A/N: [I left this same message on Nightmares last week, so if you read both, feel free to skip this and continue onto the story] Hello my lovely readers~! I just wanted to say thank you for all your lovely comments. Even if I don't respond to them, I do read all of them and I've got them saved so I can read them when I'm offline and need a little morale boost. ❤️
I also want to let you guys know that, sometime next month, I'll be posting a new fanfiction! It'll be for Pirates of the Caribbean and it's going to be quite different from my two Hobbit fics in that it's going to be a first-person POV. So if you like PotC and are interested, keep an eye out for it~
"Of course I'd be more than happy t' help! I'll try and get Rosemary and Rosalyn on board, too—Father's always sayin' how they could do with some 'real' work."
A small, relieved grin came to Baylee's lips as she, Wenna, and Primrose walked through the market together. "That is a big relief," she chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "As you know, not only is Prince Fili arrivin' next week, but I'll also be goin' down to Laketown with my uncle this year."
Wenna nodded in agreement. "And while the dwarves are helpful blokes, I don't think they'd want t' help me serve our customers." As they stopped at a vegetable stand, she started sorting through artichokes in search of the biggest and best ones. "The only drawback is that you can't flirt with any o' the handsome customers—an' that includes the rangers."
Primrose snorted at that, though she quickly tried to pass it off as if she had only let out a dainty laugh. "I've seen those rangers that have been staying at the Tankard. I must say, they are very easy on the eyes." She quietly giggled, sorting through the spring onions. "I guess that means I shouldn't try to get Rosemary to help—you both know how much o' an absolute flirt she is."
"Rosamunde would be better," Baylee said. She sorted through the leeks; Galiene had asked for as many large leeks as she could get. "She's also got a better memory than Rosemary, so I'd trust her more with rememberin' orders. Rosalyn, though, would definitely be a big help." Rosalyn, being the eldest of Primrose's sisters, was well known for being able to stay extremely calm when in stressful situations—and with the busy season coming up, that's the kind of host they needed.
"Those two are more fun t' chat with anyway," Wenna chuckled. "With those two an' Prim around, we'd get in some good gossipin' during our downtime."
It was Baylee's turn to snort. "Just don't gossip too much, aye? Gossip can lead t' false rumors an' that's not what we need our customers overhearin'…Especially when Prince Fili's here. Which reminds me, I need t' grab more dried cranberries before next week…"
Primrose and Wenna looked at her strangely. "Why's that?" the former asked.
"Oh, Bofur told me how much Fili adores cranberries. He took some o' my fruit bread with him t' Erebor and it was a cranberry-orange batch. Apparently, Fili tried t' gobble it all up himself."
Her eyes widening, Primrose gawked at her. "A prince ate your bread?"
Wenna leaned forward, grinning at her from the other side of Baylee. "Not just a prince. Apparently Thorin Oakenshield very much enjoyed it, too."
Now Primrose's jaw fell slack. "A king ate your bread!? And he liked it!? Baylee! Don't you realize how amazing that is? Most people can only wish for such a thing t' happen!"
Baylee, however, rolled her eyes. "You two are blowin' this way out o' proportion," she told them. "An' just so you know, the king o' Dale has eaten my fruit bread plenty o' times an' neither o' you bat an eyelash at that."
"That's because you an' me grew up with Bard," Primrose pouted. "So he doesn't count! But the king of Erebor is an entirely different story."
"Not really," she sighed. "It's not like it was presented t' him on a gold plate or anything. It was sittin' on the counter o' Bofur's home while his brother was welcomin' his third daughter into the world."
At that, both Wenna and Primrose looked a bit confused. "Why would Thorin eat something off Bofur's counter…?" Wenna questioned.
While she knew that Primrose, like her and her family, weren't upset anymore with Thorin and his Company for what happened those eight years ago, Baylee wasn't quite sure on Wenna's stance. "Bofur's brother, Bombur, is married t' Lady Dis' best friend," she explained. "As such, the two families are close an' the royals were helpin' tend to the rest o' Bombur's children." It wasn't at all a lie, but it did hide the fact that Bofur had been a part of the company.
"Huh. I wouldn't have ever guessed that," Wenna chuckled.
Pulling out the coin purse given to her by Warren, Baylee pulled out the coin needed to buy the artichokes, leeks, and other vegetables they had gathered. Before she could try paying for Primrose's spring onions, the lass already had her own coin purse out and a 'Ha! I beat you!' expression on her face.
"So, the two o' you keep telling me how handsome these Dorwinion rangers are," Primrose said as they continued through the market. "Just how handsome are we talking? Bard level handsome? Elf level handsome…?"
"One o' them is a half elf," Baylee chuckled, "but they're married to one of the lasses. They're all varyin' levels o' handsome, though. Well, except the women. They're beautiful."
"But Rán is the most handsome out o' all of them," Wenna said with a dreamy sigh. "He's got this gorgeous, deep red hair that goes so well with his golden skin…an' his smile can make any lass swoon. He's even managed t' make Baylee blush a time or two."
Primrose grinned teasingly at that. "Oh? So, aye, he must be handsome then!"
"That, an' he's been flirtin' with her."
Baylee's brows furrowed as she looked at Wenna in confusion. "What? No, he hasn't."
Wenna snorted, her brow rising. "Aye, he has, 'Lee." She then frowned, realizing that Baylee wasn't joking around—she was serious. "Wait, wait, wait: You mean t' tell me you haven't noticed…?"
