Here is another chapter. I know they are very spread out, but I want to make sure I keep them far enough apart until the next movie comes out. I don't wanna have to use the book like I did with my last story, so bare with me!
They followed me like they were third graders about to see dinosaurs at a museum. It was the cutest thing. We slowly passed by many paintings of the war against Sauron, all telling tales about what had occurred.
I stopped in front of one and turned to look at the three of them. She smiled to the three of them, who waited patiently for me to begin. The Durin brothers took to looking about the elvish sculptures and artifacts, while Bilbo stood close to a painted wall, his eyes going over the intricate artwork.
I cleared my throat and began.
"Three thousand years ago, during the Second Age. The war of The Last Alliance began with the elves and men coming together in response to the increasing power of the Dark Lord Sauron..." Just saying his name gave me the heebie jeebies.
I noticed that the name caused Fili to freeze...like something had clicked or he realized something horrific. His face was almost white, but he quickly shook his head and put up a pretense that he was looking at some paintings...but his eyes were glazed over in thought. Regardless of it being twilight, I could still see his sham.
"The Dark Lord terrorized all in Middle Earth, even dwarves. Orcs were ordered to give them as much grief as possible, which caused dwarves to join the force as well." I continued without looking at them. Keeping my composure would be difficult, but I let my eyes rest on the painting.
"The army marched onto the Black Gate. The High King, Elendil, of the Dunedain brought a host of of Numenor while Gil-galad, the last High King of Noldor, brought with him elves. Whilst traveling over the misty mountain they were joined by the dwarves of Moria, who was led by Durin IV." That would certainly get the attention of any dwarf.
"The first attack on Mordor was the Battle of Dagorlad, where The Last Alliance breached the Black Gate. It took them several months to finally get through. Sauron, with his defeated army, pulled back to Barad-dur. With a swelling victory fresh in the air, the Last Alliance invaded the lands of Mordor, hoping to seize the Dark Tower during Saurons' time of weakness..."
"And did they?" Bilbo loved hearing stories. It was the excitement in his voice that gave that bit of information away.
"Eventually...but it was seven years before Sauron was defeated."
"They fought for seven years!?" Bilbo was dumbstruck.
"It's not unheard of lad. Dwarves have fought years against orcs in fierce battles, remember?" Fili was putting in his two cents while he made himself comfortable against a wall. Kili and him brought out their pipes to relax while they listened in on the story.
I gave them a small smile. What they said was true. Many great battles are normally fought for years. I cleared my throat and stood next to Bilbo, lacing my arm around him to lead him down the hall a bit.
"In any case, in the last year, when the dark army was beginning to wain, Sauron himself came out from his tower. His mighty weapon and power could destroy dozens of men with one swing. He killed many...His appearance was the end for Gil-galad and Elendil. Both died trying to defeat Sauron by themselves."
I brought Bilbo over to a statue that was placed opposite to a painting showing a depiction of Isildur taking up the great sword Narsil to defeat Sauron.
"As Elendil fell, his sword Narsil was shattered beneath him. It's jagged pieces laid on the black ground of Mordor, mocking our effort against the Dark Lord..."
Fili and Kili had followed us with their pipes in hand. They lazily watched as I turned to glance behind us where the painting was.
"It was Isildur, who ran to his fathers' aid...but was too late to save him. His father was gone, leaving him as High King. Sauron would have killed him as well...had it not been for Isildur picking up the broken Narsil and slicing off The Ring of Power from Sauron. With the ring no longer in Saurons' possession, his body could no longer sustain itself and his body broke...Sauron was no more. The tower of Barad-dur fell and the darkness that had spread through the land disappeared with the defeat of the Dark Lord."
There was a pregnant pause, as though they were taking in the information."What happened to the ring?"
I blinked and looked down at Bilbo, who was apparently full of questions today. I let out a sigh and looked back at the painting. My eyes rested on Isildur, who I knew was not really the hero he was made out to be. Sure, he did indeed take the ring from Sauron...but it was only going to delay the battle that would soon be taking place.
"Isildur kept the ring instead of destroying it...He died at the hands of an orc ambush years later...and the ring was lost to the world."
Bilbo was quiet for a moment, before asking another question. He must enjoy story much more than I had thought. "Why did he not destroy the ring if it was so evil? Why keep it?"
Good question. Once again I looked down at Bilbo, giving him a sad smile.
"The race of Men can be weak, Bilbo. They are easily swayed with the prospect of power."
