Happy Sunday, I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Thanks very much to purple-pygmy-puff16 and BrySt1 for your reviews, let me know what you think of this one!
Arinna woke with the light of the sun falling on her face, feeling rested and warm. She opened her eyes slowly, seeing the sunlight fall through the small window of the room. It must have been close to midday already, she thought with a small sigh. Her thoughts brought her back to the events of the previous night, and she felt Fili's arm rest heavily around her waist, while his chest rose and fell slowly beneath her head. The druid smiled silently to herself, almost unable to believe that what had happened was actually real. She raised her head slightly, looking up at the dwarf's face and noticing with surprise that his eyes were open, and he was staring right back at her with a gentle expression on his face.
"You're awake," she stated quietly, and Fili hummed in reply, the sound reverberating through his chest. The sound filled her with an unknown warmth.
"Aye," he answered after another moment, his voice a little deeper than usual and still tinged with sleep. "Have been for a little while."
"You could have woken me," Arinna said, resting her chin on his chest as she looked up at him. Fili merely smiled. He brought one hand to her face, gently brushing her hair away from it and smoothing his thumb over her brow. Arinna leaned into his touch, making his smile broaden slightly.
"And why on earth would I do that?"
"So that we don't waste half the day in bed?" The druid retorted with a smile of her own, causing Fili to smirk.
"How could spending my day in bed with you ever be a waste of my time?" He chuckled and Arinna rolled her eyes slightly, though she leaned forward to press a small kiss to his exposed collarbone. Fili's hold tightened around her and he let out a contended sigh as she pulled back. She brought her head level with his then and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, which he returned eagerly. They remained in their embrace for a little while and as Arinna leaned her head back against his shoulder, her hand was moving freely over Fili's chest, up toward a braid that was splayed on it. She mindlessly let her fingers brush over the clasp at its end, marvelling at the intricate engraving that adorned it. There was some sort of runes on it, she realised, though she could not read them, remembering that Fili had earned this particular braid for his first victory in battle.
"It's beautiful," she muttered, feeling the dwarf sigh quietly beneath her as her index finger gently traced over the clasp. "So detailed and intricate."
"I need you to know something," Fili answered and Arinna looked up at him in slight surprise. His tone was unexpectedly serious as he gazed at her with a strange expression on his face. She gave him a small nod, indicating that she was listening. Fili cleared his throat slightly, trying to find the right words. "I need you not to touch anyone else the way you are touching me right now."
Arinna frowned. "I don't intend to touch any other person the way I touch you, Fili."
The dwarf quickly shook his head, realising that he had not brought his point across at all. "No, that's not what I mean," he said, clearing his throat. "Although, yes, that too. But what I mean to say is that… for us - for dwarves, I mean - the touching of someone's hair and braids is… well, it's rather intimate."
Fili's face reddened slightly as the druid raised her head to look at him properly, her eyes resting silently on him as she slowly processed his words. "But I have touched your hair before," she finally uttered after a few more moments of confused silence, the small frown still in place on her forehead.
The dwarf's blush deepened as he returned her gaze and saw one of her eyebrows move upwards, understanding flooding her eyes at his meaningful silence. Her mouth dropped open. "You mean this whole time I was…? Oh dear, Fili, why did you never say anything? My actions must have seemed so inappropriate! I'm sorry, if I knew, I would never have -"
"I didn't want you to stop," Fili interrupted softly, a small smile tugging at his lips as the druid fell silent and just stared at him in surprise. "That's why I never told you. Perhaps that was selfish of me and perhaps… no, I definitely should have told you sooner. You have nothing to apologise for. I enjoy every touch from your hands, but I only truly realised that I would never want to miss your touch from my hair or my braids in Mirkwood. And then, that night, when you… when we almost… - well, let's just say I would only have you touch me like that."
Arinna stared at Fili for a little while, taking in his words with amazement. She had never even thought about the possibility of her touching his hair being so meaningful. Although she now wondered, why she had never had any reservations reaching for it in the first place. She could not remember ever having acted similarly toward any other member of the company, though she was now very glad for that. Who knew what would have happened had she accidentally touched Dwalin's beard, or something of the sort? She couldn't help a small giggle escaping her at the thought.
"What's so funny?" Fili asked, thinking that she was laughing at something he had said. The druid shook her head, a smile still playing on her face.
"I am merely glad that it was you whom I decided to touch so… intimately," she said. "I can't imagine what might have happened if it had been someone else, like Dwalin or Balin."
Now Fili chuckled as well, imagining the old dwarves' faces in such a situation. "I think they might have keeled over of shock right on the spot if you did something like that."
