*strolls out from behind a rock whistling inconspicuously*
Well, hello there!
I know it's been, what, almost ten years since I've updated this… Well, I'm sorry to disappoint anyone here… but this whole story is getting a complete and total rewrite. And I wanted to update my old readers about this rewrite in the best way possible: with a sneak peek at the last chapter I wrote for this piece!
"But, Kim, why are you writing the whole thing over again? Why would I want to read the rewrite if I already know what happens?"
Great questions! Well, if I am honest, I know that I am a much better writer now than I was back in 2014. More drama with less angst, Brili is much more badass than she was before, no more "I stayed up all night and now I'm going to post without editing!" updates, and there's new content in the rewrite too!
So, all that being said, please enjoy this last little snippet and I hope to see you again in A Child of Durin: Redux!
Lots of love!
Kim
They were reaching the shore too quickly for the situation to really deescalate.
Brill had remained silent the whole ride, huddled in her barrel and clinging to the hobbit like he somehow held the last shred of hope that she could dare hold on to.
It's gone… Aragorn's gift…
If she could stop running that thought through her mind then perhaps she would stop shuddering so violently. Or was that the cold seeping in?
"We're close to the shore," Bilbo murmured to her softly, only tilting his head slightly towards her to avoid drawing undue attention to his passenger.
What did it matter? He should have let her drown, it would have been more mercy than any one of the company would show her at this point.
"In my back pocket there is a kerchief, well, something that could pass for one at least," he continued, eyes never straying from the front and his voice a continued even tone. When she remained silent and unmoving he let out a short huff. "The water's done some awful things to that makeup you were wearing. I thought you might want something to wipe it off."
For his trouble, Bilbo received nothing in return but more silence and an ever growing, ominous feeling behind him. The hands that clung to his shirt had long balled into fists, resting uncomfortably against the small of his back. Whatever shocked state she'd been in was starting to wear off and he found himself beginning to dread being the one who may have to restrain her.
Honestly, he wasn't even sure he could even if he tried.
He cast a nervous glance up to Ori, who had managed to float on ahead towards the front of the precession. No, that would do no good; the young dwarf was too far ahead to be of much help if the girl shot out of this barrel like a warg on the hunt for blood. Frowning, he looked in Bofur's direction.
No, that would be a terrible idea, Brili hated Bofur. Balin? No, too old, she'd rip him to shreds.
"I don't suppose you would be content not to retaliate?"
She finally looked up at him, the black streaks from her makeup had arched down to touch the corners of a fantastically terrifying sneer. A sneer that was painted blood red and dripping down her chin so that she resembled some ghoulish monster that Bilbo was sure he'd heard horrible tales about when he was a child. No, he didn't think that she wouldn't.
Still, a hobbit could hope, right?
Thorin's voice echoed in the crisp air. "Anything behind us?"
The leader was, of course, all business as usual as he ordered the company to head towards the shore, as if two of his charges hadn't engaged in an enraged battle of fisticuffs. Bilbo gripped the side of his barrel a little tighter. This really wouldn't due. He hadn't even a moment to explain to any of the company what he'd uncovered during their stay in Mirkwood and the machinations of King Thranduil. It was bad enough that Fili had gone and physically attacked her before throwing whatever she'd been keeping around her neck into the flowing water. Bilbo's hand brushed his breast pocket where he kept that little ring safe without conscious thought behind the action.
Fili and Kili were up ahead, a decent distance too, if they had any sense they would get out of their barrels and flee. Before he could come up with a half decent plan to contain what was surely going to be a spectacle their barrel shifted course towards the rocky shore, pulled by Bifur. Drat it all, this was going to be—
True to Bilbo's expectations Brili hauled herself out of the barrel, shoving Bifur's proffered hand aside with what Bilbo could only describe as a snarl. Her eyes scanned the rocky shore with freakish precision, gaze cold and calculating. When her target was within her sights she made a beeline for him. Briefly, Bilbo considered calling out a warning to Fili but much to his surprise, and unspeakable relief, Bifur rebounded and smoothly blocked her path. He grunted lowly to her in Khuzdul, a firm shake of his head.
"Out of my way." Her voice was dark, hollow, with just a slight tremble at the end. The tremble you feel in your bones when thunder claps.
Another grunt and a firm shake of dissent. Bifur pointed to a large rock with a meaningful look that was clearly meant to convey that if Brili knew what was good for her that she would sit down and not draw any more attention to herself.
"Kili's hurt," Bilbo murmured to her. "Please, if you go over there now then you'll just hinder treating his wounds."
Hearing that her other brother was wounded seemed to have brought some measure of levelheadedness to her. She bit her lower lip, gaze darting towards Kili's dark hair and then back to Bilbo with an almost desperate look.
"But he… He took my—"
She broke off, unable to continue her sentence.
