Kings and Masters

Chapter 12

The next day was heart wrenching for the Durins. They had found a small wagon for which to carry Fili back to Erebor, but the demoralized dwarf fought them at every turn.

"I don't want to!" Fili exclaimed, swatting Thorin away as he and Dwalin once again tried to lift him from his bed while Kili watched on from the doorway. "I'll not be carted off to Erebor like some broken piece of cargo!"

"Lad, we don't have a choice," Thorin said, trying to be gentle. "We've exceeded our welcome here and it's about time we participate in the rebuilding of our kingdom."

"I'm of no use in Erebor," Fili protested, but finally allowed himself to be lifted from the bed. "Watch his leg," Oin warned as he and Gloin held the wagon down. It was a simple wooden rectangular box on wheels which the dwarves had lined with pillows and blankets. Kili thought it looked quite comfortable, though he felt disheartened for his brother. "Can't we put something on it so no one will see him?" he asked, trying not to look at Fili. He feared for his brother's dignity.

"We'll put it on once we're outside," Thorin asked, laying Fili down in the wagon. The blonde tried to shuffle and let out an exasperated sigh when his legs refused to respond. Kili spied a single tear trickle down his brother's face and he had to turn away, unable to watch any longer.

"Lad, are you all packed up?" Balin asked as he stood beside the younger dwarf. Kili nodded, staring at the floor, "I... uh... I have to go see to something," he said, looking up at Balin. He felt the need to get out of the room all of a sudden. He couldn't bear to listen to or be a part of his brother's shame like this.

"Aye, don't be long," Balin said. "And meet us outside."

Kili made a hasty exit from the room and hurried down the stairs. Soon, he found the basement. Bilbo had told him he might find the girls here and sure enough, they were both gathered in their tiny corner amongst the walls of wooden crates.

"What are you doing down here?" Brenna demanded as Kili turned the corner and stood before them.

"We'll be leaving soon," Kili said. "Are you two almost ready? You should pack up all your belongings."

Brenna glanced to Asphodel, "And what would a slave have with belongings?" she asked, raising a brow.

"Sorry..." Kili said, looking away and awkwardly fiddling with a loose piece of wood on one of the crates, feeling warmth on his face. "I just wanted to make sure."

"Is it really true we are to leave here?" Asphodel asked, looking him over with her big green eyes. "Why?"

"Because your master cheated the king out of our gold," Kili explained quickly. "And we're taking you as payment."

"Gold for two worthless servants. Seems like an unfair trade on your king's part," Brenna said, her deep blue eyes narrowing with suspicion. "What part did you play in all of this? Did you feel sorry for us? Did you take pity on us?"

Kili sighed, still refusing to look either of them in the eye, and focusing on the crate instead, "I just didn't think it's right that you should suffer under this man," he explained. "I don't mean to meddle in your affairs, but Bilbo was concerned as well, he is a fellow hobbit after all."

"I am no hobbit," Brenna corrected hastily.

"But I am," Asphodel said, putting a hand on her sister's shoulder before walking up to Kili and peering up at him and waiting patiently for him to finally turn his eyes to hers. "Master Dwarf. Have you never seen a servant before?"

"No," Kili admitted.

"Well you ought to get used to it then," Brenna pointed out, folding her arms across her chest. "Do you think your kingdom will be restored without the use of servants? And when it is restored, who do you think will cook your meals, mend your tunics, and sharpen your blades?"

"Look, we're all getting ready to leave," Kili repeated irritably. "And you are both to come with us. Uncle paid for your service so we are your new masters. I don't mean to be harsh or forceful but I'm not in the mood to be questioned."

Kili immediately regretted his tone when Asphodel shrank away from him, a slight look of fear in her eyes. She moved back to Brenna who gave Kili a cold glare as the two moved past him on their way out of the basement. Kili squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration as he slowly followed behind them.

A few moments later, they rejoined the others outside the master's house. Fresh snow had fallen and Kili realized it had been awhile since he had been outdoors. He inhaled the crisp mountain air as fog rose up from the lake.

The wagon carrying Fili was covered with a cloth hood and Kili could only make out his brother's feet as he lay inside. The dwarves had attached the wagon to a pony which Dwalin had mounted and was preparing to ride off. Bilbo, Balin, Oin, and Gloin had all mounted ponies as well.

"There you are," Thorin said from his pony. "There aren't enough ponies, you'll all have to double up."

" Thorin !" the master appeared in the doorway just as Kili and the girls moved forward. "I must protest this! you've cheated me out of my best servants!" With that, the master shot forward and grabbed Asphodel by the arm, making her cry out in surprise. "There must be something else you'd like instead! I'll pay you three times their worth!"

Kili whirled to face the master, the hobbit girl squirmed as she dangled from his grasp. The dwarf's eyes widened in alarm as he glanced to his uncle, worried he might trade the girls for more gold. "Uncle, you can't," he pleaded.

"You will let the hobbit go," Thorin said in a dangerous tone. "And you will leave us." Kili watched the suddenly tense moment as Asphodel visibly shook and whimpered a bit in fear.

"These girls are really of no use to you," the master protested. "This one is clumsy and thoughtless. It was quite hard to discipline her. And the other seems to have a bold remark for everything."

Kili winced a little at the idea of discipline. He shuddered to think what the master had done to the girls. And it wasn't lost on Kili how much the master seemed to want to hold on to two servants when he had others.

But finally, after a tense few minutes with Thorin and Dwalin fixing him with intimidating glares, the master finally dropped the hobbit who quickly scurried over to Brenna who was ready to comfort her.

"This isn't over," the master said. "You'll find I am a man who gets what he wants. Even from kings." With that he turned on his heels and slammed the door.

Kili let out a breath and moved over to the girls, "sorry..." he said as Asphodel buried her face into Brenna's shoulder.

"We'll be fine," Brenna told him.

"Let's go, Kili," Thorin said firmly. "You'll ride with me."

Kili nodded and spotted one last pony, "do you know how to ride?" he asked the girls gently.

"We'll be fine ," Brenna repeated firmly before moving away from him and helping Asphodel onto the pony before climbing up herself.

Kili sighed and hung his head as he moved over to Thorin. His uncle helped him onto the pony and he sat in front, the king taking the reins. As they slowly began to move out towards the mountain, Kili stole a glance at the pony drawn wagon that bore his brother inside it. He knew FIli could hear everything going on around him, but the blonde dwarf remained silent.

Kili felt a lump well up in his throat and he suddenly felt like a tiny, helpless dwarfling. He could do nothing for his brother and he could tell the girls he had helped liberate from their cruel master seemed broken in spirit and utterly terrified of everything. He leaned against Thorin with a long sigh, closing his eyes and trying hard not to have a break down.

To his relief and surprise, Thorin reacted by gripping his nephew tighter, "it'll be alright, Namadinùdoy," Thorin whispered soothingly. Kili found he couldn't say anything in return. That lump in his throat swelled to a boulder and he felt hot tears sting his eyes as he let out a shaky breath.