"You mean, something like this?" she then muttered, moving swiftly away from her thoughts, as her hand reached up and gave one of his moustache braids a very small, gentle pull, before her fingers moved away and brushed across his cheek. Fili's eyes had darkened slightly at the action, his laughter dying on his lips as he let out a low sound, a kind of hum of agreement. Arinna was smiling when he suddenly moved and rolled them over, coming to lean over her as her hand fell from his face.
It was the druid's turn to blush now, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink as he gazed at her passionately. Fili leaned down and captured her lips with an ardent kiss, feeling her hand finding its way to the back of his neck, trying to keep him close. Arinna sighed into their kiss, before Fili finally pulled back. He looked at her lovingly as she drew in a deep breath of air.
"I promise you, I will never touch anyone else like this," Arinna finally muttered, her eyes filled with light and love, and his heart gave an excited flutter in his chest. He felt her give his moustache another playful tug, while a small giggle broke from her lips. Fili couldn't help but chuckle himself as he felt her body resonate with her laughter beneath him. He pressed another kiss to her lips, both of them still laughing quietly when she returned it.
He finally moved off her then, as she pushed slightly at his chest, and the druid laughed at his disgruntled expression as she got up.
"We can't stay in bed all day, Fili, much as I'd like to. I think we should use our time to explore the town," she said, more serious now, as she made her way to the door to head to her own room. "We can't expect to find the others when they come through here if we spend all day in this room. I'll meet you downstairs in thirty minutes."
"I don't need thirty minutes," Fili interjected, sitting up on the bed now and looking at her with raised eyebrows as she withheld a grin.
"I just thought maybe you wanted to take some time to wash."
Fili narrowed his eyes at her, though feeling amused rather than offended. "Are you saying that I smell, my love?"
The druid smiled at his term of endearment, which quickly turned into a small grin as she looked at him from where she was leaning against the doorframe. "I would never," she uttered innocently, and Fili gave a short nod, before she continued. "I think the flies gathering around you when you go outside like this will speak for themselves."
She winked at him as his mouth dropped open slightly and was out the door before he could react properly to her words. Fili's gaze rested on the closed door for a moment longer and he shook his head to himself, barely able to believe how much their situation had changed from one day to the next. And though there were still some thoughts worrying him at the back of his mind - about whether they would actually manage to find the company, about how his uncle would react when he found out about his relationship with Arinna, and about his little brother, whom he hadn't seen in weeks and for whom he couldn't help but worry - for the moment, his heart was full.
He made his way down the stairs a little while later, somewhat cleaner now though his clothes were still dirty. Fili looked around the mostly empty tavern and saw Arinna sat at a table by the window, before he swiftly walked up to her, noticing the two plates before her.
"How did you get them to make us breakfast this late?" The dwarf asked in surprise as he sat down and looked at the plate of bread and eggs before him, feeling his stomach rumble quietly at the sight. Arinna sent him a small smile over the tip of her fork.
"Sometimes charm is just as effective as money."
Fili tilted his head appreciatively before he began to eat, as well. They finished their breakfast quickly and then set out. A low fog hung over the town that day as Fili and Arinna made their way through the streets, which were busy now with people going about their daily business. It was clear to see that Esgaroth was not the rich and plentiful town that it once had been, and that Fili remembered from his uncle's stories. People were clad in old and torn clothes, most of the houses partly dilapidated. Fili and Arinna followed the wooden paths, slowly familiarising themselves with the layout of the town as they watched the people around them.
Arinna was walking two steps behind Fili when they came upon a small marketplace and the druid looked around, noticing with some surprise a certain number of guards patrolling the square. She felt the eyes of the merchants rest heavily and curiously on her and Fili as they slowly made their way along the stalls.
"Arinna," she heard Fili say after a while and quickly walked over to where he was standing by one of the stalls, turning something small over in his hand. He held it up for her to see when she arrived by his side. "You said you were looking for a comb, remember?"
The druid smiled slightly, taking the comb from Fili. It was plain and artless but would certainly be enough to untangle her hair. Arinna nodded and handed a few coins to the merchant, slipping the comb into her pocket. She turned her head toward Fili as she put it away, speaking quietly. "Do you get the feeling that they're watching us?"
"Yes," the blond dwarf answered simply, shooting her a meaningful look. "More than that, I saw a man earlier who gave me the strangest look. Made me think that perhaps I wasn't the first dwarf he's seen in these parts."
