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windemereAnd here be the next part. It's another short one, but I promise all the rest of the chapters will not be short.
Disclaimer: Tolkien. Peter Jackson. Need I say more? There are quite a few lines from TH: AUJ in here, which of course belong to Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro.
At first, the trip is something of an adventure. Fili and Kili receive a rather cryptic letter from their uncle one day in late spring. It doesn’t say much, and the directions of where to meet are less than clear, but since they have both been feeling the itch of needing to be taken seriously as grown dwarves, out from under their mother’s skirts, the lack of directions seems even more interesting.
They set out together one morning at dawn, nearly a month before mid-summer. It’s only a few days from the Blue Mountains to the borders of the Shire, and it is nice weather without worry of danger around every corner. That does not mean the two brothers aren’t armed to the teeth and quite willing to pretend there is an orc pack around every corner. But none appears. They slip across the borders of the quiet land of the Halflings in the darkness of a moonless night and camp in an area of trees a few miles east during the day. They have made more than good time and have a day to wait before the designated meeting at a place called Bag End, in Hobbiton.
Kili knows maps well, and he knows where they need to go. So the two of them lay low for the next day, content to watch Hobbits come and go about their business from the shelter of dark trees in the west lands of rolling hills. It is only when the sun sets the next evening that they break camp and set out at a brisk pace for the town of Hobbiton.
Then don’t meet any other dwarves on their way, though the letter from Thorin indicated there were others meeting them. Still, it is only slightly after supper time in decent places when the two brothers sneak into Hobbiton, avoiding the lit windows of the halfling folk and make their way up the hill to the round green door. Thorin’s instructions were only that it was the house at the top of the hill above the village and they would know the one. It is only when Kili ventures to the gate that they notice the shinning rune at the base of the round wooden door. A ‘G’. Clearly they are in the right place.
Although, they are both a little worried when the Halfling that answers the door in his night robe seems pretty confused, but once he assures them the party hasn’t been cancelled Fili catches the voice of Uncle Dwalin down the hall and all is well. They are not the first arrivals, but by no means the last, and there is certainly enough food to be getting on with, though the ale is lacking.
Thorin is, of course, late. As long as Fili can remember, Uncle Thorin has been later than intended. Every time he was due back, he would never arrive on the day looked for. Fili has long thought it was because his uncle simply does not keep track of days the same way as most folk. He is too busy reminiscing on the past to really pay attention to the present.
Fili never says that out loud, however.
Still, it has been nearly six months since Thorin has been home to visit his sister and nephews and so, as usual, Fili is willing to forgive him anything. And Kili has always been less bothered by Thorin’s tardiness. But Kili is the first to notice that there is a cloud hanging over his uncle’s head. Thorin has always been serious, distant, in some cases even cold, but there is a weight upon his shoulders that Kili cannot remember. Nor can Fili when he mentions it to his brother. The weight of the world, or at least of a mountain.
When Gandalf produces the map – and the key – something stirs in the hearts of the brothers. Something that they have wanted to feel for a long time, and never experienced. They are going off to war, to adventure and glory and at the end of it will be home. A home neither of them have ever known, but both have dreamt of. A home in stories and legends and now very, very real.
After their new ‘burglar’ feints, Fili and Kili find a quiet corner away from the others, especially Dwalin and Thorin, and enjoy a few moments of delight that they have been asked along. By Thorin. The great Thorin Oakenshield of their childhood stories has asked them on a quest to retake their homeland. They are two of only thirteen dwarves who have answered the call. There will be much glory and victory. Neither of the young dwarves spare a moment to think of what else lies ahead.
It is only slightly troubling to lose their burglar only right after they gain him, but that doesn’t last long. Bilbo Baggins shows up the next morning with a light shining in his eyes that both Fili and Kili are familiar with. It is the same one as is in theirs.
