And the fun continues. Onkra gets what she oh-so-richly deserves in this chapter while Fili and Kili come to the rescue. Have fun, and welcome to all those who signed up since last time. A special thank you to Nuka and her sister for their support of several stories. I appreciate all the reviews and PM's more than you know.

Chapter 16

Thorin's efforts to force Dain to acknowledge Relianna and end his misery didn't go the way he imagined. In fact, his expectations didn't prepare him in the least for what actually happened. After ensuring that she was safely tucked away, he stormed up to Dain's sumptuous chambers complete with bearskin rugs, an ebony desk, and a four-poster bed with red velvet comforters and silk bed curtains emblazed with the Durin crest. He waited impatiently until he was announced and confronted his cousin who had a glass of red wine in his hand. Instead of angrily accepting his challenge, Dain swallowed the rest of the wine in a mighty gulp and laughed.

"I'm in earnest!" Thorin said heatedly. "I will push you until you challenge me or you accept my challenge."

The Lord of the Iron Hills waved his hand in good humor and laughed louder at Thorin's stunned expression.

"You challenge my honor for the sake of a wench who has none?" he mocked. "No, Thorin, you're not in your right mind. I realized that downstairs. I was angry then, but now I understand. If you weren't mad, you'd never do such a thing. Our laws forbid duels when one or both parties are insane, and that's what you are. Temporarily, of course, but a bit touched all the same. Her charms must have some hold on you, but you'll tire of her soon enough and laugh with me over a pint."

Thorin gritted his teeth and restrained himself from maiming his cousin. Clearly, nothing he could say would change Dain's mind. Somehow he had to see her, but Thorin wouldn't risk it until she was safe.

"I see," he said with tight control on his temper. "Aye, but you'll be the one to go mad when your daughter learns that you renounced her out of hand. I won't tell her, but she's clever and will find out for herself."

He stepped closer to his cousin whose smirk now seemed a tad forced.

"I pity you, Dain," he said. "She's kind, loving, and honorable, and you do her a great disservice. Did you ever wonder how Tamra died, eh? She died from poison at the hand of Zozer, the very dwarf who's after your daughter. Don't believe me? Ask Onkra for the details. She knows more than you do evidently."

"No!" Dain shouted. "Your wench lies!

"Ask her!" Thorin spat out. "A bushel of honey buns ought to loosen her tongue!"

Stalking to the door, he turned and took Dain's measure with a contemptuous glance.

"Tamra would be ashamed of you. Think on that during the watches of the night.""

With every hour of his day accounted for, he spent much desired time with Relianna after the nightly feast. As soon as he could, he excused himself from the festivities and headed directly to the infirmary. Balin arranged a simple but elegant meal for them and furnished one of the unused sick rooms as richly and quietly as he could manage. Each night she waited eagerly for him and ran into his arms with a happy squeal. Oin smiled at Thorin's easy laughter. The Heir of Durin was known for his solemn demeanor, but she brought out a lighter side that the old physician had rarely seen. That was enough to win his approval.

"Look at me!" she had complained the first night while Thorin took his time doing exactly that. "I look like a laundry worker."

She picked at her thin gown and pulled off her kerchief. Her messy curls spilled down her back, and she impatiently flicked them away from her face. He reached over to pull one out of her lashes. Oin not only kept her in chambers designed for quarantine, but also insisted that she dress in a light, linen smock and kerchief to hide her hair. Anyone who saw her would think her a patient, and she was not pleased, not pleased at all.

"I think you look enchanting," Thorin said gallantly. He looked out the door to the next room where Oin was studying a medical journal and frowned at his presence.

"I thank you," she said in good humor, "but I look like a sack of flour. Give me a minute to change. Fili and Kili had the seamstresses make a new gown for me, and I want to look nice for a change."

"They did?" he asked with surprise. "That was unusually thoughtful."

She shrugged.

"I think it was their way of apologizing. Be just a minute."

He heard her rustling with the fabric of her linen smock and knew that she had discarded it when he heard her kicking it aside. The thought of her standing there almost naked sent shivers up his spine. He sat carefully on the edge of a soft leather sofa and waited impatiently.

