Please note: I am posting two chapters to start with - to allow you to get into the meat of the story. Please don't get confused and read this chapter before you read the first one. Mustn't skip ahead!
After this I will be posting chapters ever other day or so, as I am only two chapters away from being finished writing this story - I like to get a whole bunch written before I start to post so I can do so quickly.
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Chapter 2
~X~
In the dining hall, Fili sat next to his brother as they all consumed the evening meal. The room was boisterous and loud, with many dwarrows and dams conversing and laughing, enjoying themselves as they downed their king's ale. Looking around, Fili found himself wishing he too could be so carefree and unburdened by his royal expectations. He'd been serious about not blaming his uncle for all this, but sometimes, like now, it all seemed too much for him to bear. His mood became darker as the meal went on, and his contribution to the conversations around him grew less and less as a result. So much so, that when Thorin noticed his solemn expression, and chose to comment on it, Fili couldn't help but respond adversely.
"I'm fine!" he snapped, slamming down his tankard of ale rather loudly. "Or I would be, if everyone would simply leave me alone."
"Fili," Thorin said with a tired sigh, yet there was more than a hint of remorse in his tone as well. "If I could, I would rescind the petition of marriage, yet you know it's far too late for that. The dams are already here. What would you have me tell them and their families?"
By now most of the dwarves sitting around had stopped eating and talking, choosing to stare at the arguing king and prince. Usually, Fili was the first to support his uncle, loyal to both his king and kin, but lately this whole marriage thing had put a strain on their relationship. Something those in the company hated to see.
"That there's been a mistake?" Fili suggested in a grumpy voice. "That they came all this way for nothing? That I can choose whom I shall wed in my own bloody time?" When Thorin closed his eyes, apparently just as tired of this argument as he was, Fili stood up, pushing his chair back in order to leave. "I need some fresh air."
"You have hardly touched your dinner…again," Thorin pointed out, hoping to get his nephew to stay so they could try and iron things out. "You will make yourself sick if you don't eat."
With a growl, Fili reached out and grabbed a bread roll from the basket in front of him, taking a big bite.
"There…happy?" Fili questioned, talking around the food in his mouth. "I hope so, because I damn sure ain't!" And with that he stormed out of the room, the roll still gipped tightly in his hand.
Kili stood up to go after him, but Thorin gestured for him to sit back down.
"Leave him be," he instructed. "Your brother is hurting, yes, but this is something he must come to terms with on his own. No one can do it for him."
"Fili knew this might happen one day," Balin pointed out, though still feeling guilty for being the one to originally suggest the proposal. "He is a prince…and with that comes certain responsibilities."
"Ones I never wanted for either of my nephews," Thorin lamented, rubbing his forehead. "Yet the die has been cast, and Fili's fate will soon be sealed. May Mahal have mercy on the poor lad."
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Fili stomped down the halls of Erebor, his grim expression causing all to step out of his path as he continued on. He didn't have a set destination, but he knew he wanted to be outside where the pressures of Erebor and expectations didn't hem him in so tightly.
"Lad?" came a familiar voice, halting Fili in his tracks. Turning, he saw Dwalin standing behind him, the gruff looking dwarf taking up most of the hallway with his muscular build. There was a reason Thorin trusted only Dwalin to be his personal guard as well as commander of his army, and his intimidating size had a lot to do with it.
"I'm not in the mood to talk, Dwalin," Fili sighed, running his empty hand through his hair in frustration.
"Then just listen, Lad," the bald warrior instructed, walking towards Fili until he was directly in front of him. "This ain't your uncle's fault, you know. Nor is it my brother's. It's the council constant nagging and blasted threats to oust Thorin that has driven things to what they are. You're old enough to realize that, and you insult your intelligence by laying the blame other than where it should rest. When has your uncle not stood up for you? When has he ever let you down?" Here he looked away as if recalling a painful memory. "When he wasn't consumed by gold sickness, that is. And I would hope by now, you've forgiven him for that."
