I'll use a song in this one. I just thought it is perfect! You can listen to it here
/watch?v=f3fHDt4xQFw
Two days passed by and the Company was aware that Liliana opened up a lot more to them. She listened to Bofurs music, made fun with Fili and Kili, and though she had no idea what he said but also Bifur managed to make her laugh.
Dwalin and Thorin sat together close to the waterfall, both watched her while she listened to a story Bilbo told her. It seemed to be a quite amusing one for she laughed softly from time to time.
"She seems to be much happier than before" Thorin stated and Dwalin could see his eyes lit up slightly as he watched Lili laughing.
"Let's say I managed to help her lose her mistrust against us" Dwalin said with a smirk on his lips.
Thorin looked at him. "What? How?"
"I told her to hug me. And she did"
"She hugged you?" Thorin asked in disbelief and his insides began to turmoil slightly.
"Yes, but don't worry. We're just good friends"
"Why should I worry? She can hug whoever she wants" Thorin grumbled quietly.
Dwalin chuckled.
"Stop laughing! There's nothing to laugh about!"
"Of course not" Dwalin replied and bit back a smile. They saw Lili turning her head to them. Dwalin was aware that her smile faded a little as she looked at Thorin.
She got up and walked over to them. She tried to avoid the kings eye contact as she said, "Why are you sitting here apart from us? Come join us. Both of you..." her eyes drifted to Thorin for a second.
"Aye, we'll be there in a minute" Dwalin replied. She smiled and walked back to the Company.
Thorin sighed as Dwalin patted his back and got up.
"I take this as a good sign" the bald dwarf said with a smile and followed Lili. Thorin hesitated before he followed them as well.
"Lili wanted to sing a song to us!" Kili called once they were all together now. The late afternoon sun was shining down on them and bees were buzzing around.
"Alright, lass! Let's hear your song!" Bofur called with a smile as he took a puff from his pipe.
Lilis eyes drifted along the dwarves and the hobbit.
"Fine, so that song just—came to my mind and I thought it fits quite perfectly for this—journey" she explained and began humming a lovely melody and suddenly she started to sing with an angelic-voice that only Bilbo had heard before. Now the dwarves seemed to be lulled by it as they stared at her.
City light sine on the harbor
night has fallen down
through the darkness and the shadow
I will still go on
/
Long, Long Journey
through the darkness
Long, Long way to go
But what are miles
across the ocean
to the heart that's coming home?
/
Where the road runs,
through the valley,
where the river flows,
I will follow every road
to the place I know
/
Long, Long Journey
through the darkness
Long, Long way to go.
But what are miles
across the ocean
to the heart that's coming home?
/
Long, Long Journey
out of nowhere
Long, Long way to go
but what are sighs
and what is sadness,
to the heart that's coming home?
The dwarves listened in awe, all in their own deep thoughts.
Thorins mind wandered back to his home, Erebor, the Lonely Mountain. His heart warmed up and an absent smile curled his lips. He could see himself as King under the Mountain. He snapped out of his thoughts as Lili stopped singing and Bofur cheered.
Lili smiled. "I guess I should take some rest. My wound still prickles a bit"
She got up and left them to head back to her room.
"Wait—"
She froze as she heard that deep voice behind her. Her hand already grabbed the doorhandle to her room. Slowly she turned around to meet his blue eyes again. Her insides began to rebell, she was more nervous than ever before.
"What do you want, Thorin?" she asked and he stopped a few feet in front of her.
That was a very good question. What did he want? He cleared his throat, his hand drove nervously through his long, dark mane.
"I just—I just want to...apologize for being that rude to you"
She was surprised and she blinked at him in disbelief. She sighed and stepped a little closer.
"I was the one acting foolish in front of you. You did nothing wrong"
"If I did nothing wrong—why do you treat me like I would ever harm you in any way?"
She remained silent, uncertain what to reply. She was still too afraid to tell him the truth. Afraid of his reaction.
"It's—complicated" she simply whispered, avoiding to look at him.
He stepped a little closer, wanted to reach for her, to place his hand on her shoulder but she made a step back.
"Don't—" she whispered and looked back into his sapphire-colored eyes. She wanted to apologize, explain it but he nodded.
"Fine. Take some rest" he simply replied and left her standing alone.
With anger she realized a single hot tear that trailed down her cheek. She brushed it away, entered her room and slumped down on the bed. Her mind was even more troubled than before but she forced herself to stop thinking about that stubborn dwarf king and finally drifted off to sleep.
Next time Lili woke up it was dark outside. She was certain that dinner was done already.
She got up, changed her clothes and left the room. She wore a long, lilac colored, silky dress. The soft and cool evening breeze felt perfectly on her skin.
Lili wandered through the hallways, aware that none of the Company seemed to be awake anymore. She stopped on one of the many balconies overlooking the Valley below. She could see the river quietly flowing through the Valley. Trees, flowers and little pagodas all around.
Rivendell seemed to be the most peaceful place of Middle Earth. Gondolin had been beautiful as well, but yet she had been too young when she left so there was not much memory of its beauty left in her mind.
Slowly she walked on over narrow bridges, spiral stairways made of tree roots until she arrived what seemed to be the lower level of the city.
A great wooden door appeared in front of her. Lili looked around but there was no one she could ask for permission. So she stepped closer and saw that the door was just ajar. She pushed it open and entered a gallery which was dimly lit. Burning torches were hanging at the wall, gave that gallery a mysterious atmosphere.
