Wow! I am blown away once again by your amazing reviews. I am glad that you are enjoying the journey as much as I am :) Our couples just needed a little push, but will they know what to do with it? To be honest, I was cringing the whole time I wrote this chapter. Enjoy and let me know what you think :)
"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"―Jane Austen,Pride and Prejudice
True to her word, Lifa did not tell a soul about her sister's ramblings, not even Signi herself. Oin, however, did not get the message. The healer was known for his selective deafness, good at listening to private conversations, but bad at catching the king's orders. Perhaps if Oin had not been just one room over, pressing his ear trumpet to a gap in the stone wall between them as Signi professed her appreciation for the Thorin's handsome features, she might have managed to remain blissfully unaware of her lapse.
True to dwarf form, Signi healed quickly and was able to make her usual breakfast with Balin and Dwalin with nothing more than a slight headache and an angry purple scar. News traveled fast through the mountain, so it was no surprise to her when Dwalin greeted her with a teasing tone.
"Let us see it then, lass," he said, grasping her chin and brushing away the hair covering her injury. "My, that is a fine battle-wound indeed. Gimli is lucky he left with his life after a hit like that."
"Yes, well it would have been a lot worse for him in the end if I had been conscious," she grumbled, jerking away from Dwalin's grip. She tried to return his amused glint with a glare, but was unsuccessful. After a few beats, the embarrassed smile she struggled against finally surfaced as her companions laughed.
"It's lucky he and Kili got away from Thorin after that," chuckled Balin, his eyes twinkling much like his brother's
Signi's eyebrows shot up as she realized that her friend's had invoked the king's wrath. "Surely the king did not take it out on them," she cried. "It was just a silly accident. It was I who was careless, not them."
"Don't try and take the blame for Kili," Balin said. "The lad is old enough to know better than trying a trick like that. And Gimli is too well trained to make a mistake like that. The pair of them got what they deserved."
"Hmph," grumbled Dwalin. "Thorin went light on them. Took the belt to them he did, just like they were dwarflings again. If it was me, they wouldn't sit for a week."
Signi tried to hide her laughter behind her coffee mug, but it was a doomed battle. It was absolutely ridiculous to picture the king whipping the backsides of two grown dwarves. Trained warriors at that.
"Mahal almighty," she sniggered, "that had to be absolutely mortifying." She could not wait to tease them when she saw them next.
"They took it well," said Balin with a smirk. "It seems that Thorin finally gave up when they began teasing him about his handsome smile and beautiful blue eyes. Gave him someone else to turn his rage onto."
Dwalin's humored expression returned at his brother's words made Signi acutely aware that there was something in this story that she was missing.
"Why would they tease him about that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes and fixing a scrutinizing glare on both brothers.
Dwalin was suddenly fascinated with his bacon, too distracted by it to meet her gaze. Balin began reciting his agenda for the day, exclaiming that he simply must go so that he was not late for his first meeting, and tried to stand up to leave.
But Signi was quick and she grabbed his wrist in a vice-like grip. "I will let you go after you answer my question," she said in a low, deadly tone.
"Starting to sound like him too," muttered Dwalin. Signi did not know who he was talking about, but decided that that particular question could wait.
Sighing in defeat, Balin dropped back down on the bench. "I would have thought your sister had told you this already…" he said, trailing off with a hopeful expression. When he got nothing but Signi's expectant stare in response, he sighed again and continued. "It seems that Thorin paid you a visit after Oin had dosed you with pain-reducing tea. It muddles the mind and makes the drinker say things that he or she might not remember the next day…" he trailed off again, looking to his brother for support, but Dwalin simply shook his head no.
"What did I say to the king?" Signi asked, her voice suspiciously calm.
"Well, you didn't say it to the king directly…."
"What did I say, Balin," Signi growled, tightening her grip on his wrist.
Dwalin rolled his eyes, impatient with his brother's stalling. "You said that the king has a handsome smile, but his beautiful blue eyes are his most handsome feature." Dwalin spoke in the matter-of-fact tone that Signi typically preferred, but in that moment she wanted nothing more than to smack the back of his bald head.
"Mahal, bloody fucking Mahal," She moaned, burying her flushed face in her hands. The mountain might as well just go ahead and swallow her whole. She certainly was not going to be showing her face anytime soon.
