It all began with a story, one that captured the mind and the imagination. It made people laugh and cry, angered and desolated them with a turn of the page.

This particular story asks you to remain open-minded, and it asks, 'What if?' What if the dragon Smaug had never come down from the North? What if the Arkenstone wasn't lost? What if Thorin, Fili, and Kili never had to fight and die for their homeland? What if instead, they faced ordinary adventures and dangers? What if they, and their friends, had already journeyed to the north, defeated a dragon, obtained his treasure for themselves, and a, slightly hapless, hobbit that had been brought along, quite unwillingly, by a wizard. What if their lives all went according to their plans and not a greater design?

Well, this is still going to be done by a greater design, and it involves two young princes, who had the great good fortune to be born and raised in their family's home, the great city of Erebor, and the neighbouring town of Dale. There is no great dragon, nor anything more dangerous than an orc raid or two a season. There is a war, but it is only on the field of the Great Games, and the Dwarves do hate to lose to the Elves who win with great glee.

The two princes are, as you might have guessed, Fili and his younger brother, Kili. They are as alike in face as dawn is bright and night is dark. Fili was often called the fair prince, while Kili was named the dark prince, although both were always as good as their word and never thought to lose their tempers. Both shared their mother's good nature, and their father's long temper, even through the ravages of growing up. Behaviour that was considered unbecoming by their mother Dis was not encouraged, so there was no pampering of the princes beyond their infancy, no tempers sweetened by expensive gifts, and certainly no lofty egos tolerated without a very good reason. Not that the young dwarves were not spoiled by their doting father, uncle, grandfathers and great-grandfather, King under the Mountain, Thror. Their mother despaired of ever marrying off her sons to proper young dwarves lasses, when her husband and her brother Thorin, took Kili and Fili, to taverns and allowed them to drink themselves into the nastiest hangover they would ever have willingly.

After the boys came of marrying age, Thorin, for their father had been killed with a poisoned arrow from an orc raid, took the boys to a Dwarfs brothel in the town of Dale. Dis remained convinced her sons would never marry well, and after becoming ill one winter after Kili announced his desire to travel North and slay a dragon, Dis would never see her boys become dragon slayers, as the illness took her life, bare weeks after the company had left Erebor in search of a dragon. Thrain, father of Thorin and Dis, buried his only daughter, and sent word to his son and grandsons of her passing. The messenger never reached his destination, having been ambushed by a pack of hungry wargs.

Years had passed, no more than five, however, and the company returned, with their wizard, Gandalf the Grey, and his hobbit friend Bilbo Baggins. These two stayed in Erebor until it was spring and departed with a small share of dragon treasure each. Thorin, Fili and Kili had mourned the loss of Dis in their own ways. Kili turned his grief into productiveness and became the Kings Own Huntsman. He was by far he best hunter, and his kills went directly to his great grandfathers table. Thorin grieved a short time for his sister, but revived when he saw what her sons needed, a new centre to their world. The young men now became his focus, for they were his own heirs until he had his own children. Kili was no king in the making, all knew this, he was a good dwarf, yet more inclined to stand by and wait his turn. Fili was a natural leader, even as a child. He had always led Kili into mischief, was the first one to jump off the high cliffs into the swimming holes, and generally had a lack of fear of anything he did not think deserved to be feared.

This did not lead him into grand feats of recklessness, more than a time or two. Kili could often talk his brother into doing things that were less dangerous and still fun. Thorin had it in his mind that, given the opportunity, both his nephews could be great. Fili as a king in waiting, and Kili as his closest and wisest advisor.

Although what happened to Fili in this story, only the gods themselves could have talked him out of it and still it would have been an up hill battle to keep him from being foolish, as all young men can be.

In the town of Dale, there were many people, so many; the Dale was more a city, than a town. This story centers on one youngish maid, not very unusual, pretty enough to be pleasing to the eye, yet not so much as to make young men declare love for her immediately, or cause jealous wives to chase her with hatpins. She was simply put, lovely. But for all that she was well off enough for a generous dowry, having only to work selling her, secretly hidden, grown, and harvested, truffles several times a week. Because even in Dale and Erebor, truffles were of great value, and the size and colour of the Truffle maids, made them and her even more desirable. She always had the best and had earned the unkind nickname, that none would say to her face, of truffle pig. She was known to the head cook of the royal household of the King under the Mountain, and was begged repeatedly by other well to do houses for her truffles.

As to her lineage, which unfortunately, is what has kept her from marrying any man, human or Dwarven. She had the great misfortune of having a human mother, and a Dwarven father. Now he loved the woman he married and mourned the loss of her greatly, only his mourning involved great amounts of ale and wine, which unfortunately, left his only child, not yet an adult, to find her own way in a world, where although they are not uncommon, they are looked down upon as being Half-breeds. And the girl was a half-breed, half dwarf gave her the diminutive height of four feet and three inches tall by way of human reckoning, she received her mother delicateness of face and form. No long nose, or thicker fingers of a dwarf lass, she had the small pert nose and the nimble, thin fingers of a human lass that could sew an ell of embroidery, or in her case, dig truffles faster than a pregnant sow.

It was her smiling face and dancing form that first drew Fili's attention, at the year's spring festival, after the company returned from the slaying of the great dragon Smaug.

The music rose in a crescendo of fiddles and pipes, drums, and high-pitched harps. Most danced because it was expected, and the rest danced because it was fun. Winter was finally over and spring had arrived. Food was aplenty of this day, as was ale, and wine sent from the Wood Elves, who did not leave their forest until the summer Games. Fili walked about enjoying the fresh air, the Kingdom under the Mountain had finally reopened its vents to let in the fresh air, and let out the dwarves the enjoyed being above ground. Kili had buggered off somewhere, hunting or just observing the festival, Fili didn't know. As he wandered, several of his friends appeared at his side and led him off to watch the dancing, and that was where he saw the truffle maid. The girl the cook would hunt down as often as possible in order to pay dear gold for a few ounces of mushrooms. Fili didn't care about food, so long as it was fit to eat.

The buying of and the ingredients didn't much interest him and he simply shrugged whenever the topic was brought up. At the festival however, he heard about the truffle girl and the description of her had caught his interest, if only for a fleeting moment, before a different dwarf lass walked by. By the time he had turned back to look for the lass selling the truffles, she had left the circles, picked up her basket and had headed towards the vendors market. Fili followed, leaving his friends to flirt shamelessly with lasses, both human and dwarf, not unwilling to have some innocent fun.

Fili saw the lass, her blue-black hair without the distinctive dwarven curls, was standing on tiptoe to look at a cluster of hairpins, the sort with wax shaped into flowers and paste jewels on the ends. She had progressed to the gilded combs and silk flower hair hat pins by the time he reached her. Fili heard her ask how much a pair of combs were, and watched as she tried to hide her disappointment when she found out they were beyond her ability to purchase now.

"I'll pay for those, if you please." Fili offered, coming up on the girl's left hand. She looked at him, startled into staring at him with her eyes wide in surprise. He noted that they were deep green; teal would be the name of the colour. Fili smiled, a very good attempt at being charming.

"And why, pray, would you wish to pay for a lasses hair combs?" asked the girl, cocking her head curiously.

"They would look rather nice in your hair, I suppose." Fili said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, he had plenty of practice in this area of courtship, though he had yet to be serious about courting a lass. The girl eyed him, up and down, then just looked at him for an uncomfortably long moment.

"No, thank you. I know a cad when I meet one. Thank you, but no thank you, sir." said she and walked away without the combs and without her basket. Fili noticed this and seized the basket, then ran after the girl, he would get her name this time, or at least a gesture of apology for the slight she gave him. He caught up to the girl, who was talking with some human children, quite easily her height, but none was more than ten years old. They were discussing dolls and their clothing. Fili waited patiently while the girls and the dwarf lass talked and giggled for what seemed like a half hour or more. The lass finally noticed he was waiting and turned to him after sending the children off on an errand.

"Are you going to offer to buy doll clothing this time?" she asked with a grin, and in that moment, Fili could swear he could see himself taking her as his mistress for a very long time.

"You forgot this back at the pretties vendor." Fili said, holding up her basket, the girl gasped, and grabbed for the basket. Fili held it out of reach and grinned at her. "What do I get for returning it?" She scowled at him, then a shoe shod foot collided with his trouser covered shin with a goodly amount of force. Fili bit back a yelp of pain and a curse at the same time; he also bent at the waist slightly, bringing the basket within the truffle seller's reach. She snatched the basket from him and smiled broadly.

"Blackmail is not the way to get on the good side of a lass." she stated and this time trod away quickly, leaving Fili to nurse his bruised shin by himself. He vowed to find out just who she was and repay her for the insult and injury. It would be weeks and a botched hunting trip until he saw her again.

Kili had convinced his brother, who was prone to laze away in the heat of the coming summer, into going hunting out in the orchards, where there had been sightings of wild boar hunting for truffles. This was dangerous to the harvesters, and the pigs that did most of the truffle hunting. It didn't occur to Kili that Fili was trying to win over a truffle hunter, it may have, had Fili told his brother about the girl that had preoccupied him for a few days till he was distracted by a new chambermaid in his rooms. Now the maid was getting ideas that did not interest Fili in the slightest. She would be replaced within the week. The head of staff should have known it was a very bad idea to put a new maid in the young prince's household. Especially since neither of them had any qualms over tumbling a maid or two a week.

