Sorry for the wait! I got buried in exam season, but now I'm back and with a whole new chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoy. Thanks very much to animexchick, DawnScarlet19610, Filisgirl251, Aquamarine, ValarenOfGondor, Erikawaskiki and MissRuthless for your lovely reviews on the last one. Do let me know what you make of this!
*** 8 years after the battle ***
"My King, I am pleased to present the plans for your birthday celebrations. I have taken the liberty to prepare the list of invitees, the letters to confirm the plans with them should be sent out no later than by the end of this month."
Fili frowned slightly as Lord Berlif slid the large piece of parchment across the table toward him. They had been sat in council for almost two hours already, and he was feeling rather tired, as he reached out, brushing his fingers lightly over the top of the parchment that had a lot of names written on it, though he did not pick it up to read. Instead, he glanced up at the dwarf-lord with raised eyebrows.
"It seems rather too early for such preparations, Lord Berlif," he uttered, his deep voice carrying no small amount of disinterest. He did not care for his own birthday at all, not anymore. He had never been very comfortable with being the centre of attention in such big festivities. The only saving grace had always been his little brother, who would always manage to make it a joyous occasion. He cleared his throat. "Winter has barely just ended. Surely there are more pressing matters for you to occupy yourself with than preparing celebrations that won't take place until summer."
Lord Berlif's excitement dampened slightly upon the king's dismissive tone of voice and the pointed look he gave him. He exchanged a small look with Balin, the king's advisor, who was sat to Fili's right but did not react. Then he cleared his throat and answered. "Certainly, my King," he uttered, trying to choose his words carefully. "But as we expect ambassadors from all major Dwarven kingdoms to join the celebrations of the King's 90th birthday, it would make sense to send out the invitations as early as possible."
"Some of them will need to travel a long distance to attend," Balin added calmly, finally deciding to react to the imploring look Berlif sent him, looking from the slightly flustered lord to Fili. The blond dwarf stared at the parchment before him for a moment, before he finally gave a curt nod, sliding the document over to Balin without taking a second look at it.
"Very well," he said. "I trust you will make the appropriate arrangements, Lord Berlif. I ask you to take your thoughts and queries on the topic directly to Balin in future, I do not wish to be involved in the planning."
"Of course. As you wish," the dwarf-lord uttered, raising his eyebrows in slight surprise but not saying anything else on the topic. It was unwise to talk back to the king once he had made his decision.
Fili cleared his throat slightly, leaning back in his chair as he looked around the table. Now that this topic was dealt with, his eyes fell on the old dwarf that sat at the other end of the table and he let out a small sigh before he began to speak.
"Now, for more pressing matters," he said, watching as the dwarf raised his old hearing trumpet to his ear. Fili raised his voice slightly, making sure that he could hear. "We have our court physician in our midst today. Oin has brought something to my attention and I would like to address it to the council. He feels he would like to reduce his workload and will therefore be in need of an apprentice."
"Reduce the workload?" Balin uttered in surprise, looking over at his old friend. Oin gave a nod and a quiet harrumph, his hearing trumpet still held closely to his ear. "Are you planning to retire, my friend?"
"I'll be retired when I'm dead," said Oin loudly, his voice echoing off the walls of the chamber. Fili brushed one hand over his beard as he listened, letting the healer speak for himself. "But I am getting old. There are a lot of people to be taken care of in this mountain, and only one physician. I need someone to lighten the load, is all."
"And do you have someone in mind?" Lord Thrakur asked, making a note of something on the piece of parchment he kept by his side on the table. Oin frowned at the dwarf-lord and Fili had to suppress a small smile as he addressed him, his voice even louder than before.
"What are you saying, lad? I mean, lord?"
Lord Thrakur let out a sigh, his gaze darkening slightly as he repeated his question to the old healer, making sure that he was heard this time. Oin nodded his understanding now, before he simply shook his head in answer.
"An announcement will be made tomorrow," Fili said, answering in Oin's stead as his councilmen looked back to him. "Qualified scholars will be able to apply for the position; the choice will be made by Oin by the end of the month."