"It's really not that bad, lassie," soothed Balin. "Thorin was most protective of you and forbade your sister from telling anyone. Unfortunately Oin has that trick ear…"
"Trick ear, my foot," muttered Dwalin. "He was giddy as an elf maid in the trees when he came and told me and the lads."
"I can't see him," Signi mumbled, her mind still reeling in shock. "I can't speak to him. Never again."
"Enough of that, lassie," said Dwalin, clapping her on the back like he would one of the princes. "Thorin's old mind will have forgotten all that by nightfall. You have nothing to fear."
Signi glared daggers in response. She was not stupid. Everyone knew that the king's mind was as sharp as it was when Erebor fell. Nothing got past Thorin Oakenshield, and nothing left his steel trap memory.
"Besides," continued Dwalin with a cheeky grin. "I hear that there is a new song that you are going to have to sing for us."
Lifa returned from tea to find her sister curled up on her bed studying the stone wall as though it held the secrets of the Valar. It was not like Signi to be so despondent. It was possible that her head hurt from the previous day, but Lifa found that to be the least likely scenario.
"Is everything alright?" she asked, sitting on the edge of her sister's bed.
Signi rolled over and faced her with an unreadable stare. She did not answer Lifa's question, choosing instead after a few moments passed to say, "Is there something you wish to tell me?"
A blush crawled on Lifa's cheek. There were many things that she wanted to tell Signi, but her sister seemed to be digging for something specifically. If it was about their conversation in the infirmary, the king had expressly commanded that she remain silent on the matter. Perhaps Signi remembered bits and pieces of it, but Lifa was not about to disobey the king. Not at this time when she desperately needed everything to go in her favor.
If Signi was seeking information on the prince, for Lifa knew that rumors about her time with him were running through the mountain like flames to deadwood, she was not sure how much Fili would want her to reveal. It would be no secret after he spoke to Thorin and their father, but for now she wanted to keep it safe, keep it private. On the other hand, she was bursting at the seams to tell someone and her sister would be the most logical choice.
Going to her own bed, Lifa reached under the bedskirt and pulled out the bow that Fili had given her. Signi sat up in interest, her offended expression fading and replaced with curiosity.
"Fili gave this to me," she said, her voice nearly a whisper in excitement. "We had an archery contest – I won of course – and he had this specially engraved for me."
Signi studied the bow, her fingers tracing the runes on the grip. "What is this?" she asked slowly. Lifa suspected that she already knew.
"It is our crest…after we marry." Lifa watched her sister as the words sunk in. Signi's eyes widened, but she seemed neither happy nor angry at the revelation.
"Has the prince spoken of his intentions to you?" Signi's tone was distant and Lifa felt disappointment drop like lead in her belly. She was sure her sister would be happy for her.
"He has," she answered, turning away to put the bow back in its hiding place. Signi would not see her disappointment. She would not give her that satisfaction. "He says we must wait to get married until the king has finished his project, but he plans to speak with the king and papa."
"Is that wise?" asked Signi with a frown. "Shouldn't he wait until he knows for sure that you can marry before he asks papa for your hand?"
Lifa felt her temper rising. How dare Signi try to take away her happiness. She knew what her sister was implying – wait until he knows he is not marrying Miri. Turning to face Signi with a biting glare, Lifa snapped, "Fili will not allow himself to be bullied into marrying anyone he doesn't want to. He has vowed to resist the king in this matter and I believe that he will. I have to believe that he will."
Signi's bad mood returned in an instant. "Why would you even want to marry him?" she growled, returning Lifa's glare with a matching one. "He is nice and handsome, but he is also the crown prince. Are you sure you can take on such a commitment? Do you think you can handle being queen of Erebor someday?"
It had been years since Lifa had brawled with her sister, long before Elin was even born, but she wanted nothing more than to throttle Signi in that moment. Lifa wanted to share this moment, to savor it. Instead Signi was voicing the whispers of doubt already playing in her mind. Fili worked so hard to eliminate those misgivings and Signi brought them back in a single moment.
"I am sorry that spinsterhood has become an unpleasant reality for you," Lifa said icily, "But I will not forfeit my happiness for your own self-preservation. Perhaps you should not have turned down your one marriage proposal."
