Hello my lovlies~ Here we are again with another chappie! More of a filler really, needed somthing to push it along though, so enjoy and remember to review! :)
After their encounter with the Mountain trolls, Estelle managed to drag back the buck that had been carelessly tossed about. The meat was still good and the dwarves rejoiced in such a fine kill, their stomach rumbling loudly and their mouths watering from the thought of fresh food.
"Ah! You are wonderful Estelle! This will not only fill our stomachs, but also give us energy for future battles!" Dwalin claimed, thumping his chest with a fist slightly as she drug the buck over to the fire, panting from the energy it took. It still needed to be skinned and the meat cleaned before eating.
"Well thank you Dwalin, you're too kind. Actually I spotted a small pool of water not to far from here and would like to wash up before eating. Besides, who knows how long it'll take to skin and cut the meat. Do any of you mind?"
The men all gave off a small hum of a no, telling her that since she brought the meat, the least they could do was prepare it while she bathed. A small bow towards them and a smile of relief flashed upon her dirt smeared face. She quickly darted off into the woods once again, looking for that same pool of water that caught her gaze while she was with Bilbo before their unfortunate encounter.
"Now where is it? I saw it earlier." She mused to herself, standing upon a rock and looking out toward the open in search of her awaiting bath. But alas, she failed to find it again and a tinge of sadness dwelled up within her. She really looked forward to getting all the dirt from her body.
"It is that way." Estelle turned quickly to her right, seeing Thorin leaning against a tree and pointing her in the right direction. His blue eyes holding a bit of humor in them at her failed attempt of something so simple.
"You came all this was just to tell me that? How nice of you" Hopping down from the rock, she began to make her way in the direction Thorin presented with her. But she did not expect him to follow her so closely, and did not expect him to stop with her once she reached the pool.
It was not a large pool of water, but it was not small either. It's crystal clear waters revealed small fish swimming about, and the rocks surrounding the area provided the perfect cover in case of a peeping tom. Speaking of which.
"You don't plan on watching me the whole time do you?" Estelle smirked, watching as Thorin stiffened from her playful remark. "I'm only playing Thorin. But in all seriousness please turn around until I get in at least." She began to unbutton her shirt, revealing more and more skin to Thorin before he was able to turn around.
"I was going to anyway. I have enough decency to lend you privacy when needed. I'm only here to make sure that no others come to gaze upon you. And to make sure that there are no more trolls lurking about." He turned his back to her, crossing his arms in front of his chest while she continued to undress.
He shivered at the thought of her. He could not deny his ever-growing feelings for her, they weren't large, but there were enough of them to make him swoon like a child. He, the dwarven prince, had never felt such a moment of happiness when she removed her hood that day. Her face was such a pleasant sight to him that it took every ounce of his being to not grasp her face and kiss her right then and there in front of everyone. But being able to restrain himself was a great feat that he managed to pull off. Barely.
He thought about her often, even when she was gone. About her eyes that he was always able to swim in, her creamy skin that held no blemishes until now, and her voice that was soft as snow. Everything about her was a sense of perfection to him, but he had missed his chance. All those long years of being together, he was never able to bring himself to her and express his harbored feelings. And now, he feared that for her they no longer existed.
"You may turn around now. I am in the water if you wish to talk." She echoed. He turned and saw her swimming about, sticking her feet out of the water and bobbing her head underneath to ride herself of dirt and sweat that built up over the days. Walking over to the edge of the water, he sat on a partially submerged rock, watching her intently as she scuttled around everywhere. Laughing from time to time as a brave fish would nudge her on her leg.
"You're watching me as though you haven't seen a woman in years. Are you alright you seemed distracted as of late." She observed, taking a certain pride in the way she managed to capture his attention when all others could not. She, like him, also harbored her feelings for him in fear that she would be rejected. But since they reunited, she wanted to spend as much time with him as she possibly could. This journey they were on was not one to be forgiving; the possibility of death was all to clear and a great, truthful, possibility.
