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Chapter 3

ghivâshelûh - my treasures of (all) treasures

~X~

"Fili…Kili," Dis said with a suggestive clearing of her throat. "Where are your manners? I raised you better than that."

Her words apparently had the desired effect, pulling the two princes from their private thoughts and they quickly bowed in unison, adding the customary 'at your service' to the gesture. Jade in turn lowered her eyes and curtsied back, feeling her face grow warm from the heat of her blush. Kili seemed to return to his normal self the fastest, stepping around the table and reached out to take her hand in his.

"It is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Jade," he said with a wide grin, bringing it up as he let his lips brush across her knuckles in a gallant gesture. Yet, with her hand now being directly under his nose, Kili could not help but catch the scent of vanilla and roses, causing his eyes to grow wide in realization. To his credit, he was able to contain any embarrassing or unseemly outburst, instead turning his head quickly to give his brother a knowing look.

"Yes…a great pleasure," Fili added, doing all he could to ignore his brother's pointed gaze, trying instead to think of what he might say next, all words suddenly failing him.

"Likewise, your highnesses," Jade assured them, doing her best to discreetly slip her hand out of Kili's, as she quickly laced them behind her back, so that the princes would not notice how badly they were shaking. "If you have no further need of me, My Lady, I will leave the three of you to your visit," she offered, giving Dis an almost pleading look.

"Yes, of course," the matron nodded, not letting on if she thought Jade was acting in any way odd. "Thank you for bringing in the meal. You are dismissed."

Jade barely gave a moment to curtsy before rushing out of the room, shutting the door to her private chambers behind her. This left the three of them to stare after her questioningly…yet each for a completely different reason.

"Well…that was so unlike her," Dis commented as she sat back down. "Yet, I suppose the long journey and seeing so many new faces would rattle anyone. She is usually much more open and friendly."

"Like you said, meeting so many strangers at once can cause a person to act out of character," Fili was quick to come to her defense, not wishing for his mother to ponder further on the incident. He could tell that Kili was equally aware of who the lass was, and his little brother was practically bursting with the need to alert him to the fact. As if Fili actually needed anyone to tell him that she was indeed the dam from last night.

"Perhaps everything has just been a bit much for her," Dis nodded with a tone of pity in her voice. "I've been rather distracted as of late, so excited about getting here and seeing you and your uncle again, that maybe I've not been sensitive to her feelings. This is all so very new for her, I should really have been paying more attention."

"You said that she recently arrived at Ered Luin…and that she knows little about our customs?" Kili probed, reaching out and taking a rather large helping of the breakfast onto his plate. "What did you mean by that?"

Fili too leaned in just a bit more, eager to hear the tale of this lovely dwarrowdam who had captured his full attention and interest.

"Well, you see," Dis began, giving Kili a bit of a stern look at his lack of table manners. "Jade was raised by the race of men, after her dwarf parents had been killed by a raiding party of orcs west of the Misty Mountains. She has little to no knowledge of our customs, or Khuzdul, since she had never come in contact with any of her kind until she sought us out at Ered Luin. It had not been two weeks after you and Thorin left on your journey that Jade appeared out of the wild – with all she owned in this world stuffed in two small packs, as she bravely approached the mountain gates."

"Alone?" Fili gasped. "With no escort or protection? Where was this family of hers who supposedly cared for her, had they not accompanied her?" This was very upsetting to Fili, for not only were dwarf women few in number, but it was their custom to see that any and all females were well protected, fiercely guarded and treasured more than gold. To think of a lass, and one as lovely as Jade, wandering around undefended in the wild disturbed him more than he cared to admit.

"The couple who raised her are dead, leaving only a few adopted relatives remaining, but no true reason for Jade to remain in the village she had grown up in. So, she left to seek out our kind in hopes of learning more about her past and true family," Dis informed her son, silently taking note of his uncharacteristic distress.

"And did she?" Kili asked, earning another scolding look from his mother over the fact that he chose to speak with his mouth full.

"No, unfortunately, no one knows who she is and who her family could have been. We do not even know which clan she might have come from." Dis lowered her eyes and shook her head sadly. "You should have seen how frightened and alone she looked, standing there with practically the whole mountain staring at her. And since this was also her first introduction to dwarves in general, needless to say, we did not make a very good impression. We do tend to be a suspicious lot, even when presented with a pretty face and a pair of jade green eyes. That is how she got her name, by the way. Her foster parents called her that after the color of her eyes."

