.
"How are you?" Brine asked sitting next to him.
"I think I'm fine." Kili smiled as he nodded. "How are things with Fili?" Brine blushed quickly. "I see you've become closer lately," Kili commented with a whining tone in his voice.
"You can say we've overcome our differences." Brine replied as she played with her bootlaces.
"He loves you, Brine." Brine turned quickly to Kili. His skin was pale and covered with a cold sweat.
"You're delirious!" she shouted as she stood and held Kili's head. Bilbo was the one who got to them first, helping Brine handle Kili.
"We have to get him in the barrel," Bilbo informed Brine. "It's the only way to get into town." Brine nodded and soon delicately placed Kili in a barrel.
"Don't worry. It's going to be all right." She said as she caressed Kili's face. He was on fire. "I think he has an infection from the wound." Brine informed Bilbo before she went into her own barrel.
When Brine heard that Bard was going to help them, she did not think it would be by covering them with old fish. She felt the smell covering every hole in the barrel. It was a little nauseating so she could not have been happier when she felt someone knocking over her barrel.
"Thank you." Brine sighed as she felt strong arms pulling on her.
"You're welcome, little princess." Replied Dwalin's crude voice.
Brine shook the scales from her hands and face and followed Bard cautiously. They crossed small wooden bridges, crossed piers and climbed stairs until they came to a small door. Everyone was waiting expectantly for what was on the other side, so the disappointment they felt at the sight of a latrine was enormous.
"You don't expect us to go in there, do you?" Dwalin asked in a bad mood.
"If you want me to help you, yes," Bard replied as he leaned against the door frame. They all looked at each other and finally at Thorin, who pushed Dwalin to be the first. Mumbling, Dwalin ducked through the hole going up. Everyone watched as his body disappeared while he mumbled something in the old Dwarf language. "Quick, next." One by one, they got into it until it was Brine's turn. She looked at the hole with a terrified expression as she shook her head.
"I can't. I can't do it. I can't do it." Brine said.
"What are you saying, silly girl? Do like the others and get in." Bard replied quickly as he pushed her away.
"Watch your hands!" Fili intervened by brusquely pulling Bard's hands away from Brine. "Don't worry, look at me." He said turning to Brine and holding her by the shoulders. "You don't have to if you don't want to. Nothing's going to happen. We'll find a way in." Brine plunged her frightened green eyes into Fili's blue. Slowly she began to regain her rhythm and her breathing. His look was so reassuring. "Calm down." He repeated as he hugged her. Brine breathed deep, letting the smell of leather and fish intoxicate her. "Find another way to get her in," Fili ordered, staring hard at Bard.
"Alright." He replied after a few minutes of silence. "Put this on and stay with me." Bard handed Brine a handkerchief to cover her head with. "But the rest of you must go in that way."
Fili looked at Brine sweetly before nodding and turning to go in the hole. Brine held her breath for a few moments until Bard pulled her up other stairs leading to another kind of door.
"Another latrine?" Brine asked suspiciously without opening the door.
"If that's what you want to call my house," Bard said as he opened the door and let out a small house full of dwarves and three frightened children against a corner. Some children who were soon out looking for their father when they saw him come in. "You can wash up here while I get your weapons," Bard said, taking his son to help him. "All I ask is that you do not leave here." The dwarves watched as Bard and his son disappeared out the door.
"We'd better get started," Thorin said. At that moment, Bardo's eldest daughter ran out to fill the bowls with water and leave them in the middle of the house.
"You lady can wash up around here." The younger one pointed as she led her into a corner and ran a cloth that served as a curtain. She could see the silhouettes of the dwarves, but it was better than nothing. She uncovered her head, letting her hair fall on her shoulders. The little girl of the house soon arrived with hot water. "Are you a dwarf woman?" the little girl asked as she helped Brine remove her shirt. Brine nodded.
"But I'm not like them."
"I don't understand."
"Dwarf women have long beards decorated with the most precious jewels of the mountain. Their hands and feet are big." Brine explained as she took a sponge and dipped it in the water. It did not take her long to get ready and when she was done, a dark blue dress was waiting for her. It was not the kind of dress she wore, but it was something she had not worn in a long time. Although it was very tight, it was perfect in length.
"I'm sorry I don't have another one to offer you." Said the eldest daughter.
"I'm having a little trouble breathing." Brine complained as she tugged at her dress trying to breathe.
"That's easily solved." The girl replied as she took a pair of scissors and opened a slit in the chest of her dress. Brine felt her lungs filling up again. "I'm sorry it looks so provocative."
"No problem." Brine replied. As long as she could breathe, she did not mind that her breasts looked like they were about to come out of her dress.
She walked out of the house on the side. She wanted to leave the rest of the group the same privacy she had had. The cold of the small watch Galadriel gave her caught her attention. She took the chain off the inside of her dress and looked at the watch carefully. That was when she realized. It was only a few days away from her birthday, and so she had to make her decision. She leaned against the wall of the house, thinking, as the clock wound around in her hands. She thought she was clear about her decision the moment she received the news. All her life, the dwarf people had disowned her. They had humiliated and hated her. So when she discovered she had an elf family, she could not have been happier. She could start over with them, a people who had not yet rejected her. However, because of her relationship with Kili and Fili's new attitude, everything was different. Perhaps not all dwarves were so cruel.
"Fili." Brine muttered without being able to hide a smile. She did not know why his attitude towards her had changed, but she could not be more grateful for it.
"How did you know I was here?" Fili asked, approaching her. Brine took a small leap that she managed to hide. "I thought I'd been quiet enough to catch you off guard." Brine smiled as she secretly put away her watch. Their glances crossed and Brine saw how Fili was trying to avoid landing on his chest. He was wearing a beige shirt and his hair and beard were cleaned and tided.
"Intuition." Brine replied with a beautiful smile that ended up infecting Fili.
"You look amazing," Fili said as he approached her. It was beginning to get dark and the little sun that was left made Brine shine with a light of her own. She nodded her head in thanks. "Come, I want to show you something," Fili said as he took her hand and pulled her up to the roof. Brine tried to follow him as best she could in the dress she was wearing. Once on top of the house, Fili grabbed her by the waist, making sure she did not fall. "Look." He said standing behind her and pointing to the horizon with her finger. "You see that?" Brine tried to focus on what Fili was pointing at, but having him so close made it practically impossible. The smell of leather and soap did not help her. With great inner strength, she focused on a silhouette rising in the direction she was pointing. "Erebor." Brine's eyes opened like plates and all distractions disappeared. She had not been aware of how close she was to the dwarf kingdom. If she stopped to think about it, she had really come a long way since hse started at the inn to serve Thorin. She turned her head to Fili, looking at him happily.
They spent hours up there, sitting on the roof of the house as they listened to the absurd arguments among some of the dwarves. Fili was telling her all the stories Thorin had told them about Erebor and the great treasures hidden in its halls. Brine could spend hours and hours listening to him talk so eagerly.
"I can't wait to show you, Brine," Fili confessed.
"Fili, why the change of heart?" Brine finally asked, a bit terrified of how the dwarf would respond. Fili blushed and hid his gaze.
"I don't think I was fair to you." He finally said. "I've always wanted Thorin to be proud of me. If he saw that I gave in to you, if he saw that I trusted you so easily, he would surely be disappointed." Fili explained. "However, I realized that I had grown fond of you. I don't care if it was with Pip's image, your personality was exactly the same."
"Thank you, Fili." Brine patted Fili's knee, indicating that everything was fine. Fili looked at her calmly for a long time. Brine was lost in his gaze. Everything around her seemed to have disappeared. She was a little startled when she noticed Fili's hand caressing her cheek. This caused Fili to quickly withdraw his hand, but Brine was quicker and brought it back to her face. His hands were rough, but his touch was so delicate at the same time. Slowly, Fili moved closer to her, closing the narrow space between them.
"There's something else," Fili muttered. Brine tried to listen carefully to his words without being distracted by his thin lips. "This time I've realized I wasn't only fond of you." Brine took a breath. Fili was so close to her that his lips brushed against hers as he spoke. "I realized that" Fili only had to press his lips against hers to melt into a passionate kiss. A kiss that Brine had been dreaming about for months. At last, everything she had dreamed of was going to come true, and she was sure it would be beyond her imagination. Brine raised her trembling hand and placed it on Fili's shoulder while closing her eyes and hoping to feel the warmth of his lips against her mouth.
