Chapter 15

*Fili*

This was, of course, not Fili's first time appearing as heir to the throne, but each time it was like the first. He felt nervous and a little jumpy when he heard that Thranduil was only an hour or so away. You've done this before and you'll do it again, so you might as well try and get used to it! he scolded himself, but the case of nerves was being persistent. Kili seemed slightly off-set himself turning his head quickly at every little noise and jumping when anyone spoke to him. Dis smiled when she saw the look on her firstborn's face and laid a gentle hand on his arm.

"Fili, Love, you'll be fine. You won't need to say a thing." she said brushing his braids over his shoulders and putting her arm around him.

"I know, Mum. It's just that I don't like doing this."

"Neither did Thorin, but he became used to it after a bit. You should have seen him when Thror asked him to be present at something for the first time. Now," she continued after placing a kiss on Fili's cheek, "Go to your brother before he starts to hyperventilate."

Kili looked as if he were about to hyperventilate. His face was white, his eyes were wide and his breathing came quicker than it should. Fili walked over and draped his arm around his brother's shoulders and Kili leaned against him.

"Are you nervous, Kee?" Fili asked although he already knew the answer.

"Yes, I am. And I wish this was over!" Kili moaned laying his head on Fili. Fili smirked and gave him a squeeze before saying, "You should braid your hair sometime, Kili."

"No."

"Yes."

"I don't want to and that's that!"

"Okay, okay. I was just saying."

"For the thousandth time. Fili, I thought of something funny we could do." Kili said with a troublesome grin.

"What did you think of? Dropping a pail of syrup on Thranduil's head?" Fili asked and Kili shook his head although his smile grew wider at Fili suggestion.

"That would be fun, but I was thinking, you know how they'll probably go in that one room? Well, you, Legolas, and I will be sitting at that smaller table facing each other, so I was thinking; could we get Legolas to smile without Thorin noticing?"

"Ah, so you are going to try to make an Elf smile, eh? That'll be great!" said Fili.

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The Elves entered Erebor in a group of seven. Thranduil first, then Legolas and five soldiers followed behind. The guards where led by a female Elf who wore dark green apparel and no helmet over her fiery red hair. To Fili, she looked slightly familiar so perhaps he had seen her in the palace, but then at the time, he would not have noticed, for the worry that he would be separated from Kili had been the biggest issue on his mind.

As was anticipated by two young Dwarves, Thorin and Thranduil headed for "The Room". Fili and Kili walked side-by-side following Thorin while Legolas paused in his stride to give an order in his own tongue to the red-head who, in turn, give it to the other guards and they all halted. Once the orders were given, the prince hastened back to his place behind his father, but chanced a glance at Fili and Kili and Kili flashed a quick smile at him.

When Thranduil and Thorin were seated at their table and the three princes at theirs, Fili bit back a sigh and looked down at the table studying the swirls in the wood and forgetting about Kili's idea. That is, until he glanced over at his brother and saw what he was doing. The young Dwarrow was staring at Legolas with those heart-melting large eyes and when Legolas got the feeling that he was being watched and looked up, the Elf blinked then turned to look at Fili as if for an answer for Kili's strange behavior. Fili shrugged and looked back at Kili. When he had Legolas's attention again, Kili crossed his eyes and grinned idiotically making his appearance look like one who had gone completely mad.

"Are you alright?" the pail-haired princeling mouthed and Kili just made another face at him. Toward the end of the kings' discussion though, Kili's display of all the things he could do with his face paid off and Legolas smiled holding a hand over his mouth to stiff a chuckle.

Just before they departed, Legolas came to speak with Kili and Fili.

"For a moment, I thought you had gone quite mad." he said and Kili laughed.

"I was just trying to have you smile and that I did. You know, you didn't really meet my brother now did you?"

"No, I guess you could say I did not. Hello Prince Fili, I hail you as one crown prince to another." Legolas said turning to Fili.

"Hello. I'd prefer to hail you as one friend to another, if I may be as blunt as that. And I rather just be known as Fili the son of Dis." Fili replied, bowing in the fashion of the Dwarves.

Legolas smiled, "Then Fili I shall call you." Then he said, "I have someone who would like to meet you both."

He snapped his fingers twice and the she-Elf came and stood sharply at attention, until Legolas said something to her and she relaxed.

"Fili and Kili of Erebor, this is Tauriel of the Mirkwood realm."

The Elf woman nodded her head slightly at them and said, "Pleased to make your aquatints. I had wished to see you when you were in our halls, but you left before I could." Kili swallowed and signed in Iglishmek, Wow that is one beautiful woman! Fili stilled the urge to sign back, You think every woman is beautiful, you nobhead!

"Uh, h-hello! I am very glad to have met you Lady Tauriel." Kili managed to say and Fili rolled his eyes. Here he goes again! he thought.

"I am no lady. But come, I wish to ask you some questions. What is your favorite weapon, Kili?"

"A bow." Kili replied and Tauriel raised an eyebrow.

"A bow? How did you come to choose this, for it is an unusual weapon for a Dwarf?"

A/N Sorry they haven't gone yet. They would have, but for some reason I added Tauriel when I wasn't going to and she took up all my time. I hope you liked it and so do the boys who are both sleeping this time. Oh dear, I hate to wake them up when they look so peaceful. Please review, because for some reason, I AM LOSING THE INSPIRATION! I really want to finish is fic but I am running out of ideas and Fili and Kili are too bored to give me any! Still, fifteen chapters is farther than I ever thought I'd get and all those Favorites and Follows amaze me. PLEASE GIVE THE DURIN BOYS SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT!