Chapter Seven

For the next week or so, we continued on with the same schedule. We'd wake up at the crack of dawn (something I still wasn't used to), ride until lunch, eat, ride for most of the afternoon and then stop to make camp for the night where we ate and I would train with Fili. Sometimes some of the other company decided to train as well, but Fili and I always went somewhere away from the others; he knew that I preferred privacy with my training until I got better.

And I was getting better. I was beginning to become a bit more of a match to Fili (although I had my suspicions that sometimes he was going easy on me and not telling me), and I was even progressing with archery on the occasion that Kili helped me. I was able to hit within the vicinity that I was supposed to be shooting at. I was beginning to think that, if it ever came to a fight, I would have a small chance at being able to defend myself. Of course I was still pretty crap compared to everyone else, but Fili was insisting that I was doing very well, and it wouldn't be long until the basics became instinct and we could move on to different things.

We spent most of the day discussing various things from where I came from and vice versa. I'd explained, with much difficulty, the concept of electricity, cars and other vehicles such as aeroplanes and even rockets. The company seemed absolutely fascinated that people had actually gone into space; I'd spent at least three hours trying to explain that the reason it took so long to do it with all the advanced technology in my world was due to the fact that there was no air in space.

On the morning of the sixteenth day of travelling, I was awoken in much the same respect as every other previous morning: being shook on the shoulder with a dwarf saying it's time to get up and leaving my breakfast to the side. I was looked after fairly well by the dwarves. It seemed learning my age resulted in them feeling it was their responsibility to make sure that I was okay. Not that I was complaining, I was just hoping that it wouldn't get too annoying.

Thanking Bofur (Who had awoken me this morning and someone who I was quite close to. I spoke to him often on a night when he joined me and the brothers to eat), I sat up and stretched. I was beginning to feel used to sleeping on the floor, and had a feeling that when I finally slept in a bed again, it would feel quite weird. Quickly eating my breakfast, I ran my fingers through my hair, wincing when I felt a huge knot. Lord only knows what I looked like. I barely got a chance to wash as the others weren't particularly bothered (and bathing in the middle of the forest wasn't an appealing thought), and obviously I had no hairbrush, so I resulted into dragging my fingers through my hair every once in a while before putting it in a pony tail for the day.

Giving up on untangling my hair, I sighed and packed away my things before heading over to Fili's pony, on top of which, Fili was already sat. Pulling myself up, I wriggled around to get myself comfy.

"Would you like me to help you with that?" asked Fili from behind in my ear. He did this a lot, and I never got used to the feeling I got in my stomach when he did it.

"Hmmmm? With that?"

"Your hair. I noticed you trying to brush through it earlier; it's full of knots and dwarves are quite good with hair if you haven't noticed from everyone's around here."

"It's not that noticeable, is it?" My hand flew up to my hair. Normally I was never too bothered about my appearance, so I wasn't sure why I was now. Maybe it was the fact that I probably looked like crap whereas the dwarf sitting behind me looked the same as he did the night I met him. i.e. Utterly gorgeous.

"No, no. Well, it doesn't look that bad if that's what you mean. I just saw you becoming frustrated over there, that's all."

"Oh, ok. Well, that would be good, thanks. I'm just not used to being so filthy." I grimaced.

"You're not filthy. You just smell a little." Scoffing, I span around and flicked him on the nose.

"I don't smell!"

"Of course you don't. And did you really just flick me?" He chuckled as I stuck my tongue out at him and we set off. "Do you want me to do your hair?"

"Yeah! That would be great, thanks."

"Ok. Could you take the reins? You know what to do, right?"

"Just hold them and make sure the pony doesn't run off. I got this. I've watched you do it for weeks."

"Right, sure." Taking the reins, I felt Fili's hands move to my hair and begin untangling the knots in a way that I would never be able to do. His fingers wove through my hair as if there were no knots at all, and after about half an hour of us sitting in silence while he worked, he spoke up. "Done. Try not to let it get that bad next time. It was rather messy." He smiled.

"How did you do that?" I asked, running my hands through my now smooth hair.

"I told you, dwarves are good with their hands." Blushing at the way he'd phrased it (my dirty mind coming into play here), I nodded my head.

"Well, thanks. It feels a lot better." Handing the reigns back to Fili, I set to work putting my hair back in a basic plait to keep it neat, the task being a lot easier now.

-8-

The rest of the day went by fairly uneventful. Kili had finally got Fili back for all the stories he'd told me about by pushing him off of this pony twice (Thorin was not amused, although it did make Bilbo crack a smile and me nearly fall off with him), and telling me some of his own embarrassing stories he remembered about Fili's childhood. By the end of it, I turned to see Fili's face a very deep shade of red glaring daggers at his brother who had ridden further away to avoid being hit.

