HELLO,

Well here we go, another chapter for all you kind readers.

Hope you like it.

And thanks to my guest reviewer...yes Fili SHOULD connect the dots and figure out what his heart already knows! Silly dwarf. ha ha.

~X~

~X~

Chapter 9

After their little swim, and the restarting of Fili's heart, the rest of the day went well. Again, he did all he could to push the thought of the impending exchange out of his mind, focusing instead on his final few days with Daeloness. It was becoming more and more difficult to think of parting with her…and yet, he knew it was inevitable.

That night as they sat around their little fire, big enough to offer some warmth, yet small enough not to attract any unwanted attention, Fili had opted to forgo his nightly smoke, just to please the princess. They had spoken lightly all day, enjoying each other's company and finding merriment in the smallest of things, yet as Fili watched her, Daeloness now seemed lost in thought, staring out at the rising moon with troubled eyes.

"What concerns you, princess?" he asked, pulling her attention back to him.

"I was just thinking, tonight's full moon marks the end of spring and the beginning of the summer season," she told him, her voice full of sorrow. "That means it will be exactly six months until my forced marriage."

"Six months?" Fili did some mental calculations, arriving at one conclusion. "You are to wed on the first day of the last moon of autumn? By dwarf reckoning, that would be Durin's day."

"Durin's day? To my people it is called Ninuneth, when the rains come, flooding the rivers and renewing the springs of our land. It is believed that unions made at this time of year are the most productive, guaranteeing many blessings and children. That is why my father and King Palnish chose this date."

"Will the wedding take place in your own city?" Fili asked, though it pained him to think about such things.

"No, I am to make the journey to his lands a week before the ceremony, there I will be presented to him before all his people, solidifying the uniting of our two kingdoms." She rattled off this information as if it had been ingrained in her mind, and not pleasantly if her sullen expression was any indication. But taking a deep breath, she quickly shook off such disquieting thoughts and turned to look at Fili, doing her best to smile. "Yet I do not wish to think on such things. It is still a long time in the future, and quite a lot can happen before then." She then got a mischievous grin on her face. "I might even manage a second escape attempt, and hopefully avoid being captured by a group of vengeful dwarves, hell-bent on reclaiming their homeland."

"One can only hope," Fili laughed, happy to see the conversation turning light once more.

"Tell me more about your family," she asked suddenly, taking him a bit off guard.

"Why? I would think you would be bored with such talk by now," he laughed, finding nothing overly interesting about his life.

"Quite the contrary, for your home and upbringing were so different from mine," Daeloness explained. "Tell me something about your mother, you have hardly mentioned her, other than when you were telling me about all the times she caught you and your brother being particularly naughty as children."

"Well, my mother, the lady Dis, was very good at that, leaving Kili and I to believe that she truly had eyes in the back of her head," he laughed. "She claimed that growing up with two older brothers gave her a lot of practice on how to handle Kili and me. She is much like Thorin, in looks and temperament, hard and grim on the outside, yet to her family and those she cares deeply about, she would lay down her life if needs be. She has been through a lot, losing many that she has loved…both her parents, her brother Frerin, and then her husband…my father."

"What do you remember about him, Fili?" she pressed, thirsting for any bit of knowledge about his life. "I know you said you recall very little about him, but I am sure you must have some fond memories."

"His name was Flinn, son of Falan, and he was once the Battle-Commander of Erebor, and a respected Chieftain of the Iron Hills. My mother said that it was my uncle Frerin who introduced them, the two warriors having become as close as brothers on the battle lines, both leading their own battalion. She claims that the moment she laid eyes on him, she knew he was her one, and the same went for him. He was able to get my mother safely out of Erebor when Smaug attacked, and they wandered with the rest of those exiled from their mountain home before they took up temporary residence in the Blue Mountains. That is where Kili and I were born." Fili stopped there for a moment and got a faraway look in his eyes, as if trying to recapture a fleeting memory. "I can only recall a few things about him, for I was but a child when he died. Yet I remember the way he would come bursting through the door when he came home from a battle, swing my mother around as she laughed, and carry me around on his shoulders. Or how he would risk ridicule by picking my mother flowers and presenting them to her as often as he could - to this day she claims that the mere sight of daisies remind her of him. He had an infectious laugh, and my mother and Thorin often say that Kili and I take after our sire in many ways, swearing that we inherited our cheeky nature from him."

"I can believe it," Daeloness laughed. "From the little I saw of your uncle, you certainly did not get it from his side of the family. As for your brother, I did not interact with him enough to determine if he is truly as mischievous as you, but something tells me if we spent enough time together, more than just one of his fingers would need to be bandaged!"

