.

.

Good morning. Here is your Wednesday Chapter!

.

.

Chapter 4

~X~

However, the following day came and went, and Fili didn't see hide nor hair of the Lady Réann, even though he remained at the alcove on the battlement until nearly midnight. He went to bed grumpy because of it, and the following day his mood had not improved. Thankfully, he was able to keep his surly attitude to himself and didn't worry Thorin over his frustrations.

Still, the moment he finished his dinner, he raced to the battlement again, hoping that tonight would be more fruitful. When he arrived, he was again alone, but sitting down Fili prepared to wait…all night if needs be. Yet, it wasn't quite half an hour when he heard the fluttering of wings, and looking up, he saw a white snow owl come soaring over the wall and land on the ledge just to his right.

"Jareth!" Fili gasped, recalling the name of the feathered currier. And sure enough, there was a small cylinder attached to his chest by a few leather straps. Réann had received a reply from her father! Fili stood up slowly, not wanting to spook the bird as he came near. He had thankfully planned ahead and brought some strips of meat from the kitchen, reaching up as he placed the offerings a few feet away. "Here you go," he said softly. "I bet you're hungry and tired from that long flight."

The owl turned his head curiously at the prince and hopped a bit closer to the meaty gift, eyeing it suspiciously.

"Go ahead, it's all right," Fili assured him, finding the owl very interesting. "No one's gunna hurt you."

When the bird at last grew brave enough, he placed one of his claws on the meat and began ripping at it with his beak, gobbling down the food greedily. Fili stood back and smiled, already plotting out how Erebor might obtain a few of these night flyers for themselves to aid the ravens in sending messages. He wondered how the two species of birds would coexist.

"Are you trying to steal Jareth away from me, Commander Dwalin?" a voice to his right asked, startling him a bit. "For it would appear that you have managed to work your way into his affections with your bribe."

"Lady Réann," Fili said with a wide smile, the sight of the dam improving his mood considerably. "I was hoping you might show up tonight."

"Is that why you're here? To see me?" she questioned, stepping inside the alcove a bit more. "Or did you perhaps only wish to intercept my message again, still thinking me a spy?"

"No! Not at all!" he objected, truly hoping she didn't believe that. "I…I just wanted to make sure if you did receive a reply, and that you were not seen or hindered in any way."

"Oh…I see," she nodded, coming over and reaching up to scratch the white owl behind his neck affectionately. "Well, I thank you for your troubles, Commander."

"Please…call me Dwalin," Fili insisted, hating the idea of titles, even if it wasn't technically his own. "Just Dwalin."

"Only if you will do me the same courtesy and drop the lady part. I too prefer just Réann," she bargained, smiling as he nodded his head eagerly. She then averted her eyes as she removed the small cylinder from the owl, slipping a rolled-up piece of paper from the tube. "It would seem that my father has a lot to say," she chuckled, noting the thickness of the correspondence.

"And do you in turn have something to send back?" he inquired.

"I do," she nodded, pulling out a folded piece of paper from her pocket. Yet the next moment she took a step back, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Wait…are you planning to force me to show you what I wrote again? In order to make sure I'm not maligning your prince this time?"

This had Fili laughing, finding her sharp tongue a delight. '

"Nay, lass," he assured her, waving his hand dismissively. "What you write it your business, not mine. I trust that you are not plotting to take down the crown."

"Thank you," she grinned.

"Unless of course, you might have mentioned me in your letter," he added, watching her expression closely for a clue. When her eyes grew wide and her cheeks colored a bit, he felt his heart skip a beat. "Oh? So, you did mention me?"

"I…I…simply mentioned that you caught me last time, that's all," she stammered, quickly tucking the letter behind her back protectively. Réann certainly didn't want the dwarrow to read the description of him that she gave her father, for it was probably more flattering than she had meant it to sound, especially to his ears.

"Ah, then I'm satisfied," Fili assured her, yet still curious about why she seemed so reluctant. "And have you had a pleasant few days since I saw you last? Are you being treated well? No complaints?"

"Oh, none, to be sure," she was quick to speak up, happy that he had changed the subject. "Our accommodations are lovely, the food is amazing, and the guards have seen to our every need, and then some." Here she rolled her eyes a bit. "In fact, I would say if anything, it is we who are making pests of ourselves, and I feel I should apologize for the never-ending demands from a few of my fellow dams."

"Am I to gather that some of them are a bit high-maintenance?" Fili asked, suddenly curious as to what she thought of his choices. "Might Prince Fili be getting a lot more than he bargained for?"

