AN: Hey everyone. Thanks to all that have already read, favorited, followed, and reviewed! It is much appreciated!

So, few things before I continue on with the story. First: I am a senior in my last semester of undergrad and I'm a Comparative Literature major, meaning I am busy as hell and I'll be lucky if I can update every week. My War and Peace reading is kicking my ass. Second: I've never written a Hobbit fanfiction and this is an AU that I have yet to make any definitive plans for storyline. Third: I am open to suggestions. I may not follow them but I am definitely interested in that you have to say. Fourth: I hope to be a professional writer (applying for an internship in publishing now) so I am highly open to criticism as long as it is constructive, even if it is to say "too many commas" or "not enough description".

Anyway, here is chapter two. Let me know what you think.

-Brittanie

Chapter 2

The Child of the Wood

The forest was dark and damp; the fresh dew from the night drizzle still clung to the air, not wanting to disappear. It belonged in the misty morning atmosphere around the mountain known as Ered Luin. A tall, twisted tree was inhabited by a slight dwarf with wild dark hair cascading around his shadowed face. His eyes were closed; tears recently dried on his face smeared away the light coating of dirt that occupied the young prince's face.

Young Kili Durin, only twenty seven winters old, had flown to the only place he felt peaceful in the middle of the night after a fight with his uncle, a stern dwarf without a throne named Thorin. His idol. His protector. Kili had let him down yet again by just being Kili. His uncle was giving his brother Fili and he lessons on political theory, which Thorin claimed was a must for a member of the proud Durin clan. Thorin was explaining some treaty that had been signed three hundred years prior when Kili, always the one unable to restrain his curiosity, asked his uncle about the elves.

Big mistake.

Thorin Oakenshield should be renamed Thorin Elf-Hater in the eyes of some, rightfully so. His home had been lost to Smaug the Terrible, partly due to the actions, or inactions, of elves. Thorin not so kindly reminded Kili that he had lost all he loved because of the stubborn nature of elves. Kili, ever the argumentative, not so kindly pointed out that dwarves were just as stubborn, if not more so than elves, so they were more alike than the throneless king cared to admit. The conversation ended with Kili calling his uncle a "stubborn bigoted ass" and Thorin spitting at his nephew that he was "an incorrigible idiot that knew nothing of the world and was nothing but a child". With the shouting match concluded, both stormed from the library, only leaving Fili to observe how alike his uncle and little brother were, chillingly so. Something itched at the back of his mind, a long forgotten memory, bothering Fili in regards to Thorin and Kili but he could not puzzle it out.

That was before dinner and now in the rising sunlight, the rumbling of Kili's empty stomach was slowly bringing the young princes out of his less-than-pleasant slumber. A cardinal chirped in his ear, causing Kili to grab onto the branch to his left to steady himself. He was used to sleeping high up, but it was the waking up that threw him a bit still. Carefully sitting up, Kili stretched his neck shortly followed by his arms and back, body stiff from the night spent in the tree.

He knew his mother was probably worried. Dis Durin seemed to keep a heavy eye on her younger, accident prone son. As he climbed down the trunk, branch by branch, Kili remembered the most recent jerk he had caused to his mother's heart. Kili had followed his older brother Fili into one of the less than reputable taverns within the fortress of Ered Luin. Unbeknownst to his brother, Kili was able to bargain for his first ever pint of mead. Growing up, his uncle would occasionally let little Kili try a sip of mead if his whining got too much to bear, but overall Kili was not yet accustomed to the effects of mead. One thing led to another, one card game after another with a visiting ranger and the young prince found himself flat on the dirt floor, penniless, drunk, and with a bloody nose. Apparently Kili has insulted the ranger's sword's name, which he could not recall now, but the ranger had not only collected his winnings but decided to collect a toll from Kili's face. It had been hell trying to talk his way out of being grounded by Dis, but he had not succeeded.

Oops.

It was only a month later that Kili was allowed to leave the company of his three family members while outside their small house. He was taking his time walking back to Ered Luin. He breathed deeply, running his hands over the foliage that flanked his path, taking in all the dense green around him, occasionally skirting around a small rodent or rock. It was nearly noon when Kili encountered an angry Fili. The blonde who was half a head shorter than his younger brother fixated himself sternly in Kili's path, his ice blue eyes shining with discontent.

"Brother! Where have you been?"

Kili shrugged.

"Around."

"What do you mean around? Why are you always so damn cryptic?"

He squeezed past his brother and into the crowded marketplace.

"If I knew why, brother, I'd tell you." He had to raise his voice over the many conversations flowing around the street.

"Why do we put up with you?" Fili commented on once he had caught up with his brother.

"Good question."

"By the way, Thorin wants to see you."

Fili's words were lost upon Kili as his eyes gazed over a long curved elegant instrument made of wood that mirrored his mahogany eyes. It was a dream. An Elvish weapon. Kili glazed the wood with his fingers as he had with the plants of the forest and swore he could feel it speak to him. Fili's arguments went unheard as Kili shelled out coin to the human merchant. He slid the weapon into his hands and felt whole.