Thank you everyone for the reviews and faves and follows!
And Happy Christmas!
Glad I was able to get this written in time. I meant to finish this chapter and then hop over to the Walking Dead story, but went to bed last night feeling fine and woke up miserable. Likely have the flu as the last four people I came in contact with were just diagnosed with it within the past two days. I'll still try to get something posted for WD, but in the meantime, here's some Hobbit (:
Anna-pantelarou: I'll say this, you're on the right track with thinking she may have a relation to the history of Middle Earth (:
UKReader: Thanks for all the help! Keep that mind whirring!
ZabuzasGirl: Here's an update!
Coreys Kitten: Yes, playing around with the mythology is so much fun! I actually have a few ideas for where this story could go, so it's going to be fun deciding which way to go (: And it won't be much longer and we'll start learning more about Vidari; once we reach Rivendell the information will just come rolling (:
Spelllesswonder29: Thanks so much! Glad to know this one caught your attention (: I believe it's very easy for a story of this sort to become cliché. Really, writing a female character to stand up against Thorin is so tricky; mustn't make her a Mary-Sue or too stubborn as there are many stories like that out there already. A big part of it is looking at what has been done; adapting what worked and changing what didn't, as well as finding a way to put your own spin on the tale.
And so that everyone will get a chance to read this, this story will become a Thorin/OC pairing, it will just take some time. Obviously right now Thorin does not trust Vidari, so we have quite a few steps to climb before reach the romance of the story.
Vidari's head snapped up as Kili's shadow blocked the sun that softly lit the sky. She gripped the bag of feed tightly in her one hand while the other hugged it against her. Quickly her glance moved past him, seeing Aramil still standing at the front of the ponies, a wary look upon him. She turned her attention back to Kili as his brother joined them, picking his way through the ponies. His smile to her was apprehensive.
"This one's mine," Kili said to her, breaking the silence. He reached out to a pony with a coat of dark grey, patting its neck. "Myrtle." The smile he showed her was youthful and left Vidari feeling the need to smile back. There was something genuine in it though she could not pinpoint the source, a reason for the dwarf's kindness towards her. She wondered if they had become friends during her time with the company.
"I do not have a pony," Vidari spoke, never able to keep her eyes on Kili or his brother for long. "Bilbo said I could borrow his if I did not wish to walk."
Aramil approached then, coming to stand near her. "Have you finished?" he asked, nodding to the ponies. He reached out to take the bag of feed from Vidari. With his other hand, he beckoned her to follow after him. "Come, Bombur will have breakfast ready soon."
The brothers watched in silence as Vidari lowered her gaze and followed after Aramil, returning to the campsite. "What do you think she is?" Kili whispered to his older brother. "A half-breed, perhaps?"
Fili shook his head. "You should stop wondering. Uncle looks less than pleased." He nodded over to where Thorin stood with Balin and Dwalin, speaking, his eyes watching his nephews.
"Well, aren't you curious?" Kili asked, picking his way through the ponies.
"Of course I am. I just know better than to go chasing after such a wonder when Thorin is within sight."
The brothers rejoined the others and waited upon breakfast. The group was slowly becoming fully awake, taking notice of Vidari and Aramil. They moved about at a calm pace, stuffing their packs, eyes wary of the two. They sat at the edge of the company, Aramil speaking in a hushed tone to Vidari. At some point Gandalf had procured a pack for each of them and now they sat on the ground, putting things away in them. Aramil handed her small things. Bits of food and a blanket, a waterskin. Vidari watched as he packed his own things away, mimicking his actions.
Bofur called out that breakfast was ready and the company rose nearly all at once to hurry and grab their share, Vidari and Aramil forgotten amongst them for the moment. Vidari sat watching as Aramil rose to fetch their share of the meal. A wind picked up, finding its way down from above the trees that surrounded them, and she set her shoulders rigid, pulling at her cloak. As she did so, Vidari's fingers grasped at the collar of the cloak, slipping through the feathers that lined it. She turned her face against them, the numerous light scratches of the feathers running over her cheek. She frowned. This was familiar to her.
Before Vidari could begin to wonder why, someone came to stand before her. She looked up to see another of the younger dwarves, Ori. He looked down at her with a lopsided smile, holding a plate of sausage and bacon and bread in his hands. Vidari looked quickly over to where Aramil and the others were; Aramil was only just then retrieving their plates.
