Propriety.
In kissing Ovila without announcing his intentions formally to her family and the courtship being agreed by both families, Kili had gone against all sense of propriety. In running away with the female ranger Hilda, Chalrim had completely ignored propriety. In threatening to rip the ranger's still beating heart from her chest in an extremely loud voice at the exit of Belegost, Ovila had been extremely improper. In having to be dragged back home by Fili and Calim, she had destroyed any sense or inkling of propriety that she'd ever possessed.
There was nothing to be done about Chalrim, much to Ovila's fury, so the families focused their attentions on her and Kili's impropriety. To kiss in public in Dwarven society was already rather scandalous, but to do so when not formally courting or married was just disgraceful. The heads of the families - Baltil and Thorin - had to come together to discuss what was to be done and both immediately agreed that the pair were far too young to marry. The discussions and meetings took months and, during those months, the two in question weren't allowed to see one another.
It was frustrating, especially for Ovila who wasn't allowed anywhere near the training grounds and Thondi dogged her every step. Ovila just wanted to talk to Kili, find out exactly what in the name of Mahal he'd been thinking when he'd kissed her, but that was impossible. The kiss just kept whirling around and around in her head and it made her smile slightly every time. It wasn't her first kiss (that'd gone to a Dwarf boy named Simar many years ago), but it'd made her heart pound and her head spin and had taken her breath away, just like all the stories said a kiss should. It may have tasted of blood and he may have been a little beat up, but that didn't stop her feeling all…gooey inside, which was not how a warrior should feel, female or not.
Four months after the incident, Ovila managed to corner Kili in the training grounds after dark during some celebration or another (it might have Balin's birthday, but she wouldn't put money on it). "Why?" was all she snapped and Kili looked like a startled deer, big brown eyes and cornered expression. "Why did you kiss me?" she elaborated, eyes narrowed, hands on hips, lips pressed firmly together in the most uninviting manner she could think of, and Kili just gulped. "Kili!" she barked and he opened and closed his mouth silently like a fish. "You look like a trout," she said bluntly and sighed with a roll of her eyes. "Do you-" she hesitated and bit her bottom lip. "Do you like me?" she finished and forced her voice to sound strong and firm, despite the quailing child that hid beneath her skin.
"I - I think so," Kili admitted and watched her tense shoulders relax slightly and her cheeks turn slightly pink the silvery glow of the moon. "Do you like me?" he asked cautiously with a hint of hope and she turned her face away, but he could see the red creeping up her neck.
"I guess," Ovila muttered with an awkward shrug and folded her arms across her stomach. She chanced a glance at him to see a smug grin filling his face and she slugged him on the shoulder quickly. "So, what do we do now?"
It was quickly decided that the pair would officially announce their intentions to court before Baltil and Thorin and, if neither liked it, who cared? At least, that was what Ovila said, despite the uncertainty that lingered in her eyes, and they stood firm together. All of the strength and stubbornness the two possessed came together for something they both honestly wanted to explore and Baltil struggled to find a reason to say no. He saw the furtive glances his daughter sent Kili's way and the way Kili stood slightly too close to her, ready to leap to her defence if necessary. It was never necessary where Ovila was concerned, as she came easily to her own defence and simply shouted louder if you disagreed with her. Kili, Baltil saw, would stand between any threat to Ovila and Ovila would do the same for Kili.
They fought, they bickered, they argued, but they'd never parted until he'd betrayed her trust all those years ago and, somehow, Thondi's and Dis' jokes of how they'd end up related by marriage didn't seem so funny anymore. In front of Baltil and Thorin were stood two, stubborn, determined young Dwarves set on courting to discover whether or not they could truly make a relationship work. They held their heads high (they looked so different, Baltil thought, like night and day) and Baltil and Thorin both paused at the braids tucked neatly behind the couple's ears.
Courting braids.
They weren't asking permission, Thorin realised, they were simply informing them of what was going to happen in a polite manner. "Why are we speaking on this subject when, clearly, you have already made up your minds?" Thorin asked, gesturing to the braids, and he saw colour touching Kili's ears and Ovila's cheeks.
"Things wouldn't have gotten so out of hand if Mother hadn't shouted about it through Belegost," Ovila pointed out and Thondi snorted in her corner. "It's true, Mother."
