Three weeks passed and it was the day that Dwala's replacement was to arrive from the Iron Hills. Ila was excited, hoping that her mother had chosen well. She was sure she had, but Ila was a little nervous none the less. There was no way that she would be as good as Dwala, but that was a tall order. The letter that she had received from her mother only two days before stated that the maid was the daughter of her very own dame in waiting whom Ila had always been very fond of and had helped her mother raise her. She vaguely remembered her daughter, a few years younger than she and Dwala, and a bit awkward looking as a dwarfling. But, Ila knew well that an awkward dwarfling could grow into a swan of a maid, so she withheld judgment until she saw her.
Truly, she didn't care what she looked like as long as she was honorable and performed her duties well, which was the main reason the maid was here. But, she wanted the maid to be someone Fili would find desirable, whatever he happened to fancy. Ila realized there were a lot of "ifs" in that equation, but held out hope nonetheless. She had even confided to her mother her hopes for the temporary maid, and she had promised to choose someone fair, though Ila had given her little to go on.
Thorin had decided to receive the maid officially in the throne room with Ila and Thora at his side. The duties she was coming to assume were no small matters; she would be caring for what he held most precious in this world, and she had better know how grave the matter was to him. Ila feared she might be intimidated by such an introduction to the Mountain, but agreed with Thorin's decision. Dwala would be there too, she insisted on it, and would spend the day schooling the maid in everything she needed to know. Farin was with his father, who was proudly carrying the lad around the Mountain for all to see as he went about his day.
Ila had the ingenious idea of having Fili greet the maid at the gates when she arrived. Hopefully they would make a good impression on one another. Of course they could hate each other, but if they did it didn't really matter, she supposed.
Dwala was a bit nervous, which Ila could immediately tell.
"What is the matter? You don't like having Farin away from you?" Ila asked as she combed her hair at her vanity.
"No, not yet. I told Dwalin not to take him anywhere dangerous today…"
"Where would that be?"
"Well, the mines for instance? What if he tripped or dropped him?!"
"Dwala why on earth would be take him there? He's probably just sitting in the in the great hall eating with Farin on his lap."
Dwala nodded, knowing Ila was probably right in that guess. But there was not all that was bothering her.
"There is something else though…"
"Yes?" Ila asked looking at her reflection.
"What if the maid does a better job than me? What if Thorin likes her better, thinks her better suited for caring for you and his princess?"
Ila dropped the comb and let it clatter on the vanity table. Turning to her with an exasperated expression, she simply stared at Dwala for a moment.
"You can't be serious."
"Ila, it is a natural concern to have for one in my position."
"No it is not! How could someone do a job better than you when you have been doing it almost all your life? And how could anyone know me better than you? Stop being ridiculous." Ila said and turned back to her reflection.
"And besides. Even if Thorin were to come to such an impossible conclusion, which he won't, I would never allow for anyone to replace you on a permanent basis. I mean really!"
"Well, it still feels good to hear such."
Ila smiled and finished with her hair, which was now framing her wedding jewels perfectly. She only pulled them out for special occasions, and she felt that Dwala's replacement should see her queen in all her glory.
Ila rose and picked up Thora who was looking more beautiful to her every day. Her dark hair was getting longer though it would be a while yet before it touched her shoulders. Her big blue eyes were alight with happiness as always, but she kept looking around the room as if searching for something.
Or someone. It finally occurred to Ila that she was looking for Farin, who was now a constant fixture in her life. Ila's heart melted a little. She couldn't wait till they were big enough to really play with each other.
"Come on, she should be here any time now, provided they had no trouble on the road." Ila said and Dwala followed her out the door.
"Who is meeting her at the gate?"
"Fili, of course." Ila said, smiling to herself.
"Ahhhh. And Kili?"
"With his mother. He took her for a walk, which was my suggestion."
"To make sure he didn't steal any attention from Fili?"
"Well, yes. But also because Dis needs some fresh air from time to time. She hardly ever gets out."
Dwala smiled, Ila had thought of everything. Hopefully her plan worked.
