Return to Heritage

by Adeleidhis

This is another story idea I've had for a long time and thought I'd try it out. I'm still using my same old OC Alicia. An islander from a long forgotten island is kidnapped by orc slavers and taken to the lands of Middle earth. A land of fantastical people with fantastical enemies keeping them from their own home.

25. Chapter 25- Random Remedies

Hi my friends! Lookie here, I made a new chapter! I really had a lot of fun writing this one. I really hope you laugh as much as me (if not more) when you finish reading this. XD XD

I also want to remind you of " The Three Readers" Forum. Very fun forum under the "Hobbit Forum" tab. Come join the chat or if you have ideas you want to share for other people's opinions or story help, it's a fun and friendly place to go.

At the edge of the fence line a gangly man had suddenly appeared. " oi lad. How goes the farm work?" He smiled his greasy smile.
Alicia ignored him with a scowl and had begun to walk off.
"Got a message for you from the boss. About our deal of treasure?"
Alicia halted. So he worked for the theives that reqruited her. Slowly she turned back around.
"It's about to be some time now and you got nothin' to show for it. Except we been seein' you talk to other dwarves."
Alicia narrowed her eyes at him.
" You wouldn't be trying to rat us out are ya? We'll have to leave a reminder for you, right where your friends can find it too." He mocked.
Anger burned up inside her. She stalked closer to him as if to whisper something, but instead rammed her palm upwards to his nose, cuasing it to break. "That's my reply for being so presumptuious." she growled out through gritted teeth. " I can't just walk right in the mountain and ask for directions to their treasure dimwit!"
The icky man groaned from pain, looking at his fingers from the small amount of blood thn back at her. He grinned again. " Of course sir. But you think we got years to wait on you? Best be pickin' up yer pace. Or we'll keep sending reminders."
Alicia smacked her teeth, staring the man down. " I'll be sending his messengers back, one peice at a time."
The man simply guffawed as if she was the funniest thing in the world. It could easily make anyone even more angry, but she knew he was trying to bait her. She counteracted with a calm, unblinking stare till he decided to leave.
Alicia glared the whole time, angrily shoveling hay onto a pile. Perhaps she should have knocked him unconcious, tied him to a tree and put honey or something sweet for predators to come after him. Or maybe a dwarf that can turn to a carnivor will eat him. Assuming dwarves even ate people in their animal forms.
She tried not to let it bother her the rest of the day, and thanks to her friends on the farm it was easier. They always had a sort of happier and pleasant air about them.
She got to take some of the crop home as an extra benefit from her job. Everything was fine until she arrived at the house to walk in on a mess. Gimli and Nadhia were cleaning up a broken chair and a couple of broken plates. The couch was turned over and a small table on it's side. " What happened here?" She asked.
"Crooks." Gimli grumbled. " They came in while the lot of us were gone and ransacked the place."
"And we have no idea who exactly did this yet?" Alicia asked as she helped clean up the kitchen.
"Naught but a few wifts of unfamiliar scents." Nadhia replied.
The islander gathered broken shards into a wicker basket. She could hear Oin's muffled voice outside. Peaking out the window, she saw her own favorite spot, ruined. They didn't...
She went to the back porch and her heart sank even lower. Half of he garden was trampled on.

