Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed? Chapter 1, a hobbit fanfic

Hello my fellow Fili fans! I'm back!

Here is a little something that had been pinging around in my mind for a while. In fact I began writing this story before Little Son of Durin, but put it on hold to write that 'tale of unusual size' first. So now its back to a bit of fun and fluff.

I do hope you enjoy it.

This story is owned solely by me, and due to copyright laws, I request that you please do not copy or reproduce any of my stories, or translate them into other languages. I thank you for any interest in doing so, but I must respectfully decline.

Thank you.

Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?

Chapter 1

~X~

Fili was not sure he had ever drunk so much ale in his life. Well, perhaps he had, but at the moment he could not recall when or where. It had been a wonderful night, a true evening of celebration. Not only had they retaken Erebor less than six months ago, his mother, Dis, had just come from Ered Luin, along with a great caravan of other dwarves returning to their mountain home. Her arrival had long been anticipated by Fili and his brother, Kili, as well as their uncle Thorin. It had been a very long time since the Durin princess had set foot inside the Lonely Mountain, and thus, the event had to be celebrated.

Only moments after her entrance into Erebor, Thorin and her sons had swept her off to the banquet room where a grand event was being held in her honor. There was feasting, dancing, merry-making, and plenty of drinking. It was there that both Fili and Kili had overindulged, allowing the ale to flow like the River-Running. Dis, though appreciative of the gala her family had thrown in her honor, and more than overjoyed to see her sons and brother again, had at last been forced to retire for the evening, explaining that her trip had been a trying one. The teary-eyed dwarrowdam had kissed each of them on the cheek multiple times, before retiring to her prepared chambers for the night - leaving the three dwarves she loved most in the world to continue their revelry.

And Fili and Kili had made the most of it.

In the wee hours of the morning, the two young princes were weaving their way down the hallway, each still holding half empty mugs of ale in one hand while their free arms were slung over each other's shoulder, both for support and comradery. Thankfully there were not very many dwarves still up at that hour, so other than the guards stationed around the mountain's many passages – who had long since come to expect such antics from the not so noble duo - the brothers went mostly unnoticed. As they neared the royal chambers, passing the stone faced guard stationed at the bottom of the stairs, Fili placed his finger to his lips and let out a very loud hiss.

"Shhhh, Kili," he told his younger brother, his voice somewhat slurred. "Stop making so much noise or you will wake Amad, and then we'll both catch it for sure."

"Me?" Kili objected, looking shocked at his accusation. "I'm being as quiet as a mouse! While you, and your clomping footsteps, sound more like a wild ram wearing chainmail and spiked boots!"

"You are mistaken," Fili shook his head, pointing his mug at his brother accusingly. "I have been training to be stealthy far longer than you have been alive. You are the one who is too loud!"

"Let's ask the guard, he will tell us," Kili suggested, turning around and making a strange sound with his lips, attempting to get the dwarf's attention. When the sentry finally realized what Kili was trying to do, he turned around with a confused look on his face, eyeing the two curiously. "You there...Nali, isn't it? Tell us…who is the more silent of the two? Me, or my brother? I believe it is me, of course, but Fili is under the impression that I am wrong. Which I am not, but he thinks so."

The poor guard looked from one to the other, thinking in the back of his mind that he could probably say anything and the two drunk princes would not remember half of it - or much else for that matter - come morning. Yet, not wishing to take the chance, Nali answered quite diplomatically.

"I would have to say that you are both being equally quiet at the moment, Your Majesties," he assured them, giving a slight bow. Of course, he would never say that he felt the two were being equally loud, and far from stealthy.

"See…he agrees with me! I am the most silent!" Kili said triumphantly, having heard nothing but what he wished to hear, even if that was not what the guard had said. He then slapped Fili on the back so hard, that some of his ale spilled onto the floor.

"Caragu!" Fili cursed in Khuzdul, more distressed by the lost spirits than Kili's apparent victory. "And I'd been trying so hard to be quiet too!" His mind being so addled that he had not apparently heard a word Nali had said either.

"Better luck next time, brother," Kili told him, putting his arm around his shoulders and helping him up the stairs before steering him towards the doors to their rooms.