A sigh left Primrose's mouth. "There's one thing you need t' know about Baylee, Wenna, and that is she's quite bad at telling when someone's flirting with her."
Her cheeks growing warm, Baylee pouted. "That's not true! I can tell when someone's flirting with me, but it never happens, so I don't have t' worry about it."
"Baylee…I've heard Rán outright tell you that your 'lovely smile brightens the day'."
She remained unconvinced. "Not t' sound narcissistic, but over the years, a lot o' people have told me my smile brightens their day."
"Yes, but how many of them say it's a lovely smile?" Wenna countered. A small, victorious grin came to her lips when, glancing at Baylee, she found her mouth shut and her cheeks now burning. "That's right. None until Rán."
Primrose giggled, her brow cocked. "He sounds like a promising beau material to me. Handsome, a warrior, knows how t' compliment a lady…How polite is he?"
"All the rangers are extremely polite," Baylee sighed. She still wasn't convinced that Rán had been flirting with her, but wouldn't press the matter. "Like the lads, they're patient, they help clean up their messes, an' they're constantly sendin' their compliments t' Gawen an' Galiene."
"Unlike the lads, though, they don't throw their food or dishes around," Wenna chuckled.
"The dwarves throw their food an' dishes around!?" Primrose gasped, horrified by the very thought.
"It's not what you're thinkin'," Wenna assured her. "Well, it is, but it isn't. You'll see when you start workin' with us." She then let out a hearty laugh. "You might even start throwin' stuff t' them like me and Baylee have started doing!"
Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Baylee grinned. "Aye, you're goin' to hate it," she teased. "They throw almost anything—it's quicker than just walkin' the thing over. Once you get the hang o' it, though, it's not scary."
Switching her basket to her other arm, Primrose lifted a brow. "But…if they're sitting at a table, why do they have to throw anything at all?" she asked. "They're right across from one another."
"Oh, it's not usually at their table," answered Wenna. "They sometimes come into the kitchen an' help cook breakfast or we'll let them wander in t' grab themselves a quick snack if we're busy with a crowd."
"It's mostly Bofur an' Ori who help with breakfast," Baylee added. "When I don't need help, though, Bofur sits with a mug o' tea an' talks with me while I make bread."
"You let them into the kitchen?" Primrose gawked.
"Bofur sits an' talks with you while you make bread?" Wenna blinked.
"Aye an' aye. The lads have been with us for nearly three months now an' they've proven themselves trustworthy enough that we let them behind the bar an' in to the kitchen," explained Baylee. "An' Bofur sometimes wakes up earlier than the others, so he'll come down an' we'll have a chat while he has his tea. He doesn't go into the kitchen until I'm up, though." She chuckled, her cheeks turning the slightest bit pink and her smile turned almost shy. "A week or two ago, I came out into the common room an' found that he had all the chairs put down' and had a fire goin' in the fireplace already."
Wenna and Primrose exchanged curious glances with one another as they saw her cheeks turn a bit pink. "What sorts o' things do you talk about?" Wenna then asked.
She shrugged. "Any an' everything, really. He's told me a lot about dwarven culture, so I've told him about human culture…he tells me about his brother an' his family, I'll tell him 'bout my cousins. Lots o' jokes, too." She grinned cheekily. "He's got a real good sense o' humor an' he doesn't mind if I tell a crude joke or three."
"Baylee Braddock!" Primrose gasped, eyes widening once more. "What have I told you about tellin' those kinds of jokes?"
"That they're unladylike an' unbefitting a woman of my status?" she answered with a cheeky grin.
"Exactly!" She wagged a scolding finger at her.
Wenna giggled, rolling her eyes. "Oh, go easy on her, Prim. The lads don't find crude jokes as off puttin' as humans would and they don't happen very often." She brushed a curl behind her ear as they came around a corner. Her brow then rose; this wasn't the way back to the Tankard. "Why are we headin' towards the eastern gate?"
"I need t' drop something off at the shop for Will," Baylee answered.
Primrose's brow rose. "What is it?"
"Just some medicinal ointment. He said his nerves have been actin' up a bit in his shoulder, so uncle made him something that should help keep the tremblin' at bay while he works." As they walked down the main street, she could see the shop up ahead; Will, Bofur, and Bifur were gathered around out front, where Will was using a piece of chalk to draw on the wall.
"What're they doin'?" Primrose asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.
"They're goin' t' be takin' out part of the wall t' make room for a window," Wenna answered. As the three women drew nearer, they could see that the shape Will was drawing was nearly seven feet long and at least four high—the majority of the wall.
"That's goin' to be a mighty big window," Baylee commented, giggling when the three males jumped in surprise.
Seeing who it was, Bifur smiled at the three women. "Aye. It needs t' be nice an' big if we want both light t' shine in an' people t' see what's inside. What brings the three o' you lasses here?"
"A delivery for Will," Baylee answered. She dug around inside her basket, having to move the leeks and other produce she had bought around in order to pull out a wooden box.
Will's brow rose. "A delivery for me?" he repeated, sounding confused. "From who?" As Baylee held the box out to him, he walked over and took it.
"Uncle. He made you an extra strong batch o' your nerve ointment," she explained. "An' since it's extra strong, he said it'll also clear up your nose if it's feelin' stuffed." Glancing at Bofur, she could see that he was missing his hat, vest, and tunic, leaving him in just a sleeveless undershirt. Her head tilted ever so slightly when she saw the matching set of deep blue tattoos that covered most of his biceps and her cheeks grew a touch warm when she noticed how muscled his arms were.
