The Halfbreed

As Fili watched he began curious of his brothers feelings, he seemed to be fixating on her, of course Kili had never really shown any interest in women he always pointed something that was wrong with them. But he looked almost enamoured by this women.
Fili found it both good and bad that he had to like Vanya, she was beautiful that was sure, but she was no dwarf, and as such may not be accepted by the others. Fili would accept anyone with whom his brother fell in love with but he wasn’t sure that Kili even knew if she was his one. She did seem nice and she did care for Kili that was obvious but would she be good for him? That was the question.
So determined Fili set over towards them to see who this women was, he walked over as she slipped a ring onto her finger and blushed profusely. “Well brother keeping the new meat to yourself?” he joked, Kili looked at him and shook his head. “So Vanya, Do you know any good stories or tales?”
She looked at him curiously, “Well master dwarf what defines a good story in your eyes?”
He smiled down at her, “Well anything that keeps my attention, miss Vanya.”
“Well I know many but I will tell you my favourite, if it pleases you,” she joked. “There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.
And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.
So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.
Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.
And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.
Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death’s gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.
The first brother traveled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.
That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother’s throat.
And so Death took the first brother for his own.
Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.
Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her.
And so Death took the second brother for his own.
But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and as equals, they departed this life.”
He stared at her, he had not expected such a story, maybe a fluffy one about love but not that. “My dearie, why is that your favourite story?” Balin asked, Fili turned to see all of the Dwarves staring at her now.
She too seemed to notice this as she grew nervous, “Well, umm you see I like it because it reminds me that it doesn’t matter how cleaver you are or how strong, death comes for us all and he cannot be cheated. Although you have to be aware that if you are arrogant death may come for you quicker than if you were humble. And you simply have to make the best of your life, the way you can doing great deeds, or by just doing what makes you happy, in the end you have to look on your life and ask if it was worth it.”
All the other Dwarves nodded their heads as they returned to what they were doing earlier, as Fili looked down at Vanya, she was definitely a good women and he could sense that she may have enough will to tame his brother. He ruffled her hair and went back to his seat, she would do him some good and maybe his uncle too, who knows he figured he would see how it played out.
After her the sun went down and they had left much to Bain’s pushing that they could not leave. But they did and in the dark they crept towards the armory and slunk inside as they climbed over the other dwarfs under the window. She herself had no problems with it but Kili seemed to struggle as he was given the weapons from Thorin He tripped down the stairs alerting the guards of their presence.
She stared into the eyes of the guard defiantly, but she looked at Kili and his pale face worried her even more as he had a knife to his throat she wanted to scream. But she knew to hold her tongue, and after the guards held them a sword point and studied the dwarves the hobbit and the girl they dragged them into the town square to the man in charge Vanya thought.
A plump and ugly man excited the big building in front of them, “What is the meaning of this?”
“We caught 'em stealing weapons, Sire.” A guard said.
The ugly man turned to them, “Ah! Enemies of the state, huh?”
And a man with a unibrow looked to the plump man in charge, she remembered Bard had called him the Master, “A desperate bunch of mercenaries, if ever there was, Sire.”
“Hold your tongue!” Dwalin said, as he approached the Master, “You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal. This is Thorin. Son of Thrain, son of Thror!”
Thorin stood beside Dwalin, “We are the dwarves of Erebor. We have come to reclaim our homeland.” At this the towns’ people started murmuring, “I remember this town in the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake. This was the center of all trade in the north!” he turned to the people. “I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!” All the people cheered.
Bard appeared out of the crowd and said, “Death! That is what you'll bring upon us.” As he walked towards Thorin, “Dragon fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all.”
Thorin turned his back on the bargeman, “You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; if we succeed all will share in the wealth of the mountain. “You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!”
Bard looked to the people, “All of you! Listen to me, you must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale? Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm? And for what purpose?” He looked straight at Thorin, “The blind ambition of a Mountain King, so driven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!”
The Master was looking on this fight, “Now. Now. We must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget, that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast. Hm!”
Unibrow sneered, “Its true, Sire. We all know the story. Arrow after arrow, he shot. Each one missing its mark.”
Bard walked toward Thorin, “You have no right. No right to enter that mountain.”
Thorin looked up at the taller man, “I have the only right.” The he turned away from Bard and looked to the Master, “I speak to the Master of the men of the lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?” the Master Hesitated considering his options, but she knew that face for she had seen it for a hundred years in her fathers, greed. “What say you?” Thorin called.
The Master, “I say unto you...welcome!” Every one cheered except Bard, “Welcome and rise! Welcome, King under the Mountain!”