The council muttered their agreements, and Fili ordered for one of them to make the necessary arrangements for the announcement. He felt a strange sadness in his gut at the thought of Oin beginning his slow retirement, despite him trying to assure every one of the opposite. Oin had been the court physician even as he had been growing up in the Ered Luin, Fili thought, he could hardly imagine anyone doing a better job than him.
The meeting went on for almost another hour, before Fili dismissed it. He kept sitting in his chair while the others gathered up their things and left the chamber one by one, as usual being the last one to leave. However, today, Balin was lingering by the table as well, pushing around and rearranging the parchments before him. Fili watched him for a few moments, until the door fell closed behind the last member of his council.
"What is it, Balin?" he then asked, giving the older dwarf a pointed look as he looked up at him. Balin cleared his throat, finally gathering all his parchments in a neat pile before him.
"Well, there is something I feel I should tell you."
Fili's eyebrows rose slightly and he turned in his chair so that he was able to face Balin completely. He folded his arms across his chest, nodding at the white-haired dwarf to continue, as he gave him his full attention. Balin held his gaze for a moment, before he let out a small sigh. Sometimes, when he talked to Fili these days, he was reminded more than ever of Thorin. He had cared for Thorin dearly, and felt the same toward his young nephew, who had inadvertently had to assume his uncle's throne. Yet, just like he had sometimes struggled with Thorin's stubbornness, he also already knew how this conversation would go.
"Your birthday celebrations –", he started, bracing himself slightly, only to be interrupted by an impatient huff from his opposite. Balin cleared his throat again, ignoring Fili's reaction. "It's quite a big occasion, your 90th, you know. And, well, the thing is, lad, the ambassadors of our allied kingdoms might be bringing some of their female relatives."
Fili frowned in confusion. "Certainly," he muttered with a shrug. "Must we even talk about this, Balin? They can bring whomever they wish. I don't see how this is relevant."
"What I mean is that Lord Berlif has extended the invitations to daughters and nieces, especially."
Balin looked at the king quietly but pointedly, watching as Fili's frown deepened, before it finally turned into a scowl. He clenched his teeth slightly, the muscle in his jaw twitching as he let out a deep breath through his nose.
"I see you've caught my meaning," Balin merely uttered, tilting his head at the blond dwarf who answered his words with a dark look.
"I am not in search of a wife, Balin."
"I know that, lad," the old dwarf assured him calmly, folding his hands in his lap as he returned Fili's gaze. He could see Fili growing more annoyed by the second. "But as you have left all the arrangements to Berlif, I thought I ought to mention it. I believe he has already sent out ravens concerning the topic ahead of time, so not sending out these invitations would most likely be an affront at this point."
"What a deceitful little weasel he is," Fili growled, turning his gaze away from Balin, who merely gave him a sympathetic look. "What is it to him, anyway? Perhaps I should throw him out of the council, that should teach him not to meddle in such affairs."
"He may have been too secretive about his motives in this matter, but I suspect it is merely because he knows not to push the subject with you. He means well, and makes for good council, otherwise. I must tell you, however, that it is not the first time this particular topic has been brought up."
Fili's eyebrows shot up in reply, before his angry gaze fell back on Balin, who merely gave a small shrug. "I do not mean to anger you on purpose, lad," the old dwarf said, causing Fili to let out another huff. "I am just relaying the facts. An alliance through marriage would fortify this kingdom further, that is all that is being said."
"I do not care what is being said," Fili growled, before he rubbed his hand over his face tiredly. He let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. "We do not need such an alliance. Our ties with the other dwarven kingdoms are strong as they are, our relations with Dale have prospered ever since the rebuilding of the city. By Mahal, we are even on relatively good terms with the Elves! To suggest I am lacking a wife to fortify this kingdom is utterly ridiculous, Balin, and undermines all the work that has been done. I will not accept this insolence, from anyone. If it would be such an issue to change these blasted invitations, then fine, let them come. Let them bring their daughters and nieces, let them celebrate, and then leave. But if you hear any more talk about these things, I ask you to put a stop to it."
