Disclaimer: I don't anything, except for the characters of Lili, Leo and Petal
Thanks to everyone for the support, I really do appreciate it.
Here's the next chapter for you all, I'm so so so sorry its taken me so long to get it out, life has been immensely busy and I got a little bit of the dreaded writers block…
Any way I hope you all like it, though I'm not sure it's up to my usual standards.
Let me know what you think!
Chapter 6.
"Close your eyes and let go of the reins."
As Lili expected, Bilbo released a rather high pitched squeak of disbelief. "Excuse me?"
Sitting on the low, crumbling wall that had once been an exterior wall of a farm house or possibly a barn, Lili grinned as she watched the hobbit ride his pony around the small meadow. They had finally stopped for the night and taking advantage of the evening sunshine, Lili had offered to give Bilbo a short riding lesson, before supper.
"You heard me," she chuckled from her position seated atop of the crumbling wall.
Behind her, she could hear the slightly frustrated tones of Gandalf as he once again voiced his objections to Thorin about camping in the derelict farm. "We should move on!"
"Gandalf for the last time, we're camping here tonight!" Thorin's gruff tones holding a definite snap of annoyance.
She frowned slightly, immediately feeling unsettled by the thought that something bothered the wise wizard about this place.
Glancing over her shoulder, she caught sight of Gandalf striding away from camp, grumbling under his breath as he went.
"Now where do you suppose Gandalf's off to?" Bilbo mused from his seat astride Myrtle.
Turning to back to the hobbit, Lili shook her head, "I don't know, but you're supposed to be concentrating on your riding lesson, Master Baggins." She reminded him firmly, using her best riding instructor voice.
Bilbo's face fell for a moment, but before he could answer, Thorin's stern voice interrupted them. "Come on, Bilbo, we're all hungry."
"Sorry Lili, it's my turn to make supper this evening," Bilbo explained as he hurriedly dismounted a barely concealed look as relief on his face.
"Of course it is," She sighed taking Myrtle's reins and leading the pony back towards where the others were corralled. "Don't think this means you're off the hook, though. We'll continue your lesson, tomorrow."
Lili grinned as she heard Bilbo's half hearted groan of disappointment.
Watching as Lili untacked Bilbo's pony with practiced movements and sure fingers, Balin smiled, he was coming to like the wee lass.
She was finding her feet quickly in their company, she'd taken to travelling well enough and clearly knew how to take care and ride horses, much to their relief. He'd worried the lass would have struggled to fit in, but thanks to her uncanny ability to adapt to a situation and friendly disposition she was doing just fine.
His smile widened slightly, as he watched her flick several strands of her wayward hair from her eyes, with a scowl of annoyance.
Of course now that she was becoming an established member of the company, there were other issues that could become troublesome.
He didn't doubt the honour of any of his kinsman but he had also noticed the lingering looks Fili and in particular Kili gave the girl.
Perhaps he should bring the issue up with Thorin, they certainly didn't need any more complications on their, already complicated and dangerous journey.
Lili walked back into camp, and once again blew her unruly hair from her eyes, as the raven tresses continued to misbehave.
After several rain drenched days, her hair had begun to revert to its natural, wild and slightly curly state, something she'd fought continuously against in her own world with the help of some ghd straighteners. Here, however, no such luck.
"Maybe I should cut it all off," she commented off handily, raking her fingers through her offending locks.
At her words, the entire camp stilled.
Glancing around at her dwarven companions, Lili lowered her hands slowly as she noted the varying looks of horror on their faces. Before a chorus of disapproval met her ears.
"You'll do no such thing, Lass."
"I should say not," Dori gasped, tugging agitatedly at the braid in his beard.
"Utter blasphemy!"
Blinking in surprise, Lili frowned sensing she'd offended them, but not understanding how. "What its my hair, you try taming this mass…"
"Oh a challenge," Kili declared moving purposely towards her. "Fili, grab the comb from Bilbo's pack would you."
"What?" Lili took a step back from his advance. "What are you going to do?"
"Making sure you don't ever attempt cutting your hair, obviously." Fili explained firmly, moving towards Bilbo, who'd already rummaged through his pack for the item in question.
Turning his attention to her, the Hobbit offered her a small smile, "I dare say you'd be the envy of every girl in Hobbiton, You have such beautiful hair, Lili."
At his compliment, Lili smiled, "Thank you," before her gaze narrowed suspiciously on the advancing duo of Fili and Kili.
Seeing the ornate brush in Fili's hand, Lili immediately shook her head. "Forget it; you two are not touching my hair."
She took another step back for good measure.
"We're going to help you tame it," Fili grinned.
"That's right, we'll braid it, we're experts don't you know." Kili nodded in agreement, dark eyes locked on her.
With a scoff of disbelief, Lili shook her head, "Bull Shit," She retorted, acutely aware of the disapproving and surprised murmurs from her companions.
"Durin's beard, Dwalin, you were supposed to teach the Lass how to use a sword," Balin chastised with a shake of his head.
"Eh now, don't be blaming me for that language, I didn't teach her that." Came Dwalin's instant reply.