No wonder that hug the other day left her feeling safe…
"Just in time," her brother grinned. He opened the box and scooped out a little bit of the contents. "My shoulder an' neck have been actin' up the last few days…This stuff will be sure t' stop that."
Primrose made a funny face as the extremely potent scent of mint wafted past her nose. "Valar help me, that is strong!" she said, waving her hand in front of her face.
"Maybe it's supposed t' double as a deodorant, too?" Bofur joked, a cheeky grin on his lips. He was resting his hands on the butt end of his mattock, shifting his weight from foot to foot every thirty seconds or so; the women could tell he was eager to start smashing the wall.
"If anyone needs any sort o' deodorant out o' the three of us, it's going t' be you once you get this wall opened up," Bifur told him, his voice a bit bland.
"We were actually just startin' to make some faux-wagers on him," Will grinned.
"Wagers? What for?" Wenna questioned.
"T' see how many hits it'd take Bofur t' get through the wall," Bifur said, also grinning.
Standing up a bit straighter and puffing his chest out in a playful manner, Bofur told them, "I think it'll only take me three good hits t' break through."
"I say five at the very least," Will snorted, his brow rising as Bofur's posing.
Bifur shook his head. "It'll be four solid hits, you watch."
"With how thick that wall is, I'd also wager it wouldn't be less than five," Primrose chuckled. She looked at Wenna, who was nodding in agreement. "What about you, Baylee?" Her brow rose ever so slightly as she found her friend's cheeks a bit pink. Following her gaze, she saw that Baylee had been looking at Bofur.
Baylee thought for a moment, thankful that no one had really noticed her staring at Bofur's arms—at least, that's what she thought. "I'm goin' t' say it'll take him just two," she then said.
Wenna shook her head, quietly giggling. "You do realize it's nearly a foot o' rock he's tryin' to get through, don't you, 'Lee?" she questioned.
She shrugged, smiling. "What can I say? I like t' be optimistic."
Will chuckled, his brow rising. "Alright. So, we've got three o' us bettin' on five hits, one on four hits, one on three, an' one on two," he said. "Well, guess the only way t' find out is for him t' take some swings."
"Just in case somethin' were to go flyin' the wrong way, you lot should stand back a few yards," Bofur said as he lifted his mattock off the ground. "I may be a professional," he added with a playful wink, "but accidents do happen."
Moving back a few yards as he asked, the group watched as he got himself ready. Then, lifting the mattock over his shoulder, he slowly brought it towards the wall to practice his aim.
"That should count as one!" Bifur called out jokingly.
Bofur wiggled his finger at his cousin in a jesting fashion. "Ah-ah-ah! Don't you go tryin' t' cheat now, Bifur, son o' Oved! It's very impolite, especially when faux-wagers are involved!"
Bringing the mattock back over his shoulder, Bofur readied himself once more. Then, with a small grunt, he swung it forward with a great amount of force. As the metal collided with the rock, there was a loud, dull 'thud' that seemed to reverberate through both the air and the ground.
Baylee's eyes widened, taken aback by both the sound of the impact and the sight of Bofur swinging the mattock; there was something about the way his biceps flexed as he swung that left her feeling almost mesmerized by the sight. "Yavanna's grace…" she murmured under her breath, her head tilting slightly. She had unknowingly drawn the attention of both Will and Primrose, who glanced at her curiously. Both found that she had unconsciously started biting her lower lip and that she wore a bit of a grin.
'Looks like my sister's enjoying the show a little more than everyone else,' Will thought as he barely managed to hold back a snort.
Bofur brought the mattock back over his shoulder, shifting both his stance and his hold on it. He stole a quick glance at his audience; as his eyes landed on Baylee, he thought about how she had bet it'd take only two hits for him to break through. Suddenly, he found himself not wanting her bet to be one of the losing ones. A large, determined grin came to his lips and he swung again, this time putting far more strength into it.
The mattock hit the stone a second time and, while a cloud of dust filled the air, the group both heard and felt the impact once more. However, in addition to the thud, they could also hear the sounds of rocks rolling across tile.
"Valar help me, I think he broke through," Primrose gawked.
And indeed, he had. As the dust settled, they could see that a sizable hole had been left in the wall. Bofur wore a victorious grin, one hand on his hip and the other resting on the butt of the mattock again.
"Would you look at that?" he chirped. "Miss Baylee's guess was right!" He peeked over at her and found her looking at him with an almost shy smile on her lips. He gave her a playful wink, feeling his cheeks grow a touch warm.
Bifur walked to the doorway and poked his head in. "Mahal's beard, Bofur! You sent rock all the way t' the kitchen!"
"Remind me not t' get on your bad side," Will chuckled, walking over to the wall. Leaning over, he peered through the hole, able to see clean through it. "Two hits…Never in a hundred years would I have made such a wager."
Wenna laughed and lightly nudged Baylee. "Remind me t' trust you when I need t' place a bet in the future," she joked. "I may win some coin for once if I listen t' you."
Baylee, her cheeks a bit red thanks to Bofur's wink, cocked her brow and laughed. "I don't know why you're all so surprised—he's a dwarf. Dwarves are far stronger than humans."