Balin gave a slow, calm nod in return to the king's angry words. "As you wish."
The old dwarf watched in silence then as Fili inclined his head, his hand coming up to rub over his beard again, the anger in his pale blue eyes slowly getting replaced with a distant look. Balin knew better than to interrupt, having come to know that particular expression on Fili's face over the past years. He said nothing, though he felt a pang of sadness and sympathy, as the young king let out a sigh, brushing his hand over his tired eyes, before it fell down onto his chest, splaying over something that was hidden beneath his tunic.
"There was only ever one I would have married, Balin," Fili uttered quietly, his voice but a murmur in the silent room, and the old dwarf inclined his head, letting out a low breath as he nodded his understanding. He slowly got up and put one hand on the blond dwarf's shoulder, giving it a compassionate squeeze.
"I know, lad," Balin uttered kindly. "I know."
The sun hung high in a pale blue sky, when Arinna reached the valley, the still waters of the Long Lake glimmering in the sunlight behind her. The druid halted her pony, her eyes trained on the mountain that stood proudly in the distance before her, reaching up to the sky and casting a vast shadow over the valley. The druid felt her heart rise to her throat, causing her breath to hitch for a moment before she inclined her head slightly, shaking her head to herself. It had taken her so long to decide to travel East again, she didn't quite know whether it was fear or joy that she was feeling now, back in this part of the world after all these years.
A bit of both, the druid supposed, looking back up at the distant mountain, taking in Erebor's might from afar for a few long moments before she sighed and gripped her pony's reins more firmly again, averting her gaze to the road she was going to follow.
"Come on then, Lithen," Arinna spoke softly to the steed as she nudged him forward slightly, the pony falling into a slow trot upon her command. He was rather old now, but had carried her all this way without a fault. Arinna leaned forward to brush her hand lovingly through his long mane, knowing that this was probably the last long journey that she could ever bring him on, her most loyal companion. "Dale awaits us, my friend."
Going at a steady pace, Arinna made it to the city within less than two hours, feeling her heart beat nervously in her chest as she rode Lithen toward the gate that marked the entrance to the town. One guard was standing there and Arinna slowed slightly as she caught sight of him, though the blond man merely sent her a short nod and a welcoming smile as she passed by him. The druid took a deep breath as she entered the town on Lithen's back and rode along the main street that followed the town walls in a slight rise. The ground was neatly cobbled, her pony's hooves clacking on the bright stone beneath with every step. For a while, Arinna rode further into the town without passing many other people and it was only when she was starting to approach the centre of the town that the streets became more crowded, people rushing from one place to another, their voices filling the air.
"Ho," Arinna uttered, pulling the reins back slightly to get Lithen to halt. The pony did so swiftly, snuffling quietly as the druid expertly hopped off his back. Arinna's gaze was set on her surroundings as she patted her steed's neck gently, grabbing hold of the reins to lead him forward on foot. The druid was met with a few inquisitive glances from the Men around her, as she led her pony through the streets of Dale, observing people bustling about and going about their daily business, soon realising that there was a market taking place at the town square a bit further ahead.
With a small smile the druid made her way there, enjoying the busy way of this town after having last seen it in ruins. Arinna still remembered this same marketplace from when she had first come across it, when skeletons had manned the remains of burnt down stalls. But Dale was nothing like she remembered it now, and it made Arinna very happy to see life having returned here. In a short eight years, the houses, towers and walls that she remembered as piles of rubble and ash had been rebuilt and were thriving just as this marketplace, where many stands were set up, selling all sorts of things. The druid walked past a stall with lovely baked goods and fresh breads on display, another that sold many different supplies for the kitchen, and another that was run by a beautiful blonde dwarrowdam that sold handmade dwarven jewellery. Arinna stood for a moment to admire the pieces, though she did not buy anything.