"You know I have," Fili was quick to assure him. "Kili and I both have, and Thorin knows it. He wasn't himself, and we don't blame him for things that were out of his control."
"Then do him the same favor this time, and trust him," Dwalin commanded in a stern voice. "Don't alienate your best ally in all this. Don't turn your back on him when he needs your support the most."
Fili fell silent, letting his mentor's words sink in. He knew he spoke the truth and it pained the blond to realize what an ass he had just been back there.
"You're right, Dwalin," he acquiesced at last. "As usual."
This caused the scarred warrior to chuckle slightly.
"Of course, I am," Dwalin agreed. "My brother ain't the only smart one in the family."
"I…I will speak with Thorin tomorrow, I promise," he vowed. "Just for now, I need to be alone, to sort all this out in my mind. All right?"
"Then go on, Lad," he urged, waving him off. "Just remember, you're a Durin. And Durin's stick together, no matter what. And they're always there to offer a swift kick in the arse when one steps out of line."
"Thanks, old friend," Fili smiled sadly. "I think."
And with a knowing wink, the bald warrior turned and left, leaving Fili alone with his thoughts once more.
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In the end, Fili found his way to the battlement, hidden away in one of the cordoned off sections that allowed him a small measure of privacy. Here he walked to the stone wall and leaned forward, shutting his eyes as he breathed in deeply, letting the night air fill his lungs. After several breaths, he opened his eyes and stared out over Dale, the moon shining on the waters of Lake Town in the far distance. Oh, how he wished he was still traveling with the company, a prince in name only, with no kingdom he must sacrifice his free will for.
Yet, this was why they had come. To reclaim their homeland…and now that they had, it would seem it was instead claiming him! Fili drew back his arm and threw the half-eaten bread roll as far as he could, watching it soar into the night and disappearing from view. He briefly wondered what some dwarf would think if it landed on his head down below, but since he didn't hear any shouts of anger or confusion, he figured he was safe.
Oh, if only bread falling from the sky was the least of his worries, Fili thought to himself with a heavy sigh.
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After dinner had been brought up to the communal room in the Lady's chambers, with each dam partaking greedily of the fine banquet offered by their host, Réann waited until all her companions returned to their private quarters, before putting her plan into motion. In her chambers, she traded clothes with Amara, donning a plain dress and apron of a lady's maid and handing her veil to her friend. Twisting her long hair into a bun at the back of her neck, she tied a scarf over it all, doing her best to disguise her true identity.
"Now, I'll head out and you be sure to call after me…and make it sound convincing," she instructed, taking up a small bundle of clothes before opening the door. Once they were out in the large room, Réann headed for the main entrance and opened it slowly, seeing the two female guards glance her way curiously as she hesitantly stepped into the hall.
However, when they saw she was dressed as one of the maids, they made no move to stop her. Since Réann had entered the mountain wearing her required veil, none of the lasses assigned to watch over them would have any idea what the dam from the Grey Mountains actually looked like. Still, it helped alleviate further suspicion when Amara stepped forward, standing just inside the doorway with her hands on her hips and the veil over her head.
"And while you're out, be sure to check out the market to see if there's a decent dress maker," she ordered, doing a fantastic job of putting on airs. "I can't be seen by Prince Fili wearing just the few frocks I brought with me, you know. Now shoo! And don't come back until that laundry is good and clean."
"Yes, My Lady," Réann nodded, giving a curtsy just as her maid slammed the door in her face. She gave a little smirk, thinking that she would have to speak to Amara about toning it down a bit. She didn't want the whole mountain believing she was a bossy shrew! Still, their plan worked and Réann was able to leave the halls unhindered…in fact, one of the guards even gave her a sympathetic nod and smile as she went.
Yes, this was going even better than she'd hoped.