The hunting party left early in the morning, when the air was still cool enough to require a cloak. A pony trained to walk quietly was needed to reach the orchards, boars were tricky to hunt, and could smell with the same accuracy of a good hunting dog, hence the current theft of truffles and fruit. The party spread out to surround the orchard that held the best fruit and the most truffles. Dwarves are fond of mushrooms and truffles were a delicacy, worth their weight in silver. Fili sighed, it was already beginning to get warm now that the sun was a finger width above the horizon, he removed his cloak and shook his hair to let air onto the back of his neck. He kept his ears trained for the sound of pigs, none of the truffle pigs were penned once the boars were spotted. The boars would breed with the pigs, and better truffle hunters would be the result. The hunters just had to make sure that they killed boar, not pig.

Fili heard a small shriek, and his hair stood on end, one of the pig handlers hadn't heeded the orders and had come out to hunt truffles. He turned his pony and galloped toward the sound. What he found startled him, more than the presence of the wild boars, was half a lass's cotton skirt in bright blue, along with two leather slippers, and nothing more.

"Hello?! Lass are you well?" Fili called, the boars paid him no attention.

"Frightened and humiliated, but uninjured." said a sheepish voice very nearly above him. Fili cast about, looking for the girl, and caught sight of a pair of small feet, then ankles and the rest of the blue skirt, before finding the lass' face, blushing red and trying not to look pathetically pleased to see him.

"Well, the truffle girl. Did no one tell you that there was to be a boar hunt in this orchard?" Fili asked with a broad grin on his face. The girl pouted and looked away.

"The orchard owner said it was fine if I went searching in here today. He said nothing of a hunt." she said, as Fili brought his pony to stand next to her tree. Fili held out his hand to help her onto his pony.

"And when did he say you could enter?" Fili asked as she settled behind him and put her arms around his waist. Fili could almost hear her stubbornness rising.

"A week ago." she admitted after a few moments of stubborn silence. Fili started laughing and received a pinch in his ribs.

"So, now I have saved you from the boars, do I at least get a name to call you by, rather than truffle girl?" Fili asked still chuckling, the girl remained silent. "I apologize for laughing, but I also kept you from going hungry not too long ago."

"My name's Meadow." Meadow said quietly.

"Meadow? That isn't a dwarven name, is it?" Fili asked blankly.

"No, it's a human name." Meadow said, still quiet.

"Are you half dwarven to have a human name?" Fili asked carefully.

"My mother was human. She chose my name, so that it wasn't too unusual." Meadow explained. Fili remained silent; this didn't alter his plans in the slightest.

"Well, I am Fili, Third Prince under the Mountain." Fili said proudly. Telling his title often had the same effect as a hurricane on women's skirts.

"Thank you Fili. Your help is appreciated. Could you perhaps rescue what's left of my skirt and my shoes?" Meadow asked, she had to repeat herself, when Fili gave her the strangest look she had ever received. Fili shot one unconcerned boar dead and the others cleared off in fright. Then retrieved the muddy length of blue cotton, and found only one slipper.

"It seems the pigs were hungry enough to eat your little shoe." Fili said with a smirk.

"No! I just bought those only a week ago!" Meadow cried in denial, jumping down from the pony, and wincing when her feet hit hard roots. "It has to be here. Keep looking."

"'Tis only a shoe, lass. You can get another pair." Fili pointed out, it wasn't the best-made shoe he had seen either.

"Those cost me a great deal as it was. I won't be able to buy more until fall." Meadow snapped and took the one ruined shoe from Fili. She turned it over again and again, trying to figure out how to fix it, but it was ruined beyond repair, as was the other half of her skirt.

"May I once again save you? I'll purchase a new skirt and a pair of shoes for you." Fili offered carefully.

"And what would you expect in return?" Meadow asked, suddenly waspish, Fili held his hands up in defence of his offer.

"What is the state of your larder?" Fili asked with a smile.

"Well stocked. I have my father to take care of." Meadow said, still suspicious.

"I wouldn't say no to a good lunch. Especially if it gets me out of this blasted hunt."

"What about that boar you killed?" Meadow asked, pointing to the dead porcine.

"Dinner then. Would your father object to boar for his table and a good story?" Fili asked brightly, Meadow finally smiled at him and laughed. Fili quickly dressed the pig, it wasn't very old and therefore not very large. Not long after Fili and Meadow left the orchard, Kili came looking for his older brother. All he found were two sets of footprints and the offal of a field dressed boar. Kili figured his brother had somehow found a girl and was off with her, eating his boar and keeping out of the sun.

Fili sat at the head table with his brother, uncle and grandfather. They were waiting on Thror, to arrive and start the feast. A fortnight had passed since the boar hunt, and Fili's first attempt on Meadow's good graces. He had another plan to put in motion. She had expressed interest in the theatre, and he was going to take her to see the new comedy that the humans had come up with. It had nothing to do with dwarves, but the elves might find it a bit tongue in cheek. Great Grandfather Thror came in and took his seat, thus starting the break fast feast. Fili didn't notice the glances his brother would give him from time to time.

"So, brother, who is she?" Kili asked with a quirk of his eyebrows. Fili sputtered in his drink and looked at Kili.

"She?" Fili asked, hoping to stall for time.

"The lass you've been sneaking off to see. The one who has you picking at your meals, and staring off into the ether." Kili said, exaggerating only a little, he was right, that Fili was preoccupied, but mostly with planning ways with which to get through Meadow's defences. Nothing short of cataclysmic would put a dwarf off his dinner.

"I don't think I know what you are speaking of, brother." Fili said, going for ignorance, rather than admitting there was a lass at all. After all, she was common as a mouse, and a half breed on top of that.

"Yes you do. The lass what sells the truffles to the cook, and makes him so happy to see her everyday. For the past fortnight." Kili pointed out with a sly grin. He did know what happened in the kingdom, especially when he heard the maids tittering about the girl his brother was wooing.

"A lass selling truffles?" Thror asked, he was particularly partial to white truffles. "Have her brought in when next she comes so that I may pick the truffles." This put a touch of fear in Fili, Thror still enjoyed a lass from time to time, and none of them refused the king. Fili would have to keep his current interest away from the Hall. Fili finished his breakfast and hurried down to Dale, to find Meadow.

Meadow for her part was entrenched in housework. Her father had once again spent his night in the taverns and had come home blind drunk. He was in the sitting room, snoring away the consequences of his drunkenness. Meadow set the two broken chairs out on the back porch and looked at the broken windows in the front porch. The landlord was not going to be happy with the damage her father had wrought once again. Meadow finished tidying away the worst of the damage, and washed up herself. She put on the shoes and skirt Fili had bought her, he had been discreet, paying a child to buy the items and bring them to him, before he doubled back and gave them to Meadow before they had entered the town those two weeks back. He had been nothing but kind since, teasing her gently now and again, being nothing less than mannerly in her fathers presence, who for his part, was ecstatic that a prince was courting his daughter. Fili had given Meadow an amused grimace as her father went on into his cups about having a prince for a son in law.

Meadow sat on the front stoop with her embroidery; she was going to stitch it to the kidskin shoes Fili had given her. The sound of a pony trotting towards her made her look up. Fili on his pony came up the street, he was scowling, and the reason was right beside him, his uncle Thorin had accompanied him to town and was not in the least bit inclined to leave his nephews side. Dwarves on either side of the two bowed and scraped as the royals passed, only to stop directly in front of Meadow.

Fili dismounted and held out his hand to Meadow.

"My grandfather the King wishes to meet you and see your truffles." Fili grumbled, making Thorin smirk at his reticence.

"I don't have any at the moment. It's been too dry for harvesting, these past weeks." Meadow said. "What I do have is dried out and tasteless.

"After the next rains. King Thror would have you at the castle with your best white truffles. The head cook would be pleased as well, if you came first to her to sell your delicacies." Thorin said, amused at Fili's scowling face. "Dress to appear before the King himself and expect to remain the night. Fili, take care of anything she may need for her presentation to your great grandfather." Thorin said, grinning broadly as Fili's scowl deepened visibly.

"Aye uncle. A new court dress and jewellery." Fili mumbled and sketched a slight bow to his uncle as he turned his pony and left.

Fili dropped down from his pony and sat on the steps next to Meadow. He sighed deeply several times, to Meadows' continued amusement. She grinned when he finally turned to her, with a very attractive pout on his face.

"You could sympathize with me." Fili said petulantly.

"I cannot as I do not have an uncle to embarrass me." Meadow said, feigning sorrow. Fili huffed and put his chin on his fist, looking for all the world like a deeply insulted child. This thought made Meadow giggle to herself, and Fili perked up a little. Fili plucked a strand of Meadow's hair from her shoulder and lined it with the rest on her back.

"Would you care to go to the theatre this afternoon, and see what is being played by the humans? We'll go to dinner afterwards." Fili offered hopefully.

"It is to rain soon. Should you not take me to get a court worthy gown and jewellery?" Meadow asked with another giggle. Fili glowered. "You are always offering to buy me things, why do you not wish to do so now?"

"Because I'll get nothing out of this, and my uncle all but ordered me to do so." Fili said bluntly. Meadow had long since come to the conclusion that Fili was only interested in what he could get from her, but since she did not allow him to indebt her to him, she owed him nothing but her attention when he took time from his schedule to visit her. She believed that the longer she held out, the more he'd come to truly care for her. Even if a wedding wasn't in the offing, she'd still at least have a friend in a high position. Fili sighed as Meadow continued her embroidery, she wanted to go to the show and go shopping, but couldn't decide.

