"Now where did that girl go?" Bofur shook his head. The morning sun was up and breakfast was being made. "Did any of you see where she went off?"
Thorin shook his head, "She's probably run off. I knew it was a bad idea to take her along with us."
The girl ran up the bank from the river to where camp was set. "Hey, you aren't done cooking are you?" Thorin looked surprised.
"No we aren't." Bilbo said, "Why?"
Lúthien smiled. "I went fishing." She went back down the bank and dragged up a grass woven net full of fish. "I wasn't sure how many we would need."
"That's uh... that's a lot of fish." Bilbo looked around, "Will we eat them all?"
Bofur grinned, "Whatever we don't eat, we'll salt. Good job fishing." He patted the girl on the back.
She beamed with joy and lugged the fish over near the fire. They cooked up a good breakfast and then got started once more on their journey.
"Out of curiosity, does anything interesting ever happened on this quest? All we've done is walk and walk." The girl rolled her shoulders.
A few of the dwarves looked between each other. They've had more than interesting things happen to them.
"Eh, let's not talk of such things." Bofur smiled. "Besides this is enjoyable. You must be glad to finally have some company, right?"
Lúthien nodded. "I haven't seen many people in the forest, just Orcs and I've done all I can to avoid them. I thought I might lose my mind out there... though with no memories I guess there isn't much to lose." She gave a shrug and continued walking carefully along the dirt path.
"Aye, I suppose." Bofur looked down at her dirty feet and watched each gentle step over jagged stones. "Are you alright to go on without shoes? You could get hurt."
"I think so, my wounds heal very quickly so I'm not concerned so much. Besides Bilbo isn't wearing shoes either, are you worried for him?" She asked.
"He's a hobbit, it's different. Right Bilbo?"
Bilbo turned to look back at them. "Right. Hobbits aren't fond of wearing shoes. The soles of our feet are thick and the hair keeps good cover. I tried on a pair once when I was lad... didn't care for it one bit." He smiled.
"I see. Really though Bofur, there isn't any need to worry about me. I've done alright so far." Lúthien gave a quick smile.
"You may have just joined with our company dear but as the only member of the fairer sex in this group we are all bound to be worried about you," Balin nodded. "Even if we might not show it." He glanced in the direction of Thorin.
"Well I'll do my best to stay out of trouble. If comes to it I'll prove that you needn't worry."
"If things go like they have, you'll get your chance alright." Fili said.
"So you've seen a lot of battle on this journey?"
"Oh we have." Kili said excitedly. He quickened his pace so he was right next to Lúthien, his head came up past her shoulders a bit, while Fili stood right at her shoulder. "I've slain my fair share of orcs, all with my trusty bow." He grinned. "Can you wield any weapons?"
"I'm not sure. I've never tried... at least that I know of."
Kili kept on grinning. "Well I'd be more than happy to show you a thing or two."
"I can teach you how to handle a sword." Fili chimed in and gave a small smirk.
"Thank you. It might be useful if we run into trouble." The boys snickered at this.
Dwalin motioned for the girl to come up next to him as they marched. "Those two mean well, but I'd watch yourself around them. It's been some time since they've seen a pretty girl. However if you are serious about learning how to fight I wouldn't mind aiding you. I've seen far more combat in my life than those two have."
"Yes, thank you. I'd like that."
Lúthien thought how lucky she was to have stumbled into the group. She'd spent three months sacred and alone fighting to survive in the wild, not a single memory to call her own. In just the two days she spent with them she had a name and she felt a great sense of friendship with some of the members. 'What if I never get my memories back?' She frowned and felt the emptiness that was inside her. 'If so... that's just how it'll have to be. I'll make new ones.' She took a deep breath and continued on with the party.
It was still early when they decided to set up camp at the edge of a clearing, there would be a few hours left of light so Dwalin saw this as the perfect chance to spar with the newest addition of their group.
"This sword might be on the heavy side for you. I promise to go easy at first." Dwalin handed off a sword to Lúthien, she took it in her delicate hands and Dawlin expected her to drop it or complain about the weight. To his surprise she had no trouble with it at all.
"I thought you said it was heavy?" Lúthien turned the sword easily in one hand studying the piece of metal.
"Right well, you're stronger than you look eh. Let's put that to good use." Dwalin picked up one of his axes and left the other resting in the grass. "First I want you to try and use the sword to block my attack. Ready?"
Lúthien nodded. Dwalin came at her in a slow jog with his axe ready to swing at her. The young woman took one step to the side and brought her weapon up in front of her to catch the blade of the axe.
"Good. This time I'll good faster, and put more force behind the blow. Be ready to push back against the axe."
They went back to their original positions and again Dwalin came at her with a much faster stride. The sword went up to block and this time there was a resistant clang between the weaponry.
"One more time. Give it all you got."
This time Dwalin came at Lúthien full speed. The axe came down much faster but she was ready. Instead of just letting the axe collide with her sword Lúthien pushed back hard as it hit, this sent Dwalins axe backwards and out of his hands as lost his footing and stumbled and fell.
The rest of the company suddenly stopped what they were doing to see what had happened.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't know that'd happen. Are you alright?" Lúthien ran over to Dwalin and kneeled beside him.
"Yes las, I'm alright." Dwalin sat up. "That was might impressive. I may not have to teach you at all, let instinct and that strength of yours guide you."
"Am I really that strong?"
Balin came over to the two. "It's very rare for my brother to be knocked off his feet, I'd certainly say you're stronger than most warriors we've met."
Lúthien lit up and smiled. It felt good to know that she could do something, that she wouldn't be useless on this journey. "Let me help you up." She took Dwalins hand and pulled him up with ease.
