Do You Wanna Be My Friend?

Chapter 4: Facts Of Alyss

Thorin, after being told that the filthy rabbit's name was Minty, left to go consult his cousins. The name, as he admitted, was adorable and definitely something he expected from the girl but it was so odd to him.

"What is on your mind Thorin?" Balin was the first of the two dwarves to notice the exiled king was deep in thought as he entered the room.

Thorin shook his head, they didn't need to know of the silly name as it wasn't important. "Nothing, so what exactly did you find?"

Balin sighed and reached for an old leather sheet he had used to secretly bring back his findings. Dwalin only told Thorin what could be publicly said, the rest Balin had to show and he wasn't too sure anyone else needed to know past those involved.

"What's that?" Thorin took a step closer to the table as Balin laid the sheet on it.

"When I was looking, and with what was considerably small clues I had as to where to look, I found much hidden along a small path she created." Balin unwrapped his findings carefully.

Thorin and Dwalin stared in shock as they saw several small items of elves, men, and even goblins and orcs. There were small items either given as gifts or more likely taken by her. Of the elves she had a small hair clip in the shape of a butterfly with matching earrings, of the men she had a simple necklace that was a thick string with a purple crystal, and of the goblins and orcs she had jagged daggers.

"Where..?" Thorin wasn't sure what to think though his hate for elves made him feel stupid and slightly betrayed. "Why would she have this?"

Balin heard the venom in the king's voice, he did not like finding elf pieces himself but he figured that she left the elves for a reason. "Perhaps she can explain, I do not think she aligns herself with anyone more so she was only looking for care."

Thorin relaxed a bit, Alyss was a kind person and probably didn't realize that many of the races in Middle-Earth do not get along all that well. "I suppose, but how could one explain how she got the daggers?"

Dwalin picked up the daggers, he was careful as orcs always laced poisons on their weapons, and inspected the weapons. "She had bruises on her," he recalled, "the marks were fairly thick and she had some scratches that were healing. Maybe they kidnapped her."

Thorin sat on that idea, he had actually forgotten that Alyss had injuries and felt rather foolish for letting her wander about carelessly when she was in need of rest so she could properly heal. "Perhaps I should fetch Alyss and the boys, I would like to know what happened to her prior to last night."

Balin nodded, "Allow me to join you Thorin, you have not been here long and I'm sure they have not finished their meal."

Thorin nodded in agreement, Alyss was not a slow eater this morning due to her malnourishment but he was certain that she was also not stuffing her face. The boys, despite being known to eat and talk at the same time at an amazingly fast pace, would not hastily eat when they have a guest. "Alright Balin, let's go."

Alyss listened as Fili and Kili happily talked about their day, they explained to Alyss about how intense their training was and how mind numbing their lessons were. She didn't understand the whole training bit, though she listened and never questioned them, but she shared her experience with schooling sessions.

"You mean you have to be with others in a room?" Fili asked, shocked that lessons where Alyss was from were not taught to certain children individually.

"And you have to do what they tell you or you can't go play on breaks?" Kili was mortified at the thought, Balin and Dwalin never took away privileges from the brothers. In fact, they are punished by extra work rather than be forced to not do anything.

Alyss nodded her head, her throat was surprisingly feeling better so she didn't bother giving simple answer like she normally would. "I never listened to the teachers so they always put me on the fence."

"On the fence?" the brothers confusingly repeated, "What's that?"

"At school," Alyss explained while trying to find the right words to use so that she could properly explain it. "they have these metal fences that kept up by these poles and when you're in twouble you have to stand against the pole while everyone else plays."

"What!?" The boys were shocked and partially outraged, "That's cruelty!"

Alyss shrugged, lots of kids consider that so but the adult always told her that what they did was just. Personally, she felt adults liked to bully kids because they felt they were superior to the children. "I don't adults that much, I always got into twouble because they said I was a bad child."

"I don't like these people." Kili declared darkly, "They're too mean and I thought Mister Dwalin was a meanie."

Dwalin, Alyss had heard the name but could not place a face with it. Was that the dwarf she saw earlier in the morning, the one to take away Fili and Kili fr their lessons? "Who's Mister Dwalin?"

"Mister Dwalin," Fili answered while Kili was still expressing his disgust for Alyss's teachers. "is our mentor of battle, you saw him this morning remember?"

"You mean the scary looking dwarf?" with all honesty Alyss would admit that Dwalin scared her a bit, he was huge and intimidating whether he meant to be or not. "He's not mean is he?"

Fili laughed at the girl's concern, "Of course not, Mister Dwalin is nice when you get to know him. He can be a big softie once you get past his rough exterior."

