DISCLAIMER: Let's get this out of the way. I do not own or have any hope of ever owning the characters or happenings of middle earth. They belong to Tolkien and as far as I'm concerned he can keep them. For now. I do however, own my OC, Kidhuzel! So don't steal her. Please, feel free to leave any comments and/or questions that you may have. Follow the story in which ever way you would like, but make your thoughts known but be polite while you do it. Thank you!
~~~~~~~~~~Shishi~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 8
"-with her sharp teeth and all."
"Kili... must you be such a blockhead?"
"Me? Me?! It's her!" throwing his hands up in frustration, the dwarf paces like a caged animal "Everything was fine and then she pops out of the flames like a drunken ember and has been raging around destroying everything in her wake ever since!"
"That's a bit excessive. She's actually very calm-"
"Who's side are you on, brother?!"
"Must you ask?" Fili answers with a shrug
"Nothing is a given with that thing around. You've seen what she's done to Uncle. He practically fawns over her!"
"Oh, he does not."
"Well.. maybe not but still!" letting out a hiss of air, the prince shakes his fists at the sky again "I can't stand that scrawny little kobor*!"
To say Kili dislikes Kidhuzel would be an understatement. The very few interactions he has had with her have been unpleasant and have left an impression on the young dwarf, leading to him talking his brother's ear off whenever he has the chance. It would not be so upsetting to him if she did not take up so much of his uncle's attention. While not a dwarfling anymore Kili, and to an extent Fili as well, craves his uncle's encouragement and support. For the Erebian heirs, this quest is just as much about reclaiming the home they never knew as it is making their king proud. Yet with Kidhuzel's appearance, Thorin's attention has shifted, much to Kili's displeasure. Setting the last pony out to graze, he kicks at the ground, angrily continuing even as his boots become covered with dirt.
"The next time I see her, I'm going to-"
"Hello there."
Nearly jumping out of their skin, the pair turn as one to discover the focus of their conversation standing not ten feet away from them. She appears undisturbed, though neither male can be sure as her face is a shadow behind her hood. She has worn it for the last couple of days, much like the rest of the company what with the rain, but on her it seems almost ominous. Twinkling eyes shimmer back at the boys, alarming them almost to the point of defensiveness.
"Good evening, young miss." Forcing himself into taking on the role of polite gentle-dwarf, since he knows his brother will not, Fili addresses the girl as friendly as he can manage. If he were being honest, Fili would admit his curiosity surrounding the small being. Both the fairer sex and dragons are creatures he has little to no experience with. His mother of course, does not count as he is quite sure she is above average in every way. Ever cautious that Kidhuzel could possibly rip him to shreds, not that he has ever seen her do so, Fili inclines his head to the girl as his manners dictate "Is there something you required our attention for?"
"Not you in particular but rather, your brother." El shifts slightly, knowing that her presence disturbs the pair but it would not suit her well to go against her words with Thorin. She stated that she would smooth things over with the young prince, so smooth them she shall "We exchanged words some nights ago, and they seem to have negatively affected him. His behavior as of late has become increasingly bothersome."
"Bothersome?" Fili looks at the tree tops and physically backs out of the argument he feels is coming. The drake is brutally honest and Kili is as hot headed as he is charismatic when he wants to be "It is you who is bothersome, dragon spawn! I am surprised Thorin hasn't ordered Dwalin to tie you to a tree and leave you there yet."
"I, on the other hand, do not underestimate my bearer's intelligence as you so clearly do." Taking a seat on a fallen log, El shrugs her shoulders indifferently "He knows that mere bindings will not keep me from him and he is wise enough not to waste the rope."
"Why do you follow Thorin?" Fili gently interrogates before his brother can work himself into a right fit. Surely his Uncle would only allow her to sit alone with them if he felt that some information would be imparted "We have all heard your reasons but they are so... temporary."
"... What do you mean?"
"Thorin is king, as you know." the half drake nods her head in agreement, only eyeing the huffy brother slightly "Then you know that one day he may marry. How would your... dedicated actions be expressed if you are unable to stand so closely by his side?"
"You shouldn't stand anywhere near him at all." Kili murmurs under his breath
"This is not what I came to discuss." El is no fool, and immediately catches the change of direction the verbal interaction takes "I am here to obtain a mutual standing between myself and the second heir, Kili."
"Kili will agree to let your conversation slip into the past if you answer our questions."