Downstairs at the entrance, Fili was pacing back and forth waiting for the arrival of the carriage from the Iron Hills. He was glad to know that Ila and Dwala were getting some help with their little ones. Dwarflings required a lot of attention. He remembered when Kili was born and not understanding why he had to share his mother's time and attention so much, but as he grew he took care of Kili himself as much as he could and came to understood better.
Fili felt rather bad at the moment, because he had already forgotten the maid's name. He had never been good with names and had been more focused on the time and details of the duty Ila had asked him to perform. She had mentioned the name only once and in passing and for the life of him he couldn't remember what it was. And he didn't want to ask Ila and she know he had forgotten.
It was after lunch and Fili had been pacing around the grand entrance for some time. Dwalin had walked by, Farin in his arms, to talk and keep him company for a bit. That had been more than an hour ago though, and Fili was studying his nails when one of the guards standing at the turrets above the entrance called out to him.
Fili looked up and went to stand just outside the great doors, looking out in the distance. He could barely make out a black shape on the horizon, coming towards the Mountain.
Finally, he thought. He wondered if she were coming today or not.
While he waited, he wondered why Ila asked him and not Kili to greet and escort the maid to the throne room. Kili was always such a hit with the maids, but he did have the experience of performing more official duties, unlike his brother.
Pushing the thought away, he kicked a stone around while he was certain that she could not yet see him. As the carriage drew closer, he stopped and made himself stand erect. He needed to convey a sense of power and respect. This maid needed to understand that she was coming to fulfill a very serious purpose. He also would be her first impression of Erebor, aside from the towering structure behind him, and it needed to be a commanding one.
The carriage finally pulled up to sit a mere few feet from him, and the driver stepped down to quickly bow to Fili and go to open the door. Fili waited patiently, seeing a pale hand emerge and take hold of the driver's that was extended for her. A dusty pink dress followed, along with a surprisingly pretty face. Brown hair, though not as dark as Ila's, and light brown eyes stared back at Fili and he unconsciously drew himself to his full height.
The maid bowed to the prince as soon as both her feet were firmly on the ground, and Fili came forward to take her hand and bring her back to standing up straight.
"Welcome to Erebor….." Fili started then hesitated, not knowing her name.
Thankfully she rescued him, replying timidly "Zahra," and giving him a shy smile.
Fili smiled back and replied. "Fili. We are pleased to have you. And hope your journey was comfortable."
He didn't even bother with his titles, or that he was nephew to the king. He felt butterflies flitting around in his stomach and a spark when he touched her hand.
"It was fine, but I am very happy to finally be here." She answered.
"I am sure. Come, the king and queen are expecting you." He said and let her hand go, reluctantly.
Zahra couldn't stop looking up. She had never seen anything like Erebor, though she had heard stories since she could remember. Prince Fili was handsome, which she had not heard, and she was even more nervous than before, which was very nervous indeed.
As she following Prince Fili through the halls, again she could only look around her in awe. The intricately carved stone, the system of staircases that rose at all levels above them, all the other dwarves looking at her as she went. She remembered Princess –Queen Ila—she corrected herself, of course. Ila was the most beautiful dwarf anyone had laid eyes on in years, and she had grown up wondering what it must be like to be her. She had never waited on Ila, that was Dwala's role, but she had grown to know Ila's mother the queen since her own mother served her for many years. She hoped that Ila was as kind and gracious as her mother, and that she would do a good job in pleasing her.
Had she been there for any other reason, she imagined she could be taken with the prince that led her through the Mountain, but the last thing she wanted for the Queen to think was that she was anything less than honorable. Arriving in Erebor only to been seen a flirt would bring horrible dishonor on her family, and she kept her eyes on the Mountain, not on its fair haired prince.
They came into the throne room then and it took Zahra's breath from her lungs. Dangerous looking as it was beautiful, her eyes quickly fixed on the centerpiece of the room, the arkenstone.
The legendary king's jewel was prominently displayed above the throne itself, its king staring back at her below it.
King Thorin was what had been described to her. Old enough to be his wife's father, but still attractive. Some grey streaked his hair but it did not detract from him and he was certainly not infirm. He exuded absolute power, but his expression was not a cold one. The raven crown sat on his head and his hand that rested on the arm of his throne held his wife's.