"Good morning," Ori said to her in a quiet voice. He stared back at her, lopsided smile still in place.
Slowly, Vidari mimicked the smile. "Good morning," she returned in a similar quiet tone.
At her words, Ori lowered himself onto the ground before her. He looked to his left as Aramil reached them. His smile became a guilty one, eyes leaving his with haste to focus on Vidari. Aramil gave a light smile to the dwarf, his eyes lying of the frustration and worry that had begun to grow when he saw the dwarf sit with Vidari. He took his place beside her, handing the second plate over to her waiting hands.
She sat cross-legged, the plate balanced in her lap. Her eating was slow and delicate, her head kept down. She only raised it when she felt someone walking towards them.
A minute panic flew over Ori's face at seeing his older brother, Dori, coming to stand before them.
Dori gave a large smile, which appeared slightly fake as he stared down at his brother. He lowered himself beside him, greeting the others. "Nice, cool morning, isn't it?" he commented, tearing off a bit of his bread and stuffing it in his mouth. Looking to his side to Ori, he tutted and told him to keep his plate balanced, the grease was leaking right off the edge and onto Ori's lap.
Thorin sat with Balin, the two eating on their own, watching the newcomers. He had seen Kili begin to make his way over towards them after grabbing his plate, but one look from him and Kili changed direction and instead sat with his brother, along with Bofur and Bilbo and Bifur and Bombur.
"It is bad enough that we must watch after the hobbit," Thorin spoke, "now we must keep our eyes on them as well."
"They will not be with us for long," Balin reminded him, keeping his eyes focused down on his plate.
"And till then? What are we to do? I'd rather not wake in the night to find her with a blade to my throat if she suddenly recalls her past and deems us an enemy."
"Then we must give her cause to see us as friends and not her enemy."
Thorin called for Dwalin to join them. As he took a seat Thorin spoke to him. "Watch them. Do not let them fall behind or leave her alone with any in the company."
"Aye," Dwalin agreed, looking over to where Vidari and Aramil sat eating with Ori and Dori. "Nori says she did not sleep during the night. That is a queer thing." He pondered if Aramil too had not slept, but only acted to do so.
"We'll find out soon enough once we get moving," Thorin told him. "I will not have them slowing us down."
"Perhaps it is part of whatever spell has kept her asleep," Bailn suggested, picking at his bit of bread. His tone was easy compared to the dark wary that flowed through those of Thorin and his brother. Neither commented on his words.
As the company finished their small meal a low buzz began to flow about them. It was time to continue on. Packs were loaded back onto the ponies, the last small bits of breakfast finished off. Vidari stood back, watching the lot of them while they emptied the campsite. In the small hustle about her, Bilbo approached Vidari, standing at her side and clasping his hands together. He said nothing to her, only smiled and watched the others.
Vidari turned to him after a few moments in silence. "How far will we travel?"
Bilbo nodded, saying, "Just a bit before dusk. These woods go on for a bit though. Thorin may want to get past them before stopping. He did that before, ways back, when it was raining. No point stopping in the rain I suppose, so we kept moving until at last the rain stopped."
"Is that when you found us?"
The hobbit paused in a singular panic, realizing he had walked right into the current issue. He played at thinking things over, shrugging. "Yes. I believe it was." He gave a small laugh. "After a while, the days start to blur together."
Vidari could only nod.
"Oh! Would you like to ride Mindy?" Bilbo then asked.
She shook her head. "I think I will walk."
The hobbit's shoulders fell slightly. "Very well. If you change your mind, just, tell me so. I don't mind the walking. Always nice to get a good walk in."
The order was given to move out shortly thereafter. Bilbo nodded to Vidari as he parted from her side, heading over to the ponies. Aramil took the place he left empty. "Are you sure you wish to walk?" he asked and Vidari nodded.
The company picked a path through the woods, Gandalf at the head with Thorin behind him. Vidari and Aramil found themselves towards the back of the group, walking just behind Bilbo and Bofur who were atop their ponies. Gloin and Dwalin picked up the rear. At the start, Vidari had turned to look upon them, but her eyes were quickly set downwards.