"I am fine, just tired from the days events. And it has been many years since I last saw a woman who caught my attention in such a way." Yes he meant to say that, a subtle hint that could be taken a number of ways. It depended on Estelle to decide.
She cast a look over to him, noting his strong gaze boarding into her and her wet state. Hair clinging to her face desperately and hands starting to wrinkle from the amount of time she had spent in the depths of the cool water, despite the early morning hours. She swam over to him, vaulting her top half onto the rock to where her arms rested on it while her lower body stayed beneath. She was still covered, but she was testing his earlier comment from before.
"Is that so?" She asked, pushing the limits of the almost relationship dangerously. When he failed with an answer she asked another. "Was there ever anyone?" Resting her head on her arms, she watched as he thought; now staring into the colors of the new sky above.
"No, never. And you, all your years of secretly being alive, was there ever anyone to satisfy you in your times of need?" He responded, his own curiosity getting the better of him. Questions like that could either greatly help, or greatly hinder what was sparking.
Estelle gave of a light laugh at the thought. "There was one." Thorins look from the sky came back down to her quickly, narrowed and slightly angered from her response. "And his name?" He urged, wishing to find the man who dared to steal her away.
"Casimir. Do not worry Thorin, that man was nothing more than a young boy, a child. When I worked as a farmer's aid, he was the small son of the nearby blacksmith. He took a certain fondness to me and brought me one single flower everyday. Quite adorable actually, he broke out into tears the day that I left." Estelle smiled, feeling a small bit of sadness from the thought of the little boy. Who knows what he looks like now.
"Hmmm, we should head back, I'm sure that the meat is at least cooking by now." Thorin said rising from his seated position and offering a hand down to the girl in the water. But when she refused to take it he cocked his head in confusion.
"Thorin, I am bare beneath the water remember? If you were to jerk me out then I would be exposed...and greatly embarrassed. Turn around while I get out and put my clothes on please." She said. Of course, he was merely trying to help, but she was right. And no matter the longing he had to look upon her natural form, he would not without her permission, which was something she wasn't giving anytime soon.
"My apologies." He turned from her and walked away a few feet, hearing the splash of the water before the shuffling of clothes. It took her a few minutes, her clothes sticking to her wet body made it difficult to get them on quickly.
"Alright, I'm decent." She walked up next to him, her hands in her hair. She squeezed tightly and let the excess water fall from her dark locks in a small dripping line. "Come on, I'm starving."
"As am I." The pair headed back to the camp, Estelle ahead of Thorin by a few feet. But he was not one to complain. The way her clothes clung to her damp body and the swinging of her hips made his heart race. What he would give to touch those hips of hers, to hold her close to him, even for a moment. But no matter, this was not the time to be thinking such thoughts.
"Well hello you two. Back already?" Balin asked, bringing down a large knife onto a rock and slicing a large piece of meat in half. "Good to know that there were no more trolls lurking about. That's the last thing a lass needs when she's trying to get clean." He chuckled, tossing a piece of meat to Ori who shoved it onto a long stick. "Good thing Thorin went along to watch out for you."
"Yes it was." Estelle agreed, casting a glance to back to Thorin.
"Smells good. How much longer before it will be done?" Thorin asked, catching up and joining the merry group, sitting himself down onto one of the many fallen logs beside Balin.
"Shouldn't be too much longer now. An hour maybe, we just now got it skinned and sliced, all that's left is cooking." Fili added, shoving his own portion onto a stick and then placing the opposite end in the ground, letting the meat dangle in the flames of the scorching fire below. "I can taste it already." He added, licking his lips in desire.
"I see. Is there anything I can do to help?" Estelle asked, still ringing her hair out from her lovely outing.
"Nope. All that's left to do now is wait." Dwalin muttered, also settling himself on a log and waiting patiently for his meat to finish cooking. Estelle was surprised that they didn't just devour it raw! She'd have a field day if they did, and they would never get a scolding like she would give them.
