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Ori was screwed. Completely screwed. And that was entirely Nori’s fault.
He knew from the beginning that claiming Erebor would be hard. That going with Thorin to the Lonely Mountain would be dangerous and that he could be killed at any moment. He also knew that going would mean leaving her behind.
But still, he joined the Company of Thorin Oakenshield. Mostly because Dori didn’t want to leave him alone and Nori said it was time for him to become a man. And also because Fili and Kili have begged him to come, arguing they needed someone to write their adventures.
So he went across the world, escaped trolls, goblins, spiders, orcs and a dragon. He had met men, elves and even a skin-changer. He fought in the Battle of Five Armies, ready to defend the homeland of his kin. He has seen the worst horrors of Middle Earth and surprisingly, he has survived. Him, the little scribe who fight with a slingshot. Not that he wasn’t thankful for it, though.
Five months after the battle, Erebor was reviving. Thorin had put back the Royal Council with some dwarf lords from the Iron Hills, business with Dale was booming. Ori has even been put in charge of the royal library. Sometimes, Fili or Kili would ask him to write down speeches, or legislation papers they didn"t have time to do themselves.
He has always been close to the two princes. Of course, their small age difference helped, but Fili and Kili really enjoyed spending time with him, and he was happy to help them. They often defended him against bullies. But just because they liked him didn"t mean they would accept what he did. They would definitely kill him.
But once again, it was all Nori"s fault.
One morning, Ori was eating breakfast with the company while his elder brother Dori was filling his plate every time it became empty.
"You need to eat, Doodle. You need strength to grow up."
"If you keep feeding him like this, he will end up sick." Nori said, annoyed by his brother"s behavior.
Ori rolled his eyes at the nickname, but said nothing. He"d inherited it from the doodles he"d constantly made as a child. And unfortunately, it was the only thing Nori could agree with Dori on.
Dori and Nori were always fighting about everything but their two favorite subjects were Nori"s kleptomania and unwillingness to stay at home (which didn"t really concern Ori) and how they should raise Ori (which concerned him much more). The second subject was apparently on the table this morning.
Fortunately, a messenger brought a letter, avoiding any start of a fight. Thorin opened it and exclaimed with joy.
“Dís said she is coming to Erebor with some people of the Ered Luin to settle here. Your wife and son are traveling with her” he added to Gloín.
“Mom is settling here? That’s great!” Fili said.
“I can’t wait to give Lili a hug. Oh Mahal! I missed her so much!” Kili added with a smile.
Lili was their little sister. Both adored her and anyone who dared harm her would be dead within the hour. Though, no one would dare. She was nothing but kindness and was loved by everyone.
Balin looked at Thorin"s nephews. “Maybe she found a suitor while her chaperones were away.”
At these words, Fili and Kili’s smiles dropped. Like every big brother, they didn’t like the “boyfriend” subject.
“I hope she didn’t. She is far too young to get married.” Fili mumbled as his brother nodded. “She’s still a baby!”
“She’s sixty-six” Thorin recalled him.
“Exactly what I said: still a baby!”
And it was at that precise moment that Nori messed up.
"I suppose your girl will come as well, Doodle. You"ll present her to us, won"t you?"
The spoonful of cereal Ori was holding stopped in mid-air. The room became silent and everyone began to stare at him.
How, in Mahal"s name, did he find out? He has always been careful with the subject, willing to keep it for himself. Did he see them together? Did he notice he was not in his room every night? Or maybe did he understand he was thinking of her during their journey?
"You"re courting someone?" Dori asked, quite shocked.
Ori tried to pull himself together and to look natural "I don"t know what you"re talking about."
Nori smirked. "Oh c"mon! I"m not blind nor I"m stupid. I can clearly see you"re wearing a courting braid."
Dori caught Ori"s head in his hands, examining the braid. "By Durin"s beard! That"s true!"
"Don"t touch it!" The youngest said while rejecting his brother.
He was more than uncomfortable. He tried to hide his braid but he didn"t have hair long enough to do so. The others started to laugh and to congratulate him.
