With a great crash she fell through the green, round door along with the rest of the party of dwarves. Gandalf had lead them for a portion of their journey, and showed the group to Bilbo Baggins' cozy hobbit hole in the Shire.
"Get off of me!" she cried, worming her way out from underneath at least two of the older dwarves. The youngest of the group, and the only dwarven lass among them, Ori often had to assert herself or be trampled. This evening, it was quite literally the case.
Making way to her feet, Ori nervously checked the status of the quills in her prized book bag. It was a wonder they weren't broken, yet again. She traveled as the group's scribe, chronicling their journey to take back the Lonely Mountain. Not a warrior like many of the others, she knew the value of tales, as that seemed to be all that was left of their dwarven homeland. All she knew of Erebor had been passed down to her in stories of the mountain, and she dreamed of it often.
"Ori!" A shout came from across the room. Kili stood with arms outstretched, smiling wide. Immediately forgetting the care for her things, Ori dropped her bags and dashed to close the gap between them. She leaped into his arms, wrapping them around his neck as he spun her around the room, knocking something off of a shelf in the tight walkway.
"Kili," she squealed, squeezing her friend tightly. "I've missed you…" she trailed off as he wriggled out from her grasp, making a show of gasping for air.
"You've grown," he laughed, patting her on the head. "Well, maybe you haven't, actually." Playfully, she punched him in the arm, giggling. Ori was the smallest of the group, small for even a dwarf. Her golden strawberry-blonde hair was a mess of curls, held in check by two braids, crooked blunt-cut bangs framing her round face and large blue eyes. She was giddy, seeing her old childhood friend again. It had been years since they'd parted ways when her family moved to the Blue Mountains. Aptly named they were, she always thought, as her heart had broken upon leaving for them. It began to pound as she looked around the room for where he may be. Kili noticed the anxious look and smiled softly, pointing her to the dining room.
Trying to remain restrained, she walked slowly as she saw him sitting at the end of the table, fiddling with a mug of ale and laughing at one of Dwalin's stories. Noticing her change of tone and pace, Kili could never resist gentle ribbing. He pushed her forward into the room to greet Fili.
"Ori," Fili stood, smiling, stretching out his arms and motioning for her to come toward him. Working her way across the room, she gingerly wrapped her arms around her childhood sweetheart. He pulled her close and stroked her hair as she buried her face into the soft fur of his coat. They embraced for longer than would be expected, but he refused to be the first to let go.
"Fili," she squeaked out like a mouse, unable to think of anything more eloquent to say, mind and heart racing. He placed a scratchy kiss upon her forehead as they broke apart and took seats at the table.
He had grown, she thought, and in truth so had she. He'd grown into a handsome, confident young dwarf, giving off a charismatic presence in any room he'd entered. Unlike his younger brother's dark hair and eyes, Fili had fair coloring, straw blonde hair and blue eyes. It had been years since they'd seen each other, and she fondly remembered teasing the boys about getting their, now present, beards. But Fili was no longer a boy, and she no longer just a girl.
Fili had been told of his destiny in the line of Durin from a young age, and he believed in it, no longer just a child's aspiration. The pair had grown up together as family friends, and had been like two halves of a whole before they were parted. Young love had begun to blossom, though it was plucked before its time. Her mother insisted that she forget him, and she surely tried. Ori thought of him less and less over the years, but when the opportunity came to see him again, she had to take the chance. Even if that meant leaving home and safety to take on an ill-advised and dangerous quest. Heirs to the throne, she knew Kili and Fili would be there to support their uncle Thorin, so she must be as well. What she didn't know, was if Fili would remember or still care for her as he once had done.
As the evening passed, the group ate, drank and sang, making themselves at home in a flustered Bilbo Baggins' house. Fili was as boisterous and charming as ever. Ori tried to be polite to the hobbit whose home they'd invaded on what it seemed to be little notice. The wizard, Gandalf corralled the group and seemed to comfort Bilbo as the only familiar face.
Thorin's arrival put a hush upon the room reminding Ori that this mission was about much more than the fate of her heart. The passion and bravery of her fellow dwarves was inspiring. Their quest may have been ill-advised and dangerous, but it was taken in earnest, and she could respect that. As they sung the familiar ballad of the Lonely Mountain, her mind turned to the future. Would they succeed and reclaim a home? Could she make a home with Fili and live there as she'd dreamed? His presence seemed to say it could be true.
As the rest of the party seemed to be settling in for the night, Ori finally took the opportunity to get Fili away from the group. The night's worth of ale giving her confidence, she sneaked him out of the front door and went to explore Bilbo's garden, underneath the stars. Taking a lantern in one hand and Fili's hand in the other, Ori lead the way as they ran through the grass to the top of Bag End, underneath the great tree.