Fili had taken notice of them right off, for they had been hidden from his sight last night due to her slumber. Her eyes had been mesmerizing, a very distinct and unique shade he had never recalled seeing before. Coupled with her dark hair and creamy complexion, they only enhanced the beauty she already possessed.

"Seeing that she had no one, and nowhere to go, I offered her the position of my lady's maid, taking her under my wing and seeing that she was looked after," Dis continued. "She is exceedingly bright, willing to work, and eager to learn anything she can about her true culture. The couple who raised her did amazingly well in seeing that she got a good education, and she is very knowledgeable about many things you would never expect a young dwarrowdam to know. Would you believe she even speaks Sindarin?"

"The language of the elves?" Fili sputtered, rather shocked by this news.

"Why would they teach her that and not the language of her own kind?" Kili questioned, puzzled by the whole idea.

"There are few in Middle Earth who are fluent in Khuzdul that are not dwarves," Dis pointed out diplomatically. "And it would appear that her father made many trips to Rivendell to trade with the elves, thus allowing her the opportunity to join him and pick up the tongue of the elves. I will admit it is rather strange to hear her mutter the elf language under her breath when she makes a mistake or injures herself, yet she is quickly picking up Khuzdul as well."

"We passed through Rivendell ourselves on the way to the Misty Mountains," Fili offered, recalling that even though Thorin had been less than pleased to go that way, he had enjoyed it immensely. Of course they had long heard the tales of how Thranduil had wronged his people by turning aside and not offering aid when Smaug attacked, but Fili and Kili had never developed a burning hate for the race of elves. Something that became quite clear when his younger brother met a certain red-haired elf lass in Mirkwood. So, while the rest of the company had been busy grumbling over their stay in Rivendell, the two princes had taken the opportunity to explore and admire all they could of their surroundings. And while he still preferred the mighty kingdom of Erebor over all else, if there was one place on their journey he would like to visit again, Rivendell would be it.

"And perhaps if we too had known the language we might have been able to ask them why they chose to serve us only vegetables and no meat!" Kili nodded with a huff, recalling how he had almost starved during the first few days of their visit…beautiful though it might have been.

This confession caused Dis to burst out with laughter, recalling just how difficult it had been to get either of her sons to eat their greens.

"So, what kind of lass is Jade?" Fili pressed, wishing to find out exactly who he was dealing with. Had she purposefully made her way into his room, and his bed, in an attempt to seduce him? Or perhaps singled him out for another reason? This was all very confusing. When his mother raised an eyebrow at his question, he quickly added, "I mean, was she able to acclimate to mountain life…or does she still feel like an outsider?"

"Up until a few moments ago, I had thought she was doing rather well," Dis replied after giving it a bit of thought. "Once she had been in Ered Luin for a few months, everyone seemed to take to her like bees to honey. She has the most endearing personality and she is kind to a fault. In fact, once the suspicion had worn off due to her history, I had to beat the dwarves wishing to court her off with a stick. And she was drawing all kinds too, seeing that she had no kin to speak for her, both old and young, worthy and some not so worthy, were vying for her hand. Yet I would not allow any of them to make their petition. For in my opinion, none of them met with my high standards!" Dis stated adamantly, yet her face quickly softened as she looked at her two lads. "I will confess, that with the two of you gone, I needed someone to look after - to mother, if you will - and Jade was the perfect choice." She then took a moment to gaze towards the door the lass had exited, before turning back to her sons with an imploring gaze. "Would you two please befriend her? She's had so few opportunities to make friends, with hardly any dwarves left in the mountains that were close to her age. I'm certain that she must be sick of only my company after all this time."

"We would be happy to!" Kili burst forth, giving his brother another one of his knowing looks. "Consider it done."

"And you, Fili?" Dis prodded, wanting to hear from both her sons on the subject. "I know that Thorin has you busy helping him with the duties of the king, but perhaps you might find some time to give her a tour of the mountain or something?"

"Of course I will, Amad," he nodded, patting her hand comfortingly. "It would be my pleasure."