"They're not as strong minded as us dwarves, that's for sure." I let out a snort at Kilis' opinion. He obviously knew little of the world outside of their tight nit community Thorin had created for them.
Turning my head to the brothers who were now sitting on the steps to the Narsil sword, I frowned at them. How could Kili say something like that without looking right next to him where his brother was fighting off whatever was going on inside of him? Weakness was something all males could relate to. There was always something there to tempt them into their darkest desires.
I let out a sigh and looked back to the painting of Isildur and Sauron. Both men found were once good...until power reared its ugly head, bringing them into submission and pulling apart their humility. My body had a mind of its own, taking the steps to the painting until I was face to face with its oils and colors. My fingers touched the smoothed out paint that had been dried for centuries. How it managed to last this long without disintegration was a secret the elves probably kept to themselves.
There was something inside me that was fighting as I slid my hand from Isildur, the fool who kept the ring, to Sauron, the monster who wanted to destroy all with it. As my fingers touched the dark figure of Sauron, I recalled how much he had changed. He was once fair, caring, and only wanted to learn...but he slowly turned into this creature who no longer resembled the Maiar she had once been so deeply in love with.
Whatever was fighting within my soul snapped suddenly, causing a dull ache in my chest. It intensified into a sharp pain that stabbed my very heart. Without realizing, I had begun crying. The wet tears slid down my cheek, leaving a trail of sorrow upon my face.
All the anxieties and pain that had been my life was coming full circle. It had shaped my hatred and fear. Had made me scared and alone. I was hurt.
Perhaps it had started with Aule. Even after he created me with Yavanna, he was not satisfied with the way it had turned out. I was a female...and not the warrior he had wanted. Then there was Mairon, who had deceived me and broke my heart until I had nothing left. That was probably why Aule gave me the training I so desperately needed. I was in the right state of mind to learn as much as I could so that I could destroy the monster Sauron was becoming.
How easy it was for my father to give into my every desires then. Before he ignored me, leaving me to only learn what my mother was able to show me. But when my heart was shattered, he saw the opportunity to teach me all that I would need to fight.
Then when the elves and dwarves were awakened, I was swiftly set aside from my father's life so that he may teach the dwarves his will. I knew he loved me, but the only way I would find out how able I was, I would need to leave Valinor. It had worked...I had been through many battles and learned the secrets of the world.
Through out the Year of the trees and First Age, I was at the every wakening call of those who needed help against the darkness of Melkor, but as Sauron was added into the mix...it made the reality of his treachery all the more hurtful.
As Emi, I was the fierce and terrible warrior. Thankfully my mother and father were able to give me exactly what I needed, without me really realizing it, to become great. The anger I felt for my father had settled into an understanding that I didn't need him to show me the way. All I needed was myself. So I got it. To be the child of a Valar meant that I would not need them to survive.
The centuries took their toll on me. I enveloped myself in a shell that would not be opened. It was easy to hide myself within the dwarven populace. They were easy to get along with. Food and drink kept them happy, but what drew me away from them was the thought of how much pride they brought Aule...and how they were always going on about precious metals. It was the obsession with jewels, diamonds, gold, silver, and all the digging. It was infuriating and frustrating. They always kept to themselves, hiding in their caves and mountains. The only reason they gave me any time of day was because I was the child of Aule, their maker. I was a god to them. So I was treated like one.
It was after I left that I found myself in the comfort of elves. They knew who I was and were far more humble than greedy dwarves...though I did miss all the celebrations ...and overeating. It was a far less rambunctious life. Lindon was a safe haven...and Elrond was an elf that brought me great happiness. His friendship gave me the comfort I needed to release the hold I had on my heart. If only a little.
Hundreds of years were spent in the presence of elves...though I kept to myself in order to learn all I could from my surroundings. I was not a people-person. I hated politics and the notation that I was supposed to be a leader because I was the construct of a Valar coupling.
I was more than happy to put all my effort in to destroying everything Sauron was working hard to corrupt. I thought it would show him I was not some little girl who ran to him when I was upset. No, I was a warrior who would stop at nothing to do exactly what he did to me when he left me for Melkor and his darkness. Break him.
After Imladris had been settled, I was the happiest I had been in a long time...even though we were setting up for war. I had seen so much death in those following years. Too much for any normal person...but I wasn't normal...And then the war. I wish I had really seen how it ended...
When I died at the hands of Sauron...I was a void. A hole that would never be filled with happiness or love. I died hating him and fearing my own demise.
