Yawning widely with my hand slapped over my mouth, my hair as messy as a bird's nest and my eyes filled with sleep I padded softly into the kitchen for breakfast the next morning. It didn't seem like anyone else was as sleepy as I was, in fact, they all looked bright eyed and bushy tailed which was just plain irritating.
"Morning Zai!" Kili's cheerful voice drew attention to my entry that I really could have done without given the state of me.
The dwarves little grins were enough to let me know I looked as bad as I thought I did.
Bloody morning people.
"Mornin' Kils." I yawned deeply again as I slid into a spot between him and Fili. "You look better."
He grinned at me like the Cheshire Cat. "I feel it."
Conversation apparently over, Kili began shovelling food into his mouth as I assumed he'd been doing before I had made my, (oh so gorgeous), presence known. I rubbed a hand across my face, making an effort to try and wake myself up and failing miserably.
"Urgh." Letting my head flop onto Fili's shoulder I groaned, "I hate mornings."
Lifting his arm and tucking me into his side, Fili placed a light kiss on the top of my head and smiled sweetly down at me.
"What do you want to eat? Breakfast will make you feel better!" Bombur announced from the end of the table.
Now, if I'm honest, Bombur is the type of person that thinks food makes anything better but I could totally see where he was coming from with this one. A good dose of energy was just what I needed.
"Anything. Any sort of food would be totally awesome."
My eyes fluttered closed as I heard Bombur humming to himself while he cooked. I tried to comb my fingers through my tangled hair but found it was nearly impossible with all the knots.
Wincing as I got my hand stuck on a particularly nasty one, I felt someone grip my wrist. "Just leave it Mimur."
I considered Fili for a second, how he constantly looked so put together amazed me. "Alright for you to say, you didn't have to see me in the mirror when you woke up and you always look great anyway. I look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards."
Ori frowned at us from across the table. "You look like what? Why would you know what you looked like then?"
I shook my head at him a small smile playing around my lips. "It's just an expression Ori."
His forehead creased in a frown. "What an odd expression."
A rough hand cupped my cheek and my gaze drifted to meet Fili's as he lightly trailed a thumb over my jaw. "I can't imagine awaking to anything better. You're always beautiful to me Mimur."
"I take it they don't have opticians in Middle-Earth then because I look dreadful."
His lips quirked at my reply. "You are deluded woman." His hand shot out making me flinch because I didn't expect it. When I did look down, I saw he had blocked my plate from skidding off the end of the table. "Breakfast is served Milady."
I lazily rolled my eyes. "Milady." I snorted, sitting up straighter and beginning to dig in. "Who even says shit like that?"
Anyone, in my opinion, who hasn't had one of Bombur's breakfasts, is missing out. It's got to be true what they say, the whole 'never trust a thin chef' thing, because not only did Bombur like food but he could bloody cook a breakfast better than anyone in the history of…everything! (With the proper ingredients).
"Bombur my man that was banging!" I proclaimed, filled with energy after a nice hot breakfast. Bombur studied me quizzically for a few seconds, "You don't know what that means do you?" I asked a little let down that my peculiar ways of speaking still affected the dwarves.
He shook his head apologetically and I sighed, oddly downcast. "It's cool man. It means that was really great, thanks." I gave him a weak smile.
It's quite disheartening really, that they still don't understand me sometimes.
"Well…" Thorin's voice rolled across the table like thunder, he always sounded so loud and in control. "In the spirit of your speaking fashions I was wondering if you could do us all a 'solid' today Zalia?"
Honestly, after hearing the term 'do us a solid' leave Thorin's mouth, with the use of my air quotes and everything, I was hardly going to say no.
"Sure, what did you need?"
Anything but shopping… It's probably shopping.
"Fili and I will be going to meet with the Master of Laketown after a stroll around the market for supplies, so somebody needs to do the shopping."
I knew that was coming.
