Chapter Thirteen
Fili left the training area, as he continued his search. Fili then decided to go back to Kili's room again. As he headed that direction, he walked passed the Treasury, and he could hear soft murmurs coming from it. Fili stopped, he stood frozen as he heard the voice. At first, he thought it was Thorin. Oh Mahal, its happening again, it has come back to him, thought Fili. And so Fili decided to enter the Treasury, when he could see it wasn't Thorin at all in Treasury, in fact, it was his brother Kili!
"KILI!" Fili called out to him. "Go away. I don't wish to speak to anyone." said the dwarf prince icily. "Kili, come! Lunch is about to be served, you need to eat." said Fili. Suddenly, Kili spun around as he angrily glared at his brother. "I am not hungry, leave me alone!" shouted Thorin. Fili could see in his eyes, that it wasn't Kili talking at all. "Kili, its me your brother! You know, Fili? As mother called me her little Lion, and you, Little Raven?" spoke up Fili softly, trying to hold back the tears.
"I SAID LEAVE!" screamed Kili.
Sadly, Fili turned away and left the Treasury. I must go speak with Uncle about this, this isn't good at all! thought Fili, as he headed towards the Throne Room. "You won't find Thorin here, laddie. He's went to his chambers with Neniel." spoke up Dwalin. "Dwalin, we got a situation!" said Fili, gravely. "What's going on?" asked Dwalin. "Its Kili. He's-locked himself in the treasury." said Fili, softly. "WHAT?! Oh no, For Durin's sake, NOT HIM TOO!" cried out Dwalin.
Balin, who was also nearby, heard this. "We must find Thorin at once. He needs to know this." said Balin, and the three of them head towards the King's chambers. Meanwhile, Thorin had been helping Neniel clean the chambers when there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Thorin called out. Fili, Balin and Dwalin entered, and Fili began to explain the sad scene in the treasury. "WHAT?!" cried out Thorin, standing up. "Oh no!" said Neniel sadly. "I don't know how long he's been in there, Uncle, and I don't know what to do." said Fili.
"Fili, you know Thorin cannot enter the Treasury, there is no reason for him to go in there. It would be very dangerous if Thorin is go in there now." said Neniel. Everything had made perfect since. "The only thing I should do is for you to reason with him, Fili." said Neniel.
Dwalin turned and faced Fili. "I've snapped Thorin back to his senses by just talking to him, and he listened. You should do the same." said Dwalin. "And Fili, it may not what turn out to be at first, but in the long run, give him some time, he will come around." said Thorin. Fili nodded. Fili agreed they are all right, especially when everyone is keeping Thorin from entering the treasury for the same reason. And the way to help Kili through this, is through Fili himself. I've been by his side when he's sick, and this time I will be by his side again, no matter what the circumstances, thought Fili, as he left the King's chambers.
Fili entered the Treasury where he found Kili, whom was still standing amongst the mounds of gold. "Kili!" Fili called out, but Kili didn't respond to Fili at all. "Kili, all of us are worried about you, especially Uncle. We got some food ready for you." said Fili. "Fili, you have no idea what this means to us! Unless you have forgotten!" snarled Kili. "No, I haven't forgotten! I haven't forgotten what our Uncle is like when he-!" Fili broke off, as tears fall down his face. And then he continued. "Our mother is going to be here in a week, Kili! She cannot see you like this, it will tear her up!" said Fili, wiping away tears from his eyes.
Kili stood looking at his brother, and suddenly a dark cloud felt as it lifted from his shoulders. "Fee?" asked Kili softly. Fili looked up at Kili and smiled. "I haven't heard you call me that days. Come, lets get you out of here!" said Fili, and the two of them leave the Treasury. When Fili and Kili entered the private dining area smiling, the dwarves cheered and smiled as they noticed Kili is smiling and the color on his features returned to him. Thorin approached Kili and embraced him.
"You're back." said Thorin softly. "I never went anywhere, Uncle!" said Kili. Thorin and Fili laughed as they joined the others at the dining room table.
Two weeks later…
The heralds announced the arrival of the Dwarves of Ered Luin led by Lady Dis. Neniel felt very excited, because she had been wanting to meet Thorin's sister for the longest time. But she also felt nervous, especially about the other dwarves. So all that day, plans were in the making of a home welcoming feast of Dis and the dwarves. And that afternoon, Neniel had been in the chamber, getting ready, preparing to meet Lady Dis. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Neniel called out.
Balin, Dwalin, Thorin, and a female dwarf with dark hair entered the chamber. Neniel turned around, and smiled at them. "Neniel, she's here!" said Thorin approaching the Dark Elf. "Neniel, meet my sister Dis, daughter of Thrain!" said Thorin, as Dis approached Neniel. "You're the woman who saved my brother and sons! Mahal, bless you!" spoke up Dis, as she embraced Neniel, tears falling down her face.
Neniel smiled, as she took Dis's hands. "It's an honor to meet you, Dis. Your brother and your sons told me so much about you!" said Neniel. "How much?" grinned the dwarf princess. "Quite a bit. Especially Fili and Kili. Have you seen them, yet?" asked Neniel. "Yes I have. You should have seen them! They nearly knocked me over!" said Dis. Neniel laughed. Dis took notice of the courtship beads in Neniel's hair. "It seems that my son isn't the only one who's courting an elf!" teased Dis. Neniel laughed. "Thorin and I had been courting for quite some time. Since the beginning of the quest, when we met back in Bree." said Neniel.
"Save the stories for later. There is much to be done! You should be getting ready for the feast! The both of you!" said Thorin. "But what am I going to wear?" asked Neniel.