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Fili sat alone on the ledge of the small section of the battlement, tucked in a darkened little alcove with his back against a stone wall and his legs dangling over either side. He loved this spot, and lately had found himself sneaking away from everyone else more often simply in order to sit here and think. His pipe was in his hand, his lips and teeth gripping the mouthpiece as he let his mind wander. Fili had not bothered lighting it, however, fearing that the faint glow or smoke might attract attention from anyone who happened by, and the last thing he wanted was company right now.
He had not meant to blow up at Thorin at dinner, especially in front of Kili, not wanting his little brother to see how truly upset he was over the dams' arrival. Fili hadn't been sure what he'd been expecting, but deep in his heart he had hoped the council would change their minds, or Thorin would have stood up for him…something! But no, they were here, and soon he'd be asked to pick one of them to be his wife.
His wife!
The lass he would share the rest of his life with, share a bed with…and possibly children! Fili had long dreamed of falling in love, of courting a dam the right way, and eventually putting a marriage braid in her hair. Yet, how was he supposed to choose between only six lasses and expect to find one he could possibly love…or at least not grow to hate? He wanted true love…not merely friendship. Eagerness, not just acceptance. Fiery passion, not loathsome apathy. Was that too much to ask?
Fili realized it was getting late, and yet he dreaded leaving his sanctuary, knowing that each minute brought him closer to his doom. Yes, he would do it, he would go through with the marriage simply out of a sense of duty, but until that day came, he relished his stolen moments of solitude and rebellion.
However, it appeared that Fili wasn't even to be given that, as he spotted a lone figure entering through the small archway that led to where he sat and stewed. There were no lit torches in the area, but the moonlight was enough to illuminate this intruder, revealing to him that it was a lone dam…and a rather pretty one at that.
From his hiding place in the shadows, Fili watched her, doing his best to recall if he had ever seen this lass before. He had gone out of his way to meet and speak to every dam within Erebor, hoping that perhaps he might find his One among them, thus nullifying the need for this idiotic bride-fest. Still, the longer he watched her, the more Fili knew she was completely new to his eyes.
She was not very tall, coming only to his shoulders, or so Fili guessed. As he watched, she reached up and tugged off the scarf on her head, revealing golden-blonde hair that nearly glowed in the moonlight, rivaling that of the treasure trove in the vaults of the mountain. Her skin was pale, as if she had not been out in the sun very often, yet it held a healthy glow that spoke of a vibrant and energetic spirit. She was dressed in plain clothes, more like a servant than anything else, and it suddenly occurred to him that she must have arrived with the six dwarrowdams he was scheduled to meet.
Part of Fili wanted to reveal himself and speak to her, to find out what such a lovely lass was doing waiting on highborn dams when she herself was as beautiful as a queen. However, that would have been unwise. For how would things go if it came to light that he had been chatting up the maid of one of his future wives? No, it was best that he remain hidden and not let on that he was there.
Réann was thrilled that she had found a secluded spot that was open to the night air where she could call her currier friend. She had raised Jareth from a fledgling, the two forming a bond that could never be broken, and now as she searched the darkness, she longed to see his familiar white form appearing out of the night and gliding in her direction. Setting down the bundle of clothes she carried she reached into the small satchel at her side. Réann pulled out a silver whistle and placed it to her lips, giving it several puffs, yet knowing that no sound would be heard except by her feathered friend. Once she blew on it a few times, she stood back and waited, eagerly anticipating his arrival.
Fili had watched the dam's actions with narrowed eyes, suspicion and doubt rising up in his chest as he observed her. What was she doing? Was she calling to someone one? Was she a spy? An assassin? Why was she out here this late at night and acting as if she were waiting for someone to answer her silent call. All thoughts of remaining hidden flew from his mind as he swung his legs over the wall and landed on the stone battlement with a loud thump.
"Who are you?" he growled. "What are you doing here?"
Réann jumped at the harsh voice to her right, having believed that she was quite alone. Yet, from out of the darkness came a dwarf, one with sunny blond hair and a body that was no stranger to battle. She could tell from just looking at him that he was a warrior, having observed her brothers training for war most of her life. He carried himself with pride, yet from the look of his hands, she could see that he had seen both hard work and combat. Réann chided herself for her instant curiosity as to how fit and muscular he might be beneath his coat and tunic.
