The training ground had three guests milling about when Ovila arrived Monday morning and she looked on in surprise. There were two tall, broad, scarred men and a tall, lean, also scarred woman speaking with Dwalin and Ovila's surprise only grew when she saw Chalrim stood by Fili and Kili with his eyes on the female. Ovila flicked her gaze quickly over the woman and was (reluctantly) impressed with what she saw. In human years, the woman was like to be in her mid to late twenties and she was obviously no stranger to fighting. Rested at her hip was a short sword, on her back was a bow and a quiver of arrows, and Ovila spied numerous knives hidden on the woman's person. Her red hair was cut short for practicality, unlike Ovila's long locks that were always firmly braided or tied back, and her green eyes were cold and calculating. The bones in the woman seemed jutting and far too obvious and her expression seemed constantly harsh, but that might have been because of the pink scar that ran down from the corner of her left eye to her jaw.
Yet, despite all of this, Chalrim's eyes never left her and there was a look of wonder on his face. He tried to hide it as his sister approached, but Ovila knew her brother and she could see how enraptured he was with this woman. It stirred uncertainty deep in her stomach, because a human woman wouldn't be truly accepted in Belegost and a ranger wouldn't settle in one place. If the woman and Chalrim ever married, her big brother would likely leave and, while she knew it was wrong to have favourites in families, Chalrim was her favourite. He'd never disapproved of her learning to use weapons, had always supported her, teased her out of a tantrum, and life without him would be incredibly...lonely. It was true she'd made other friends now, but those she trusted with all she had could be counted on one hand and Chalrim was always the first person she went to with a problem. He couldn't just leave, but he was fascinated by this woman and Ovila scowled when she saw the woman's green eyes flicker to her big brother. She didn't like the woman at all and the woman was going to have to go and leave Chalrim exactly where he was.
"Shouldn't you be working? Calim needs your help," Ovila snapped at Chalrim and he looked at his little sister, but his attention was obviously elsewhere. "Work, Chalrim, you have to go to work," she bit out impatiently and put her hands on her hips. "I had to go in yesterday because you were slacking off."
"I'm here today," Chalrim replied simply and Ovila's scowl deepened. "What's wrong? Don't you want to spend time with your big brother?" he teased with a laugh and chucked her under the chin. "You can show me everything you've learnt," he stated and she suddenly smirked.
"Let's spar, Chalrim," a sickly sweet tone entered Ovila's voice and Fili and Kili exchanged amused looks. "What's your weapon of choice?" she asked with that saccharine sweetness and swung an axe down from her back.
"I'll fetch you an axe," Fili grinned and Chalrim stared after the blonde male as he raced to the equipment shed and soon appeared with a battleaxe. "I mean, you taught her everything she knows, right?" Fili asked innocently and Ovila spun the twin axes in her palms easily.
"Some of what she knows," Chalrim corrected, but took the battleaxe and tested the weight in his hands. "It's been a while," he muttered and eyed Ovila warily as she began to circle him in a rather predatory manner and he glanced at the brothers, who were quickly backing away. "Shouldn't we have armour?"
"Big brother, don't be foolish, I'm not going to hurt you," Ovila grinned, but Chalrim felt a little intimidated by his sister at that expression and she suddenly leapt forward.
With a startled yell, Chalrim lifted his heavy battleaxe to ward off the weapon swinging for his head and sidestepped to avoid Ovila's kick to his knee. She swept her second axe towards his stomach to force him backwards and she spun away from a clumsy thrust of the axe. Chalrim was used to smaller axes, she remembered, but he needed to compensate for the different weight of the weapon and adjust his hold. He was gripping the thing like it was a butcher's knife and she sighed slightly. She kicked his hand to force it further down the hilt of the axe and he swore at her for the sting in his fingers, but she just winked at him and he could feel the difference almost instantly. It was easier to lift the axe with his hands in the new places and he grinned slightly at his sister. She was stood a few paces in front of him, bouncing on the balls of her feet, and, cheekily, she stuck her tongue out at him.
It was just like all those years ago and Chalrim waited for the smaller, quicker Ovila to make the first move. She liked to throw her axes about, just like she liked to throw her weight about, and her impatience would get the better of her. He could see her fingers flexing around the leather bound hilts of her trusty axes and could see her hazel eyes dancing with anticipation and, sure enough, the impatience was beginning to seep in. Her lips pressed together in a thin line, her feet shifted slightly, and then she was suddenly running at him. He blocked one swing and hooked his foot around her ankle, but she slammed the hilt of one axe into his ribs and pressed herself forward against his axe to force him backwards. With a foot hooked around her ankle, he only had one foot to steady himself on and his eyes widened as he found himself flailing and she gave him a final shove.