"Don't worry, I got that covered. I have purchased you several gowns, which I'm going to town to get!" said Thorin. Neniel nodded. Later, evening came, shortly less than an hour before the feast, Neniel had been busy getting ready, and she asked Dis for help with her hair. With great delight, Dis helped her, while Thorin stood in the room with them. "Darlin', you are shaking! You're not nervous aren't you?" exclaimed Dis. "Just a tad." said Neniel softly. "There is nothing to be nervous about, Neniel. Everything is going to be fine." said Thorin softly, as he placed his hand on Neniel's shoulder.
Neniel looked up at Thorin. "But what if they won't like me? The dwarves that is?" asked Neniel. "They're going to like you! If they don't, I will make them like you." said Thorin, assuringly. Neniel nodded. Once Neniel is ready, Thorin and Neniel, followed by Dis left the chambers, as they head towards the large Great Hall. "Remember, Nen, stay relaxed and act casual. If anyone is say anything foul about you, don't worry about it, and I will deal with the situation!" Thorin whispered to Neniel, and she nodded, as they entered the Great Hall.
Once they entered, Thorin introduced Neniel to many of the noble dwarven families that approached them and greeted them, as Thorin introduces Neniel to them.
And quite often, Dis would pipe in boasting to the dwarves how Neniel had saved Thorin, Fili and Kili's lives. However unfortunately, there as a few dwarves among the crowd that didn't buy any of it, and they began grumbling about her, mostly of the dwarf females who already began gossiping about Neniel. As Thorin, Neniel and Dis pressed forward, Neniel could hear some of the dwarf women gossiping about Neniel.
"You know, and we all know she's after one thing from him, is the gold. Most elves are like that." said one. "We have to keep a close eye on this one! She's nothing but trouble, there is something about her I don't like." said another. Thorin could feel Neniel tense up. "Neniel, don't pay any attention to them. They weren't there at the battle, they should get over it." said Thorin. "How can I not worry about it, Thorin? They could be plotting something against me!" Neniel whispered back.
"Neniel, just relax okay. Nothing is going to happen, I assure you." said Thorin, as they arrived at their table and sat down. Before the feast began, Thorin begin a speech, welcoming Dis and the dwarves of Ered Luin to Erebor, and after that, he made an announcement of wedding Neniel. Neniel could hear gasps among the dwarves, and some cheering as well.
But there was some dwarves, however that didn't cheer at all, in fact they felt angry and outraged at the thought of a union between a dwarf and an elf, a dark elf in particular. "This is an outrage! We have return to Erebor in its glory to find our King to marry a deceitful, tree shagging ELF!" barked one dwarf. And suddenly, there was several other angry cries coming from the crowd. Neniel stood up. "You must excuse me. I need some air!" said Neniel quickly, as she bolted out of the Great Hall. "NENIEL!" cried out Thorin.
But Neniel already left the Great Hall. "Damn it!" Thorin swore in his native language, loudly. Dis took her brother's hand. She could sense the anger rising in her brother. "Shazara!" Thorin bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the hall, and now there was complete and tense silence among the dwarves, and now Thorin sounded off on them. "How dare you speak of my beloved this way! You barely even known her! If it weren't for Neniel, I wouldn't be standing here today, nor my nephews! And if I hear one more of you speak of my Neniel in this manner, you will be trialed for treason!" shouted Thorin.
And he meant every word of it. "Now lets begin the feast!" Thorin announced calmly, and Thorin prepared to go find Neniel. "Where are you going?" asked Fili.
"I'm going to convince Neniel to come back to the feast." Thorin replied. And so Thorin leaves the Great Hall, and he soon found Neniel in their chambers, sobbing quietly. "Nen!" said Thorin softly as he approached Neniel, as he sat besides her. "Don't pay any heed to those bastards! They had no idea the hell you've been through." said Thorin. "Why didn't you tell them the story, Thorin?" asked Neniel softly. "I didn't have a chance to. Maybe if you'll come back with me to the feast, I will tell them the story." said Thorin. Neniel nodded.
And the dwarf and dark elf leave the chambers, while they head back to the Feast. They enter the Great Hall, joining the others at the table. "Now, you eat! Or I'll shove the food in your face!" said Thorin, playfully. "You wouldn't dare!" shot back Neniel with a smile. And everyone laughed. After supper, the servants came out and cleared up, and then the socializing began, along with musicians playing music in the background. Thorin then walked Neniel around speaking to dwarves, telling them the tale of Neniel's part in the Battle of Five Armies.
After hearing the tale, some of the dwarves did change their feelings towards her, but unfortunately not all of them. "Just ignore the others, karma will bite them eventually." said Thorin. Neniel nodded.
"Your Majesty, long time no see! I haven't seen you, since you stayed in Ered Luin!" beamed a dwarf woman with blue eyes, pepper blonde hair and a beard, on her chin. Her hair was in a braided up do, with a braid reaching down her left shoulder. "Lady Forgesilver, its good to see you again. How is your father?" asked Thorin. "He died two months ago from a mysterious illness." The Dwarf woman replied, and she give Neniel a hard glare. "And who is this?" asked the dwarf woman, unkindly.
"This is Neniel, my betrothed. She saved my life from Azog." said Thorin. "Oh, is she? She has decided to become your whore now?" snapped Lady Forgesilver. This angered Thorin. "How dare you speak of Neniel this way! I will not tolerate that kind of language in my court woman!" snapped Thorin, angrily. "Your Majesty, we should discuss this further away from listening ears!" snarled Lady Forgesilver, dragging Thorin away from Neniel. Neniel snarled in anger, as she stormed out of the Great Hall again. "Oh no, not again!" snapped Dwalin, as he noticed Neniel leave.
"I'll go and talk to her this time." spoke up Dis, and she left, following Neniel's path.