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Thanks to all who favorited, followed, and especially to those who left a review. They are like paychecks to a writer, trust me.

Now let's see what happens next.

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Chapter 3

~X~

An hour later, with her clothes properly washed and folded neatly in a basket, Réann headed back to her chambers. She had chosen not to spend the time letting them dry or run the risk of leaving them on the many racks set out for that very purpose, and instead intended on letting them do so back at her room. It didn't take long for her to find her way, and soon she was giving a polite nod to the two female guards as she slipped back through the large doors she had exited earlier.

The main room was still blessedly empty, allowing Réann to keep her adventures a secret from everyone else, and breathed a sigh of relief when she was in her own room at last. Leaning her back against the door, she shut her eyes and allowed a few moments to let her heart stop racing.

"You're back!" Amara's voice broke her from her thoughts, causing her to blink a bit until she was accustomed to the dim light. Her maid had apparently not been idle while she was gone, having clearly organized their belongings as well as the room's furnishings into one that was much more functional in her opinion. "Was Jareth there? Did you get your message out? Did anyone see you?" she asked, firing off her questions in rapid succession.

"Yes. Yes. And unfortunately, yes again," Réann admitted, setting down the basket as she let herself collapse into a nearby chair…one she was certain Amara had just recently positioned there. "I was seen by none other than Lord Commander Dwalin of the royal guard."

Amara's hand flew to her mouth, unable to stifle the gasp of shock at her mistress' words.

"What did he do?" she demanded, hurrying to her side and kneeling down next to the chair as she placed her hand on Réann's arm consolingly. "Are…are you in a great deal of trouble?"

Seeing the look of utter fear in her friend's eyes, she was quick to set her mind at ease. "No…not as much as you might think. In fact, I believe he was just as keen on keeping my outing and the fact that he ran into me as much a secret as I am. He even allowed me to send my letter to Father, and that was after he actually read what I wrote." Here she covered her face once again in belated humiliation. "The things I said about his prince alone could have had me thrown in the dungeon! I was sure I was done for."

"But he let you go?" Amara was shocked by this, knowing exactly what harsh words Réann had written about Prince Fili in her letter. She then got a sly grin on her face. "Was he by any chance handsome? Perhaps Commander Dwalin is a bit sweet on you? Maybe that's why he let you go?"

Réann's head jerked up and her eyes went wide. "NO! I…I mean…no!" she stammered.

"No what? That he isn't handsome, or that he isn't sweet on you?" the maid demanded in clarification.

"No, he is not sweet on me!" Réann insisted firmly.

"Soooo…he is handsome, then!" Amara squealed with delight. "Tell me all about him! Is he muscular? How long is his beard? What color are his eyes?" Here she got a dreamy look on her face and batted her lashes suggestively at her mistress.

"Just stop!" Réann commanded, though her tone was more amused than forceful, and her face now blushed red for a completely different reason. "I hardly noticed what he looked like. I was too busy thinking of how I was going to talk my way out of being banished from Erebor, than his fine form and piercing blue eyes."

This made Amara snort in laughter.

"Didn't notice, huh?" she giggled. "What else didn't you notice about him?"

Réann was silent for a moment before deciding to give up her obvious charade. "That he had a very kind face and a deep voice…and though his beard was more on the short side, I've heard that often those in the ranks keep them trimmed that way so as not to allow an enemy to get ahold of it and use that to their advantage. He was also younger than I would think a commander of the king's guard would be, but what do I know."

"And…?" Amara demanded.

"He smelled good too…kind of mixture of warm bread and pipe-weed, though not any kind I've ever smelled before," she mused. "This was…nice."

"I hear that Erebor gets their stock from the Shire," her maid broke in. "That the hobbits send it to them by the wagon-load. Very fine stuff, or so I've been told." She then rested her chin on the palm of her hand and leaned her elbow on the arm of the chair. "It sounds like you had a lot more fun than I did tonight. But I'm just glad you seemed to escape any consequences. I certainly hope you now plan on staying put and waiting for the seventh dam to arrive like you're supposed to?"

