Gold and Fire - Chapter 1

-October-

"Is Nur coming?" Kili asked his brother.

"Of course she is," Fili muttered, tightening a strap on his pony's saddle. But he honestly began to wonder that himself. He wouldn't blame his wife if she didn't want to say goodbye to them.

Fili, Kili, and a few of their Iron Hills companions had prepared for their journey to the Blue Mountains and were nearly ready to depart…

"Where are you?" Fili whispered nervously under his breath, but his heart quickened when he saw movement from the corner of his eye—a small, feminine figure leaving the gates of the Iron Hills' walls.

Nur came to stand before the dwarves and ponies, pulling Kili into a tight embrace and smiling. But Fili knew that smile. It was a new habit of hers, to feign a grin despite the war on her mind. He knew she was still unwell, but she managed a convincing mask for any that didn't know her.

Nur's hands left his brother and her eyes pierced her husband. "The forces of evil in middle-earth have never known the power and might of Fili and Kili, Durin's descendants, and will be overturned in only a few months."

Laughter erupted from Kili's mouth while he mounted his pony, but Fili stood before his beloved with a tentative smile. He pressed his forehead against hers and touched the exposed skin on her shoulders, breathing in her scent and memorizing her in this moment.

"Master Fili," one of the dwarves spoke, "We need to make use of the sun's light…"

It was as gentle an indication that they needed to leave as could have been managed, but Fili saw that it still sent shivers down his wife's body. His muscles tensed and his heart pounded, hating to see her on the brink of panic, and pulled her close, kissing her with soft lips and comforting her with his touch.

"I promise you I'll come back for you," Fili said, wishing he could infuse her with his confidence. "And we will celebrate our nuisin soon."

If he were to convince her that he would be returning for her, Fili must not stand there and hold her as if there was a chance he might never hold her again—he must pull away from her now!

He moved to mount his pony, but he was struck by a thought.

Is this what his father had felt when he'd been forced to leave Dis behind? Did that moment haunt his mother more than she let on—those moments Dis had been unaware would be her last with her beloved?

He couldn't bear it—convincing or not, if these were their last moments together, he did not want Nur to remember him as distant or uncaring.

Nur was not expecting him to come back to her, and so her expression of surprise—and relief—made him feel that it was not wrong to want to hold her again.

"Tell me you'll be well." He pleaded—he could traverse all of middle-earth, weary and starving, if he knew that she was safe.

"I'll be well." She repeated.

"Tell me you'll get better." He feared the memories of his mother, depression taking its toll on her when his father had not come home. Dis was strong and had overcome that sadness, but Fili needed to hear that Nur would endure while he was away, haunted by the idea that she would suffer what his mother had suffered.

"I won't wither while you're gone, I'll be strong. I promise."

He kissed her fiercely and when Fili pulled away this time, it was to keep himself from staying.

King Dain held his arms out, allowing his servant to help him out of the uncomfortable, courtly clothes he'd donned for the day's proceedings. He'd meant to see the Erebor-journeying lads off, but the issues with the outpost traders still had his hands tied.

However, he was secretly relieved not to watch Thorin's heir leave, as he imagined his daughter didn't want him to be there while she broke the news to Fili that she wasn't interested in him anymore.

Dain had been surprised, the evening before when she had finally consented to taking up a military position in his army. What she asked for in return was easy enough—sending re-enforcements to Erebor when they called on the Iron Hills—and it was worth that small headache to have the security of yet another family member in the ranks.

It seemed like ages ago when one of his most trusted advisors had turned against him and taken all but a third of the army with them, waging war against his own halls from within. After his wife's death in the onslaught, he promised himself he would not let it happen again.

Finally shirking off the outer garments and taking on the soft comfort of a cotton tunic, the King lowered himself to sit on his bed and remove his boots slowly.

What he couldn't understand is why Nur had agreed in exchange for a favor for Thorin—Dain never held his vote against Thorin for anything personal (indeed, the King named his own son after the honorable descendent of Durin) but the facts could not be denied: Thorin's previous ventures had ended in disaster and time made no difference while there was still a dragon guarding those halls.

This, he had told her, was why he wouldn't be helping Thorin on this venture, but she'd swayed him with her offer. His daughter was willing to go above and beyond what he had expected of her and Dain would announce the loaning of his forces at the council in Ered Luin.

"The Princess of the Iron Hills looks very lovely today," said a low voice which pierced through Nur's thoughts.

Nur was sitting on the windowsill of her study, staring at the vast wilderness below and only slightly turned her head to acknowledge the compliment. "Thank you, sir Dul."

"Never you mind the 'sir'." Dul grumbled. He walked slowly to lower himself into her reading chair by the fireplace, across from where she sat.

She turned her head fully now, glancing at him and losing herself in memory of the last dwarf who had occupied that chair: Her beloved, Prince Fili, who was five days gone—and already the loss of his presence had stirred quite an upset in the Iron Hills.

"What's on your mind, my Lady?" He murmured with his chin against his fist, his elbow on the arm of the chair.

Nur grinned with half her mouth. "You forbid me to call you sir, but you insist on calling me 'lady'?"

"It is owed to you, Princess Nur. And I consider myself to be your servant rather than a subject of the Iron Hills."

"Not my servant," Nur said, standing down from the window and moving a little closer to the massive dwarf. She took hold of the hand that wasn't supporting his chin. "I would consider us to be friends."

"Then don't change the subject, dear friend," he said, squeezing her hand, "and tell me what is upsetting you."

She sighed. "It's nothing. I miss Fili, but that's to be expected."

"Aye," the muscled Dul nodded. "My cousin Dwalin is with them, now. I have not seen him for a very long time…" He frowned, locking his gaze on Nur's sad eyes, "But that's not what you're thinking about, lass."