"Where did you see him?" Arinna asked as Fili linked her arm with his, pulling her further along the stalls. He had recognised the suspicious guard from the night before patrolling the square, sending the two of them narrow-eyed looks from a little distance away. Fili didn't want to raise any more unnecessary suspicion, so he pretended as though they were just two people out to shop as he quietly answered the druid's question.
"Close to the inn. I think he was going into some kind of shop," he said. "But I lost sight of him after that."
The druid nodded her understanding, while Fili continued to move through the market, pretending to look at things. They continued to speak quietly while they stopped at a few more stalls, where they bought thicker coats and fresh clothes for themselves, their own travelling attire looking worse for wear and too thin to protect them effectively against the cold winds that swept over the lake. It was late afternoon when they were on their way back to the inn without any proper clue as to the whereabouts of the company, walking past a group of people, when Arinna heard it.
"There were dwarves, I tell you," a woman was saying, and the druid reached for Fili's hand, pulling him to an abrupt stop. "Appeared out of nowhere. Full beards, fierce eyes; I've never seen the like."
"What are dwarves doing in these parts?" Asked one of the men she was talking to, frowning at her words.
It was an older man that answered him, the third of the small group. "It's the prophecy, I tell you."
Arinna exchanged a look with Fili, whose eyes were wide, and he followed her as she made her way quickly over to the group of people, receiving suspicious looks herself, before their gazes fell on Fili and their eyes widened slightly. "We're sorry to interrupt," said the druid politely, though she felt her heart beat nervously in her chest. "You said you saw dwarves. Can you tell us where you saw them?"
The woman who had been telling the story looked at the smaller woman before her for a long moment, before she answered. "In the marketplace, earlier today. Why? Are they friends of yours?"
"They are our kin," Fili said from beside her, his expression serious but polite as he addressed the group. "We lost them on the road here. Do you know where they went?"
"No," said the woman simply and Arinna let out a frustrated sigh, while Fili inclined his head slightly. The woman gave him a long, hard look. "Is it true then? You are their kin, surely you must know. Has the lord of silver fountains returned?"
"The lord of silver fountains?" Fili repeated slowly, confusion written clearly over his face. He had no idea what the woman was talking about, but it was in fact the old man who answered him.
"The prophecy of Durin's folk," he said and Arinna felt Fili stiffen slightly beside her at the mention of his family's name. She was looking at the old man with quiet interest. "You'd think a dwarf would know the tale. It goes like this: The lord of silver fountains, the king of carven stone, the king beneath the mountain shall come into his own. And the bells shall ring in gladness at the mountain king's return."
"But all shall fail in sadness and the lake will shine and burn," added the second man beside him, looking grim, while the old man just shrugged. "You're conveniently leaving out the last part, as usual."
Neither Fili nor Arinna knew how to respond to this. They had merely wanted to inquire after their friends and were now suddenly confronted with an old prophecy, that was apparently occupying the minds of the townsfolk and that quite clearly concerned Thorin.
Fili sighed, his gaze drifting over the group. "You can't tell us anything else then?" He asked, and they shook their heads in unison. The dwarf nodded, rather disappointed by the outcome of this conversation. Still, he gave the group a quick smile. "Well, thank you. For speaking with us. Have a good evening."
And with that he took the druid beside him by the hand again, pulling her away from the group before they could say or ask anything else. The dwarf felt their heavy gazes rest on his back as they made their way to the inn. Neither of them said anything until quite a while later, when they were sitting side by side at a table in the tavern on the ground floor, both of them having taken some time to try and gather their thoughts.
"Well, at least we know they're here," Arinna offered half-heartedly, not feeling the optimism that she was trying to get across to Fili. He was holding her hand on the table top, his fingers mindlessly playing with hers. "I doubt there's a second company of dwarves stumbling around these parts of Middle-Earth right now."
"Yes, but we don't know where," the dwarf spoke quietly, his voice tense as he uttered his thoughts out loud. "Or for how long. They were in the marketplace… and we missed them. What if they've already departed for the mountain by now? Should we go? Or should we stay and wait?"
"I don't know," was all the druid could say in return. She was lost for what to do, just as much as he was. Fili let out a deep sigh.
"And what of that prophecy the old man was talking about? It must be referring to Thorin."
Arinna leaned her shoulder against Fili's with a sigh, she did not have an answer to any of his questions, the same thoughts turning in her own mind. "I'll admit that didn't sound very encouraging," she muttered, recalling the prophecy's last words. "The lake will shine and burn. But prophecies are fickle things, Fili. Most of them hold no truth. There's no saying that this one does."