"I knew I could count on you both, my ghivâshelûh," she said, leaning forward and taking both by the hand, giving them a loving squeeze. "Now…how about we finish breakfast, or at least what's left of it, now that Kili has made a sizeable dent."

"Hey…I'm still a growing dwarfling!" he cried in mock protest, causing Fili and Dis to burst forth with laughter.

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Later that day, when their visit with their mother had ended, and Thorin no longer needed their attendance in the great hall, both Fili and Kili found a quiet spot to speak, both having been anxious to discuss this odd turn of events.

"Do you think Mother set her up to it?" was Kili's first thought, lowering his voice so that no passing dwarf might accidentally overhear them. "Do you think she wants to see you and Jade paired up?"

"I don't know," Fili responded, the idea never having occurred to him. "Yet, I don't see Amad doing anything so underhanded or scandalous, not when she seems to admire and care for the lass."

"Then how do you explain finding her in your bed?" The younger prince was now indeed completely convinced that Jade had truly been there, for not only did she fit his brother's description, but the scent of vanilla and roses had been unmistakable.

"I can't!" Fili moaned, it being the only thought he could focus on all day, and it was driving him insane. He had also been wondering why the notion that Jade had been left unprotected irked him so much. For the idea that she might have been harmed or set upon by danger in the wild had caused him great distress. "If I knew why she was there, or what brought her to my room, don't you think I would be at her door discussing it with her right now…instead of listening to you flap your gums?"

"Hey, I'm only trying to help," Kili protested.

"I know…and I'm sorry," the older brother apologized.

"But you know…that's not a bad idea," he spoke up, obviously not having taken too much offense. "Why don't you go talk to her? Amad did ask us to befriend her. So, what would be the harm if you were to ask her to join you for dinner…or a stroll…anything that would afford you some time alone with her to find out her reasons?"

"Yes! That's perfect, and exactly what I'll do," Fili nodded, seeing it as the best and brightest idea they had thus far.

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Unfortunately that did not happen. For the moment the two brothers came out of hiding, they were both called back to the throne room by Thorin. There was much to do, and the next few months would prove especially busy for all, as emissaries from every dwarf kingdom in Middle Earth had been invited to visit Erebor; to trade, form treaties, and make known their alliance with Thorin, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, rightful king under the mountain.

Royal families and regents were coming from as far as the Blue Mountains, the Hills of Evendim, the Grey Mountains, the Iron Hills, and every dwarf settlement in-between. Even representatives from other races were said to be on their way to visit the mountain to reestablish peaceful relations. For all had heard of the retaking of Erebor, and wished to come see the great dwarf kingdom restored - not to mention the amazing hoard of gold that had once been fiercely guarded by the dragon Smaug.

Thorin was already beset by the first wave of ambassadors, each demanding his time and attention, as he dutifully played the diplomat, catering to their ever increasing wants and needs. He had told Dis that he often felt more like a glorified tour guide, or baby sitter, than a king. Now that she had arrived, his sister was willing to do all she could to aid him in keeping their guests busy and entertained, yet she knew it was the king and his royal heirs whom the dwarves wished to spend time with - in hopes of currying favor for their own kingdoms.

So it was, that every time Fili thought he had a moment to sneak away, he would be called to yet another dull meeting, or dinner, or whatever else appeared to interest their visitors. The young prince soon found himself wishing to be back on the road, battling dangers and trading insults with trolls, instead of being forced to smile, nod and exchange compliments he didn't even mean.

But what he would truly have enjoyed, was to see the beautiful green eyes of Jade, looking up at him as he ran his fingers through her raven locks. She was constantly on his mind and invaded his dreams at night. At first Fili thought it had to be simply because she was a mystery, a puzzle with a lovely face. Yet, deep down he knew was suspecting it might be more than this…and that's what worried him.

By the third day he was growing very frustrated. During the handful of occasions that he had seen his mother's maid, she had purposefully avoided making eye contact or speaking to him. At dinner one night she never once looked up and caught his gaze as he stared at her from across the table. When he saw her coming down the hallway another time, she had quickly changed directions and headed away from him. And the two times he had tried to make polite conversation with her during one of his visits to his mother, he had only received the barest of responses before she hurriedly excused herself and left the room. Fili was beginning to feel rather offended, and yet it was she who had originally shown up in his bed! What was he missing?