This statement also had Fili laughing, recalling the look on Kili's face when he held up his bloody thumb after she had bit him for touching her. He had felt pity for his younger sibling at the time, but suddenly, the idea of anyone, even Kili, laying a hand on Daeloness caused an uncommon feeling of anger to surface. That was strange…Fili never got upset with Kili. Shaking off the odd sensation, Fili continued speaking.

"My most vivid memory of him is the day Kili was born, and how after waiting for what seemed like forever for someone to come tell me that I was now a brother, it was my father who brought the crying little bundle out for me to inspect." Fili stopped here and got a rather humorous expression on his face. "I won't lie, I was not at all impressed with Kili back then. I might have even claimed that he resembled a little red skinned frog, more than a dwarf. But my father only laughed and told me that one day I would value my brother more than I could ever imagine. I can still hear his voice echoing in my ears, telling me to watch out for him, that he was my responsibility…my kin. I have tried my best to live up to his expectations, to protect Kili and see that he remains safe."

"From what I observed at your parting, it is obvious that you both care a great deal for each other," Daeloness told him, recalling how they had hugged before Kili followed after Thorin, leaving Fili behind. "I am sorry that your duty to guard me has separated the two of you."

"Thorin will watch out for him," Fili replied, his voice full of confidence. "In truth, I worry more for my uncle, for without me there to temper the lad, there is no telling what tricks he might pull on the company. Most of the other dwarves find him amusing, but a few, like Thorin and Dwalin, often get annoyed. My mother says that is another thing we inherited from our father, for he too enjoyed pulling pranks."

"What happened to your father, if you don't mind my asking?"

"He died in an orc raid, fighting next to Thorin, and giving his own life to protect the innocent villagers near our home in the Blue Mountains. My uncle says it was a hero's death…yet that meant very little to my mother. It did not matter to her the reasons surrounding his death, for all she knew was that she had lost her one, and that Kili and I would never know our father the way we would have liked." Fili looked down and pulled a chain out from under his tunic, a silver pendant dangling from it. "He forged this for me when I was born, Kili has one too, though different than mine."

Unable to see it clearly from where she sat, Daeloness moved over until she was sitting next to him, leaning forward and taking the silver medallion in her hand. She ran her fingers over the angular, diamond shaped design, marveling at the craftsmanship of his father's work.

In her attempt to examine his pendant, Daeloness had come dangerously close to Fili and he could instantly feel his body react to her nearness. And he had been doing so well up till now!

"It is lovely," she told him, looking up and suddenly realizing how near her face was to his. Her eyes instantly focused on his slightly parted lips, the little beads at the end of his mustache braids swaying a bit as he breathed in and out. "I…I am very sorry for your loss, Fili," she told him, her voice now hardly above a whisper.

"You and I are similar in this respect," he told her, longing to reach out and touch her. "You have lost a mother, where I have lost a father. Yet I was fortunate to have Thorin, who was willing to fill in for his fallen friend. Taking on the responsibility of teaching and training my brother and me…while you had no one. For that…it is I who am truly sorry, princess."

"I…I should not have brought up the subject," she apologized, her eyes suddenly clouding over, fresh tears hovering there. "I did not mean for my questions to bring back painful memories for you, Fili. This world can be cruel, often taking from us those we love the most, or turning our lives upside down and sending us in a direction we do not wish to go. And yet, amidst it all…it can also bring us moments of great joy."

"I believe you might be right, Daeloness," Fili nodded, and this time unable to stop himself, his hand reached out almost unconsciously to cup her face within his palm. He felt her flinch slightly at his touch, but he gave a sigh of relief when she did not pull away, and instead seemed to lean in, resting her cheek against his hand. His thumb traced over the curves of her cheek, wiping away the lone tear that fell. Fili watched as her eyes drifted closed and her perfectly formed lips parted to release an enchanting sigh. Could she truly be enjoying this moment as much as he? Would she pull away if he were to lean in and kiss her? Oh, how he longed to find out. Her face was already so close, if he only leaned in a bit more…and yet, he knew he must not. She was far too tempting and he was finding it harder and harder to remain strong in his resolve. If he were to taste the pleasures of her lips once more, he feared he would never be able to stop himself, doing all he could to cajole her into giving him more. Fili was not that kind of dwarf…or at least he would not allow himself to be.

So by summoning a great deal of self-restraint, Fili pulled away, dropping his hand and instantly busying himself with stoking the fire - doing all he could not to look at the girl he wanted so desperately.

"I…I think I will turn in," she muttered, apparently feeling equally uncomfortable by the moment they had just shared.

The night was still young, and it saddened Fili to be deprived of her company, yet he said nothing, deciding that perhaps it was best that they call it a night. He watched as she lay down on her furs, turning her back to him as she settled in.