"Perhaps. Still, it's weighing on my mind," answered Fili, releasing a heavy breath. He had turned the topic over in his head a few times, unable to figure out what to make of it or what they should do next. He turned his head slightly, his nose brushing against the top of the druid's head as he changed the topic for a moment to something else that he had been thinking about. "I would like to place a braid in your hair."
Arinna lifted her head at the sudden change in subject and looked at Fili questioningly. "A braid for only you to touch?" She jested quietly, and he gave her a soft smile and a slight tilt of his head.
"Aye, if you will," he chuckled, before he elaborated in a low voice. "Behind your left ear. If I may."
"A courting braid?" Arinna remembered him mentioning it that fateful night in the forest, though she was rather surprised that he was bringing it up now that they had been worrying about entirely other things. Fili just nodded, waiting patiently for her answer as she thought for a second and then smiled back at him. "Of course, you may, Fili. I would like that."
The dwarf happily pulled her closer into his side, placing a small kiss on her temple. Arinna chuckled quietly. Fili was about to say something else, when they suddenly heard a commotion from outside. They both looked up, seeing people rushing past the tavern windows, talking excitedly and calling out to each other. They watched the scene for a moment.
"What do you suppose that's about?" Fili asked and Arinna gave him a small nudge as she got up off her seat, causing him to do the same as he followed her to the door.
"I suggest we find out for ourselves," the druid said as they wrapped themselves in their new coats and followed the mass of people down the streets. Arinna heard a bunch of different calls mingle together and managed to distinguish something about thieves, while other people were again talking of the lord of silver fountains. They let themselves be moved along with the wave of townspeople until they came to a familiar place.
Fili grabbed Arinna's hand so as not to lose her in the scramble, as they arrived at the small square in front of the Master's house, which was filled with the people of Lake Town. It seemed the whole town was awake. It was hard to see what all the commotion was about though, as the men and women around them were all taller than themselves and Fili only slowly managed to push his way through the crowd, trying to get to the front of the line.
"What is the meaning of this?" A loud voice boomed over the square and Fili recognised it as the Master's immediately. The man was standing at the top of the stairs that led up to his house, looking out over the crowd with a disgruntled look on his face. It was then that Fili and Arinna finally managed to make their way to the centre of the spectacle and their eyes widened in shock as they beheld the scene before them.
"We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire!" A guard said, the same one that had led Fili and Arinna to the Master the night before and that he had seen in the marketplace that afternoon. Fili was gaining more and more of a disliking to the man who stood in front of a company of dwarves and one hobbit, addressing the Master while his men were pointing their weapons at the group.
Fili couldn't believe his eyes as he saw them all standing there, thirteen familiar faces in the crowd, though none of them had even noticed him or the druid yet as they struggled against the guards' hold and were glaring up at the Master and his right hand, Alfrid, who had come to join him on the stairs. Most of them were wearing different clothes than Fili remembered last seeing them in, and all of them looked rather dishevelled.
"Ah, enemies of the state, then," growled the Master, nodding at the leader of the guard.
"This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire," agreed Alfrid quickly and the dwarves called out angrily in protest, until one voice rang out over the lot of them and Fili saw Dwalin take a step forward, his gaze set firmly on the greasy looking Alfrid.
"Hold your tongue!" He barked at the Lakeman, who abruptly fell silent, raising one hand to point at the person behind him. "You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!"
Fili felt his heart almost burst with relief as he watched his uncle step forward, while the crowd began to whisper in shock and recognition around them. Amazed murmurs ran over the square and Fili felt Arinna give his hand a hard squeeze. He didn't have to look over at her to know that she felt the same relief that he did at seeing all their friends alive and well - if in a bit of trouble.
"We are the dwarves of Erebor," Thorin spoke loudly, addressing not only the Master but everyone around him. "We have come to reclaim our homeland. I remember this town in the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbour, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake, this was the centre of all trade in the North! I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!"
As the people cheered and clapped around them, Fili couldn't help but stare at his uncle in awe. He spoke with such authority and regality, capturing the people with every word. He wanted to call out to him then, make himself known to him and the rest of the company but it was another voice that suddenly cut through the ranks of people, stopping him in his tracks.
"Death!" A tall man shouted as he made his way through the crowd, staring accusingly at Thorin, who looked rather unimpressed. Fili recognised the man as the one he had seen by the inn earlier that day, the one that had sent him that odd look. "That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon fire and ruin! If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all."
"You can listen to this naysayer," Thorin exclaimed over the anxious whispers of the crowd, sending the man before him a pointed look. It was clear to Fili that they knew each other already. "But I promise you this; if we succeed, allwill share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!"
"All of you! Listen to me!" Called the tall Lakeman. "You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?! Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!"
