.

And now...

"How to find your one for dummys"

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Chapter 38

~X~

While Fili was finally allowed to dress in private, Ori and Nori returned with the others that Dis had requested. Most looked rather perplexed at being called away from the banquet hall, yet none complained, especially when they saw the stern and resolute look in their princess' face.

Gandalf, having done all he felt was required on his part, and not wishing to stick around for what Dis had implied would be the topic of conversation, politely excused himself and headed off to bed. Once everyone was seated in the waiting area, and Fili joined them, the Erebor princess began to speak.

"Gloin, Bombur," she said, addressing the only two males in the room who were currently married…besides Fili. "I have called you here tonight for a very important reason. It has come to my attention that many of the dwarrow in this mountain…in this very room in fact, are woefully uneducated about the process and nuances that transpire when dwarves meet their one."

There was a bit of murmuring from all in attendance at this, some nodding in agreement, while others huffed in embarrassment and indignation.

"I realize this is a sensitive subject, one that is normally confined between a father and his son," Dis continued. "But my children do not have a father…not any more. And while my brother, Thorin, has done an admirable job at standing in for my Flinn, there are things that even he does not know. Mostly because he was never told about such matters by his own father before he died. But I think even he would now benefit from hearing this…about what happens when a dwarrow finds his one."

"What?" Thorin almost choked, looking up at his sister as if he couldn't believe she had just said such a thing. "Why would you say that?" Did she know? Had he been that obvious with Marigold?

"You are the king of Erebor," Dis explained, showing no outwards sign of being privy to his innermost feelings where the hobbit lass was concerned. "Would it not be in your best interest to have as much information possible about your subjects, in order to rule with wisdom and insight?"

Everyone in the room nodded, seeing her point. This caused Thorin to breathe a little easier. And while Dis' thinking was sound, it also allowed him to sit there and hear what was to be said, without anyone knowing the true reason he now wanted this information.

"So, Gloin, Bombur…would you please answer a few questions about how you found your ones…and what it was like?" Dis asked.

"I…I…." the rotund Bombur began to sputter, his face turning the same shade as his red hair. "I mean…I am not sure…"

"This is not a topic I care to discuss in public!" Gloin groused, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at the princess with great irritation. "It is private!"

"I know," Dis acknowledged in a soothing voice. "And I would never dream of asking this, but if you do not share such things with my sons…who will? Would you have Fili suffer any more than he already has, not knowing if Sier is his one? And what about Kili? What if he meets a dwarrowdam tomorrow and lets her slip away because he does not know what signs to look for?" She next gestured to Ori, the sweet faced lad who looked very much like a scared rabbit at the moment. "What about him?" Dis then looked around at the rest. "Do any of you know what to expect if you meet your one?"

There was a collective silence, where most looked to one another with halfhearted shrugs and perplexed stares. Only Oin and Bifur raised their hands…though not very high, and with little conviction. The rest, from Bofur to Dori shook their heads in shame.

"Will you now condemn them as well to ignorance, just to save your pride?" Dis pressed.

This reasoning pulled a low growl of irritation from Gloin, as well as a look of shame from Bombur.

"The lads already know the basics," Thorin spoke up, wishing to assist his sister in her endeavors. "We are not asking you to go into any intimate details. Just…well, the feelings, and what led you to conclude that Dena and Ilin were indeed your ones."

Fili nodded eagerly, looking from his older cousin, to his longtime friend with great expectation.

"You could use this opportunity as a practice run for when you must speak with Gimli," Dis offered, moving her gaze then to Bombur. "Or when the time comes for you to share this knowledge with Bram?"

Apparently, this suggestion did the trick, and the two reluctant dwarrow finally conceded.

"So…what do you want to know, lad?" Gloin huffed, sticking Fili with a pointed glare.

The crown prince was silent for a moment, his brow pursed in thought as he did his best to focus his mind and ask the right questions.

"When you and Dena first met…did you know she was your one right away?" Fili finally got out.

"Well…I knew there was something about her that was different from any other dam I had ever met," Gloin chuckled, his mood beginning to ease as he thought of his lovely wife.