Alicia could only look forlornly at the wreakage. Her hard work, most of it ruined in uneven mounds.
She knew the reason behind this, and it wasn't just becuase people didn't like dwarves. This was the warning the man spoke of earlier.
Gloin walked around the perimeter of the house, looking for clues of the culprits.
"We need to find the scum tha did this and return the favor." Gimli growled.
"We don't know who did this for certain boy." Nadhia said with a strange resigned sigh.
Alicia looked over at her. " You don't seem so bothered by it."
"Of course I'm bothered by it Alicia. I am just not surprised." She bustled as she grabbed the broom to start sweeping. "One of the reasons why we moved here was to avoid this, and still it follows us. We cannot simply go on a hunt for who did this as it will only make us look worse."
"And we can't keep running away. We are not some stray cats to be scatted off whenever people feel like it." Gimli grumbled.
"Then your only option would be to stay here wouldn't it?" Alicia said.
"It's not safe here either." Gimli replied.
"Then, we can make it safe. And standing our ground will look the best for us too. We will not be moved and we will not take the bait either." Nadhia said turning about to look at them pointedly.
Gloin had come back in, face in a deep set scowl. " I had an inkling that your garden might attract more unwanted attention." He said to the sudience regarding him.
"Flowers and herbs? How?" Alicia asked incredulously.
"Becuase it is eye-catching!" Gloin flicked his hands in irritation. " It pretty colors attract more attention and folks thinkin' we're wealthier than we look." He said, eyes wrinkled in anger. Though whether it was ALL geared at Alicia or not she couldn't tell. But the fact that neither Nadhia nor Gimli made any vocal objections, she was beginning to think that it was truly her fualt.
Alicia chanced a glance out the window, she could have swron nearly every other house had flowers too; though maybe not to the same extent as Alicia had done.
"Nearly all our savings, gone." Gloin continued, stealing back her attention. "They did not find every hidden pouch I made, but they did find a substantial sum. And not likely the town guards are gonna be able to recover it."
Now Alicia's stomach dropped. Chancing a glance at Nadhia, even her face looked to have taken a subtle tint of pale tone. The islander's eyes dropped to her own hands. What could she say hat could even try to remedy this? It was one thing for the garden, now Gloin's family had taken a hard hit, all thanks to extendign their house to her. Alicia felt like packing up and moving back to her little shed on the farm, but what remedy was that?
The elder brother had come inside in the middle of Gloin's ranting. He did not have much more to add, not that his own face didn't speak volumes.
Alicia did the only thing she knew to do to help, going to her room, pulling out the floorboard that hid her own savings. Nadhia already knew what she was doing before Alicia had even spoken the first syllable. "No lass. That is your money."
"I know, but this was my fault. And I can just save up again." Alicia was just as quick to retaliate.
"I said no Alicia." Nadhia said firmly. She half glared at Gloin before continuing. " It was not your fault. T'was not anyone's fault. We all know there are still crooks lose out threre and not enough gaurds."
"Not enough gaurds that aren't in cahoose with the crooks." Oin finally added. "There are plenty of gaurds. But half of them get higher pay to turn a blind eye than they are doing their job. The other half can't becuase people are afraid of them." He paused as he surveyed the gathering. "I will bring this matter up with the town master myself. Either he helps or he loses a healer."
Gloin heaved a heavy sigh as he ran a hand threw his hair. He went to the backroom that their washroom was located. Alicia mutely got up to go salvage the back yard until daylgith was nearly gone.
"Alicia." Nadhia stopped her, jerking her head once to her coin purse. " Do not leave here without that."
The islander wanted to throw it on the ground, scatter the coins and make them clean it up so that way they could finally say they earned it too, but of course she didn't.
Looking at her ruined plants forlornly, she wondered if it was even a good idea to fix it back. Wouldn't that just invite more theives again?
Well, it's not like the theives will come back for more money or just to wreck some more flowers. That and the flowers would surely die if they stayed like this too long. So she pulled on her gloves, grabbed the shovel and worked till the last thirty minutes of daylight. Gloin's implication continued to hang over her head. She perhaps should know he was just talking out of anger. So one half of her wasn't so stung by his words, if only becuase he may not even realize how right he was. Alicia so wished she had the mind to run back home the second the sleezeball talked to her that morning. This was a warning and a result of her secret troubles. No, Alicia was not feeling guilty by this, she was seething. They had gone too far and this. meant. war.
Alicia would be spending her savings now on reinforcement plans. She scooped up two practice swords that best resembled her favored instrument, and went into the woods to practice the routine. Why did they have to go and take it that far? No one ever mentioned a time limit.
She struck at invisible enemies, practicing her footwork and swinging. Once she was done beating her frustrations out on invisible enemies, the islander turned back inside to wash up. Gloin had left to report the incident to the gaurds, so the four of them ate a meal that lacked the normal happiness. Although Nadhia did try to mask their worries as bst as possible. Alicia tried to help out by offering to clean or do any chores, but there wasn't much left to do, and she felt more helpless than anything else. She saw Gimli sitting on his bed, fidgeting with an old stuffed animal he must have kept from his early childhood.
"You alright?"
Gimli jerked and stuffed the toy under his pillow. " Don't come in! I was just stretching some sore muscles from a sparing practice earlier!"
It was too late for that though, as Alicia was already standing there. A mirthful smile spreading on her lips at his blustering.
The short redhead turned slowly to eye her. "You saw nothing right?"
" Certainly not you playing with an old toy."
Gimli huffed. "Wish I was here to send those crooks to the rest of the scum where they belong. No one steals from a dwarf."
"I steal rolls from your plate all the time." Alicia half joked.
Gimli grumbled under his breath. She threw an arm around his shoulder. "I don't know if there's anything I can say to make this better, but I am going to try everything I can to help recover the stolen money."
The young warrior threw his own arms around her. He nuzzled her in the familiar way called scent marking. A growl emitted from him when she rubbed circles on his back. His hair sometimes got curly at the ends and she ran her hands through them.
By the sounds of doors closing and the gruff khuzdul, Gloin had returned. The way they spoke sounded as if the three were argueing echoed about the house. It made Alicia want to ink into the cracks of the wood. Gimli stole her attention back to him when his breathing slowed to the steady rythme of a sleeper's breath. Gently she dientangled herself from him to go to her own room to sleep.

