Disclaimer: I own nothing but Dwin and her family! I'm justing playing around with stuff and things.
A/N: Finally got this one out. I only had to rewrite it twice. I hope you guys like it! As always, thank you so much for the support! It really makes me keep wanting to write. I don't think there is any Khuzdul in this chapter, and if you see any mistakes please point them out! Hope you enjoy.
Khuzdul in this chapter:
Chapter 11: I Pray for All the Lonely People.
The small group had decided to meet in four days time at dusk to discuss how they would move forward with their planning. Dwin was happy for the help, she felt as if this was beyond her capabilities alone. As she worked the next few days, Surir seemed slightly suspicious of this renewed energy, but Dwin had responded to her inquires with vague answers.
The day of the meeting passed painfully slow for Dwin. She had come up with a few ideas she wanted opinions on. But with both Princes' on the mend they had received more responsibilities, which made them less accessible to Dwin, so she had to wait for their opinions on them. Dwin could barely keep still enough to dine before rushing off to her tent, leaving an amused Mazrlafm behind. Dwin changed out of her dirt stained clothes into those of comfort. She was about to leave when she heard someone clearing their throat outside her tent.
"Lass- Dwin?" A gruff voice called out.
"Coming." Dwin stifled a laugh and went out to greet her visitor. Dwalin greeted her with a nod and she gave him a blinding smile. Dwin had quickly grown attached to the brusque dwarf, much to discombobulation of the Dwalin. He seemed bemused with her fondness of him, but Dwin had accepted the task of getting him used to it.
"I'm her' to escort ya to the meeting." Dwalin said finally. Dwin looked at him, confused, it was an odd gesture.
"Expecting trouble?" Dwin asked and suppressed a smile at Dwalin's expression. It was a cross between outrage at the suggestion and pride, Dwin assumed because it was that she insinuated that he could take care of any trouble.
"No Lass. Kíli wanted to, but King Thorin ask him and his brother to do somethin' or another. I decided to step in." Dwalin shrugged and they started walking towards the Princes' tent, where they had decided to meet. Dwin chattered enough for both of them, Dwalin occasionally threw in a comment but mostly glowered at any glances they got. Dwin noticed that occasionally through the walk Dwalin would pause and look as if he was going to say something, but he never did. It wasn't until the tent was in view that he physically paused as well.
"Lass" He rumbled, he voice more quiet than she had ever heard it.
"Hm?" She looked at him expectantly. He seemed to make a decision then, and just prodded her along again. It wasn't until they actually entered the tent Dwin understood what he was going to say. There was a crowd of dwarves, most of which Dwin didn't know.
"Dwalin?" She asked finally, after staring for a minute.
He just grumbled something and moved her again, positioning her between him and another dwarf who looked vaguely familiar. He gave Dwin a sweet smile.
"Ori, at your service." Dwin remembered where she knew him from now- he was courting Dwalin.
"Dwin at yours." She gave him a smile. Dwin was surprised at how easily she and Ori got a long. Though, she shared a kinship with him, both of them rather... small for dwarves. She conversed idly with Ori as she took in the gathering again. She knew Balin, Dwalin, Ori, and Óin. She had met Óin a few years ago, all of the healers meet twice a year so most of them are at least acquaintance with each other; of course if helped that he was a friend of Suri. So there were seven others she had not met, not including the princes who were, unsurprisingly, late. Kíli and Fíli finally rushed into the tent and were greeted warmly by everyone. Dwin was started to get a little confused, did everyone know each other? She asked Ori just that and he just laughed.
"You see, we all- well I mean-" Ori started and blushed at a look Dwalin gave him, "We all accompanied King Thorin on his quest."
Dwin took in the dwarves surrounding her again, they were heroes. They all were to be nobles as according to their brave deeds for the king. She was still trying to take in the new information when Balin called for attention. Explaining what they were trying to do and how they would need everyone's help to do such. They talked, bickered, and yelled for the better part of the evening until they finally settled on a plan.
A few nights later, Balin, Dori, and Dwin waited outside the King's tent, talking quietly about Dwin's apprenticeship and her decision to stay at Erebor. Dwin found quite a few new friends with the company. Balin and Dori were some of them. No one paid them much mind, as Balin was usually found near the king and no one would question Dori. It was just after supper and they were waiting for their friend to appear from within the king's tent. Soon they heard the tent flap open and out came Bilbo. Dwin, Dori, and Balin approached him with a smile, though as soon as he saw them, Bilbo looked instantly nervous.
"Good evening." Bilbo greeted them, his manners obviously winning out over retreating. Dwin thought that the probably judged it was not worth the ire of Dori, which was infamous.
"Good evening Bilbo, it's been some time since we've talked. Why don't you come down to my tent and we can all have a chat." Balin spoke jovially but there was a mithril lining to his tone. Bilbo started to back away with apologies, only to make a squeaking noise as he bumped into Dwalin and Gloin; they had come to stand with arms crossed behind Bilbo halting any escape effort. Bilbo looked at their immovable forms and back at the trio.
