MASQUERADE
Chapter 6
Bilbo was comfortably enjoying a few puffs on his pipe when he felt a strange prickle run up his spine. He lowered the pipe and looked around. That had not felt good at all, almost as if someone were staring at him and preparing to –
"Oof!" Bilbo winced as two heavy bodies collided with his own and nearly sent him careening out of his chair. The pipe clattered to the floor and two pairs of strong, muscular arms wrapped themselves around his body. "What in the name of the Valar . . . Kili? Fili?"
"Bilbo!" the blonde brother cried.
"You came!" the darker brother joined in.
"We've missed you!" they said in perfect unison.
Bilbo remained calm for about two seconds before he let loose on the two rambunctious brothers. "You two great fools could have caused me to joke, sneaking up on me like that!" he admonished, bending to pick up his pipe and glare at them. He gave them both a smart rap on the head and both brothers winced, raising their arms to shield their skulls. "What if I had Sting near my hands hm? There would have been a very messy end to the line of Durin!"
"But Bilbo we just . . ."
"Now zip those lips and give me a proper hug the pair of you" Bilbo finished, relaxing his body and tucking the pipe away within his coat.
The two dwarves were very quick to oblige and Bilbo found himself enveloped in a very tight embrace. He sighed happily. Despite their overzealous behaviour Kili and Fili had nothing but the best intentions at heart and simply loved everyone, even if it was at ten times the usual expected rate of a normal person. Bilbo pulled back and examined their masks.
Fili's was golden and hair, his mane of golden hair adding a halo of tousled strands to the furry mask. A delicate pink tipped nose and some fine white whiskers and Bilbo could swear he was looking at a lion mask. Appropriate, considering that Dis' mask had been that of a lioness. Although with his hair colour Fili pulled off the sight with ease and looked quite magnificent.
Kili was a different matter. Where his brother's mask was wild and an untamed golden mess his was sleek, a rustic dusty red and had a pointed nose ending a black tip. Like his brothers there were fine white whiskers though Kili's were not as long. The ears at the tip of the mask were triangular and white tipped. It took Bilbo slightly longer to realise but he eventually figured out the creature Kili was meant to be. A fox, Kili had chosen well it would seem.
"You two look dashing in your masks tonight I must admit" Bilbo praised them. "You made them yourselves?"
"Well I helped Kili" Fili said, folding one arm onto his brother's shoulder and leaning casually against him. "But yes, we pretty much did all the work on our own – making sure Uncle did his as well"
Bilbo let out a strangled noise. "So I take it Thorin was not thrilled with the idea of a masquerade banquet?"
"Of course he wasn't" Kili replied cheerfully. "Called it elvish he did. However, with such fine nephews as us, he soon saw reason"
"Meaning you used logic against him and then begged your mother to help you out" Bilbo summarised. When the two brothers tried to protest he laughed and waved them away with a hand. "Do not try to deny it. I have been having conversations with the lady Dis; I have been left much more informed"
Fili winced. "I do believe, my dear little brother, that we best be watching our steps from now on"
Kili nodded and gulped. "Especially once he is remaining among the same halls as we are following tonight's culmination!" he whispered.
"Boys. . ." Bilbo began sternly. "What are you two planning? You know I must return to the Shire"
Even if I do not truly want to, he added mentally.
The brothers did not say anything but merely shared a few moments of laughter before turning back to face their favourite hobbit. Bilbo tilted his head curiously at them but after a few moments of hard staring that produced little results he sighed and decided to let it go. Whatever these two were planning it could not be good. Best to play along for now and find out any and all information they might let slip in the near future.
"Have you seen Uncle Thorin yet?" Kili asked kindly.
Bilbo shook his head. "No" he replied shortly. "I will only seek him out when I must leave and return to Beorn's home. There does not need to be any arguments on a night such as this"
Fili's posture stiffened and he dropped his arm from Kili's shoulder, moving forward to appeal to Bilbo. "Uncle misses you Bilbo" he said quietly. "His heart is breaking with each passing day. If he were an elf I would start to grow worried"
It was true. Elves often died of broken hearts for, besides death in battle; it was the main reason an elf would pass so easily from this world. "Fili . . ." Bilbo said.
"He checks the progress of the mines, goes to council meetings and does his royal duties. Beyond that we have not seen him socially in as many weeks since your departure"
"You forget that he threw me from Erebor long before the Battle" Bilbo reminded the young prince. "Fili, please I came tonight to settle loose ends so that I may return to the Shire free in the knowledge that I have done my duty as a member of Thorin and Company"
Kili elbowed his brother out of the way and dropped to his knees in front of Bilbo. He lifted his mask and Bilbo found himself staring into large brown eyes that were swimming with despair and something else he could not quite identify. Almost frustration, he decided.
"Get up you silly dwarf" Bilbo said, tugging on Kili's shoulder.
"Please, won't you at least talk to him?" Kili all but begged. At Bilbo's insistence he rose to his feet and pushed the mask back down over his face. "This party may have been for his annual day of birth celebrations but we can see, as he does not, that Uncle is incredibly lonely and guilt ridden without your presence"
"Kili . . ."
"All we ask is that you hear him out" Fili interrupted.
"For us?" Kili begged.
Bilbo knew he was going to regret giving in to their pleas later.
-x-
Bofur was quite content with the peace of the courtyard as he hurriedly had a bite to eat. Being an accomplished musician meant that he was going to be called upon quite often to perform, which meant not much in the way of relaxation but Bofur always enjoyed making music for others. Now if he could just get that certain dwarf out of his mind he could be very much content, thank you very much. He sighed, laying down the chicken leg and lifted his gaze to the stars. Suddenly, without much warning a tankard of ale was shoved under his nose. Bofur blinked and turned to see Nori standing beside him, offering the ale and a nervous lilt in his posture.