"What do you think?" Réann asked, her eyes holding that hint of mischief that had Amara groaning in misery.

"I think you either have a death wish, or the brains of a cave troll," she huffed, never having held back speaking her mind to her mistress.

"Or a plan to forge a trade agreement with King Thorin that will pull our people out of poverty!" Réann corrected. "And that's just what I'm going to do." However, if in the process she happened to run into Lord Dwalin again…well, that would simply be an added bonus.

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Meanwhile, Fili too had made it back to his own chambers, entering his rooms only to find his little brother there waiting for him. When Kili heard the door open, he jumped up from the chair he'd been lounging in, staring at the fire as he waited for Fili's return.

"Before you say anything," the blond prince began, halting any words Kili had been about to speak. "I'm fine…really. And I'm sorry I got so upset during dinner. It was both rude and uncalled for, and I will apologize to Uncle first thing in the morning."

Kili stood there looking rather lost, apparently having had a whole speech planned out, one that was now useless. In the end, he gave a shrug and returned to his seat, swinging is legs over the arm of the chair and gesturing for his brother to join him in front of the fire.

"So…what transpired over the last hour or so to make you come to such a conclusion?" Kili inquired curiously. "I thought for sure I'd be up all night talking you off the ledge, so to speak."

"Nothing happened," Fili stated, sitting down in another one of the comfy chairs. However, just the thought of the lovely Réann caused a grin to spread over his face, one that Kili was quick to notice.

"YOU LIAR!" he accused, sitting up with a gleam in his eyes. "Something did happen! Or, by the look on your face, I'm willing to bet that someone happened!" Instantly he was on the edge of this seat, his hands clasped together as he leaned forward. "Tell me, Brother! Tell me what has you grinning like that!"

"I…I met someone," Fili confessed, knowing there was no way to keep such matters from his naddith. Besides, he really wanted to share this with someone, and Kili was the only one he knew he could safely confide in. "I went up on the battlement and there I met a dam."

"On the battlement?" This confused Kili. "What would a dam be doing up there? Was she one of the guards? A shieldmaiden?"

"No…she was one of the lasses from the other clans…the Stiffbeards of the Grey Mountains, to be exact," Fili revealed.

"WHAT?" Now Kili was truly shocked. "How…why…I don't understand. I thought they were all confined."

"She snuck out of the lady's chambers to send a message by owl to her family," Fili explained. "She dressed up like a maid and slipped by the guards without them suspecting a thing."

"Smart," the dark prince said with a low whistle. "Not sure if I should be impressed or worried about security."

"A little of both, I would say," Fili laughed. "We talked for a bit, she sent her letter off, and then she headed back to her rooms…well, after making a stop at the laundry, that is."

"And…you like her?" Kili questioned, hope gleaming in his eyes.

"She was…" here he stopped, not quite sure how to describe her, "…intriguing. Yes, that's the word. Intriguing."

"And pretty?" Kili prompted, wanting more information.

"Very," Fili confessed. "As well as smart, sassy, brave, and not afraid to speak her mind, that's for sure."

"What did she think of you?" was his next question.

"That's a hard one to answer," he laughed. "Do you mean what did she think of me…or of Prince Fili?"

"What? I don't understand," the younger brother sat back with a scrunched-up face, eyeing the blond skeptically.

"I…I kind of told her I was Dwalin," Fili confessed with a nervous laugh. "You see, at first I thought she was one of the new maids, seeing as how she was dressed like one, so I thought it best I not reveal my true identity. And Dwalin's name was the first one that came to mind…after yours."

At this, Kili let out a loud burst of laughter, slapping his knee at the thought.

"You told her you were Dwalin? Now that's funny! But you did correct her though, right?" he asked, at last simmering down. "You confessed your ruse in the end?"

"No, I didn't," Fili said with a huff. "Mostly because she has a very unflattering opinion of me, as the prince, and I didn't want to add lying to my list of faults in her eyes."

"But you are lying!" Kili pointed out. "And at some point, she will find this out."