Arinna took in everything the market had to offer, while Lithen was following along calmly behind her and waited patiently as she stopped again at a stand with fresh fruit and vegetables, where she bought a few apples for herself and her pony. Standing a little to the side so that they weren't in anyone's way, Arinna fed one of the ripe red apples to Lithen, stroking down his forehead gently as he munched away at it. Her gaze wandered over the market once more, not really focused on anything, until she suddenly saw another stall a little distance away and her eyes widened, her heart suddenly in her throat once more.
With a deep breath she took hold of Lithen's reins again, slowly leading him through the crowd toward the stand of children's toys that she had seen from a distance. Arinna's eyes shortly skimmed over the range of wooden figurines, some of them with simple mechanics that made them move, before her gaze settled heavily on the person that was lounging on a chair behind the stall, feet up on the edge of the stand, arms crossed behind his head and a grey fur hat pulled low over his eyes to shield them from the mid-afternoon sun.
Arinna cleared her throat slightly, though Bofur did not seem to hear her, for he did not move at all. The druid took a deep breath, her eyes trained on the familiar form of her old friend as she spoke.
"How much for one of these?" she asked, her voice raised slightly as to make sure he'd know she was talking to him. She watched as Bofur turned his head in her direction, though he did not remove the hat from his eyes, causing the druid to frown slightly as he answered while simultaneously visibly trying to suppress a yawn.
"Two silver coins for a figurine, four for the mechanical ones," he uttered in an almost bored voice and Arinna smiled at the familiar sound of his voice. She remained silent for a moment, closing her eyes for a second, before she opened them again and picked up a small wooden owl, smiling at how intricate its features were, before she looked back up. She remembered the conversation she had once had with Thorin in Mirkwood, when he had told her that Bofur was planning to open a toy shop with his share of the treasure.
"Any chance of a small discount for old friends?" she said softly, watching as Bofur uncrossed his arms from behind his head and sat up straight, reaching up to pull the hat from his face. He blinked a few times against the light as his eyes adjusted to the sun and he began talking before he even looked in her direction.
"Listen, lady, they're too cheap to give anyone any discount," he uttered, finally bringing his gaze to her. "This is fine dwarven craftsmanship. I don't care if you're my second cousin's great-aunt twice removed, you either pay the whole price or you –"
Arinna's smile widened as she finally met Bofur's gaze, the dwarf's eyes growing huge in disbelief as he stared at her with a dumbfounded expression on his bearded face, completely speechless as he saw her standing there before him, so different than he remembered her and yet almost completely the same. Her coal black hair was plaited into a thick braid that hung over her left shoulder, while her eyes shone friendly and green as forest leaves. Over her shoulder was slung a quiver of arrows and an old Elven bow, and behind her stood a familiar, tall, dun-coloured pony that she held securely by its reins.
"Fine then," she said quietly, when Bofur still did not speak, unable to find his voice. She lifted up the wooden owl as he kept staring at her in shock. "I would like this one. Two silver coins you said, yes?"
Bofur's mouth opened and closed a few times without any sound leaving his throat and Arinna waited patiently for him to speak as she quickly rummaged through the small purse that was strapped to her belt, digging out two silver coins. It was just when she held them out to the hatted dwarf, that Bofur finally found his voice again.
"It's on the house," he muttered hoarsely, eyes still wide as he returned her gaze. He shook his head, once, twice, though a small smile began creeping onto his lips beneath his moustache. He let out a small incredulous laugh. "I don't believe my eyes. It cannot be you!"
"It is," Arinna smiled, feeling her heart beat nervously in her chest. She took a deep breath before she spoke again, feeling her throat constrict as she felt tears come to her eyes. "You still wear the same hat."
Bofur's own eyes were wet as well as he laughed, nodding his head. "Aye," he answered with a broad smile. "It's been washed several times since though."
"That is reassuring to hear," Arinna grinned, watching as Bofur shook his head once more, letting out a long breath as he took in her form. And then, finally, he moved, slowly making his way around the stall until he was standing right in front of her, his broad smile mirroring hers as he engulfed her in a tight hug that she returned gladly, her fingers digging into his overcoat as she half laughed, half cried into his shoulder.
