Mara angrily swiped tears out of her eyes as she headed deeper into the forest, letting her feet take her southeast. She knew a part of her was being horribly petty and unforgiving, but this time Thorin had gone too far. How dare he bring up her family like that? She had finally been letting go, was finally starting to be happy, and then with a shock it was like she was reliving it all over again.
Despite her frustration, Mara was cautious as she made her way quietly through the trees. It would not do to attract undue attention and prove him right. Thankfully for her, the fae were extremely good at getting around unseen and unheard. Her passage through the foliage was marked only by the birds silently observing her from their perches up above her head.
Within an hour Mara had slowed her frantic pace to a steady walk, knowing she would have to decide what she was going to do. Her temper had cooled substantially, and part of her contemplated turning around, but she was not ready. She had a sudden urge to go and see her beloved valley one last time, wondering if maybe the answer to her dilemma could be found there. Perhaps she could go through the Shire on the way. Maybe she would even go see the elves, she thought rebelliously. Then she could return to Thorin, and they would work through this the way they should. Nodding her head decisively, she put her feet forward with renewed purpose. She had a plan and a destination.
Now she had to think about food, she thought ruefully. She had run out of the town without a single morsel and the day was approaching evening. Scanning around, Mara spotted more fruit trees with relief, and filled the empty spaces in her pack with the ripe offerings. A more careful search turned up a forked stick of approximately the right size to turn into a slingshot. She used the small hank of string in her pack to fasten a swatch of leather to it and tucked a few round stones into her belt pouch. It was not the best quality of weapons, but it would do in a pinch for catching small game to eat.
By the time sunset was staining the earth red she had managed to bag a pair of small birds and a squirrel and was ensconced in the shelter of a tight cluster of trees. A tiny fire was all she needed to roast her kills, then she wrapped two of them in leaves to keep for the next day, eating only one of the birds. Her stomach was warm and full when she doused the fire and curled up amongst the roots of the trees, allowing one of her small magics to camouflage her.
Mara crossed the River Lhun by midday after rising with the dawn. She had spent the night in partial meditation, keeping herself alert to the night noises that surrounded her. A few times she felt she had heard distant calling, but she shook her head, dismissing the notion with a snort. No one would be following her this soon. They would just assume she was hiding and wait for her to show herself. 'And when you don't?' a snide voice in her head muttered. 'What will they think then? You can still turn back, save them the grief of your disappearance. You know Thorin didn't mean what he said.' Growling at the way her conscience was pricking her, Mara flung herself into a new position, already missing the warm presence of Thorin at her side. "No," she told the voice stubbornly. "I set my course and I will see it through. I am not going to go crawling back to him like this. He would believe all his actions were justified." The voice sighed. 'Maybe not. Maybe he would be worried about you. Perhaps he would even admit he was wrong,' the voice suggested. Mara dismissed it with a wave of her hand.
After the river crossing the land began to change, gentle rolling hills replacing the forested lands that surrounded the blue mountains. Mara felt a deep sense of peace as she strode through the flowery fields, even taking off her shoes to feel the soft grass between her toes. Her pace slowed to a mere crawl, and she gazed happily around at her surroundings, drinking in the sounds of birds and the drone of flying insects.
In her distraction Mara did not at first realize that she was tiring in a way that was very unlike her. Her limbs began to feel sluggish, her steps lacking their usual spring, and she had a sudden urge to meditate for a long while. Mara knew she could not give in to that urge in the middle of an open field, so she trudged on, not even bothering to discern the cause of this new fatigue.
Hills began to replace the fields, hills that contained curious round doors painted a variety of colors, and shining glass windows. Flowers sprung up in abundance out front of the charming little dwellings, many being tended to by the small folk that lived there. They eyed her curiously as she walked past, some calling out cheerful greetings. They did not fear the lass like they might most other folk. She was just their size, and if it weren't for her small booted feet and round ears they might have mistaken her for a Took. She had the same green eyes and dark wavy hair that ran in that family.
Mara realized this as well, after a bridge led her over a swift stream into a different part of the Shire. Unlike the varied folk on the Hobbiton side, these hobbits nearly all looked the same. Dark hair, green eyes of varying shades, and exuberant smiles. Their children ran unconstrained down the paths, waving sword-sticks and fighting mock battles against imaginary enemies. Mara felt instantly at home among the friendly folk, the peace surrounding her and encouraging her to sit down and rest her feet in this place of unquestionable safety.
Finally giving in to the urge, Mara picked a somewhat quieter corner of grass and settled down for a good long session of rest. All thoughts emptied out of her mind, and she was not entirely sure how long she sat there when a gentle voice drew her back. A young girl who could have nearly passed as a sister to her was staring at her with concern. "Miss, are you alright? I hope you won't mind my asking, but I don't think I've seen you before. Are you lost?"
"No, I'm just passing through," she said with a smile, accepting the hand that was offered her and getting to her feet. She swayed slightly, frowning at her sudden lack of balance.
"You're awfully small for a man," the girl observed, her head tilted to the side as she continued to scrutinize her curiously.
Mara laughed. "I'm not a man, I'm a fae."
The girl laughed in delight. "Really?! Then we are practically cousins! I'm a Took," she said proudly, as if it were the most respected title in all the world. "Come, you must share lunch with my family, they would be so excited to meet you!"
"That sounds lovely," Mara agreed, following along as her escort fairly bounced down the path, her sunny smile impossibly large.
Lunch was a boisterous affair, for alongside the girls parents she had no less than seven siblings of various ages. The smallest was a fauntling no taller than Mara's knee, and she greeted the wide-eyed lad with the same delight she had felt upon meeting Fili and Kili. The thought sent a brief pang of homesickness through her, but she banished it to focus her attention on her distant relations.
It was only after lunch was over that it finally became clear what was ailing Mara. She had been patting her stomach in content, feeling the way it nearly bulged with the amount of food that had been cheerfully shoved in her direction. A sudden lurch, and the most unexpected sensation had her bolting frantically for the bathroom, her stomach emptying viciously. A far off memory of her sister ran through her head, the older lass unable to eat as she fought the sickness that had announced her pregnancy. Mara gasped in realization, stomach rolling. "Oh no," she moaned. Then she remembered that the sickness had lasted no more than a week, and she worked to calm herself. This did not have to change anything.
"Are you well?" her hosts asked the pale-faced girl as she reappeared.
Mara smiled an assurance. "Must have overate," she murmured wryly, choosing to keep the news a secret for now. She left their home in the early evening, promising to return soon and becoming engulfed in a flurry of hugs from her new friends.
Author's note: Three guesses as to who Mara has met in the Shire. We will be seeing more of the hobbits quite soon, so if you can't guess you will find out shortly.