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Chapter 10

~X~

For the second time Nori was awakened by a loud pounding at his chambers, causing the sleep deprived dwarf to moan in protest. Stumbling to the door once again, he jerked it open, a scathing retort slipping from his lips.

"What in the name of Mahal do you want? Can't a dwarf get some peace and quiet so he can sleep?" he demanded loudly, ready to punch Fili in the nose if it was him making all the racket. However, all his bluster died away when he saw who was standing there. "Thorin?" he gasped. Then taking a step back he attempted a regal bow. "I mean…what can I do for you, My King?"

"Oh, give all that king stuff a rest, Nori, it's just the two of us. No sense in standing on ceremony," Thorin said with a dismissive wave of his hand as he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "But as long as you're offering, I do need a favor."

"Join the club," the former thief muttered to himself as he walked to a nearby table and uncorked a bottle of wine, taking a quick swig to wash the taste of sleep from his mouth. When Thorin raised an eyebrow at him, he held the bottle out, offering some to the king.

"No thanks," Thorin declined, moving to take a seat in the only uncluttered chair available. "Now, about that favor."

"Your wish is my command," Nori nodded with a jovial smile. "Quite literally."

"And as such, I need you to deliver a message for me," Thorin continued, holding out a rolled-up parchment to his former traveling companion.

"Don't you have pages to do that kind of thing?" Nori questioned, looking almost offended.

"This message must be conveyed secretly," he explained. "Or at least the identity of the sender must be kept confidential. I need it to be given to Lady Réann who is sequestered in the Lady's Chambers."

"The Stiffbeard lass?" Nori asked, finding it rather odd that two Durins wanted messages delivered covertly to the same dam, and so close together. Would Kili come knocking at his door later that day with the same request?

"Yes," Thorin confirmed, though his eyes narrowed at Nori's unexpected familiarity with the lass. "And how exactly would you know what clan she is from?"

While any other dwarrow might have hesitated when caught off guard by the king, Nori was no ordinary dwarf, and quite used to thinking on his feet.

"I'm your resident spy, am I not?" he explained easily. "It's my job to know who's in the mountain, and everything about them."

"Ah, correct," Thorin agreed, apparently satisfied with that answer. "Anyway, I need this letter delivered to her without the other dams residing there knowing of it, or that it came from me. Can you do that?"

"Oh, I believe I can come up with a solution," Nori said, accepting the message. He did his best to act as if it would be a hardship, when in all actuality he knew exactly how it could, and already had, been done.

"Excellent," Thorin stated, standing up and heading to leave. "See to it right away. I don't wish for it to be delayed."

"I'll get right on it," Nori promised, shutting the door behind the king with a wide grin. "I just hope the lady's maid is up for another love letter from her secret admirer."

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Less than an hour later, Réann exited her sleeping chambers only to see Amara shutting the outside door to their apartments with a deep blush on her cheeks.

"What's going on?" she asked, noticing that her maid now held a rolled-up scroll in her hands. "Who is that from?"

"According to the guard, it's from my very determined lover," she explained, her blush deepening at the words. "He apparently came again this morning begging them to deliver another heartfelt petition to me." Here she handed the message over to Réann. "Open it up, and let's see what Commander Dwalin believes to be so urgent that he deems it worth further tarnishing my reputation a second time."

Réann did as directed, wondering if for some reason their ride might have been unexpectedly canceled. Yet, when she removed the outer layer of ordinary parchment, what she found inside nearly caused her to drop the scroll in shock.

"It's…it's not from Dwalin! It's from the king!" she gasped, her eyes wide with both fear and surprise.

"The king? It must be in regard to your request to meet with him! But odd that he would send it under the same guise as Dwalin used?" she questioned. When her mistress didn't respond, nor did she move, Amara urged her on. "Open it! Find out what he wants!"

Doing as directed, Réann began to read out loud.

Lady Réann,

I received your petition for a meeting, and I am indeed intrigued by your proposal. However, though I wish to discuss these matters with you concerning a trade agreement, I fear that doing so before the dam from Ered Luin arrives could be misconstrued as showing favoritism. Thus, if you could be patient a bit longer, I will notify you as soon as I feel a conference with myself and my advisers would be prudent. I thank you for your interest in establishing trade between Erebor and the Grey Mountains, and I look forward to hearing your full proposal.

Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thrór, King Under the Mountain.

"He…he's going to meet with me!" Réann squealed, grabbing Amara by the hands and jumping up and down with glee. "I have a meeting with the king!"

"I never doubted you would be able to manage it," her maid laughed, happy for her mistress.

"And I've got Dwalin to thank for it all! Oh, now I can't wait to see him today so I can tell him the good news!" Réann was so pleased, and the idea that she would soon be seeing her handsome warrior only made things better. "I'm so happy I could…could…"

"Kiss him?" Amara supplied, seeing that Réann was at a loss for words. "I don't think he would mind at all."

"I know I certainly wouldn't," she admitted, a blush coming to her cheeks at the thought. "Though I do plan on taking my father's advice and attempting to find out more about the commander. It's only prudent that I do so."

"And I will assist you however I can," Amara nodded. "Still, having me asking about some other dwarrow when I already have a supposed suitor will make me appear a bit greedy. But like I said, I don't live here, so what do I care what anyone might think."

"Just don't be too obvious," Réann warned.

"I won't," Amara laughed. "Now, you best eat something and then get ready for your ride. You don't want to keep the fine Commander Dwalin waiting."

"No, Sir!" she agreed.

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Fili had been pacing back and forth in the stables for nearly half an hour, having arrived early in order to make sure they were not seen. He had sent the guard on duty off on an errand, hoping that Réann would arrive and they could be off before he returned. He already had his pony saddled and ready, choosing to ride together, rather than risk having to explain why he had needed two mounts.

Fili had checked his saddle twice, as well as made sure the provisions he had brought along were secure, when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs that led from the mountain. Turning, his face broke into a wide grin when he spotted a cloaked figure entering the stables.

"Am I late?" she whispered, looking around for any signs of company.

"No, not at all," Fili assured her, holding out his hand as he gestured for her to come closer. Removing the hood of her cloak, she graced him with a smile that melted his heart. "You're right on time. However, since the guards won't stay gone for long, its best we head out now, for fear of getting caught."

"Right," Réann agreed, pulling back the folds of her cloak, revealing the pair of britches she wore beneath it. "I thought wearing these was more practical than a skirt for riding. Where is my pony?"

"I…I thought we would ride together, if you don't mind," Fili explained, now worried he had presumed too much. "After all, if I'm supposed to be riding out alone, why would I need two ponies?"

"Oh…good thinking," she nodded; only slightly taken aback by the intimacy of such a thing. It did make perfect sense, however, so Réann decided not to read more into it than necessary. Still, she knew riding this way would bring their bodies in very close proximity to each other. This could be highly interesting indeed. "Then, let's go."

Fili gave a sigh of relief, worried she might have protested, but his Grey Mountain lass seemed perfectly fine with the idea. He also found he enjoyed the sight of her in trousers, and though her cloak hid most of her lower half for now, he hoped he would get a better chance to inspect her shapely figure during their outing. So, bending over, he laced his fingers together, offering her some assistance in mounting. Once she was in place, he grabbed hold of the saddle horn and swung himself up behind her, taking hold of the reigns as he urged Cotton out into the daylight.

"You might want to raise your hood again, just to be safe. At least until we are far enough away that no one might spot us," he advised, reaching to pull his own up over his head as well.

"Wise," Réann agreed, doing as he bid.

And so they rode out, crossing the grassy fields and up over the rise that led to a small forest east of the mountain. It was a lovely day for a ride, with the birds singing, the sun shining, and the fresh air only adding to their enjoyment. They rode in silence until they had entered the trees, the leaves above them rustling in the breeze, allowing them to lower their hoods in safety.

"So, tell me, what did your father have to say in his letter?" Fili asked, once he felt they were far enough inside the forest that he no longer had to be vigilant over being seen. "I hope it wasn't bad news."

"Oh, no, not at all," she was quick to assure him. "I simply have an over-protective family, and they had a few questions for me. Nothing to worry about."