She did not wait for Signi's retort. Stomping out of the room, she made her way to the front gates, desperate for fresh air and freedom from Signi's personal thundercloud.
Kili did not intend to fall asleep. He had full intentions of staying wide awake through each and every one of Thorin's boring meetings. He was a prince of Erebor after all, and a prince had his duties.
Despite these good intentions, Kili felt that the bucket of cold water dumped on his head to wake him was a little uncalled for. Glaring indignantly at Nadir standing above him with a smirk, Kili sat straighter in his chair and mopped his face with his sleeve. Fili stood across the room beside Thorin, both watching him with the glare of kings. Only the slight tremor in Fili's shoulders gave away his amusement at the situation.
"Glad to see you could join us," Thorin said icily.
Kili bowed his head in shame. He always thought that somehow, someday he would earn his uncle's approval. Someday he would not be a disappointment and Thorin would give him the same respect he gave Fili. His chance finally came when they reclaimed Erebor, but for every ounce of approval he gained, it was all lost when he fell for an elf maid. He would not give up Tauriel, not even if it meant that he would be stripped from the line of Durin, but just once he would have liked to feel that his uncle saw more than the reckless boy he was in Ered Luin.
"Don't worry, laddie," said Balin quietly, as he sat in the chair beside him. "He has a lot on his mind these days. He wouldn't dare tell you this, but Thorin fell asleep at many of Thror's council sessions as well. I've lost count of how many buckets he had dumped over his head."
Kili smiled sheepishly. He was sure Balin was exaggerating, but appreciated the effort nonetheless.
Looking around the council room, he saw that the other members were long gone and servants bustled about the room, clearing away glasses and discarded papers.
"Why are we still here?" he whispered to Balin. Usually he and Fili left as soon as meetings were over to enjoy what little free time they had left before dinner.
Balin shrugged. "Fili wants to speak to Thorin and us about something."
Kili turned his attention to his brother. No one in the mountain knew Fili as well as he did, not even their own mother. Judging by the way Fili gripped his belt, his thumbs running restlessly over the embossed design, and the way his mustache braids moved with each twitch of his lips, the prince was nervous about whatever he had to say. Of course the others would not detect his nerves – Fili had mastered Durin stoicism at an early age. But Kili could see it clear as day and wanted desperately to give his brother an encouraging embrace. He would have to settle for a reassuring smile in that council room and hope that Fili would understand.
"What is it that you wanted to talk about," asked Thorin, sitting down in the head seat and fixing his piercing gaze on his nephew. It had been a long day for the king as well and Kili hoped that he would exercise patience as listened to the prince's words.
"I want to talk about my engagement," Fili said as he stood before the king, his shoulders proud and straight and his gaze unwavering.
Kili leaned forward in his seat, suddenly very interested in this conversation. He knew that Fili was enamored by Lifa, but Mahal, his engagement? It seemed his brother was not sharing everything with him about his time with the lady.
"Your engagement," Thorin said slowly, his face void of any reaction. "To whom, exactly?"
Kili rolled his eyes. His uncle knew exactly who Fili wanted to marry. Everyone did. Never had a dwarf maid captured his attention before, so it had certainly become the gossip of Erebor when Fili spent afternoons alone with Lifa and danced with her at the ball.
"Lifa, daughter of Lord Mikel of the Iron Hills," Fili answered formally. "I came to get your approval before I spoke to her father."
Thorin leaned forward, folding his hands on the table as he thought. His expression remained unreadable, but his eyes darted back and forth as though compiling all possible outcomes.
"And do you think that it is wise to enter an engagement at this time?" he asked finally, his voice low. "You are aware that our situation with the other dwarf kingdoms is tenuous at best. As crown prince you cannot take marriage so lightly. You cannot marry the first maid that turns your head when we have dwarrowdams from wealthier families, powerful families, bringing offers to the table." Thorin's voice rose with each sentence until his was nearly shouting at his nephew.
The room was deadly silent when the king finished and everyone watched Fili for his reaction.