"I asked you a question," he reminded her, his tone not softening. "What are you doing up here, and who is it you just called with that whistle? SPEAK!"
Once more Réann jumped at the harshness of his words, not sure how to play this. Should she be meek, begging forgiveness and playing dumb…or stand up for herself and hold her ground? Yet when she again failed to answer him, the mysterious dwarrow reached out and took hold of her arm, gripping it firmly as if he feared she might try to run. Well, she thought to herself, it would appear that he just made the decision for her.
"UNHAND ME!" she yelled, jerking her arm from his grasp. "How dare you! I am here by personal invitation from your king, and I will not allow you to treat me with such disrespect!"
"So, you are a maid to one of the newly arrived clan lasses?" Fili deduced, seeing her confession as confirmation to what he had already assumed. "Yet that still doesn't explain what you're doing out here, and who you just summoned. Are you a spy? Alerting someone that your devious plot is going according to plan? Tell me what I want to know, or so help me, I will drag you before King Thorin myself and expose you for the traitor you are."
"I'M NO TRAITOR!" she squealed, her dander rising more and more with every word he spoke. All her original thoughts of how handsome she had found him to be had completely flown from Réann's mind, replaced with only anger and offense. "I was simply calling an owl to take a message back to my father in the Grey Mountains! Is it so wrong for a daughter to wish to ease her family's mind and assure him of her safe arrival?"
"No, and yet, that could easily have been done by requesting the message be sent by one of Erebor's ravens, and not done in the dead of night by other means," Fili pointed out. He had to admit that he was intrigued by the idea of sending messages by way of owls. They had often bemoaned the fact that the raven's roosted at night, thus making it impossible to send word after dark.
"I…" here Réann stopped, having no response to that, knowing that her earlier explanation to Amara for not doing so would probably not sit well with this dwarf. And what she had written in her letter was private, and not something she would wish for anyone – especially this offensive oaf – to see or read. "That's none of your business. Besides, why would I bother anyone to do so when I could just as easily send it myself?"
"Perhaps because you're hiding something?" Fili insinuated, holding out his hand, palm up, in a demanding gesture. "Let me see what you intend to send."
"WHAT? No! It's private!" Réann took a step back, placing her hands protectively over the small satchel she carried, unwilling to hand over her letter to anyone. "And exactly who are you to be demanding anything? For all I know, you could be a spy!"
Fili opened his mouth to inform her of exactly who he was but hesitated. Revealing his identity to the maid of one of the visiting lasses – if that is who she truly was – would not be a wise idea. He was supposed to remain unseen by them until the final dam arrived, and the councilors would be very upset if he messed that up. Still, he had to give her some name, and one that would instill a bit of fear in her so she would hand over her letter for him to inspect. He thought of using Kili's name, but decided against it, not wanting to involve his little brother in this. So, instead, he blurted out the only other name that he thought might do the trick, and coincidentally the last person he had spoken to that evening.
"I am Lord Commander Dwalin, of the king's guard," he stated, doing his best to imitate the intimidating dwarf's tone and stance. "It is my duty to see that the king and his kin are protected, and this mountain kept secure. Now, if you will not hand over your letter, and prove to me that you are not plotting against the crown, I will be forced to take you down to the dungeons and interrogate you there." Once more he held out his hand. "Which will it be, lass?"
Réann's eyes grew wide and her mouth gaped open. Staring down a random dwarf was one thing, but now she was beginning to think she had bitten off more than she could chew. The commander of the king's guard? She was in serious trouble!
"I…I'm sorry…I didn't know," she stammered, her eyes suddenly going to the floor as she shuffled her feet. "Please forgive me, Lord Commander."