"That isn't the point, firecracker," Baltil sighed tiredly and shifted his stiff arm slightly. "You know you're supposed to ask permission before putting courting braids in."
"I can take it out and put it back in after you've agreed," Ovila offered and Thorin hid a smile at her spirit. Kili would certainly be kept on his toes with her.
"You're so young," Thondi protested and both young Dwarves scowled slightly. "You're in your forties, late forties, yes, but yet fifty, either of you, and you're so sure that you want to start this commitment," for once, she sounded calm and reasonable and, quite frankly, Ovila didn't like it at all, because it was harder to say no to that tone than the shouting. "Very few courtships end and, those that do, are frowned upon and the ones that broke the courtship, in nearly all cases, do not court again."
"Perhaps they should wait," Dis suggested and Fili shot his mother a quick frown. "Just ten years and see if those feelings are still present and, if they aren't, then no one is shamed and, if they are, then the courting can officially begin."
"Even fifty is a little young," Baltil hesitated. "Most don't marry until their early hundreds, at least."
"We don't want to wait," Kili argued with frown on his face and his fingers laced through Ovila's. "We want to court."
"You will wait ten years," Thorin stated firmly and watched the anger fill Ovila's face. Kili's eyes glimmered with the fury, but he hid it easier than the female and her fingers twitched the knife Thorin knew was hidden at her thigh. "It's the best course of action."
"Must we be kept apart in those years?" Ovila asked through gritted teeth and the adults exchanged quick looks of silent discussion.
"No, but you won't be courting and you mustn't be left alone together," Thorin decreed and glanced Fili meaningfully at the last bit. "If there are any untoward behaviours, another five years will be added onto the ten."
Neither spoke, just nodded stiffly, but they made no move to remove the courting braids or release one another. Thorin sighed slightly as he stood, exchanged a final word with Baltil, and made his way to the exit with Dis and Fili following. He turned his head to speak with Kili, but found himself speechless at the sight of his youngest nephew locking lips with Ovila. Baltil had politely turned his face away, as had Calim and Thondi, and Thorin followed suit after a moment. There were a few final, whispered words between the pair and Kili came away with a silver hair clasp clutched tightly in his hand, an identical one clutched by Ovila.
The first year, Ovila found, passed quite easily with kisses stolen in the shadows of houses and trees with laughter brought on by the thrill of it all. The second year found the laughter fading away with frustration and the irritation at hiding, no matter how many stolen minutes Fili or Calim managed to get for them. The third year found the meetings to be sparser and more desperate. The fourth year was full of arguments and bitter blame laid at one another's feet that they couldn't be together, not really. For the fifth and sixth years, they avoided one another and regretful glances were sent after each other.
It was the seventh year of their forced separation now and Dwalin sent the two, plus Fili, out together as a guard for a jewellery seller's caravan to Bree for the annual fair. Ovila and Kili were still refusing to speak to one another and the jewellery seller looked at his brother with raised eyebrows. Everyone knew about their forced time apart, but no one had actually believed they'd follow the rules and the air around them was tense and bitter. She rode at the front of the caravan and left the brothers to ride either side of the caravan.
"Mister Fimim, Mister Druim, we'll stop here for the night," Fili called when night threatened to fall and they reached a rock pass that was familiar to all three of the guards. "If that's alright," he sent towards Ovila most of all and she nodded.
"We're sheltered here and, with a big enough fire, it'll ward off any predators," Ovila stated in a cool, hard, calculating tone and dismounted. "We'll be safe enough."
Kili frowned, but dismounted from his pony and tethered the beast beside Ovila's. She tensed slightly when he passed too close to her, close enough that she could smell him, and it made a hard lump form in her throat. She hastily turned away to help Fili set up a fire to cook over and produced some meat from her pack. Calim's donation, she claimed as she began to roast the salted venison over the fire and Fimim and Druim sat opposite her, huddled up warmly in their cloaks. Fili was sat beside her, telling her a story about Dwalin scaring some recruit into peeing himself, and Kili stayed with the ponies.
The smiles that Ovila put on were small and lacked the life that'd spilled so easily from her before. Kili was quieter than he ever had been and Fili frowned at them both. To force them to be apart when they'd just realised that they cared for one another was cruel, he thought, so incredibly cruel, and they wouldn't have a chance to court until they were near sixty. He cared for them both and wanted them to be happy instead of this cold bitterness that'd settled over both of them. It didn't suit them, not when they were both so full of fire, laughter, and life.
