and thanks for Rainsaber for taking the misspellings out and helping me, you are the best of the best girl!
A few moments later, the carriage stops and Eomer appears who opens the door for them.
"Ladies." they hear him say and Liana sees Eomer bows his head.
Theodred is standing behind him and he offers his hand to Liana who gladly takes it. Liana gets out first and looks around. Everywhere she looks there are stallholders selling their merchandise. Most sell food, meat and vegetables, but there are also woman dwarves with fabrics for clothing and other items.
Because the carriages can not continue they are walking over the market. Liana is at the back with Eowyn and Eomer Th odred, Th oden leads the way with Fili, Kili and the guards.
She breathes deeply and is surprised about all the different smells there are, most she can place but there are some who she can not place. She tries to see what food there is on the tables but there are so many women standing before it she can not see. Also every few meters she has to step aside for a few children that are running around with swords and shields and fliers. Then she sees a stall where different fabrics are on display and before she knows it she walks towards it. She wants to pick one but changes her mind and looks questioningly at the saleswoman.
"Go ahead dear, do not be shy, let it slide trough your fingers." She says.
Liana smiles and picks up the fabric, it has a color that she can not recognize, then it's blue then gray and other times it seems green. It feels rough but not unpleasant.
"Maybe I can purchase some fabric." Liana murmurs.
"Yes later, first things first." Eowyn says.
She motions to a large stone bridge that leads to two large massive doors who seem carved out of the mountain, suddenly the open and there appear two dwarfs, one has gray hair and a gray beard, he looks very wise and developed , the other is slightly larger and is bald with a long beard. When they join Theoden, Liana sees he has tattoos on his head.
"That one I would not like to encounter in the dark." Eowyn says and a shudder goes through her.
"Now those two are a whole other story..." She continues as she looks at Fili and Kili.
Liana chuckles and gives her a push, Eowyn laughs and looks at her friend.
"There are two of them you know ..." Liana says and gives Eowyn a knowing look.
Eowyn looks at her with wide eyes and suddenly laughs harder and she hears Eomer and Theodred chuckle. Liana bites her lip and feels herself blush because of her bold statement. She looks at the nephews again and suddenly Liana and Kili's eyes lock. He smiles at her and Liana feels trapped in those gorgeous dark orbs. She feels herself smiling back at him and it almost seems like he is giving her a wink. Shyly she averts her eyes so she misses the fact that Kili's smile just widens at that. Suddenly her breath catches in her throat as she suddenly sees another dwarf standing next to Theoden.
"Liana?" asks Eowyn.
She follows the gaze of her friend and sees him now also. He wears a blue tunic with long sleeves covered with a dark blue sleeveless hooded jacket. Around his waist he has a thick belt with a large metallic buckle with, which Liana suspects, is the weapon of the Line of Durin.
"Is that ..?" Eowyn whispers.
"I do not know, but he does look..."
"Royalty.." Eowyn says.
"Majestic even."
Then Theoden gestures that they have to come to him. They walk towards the company, and when they are nearby Theoden turns himself to the dwarf.
"Thorin, may I introduce you to my sister daughter Eowyn, my sister son Eomer and my son Theodred, both soldiers in the Rohirrim, and Liana, she works as a seamstress in my service."
"Welcome to Erebor, my name is Thorin Oakenshield and these are my loyal friends Dwalin and Balin. As long as you are here as my guests, you are free to do what you want, my kingdom is just as much my home as it is yours."
Liana listens captivated to him, not that it's so interesting but the way he spoke, it radiated a sort of authority while at the same time he had a friendly face and a warm smile.
"If you want to follow me?" said Thorin.
The company runs over the stone bridge to the doors, as they arrive at Liana faltering breath in the throat. They stand on a large platform, right and left going down stairs, to other stages. Before her lay a second large bridge that led to a throne.
"Impressed?" she hears Kili asking beside her.
"Yes, quite." Liana replies, "it is beautiful."
"Yes, it really is beautiful indeed." he says.
Liana looks at him and about the way he says it and looks at her, she gets the impression that he is not talking about Erebor. Liana smiles at him.
"Fili, Kili, if you will bring the ladies to their rooms?" said Thorin.
"With pleasure." Kili says, still looking at Liana.
"Of course." replied Fili."
"Dwalin, Balin, if you will take Eomer and Theodred to their rooms. King Theoden, if you will follow me."
Theoden followed Thorin towards the throne while Dwalin and Balin left the platform on the left and Fili and Kili leaded her and Eowyn to the right stairs.