That was when my new life began. The daughter of a wealthy politician...or business man...or...I couldn't even remember what my parents in the future had done. I didn't even remember their names. I could barely place their faces in my memory. I just remember always disappointing them.
Then...Oliver. How he made me love him and just like Sauron, he abused my love and took what he could get. I died again. My soul wandering the void once again...until something brought me back before I could be pushed further into the future waiting for the correct body to become my vessel.
Strange how I could remember my life as Emi, but as Emma...it was so quick compared to the centuries I had lived before. Maybe that's why.
What was even stranger was that I could remember Oliver so well. Every detail. I remembered meeting him for the first time. I recall every time he would pop up unexpectedly to capture my attention. Even the little moments that made me fall for him. The days spent wondering how our lives would end up. Would we marry? Have children?
But that all changed when he came over that night. He was acting so out of character. Why would he do something so aggressive? Why would he hurt me when he spoke of how much he loved me? His eyes had been so dark...
My eyes widened in sudden realization. I snatched my hand away from the painting of Sauron. Had this all been Saurons' doing? Had he summoned me from the dead, between space and time, to bring me to Middle Earth once again?
When I took a step away from the wall, I backed into someone. Large hands grasped my shoulders carefully. I turned quickly to gaze upon Filis' face.
THIRD PERSON POV
Fili, Kili, and Bilbo had watched silently as Emma had placed a hand on the wall...and without any explanation as to what happened, she began crying. The three of them sat there uncomfortably while she sniffled quietly to herself. Slowly Fili and Kili stood up, feeling awkward just sitting there and letting her cry. Bilbo had made no move to comfort her. He seemed to believe she needed time to be alone without the interruption of a male to dampen her mood further.
Fili had taken the first steps toward her when Kili grabbed his arm to stop him. There was a silent agreement that perhaps it wasn't the best idea to go to her aid this time.
Fili and Kili were about to turn away when Emma abruptly gasped and pulled her hand from the wall. She had turned to stone, not making any other sound or moving from the spot she had been planted in.
He could no longer let her be. Something was upsetting her and he would see to it that she would not have to deal with it on her own...regardless of what his brain was telling him. Fili would never bypass a distraught woman...not one that he cared about.
Quickly ducking Kilis' arm he walked briskly to Emma, but as he came upon her she took a small step back, bumping into him. When he placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her, the braid on her head almost hit him in the face when she swung to see who had touched her.
Her cheeks were covered in wet tears. It was heartbreaking to see her cry. Certainly he had seen it before...but after recent events, it brought great pain to his heart.
"What has upset you?" Filis' voice was soft while his eyes told her just how concerned he was.
Her wide green eyes stared at him in and her mouth opened slightly, but any words she wanted to say stopped with her trembling lips.
Emma had just realized the same thing that happened to Oliver was beginning to happen to Fili...
She cared for him, yes, but she also cared for Bilbo..and Kili..
Oh Aule, please no. This is not happening. Not again. Emma was almost in tears again.
She had come to the realization that somehow Sauron had got to Oliver, making him do exactly what he wanted...and when Oliver tried to kill her. It was how Sauron was going to bring her back. Get into the heart of someone she loved, have them kill her, then bring her back...his only set back was that he didn't expect her to fight back and kill Oliver.
And now he would destroy all that she cared for once again in order to get to her. For what reason she did not know. Probably just to make her pathetic existence of a life seem like a living hell.
Her eyes moved from Fili to Kili. Kili was someone who watched over her since the day they met. His eyes were always on her. Emma was happy to know he would always be there for her. Sure she loved him, but she had a sneaking suspicion that he loved her a bit more than she did him. Men just weren't something she wanted to deal with right now...and yet here they all were.
But...not for long. The brothers would die at the mountain. All because of her. This was turning into a totally different situation. It was no longer about the Erebor or Smaug...No longer about Thorin or even the gold inside the mountain. This was about Sauron and Emma.
Emma turned her green eyes back to the haunting blue eyes of Fili. It took all of her will power not to cry and throw herself into his arms. Instead she brought her hands up and placed them on the side of his face.
Filis' eyes widened in surprised confusion. Emmas' lips trembled as she gazed up at him. The fear of losing him washed over her. It was very unexpected.
Kili was as confused by what Emma was doing as his brother. He furrowed his eyebrows and took a step forward.