"Who wants to take first watch?" Ovila asked when the meal was over and the jeweller brothers settled down to sleep by their caravan. "I don't mind doing it," she offered with a glance at the half moon and Fili and Kili glanced at one another.
"Wake Kili in two hours," Fili stated and Ovila nodded, eyes on the fire. "Goodnight, Ovila, little brother," he offered and settled down on his own bedroll.
There was a heavy look passed between Ovila and Kili and words flew up their throats, but the look was broken as she turned her face back to the fire and he laid next to his brother. She silently drew a knife and started to sharpen it for something to do, all the while listening carefully for any threat. There had been rumours of bandits and thieves of the roads for many years now, which was why more and more people were hiring Dwalin's recruits as guards and Fili and Kili were usually the choice of many. Fimim and Druim were transporting an extremely expensive load, however, and had requested an extra guard, which resulted in Ovila being chosen.
From Dwalin's smug expression, he'd known exactly what he was doing.
The four hours ticked by slowly and all of Ovila's weapons ended up being sharpened and neatly laid out by the fire. She woke Kili with a quick shake to the shoulder and slid into her bedroll when she was sure that he was awake and observing his surroundings. It took her a while to get to sleep, acutely aware of the warm body sat not two feet away from her, and she remembered the events of so long ago vividly. It was as though the attack had happened just minutes ago, rather than so many years, and she curled into a ball and hugged her axe close to her chest.
The next morning came and Ovila was snappish and waspish. She obviously hadn't slept well, her eyes underlined with dark marks, and her expression was drawn. She splashed cold water on her face and grunted Fili's careful question of whether or not she was alright. The cold water did little to help with her mood and she spent the rest of the journey in sullen, tired, sulky silence. Kili watched her worriedly, Fili noticed, but didn't say anything to her and, not for the first time, Fili cursed his brother's and his friend's stubborn natures. Neither would admit they missed the other until it was too late and all chance of courtship had fluttered away on the wind, or they were on their deathbeds. Stubborn fools, the pair of them, and they deserved each other.
Bree was busy, as it always was, and a few people here and there called greetings to the party of five. The jewellers were escorted to The Prancing Pony and then the place they set up their stall. After that, the guards were free to go wherever they wished and Ovila went back to the inn. Fili and Kili amused themselves by wandering around Bree and Fili attempted to bring up the subject of a certain non-courtship, but Kili shut down as tightly as Erebor. Stubborn fool he was and Fili knew that better than anyone, because he'd been so even as a child that was sure he could climb the tallest tree and ended up falling out of aforementioned tree and breaking his arm.
It was only when night fell that Fili persuaded Kili that The Prancing Pony was their best option and Kili reluctantly trudged after the blonde into the inn. There, sat at the bar with Nori leaning far too close to her, was Ovila with a pint of mead and she still looked tired and irritable. She picked at a plate of chips sat beside her and occasionally replied to Nori. She did smile when Ori approached and gave him a brief hug that he just smiled at and returned. Kili glared at his once friend and Fili quickly attempted to steer Kili away from innocent Ori, but Nori had noticed them and had called them over.
Shit, was all Fili thought.
Kili plastered on a grin and joined the trio at the bar. "Nori! It's been a while," it was the fakest attempt of cheer that Fili had ever witnessed and even Ovila spared Kili a look, her eyebrows lifted to her hairline.
"He's been getting into trouble with the rangers again, or so he claims," Ovila stated and took a gulp of mead. "What are you doing here, Ori? You never usually come to the fair," she asked suddenly and Ori shrugged and fiddled with his hand knitted cardigan.
"Mister Balin wanted some things for the academy," Ori stated and Ovila nodded. "Are you alright, Ovila?" he frowned with a hint of worry and she waved a hand dismissively.
"I'm fine," she promised.
"She's fine, she's always fine," Kili muttered and earned odd looks from the group. "So, what's everyone been up to?" he changed the subject quickly and Fili mumbled something under his breath about fools.
"I saw Chalrim last month," Nori offered and Ovila's eyes hardened at the mention of her brother. "Asked me to tell you he misses you and Hilda's had their first babe; a boy named Caldin."