"I don't know which to do first. What do you think we should start with?" Meadow asked quietly, Fili lit up with a bright smile, and he stood up quickly.

"The jewellery is easy enough. The dress can be bought already made. Let's get that done with and go to the show. You'll love it, I promise." Fili said in a rush, he grabbed Meadow around the waist and tossed her onto his pony, before climbing up behind her and heading off to the dressmaker's, particularly the Dwarven side. In two hours, he had found everything any courtesan would love to have, and Meadow looked uncomfortable in the deep red and overly lacy dress he had picked out. This was obvious to him and her quiet nature was smothered in the gown. Fili looked about and found a sapphire and cream lace gown that was half the size of the red dress. The seamstress looked offended that her greatest creation wouldn't appear before the King, until Fili assured her that at least something of hers would. Meadow looked at Fili appreciatively after the blue dress had been packaged. Then they went to the jewellers.

"Are you sure emeralds are the best to go with a blue gown, Fili?" Meadow asked, a little pensive, she didn't have the means to keep the jewels, and they were jewels, safe.

"Your eyes are green and sapphires would blend with the dress. Emeralds that can closely match your eyes look better." Fili said assuredly, and held up a string of emerald stones the size of his thumbnail, tiny white pearls placed three apiece between each emerald kept the choker from being overwhelming. A matching set of pearl and emerald earrings were supplied immediately by the jeweller. Fili handed Meadow the earrings and stepped behind her to place the choker and fasten it.

"I would enjoy seeing you wear this, and only this." Fili whispered in Meadow's ear, too low for the jeweller to hear, as he was now across the room with another customer. Meadow blushed deeply, she had known what Fili wanted from her, but to put it into words was both frightening, and flattering.

Fili's hooded eyes and quirked lips were all that remained of his intentions, although the proprietary hand at the small of her back was reminder enough. He kept his hand on her, either on her back, her elbow, or shoulder. Fili had the jewels sent to his personal cache in the castle, and had the dress delivered, after the alterations had been made to it, to Meadows home. They attended the show, but Meadow couldn't focus on it or much other than the fact that Fili had stated his desire aloud and he meant what he said. Fili delivered her to her door and accepted her father's invitation to a tankard of ale. They discussed the pending invitation to the Castle and what it would do for the sale of truffles once it got out that the king loved them. Fili promised that Meadow's truffles would hold pride of place in the palace, so long as she sold them. Meadow's father soon left off drinking in his house and went looking for a tavern, forgetting that he had left his unmarried daughter with an unmarried man. This however didn't pass by Fili in the slightest. He hadn't drank more than a tankard of ale, carefully making sure he only drank when he was thirsty.

After her father stumbled out the door, Meadow came back into the sitting room to collect the tankards, and was surprised to see Fili still inside.

"I thought you left." Meadow said, picking up her father's mug, and holding out her hand for Fili's. He held it tight and grinned at her.

"I know how to wash dishes. Kili, Ori and I were the youngest on our quest and wound up doing the worst of the chores. Dishes weren't one of them." Fili said, and followed her into the kitchen. He kept close, almost crowding her into the corner of the tiny kitchen. He began to hum a tune, one that was well known to the people of Dale and the Kingdom under the Mountain. Meadow joined in humming the tune and swayed when Fili nudged her with his hip, soon they were dancing and spinning across the braided rug in the sitting room, until Fili tripped on the rug and they went sprawling across the long sofa, which served as her father's bed when he couldn't find the stairs.

Fili had managed to twist enough so that Meadow didn't land beneath him, she was sprawled like a rag doll across his chest, her hair had spread like ink and hung around her face and his, in silken streamers. Fili reached up and smoothed back a few strands, caressing Meadow's cheek as he did. Meadow leaned into his hand and smiled tentatively at Fili. He returned her smile with a slight smile of his own and cupped her cheek in his hand. He pulled her towards him and kissed her. A perfectly innocent kiss, nothing to make it seem as though he was attempting to overwhelm or seduce her. He was hoping on her being interested enough to continue kissing him. He was rewarded with another kiss, tentative as he expected, his friends had told him that she never had any serious suitors. And none were interested in her pitiful dowry, that shrank each time her father went out.

Fili let Meadow think she was in control of the moment, until he rolled over suddenly, pinning Meadow beneath him, and giving her a wicked grin, before utterly ravishing her with a scorching kiss made to seduce a girl. Meadow was surprised to say the very least, but she believed that Fili deserved this much at least after the lovely evening at the theatre, and the afternoon of shopping. This belief wore off, the moment Fili's hands wandered into forbidden regions, and began tugging at the neckline of her blouse. Meadow's hands were trapped behind Fili's head, he had pulled them there after he had changed their positions on the sofa. Now, Meadow wanted her hands free to stop Fili's hands from wandering. She got one hand free, just as Fili managed to unclothe her left breast and fondle it gently.

Meadow caught his hand and pulled it away, Fili simply switched his attention to her right breast, and began kissing his way down her neck. Meadow gasped when his mouth found her breast and he suckled her nipple in a most pleasurable way. Meadow lost the ability to speak then, so overcome at the turn of events. She was so overwhelmed, that it took her several moments to realize the Fili's hand had travelled to her hip and was pulling her skirt up indecently high. She didn't quite understand what he was after, until his hand slid over her thigh, under her skirt, and quite a ways between her legs, making her shriek right in his ear, and pull away as much as she could, what with his being on top of her and holding her in place with his weight.

Fili pulled away, with a hand to his ear thinking Meadow had screamed loud enough to shatter his eardrum. She was now completely covered again, and staring at him like a frightened rabbit.

"I went too far, did I?" Fili asked, a satisfied smirk on his face, Meadow's stare became a glare. "Well, I'm not sorry for doing what I did. I found it quite enjoyable."

"I did too, until you tried for more than what you deserve." Meadow snapped, and stood. "Good night, Fili." she said, and swept to the door. She held it open for Fili to understand that he was no longer welcome this night. Fili fetched his hood and cloak, put them on and with a great use of movement stemming from swinging his cloak onto his shoulders, Fili stole one last kiss from Meadow, before turning himself around and going outside into the summer night.

Meadow shut the door immediately behind Fili and leaned against it, trying to understand what had just gone on between them. He had made it clear that he was interested in her, all the fancy and expensive gifts he kept trying to give her, and now tonight. She knew he was a prince, he had introduced himself as such and the townspeople made it painfully clear that he really was a prince. Meadow sat down at the dining table to think, she was falling in love with a prince and knew that it was a mistake. Fairy tales were just that, not real and only existed to give children something to dream about. Meadow was far too old to believe in the Ash Maiden story. She knew no wizards or kind witches to magic up a cloth of gold dress and slippers made of diamond.

She also knew that she was a half-breed and not worthy of a prince. Fili was only dallying with her and once he got whatever he was after, he'd be gone and quite possibly leave her in serious difficulties. But he was just so very kind to her, unlike the other half-bred dwarves who tried to pay her suit. Those men thought that because she was a half-breed, she'd fall over herself trying to get married. Some were outright cruel, and others clearly thought they were doing her a favour by paying suit. These men had all vanished once Fili had made it plain that he was paying court to Meadow, even if he only planned on making her his mistress, none of her other suitors had made a peep about Fili's presence, outside a tavern and the bottom of a few barrels of ale.

Meadow made a plan, if Fili only wanted her for fun, then he'd have an uphill battle. She would settle for nothing less than the best of what he could give her, she'd accept the jewellery, and sell it after he left her. She would have a way to support herself, and her father wouldn't be able to drink away dresses and jewels. With the way he drank, he'd drink himself to death, no small feat for a dwarf accustomed to everything from watered wine to hard spirits used to light forge fires. Meadow sighed, and went up to her bed. Her father didn't stumble into the house until nearly dawn. He'd be demanding more than half her earnings by noon again, but this time the rent was due and Meadow had a small amount hidden away in case of emergency.

Summer passed in a swirl of heat, cotton dresses, and stolen moments in the orchards whenever Meadow went truffle hunting. Fili soon learned her trick at being better than the pigs. The ribbons that were tied to all the trees were usually to let the harvesters know which were still green or which were ripe. There was every few trees, a small black or white string hidden among the ribbons. Meadow explained that the string was where she had left part of a truffle to grow, and what colour it was. She used the harvesters' ribbons as camouflage for her bits of string since many of the ribbons were plaid, to show neither ripe nor green fruit on the trees. She had spread the truffles all over the five fruit orchards, since none were harvested until late summer and fall, and truffles were at their best in early summer, after the spring rains had drained and the fungi had time to grow to a size worth selling. The orchard managers also didn't allow truffle pigs in until the fall, so Meadow had a whole season to grow and sell her truffles.

Fili was impressed, but he knew his great grandfather hadn't forgotten about Meadow. He still wanted a source of white truffles, and to meet the girl who had taken up so much of Fili's time and energy. He was going to bring Meadow in to the castle, once her earning potential had ebbed in the fall. He also hoped to have bedded Meadow by then, so that she wasn't on anyone else's list of conquests, not until he had conquered her himself at least.