- - -

"There's been a new post. This one concerning a troll." Dremard said after a pull from his tankard. " This one concerning a troblesome troll."

"Hmph." Nora grunted after a bite of bread. " Not even a warrior of Rohan woul challenge a troll. What makes anyone think we would?" She grumbled.
"What's a troll?" Alicia asked quietly.
"Horrid monsters. If they don't kill and eat ya then their stench will." Dremard replied. " They stand ten to fourteen feet tall, skin nearly as tough as stone. Not the sharpest of creatures at all but their strength is nearly unmatchable." Dremard replied. " Each of them have their own hoards they stow away in their dens. Treasure of various kinds."
"Treasure?" Alicia asked incredulously. "Like what? Pretty rocks?"
"Aye pretty rocks like diamonds, and jewels. Gold and other valuable artifacts is what they like." Nora empahasized.
Alicia faked a grimace and shook her head at the nonsense. However, in her head was an entirely different track of thought. "Then isn't that really what makes them dangerous? people trying to steal their treasure?"
"They steal their treasure from other unsuspecting victims. Trolls love to eat people, especially those with deep pockets. They only come out during the night or darkened skies much like today. he's probably got his eyes set on the dwarves' hoarded gold so that's why they've posted the task." Dremard added. He was always a neutral sounding fellow who didn't seem to care either way on a lot of things.
Alicia returned ti the job board once more, there were new posts up. Skimming past the ones that she had no interest in she found the page that Dremard mentioned and rippe it from the board.
Indeed there was a nice reward at the bottom and not only that, but the troll hoard that could also be ptoentially there too was so enticing. But just how was this one lone lady going to take down a huge troll?
Alicia looked at the sky. It did look like rain would be coming in any hour now or it was just and overcast. She turned back the forest line. The trees looked ominous in this weather.
Still she made her way out of the town and right up to the edge. Up close the forest looked even more un inviting and another thought just camet mind. How on earth was she going to track down a troll in a giant forest? Maybe it won't be that hard to find a twelve foot blundering monster, maybe it'll find her first. What kind of awful plan was that anyway?
Did she think the thing was just going to give her some of it's hoard? Or was she ging to try and spook it like a frightened squrriel and take a portion of it before he came back? Alicia wandered through tehforest, marking her trail as she went so that she could find her way back. Maybe she could just spy on the creature and think of a better plan once she saw just what she was dealing with.

The troll couldn't have known he was being hunted by a lone woman, but neither did the lone woman know she was being followed by another curious creature. One who was flaberghasted at the madness that this woman was really portaying right now. Going after a troll by herself? Did this foolhearty woman not understand the trouble she was traipsing into? Putting back his eyeglass, determined to sate the curiosity, he had no choice but to follow suit from afar.

Alicia walked on, pondering over random thoughts until something out the corner of her eyes moved. Her breath cuaght in her throat and she quickly ducked back behind the large tree an bushes before she was spotted.
Peeking hrough the leaves she watched this huge mass of grey lumber about until she could make out a form. The creature was juat as Dremard mentioned. Huge, ugly, smelly and made her easily reconsider going back. This was a bad idea. Why wa she even out here and even consider doing this? Quietly as she could she tried to turn around to go back. However just as she took a few steps, the creature behind her shuffled and groaned.
His large head turned this way and that. "What that smell?" He rumbled as he got up. "It...human?"
Alicia froze. uh oh.. The large troll stomped about. " Where you at?" he called out. " What you want?"
Alicia refused to answer. Instead she tried to sneak away

