Hi theeeere! This is finally Chapter 2! So this is more a sort of transition chap... Not much going in there so I added a bit of fluff!
No special warning except alcohol again...
By the way, I do not own the song neither, it's Nil Sè'n Là from Celtic Woman so go check it out it's a really nice song!
Before attacking the story, I'd like to thanks Winterimperfect for being my beta on this third chapter and the others to come!
Enough chatting! Please review what you think of the story so far :)
Bonne lecture!
Dearest friends, let's share a drink
As their heavy boots landed on the wooden stairs, the floor creaked. The two dwarfs went to the tavern. Thorin stopped and scrutinized the room, screwing up his eyes. A large form appeared in the back of the restaurant, sitting at a table away from the others. The king moved forward and arrived behind a tall man dressed in grey.
"Gandalf! Pleasure to see you again." He greeted.
"Ah, Thorin, you're late." Answered the mysterious silhouette, turning to face the two companions. "And who is this?" He added, looking at the still sleepy man.
It took few seconds of silence before Thorin understood his nephew was paying more attention to the birds sitting on the edge of the window than to the old man, so he shoved his elbow into the younger one's arm.
"Kili, at your service!" He quickly bowed when he came back to earth with the unexpected strike.
His uncle sighed. When he looked to the magician's eyes he could see a bit of exasperation, but his lips wore a small amused smile.
"Aye, heard of him and his brother; your nephews. The youngest, if I correctly remember." Continued Gandalf, who took a sip of his warm drink.
"Yes, as well as my best archer in the company."
The named one was now busy devouring the chicken and vegetable soup but was still listening none the less.
"Why did you ask for me to meet you here?" Finally asked the tall man.
"We need a fourteenth man for the company. I was hoping you would help us find him."
"Hm... I don't think you should take this path, Thorin. As a friend, I must warn you it will be very dangerous and almost impossible."
But, the King did not have time to say anything. Kili raised his voice before him.
"But, it is not impossible! There is still a chance! We are strong and united! We are the brothers of the company and no one will stop us. We must take back what belongs to us, for our friends and family, and for honor."
The two others were surprised of this sudden participation from the archer.
Gandalf first thought Kili was -as many a dwarf- a little dumb. But now he could see the pride and almost-wisdom that rushed in the royal family's veins. Thorin didn't expect his nephew to be so heart-willing. He thought that he joined because his brother did and that the leader was his uncle. In truth, the scatterbrained dwarf really understood what he was following. It made him grow a small, but gentle, smile.
"I see..." Posed the gray-haired man, "If I find him, I'll let you know by carving a special inscription. I must leave now."
Kili furrowed his brows, wondering how a 'special' inscription will help them in anything but, before he could say what was on his mind, he felt his uncle's heavy gaze so he stopped whatever he was starting.
After finishing breakfast, Thorin stood up. "Let's go"
"Yep!" Answered Kili as he stood up with a smile.
Once they left the town, the older dwarf eyed a bag in his nephew's hand that wasn't food he brought nor their belongings.
"What's this, lad?"
He could swear he saw the archer quietly curse.
"Err... Hm... Well... The others knew we were going to town so..."
Before he could finish the king understood and ended the sentence for him, "So everybody gave you some money to buy alcohol."
"Yeah." Joyfully affirmed the youngest, but still apprehensive of what was going to happen.
"You're all scallywags." He sighed and the chocolate haired dwarf laughed.
"Com'on uncle! I've seen you drink quite a lot last night." Teased Kili.
"Yeah, but you drunk a lot more and haven't seen yourself before going to bed and this morning."
"I can not have been so annoying, I could still walk!" Protested the younger one.
"Yeah. If you call it walking than what is wriggling?"
To this Kili, who was defeated, only spat out, "Tch!"
A silence fell but the messy-haired dwarf broke it by humming a song.
Thorin let the younger one go and even appreciated it. Once the melody was over he spoke up.