"Totally, no problem. What are the rest of you up to?" I asked, wondering why it always seemed to be me doing these 'womanly' tasks.
"We need to put our packs together, train, the usual." Dwalin replied.
"And the lad and I will be staying in." Oin added, "I do not want to upset the healing process when time is of such importance."
I nibbled at my thumbnail as I thought it all through. "I'll come with you lassie."
I can always count on Bofur.
"Thanks mate. Company would be awesome."
I tugged at my hair in the mirror, I'd told Bofur, Thorin and Fili I'd only be a few minutes but getting the knots out was proving harder than I thought it would, even with a brush.
That's what you get for neglecting it for so long.
"Shut up." I muttered to myself or, more specifically, that annoying voice in my head as I tried to drag the brush through my hair. "Just go through already!"
A chuckle from the doorway stopped my mild complaining and I turned to see Fili stood, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe.
"You know you have to stop popping up like that. It's very unnerving." I told him, tugging once more at my hair and letting out a little whimper when it wouldn't brush out.
Strolling up behind me, a little satisfied strut to his step, Fili took the brush out of my hand. "What are you-"
"Be quiet Mimur." He murmured cutting me off, gently taking hold of a section of hair and combing out the knots, "Let me help you."
"I can do it myself you know."
He smirked at me, "Looked like it." I scowled. "No honestly, I know you can, I want to help. I enjoy caring for you."
Rolling my eyes I retorted, "Don't get used to it buddy." Before allowing him to get on with it. I am dismayed to admit he had my hair feeling like silk in about two minutes flat.
"How did you do that?" I asked as we trudged down the stairs.
"I have magic hands." And with a cheeky wink he hopped down the last few steps to land next to Thorin.
As it turned out, when Thorin mentioned strolling around the market, Bofur and I were not invited. In fact we were sent the complete opposite way.
"What the hell man?" I demanded when Fili and Thorin had left. "What's so secret that we're not allowed to see what they're buying?!"
Bofur snickered, "Did it ever occur to you that perhaps Fili wants to buy the materials to make your first courting present?"
"Well… no. No it did not." I pondered on this for a few seconds, "Does that mean I should buy the materials to make his?"
Twirling the side of his moustache in his hand Bofur nodded, "I would say so."
I frowned. "What do I make him?"
Shaking his head slightly at my ridiculous lack of knowledge Bofur replied, "Let's get the shopping first, we can come back and worry about that later."
It was with this in mind that we ambled around the market in the afternoon. We'd done the shopping and it had taken two trips between us to get everything on Bombur's list so I was, in a way, quite glad of the orcs appearance the day before. Lugging all that back on my own would have taken forever.
After walking round roughly six times I was getting a bit desperate for inspiration. "Remind me again why you're not helping?" I asked Bofur as we turned the corner.
"Because it has to be a gift from the heart, you have to do it yourself. If I helped it would be meaningless."
"So basically, because if you help I'm cheating?"
Bofur nodded and I huffed crossing my arms over my chest.
Well that's fucking stupid! How am I meant to… OH!
A tiny stall that I'd not really taken an interest in before suddenly caught my attention. It had all different kinds of leather and sewing equipment on, and the leather looked beautiful. A light tan coloured brown which would suit Fili's complexion perfectly without looking too hard or harsh. I wandered over leaving Bofur admiring different woods and knives.
What could I make with leather?
"Anything in particular dear?" The little old lady running the stall made me jump.
My hand crashed to my chest with a 'Christ almighty' as I attempted to calm my breathing. She smiled at me, grey curly hair surrounding a round face with sparkling green eyes. I grinned back, oddly she reminded me of Mrs Weasley.
"I…I'm just looking." I stuttered as I ran my eyes over the leathers on the table.
She shook her head, curls seeming to caress her face as she chuckled. "You need this one."
Taking me completely off guard she handed me the large piece of tan leather I'd just been admiring, then she stopped surveying me, face set. I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.