"Aye, but even I doubted I could get through the wall in just two hits," Bofur admitted. "It's been a long while since I've swung a mattock at somethin' that wasn't an orc or goblin an' they take significantly less strength t' bring down."
Bifur shook his head, chuckling. "If he had been Dori, on the other hand, then you would have probably guessed too high," he told them.
"Really? The fussy mother hen that's Dori could have gotten it in one hit?" Wenna blinked. She looked at Baylee, as if expecting her to know whether he had been speaking the truth or not. Baylee, however, merely shrugged, just as shocked as her.
Both Bofur and Bifur nodded. "He's one o' the strongest dwarves in Erebor," the former said.
"He could have probably kicked the wall an' left a hole in it," Bifur added. "It's a good thing he's got such a long wick, because I'd be terrified o' him if it were short."
"No kidding—I'm kind o' terrified o' him right now an' I haven't even seen him use his strength," Will snorted.
Baylee also laughed at his comment, her brow rising. Then, lightly shaking her head, she let out an amused sigh. "Well, we should leave you three be. We've got t' get these veggies back t' Galiene before she tans our hides an' I've got my sparrin' session with Nori in a little bit." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "By the way, it's your choice o' creamy chicken an' dumplings or steak for dinner tonight."
"Ooh, sounds like I'll be havin' both, then," Bofur chirped.
"After taking down this wall? You'll probably be wantin' three or four servings o' both!" Wenna joked.
"More like five or six," Bifur snorted. "We'll see you lasses later. An' have fun sparrin', Miss Baylee."
After bidding the three males goodbye, the women turned and headed back up the sloping road towards the Tankard.
"You two get on quite well with Bofur and Bifur," Primrose commented. She pushed a braid over her shoulder as she looked at her friends.
"They're a friendly pair, so it's a bit hard t' not get on well with them," Wenna replied with a laugh. "Baylee gets along with them the best, though. Probably because she already knows a thing or two about their culture. That, or because she sees eye-to-eye with them"
Baylee snorted. "That first one is exactly the reason," she said. "Though, while Lovisa was able t' teach us many things, the tossin' dishes an' food around is somethin' that didn't happen in the Tankard until recently—as hard as she an' papa tried t' get it to catch on."
Primrose giggled. "I remember your father tossin' Will things when your mum and aunt weren't looking. He always tried to be so sneaky when he did it, but he'd usually get caught after the third or fourth toss." She looked back at the path ahead as they neared the fork where they would turn. "Though, as much as Lovisa taught us about dwarves, I wasn't aware that they had such bold tattoos." She glanced at Baylee from the corner of her eye, a bit of a smirk coming to her lips when she saw her blush slightly.
"Oh, I know! Did you see how much ink there was in Bofur's upper arms? There was hardly any skin color showin', there was so much blue!" Wenna gasped. "An' the one on his shoulder, too—I would've never expected him t' have so much ink in his skin!" She shook her head.
"What about you, Baylee?" Primrose questioned.
As if coming out of a trance, Baylee looked up with wide, surprised eyes. "Sorry, what was that?"
"What did you think o' Bofur's tattoos?" Wenna asked, her brow rising. "Unexpected, weren't they?" She wondered what had managed to distract her away from their conversation; when she looked around, she found that there was nothing of interest around them.
"Oh, not entirely. He mentioned to me once how common tattoos are among dwarves," Baylee answered with a small shrug. "So, I expected him t' have least a few. Though, I didn't expect them t' be so large, but they looked very well done."
A playful and knowing smirk came to Primrose's lips. "Is that all you thought about them?"
She frowned, glancing up at her. "What do you mean? O' course, that's all I thought about them." Seeing Primrose's knowing smirk, however, made her cheeks begin to darken.
"Really?" she pressed, knowing that shortly, she was going to get the truth out of her.
Wenna glanced between the two, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Al-alright, maybe I found them a wee bit handsome," Baylee admitted, pouting as she looked away.
Realizing what was going on, Wenna giggled and cocked a brow. "Ooh, so that's why you kept starin' at him!"
"I was not starin'!" Baylee countered. "I was admirin' the tattoos, aye, but I wasn't starin'." The pout remained on her lips; despite her words, she knew it was useless to argue against them. She had been staring and she knew it. Which baffled her, since she wasn't the type of woman who ogled males. She could appreciate their attractiveness, yes, but gawking at them like Wenna when she sees as shirtless male elf?
"It certainly looked like you were staring," Primrose teased.
"I'm sorry, 'Lee, but I have t' agree with Prim. You were definitely staring—which is totally fine, mind you. Some women find tattoos t' be handsome things."
Rolling her eyes Baylee let out a heavy sigh. "Even if I was starin', why is it such a big deal? They were very well-done tattoos! An' it's not like I get t' see tattoos often, considerin' most folk who wear them aren't the types t' frequent the Tankard." Her brows furrowed; as they got closer to the inn, she started to hear the sound of metal on metal. It wasn't the deep, hard 'clang' of her father's hammer on his anvil, however. 'Maybe someone else is having a sparring session for once?' she thought.
Within just a few minutes, they were walking through the archway into the courtyard. All three women stopped in their tracks, however, and their eyes widened as they did, indeed, find different people sparring for once. In the middle of the courtyard were Rán, Nakara, and Aizik. The latter was leaning against the well as they watched Rán and Nakara fight against one another. Rán, they saw, was using a bastard sword while Nakara had a pair of long, curved daggers. Their movements were so fluid and so quick, it almost looked as if they were dancing around one another.