"Oh dear oh my!" Alicia cried out impulsively.
The troll narroed it's beady eyes at her. "Female human? Wut you doin' here?"
" I've lost my way and I don't know wheeere I am!" Alicia went on, spiting out whatever came to her mind. The creature loomed over her. " I uh, I was runnign from bad men, and I've lost my way. Oh dearie me and my leg is injured." SHe went on, over exagheratting the small branch scratch she had gotten on it.
The troll stomped a little closer. " Bad men? BAH! I ain't scare of no bad men."
" Oh you aren't?" Alicia said in mock surprise. " Oh that's wonderful. Do you think you could scare them offfor me? They might still be searching for me."
The troll stared at her then a wicked grin spread axross his face. " Don't worry little thing. I'll get the bad men. But I get you first!" The troll lumbured after her.
Alicia wasited no time in skipping out of his reach, egging him on to follow her. " Oh dear Oh woe is me!" She dramatized.

the troll stopped suddenly as he sniffed again. "Oi.." he said as he looked up. " That not man. That dwarf..." Then he grinned elatedly. " I love dwarf!" And just like that, Alicia was forgottan as the troll turned to search for the 'dwarf'.
Alicia frowned. " wait what? Hey!" SHe called after him. "HEEEEEY!" Alicia turne back around and started after the troll, scooping up a rock she threw it at him. " Don't ignore me!"
Alicia was now runnign after the troll as it did in fact, ignore her. " Get back here! WHat dwarf?"
The troll searched under a tree or behind a large boulder. "I smell dwarf. They my favorite."
"But what about me?" Alicia huffed. " I'm a human! A female human, we're tender and tasty!"
The troll showed no interest though. He snorted at her and continue his search. " Human females don't got no taste! They all bones with barely any meat on them. They not but for making more food. Dwarf is good. Where are you dwarf?"
Alicia gaped at the troll. Really? he was being picky right now? Wasn't he supposed to be starving?
The troll turne to the left, seemingly to have found the location of his new prey. "Mmm, curnchy dwarf..." ALicia scurried up to cut him off.
"Okay troll!" she yelled out at him flailing her hands to catch his attention again. "I'll go get your dwarf! I'll find him faster and bring him to you!"
The troll looked at her expectantly, not having an answer for that and so Alicia didn't wait for one. Turning on her heels into the thicket of the foilage she searched. " Dwarf...dwarf...dwarf.." she huffed. If someone was here they were really ruiing her chances right now.
then behind another moss covered rock, she spotted the culprit.
Yes it was a dwarf. A warmly clad dwarf with familiar white hair and fair skin that watched her with the same surprised expression she had. Alicia started pulling off her old coat. "You!"
Balin nodded. " Aye. Me." His chin raised from his kneeled position as he eyed her like a scolded child, but Alicia was having none of it. Suddenly she bolted and lunged at him suddenly. Balin was stunned as he watched her dumbfounded by her odacity. His quick reflexes buffered the fall to a smooth roll.
"Gimme!" she said in a harsh whisper-yelling.
"Give you...what?!" Balin grunted, stunned by her vigorous attmept to suddenly steal his shoes.
" Gimme these." she gruffed, yanking them off his feet. From there she moved to his coat, tugging at it and his cloak. "Give me this too and this too. Give it to me." She hissed in a rather comicaly aggressive way, like a school bully to another child. Though Alicia did know that he was defintely NOT a child.
After that Alicia took off her own shoes and coat, shoving the articles in his hands.
Weird as it was, the old dwarf seemed to catch on to what she was attempting and he smiled.
"Clever girl. Lead the troll into the sunlight. It will turn him to stone."
To stone? Ooooh, that's why they only came out at night or cloudy days. It finally dawned on her, making her smile a little at the realization. " Oh nooo!" The islander called out. "Oh no he's got me!" She skampered away from Balin's hiding place." He overpowered me and now he's running away to the left!" Alicia threw on the hood of Balin's cloak, hoping it was enough to trick the troll.
By the sounds of thunderous footsteps nehind her it was. Alicia cleared her throat. "That's right ya clumsy dolt! Cath me if ya can Bugger!"
Oh shells that was the worst attempt at mimicing a dwarf she had ever done, albiet the first but it was still awful. Hopefully nobody else heard that but the troll.
"Come 'ere dwarfie!" The troll lumbered after her.
Aliia was quickly running out of steam though, and every time she'd find a ray of sun, just as she'd reach it it would disappear. Some 'higher up' was having way too much fun.
SHe had to stop for her breath until the troll cuaght up easily, then she'd run and finally when her legs were threatening to give out, the clouds moved and the troll was hit with rays of sun from every direction.
Alicia, gasping for breath, stared in shock at the creauture turnign to stone right before her eyes. All was silent until she threw her hands in the air at the victory. " YES! ugh.." The woman fell to the ground, gasping for breath. " Ohh my lord I did it..." She closed her eyes and wille her heart to calm down now that the initial danger was gone.