"If by more, you mean spoiled rotten dams that can find fault in just about everything from the food to the state of their rooms…then yes," she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest in apparent frustration. "I swear, if I have to listen to one more insulting remark from a few of them, I think I'll rip their heads clean off!"

"That bad, huh?" Fili cringed.

"Not all of them…but a few, yes!" Réann admitted. "One or two are actually quite sweet, and it's those I would recommend that the prince pay attention to."

"Them…but not you?" Fili questioned, leaning against the stone wall and eyeing her curiously.

"Mahal forbid!" she laughed, rolling up her new missive and tucking it into the cylinder around Jareth's neck. "I believe I made it more than clear in my letter, which you insisted upon reading, that I'm only here in hopes of initiating a trade agreement between Erebor and the Grey Mountains. Not to catch the prince's eye." And seeing that the owl was finished with the meal that had been provided, she coaxed him to her arm, then stepping over to the ledge, launching him in the air with a few words of farewell.

"Ah, yes, I do recall you saying something about that," Fili nodded thoughtfully, the two of them once more watching the bird disappear into the night. "And what, pray tell, might your people wish to trade?"

"Steel," Réann stated proudly, turning so that she faced him square on. "And not just any kind, but the finest in the land! The Grey Mountains is ripe with the richest vein of taconite you will find in Middle Earth. Thus, by trading with us, you will ensure that all the weapons, tools, and other implements you require will be of the highest quality."

"Is that so?" Fili hummed, finding her proposal intriguing. It was true that Erebor held a wealth of gold, silver, and gems…but they lacked the raw materials for forging weapons and tools. The Iron Hills offered them all the iron they needed…but fine steel would be of great value to them. "And you say your father, Lord Darmin, is interested in initiating trade with Erebor?"

"Very much so! And that's why I came, to petition the king for such a chance." Réann fidgeted a bit, looking nervous. "Do you think he would agree to speak with me on the subject? Would it be possible to get an audience with King Thorin?"

"Perhaps," he said, already deep in thought about how to maneuver things to see that she did. "It would have to be done carefully though, so as not to reveal the fact that you've spoken to anyone…especially me."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Réann agreed. "I don't want to get you in trouble, or me for that matter. But I desperately wish to speak with the king."

"Let me think on it for a bit," Fili suggested. "I'll try and come up with a plan that gets you in to see the king, without anyone being the wiser. All right?"

"You would do that for me?" Réann was shocked.

"Of course," Fili admitted eagerly, then schooling his expression he added. "What I mean is…your trade agreement sounds like it would greatly benefit Erebor. I'd be a fool not to want such a thing." That of course was only partially the reason for his desire to help the lass, but he certainly wasn't about to tip his hand too soon. Especially when she thought he was Dwalin, the commander of the guard, not the prince himself.

"Wonderful!" Réann grinned. "I'm in your debt, Commander!" When Fili raised his eyebrow at her, she cleared her throat. "I mean…Dwalin. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, lass," he warned her. "I still have to find a way to execute the plan. But I'll put my mind to it, and nothing else, until I come up with a solution. In the meantime, perhaps we should set up a time and place to meet in order to discuss this further."

"Oh? Is here not appropriate?" she questioned, looking around nervously.

"It's a bit too public," Fili insisted. "Anyone could walk by or choose to step inside and then we'd be discovered for sure. But don't worry…I have just the place." He then patted the pockets of his coat, disappointed when he found nothing to write with, or on, within. "Blast it, I find myself without anything to use to draw you a map."

"Here…use this," Réann quickly suggested, removing the final page of her father's letter to her, turning it over so he could use the blank section on the back. She then whipped out a charcoal pencil, handing them to him with an eager smile.

"Perfect," he nodded, laying them down on the smooth stone and expertly sketching her a map of where they should meet. When he was finished, and Réann appeared to understand the landmarks he'd drawn, Fili handed them back to her with a look of satisfaction. "I'll meet you there right after dinner tomorrow, all right?"

"I'll be there," she assured him. "Though I fear my maid is getting rather tired of pretending to be me for the sake of the ruse. Still, she's a fine actress and a trusted friend. I don't know what I'd do without her."

"I take it you confided in her about…well, all of this?" Fili asked, gesturing with his hand between the two of them.

"I did," she confessed. "I hope you don't mind, but I couldn't keep her in the dark when she is risking much to aid me."