"I see. Then wait we shall." Estelle plopped herself down beside Thorin, crossed her legs, and leaned forward slightly with her arms crossed over her stomach. She watched for what could have only been a few minutes before someone let out an annoyed hum.
"Oh I can't take this!" All eyes went to Fili as he stood; annoyed with the fact that meat was taking so long to cook. "I have to do something, anything to ease this troublesome boredom!" He exclaimed.
"And what do you suggest exactly?" Thorin mused, his thoughts finally being able to focus on something else than the person sitting next to him. His nephews were always ones to become bored easily, and now was no exception.
"Anything!"
"Here Fili." Gandalf reached down beside him and tossed him a small hatchet. He caught it with ease and looked down to the weapon and then back to Gandalf, his confusion skyrocketing to a new level.
"What's this supposed to do?" He asked.
"I don't see the trouble in having a friendly competition while we wait. See who's the best among the group at hitting a bull's eye." The old wizard smirked, noticing the ways that the eyes of many lit up from such a game.
"Sounds most fun!" Estelle said, getting up and bringing her hands together. "It has been such a long time since I have taken fun into account." Thorin noticed her excitement and a smile crept upon his face. It made him happy to see her so full of joy.
"Then a game it shall be! Come on Fili!" The two brothers rushed off to an unused part of the camp, quickly setting up something worthy of hosting such a game. Within minutes they turned back to the group, smiles beaming brightly on their faces. It wasn't a complicated thing they made, simple actually.
A large log with the flat part facing the open, held up by other logs and smeared with berries into the shape of a target. "Wow, you two are handy aren't you?" Estelle beamed with excitement more than she could bear at the moment.
Thorin came up beside her, their shoulders brushing slightly. "You always were one for games." He joked. Her head turned, smile still beaming in excitement, and she grabbed his arm, dragging him over to a spot where they could start.
"I know! Remember when we use to play battle strategy as children? I remember that I always lost to you. I would cry and then you would pat me on the head telling me that it was okay." Thorin had not forgotten those memories. Memories that he held close to him when he saw he 'die' that day.
"I do. I remember them well." She finally stopped a few yards away from the target, waiting for others to join her and Thorin.
"Will you honor us with the rules Master Baggins?" Gandalf spoke up, staying put near the fire in case the meat were to burn. Bilbo, who had been silent and trying to catch up on some sleep, sat up quickly from his position on the grass and rubbed his eyes slightly.
"Rules? Yes, I will make the rules." He let out a yawn and stood up, popping his back a few times. "Rules for what exactly?" The group giggled and Gandalf spoke once more.
"It appears that young Fili is bored waiting for the food to cook. As a result a game of accuracy has been established. So there you have it, make the rules."
Still, Bilbo did not understand until his eyes wondered to the hatchet and then the target plastered on the bottom of a log. "Oh I see! Yes I understand now. Right the rules...hmmmm, rules. The rules shall be that each person throws the hatchet three times, the person who hits closest to the bulls eye those three times is the winner!"
"And those who lose?" Thorin asked, becoming slightly excited by this childish game. It would be a good way to relieve the stress that had been building within all the company. Not to mention it would help hone their skills.
"The loser must do a task the winner wants to course! One task from each loser to the winner. Yes, that sounds nice. Good thing I'm not participating." Bilbo added, taking a seat next to Gandalf and watching the show that was about to happen.
"Sounds good to me because I'm not going to lose!" Fili stated proudly, earning a shove from his brother.
"You wish. Come on, let's get started." Kili said, rolling his eyes and a smile as large as Estelle's growing on his face. "Come on guys! We'll make this the starting line." Kili drew a long line in the ground with the hatchet and then plunked it down into a spare log, waiting for the first brave soul to go ahead first.