Lili chuckled slightly, her gaze darting from Fili and Kili to Balin, "Oh please, Balin. I'm sure I can curse enough to turn the air blue, without Dwalin's help."
The older dwarf regarded her curiously, "You can turn the air blue?"
"You're a witch then?" Kili added as he came to a stop mere inches before her.
Lili blinked at him and shook her head, "No, I think it must be a saying in my world, my Father used to say it."
Instinctively she stepped out of his reach, when she saw the grin pull at his mouth. "You're not touching my hair, Kili. I don't care if you're experts or not," she told him.
"You hear that, Kili? Lili doesn't trust us," Fili gasped, placing a hand against his chest in pain.
"You wound me, my Lady," Kili winced, feigning the same pain in his chest as his brother.
Stifling a smile at their antics, Lili sighed in exasperation. "Trust has nothing to do with it. If I didn't trust you, do you think I would sleep so soundly beside either of you?" she challenged calmly, with a slight quirk of her eyebrow.
At her confession of trust, she watched twin expressions of mischief melt into warm smiles of pride.
"Fili, Kili go watch the ponies," Thorin snapped as he strode into camp, "If Lili wishes to cut off her hair then it is no business of ours." His gaze pinned her for the briefest moment, sapphire and emerald clashing and Lili could've sworn he was silently willing her not to follow through with her half hearted threat to cut her hair.
At his clipped words, the camp fell back into surprised silence before the two brothers obediently left in the direction of the corralled ponies and the others shuffled back to their previous tasks.
Lili watched Thorin as he seated himself near the crumbling wall; his brow once again pulled into a dark scowl. Clearly he's mood still hadn't improved after his minor disagreement with Gandalf.
Moving towards a fallen chunk of the wall, Lili took a seat on the make shift chair a few feet from Balin.
"What was the real reason you wouldn't let, Fili or Kili braid your hair?" The older dwarf questioned quietly. "You're not truly going to cut it, are you, Lass?"
With a small shake of her head Lili, watched Balin's shoulders slump slightly with relief. "Honestly, my hair is filthy," she admitted with a sigh, "Even I don't like running my fingers through it." She pulled a face of disgust as she lifted a several strands of her offending locks.
"Bless my soul, Lass. Is that all?" Balin chuckled, as he rose to his feet and reached for one of the spare blankets and a small, cloth wrapped package inside his pack, "Follow me."
As she followed Balin, a few feet out of camp, Lili realised she could hear running water.
A stream?
As they rounded a low crest of stones, she could see a small brook weaving its way through the trees and down on into a meadow below their current position.
"Now then," Balin smiled kindly, "You go and get yourself cleaned up, I'll be just over there by that old tree," he told her, placing the small package and folded blanket in her hands.
Waiting until the old dwarf had settled himself at the foot of the tree to her left, with his back to her; Lili unwrapped the package in her hand and felt a smile of pure glee pull at her mouth. In her hand she held a small, pale bar of soap.
Glancing back towards Balin, she shook her head fondly before hurrying down to the brooks bank to wash.
Lighting his pipe, Balin chuckled to himself as he listened to the sound of water splashing and Lili's gentle humming.
After over a week travelling together, he was slightly ashamed to realise, not one of them had truly considered the needs of their female companion and the wee lass hadn't complained once, she'd simply gotten on with what ever the day held, without uttering a single word of displeasure or discomfort.
In fact, since Lili's unexpected arrival even the Hobbit had been more agreeable with their quest.
"Balin? You can turn around now."
Lili stripped to her underwear and washed quickly, lathering soap over her face and hands, humming her Grandmother's old tune to distract herself from the cold water. Sure she'd have preferred a nice hot bath, but right now she was just glad to able to get clean.
As she quickly scrubbed and rinsed away over a weeks worth of travel grim, Lili flinched in disgust.
God I must stink!
Patting herself dry with the spare blanket, she dressed quickly tugging on her leggings and black vest top, forgoing her denim skirt and jumper until she'd washed her hair.
Kneeling on the bank, Lili flipped her hair over her head and produced to dunk it in the rippling water. The action stirring a memory of the time she and Leo went camping in the New Forest, the summer before he enrolled in the forces. A campsite where the basic facilities consisted of a toilet block, with basins for washing and a cold water tap for drinking water. She couldn't remember the last time she and Leo had laughed so much.
… "You are such a girl."
From her position knelt over the old washing up bowl by their tent, Lili grinned at her twin through the curtain of her soaking wet hair.
"Funny, seeing as I am one," she retorted as she proceeded to rinse the rest of the shampoo from her hair, using one of the canteens of water.
"We've been here three days and already you're emptying our water supply to wash your hair." Leo chuckled.
Wringing out the excess water from her hair, she rose to her feet and laughed, shaking her head like a dog and showering her brother in cold droplets.
"Eh, Lil! Knock it off, I don't need a shower," he laughed, recoiling against the droplets of water.
"Now whose being a girl?" Lili smiled, catching the towel he threw at her…
Lathering the bar of soap in her hands she proceeded to coat her wet tresses in the foaming bubbles scrubbing the suds into her scalp, before rinsing it out in the cold water.