"I understand," Fili agreed. "I told my brother as well." Of course, once he had said this, he wished he hadn't. Speaking too freely about himself or his family was dangerous, and he had only stopped himself in time from naming his brother as Kili.

"Oh? You have a brother?" she asked, not noticing the slight cringe at her question. "I have three brothers myself. Duffin and Gimrin are older than me and Taurin is younger, barely out of his thirties. Do you have a nadad, or a naddith?"

"Nadad," Fili lied, though if he was supposed to be Dwalin, he figured it was the truth. "His name is…Galin." He had begun to say Balin, but there was the distinct chance that Réann might actually come into contract with the elderly advisor at some point, and the last thing he wanted was her to strike up a conversation about him. So best to keep the name Balin unconnected if he could help it.

"No sisters?" she pressed, wanting to know more about him if possible.

"No…just the two of us. And he's quite a few years older than me," he replied, knowing that this was not unusual for dwarf families. Often there were decades between siblings, making the mere five years that separated himself and Kili rather unique. "What about you? Are you and your family close?" Fili hoped his question might effectively shift the attention off of himself and his supposed family, for he was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Very much so," she grinned. "My Amad died not long after Taurin was born and I helped raise him from a wee bairn. I get along very well with my two older brothers as well, but it's Father who looks after us all. No matter how many duties he has, or others needing his attention, he always makes time for us."

"He sounds like a fine leader then, one I'm certain King Thorin would be proud to enter into an agreement with," Fili assured her. Though he couldn't help but secretly imagine another agreement he might like to see forged between their families…and that surprised him. When had he stopped thinking of Réann as simply intriguing, and now saw her as more? This was not like him at all. Perhaps associating with this dam on a regular basis was not such a good idea, especially when she appeared to have no interest in being chosen by the crown prince in the first place. She already told him she had only come to speak with Thorin. Was he setting himself up for a letdown? But…what if she was his One? What if it turned out that Réann was the only one he wished to choose? What then?

"Oh, he is!" the blonde dam assured him, snapping Fili out of his troubling thoughts. "And the trade agreement would aid my people a great deal. We've fallen on hard times since Erebor was taken by the dragon, and relations between the clans have become strained. King Thorin's goal of unification will be a boon for the Grey Mountains, one we hope to become a part of as soon as possible."

"I'm happy to hear that the Stiffbeards are all for the idea," Fili grinned. "Some of the others are a bit hedgy. It was suggested that bringing a dam from each of the seven clans to Erebor to meet the prince might go a long way in reestablishing ties."

"I can see that," she agreed. "Though, one might fear that hard feelings could develop when the prince is forced to choose only one of them. Someone is bound to get their nose bent out of shape."

"That's why Thorin is offering a large sum of gold to each lass as a consolation prize, you might say, so no one goes away empty handed," Fili pointed out.

"Ah, yes…the gold," she nodded, her eyes lighting up a bit. "Not to disparage your prince, but I must admit I find that to be the true prize. For such wealth will do much in seeing that my people do not go hungry this winter."

"Things are that bad up north?" Fili questioned. "I fear that we know very little of the plight faced by the other clans since Erebor was taken and the Longbeards were sent into exile. The Blue Mountains are rather far from the other dwarf kingdoms…thus we lost touch. I'm sorry your people have fallen on hard times."

"You can hardly be blamed," she countered. "I mean your people were forced to wander, only recently finding a foothold in Ered Luin. Regaining Erebor was a feat no one thought worth undertaking, but King Thorin did it. He has truly earned the right to be ruler of the greatest dwarf kingdom in Middle Earth, and you can be assured that he has the full support of my father and the Grey Mountains."

"It's good to hear that someone believes so," Fili muttered, touched by her words, and wishing everyone thought that way.

"What? There are some who doubt his claim?" Réann asked in a shocked voice. "Yet, he is a direct decedent of Durin the Deathless. He defeated a dragon, retook Erebor, and is in possession of the Arkenstone."

"Well, we did have some help along the way," Fili admitted. "And Thorin would be the first to give credit where credit is due. True, it was his idea to reclaim Erebor, and he does hold the Arkenstone…but we owe a great debt to a plucky hobbit, a wily wizard, King Bard of Dale, and even Thranduil of the wooden realm for our success in retaking the mountain. However, I fear there are those who will never be able to look past the fact that for a while, Thorin succumbed to the gold sickness of his line. Something he still tortures himself over."

"So…it's true then? The line of Durin does suffer from such a curse?" Réann was dismayed. She had heard the rumors, but until now she had not truly believed them. "Yet…yet the king overcame his affliction, did he not?"