On this late summer day, Fili had taken Meadow off to the southern slopes of the Mountain, where grapes were grown to make wine. Winter was a long way off, but the grapes were ready to be pressed and the community that kept the vineyards were always welcoming extra hands and in this case, feet. The first harvest, green grapes to make pickling wine needed to be pressed and put into casks before the wine was put in. Fili knew the Meadow wanted to be part of a large, accepting group of people. Half-breeds felt like outsiders no matter what half they were most like.

The vineyards were an eclectic mix of nearly every mixed breed imaginable. There were half Elvin men and women, from all types of elves, even a few dark Elvin half bred with Wood, High, and Moon elves. There was even one half dark elf and human hybrid, and he was married to the only full elf, a Moon Elf from far down south. They had brought the wine grapes with them over two centuries ago. There were plenty of half dwarven, half-human lasses for Meadow to make lasting friends with.

Fili was proud of himself for coming up with this plan, even though his Uncle Thorin had mentioned that someone ought to go to the vineyards to oversee at least some of the wine making, there was usually a great feast and a festive air for the helping hands. Kili had mentioned going, but there was more he'd rather do than watch a handful of country lasses flash their ankles in a barrel of grape juice, hoping to catch a princes eye and perhaps his lavish attention. An illegitimate child wouldn't be looked at sideways either, not if the prince paid to support his child. Fili had realized then that this was the way to getting over the last of Meadow's barriers, and had offered to go in Kili's place, provided he could take a guest with him, his uncle had replied that the more there was, the merrier it would be. None of his family believed Fili was overly serious about Meadow, and he wasn't, not to his way of thinking. He had gone from wanting to have her simply because he could, to wanting to keep her as his mistress for a while. He thought it would be fun for him and good for her. All the gifts he gave her, she could sell to keep herself comfortably for a while, and maybe marry better than she could have just selling truffles door to door.

As the day grew longer, the great half barrel for grape pressing was cleaned and rolled to its place on a half hill, with casks lined up next to the scaffolding. Meadow was with the other young, unmarried girls, giggling and laughing as they washed their feet and legs, and kilted their skirts to keep them out of the juice. Fili lounged on a blanket, piled with cushions to support him so he didn't feel the ground. He watched with an indulgent smile, waving whenever Meadow thought to look for him. She would be grateful and exhausted tonight, her resistance would be superficial, and he would take as much advantage as he could without pushing too far.

She had allowed him greater privileges when it came to being intimate, but she still held out that final barrier. He was not allowed to spend the night with her; her father was her excuse, whenever Fili tried to push the issue. She would never stay anywhere overnight with him either. So, returning her to her home and stealing a few moments of privacy was all they had gotten. Fili hadn't noticed all the time he had spent on Meadow until his friends had caught up with him one night after returning her home, and demanded the details of what had kept him from the taverns so long. This memory brought a hooded look to his face; he had boasted about keeping Meadow as his mistress and regaled his friends with stories of how she was demanding of him, and not for trinkets.

Several of his dwarven friends had looked impressed and said they'd take her once he was done with her. He had managed not to scowl at them, but their easy insult of Meadow had rankled, and still did. He wasn't foolish enough to believe that he was in love, but he wasn't going to share what he hadn't yet partaken of. He knew that she ultimately wanted marriage, but he wasn't going to be tied down before he was less than one hundred and fifty years old, and even then, it would take more than a rich dowry and a pretty lass to be his ball and chain.

Meadow looked up, and saw the dark look on Fili's face. She left the girls and headed to the picnic Fili had brought with them. She didn't bother to untuck her skirt as it spread out around her when she sat next to Fili. He immediately shifted to lay his head in her lap, silently begging Meadow to stroke his head, she smiled and did as was quietly requested. The pressing went on without them, and the day slowly became evening.

They ate their lunch and packed up, with few words exchanged between them. Fili would smile at her whenever he caught her eye, and Meadow could not help but smile back. He had been sweet, and generous with his attention and Meadow had allowed him advances with her. But now he was expecting more than she had been willing to give. She believed that today was supposed to be the gift that topped all his other gifts. He had introduced her to people who knew what it was like to belong to neither of their parents' worlds. Meadow had met young women who liked her and didn't judge her because a prince was paying her attention in a less than innocent manner.

These women had similar experiences and had shocked Meadow with their stories and advice on how to deal with men. One of them had even given Meadow a tea with ingredients to prevent unexpected accidents. Meadow had asked what kind of accidents, and was laughed at. An older girl had taken her aside and explained that the tea would keep her from getting with child, and therefore keep her from being openly shamed. The tea would remove and prevent any child from come to term, if she drank it once a month, best done when she started her womanly courses. Meadow had thought to be horrified, then had time to think as she sat with Fili, it was a way to prevent a difficulty. Not producing a child would mean that Fili would not set her aside and claim that she was unfaithful and refuse to acknowledge the child.

Fili helped Meadow up onto his pony, and swung up into the saddle, he often refused to let her ride her own mount, not needing his armour made life easy for his pony, so the weight of two dwarves and a picnic basket wasn't taxing it too much. And this gave Fili the opportunity to keep his hands on Meadow far longer than was proper. Fili wrapped the side of his cloak around Meadow, there was a nip in the air with the coming autumn, and she hadn't thought to bring her cloak. He was rewarded when she shifted to huddle closer to his chest. He smirked at her and pulled her hips up so that she wasn't on one leg alone, instead, she was balanced between his legs and cradled in one arm. Fili slouched comfortably in the saddle.

Meadow wasn't much of a distraction during riding, although she had picked it up alarmingly fast. His thoughts drifted to thinking about what else she'd pick up quickly, or knew already. She had never told him if she had been with a man before, and he didn't expect her to admit anything of the sort. Truthfully, he would have had little interest in her if she had said she had experience in the bedchamber. Fili sighed, these thoughts often led to painful situations and a cold swim in the river. He hadn't bothered with other lasses since he had started out trying to win over Meadow. This single mindedness often had those lasses believing that he planned to wed them, and made for awkward situations when his attention was diverted to a new lass.

He thought of the woman he had been paying attention to before he had seen Meadow, that one was an experienced courtesan and made her living going from one protector to the next, she had her sights on one of the four princes, and Fili was as good as his brother, uncle, or grandfather. She was not happy to find that he was wooing a younger, and admittedly, prettier, lass from the town on the lake. There could be some trouble there if the courtesan set eyes on Meadow and thought her a rival for protectors and connections.

"Fili?" Meadow whispered, she usually fell asleep when he had her ride with him.

"Yes?" Fili answered, nuzzling her cheek, and making her laugh lightly.

"When would be best to see the king?" Meadow asked, and wriggled a little, the position made her back ache.

"Perhaps after the fall festival. Would you like to ride pillion?" Fili offered, as Meadow came close to mashing some delicate parts of his anatomy. She settled, and shook her head.

"No, it's just been a long day, and I'm tired. The pressing was fun, once I got to join in." Meadow said with a grin, Fili chuckled, he had occupied most of her time, keeping her from helping as she had promised the other young women. She had finally gotten to join after Fili had wandered off to join the men in picking the green grapes.

The rest of the short ride was done in silence. It was conducive to private thought. But neither were giving to much thinking beyond what tonight meant to the other. Fili had hoped that it meant enough to Meadow so that she would reward him with all she had. Meadow was still undecided as to how to keep Fili at bay long enough for her to get the ingredients for the contraceptive tea. She needed just a few days, and then so long as she could brew the tea, she could invite Fili to her bed.

Fili reined in his pony outside Meadows' house and dismounted to help her dismount. He lingered there, with his hands on her hips, trying to coax her into a kiss. She kept turning away, she didn't like to be public with her affections. But it seemed not to matter to Fili, that tongues would wag, and not kindly when he was out of earshot.

"Please, Meadow. Don't turn me away tonight." Fili whispered in Meadow's ear. He managed to sound pleading and plaintive, enough that Meadow lost some of her will to say no.

"One more day yet, Fili." Meadow said, a refrain she had used numerous times on him, and this time like the last time, it made him groan and let Meadow go. She gave him an apologetic smile and opened the door, she was surprised to see her father at the table, sober and glaring. "Fili?" she called turning to him, he wasted no time in going inside, only to stop dead and glare back at her father. He glowered at Meadow.

"I can not catch a lucky break with you, can I?" Fili grumbled and sat down in a huff as Meadow laughed merrily at him. Her father eyed him darkly.

"Ale, the new cask." growled the older dwarf, and Meadow hurried to the kitchen. As soon as she was gone, he turned to Fili. "You'll do right by my girl. If you can't, you find a dwarf that will. I'm not going to be around much longer. Got lung sickness. Drink keeps me from coughing. She don't know. You don't tell her neither."

"Aye sir." Fili said a little shocked at the older dwarfs' admission. Meadow came in with two tankards of ale. Fili gave up hope that anything that involved a bed and Meadow at the same time would not be happening this night. After her father had gone off to his bed, early it seemed, Meadow saw Fili to the door and allowed him to kiss her goodnight.

"A few days are all I need. Then we can spend as much time together as you would like." Meadow said softly, surprised at her own forwardness, Fili's smile reached his ears and he kissed her again.

"I look forward to our next meeting then. Good evening, Meadow." Fili said, adding a third kiss for good measure, he mounted his pony and galloped off, stopping at the street corner to wave, before his pony tired of his antics and took them both back to his stable. Meadow smiled, and went inside to her own bed. She was inundated with dreams both good and bad.