As he listened to the man's words, Fili felt Arinna stiffen slightly beside him. He could only imagine that his speech was rousing images in her head of her father's village, disappearing in a wall of fire falling from the sky. Similar images were building in the back of his own mind. He gave her hand an encouraging squeeze as he listened.
"And for what purpose?" The man continued loudly. "The blind ambition of a mountain king so riven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!"
The cries and calls of the crowd got louder around them, and Fili saw his uncle and the man stare angrily at each other, before the Master suddenly spoke again, his voice carrying a spiteful tone as he addressed the man.
"Now, now, Bard," he uttered. "We must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!"
"It is true, sire!" Alfrid hurried to agree and again, though he did not support Bard's claims against his uncle, Fili couldn't help but feel a strong dislike toward both of them. "We all know the story. Arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark."
Thorin turned away from Bard with a dark look when the man said nothing in return, obviously taken aback by the Master's accusation. The dwarf-king brought his attention to the Master and his assistant. "I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?"
The crowd watched in anticipation, as did Fili and Arinna, while Alfrid now directed his words at the dwarf-king. "But why should we take you at your word, eh? You may be the dwarves of Erebor, but we know nothing about you. Who here can vouch for your character?"
Thorin's face fell slightly at the suspicious response and there lay a long silence over the square before a small voice finally spoke up and Fili turned his head to see none other than Bilbo shyly raising his hand. "Me!" The hobbit called, clearing his throat so his voice would carry more weight. "I'll vouch for him. Now, I have travelled far with these dwarves through great danger, and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word… then he will keep it. I vouch for him."
The dwarf-king looked over and gave the hobbit a small grateful smile, when another voice suddenly rang over the crowd and his eyes widened in recognition.
"And I," the familiar voice spoke loudly and Thorin's eyes darted, searching desperately, over the crowd until they suddenly found the face that belonged to it, the face of his eldest nephew. He felt his breath falter as he saw Fili standing among the townsfolk, alive and well, and looking straight at him.
"And I," agreed the woman standing beside him, and Thorin closed his eyes for a second as he felt a wave of pure relief rush through his body. For a moment, everything else around him was forgotten, even the Master and this whole discussion, as he looked at the two missing members of his company. He heard the others gasp and yell out in shock and joy as they saw Fili and Arinna standing among the people. They rushed toward them and pulled them into tight hugs, completely ignoring the protests of the guards who did not know how to react. Thorin watched for a few moments, one hand brushing over his mouth before he finally turned back to the Master of Lake Town.
"Well, what say you?" He asked calmly, watching as his voice drew the Master's gaze away from the commotion that his companions were now causing. The Lakeman thought for several seconds, before he smiled and pointed his long, dirty finger at the dwarf-king.
"I say unto you… welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!"
Thorin inclined his head as the crowd around him erupted in loud cheers, applauding the Master's decision, before he turned back around. He shot Bard one last look as he moved past him toward his companions. He managed to get a hold of Fili just as Kili was releasing his brother from a long hug. He grabbed his nephew by the shoulders, his hands digging into them as he stared at him in disbelief. Fili was returning his gaze out of watery eyes and Thorin pulled him in, leaning his forehead against his nephew's with a deep sigh, before he pulled him into a firm hug.
"I thought we'd lost you," he murmured roughly, feeling his emotions threaten to run away with him as he embraced Fili. He had feared he'd never see him again after having lost all trace of him in Mirkwood and being captured by the Elves and he knew that Kili had been feeling much the same, as they had been robbed of any possibility to look for him. "We could find no trace of you after you fell into the river."
"I thought the same," Fili replied thickly as they pulled apart, smiling happily at his uncle. "Arinna pulled me out of the water and watched over me while I was unconscious for two days."
Thorin held his nephew's gaze for another long moment before he gave his shoulders another affectionate squeeze and let go, his gaze drifting over to where his other nephew was keeping the druid in a tight hold.
"Careful not to suffocate her, Kili," the dwarf-king chuckled throatily, his gaze resting on the dark-haired woman as the young dwarf released her slowly. "We wouldn't want to lose her again."
Arinna smiled as she stepped up to Thorin, not quite knowing what to say. Her eyebrows rose in surprise when the dwarf-lord reached out and pulled her into a hug. "You saved his life," he murmured as she returned his embrace with a happy smile. "I will be eternally grateful, Arinna. I'm glad to see you well."
He let go of her then, patting her shoulder affectionately as he looked from her to his nephew, the others gathered in a close circle around them.
"Now," he said, letting out a deep breath. "There is much we need to talk about and much to celebrate. Let's get inside."