"Nori?"
"Please accept my sincere apologies Bofur" the rusty haired dwarf said quietly. "I did not mean to insult you, I merely spoke without thinking and you are right – it was downright disrespectful of me to behave in such a manner"
Bofur was sure his jaw had unhinged itself and was dangerously close to scraping the floor. This was not typical Nori behaviour, was it? Well he supposed he had little room to talk, he had only really met Nori at the start of their quest.
"Uh, Bofur could you please say something?" Nori asked, the hand that held out the ale faltering in his grip. "Or if you must, hit me or do something – please?"
Bofur wordlessly took the tankard of ale from Nori and gestured using his shoulder to the space on the bench beside him. Nori sank gratefully onto the stone seat and let out a whoosh of breath that Bofur didn't realise he'd been holding in.
"I still do not like the way you spoke of my cousin" Bofur said sharply.
"I do not expect you to"
"Hm?"
Nori sighed and ducked his head in shame. Bofur felt something twinge within his heart but remained silent. "So often I have defended Ori against those who tease him, call him weak. Even amongst the citizens of Dale he was laughed at" Nori said quietly. His hand, which had been resting on the bench beside Bofur's leg, clenched into a fist. "I would rant and rave myself hoarse and now I find myself doing it to the family member of someone I care for dearly. I do not deserve forgiveness for that"
Bofur's heart twinged again. He could hear the truth in Nori's words and the self-hate. Even amongst the company he had seen Ori been teased and ridiculed by Gloin and Oin. All in jest it was certainly true but Bofur had also seen the tight-lipped expression on Nori's face and the sad smile that split little Ori's. Bofur drew in a breath and then, cautiously so as not to spook the other dwarf, laid a hand over Nori's clenched fist.
"I rather think that Ori can defend himself now, he has Dwalin to look out for him too" Bofur said mildly. "Should you not be more worried for yourself?"
"It has been a long while since I have thought of myself" Nori admitted. He started when Bofur leaned forward and lifted his mask and then his own so they could see eye to eye. "B . . .Bofur what are you . . .?"
"Hush" Bofur said, placing a finger over Nori's lips. "I forgive you, for I think I know why you are acting out of character"
"Mfg!"
"I saw you talking with my cousin earlier and then said cousin came up to me with some intriguing news Nori, do you know what that might be?" Bofur asked, teasing lightly with his wide smile. He released Nori's lips for a moment.
The hazel eyed dwarf was flushing pink. "Because I have feelings for you that extend beyond a platonic relationship" he mumbled. "And your cousin seems to think you reciprocate"
"My cousin is a smart dwarf, Nori" Bofur chuckled. "Does this prove him right?" he asked and then leaned forward, pressing his lips to the other's.
Bofur could feel Nori's shock against his lips for a moment and then, seconds later, Nori was kissing him back. Bofur smirked into the kiss and used an arm to wrap around the other dwarf's waist and draw him closer into his arms. The two broke apart and Bofur's grin widened at the slightly dazed expression on Nori's face. He kissed his lips gently once more and then dropped his mask back down over his face.
"Oh" a new voice joined. "Bofur there you are!"
The two dwarves turned, Nori hurriedly returning his mask to his face to hide the blush at being caught red-handed, and saw Huran standing there. He appeared not to have seen anything because he was standing there casually.
"The band is ready to start up again" Huran was saying. "You ready?"
"Of course my friend!" Bofur replied genially. "I'll be right there"
As soon as Huran was gone Nori got to his feet and downed the rest of his ale. "You best hurry back" he said quietly.
"I expect to see you at the end of the night" Bofur added in a low voice. He felt Nori shudder against his shoulder and smirked to himself. "This . . discussion of ours is far from over my sweet"
And with that said Bofur strode away, whistling a merry tune under his breath and an eager smile upon his face about what would await him at the end of the night.
-x-
After having much time to dwell on the events Dis had come to a well informed decision.
Her brother was the biggest idiot in all of Middle Earth.
Being completely serious of course. He was acting strange, so much so that Dis was actually worried for his sanity. And this made her frustrated for on the one night of the year she had off to celebrate he chose to be a royal pain in the neck. When this night was over she was going to have a nice little chat with her beloved brother. He was acting like their father had shortly before his disappearance. Shut off and broody. Dis didn't like it one bit.
She had tried to tell him that Bilbo was indeed here and was just over the hall talking to her sons, but no he just had to shut her out and slink off to seek company with Dwalin and a tankard of ale. It would seem then that her brother was intending to drown his sorrows in alcohol – again.
Well she was having none of it. She did not want to be the one nursing Thorin through his hangover the next morning. So Dis drew herself up to her full height and stalked over to where Thorin sat drinking with Dwalin and young Ori, drew her hand back and smacked him upside the head.
"Sweet Mahal!" Thorin swore loudly, dropping his tankard with a loud thunk. He turned to glare at his sister. "Dis, what in Aulë's name was that for?"
"You" she snarled, jabbing in the chest. "Are brooding for no good reason!"
"That is no reason to assault the King!"
"Bilbo Baggins is here so you may pull Orcrist out of your ass my dear brother, I have seen him with my own two eyes and have spoken to him" Dis informed him. "And I saw Dwalin speaking with him only moments ago which he would have told you were you not busy drowning your sorrows like a man!"
The look on Thorin's face was one that Dis would come remember fondly in the years to come.