"Stay close, you can easily get lost in here." Fili says.
Eowyn and Liana follow them closely, they are guided along corridors that have a burning torch on the wall to lighten the way every other metres and some stairs. Liana wonders how they are ever going to find their way back. After a few minutes of walking they enter a wide corridor with doors on both sides that look just like the massive metal doors giving access to the throne room. Above each door is a lighted torch that almost looks like it is carved from out off the wall.
"You are sharing one room, I hope that is okay." Fili explained.
"Of course, thank you." Eowyn says.
"You can wash and change into other clothes here, we will come back later to guide you to the dining room." says Kili.
"See you later." Fili says.
They wait until Liana and Eowyn are inside and close the door. Fili turns to walk away but stops when he notices that Kili is not following him.
"Kili?" he says, but there is no response.
He walks to his brother and gives him a shove.
"What?" he says and looks at Fili.
"Come on, you will see her again soon, loverboy."
"Yes." he says with a sigh.
Fili laughs and pulls him away.
Eowyn walks to the bed where her suitcase lies and opens it, Liana lets herself fall on the bed next to it and closes her eyes. Eowyn laughs, grabs some clean clothes and puts them on the bed.
"I'm going to wash." she says.
"Okay, wake me when you are done." Liana sighs.
Eowyn chuckles and walks into the bathroom, she turns on the tap and undresses. On the bed Liana turns towards the sound and gets walks towards the bathroom and looks at Eowyn.
"I thought you were going to sleep?" Eowyn says.
"Not so tired anymore." Liana says.
Eowyn and Liana were used to bath together to save water and are accustomed to see each other like this. Liana walks behind Eowyn and turns off the tap.
"What did you want to tell me?" Eowyn suddenly says.
"Come, you should get in before it gets cold." Liana says.
Liana helps Eowyn into the bath and wait until she sits. Then Liana sits on the edge behind her and begins to wash her back.
"A few weeks ago, his food was not ready when he came home and he showed me what he thought of that. He said that he was sorry. I believed him."
"Of course, you believed him."
"He has hit me." says Liana suddenly.
Eowyn freezes.
"He what?" she says.
"Earlier this week, when I told him that I would go with you to Erebor he did not agree, I have tried to explain it."
"He did not listen." Eowyn says as Liana continues to wash.
"No, he claims that I find the royal family more important then him," Liana says and Eowyn closes her eyes as Liana begins to wash her hair, "he thinks my place is at home, that my job is to clean the house and that his clothes are clean and his food is ready when he gets home."
"Sounds more like he sees you as his slave than his wife." muttered Eowyn.
"That's how I feel lately."
"Why do you not just leave him?" asks Eowyn.
"I can not, you know what happened with Delia."
Suddenly Eowyn turns around and takes Liana's hands in her own.
"You can come live in the palace, we have more then enough rooms and you work in the palace."
"That is true," says Liana and she smiles, "but I can not lock myself up in the palace and I do not want to constantly having to look over my shoulder as I walk about in the market."
"I understand that," sighs Eowyn "I am sorry Liana, that this should happen to you."
"It's okay, will you now turn back around so I can finish your hair?" asks Liana.
Eowyn smiles and turns around, after she is done she helps Eowyn out of the bath. While Liana dries herself she walks to the bed and puts her clean clothes on. When she looks around the room, she catches sight of a door in the corner that she has not seen before. She walks over and tries to open it. It opens easily and what she sees, she can hardly believe. All the costumes are there, they are pulled over some sort off dolls without heads and legs. It looks rather weird and Liana chuckles a little.
"Did you make that?" she suddenly hears.
Liana turns around and sees Kili standing, Fili is in the room standing next to Eowyn.
"I did not hear you come in," she says, "but yes, I made them."
"Dwarves are known for their craftsmanship but you are also very gifted." Kili says admiringly, and he walks up to the clothes to get a closer look.
"Thank you," Liana says and she feels herself blushing, "I learned everything from my mother."
"Did she not come? Your mother?" asks Kili.
"My mother is not alive anymore." Liana says softly.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Kili says and he looks at her with sorrow in his eyes.
"Me too." Liana says and she can feel tears pricking behind her eyes, Kili notices.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to..."He says and walks towards her.
"It is okay." Liana says and blinks them back.
"We should go, other wise the best food will be gone." Fili says.
Liana nods and together they walk out of the room to the dining room. The whole way there she can feel Kili's eyes on her. She could see the regret in his eyes about making her sad by bringing up her mother. But he did not know, it was not his fault.