"Emma what are you doing?" Kilis' voice made no difference to Emma. She stared at Fili with the same intensity as before, then she slowly took a step toward him, bringing herself closer. Kilis' heart stopped beating for a second before jealousy bubbled in his gut. He could do little to stop what he thought was going to happen.
Poor Fili was frozen in place. He only stood there in shock as he watched Emma move closer, her arms slid passed his face to wrap around his neck. Emma pushed herself against Fili, hugging him as tight as she could.
Fili had no idea what was happening. What was equally frustrating was that he had no idea what to do with his hands. He wanted nothing more than to wrap her up in his arms and carry her away, but after what he had talked about with Kili, he knew that would be unwise. He took a quick glance to his younger sibling, who looked like he was about to pop a vein. Fili only shrugged and shook his head to Kili., who only shifted uncomfortably and looked away from him with a loud sigh.
Fili turned his head back to Emma. Her hair was the only thing in his peripheral. She didn't seem like she was going to let up any time soon and with the sniffle he heard coming from his neck, he could tell she needed some sort of comfort.
The blonde dwarf was about to put his arms around the distraught girl when her voice stopped him.
"I will do everything in my power to keep you alive..." It was a soft whisper, but he heard it plain as day.
His eyebrows pinch together. What was she talking about? How could she protect them when she could barely protect herself...or maybe...she saw something in a vision. She was their seer after all.
"What are you on about?" Fili asked as he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her from his body.
She was surprised that Fili would pull her away so abruptly. Emma gasped and looked up at the now upset Fili.
Still gripping her shoulders, Fili shook them almost violently. "What did you see!?" Fili shouted the question at her.
Emma blinked. What the hell was he talking about? She didn't see anything. Oh. Wait. She was supposed to be a seer.
She shook her head and pulled herself from his grip. "I didn't see anything!"
"Then why would you say that?" Fili took a step closer to her, still believing she saw something that she really didn't...but he wasn't too far from the truth. She had knowledge that Kili and him would die, but she was not going to tell them that.
"I said it because it is the truth! I will not let anything happen to you!..." There was a small awkward pause. Emma completely forgot Bilbo and Kili was still there. She took a quick glance to them then back to Fili who was stunned by her declaration. "I would not let anything happen to any of you..."
"Miss Emma, what is going on? Why are you so upset?" Bilbo stepped forward, confused by all of this sudden tension.
EMMA POV
I should have just shut up. Why the hell did I even say anything? It was only making this worse. I had just come back to all of them. Out of that stupid room. Out of my shell. Now I was shutting down once again. It seemed that my sorrows were never ending. I'd close one door of sadness only to open another and find myself deeper than I had been before.
I shook my head and tuned away from them, wiping my tears as I did so.
"Nothing Bilbo. Nothing is going on. I'm just...tired and emotional." I turned to him with a rather fake smile, one that I could only muster with the last bit of courage I had left in me. "You know...girly stuff."
The look on Bilbo's face told me he didn't believe a word that was coming out of my mouth. Who could blame him? I had just had a mini melt down right in front of them. They must think I'm mental. I was starting to feel like a bi-polar. I had never had this many emotions running through my body at once and I could only blame the memories of my former life that kept interrupting that happy Emma I had once been.
"It's not nothing. What did you mean by all of that?" Fili stepped closer, his voice low, but had hints of concern.
I let out a shaky sigh and started to walk away from them. I had to stop getting myself all worked up about this. Or at least I couldn't show them I was struggling with the little string of sanity I had left. I would have kept going, had the infamous Fili not grabbed hold of my arm roughly, causing me to turn with narrowed eyes. He was not going to let this go. His angered expression alone told me I would have to explain my outburst. He must have thought I truly saw something that related to them...but it wasn't a vision. What I knew was going to happen made it all the more clear to me that I was either going to have to fight with all that I had...or push them away so the pain would not be as great.
"Do not walk away from me. Explain yourself." His voice was firm. It held assertiveness that I had never heard from him before. His grip only tightened as the words came from his mouth.
My eyes met his, most likely displaying the sadness that was hiding behind them, because his eyes softened and his gripped lessened.
"Fili, I meant nothing by it. I swear. I just worry..." My voice was weak with mental exhaustion. I had little energy to fight him right now.
"Brother, don't be so rough with her." Kili to the rescue! The brown haired dwarf walked over to us and placed a firm hand on Fili's shoulder. Fili shook his hand off and went back to staring me down.
"Don't Kili. She knows something. She just wont tell us." Can't fool this dwarf. Obviously he was much smarter than I gave most dwarves credit for.