The terrain beneath the trees was not horribly difficult, but caution was in need when choosing one's footing. The group, in turn, moved at a decent pace that was not too quick for Vidari and Aramil. And with Dwalin and Gloin behind them, their pace was kept steady. At the start of their walking, Aramil kept to Vidari's side, but as the morning began to slip by, he moved to walk behind her. There were many times when he would have need to reach for her back, pushing her along as she would slow to look over the woods. She looked upon everything as if she was trying to burn it all to memory.
With the day passing by, one or another within the company would slow their pace, eventually finding themselves beside Vidari. The first has been Bilbo. He looked down from atop his pony, asking if Vidari was sure that she did not want to ride for a while.
"I am fine," she told him, her pace only faltering when her eyes and mind would begin to wander. "I am not tired."
But when Bofur had come upon her, he did not give her the chance to decline his offer, hopping off from his pony and handing the reigns over. The smile he gave her did not waiver. He helped her up into the saddle and then continued on along the path the company made through the woods.
Aramil kept pace by the side of the pony. He'd look up to her, studying her face, searching for any sign that he may worry of. When there had been the snap of a branch, caused by a deer that had hurried away from the company, Vidari turned quickly towards the noise. Her eyes were piercing and her form rigid. Thorin ordered the group to continue moving and it was at that point that Vidari relaxed, the attention fading from her. Aramil saw the confusion that flooded her mind, her eyes skimming over the woods, unfocused.
The day moved slowly by underneath the cover of the trees and Aramil kept an every watchful eye upon Vidari. With evening nearing, it was Gandalf that had called for the company to stop and rest, much to the displeasure of Thorin. At the wizard's words, he'd turned to look to Vidari, seeing her atop the pony still, her eyes once more looking all about her, but never staying long on any member of the company.
They had stopped within a small clearing and it was not long before the dwarves had picked out their spaces amongst the various trees. The ponies were being tended to and Bombur had already begun to set up for supper. Looking around, Vidari saw the spot Aramil had picked out for the two of them; off against a large cluster of trees. As she came to stand by him, she gazed over the others, seeing that all were within her sight. It brought her a sense of comfort, security. The reason for such a feeling was lost on her. She rested against the trees though she wished to continue moving. Her mind was as restless as her body and tiredness had yet to discover her. She was given a moment of reprieve from chasing after herself when Gandalf made his way over to her.
He smiled warmly down at her, leaning against his staff. "How are you, my dear?" he asked. "Have you remembered anything?"
Vidari shook her head. "Will you tell me?"
"Oh, no. No, best that you remember on your own. Why, if we told you everything you'd just begin to take in whatever we may toss out there," the wizard answered her in a cheerful tone. "And besides, you and Aramil were not with us long before the incident with the trolls. I'm afraid we did not have much time to become acquainted. But there is time for that now. Erebor is a long ways from here."
"I don't believe we will be joining you," Aramil spoke, drawing Gandalf's attention. The wizard raised his brow. "It is a long journey, one I believe we'd be better off not making." He looked to Vidari.
Gandalf hummed. "Perhaps it is for the best. It is not an easy path that we must take." The wizard stamped his staff against the ground. "We shall find a suitable place for you to rest. Regain your memories." He smiled kindly to Vidari, a light in his eyes. It made Aramil uneasy.
They were left alone then, the others stealing glances their way while waiting for supper. Aramil told Vidari to close her eyes, to find some rest. Out of agitation, she did close her eyes, but did not sleep. It kept him from speaking any more words to her and so Vidari did not open them until supper was ready.
The company ate in small groupings and chatter was tossed back and forth. Vidari ate in silence along with Aramil, the former not seeing the warning look Thorin had given any that neared the two of them.
With evening hanging overhead, the company settled in for the night. Picking his way back from where the ponies were being kept, Kili paused to kick a large stone from his path. He stopped though at hearing Dwalin's voice. The young dwarf stepped back, standing behind a large crag.
"Meek little thing, hardly soldier material," Dwalin was saying.
Kili retraced his steps, keeping as quiet as possible, and made his way around the camp. He kept his head down, only looking up to see where his brother had gone off to. He spotted Fili sitting with the hobbit; Kili quickly slid to the ground beside Bilbo and leaned over so that both may hear him, but no others.