"You have a nice voice, you know?"
The singer was surprised to be complimented by his majestic uncle.
"Well, thank you." He chuckled.
The little laugh somehow gave the king shivers all down his back. He rolled his head in a circle to get rid of the feeling. Still, he was puzzled about his unwanted reaction to Kili's voice, or was it something else?
Now that Thorin was deep in his thoughts, so, of course, it was silent once again, the archer lost his smile.
Why do you never speak to me...? He wanted to ask but he knew he couldn't.
The two swordsmen continued the way until they found a nicely lit clearing with a shaded part.
"Perfect place for lunch!" Exclaimed Kili with a glint of excitement.
They made their way next to a tree and started to eat the dried meat and bread.
The younger dwarf closed his eyes and leaned on the tree as he chewed the food. Thorin took his chance to observe him.
He started from the face framed by wavy hair. It was a manly face with an aquiline nose in the middle and thin lips that always gave him a slightly mocking look when he smiled. The skin was dark from the length of time spent walking in the sun and the bottom part of his face was covered with a light black beard and mustache. The older one wondered how he would look with a longer beard and concluded that it will be nice when he will be older. Then he slid his gaze to Kili's neck; a bit arched because the other dwarf let his head rest back on the tree, but only giving Thorin an open view of the Adam's apple. Before he got to the younger dwarf's torso, he realized that his nephew was looking at him and straighten up.
"Are you okay, uncle?"
"Yes, fine." He stood up, but the other caught his hand. Kili stood up as well.
"You're lying."
Of course he was lying. How could he tell his nephew that he really thought he was beautiful and even eyed him to catch every detail? The young dwarf tightened his grip on his uncle's hand and approached a bit.
"You... Always tried to protect me... So sometimes you left me aside. Uncle, now I am a man. I'd like you to have more confidence in me..." He started, finally able to find words to express his frustration. Thorin turned around and placed his warm palms on Kili's face, melting ice blue and chocolate gazes together.
"I have seen that you became a man... A young and strong man. And you're one of the few people I totally- and truly- put faith in." He paused as his nephew smiled. "Maybe you have grown up too fast." He added with a soft smile
The younger dwarf couldn't help but embrace his uncle tightly and quickly let go to be as least embarrassed as possible.
"Let's find the others!" He finally said, walking away at a fast pace.
When they finally arrived at the company's camp before dinner time, Kili ran to his brother with a laugh.
"The river!" He happily said.
"Yeah, let's take a swim!" Said Fili.
"Last one in the water." He responded.
In a matter of seconds the brother dwarfs were gone, running to the river and almost spreading their clothes everywhere on their way.
'So tireless...' Thought Thorin, who only had time to set down his bag. But when you live on the road, baths sometimes become rare, so he also made his way to the river.
The brothers were splashing and fighting in the water. The older one stopped and looked over with a smile.
They always fight for best and worse since they were dwarfing. This complicity between them for pranks and this confidence that they'll save each others life seemed like they'll only die with them.
Roars and laughter, naked skins and water, tensed muscles and long hair clinging to it. Sure his nephews were men now.
Thorin felt a little twitch of nostalgia and something he wasn't sure about in his heart.
The splashing stopped; more laughs escaped and then silence.
"Uncle! Come in! The water is great!" Said Kili as he pulled his hair back so he could see something.
The older dwarf moved next to the river and pulled his clothes off but, contrary to the two brothers, he gathered them in the same place.
Kili was a bit surprised to see how his uncle was well-built. Usually men of his age started getting fat but he still had a large torso and a strong body. Unfortunately, the water soon covered the man's body.
Fili eyed his brother with an arched brow and when the younger one met his gaze, he blushed and dived back in the water.
The icy liquid seemed to strike his burning face, but he hoped it would make the red pigments disappear from his skin.
As he got back to the surface, he pulled his long brown hair back and look around him. He had drifted due to the current a good dozen meters away from his family, watching them chat together.