Nur pursed her lips in irritation and gently pulled her hand away from Dul, crossing her arms and facing the window again. "You'll find out soon enough anyway… I'm going to take the Akkik."

Dul rose to his feet in a single movement, fists clenching and boots stomping to bring him closer to Nur.

"Have you lost your mind?" He leaned his head to be level with her.

"It's likely." She answered with distant eyes.

"Taking that warrior's journey is not a decision to be made in haste! You don't know what those soldiers are subjected to—"

"I begin in two days."

Dul rubbed a hand over his bald head. "Then there's no backing out." He grasped her shoulder. "You know that, don't you? That once you start, you have to follow through to the end."

"Yes, I know."

"You won't be allowed to see your friends or family until it is finished."

"Dul—"

"They'll test you to find your limits and then break you past them."

"I know, but—"

"They work you mercilessly in training, going above and beyond what others would call sensible."

"Dul! I know all of this!"

"Then why, Nur?" Dul was angry, but he didn't raise his voice. "What would possess you—"

"Because my father wasn't going to help them! He leaves for the council in the Blue Mountains in just days and he was ready to say no—I did the only thing I could think of." She almost spoke in a whisper, thinking on her conversation with her father as though she were a witness and not a participant. "King Dain has always dreamed of his children taking up positions in his army—who better to trust than your own blood?—and I have never been interested."

"With good reason." Dul arched an eyebrow.

Nur frowned at him, tensing when his hand didn't leave her shoulder. "I told him I would finally do it—I would train with his cadets, if only he would offer up the service of his military when Thorin asked for it. He was surprised…" Her commitment to her father's army implied that she would be sticking around in the Iron Hills indefinitely, though only she and a few others were truly aware that once Erebor had been reclaimed, her residence and occupation would change. "And wasn't sure if I would back out or not… I had to do something—I had to make sure he went to the council with an affirmative vote."

"But, Nur, the Akkik? Didn't he think that was extreme?"

"Yes, but it also convinced him that I was serious."

Nur's willpower crumbled a little when Dul's thick fingers squeezed her shoulder. She raised a hand to rest on top of his and whispered, "I'm scared, Dul. But I have to do this. If this is the price I have to pay to ensure their success on their quest for Erebor, then it is worth it to me."

Dul's jaw clenched for a moment in thought before he spoke, "I've not known the Prince for as long as you have," he said slowly, "but I'm sure he wouldn't count this as an acceptable cost."

"Fili took risks for me when he married me in secret," Nur admitted, happy to declare it to someone and knowing that Dul would not betray them. "I must take a few for him."

Dul took a step back, pondering the information he'd been given and crossing his arms. He was touched that she trusted him enough to confess such a thing, and yet… "That makes a difference, but it doesn't wholly justify it. Still... if you are determined to do this, you'll not be doing it alone."

Nur grimaced, turning her head to face Dul, whose serious face had an insolent sneer.

"If the future Queen of Erebor can make foolish decisions, then what's to stop me?"

Nur knew it was considered weak to do what she did next, but she also knew that in the months to come she would not be permitted the same chance, and so she strode to Dul and quickly embraced him, locking her small arms around his midsection and, being much shorter than him, rested her head against his broad chest. Dul's bulky arms enfolded her and he patted her hair, sighing and reaching into a small satchel at his side.

"I'm assuming, before they restrict your belongings, that you'll be wanting these in your last days of freedom." He tucked a collection of folded papers wrapped in string under her elbow.

Curious, the princess of the Iron hills clasped the papers and took a small step back from Dul, eyeing the mysterious collection. "What is this?"

"Letters from your husband."

Nur's face beamed and she hugged Dul again before fumbling with the string and unfolding one of the papers.

But her face contorted to a frown when it revealed itself to be as wide and tall as her hand with a location scribbled into it.

Dul laughed at her reaction and, stepping to the door to leave, said, "It's the locations of your letters which he's hidden throughout the Iron Hills."

Nur looked a little panicked, but Dul shrugged, "He didn't know you'd be pressed for time—he wanted to distract you with something to keep you busy. I'll be in the Commander's office, seeing what I can do about joining the Akkik."

Barely hearing him, Nur slid herself into the reading chair and unfolded all of the papers one after another. They bore a variety of different locations (all private so as to keep his notes to her away from a stranger chancing upon them), but they were far apart from each other.

"Oh, Fili…" She sighed. It irked her that he would put time and effort into something so sweet, only to have her muddle it. "I guess I'm going on a scavenger hunt…"

*nuisin- there are three portions of a dwarvish initiation into marraige: the first being the engagement, the second is the actual ceremony, and the third is the part where the husband brings his new wife into their home (and this is the nuisin). Fili considers that his bringing Nur to Erebor will be the completion of their union.

*comments on forced marriage in dwarvish culture: I know it goes against dwarvish traditions to force their daughters into marriage, but I am also featuring a bit in this story where the dwarves of middle earth are going through a bit of a culture crisis and one of Thorin's reasons for taking back Erebor is to re-institute the older dwarvish customs (while King Dain is taking on more and more man-like customs to try and preserve their population)

This is sort of AU, but also sort of conforming to the Hobbit movies (as you'll see in later chapters)

Thank you for patiently waiting while I finished revising the previous story Gems and Poison. Here's hoping you enjoy Gold and Fire. I'll be posting one new chapter every Friday (this Friday will feature Chapter 2). Special thanks to Summer Alden and Blue River Steel who have been helping me with revisions and edits! If you haven't read their stories yet, I strongly encourage you to (they are much better than mine!)

As always, thanks for the read- leave me feedback, please! It would make me so happy!