Silent songs

From Rivendell, it did not take long before they reached the shadows of the Misty Mountains and started to climb the hills ever higher. They all found themselves to be quite rested and relaxed greatly as they once more started to sing while they travelled.

Also Clara, despite her thoughts of leaving the company, quickly became more open and talkative, something they all appreciated.

As she told them of her returning memories and she remembered things she had used to do back home, they tutored her in things that could be good to know. Fili helped her with her sword, Thorin with her bow. Ori let her borrow his sketchbook to draw sketches of the other dwarves and Oin taught her the basics of healing. Bombur and Gloin helped her with cooking and fire-making and Bofur taught her to play a simple song on his flute.

Balin told her stories of the Lonely Mountain and Erebor and showed her their planned route on one of his maps, while Dwalin let her try out his axe, something that did not end very well. The dwarf was a bit taller than her and a great deal stronger and she therefore had a hard time even lifting the weapon from the ground.

Nori, Dori and Bilbo told her of the secrets behind regular meals, something they all enjoyed, and that the girl found very amusing.

Kili was the only one that did not teach her anything or helped her develop one of her old skills. He was not unfriendly, but he kept his distance and did not speak to her more than he was forced to. He was not heartbroken, but he still did not like the way she had treated him and then moved on as if nothing had happened.

The days passed and the Mountains marched closer for every day that went by. On the third day, they could already see the beginning of a small forest that covered the roots of one of the first Mountains and on the fourth, they set up camp on the edge of a cliff on the same Mountain.

That night, the dwarves was extra cheerful, as they cooked three rabbits that Clara had succeeded with shooting as they had passed through the forest bellow, and they sang songs of their home that came closer every day.

"Oh, cheerful fire, can you see it?

The Mountains are marching

Closer for every day that passes.

Oh, cheerful fire, can you hear it?

The snow is melting

Tumbling down the slopes.

Oh, cheerful fire, can you smell it?

The caves are calling

Calling us to the depths.

Oh, cheerful fire, can you taste it?

The fire of the dragon is closer

Closer than ever before.

Oh, cheerful fire, can you hear it?

The happiness of Erebor

As the dragon lays slain by its gates."

The song caused a shiver to travel down Clara's spine, and she pulled her cloak closer around her where she sat by the fire. The dwarves were so excellent when it came to making up songs. She could never match that.

Bending her head down and clutching a piece of coal in her hand, she looked at the piece of parchment resting in her lap. On the creamy white, a drawing of one of the dwarves was slowly forming. She did not yet know exactly which one of them it was supposed to be, but she guessed she would figure that out as soon as she had to start on the beard. Then it would show well enough.

"That looks very good." Bilbo, sitting next to her, leaned closer and smiled softly.

"It does, yes. I believe he will like it very much." Fili on her other side, grinned and met her gaze.

"Who will like it very much?" Frowning suspiciously, Clara put the coal down and started to roll the parchment together to put it back in her backpack.

"My brother", came the reply from the blonde dwarf.

"That is not Kili", hissed Clara, a blush climbing her cheeks as she rose from her spot and clutched the coal in her hand. "I have no idea who it is supposed to be, but it will not be him." She shook her head, almost a bit angry. She was not going to draw Kili. He did not deserve it after the treatment he gave her. He was like a grumpy five year old that had lost his favourite teddy bear.

"Say what you like." Fili chuckled and exchanged a quick look with Bilbo, as Clara looked towards Kili, seated opposite the fire. She hated the fact that no one else than they knew what had happened between them and that the others thought they were just shy when it came to speaking to one another.

"I will." Clara stomped of towards Ori and threw the drawing on the ground next to her backpack as she passed it. Fili clearly needed to check his eyes.

"Hello there Miss Clara." Ori smiled brightly as she threw herself down next to him and gave him the coal. "How is your latest work coming along?" He closed the book he had been writing in and put it down on the ground next to him.

"Not very well, to be honest." She sighed, the rage slowly leaving her. "I am having trouble with whom I want it to be." She shrugged her shoulders and watched as Bombur started to hand out the cooked rabbits.

"Ah, yes, I usually have that problem too, but I am sure it will be clear before long. Otherwise I am here to help." Ori smiled and gripped the bowl he was offered, watching as Clara did the same.

"Thank you, Ori." She smiled back and picked up the spoon resting in the bowl, as she smelt the dinner. It smelled even better than usual. "And thank you Bombur", she called after the fat dwarf as he sat down with his own bowl.

Receiving a nod in reply, she started eating, engaging herself in a conversation with Ori and Dori.

After dinner, the dwarves once more took up their singing and this time Clara joined they merrily, as they did a rerun of "Blunt the Knives", the song they had sung so long ago in Bilbo's house. Bilbo, still not very amused by that they sung of ruining his house, did not look very pleased with it, but he did not say anything about it.

"Can you not sing us a song of your people?", Bofur called from across the fire.

"Yes, do that, Clara!" Ori smiled and nodded quickly, agreeing nods coming from all around. They had not yet heard any of the songs of her people. They did not know from where she came, for she had not told them, but they were still eager to learn what she knew.