"Now that was impressive!" Bofur took a drag off his pipe. "Maybe before all of this you were a fierce warrior. Perhaps getting back into the fight will knock some memories loose."
"That was just a practice blow. Don't get a swollen head, you haven't been in a real fight yet." Thorin crossed his arms and watched them. Lúthien looked down at the ground.
Balin turned to his king. "Perhaps then Thorin you'd like to spar with the girl. I know you won't go easy on her, so it might be worth something."
Dori and Ori exchanged doubtful looks. "Perhaps not the best idea." Dori said, "Yes she knocked Dawlin down but it could have just been luck. If Thorin were to hurt the girl-"
"I've been on my own in the woods for three months." Lúthien spoke up, her stance and demeanor had changed. "I was without weapons or anything of the likes you all have for camping. I've fished and hunted with my bare hands and teeth. Aside from Orcs I've fought off a bear on my own." She held up her hands to show the state of her nails, shaped on stone to a point with dirt deep in the cuticles and creases. "You don't know me. I don't even know myself. But do not speak of me as if I'm a helpless creature, the fact that I'm still alive should be proof enough that I'm not."
Silence fell among the company until Gandalf broke it with his laughter, a few members of the party responded with only smirks as Dori lowered his head.
"I think that's enough training for now. Last thing we need is for a real fight to break out within our ranks." Gandalf nodded.
It was noticed by many though that now there was something different about Lúthiens eyes. A burning fire, a determination that hadn't been there before. There was more to his girl... no, this young woman that had yet to be reviled to the others or to herself. She took a deep breath to calm herself and moved to put her borrowed blade at the base of a tree before leaping up onto one of the lower branches. Thorin watching her movements as she did.
The woman sat apart from the company just staring off into the clearing that stretched away from them, her hands busy trying to free more of the knots and twigs from her hair.
"Um, excuse me."
Lúthien looked down and saw Ori standing nervously at the base of the tree, a bowl of stu in his hand. "This is for you." He offered up the bowl.
Lúthien slipped down from the tree and landed gently on her feet. "Thank you Ori." She gave a small smile.
"It's no bother at all. I, I wanted to apologize for Dori. We've come very far and been through many struggles... I try but he still has to protect me a lot, Dori and the others as well. He's concerned that there will be another person to look out for."
"I understand. Truly I do. Maybe I shouldn't have tagged along with your company but at this point I think the only way to figure anything out about myself is trial by fire. It's my goal to not be a burden on anyone as I try remember who I am." Lúthien took the bowl from Ori and settled at the trunk of the tree.
Ori went back to the others around the fire. Lúthien finished her dinner quickly and set the bowl aside and quickly went back up into the tree, surrounding herself with the leaves. The sun set and the clearing was bathed in its warm colors until darkness finally took hold. From the tree she watched the company and listened to their chatter, after a while she closed her eyes and focused only on the sound.
"I feel bad for the poor thing. It was never my intention to insult her but we need to be realistic. Can she really be of use on this journey in her current state?" Dori asked.
"She's plenty capable. It's true the wilds are no place for gentle folk but is not as gentle as she seems. That blow back in training... the force used shouldn't be possible for a girl of that size." Dwalin spoke.
"We don't even know what she is! She could be some evil creature sent here to stop our quest." Gloin chimed in.
"She doesn't even know who she is. How could we not help someone so lost? We've all been lost before too." Bofur argued.
Oin adjusted his hearing aid, "I agree with Gloin and Dori. We should have left her where we found her."
"But if we had-" Kili went to speak but Thorin interrupted him.
"Enough. What's done is done." Thorin kept his eyes up into the tree where Lúthien was, thinking she had already fallen asleep. "I don't know what her presence will bring but I do know we can trust her. If she truly knows nothing of herself then she has no reason to betray us, there's nothing to gain from it. As to the matter of what she is," He shifted his weight onto the other foot. "It doesn't make a difference as long as she is committed to aiding us. Is that clear?" He looked around the fire and everyone nodded. "Good. I'll take the first watch, the rest of you turn in for the night."
As the other members of the company put out their bed rolls and settled in for the night Thorin sat on a log alone by the dying fire, his eyes scanning the expanse before him.
Lúthien slipped silently from the tree and deftly stepped around the snoring dwarves. "Thank you for what you said. Defending me." She spoke softly.
"You heard?" Thorin asked not turning to face her. "We had already made the decision to take you with us, there was no sense to them arguing about it."
"Regardless I still appreciate it." Lúthien sat at the edge of the log quite a distance from Thorin. "Your company is so close knit, it's hard to let strangers in. I understand their reservations about me, I have my own. I wonder where I came from. If I have a family or loved ones. I wonder if anyone misses me. Most of all I wonder... if I'm a good person. Maybe I've done something terrible and this is my punishment." She shook her head. "So many questions and yet in the past few months I've not received any answers." She glanced over at Thorin. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't bother you with what's on my mind."
"Does it feel any different? Being with us verses when you were in the woods."
Lúthien was surprised he would ask a question like this. "It does, a bit. There's something about being surrounded by a close group of people that seems so familiar but I just can't place where that feeling is coming from. Mostly though I just feel empty, that part hasn't changed."
"In their own way, everyone here has had their share of loss. However not one of us can comprehend what has happened to you. If there is anything that I- we can do to help you then we will be behind you as you have chosen to be behind us." He kept his eyes out towards the field the entire time but his voice was gentle as he spoke.
Lúthien nodded. "Thank you. If it's alright with you, do you mind if I sit with you during the watch? I'm just not tired at all."
"Aye, that would be fine."