"Same with me, I guess," Bombur nodded. "Though I did not dare to speak with her for at least a month after I first saw Ilin," he confessed, looking a bit embarrassed by this. "She was just too darn pretty, and I never thought she would be interested in me! She would bring flour from the mill where her father worked, back in Ered Luin, and each week I would try and bolster up the courage to say something…anything to her. But my mouth always felt like it was full of cotton and my head full of rocks. I had almost given up, thinking I was acting a fool, when one day…" he seemed to drift off, his mind suddenly lost in the past.

"And one day?" Dis prompted, not wishing to stall the line of information.

"Well…one day she walked in carrying a small sack in each arm, resting them on her hips like one does a babe," Bombur grinned. "She looked so right, so natural in that pose, and I knew then and there that she had to one day be carrying my own bairn in her arms…and no one else's. That was the day I struck up a conversation with her, and the rest is history."

"And you, Gloin…when did you first speak with Dena?" Fili asked, looking back over to his cousin.

"Well…a lot sooner than Bombur," he muttered, appearing a bit less eager to share his story. But the eagerness in Fili's eyes spurred him on. "Now…none of what I am about to say can leave this room, do you hear?" he growled, pointing his finger at all those around. When everyone nodded, he gave a sigh and continued. "I was on my way back from patrol in Ered Luin. It had been a hot and muggy day, and you all know how uncomfortable you can get in full armor and your leathers."

Again everyone bobbed their heads in understanding, having felt the same way themselves many times.

"Well, I came upon this little lake, and I just couldn't resist taking a quick dip before heading back to the barracks. I was just getting out, having only had time to slip on my breeches, when I heard a noise behind some bushes. Well, of course I assumed the worst, imagining it was an enemy trying to sneak up on me…so I attacked." Here his eyes lowered, though a little grin teased at his lips. "Apparently Dena had the same idea as me, and was right in the middle of getting undressed in order to take a dip. Well, one minute I was giving a war cry, and throwing my supposed enemy to the ground…and the next moment, I was face to face with a scantily clad lass that literally took my breath away."

"What happened?" Kili asked, leaning forward in his seat as he waited anxiously for the rest of the story.

"Well, lad…" Gloin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I…I kissed her. Without even a how-do-you-do, I just hauled off and kissed her, square on the lips. I am not usually so bold, or at least I never saw myself as such, but there was something about skin on skin that just made me go…wild! It was like my body knew what my mind had yet to figure out, that she was my one! And in that single moment, I was awake, and more than fully aware of it. It shames me a bit to think how far I might have gone, had she not pushed me off, breaking the kiss and shoving me into the dirt beside her. I was left breathless, speechless and with a sudden longing I had never felt before. I had every intention of apologizing, of begging her forgiveness, but she really did not give me much chance. First, she slapped my face, and then proceeded to ream me up one side and down the other, using language I had never heard even in the seediest of taverns. I just sat there, slack jawed and mortified as she finished getting dressed, thinking I would never see or hear from her again, if she had her way. But then…then she turned around, stalked right up to me and planted a kiss right on my lips! Needless to say…I was a bit shocked. She then informed me, in no uncertain terms, that if I did not show up at her father's house by midmorning the following day to ask for her hand in marriage, she would hunt me down and shave off my beard…as well as every other hair on my body!"

"Did you go and speak to her father?" Kili asked, before realizing Gloin must have, since they were indeed married and with a son almost his own age.

"Aye, that I did," he grinned. "Showed up right after breakfast and asked for her hand then and there. Shocked her parents to death, near about."

"So…" Fili began, his mind apparently working desperately to put this new information to use. "You woke up the moment you…well, the moment your bodies touched?"

"Like an arrow shot from a bow," Gloin nodded.

"Then…then could I have done the same?" he asked, looking around almost hopefully. "It is well established that I was at least given a sleeping drought, meant to knock me out…but what if that was all. What if it was not any elixir that caused me to awaken, but instead my body recognizing that I was with my one…and in my semi-conscious state, I…I…"

"Let nature take its course?" Dwalin finished, rubbing his beard in consideration. "If like Gloin said, skin on skin could wake him up and make him do things uncharacteristic to his normal ways…why not you as well?"