The breath was knocked out of the male Dwarf as his back slammed into the dust and his axe was kicked away. "Footwork, big brother," Ovila sang, standing on his chest with one foot and resting her elbows on her bent knee to look down at him. "You need to get back into practice," she teased with a laugh and removed her foot. She put her axes onto her back once more and Chalrim hefted himself up with red cheeks and a slightly sulky expression. "Don't worry, I put Fili on his arse too," she laughed and practically skipped over to the grinning brothers. "She'll have to leave him behind now," she muttered to herself with a triumphant grin and Kili caught her words.
"What?" he asked and she shushed him quickly. "If you're talking about the ranger, they're chatting now," Kili pointed out helpfully and Ovila swung around quickly to stare in disbelief at the harsh woman giving Chalrim pointers - pointers!
"That was - how - new plan," Ovila said darkly and Fili and Kili exchanged confused looks. "Are you two really that dull? If they fall in love or whatever, then Chalrim will leave Belegost and Mother will never see him again and she'll focus all of her attentions on me."
"And that's a bad thing?" Fili questioned with a slight grin and Ovila rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Or is it because you're going to miss your big brother and don't want him to run off with a ranger?"
"He's not running off with anyone!" Ovila snapped and stomped away angrily. "Stupid boys," she muttered angrily and stormed past Chalrim and the stupid female ranger that'd seduced her big brother away from his duties and responsibilities.
"You fought well for someone your size," a sharp, cold voice made Ovila stop stiff and she turned her head slowly to look at the female ranger. "You'd be good on a stealth mission," the woman continued, either oblivious to or ignoring Ovila's burning glare.
"Ovila's far too loud," Chalrim grinned and Ovila snorted and carried on stomping away. "Should've heard her yell as a kid, still does really, especially when it comes to Kili, but she's got a good heart beneath it all, heart of a warrior our Father says," Chalrim rambled and Ovila rolled her eyes.
"I see," the female ranger answered coolly and Ovila made a face. "You're the only female I've seen training," the voice was only raised slightly and Ovila stopped again. "Don't the other women fight?"
"It's not proper," Ovila replied stiffly and carried on. "You're the only female I've seen training," Ovila mocked under her breath and blew a childish raspberry.
"You're in a right mood," Fili laughed as he caught up with her and she glowered at him. "Aw, but what if Chalrim's truly happy with this woman?" he pouted, slinging an arm around her shoulders, and she let out a strangled, frustrated, stubborn scream and shoved the blonde away from her. "It's like old times," Fili laughed and watched Ovila kick a training dummy on her way from the grounds. "Except you've been replaced by a woman, Kili," Fili taunted and Kili shrugged, but there was a ghost of a grin on his lips. "You know," Fili continued. "At least Chalrim has the guts to go after the girl he wants."
Kili just frowned at his brother and Fili started talking to Dwalin and the male rangers. The men looked rather amused at Chalrim's babble and rather useless attempts at flirting with the female ranger and Dwalin just shook his head. He did mutter an apology for Ovila's outburst, but the men looked amused due to that as well and glanced up when Ovila stomped back into the training ground with a red faced, spluttering Ori dragged along behind her. Kili and Fili had to laugh at Ori being pulled into Ovila's madness, because of course he would be and he absolutely hated it, but was too terrified of her to say so. It was a wonder the two were friends, but they genuinely were and that was part of the reason Ori just couldn't say no to her. She shot a dark look at the female ranger and hauled Ori along by the arm towards the archery area.
"Go save Ori, lads," Dwalin sighed. "Don't need Dori making a fuss because his little brother's gone home with another bump on the head courtesy of our fair maiden."
"Fair maiden?" Kili repeated and snorted. "You have met Ovila, haven't you?"
"I believe it's called sarcasm, brother, and I would've thought you, of all people, would agree on the fair maiden bit," Fili grinned wickedly and watched with delight as his little brother's ears went red and he spluttered in protest.
"Aye," one of the rangers suddenly said and all eyes swung to him. "She is a pretty one."