But the prince was not swayed by his uncle's words. Remaining calm, save for the white-knuckled grip on his belt, Fili said, "I understand your concerns, Thorin, and they are my concerns as well, but it will not change the fact that I have chosen Lifa as my intended and she has chosen me. I understand that the time is not right for our marriage and I will respect your wishes in that regard, but I will not be sold to any of your wealthy lords. Most certainly not to Lord Brasi."
Thorin leaned back in his chair once more, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Fili, you must think about this as a king, not as a foolish dwarf in love. What would you do if your kingdom was barely holding on and your heir came to you with this?"
"We would still have Dain's support," said Kili, breaking the tension between his uncle and brother. "And surely those in Ered Luin would support Fili's marriage to a nobleman's daughter. I believe Wordsmith has gained a fair reputation there as well."
Fili gave his brother an appreciative smile before turning his attention back to Thorin. The king however was scowling at Kili's words.
"Lord Brasi owns nearly all of Ered Luin at this point," Thorin growled. "The lords and merchants there have no choice but to follow him. If Brasi decides he dislikes Fili's choice of wife, he will stop all trade with Erebor."
Kili paled at his uncle's words. How could Brasi have become so powerful since they left the stronghold? Just three years before he was a noble with two coal mines and nearly two hundred tenants to his name. More successful than most, but nowhere close to owning most of Ered Luin.
"Well, Erebor still has more gold than Brasi, right?" Kili said, the cogs in his head whirling as an idea suddenly came to mind. "Could we not play the same game? I bet most of those merchants would love to be out of Brasi's debt. We could buy them out and give them back control of their business. It would be a dent in our treasury, but take away the hold he has over us as well."
Fili and Balin both nodded excitedly in agreement. It seemed that Kili had managed for the first time to make a worthwhile suggestion that did not involve slaying orcs or befriending elves.
But the king was not so eager to agree. At the mention of Erebor gold, his eyes darkened and his lip curled. His fierce expression lingered until Balin cleared his throat. Shaking his head slightly as though clearing his mind, Thorin gave Kili a grimace that was intended to be an attempted smile.
"I will think about it," Thorin rumbled. "But in the meantime, do not speak of your desires to marry Lifa with anyone."
Two days passed after their argument, but Lifa and Signi refused to speak to one another. While this was not an issue most of the day, it made for some uncomfortable dinners. At one such dinner, Bofur approached the sisters and begged for a song or two. It seemed that several of the company believed that having them sing together would help them work out whatever issue they were having. Was music not a healing balm in every culture?
Signi agreed to Bofur's suggestion, not waiting for Lifa's input, and left to fetch their instruments. Lifa hoped to escape a performance by immediately immersing herself in deep conversation with Fili, by the fire and away from the group. But this did not matter when Signi returned and thrust her fiddle in her hands.
There was no doubt what Signi had planned. In some ways, Lifa was annoyed that their father had not thought to intervene. Over the years, Lifa and Signi had gained quite the repertoire of songs. And in this time, they had learned the art of cleverly attacking each other through music. Most of the time their audience was unaware, but Mikel always knew what was on their minds by the songs they chose to sing. A song battle is what he had once dubbed the argument they had in front of a group of Broadbeam representatives. Dain was thankfully unaware, but Mikel immediately sat his daughters down and made them work out their problems.
Signi's expression was smug as she played the beginning cords of the song she chose. Lifa recognized the tune right away and her eyes blazed with anger. Shaking her head furiously, she tried to get her sister to stop, but Signi ignored her and began singing the first line of the song.
Single girl, oh single girl
With a sigh, Lifa began singing with her soft soprano while Signi dropped her pitch to harmonize with her. Her face burned with shame and she avoided making eye contact with Fili at all costs as she sang.
She's going dressed up so fine
Oh going dressed up so fine
Married girl, oh, married girl
She wears just any kind
Oh, she wears just any kind
Single girl, oh single girl
She's going where she please
Oh, going where she please
Married girl, oh married girl
Got a baby on her knees
Oh, got a baby on her knees
Single girl, oh single girl
She goes to the store and buys
Oh goes to the store and buys
Married girl, oh, married girl
She rocks the cradle and cries
Oh, rocks the cradle and cries *
Between each verse, Lifa added a nice reel on her fiddle, desperately hoping that the playing would distract from the lyrics.