Her eyes suddenly stinging with the onset of tears. Where was Leo? Was he safe? Had he been found?
Dunking her head once more to ensure she'd rinsed all the soap from her hair, Lili squeezed out the excess water and swiftly rubbed her hair with the spare blanket, until it was a tumble of damp loose, ebony waves.
Rising to her feet she repacked the soap in its cloth and hurriedly tugged on her skirt and boots, blinking back the tears that still threatened to fall.
Picking up her jumper from where she'd left it on the pile of stones, Lili cleared her throat and turned to look at Balin, who still sat with his back politely facing her. "Balin? You can turn around now," she called softly, as she walked towards him.
Rising to his feet with a smile, Balin emptied his pipe and proceeded to stamp the embers out under his boot.
"Better?" He questioned as they headed back to camp, noting her tears but not mentioning them. If Lass wanted to talk, then he'd listen, after years of being and aide and friend to the likes of Thorin Oakenshield, he knew that patience was often rewarded.
Lili nodded with a smile, handing him the wrapped bar of soap, "Much better, thank you."
As they entered the camp, the tantalizing smell of a Bilbo's cooking floated around on the air. "Smells delicious, Bilbo," Lili commented, following Balin's indication she sit near the fire.
"Aye, Laddie, that it does," Balin nodded in agreement, as he took a seat beside Lili, a small comb in his hand. "Now then my girl, face me and lets see if my old fingers are up to the task of braiding." He smiled gently.
"You're going to braid my hair?" Lili regarded him in surprise.
"Aye, you're a warrior now, like my kin and I," Balin commented, combing the front section of her hair, that had previously been falling across her left eye.
"So the braids are a status mark?" Lili questioned, as Balin set to work braiding the section of her fringe out of her eyes.
"In a way, you noticed our beards too, no doubt. Among the males of my people, our beards are something to be proud of. A mark of maturity and standing."
Lili nodded, "Then what about Kili? He's a warrior too, isn't he?"
"Aye, he is," Dwalin interjected as he sat down on the other side of the fire.
"He's also still young, by our peoples reckoning," Balin explained with a nod.
"And add to the fact he's an archer, a beard isn't all that practical." Bofur added.
"Oh I see," Lili smiled, before she regarded Balin seriously again. "Then I assume amongst your women, their hair is as much a mark of status as your beards?"
"Oh Aye, Lass," the old dwarf nodded. "And to cut it, is considered shameful and disrespectful to your clan."
As he spoke, Lili realised why they'd been so against her cutting her hair. She'd inadvertently shown disrespect to their culture.
"At least for those who haven't got beards," Bofur interrupted with a grin.
"Wait, what?" Lili turned to look at Bofur. "Some of your women have beards?"
"Aye makes courtship a bit of a challenge," Dwalin chuckled, placing his axe on his knee and fishing a whetting stone from his pack.
"Sit still, Lass," Balin huffed giving her braid a soft tug.
Lili laughed a soft, "sorry," and turned back to face him, so he could finish braiding the front section of her hair.
"There now, we're just about finished," Balin smiled as he reached into the inner pocket of his cloak and fished out a small silver, tube shaped bead.
Lili watched as Balin carefully opened the small tube of silver in half revealing a tiny hinge. Placing the end of her braid in the centre of the bead, Balin deftly snapped it closed, encasing her hair in a tight unyielding band of silver.
"When done properly, Dwarves braids last weeks, without needing to be redone," Balin explained with a small smile of pride.
Tracing the braid with her fingertips, Lili realised Balin had literally French plaited her fringe, framing the left side of her face and carrying on all the way to the ends of her hair, where the decorative bead sat gleaming amongst the rest of her damp tresses.
"Thank you, Balin," she smiled, lowering her hand so she could inspect the silver bead held in the end of the braid. It was a delicate slender tube of silver, intricately engraved in patterned lines that reminded her vaguely of the Gaelic tribal designs back in her own world.
"It must take an incredible amount of skill to make something so detailed." She commented thoughtful.
"Aye, it does Lassie," Gloin replied.
"Erebor was home to some of the most skilled blacksmiths in all of Middle-Earth," Balin added, his gaze looking passed and over her shoulder.
Turning slightly, Lili realised Thorin was silently listening to their conversation as he smoked his pipe. "A skill that kept our people from starving when we were cast from our home," Thorin mused darkly, he gaze drifting over Lili for a moment, almost approvingly.
Shifting slightly, Lili forced herself to ignore the flutter of nerves the rippled through her, under the dwarven prince's gaze.
Thorin's mouth twitched with a small half smile, as his gaze lingered on the bead in her hair and then the small axe resting near her bedroll, behind her. Did she know, she carried more of him on her person than any of the others? Despite the fact they barely spoke more than a few words to each other a day.
"Will you tell me about your home?" She asked quietly, continuing to watch him. "What was it like, before the dragon attacked?"
"You won't find a single kingdom in all the lands, that can match Erebor's splendour…" He began, letting the memories of his beloved home flow through him.