Kili seemed to value the opinion of his older brother more than taking me at my word. He eyed me suspiciously and crossed his arms over his chest.
Anxiety set in and I tried to pull my arm away, but Fili once again tightened his grip and pulled me toward him as I took a step to get away.
"Emma, you need to tell us. What did you see?" Though I was fighting to get away from him, he was calmly holding onto my arm, knowing I would not be able to get out of his grasp.
"Fili you're hurting me. Please, let go.." I was practically whimpering. His hold on me was starting to scare me. I was not going to tell him what I knew could happen to them if I didn't fight to save them. If I told them, something else could shift and I could make things worse.
"Now see here, you're scaring her! Let Miss Emma go!" Bilbo was trying to defend me...though he made little attempt to intervene. He was not cut out for fighting, but his outburst had the two dwarves looking at him as though telling him to shut it...which he did with a cough and a shuffle of his feet.
As the two dwarves looked at Bilbo, Fili made the crucial mistake of loosening his grip, giving me to perfect opportunity to bolt. I quickly pulled my arm down and away from him, forcing it out of his grip. The move brought their attention back to me, but I was already turning on my heels, picking up my dress, and running down the corridor.
"Emma stop!" I heard Fili call out and the thudding of heavy boots chasing after me.
I ran as fast as I could. My feet almost tripped me up with this terrible slippers I was wearing. When I rounded a corner, I managed to kick them off. The feel of my bare feet against the stone floors made it much easier to get away. I could barely hear their footsteps as I continued to run down the open halls. The moonlight cast my shadow on the walls, as though it was chasing after me as well. My breathing quickened while my feet carried me away from the confrontation between the Durin brothers and myself.
I turned to look back, seeing no one behind me, and the moment I glanced back to see where I was running, I ran straight into Gandalf.
"My goodness Emma! You nearly knocked me over!" Gandalf was quick enough to catch me in his arms to soften the collision.
I was breathing so hard and I probably looked a mess, but boy was I glad to see him. I almost collapsed in his arms and wrapped myself around him with relief. Gandalf pat my head softly and chuckled at how silly I must have been acting. A clearing of a throat told me he was not alone.
I looked over his arm to see Thorin, Balin, and Elrond standing there looking at us.
"Why are you running? I do recall telling you it was unsafe to run about these halls did I not?" Elronds smirk eased me slightly.
"Which is exactly why I was running, to spite you." I said in between heavy pants as I tried to catch my breath.
The comment brought a laugh from Thorin. He obviously thought any joke at an elf's expense was worth enjoying. Elrond, however, only raised an eyebrow with that smirk still present on his face.
"At any rate, I am glad we ran into you. Not literally, but we were looking for you." Gandalf said as he steadied me to stand on my own.
Running my hands though my hair to push the wild strands away, I looked at him with a hint interest. "And why would you be looking for me?"
"You were the one to tell us about the moon runes. So I though it was only fair that we tell you what it said on it." Gandalf explained with an impish smile.
I raised an eyebrow at him. " But I already know what it says..." Straightening my dress out I recited what I knew it said under the moonlight. "Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole...or at least I'm pretty sure that's what it said."
"What?" Thorin did not sound happy about that. Me and my big fucking mouth. "Why did you not just tell us!? Now the elves know of our journey!"
Thorin's glare was one I was more than familiar with. He had taken a single step forward. I can only assume that he was trying to look as menacing as possible. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a butter knife. He didn't even seem to care that Elrond was standing right behind them.
Seriously. Why was he always yelling at me?
I threw my hands in the air in frustration and didn't even bother taking the bait. I just walked away with a huff, my dress making a whoosh sound as I turned away swiftly.
"Emma where on earth are you going?" Gandalf asked.
"Away from all of these damn dwarves!" I should have just punched that asshole in the face again. They were getting under my skin in the worst of ways. I was trying very hard to get back into the company's good graces so I could save them from their stupidity...but now I was having second thoughts.
"Wait! My Lady, Thorin didn't mean it.." Balin's voice stopped me in my tracks. Not once had he called me My Lady...and I had a sneaking suspicion that he was only calling me that now because of the epiphany he must have head earlier.
I turned slowly to look over to the four of them. Thorin looked at Balin strangely. He probably was very confused as to why Balin was trying to apologize for him...and why he called me so formally. Balin took a few steps toward me with a warm smile on his face.
"He can be forgetful sometimes when under stress. He especially forgets that you are a seer and can not help when your visions come..." Balin was covering for me.