Alyss giggled at that, she couldn't imagine the gruff dwarf being a big softie but Fili insisted that it was true. After their small discussion they finished eating the sandwiches Thorin had made for them and the brothers took to entertaining Alyss by retelling stories of ancient battles as well as random fairytales they had been told when they were younger.

"Can I tell you guys a story?" She asked timidly as the brothers finished another story. "My mommy read it to me once but I still remember it!"

They happily exchanged glances and sat down on the fountain's ledge, eager to hear this tale that Alyss was willing to share.

"It's an old story," she explained, "mommy said it was written a long time ago."

Fili and Kili waited for her to start, both were wondering about this tale she had, but unfortunately, Thorin and Balin had arrived and asked for them to come to the library.

"But it's still break time.." Kili whined a bit.

Thorin nodded, "It is but," he carefully picked up Alyss and the empty bag. "we have some matters that require Alyss to be there and we knew you would want to accompany her."

That appeased the brothers a bit, though deep down they would much rather spend their lunch with just her, and they followed the older dwarfs to the library. Alyss, with Minty tightly held in her grip, conversed still with the boys though they had accidentally forgot about the story she was going to tell them.

"Alyss?" Kili asked suddenly, "How does Fili know your age?"

Fili choked on air but Alyss wasn't the least bit bothered by the question, "After you went beddy bye, Fili came to see me."

Kili froze as did Fili, though for a different reason. "You...what?"

"Uh..." Fili blushed, knowing his brother, it wasn't that he to visited Alyss but the fact he avoided admitting so. Especially since he had told Kili to never hide anything from him and he would never do the same.

"Don't talk to me." Kili said, throwing his arms up, "You hid something from me when you said not to."

Thorin and Balin were amused with Kili's reaction to Fili also sneaking around to see Alyss however, under their amusement, they saw signs of possessiveness in Kili. It was concerning, the only reason Kili would ever become possessive toward another living being to the point of getting mad at his own brother would be if he found his destined beloved. It wasn't unheard of for destined beloveds to find each other in youth but it was odd that Alyss just happened to be found by them, not to mention that Kili was the one to find her.

It was almost like Mahal had sent her to them.

"My stuff!" Thorin and Balin had both been thinking about Alyss and Kili's relationship so deeply that they hardly noticed that they re-entered the room where Alyss's thing had been laid about. "I thought I wost it."

"This is your's Alyss?" Balin asked, gaining her attention and a new question.

"Who are you by the way?" she asked curiously as Thorin returned her to the silent brothers, "I don't 'member meeting you."

Balin smiled kindly at the girl and bowed, "Apologies Alyss, I'm a cousin of Thorin's and Dwalin's older brother. My name is Balin."

"Ball-een?" Alyss tried to copy the accent he used to pronounce his name but failed, though it did make the silent Durin duo laugh.

"Bal-in!" the brother roared, "Not Ball-een."

"Oops.." Alyss blushed a bit though Balin was not the bit bothered by her mispronunciation. "Sorry."

Balin chuckled but shook off the apology, "Worry not child," he assured kindly, "Fili and Kili were no better at pronouncing anything when they were wee tots."

Shared gasps squeaked sharply and the Durin brothers blushed profoundly at their teacher's comment. "You're mean Mister Balin." they complained, "You swore you'd never tell anyone!"

"That's not exactly true.." Balin laughed, "I said I would not tell anyone if not given reason to do so."

"And what reason was given?!"

"You made fun of me!" Alyss declared with an absolutely beaming grin. "He didn't break any pwomise!"

The brothers stared at Balin and Alyss, their mouths were hung agape and they could not believe that they, the infamous Fili and Kili, were out smarted. By Balin and Alyss no less.

"Enough with the chitter-chatter." Dwalin laughed, there was nothing more interesting to than Fili and Kili being beat at their own game. "What is all this stuff?"

"Alyss," Thorin knelled down to the seven-year old's level, "how did you come to possess these things?"

"I was given them." she stated, "A wizzy gave 'em to me."

"A...what?" Fili asked, what in Durin's name is a wizzy?

"A wizzy!" she repeated as she began to describe the being who gave her these gifts. "Tall and old, wears grwey. Gots a pointy hat!"

Thorin eyed Alyss funny, a being that was tall and old that wore grey clothes? Was she talking about the wandering wizard Thrakûn, or Gandalf as he was otherwise known? He had heard of the wizard ever having a companion, especially one who is a mere child.

"Wizzy?" Thorin asked, "Do you mean wizard?"

"That's it!" she grinned, "Wizard!"

Thorin smiled, at least she was given elvish gifts from the wizard instead of meeting them herself. "Did you ever get his name?"