Nali just shook his head and watched them go. The two princes were known for their jokes, antics, and general tomfoolery, yet he also knew that no other dwarves were as loyal to their king, or as brave in battle. He could easily forgive a bit of overindulgence, especially on such a momentous occasion as this, after having heard of the brothers' great deeds during the taking of Erebor. So turning back, he resumed his duty on the night watch.

The two inebriated princes arrived at Kili's room first and after a few unsuccessful tries, they got the door open and the younger brother gave a goofy wave before stumbling inside and shutting it behind him. That left Fili alone to maneuver his way to his own chambers, stopping once or twice to take a few more swigs of his ever dwindling mug of ale. He too made it inside, and kicked off his boots in the living quarters before heading for his bedroom. Thankfully, that door was open so he only had to nudge it slightly with his shoulder in order to enter. Moonlight from the crystal shafts cut into the stone of the mountain, illuminated the chamber and allowed him to see his way clearly as he headed for the bed.

However, Fili only made it to the foot-board when something stopped him cold. He stared unblinking for a moment, then shook his head, doing his best to clear his alcohol soaked mind. Yet both actions did not change the fact that there seemed to be someone already sleeping in his bed…and that someone appeared to be a lass! Fili glanced from side to side, checking to make sure he had not accidentally stumbled into the wrong room. No, all his possessions were there; his weapons, his clothes, even the few mementos he had collected after their quest to take the mountain had proven successful. But if this was indeed his room…what was she doing here?

Taking a step closer, the golden-haired prince did his best to analyze the sleeping maid, or at least what little he could see of her in the faint moonlight. She appeared to be young, perhaps a few years his junior, with jet black hair that cascaded down over her shoulder and spilled onto the crisp white sheets covering her lower half. She had an adorable button nose, not a long or prominent one sported by most of his race, and rosy pink lips that were slightly parted in sleep. Her figure was partially obscured by the blankets, yet he could still imagine that it was just as appealing as the rest of her. Yes, indeed, this was quickly proving to be a rather tantalizing situation.

Yet what shocked Fili most was the fact that things like this normally did not happen to him. Being older than Kili, and the crown prince, Fili was expected to be the more serious minded and the level headed of the two. Pretty dwarrowdams, like the one lying before him, usually pursued his flirtatious younger brother, not him. If there was a tale to tell of a female sneaking into the bed of one of the two princes, everyone would automatically assume it would be Kili's good fortune, not Fili's. Yet here she was, curled up beneath his blankets, with her soft midnight tresses resting on his pillow.

How very strange.

As he continued to stand there, doing his best to figure out who she was and how she came to be in his bed, Fili could feel his body begin to react to the whole idea. As drunk as he was, he was a bit surprised that he could feel anything at all below his neck, but just the thought of having a enticing young dwarrowdam in his chambers was heating up his libido. Unfortunately, before he could thoroughly enjoy the sensation, he began to sway just a bit. Reaching out he steadied himself by grabbing hold of the foot-board, barely avoiding spilling the last of his ale. Now that would have been a real tragedy!

Returning his focus to the bed, Fili decided that he had never seen this particular lass before, yet he knew he would never forget her either. There were precious few female dwarves in Middle Earth to begin with, and only a handful of them had chosen to migrate to Erebor from the Iron Hills and Ered Luin. Perhaps this lass had come with the caravan that brought his mother, along with the many dwarves who wished to journey back to their lost homeland. If that was the case, Fili would be more than happy to welcome her to the great kingdom of Erebor with open arms!

Yet, it was rather odd that her face would be completely unfamiliar to him, especially since he and Kili had grown up in The Blue Mountains, knowing just about every dwarf and dwarrowdam there was, young or old. Still, Fili could not deny the fact that she was there, directly in front of him, sound asleep in his bed.

Now that it appeared his addled mind had at last come to terms with her presence, the next issue Fili felt he needed to address, was what action he should take. As a prince, and a member of the royal family, the chivalrous thing to do would be to gently wake her, inquire of her business, and escort her back to where she belonged. Yet the young and passion-filled side of him much preferred the idea of stripping down to nothing, climbing into the bed, and introducing himself to her…repeatedly!