Fili smiled at his giggling companion as she plopped down under the tree, patting the soft ground for him to sit with her.
"Here," she said, grinning, "I have something for you."
"Oh you do?" he answered slyly, taking a place next to her in the grass. She dug clumsily through her bag for a moment, looking for the trinket. Ori was skilled in many crafts, as well as writing and drawing. She'd grown fond of knitting and often made and sold jewelry to help support her family.
"Found it," she declared, pulling a small red pouch out of the bag and handing it to Fili. He took the gift apprehensively, and pulled at the strings to open the container. Out from the bag, he pulled a thick brown leather bracelet with beaded edges and a metal clasp. Burned into the outside of the leather were Khuzdul runes that read "Family, Honor, Home." On the underside, in small letters was written, "For Fili." It was lovingly made, and he looked at it quietly for a moment, lost in the thought of what its meaning.
"Do you like it?" Ori asked, meekly wondering if she'd done something wrong.
"Of course, yes. I love it," he stammered, pausing for a moment, reading the words aloud, "Family, Honor, Home?"
"Yes. A reminder of our journey. Of where we are going and what will take us there."
"Thank you, Ori," he replied sweetly, taken aback by the gesture. "I'll never take it off."
"First, let me show you how to put it on," she smiled, moving to help him remove his gloves and bracers. He tugged at them with his teeth, pulling the layers away and presenting a hand to Ori. She noticed that his hands looked so strong as she wrapped the bracelet around his wrist and deftly latched the hooks. He'd been training with swords, axes and throwing knives since he was old enough to carry them, and had become quite skilled in combat. Ori had always preferred creating art to creating bloodshed. A gentle and loving heart, Fili had always thought she had.
Pleased with her work, she admired it while continuing to gently hold his hand for a moment.
"I made one for your brother as well," she quipped, teasingly, to lighten the mood, "don't think yourself special." Tickled with her jest she giggled aloud as Fili, feigning outrage, playfully tackled her to the ground like they were children again. She always knew what buttons to push with him, having learned from the best in his brother Kili. Kicking and squealing, Fili wrestled around with her making overwrought battle sounds in his own silly way. They were together again and it was as she hoped, as if no time had passed.
"What am I going to do with you?" he asked, grinning breathlessly, as they lay on the ground, still tangled in each others' arms. "You are clearly unfit for dragon slaying."
"I am not!" she protested defiantly. Crawling along the cool ground she made way to her bag, rifled around in it for a moment and retrieved the slingshot of which she'd been the proud owner for years. She presented it to Fili proudly, aiming it directly toward him, making a show of her prowess in battle. He caught one sight of it and howled with laughter. Fili traveled with a small arsenal of finely crafted blades and knives, and he knew this meager weapon was meaningless compared to them. Snatching it out of her hand before she could protest, he inspected the slingshot and looked at Ori disapprovingly.
"What am I going to do with you?" he asked again with emphasis, closing the gap between them. His expression was more serious this time. She sensed that he meant it, and was worried for her safety, as her older brother Dori had been when she'd insisted that she come along. The wilds were no place for an artist and a scribe, but home in the blue mountains was no place either, in her estimation.
"I'm not afraid," she whispered as he brushed a curl of hair out of her face, looking deeply into her eyes. She meant it, or at least she thought she did. "I'm not," she insisted.
"I'm glad you are with us, Ori. And I promise, with all my heart, that I will keep you safe," he declared, taking her face in his hands lovingly. Bravery welled in her heart and she pushed forward, planting a kiss on his thin lips. He returned the gesture with equal enthusiasm, pressing hard against her skin as his lips parted. They lay on the ground in each others' arms again, lost in the moment. She pressed her hand flat against his strong chest, nestled beneath the thick fur coat and above the soft fabric of his shirt. He was warm and she could feel his heart beating. It was real and he was finally real again, she thought. This moment had lived only in her imagination for far too long.
The cool night breeze made the lantern light flicker, outlining the couple in the dark. They lay like that for a while, tasting, each exploring the other in new ways. The moonlight was full and beautiful and the couple decided to sleep beneath the stars that night, rather than in the crowded rooms of Bag End. Ori curled into the crook of Fili's arm and nestled in the warmth of his coat's fur. He held her closely as they both dozed off to sleep after what was a long and eventful day. She thought to herself before falling asleep that she wished it could last forever, fantasizing that they would run away together and live in the Shire for the rest of their days. No paths to tread, no gold or treasure, and no dragon to contend with. Just peace, love and kisses for the rest of their days. But it was nothing more than a fantasy.
To be continued. Thanks for reading. Please feel free to review!