Thank you all so, so, so much for your incredible support – it means the world to me. There's a bit less of a wait here, but though this is a filler chapter it comes with good news – I'm actually getting a lot better a lot quicker than I thought I would! While this hasn't immediately sped up my writing it should do when I get all this work out of the way – which is going well at the moment. Fingers crossed the next update shall be soon!
Thank you again to all the reviewers of the last chapter, it means so, so much to me to have your support and to know that you like what I'm writing. A special thanks goes to Hermione Granger (I shall explain around the 'Auntie Dís' scenario in due course ;)) the guest ML (Thank you so, so much for a lovely review, I'm so glad that you're enjoying it, and thank you for the Facebook like! :D) Hannah (I truly, truly appreciate your concern, thank you so much) and Marijke, thank you all so, so much! You are awesome!
As I said, this is a filler but it is, I hope,a decent one! I can't believe we're on chapter 80, sheesh! :O
As ever, please forgive any mistakes I make.
Read. Enjoy. Review.
Chapter Eighty # Fireside Fairytales #
Smiling softly in contentment, Kíli leant back in the large chair and ran his fingers through Merry's curls. The child had been stifling yawns for almost an hour now, but his eyes were shining with awe and curiosity and Kíli did not have the heart to send him to bed just yet. Warm flames danced in the hearth of the Hall of Fire, welcoming the hobbits and dwarves into the heart of life in Rivendell, and Kíli felt the same buzz of excitement and peace as he had the last time he had visited. It was an odd feeling. The two emotions were not usually felt in combination, peace and excitement, but they were now.
Only Nori had chosen not to attend the story telling that evening. Well, chosen was not necessarily the right word. Refused would work better. It exasperated Kíli. Nori had made such progress in trusting, even liking, Elladan and Elrohir, but apparently that tolerance did not extend to all elves.
Pervinca and Pippin had been left with him, much to their disgruntlement, though they had been promised permission to attend tomorrow if their parents deemed it worth staying up for. Kíli had done his best to convince them but it would be, but even he admitted that an early night would do good for their littlest companions after the last few days they had. Nelly had only wrangled her way in due to the fact that Merry was being allowed and there were very few months between them, though she had been disappointed when Nori refused to accompany them. He was not sure who else had noticed, but Kíli saw the way that Nori did not meet Nelly's eyes when she begged him to come with them.
Merry's fingers curled around Kíli's sleeves as the tale began to take a darker turn. Everyone was taking care of what stories they told in the presence of the children and Kíli was sure that the ending would be just fine, but he pressed a kiss into Merry's hair and rubbed his arm comfortingly anyway.
"…and then," Estel lowered his voice to a hushed stage-whisper. "With trembling hands he pushed open the door, and-"
The little hobbits gasped in shock and fright as Estel flung himself forward in his chair and threw out his hands.
"He found his baby brother with his hands stuck in the jam jar." Estel finished, giving a little mock bow as the children burst into a fit of hysterical giggles.
Merry looked up at Kíli and grinned. "I like that one!"
"Me too," Kíli smiled back. A damp nose nudged his leg and Kíli smiled, scratching between Luno's ears.
The little wolf had been curled up by his feet all evening, and any reservations the elves had harboured had been hidden behind gracious smiles. According to the reports of the elven guards the other wolves had not come very far into Rivendell, but instead prowled around the outside. Luno, on the other hand, had been by Kíli's side all day.
The calm, low voice of Lord Elrond broke over the soft hum of conversation. "Perhaps the Lady Dís has a story she would be happy to share?"
All eyes turned to Dís, who raised her eyebrows slowly. She had been quiet through the whole evening, observing without commenting, although a smile had graced her lips several times. Shifting Merry slightly, Kíli wondered how his mother would chose to respond.
"Perhaps," she inclined her head slowly, speaking with great care. "What sort of tale do you wish to hear?"
"An exciting one," requested Estel, eagerness burning in his eyes. "Something traditionally dwarvish would be wonderful, if there is anything of the sort that you wish to share with us."
Kíli looked curiously at his mother. He hoped that she would agree, but he could not tell how she felt about their elven company. She seemed to be enjoying herself, but then again the Princess Dís was nothing if not decorous. If she was loathing every second of her time in the Hall of Fire she would not say so.
Dís smiled at Kíli. "I think I have a tale or two that may suffice. Let me see… very well. Once there was a young princess of legendary beauty by the name of Nella."