"Can I have another?" Ovila shot at the bartender and another pint of mead was almost instantly in front of her. "Where is he?"
"Still travelling, but he wasn't too far from here when I saw him," Nori supplied and Ovila grunted in response. "He's happy-"
"Good for him," Ovila interrupted harshly and three sets of eyes flickered briefly to Kili to see if he would offer comfort, but he didn't and Fili ended up resting a hand on his friend's back soothingly. "He should be happy after abandoning his family for that human bitch."
More venom than had ever been directed at Kili filled Ovila's voice and she downed her mead in a few gulps. She threw some silver onto the bar and stood without so much as a glance back at her companions. Ori hesitated with a glance at Kili, then followed his friend outside and found her leaning against the wall with her head bowed. It was easy to see the sulking, loudmouthed, easy to anger child she'd once been as she hunched in on herself, shoved her hands into her pockets, and scuffed her toe against the ground. The talk of Chalrim had obviously upset her and Ori knew how much she missed her brother. Everyone had known how close the two had been, always talking and laughing, and, when he'd left, she'd been so caught up in her feelings for Kili she hadn't realised how much she'd missed him. Now, though, with all the confusion, the bitterness, the coldness that lingered between her and Kili, she longed for his presence and his comfort and his guidance.
"Maybe he'll be here," Ori offered and Ovila snorted softly.
"He knows I hate Hilda," she spat the name and her voice shook slightly. "It's not fair that she took him away, Ori."
"She didn't take him," Ori said gently and Ovila glared at him darkly. "He left with her because he loved her, but you're feeling angry and betrayed and you miss him, so you blame Hilda."
"They had a child," Ovila bit out and swung her gaze back to the ground. "He's definitely not coming home now."
"He might visit," Ori soothed and Ovila shrugged her shoulders. "You can't push him away if you do see him."
"What do you know? Your brother always comes back, your brother didn't leave in the dead of the night without even saying goodbye, your brother didn't leave because your family just wasn't good enough for him!" Ovila ranted furiously and Ori just let her shove him so hard he almost fell. "He didn't even say goodbye," her voice broke and a tear slipped down her cheek. "I thought he loved us."
"He does, but he loves Hilda too," Ori comforted and Ovila just swiped her hand over her cheek to get rid of the tear that lingered there. "I was surprised you and Kili didn't leave when they decided you had to be apart for ten years," Ori admitted softly and startled hazel eyes lifted to his face.
"We couldn't leave our families," Ovila murmured and folded her arms defensively in front of her stomach. "And Kili would never defy Mister Thorin, neither would I," she stated quietly. "He's a good person and he's just looking out for his family, for his people, and we have to respect that, even if we don't want to."
"Ovila, being mature and responsible," Ori teased with a slight grin and Ovila shoved him, but there was no real strength in it and she cracked a small smile. "You miss Kili, don't you?"
"He's right inside, Ori-"
"No, you miss him," Ori interrupted with sudden firmness and Ovila stared at her friend. "It's only three more years, you know, and then you can court him."
"It feels like so long and it hurts," Ovila admitted in a mumble and she rubbed her chest over her heart with a slight frown. "When did you get so astute, Ori? I know we haven't seen each other in a while, but one minute you're terrified to say a word to me and now you're giving advice," she forced a smile and ruffled Ori's hair, though she did have to reach a bit. "Not to mention you've sprouted your beard."
"You're my friend, Ovila, and I don't like seeing you sad," was the kind reply and tears welled up in her eyes. "Please don't cry."
"You're talking to the Phantom Firecracker," Ovila shot back and slid her arm through Ori's. "Come on, I need another drink."
"Are you going to talk to-?"
"Ori, one step at a time."
This is my longest chapter yet, but I thought my magnificent readers deserved it after over 50 reviews! Cue fireworks, party poppers, and half naked Fili, Kili, and Thorin…I mean, what?
Anyhow, thanks to OhGodmylastpennamewasawful there is a name for the pairing of Ovila and Kili and it is - pause for dramatic drum roll - Ovili! It sounds vaguely Italian and makes me giggle slightly for reasons unknown.
As always, I bow down to you wonderful readers, reviewers, alerters, and favouriters!