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"That being said," a different elder spoke up. "It is the decision of this council that we pronounce King Thorin dead."
The room was silent, absolutely silent. Fili stood in place, eyes wide, mouth hung open, and his heart felt like it was no longer beating. Everything went numb. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he couldn't breathe. Time had stopped and the world came to a halt.
"W-What?" Kili's voice rang out breaking Fili from his shock. Fili looked over at his brother. Kili looked scared. His eyes were wide, his hands were slightly shaking, and he was breathing heavily. "How can that be your decision?" Kili yelled at the elders. "Thorin is not dead!" Kili thrashed his head back and forth. "He's somewhere in this mountain, we just haven't found him yet! Thorin is not dead! He can't be dead!" Kili was practically screaming now.
Most members of the company lowered their heads, saddened by Kili's reaction. "Stop looking at me like that! He's not dead! He's lost! He gets lost a lot! He'll come back! He always comes back! You'll see! He'll come back! He's not dead!" Kili screamed crying.
He was about to scream that Thorin was alive again but his mother stopped him by throwing her arms around him. She pulled him in tightly, embracing him like she did when his father died. "Oh Kili," she whispered to him. "It's okay. It's okay," she said to him over and over trying her hardest not to cry. She had lost the only brother she had left. She wanted to break down like her youngest was, but right now Kili needed her support.
Kili seemed to calm down as he held his mother crying. The elders turned to Fili, who had his eyes closed and was gripping a tight fist.
"Prince Fili, as King Thorin's named heir and next in line, you must be the one to declare him dead," one of the elders informed him.
Fili gasped again. All eyes were on him. Fili looked at everyone from the company, they all seemed so sad. He finally met eyes with Bilbo. They stared at each other for a moment then the hobbit gave him a small nod. The air got stuck in Fili's lungs. He turned to his mother. She gave him a sad smile and mouthed 'it's okay' to him with a nod.
Fili lowed his head thinking. It had been four days since Thorin disappeared. No one had seen him in four days. There wasn't the faintest idea where he was or if he was even alive. Thorin wasn't lost. Thorin wasn't coming back.
"The king is dead," Fili said in an emotionless voice with his head held up high. The elders nodded in agreement and the members of the company lowered their heads trying their hardest to keep themselves composed. Bilbo didn't try. He let himself cry and he didn't care who saw. Ori turned to Dori crying silently in his arms. Kili cried the loudest. The sound of his tears filling the whole room. No one blamed him. Everyone knew how close he and Thorin were and how much Kili thought of his uncle.
One of the elders walked up to Fili and got down on their knees. "Hail King Fili!" He called out.
"Hail!" The other elders replied and also got down on their knees bowing to Fili. The members of the company also got down on their knees, Bilbo included. Kili whipped his eyes, pushed away from his mother and knelt to his bother. Dis did the same.
Fili turned red in the face. He tried to say something but he stumbled over his words. This was all too sudden. He looked at all the bowing dwarves then spotted that Dain was the only one standing. Fili narrowed his eyes at Dain, but the red haired dwarf just smiled.
"King Fili," Dain said holding out his hands. "It is an impressive title, yet I do not believe it is yours to have."
"Come again?" Fili questioned, his grief rapidly turning into anger.
A few of the elders stood up to hear what Dain had to say. "Fili, you are a noble dwarf, strong and wise far beyond your years, yet you are still just a child. And I do not want to cause offense, but our ancient laws prohibit any dwarf, kingly mannered or not, from being king if he be under the age of one hundred."
"That is only if the king is alive," Balin spoke as he stood up. He knew this law far too well. It was believed Dain would take the throne, when Thorin was under the spell of the gold-sickness, using this law as his means. "The law says someone as young as Fili can be king if the king is dead."
"Does it? You, tiny squeaky dwarf," Dain said pointing to Ori. "You spend a great deal of time in the record room do you not?" Dain asked and Ori nodded. "Are you familiar with the law we speak of?" Ori nodded. "Good, now go fetch it for us," Dain ordered. Ori glanced at his brothers and went to get the law.
"What is this about, Dain?" Fili asked glaring at Dain.
"I just want to make sure your rule is just, your majesty," Dain said with a wicked smile and Fili, if not surrounded by the council, would have punched him the face.
Ori returned rather quickly. Everyone was standing now talking amongst themselves wondering what was going on. Fili and Kili stood close to each other, glaring at Dain the whole time.
"Ah yes, now if you will, please read the law for the council," Dain ordered Ori.
Shuddering Ori held out the scroll. He was bright red in the face and his hands were shaking. "It says," Ori began with a stutter, "no dwarf, if he be named heir or otherwise, shame be held as King Under the Mountain if he be under the age of one hundred years; unless the king before him, naming him his heir and predecessor, is dead and buried within the customs of the dwarf people." Ori finished.