Queen Ila was more beautiful than Zahra remembered. Motherhood had made her radiant, much like the spectacular blue diamonds that draped her neck. Next to Ila stood Dwala, much as Zahra remembered her too, holding the princess.
It had not been a great disappointment in the Iron Hills that Ila's first born was a female. The odds for a male were practically certain the next time around, and Ila had proven extremely fertile in getting with child almost immediately. And princesses were important too, especially in alliances as Ila had proven with her marriage to Thorin. The baby was as perfect as her mother, which didn't surprise Zahra at all.
As she and Fili came to a stop in front of the royals, he bowed and formerly presented her. Zahra noticed that Thorin's thumb lightly passed over Ila's knuckles in gentle strokes, and that Ila cast adoring eyes on her husband. King Thorin had been rumored to be melancholy and cantankerous, but the two were obviously happy with one another. That is well, Zahra thought. Serving a happy couple had to be easier than serving one at odds.
It was Zahra's turn to step forward now, curtseying as low as she could manage.
"Your highnesses," she said and held her pose.
"Rise," Thorin's deep voice came and Zahra rose to meet their eyes.
"Welcome to Erebor. We trust your journey was safe." Thorin continued.
"Yes, my king. Thank you." Zahra timidly replied.
"And you are ready and willing to accept the duties for which you have come? You understand, you will be in the keeping of what I treasure most." Thorin said with a kind face, but Zahra could not miss how very serious he was. She saw Ila squeeze his hand as she spoke and could feel Dwala's eyes fixed hard on her.
"Yes my king, I shall be utterly devoted to your family and the service of them." She answered earnestly.
"Very well then." Thorin said and actually smiled. "We hope you will be happy here. Perhaps you will even desire to stay once your duties are complete."
Zahra smiled and nodded. With that Ila let go of her husband's hand and walked towards her, placing a hand on her back to turn her towards the door.
"Let us get started then," she said with a genuine smile that put Zahra a bit at ease. "Dwala wishes to devote herself to her own little one as soon as she may."
Dwala followed with Thora and the four left the room, Thorin and Fili watching.
"She seems she will do," Fili observed.
"We will see. She appears afraid which is a good sign." Thorin replied.
After a moment he continued, "And she is not unfair….not as fair as my Queen of course but a fair maid…" he said and looked at Fili who didn't notice because he was still watching the door where she had disappeared.
Thorin made a noise and Fili looked to him a bit startled. "Well, of course she is not nearly as beautiful as Ila—" Fili answered, missing the message Thorin was trying to convey.
"Of course not, but you miss my meaning."
"Oh….you like her for someone then? Kili perhaps?"
"No." Thorin answered decidedly.
Fili looked down, finally grasping his uncle's meaning.
"I don't have time for that sort of thing, and besides—"
Fili was interrupted by Thorin laughing loudly. He looked to his uncle who slapped the arm rest on his throne.
"I am a king! With more worries and less time than you, yet I must have a wife, as all dwarves should. Trust me, they are worth it."
Fili blushed a little and thought of how ridiculous he must have sounded.
"Well, you are right of course uncle. But you know as well as I do that as soon as she lays eyes on Kili—"
"Enough of that. Any maid would be enormously lucky to have you. Besides, maids marry who they're ordered to. Not who they want to."
"Uncle, she just arrived here! And I could never let a maid marry me if she didn't want to…" Fili protested.
Thorin waved a great hand at him. "I am getting ahead of myself, I know. It was thinking out loud." Thorin smiled at his oldest nephew and rose to give him a great slap on the back, making Fili rock on his feet.
"Come on, let's see if there are any cookies in the kitchen. I'm not going to make it till supper."
A/N: Yes cookies, because we all know dwarves love cookies. Even kings.
Imladriss. I did not find anything you said to be rude! Thank you for your kind review. I have brown hair and eyes too actually, but I think that combination can be extraordinary despite how common it may be. I mean we are in the company of Nina Dobrev, Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, etc (though I sadly do not resemble Natalie Portman...).
I have been trying to go for variety on the appearance of my female characters here…Ila is a dark brunette, Zahra a lighter one, Dwala is blonde, Asta had red hair, etc…to make it more believable and provide some range. Hopefully that is coming across.