Stunned silence fell for a moment, before three sets of Dwarven eyes darkened in protection for one of their own, one of their women, and Kili abruptly lunged forward. He slammed into the man that was twice his size and almost bounced off of him, but the man stumbled slightly and Kili punched him right in the gut. With a grunted oath, the ranger punched the young Dwarf square in the jaw and sent him flying back into Chalrim, who barely steadied him. In defence of his brother, Fili leapt into the fray with Dwalin following to defend his young recruits and Kili threw himself back into the fight with a battle cry that had everyone turning to look at the fight going on. The two rangers were exchanging blows with the Durin heirs, while Dwalin was attempting to keep the rangers at bay and bark out advice to Fili and Kili at the same time. He was torn between propriety and keeping his friend's and king's nephews safe, but Fili was already bleeding from the nose and Kili had a split lip and a cut over his eyebrow.
A stone suddenly pelted into the side of Kili's opponent's head, just as the man was about to hit him hard enough to put him out for at least a few minutes, and the man blinked, obviously dazed. Kili managed to twist free and glanced back to see the pale, but determined Ori stood with his slingshot and the furious Ovila being held back by Chalrim. The female ranger quickly stepped between her companions and the Dwarves and the men hesitated. Her green eyes were like ice and she gripped her short sword with an easy confidence.
"You attack our hosts?" her voice was sharp and clear and cold and the men glared silently. "These people have fed and clothed and housed us and you attack them?" she demanded icily and they snorted and walked away. "I apologise, Master Dwalin, for my companions' rudeness," she added quietly when the men had left and Ovila wrenched free from Chalrim's grip.
"Thanks, Ori," Kili grinned and winced when blood rushed down his chin from his lip. "Guess that slingshot's good for more than taking pot shots off the roof at squirrels."
"You foolish idiot!" Ovila shouted and shoved Kili hard enough that he staggered. "I know it was you that started it because Fili actually has a brain!" she snapped and she didn't like the unpleasant squirming in her stomach at the sight of all that blood, bruising, and swelling on Kili's face. "You need something to stop the swelling," she stated and grabbed the front of his coat to drag him away. "Ori! Fili! Chalrim!"
"I should probably make sure she doesn't kill him," Chalrim muttered and glanced at the female ranger. "Thank you, Hilda," he said softly and smiled slightly. "Come to the Ladle tonight," he added with a cheeky grin and jogged after his sister with Ori and Fili.
Chalrim caught up with group as Ovila was shoving Kili into the butcher's and slammed him into a chair. She was scowling all over her face as she stomped into the back and Fili sat beside his little brother with an amused grin. Calim just shot Chalrim a questioning look that his twin shrugged at and Ovila soon reappeared with two steaks. None too gently, she slapped the steaks onto Fili's and Kili's faces and glared down at them with her hands on her hips. She looked startlingly like her mother in that moment, lips pursed, expression angry and stern, and body tense, and the brothers shrunk slightly beneath the look.
"What happened?" Ovila demanded heatedly and heavy silence was her answer. "I could always ask those rangers," she snapped and Kili scowled deeply, sending more blood gushing from the cut above his eye. "You're so stupid," she grouched, even as she pressed her handkerchief against the cut and bent over him to inspect his face further with a slight frown.
White teeth worried a pink bottom lip and blonde eyebrows furrowed above hazel eyes that gleamed with what looked like concern. Slim, calloused, lightly scarred fingers touched the bruising cheek and pushed the dark hair out of the way with surprising gentleness. A loose braid of blonde hair swung forwards to brush against the bruising cheek and dark brown eyes searched the frowning face. There was definitely worry in those hazel eyes and maybe that was why he finally gave into temptation and pressed his lips against hers.
There were numerous splutters of shock, but the only noise Kili focused on was the startled gasp of Ovila and he slipped a hand around the back of her neck to hold her in place. His lip was still bleeding and she could taste the metallic tang of the blood on her lips. She was too stunned to move, her eyes still open, fingers still rested lightly on his cheek, and her heart pounded furiously in her chest. Her thoughts had come to a screeching halt and all her mind could concentrate on were the chapped, warm lips pressed against her own.
Suddenly, something whacked into the pair's heads and they wrenched apart with startled yelps. Thondi glared at Kili lividly and Ovila winced when he was wrenched up by his ear and marched out of the shop. The furious shrieks about Ovila's honour echoed through Belegost and the Dwarf in question just pressed stunned fingers against her slightly smiling lips.
As always, I thank you kindly for the reviews and everything else, especially those reviews I couldn't reply to personally. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
I forgot to mention this earlier, but I do not own anything you recognise, as much I would love my own personal Kili.