But the duel alone wasn't what held their attention: There was also the fact that both males were wearing tunics with deep V-necks that revealed, not just their muscled arms, but a fair bit of their torsos as well. The women were continuously granted glimpses of the chests and stomachs beneath as the two kept on moving around one another.
"Alright," Baylee murmured, her head tilting, "now I'm staring." She bit her lower lip, unable to stop herself from following the trail of auburn hair that led up Rán's abdomen before spreading across his chest. Every now and then, the sun's light would hit him just right and she could see a scar or two beneath the tunic.
Part of her started to wonder if, perhaps, Bofur's chest was similar in appearance…
"You're not the only one," Wenna murmured, her eyes wide.
"…It's very unladylike, but I can't help but stare, either," Primrose mumbled. "If these two are any indication, then aye, the rangers stayin' here must be attractive…"
"Those two are the most handsome," Wenna spoke again. "Seein' them spar like that, though, tells me they have t' have definitely been blessed by Tulkas an' Nessa. Tulkas gave them those warrior bodies an' Nessa gave them her speed an' dancing with those blades."
"Oh no…there's definitely some o' Mahal's handiwork going on with Rán," Baylee told them.
Finally forcing her eyes away from the sight, Primrose looked over at Baylee. "Who's Mahal?"
Baylee cleared her throat; she was so used to hearing 'Mahal' instead of Aulë thanks to the lads that she had started using the name. "Sorry about that…'Mahal' is the dwarvish name for Aulë."
"An' boy, did he take his time with that one," Wenna grinned, her eyes still fixed on the rangers.
Baylee opened her mouth to speak when Rán glanced over at the three of them. Only, she quickly realized that he wasn't looking at all three of them—he was specifically looking at her. Their gazes locked for just a few split seconds and he flashed her a smile that was both extremely handsome and gentle. Then, turning his attention back to Nakara, his smile turned into more of a smirk as he deflected a blow.
"And you said he wasn't flirtin' with you," Wenna giggled, her brow rising.
"H-He just smiled is all!" Baylee countered, her cheeks bright red. "That's not flirtin'." Shaking her head, she made to head towards the door of the inn; despite her words, her stomach felt very fluttery and light all of a sudden. "We should get these vegetables in t' Galiene."
Primrose quietly laughed, a knowing look on her face. "Aye, we should. We also need to find your dad so we can tell him that I'll be helping out." Lightly grabbing Wenna's wrist, she pulled the younger woman along with her as she started to walk.
"B-b-but can't we watch them a little longer?" Wenna pouted. "Baylee might learn a new move or three!"
At that, Baylee snorted and looked over her shoulder. "I can learn a new move or three when I go t' spar with Nori later," she replied. Opening the door, she stepped into the inn only to be greeted by the unusual sight of the common room being nearly empty. "Huh…wonder where everyone's at?" she thought aloud.
As they came in behind her, Wenna and Primrose found that the room only had four occupants: Nori, who was writing in a journal at the usual spot; Abbot and Bill, who were playing cards and snaking on fruit bread; and Warren, who was cleaning mugs behind the bar.
Warren looked over at them, smiling. "Ah, there you lasses are!" he chuckled. "An' you brought Prim an' Proper with you! Has Baylee told you 'bout our little predicament yet?"
"Aye, she has," Primrose replied with a smile, "and I'll be more than happy t' help out for as long as you need, Mister Braddock. I'll also be asking Rosamunde an' Roslyn if they'd be willing to help when I get home tonight."
A relieved laugh left his mouth. "Good, good…I'll be payin' you lasses, of course. I'm not goin' to let any of you get away with free labor—I can only do that with my own kids." He grinned as Baylee leaned over the counter and gave him a light smack on the arm.
Primrose laughed, her brow rising. "When would you like us to start, by the way?"
Warren ran a hand through his hair as he thought her question over. "T' be honest, as soon as possible. Would tomorrow be alright for you?"
"Of course," she smiled. "What time should we get here?"
"At the crack o' dawn," Wenna joked, grinning as Baylee nudged her.
"Eight is when the hostesses are needed," Warren chuckled. "If things get busy before then, I'm sure 'Lee can rope the lads in t' help her."
She pouted playfully. "The lads are our guests, papa. I'm not about t' ask them t' help me tend t' other patrons."
"An' if we offer?"
A squeak left Baylee's mouth and she turned around, seeing Nori standing there, wearing an amused look. Primrose, Wenna, and Warren were doing their best to not laugh—they had seen him coming.
"Sorry, Miss Baylee," he chuckled. "I hadn't meant t' startle you."
"It's fine," she said with a small laugh. "Do you need your tankard refilled?"
"That's part o' it," he admitted. "I was also comin' over to ask when you wanted t' spar. I know the courtyard's currently occupied…"
Warren frowned slightly. "Those three are still at it?" He went over to the window and peered out of it; he was just in time to see Rán holding the blade of his sword to Nakara's neck. He then stepped away to sheath his weapon while saying something to Nakara and Aizik. "Ah, looks like they're actually finishin' up now."
"Would half an hour or so work for you?" Baylee asked Nori.
He nodded. "Aye, it would. Gives me time t' drink another tankard or two o' cider," he grinned. "Will you be usin' a sword, by the way?"