"I will?" receiving an elbow to the gut, the younger of the two coughs out his agreement "I mean, yes... I will."
"... Alright." thrumming her fingers nails on the wood of the log, El begins to think over an answer "It is unlikely that Thorin will ever marry, as from what I have experienced he does not keep his sexual partners for very long-"
"Wha- I-...?!" Kili gapes at the half drake with his face red as a tomato as Fili coughs into his fist, clearing his throat. Having never thought of their Uncle in such a way, knowing that he has had enough partners to constitute being unwilling to settle down is more than the dwarves wished to know "I mean... more along the lines of duty than... pleasure."
"I see." Kidhuzel looks on in confusion as the young dwarves fidget at what she can only guess pertains to her bearers sexual activities. Why they would find the fact that he engages in such behavior so unspeakable, is a wonder to the girl. Comparing him to the others in the group, her carrier is physically superior in ways of attracting a mate hence it most be the act that they shrink from. Surely the boys know even their own mother must have indulged in the art at least twice, since they do exist. It is natural to do so once one reaches the age of reproduction, something they would have done years prior to this moment "Even more so then."
"Pardon?"
"Thorin has the two of you, lessening his need to continue his line. You both were named his heirs upon your 20th birthdays, respectively."
"How did you-"
"I was there. If Thorin was present, so was I."
"I... imagine that is true. I can understand that you won't truly have a need to plan for a potential wife either." Calming himself and leaning against a young sapling, Fili takes out one of his blades and cuts a thin twig off. Sheering the first layer, he places it in his mouth to chew on "Still you are a dragon-"
"Half."
"... HALF dragon, hence you will undoubtedly outlive him. What will you do once he has passed on?"
"Passed on?"
"Hm. Surely you did not plan to stay with him your whole life, even if you owe him some debt."
"Pass... on..." The words, while not foreign, seem so unfit when describing her bearer. El had never thought of it and why should she have? He has always been by her side, she had assumed he always would be. Something large flickers in the corner of her eye though she pays only enough attention to it to identify it before she continues "You mean if he dies..."
"When, drake." Kili says softly, surprising even himself. He is still angry but the sudden sadness all but dripping from the girl's voice digs up something primal within him to ease her mind. He quickly stomps it out before progressing "Everyone dies someday, even Thorin. Even you. What will you do after your debt is paid."
"... It would seem that you understand nothing."
"Excuse me?" Kili growls with a frown "Have I spoken an untruth suddenly? Even the claimed immortal elves can be killed. Death cannot be escaped, we will all meet it some day. "
"Indeed we do." Using the flat of her finger, the child feels the indents where her claws have clean shaven the bark off the log she sits upon. They have left behind thin pale strips that she shifts to cover. It is strange to her; that she would attempt to hide the destruction from the heirs, lest she frighten them. 'Why should I care?' Still, scratching her nails against each other, El sighs quietly at their power "Time takes us all, but my debt will extend even longer. Never shall it be repaid."
"Why?" The eldest heir knows he is pushing but feels that he is simply too close to discovering a major secret to stop "That you would give your life for it, why can this debt never be repaid?"
"I do not fear my own death. If it would keep my bearer from his, I would meet it gladly." Refusing to answer Fili's prying question, the half drake explains around it. All three persons are aware that she hasn't answered, but none call her on it; her eyes daring the boys to try. El's deepest reasons are not for their prying ears, and she hides them safely in her heart. Clasps her hands tightly; wringing them in distress before calming "And if he asked for me to live forever by his tomb, I would do that too."
The sounds of nature are all that is to be heard as the group rests in silence for a moment, taking in the statements for what they are. Fili comes to the conclusion that Kidhuzel would truly follow Thorin to the ends of time, as frightening as the prospect seems. He fears what would become of the world when his uncle passes on, despite the child's words. Kili, in his own right, swiftly decides that El is an obsessive creature by nature and will be the end of his uncle. Deciding that Thorin will never marry because the drake would never be willing to share him. Kidhuzel thinks on neither angle, instead attempting to coax her abundance of hair into staying hidden in her hood. It has grown along with her aging and is longer than is manageable but she dares not cut it. Her attempt to tame the mass led to more tangles and knots that cause the girl to wince when they snag. Spotting the shadow again, El means to finish the conversation.
"Now, what I came to discuss." Turning to the youngest Durin, she steels her jaw and speaks firmly "Young prince, it was not my desire to upset you."