"Well how much-"
"And these." This time she dropped a few sewing needles into my hand and a large spool of thick dark brown thread, along with a few clasps. "This." She added plier like tools, "And finally this." She handed me a large knife. It was very handsome, the blade looked spectacular and the handle was firm and sturdy, metal with a little wooden plaque on the front and back.
"I … How much?"
Shaking her head the woman picked up a small pug dog from behind the stall and I realised this must be the Mrs Willows Bard had told me about.
"Nothing."
I gaped. My mouth fell open and I just gaped. "But… this must be worth a fortune."
"And I'm sure the person the gifts are for is worth a fortune more…" Smiling and showing a set of yellowing teeth she continued. "Save your money, enough hard work will go into these raw materials as it is."
How she knew I was going to make gifts with them I don't know. Mysterious old biddy. I tried to give her the stuff back, I really did, but I quickly found out that an old woman with a leather stall and a tiny pug dog can be just as terrifying as a crazy old cat lady.
"Bofur, I'm ready to go back now." I tapped him on the shoulder and he turned, his arms about as full as mine, looking decidedly woeful. "You alright mate?"
"I think I spent all me money lassie."
A laugh spilled from my mouth, high and free, almost childlike as we rambled back to the house with our spoils. When we got in I headed straight up the stairs and dumped my shopping on my bed before skipping back down. For my idea to work, I was going to need to find Ori.
"Zai."
"Yeah Kils hi, hi…" I waved him off, barely paying him any attention at all before turning back with a frown. "Do you know where Ori is?"
"What do you need Ori for?" Kili asked looking almost offended as he lounged on the sofa.
"None of your beeswax, where is he?"
"I think he's out there." Kili gestured his hand in the direction of the door to the kitchen with a slight huff.
I bounced over and pecked his cheek making him turn quite red as his eyes went as wide as saucers. "Thanks Kili!" And with a beaming smile I continued into the kitchen.
It seemed this whole idea about making up packs and training and what not that they had talked about this morning was a lie, because every single one of them was sat doing nothing. However I was in much two good spirits to be bothered by that now.
"ORI!" I practically jumped the poor dwarf.
"Zai?" He sounded a little frightened and a bit uncertain.
I plonked myself down in his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck fluttering my eyelashes as I looked up at him. "You couldn't do me a total solid could you?"
Gulping he flicked his eyes along the table before back to me. "Well that depends… what do you want?"
"Come on!" I grabbed his hand and yanked him up, dragging him out of the room I said. "I'll show you!"
Ori you total legend, it's perfect!
Squealing with delight I hid the two presents I had made for Fili under my blankets, they had turned out better than I could have hoped. It was hard for me not to just run down and show everyone what I'd accomplished but I didn't want anyone to see, they were for Fili so Fili, in my mind, should be the first to see them.
It was dark by the time I'd finished and I suddenly remembered my promise to go and see Bard, I was just about to open the door when I remembered Kili's little reality check about how my actions would affect Fili. Turning from the door, I decided to find Fili and ask him if it was okay to go.
"Anyone know where Fili is?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen.
"He and Thorin are still out." Gloin answered.
I frowned, "Okay…" Well if I can't ask Fili, next best option, I'll ask Kili. "Well I'll just go talk to Kili then-"
"You will not! On pain of death does anyone disturb that lads rest this week!" Oin's outburst made me tumble backwards into the wall.
I wasn't expecting that.
Deciding it was best just to blow Bard off, not wanting to risk another argument or embarrass myself by asking the whole company what to do I left the room. As I flopped down into an armchair I noticed Bofur, all hunched over by the fire, whittling.
"Hey Bof." I called, he didn't even really flinch in his actions.
"Yes Zai?"
"Is it alright for me to go and visit Bard? Like… is that acceptable?"
"Mhmm, it's good Zai."
Really? Well who wouldda thunk it!
"Can I go on my own?"
"Sure, sure."
