AU: So I went on a long and uncalled for break, but I'm back! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)
Nori's hand shook as he formed the note he'd been working on for hours now. Another sentence found its way onto the paper, and then paper found its way into the quickly building pile of discarded letters. Tapping his pen, Nori grabbed another piece of parchment and began to write, just as a loud knock sounded against the door. Nori's hand slid clumsily across the page creating an permanent stain, and he groaned as this note also was tossed into the discard pile.
"Who is it?" he tried to keep his voice from shaking. However, when Thorin announced himself, Nori's heart plummeted.
"Can we come in?" Fili's voice also spoke up, and Nori's heart dived further into his stomach, if that was possible.
"Aye. Actually, I think I'll come out," Nori called. He stood, hurrying over to the door and slipping out silently. The moment he exited the room, he shut the door strategically behind himself, blocking the gap as he did so and thus effectively keeping the view into the room hidden. "What's wrong?"
"Why would something be wrong?" Thorin asked, and Nori shrugged.
"It's nearing the wee hours of the morning. Surely everyone is in their beds, but not you two."
"You're dressed," Fili pointed out, and Nori silently cursed his mistake.
"I was working on a letter," Nori decided to tell some of the truth and hope the other two dwarves wouldn't ask any more questions. He wasn't so lucky.
"Oh, to your brothers?" Fili asked slowly, and Nori replied with a shrug.
"Now," Thorin sighed. "In fact you are correct. Something has gone quite wrong here. Have you seen Lesur?"
"Not recently," Nori found himself gulping, and he covered it up with a cough.
"Well, now that's odd. We couldn't find him either," Fili hesitated. "You see, we were out for a walk and thought we glimpsed him at this shop. Then, oddly, he had disappeared. We thought we'd been seeing things, so we came back here to look for him and ask him about what we'd be selling tomorrow, since he seemed to be the only one of us awake, yet he's nowhere to be found!"
"Odd," Nori agreed.
"Indeed," Thorin's voice rumbled. "Almost as odd as the selkie pelt's disappearance."
Nori simply raised a tired eyebrow.
"Well, it's still missing, and she's still here. It would seem that Kili lost it, and it never made its reappearance."
Nori decided silence was becoming the better option, so he waited for Thorin to continue speaking.
"Now, I heard tell that it was seen in the hands of a dwarf, but people are unsure which dwarf. It's not Fili, nor Bofur, nor Vufur, and it was not Kili."
"There are many dwarves in this town."
"And you have no knowledge as to which one had that pelt in his possession?"
Nori found that his breath was almost painful, but still he shook his head once.
"Positive?" Thorin repeated, and finally Nori consented. Clearly, Thorin knew which dwarf it was, and Nori wasn't helping anyone by staying silent; well, almost anyone.
"Alright, I have known," Nori sighed. "I have known for some time. I would not keep things from you, Lord Oakensheild, if- Well let me rephrase that: It was not my choice to keep this from you. Lesur found it many days ago."
"Found it?" Fili sounded skeptical, but Nori simply continued quickly.
"He heard tell that there was a shop keeper who would pay a pretty penny for it. I didn't know where it came from, when he showed it to me. I honestly didn't. When he agreed to share the profit with me, I did consider it, but then Kili showed up with that selkie lass, and I realized where it came from."
"And then?" Fili prompted when Nori hesitated.
"Well, now that I knew where it came from I was more hesitant about selling it, especially since Kili was the one who the selkie was with, and he hadn't even meant to steal the pelt in the first place. Lesur tried to convince me that it would help Kili in the end because then the selkie wouldn't be able to leave him, but somehow that didn't sit right with me. Then Kili, well, you know. I'm so sorry about that, too. Losing a brother, I'm sorry Fili. Lesur was even more adamant then, but I still disagreed. Finally, I just kind of washed my hands of the whole thing. I'd hoped he'd return it, I guess, but I don't know what his plan is."
"I believe you," Thorin nodded, and Nori gave a small sigh of relief.
"Good," he said under his breath, and Fili rolled his eyes. He believed Nori too, however. Then something else occurred to Fili. It appeared that Nori still believed Kili to be dead. That made Fili almost happy, because that meant he had naught to do with Kili's kidnapping.