Faced with this perplexing dilemma, Fili decided the best thing to do was think on it a little longer, preferably sitting down, for his head was beginning to spin and his legs were turning to jelly. So taking a few steps back, he fell into the chair located behind him, once more almost spilling the contents of his mug.

Thinking it wise to simply finish it off, so as not to risk wasting a drop, he put the decanter to his lips and drank the remainder down in a few swift gulps. There, now that the safety of his ale was no longer a pressing concern, Fili could give his full attention to the maiden at hand…the one in his bed. Staring at her a little longer he could feel his eyes begin to droop, and his limbs becoming increasingly heavy. Despite the unimaginable opportunity that lay before him, it did not take long for the young prince to doze off, his head tipping back against the chair and the empty mug slipping from his fingers, falling to the floor with a loud clunk.

Fili was now officially dead to the world.

Jade, however, was instantly roused by the unfamiliar sound, her eyes popping open as she sat up in bed. Yet looking around, she suddenly realized it was not her bed at all! No, she was somewhere else entirely! Pulling the blankets up around her chin she searched the room for anything familiar, something that might give her a clue as to where she was.

"Oh, Mahal, not again!" she moaned, realizing that she must have been sleepwalking. While this had been a recurring theme during her early childhood, the last time she recalled it happening was the first few weeks after showing up at the gates of Ered Luin - in search of her kind, and a future to call her own. Now it was happening again, more than likely brought on by the stress of the relocation and the newness of her surroundings. Jade only hoped it would not last long, and that she could somehow find a way to stay in her own room at night…assuming she could now ever find her way back at all.

Quietly slipping out of the bed, she headed for the door, yet her body froze in place when she realized she was not alone in the room. There, to the left of her, slumped over in a chair and sound asleep, was an unknown dwarf! And not just any dwarf…a young and very handsome one! Jade felt her breath catch in her throat as she stared at him, strangely mesmerized by each line and feature of his attractive face. Even in the darkness she could see that his hair was a rich golden blond, matching his interesting mustache braids and slight beard. It was an uncommon color for dwarves, the majority she had met thus far sported darker hair or perhaps red tones – unless they were very old and had already turned grey.

Jade found his look to be very appealing, and could not seem to take her eyes off of her slumbering companion. He was not attired like a dwarf of high station, nor was he slovenly dressed either, wearing a rather plain blue tunic with a very utilitarian looking belt and trousers. His boots appeared to be of good quality, but which had obviously seen many roads and much travel. All in all, he was everything a young dwarrowdam might find appealing, and she couldn't help but let her eyes rake over him approvingly.

She wondered if he had perhaps already been asleep when she had arrived, questioning if he might not even know she had somehow stumbled into his private chambers. Jade could only hope this was true, and should they ever meet again, he would not give her a second glance. Yet as she continued to stare, Jade began to feel as if she knew him…or that she had seen him someplace before. No, that was foolish, for he had not been with the caravan that came from Ered Luin, and she had certainly never set eyes on any dwarf who already resided within Erebor. Besides, if she had ever met this handsome dwarf before…she was positive that memory would have been indelibly etched in her mind.

Coming back to her senses, Jade realized that she was wasting precious time, and needed to focus on getting out of there. So, creeping out as quietly as she could, she left him sleeping soundly at the foot of the bed, and hastened towards the exit. Once she made it to the hallway, Jade was thankfully able to get her bearings. It appeared that she had not gone far, for she was still stationed in the royal wing, the door that housed her small room clearly visible from where she now stood. This was a good thing since she was only clad in her nightgown, apparently not having had the presence of mind to slip on her bed jacket before taking her unscheduled midnight stroll.

Suddenly, the realization of where she was caused her to spin around, her hand raising to cover her mouth as she let loose a gasp of shock. If she was still in the section of the mountain that housed the royal family, that would mean the room she just left could only belong to…Prince Fili! Now she understood why he had seemed so familiar to her, for Lady Dis had shown Jade the small portraits of both her sons many times, speaking of them often while they had been on their long and dangerous quest. The young dwarrowdam had never met either prince in person, for apparently they had left to reclaim Erebor just before she had arrived at Ered Luin, missing their departure by only a few weeks.