He felt his heart ache for an unknown reason and now the happiness he felt by taking a swim with his brother and uncle faded into a strange bitterness.
"I'm joining the others to prepare dinner! See you then!" Kili called out as he pulled himself up onto the edge.
"Huh? Okay, but cover yourself properly or else you will catch a cold." Answered Fili.
"Yes, mom!" He responded with a teasing tone, which made his older brother smile.
He gathered his clothes and pulled his pants on and swung his blue tunic over his shoulders, not caring to close it. The long chocolate locks were still wet and started to take a wavy form with the cold air caressing it.
Thorin was leaning his back on the edge, relaxing in the water.
"Kili is acting a bit odd..." Noted the blond dwarf, sitting next to his uncle.
"Really? I don't see much difference." He calmly answered, not mentioning he also found it strange that the young dwarf so cheerfully invited him to join them before escaping two minutes later.
"Did something happen during your trip?"
"Not much. Except a big party last night. I think he didn't sleep off all the alcohol he drank."
Could he tell Fili about what happened at lunch time? Well, he surely could, but preferred not to. It did not really matter, did it?
The nephew laughed but didn't have time to add anything.
"You're often drinking together. Maybe you know if Kili is the kind to kiss anybody when drunk." Thorin brought up with no explanation to his question.
It surprised the other dwarf, who was now standing on the humid grass, wringing out his hair.
"Err... I don't really think so, even though he's kinda overjoyed with too much alcohol in the stomach. Why? Did he meet someone?"
Now he had his answer, even thought it only messed up a bit more the situation. But the gray-eyed dwarf was a clever man and just 'curiosity' as an answer will not be enough to leave Thorin unsuspected.
"Not really. It just seemed he played on seduction last night." He lied, but he will never tell Fili that he and his other nephew shared a warm and passionate kiss that Kili did not even remember.
"Well, uncle, we know that wine inhibits people." After a laugh he added. "Going back to the camp, wanna come or stay?"
"I'll join you in ten minutes." Answered the older one as he laid his head on the grass, letting the rest of his body float in the current.
'Okay, now, let's gather it all up and find a rational explanation.' Thought Thorin, who wanted to take advantage of being alone and think properly.
Tavern, dinner, fight, party and a drunk Kili. We went to the room. He embraced me, if I clearly remember... The beverage had also stained the king's memories but he tried the best he could to keep an objective sight on the events.
Then... I stroked his hair, he took my hand and kissed me... Or did I kiss him? No, no it was him. He closed his eyes, raking his brain for the details. He did recall his nephew pulled him forward into the kiss.
But why the hell did he do that?! He's not the kind to be lovey-dovey with everyone when drinking as Fili said. So why... Why, why, why... Recollecting memories of what happen was the easy part that Thorin fulfilled easily, but finding an explanation to all this was like trying to find what came first: The hen or the egg? It seemed merely impossible.
With a sigh, he opened his eyes again and got out of the water, hoping that dinner will help him put this story aside.
As expected, dinner time was a cattle market.
Kili was standing on a rock, his bowl of hot pabulum in hand, relating the fight in the pub as miming the action and spilling a bit of his dinner at his feet. Applause, laughs and comments accompanied the young dwarf's story.
"What about the bottles you were suppose to bring?" Asked Bombur, who wished to wash off the food.
"Aye, Mister Bombur! Got'em!" Said Kili as he fiddled around his small amount of belongings and got out two dozen of containers filled with wine.
It didn't take long before all the dwarfs were merry. And all good parties are followed by songs. Hands clapped in rhythm as Ori and Nori started.
Chuaigh mé isteach i dteach aréir
Is d'iarr mé cairde ar mhnaoi an leanna
Is é dúirt sí liom "Ní bhfaighidh tú deor
Buail an bóthar is gabh abhaile"
(I went into the house last night.
I called friends to me.
She said to me "You will not get it
Hit the road and go home!")