"I know," Fili moaned, leaning back in his chair. "But…I don't want to tell her the truth, at least not yet. She seems dead set on making it so I won't choose her, and if she knows who I am she'll undoubtedly break off any contact with me permanently. And for some unexplainable reason, I want to get to know the real her…not the lass she thinks I want to know, or not know…oh, I don't know what I'm saying, it's just too confusing."

"So…you do plan on seeing her again?" Kili surmised. "Only on the sly, while still claiming to be someone else, and not the prince you are?"

"Well, when you say it like that, it just sounds stupid," Fili stated none too happily. "But I don't care how it sounds. I'm still doing it."

"And I'll help you, Nadad!" Kili volunteered excitedly. "Any way I can."

"I knew I could count on you, Brother," Fili grinned.

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The following day, Fili headed for Thorin's council chambers, determined to apologize for his blow up the night before. He hated feeling at odds with his uncle and was determined to fix things between them.

"Uncle?" he called as he poked his head inside the door. "May I come in?"

"Fili!" Thorin replied, sounding a bit surprised, but happy. "Please! I'm glad you're here." He stood up and waved his nephew over, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

"I wanted to talk to you, Thorin," Fili began, taking a seat.

"As do I," the king agreed. "I want to apologize to you."

"What? No, I'm the one who should be sorry," Fili argued. "I shouldn't have blown up at you last night. It was wrong."

"You have every reason to be unhappy with your situation, and I want you to know just how sorry I am that I've placed you in such a position," Thorin told him, his expression sincere. "I never wanted this for you or Kili. When I chose you as my heirs, I had hoped that things would be easier once we retook the mountain. Yet, my mistakes and folly have come back to haunt me, leaving you as the one who must bear the brunt of them. For that I deeply apologize. If I could change things, I would, you have to know that."

"I do, Uncle," Fili said with a tired smile. "Truly I do. And while I'm not happy about it, I certainly don't blame you. Even if I made it seem that way last night. It wasn't my intention."

"I understand," Thorin said with a sigh. "When we are frustrated, we often take things out on the ones closest to us…in relation as well as proximity. Your mother understands that more than most. And if she were here, I'm certain I would be sporting a few bruises and lumps over the issue."

"Amad knows it's not your fault either," Fili insisted, though his ears were still burning from the choice words she had called her brother before she left for the Blue Mountains. "It's the council's fault. We'll blame them."

"Yes," Thorin chuckled. "Let's throw the fault on them." He then stared at Fili for a long while. "I'm very proud of you, my sister-son. It takes a strong dwarrow to do what is good for his people, even when he wishes otherwise. You will make a fine king one day, to be sure."

"I thank you for your vote of confidence," Fili smiled. "But what say we don't let it happen any time soon? I'm really not ready."

"Nor am I prepared to hand over the crown just yet either," Thorin laughed. "But having you and your brother's loyalty and support means the world to me. Reclaiming Erebor would mean nothing if I had lost either of you on the quest."

"That and Mother would have killed you dead," Fili added with a smirk.

"Then she would be queen and neither of us would be going through this marriage mess at all!" Thorin stated, slamming his hand down on his desk in finality, leaving them both laughing over the absurdity of the conversation. When they at last grew quiet again, Thorin leaned forward. "I will do anything I can to make this easier on you, Fili. Anything at all. Just tell me how I can help."

"Keep being you," was all he could think to say. "Your support means a lot. And like Kili said, maybe one of these dams will be my one, and this is all a moot point."

"I pray to Mahal that is true," Thorin nodded.

"As do I," Fili agreed, though for the first time since this whole mess began, he actually had a glimmer of hope that it might.

Well, at least Fili and Thorin made up. I hate seeing them at odds.

And it would appear that Amara and Kili are in on the plan as well. And from the looks of it, they both approve. Well, Amara is not keen on the sneaking around, but she has nothing against Commander Dwalin. ha ha.

More to come on Wednesday!

Guest Reviews:

LoveMeSomeFili: I love me some Fili too! And yes, he is very good at getting himself in trouble...and leave it to Kili to be right at his side, trying to help out, but only making things worse at times. Gotta love 'em. Thanks for being my first guest review.