The Hobbit: An Unexpected Reunion

Chapter 9

The next day, the third full day the dwarves were staying at Rivendell, Fili called on Mira. He found her packing her freshly-washed clothes into one of her bags and her armor was out on the bed, drying from being polished.

"You're leaving," said the young dwarf.

"Yes," Mira replied. "Fróia and I agreed that we've stayed long enough on Lord Elrond's hospitality. The elves have gifted us with enough food to last us the rest of the journey back to Erebor. We want to get back there before winter sets in."

"As do we," Fili stated.

Mira turned around to face him for the first time since he came in. Fili couldn't help but stare at her for a brief second, even in a simple day dress, Mira gave off an air of beauty and warmth that was intoxicating. It was no wonder that the children always followed her around, she was a beacon of light and hope. So, he thought, was her light-haired sister, only Fróia had a quieter way about her. Mira was not as reserved as her sister.

"Then why aren't you getting ready to leave like us?" she posed.

"Because our host has forbidden us to leave."

Mira raised an eyebrow, "Forbid you?"

"Well, not so much in words, but every time Thorin has made mention of leaving, Lord Elrond encourages us to rest here longer and presses more food and wine. He seems unwilling to let us continue with our quest. As if he has a say in whether we carry it out or not!"

Mira listened but did not respond at the mentioning of Fili's uncle. She turned back to her packing and was obviously not open to discussing anything that had to do with the heir of Erebor.

"Mira?" Fili entreated. "Did I say something to upset you?"

"Nothing that can't be remedied with your leaving," she shot back.

"Mira, what did I say!"

She whirled back to face him, "Don't act stupid, Fili! You can guess what I'm angry about."

Fili thought through the few words he had said and moaned, "Thorin? You're angry with my uncle!"

"You bet your ass I am!" she spat.

"But why?"

"Why?" fumed Mira. "Why?" she repeated to herself and muttered, looking off at the ceiling, "I guess he didn't tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"He and Fróia had an argument the first night we were here. Apparently, Gandalf wanted Thorin to show Lord Elrond something and your uncle was unwilling to do so. He came to Fróia to talk about it and she agreed with Gandalf's advice. The conversation expanded and words were exchanged." Mira huffed and proceeded to shove her clothes and spare blankets away.

"I'm sure whatever Thorin said, he didn't mean it, Mira," Fili appealed. He didn't believe that, if he was right about Fróia and Thorin's relationship, his uncle would have never said anything extremely rude or mean.

"Oh really?" Mira asked.

"Yes, really!"

The she-dwarf turned back to him and said, "He called her a half-elf, Fili! He called her not a dwarf."

Fili was shocked; Fróia must have really gotten Thorin mad for him to say something so cruel.

"It's not like she hasn't heard that before when people talked about her, back at the Lonely Mountain," Mira explained, picking up pieces of her armor and setting them down on a nearby chair for the morning. "A fair amount of people called her names. Names that were meant to call into question whether she truly was a dwarf, through and through.