A smirk crept onto my face. Thank Aule for Balin! He was beginning to be quite the ally.
"It's alright Balin. This journey is stressful for us all...I just find it to be equally frustrating when my abilities seem to be thrown back into my face." I made it a point to look straight at Thorin as I said that.
Thorin seemed to shift uncomfortably. Hopefully he was feeling like a complete arse. Before anything else could be said, Gandalf interrupted.
"Indeed, it can be quite overwhelming Emma, but I must insist that you go to bed for the night. We have a long day tomorrow.." He said it like he was trying to tell me something.
That mischievous look in his eyes that told me I was in for a rather strange day when I woke up. The premise in his gaze caused me to eye him wearily. I didn't know whether to just ask him outright what he meant...or if I should run away. That seemed to work pretty well for me so far. My eyes traveled from the gray wizard to my old elf-friend. Elrond showed little emotion to the comment, but I was sure he knew exactly what Gandalf was talking about.
"Okay? I guess I'll be going to bed then..." Even though I was still very uncomfortable with whatever the wizard had in mind, I gave them all a little curtsy, one that probably made them feel as awkward as I did. It was returned with a bow from all except Thorin, who barely nodded his head.
Did he think all were below him? I seriously wanted to knock him out, but of course that would cause more problems than it was worth.
So I stuck my tongue out at him and briskly walked away. I'm sure his reaction was to run after me for being so rude to a King, but I heard Balin give a quick "Let her go.."
This round goes to Emma! I gave myself a mental pat on my back and continued with my head held high.
I had made it half way down the hall...when I remembered that I was walking back the way I had just come from. I glanced back to see that Gandalf, the two dwarves, and Elrond were no longer standing where I left them. That left me alone...and if I ran into Fili or Kili again, I might have to deal with another game of cat and mouse.
"Damn it.."
Turning back to the darkened hall, I felt a very eery sense of foreboding. My room was back in that direction...but so were the two Durin brothers, unless they had given up looking for me.
Let's hope that was true, because I was not going to take the long way around. With a loud sigh I glided down the hall. At every turn, staircase, and hall I took back to my room, I became more and more aware than I was being watched. I was already on edge with the afterthought of one of the brothers jumping out from a dark corridor to capture, take me prisoner, and get the truth from me by force. Now there was some unseen energy giving me the heeby jeebies.
Thankfully my room was not too far off and when I rounded a pillar, the hall that led straight to my room was just ahead. I wiped my brow and began the last part of my venture to the hall. With each step, it felt like the hall was getting farther and farther away. My footsteps echoed in the open corridor, sounding as though it was mixing in with another set of steps. My anxiety kicked in and I felt like I couldn't breath. I was almost positive there was no one around me, but I could also feel someone as though they were right there. Watching me.
I ran for the room. I wasn't going to give anyone the opportunity to catch me off guard and the safety of my room would be my only hope. Because there was a lock. The idea of a lock seemed pointless, but it felt like the only safety I could require at this point. There was no one around to come to my aid if something or someone was to attack me in the hall. I mean, sure, they were hear me scream bloody murder, but by the time they would have come to the rescue I would be chopped liver.
The mad dash to my room was a quiet victory. I swung the door open and slammed it shut, throwing the deadbolt into place. My hands still plastered on the wooden door, I leaned forward to see if I could hear anyone. Fortunately I could hear was the pounding of my heart in my ears. A few silent moments later, I pushed myself away from the door and sighed in relief. I was safe.
Then as I looked toward the door, I began to laugh. It was so dumb of me to get scared over absolutely nothing. This was Imladris. The enemy would never be able to find its way into an elvish home without being spotted. Boy did I feel like a git.
I went to back up another step from the door when a arm from behind me passed by my side and settled against the wooden door. I turned with a loud gasp, ready to fight whoever it was, but the body I was now facing came closer, pushing me against the door and placing another arm on the other side of me. I was trapped. My eyes tried to find the face in the darkness, but I could only see an outline. I wanted to scream, but the face of the culprit came too close for comfort, bring his or hers face dangerously close to mine.
"Now you will tell me."
God dammit, Fili.
My fear turned to anger and I tried to push him away, but it was like pushing a mountain. He barely budged.
"I should kill you! Do you have any idea how scared I was!?" I shouted into his face.
He sat there in silence, most likely with a smirk on his face. I became aware almost instantly that he was much to close to me. It reminded me of the night in that small hall...when he pinned me against the wall and..
