Chapter 2
The day moves on slowly, with endless walking through the forest after packing up camp and moving on. The sun is hot, beating down on your skin from above, a thin layer of sweat forming on your forehead. The mood in the group is odd, a tension is in the air, anticipation is building. The group isn't far from an elf settlement, maybe three days away, and Thorin is tense.
The tension of the leader has settled on the group, bubbling under the surface.
As you are looking around at your surroundings for any sign of danger, you feel a nudge from your right, it is Bilbo.
'You're awfully quiet this morning,' he observes.
'Im sorry, I must just be tired' you reply, smiling slightly.
'Or perhaps it is the effects of today, your birthday I hear?' He nudges you again, this time his eyes point forward, towards the front of the group.
Your eyes follow his, to where the brothers are riding next to each other up ahead, 'They told you?'
'Where I'm from, a birthday is a cause for celebration' he smiles, eyes glazing over as memories overtake him.
'I don't want a celebration. Our mission has no room for it,' you shrug. 'And besides, there are more important things to concentrate on, Thorin barely let me come as it is'
Master Baggins looks crestfallen for a moment, before regaining his composure, 'Ahh, yes. I suppose there is that.'
You move on in silence, only the sound of hooves beating the packed mud floor and the steady breathing of the horses make any real noise. You sway slightly, the heat getting to you, a headache already building in the front of your head. A lightheaded dizziness overcomes you and you reach for your water pouch, the need to hydrate causing you to lean over the side of the horse and reach your hand out faster than necessary. Dehydration presses at you once more, and you feel the world tip to the side, the rear up of the horse and the pain in your shoulder as it collides with the earth floor. A sharp pain ripples across it, an immediate bloom of heat in your shoulder, knocking the air from your lungs.
'Stop!' Dwalin shouts to the others, and the movement of the group halts, all eyes spinning in your direction. You avoid them, already feeling the eyes of Thorin, Kili and Fili burning into your skull. It makes you uncomfortable to know they're watching you.
You sigh, feeling pathetic for letting the heat affect you like this. You're proving Thorin's point exactly when he said it was a bad idea for you to join the men. You sigh once more, chastising yourself in your head as you stand back up, fighting off the pain in your shoulder and your beating headache.
A red blush of humiliation dusts your cheeks and the others begin moving again, Thorin's patience gone, leaving you at the back of the troupe. You climb back on, drink some water and catch up slightly, leaving a gap between you and the others. You allow your newly braided hair to fall in your face, hoping it will cover your blush. The quiet banging together of the metal beads Fili put in place causing your cheeks to crimson again as you wonder what he thought of your obvious display of weakness.
The day seems to drag even more after that.
'Happy Birthday to me,' you mutter sarcastically letting one tear fall, accepting in this moment, the need to feel emotions.