So Comes Snow After Fire

14.i When the Frosts Are Setting In

"Kíli!"

He looked up at the sound of his name called in a young female voice and then choked on his beer.

"Kíli," Sif said again. After watching uncertainly for a few moments as Kíli stared at her and coughed, she gave him several sturdy thumps to the back.

"Thanks. Hullo," he croaked at last.

"I was going to say I was surprised to see you here, but I suppose I'm not the only one." This tavern was in the mining district, and nobles of her own or Kíli's station would have been far more likely to visit one of the taprooms near the royal quarters. Kíli himself was here to escape the council guests, of whom he had already seen enough for one day.

"Sorry, no, I thought you were someone else," Kíli explained.

"Ah!" Sif's expression was relieved. "May I join you?"

He nodded, and she slid onto the bench beside him. "I came down here to order materials for the shop," she explained. After taking a slow draught of her dark beer, she asked, "How is the council going?"

"Oh, fairly well, I suppose." Kíli shrugged, and then continued, his tone somewhat wondering, "I never knew how much talking goes into these political agreements. Do you know, this morning I think the ambassador from the Broadbeams talked for a solid hour about the long and storied history of relations between our clans? I was waiting for his jaw to fall off. Even Thorin seemed to be losing interest."

Sif smiled. "I don't envy you! It sounds very tiring."

"I can't say I wouldn't rather be on guard duty, but it's interesting, I suppose. I never really paid attention to what Thorin did as a ruler, down in Ered Luin, and it's good to learn about the relations between our clans."

"I suppose Fíli must have a lot to attend to, as well," she said. Kíli had been wondering when she would mention his brother.

"He's as important to these discussions as Thorin is," Kíli agreed. "Maybe he doesn't have to decide things, but he has to know how each issue stands if he's to rule someday." He took another swallow of beer. "I'm just glad it's not me," he confessed. "I know how to follow and defend, but leading? That's Fíli's place."

During the ensuing pause, Kíli wondered if Sif had been indirectly trying to ask where Fíli was tonight. As the answer was that his brother was being formally presented with yet another prospective bride, Kíli preferred not to say. Instead, he asked, "Have you met any of the visitors yet?" Even quiet Sif must be curious about strangers from such distant kingdoms.

She nodded. "Mother wouldn't listen to my excuses but dragged me along to meet some of the women last night." She pulled a self-mocking frown, and Kíli knew she had not enjoyed herself. "I mean, they were nice enough, I suppose," she corrected. "But... They're here to meet your brother, aren't they?"

"Yes." So he would not be able to avoid this topic, after all. In part, Kíli was glad: he had wanted to know how things stood between Sif and his brother. It was already quite clear how much her thoughts were on Fíli. But had Fíli offered her any assurance of his faith? Kíli guessed not, if Sif had had to work out for herself why these women were here.

Sif was not forthcoming with any further insight, so Kíli went on, "I think it's just been formalities so far. Introductions and that sort of thing. They've come all this way, and so at the very least, Fíli has to meet them." Kíli did not know how seriously his brother considered any of the proposed matches, but it was true enough that Fíli owed them a polite reception: women wouldn't normally travel for a meeting like this, so the fact that these had come to meet him in person was a sign of great honor.

Sif took another drink, her expression inscrutable.

"Did you meet Tófa, from clan Ironfist?" Kíli asked.

She squinted at him thoughtfully. "Golden hair and blue gems in her beard...? I think so. Why?" Her tone was disinterested, but Kíli was not convinced.

"That's who I thought you were earlier." It was true: he'd hardly been able to get away from Tófa after dinner a few nights ago. That was another reason he was drinking down here among the miners.

Sif regarded him thoughtfully for a moment and then her mouth lifted slightly in a smile. "You mean she fancies you."

"Sif, I didn't do anything!" Kíli protested earnestly. "I welcomed her when everyone arrived, and I've maybe talked with her a few times since. But I've shown her no particular attention beyond that."

"I'm sure you didn't," she returned, serious.

"And she must know about Tauriel," Kíli went on. "Our suit has been no great secret since one of the Stonefoots asked why his niece hadn't been presented to me."

"She did ask if I'd ever seen your elf," Sif confessed.

"See? I know Tauriel and I are not betrothed yet, but our courtship is well-established. Tófa can't expect I'd break it off now."

"Perhaps," Sif offered cautiously, "she cannot believe you could truly want an elf. Or else she's just very smitten." She shrugged.

"She can't be," Kíli muttered into the bottom of his mug. "I didn't even flirt with her."

Sif gave him an odd, knowing smile. "Sometimes it happens like that," she said, and then hid her face in her own mug.

She was talking about herself, Kíli realized. How long had she been in love with his brother, before Fíli had even left on the quest? And what had it been like, knowing he'd gone and she might never see Fíli again? Kíli remembered the very real pain he had felt leaving Tauriel on the lake shore; he didn't know if she could want him, but at least he had told her what he felt. How much worse must it have been to feel you had lost even that chance to speak?

Kíli very much wished he could tell Sif that Fíli was too honorable to hurt her now, when he surely knew what she felt for him. Of course Fíli knew, if even Kíli could see it. But Kíli could also see that honor could become a complicated thing, when divided between family, duty, kingdom. He knew his brother would do the honorable thing; Fíli always had done so, but what that would be this time, Kíli couldn't answer any more.

And so he had said only, "Here's to a swift end of the council and a happy resolution for all," and knocked his beer mug against hers.