Okay shut up, shut up, shut up.
I shook my head and became as rigid as a board.
"Why are you in my room?" My voice was not as confident as I wanted it to sound.
"You ran so fast we couldn't catch up...so I came to the one place I knew you would have to return to at some point. Now are you going to answer me or am I going to have to shake it out of you?"
I tried glaring at him through the darkness, but it was likely that he was just as blind as I was. The only source of light was from the moonlight that was being blocked off by my heavy curtains.
"Why do you think I am lying? I just wanted to inform you that I would help to make sure you would all live when this was over." I tried my hardest to play it off as such.
Fili wasn't buying it. "You are a terrible liar, Emma. If you had seen what I saw in your eyes...You know something." He pushed me further into the door to emphasize that I was not getting away until I told him what he wanted to hear.
"I just want to protect you all-"
"Don't lie to me. You can barely protect yourself, much less the rest of the company. Do you not recall how we managed to get here in the first place? How you were wounded so badly you were unconscious for days? You, little Emma, are not capable of protecting anything...You're not even in control of your seer abilities." His voice was rough and full of irritation.
Ouch. That fucking hurt. I was agape in shock. He pretty much said I was useless. My anger started to bubble and I took a step forward, getting nose to nose with him. What happened to the sweet, polite Fili that I had become fond of? Now he was just acting like a bastard.
"So all I'm good for is a quick romp in the sack?" The question caught him off guard. I only knew this because he stopped breathing. He knew I was referring to the incident a few days ago...not to mention the time I caught him with that barmaid. He was just a big tool.
After a few calculating moments, he pushed me back to the door and leaned in further. His voice was menacing, almost enough to convince me he was in charge of this situation.
"Do not change the subject. You know what that was and I will make not plea for your forgiveness. Not again. Now tell me what you know."
I laughed in his face and folded my arms over my chest. "Go to hell." I wasn't going to tell him a damn thing. Not after insulting me like that.
Apparently laughing in his face was the worst possible reaction I could have given him.
In a flash I was grabbed by the shoulder and pulled away from the door. Fili spun me to the wall next to us and slammed me against it, causing a small sconce to fall off its hinges and clank against the floor. It wasn't a hard enough shove to cause me discomfort, but it startled me enough to get my attention. He was dead serious about this.
"Fili..."
"No Emma. You need to tell me. If something bad is going to happen to our friends...my brother...Thorin...you need to tell me. This isn't about you and me right now." His voice was desperate and shaky. Even his hands trembled upon my shoulders as he held me in place.
Had I really looked so distraught when I embraced him? I must have...but I couldn't bring myself to tell him that he was supposed to die. That Thorin, Kili, and him were all supposed to perish in that battle...
"Fili I will only give you what I can.." There was no way I could tell him. I couldn't. I had made the decision long ago that I would change the course of this journey in their favor. If my presence here already changed minor details, my full interaction may cause the probability of them dying to shift.
My mouth felt dry and my skin started to sweat with my sudden nervousness. I was about to do something I may or may not regret. If it made him forget about this whole thing, I would do it.
In the darkness I felt my way up to his chest. My fingers tingled as I brushed the the rough material of his shirt. He was not fully dressed for battle like they normally were. He wore a cotton shirt that tied at his chest, which was conveniently left untied. I pushed myself further and brought my hand to his bare chest, shivering when he tensed against my touch. His chest was as hairy as you'd think a dwarf would be. The skin beneath my fingers was hot to the touch, building a fire inside me that hitch my breath in my throat. Heat ran to my cheeks as I blushed. What I was doing was completely foreign to me, but I knew how I made him feel. It was an advantage to this suffocating situation.
"Emma.." Fili whispered my name, sounding unsure of what was happening while at the same time warning me to stop.
His grip on my shoulders let up slightly, enough for me to move forward as I slide a careful hand up to his face where I was met with more hair. His beard was thick and coarse. I had to admit that I didn't mind it so much...especially when it was tickling my face; something I remembered from our intimate rendezvous in that small space. Underneath all that beard was skin that I knew was just as warm as my own.
My other hand came up to the other side of his face to keep him from moving away. I wanted him right there. Right where I could make him forget about it...just long enough to find a better answer for what he wanted. I tried to move my body closer when Fili's hands slide up my arms and he stepped back to try and keep me from distracting him.
"Emma no. You don't want to do this.."