"That"s great for you, lad!" Dwalin said.
"Nori is right. You must introduce your lady to us!" Gloín approved.
Bofur stood up and raised his mug of beer. "I propose a toast to our dear friend who has embarked on the perilous journey of love!"
"CHEERS!"
Kili leaned over the table to get closer to him, his face grinned with excitement. "Why didn"t you tell us?"
Because if I had, you would have killed me.
"Because I didn"t want to! I didn"t want you to make a fuss about it like you"re all doing right now."
His tone was colder than he had intended to and he regretted it immediately. The black-haired archer sat back. "Sorry. I didn"t mean to upset you."
Ori sighed. It was not their fault. It"s true that he wasn"t the kind of guy girls were looking for. They were just happy he had found love.
"Don"t be, I"ve overreacted a bit."
"You don"t want to talk about it, that"s okay." Fili said, understanding. "Still, I want to meet the woman who stole our friend"s heart! You"ll introduce her when you feel like it, okay?
The two brothers left the room, waving signs of support to him but Ori could only think about one thing.
How was he going to tell them that the girl he was courting was their beloved Lili without them beheading him?
~o~
Lili couldn"t help worrying as she made her way towards Erebor. In fact, she was worrying since the company of her uncle had left the Blue Mountains but now it was worse.
Dís, seeing her daughter"s concerned face, tried to reassure her. "Don"t worry, honey. They are all safe and well, your uncle said so in his letter."
"I know Mom. I am just a bit nervous"
"Is it possible that this has something to do with the young boy who"s been courting you?"
Lili turned her head towards her mother in panic.
"How do you kn—"
"Oh sweetheart!" Dís laughed while Lili"s cheeks turned red "I would be a dreadful mother if I couldn"t notice when my daughter is in love. It"s Ori, isn"t it?"
The young girl nodded, blushing more. Her mother laughed again, then asked tenderly.
"Tell me. How did he win your heart?"
Lili told her everything. She had been receiving beautiful love letters, but they were never signed. She had been looking for the author for months without finding anything. One day, she looked at Ori"s notebook and noticed that it was in the same handwriting as that of her mysterious suitor. After that, she started to realize her heart was beating faster everytime he was near her. Then she made him confess his feelings before kissing him. Since then, they had been having
the secret meetings in the library before he went away and every time, he was telling her how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to have her.
"Well, I already knew he was a very nice boy, but now I am convinced." Dís said after she was done. "I can"t wait to meet him as my son-in-law."
Lili smiled at those words. She stroked the tight braid hidden in her hair as she remembered the last time she saw her man.
She had heard a knocking on her door. At first, she had thought it was Fili or Kili coming to annoy her but when she opened the door, she saw Ori, wringing his hands.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered as she drew him inside her room.
"We"re leaving tomorrow morning. I wanted to say goodbye to you." He said.
"Are you crazy? If my brothers find out you"re here, they will kill you." Lili corrected herself. "No, they won"t kill you, they will destroy you."
"I cannot leave without giving you a proper goodbye."
Lili looked at him and smiled. Ori could be so stubborn sometimes.
"And what"s a proper goodbye, according to you?" She asked, a bit provocative.
The young dwarf stayed silent for a moment, searching for his words. Then, he took a deep breath.
"Braid my hair."
Lili"s eyes widened in surprise. "What?"
"I want to have something of you while I"ll be out there. Please Princess, do that for me."
She was touched by his request. After all, he was asking her to claim him. He wanted their relationship to become serious and that"s what she wanted too. So she sat on her bed, inviting Ori to do the same on the floor. She braided his hair, her fingers grazing his neck with every movement. Once she was done, she took his place.
"I need people to know that my heart is taken." She said with a smile.
And so he braided hers in return. She hugged him with tears in her eyes.
"I don"t want you to go." She admitted. "I might lose my brothers, my uncle and now you. I don"t know if I could bear it."
Ori gave her a comforting smile. "We don"t have the intention to die. I"ll make everything to come back safe to you, I promise."
