The pieces now all back in their starting positions, Dwalin gives him the first move, and Fíli opens the game with an aggressive strategy – probably too aggressive, if the ever-so-slightly quirked brow on Dwalin’s otherwise stoic face is anything to go by. “Has Nori turned up anything of note about Mister Baggins?” he asks, and Dwalin looks up from the board as he moves one of his pieces to a deceptively defensive position to pin Fíli with a blank, stonewalling look. “Before now, I mean?”

“Not that he’s mentioned,” the Kingsguard responds.

“I assume he’s looked into him at least a little,” Fíli goes on, “since he is, er, Tauriel’s friend, after all.”

Dwalin hums, apparently more interested in contemplating his next move than in answering Fíli’s questions. “His mother’s friend, actually,” he says after a moment.

Fíli blinks across at him. “Pardon?”

“The lass was originally friends with Baggins’ mother. Invited her back to the Shire some ten years back, practically adopted her. She and the Baggins lad have been thick as thieves ever since, or so the locals apparently say.”

“Oh.” Fíli frowns down at the board and takes his turn. “That’s… That’s very interesting.”

Dwalin harrumphs. “That’s one word for it.”