Bilbo didn't know why he said it; maybe a desperate attempt to deescalate the situation, maybe an attempt to comfort her but his next words were the most empty promise he thinks he's ever uttered in all of his days. "We can find you a new one."
A fine tremor rolled down her body, from the top of her head all the way down to her toes. That previously desperate expression shifted to something borderline unreadable and it look like she had begun to shrivel inside of her sopping clothing. Slowly, not taking her eyes off of him for a second she shuffled backwards to settle herself down where Bifur continued to point.
"It can't be replaced."
~o~
For the moment, things were quiet. She could hear Bilbo running around and attempting to lift the company's spirits. She could hear Kili's pained hisses as someone bound his leg and she absently wondered how he'd managed to get himself hurt again. At some point, someone had sat down beside her and begun to wring out their clothes. She didn't dare look up though.
No, one wrong look would have her beheaded faster than she could—
A large body slipping into her peripheral surprised her out of her stupor. A moment later she realized that Dwalin was standing defensively in front of her and Ori. Ah, so Ori was the one stupid enough to be seen within three feet of her. She looked past Dwalin's shoulder to watch an armed man launch an arrow at Kili's hand, dislodging a rock from his grip.
"Do it again, and you're dead," the man warned, casting a meaningful look over all of them.
Briefly, subtly, she took in the man's features; prominent cheekbones, his jaw set tightly, eyes like a hunter.
Balin, bless his soul, stepped forward.
"Excuse me, but, um, you're from Laketown? If I'm not mistaken?" No answer from the hunter beyond aiming his arrow towards the elderly dwarf. Dark hair shifted in the cool breeze almost unnoticeably as the silence stretched between the two of them. "That barge over there… it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?"
As the man lowered his weapon, passing a brief glance her way as he surveyed the rest of the group for signs of threat, some of the tension melted from Brili's shoulders. She highly doubted that Thorin would have her beheaded in front of a stranger.
Balin followed the man in a valiant attempt to charm him into offering the weary travelers a ride. The rag tag company followed him, much like a herd of baby ducklings waddling after its mother. With a few feet of distance between her and the others Brili finally sucked in a full, almost painful breath, beginning to take stock of her injuries. Her back was going to be bruised from her tussle with Fili and there was a scrape running up the back of her thigh from when he first shoved her.
The memory of it had her shuddering again.
Her necklace, the symbol of the Dunedain that offered her protection among their traveling ranks was lost. Now, with her likely execution imminent, where would she go? Where would she hide? Mirkwood? No, she was no fool, well, at least not that much of one. Any courtesy that Thranduil had offered to her was contingent upon her being of value to him. With that value now lost, he would be no safe haven. If anything, she would be considered a liability.
She could go home to Rivendell… Only, by the time she returned who was to say that Thorin wouldn't have reclaimed his kingdom and ordered her extradition. Family or not, she committed treason. There was but one penalty for that…
"Surely we don't have to," Bofur's voice pierced through the darkening din of her thoughts. "I'm sure we could ask her—"
Gloin's response was terse, laced with disgust as if merely looking at her would bring shame to his wife and son. "The King has ordered us to restrain the prisoner."
"Prisoner?!" Bofur's voice climbed an octave. "She's no prisoner! She's—"
The exchange forced something warm and acrid to rise in her chest, eradicating the chill from her bones with a dark and burning heat. A dark laugh erupted from her throat as she turned her head slowly to look at Gloin.
He visibly cringed under her dark glare.
"If Thorin Oakenshield wants me tied up then he'd best be prepared to do the tying."
"Treacherous dragon's whore," Gloin rumbled, his beard bristling like an angry cat and a bit of spittle escaping his grit teeth. "If you were my kin I'd be doing worse than just tying you up."
"Gloin, there's no need to—"
"Butt out, Bofur," she hissed, casting her cold gaze over him. "I don't need a hero."
Bofur turned to face her, a sad expression darkening his brow. "Lass, if you just explain to them that you were tricked then I'm sure that this can be avoided."
Brili's eyes shifted for only a moment and it was enough of a tell for Bofur to confirm his suspicions. He hasn't known her for long but he had learned enough about Brili's character to know that she would have no interest in ruling over Erebor. He'd suspected that she'd been ensnared in some sort of trap by King Thranduil when she'd first revealed her plans to them. He'd tried to talk some sense into Kili while they'd been imprisoned who had at least agreed to hear her out.
Where could he be now?
Too late, Brili's sneer was back in full force. "Stop saying that I was tricked. I've already told you all, this was my decision. I knew what I was being offered and I agreed to those terms."
"Brili, you aren't protecting anyone by lying."
"I'm not lying! If you think for even a moment that any of them deserve to be— MMPH!"
Brili was cut off by Gloin gracelessly gagging her with an old cloth while she let out a muffled shriek. She made an earnest attempt to claw at his hands before he bound them behind her back. Meanwhile, poor Bofur kept trying to intercede on Brili's behalf. As he kept a restraining arm across her collarbone, Gloin turned to address Bofur.