Out of the corner of his eye, Kíli saw Nelly perk up, grin and stick her tongue out at her older sister.
"The daughter of a mighty king, Nella was in love with a young dwarf from a neighbouring clan – a warlord's son named Serkr. He returned her love with a passion that was fierce and true, for she was his One and he was hers. However, there was a fierce rivalry between the clans, and Nella was expected to marry among her people. Her love for her father was almost as strong as her love for Serkr and she did not want to disappoint him. Upon seeing Nella's pain, Serkr promised to keep their love a secret."
As his mother's story began to appear around him, Kíli's eyes drifted over his elven companions. Few showed any outward signs of reservation at all – most listened with open eyes and expressions, expressions that Kíli hoped were mirrored in their hearts.
"To embody his promise, Serkr dug a tunnel beneath the mountains. It passed beneath their kingdoms, from his bedroom straight to hers."
Bofur snickered and Paladin elbowed him. The children looked a little confused at the outburst, and every adult in the room smiled when Nelly gave Bofur an irritated "Shh!"
Dís grinned and continued. "The walls of the tunnel were lined with glass, enchanted by ancient rites that have long since been swept away and forgotten by the sands of time. These spells ensured that any who tried to harm the lovers – or their tunnel – would face their wrath through glass that could do more damaged than a thousand knives."
Merry shivered in anticipation in Kíli's lap, and Dís glanced over.
"For many months, their arrangement seemed perfect. Every night Serkr would pass through the tunnel to his Nella, and by the time the sun rose he would be out of the door and back in his own bed, ready for a hard day's work. Then, everything changed."
Kíli watched his mother's face darken. He was almost certain now that she did not know she was doing it – her storytelling was so natural that it swept even her off into the tale she told.
"Nella's brother, Niáll, was the crown prince of their kingdom, and while he had the mind, strength and skill of a true leader, he was cruel, selfish and ill fit for the throne. His heart had been twisted by envy, for he knew that his sister was his father's favourite. One day, Niáll discovered his sister's secret, and the chance to drain her happiness forever was too tempting for him to pass over."
Estel grinned slightly, his eyes alight with anticipation as the story's tension grew.
"That night, when darkness fell and he knew that Serkr would be inside the tunnel, Prince Niáll hired a thug from the streets to beat his sister's serving maid. When the poor girl ran to her princess for aid, Nella rushed her to the healer's as quickly as she could – as her brother knew that she would. And then, while his sister was with her maid, Niáll crept into her room and into the tunnel. He smashed his hammer into the wall of the tunnel, and the glass shattered into millions of tiny pieces."
Pearl's gasp was the only thing breaking the silence.
"The young Lord Serkr was pulled from the ruins barely alive, and the enchanted glass he had hoped would protect them turned against him. He fell into a sleep none could wake him from, and his father fell into despair. But Niáll was not finished. He told his father that Serkr was planning on…"
For the first time, Dís faltered in her storytelling, but she covered it almost immediately.
"Attacking Nella while she slept. The King was furious – but so was Serkr's father, who believed that the king had tried to kill his son. The warlord declared that his clan would forever be enemies of Nella's kingdom and demanded Niáll's blood in return, lest their mountain range be torn apart be war. And in the midst of all the panic, Nella disappeared."
A log crackled in the fire as Dís paused, and Kíli smiled slightly as he recognised her drawing out her pause for effect.
"The warlord took it as a sign of guilt and the king thought his daughter had been kidnapped, but in reality she had one mission on her mind – a mission to save Serkr's life, even if it cost her her own. She immediately set out into the woods, for she had heard tell of a plant that healed many ailments – even wounds which had been enchanted or bewitched. All Nella knew was that she was looking for a blue flower bearing red thorns, but she was unsure if it could reverse the damage of the glass. She knew that every moment she spent searching took Serkr closer to death."
All around the room interest was piquing. Kíli could almost taste it, and he allowed himself to be sucked into the story.
"She travelled deeper and deeper into the woods for three days and three nights, until she saw a light flickering through the trees. Nella took out her sword and crept closer, discovering two hideous ogres. They had a prisoner with them, a young dwarf from Serkr's kingdom, and they were taunting him. They told him that they could cure his lord and dangled the very concoction that could do so before his nose. As the sun began to set, the ogres picked up their knives to kill the dwarf, and Princess Nella emerged from the shadows."