"Wandal?" she asked herself aloud, "No, Gandalf!"

"Gandalf?" Fili and Kili repeated the name but the three elders smiled as they had no quarrels with the wandering wizard like they did with elves. "Who's Gandalf?"

"He's a wizard!" Alyss smiled brightly, happily using the proper name of Gandalf's being. "He was with me when whese monsters hurt us!"

"Monsters?" Balin asked curiously, "What monsters?"

Alyss began to explain of the monsters who attacked her and the grey wizard, they were hunched over, sort of waddle when they move, had long sharp nails and meaty fingers. As she described the beings Dwalin recognized them to be goblins.

"Where were you and the wizard when this happened?" Balin asked once Dwalin confirmed that Alyss had faced goblins. "I don't believe goblins would leave their homes, especially since they hate sunlight."

"Mountain!" she answered, "We went to a mountain and they got us!"

"Do you know which mountain?" Thorin asked, he figured that Alyss would not know the name of the mountain she was at but it was worth a shot.

"Nope." she made a pop as she gave him the expected response. "May I have my stuff back?"

Thorin nodded and began to hand her back the items, he didn't quite mind her having the elvish jewelery but the other dwarves might. "Alyss, Can you not tell anyone about these things of yours."

Alyss gave him a funny look, "Why not?"

"Because," Dwalin continued for Thorin, "dwarves and elves do not like each other. You'll anger our people if they see you have it."

Alyss looked down at the elvish jewelry, they were pretty and she did like them a lot but she didn't want to hurt her new friends. "What about my necklace?"

Thorin smiled, "That we don't mind, just the elvish gifts and the daggers."

Alyss quickly got rid of the daggers, she never wanted those to begin with actually. "Can I still keep the elf things?"

Thorin eyed the child, like Balin had said earlier she wasn't accustom to the conflict of the being in Middle-Earth. She was too young to understand why the races hated each other, why Thorin would be happy to see the immortal beings suffer much like his kin had. "Just don't show them to anyone, okay?"

Alyss smiled shyly, despite how young she was she could easily see the pain in Thorin's eyes. Thorin would not admit that he would much rather have her gift destroyed or at least thrown away, she could see he did not what her gifts in the dwarf community at all.

Later that night, Alyss could not sleep as she haunted by the hidden feelings in Thorin's eyes. She was sharing with Dis still since they said it was inappropriate for her to share with Fili and Kili. She didn't understand why Thorin looked almost betrayed that she still wanted gifts, Gandalf never said she'd upset anyone by having them. Then again, she did remember that he never took her around dwarves; she's visited Rivendale, Bree, Rohan, Mirkwood, and Lake-town but never had she seen a dwarf town nor seen a dwarf until now. Perhaps he didn't want her to offend them but then that made no sense, he sent her here to be safe after their ordeal with the goblins.

Alyss was beyond confused and she did not want to upset Thorin since he was taking care of her willingly. Alyss remembered how her older brothers hated it when she did something they didn't like, they would ignore her for days or purposely do mean things to her as punishment. She didn't want to know what Thorin would do to her.

Sneakily getting out of her makeshift bed and out of Dis's room, Alyss made her way to the front door of the shack of a house. She knew all the dwarves were fast asleep and heavy sleepers but she still was careful about making any noises. Still, she needed to be quick so that no one would know she was gone.

"Where are you going?"

Alyss gasped, she had heard Thorin go to bed hours ago! When did he instead settle in front of the fire to smoke his pipe? "Uh..!"

Thorin stood from the chair, he was not angry at her by all means just confused. They had not done anything to her for her to want to leave. "Alyss?"

Alyss looked down at the floor in shame, she wasn't sure how to tell Thorin that she was going to get rid of her gifts from the elves. She was afraid of still offending him. "I wanted to watch the stars."

"Alyss," he could see right through her lie, "don't lie to me."

Her shoulder slouched a bit, she doing more harm lying that she probably would telling Thorin the truth. "You were mad." she said finally, "You don't want me to have those elf things. I was getting rid of them."

Thorin was taken back by her statement, he hadn't thought he was obvious about his dislike for the items. "Alyss.."

Alyss shook her head, her mother had sounded something similar when her father said mean things to her that were not supposed true. "I like you, I don't want you mad at me anymore." Sudden memories of her father's harsh words sparked a sudden breakdown.

Thorin thought he was the sole cause of the breakdown but after he heard her ask for him not to hate her like her father he knew there was something more behind Alyss.

Again, you people deserve a second chapter! I've made you wait forever (even though it's not my fault!) Anywho, hope you like this new chapter and tell me what you think.