Thorin also noticed this fact, and he spoke up about it.
"Nori," Thorin asked, "You believe Kili to be dead?"
"Of course," Nori said slowly. "I'm sorry, but it does seem to be the truth, does it not?"
"It does," Thorin nodded. "However, I think it best Lesur be asked the same question."
"Is there some hope that the lad lives?" Nori asked excitedly, and Thorin shrugged.
"It is currently unknown, but I believe Lesur should be questioned."
"Alright," Nori paused. "But if he is, I'm not sure that you should be the one to do it. I'm just saying that he may not so readily tell the truth to you."
"Are you offering yourself for the job?" Fili asked hopefully, and Nori nodded.
"I suppose," Nori told the other two dwarves. "Or I'll try. I would be happy if Kili yet lived, it's just that there has been no proof of it, but I'll ask Lesur."
"Good, report back in the morning," Thorin nodded, marching away importantly, and Fili nodded. Once they were out of ear range, Thorin turned to his nephew and looked him in the eye.
"I am beyond listening into door locks like a dwarfling, but I believe you should listen into their conversation. I believe that Nori tells the truth now, but I know not what Lesur will tell him. I think it best you find a place to hide and listen at all possible. I do not know whether Lesur is aware that Kili is held in the storage room as we heard, but we need to find out more about his involvement. By the way, where is that selkie?"
"Rae spends much of her time in the sitting area of this inn," Fili replied. "Why?"
"Well, I think I should speak to Rae," Thorin said softly. "When we save Kili, there might be a conflict of what Rae chooses to do with her life. I should like to know if she is unusual for a selkie. I should like to know if what you say is true, and she does care for your brother."
Fili nodded, again fingering the pendant, and then he watched and Thorin disappeared into his room.
Lee was knelt next to Kili when Krangon entered the musty storage room. Glancing up quickly, Lee stood in front of Kili angrily.
"You have been lying to me," Lee's voice shook, and Krangon sighed tiredly.
"About what?" Krangon raised an eyebrow, and Lee's frown deepened.
"Pretty much everything, it would seem," Lee spat. "I would not lift a finger to help you if it weren't for you having…"
"Exactly, but it would seem that that I have your pelt. I didn't expect you to try to steal it back, but I suppose I shouldn't have expected any less."
"I wasn't," Lee replied quickly. "I was only checking on Kili."
"Really?" Krangon seemed quite skeptical, so Lee remained silent. "Now, I believe I told you not speak to the prisoner."
"I- I was just-"
"He was just checking I was tied correctly," Kili's quiet voice spoke up. "That's all."
Krangon looked down at Kili, and immediately frowned.
"Well, clearly you're not," Krangon replied, tying a gag securely in place. "Now, it would seem that I am going to get what I've wanted due to one of your ever obliging companions. Greedy dwarf he is, of course they say all dwarves are greedy, so why should I be surprised?"
"And then?" Lee asked hesitantly. "What happens then?"
"I'm sure you'll find your way back to the ocean you so clearly want to return to," Krangon told Lee, who shook his head.
"And Kili?"
"Well, we'll soon find out. Now, this seems to be becoming a pattern for you, sneaking in here," quite suddenly Krangon slapped Lee, who reeled backward in shock. "Don't come in here again, or you really won't be so lucky. Now get out of here."
Krangon shoved Lee harshly out of the room, then turned to glare at Kili, who had an equally enraged glare to match.
"If you told him anything about that pelt, if you knew, you will both be very sorry," he looked like he would have said more, but instead he abruptly left the room, leaving Kili with a deep feeling of fear.
Kili had a sinking feeling that he could guess what was going to happen to himself, and it was a terrifying thought. Where were Thorin and Fili? Had they really given up on him? If they had, by tomorrow night there may no longer be a Kili.
Deciding he should try to sleep and leave the feeling behind for a while, Kili closed his eyes and tried to keep a steady breathing rate. Sleep seemed the best escape.
AU: So, actually this story is finally nearing its end, but there will be several more chapters! Review please :)