"And do I have a time I should be back? Not that I plan on anything inappropriate happening but yanno, just so I know."
"Nah, do what you like."
"Alright thanks!"
Rather pleased I didn't have to upset Bard when he'd been so kind and helpful towards us… me mostly but still, I wrapped my cloak around myself and set off from the door whistling a merry tune.
Bofur was nearly where he wanted to be with this little figure he just had to…. Aha! He'd got it, the eye detailing was now precisely right. Leaning back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face, the little figure resting lightly in his hand, he was feeling quite pleased with himself. Now finally it was ready to give to Zai, even though he'd promised her it all that time ago. In all the excitement he just hadn't had time to finish it.
Stretching and popping his back, he decided to get up and find her right this minute. She'd been a good friend to him and he her, but he thought it would be nice for her to have a token from this world from the dwarves, something that wasn't practical at all, just trivial… just because.
It wasn't until he was about to climb the first stair that it occurred to Bofur that Zai wasn't in. She'd asked him something… something about going out and if she had to be back on time, if she had some sort of curfew. How ridiculous of course she didn't, why would she ask such a thing? He scratched his head.
It took a second more of pondering. "Oh no." Bofur muttered, letting his head fall into his hands. "What have I done?"
I found I could navigate my way back to Bards house a hell of a lot easier than I could navigate my way around Rivendell.
Looks like I'm still hard-wired to human structures.
It seemed as if it took no time at all for me to get there. I took the stairs slowly and carefully considering they were those sorts that have holes in between.
Man I would have taken these two at a time before.
With a shake of the head in slight frustration I knocked on the door. Bard opened it instantly.
"You're late."
How very rude.
"I am not late, you are merely early. Anyway," I said stepping around him and into the house. "You never specified a time. Just the day after next."
He grinned at me. "You do sound an awful lot like my wife sometimes, it is a wonder you are not human." Shutting the door he gestured over to the table.
"Yeah, yeah." I replied. "All down to experience really." Taking a seat I crossed my arms and fixed him with a stare. "So what's this about?"
"They must not awaken that Dragon."
You don't say.
"Believe it or not, we don't intend to wake it, not until we're good and ready to take it out. Any time before, would be madness." I informed him sounding oddly bored.
Bard opened a cupboard and retrieved two glasses and about four bottles of what looked like an alcoholic beverage, sitting down opposite me he uncapped the first large bottle and poured us both a drink. It smelled suspiciously like whiskey.
"You can't seriously be intending to go with them." His eyebrows rose with his voice, disbelief etched into his features.
I raised my own eyebrows in a challenging sort of manner, "You can't seriously be insinuating I don't."
"Zalia that family…" He took a large gulp of his drink downing it in one, and I took the opportunity to do the same. "That family…" He continued filling both glasses again. "Are prone to madness."
"Madness how?" I probed.
I knew Thorin's Dad had apparently gone a little bananas but Thorin didn't really seem like the type.
"Madness of the brain, a sickness if you will." Once again he downed his glass and I copied.
When they were both full again, the amber liquid looking more and more appealing by the second, I asked, "What sort of sickness?"
Bard pursed his lips and ran a hand over his chin in a rather thoughtful manner. "Dragon Sickness."
At my quizzical look, after we finished the drinks and poured new ones once more, "An obsession with gold, jewels, everything shiny."
"Like a fuckin' magpie." I murmured, finishing off my fourth drink and eyeing the bottle, "What do you expect me to do about it?"
The top of the bottle chinked with the glass as he poured another drink. "Prevent it, keep them away from the dragon or stay away from it yourself…" Fixing me with a sombre look he continued. "I meant what I said, death and ruin are what lie in that mountain."
"But do they have to be?"
Sighing and then narrowing his eyes in a thoughtful manner he said, "I do not believe they do. Not so much anymore."