"Well-"
"I only meant to state a fact."
"And what..." Kili's own jaw works tightly, cracking slightly as Fili chuckles silently "fact would that be?"
"That my eyes are better than yours. Thank you for coming to your senses."
"I wasn't- Your eyes are not better than mine!"
"They are too."
"Are not!"
"Are too."
"ARE NOT!"
"Then why didn't you notice the missing ponies?"
"The missing...?" disrupting the argument by shooting a glance at his brother, Fili turns to do a quick count of the steads. He counts them twice and groans when he comes up short both times. Turning to reprimand Kidhuzel for distracting them, he finds the girl gone. 'This is not good. Not good at all.' Coming to stand beside Kili, the two stare out at the ponies in dismay "Thorin is going to kill us."
"I REALLY can't stand that scrawny little kobor*..."
Leaving behind the floundering boys, Kidhuzel walks back into the camp just as Bilbo makes his way out, carrying three bowls. Upon seeing her, he hands one to the girl before going on his way. Hopefully the brothers will be kind to him but knowing them, Kidhuzel doubts it. They will most likely give him more trouble than he deserves, but she i sure he will learn something from it. Sipping the stew, she muses on how she would have liked to stay with the pair longer but would not allow herself to be blamed for their lapse in judgment. Yes, the girl had seen the large beast in the distance take the two ponies but she was far too distracted by the idea of Thorin's death to warn the brothers. Now, she has to somehow stay away from the welcoming warmth of her bearer until someone comes to warn the group about about the-
"Trolls!" Well, didn't take long
Fili's heavy breathing makes it difficult for him to state a coherent sentence but thankfully the single word is enough. He has half a mind to tell his uncle of the half drakes part but thinks better of it. Yes, her proximity distracted them but at the same time, it was their own fault for allowing her to. That is how Thorin would see it anyway. Hence, for the moment being the heir simply throws the girl a warning glare to remain silent, feeling that she planned to anyway.
"Where is your brother?" Thorin demands to know, tossing Dwalin his axes "And the burglar?"
"Bilbo is trying to free the ponies and Kili is making sure he doesn't get killed doing it." Fili leaves out the part where he and his brother encouraged the hobbit into the choice, saving that for later. Grasping his own dual swords, he gestures toward Kidhuzel "What of her?"
"Kidhuzel..." The girl immediately stands at attention, awaiting an order, almost bringing a smirk to Thorin's face. The need to train her for his uses appears again but he can not risk it at the moment. He doesn't trust her enough with the company, but hopefully his nephews learned something new. Still, if he'd had the time to gage her abilities, he would have liked to take her with them. As of now, for all he knows she could be an additional burden they don't need "Wait for the wizard."
"The wizard." Lifting her nose to the air, she allows Gandalf's scent to fill her nostrils; Smoke and magic, a very odd smell indeed. Easy to follow. Extending her arm in his general direction, she nods "He is to the East of us, going against the wind."
"Good. Stay out of sight."
Finding the command to be an extreme displeasure, El frowns deeply but gives the king an affirmation anyway. As the group disappears into the bushes, Kidhuzel rushes off in the opposite direction with the intention of finding the wizard and bringing him back. It is probably not the way her dwarf intended for her to take the order, but she allows herself to interpret it this way. 'I will be sure to stay out of sight.' Having no intention to allow her carrier to face down such a large enemy without reinforcements, the girl must find a suitable substitute for her lack of flame. The wizard will do for now. Pushing herself faster, El trips on a tree root and falls face first into the earth and rolls head over heels a few times. Her hood is knocked loose and her waist length hair tumbles free. Even with her mouth filling with dirt, the fall does little to stop her but the smell of rotting garbage does slow her down. Shoving the heavy mass bag into place as she commits the location to memory to avoid in the future, El jumps to her feet and races off in search of the wizard.
~~~~~~~~~~Shishi~~~~~~~~~~
*Kobor=Beast
Well hello hello hello. I've got a delicious new update for you my dears. I hope it answers any burning questions you all may have had due to the last chapter. I'm tinkering with the characters at the moment to see who I like Kidhuzel to interact with the most. Thorin, of course, is a given. Any suggestions? Anywho, lets give a round of applause to my revolutionary reviewers! UnforgivingWolf, decadenceofmysoul, Jesusfreak, Ince, MissMockingJay and YMR are such fantastically fabulous individuals in their own right. Thank you! -Shishi