Lili entered it more, her eyes drifted along the walls. She could see an old fresco. It depicted Isildur defeating Sauron. Lili turned around and looked with wonderment at a cloth-covered plinth in which lay the shards of a broken sword. She thought back to her own sword, the one Thorin had found in the troll cave. The sword of her uncle which was said it had been broken as well. She felt a movement in the shadows and knew immediately that it was him.
Without looking at him she began explaining, "The shards of Narsil...the blade that cut the Ring from Saurons hand. A broken heirloom to the House of Gondor"
She wanted to pick it up but Thorin gently placed his hand on hers. She winced slightly but didn't move away. Her eyes were glued to his hand on hers.
"Why do you fear me?" he asked. His voice was low and more a rumbling sound in his chest.
"Thorin—" she began, pulled her hand away and strolled to the window which was overlooking a stone bridge. The night was still and quiet, the light of moon played with her hair, let it shine in many different shades of red.
Thorin watched her full admiration. His eyes drifted down her back but he forced himself to stop it and cleared his throat.
She shifted, her emerald eyes warm and friendly.
"I'd like to show you something" she suddenly said and walked past him, gestured him to follow. He frowned but followed her wordlessly.
They strolled through the valley until they reached a meadow close to the training ground which was also abandoned at a time like this.
Lili stopped and sat down in the soft grass. Thorin hesitated but she patted next to her and signaled him to sit down as well. She was surprised about herself that she felt so relaxed around him in that very moment.
He sat down and they let themselves fall on their backs, silence surrounded them for a while until she pointed up to the sky.
"I always enjoyed looking at the night sky. Do you see that bright star over there? That's the Evenstar, or evening star. It's the brightest natural object in the night sky. If you're ever lost, you can orientate by locating that star"
"Are you referring to my lack of orientation?" he asked quite amused and looked at her. A smirk curled her lips as she teasingly replied, "Good that you notice that"
He chuckled and she couldn't help but laugh softly as well. They held gaze, still smiling. As she was aware of her fast beating heart she broke their gaze and looked back up to the sky.
"There is a poem about it. It's called 'Song of the Stars'. But—it's an elvish poem. I guess you don't want to hear it—"
"I guess I can make an exception" he replied and watched her encouragingly.
"Fine, but it's quite long..."
"I have plenty of time..." he chuckled again and she finally nodded.
"Even-time is drawing nigh
And in the fastly dimming sky
Bright Anor sinks her flaming head
And silver Ithil, round and fair,
Ascends once more the starry road
of night, and mighty figures high."
/
"The stars of hrívë, clear and bright
Surround the swordsman of the sky
Arrayed in silver and in blue
Upon his shoulder a scarlet jewel.
Menelvagil, Telumehtar fair,
Shakes his sword at the frostbit air."
/
"And at his feet soars Helluin
Ice-blue fire flickering
A drop of water in a sea of stars
Yet ever bright with silver glow
As seen by Elves awakening
In Cuiviénen, long ago."
She stopped for a moment. He watched her curiously.
"Was that all?" he asked. She shook her head. Carefully he shoved her.
"Then go on, let me hear the rest" he replied and she smiled before she continued.
"Still even then above his helm
Yet at his side Telumendil strode
Sky-friend holding two fair jewels
One of silver, one of gold.
Anarríma near them was set-
The golden crown of Elbereth."
/
"To hail the come of Menelvagil
Arise the Remmirath, the Netted Stars
Jewels blue as the sky by Anar's light
Woven by Varda's silver threads
A sentinel against the might
Of the bull from the east, and his scarlet eye."
/
Ever swinging in the north
The Sickle of the Valar speaks
A mighty challange to the dark
A sign of doom, a sign of hope.
The Wain, The Seven Butterflies
Valacirca reaps the fruit in the skies."
/
And round the sickle lightly flying
Drinking the nectar of the night
In the north and east it flitters-
Wilwarin, the Butterfly.
Her counterpart in lairë soars
Soronúmë, the Eagle lord."
/
And now the seven jewels most fair
Across the sky are wandering:
Wat'ry Nénar and Luinil blue
Carnil, scarlet red as war
Elemmírë and clouded Lumbar,
Alcarinquë, glorious star."
/
And on the edge of night arising
The Mariner sails his glistening ship
Beyond the starlight journeying
Through shades of rose, and silver and blue
Eärendil bears the Silmaril
Star of Hope, and brightest of jewels."
/
"When winter's bite has met its night
And breezes warm from the sea are blown
A white swan lifts its wings to fly
And sails the stars to islands far
As sail the ships of Alqualond
Across the sea by Valimar."
She stopped reciting the poem and Thorin felt the urge to pull her closer but he managed to control himself.
"That was a beautiful poem, Lili—ana"
She suddenly got up again.
"Where are you going?" he asked quite disappointed.
"It's late...you need your sleep, and so do I"
He got up as well and they silently walked back to the accomodation hallway. They stopped in front of her door.
"I'm glad that we could talk without any argument" he said, his eyes glowing in the light of a torch hanging at the wall and she instantly thought about the blue shimmering Silmaril.
"It felt—good, indeed" she replied and felt more than stupid. He smiled at her, but stopped himself from touching her hand.
Instead he said, "Good night, Liliana"
"Good night, Thorin"
She watched him walking down the hallway to reach his own bedroom. That leather fur-coat smoothly moved with every step of him.
'Stop that, Lili!' she chided herself.
Yes, I hope you like it! :-D
Like always: reviews encourage me a lot! ^^