Fili sat at breakfast the next morning, unusually chipper and animated. Kili kept an eye on his older brother, not sure what to make of him or his new attitude towards the women in the castle. Fili was walking on air, after Meadow had said she'd let him have her. Kili thought his brother was being foolish to fuss over one lass for so long. He had a string of maids and courtesans to keep him satisfied and it cost him very little of his princes allowance, to keep them around.

Kili watched as his brother cheerfully ate his meal and then announced that he was off to Dale. Thorin and Thrain watched him go, amused as much as Kili was with Fili's behaviour of late. Thror wasn't in attendance this day, his lungs had caused him trouble upon waking, so he had remained abed with his doctors to see to him. Kili got it into his head that maybe he should meet Meadow and find out just what it was about her, that had turned his brothers' head.

He should get to know her at the least, especially if she were to become a near constant fixture in the royal household. All he needed was an excuse to keep Fili out of the way for half a day. Kili began plotting, he was quite good at it, after a childhood spent with his brother and finding clever ways to get into trouble.

Fili hadn't gotten to Meadow's residence; he had stopped at the flower market, looking for her favourite flowers. Roses weren't in her short list of preferred blooms, but lilies were. He spotted several different colours of thick stemmed calla lilies and some delicate potted water lilies to be put in her back porch water garden. She also kept little fish in the water garden, but he couldn't remember what kind. So, he chose the water lilies and was off to visit with Meadow.

Meadow sat in the front porch with her embroidery, it was a new piece, her shoes having long since covered with the older pieces. She was working on a patch for Fili, his own crest of arms, passed to him by his father. Kili had earned his crest as Huntsman for the King, so he hadn't objected when Fili had taken up the crest of a brown bow and a black blade on a field of sky blue, and a chevron worked in silver thread for the background. All told, Meadow was pleased with how the crest was turning out. She was quite good at embroidery, better than most dwarven lasses, and no small number of human girls either.

She looked up, smiling, at the sound of a pony and her smile turned to dismay. The human who owned the house and was the landlord had turned up. He was imposing to a young woman no more than four feet tall, he being over six feet, and he enjoyed terrifying anyone who was smaller than him. Lately, he had begun to come around at unexpected times of the day and evening. Once turning up after her father had left her alone in the house.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Meadow asked, trying not to tremble visibly, and to keep the quaver out of her voice.

"You and yer lush da are evicted. Ge' out o' me house by th' end o' th' day. Or ye'll burn wif it." said the land lord. Now, to be clear, most people in Dale are good, kind folk, who would never do one another a bad turn, not even accidentally. But in every barrel, there are a few bad apples, and Meadow's father had found one when he first signed the lease to this particular house.

"But we've paid you for the rest of the month!" Meadow protested.

"I'm keeping' th' money as pay for what damage yer da did to th' place. And to try an' clean up th' reputation you put on th' place what wif you whoring for 'is majesty, th' prince." the man said snidely. "Yer ain't good nuff fer a prince, why I wouldn't touch yer wif a ten inch stick."

"Your stick is less than five inches. Your wife has said so many times. You just try to evict, or run my father and me off before the end of the month, and I'll have the constabulary down on your thick skull." Meadow snapped back, the man was quick, for all his posturing and casting about as if he was suffering palsy or the shakes from a hangover, he could move like a snake.

He slapped Meadow full in the face, as he would any woman he thought should be respectful of him, which in his mind, was all of them. Meadow felt the blow only for a moment, as her head struck the doorframe of the porch and knocked her quite unconscious. She was not to see Fili flying through the air and striking the man down with the hammer he carried only for show. He had left the landlord alive, and sent for the constables.

A doctor arrived and Meadow was taken to the castle. No one could find her father, but knew that he would turn up at some point. Fili ordered the removal of their things from the house and had them taken to the other side of town, to a house he kept for when living in the castle was unbearable. Usually when other royals arrived with unmarried daughters and nieces. He wouldn't be spending time with Meadow until her wound had healed and she and her father had found another house to rent. Fili would not keep his mistress and her father at the same time in his personal refuge.

Meadow came around a few hours after being struck, both the doctor and Fili were in the room with her, discussing her treatment. After the doctor had left, Fili explained what had happened after she had been struck

"So you see, I was very heroic." Fili said self importantly, and grinned when Meadow laughed weakly. "Does it hurt overmuch?" he asked when she wrinkled her brow in pain.

"My head is pounding, and my cheek feels afire." Meadow said, wincing, then grimacing with pain.

"Aye, you'll be black and blue and green come tomorrow. He struck you with all his strength. He didn't bother to hold back because you're a lass, and a wee one at that. I near shattered his skull when I saw him strike you. I wish I had." Fili said darkly, as he recalled leaping from his pony's back with his hammer already in his hands. It was a good thing that it wasn't made for use, the wooden stock had a flaw in it, hidden by the leather wrapped around it. The hammer had broken on impact with the human's skull, even though the blow itself knocked him senseless, the break had saved his life.

"I'm glad you didn't kill him. He'll stand trial for beating me, threatening my life, and unlawfully evicting us. You won't be jailed for murder. Prince though you are, even King Thror couldn't get away with murder in cold blood." Meadow said softly, she rolled onto her side and Fili lay down next to her.

"This is not what I meant when I imagined being in bed with you." Fili said with a grin, Meadow chuckled with him, and he stayed with her until she fell asleep.

Fili had to find her father, before he went back to the house and found it stripped bare, the dwarves Fili had hired had taken out everything that could be moved. Meadow would have to go through the store house and send back what belonged to the land lord. Fili found the old dwarf looking up at the house in confusion.

"Do I live here?" he asked Fili in a confused tone.

"No, old man, you live across town, in a finer house than this. Come, I'll show you the way home." Fili said politely, the old dwarf followed him and Fili found it difficult to understand how Meadow managed to cope with all the misfortune that fell into her lap. First, her mother passed away from sickness, then her father turned to drink to mask his illness, now the landlord had threatened to evict and had laid violent hands on Meadow.

Not to mention that Fili himself was always pressing her for more of her time, which took away from her only source of income. Now that he thought about it, she was looking a little thinner and less happy, lately. Perhaps, Fili could only think, that he himself was becoming a burden on poor Meadow, and she was doing the best she could with the little she had. Fili sighed, he hadn't been indulging a lass, he had been feeding his ego. She didn't take things from him because she couldn't pay him back with anything but her body. Fili didn't want Meadow beholden to him. He wanted her to want him as he wanted her. Something finally clicked in his mind, and he finally acknowledged that, in the process of trying to win Meadow to his bed, he had inadvertently fallen in love with her.

Fili stopped walking and smacked his head on a nearby fence post. He had done what he swore never to do. He had gotten himself into a pit he could climb out of. Meadows' father watched him beat his head on the post a few more times before wandering up to him.

"What's the matter lad?" asked the sodden old dwarf.

"I've gone and fallen in love with your daughter." Fili muttered, hoping the old dwarf hadn't heard. He had, his lungs were bad, not his hearing.

"She's a good lass, she'll make a good wife. She takes care of me a treat. She gave me her dinner the other night, and for a couple weeks now, she goes without a meal or two, just to make sure her old da has a full stomach to drink on." the old dwarf said, and went onwards, whistling a merry tune. Fili hoped that he wouldn't remember his admission. Of course, this didn't change his plans, he'd still bed Meadow, and say the pretty words she'd want to hear, but she would think he didn't mean them. And he could keep her s his mistress for years before marrying her and having bairns. Although if a baby came sooner than the wedding, he'd have no problem with legitimizing it and naming it as his heir. Fili smirked at his thoughts, he hadn't even taken her to his bed and he was already planning their family. He and Meadow's father reached the house and entered.

"You'll have to go straight to your bed. Meadow can't see you right now, she had a nasty fall this morning and is resting. The doctor will be here tomorrow to check on her. I'll be gone before noon, so you have to remain sober, for Meadow's sake." Fili said, as the old dwarf lumbered into the guest room and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the down pillows. Fili went to see to Meadow, and found her curled up on his bed, the cheek that wasn't bruised was turned upward, and Fili pressed a kiss to it, before sitting in the heavy reading chair he had pulled up for when the doctor had first examined her.

Fili sighed as he stared at her. Love had done strange things to him, he thought as he mulled over his actions in the past months. At first, it wasn't noticeable, he'd dallied with maids, and stayed out with his friends, sparred with his brother, and argued with his uncle. The first thing that really stuck in his mind, when he thought about it, was when he had taken a second look at Meadow in the red gown and noticed that she was not happy. Oh yes she had smiled at him and said she loved the gown, but he had seen that the smile did not reach her eyes and her eyes looked sad, a direct opposite to the words she had said. Fili thought hard about when he had proven that he was at leas falling in love, and could not come up with a single moment, until today, wherein he had proven love and not ardour was the driving force behind his actions. He fell asleep, planning to show her his feelings without actually telling her.

Kili had followed Fili from the moment he walked into the Hall before luncheon.

"Have a good night, brother?" Kili asked, then was surprised when Fili's face darkened.

"No. Meadow was attacked by her landlord yester morn. She and her da are staying in my town house until they can find better lodgings." Fili said, leaving out the part where he flew like an avenging angel to protect his lass. Kili did not.