"Was that how it was for you, Bombur?" Fili persisted, looking at the red haired dwarf eagerly.

"No…not really," he shook his head. "But we took it really slow, courting for several months, and only holding hands or taking walks. Though every time I touched her hand, I felt as if a bolt of lightning had just struck me. Kind of like my skin was on fire, but if I dared to let go, it left me aching for something I never knew I was missing."

"And what about dreams?" Fili was almost vibrating with excitement now, as all the things he had gone through were at last making sense. "Did either of you dream about your one?"

"Several times," Bombur nodded, a big grin on his face. "First of our wedding day, though I have to say she looked so much prettier in real life than she did in my vision. I even dreamed of her giving birth to at least two of our children…Bram and Tam."

"And you, Gloin?" Dis probed.

"Not of our wedding day," he shook his head. "But then again, we kind of rushed things along, getting married only a week after I proposed. So perhaps I just didn't have time. However, when Dena was carrying Gimli, I dreamed of me and my son hunting and training together…so I knew it would be a boy."

"Was there anything in particular that you found specifically…mesmerizing about your one?" Dwalin asked out of the blue, causing several to turn and look at him questioningly. "I…I have heard others talk about this…just thought I would see if it was true."

"I don't think I want to hear any more," Kili said with a slight look of nausea on his face. Things were getting a bit too awkward for his tastes.

"I do!" Fili argued, looking over at Bombur and Gloin in hopes that they would supply an answer to Dwalin's question. For he had often found himself completely fascinated with Sier's hair, and the one time she had allowed him to braid it was a memory he could not get out of his mind.

"Her ears," Bombur chuckled, the tips of his own now turning red. "Ilin has the most tantalizing ears."

"For me it was Dena's lips," Gloin admitted. "Every word, every sound and every movement took my breath away. Still does to this day."

Fili suddenly stood up, his eyes almost frantic.

"I have to go!" he blurted out. "I have to speak with Sier…and tell her that she is…she is my one!"

Everyone in the company gave a shout of approval at Fili's words, the lot of them having grown very fond of Sier, and to hear that she was indeed his destined mate from Mahal, pleased them to no end.

"Then go, lad," Gloin laughed, standing up as he slapped his younger cousin on the back with pride. "And glad I could be of help."

"Thank you both, truly," Fili nodded, at last feeling as if everything was right with the world. Sier was his one, he loved her more than he could even describe, and they shared a beautiful son. There was no way he could imagine things getting any better than this. "Now if you will excuse me…my one is waiting for me!"

"I will come too," Dis nodded, causing Fili to stop in mid-step and look at her in shock. "To fetch Flinn," she explained, rolling her eyes at the absurd ideas he must have been thinking. "I assume you would prefer to handle this without a child present? The little prince can sleep in my chambers for the night."

"Or mine!" Kili suggested, standing up as well. "I say we give him the choice and see who he picks."

"Yes…yes, that would be a good idea," Fili nodded, not having thought about the inconvenience of having a little dwarfling in the chambers with them. He was nervous enough already without dealing with the idea of his son walking in on them! "Having him sleep elsewhere tonight…might be best."

So out the door they went, Fili, Kili, and Dis, all heading towards the royal sleeping quarters. Gloin, and Bombur, looking rather pleased with themselves, headed off to find their lovely wives, who were more than likely still at the Durin's Day celebration. The rest of the group split up, some going back to the party as well, and a few of the less ambitious, to their rooms for the night.

This left Dwalin and Thorin alone in the room, both of them sitting in silence as they mulled over what they had just heard.

"Was most of that new to you?" Dwalin finally asked his sullen king.

"New…but strangely familiar," the king muttered, not daring to look at his friend.

"Aye," the burly dwarf agreed, nodding his head as he allowed visions of Bergie to dance before his eyes.

"Is that how it is for you? Like a fire when you touch her hand?" Thorin asked.

"In a way," Dwalin replied. "Yet mostly it felt like lying in the grass on a summer day, and feeling the sun warm you all over. Seeping into your skin and making you feel…content." He then looked at his friend. "You?"