Maybe I didn't. Of course that was my brain talking. My body on the other hand was aching to have a second go at the dwarf who had taken the very world from my mind and took me to a place of pure excitement.
"You don't know what I want." I wasn't going to take no for an answer. I took a step forward, one that was aggressive and determined.
"Stop this. You will not distract me from what I have come for." Fili pulled my hands down gently, a contradiction to his angry voice.
"I'm not distracting you Fili. I'm giving you exactly what you want." It wasn't a lie.
She knew he wanted her, but it was a question of whether she felt the same way that was getting in the way. She still wasn't sure. Men were not on the top of her list, but she also remembered how stupid men can be when a pretty woman bats an eyelash and pays them a bit of attention. That was exactly what I was going for with this.
"Stay with me tonight.." My words must have brought him out of his stubbornness and he was practically fumbling over his words at the suggestion I had thrown his way.
" Wait! What..Stop!" Fili almost tripped over the small end table next to the door as he tried to move away. So now he was going to be shy was he? So much for mister big and bad.
The tables were obviously turned and when I pushed him against the very door he had trapped me at earlier, he had little choice in the matter. My hands slipped around his neck and I grasped the back of his head with a fistful of hair in my hand.
"You can't! Emma we shou-" His final plea to stopped when I pulled his head down to mine and crashed our lips together.
He responded immediately. Not giving a second thought to the intimacy I was giving him. The kiss was hungry and feverish, pulling him away from his worries almost instantly as he melded into my arms. I felt his strong arms wrap around my midsection. It was obvious he had wanted this for so long. The way he desperately kissed my breath away proved that.
I gave a soft whimper, one that surprised me to no end. I was enjoying myself far too much in this kiss. Yes I was familiar with his -cough- body and mouth, but this was completely different. There wasn't he sense of someone else being there. It was just him. Just Fili.
He held me against him and nibbled on my bottom lip, begging me to let him in. I gave into him instantly. Our tongues clashed together in a fierce battle, one that he would surely win.
I wasn't sure how long we stayed against there kissing. I honestly had lost all sense of time when I was with him like this. Time and space didn't exist. I was only brought out of my stupor of bliss when the feeling over moving became evident. Fili was leading us toward my bed. My first reaction was to stop him. I didn't want to put us in that situation. It was too soon...
The back of my legs hit the wood frame of the bed and I toppled onto it with Fili. Our lips never left each other as the soft silken blankets engulfed us. His hands started to wander off on their own, finding new places to explore. I felt the brush of a thumb against my breasts and my body betrayed me by letting out a moan.
The verbalization of my approval made him smirk against her mouth. His hands were everywhere at once, his mouth devouring my cheekbone, my jaw, and, delightfully, my throat. It was like I had shot off the gun at the starting point of a hundred meter dash. Intense hunger filled my very core, as though I had been famished for years.
I couldn't see anything in the room, but what I senses I did retain were the best kind. I could hear the rustling of our clothing moving against each other, begging to come off of our bodies so we could receive one another more intimately. His lips smacked as he sucked and kissed the most sensitive skin on my neck. Then there was feeling. Oh god could I feel.
My mind was spinning. Fili had buried his face into my neck, nuzzling lightly before moving down to my collar bone where he nipped at my skin. Threading my fingers through his blonde hair, I held him there, reveling his very touch. A calloused hand moved from my waist and slide down to my leg where it traveled delectably my shin, pulling the long dress up with it. When his fingers brushed my thighs, I inhaled sharply in surprise.
I had no idea I could feel so much at one time. Fili slowly brought his head up from my neck and his hand stopped where it was, hovering over my heated skin. I couldn't see his face...but I knew he was looking down at me.
"Emma...are you sure?" He was concerned for her. Fili was taking this chance to make sure I was ready for this. Any normal guy would have just went for it...or at least that's how I recalled most gits I had met.
I could have taken this moment to say no. To say 'let's just go to sleep' or knock him out and tell him he had too much to drink, passing out on my bed in the process. He wouldn't know the difference. I'd hit him hard enough to make it the truth.
But instead of going with the logical alternative, I grabbed the back of his head and brought it back to my hungering lips. I wanted this as much as he did.
I'd like to tell you that I fought hard to regain my control. That I knew this was a bad idea and had to give in because it would keep him from remembering what I had said...but at that moment, that very second, I wanted him just because I did.
I didn't care what happened. I just wanted him with me. If he waned me after this or not, I didn't care. If it was just for tonight, I would have him and he would have me...because who knows what tomorrow was going to bring them.
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