"Oh, no, I do not think I should."The girl smiled softly, while shaking her head. She was not sure if she was going to be able to teach them a song that they would understand. Her universe was, after all, so very different from this one. The songs she usually heard would be so odd to the dwarves.

"Come on now, lass." Balin smiled encouraging from where he sat next to Thorin. "It cannot be that bad, can it?"

She sighed deeply, her mind searching for a song she knew. It had to be one that she could do justice without instruments and things like that.

"I suppose I have one that would be suitable. We have quite odd music from where I am from, but I believe this one would be working well now. I cannot say I will do it justice without any instruments, but I will try my best." She took a deep breath, her eyes travelling over the gathered dwarves and the hobbit and then closed her eyes, the words flashing through her thoughts as she opened her mouth to start singing. First a bit shyly, then more strongly as the sudden sound of the dwarves' instruments carefully joined in.

"I was looking for a breath of life

A little touch of heavenly light

But all the choirs in my head sang

No oh

To get a dream of life again

A little vision of the start at the end

But all the choirs in my head sang

No oh

But I needed one more touch

Another taste of heavenly rush

And I believe, I believe it

So oh oh

And I needed one more touch

Another taste of divine rush

And I believe, I believe it

So oh oh."

Choking on her words, she stopped, opening her eyes once more as the instruments quieted down. The song had brought up so many feelings in her and she felt rather stupid as tears rose in her eyes. "I am sorry", she murmured, looking up quickly to see the dwarves and Bilbo watching her in silence. "That is not all, but I do not think I can finish any more of it." She bit her lip as she looked up, her eyes meeting a pair of brown ones across the fire. Even though she had not intended it to be, she had made the song about her own mistakes. How she had given up the light Kili could give her to the darkness of loneliness.

"That was very beautiful. Thank you, Clara." Thorin sighed and rose slowly. "Now, it is time for us to get some sleep. Kili and Clara, you two will take the first watch." With that, the entire company got up to leave for their well-needed sleep.

"Sleep well, Ori." Clara smiled towards the dwarf, as he gave her his sketchbook and some coal to help her keep herself occupied guarding.

"Same to you, Miss Clara. When your guarding is finished, that is." Ori bowed, before he turned and headed towards the place where his and Dori's packs rested.

Clara watched as the dwarves all got ready to sleep and as the silence fell once more, she opened up the sketchbook on an empty page and started her sketching.

Across the fire, Kili lit his pipe and watched as the girl leaned over the book in her lap. He had seen little of what she had done and he knew she was almost as good as Ori. While Ori more sketched their surroundings, she was taking turns on the dwarves. She had drawn nearly all of them by now, both by themselves and sitting all together around the fire. All except him.

Sighing, he let his eyes study her face, her brow frowning in thought. He hated the way he was not able to speak to her any more without getting angry about what she had done. She had feelings too and he guessed it must have been hard for her to turn him down. They were friends after all and he knew many friendships had been ruined by a relationship. The least he could do was to try and preserve their friendship.

So he rose silently and walked around the fire, seating himself next to her on the ground. His eyes met hers as she looked up and a hesitating smile rested on his lips.

"You know, if you want to, you can draw me." He did not know from where the courage came, but suddenly he had spoken and he found her looking back at him in surprise.

"Oh." She bit her lip, a hand lifting to brush a strand of her hair out of her face. "I suppose I could give it a go." She smiled back carefully, turning the page of the book, so that a new, white one was shown. "Do not hate me if I mess it up. I might do that."

"I could never hate you, Clara." The serious look in his eyes told her that his words was about so much more than a drawing.

"Even though you would have reason for it", she asked carefully, brushing another strand of blonde hair away. Gosh, why did it have to be so annoying?

"Not even then." He smiled, a hand stretching out to brush her hair behind her ear. "You know, if you want to, I could braid your hair while you sketch. Believe it or not, I am actually quite good at it." He chuckled softly and she smiled once more.

"I suppose they all need some help with all those beards once in a while." She nodded towards the sleeping dwarves.

"They do, actually." He moved closer, carefully, and met her gaze. "So, what do you say?"

"I suppose it could not hurt." She smiled, a blush creeping up her cheeks as he seated himself behind her, his chest mere inches from her back.

"Good." His soft hands brushed through her hair and carefully, they started to braid parts of it into smaller braids, while she leaned back against his chest and started sketching. The fact that nothing more than this could ever happen between, did not matter right then. They would at least always be friends that could braid each others hair.

Author's note: Here's another part, on the last day of June, and I really hope that you like it :) I got a rush of ideas and felt like writing this, including the song the dwarves sing. I created that and I felt so proud when I realised it. The other song is not of my creation, though. The song Clara sings is "Breath Of Life" by Florence + the Machine, so credit for the lyrics is theirs. If you listen to it while reading that part, remember that Clara does not have the choir or the modern instruments. Just her voice and the few instruments of the dwarves (Pretty much only flutes and harps, maybe a drum too), so it's a bit of an acoustic version.
Anyway, you are all amazing, your reviews are the best thing ever and I really hope you have something to say about this part, the story or any of the characters, no matter if it's good or bad! :) 3