"By Durin's nose hair!" she huffed. Thorin put his fist to his mouth but couldn't stop a low laugh from escaping.

"Did she say 'by Durin's nose hair'?" Oin asked from the other room.

Thorin leaned over and nodded, and Oin chuckled to himself.

"What on the anvil where they thinking!" she exclaimed.

"Having trouble?" Thorin asked, now curious.

The door cracked open.

"Aye, I think they meant well, but their tastes are very different than mine."

"Oh?" Thorin asked. "I'd like to see regardless."

She exhaled peevishly.

"Uh, I need some help with the laces," she said with one eye peeking from the door.

Thorin was more than willing, but Oin bustled over and gave his king a stern look.

"I'll be happy to help you, lass," he said.

She opened the door and kept her back to them. Thorin liked the dress already. It was made of rich, blue silk in just the shade he favored. Tight at the waist with bell sleeves and a low v-neck in the back, it fit in all the right places. He wondered how much time his nephews spent observing her figure to commission a dress like that. Oin pulled and yanked on the laces, and Relianna gasped and moaned with each strong jerk. Thorin found the whole process arousing and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. Then she turned, and his hands itched to strangle his nephews. The dress was extremely low-cut by dwarven standards with her breasts pushing against the bodice so that her cleavage curved and dipped over the top of the square neckline.

"You look lovely," he said in a strangled voice. Oin grunted with amusement and left to get the trays.

Thorin took her by the hand and pulled her down on the sofa.

"You are lovely," he said and kissed her gently. He controlled his desire with what he liked to think was the discipline he honed as prince of his people but, in reality, it was his pride that wouldn't allowed him to repeat his ghastly mistake.

They spent the next few hours together with him telling her about his day, including terse descriptions of the noble dwarrowdams. She filled in what he wouldn't say, and he chuckled with embarrassed amusement. Then he asked about her life. She easily shared stories about her childhood but was oddly quiet about what happened after her grandfather died. Doubts reappeared in his mind, but he squelched them quickly and smiled.

"Can I walk about, Thorin?" she had asked. "I can't stay here for the rest of the month." She smiled teasingly. "I might catch something!"

Thorin charged Fili and Kili to safeguard Relianna's welfare, but to say that she chafed under their watchful eyes was an understatement. The King of Erebor was more than willing to do the job himself, but loyal friends and kin said that it would only draw more attention to her. He grumbled loudly but admitted that they were right.

Instead, he ordered his nephews to stay with her. Few would question the flirtatious princes enjoying the company of a maid. In the meantime, Thorin had to keep the council's schedule until next week. He struggled to be gracious, but the effort wore on him when every day his guards could find no trace of Zozer.

"I don't see why I can't pick honeysuckle with you both," Relianna said with her arms crossed over her chest and one foot tapping a fast rhythm. They had pulled her into a small chamber and tried to reason with her after they caught her hiding behind bushel baskets in the kitchen one day and buckling on a guard's armor in the weapons gallery the next.

"We know how hard this is," Fili said seriously, "but that uncle wants you safe, and you know that danger could be out there.

She tossed her head stubbornly. Erebor had many delights, and she wanted to see them all. She wanted to spend more time in the library looking through rare volumes, peruse the art and sculpture galleries, and watch the gem smiths cut their precious stones. Erebor was a vast treasure of new experiences, but If Thorin had his way, she would see only the inside of the infirmary and its closet. She put her hands on her more ample waist. Thanks to the princes' strict regimen of tag-team force-feedings, she had filled out some, and they were elated with their success. She would never have a dwarven figure, but the added weight made her less objectionable. However, Thorin's warning that she was clever and resourceful kept them on their guard. Pulling off her veil, she huffed and bit her lip.

"I'm sure I'm safe with you," she said resentfully.

The brothers sighed and tried again to plead their case. She frowned deeply and tossed her curls. Nothing and no one was going to stop her from exploring what she hoped would be her home. Then she gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth.