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"I'm at a loss, Kili," he lamented during their morning sparring session, his tone revealing his increasing irritability due to lack of sleep. "How can I get her to speak to me? What must I do to win her good graces?"

"Perhaps you need to make a grand gesture," his younger brother suggested, lunging at Fili with his sword. Even distracted as he was, the older prince was able to ward off the blow easily and countered with an attack of his own. "Take a page out of her book, Brother, and do something dramatic. I hear dams like that kind of stuff."

"Dramatic?" Fili questioned, using both of his twin blades to fend off Kili's next assault. "Got any suggestions?"

"Why not sneak into her bed?" he offered, ducking quickly to the left, skillfully avoiding the loss of his right ear. "If you and she are locked in her room, all alone, she would have to speak with you."

"Or scream her head off and have me thrown in the dungeons," Fili scoffed, thinking his brother was insane. Things like that might work for Kili, his baby face and puppy dog eyes allowing him to weasel out of just about any scrape. But Fili was not that brave, nor was he that confident that Jade even liked him. A dwarf can only take so much rejection before his ego became bruised. "And you know what Amad would have to say should I insult the lass she looks upon as a surrogate daughter. In the face of her wrath, the dungeons would start sounding pretty nice."

"True," Kili nodded, lowering his blade and holding up his hand in surrender. "It's just that you've tried everything else."

"Aye, that I have," he nodded, the two of them taking a seat on the nearby benches to catch their breath and wipe the sweat from their brows. The mountain was at peace, the men of Dale were their allies, and even Thranduil was no longer considered a threat, so there was little need to train this hard. Yet both of them knew that a warrior must to be prepared to go into battle at a moment's notice…even a prince. "Maybe I should just forget her…pretend it never happened."

"Durin's beard, Fili!" Kili gasped, looking at his brother as if he had gone insane. "You can't be serious? Every dwarf dreams of having such a thing happen to him, and you aim on just throwing that away? I fully intend on telling this tale around campfires and in taverns for years to come, so this story has to have a happy ending! For the glory of Erebor, and all the dwarves of Middle Earth, do not admit defeat now!"

Fili just stared at his brother and shook his head. What was he going to do with him? And in turn…what was he going to do with her?

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The crown prince finally made up his mind the next day, when he rounded a corner and came face to face with the dwarrowdam who had been haunting his dreams.

"Jade," he gasped, looking down into her beautiful green eyes with hope and expectation.

"Your Highness," she responded, giving the customary curtsy.

"Have you been enjoying your stay in Erebor?" he questioned, unable to think of anything else to say. His only plan was to keep her talking…to him.

"It is amazing here," she informed him, her voice taking on a note of excitement and sincerity, something he had not heard before during the few times they had spoken. "Your mother was very generous to invite me to come, I could not imagine a more splendid kingdom."

"I'm happy it pleases you," Fili grinned, not sure why her admission filled him with such hope. He supposed if she didn't like it here, and was purposefully avoiding him, the chances of her remaining within the mountain were slim...and that thought upset him a great deal. "I'm sure with all your duties, you've had little to no time to see many of the sights the mountain has to offer. Might I interest you in a tour? I've been wishing to get you alone so that we might speak about…matters."

Any sign of delight that had appeared in her eyes suddenly faded at his request, causing her to take a step back and shake her head almost fearfully.

"I…I thank you for the offer, but I must decline," she stammered, her eyes quickly seeking an exit route. "I'm far too busy…I would hate to bother you…I…I must go. Your mother has asked me to launder several of her dresses for tomorrow night." Giving him a quick curtsy, off she went, leaving Fili once again watching her hasty retreat.

Fili knew he now had a choice to make. Did he do the honorable thing and respect her apparent wishes; that he leave her alone and forget she existed? Or did he accept the counsel of his brother and do something drastic? His common sense told him one thing…yet his need to know the truth overruled it. And so it was decided.

Drastic it would be!

Oh dear, what is Fili going to do now? Whatever it is, it can't end well...it never does, does it?

So now Fili knows more about Jade, and so far, he likes what he's heard. Now if he can only get her to talk to him!

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