"Goblins?" Beorn asked, looking down at Gandalf as the company followed him through the woods. "O ho, so you've been having trouble with them have you? What'd you go near them for?" Sephira scowled at him as she noticed his eyes on her.
"We did not mean to. They surprised us, while we were resting in a mountain pass." Sephira said defensively, only silencing when she felt Fili squeeze her hand in silent warning. Do not anger the man. Is what it meant, and Sephira closed her mouth.
It wasnt long before they came to a gate, high and broad, beyond which they could see gardens and a cluster of low wooden buildings. Some thatched and made of unshaped logs: barns, stables, sheds, and a long low wooden house. Inside on the southward side of the great hedge were rows and rows of hive with bell shaped tops made of straw.
"Those are the largest bees I think i've ever seen." Gloin huffed, staring at the bees that were flying about and crawling in and out of the hives. Sephira nodded her head in agreement, though said nothing. She was not normally terrified of bees, but these were almost so big that she could ride them.
"Those horses are staring at us." Ori whispered in a low voice, tugging on the back of Sephira's still tattered tunic.
"They can speak to Beorn, Ori. They are watching to make sure we do not try anything." Gandalf said, smiling back at all of them. Sephira stared at one horse in particular, a black and white one with golden eyes that shone in the light. It was a beautiful horse, and seemed to either be the meanest or the leader, for all the rest stayed far away from him. Or was it a her? She did not know.
"It's a he, little Fae." Beorn said from the front, noticing her calculating look. "And he is the leader. The rest of the horses stay away from him in case his temper flares."
"Sounds like a little someone I know myself." Dwalin said, near to where Sephira stood looking at the horse. She shot him a glare, smokey eyes dark as the sun shone from behind her.
"You are lucky you are a frightening dwarf, Dwalin." she called out to him. Dwalin just gave a bellied laugh before following Beorn and Gandalf and the rest of the dwarves towards the large home that was Beorn's. As dwarves filed past Sephira, she finally turned away from the horse that kept looking at her and followed with them, finding herself sandwhiched between Fili and Kili. As usual.
"Is my temper really that short?" Sephira questioned, glancing at each of them. Kili's brows scrunched up, a strange thoughtful noise leaving his throat as he shrugged.
"Kind of." they chorused together, nothing but good natured honesty in their voice. Sephira scowled, arms crossing her tattered tunic. And at the sight, Sephira's head jerked up just in time to see Beorn opening the front door to his house.
"Hey Beorn!" she shouted. The large man haulted, turning his head to look at her with dark eyes.
"What is it, little Fae?" he questioned. Sephira almost commented on his title for her, but desided against it. Being called little fae was far better than being called queen, and he had tried calling her earlier.
"Do you have any tunics that might fit me? Mine is a bit...ruined." she asked, her voice trailing off as she looked at the large man. What was the chance that he would have clothes the proper size for someone as small as her? And she was highly jealous, Sephira realized, of the rest of the dwarves. None of them had a single rip in their clothes. How they managed that, Sephira would never know. Only Thorin had a tear in his clothes, but it was small and nothing major, especially not when compaired to Sephira's.
"I may. Come inside and feast first, tell more of your story, and I will see if I can find some." Beorn said, stepping aside and motioning into his large home. Beorn entered first, followed by the rest of the company, with Sephira and Fili brining up the rear.
Following him in they found themselves in a wide hall with a fire-place in the middle. Though it was summer there was a woode fire burning and the smoke was rising to the blackened rafters in search of the way out through an opening in the roof. They passed through this dim hall, lit only by th fire and the hole above it, and came through another smaller door into a sort of veranda propped on wooden posts made of single tree trunks. It faced south, and was still warm and filled with the light of the westering sun which slanted into it, and fell golden on the garden full of flowers that came right up to the steps.
Beorn showed them to the wooden benches and they all sat down, Sephira having the hardest time next to Bilbo at even getting into them. Poor hobbit had to get a lift from Dwalin, and he still had to climb up into the seat after wards. Sephira jumped, catching the edge of the bench and hoisting herself up onto the seat.
"Shut up and stop laughing." Sephira hissed, elbowing Kili hard in the side. He winced, his breath weezing out as he continued to chuckle. She scowled. Why did he have to be so immature?
"It's not like you did any better." Sephira snapped, arms crossed and head angled away from him. Kili saw the annoyed expression on her face, and he stopped laughing immidiately, a frown taking residence on his lips. She was never noramlly this short tempered. Did it still have to do with her seeing Beorn's naked form? Or was she upset for another reason?