"If I thought… we could get hurt, things could go terribly wrong somehow but that does not mean that we cannot rebuild from ruin. Sometimes, that paves a better future. You have to make your own mistakes sometimes…" I trailed off as I threw back my head finishing another drink. "And normally you are much better off for it."
Just like I am, since making mistakes which affected Fili and I, thanks to Kili, everything is much, much better.
Bard grinned, "If anyone else had said that to me Zalia Lucas I would have called them a fool…" He rubbed his chin in thought again. "But for some reason when you say it, it makes sense."
"It's all about having the right balance, the right people, the right time."
"And do you think you have the right balance, the right people… that your time, this time is right?"
I trailed a hand through my hair, which was somehow just as soft and unknotted as when Fili brushed it this morning.
"I hope so."
He clicked his tongue and nodded at me, solemn looks adorning both our faces, we drank.
Bofur meant to tell Fili what he'd done as soon as he returned. He really did. But when Fili asked where Zalia was, when Bofur saw the look on his face; the love and adoration mixed with a protective spark… well he just couldn't do it.
He thought perhaps if he gave himself sometime to build up to it, to bring out the courage he was going to need to explain exactly what he'd done to his friend then he would be able to tell Fili eventually. He was wrong.
As the night wore on and Fili became more and more agitated, pacing and snapping at various members of the company, even Kili and Thorin on occasion, Bofur realised the courage he so prided himself on, had deserted him.
"Ah you're drunk,
You're drunk you silly old fool,
Still you cannot see,
That's a baby boy that me mother sent to me,
Well it's many a day I've travelled, a hundred miles or more,
But a baby boy with his whiskers on sure I never saw before!"
Bard and I burst out in fits of laughter as we stumbled along the wooden streets back towards the house I was staying in.
"I can't believe you know The Dubliners! Granted not as The Dubliners but still!" I exclaimed gleefully as I stumbled and tripped over a rope, "Whoops!"
I grinned at the sky face flushed, hair all over the place for a few seconds trying to remember how to stand.
"I can't believe you drank all my ale!"
"We, sir! We drank all your ale!" I corrected finally remembering how to get to my feet, I used a crate to help me up just as Bard went over.
He rolled around on the floor, clutching his sides with tears of laughter pouring down his face. "I can't stop." He panted. "I don't remember how not to laugh."
"Don't roll in the river." I slurred trying to act and look responsible. I failed miserably.
"Oooh! Don't roll in the river!" He cackled away and I huffed.
"I'm leaving!" I flounced down the road, rounded the corner and was nearly to the house when he pulled me over and I fell with an 'oof'.
If Bofur hadn't been nervous before, he was at the animalistic, ferocious, wild sound Fili let out as he stood at the window. Trying not to look guilty or shifty he got up and strolled over with the others as they gathered around. What he saw looking out of the window was certainly not good. Zalia and Bard were out there, Zalia was on the floor, and Bard was swaying lightly next to her. They were clearly drunk.
"What the hell does she think she's doing now?! Does she not listen to a word I say?!" Fili shouted, his grip on the window ledge was so tight his knuckles were turning white.
Bofur opened his mouth to answer, but, at the look on Fili's face, was silenced. Anyone who wasn't Zalia right now and pissed Fili off was in for a world of pain. Bofur did not intend on being that person.
"Don't be a meany." Giggling again and poking me in the side with his foot annoyingly he continued. "It's not becom- becom- be… something…"
We lay for a few seconds just staring into space.
"BECOMING!" He announced loudly shooting up and nearly toppling again. "It's not becoming of a lady."
I heaved myself up. "How many times do I have to info- Inro- in- tell. How many times do I have to tell people I'm not a lady!"
"Nine."
"Really why nine?"
"It's just a nice number, don't you think it's just a nice number."
I nodded thoughtfully as we took a few more stumbling steps to the door. "Seven's not."
"Why not?"
"Because it ate nine… I think that's what I was told once."
"Oh no! Not nine!"