"What am I thinking?" she said. Her rapid change of mood alarmed her armed escorts.

"What's wrong?" Kili asked.

She shook her head and put her hand against her mouth and nose.

"I can't believe I'm so selfish and thoughtless," she said, and she stamped her foot. "As long as I'm free, another maid is taking my punishment, and I'll bet it's Bemma."

"Who's Bemma?" Fili asked.

She exhaled, and her mouth thinned as her eyes took on a fierce light that the brothers had never seen before in any dwarrowdam except their mother.

"Only the sweetest among us," she said, "and one who secretly ministered to my cuts and bruises. Your princess guessed that she was helping me but could never prove it. Now she doesn't have to."

Fili scratched his mustache and suggested talking to Thorin. To interfere in the affairs of another clan's household was a serious insult. However, Erebor law prevented the punishment of servants without Thorin's and Council of Domestic Affairs' approval.

"He'll handle this," Fili said. "She can make a complaint."

Relianna snorted and pulled a face.

"No one dares take on Princess Onkra when their livelihoods and families depend on her goodwill. She finds ways to keep them practically in bondage until they can't work anymore. I don't know how she does it, but they're too afraid to complain. I'm the only one without family, so I can't be threatened."

Kili scratched his head.

"Why then do you keep working for her when you don't have to?"

Her face suddenly closed, and she swallowed hard.

"I have my reasons."

Fili put his hand on her arm.

"We need to wait. Uncle Thorin will listen," he said confidently. "He'll give them asylum if need be, and Lord Dain won't object. But we need uncle to investigate this."

"No doubt after his important morning meeting," she said. "Most worthy, I'm sure, but Bemma's in trouble now!"

After arguing over the foolishness of her storming into Onkra's chambers, Fili and Kili said that they would get Thorin out of the council meeting.

"It'll take some time to figure out how to handle this," Fili said, taking her hand, "but you must swear not to do anything rash."

After much hesitation and pursing her lips, she nodded. They left her with Balin and Dwalin and headed down to the council chamber to find Thorin.

Meanwhile, her new protectors urged her to wait in the infirmary, and they walked off as crowded as eggs in a basket.

"Do you really need to stand so close?" she asked Dwalin, whose breath puffed the veil around her face. She turned to nearly bump noses with Balin.

"My lords!" she exclaimed, "I'm indeed grateful for your constant care, but I need to visit the privy now, and I'm quite certain you don't wish to go in there with me."

They took a step back in unison. Dwalin harrumphed and shifted his feet while Balin's nose turned bright red.

"Uh, no, lass," he said, rocking back and forth on his heels, "we, um, don't need to go in, but we'll wait outside the door.

She nodded with satisfaction and walked between them with a little smile on her face. Dwarves stopped to stare at a maid walking with two dwarf lords. She looked around and saw disapproval on their faces.

"Walk in front of me," she hissed, "we're attracting too much attention."

Balin looked around and pulled on his brother's arm. She exhaled in relief. To her mind, Thorin was being ridiculously overprotective. Guards were everywhere, and she was in the company of both royalty and nobility. What could happen? She had never felt safer and relaxed her guard. If only everyone else felt the same! Her veil blew out in front from her breath. She relished her freedom from Princess Onkra only to feel just as confined from well-meaning advisors. However, her main concern now was seeing that her friend was safe.

Other maids adjusted their veils and primped in front of the ornate mirrors in the sumptuous gold-appointed privy, and she looked around with a wicked smile on her face. Walking down the corridor and out into the main hall with other maids, she passed right by Dwalin and Balin at the door, suppressing a little giggle as she glided past. The old warriors waited longer at the hall entrance, trying not to look embarrassed until they couldn't wait any longer.

"Oi," Dwalin said, "how long do wee maids take to do their business?"

Balin scratched his chin and shrugged his shoulders. They waited another minute before they decided to see for themselves. Balin tiptoed down the hall while Dwalin kept watch.

"Is, um, anyone in there?" Balin asked nervously. "Ah," and he turned, grabbed Dwalin's elbow, and marched them away.

