A Tale of Time

Chapter 9: Lies and Visions

Chapter 9: Lies and Visions

Fili and Gailien play a mind-numbing game of guess the hand. Nobody in the camp is falling asleep easily, except for Bofur and Oin who are sleeping heavily off to the side. Gailien holds the stone in her hands behind her back, putting it in her left one then brings her closed fists in front of her.

Fili reaches out, tapping her left hand. Gailien huffs, tossing him the stone. "How are you literally guessing right every time?" she questions in disbelief. Fili shrugs, holding a smirk back as he switches the stone around behind his back.

"I'm a good guesser," he answers. Gailien mumbles something incoherent, leaning back onto Kili's shins who sits behind her on the rock, practising his braiding once more.

Fili puts his closed hands in front of her and Gailien thinks hard for a moment. She stares at him, waiting to see any twitch or sign but he is as still as the stone around them. Resigning, she taps his right hand and he grins, opening his left.

"Rhaich!" she hisses. Fili tosses the stone back to her and she pulls her arms around her back once more. But she watches Fili, trying to keep her face as still as possible. Then she sees it, the quick flicker of his eyes above her head. Her own snaps, looking up at Kili who looks like a deer seeing its predator. "You've been telling him!" she cries. Kili's lips slowly pull into a guilty smile. "Nin gwerianneg."

Gailien faces back to Fili, tossing the small stone back on the ground as Kili picks her hair back up. "You made me mess it up," he complains mournfully, trying to pick up the correct pieces.

"You made me lose every single round of the game," she shoots back, crossing her arms. "And you-" she points to Fili "-the future king cheating." She clicks her tongue with faux disapproval. She shoots her leg out, pushing his knee to the side so he tips over slightly. Fili laughs, righting himself, pushing back at her. Gailien tries to hold her ground, tongue between her lips as she has a silly leg battle with him.

Kili frowns, trying to concentrate on a more intricate design in her hair and uses his knees to keep her shoulders still. Gailien grins at the extra stability, using it to her advantage and holds his calves. "Fili," Kili cries in annoyance. "I'm trying to-"

He is cut off by Gailien being pulled off the ground away from him by Thorin. His hands hang in the air as he exchanges a confused glance with his brother. Gailien frowns as Thorin pulls her out of the chamber and into the hallway.

"Thorin, what is it?" she questions. He looks horrible, dark circles under his eyes, and he glares at everything.

"What do you think you are doing?" he demands, breathing heavily.

Gailien's mouth hangs open like a fish and her head begins to shake slightly. "I-I'm sorry, it was just a stupid game to pass the time."

"Not that." His eyes close as he drops his head for a moment. Instead of answering he lifts his hand and drags his fingers through her semi-loose hair and undoes the unfinished design Kili had been doing.

"He was just practising," she says, her eyes flickering between his with concern. "I don't understand why you're so upset."

"Braiding is reserved for close kin and lovers," Thorin spits. "I haven't even had a chance to yet."

"Thorin," she says softly, trying to show that she isn't angry or upset – and hope to bring him back down to himself. "There is nothing to be jealous over."

"Don't think me a fool," he growls. "I saw the way he used to look at you."

"Used to," she intones firmly. "So what if he had a boyish crush months ago. Do you know what he calls me? What both of them call me?" Thorin doesn't look her in the eyes or answer. "They call me Karr'a, Thorin."