"Seph, are you alright?" Kili asked softly, reaching over and placing his hand on her thigh gently. Sephira's muscles were completely tense, but at his gentle touch, she relaxed, sagging against his side as her eyes slipped closed.
"I'm sorry Kee...I havent gotten a lot of sleep the past few nights, and I have gotten even less food. It is no excuse for being ill tempered, and I am sorry for that...And for elbowing you." she added, opening one eye to look up at the dark haired dwarf that she's loved from such a young age. Kili smiled, leaning his cheek down on the top of her curly hair, shaking his head slightly.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. You should see uncle, he does not look too pleased about Beorn's chatting after him promising a feast." he said, aiming a look directly towards his uncle. Thorin was sitting next to the head of the table, a deep set scowl on his face as he glared at Beorn with heated eyes. Sephira opened her eyes and looked at him, a small laugh building up inside of her. She'd seen how Thorin gets when he is hungry and not given the food he was promised. It was not good.
"Why have you been unable to sleep?" Kili questioned, lifting his head up enough to look down at Sephira, whose eyes were closed once more. She looked so peaceful, and for a moment, Kili could have sworn she was sleeping. But then she let out a sigh, squirming so she was closer to him, and spoke.
"The stars of Frenthrial have been showing me images." Sephira said, voice pitched low so no one other than Kili could hear, seeming as how Fili was in a deep conversation with Ori at the moment. Kili's stomach knotted up at the same time that it dropped, worry making acid turn his stomach.
"What have they been showing you?" he asked. Sephira was silent, a troubled look crossing her previously calm alabaster face. Kili felt sorry for her. He had no idea what it was like to see flashes of the future, but he had heard from his uncle the kind of stress the Queens of Frenthrial went through with them. How painful the glimpses were, how worn out they left you, how terrifying it could be.
"My future." Sephira's voice was so broken, so exhausted and worn that Kili felt a lump form in his throat. But Sephira was not done yet, and she continued to talk in the same tone of voice. "There has been lots of them; showing deaths, new life, how this journey will end. Kili..."
"What is it?" he asked, worry plain in his voice as his black tensed. Sephira fell silent, shaking her head and letting out a sigh.
"I do not want to worry you. Forget I said anything." Sephira said.
"No, tell me. I will worry if you do not." Kili insisted, squeezing Sephira's thigh almost too tightly. Sephira still did not speak, her eyes squeezing shut tightly. And it was not until studying her face for a few minutes that Kili realized that she was crying. Fat tears rolling down her ashen cheeks as her body shook with silent sobs. Kili glanced around to check if anyone else had noticed, but everyone was in too deep of a conversation as animals of all type brought in plates of food and silver dishes.
"This journy may not end well for our family Kili. For any of us. For any of the dwarves. A war is brewing, and we will be caught in the middle of it if we are not careful." Sephira said, her voice thick with tears. A chill ran down Kili's spine, and her gave Sephira's thigh another squeeze.
"Go to sleep Seph, you need it. It'll help you feel better." Kili promised, though he knew nothing could make her feel better after having seen what she did. Kili knew just who she meant by "our family", and he was not relaxed in the slightest about it. He could only imagine how difficult it could be for Sephira, constantly having those glimpses running through her mind. It was no wonder she had not been sleeping.
"Please dont go anywhere." Sephira pleaded, reaching out with one hand blindly and clasping his hand that rested on her thigh. "I do not wish to wake up alone. Nor sleep alone. And tell Fili, please?"
"You wont sleep alone, nor wake up alone. And don't worry about me telling Fili. He heard you." Kili said softly, placing a kiss to the top of her head as he kept his eyes locked on his brother's worried ones. He would have to explain to Fili later tonight, once they were alone and everyone else had fallen asleep.
"Thank you Kee..." Sephira mumbled, and just like that, she slipped into sleep. Her breathing evened out and became deep, her eyes still behind her lids and her slight body weight resting fully against Kili's side. He locked eyes with Fili over her curly hair, and mouthed a silent "I will tell you later" to him. Fili gave a breif nodd before turning his attention to the table. His eyes widened to a conciderable size, his stomach growling so loud he feared it would wake Sephira.
Spread out in front of them were breads and cakes of all types, with butters and honey, fruits and seeds and nuts and food so strange that half of the dwarves could not even name them. But it was a feast, and one far better than the elven feast they were given in Rivendell that shy little Ori dug in without so much as waiting for a "help yourself" from Beorn. But Beorn did not seem to be giving them a go ahead, as he too dug into the food laid out before the company. One collective look around the table, and the rest dug in themselves.