"Good night, Daeloness," Fili spoke, unable to let things rest as they were. He didn't want her going to bed thinking he was angry or upset.

"Good night, Fili," she responded, and then after a few moments she added, "and you do smell much better after your swim."

Fili could not help but burst out laughing, finding her witty barbs a pure delight.

"Only too happy to be of service," he chuckled, leaning his head back against the rock wall with a wide smile.

~X~

The following day Fili decided it was time to go hunting again, for he was not sure how much longer they might be remaining at their little camp. Daeloness had done a marvelous job of making meals out of the limited field rations they had on hand, but he was in the mood for meat tonight, and he refused to come back empty handed. This time a pheasant fell victim to his traps and he happily brought it back to camp as spoils of victory. As day turned into night, dark clouds began to gather overhead, prompting Fili to pull the remainder of their supplies under cover of the small rock overhang, anticipating that they might be getting some rain that evening.

"What about Cotton?" Daeloness asked, fretting over the comfort of the little pony she had come to adore.

"He is safe enough under the boughs of the tree," Fili assured her, knowing that the thick limbs and foliage would provide ample protection for the small animal. "It is us I worry about, for should the rain turn into a downpour, our little shelter could easily become flooded."

"I can take care of that," she told him proudly. "I might not be able to stop the rain…but I can certainly keep it contained and away from our bed rolls."

"Well, aren't you the useful one," Fili chuckled. "I knew there was a reason I was keeping you around."

"And here I thought it was simply for my cooking skills and witty conversation," she laughed, working on getting the little pheasant that Fili had caught and cleaned onto a spit over the fire. "But it looks as if we will be running out of firewood soon, and if you do not gather some now, you will be doing so in the rain."

Fili nodded and looked up at the clouds, which were getting thicker and more ominous by the moment. They would definitely be dealing with a thundershower tonight.

"I fear that I will be caught in it no matter if I leave now or later," he muttered, not looking forward to foraging in a downpour. Yet he had already collected most of the fallen limbs and branches from the vicinity around the camp, so he knew he would have to venture further out this time. Oh, well, there was no way around it…they needed the wood to stay warm tonight.

"Do not worry, when you come back, dripping wet, I will see that you are dried off quick enough," she assured him with a smile. "Yet had I known the rain was coming, I might not have been so insistent that you take a bath yesterday."

"You are far too kind, Daeloness," he grumbled, yet thinking that he would not have traded yesterday's adventure for anything. And at her mention of using her tantalizing abilities to dry him off a second time, Fili was almost happy to now be heading out into the dark forest and the potential downpour. "I will be back soon."

~X~

Unfortunately, gathering the wood took longer than Fili had anticipated, for only minutes after he had bent down to retrieve his first piece, the heavens opened up and he was thoroughly drenched from head to toe by an almost freezing rain. This was unusual for this time of year, yet not unheard of, for occasionally the winds carried clouds in from the north, bringing with it their icy chill. He hoped that Daeloness was staying warm by the small fire he had left her, keeping the shower out of their little rock shelter. So between the rain and the dark, not to mention the water that dripped from his hair and into his eyes, gathering the wood turned into a much more difficult task. When he felt he had enough to last through the night, he headed back towards camp. Thankfully, Fili had his head bowed, attempting to keep the rain out of his eyes, or he might have missed what lay before him entirely. But as a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the forest floor, he saw them there in the muddy earth…warg tracks!

From the depth of the print, Fili could tell it had been made by a rather large one, though he could not tell if it was alone or accompanied by an orc rider. The tracks had not yet been completely filled with rainwater, telling the dwarf that it was still fresh, and from the looks of it, the vile creature was heading directly for their camp!

Daeloness! Fili's blood turned to ice as he dropped the wood and began running through the trees, desperate to make it back in time. His little water princess was no match for the likes of an orc, or even a lone warg, and he could feel the cold hand of fear gripping him tighter and tighter at the thought of what he might find.

Mahal protect her…I can't lose her now, his mind screamed.

Oh dear...will Daeloness end up as warg kibble? Lets hope not, Fili would be very put out if that happend.

I had originaly called Fili's dad, "Kurgan son of Kolgrím" since that is what the LOTR Wiki site says it was - although that could have just been imagined up for some roll playing game or video game. who knows where is came from. I have also heard him called Vili, which is nice too. But if you use Thorin's sires or Gimli's as an example, they usually name their kids by using the fist letters of their names and then rhyming the siblings after that. Like Thror, had Thrain, who had Thorin. All staring with TH. Then Groin had Gloin who had Gimli, again all starting with G. Now that does not always work since Balin and Dwalin's dad's name was Fundin...but I thought Fili, son of Flinn, son of Falan sounded nice, so I used it.

Thanks again and please take a moment to review, they tickle me pink to get them!