Cloaked in Green

Chp. 9: Fili's Interlude

Khuzdul translations: Mahal Faslmaganu Zharmur = Mahal's hairy balls

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Mahal Faslmaganu Zharmur, why am I such an idiot.

For Mahal's sake, I didn't even know there were still Heirs of Isildur alive after the War of Angmar, Hell, besides there being a War between Arnor and Angmar I know nothing. Now out of the sky, comes the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Blessed Mahal, She has to be My One. And I know nothing about her or her people.

Oh, but how my heart longs to know, to know the smallest of details of her person and commit them to memory.

But how?

She obviously doesn't seem to show that she feels the one connection...I'm not sure she can feel it.

The miracle of having a One was only granted to the Dwarves. The craving of a dwarf soul and their partner out of the same stone is what gives us that connection of love and embrace that no other race of Free-people have. Many dwarves long for the day that they find their ones. It is what brings them hope for their future.

However, being slightly young for a Dwarf, I had barely even thought about looking and waiting to find my own, my One. Yet, it was at the moment where I was least expecting too, that I found her.

My One. Aranea...My...It was like a breath of fresh air and fire hitting my system at one time. It threw me, mentally out of my mind. All I could process was that she was there... That she actually existed...

Nothing else mattered to me then or now. Aranea completely and totally captivated me, mind, body and soul in that single moment. And to think that she had been there all this time!

That my one was simply hidden just a few feet away, cloaked in green and away from my sight. So close, yet so far at the same time. Now that I know who she is and know the type of power she has over me, now that I crave to know her... she seemed to be even farther out of my reach.

How can a person, a human like her, ever be able to love an old dwarf like me? She can't even meet my gaze, without flinching away in almost disgust, her face flushing in pity.

I was only ever fooling myself. She clearly must have a thing going on with that Elf. For she almost naturally leaned into him as he pulled her into that hug. I thought I was going to pull off his arms, probably would have too if Dwalin and Fili hadn't stepped in.

"Brother, it's just a formality."

After all. My failures at avenging my people and not being able to reclaim my forefather's mountain, would be enough reason for Mahal to play this sick joke on me. Oh Mahal, what was I even thinking! Why am I even thinking about it!

About her!

About love!

I am supposed to be on a journey, a quest, a mission to avenge my people. To avenge my father and everyone else that perished at the Battle of Moria and reclaim our home.

But Nooo

Here I am thinking and pitying myself for ever thinking that this beautiful woman could ever want me.

An young pitiful dwarf with his priorities clearly all over the place.

This is where I need to distance myself from the thought...from the idea of a chance...from her

Yes, that's it!

Distance.

Distance is good, I could work with distance.

But what if that just drives her farther away?

Urghhhhhhhh

"Who's that?"

"Who's what?"

"Who's where?"

"Who is there."

I turned just to see Nori pointed up at the right side of the balcony, where Aranea was speaking quietly and hushly to a rather rough looking old man.

"He must be a Ranger; he has the same clasp on his cloak." Ori quipped,

His voice started to fade off as I became even more trapped as I watched her hand run through her mid-length hair, while the other never left the pommel of her sword. My heart almost melted as I saw her spin that emerald set ring on her thumb.

"You can clearly see the seven-pointed star from here."

"But Why is there another ranger here?" grunted Dwalin next to him. Pulling me from my thoughts, I had to shake my head to clear my mind to Uncle say something to him

"I don't know." glancing up, he murmured an order for Dwalin to keep his eye on the greying man. "Watch him."

"Master Dwarves! If you still wish to eat, I would suggest keeping up." The grey wizard smiled down at them from the top of the long staircase. The Elf Lord was also smiling as he continued to chat with Gandalf

"Let's get this over with." I sighed, ushering the others towards and up the marble steps, Balin and Dwalin leading. Kili however, waited for the other as well, moving to walk on my left side as I started up the staircase.

"My dear and wonderful brother how have you been this morning?" Kili smiled from the left.

"Well minus the whole Troll bit, of course."

I should have seen this coming, growling. I pushed my way ahead of them and followed the rest of the company on top of the balcony.

Aranea and the greying man were still talking in the far corner of the balcony as we passed. Straining to hear, I couldn't recognize the tongue they spoke. But what was strange to me was how even though they spoke in a strange tongue, they spoke it very hushed and quiet. Looking at them in confusion, I saw Aranea bite her lip sharply as her eyes darted at the ground, seeming deep in thought.

I crumbled.

"Fi?"

Sighing deeply, as my inner monologue died out. Meeting the knowing glint in Dwalin's eye, he ignored my returning glare, speaking anyways

"A Númenórean Woman? I would have never guessed."

"Oh brother, don't pick on the fellow" sighed Balin moving to my other side. "The heart wants what the heart wants, as they do say."

"It's not like anything will come of this." I grumbled. "Like she would accept such a thing."

"You never know Lad." Balin patted my shoulder "The miracle of One's has crossed into other races before. If you feel that connection with her, so must she."

"She sure hides it better than I can."

"Only to you."Dwalin shoved his shoulder into mine, scoffing as he continued. "That girl's eyes have hardly left your back since this morning."

"That is true." Balin confirmed, smiling broadly. Rolling my eyes, I tried to ignore them. "There is no question that she feels the pull, the only question is does she know."

"Know what?" Uncle grunted as he stood in front of us

"Know what it is that she feels." Balin answered "No other race was granted the miracle of having One's like us. It is not really known to them for it only happens when a Dwarf becomes their one."

"And How rare such a thing is!" Dwalin teased again.

My heart sighed.

How will this ever work? How could it even work?

The Female Heir of Isildur and The Dwarf Heir without a inheritance

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