Dwalin tore his arm from his grasp and put his hands on his hips.

"She got away, didn't she?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Balin sighed.

"We better go see Thorin, brother."

"He won't be happy to see us for certain," Dwalin replied.

Balin shook his head.

"Aye, for certain he won't," he replied. "I told him that he needed to tell the lass about Zozer, but he didn't want to scare her."

At the same time, Fili and Kili made their case to Thorin.

"She's like an unbroken filly," Kili said. "We can't rein her in, uncle. She keeps trying to escape."

His comment only drew a secret smile from Thorin, and his nephew exhaled in frustration.

"You need to tell her, Uncle Thorin," Fili said after Kili threw up his hands. "She'd be much more cooperative if she knew of Zozer. As it is, she's almost given us the slip twice. Now she's on about another maid's mistreatment. We told her you'd look into it."

Thorin's brows creased. They did have a point, to be sure, but he was loath to make her fear for her life when he wanted her instead to fall in love with Erebor. He thought it most important that she love his mountain as he did and see her place within its walls. Raking one hand over his head, he sighed. Her safety was paramount, and her knowing would put her on her guard. Just then Dwalin and Balin walked in dejectedly and faced their kin.

"Where is she?" Thorin asked with alarm. "Is she with Oin?"

Dwalin looked to his brother whose shoulders dropped.

"No, laddie," Balin said, "she gave us the slip at the privy."

Fili and Kili shook their heads at her headstrong nature, and Thorin paced and then whirled around and wrote out a series of instructions.

"First, I want to know if any maids have left the mountain, so give this to the guards at the gate and tell them to keep watch," he said, handing Balin a parchment. "Next, I want you, Dwalin, to quietly double the guard. No one knows what Zozer looks like except that he's so ordinary as to be invisible. Tell them to watch for someone who fits that description. I'd put him as a slightly younger than Oin if the stories are true."

He turned to his nephews and asked about the mistreated maid. Fili and Kili stood with their mouths open and turned to each other. Then they ran out the door with Thorin shouting after them.

Relianna marched down the long corridor to Onkra's chambers with fire in her eyes. She stood outside the door and took several breaths, trying to slow her thumping heart. Then she wiped her hands on her dress. Returning to Onkra was something she thought she'd never do again, but she couldn't leave Bemma and the others. She closed her eyes and asked Mahal for strength when she heard the whimpers and cries of one of the maids. Cursing under her breath, she opened the door without knocking to see Bemma held down by two large dwarves while Onkra danced a leather strap on her back.

"Let her go!" she shouted. All looked up in surprise, and Relianna tore off her veil to stand there in front of her former tormentor. The other servants gasped, and the two dwarves holding Bemma down loosened their grip as they stared at the maid whose face they never saw.

"Dain," one whispered to the other.

Onkra showed no surprise. Instead, her face twisted in cruel satisfaction. Relianna stare defiantly at her, and the Princess of the Iron Hills screamed her outrage.

"How dare you face me, mongrel by-blow! Lower your gaze! I am a royal princess!"

Relianna stood as tall as she could and refused to look down. Onkra's bulk shifted, and she flushed. Relianna's face hardened.

"Apparently, so am I," she said, "and it appears that you knew all along."

Princess Onkra grinned as best she was able and lifted her chins.

"Always," she gloated while she smoothed the wrinkles out of her skirt. "I only gave you what you deserve, as my family gave your slut of a mother what she deserved."

Before the guards could react, Relianna dashed forward and slapped her half-sister with all her strength. The smack of her hand echoed against the stone walls, and all the maids and servants gasped loudly and cringed. Onkra instinctively put her hand to her face. Red streaks began to creep out from under her fingers.

"I owe you a great many back payments, sister, but that's the only one I'll allow myself for mother's memory."

Onkra rattled and shrieked like a tea kettle and looked around for anything she could grab, but nothing was in range. With a shaking hand, she ordered her guards to restrain Relianna. They snapped out of their stupor, grabbed her arms, and forced her to her knees.