"Hand me your letter and I will be the one who decides if such forgiveness is necessary…or even possible," Fili continued, pleased that he had apparently gotten through to the dam. He gave a slight smile as she indeed reached into her satchel and pulled out a rolled-up piece of parchment, slowly handing it over to his waiting hand. Once it had left her possession, she gave a moan and sat back on one of the stone blocks behind her, burying her face in her hands in mortification.
"Please understand that what I wrote in that letter was for no one's eyes but my father's, and I meant no disrespect or injury to the royal family," she pleaded, unwilling to uncover her face and look at him as he opened the tightly rolled scroll.
Her words caused the blond prince to scowl in confusion. What was she talking about? Was she truly a spy or assassin? What words did she fear him reading? Well, there was only one way to find out, and so he looked down at the page and began to read aloud.
Dearest Father,
Amara and I have arrived safely at Erebor. The trip was not difficult, though I was not so excited about my traveling companions. Jorhild from the Iron Hills wasn't too bad, though I found we had little to talk about, seeing as she was more concerned over remaining tidy, and the state of her clothes, the whole time. While Mirev, from the Oracarni drove me insane with her snide remarks about everything and everyone! I swear, I was greatly tempted to push her out of the wagon and into a lake at Esgaroth as we passed it by. I just barely constrained myself from doing exactly that, believe me!
Here Fili paused, unable to keep the grin from spreading over his lips at the lass' description of the other highborn ladies. He wondered if he should question her about all of them, perhaps finding out what he was in store for.
Since King Thorin has insisted that the delegates be sequestered until the seventh dam arrives, I may not have much opportunity to speak with anyone in a position of power until after Prince Fili makes his choice. However, I firmly intend to petition the king for a meeting in order to propose the trade agreement you have worked up as soon as possible.
Trade agreement? What was that about? And if it was her father who wrote up the petition, that would mean the lass came from a higher background than he originally believed.
None of us have seen the prince, not that this was expected - or in my case desired - but as soon as the dam from Ered Luin arrives, that will quickly change. I am still of the mind that he is most likely a spoiled dwarf with the manners of a troll. Being forced to go to such ridiculous lengths in order to secure a bride must mean he is either so obnoxious that no dam would have him, or too ugly to catch a lass' eye on his own.
Here is where Fili heard the dam give a pitiful moan, obviously embarrassed by her opinion of the prince being spoken out loud. He wasn't sure if he should be amused or offended…but upon rereading her stinging words, he found himself leaning more towards the latter.
"It would appear that you are not a big fan of the crown prince," he huffed, eyeing the dam critically. He wondered if her sharp tongue spoke the same way about Lord Darmin and his family back in the Grey Mountains. "It is quite rude of you to make assumptions about someone you have yet to even meet."
The dam gave no reply, other than to moan once more and actually curl in on herself even further. At the lack of her response, he continued reading.
I am rather certain that the prince will not choose me, and as I told you before, I plan on helping that along by doing everything in my power to be as off-putting as I can. After all, he has six other highborn dams to pick from, and each of them desire the position of queen far more than I. I am quite happy to remain the Lady of the Grey Mountains and seek no union with the troll-prince of Erebor.
"Wait! You're the dam of the Stiffbeard clan…from the Grey Mountains?" Fili gasped, instantly realizing his mistake in who he assumed she was. "You're here to meet the prince?" He watched as she gave a small nod of her head, still not daring to look up. "Then why did you tell me you were a maid…and how did you manage to leave your chambers?" He also wondered why he was even still talking to her! For having determined that she was not a spy or assassin, he certainly had no call to be conversing with her any further. In fact, just being near her was breaking all the rules.
"I never said I was a maid. You did," she said in defense. "I just chose not to correct your mistake. As for how I got out…well, in this outfit, the guards also assumed I was a servant. And since no one cares where a maid goes, they let me pass."
"I see…so not a spy, but just as devious, it would seem," Fili huffed, wondering if Nori should take a few lessons from this dam. He quickly scanned the last of the letter, seeing nothing written within worth alerting the guards about. Thus, he rolled it up and held it out to her, clearing his throat when she failed to notice his actions. "You may have this back. Other than your less than flattering words towards Prince Fili, I see no objection to you sending it, if it still be your wish."