"A spear, actually," Warren answered for her. "I've got an old one in my workshop I'm going t' let her use. It should be able t' last a week or so if Demelza's not the one wailing on it."
Primrose looked at Baylee, a bit confused. "A spear? But I thought you used a sword an' shield?"
"Nori let me use his mace yesterday an' I found out I much prefer usin' a pole weapon as opposed t' a sword and shield," Baylee explained. "I'll be heading over to Erebor in three days so I can commission a spear that's more my height. I also need t' look around for a birthday present for Will."
Nori scratched his chin, having to bite back a grin as a mischievous idea came to him. "You may want t' ask one o' the lads to go with you then," he told her. "Not only do we know the city, but we can also make sure no one tries t' cheat you out o' your money."
Wenna nodded in agreement. "That's actually a good idea, Nori," she said. Then, looking at Baylee, she suggested, "Why don't you ask Ori t' go with you?"
At that, Nori winced slightly. "Ah…I actually don't recommend Ori," he said. "Bein' that he's more of an artist an' scholar, he's not too good when it comes t' knowing the price or quality o' weapons. I'd go with you, but I've got an appointment that day."
She tilted her head. "Then who would be better t' ask: Bofur or Bifur?"
"T' be honest? Bofur. He's a good haggler an' he's got a few relatives in the smithing district. He'd definitely be able t' get you a good deal on a good weapon." From the corner of his eye, he could see the slightest hint of a grin on Primrose's lips and he wondered if, perhaps, she somehow knew what he was up to? "The only downside t' having him tag along is he might drag you t' the Ur mansion for lunch, where Gerdi will make you eat until you can't move."
At that, Baylee laughed, her brow rising. "From what I've heard about her an' Bombur's cooking, that doesn't seem so bad." Her attention was suddenly pulled towards the kitchen door, where Galiene was leaning out.
"Hey, you lasses! I could really do with those vegetables about now," she said, her tone mock-scolding. "I can't make this potato-leek soup without those leeks!"
Wenna laughed, though her cheeks turned a light shade of pink in embarrassment. "Sorry, Galiene. We didn't mean t' get sidetracked."
Excusing themselves, the lasses crossed the room. Taking Baylee's basket from her, Wenna headed into the kitchen while Baylee led Primrose to the private quarters. Demelza was nowhere in sight, which surprised her niece a bit—but also made her a bit glad. When she last saw her, she had been quite cranky thanks to the pain in her leg.
"So you get a full day off and you're going t' spend it all in Erebor?" Primrose asked as they entered her friend's room.
"I don't really plan on spendin' the whole day there," Baylee chuckled, her brow rising as she locked the door. "Though, Nori's right—if Bofur were the one t' come with me, that may end up happening. But I don't think I'd mind too much." Going to the trunk at the foot of her bed, she knelt down and opened it.
Setting her basket down on the floor, Primrose tucked her dress under herself as she sat down on the bed. "Why's that? Because you'd get to be the tallest one for the day?" she teased. She grinned cheekily as Baylee half-pouted at her from behind the lid of the trunk.
"No. It'd be because I think it would be fun, gettin' shown around by a dwarf," she explained. She rummaged through the trunk, which mostly contained random pieces of armor. Finding her gambeson, she pulled it out and tossed it onto the bed; something told her that Nori wasn't going to be nearly as tough on her as Demelza would be, so she didn't bother pulling out the second, thinner padded tunic she sometimes wore under the gambeson. "And if Bofur agrees t' come with, I know I'm probably going t' spend a good portion of the day laughin'." She also tossed her helmet onto the bed.
"Speakin' of Bofur…"
"If you're going t' tease me about earlier—"
"I'm not. I have a genuine question about him."
Baylee gave her a wary look while closing the trunk. "Alright," she said after a moment. "Ask." Standing up, she went over to her dresser to search for one of her old tunics.
"I swear to you, I'm not teasing you when I ask this: Do you find him handsome?" Watching as her friend knelt down to sort through a drawer, she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. But Baylee said nothing.
After many minutes and just when Primrose was about to give up hope of receiving an answer, Baylee stood up, a dress in hand. "Aye, I find him handsome," she finally admitted, using her foot to close the drawer. "An' not just because of his bare arms an' tattoos."
"That part I knew," Primrose chuckled, her brow rising. "So what is it, then?"
"Prim, you know me well enough by now." She pulled her dress up and over her head; the two of them had undressed in front of each other plenty of times throughout their lives, leaving her with little shame about it. "It's his smile…an' the way it makes his eyes crinkle up an' brings out his dimples…" She bit her lower lip, a small smile and some color coming to her cheeks as she pictured the dwarf. "It's just so—so genuine. How can I not find it handsome?"
She smiled, her brow rising; it had been a long while since she had last heard her go on about a man's smile. "Rán's got himself quite the handsome smile, too. Personally, I find it to be far more attractive." As Baylee sat down on the edge of the bed, she did her best to not stare at her friend's scars. Though she had been the one to help change her bandages after the war, she never got used to seeing them. Out of all of them, though, she thought the puncture marks were the worst, but not because of their appearance. It was because they had nearly killed Baylee when they became infected.
"Aye, he does…but the one he most often wears is a different sort o' handsome." Sighing, she pulled the tunic on over her head, using her hand to make sure the fabric didn't get caught on her ear cuff.
"Oh?" Reaching over, she pulled her hair out from beneath the tunic.