"Really? I had heard the human had struck her after she mouthed off to him, and you all but shattered every bone in his body to protect your light skirt." Kili said nonchalantly, the back of his head met the floor most painfully. Fili straddled his brother and snarled at him.

"Meadow is not a light skirt. And nothing a woman does would ever warrant a blow like the one she received for mouthing off. I will allow you to remain unscathed this once, brother, but make no mistake. Should you ever be so crass as to refer to Meadow as anything other than the lad she is, this will seem paltry compared to what I would do." Fili growled and stood. Kili sat up and regarded his brother appraisingly.

"While I don't know what has befallen you, I do know it is serious, for you to take anyone's side over mine, it has to be more precious than your own brother." Kili observed, Fili immediately felt ashamed of himself for harming his brother.

"I believe I have fallen into a trap I set for Meadow. I started out wanting to woo her into my bed, and now I want to keep her there, forever. Marriage does not look so distasteful anymore." Fili groaned and sat down next to Kili, who wasted no time in wrestling him to the ground and forcing an apology out of him, before going back to their conversation.

"So, you've fallen in love with the lass. Will you marry her before she meets great grandfather, or after?" Kili asked, Thror was strict in the continuation of the royal lineage.

"I don't know if she'll even marry me yet. I only came to the realization last night, after she fell asleep in my arms, without my once laying a hand on her." Fili said. "Besides great grandfather may decide he wants her for himself."

"And would you do to him, what you did to me, just to keep your lass?" Kili asked quietly.

"I'd give up my claim to the throne." Fili said before realizing what he said. "I, yes, I would. She is worth that much."

"You would have to work for a living. You wouldn't receive the prince's pension. Great grandfather would be furious." Kili pointed out.

"Only if it comes to it, would I relinquish my birthright. I have my own money set aside, and any dwarf can work a forge. It's in our blood." Fili said, and sighed. "I do not like hard labour, it turns a man mean. Meadow deserves only the best." Kili started laughing, and Fili soon joined when he realized how lovesick he sounded. Their hard feelings purged, both young dwarfs went off on their own errands. Kili was being sent further and further away on diplomatic missions. It turned out he had as much a silver tongue as Fili had. Kili would be gone for several weeks.

Fili had to oversee the Durin Day festivities, after which Meadow would be presented to the King. Meadow had healed quite well, during the past few days, her head was healed, but the bruise on her cheek was still purple and green. She kept inside his house and refused to go out doors, unless absolutely necessary and even then she'd wear a scarf over her face. Fili had bought her a large selection of scarves to appease her. Fili knew her father had helped himself to the wine cellar Fili kept well stocked. He had thought long before to keep the rarer labels under lock and key. As he walked towards the fair grounds, Fili began to wonder if he should escort Meadow to the festivities, or remain alone.

Meadow watched as Fili approached the house, she was in the upstairs parlour, happily cleaning what she called a proper house. She wasn't sleeping in a child's bed as she had in the old rented house that was little more than a cottage compared to the two story wood and brick hose Fili had brought her to. She was certain the room she was in was his, and he was only waiting until she was fully recovered from her ordeal. She had until the bruise faded completely for Fili to start pressing his suit again.

Fili looked up and saw Meadow watching him from upstairs, he lifted his hand in a wave, she looked at him, then smiled and waved back. Fili grinned, she was waiting for him. He had her put into his bed chamber, since the guest rooms were furnished with only beds and empty otherwise. Meadow had remarked on this, and Fili had only shrugged, and said he didn't like to entertain in the house since most of his acquaintances were dwarven and preferred to be underground as well as be in the presence of the king and his court. Fili had offered to furnish the rest of the house, and hire more staff than just the housekeeper and his butler.

Meadow had demurred and had taken over cooking and cleaning for herself and her father. She knew now that he was very ill and wouldn't last more than five years. The dwarf doctor had seen the signs, and knew her father from when he worked in the coal and diamond mines himself. Now that she knew about her father's sickness, she was sinking into despair; the world wasn't kind to an unmarried lass with little to her name but the attention of a prince only looking for a mistress. After Fili lost interest in her, she wasn't sure what to do. Winter was coming and she was sure Fili would be bored with her by then and turn her out to make room for his next conquest.

These thoughts were increasing in her mind and made her too worried to eat, and had her looking pensive, which is what Fili had already noticed and had increased his attentiveness, almost force-feeding her any and all delicacies he could find. She was flattered with his attempts, but still she wondered and worried.

Fili had entered the house and had gotten upstairs to the room Meadow sat in, now thinking these thoughts. He came up behind her and hugged her round the waist, making her cry out in surprise, before twisting to face him with a smile.

"What had you looking so saddened?" Fili asked, nuzzling under Meadow's ear and enjoying the rosewater scent of her hair.

"My father is dying, and I don't know what I'm to do after he passes." Meadow said, pulling away from Fili and his attention. He pouted for a moment, then followed her to the kitchen.

"He's asked me to take care of you after he's passed." Fili said quietly. "I'll do what I can to help you find happiness." he left out that he'd hoped she'd stay with him as his long term mistress, and quite possibly the mother of his children.

"I don't want to put you out anymore than you already have. A marriage to an acceptable dwarf who will treat me well would suffice." Meadow said, avoiding Fili's gaze, which had hardened.

"You won't stay with me?" Fili asked in a small voice, shocked at Meadow's attitude.

"You won't keep me forever. A mistress has a short shelf life, especially in court. At least, being your mistress, another less connected dwarf would consider that a good thing." Meadow said with a shrug. She didn't want such to happen, but she had to remain realistic. "And no prince marries his mistress. You've even told me that you don't wish to marry for a very long time." she added, her throat closed up at that and she could no longer talk,

Fili kept his gaze on his plate, now going untouched as he processed what Meadow had said to him. Perhaps she wasn't in love with him, and was using him to better her position in life.

"I am no longer hungry." Fili growled and left the house, almost running away from the sudden ache in his chest. Meadow watched him leave, wondering why he looked so angry. She sighed and tipped both their plates into the slop bucket. She had lost her appetite as well, for Fili hadn't disagreed with her.

Fili stayed away for days, he couldn't stand to look at Meadow until the pain had ebbed enough for him to breathe again. He knew she had to plan for her future, every woman had to. He didn't go back until his steward rushed to the castle, and informed him that Meadow's father was dying. Fili headed back to the town and found the doctor at the old dwarf's bedside. The doctor told him that the old dwarf was further along in the sickness than he had told everyone. Meadow was also at her father's bedside, and had tears streaming down her round cheeks.

"Me lass. Don't cry. I'll be seeing yer mum soon. You lads out. I needs must speak to my lass." said the old dwarf hoarsely. Fili and the doctor nodded and left the room. "My lass, my Meadowsweet. Yer ma, she never let what other's think bother her. 'Tis why she woulda borne ye outta wedlock and kicked me in the hammer and anvil afterwards. Don't let th' world tell ye who at love. That lad out there, he told me he's gone and fallen in love with you. He thought I was dead drunk that night. But yer old da learned at hold his drink. Now, th' matter of yer dowry and inheritance." the dwarf said and struggled to sit up.

"There isn't anything left. You've spent it all." Meadow said, surprised at her father's admissions.

"There's plenty left. I made meself forget till it was necessary. Fetch ye pen and paper. Start writing. Now ye didn't send back my bed frame did ye." he asked.

"No da. Mum told me you made that yourself. My bed was the property of the landlord." Meadow said, her father nodded.

"Good, now listen. This may be the last thing I tell ye. The headboard had dragons carved into it. Ye press all four at the same time and a trap door is opened." he began to explain.

"That head board is five feet across. I can't press all the heads myself." Meadow protested.

"Tis why ye will need that lad out there. The whole frame has to be intact or ye'll need an axe to get anywhere. Now, after the trapdoor is open, ye take the key to my side of the bed, and use it in the key hole. There'll be a shingle with more instructions to tell ye where yer inheritance is kept. I deliberately forgot, and let the drink addle me memories." he sighed and lay back down. "That lad will take care of you, and you'll do the same. He won't marry ye right away, you'll have to be patient. Just don't lose hope." Meadow watched as her father went into a coughing fit, and shrieked for the doctor.

Both the doctor and Fili burst in. The old man grabbed Fili and managed to choke out a few words to him, before he heaved a rattling sigh and died. Meadow burst into tears and fell to her knees as the doctor examined her father's body. Fili carried Meadow out of the room and held her tight as she cried. He knew and understood her loss. Nothing made the pain go away. Fili could only hold her and whisper condolences to her as she sobbed.

"Would you let me prepare the funeral? He'll be interred under the mountain with your ancestors." Fili offered when Meadow had finally recovered enough to speak. His hand stroked her still bruised cheek lightly, removing a last tear.

"I have ancestors under the mountain?" Meadow asked blankly.

"Aye, your da was a genius. After he first cracked open a gas pocket and got the lung sickness, he turned to jewel smelting." Fili said with a grin at Meadows blank look. "He found the only way to melt gemstones and pour them into moulds without losing their integrity. He was a rich dwarf. All his wealth was kept in trust in the vaults. His cousin has been hoping you'd never turn up to claim your birthright." Fili said.

"I have family and a fortune?! Da never said anything about family or fortune." Meadow said, and he gave me this. Said it was my inheritance." Meadow showed Fili the crumpled sheet of paper with the instructions. "And now I have family."

