LOTR/Hobbit Imagines

Fíli - When in Mirkwood (part 1)

"And King Bard agreed to drop the extra fees if we raise the frequency to monthly deliveries instead of once every few months," Balin concluded, finally finishing up with reading the new Dale trade agreements.

Tullaina couldn't understand how everyone was still awake at this point, these council meetings were always so draining and exhausting. She herself had the hardest time with keeping her eyes open and despite her efforts, she had already dozed away a couple of times in the past hour.

A harsh kick to her shin made her jump up, her hand automatically clutching her leg.

"Pay attention," Kíli mouthed, trying to keep a stern look but the corners of his mouth were twitching.

"Speak for yourself," Tullaina mouthed back and glared at him, remembering how he was the one who had dragged her to this meeting in the first place. So far she didn't hear anything of her interest. On the contrary... He probably did it so he wouldn't have to suffer alone. Coward. She couldn't wait to get back at him.

"Thank you Balin," Thorin thanked him. "Next, renewing the trade agreements with Mirkwood." He almost spat the last word and Tullaina had to bite back a snort. Even after all this time, Thorin and Thranduil could not spend more than five minutes in each other's presence without insulting one another. Granted, it was an improvement from all the death threats but it was hilarious to see someone she looked up to, someone who was like a father to her in all aspects but one, act like a sulking child because he had to play with someone he couldn't stand.

"King Thranduil is expecting a small delegation by the end of this week to finalize the contract. Fíli will be the one to lead the negotiations," he explained and Fíli sat up in his chair. Unlike Tullaina and Kíli, he had actually paid attention the entire time and immediately suggested a few ideas of how to approach King Thranduil and what to change about the existing agreement.

Tullaina zoned out again, she really couldn't care less about the trade agreements and kept her eyes fixed on the painting on the wall behind Kíli. Maybe if she stared hard enough, it would fall off the wall, right on Kíli's head. Then at least something interesting had come forth from this seemingly endless meeting. The mental image of Kíli with a torn painting as a necklace made her snort out loud.

"Tullaina, is there something you want to share with us?" Thorin's voice boomed.

Shoot. Think of something, quick!

"I-I just thought he made a great suggestion," she answered, hoping they were still discussing a plan of action for Mirkwood. The last thing she needed was another lecture because she didn't act the way a member of the Court should. Thorin had done it before and it wasn't fun. When he did it to Kíli however, she suffered from stomach aches trying to keep her laughter in.

"You do, do you?" Thorin smiled with a mischievous glint in his eyes and a chill ran through her. Tullaina knew that look all too well, she just gave him an idea and she was not going to like it. "Well, in that case it is settled then! Fíli, it looks like we found a volunteer to accompany you to Mirkwood. You'll leave in the morning."

Everyone else rose from their chairs, relieved to see the meeting come to an end. Between the noise of scraping chairs and friendly chatter, Tullaina didn't miss the pleased chuckle coming from across the table. That bloody runt of a warg!

"You planned this, didn't you?" She hissed at Kíli, who raised his hands in surrender, but it was common knowledge that the youngest Durin prince was never, in no circumstance, to be considered innocent until proven otherwise. "That's why you wanted me to come along so badly?"

"Hey, it was either going to be me or you. It's not my fault you were so kind to volunteer before I had the chance," he grinned.

Tullaina gasped and tried to smack his arm across the table, all the while muttering curses and profanities his way, but Kíli was quicker and jumped backwards to stay out of her reach. "I didn't volunteer and you know it! If you hadn't distracted me, none of this would have happened!"