Kili and Fili joined in as the song turned into the communal language.
I came by a house last night
And told the woman I am staying
I said to her:
"The moon is bright and my fiddles tuned for playing"
Then all the dwarfs started singing in a loud and united voice, not always in the right notes.
Tell me that the night is long
Tell me that the moon is glowing
Fill my glass, I'll sing a song
And will start the music flowing
Never mind the rising light
There's no sign of day or dawning
In my heart it's still the night
And we'll stay here till the morning
Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,
níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,
níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,
solas ard atá sa ghealaigh.
(Not a day, not my love
It is not a day it will not be until morning
It is a day not yet
High in the moon light)
The crowd of happy and almost drunk dwarfs was moving in a circle. By groups of two or three, they were holding arms and spinning around rapidly before letting go and choosing other partners. Fili caught Thorin's arms, who was staying away with Balin and brought him, against his will, into the round dancing.
The rhythm slowed down as well as the dance.
Still holding his uncle, the young blonde dwarf sang, alone, the two next sentences of the song and was then followed by Kili, giving a lighter tone to his brother's voice.
It's not day nor yet awhile
I can see the starlight shining
Níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,
solas ard atá sa ghealaigh.
But soon enough the pace sped up and Thorin swung from Fili to Bifur, then to Ori and eventually to Dwalin. He did not want to be part of all this in first place, but now that he was in, he might as well have fun so he followed the movement. The voices raised again in chorus.
Fill the glasses one more time
And never heed the empty bottle!
Turn the water into wine
And turn the party up full throttle!
As they were passing their friend to another, they were also passing the bottles of alcohol, more likely throwing them to each other with a precision that shouldn't be possible in such a messy dance. Things got even more faster and rushed, hands clapping in rhythm and swordsmen finding a new comrade to dance with.
Thorin laughed as he passed from Nori to Oin but he caught Kili's arm at the moment this one sang alone the following verse, less virulent and slower.
His eyes caught into the chocolate ocean, ears only listening to the manly yet melodious voice.
Don't go out into the cold
Where the wind and rain are blowing.
For the fire is flaming gold
And in here the music's flowing
Once again a dozen voices flowed up in the air.
Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,
níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,
níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,
solas ard atá sa ghealaigh.
Tell me that the night is long
Tell me that the moon is gleaming
Fill my glass, I'll sing a song
And we'll keep the music streaming
Until all the songs are sung
Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,
níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,
níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,
solas ard atá sa ghealaigh.
The song ended with the last verse repeated several times, some in canon. Right afterwards, loud laughs and clapping prevented silence from falling.
A few dwarfs weren't walking really straight now, firstly because of the alcohol, secondly because of the circle dance.
The king and his nephew were still clinging onto each other as they let out loud a loud laughter.
Songs and guffaws filled up the nights air for few hours before some dwarfs fainted in sweet dreams and heavy sleep. The only survivors were Balin, Thorin, Kili and Fili, even though those two were everything but sober.
"Fili, while you're still awake, take your turn to guard." Said Balin as he stood up. "Good night, folks." He added, joining the other sleeping dwarfs.
"I suppose I have no choice then to accept my duty." Answered Fili with a half-solemn half-teasing voice. He stood up, found his balance, and walked a bit further where he could correctly observe who was approaching even though he was still too drunk to take anything seriously.
Thorin looked up to the now alone Kili. Was it really the good moment to talk to him? He'll rarely have any other chance when they're with company. But will the young dwarf be able to handle a conversation in this state?
He pondered it a moment. He thought he could still try and if it didn't succeed he would take a chance another day.
The king stood up and went to the archer who looked at him with a blurry and questioning gaze.
"Uncle?"
"I have to talk with you, Kili."
Thaaat's it! As I said, it's a transition, so please have mercy for me! Ah ah!
I have a question for you guys!
Would you like a sad or a happy ending?
Oh! And you'll have a bit more of Fili next time... ;)
See ya'!