When the song finally closed, the company clapped enthusiastically and cheered. Signi grinned, giving them a dramatic bow, while Lifa scowled at her sister. Hazarding a glance at Fili, she felt her stomach drop when she saw his frown and hurt expression as he met her eye for a moment before turning away.
Mikel did not clap as he sat beside Thorin, but frowned deeply at his daughters. Lifa briefly considered refusing to play this childish game with Signi, but her temper overtook her. A certain remembrance gave Lifa the perfect song to play. It was a low blow, but it would have the desired effect.
"I am going to get you back for this!" Lifa hissed to her sister as she positioned her bow to begin playing again.
"I doubt that," laughed Signi.
Lifa said nothing in response. She just began playing the intro to a new song and watched Signi with a smirk as she then experienced the horror of recognizing an embarrassing song. With murder in her eyes, Signi joined her sister in playing and began singing.
'Twould been better for us both had we never
In this wide and wicked world had never met,
But the pleasure we both seemed to gather
I'm sure, love, I'll never forget
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
Who is sailing far over the sea
I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
And I wonder if he ever thinks of me **
Signi's face was livid, but she held her chin up and sang the song in its entirety. Lifa noted evilly the stricken expression on the King's face as he recalled the song from Signi's drugged state.
It wasn't until the song was over and nobody clapped that Lifa realized that this incident was known to more than Signi and king. Every dwarf stared at the girls in shock until Bofur finally stood and clapped loudly, whistling to get the rest of the company to join in. The applause was overenthusiastic to make up for their lapse and Lifa felt her face burn with shame. She had embarrassed Signi far more than intended. How would she ever forgive her now?
Signi responded to the applause with slight nod. Turning, she walked past the dwarves, past the table, and out the door of the dining hall. Lifa started to go after her, but her father shook his head no, indicating that she should give Signi some space.
The king, however did not agree. Standing quickly, Thorin followed Signi out of the dining hall. Everyone stared after him with wide eyes. Moments later, Dis also left the room, hustling to catch her brother before he found Signi.
"Thorin!" Dis called to her brother's back. "Wait."
The king slowed his pace but he did not stop in his pursuit of Signi. Dis quickened her step and caught up with him, wrapping a hand around his elbow to try and pull him back.
"Please, Thorin," Dis begged. "Let me go instead."
Thorin shook his head. "No, I must take care of this. I should have been honest with her from the start instead of hoping to shield her from embarrassment."
Dis tugged on his arm again. "You will embarrass her more going to her now. Let me speak with her. I will tell her that you wanted to come but I wouldn't allow. Trust me, she will thank me for that."
The king sighed and leaned his back against the wall, rubbing his face with his hands. "What a mess. I should not have listened to her. I should have left."
Dis stood beside her brother and leaned her head against his shoulder. "But you did hear it and now you have a very mortified young lady that has been putting on a brave face for the last couple of days."
"I didn't know that she thought that about me," Thorin said, his voice barely intelligible. Dis smiled into the darkened corridor. Her brother was a warrior for his people, king of Erebor, a father-figure to her sons. Love for his family and kingdom ran deeper than the richest of veins within the mountain. But never had he learned how to accept the love of a dwarrowdam. He never had time and never had the need.
"Well now you know," Dis said lightly. "Fat lot of good it will do when pair of you spend your days at each other's throats."
Thorin scowled down at his sister. "I keep trying to make amends, but she keeps running back to Stonehelm."
"Then perhaps it is time you tell her why Stonehelm got the treatment he did. You can't count on him to tell her the whole story."
Pushing away from the wall, Thorin's face became stony in the faint torchlight. He was retreating behind his mask and Dis wanted to shake him to make it fall away. It was so rare that her brother revealed his feelings on any matter. "You know I can't tell her that," he said in a strained voice.
Dis sighed and shook her head. Thorin could be stubborn as a mountain goat when he wanted to be. "Go back to the others," she said gently. "I will talk to Signi."
"Thank you," Thorin rumbled, his expression unwavering. Slowly, he slumped back down the corridor, passing the door to the dining hall and heading to his private quarters.
* Single Girl, Married Girl - Originally recorded by The Carter family, but I picture the Hayden Triplets version for this.
** I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes - The Carter Family, 1st verse and chorus.