"Like a rock slide," he said with an almost rueful laugh. "Like one moment I was standing on solid stone, sure of my footing and place in this world. Then in one split second, it all gave way and I was sliding, desperate to find purchase on unstable and unfamiliar ground. Completely terrified."

"Sounds about right," the Erebor war-chief replied. "And is there a special feature of Marigold's that has caught your fancy?"

"Her hands," Thorin answered, looking down at his own, as if he could still see, or perhaps feel, her fingers entwined there. "She has slender fingers, delicate, and yet deceptively strong. How about you?"

Here Dwalin grew silent, his face becoming stoic, as he shook his head.

"Dwalin…" Thorin warned, not going to let him get out of confessing his thoughts after he had already spoken his. "Is it her arse? Her bosoms?" he guessed, thinking those were the two most embarrassing answers…though not out of the realm of possibility, for Bergie was rather voluptuous…for a hobbit.

"Her…her feet," he at last admitted. "It is her damn feet!"

"Oh?" was all Thorin could think to say, though a smile began to grow upon his lips.

"I find her bare feet almost erotic!" Dwalin growled. "And the little layer of fuzz on them sends shivers down my spine! Drives me crazy to know that anyone can just look down and see them there…when all I can think about is how they should be for my eyes alone!"

By now Thorin was chuckling quite heartily, the fact that both he and his oldest friend were going through such a thing this late in their lives was bordering on the absurd.

"You have a foot-fetish, Dwalin!" he teased, unable to help himself.

"Well you have a finger-fetish!" the bald warrior countered.

"What a pair we make," Thorin said, sobering a bit as he spoke. "Why us…why now?"

"And why hobbits?" Dwalin added.

"You would think that the one writing the story of our lives has a very sick and twisted sense of humor, yes?" Thorin grumbled. "Or did Mahal finally take pity on a pair of old warriors and offer us something of a reward for all our years of fighting?"

"More than likely, he thinks it is some big joke," Dwalin said with a shake of his head. "Still, not much we can do about it, other than pack up and leave the mountain until they go back to the Shire. And to tell you the truth…I am not sure I'd want to."

"I just don't want to think on it any more tonight," Thorin sighed. "How about joining me in my room for a few glasses of whiskey? I have a fresh bottle…we can both get sloshed."

"Sounds good to me," Dwalin nodded, making to rise, but he stopped suddenly, a look of pure amusement crossing his face. "Oh, Mahal! I just realized something!"

"What?" Thorin asked, quickly growing concerned over the look in his friends eyes.

"Her name…Marigold!" When Thorin did not seem to catch on, Dwalin continued. "Mari…gold. If you wed her, you would in essence be marrying gold!" The irony was beyond hilarious, and the old warrior could not help but roar with laughter.

"Oh, shut up!" Thorin grumbled, reaching over to shove his friend, the action causing him to fall out of his chair, but the laughter never stopped.

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Fili, Kili and Dis had just approached the stairs to the royal chambers, the three of them conversing happily as they went.

"I was only being cautious…extra careful," Fili was explaining, trying to make his mother see his point in all this.

"You were being a proper bloody idiot, is what you were doing," she laughed back, making him blush slightly. "Yet, it was not your fault. If I had known about your gaps in knowledge, I would have done this a lot sooner. I am sorry you had to suffer so…both you and Sier."

Fili smiled at his mother, knowing that she only wanted his happiness, and loving her all the more for it. He then looked over at his brother.

"But don't you dare station yourself outside my chambers tomorrow morning, Kili," Fili warned, recalling how his nadadith had done so after his wedding. "I will not be in any mood for sharing information, if that is what you are hoping."

"Don't worry," Kili assured him. "You can keep the secrets of life to yourself for the time being. I am perfectly happy doing a bit of flirting, but staying clear of anything that looks like commitment. I am not ready to shoulder the responsibilities of a wife…or a child!"

"Time will tell," Dis chuckled, knowing that no dwarrow knew when love would strike. After all…Dwalin and Thorin were prime examples of that.

