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"Uncle, have you seen my brother?" Fili's face was a mixture of hope and worry as he entered the council chamber in Erebor.
Sparing a glance at his older nephew, Thorin growled out, "Not lately." before returning to the documents spread before him. "Why?"
"He was going to the market yesterday but hasn't returned yet." Worry laced Fili's voice. "He said he'd be back by supper last."
"I'm sure he's fine." Thorin reassured the young dwarf. "He probably got distracted and forgot the time."
"But it's so unlike him to be this late." Fili persisted.
Thorin sighed internally and straightened up. "Tell you what, if he isn't back by supper tonight, I'll send out a search party for him."
"Thank you, uncle."
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A parchment arrived during dinner. The messenger presented it to Thorin with a decidedly nervous air.
"Greetings Thorin! I have your nephew Kili. And I think I shall keep him a while.He needs to learn some manners. And improve his skill set. Enya"
"Shit!"
"What is it, Thorin?" Balin looked at him, curious as to what had caused the outburst. Thorin's face was rapidly turning stormier by the second.
"Enya has Kili." he replied.
"Oh." came Balin's simple response, him knowing all too well what Thorin meant.
"What..what does that mean?" Fili asked, confused and suddenly very concerned.
Balin grasped Fili's forearm. "What it means is that your brother has gotten himself into trouble with a madam and she's not likely to let him leave anytime soon."
"A madam?" Fili didn't quite understand.
"Yes, Fili, a madam." came Thorin amused reply.
"As in?" Fili pressed.
"As in, a brothel madam." Balin explained.
Fili's eyes grew large. "Can't we do anything? Isn't she one of your subjects?" he implored his uncle.
"I could, but I won't." came Thorin's dry reply. "This particular madam is a keeper of certain secrets. Secrets I'd just as soon didn't come out."
"So my brother is, what exactly, her prisoner?" Fili sounded outraged.
"I wouldn't call him that, laddie." Balin's eyes twinkled. "More like her plaything for now."