Baylee nodded, bringing a leg up and tucking it under her other leg. "Mhm. His is more…more charming. It's the smile o' someone who knows he's attractive an' can use that to his advantage if he needed to." She sat still as Primrose started to braid her hair. "But, that's not t' say it's always charming. I have seen him wear a genuine smile quite often…I daresay that one's more handsome."
"Why's that?"
"It's—it's gentler, I guess you could say. Gentler an' more genuine."
"An' when have you seen this gentler smile o' his?"
"…To be honest, usually when there's not too many other people around. But, that's a bit understandable; he's a ranger, so I imagine he's got his guard up a lot o' the time."
Her brow rose and an amused smile came to Primrose's lips. "Oh? And just when do these times happen?" she lightly teased.
Baylee's cheeks turned a bit red. "Well…Rán's started comin' down to the kitchen in the mornings, too. Usually the mornings when Bofur sleeps in a bit. An', before you ask, yes we end up chatting a lot."
"About what sorts o' things?"
She shrugged. "Like with Bofur, anythin', really. But with Rán, the conversation are more…more informative, I guess you could say. He's told me about Dorwinion, I've told him about Laketown an' Dale…He tells me about some o' his and his rangers' adventures an' I tell him about legendary figures from our histories." She shifted slightly, pulling her leg up and resting her knee on it. "While we talk, he insists on helping me with my breadmaking—which, by the way, took me by surprise. Turns out, before becomin' a ranger, he was apprenticed t' a baker."
Primrose chuckled, trying to picture such a handsome man kneading dough. "Do you enjoy your conversations with the two o' them?"
"I enjoy them quite a bit. I like learnin' about their cultures an' hearing their stories. And…they both actually listen to what I say."
Primrose's brow rose. "What do you mean by that?"
"You know how you could be talkin' with someone, but it seems like they're not entirely paying attention to you or care about your end o' the conversation? Talking with them is the opposite. I can tell they're listenin' and that they actually care about what I have t' say." She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. "I know what you're tryin' to get at, by the way."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I know you're tryin' to gauge whether or not I have a crush on either o' them."
Her cheeks grew hot and she pouted. "Pardon me, but I'm also trying to determine whether or not either o' them is crushing on you."
Baylee snorted. "An' have you come to a determination yet?"
"I have, as a matter of fact. And I have concluded that the three of you are in what's known in the literary world of romance as a 'love triangle'."
She turned her head, looking at Primrose with a cocked brow. "A…love triangle?" she replied, not sounding very impressed by her answer.
"Mhm." She gently forced Baylee to look ahead of her once again. "It simply means that you're attracted t' both males and both males are attracted to you. Because of this, you're stuck at the top of the triangle, trying to decide which male would make for a better beau—and potential husband. Meanwhile, they're at the bottom of the triangle, fighting each other for your affections."
"You're joking, aye?" She snorted, her brow cocked. "Bofur's not attracted t' me."
Primrose pursed her lips, her eyes narrowed. "Baylee Braddock, are you doubting my judgement?"
"Only because I don't see how you could come t' the conclusion that Bofur's attracted t' me."
Her lips still pursed, she continued braiding her hair. "There have been instances," she replied. "The first time I met him—the day we picked up your new clothes—your dad had you do that spin to show off your new dress? He wore a large, goofy grin—the kind men wear when they've gotten themselves into a crush. An' almost every time you've talked about him, you've mentioned how he does things for you without you asking him to. And most recently, today: Before he took his second swing, he looked at you an' I swear, he mustered up all of his strength just t' ensure that you had the winning bet, even though there was nothing at stake."
Baylee was quite for a few minutes. "…Yo-you're certain about all o' that?" she quietly asked.
"Aye." Finishing with the braid, she let out a small sigh and set a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's alright if you haven't noticed his infatuation," she gently assured her. "He's definitely more subtle about it. To be honest, I don't think he even knows he fancies you just yet. Or, if he does, he's very good at hiding it."
She bit her lower lip. "All this couldn't have come at a worse time," she mumbled.
Primrose frowned. "What do you mean?"
"…Auntie's been pressurin' papa t' pressure me t' find myself a husband," she explained. "You know how she is about keepin' up appearances. Apparently, with me turnin' thirty this year an' being unwed, it gives off some sort of bad impression. I'm not sure how, considerin' how you an' Rosamunde are also unwed and come from a better family."
She gently squeezed Baylee's shoulder. "And because of this, you're wondering if your crushes on Bofur an' Rán are genuine or just you unconsciously forcing yourself to be interested in them."
"That and…why me? Rán's ridiculously handsome an' Bofur's one of the heroes o' Erebor. Why would either o' them fall for me? It doesn't make sense!"
"It doesn't make sense to you, but that's because you're hypercritical o' yourself. We all are—it's natural. But they're seein' you from a completely different perspective. I can't speak for either of them, but what I can say is that the Baylee they see is the sort of woman they want to be with. Otherwise, they wouldn't be interested in you."
Her cheeks grew a bit pink, but a small smile came to Baylee's lips. "So…what do I do? I take it I don't want t' let either of them know that I know they fancy me, right?"
She nodded. "You don't want them trying to compete against one another—at least, not consciously. They may start behavin' differently and then that'll just skew things. Just…keep being yourself. You're not the one trying to win over someone's heart; you've already done that. It's your job t' decide which one gets your heart."