Now Jade truly prayed that she had stumbled in after he had already fallen asleep, keeping her presence unknown to him, or anyone else. For she would surely die of embarrassment if her nocturnal wanderings were ever made public, causing her untold humiliation. So as quickly as she could, Jade crossed the hallway and scooted back inside her room, shutting the door and leaning up against it with a sigh of relief.

Now if she could only find a way to stop herself from walking in her sleep again! Getting an idea, she swiftly located the key to the lock and turned it securely, effectively trapping herself inside. There was a sliding bolt as well, one that would have been perfectly fine for keeping others out but did very little to keep her in when it was easily opened from the inside. However, by using the key, and then putting it in a location that would require some effort to retrieve, this might hopefully deter her from escaping a second time. Scanning the dimly lit room, Jade spotted the perfect hiding place, and after pulling a small stool over to the bookcase, she tucked the large brass key inside a vase on the very top shelf. She was almost certain she would wake up before she was able to get the key and let herself out a second time!

Pleased by her efforts, Jade replaced the stool against the wall and crawled back into her own bed, burrowing under the covers as she stared up at the ceiling. She knew it must be very late, but after all the excitement of waking up in a strange dwarf's bedroom, sleep alluded her. She wondered if she should mention any of this to the Lady Dis, for she was, after all, both a princess and her employer. The regal dwarrowdam had been nothing but kind to her since the first day she arrived at the Blue Mountains in search of her own kind. And over the past year, the two had grown quite close, enjoying a friendship that went beyond that of a maid and her mistress.

Dis had been very understanding when Jade was caught sleepwalking during her first few weeks in her employment, and she was certain that the princess would be no less sympathetic now. Yet if she could somehow get away with no one knowing of her wanderings, she would feel so much better. Especially since it was the crown prince's bedchambers she had found herself in - the very son of the woman she was currently serving. How would that appear? If anyone were to find out, they would automatically assume that she was vying for Prince Fili's attention! Wantonly throwing herself at him like some shameless, eager lass looking to snag a wealthy husband. No, this would be something Jade would keep to herself at all costs!

Rolling over on her side, her hand slid up to grasp the small pendant that hung around her neck on a thin piece of cord, running her thumb over the dwarf runes carved in the smooth stone. She had long ago learned what they said, but she always wished she understood what they meant. The necklace she was found with had been engraved with the words, 'My Little Jewel', yet offering no clue as to her identity. Even her name, Jade, had been given to her by her adoptive parents, Ursa and Gunnar, the kindly couple from the race of men who had found her that fateful day, and taken her in as a mere infant.

It was times like these that she missed them terribly, the two having eventually passed away from old age. Being a dwarf, raised in a village of men, had caused quite a few stares, yet both Ursa and Gunnar had loved her dearly, and she in turn them, and eventually Jade had been accepted by most. Her size had always been an issue, as well as the slower rate with which she aged, causing all her childhood friends to race past her in terms of maturity. By the time she had barely reached the age that was considered no longer a child by her kind, the youngsters she had played with were grown adults with children, and often grandchildren, of their own. This had always caused Jade to feel somewhat abandoned and left behind, though her adoptive parents had been more than empathetic and understanding to her feelings. Yet even through the trials of growing up, she had never desired to leave the safe little village she had been raised in. That is, until both her aged parents had peacefully passed on, eventually causing her thoughts to turn to her own kind…the dwarves.

And now, here she was, ensconced in the greatest of all the dwarf kingdoms, Erebor…yet all she could think about was her little wooden home between the Dunlands and the Gap of Rohan. Life in the village, near the Fords of Isen, had not always been peaceful, for occasionally bands of orcs and goblins would make their way out of the mountains and raid the many settlements in the area. But her father, Gunnar, and the other men of their clan, were brave fighters and had kept the dangers at bay. Often, times had not been easy, yet overall they had been pleasant and fulfilling – ones Jade looked back upon with fondness.

And so it was, with these happy memories dancing around in her mind, Jade succumbed to a very peaceful, and uneventful, sleep at last.

OH dear! What will Fili remember come morning?

What will Jade do...tell Dis, or keep it to herself?

To find out, be sure to hit 'follow story' and keep an eye out for my next chapter!

Thanks!