"Aye, that he did, lass," Fili stated proudly. "And those of us who were with him admire him even more for the battle he faced within himself, one we watched him fight and win."

"Then why would any question his right to rule?" Réann demanded. "A warrior who's been tested and came out victorious is worth a dozen who've never had to raise their weapons. My father always admired Durin's heirs, and I for one will not fault him, nor his line, for one small moment of weakness."

"You are very generous in your praise and loyalty, Lady Réann," Fili told her, placing his hand over his heart and bowing reverently. "On behalf of my kin, I thank you and your family for your allegiance." And while he knew that she would assume he was referring to the fact that he was supposed to be Dwalin, a distant cousin to the king, each word came directly from Fili, Thorin's nephew and heir.

"Oh, pish," she responded, her face turning a lovely shade of pink. "I speak only the truth, and to Mordor with those who would say differently." She then held her chin high and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "But the bottom line is, King Thorin can rely on the support of the Grey Mountain dwarves, and we in turn hope such a union will be mutually beneficial. Thus, I look forward to hearing any plan you might come up with that will get my petition heard by the king."

"Then you will meet me here tomorrow evening?" Fili asked, pointing to the map he had drawn her.

"Wild ponies couldn't keep me away," she grinned, rolling up the loose papers and tucking them inside her pocket. "Yet I best return to my chambers, I always fear that someone will choose to do a bed check or something and find me missing. I can't expect Amara to cover for me in a situation like that."

"Aye, then it's best you go," Fili nodded, though he hated to see her leave. "In the meantime, I'll do my best to figure out a way to get your request for an audience to the king's ears." He then crept to the entryway and poked his head out, scanning to the left and then the right. "It would seem the coast is clear…go now."

"Thank you again, Dwalin," she smiled, resting her hand on his arm for just a moment before she slipped away, her silent feet rivaling that of a hobbit.

Fili slowly turned away from where she had gone and stared down at the place she had touched him, finding the slight tingle in his arm very fascinating. If such a small amount of contact could cause this, what might it feel like if he were to embrace her…or, Mahal willing, actually kiss the lass? Fili found himself truly wanting to find out.

"Dwalin, is it?" came a voice from the entryway, causing the crown prince to whip around, his eyes growing wide as he saw the dwarf standing there, his arms crossed and leaning against the wall with a sly grin. "My, my…what wild scheme is this, Fili? Something I should be relaying to our king, perhaps?"

"NORI!" Fili hissed; his tone as threatening as he could make it without actually shouting. "Don't you dare!"

"Oh, and why not?" the brown-haired dwarf asked, looking more amused than afraid of Fili's threat. "Is it not my job to alert the king to any mischief or rebellion inside his mountain? And here I find you, not only conversing with a dwarrowdam you were expressly forbidden to have any contact with…but you seem to be doing so under the guise of being Dwalin! Though why on Middle Earth you'd ever voluntarily pretend to be him is beyond me, the fellow is positively antisocial."

Fili took a few steps towards his friend…or at least he had thought Nori was his friend. "Please, don't tell Thorin, or anyone else for that matter," he begged.

"You want me to keep secrets from our king?" Nori asked in mock horror.

"Yes!" Fili all but shouted. He then took a deep breath and attempted to calm himself. "I know I'm breaking the rules, and yes, I'm pretending to be someone other than myself, but there's a very good reason for it all. And if you'd please just listen, I can explain everything."

"Then count me in, lad!" Nori laughed, his face instantly morphing into one of utter amusement. "I can't wait to hear this tale, for it sounds like a jolly good prank!"

Fili gave a sigh of relief as his devious friend stepped forward and threw his arm around the prince's shoulders, steering him out of the alcove and into the hallway.

"What say we grab ourselves a pint or two and then you can fill me in," Nori suggested.

"Aye…it just might take a few mugs of ale to get through this," Fili sighed, knowing there was no avoiding a full confession now.

Well, now there's a second one who knows his secret...but at least it's a professional secret keeper! Nori knows how to keep his mouth shut (probably better than Kili does).

And it looks like Fili is in deeper with Réann too. Kili is now Galin and Dwalin...er...I mean, Fili, has to find a way to get a letter to Thorin in secret too. Oh my, in for a penny, in for a pound, or so they say.

Another chapter on Friday!

Guest Reviews:

Mjean: Thanks for saying so, and for sending in a review. It will play out in all kinds of strange ways...right up till the end. ha ha. Thanks.