"Well who's first?" Gandalf asked, turning the sticks of meat over so they could cook on the other side. The dwarves all looked to each other, none daring to be the first to strike. Gandalf gave a sigh and pointed his staff at young Kili. "You wanted to do something as well so go ahead then! Get to it!"
Kili narrowed his eyes at the old wizard, but went up to the line with bravery. He would set the mark and pray that he wasn't as rusty as he believed himself to be. "Alright then. I will! Watch and learn lads! And lass." He grabbed the handle of the hatchet, brought it above his head and threw it hard at the log.
It thumped, splintering the wood, against the tree and he almost squealed with joy. "Alright! That one!" His bull's eye was something to be wary of the dwarves are known to be very competitive.
Kili threw two more times, not as lucky as his first throw. "I have one. One puny little bulls eye. Ah! I'm going to lose!" He groaned, handing the hatched to his brother and sulking over to Estelle and Thorin.
"No worries Kili, surely we won't make you do anything to horrible." Estelle said, rubbing her hand along his back slightly in a comforting manner. Though her own worries began to creep up when she saw that Fili managed two bulls' eyes in his three throws.
"Well done Fili." Thorin praised at his nephew, chest puffed out and smile upon his bearded face. "Well done indeed."
"Come on Dwalin! You call that a throw! You're supposed to hit the tree not the grass beside it!" Balin teased, watching as Dwalin stomped over to get the hatchet. This went on for a good fifteen minutes until the last people to throw were Estelle and Thorin.
"Well, get to it then." Balin urged, pushing slightly on her back while a smile shone through his beard.
"Fine. But if I miss, and probably will, then you cannot laugh at me! This is all self taught remember!" She threatened, though a giddy laugh covered up the threat easily. She drew in a breath, raised the hatchet above her head, took a step forward and thunk!
"Oh look! Estelle got one!" Ori exclaimed. He had not hit the first one and lost very early on after Dwalin had gone.
She jogged and recovered the hatchet, doing the same steps and hitting the bull's eye once again. "She did it again!" Ori shouted. Estelle was now tied with Kili, Bifur, and Dori who all had two bulls' eyes. No one had been able to hit the third.
"Oh please let me get this one." She whispered to herself. Wind whooshed and she threw her head back. "Oh no!" She also had missed her third shot. The only person left was Thorin, and if he wasn't able to make all three then no one would be able to. Though Estelle secretly hoped that he would miss so she wouldn't admit to losing.
Thorin walked to the line, the hatchet being retrieved by Dori and smirked down at Estelle. "What's the matter? Afraid I'll win?" He teased, her cheeks puffed out and her arms crossed over her chest.
"I most certainly am not!" She walked over to Balin while Thorin began his turn at throwing. "That man I swear." She mumbled, forgetting that Balin was so close to her.
"He cares for you lass. Don't think he doesn't."
Her eyes wandered from Thorin perfect bulls eye to Balin, curiosity gleaming in them. "Go on."
"For such a smart girl you have your silly moments. I have spent many a year with him after you disappeared. He sulked, wouldn't sleep, and barely ate anything. not because of the mourning of Erebor, though it did a number on him, but because he thought he lost you. I may be old but I can see things that you two idiots can't. Get to it then before it's too late!" Balin ruffled her hair, leaving her speechless. He went over congratulating Thorin on his victory in the game.
Her mouth hung open and her breath came in short spurts. What was that about! "Leave that hanging open any long and a fly will go in." She was snapped out of her daze by Thorin, strutting proudly over to her with a triumphant smirk.
"You have won, what is it that you're planning on making us do exactly?" Estelle asked, following him as they all went back to the fire, finally able to eat some food.
"I am not sure yet. I must think deeply about it first. But I do know what I intend for you to do."
"Which is?" Estelle felt her heart jump a bit from such words. Words that could be taken a number of ways, depending in the mood. But something about the way he said it made her insides flutter rapidly.
"Later Estelle. First we shall eat."