Many thanks for Sakelly, melgonzo and Wolveyaon for reviewing. And to SesshomarusMate2468, ZombieCereal, and melgonzo for adding this story to Alerts.
I don't own any Tolkien characters just my own little OC. The song mentioned is from the Hansel and Gretel opera.
Feedback of any nature will be appreciated. Ta.
Kindred Spirits
Ch 4 – What Makes You Embarrassed
So the company walked into Mirkwood at last. None of them had been looking forward to it, but they were all surprised at just how much they despised it. For the dwarves, the forest's darkness was different from the darkness inside mountains. Darkness from rock and stone was comforting. Darkness from limb and tree was not.
The closeness of the trees made the air still and humid. So much so that the hobbit found it hard to breathe most of the time. The dwarves simply grumbled while they sweat profusely. Jose was the one who seemed to deal with it the best. Apparently, hot and humid was what she was used to being. The worse thing for her was that her fleece pajamas were sticking to her.
"Never will I buy fleece pajamas again – even in the coldest winter – never ever ever."
What was more difficult for her was holding her tongue when she truly wanted to help. But she kept telling herself over and over again Gandalf's warning that she keep her mouth shut and stay neutral. During the first day's journey, that had gone easily; but she dreaded the night for two reasons – the lighting of the fire and the sleeping arrangements.
In the end, she decided to sit as far away from the fire as she dared, to put her hands over her head, and to wait for the bugs and bats to come. It didn't take long for Thorin to order the fire to be put out. The problem after that was the one she dreaded most.
In the pitch black darkness, Thorin's words came through, "With no fire, we'll have to close ranks as we sleep – for safety."
Jose groaned and the words, "Oh, shit," slipped out.
"Problem, Lady Jose?" Thorin's voice was dark, smooth, and menacing all at the same time.
"No. Of course, not. It's just that I've never slept with fourteen men before."
Before Thorin could reply, Bilbo's prim, proper, and curious side hesitatingly voiced itself, "And just how... many men... have you slept with... before?"
Never was Jose so glad of darkness. It hid the multitude of embarrassment she felt as the blood rush to her cheeks. But she grumbled and tried to seem unaffected.
"Master Bilbo, no offense intended, but that's not really any of your business." She paused a moment in the silence, "But if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were related to my father."
Bilbo chuckled, "I'm afraid that hobbits are a bit prudish, Lady Jose."
"Not as prudish as you'd like to believe, hobbit." These words were hissed into Bilbo's ear by Thorin. Although it was dark, the king was keen to keep his hobbit close to him for Bilbo's safety and his own peace of mind.
His voice returned to normal level. "Lady, there is no other way to do this. All my men are honourable, but you may stay by myself and Mr. Baggins if you would feel better."
As the conversation continued, the general consensus from the rest of the dwarves was one of insult and injury.
Jose's voice had to rise about the din in order to be heard. "Stop. Stop! Forgive me, all of you. I'd never meant that any of you were not honourable." Jose's breath hitched. Tears came to her eyes and her knees folded under her as a panic attack began.
Bilbo found her in the dark and attempted to calm her. One hand rubbed her back while the other one held one of her hands.
She slowly calmed down and insisted on speaking. "Please, let me explain. This has just been the strangest day of my life. I keep expecting to wake up and that this is a dream. But now, it's time to go to sleep. And if this is a dream, then I'm about to go to sleep in it. Will I wake up at home? And, if I wake up tomorrow, here, with all of you, then this isn't a dream and it's real. And, if it's real, then what the hell do I do?"
"Lady Jose," Balin's wise and comforting voice came through the darkness. She knew that he was standing in front of her looking down at her.
"Yes, Master Balin."
"I don't understand half of what you just said. I don't think the others do either. But, I do know that you've had a long day and need to rest. Lass, you're thinking too much."
"Yes, you're right, as usual. I'm being silly. I'll get up." She tried to get up, but her knees didn't want to cooperate.
"No need to move, Lady. We'll make camp around you – if you are comfortable with that." Thorin's voice were the softest they'd ever been while addressing her.
"Thank you. I couldn't feel any safer than with the fourteen of you around me." She thought a moment and the laughed.
"Lady Jose, can you tell us what you're laughing at because I think we'd all like to share in a joke right about now." Kili spoke up.
"I'm sorry. It wasn't anything really funny. It's just that where I'm from there is a song about fourteen angels watching over a pair of sleeping children. And the fourteen of you making camp around me made me think of it."
"Sing it," Kili implored, "Please, lady, that might brighten all our moods."
"I don't know about that. I'm not a good singer."
"Right now, in this dark place, I don't think it matters." Bofur added.
"Ok. It's from a story of Hansel and Gretel, a brother and sister who get lost in a wood. As they go to sleep that night, they say they're prayers and this is that song." Jose took a deep breath and began singing.
When at night I go to sleep
Fourteen angels watch do keep
Two my head are guarding
Two my feet are guiding
Two are on my right hand
Two are on my left hand
Two who warmly cover
Two who o'er me hover
Two to whom 'tis given
To guide my steps to Heaven
As she finished, the dwarves stayed quiet.
She tried to laugh off her embarrassment. "I said I wasn't a good singer. Sorry guys."
She was surprised when she heard Thorin say, "No, Lady Jose, that was beautiful."
Her song did in fact seem to settle the others. Before ten minutes were out, a symphony of dwarf snores lulled Jose into a restless sleep.
In the morning as she woke and before she could start to contemplate what it truly meant that she was still with the company, Jose heard muffled voices.
"Absolutely not! Not when we're here so close to the others." This annoyed voice was definitely Bilbo's.
"No one is awake." Hissed the King Under the Mountain as he tried to make Bilbo realize just how much he needed him this morning.
Jose tried to stay extra still and keep her breathing even. Far be it for her to get between Thorin and his hobbit.
"No. They're starting to stir and you have no capacity for being quiet. That's and end of it."
Thorin cursed in dwarvish but let the matter drop.
Jose grinned to herself. Even if this wasn't a dream, this little adventure may be just what she needed.