"I'm glad," Fili smiled. "Though now I feel rather foolish going to all that trouble to get it to you, when it could have easily been delivered today."

"No, it was very nice of you to be concerned, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting their letter last night," Réann assured him. "I do miss them terribly, and I treasure each message a great deal. I'm in your debt for going to such efforts. Yet, I have to ask, who is this Nori fellow that my maid is supposedly now seeing on the sly?"

"Nori is what you might call the mountain's resident spy," Fili laughed. "He's also a good friend and one of the very few I would trust with our little secret…other than my brother, that is."

"Then that explains why your king saw fit to use him as well for covert message deliveries," she nodded, now understanding a bit more.

"What? My king? What do you mean?" Now Fili was puzzled.

"This morning Amara received another message, also under the guise of it being from this Nori fellow," Réann clarified. "Yet this time it was from King Thorin, informing me that he received my petition, and is granting me an audience as soon as the seventh dam arrives!"

"That's wonderful!" Fili beamed, glad that his uncle had chosen to reply to her at last. "And I bet Nori got a big kick out of the king asking him to do a repeat performance of my request last night."

"He wouldn't have told on you, would he?" Réann asked in a worried tone, turning around just a bit to look up at his face.

"Nah, Nori's as solid as they come," he assured her. "He won't give us away."

"I'm glad to hear that," she said with a sigh. "And I'm also happy to hear that he's an upstanding dwarf. For if the rumor gets around that Amara is supposedly seeing him on the sly, I'm relieved that he at least has a good reputation."

"Well…I wouldn't exactly say his history is stellar, but he's highly regarded by the royal family and has been a great asset to the king - as well as many others in high positions," Fili admitted. "He was one of the original company that helped King Thorin take back the mountain."

"Oh, then he must be a very great warrior…like you," she surmised, blushing a bit as she said her last words.

"You think I'm a great fighter?" Fili questioned, leaning over slightly so he could see her expression. "What evidence have you had of this to lead you to such a conclusion."

"Well…none, I guess," Réann laughed. "However, I doubt that King Thorin would assign you the position of commander of the royal guard if you couldn't hold a blade. Would he?"

"He would be a fool if he did," Fili had to agree. "Still, I'll have to make a point of proving my worth to you at some point. Can't have you thinking I got the job on my good looks alone, can I?"

"Dear me, no," she said in mock horror. "For that would mean King Thorin is both foolish and blind!"

It took Fili a moment to realize he had just been insulted; a bark of indignation coming from him at her underhanded remark. Still, he couldn't keep the grin off his face, especially when he heard the merry laughter coming from her own lips…quite at his expense.

"So, you think me ugly, then?" he groused, knowing her only to be teasing.

"Perhaps ugly is a rather strong word," she replied, acting as if she were in deep thought. "Maybe…interesting looking better fits you."

"Well, that is better than ugly…yet what might you find interesting about my appearance?" he asked, curious to know.

"Hmmmm," she mused, tapping her chin with her finger. "Well, your hair is a rather unique color among our males. There aren't many dwarrow who sport such golden locks."

"It comes from my father's side of the family," Fili beamed with pride.

"Your father?" Here Réann saw an opportunity to gain some information, and she took it. "Who was he?"

"His name was F…" here Fili stumbled, catching himself before revealing the name Flinn - the true sire of the prince and heir he was. Thankfully, as it turned out, Dwalin's father's name also started with the letter F. Thus, it was easy to cover his slip with a quick cough before continuing. "Fundin."

"A great warrior too, I take it?" she went on, tickled that this was indeed the honorable warrior that her father had once met. This tidbit would go a long way in calming his, and her brothers', worries.

"Only the best!" Fili beamed, now imagining his own adad, and not Dwalin's at all.

"Does he reside in Erebor as well?" she questioned.

Here Fili's expression turned sad.

"No, he died many years ago. Giving his life in the service of his king, and now waits in honor within the Halls of Mandos," he replied.

"I'm so very sorry, Dwalin," Réann gasped. "I didn't mean to bring up old sorrows. Not when you are treating me to such a lovely day."