"With Dori and Nori to mother you, it shouldn"t be too difficult."
Both laughed. And then he did something she never thought he would do. He kissed her.
Ori never made the first step, Lili always did. He was too shy for that. But this time, he was the one who put his lips on hers. It was like he wanted to tell how much he was going to miss her but didn"t know how to put into words. Like he was saying "I am completely yours".
Goddammit! He knew how to kiss a woman.
They could have stayed like this for eternity but he had to go. Slowly, he pulled away from her, his eyes remaining on her face.
"I love you. With all my heart."
She smiled. "Don"t worry, I know."
He headed to the door and looked at her one last time before leaving for good. Lili watched him walk away, begging Mahal to not make her bury him.
Him or any of them.
But he was alive. They were all alive. Her life was going to go back to the way it was before. She would just be under a different mountain.
Now her biggest challenge was to make sure her brothers didn"t behead Ori.
~o~
Thorin was sitting at his desk. His head was full of the economic strategies he was working on with his council and it was giving him a headache.
His eyes fell on Dís" letter and he smiled. He really missed his sister, more than he would admit. He was also very happy to see Lili too. He loved his niece as much as he loved his nephews, though it was different with her. Their father, Vili, had died before Lili"s birth while Fili and Kili were already not toddlers anymore. Thorin was the closest thing Lili had to a father and a special bond had grown between them.
Speaking of her, she was growing by leaps and bounds. Fili and Kili could think what they liked, but she was already sixty-six years old. She was in the perfect age to get married. Lots of his counselors knew it and had already suggested that he betroth her to one of their sons.
Thorin really hoped that Balin was right and that she had found a suitor for whom she had feelings. He didn"t want to force her to marry a man she didn"t love, but he had to make sure she would be taken care of. She was a princess, and even if he knew it was unfair, getting married was one of her duties.
Mahal! His headache just got worse.
A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. Before he could even say "come in", Balin entered the room with quick steps.
"They"re here. Hurry up!"
"Who"s here ?" Thorin asked, completely lost.
"Your sister, you silly! Who else do you think it is?"
A big smile appeared on the King"s face. He stood up immediately and followed Balin into Erebor"s halls.
"You know that I am your king, right? You"re not supposed to call me silly."
"You may be my king but I have been your tutor and advisor since you"re a baby. I even saw you spilled out your meal on your grandfather"s shoulder. I can call you silly if I want to!"
Thorin smirked as they both approached the throne hall. The company was already there except for Ori. Gloin was embracing his wife and his son, Gimli, while the others were welcoming his sister and niece.
Dís turned her face towards him and smiled. She ran to him and jumped into his arms.
"Hey brother! You didn"t die after all!"
"You almost seem disappointed." Thorin laughed. "It"s good to see you."
She let go of him and gave a hug to Balin.
"Thanks for keeping him alive."
Balin chuckled. "I did my best."
Thorin glanced at Lili, who was not far from them and gave her a warm welcome.
"Where are Fili and Kili?" She asked.
"LILI!"
Kili ran out from nowhere, Fili hot on his heels. He caught her in his arms to spinned her and both started roaring with laughter. Fili took a look at his sister as Kili put her down.
She was definitely taller, almost the same size as Kili. She had swapped her little girl"s clothing for a lady"s gown and her beard was long enough to be braided. She was even wearing their mother"s jewelry. She really looked like a princess.
"I thought you preferred trousers?" Fili grinned.
"Doesn"t mean I don"t like dresses." Lili replied. "I missed you."
"We missed you too. Kili was so excited to see you he spent the whole day choosing you a welcome bouquet." The eldest mocked.
"You really thought I was going to pick up the first flowers I see? My baby sister deserves the best of the best!" Kili leaned towards her and whispered "I chose you pink peonies."
Lili smiled at his words. Thorin watched as his nephews embraced their mother. She had burst into tears from which escaped a few words like "my babies" or "fright of my life".
Dori seemed very impatient and stressed, tapping his foot nervously.
"What do you think she looks like?"