"Good help is hard to find, slut," Onkra said venomously, "so I hired some from my mother's side. I pay well for loyalty," and she nodded to one guard who picked up the leather strap.

"I've missed this, wench."

Bemma ran forward and pulled at one dwarf's arms, but he pushed her off, and she landed on the floor.

"Bemma!" Relianna cried over her shoulder. The others stood uneasily and murmured among themselves but did nothing. With a contented smile, Onkra ran the leather strap through her hands and tied a few knots along its length. She had raised her arm as high as she could when an angry voice shouted from the door.

"Stop!" All turned to see Fili and Kili with their swords drawn. The guards hesitated at the fixed and determined glares of the Durin princes. Onkra lowered her whip and laid it across her lap.

"Ah, cousins," she said dismissively, "there's nothing for you here. I'm just disciplining a servant, which is my right. She actually assaulted me. Can you believe such a thing? I'm sure you'll agree that punishment is warranted."

Kili's dark eyes flashed up to Onkra with disbelief while Fili pointed his two swords at the guards.

"Release her," he said, his voice more commanding that it had ever been, "and you might spare yourself the dungeon."

At that, Onkra snorted and waved her hand to dismiss their words.

"You have no say here, cousins," she said, "so you'd best leave before father hears of this."

Kili grinned darkly.

"We'd be happy to tell him ourselves, Onkra," he replied, "but we have business with Relianna now, so she comes with us."

Onkra smirked and daintily pushed aside a wisp of hair from her cheek. She batted her sparse lashes and pulled her lips back in an insincere smile.

"Oh, and what business might that be? I didn't think you liked skinny mixed-bloods, but perhaps I'm mistaken."

The brothers breathed through clenched teeth, and all braced for bloodshed. Then Relianna pulled her arms away and stood up.

"By order of King Thorin," she said in a ringing voice, "all servants of Princess Onkra are hereby commanded to leave her service for positions here at Erebor. In addition, your families will be relocated here at his expense."

No one said a word. Then Kili bumped Fili.

"Aye," Fili said hastily. He looked around and then warmed to the task. "King Thorin has heard of your treatment here and on his authority as lord of these lands, he hereby releases you from all obligation to Princess Onkra. You will, uh, receive double your usual pay and …"

"Compensation for your ill treatment at her hands," Kili added smartly.

Onkra's mouth opened and closed, but the roughly 25 servants looked at each other amazed and almost ran out the door with cries of joy. The guards drew their swords, but Thorin's personal guard entered fully armed, and they backed down.

"Take them to the dungeon," Fili ordered. Kili clapped him on the back after the guards left with the two dwarves in chains.

"Well done, brother," he whispered. "Uncle would be proud."

Onkra sat alone in her chair, her eyes bulging out, and her mouth wobbling in rage. Relianna turned to her. Her face softened, and she shook her head sadly.

"Things could have been so different, sister. I understand your bitterness, but we could have helped each other in our pain."

The obese princess turned nearly purple at her words and spat in her face.

"Whore!" she screamed. "Whore like your mother!"

Fili and Kili yelled in outrage, but Relianna stood there silently and wiped the spittle from her cheek.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," she said with forced calm, "but I think now a lesson in humility and gratitude is in order. Perhaps when you realize how much you depend on others, you won't be so cruel," and she turned and grabbed Kili's sword out of his hand. In one sharp move, she slashed a front leg of Onkra's chair.

"We're done here," she said, and they turned and left.

"What was that for?" Kili asked after they closed the door on Onkra's shrieks and curses.

"Just wait," she replied. Fili started laughing, but Kili looked confused until they heard a scream and crash.

"Very clever, aunt!" he said with an admiring grin.

She took both their arms.

"You accept me then?"

They scooped her up in a bear hug.

"After what we saw," Fili said, "we'd be daft not to."

Then Kili frowned.

"I thought you promised not to do anything rash."

She turned with a flounce of her shoulder.

"It wasn't," she said. "It was very well planned."

They laughed together while walking back with the guards that Thorin sent.

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