But it’s a bit boring, this going on an adventure thing. The Shire isn’t exactly teaming with orcs, dragons or other adventures, and the only annoyance is the rain that falls for two days. By the time the company reaches the plains that separate the rolling hills of the Shire from the Misty Mountains, Fili and Kili are started to get bored. Which is never a good thing.
Even Balin’s story to Bilbo and his remonstrations at joking about attacking orcs does not create much interest. For a few minutes, it’s a wonderful story, but it is still just that: a story. Despite the look in Thorin’s eye and the grief plain as day on Balin’s, it is a distant tale a hundred years old. They want more. They have trained all their (short) lives to fight in a war they are now marching towards and the reality of that looming conflict is still a much better tale than anything Balin can spin.
The Trolls are a bit more like it. Almost a bit too like it, in all honesty. Fili and Kili both have a moment where they fear they would lose their new friend. And there is a longer moment when they think that getting roasted on a spit will be the less-than-fitting end to the House of Thror. But Bilbo and Gandalf save the day, of course. A few moments of danger, a bit of fighting, and a victory. Just what they thought they’d find on this road.
It is the last bit of fun the brothers are to know. When Fili and Kili go to sleep that night after being chased across the wilderness by orcs to Rivendell, they are unaware of what more is to come, though the reality is very clear to their uncle. They have wandered unknowingly into the story that haunted and fascinated their childhoods. And the truth of it will be a hard lesson to learn.
***
To Be Continued
Disclaimer: Tolkien. Peter Jackson. Need I say more? There are quite a few lines from TH: AUJ in here, which of course belong to Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro.
At first, the trip is something of an adventure. Fili and Kili receive a rather cryptic letter from their uncle one day in late spring. It doesn’t say much, and the directions of where to meet are less than clear, but since they have both been feeling the itch of needing to be taken seriously as grown dwarves, out from under their mother’s skirts, the lack of directions seems even more interesting.
They set out together one morning at dawn, nearly a month before mid-summer. It’s only a few days from the Blue Mountains to the borders of the Shire, and it is nice weather without worry of danger around every corner. That does not mean the two brothers aren’t armed to the teeth and quite willing to pretend there is an orc pack around every corner. But none appears. They slip across the borders of the quiet land of the Halflings in the darkness of a moonless night and camp in an area of trees a few miles east during the day. They have made more than good time and have a day to wait before the designated meeting at a place called Bag End, in Hobbiton.
Kili knows maps well, and he knows where they need to go. So the two of them lay low for the next day, content to watch Hobbits come and go about their business from the shelter of dark trees in the west lands of rolling hills. It is only when the sun sets the next evening that they break camp and set out at a brisk pace for the town of Hobbiton.
Then don’t meet any other dwarves on their way, though the letter from Thorin indicated there were others meeting them. Still, it is only slightly after supper time in decent places when the two brothers sneak into Hobbiton, avoiding the lit windows of the halfling folk and make their way up the hill to the round green door. Thorin’s instructions were only that it was the house at the top of the hill above the village and they would know the one. It is only when Kili ventures to the gate that they notice the shinning rune at the base of the round wooden door. A ‘G’. Clearly they are in the right place.
Although, they are both a little worried when the Halfling that answers the door in his night robe seems pretty confused, but once he assures them the party hasn’t been cancelled Fili catches the voice of Uncle Dwalin down the hall and all is well. They are not the first arrivals, but by no means the last, and there is certainly enough food to be getting on with, though the ale is lacking.
Thorin is, of course, late. As long as Fili can remember, Uncle Thorin has been later than intended. Every time he was due back, he would never arrive on the day looked for. Fili has long thought it was because his uncle simply does not keep track of days the same way as most folk. He is too busy reminiscing on the past to really pay attention to the present.
Fili never says that out loud, however.
Still, it has been nearly six months since Thorin has been home to visit his sister and nephews and so, as usual, Fili is willing to forgive him anything. And Kili has always been less bothered by Thorin’s tardiness. But Kili is the first to notice that there is a cloud hanging over his uncle’s head. Thorin has always been serious, distant, in some cases even cold, but there is a weight upon his shoulders that Kili cannot remember. Nor can Fili when he mentions it to his brother. The weight of the world, or at least of a mountain.