"She's a soldier!" he spoke with excitement. Though his voice low, he looked around to see if others had heard. They had not. He turned back to Bilbo and Fili, a smile now on his face. It was unseen by him how the hobbit had choked on a bit of food he had been chewing at the time.
Fili eyed Bilbo for a moment before turning his attention to his younger brother. "What are you talking about?" Kili hushed him as his voice was not very low.
"Vidari. She's a soldier!" Kili looked around again, checking that none were paying attention to them. Fili asked how he could know such a thing. "Dwalin. I heard him speaking. He called her a soldier. Explains that scar on her throat, doesn't it now?" Kili looked to his brother and the hobbit for agreement. Fili wore an expression of doubt and concern, while Bilbo actually looked a bit sick. "Are you all right Bilbo?"
"What? OH—yes. Yes, I'm fine. A soldier you say?" The hobbits words were shaky and he'd begun to fidget, eyes not able to rest upon anything for long.
Kili scooted in closer. "Did you know? You knew, didn't you?" he accused the hobbit, asking if Bilbo knew anything else concerning Vidari.
"Wait," Fili interrupted, "why do you know? How do you know? She hasn't told us anything."
Bilbo shook his head, ears beginning to burn. He spoke in a clipped tone. "I am not saying a word on this matter. Not a single one. Nor will either of you—we're not supposed to be speaking of this. And you two shouldn't even know. You want to rattle things up, it will not involve me."
"But who told you? Did she tell you? Aramil?" Kili asked.
"Gandalf?" asked Fili.
"Does Thorin know?" Kili added, turning to his brother and then looking over his shoulder to his uncle. The hobbit nudged his shoulder, berating him for looking.
"Just keep quiet. And don't say a word," Bilbo hissed out at the two of them before standing up and leaving the two heirs to continue speaking. He most certainly would not be pulled into such a sticky mess. He'd keep a far distance from those two.
For the remainder of the night, before the company settled in for sleep, Bilbo remained on the far side of the camp, away from the two brothers. That did not mean he didn't keep an eye on them from time to time though. He watched them if they rose and came near Vidari, who happened to have taken rest not far from where he was. Armail remained by her side and so neither Fili or Kili approached her. Believing that he would be safe for the night from the brothers, Bilbo decided it was due time that he set out his bedroll and do his best to sleep. As he prepared to lie down he noticed Gandalf walking around the edge of the group. And then slowly, sleep took him.
Gandalf had come to sit against a fallen tree, picking through his robes to find his small satchel of pipeweed along with his pipe. He was soon joined by Thorin. The king looked to the company, surveying that all were settled in for the night. Fili sat, taking in the first watch for the evening. Kili would replace him later on. It'd keep the two of them from being able to sneak off closer towards where Vidari rested. And as added precaution, Dwalin had set his bedroll before Vidari, though not too close. Any who tried to reach her would have to pass the large dwarven warrior first. And even asleep, Dwalin was intimidating.
Thorin crossed his arms over his chest, hands at his elbows, as he turned to the wizard, satisfied that things were well for the time being. "A soldier?"
Gandalf did not respond immediately to the dwarven king. He stuffed his pipe and then looked up, as if realizing only then that Thorin was there. He leaned around the fallen tree, noting where Vidari lied resting alongside Aramil. He then moved his gaze back to Thorin, giving the old smile he always did. "A very well respected one—from what I have heard."
"And I have heard nothing," Thorin commented. "So tell me, who is she and why are her memories lost?"
Gandalf scoffed at the stubbornness Thorin showed. "There is very little to tell because there is very little known. What I have told you and what you have been told is all there is to speak of. As for her memories, I cannot say why she has lost them. Whatever magic was placed upon her is far beyond my understanding."
Thorin was not convinced. "You know more than you are saying."
Gandalf eyed him sternly. "Well of course I do, that doesn't mean you must know as well." He pointed the end of his pipe towards Thorin. "You have trusted me on matters in the past. You must trust me on this as well."
Irritated at the wizard, and knowing that he would be given no further insight into the woman directly, Thorin sought other answered concerning Vidari. "How long has she slept then, or must I trust you to give another of your half-answers?"