At this Réann looked up, shocked by what she heard. "You'll let me send it after all?"
"I will," Fili nodded.
"And…you won't tell the prince what I said about him, will you? Or inform the king that I snuck out?" she asked hopefully, taking the parchment from him.
"I should," he stated, crossing his arms over his chest, his brows furrowed in consideration. "But…I'll tell you what. If you don't mention to anyone that we met, I won't tell anyone what your letter said about the prince. Yet, you have him all wrong, he's nothing like you described." Fili felt obligated to defend himself to this dam, rather put out that she viewed him in such a distasteful light.
"Which part…the fact that he looks like a troll…or has the manners of one?" Réann asked, unable to quell the slight tug at the corner of her mouth.
"Both!" Fili stated, yet he too found himself fighting the grin that threatened to appear. "He has no wish to have a marriage forced on him either. And, I'll have you know, I've heard many lasses claim that he is rather handsome."
"You have to say that," she countered. "You're in the king's employ and speaking ill of your rulers is not exactly proper conduct for your station."
She had him there, though to be honest, Fili couldn't see Dwalin holding back voicing his true feelings on any matter, including his personal opinion of the Durins.
"Still…I believe you've misjudged the prince," Fili huffed. He might have said more but just then, a flutter of wings was heard over head and he was forced to step back as a large, white snowy owl flew between them, landing gracefully on a small ledge just behind them.
"Jareth!" Réann grinned, both happy and relieved to see her feathered friend again. "And how are you this fine evening?" She stepped over and reached up, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned his head to give her easier access. It was their usual form of greeting and the bird of prey had become rather fond of the ritual.
"Amazing," Fili whispered, fascinated by the sight of the majestic bird allowing himself to be stroked like a house pet. "And they're willing to carry messages for your clan, just as the ravens do for Erebor?"
"Yes," she grinned, rather proud that she could impress the dwarrow. "They've been doing so for many generations. Though, we are unable to communicate with them like I'm told the ravens do with the royal family. Is it true that they actually talk to them?"
"That they do," Fili smiled back. "In actual words, though to be honest, they are often rather goofy. And you do need to phrase your questions quite specifically, otherwise they get a bit confused. Ravens do not understand sarcasm or inference. One time I asked one to fly as straight as an arrow, and I got a lengthy dissertation on how an arrow and a raven are quite different and thus unable to fly the same way."
"You spoke to a raven?" Réann was confused. "I thought only the royal family could do that?"
Fili realized his mistake too late, having relayed this tale as himself, and not whom he was pretending to be. Thankfully, he had a very believable explanation for this, one that was actually true, in fact.
"Only those with Durin blood can speak to ravens," he acknowledged. "Yet, I am a distant cousin of the ruling family, thus I too am able to converse with them. There are actually quite a few in the mountain who have the ability to do so."
"Oh, I see," she nodded, accepting the explanation quite easily. She then reached into her little satchel and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in cloth. Extracting a bit of food she had saved from her dinner, she laid the offering on the ledge, watching as Jareth greedily wolfed it down. Once he was finished, she refolded the parchment and attached it to a small harness that she slipped securely over his neck, watching at he turned his head this way and that, eyeing his new accessory with great interest. "Will you please take this to my father, Jareth?" she asked politely, once more scratching his neck in a loving manner. "You are such a good bird, so smart and fast. I know you can get there without any troubles."
"I see you need to stroke their ego a bit just like we do the ravens," Fili whispered out of the corner of his mouth with a wide smile.
"Never hurts," she agreed with a wink. Réann then reached up and held out her arm, allowing Jareth to hop from the ledge and onto her outstretched perch. Walking over to the ledge, she waited for the bird to fluff his feathers a bit as he prepared for flight. When he appeared ready, she lifted her arm swiftly, launching him into the night, and watching as his white figure vanished from their view. "Fly safe, my friend," she quietly called after him, sending a silent prayer to Mahal that he encountered no troubles on route.