"It's all right," Fili smiled sadly. "Our fallen loved ones should not be forgotten. We should honor them by thinking of them, and speaking of their deeds, whenever we can. I'm very proud of my adad, as is my brother."

"Does your brother, Galin, have blond hair like you?" Réann asked, hoping to turn the conversation to more happy matters.

"Oh, no," he chuckled, attempting to picture Kili with blond hair. "He inherited the dark locks of our mother." Then recalling that he was supposed to have an older brother, added, "Though it now has quite a few grey streaks in it. Him being quite a few years my senior, after all."

"Oh, right," Réann nodded. "You know, Amara was at first very interested in possibly meeting Galin. When I told her all about you, she was anxious to learn if you had any male siblings. However, when she heard he was much older, she lost interest."

"And exactly what did you say about me that made Amara wish to meet my Nadad?" Fili asked, once more grinning wickedly. "More interesting tidbits about me, perhaps? Or my appearance?"

"Oh you!" Réann laughed, reaching out to playfully slap Dwalin's thigh, which was the closest body part she could reach. "Now you're just fishing for compliments, and that's very unbecoming for a warrior. However…yes. I think you're handsome, are you happy now?"

"Quite," he beamed. "But just so you don't think me too vain, I will return the compliment. For I find you very beautiful as well, Réann of the Grey Mountains." And before he could think better of it, he leaned down, brushing her hair to one side as he placed a very gentle kiss on her neck. "I know you said we should not carry on as we were the other night, at least until this whole bride business is settled. But I fear I cannot let another day go by without telling you of my growing affections for you, Réann. And while I promise to conduct myself with all the honor of a warrior, I must know…do you by chance feel the same about me?" Here, he pulled the pony to a halt, leaning over just a bit and turning her so they could look directly at one another.

"I…I do, Dwalin," she confessed, having no qualms about doing so. "I would very much like to get to know you better, and to see where this might lead us."

This had Fili's heart nearly bursting from his chest, and without a word, he swung himself down from the pony, reaching up to aid her in dismounting as well. Once they were both on firm ground, he placed his hands gently on the side of her arms, examining her closely for any reaction as he spoke his next words.

"And would you feel the same way if I were not a commander?" he pressed. "If I did not hold such a title? Does rank and status mean anything to you, or would you take me even if I were a pauper, prince, or pastry chef?"

At this Réann had to laugh, covering her lips with her fingers as she tried to picture Dwalin in the kitchens covered in flour and dough. Still, she knew her answer.

"I would have you court me no matter who you were," she swore. "It's you I have come to care for, not your name, rank, or position. Only you." And to prove it, she reached up with her right hand and cupped his cheek, before bringing her lips to his.

Fili reveled in the kiss, knowing that her words rang true. She did only care for him, not who he was pretending to be. This boded well for him telling her the truth, but as he kissed her then and there, all thoughts of confessing his ruse fled from his mind.

We have more kisses! And she found out a bit more about her 'commander' too.

Nori is getting a workout it would seem, and Amara is gaining a reputation as a flirt. ha ha.

And what a nice time they are having, out for a ride in the woods, far away from everyone and everything. Sigh...what could go wrong? (snicker)

Guest Reviews:

Emrfangirl: Oh, I'm sure ANY comparison between Dwalin and Fili will raise a few eyebrows...IF the right things are said. ha ha. I thought somone should explain why Dwalin has NO HAIR...and of course a brother would be the one to bring up such a sore subject. ha ha.

Travelbug: Great to have you on board! I do try and make them different, otherwise it would get boring. I usually do a search on old Norse names, or go to a dwarf name generator for names. That's the hardest part in writing a story, if you ask me, because you can't start till the names are perfect. (2) Yes...but I'm sure Kili could do just as good a job of it, right? If she would just stop sneaking out, there would never be a chance for her to meet the REAL Dwalin. ha ha. Yep, very much like Aladdin...but no Genie in this one (unless you count Nori.) (3) Oh yes, mad schemes will abound - and lying to a dam is never a smart thing. Kili might be more help than you think...MIGHT. ha ha. (4) Nori is mischievous, but he likes to see a good ruse played out. That and it gives him another notch in his...sheath? for completing a prank. ha ha.