Nori lifted an eyebrow. "Ori"s girlfriend? Dunno. Maybe Lili knows her." He made a step forward the princess. "Excuse me, Princess Lili. Apparently, the lady my brother Ori is courting is traveling with you. Do you happen to know her?"
Lili had a reaction that surprised Thorin. She blushed.
"Ori?" She stutters nervously. "No I don"t… Well I do, but it"s kind of complicated… MOM STOP SMILING, YOU"RE MAKING IT WORSE!!!
Dís laughed as Lili"s face was turning red, leaving everyone else in incomprehension, including Thorin.
"Dís, will you have the care to explain what"s going on?" He asked his sister.
"Ask Ori. He should be able to answer you since he"s the one who"s been courting your niece."
"MOM!"
"WHAT?" Fili and Kili screamed.
"SORRY I"M LATE!"
Ori ran up from a corridor, flowers in hand. Everyone started to stare at him, especially his brothers and the two princes.
"So I guess he didn"t tell you?" Dís said "innocently".
Fili tried to say something but his words stayed in his throat. Kili was crying all the tears of his body.
"She cannot have a boyfriend! She"s too young for that! Look at her! She"s still a baby!"
"You"re courting the princess?" Dori almost fainted.
"Well done." Nori grinned, earning a slap at the back of his head from Dwalin for that.
Fili finally got back his voice.
"I"m going to kill him."
"Hurt him in any way and I"ll make sure I become Uncle Thorin"s only heir." Lili threatened him.
"No one touches my sister!"
"And no one touches my boyfriend!"
Thorin shook his head in despair. Fili and Lili were ready to fight to death and Kili was crying. Old habits die hard indeed.
Ori made his way and separated them.
"Calm down, princess." Everyone gasped but he didn"t pay attention. "No one will kill no one. They"re just worried because it"s a big change for them. I know that, I"ve the same right here." He said, pointing at his own brothers.
Dori was indeed crying and Nori was showing his pride by thumbing up.
He continued. "Anyway, I"m really sorry guys for hiding that from you but I didn"t want to die. And also I didn"t want Lili to commit à murder." He turned to face her and gave her his flowers. "I know Kili has already chosen you some, but I wanted to offer you something."
Lili smiled. "Thanks. They"re beautiful."
"How long?" Nori asked, earning a glare from Dori. "What? I"m just curious how long they managed to hide it from us."
Lili hesitated before saying. "About six months before you all went to Erebor."
"So, it"s a serious relationship? Thorin asked.
Ori summoned up all his courage and looked in the eyes of his king.
"Yes, your majesty, it is. I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life at her side."
Thorin exchanged a knowing glance with his sister. She nodded, testifying silently of Ori"s honesty. He smiled.
"We have some time before dinner. Why don"t you show her the kingdom?"
Lili"s face lights up and so does Ori"s. He took her hand and guided her out the room while talking very fast, his girlfriend laughing.
"I have so much to tell you Princess! You have no idea of what happened to us during our trip. Some trolls put me on a spit! Fili and Kili lost ponies. Oh! And in Laketown…"
Everyone laughed at the couple and was happy for them. Except Fili who gave an angry look at his brother.
"First you and Tauriel, now Lili and Ori. You"re all gonna leave me!"
"Fania came with us." His mother said.
"What of it?" Fili asked, puzzled.
"You didn"t have a crush on her?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He still does." Kili elbowed his brother while he was flushing. "When did she grow up that much?" He wondered, looking at the door through which Lili came out.
"I ask myself the same question with you two every day." Dís hugged him. "I think you all need a beer to recover from your emotions."
Dori dried a tear from the corners of her eyes. "I guess we should start planning to make preparations for the wedding."
"Ori is too shy to propose. I bet twenty-five coins she will do it." Nori smirked.
"You"re on!" Bofur said with a laugh.
Balin gave a look of true despair to Fili, Kili, Dori and Nori. "I can"t believe the four of you will be the uncles of the same kid."
Thorin sighed. It was a terrible prospect indeed.