There was not much conversation among the company as they ate until they were stuffed. Kili was careful as he reached for food each time, trying his hardest not to jostle Sephira too much. But that did not seem to be a problem, for no matter how badly she was jostled or her head was shaken or food got thrown her way, Sephira remained in a deep sleep. It was not until much later, when the food was eaten and stomach were full that Sephira began stirring, but she remained asleep. Even as Beorn talked in his loud booming voice and designated rooms and beds to the dwarves, Sephira stayed leaning against Kili's side.
"I've heard talk from your uncle," Beorn began, looking down at Fili, Kili and the sleeping fae, "that you three have trouble sleeping when seperated. Therefore, you three will be sharing a room. Last room on the left, down the hall."
"Thank you." Fili and Kili chorused together. Sephira stirred, a yawn escaping her lips before her eyes fluttered open. She peered up at Beorn with half closed eyes, her lips pursed in a calculating expression.
"Do you have any control over when you turn, Beorn?" she asked. Everyone that was left in the room could hear the exhaust in her voice, but she appeared fully alert as she waited for the skin-changer to answer. Beorn cracked the first real smile any of the company had seen in a while, a soft light entering his dark eyes.
"Yes, little fae, I do have control over it." he answered. "Which reminds me; stay inside tonight. Stray out at your own risk." he said, before turning and disappearing outside.
"That man is the strangest oddity i have ever had the displeasure to meet." Sephira mumbled before closing her eyes again and seemingly falling asleep. Fili grinned, standing up from his seat and turning towards his baby brother and Sephira.
"I wil carry her to bed." he said, in both a questioning voice and one that left no room for arguements. Kili nodded his consent, helping to shift Sephira so she could be scooped up by Fili.
Sephira let out a soft groan as she was lifted away from her section of warmth and pressed against another, strong arms wrapped around her tightly. One arm was under her shoulders, the other under the crooks of her knees. Her arms wound around the neck of who held her, her face pressing into the side of their neck as she inhaled the scent of Fili. She found comfort in them, the heirs of Durin. Her dwarves. No one else could take claim to them, other than Dis and Thorin. Anytime someone else claimed them, they'd have to go through Sephira.
"Dont drop me." she mumbled. Fili's chest shook with laughter, and warm breath rushed across her face.
"I have only ever dropped you once, Seph, and I do not plan on doing it again." he promised, leading them down the hallway and towards the room designated as their's for their stay. Sephira cracked a smile at that, even though it was a frightening memory for her.
It was a time when Kili and Sephira were nearing their teens, and Thorin allowed Fili to take them out for their annual camping trip. Fili had taken them out too far, promising more of an adventure than Thorin would allow them to have. They ran into a pack of Orcs during a hike. There had been a small crevice between the rocks, in which Fili had flung Kili into. He had picked Sephira up after her claiming she would stay, and dangled her over the small opening in the rocks. He didnt give Sephira much time to gather her wits before she was free falling into a dark hole and scrapping her arms on the rocks around her. Kili and Sephira had to huddle down there and listen as Fili faught off the pack of orcs, and then breathed sighs of relief when they heard the familiar war shout of Thorin.
Sephira's eyes shot open with a jolt as she was placed onto a soft surface and the strong arms of Fili disappeared. Her heart hammered in a way that only those freshly woken up could manage, her breath quickening and her muscles shaking. They stood on either side of the bed, shedding their many layers of clothes and kicking off their boots. They both stripped down to nothing more than their trousers, never having been able to do so before, as they had been sleeping in the wilds. Sephira forced her eyes to stay open as she watched them both undress; watched the lean muscles as they shed clothing, followed the line of hair that trailed down and disappeared under the hem of their trousers. She closed her eyes, sighing in content as either side of the bed sank under their weight and she could feel the heat radiating off of them.
"Good night, Seph." they whispered together, a kiss being pressed on each of her temples as they nestled next to her. She gave a sleepy smile, pressing herself closer to the soft, warm flesh of both of her dwarves, slipping back into a peaceful sleep.
I am soo sorry for such the long wait on this update. I just finished school for the summer and it's been none stop finals and tests and projects. But it's all worth it , because I will officially be a senior in high school next year! Woo!
Anyways, thanks for the continued reviews and reads, it means alot to me!