"Awww. Fili, don't be so embarrassed. We all have embarrassing stories." I cooed.

"Do we? So you wouldn't say no to telling us some of yours?"

"What? No! No…no one here knows mine, and I know better than to tell you." I lowered my voice so Kili wouldn't here. "Maybe later." I heard him laugh.

-8-

As it got towards evening, Thorin led the company towards what looked to me like an abandoned farmhouse.

"We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them." Fili nodded as we slid off of the pony.

"A farmer and his family used to live here." Commented Gandalf, frowning. I bit my lip. If Gandalf was worried, then this was not good.

"Oin, Gloin." Continued Thorin, ignoring Gandalf.

"Aye?"

"Get a fire going."

"Right you are."

"I think it would be wiser to move on." I watched Fili and Kili guide the ponies into the trees on the edge of the clearing. "We could make for the Hidden Valley." Urged Gandalf.

"I have told you already." Growled Thorin. "I will not go near that place."

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Elves? I could meet elves? I've never seen elves before, it would be kind of cool.

"I do not need their advice."

"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us." Ooo. And now there was a 'Lord'. These elves sounded sophisticated.

"Help? A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

"You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep." I saw Gandalf sigh, and storm past me away from the company.

"Everything alright?" asked Bilbo, who obviously had no idea on what had just happened. "Gandalf, where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense."

"Who's that?"

"Myself, Mr. Baggins!" snapped Gandalf. "I've had enough of dwarves for one day." Deciding to leave Thorin to cool down and seeing all of the others doing something or other, I decided to go in search of Fili and Kili. To be honest, I was pretty surprised they weren't sick of my company yet. I didn't have to walk far until I heard their voices.

"I told you, Kili! I can't!"

"Fili, just tell her!"

"I've only known her a few weeks. She'd probably go running for the hills. Besides, what are the chances of…"

"Will you stop putting yourself down!"

"Kili, I'm not…I'm just…" Frowning, I decided that I'd better announce my presence. It was obviously a conversation that was private between the two, and I knew better than to disrespect that.

"Ahem."

"Amaya!" jumped Fili. "How…um, how long have you been there?"

"Only a few seconds. Thorin's been arguing with Gandalf, I figured I'd better leave; let everything cool down."

"That was probably wise. As much as we like Uncle, we've learnt that it's best to let him calm down on his own." Said Kili.

"So, what were you guys talking about before I turned up?"

"Oh, nothing important, isn't that right, Fili?" I saw Fili glare at his brother.

"Amaya? Amaya?" I heard a voice shout through the trees. A few seconds later, Bofur turned up. "Oh, you're here. I said to Thorin you'd probably be with these two. He was wondering where you'd gone, you'd just disappeared."

"Oh, god, sorry! I didn't think. Do you want me to go back, or…"

"No, no, that's not necessary. I'll just tell them you're with these two, should be fine. Dinner's nearly ready, by the way. We'll get someone to bring it over."

"Thanks, Bofur." He smiled as he walked away. "You know, I really do like it here." Well that comment was out of the blue.

"'Here?'" asked Kili. "What are you talking about?"

"You know. Here, Middle Earth. It's nice."

"Then why are you frowning?" asked Fili, taking one of my hands in his. I was frowning?

"I don't know." I tried to think of my answer. To be honest, it was a bit distracting when I focused on the feeling of my hand in his. "Because…I feel guilty, I suppose. I mean, I left everything behind, everything and everyone I've ever know, and now I don't really miss anything, (well, besides indoor plumbing and internet…) but still…"

"You're allowed to feel guilty, Amaya. But you need to remember that you didn't ask to come here; it isn't your fault. But it's good you like it here. That makes us feel good as well."

"But what about when this quest is over? I'll have nowhere to go! What would I do?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Kili, looking confused.

"You know that you are always welcome with us, miz sanâzyung ." Continued Fili. "We would never leave you in the middle of nowhere where you don't know anyone, and I doubt Thorin would let you wander off on your own. I would…I mean, we would never do that."

I sniffed. "Thank you guys. Come here."

"What?"

"Come here." They shuffled closer until I pulled them closer into a hug. Realizing what I was doing, they were soon hugging me back with an equal amount of force until I noticed a problem. "Hang on a minute."

"What is it?" Kili asked, pulling away.

"Is it me, or are we missing some ponies?"

"Damn."

-8-

Thank you all for reviewing! For the person who is asking what 'miz sanâzyung' means, I'm afraid you'll have to wait and see! All will be revealed… I'm glad everyone else is enjoying, and the next chapter will be up soon with trolls featuring as our 'special guests'.