"No you don't have family. Before your da left the hall, his da disowned him. His remaining family still holds to this. You were never accepted by your grandfather and he died with his only son disowned for marrying a human woman. Your fortune is yours and you have a year to claim it before it reverts to the next oldest male in your father's family." Fili explained quietly. "Of course the Crown can hold it for longer, for no reason other than you are scared of being killed for the money."

"Let's bury my da first before we turn to greed." Meadow said, charmed yet again by Fili's easy grin.

"Aye. Yer da asked me to take care of ye." Fili said, repeating himself from a few weeks ago.

"Is that what he said to you, before he…?" Meadow choked on the words before she could speak them.

"No. I'll tell ye what he said after he's burned and buried. He wanted to be interred with yer mum. But she's in a humans only graveyard." Fili said, her father had demanded that Fili take care of his final arrangements.

"So why not spread his ashes over her grave?" Meadow suggested.

"The human caretaker would pitch a mighty fit." Fili said with a wry grin.

"Dig up her casket and cremate the both of them together?" Meadow said after a moment of thought. "Then put all the ashes into one urn and inter them both under the mountain."

"You have a head for problem solving, don't you?" Fili asked admiringly.

"I can grow truffles and dig them faster than the prized pigs. How do you think I managed to do that if I wasn't clever?" Meadow asked with a real smile. Fili actually laughed at her proud smile.

The funeral was attended by all who knew the old dwarf, and presided over by the King's own jeweller, who had gotten rich through the work of Meadows father. He had paid a small fortune for the right to the process, and paid a small portion of each sale of poured jewellery. The portion was small enough to be negligible enough for the jeweller to keep paying into the trust after the dwarf had left his old home and family for the town of Dale. Meadow was still to be presented to the king, but now she had another reason to go into the Mountain. Fili had had her old household moved into an above ground storehouse, and Durin's Day was only a week away. After the funeral, Fili had taken Meadow back to his town house and sat with her while she cried one last time.

"Feeling better now?" Fili asked sympathetically. Meadow wiped her face and nodded. "We'll go to the store house tomorrow and look for the bed frame. It was one solid piece. The porters had trouble getting it up into the storehouse." Fili continued.

"What did my father say to you before he died?" Meadow asked bluntly, Fili choked on his wine.

"He told me to tell you something every day until you believed me." Fili said slowly.

"What?" Meadow prompted.

"I'm not sure I quite believe it yet myself. When I do, I'll tell you. Until then, please be patient." Fili asked, pulling Meadow into a hug.

"My patience won't last forever Fili." Meadow said, then found Fili kissing her.

Fili could wait no longer, he needed Meadow like he needed water. It was a very real and physical need. Her belief in him trumped his earlier doubt that she didn't love him. Fili picked her up and carried her to his room. The timing was off, but he planned on having a lifetime to make up this slight. Meadow didn't fight him, and let him haul her like a sack of potatoes to the bed. He set her down, still kissing her and attempting to remove his tunic. Meadow pulled back, letting him remove his tunic, revealing a well-muscled chest with a generous covering of red gold hair. Meadow found herself grinning and reached to feel Fili's chest hair with a high-pitched giggle. Fili let her stroke his chest and grinned himself as her hands followed the downward facing triangle of hair.

Fili reached for Meadow, slipping her sleeve caps off her shoulders and reaching for the strings that tied her bodice up the front of her chest. She had worn the blue dress that he had bought her for her presentation. He had agreed to her idea, that it was best that she appear in her best clothes, so none of her father's disowned family would think she was living in squalor and would squander her inherited fortune. Meadow batted Fili's clumsy fingers away from the laces, they were silk, and he had a habit of breaking laces whenever they had spent time together.

Fili groaned deeply as he watched Meadow untie and remove her bodice, leaving her blouse and skirt. Fili wanted nothing more than two remove the rest of her dress with extreme prejudice. He settled for tugging Meadow's blouse down, revealing her breasts, and trapping her arms for a few moments. She wriggled free, only to have Fili push her down onto the bed and bury his face in her breasts. He did this whenever she allowed him to lay hands on her. Meadow squeaked in pleasure when Fili sucked the nipple into his mouth and nibbled it gently. He worked her dress off and got his clothes off. Meadow sat in her undergarments that Fili hadn't removed. He had an extreme dislike for any undergarments, including those made for his own backside.

Fili covered Meadow's body with his own, he pressed into her, kissing her neck and working his way down between her breasts. Meadow put her arms around Fili, and kept her hands on his head, one on the back of his head and the other under his chin to pull him up for a kiss while he plied her body with pleasurable kisses and caresses.

"You're sure lass?" Fili growled, when Meadow wriggled and pushed her hips against his, and squeezed his buttocks insistently.

"I can't wait forever, Fili." Meadow said faintly. Fili dropped his forehead to her breastbone and sighed. He sat on his knees and slid his hands down to Meadows hips, slipping his hands under her undergarment and slid it off down her legs to her knees. He kissed her knee, making Meadow smile at him, he read that smile as wanton and tugged the small garment off.

Fili nudged Meadows legs open and settled himself between them. Meadow could feel his need pressing against the dip between her leg and hip. She lifted her leg and wrapped it around Fili's lower back, this was a common occurrence when they'd had a night full of wine and flirting. Fili took the hint and set himself to take Meadow as his. Meadow had a moment of fear.

"Don't tense up, love. Try to relax. It won't hurt but for a moment." Fili said soothingly, Meadow nodded and gasped as Fili broke through her last bit of resistance. Fili grunted and pushed himself through Meadow's maidenhead, drawing a squeal of pain from her. He tried to stop himself, but taking a virgin was heady and overly stimulating for him. He lost his control, thrust several times and released his seed. Meadow felt his release and worried, that she had not pleased Fili enough.

"Fili?" Meadow said with a quaver in her tone.

"Tis alright, my love. I lost my head. You could bring any man to his knees. I need a short while to recover. Then we shall try again." Fili said with a shuddering breath. He hadn't come first since he first went to a brothel as a young man. He pulled away from Meadow and searched for his pipe, Meadow made a face, she didn't like pipes or the smoke that came from them. "I'll only smoke after we've shared our bed, or when I'm not in your presence, alright?"

"I can't believe that inhaling smoke is good for your lungs. Have you never seen smoked meat? It's all dried up and shrivelled. But if that's the best you can offer, then I suppose it'll have to do." Meadow said, with a sniff and turning away, Fili chuckled while Meadow allowed herself a bit of a snit.

"You become a shrew when your pleasure is denied, did you know that?" Fili asked and got a light slap on his chest for being less than flattering. Fili shook the large bed with his laughter. Meadow snuggled against Fili, and laid her head and hand on his chest, as she watched him blow smoke rings and little puffs to shoot through the rings. He put out his pipe and rolled over to face Meadow. He dropped a kiss on her forehead, she had fallen asleep waiting for him to fulfill his promise. He allowed himself to fall asleep, to await either the dawn or Meadow's awakening.

Meadow woke some time between midnight and dawn, and hurried to the privy. She needed a moment to herself. She didn't realize that she has woken Fili when she jumped from the bed. She had grabbed a nightshirt she had made herself. She had to suffer long skirts and tight bodices during the day, she couldn't tolerate them at night. She had taken one of her mother's old blouses and cut it till it hung to her thighs, and hemmed it so that it did not flare. The neckline was high with a border of embroidery and the old sleeves removed so that only the holes remained, leaving her arms bare to the shoulder, with the long neckline as straps. There were no buttons to close it, as the shift was more a slim white sack, with a wide neck and narrow bottom. Meadow came out of the privy to lamplight and Fili staring at her with hooded eyes. She froze in a sudden fright, and he motioned her forward. He sat on the edge of the bed, nude nose to toes, his preferred way of sleeping.

"Remove that." was all Fili said, Meadow did as told and pulled the neckline down over her arms and let it slip off her body as the bottom hem was too tight to go over her shoulders without some ungainly contortions. Fili held out his arms to Meadow once her nightdress fell to the floor in a small drift of white linen. She walked to him, and he pulled her onto his lap, making sure she was straddling his lap.

It didn't take either of them long to begin enjoying their exertions again, and this time Fili was sure he'd have Meadow screaming in pleasure before long. He was not to disappoint her again. Fili laid her on the bed and was within her quickly, thrusting with some force, trying not to hurt her again. He felt Meadow wrap her legs around his hips and press her heels into his buttocks, driving him to thrust deeper and harder, till Meadow arched her back and let out a scream. Fili wasn't done, and kept up his pace, making Meadow cry out in absolute pleasure at least twice more, before he reached release. He shuddered and leaned on his elbows above Meadow, and smiled as he panted. Meadow gasped as she tried to recover from the intensity of the pleasure she had endured.

"Thank you." Fili sighed and smiled wider.

"What?" Meadow asked blankly, looking at Fili strangely. Fili chuckled and settled into the bed, pulling Meadow to his side. "Why would you thank me?"

"You gave me everything you had. It seemed right to express my gratitude." Fili said with a shrug. Meadow giggled and kissed his cheek.

"You are very welcome." Meadow said with a laugh, which turned into a shriek of laughter as Fili nuzzled his nose into her neck and began tickling her. They played around until the play became loving again. Fili was quite proud of himself, as Meadow slept, worn out by his attention. Fili remembered that he had to oversee Durin Day in less than a week. Fall was a brief time, but one of plenty. And he had to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be. He fell asleep before dawn broke and both slept until midday.