Everyone was shifting now as their interest grew, from Elrond tilting his head a fraction to Nelly clambering up from her father's lap to go and sit in Esme's instead. Kíli stifled a laugh at Paladin's offended face, but Ellie slapped her husband's arm to recall his attention to the story. Esme smirked and stuck her tongue out at her brother before looking back to Dís.
"Letting out a mighty roar, she struck the knife from the hand of the first ogre. A ferocious fight burst out, but though Nella was fuelled by passion and fear, the ogres were well over twice her size. They quickly gained the upper hand, disarming the princess and casting her down to the ground. Her long hair fell into the fire, catching aflame in seconds."
Pearl let out a frightened squeak and clutched at the ends of her own hair, as if worried that it would spontaneously burst into flames.
Dís smiled and winked at the little hobbit. "Without a moment's hesitation, Nella leapt to her feet and threw her head between her legs, whipping the nearest ogre with her flaming hair. The fire blinded the vicious creature immediately, and she used the distraction to stab the other in the heart. Only then did the princess quench the flames with water. She bound the wounded ogre and freed the captive dwarf, before taking the flask that they claimed was a healing potion and smearing a little over the ogres eyes. Just like that, the beast was healed, and then she put it out of its misery."
Over in Esme's lap, Nelly clenched her fists with a fierce grin, and a soft whisper from her lips reached Kíli's ears. "Yes…"
"Smearing her face with dirt, Nella dressed herself in pauper's clothes and raced to Serkr's clan, using the young dwarf and her disguise to sneak into her lover's chamber. To her dismay, Serkr's father was in the room, and he could not be fooled by so mean a disguise. However, the dwarf she had saved begged his lord to allow her to try the potion she had brought, and as he looked upon his dying son the warlord gave his permission. She smeared the wounds with the concoction and waited."
As Dís paused, the entire room held its breath.
"Slowly, then all at once Serkr's wounds healed over and he woke. Nella's face was the first he saw, and before he even laid eyes upon his father Serkr had leapt up and grabbed her into his arms. He kissed her and held her close, and his father let out a roar of pain and fury."
"What?" Nelly cried, outraged. "But the prince was healed!"
"Ah, yes, but the warlord did not know they had ever been in love, and he was confused and hurt. It did not take long, however, for the whole situation to be explained and resolved. Nella and Serkr were wed, and when Nella's father died at a grand old age they took over rule of the kingdom together."
From his spot in Bofur's lap, Sam tentatively raised his hand. "What about Prince Niáll?"
"Well, the prince was banished from his home until he could collect a thousand flowers with red and white spotted petals. Unfortunately for him, no such flower exists, and he spent the rest of his days wandering the wilderness while his sister lived happily ever after." Dís finished to a burst of enthusiastic applause. "Was that story to your satisfaction, Master Estel?"
"I loved it," the young man enthused sincerely. "Is it a modern tale, or an old one may I ask?"
"Ancient," Dís smiled as she replied. "One of the oldest that we still tell today, in fact."
"Uncle Bilbo?" Frodo yawned. "If…if hippothetically I was too tired to stay 'wake for another story, do I still get to come back tomorrow night?"
"Hippothetically?" laughed Bilbo, softly, planting a kiss onto the little hobbit's forehead. "Of course, my lad."
Kíli glanced down at Merry. The boy was desperately trying to keep his eyes open, but he was fighting a losing battle.
"I'll take them all back," Esme volunteered. She stood up without putting Nelly down, and her niece's head dropped onto her shoulder. "I'll likely be woken by the little monsters early tomorrow in any case, I need all the sleep I can get."
"Are you sure?" Ellie shifted Pearl in her lap.
"Of course," scoffed Esme, already beginning to gather the children together.
"Kíli," Merry looked up at the dwarf with wide eyes. "Kíli, I'm not tired at all!"
Kíli chuckled softly. "It's time for bed now, Merry."
"Fine…" The boy sighed, before turning around to kiss Kíli on the nose. "G'night, Kíli."
"Goodnight, Merry." Kíli smiled, before passing the child to his mother.
Luno raised his head and whined. Kíli tickled him behind his ears before leaning back in his seat to enjoy the stories and songs to come.
And there ends that little interlude – I'm sorry it's so short, but in the next chapter the journey will continue and the plot will move along! Yay!
As a sidenote, the story Dís told is based off of a little known fairytale I found on the web – brownie points to anyone who knows where it comes from (though I did tweak it a little ;))
I'll do my best to update soon, please, please do tell me what you think – it means so much to me :D
Thanks for reading!