"See, the boy cannot be king. He is too young." Dain said with a smile.
"But we declared King Thorin dead, which means Fili can be king. That is what the law says," Dwalin argued.
Dain turned to Ori. "Please read the last part of the law, just the last few words."
Ori cleared his throat. "…is dead and buried within the customs of the dwarf people."
"There you have it, Fili cannot be king because the king is not buried," Dain said and the whole company made uproar. "The ancient law of our people says only someone at Fili's age can be king if the old king, Thorin in this case, is dead and buried. I do not mean to be blunt, but we have not buried King Thorin yet."
Kili and several members of the company curse in Khuzdul. "Then we will have a burial!" Dwalin yelled out. Thorin always dreamed of having Fili on the throne, Dwalin was not going to let Dain take away Thorin's dream. Not after everything that happened.
Dain just kept smiling. "I do believe the law says the burial must be, what was it…'within the customs of the dwarf people'? If I am not mistaken, it is customary for a body to be present for a true dwarf burial."
Fili gasped.
"Without a customary dwarf burial, for out late King Thorin, Fili cannot be named king. This law was written by Durin himself and must be upheld. This in mind, I believe I should take rule of Erebor till young Fili turns one hundred years old," Dain said smiling brightly.
The company lost it. They began yelling at Dain and cursing at him for using such a small technicality. Every member, part Bilbo, knew just how much Fili meant to Thorin. They knew Fili was meant to be king. It was what Thorin would have wanted. It was Thorin always wanted and dreamed of. Only Fili and Balin did not take part in the yelling and screaming at Dain.
"That is a small detail," one of the members of the company yelled out. "You cannot take rule just because we cannot have a proper burial."
"He can," a voice boomed out over all else. One of the elders, the oldest and wises of the all the dwarves slowly used his cane to walk up to the others. "This law is one of our most ancient and secreted texts. It must be upheld. When King Thror's father died, Thror was only ninety-nine. He was not named king until after the burial a week later. Lord Dain is correct, the law of our people clearly states there must be burial for someone so young to become king. These ancient laws must be upheld and respected. Prince Fili will not be king until King Thorin has a proper burial, body included, or until he turns one hundred."
"Hail King Dain!" One of the elders yelled out. The other elders repeated the words and knelt before Dain. The company, reluctantly, knelt before Dain as well. If the grand elder named Dain king, then they had to follow it. The laws of their people had to be followed, even if it was being manipulated. The company bowed to Dain for it was their responsibility as dwarves to follow the laws that had been written.
Kili was the last one to bow. He stood up straight, glaring at Dain, till Fili pulled him to the ground. Dain looked over the bowing crowd with a large smile on his face. He thanked them and ordered them to rise.
"I do believe a proper coronation is in order," Dain said. "How about we officially name me king, in front of all of Erebor...," Dain thought for a moment. "Tomorrow morning. Yes, I will hold my coronation tomorrow." The elders agreed and left the room to prepare. The company followed glaring at Dain as they passed. Bilbo slipped on the ring and disappeared to be alone for a while.
As Fili walked by Dain grabbed his arm, pulling his aside to talk. "I am sorry, Fili. I know you would have made a great king. This must be very hard for you; I know Thorin was more of a father than an uncle to you. I know how much you cared and loved Thorin."
"King Thorin. That's King Thorin to you," Fili snapped.
"Yes, my mistake, King Thorin," Dain said not letting go of Fili's wrist. "Prince Fili, you must understand, I want you to be king, I really do. Yet, the ancient laws must be obeyed. I cannot let you rule knowing you are breaking the traditions that our people have upheld for so many years." Dain let go Fili's wrist slowly sliding his hand across Fili's. "It is not in my blood, Fili. I am sorry, but I must uphold the laws of our people. Please understand I do this because it is my duty."
"I understand."
"Good," Dain said with a smile. "I do look forward to the day when you are king, Fili. You will make a great king, Fili, greater than any that ever lived. I am sure of it. Fili, I will be so proud of you when you finally become that great king," Dain put his hand on Fili's shoulder. "And I hope, one day, you will look at me the way you looked at Thorin."
Fili smacked Dain's hand off his shoulder. "That will never happen!" Fili snarled in his face then stormed out of the meeting hall.
"We'll see Fili, we will see."
Ah those little technicalities and loopholes always cause problems. If you didn't understand why Dain is allowed to be king, just send me a message. I tried to explain it in the story, but if it isn't make sense just tell me.
Please Review, if you would be so kind, and have a nice day!