When Fili finally awoke, it was to an empty bed. He looked about, Meadow's dress was brushed and hung on the hook, and the bed had been straightened around him. There was a pot of tea, under a knitted cozy waiting for him, and some toast, still slightly warm. It was a way to wake him up. He could also smell bacon and more toast, as a faint aroma, meaning it was still cooking and in the kitchen where Meadow had breakfast. Fili pulled on pants, and drank most of the tea and shoved the toast in his mouth, it stifled the hunger gnawing at his backbone long enough for him to dress and get to the kitchen. He found Meadow dancing around humming a bright tune and putting plates of fried eggs, rashers of bacon, fried ham, toast, and stacks of pancakes on the table. There was butter, sliced fruit and berries, and sweet syrup on the table as well.

"Tell me why I am not marrying you immediately?" Fili asked, his eyes wide at the sight of the food.

"Because you prefer freedom to captivity. Also, you prefer to let staff that don't care over much for one individual's tastes, do all your cooking, rather than have one person to make sure you get to eat what you want." Meadow replied pertly. Fili grinned and pulled her into his lap when she came within reach. "So, where do we go from here?" Meadow asked sweetly.

"Back to bed. I have no requirements to my time today, beyond my duties for Durin Day. The committee has it well in hand, and needs me only for the opening ceremony. Thus, they do not require me to be present for something they have planned for fifty years." Fili said, as he tucked into his breakfast, Meadow had gotten free of him and had sat down at her seat to eat.

They kept catching the other staring, and Meadow would blush whenever Fili caught her. He grinned cheekily and tilted his head, when he was finished eating and leaned back in his chair. Meadow finished eating before he had and had already begun removing empty platters, the housekeeper and steward would clean up. Now that she was fully, Fili's mistress, she no longer had to clean, the servants would do it, and Fili didn't mind having Meadow in his town house, going there was like being welcomed home after being imprisoned. Meadow treated him like the prince he was, until he irritated her enough to fray her temper and spark her quick tongue. She had also gotten into the habit of slapping him, gently and with no force, usually reserved for when he was being particularly cheeky in public. Fili enjoyed her temper as much as he enjoyed her gentleness.

The next few hours were indeed, spent in the bedchamber, as Fili taught Meadow more about making love than she had thought possible. Afterwards, he bade her dress, she was to accompany him to the store house to find what her father had hidden in his bed frame. Fili's townhouse didn't have a stable or even a yard for his pony, so he had it stabled near the towns gate. They walked in the pleasantly brisk air, for a short while before reaching the stables and fetching Fili's pony.

"Do you think the king will want to see me today?" Meadow asked, she rode pillion, with her arms around Fili.

"Grandfather has not been feeling quite himself lately. He has a touch of lung illness too. His father had him learn to work the mines when he was young. So did Kili, Thorin, and I." Fili said with a shrug. "He may want to, but he also wants a lot of your white truffles. Since you have none with you today, it is doubtful he'll see you." The rest of the ride was spent in near silence. Since it was a short trip, no more than an hour, this wasn't as dismal as it sounded. Fili would pat Meadow's hand and she'd squeeze his chest in a hug, and that was the extent of their communication for the moment. A stable hand took the pony when they arrived at the hall, and a page ran out to greet them.

"His majesty, the king, wishes to see you immediately, Prince Fili. The Crown Prince said it's about your refusal to honour a betrothal your father made when he was in Moria." said the page in a fearful rush, Fili looked angered.

"The girl went missing! I didn't refuse the wedding, she ran away!" Fili yelled.

"Injured your pride, did she?" Meadow asked slyly, Fili snorted.

"I would have refused the marriage anyway." Fili said dismissively and headed to the great hall with Meadow hurrying after him, nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Fili strode into the great hall, immediately adopting the proper posture and presence of a Prince of the Royal Family.

"Uncle, Grandfather. What is this about me breaking a betrothal?" Fili demanded, knowing better than to address his great grandfather directly with his question.

"The lord whose step daughter you were to marry, has decided to send his own sister and her daughter for you to approve and marry." said Thrain, he didn't look impressed with the news, and held a letter out to his grandson. "The King has allowed the travel, we have plenty of rich nobles around here for the women to husband hunt."

"If the girl has been told that she will be marrying a prince in the direct line, she won't settle for anything less than a crown, no matter how displaced it is from the throne." Thorin muttered darkly. The older woman was obviously meant to get him as her husband, Thrain had refused to marry again. Any child other than Thorin would be in direct competition for the throne. A wife would insist her children were better choices, and would enjoy being the King's mother.

"I have never insisted on any but my own son marries well. I will have no illegitimate children claimed and set on my throne." said Thror loudly, and coughed. "No bastard will be allowed to rule. I spent my life working to secure this kingdom, and it will not be undone by the stubbornness and vindictiveness of family that is not united in the goal to rule this land well. Fili, the girl will arrive before the castle is closed for winter. You will either marry by then, or marry her in the spring. Kili, you will find a bride by next Durin Day. Have I made myself clear? Who is that lass trying to hide behind you lad?!" Thror's voice had turned from angry to amused, even though he still shouted at Fili.

"Marry by winter's snow?! Grandfather! Uncle? If I have to marry, then so must Thorin as well as Kili!" Fili snapped, Thorin looked ready to remove Fili's head and Kili was still trying to dislodge a piece of his lunch from his lungs, he had swallowed wrong when Thror had ordered him to find a wife. Thrain was desperately trying to contain his laughter and failing.

"Thorin will marry eventually. But wives will settle your trouble making ways. I won't have another lass in here screaming that one of you fathered her child when it's plain that the child is no get of yours." Thrain said, getting his laughter under control. "Introduce the girl."

"Her name is Meadow, she's the lass who sells the finest truffles in Dale." Fili said with a bow and unceremoniously shoved Meadow in front of him, where she stood frozen. "Curtsy." Fili hissed quietly.

"I can't move." Meadow whispered back. Fili shook his head, and abruptly shouldered Meadow into a half bow, and getting a startled squawk out of her as well. He grunted when her shoe found his shin. Thorin, Thrain, and Thror were all grinning, and Kili was chuckling nearly hysterically at the show.

"She's the daughter of Brun Gemforge. The dwarf who found the way to smelt and pour gems in moulds to create flawless figures, without ruining the stones with a cutters' blade." Fili explained.

"So she is here to claim her father's fortune?" Thrain asked, examining Meadow carefully.

"Well, now that you bring it up, yes. She's also looking for something her father left her." Fili admitted.

"How came you to know the daughter of Gemforge?" Thror asked with a raised brow.

"She… she uh…" Fili stammered, at a loss of words, which raised suspicions in all the older men, for he had a silver tongue that never lost its shine.

"She's his betrothed. He didn't want to marry a spoiled little lord's daughter, and he's been courting her all summer. She must have finally agreed to marry him, if she's looking for her dowry." Kili said quickly, and looking unconcerned, in an effort to convince his relatives that he was telling the truth.

"Excellent. We'll have a wedding, come spring. Then we'll see what to do about Kili." Thror said, and chuckled when Kili flopped over the arm of his chair with a loud groan. "Did you think I had forgotten lad? Now, off to the vaults with you. Or wherever you had planned." Thror laughed as Kili slid off his chair and under the table.

"The storehouse Grandfather. Her father was a particularly crafty sort of dwarf. He hid away instructions for Meadow to find. She's fulfilling his last wish by doing this." Fili said and bowed.

"Do you know what happened to his greatest work girl?" Thrain asked. "A statuette of a dragon made of poured diamond. No one could figure out how he managed to pour diamond. Lesser gems as rubies and sapphires, yes, but not the diamonds."

"I only found out what my father did on his deathbed. What secrets he had, died with him." Meadow said with a helpless shrug. Kili poked his head out from under the table and mimed something to Fili before sliding back under. Meadow looked at Fili questioningly. Fili hustled Meadow out of the hall and hurried her up stairs and down corridors.

"What was your brother saying to you?" Meadow asked quietly.

"That I owe him half your dowry for saving my neck." Fili said, as he unlocked a storeroom with an iron key.

"Half!" Meadow gasped in shock.

"Aye. A small price to pay for not having a marriage forced on me, and not having my mistress thrown out of the castle in disgrace. Grandfather doesn't approve of having a woman without being married to her. He knows it's a part of life, but that won't stop him from throwing the man in jail and tossing the courtesan into the street. He knows we aren't betrothed. But he'll accept your presence in the castle, so long as we keep up the pretence." Fili explained with a shrug, he did that a lot, never having had to explain himself to anyone very often.

"What am I supposed to live on after you've grown tired of me and set me aside?" Meadow asked stricken. Fili froze and shot a look at Meadow.

"I haven't gotten tired of you yet." Fili said softly.

"But when you do…!" Meadow persisted almost frantically.

"If, if I get tired of you." Fili said calmly. "If I should tire of you, I will make sure you have enough to sustain a modest house for a year at the least." Fili said, he knew Meadow's worst fear was being left destitute, she couldn't have managed to keep her father alive and feed them both if she was always spending money on things she didn't need. Fili had indulged the part of her that wanted all the lovely little things she had seen other girls get, but he knew she regretted every copper piece he had spent. He was certain she had kept a tally of all the purchases he had made on her behalf.

You've all made it this far. Thank you for sticking with this story. I would appreciate some more reviews, if you please. Thank you, Whackedgourd