"You lovesick fool," he lamented. "Perhaps it's a good thing that you hadn't wed this she-demon. Who knows what she'd have convinced you to do."
An unfamiliar voice cut through the tense exchange. "I'm not sure how dwarves customarily do trade but I'm quite certain that it does not involving binding women up."
"That's none of your concern, bargeman," Thorin answered darkly. "Gloin, get her out of my sight."
"It is my concern if I'm going to be allowing you on my boat," the man insisted, striding over to the trio and steering Brili smoothly by her shoulders away from Gloin. "Are you all right, miss?"
Brili blinked up at him suspiciously as he lowered the gag from her mouth. "Fine, thank you."
The man's eyes were kind, if slightly wary of the situation. "Have these dwarves mistreated you?"
She let out a weak laugh as she rolled her newly freed wrists, flexing a cramp out of her right hand. "No worse than anything else I've dealt with."
"Are you in danger? I can get you out of here if you are…"
"Gloin did what?!" Bilbo's disapproving voice cried behind the bargeman. Peering around the man's midsection she saw a fine view of Bilbo marching towards the bushy red beard that had previously manhandled her.
She finally answered the man calmly, face still remarkably neutral. If she let down her facade now she feared that she would crumble into dust. "No, I'm in no danger. Just a misunderstanding. Thank you for your concern, sir."
He looked unconvinced. "Bard. My name is Bard."
"If it's all the same to you," she brushed his hand away from her shoulder, "I'll be departing. Could you kindly point me towards the nearest hamlet?"
"You won't find anything for miles. Not without passing through Thranduil's territory. The closest shelter you'll find is Laketown."
"Shit," she cursed softly, her hands patting her sides irritably. The swear was applicable to both Bard's announcement that she was effectively stranded and the realization that some of her gear was missing. "He took my knives."
Before she has a chance to start up another unfortunate confrontation, Bilbo was racing to her side with her absconded items in tow. As she took them she offered Bilbo and Bard as polite a smile as she could muster with her increasingly foul mood.
"Thank you for your concern, both of you. Bilbo, I wish you the best of luck on your journey. I'd advise caution with this lot."
Poor Bilbo's face drained of what little color had remained in it. "Y-you can't leave me."
"I'm not contracted with them," she reminded him. From the corner of her eye she could see the company boarding the small boat still tethered to the shore, Bard's boat. "My duty was to accompany the wizard. I would have done well to remember that from the start."
"If you would just talk to them," Bilbo insisted, reaching over and grasping for her hand.
Didn't he understand that the time for talking things over has long since passed? Arguably, that time had truly passed the Durin family five years ago when she first left Ered Luin. Giving his hand a squeeze she clapped his shoulder with her other hand.
"You are a brave hobbit," she consoled. "You'll fare well without me. My time with this company has long reached it's end."
"If I might interrupt…" The pair looked up at Bard. "If you come with me I may be able to arrange transport for you up river. These lands are not safe for travelers. I couldn't in good conscious leave you stranded here."
She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck like that would soothe the aching tension building up. The last thing she wanted to deal with is being stuck on a boat with a group of dwarves that would sooner see her drown than reach the shore. However, his offer was enticing. She sized him up with an arched brow.
"Why are you offering?" she asked. "I'm no fool, bargeman, nothing in this world comes for free and I stopped believing in the goodwill of man a long time ago."
He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "If you must know, you remind me of my departed wife."
"You wed a short, stout, she-dwarf, with a bad attitude?" she quipped.
"No, no. Nothing like that. She had a fondness for adventure. I see that in you. Why else would you be out here in the middle of nowhere being apprehended?"
Bilbo surprised them with an undignified snort and a barely concealed "penchant for trouble" under his breath. Smiling wryly, she reached into her breast pocket to pull out a sopping wet coin purse. He was right, she was effectively stranded and if he had another way to get her up the river without alerting Thranduil to her failings then it would be wise to accept his offer.
"How much?"
"Ten coins to board."
"And for my transportation back up the river?"
"Decided at a later date."
She sighed heavily before fishing the money from her purse and planting it firmly in his hand. Bilbo, for his part, looked ecstatic with relief that his unofficial bodyguard hadn't left him to fend for himself again. However, that bright feeling was quickly replaced with dread as he took in the dark glares from the boat's occupants. Keeping her eyes firmly planted on the ground, Brili made a beeline behind Bard to take up her own spot by the helm.
An iron-like hand gripping her arm stopped her before she made it. Lowly, darkly, Thorin whispered directly in her ear, "I warned you that there would be consequences."
Brili was barely able to repress the shudder that traveled down her spine as she roughly wrenched her arm from his grip. Instinctively, she reached towards her chest for Aragorn's pendant only for her heart to sink in its absence.