The two continued to stare out into the darkness for a bit, unsure what to do or say to one another. When the silence became too much, Réann quickly redonned her scarf and reached down to pick up her small bundle of clothes. However, realizing that if she brought them back unlaundered it might look suspicious, she turned her eyes to the dwarrow beside her.
"Umm, Commander Dwalin, might you be able to point me in the direction of the laundry? My ruse for leaving the ladies' chambers was to get these cleaned," she explained in a rather sheepish voice.
This had Fili laughing, finding it amusing that a dam of her social status would now have to wash clothes in order to keep her secret wanderings hidden. He wondered if she even knew how to do such menial labor.
"Are you sure you won't need some help with that? I would hate to see such fine fabrics ruined by you not knowing the difference between soap and lye," Fili told her in a teasing manner. He and Kili had long ago learned how to wash, mend, and care for their belongings. For their Amad had diligently taught them such necessary tasks from a young age.
"I might be highborn, but I'm no pampered lass!" Réann told him, sounding quite offended by his assumption. "My father expects no less from his children than he does from anyone else under his rule. I can cook, clean, and fight just as well as any other dwarrow or dam."
Not only did her words surprise him, but the look of pride she held over such claims. Where most lasses would see such things as menial tasks, this one seemed to be proud of being able to do so. Still, he could see how he might use this subject to quickly make a point.
"Oh, forgive me, My Lady," Fili said with an over dramatic bow. "Far be it from me to presume anything about you or your character before having truly gotten to know you." He hoped his tone held the correct amount of insinuation, and that she got his message loud and clear. Apparently, she had.
"Oh…yes," she said in a contrite voice, lowering her eyes in shame. "I suppose I do owe your prince an apology for my rather unsavory assumptions of his character. It was wrong of me to jump to such conclusions. Henceforth, I will attempt to readjust my opinion of him, and keep my snide remarks to myself…even if it turns out I was right."
Once more, her fiery spirit had Fili laughing. Yes, he could see himself at the very least being friends with this dam. However, that didn't mean he was any less upset over the whole mess and would still have preferred to be allowed to find a bride in his own time.
"On behalf of Prince Fili, I accept your concessions," he told her, unable to wipe the grin off his face. "And if you head back the way you came and take a right at the first set of stairs, you will find the laundry at the very end of the hall. If you get lost, just let your nose guide you, the smell of the soaps can often be rather strong in large quantities."
"Thank you, Commander Dwalin," Réann said with a curtsy, grateful for his directions…and his offer of discretion. And turning, she headed for the archway of the alcove, set on finding the laundry.
"Wait!" Fili called after her, suddenly realizing something very important. "I…I don't even know your name." Granted he had lied when he told her his, but at least he had provided one.
"Oh…It's Réann," she replied quickly. "Réann, daughter of Lord Darmin, at your service." She once again gave a customary curtsy, her face turning a delicate shade of pink at her failure to introduce herself earlier. "I wish you a pleasant evening, Commander Dwalin. And thank you again for all your assistance, as well as being willing to keep my secret." Then she was gone, the small alcove suddenly feeling quiet and empty without her presence.
"Réann," Fili repeated, loving the way it sounded rolling off his tongue. He remained where he was several more minutes, fighting the urge to go after her. Doing so would have been rather unwise, especially if anyone was hanging around nearby. He couldn't have anyone placing him in the vicinity of an unknown dam, now could he? Particularly one that he had been expressly forbidden to interact with! Still, Fili didn't regret this encounter one bit, and found that he now wanted nothing more than to see her again.
Réann. Yes…she was quite the dam.
Well, is Fili in a pickle now or what? And I think you can understand where the story's title comes from now. ha ha.
I do so love putting Fili in difficult situations, but really, he and is brother are like trouble magnets.
Please drop a line and tell me what you think of the story so far. T.O.W.G.