When Gandalf produces the map – and the key – something stirs in the hearts of the brothers. Something that they have wanted to feel for a long time, and never experienced. They are going off to war, to adventure and glory and at the end of it will be home. A home neither of them have ever known, but both have dreamt of. A home in stories and legends and now very, very real.
After their new ‘burglar’ feints, Fili and Kili find a quiet corner away from the others, especially Dwalin and Thorin, and enjoy a few moments of delight that they have been asked along. By Thorin. The great Thorin Oakenshield of their childhood stories has asked them on a quest to retake their homeland. They are two of only thirteen dwarves who have answered the call. There will be much glory and victory. Neither of the young dwarves spare a moment to think of what else lies ahead.
It is only slightly troubling to lose their burglar only right after they gain him, but that doesn’t last long. Bilbo Baggins shows up the next morning with a light shining in his eyes that both Fili and Kili are familiar with. It is the same one as is in theirs.
But it’s a bit boring, this going on an adventure thing. The Shire isn’t exactly teaming with orcs, dragons or other adventures, and the only annoyance is the rain that falls for two days. By the time the company reaches the plains that separate the rolling hills of the Shire from the Misty Mountains, Fili and Kili are started to get bored. Which is never a good thing.
Even Balin’s story to Bilbo and his remonstrations at joking about attacking orcs does not create much interest. For a few minutes, it’s a wonderful story, but it is still just that: a story. Despite the look in Thorin’s eye and the grief plain as day on Balin’s, it is a distant tale a hundred years old. They want more. They have trained all their (short) lives to fight in a war they are now marching towards and the reality of that looming conflict is still a much better tale than anything Balin can spin.
The Trolls are a bit more like it. Almost a bit too like it, in all honesty. Fili and Kili both have a moment where they fear they would lose their new friend. And there is a longer moment when they think that getting roasted on a spit will be the less-than-fitting end to the House of Thror. But Bilbo and Gandalf save the day, of course. A few moments of danger, a bit of fighting, and a victory. Just what they thought they’d find on this road.
It is the last bit of fun the brothers are to know. When Fili and Kili go to sleep that night after being chased across the wilderness by orcs to Rivendell, they are unaware of what more is to come, though the reality is very clear to their uncle. They have wandered unknowingly into the story that haunted and fascinated their childhoods. And the truth of it will be a hard lesson to learn.
***
To Be Continued
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no subject
Date: 2013-02-26 08:31 pm (UTC)**
Bilbo Baggins shows up the next morning with a light shining in his eyes that both Fili and Kili are familiar with. It is the same one as is in theirs.
Wonderful.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-26 09:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-02 11:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-02 04:48 pm (UTC)They have wandered unknowingly into the story that haunted and fascinated their childhoods. And the truth of it will be a hard lesson to learn.
In some ways you are portraying Fili and Kili as being very nearly as innocent of the world and what adventure really means as Bilbo himself. I like that. Yes, they are a little more prepared in that they actually know how to use their weapons, but really they have no more practical knowledge than the hobbit does.
no subject
Date: 2013-03-02 05:09 pm (UTC)Spoilerish comment here
Date: 2013-03-03 08:15 am (UTC)(Bilbo Baggins shows up the next morning with a light shining in his eyes that both Fili and Kili are familiar with. It is the same one as is in theirs. ) I like the way you connect Bilbo and the brothers with this line.
Oh, they are so very young and so ready for what they think is coming, but so completely not ready for what will come!
(Fili has long thought it was because his uncle simply does not keep track of days the same way as most folk. He is too busy reminiscing on the past to really pay attention to the present.) Your story may be about Fili and Kili but this is an excellent look at Thorin too. He truly must have spent much of his life reliving his past and maybe in so doing, missed a good deal of what was going on around him. Very sad.
And so after hearing the stories, now, they are a part of them. Wow! Just so much...