They had just reached the landing when they heard a low moan from somewhere around the corner. Giving each other worried looks, they all hurried along faster, turning the bend in the hallway to find the guard lying on his back, doing his best to try and sit up.

"What happened?" Dis asked as she knelt upon the floor and helped the dazed dwarrow into a more upright position. Fili and Kili remained standing, quickly looking around as their hands went to their weapons. Neither one was wearing their blades, but they each carried multiple concealed daggers on them at all times.

"I…I think I was ambushed from behind," the sentry mumbled, his words coming out a bit slurred. "I remember talking to a dwarrow…one I had never seen before. He was asking directions to the banquet hall…and then…something hit me on the head…and that is the last thing I remember."

"A dwarf you had never seen before?" Dis questioned, wondering if perhaps it might have been one of the guests from the Iron Hills, or one of the other dwarf kingdoms.

"He…he had brown hair…but with white tips at the end of his braids and beard," the guard supplied.

Dis looked up at her sons, confusion in her eyes.

"Why would someone attack a lone guard?" she asked. "What were they after?"

"The royal bedchambers!" Fili suddenly gasped, spinning around as he ran full speed down the hall towards his room. "Sier!"

Kili was hot on his heels, with Dis' voice yelling for more guards to come to their aid. When Fili skidded to a stop before his chamber, his heart sank into his stomach. The door was slightly ajar, and he knew perfectly well that Sier never left it unbolted…never!

No!

With a dagger in each hand, Fili pushed his way in, scanning the room quickly as he took in the scene. A chair was overturned, and a picture and several other knick-knacks were strewn here and there. But scattered across the floor, like stars gleaming in the night sky, was the broken remains of the necklace that he had gifted to Sier that very evening, telling Fili all he needed to know.

Sier had been taken!

"Sier!" Kili called out, not having noticed the tale-tell signs that Fili had. "Sier…where are you?"

"FLINN!" Fili's next thought was for his son. He raced into his room, looking left and right, but seeing no sign of the dwarfling. No little Flinn lying in the bed…no happy smile to greet his father. Simply nothing. And then he saw it…

By now other guards had arrived and Dis rushed into the room, her face pale and full of fear.

"Where is Sier? Where is Flinn?" she begged, looking at her youngest son, who was standing in the middle of the room, watching his brother exit the bedroom holding something in his hands. As he approached they could see that it was the little crown he had crafted for Flinn, having worked long and hard at the forges to make sure he received it on this special occasion.

"They are gone…both of them," he said, his voice devoid of all emotion, save one...utter despair. "Someone has taken my wife and son!"

Oh come on! You guys HAD to know that Bina would be back...you just HAD to!

And yes, I know, I am leaving you on a cliffie, and on a weekend too, but to be perfectly honest, I couldn't give you a bonus or extra chapter if I wanted to. I am down to my last five chapters and I have not even gotten them all written and beta read yet. So...you will have to wait. So sorry. :o(

But...what did you think of Gloin and Bombur's information and how it helped Fili?

What did you think of Dwalin and Thorin's chit chat afterwards?

So hang in there folks, we are down to the wire, and if I work really, really hard - as do my beta readers - I hope to have everything wrapped up and ready to post on time come Monday!

Guest Reviews:

nursenan: I really worry for you, my feline friend. If the last chapter had you hyperventilating...this one is just going to KILL you. ha ha. And did you see that I let you be a fly on the wall...you got to sit in and hear all the dwarf smut. ha ha. Fili is kind of kicking himself for leaving her alone now...right? As for grown up Flinn...he would for sure fight, but I could also imagine him going on the quest with Frodo, doing all he could to help him, but that was Sam's job, so I really do think I will shelf that thought and never think on it again. ha ha. Too complicated. My apologies for being a cruel writer. ha ha.

enilorac44: Hmmm, wonder if you saved THIS one to read Sunday night and spared yourself some heartache. ha ha. Guess you will tell me... Thanks and see you on Monday.

kaia: Oh yes, poor Kili...is he was not quite ready for this information. ha ha. But I am sure at SOME point in his life it will come in handy.