So now that the troll was gone, that also meant that his treasure belonged to her. The islander really wanted to see if that was true or not. If so, then maybe she'd finally have a pliable solution. In a speed walk, she went back to where she had first seen the troll. The thing wasn't very good at covering up it's own tracks, so she was able to follow it's large footprints around a bend and find a hidden cave. As she approached, a putrid stench attcked her nose.
"Oh gross. Well this must be the troll's cave I found."
"Yes you did." Balin's voice echoed.
"Ah!" Alicia eyes popped open and she flinched in fright at how sudenlly this dwarf seemed to materialize all of a sudden.
Said dwarf stood not far from her, greatly amused smile on his face reaching right up to his twinkling eyes. He casually walked out from the shade of the tree he was under to stand in front of her, blocking her from gaining entry. This simple movement had her a little on edge. Did he know what she was after and wanted it for himself? What if he was even working for the theives...well that was a little ridiculous but her wariness was undeniable, and she schooled her face so as not to show anything more than inquisitiveness.
"Brave, or foolish. Some would say it's one in the same." Balin smiled. " Either way, I owe you thanks."
"You owe me money!" She grumped in a half joking manner at him.
Whether he took it as a joke or not Alicia couldn't tell. Maybe not if his lips suddenly turned down.
"What on earth possesed you to pursue a cave troll by yourself, and with not one weapon?" He said in a concerned voice, changing the subject.
Alicia stood in the awkward silence debating on how much of her stupidity she really wanted to admit. " I needed the money." Was the best thing she could come up with.
"So much so that you needed to put your life in danger?" He inguired slowly.
"Yes." Alicia quipped. She couldn't explain to him her situation, so let him draw up whatever judgement he wanted. it didn't matter, but it made her eye him suspiciously. "Were you following me this whole time? Did you set this up? Why?"
Balin stood there calm and collective. " I did not set this up at all. I was told the task for the troll had been taken. Since it is my duty to see it was done fully and paid for, I came to witness if it was true. I did not have high hopes anyone would actually take it."
Alicia still frowned at him. It sounded like a fabrication to her. She reached inside her under shirt and pulled out the folded parchment. Sure enough at the bottom was a signature, Balin, son of Fundin. "Oh."
Her eyes glanced back up at the dwarf that still stood patiently, watching her with an almost smug thin smile. "You must have to write a lot." She could tell by the curvy chicken scratch of his signature.
"A day in my life my lady. Now that I've witnessed your skill, perhaps you'd be interested in a job?" Balin clapped his hands together once. " I've in need of someone with good spy skills you see. And I do believe you fit the part."
"Oh?" Alicia replied, watching his enthusiasm.
"Aye. You'll move into Ered Luin. I'll have you meet with our spy master and you'd get a steadier pay than what you earn now I'll wager." Balin went on. " Interested?"
"In Ered Luin... what are the terms?" Alicia wasn't quite as elated as the scholarly dwarf was.
"You take an oath in front of our king Thorin, that any secrets of ours you're exposed to you must not share them. Nothing to be frightened of just a simple oath of secrecy is all." Balin went on with a smile that made a few wrinkles appear on his face.
That oath though, was what she was afraid of. "Hmm, no. I'm sorry I have to refuse."
Balin's face dropped. "Refuse? I thought you were looking for a new job."
"Uh yes, it's just, some things came up suddenly. Human things." She dusted herself off.
"Human things?" Balin parroted slowly. The way he was watching her, Alicia knew he was not an easy fellow to fool.
"Yes. Important human urgencies that need my attention first. And money." Alicia bumbled along on her words.
The dwarf didn't look the least bit convinced, but thank the heavans he didn't press it. Balin sighed, his wrists flicking to the side idly as he slowly started her way. " Well, I suppose there's nothing else for it then. Since I cannot convince you otherwise..."
The closer he came the more tense she grew. His hand drifted to a large belt pack at his side where he produced from it a smaller tied pouch that jangled with the obvious sound of coins. Balin held it out at arm's length to hear with another sincere smile. " Your pay for killing the troll."
Inwardly releasing a breath of relief, she smiled back and accepted the pay. "Thank you." Alicia replied.
The old dwarf's smile remained as he dipped his head.
"One last matter." Balin added just before she left, making her tense again. However,
he merely gestured to her attire. "My clothes?"
Oh. that's right. The woman looked down at her now mix matched attire. Her eyes flickered up to his with a hint of mischevious mirth. "You know what I rather like them. Maybe I'll keep them." She wrapped her arms around herself in her empty, playful threat.