"Maybe we should chat after all. Mind you, I want tea. And food."
They five of them led Bilbo to Balin's tent where Kíli, Fíli, and Ori were waiting with the predicted appeasements of food and tea. Dwalin and Gloin traveled behind them to make sure the prisoner- hobbit- didn't escape. When they got to the tent Kíli and Fíli instantly bombarded Bilbo with questions, while Ori got out utensils for everyone.
"Master Boggins! You never visit us anymore!"
"My, he's dreadfully pale, isn't he?"
"How is is uncle by the way? Mahal knows he never talks to us."
The running commentary continued as the young dwarves led their friend to a chair and got him tea. Bilbo looked slightly more comfortable with the younger ones there, though so far he hadn't added a word to the conversation. He took the tea with a still nervous nod. Balin and Dwalin settled on the other end of the tent. Dori sat in the chair next to Bilbo, nursing his own tea. Balin had, somehow, found a mug of ale to sip on while he silently watched the interaction. Gloin and Ori sat a bit away helping themselves to the small tea sandwiches Dori had prepared. Dwin sat on the other side of Bilbo.
"Bilbo, is Uncle Thorin better?" Kíli asked again, this time waiting for an answer.
"He is better, I suppose. The healers have done a wonderful job."
"You should know! You practically have moved into his tent." Dwin commented, slightly injured that her friend hadn't talked to her recently. Nothing of importance anyways, just greetings when they passed each other, like strangers. Bilbo flushed at her words and spluttered indignantly, while Kíli and Fíli looked between the two with amusement.
"Moved in? Has he even given you a proper gift?" Fíli gasped out, elbowing his brother in the side, Kíli grinned and commented as well.
"We'll have to talk to uncle! How improper. How dare he talk advantage of our hobbit so!"
Bilbo looked both horrified and embarrassed. Dwin tried her hardest to keep from laughing, but had to cough to disguise her laughter when she look upon his face. Gloin did not try to halt his booming laughter.
"I think Mithril is a perfectly acceptabl-"
Dwin cut Bilbo off with a curious, "Have you told him yet?"
"Told him what?"
"That he is your heartsong." Dwin explained patiently. It got silent as everyone processed exactly what Dwin had just said. Bilbo's face flushed further.
"I told you! Hobbits don't have heartsongs, we..." He stopped abruptly. Dwin grinned like a wolf about to catch a rabbit, she had not heard this detail before.
"What do hobbits have then?" Dwin asked. Bilbo crossed his arms over his chest sullenly and glared at her.
"That is none of your business."
"Bilbo!" Dwin gave him a hurt expression, "I shared a secret of our race with you, something that I probably should not have, and you will not reciprocate?"
Kíli looked at her with wide eyes, "What did you tell him?"
He sounded very curious, and Dwin felt her face get a little hot. It was cultural rule not to talk about your heartsong, it was very personal thing, but it was not uncommon to share with close friends. As her friend had been of another race, it would be certainly looked down upon, but technically not against any official law. So Dwin ignored Kíli's curiosity for paying attention to Bilbo.
"Well, when you put it like that... But this goes no further, understand!" Bilbo looked expressively at the princes at this, "Hobbits are marked... somewhere on their bodies the name of their intended."
"The name?" Dwin was quite interested, as Dwarves have two names, it be interesting to know which was on Bilbo.
"Where is it?" Kíli asked, Bilbo flushed against and glared at him.
"Never you mind."
"So, it is Thorin's name?" Fíli asked.
"I- will, yes. As far as I know. But..."
"As far as you know?" It was Balin who spoke, he looked unimpressed with the Bilbo's lack of conviction of the subject.
"It is in an older form of Khuzdul. I had, well, I wrote it on a paper and Thorin asked how I had learned to write his like that. So yes, it is his name." Bilbo explained. There was another moment of silence as everyone took in the information. Then Dwin threw herself at Bilbo, hugging him, while making a high pitched noise.
"I'm so happy for you!" Bilbo patted her back with a small, pained chuckled.
Dori looked at him sharply, he avoided the eye contact, looking sheepish, "You didn't tell him, did you?"
Bilbo's look gave them all the answer they needed. Dwin looked at him with a sigh. Balin huffed and rolled his eyes and Ori looked at the hobbit with pity. Dori clucked his tongue and Gloin shook his head with a small smile. The princes were chuckling and Dwin couldn't help but join them. Dwalin was still stoic, though it seemed he smiled for moment, but it may have also been a trick of the light.
"I don't know if I'm his heartsong, and I don't want to put any more burden on him." Bilbo said finally, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly. Dwin hugged him again, joined this time by Kíli, Fíli, Ori, and surprisingly, Dori.
"Oh Master Boggins!"
"I don't know how you and Uncle will ever court if you will not say something, because Uncle surely won't say anything to you about it!"