"Far longer than she ever lived," Gandalf told Thorin in a weary tone, seeded with sorrow. "And even then, perhaps it was all just a tale. A fable. She is barely more than myth now." The wizard turned to the dwarf. "I will guide her and Aramil to Rivendell. Lord Elrond will see to it that they are well taken care of." His tone became sure and stern once more. "And then they will no longer be a nuisance to you, if only the same could be said of your stubbornness." Gandalf lit his pipe and removed his eyes from Thorin, signaling that their conversation was done with.
A fair time had passed before Thorin found rest. When it reached him, his sleeping mind was still muddied with thoughts of the strangers within his company.
The night slipped slowly past the company with no disturbance. Fili moved to wake his brother when the time came for the former to get his own bit of rest. The two shared glances towards Vidari, though neither moved towards her, seeing Dwailn sleeping not far off from her.
Halfway through his watch, Kili heard the scuffle of someone rising. He looked around him to find the source and saw Vidari stepping slowly away from the group. The dwarf began to rise from his place against a lone chunk of rock, but stopped when he saw Balin rising as well. He'd been sleeping near his brother and was woken as Vidari stepped past him. With a wave of his hand, the older dwarf sent Kili back to his spot on the ground as he himself followed after Vidari into the woods.
At first he stepped lightly and slowly, believing she was unaware that he was following her. And then she stopped, turning her head slightly towards him, though her eyes were cast upwards. Balin came to stand beside her, looking to the treetops, too.
"You shouldn't wander off on your own," the dwarf said to Vidari. "Easy enough to get turned around in these woods."
"I wanted to see the stars." Her voice was strange to him, a strong presence gone timid.
"You'll see them soon enough, once we reach the plains. We'll sleep underneath them." Balin smiled to her, but Vidari kept her gaze upwards, tilting her head this way and that, trying to glimpse the stars.
"I don't remember any of them up there." It was at Balin's silence that she returned her gaze to the earth and looked upon the dwarf. "I know that they are stars, just as I know this is earth beneath me. And that I breathe this air and speak with this tongue. I know all these things, but I do not understand."
After a thought, Balin moved to stand nearer to Vidari and turned his gaze to the small spots of sky that peeked through the trees. He pointed, saying, "Do you see that star there? Just right there, how bright it is, compared to all the others? You cannot see the rest, but that one there is part of Durin's Beard. If you follow it, it will lead you to the dwarven kingdom of old, Khazad-dum." Vidari looked to the star with a steady eye and then looked to Balin. "Now, you know what that star is called. And, you understand why it is called such," he said to her with a warm smile.
A small smirk moved over her lips. Vidari nodded. She then asked, "Who is Durin?" taking one last glance of the stars up above.
The smile remained on Balin's aged face. "Durin the Deathless, one of the Seven Fathers." Balin took a step back, beckoning Vidari to come with him. "If you would like, I will tell you of him. Tomorrow, perhaps. But, for now I believe we should return to the others."
With head bowed, Vidari joined Balin and the two made their way back to the camp, the dwarf watching her until she laid herself down beside Aramil. The man woke and raised his head, looking to Vidari's back and then to Balin. The dwarf nodded to him, a reassurance that all was well. As Vidari settled in for the night, closing her eyes, but not sleeping, Aramil stared over the group. Lowering his head, he caught just a glimpse of the dark-haired nephew to Thorin moving quickly back against the rock he rested his back on.
At the rise of dawn, he would find Vidari already gone from his side, moving behind the white-haired dwarf like a shadow.
So it looks like no matter what Thorin may want, keeping the others from Vidari is downright impossible. But at least at this moment it's Balin and not Fili or Kili. And no matter what Aramil does to keep Vidari isolated, she keeps slipping through his grasp. Perhaps he's hesitant to raise a heavy hand in regards to ordering her about? Wonder why that could be.
Next chapter we'll be getting a visit from a particular wizard that isn't Grey.
And, perhaps Vidari will remember something from her past. But will she realize it's a memory? Hmm get those minds whirring!
And if you're enjoying the story, be sure to leave reviews! I always enjoy reading them and seeing what your thoughts are on every matter. Helps me to see if I'm leading you readers in the right direction or if my tricks are throwing you all for a loop (;