"Why would you want to keep a male dwarf's attire?" Balin asked rubbing the pad of his thumb on his jawline.
Alicia, having too much fun of it, balled her fists in front of her to strike a wrestler's pose. "Makes me feel tough, like a hero."
The old dwarf's head tilted back in reaction to his soft laughter. "Alright fine, if you want it so. I must have my eyeglass back however. It's in the inside pocket on the left side."
Alicia dug around until she found it. " Aaaw how cute." She mused as she handed it over.
Balin chortled, finding a new home for it while Alicia moved into the cave.
She knew he was watching her still as she walked around, precariously stepping inside the small cave to explore it. The smell that that plagued her nose made her want to hold her breath and go in and out like she was goig under water. It wasn't hard though, to find the valueables that the troll had kept gaurded. In the far back corner as indeed four chests, one left open to see the treasure inside. Alicia kneeled by them, contemplating her plan of action and what to do with the rest if she had any. Maybe she could use it to pay a trip over the sea finally. Perhaps there was enough to even buy her own boat all to herself. Alicia picked up a medium sack that took both her hands to lift, weighing it experimentally in her hands. She saw the dwarf, his own face wrinkled in disgust as he stood at the mouth of the cave. Their eyes had met once again and it left her feeling as if she was being scrutinized. She didn't like it one bit.
"The troll has not been in these parts for long. He was alone, but that does not mean danger is not still afoot." Balin broke the silence. His statement was highlighted by the way he serveyed the area, searching for anything that didn't seem to belong.
Was he still here becuase he was watching for more danger, or watching her? Alicia wondered. He saw it through as a witness, got her answer, and he did agree on the clothing exchange. What was he searching for? It was enough to make her want to be out of there even faster (as if the smell wasn't motivation enough). The problem was, where else was she going to stow the chests? Even if it wasn't enough money for her plans it was still a really good jump. Her eyes drifted once more to Balin's back that was turned to her. He was casually stepping away from the cave, head still rotating back and forth.
The islander suddenly stood up to follow him. "Mister Balin?"
When she caught up to him, she held out another big bag of money to him. " Here. For you too."
His face expressed clear surprise again, looking between her and it. " You don't have to share your hard earned treasure with me. Did you not say you neeed the money?"
All Alicia really had in responce to that was shoulders shrugging.
Balin had a thin smile on his face. "Keep it lassie. For your 'human things'."
"But I would feel better if you took some." She pressed. "You could put it towards new clothes since I took these ones."
Balin watched her again, for an unsually longer time than usual, like a whole four seconds instead of one or two. Until finally, his features softened into an almost fond grandfather or kind old neighbor look. " Most generous of you miss..."
"Technically, by coming out here too you also risked your life." Alicia replied, ignoring the unfinished hint at the end of his sentence, with a subtle shoulder shrug again after handing it to him and backing away to finally leave him be.
"I never got your name." Balin said before she walked off.
Alicia paused in hesitation. He already knew she worked under the disguise as a man, so why not?
Even though all dwarves knew how to keep secrets, but only when it came to their own. So was it wise to share her own with this particular dwarf? He already knew she was a woman disguised as a man.
"It's Alicia." She said quietly, taking the risk.
"Alicia." Balin breathed out. "Where are you from? Why do you hide?"
The lady was happy about his want to learn more about things. Sadly, she couldn't tell him everything. A sad, tight lipped smile was on her face.
Balin still waited for her to answer, but upon realizing he would get none, his shoulders sagged. "Human things?"
"Human things." Alicia affirmed quietly.
The dwarf hummed as he still had that look of scrutiny. Alicia didn't feel like standing there watching him ponder this time. She turned on her heel to go back to the cave.
"Alright. Fair enough." Balin concluded. "Farewell then." The dwarf waved goodbye, polietely grinning as if all was normal, hefted the bag over his shoulder and dissappeared swiftly into the thickets of the woods.
"Farewell." Alicia bade quietly, watching him go. Now she was once again alone in her thoughts and her plans. Each chest was at least half full of coins with figures that were foreign to her. So many ideas of how she could make her loved ones happy flitted through her mind as she juggled her next moves.

MONEYYYYY! XD Yes this last part was the most fun to write. You know I love to hear from you. Weather you were having a bad day and this made it better or you just had fun reading it, I'm happy all the same. Ya'll have an awesome Holiday now!