THE LAST HEIR OF ISILDUR

CHAPTER 17

꧁ Riddles in the night ꧂

Arya stared at the sky, completely covered by a blanket of dark clouds, leaning on the edge of the balcony of the room that had been assigned to her in the Master's palace.

The Lord of Laketown had been quite hospitable with the company, just after the promise of numerous riches made by Thorin: he had allowed them to stay in his royal abode and had immediately given orders for a banquet to be organized in their honor.

The girl watched now the snow fall on the worked railing that surrounded the balcony, and on the embroidered sleeves of her wine-colored dress, which the Governor himself had given her for the occasion, waiting for dinner.

"Someone here is very restless."

Viseryon's voice rang in her mind. The dragon had read her thoughts and was right: Arya was very restless. She had just revealed her true identity to her companions and wasn't sure how they had taken it. Especially how Fili had taken it.

"Someone here is in love! Being restless is perfectly understandable!"

Saphira retorted firmly, taking her defense.

"And what would you know about it, exactly?!"

Viseryon demanded, in a sarcastic tone.

"That's enough! Stop it! Guys, this is really not the time!"

The girl ordered: she already had enough problems without adding their squabbles.

"What happened?"

Drogon, which until then had been quiet listening, intervened quietly.

"They found out who I am..."

She murmured in a worried voice.
A sudden knock on the door distracted her from her thoughts, forcing her to turn to go and open it.

"Fili..."

The girl said, almost in a whisper, seeing the blond dwarf standing in front of her.

"I... ehm...I came to see if you were ready for dinner."

He asked her in a cold, detached tone. For Arya it was like being stabbed in the chest.

"Of course. I am."

She said, closing the door behind her
The two began walking down the corridor leading to the main hall. The tension between them was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. The young dwarf couldn't bear that situation much longer, he had to know.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

He suddenly asked her, stopping and turning to her. The young woman closed her eyes and sighed: she knew that the moment for explanations would have come, but she did not expect such a direct question.

"Because I was afraid."

She admitted, turning her face slightly to look at the dwarf at her side, who widened his eyes at that answer. Fili didn't really know what to say...fear? Fear of what?

"Since we were little, my brother and I had to keep our identity hidden: we knew they would never stop hunting us, we are a threat to orcs and, I'm afraid, not just to them..."

The girl explained quietly.

"That's why I didn't say anything. I was trying to protect myself...and to protect you: we were already hunted down because of Thorin, we couldn't afford to be chased because of me."

She concluded in a voice full of regret, looking him straight in the eye. Fili felt like a real idiot: he had doubted her, he was offended because he convinced himself that she hadn't considered him worthy of her trust, when instead she was just trying to protect him, to protect them all. The dwarf lowered his eyes, no longer able to hold her gaze, and took her hands.