"'Fraid so." I nodded soberly, before falling over in a fit off giggles again. "Of course not you numpty!"
"Hey I am not a numpty! I am an upstanding cit- cite- something… person!"
"Sure you are."
"You know who's not upstanding?" Bard asked putting his hands on my shoulders, leaning down to my height and staring straight into my eyes.
"Who?"
"Alfred!"
"Why is he not upstanding? Oh!" I giggled and leant forwards slightly, using Bard to keep myself balanced. "Is it because he's hunched over all the time."
"More like bent over."
I could not control the laughter that burst out of me as I pushed the door to the house open, "Oh you think he's gay!"
"He so is!"
"Might be as bent as a roundabout."
"I don't know what that is."
"Like a circle thing…. That… well yeah, a circle thing."
"He totally takes it from the Master."
"Yeah, definitely the taker… seems mean but…" I sighed with a shrug. "That's just the way of it, everyone wants the top position."
Bard's laughter bubbled out of him and he beamed as he said, "Well would you want to look at it?!"
"EWW! BARD SHUT UP! THAT IS JUST THE WORST!"
"I guess he just likes it like that."
"Or Alfred likes the Master being the way he is."
"More cushion for the pushin'?"
Absolutely roaring with laughter, tears streaming down my face I fell through the door which I'd left slightly ajar. "Oh god, I can't…" I panted and huffed through my laughter, "Breathe I need to breathe!"
"Well I have returned you safely, with many lovely images to dream about and I bid you goodnight!" With a massive flourish Bard bowed and began walking backwards before, falling over and then shouting comically, "I'm O-K!"
"Don't fall in the lake!" I wheezed back through my laughter.
Eventually the laughter subdued to giggles and finally I managed to wipe the tears from my eyes, sighing contently, "Oh," I muttered as my eyes caught Fili's, "You look real grumpy, Fils."
I watched as Fili's chest rose with a deep breath, his mouth pulled into a tight line.
After a few moments, which were silent apart from the giggles that still escaped me he spoke. "Mimur, what in the world do you think you're doing?"
"Right now?" I asked, my fuzzy brain not really understanding the question, I looked down at myself. "I'm lying on the floor."
He closed his eyes, I continued to let my eyes roam over him. He's so gorgeous and lovely, funny and kind, sweet and scary and he's all entirely mine. I'm pretty sure I was giving him mooney eyes, but before I managed to figure it out Kili spoke.
"Are you drunk?!" He asked sounding extremely perplexed.
I sat up to look at him in the face. "No Kils….I'm way past drunk, way past wasted even… I'm utterly wankered." And with a small 'eep' I slipped backwards and my head bounced off the floor with a bang. I groaned. "Oh that is going to hurt in the morning."
"Mimur." My eyes flicked back to Fili, I didn't miss the frustration and barely concealed anger in his voice before he crouched down. "Come on, let's get you to bed."
"Okay." I answered with a yawn, "Now I think about it I am kinda sleepy."
I wrapped my arms around his neck as he lifted me. "Weee."
The others were looking at me with a mixture of horror and amusement written on their faces. Brow furrowing I gazed up at Fili. "Fils." I murmured snuggling into his chest as he carried me bridal style up the stairs. "I love you."
He sighed heavily. "I know Mimur. I love you too."
Knocking open the door to my room with his shoulder he lifted one side of the blanket and put me into bed, before carefully removing my shoes. As he went to leave I reached out and grabbed his hand, placing a small kiss on each finger and then each knuckle. He gently caressed my face, eliciting another yawn from me.
"You're angry at me… I don't know what I'm supposed to have done, but you are. And whatever I did I'm sorry." I spoke softly, honestly, seriously.
"I know Mimur. We'll talk in the morning. Get some sleep."
"Okay, night Fils." As I rolled over and burrowed down into my soft covers, I heard him sigh again closing the door.
So hope you liked it?
Gotta go, in a hurry but thanks for all the favs follows and reviews!
Rue