Twenty minutes later found Primrose, Baylee, and Nori stepping out into the courtyard, where they found Rán, Aizik, and Nakara still sitting by the well; Ashailyn and Kreine were now with them. Rán, they saw, had a dark bruise lining his cheek now, though he seemed to still be in good spirits.
"Wonder how he got that?" Primrose murmured.
"That's a good question," Baylee replied. She hid it well, but now that she knew the rangers would be watching her and Nori, she felt nervous. They were professional warriors, after all, and she had the feeling they would be judging her quite harshly. "Are you going t' stay and watch or are you goin' to head home?"
A mischievous smile came to Primrose's lips. "I'll be staying to watch, of course. Maybe work up some courage to go talk to that Aizik fellow…"
Baylee snorted, rolling her eyes. "They're married, remember? Be right back," she said before crossing the courtyard to her father's smithy. She pulled a key from around her neck—a different one from the key used for the private quarters—and unlocked the door. Stepping into the smithy, she was greeted by darkness, the smell of coke, and the smell of earth. The room was also rather cool, since it hadn't been used in a few days; normally when she came here, it was sweltering hot.
'Let's see…Papa said he put it by the coke bin,' she thought, squinting slightly as her eyes adjusted to the lack of light. Carefully picking her way around a workbench and an anvil, she soon reached the large, wooden box that sat near a decent sized furnace. 'Aha, there it is.' She grinned, seeing the outline of the pole weapon. After grabbing hold of it and checking to make sure the spearhead was dull, she made her way back through the forge.
By the time she had returned to Primrose's side, Nori had returned from the stables. She was surprised to see that he had more than just his mace—he was currently wrapping some rags around an angularly curved knife. Sitting on the windowsill was a matching knife, already wrapped up.
"You're going t' use knives, too?" she asked, her head tilting.
He nodded, glancing up at her as he finished tying off the leather cord. "Aye. I thought we'd start up with a bit o' a warm up of me showin' you how t' better use that spear," he told her, "then, after we've done a proper round of fighting, I'll switch to my knives. They're my preferred weapon and should be an interestin' challenge for you." As he spoke, he wore a bit of a grin.
"Sounds good t' me," Baylee smiled, rubbing the side of her neck. She stole a glance over at the rangers, who were positioning themselves so they would all be able to watch. Her gaze fell on Rán for a few seconds only to find that he was wearing a fond smile.
It was a struggle to not blush.
As if sensing her nervousness, Nori said, "Do your best t' ignore them," he told her, setting the knife on the windowsill. "I know havin' an audience is going to make you feel awkward, but if you focus on them too much, then you won't be able t' concentrate on the lesson."
Now her cheeks did turn a bit pink. "I'm trying," she told him with a small chuckle. "T' be honest, I'm used to having an audience—but usually, those audiences are comprised o' friends and family."
"And not beautiful Dorwinion rangers?" he joked, taking both Primrose and Baylee by surprise. Seeing their expressions, he snorted. "What? Just because I'm a dwarf doesn't mean I can't appreciate the beauty in other races. Aye, those rangers could use a wee bit more hair on their faces and be a foot shorter, but they're still very aesthetically pleasin'." He then motioned for Baylee to follow him to the middle of the courtyard so they could start her lesson.
As she watched Baylee learn the techniques for using a spear, Primrose leaned back against the wall of the inn, her hands tucked behind her. Quite often, though, she found herself looking past her friend at the rangers, but it wasn't because they were attractive. Knowing that his gaze would be transfixed on Baylee, she was carefully watching Rán's face, wanting to assess whether his crush on Baylee was genuine or not.
'The last thing Baylee needs is to get her heart broken again,' she thought. 'Bard left her devastated when he chose to marry Rowena—he took us all by surprise with that one. He and Baylee had been so in love…I told him to wait just another month or two, but did he listen?' Closing her eyes for a moment, she rubbed her forehead and let out a sigh.
Upon opening her eyes again, she could see that Rán's expression had turned from one of fondness to one that was dreamy and somewhat far-off. In place of his usual, charming smile, the one he wore now was a bit silly.
'Oh, now I've yet to see Bofur look at her like that…' she told herself, smiling. 'I'm actually not quite sure why Baylee isn't head-over-heels for him. He's handsome, he's a gentleman, he's strong…I know she doesn't care much about such things, but with him being captain of the rangers, that would be a good match socially, too. I'm sure even Demelza would approve of such a pairing…'
Baylee, however, was oblivious to both Primrose's thoughts and Rán's expression. By this point, she was fighting her third bout against Nori, who was using his knives. While she found it easier to go against him than going against her aunt, it was still a challenge. The spear could put a bit of distance between them, yes, but it also left opportunities for Nori to get in close, forcing her to use the spear more defensively. She did, however, find it a bit hard to be offensive—Nori wore no armor or padding, making her hesitant to actually hit him and led to her losing the first match with him using the knives.
"You're hesitating whenever you've got a chance t' hit me," he stated, his brow raised. He was breathing a bit heavily, but wasn't winded. "Why is that?"
She was thankful her cheeks were already red from exertion. "You're not exactly armored," she admitted. "I don't want t' hit you too hard an' hurt you."
Nori looked a bit taken aback by her answer; after a few seconds, though, he let out a hearty laugh. "I'm wearin' four or five layers o' cloth, lass," he told her. "I've got plenty o' padding t' handle gettin' hit. So long as we adhere t' the no head blows rule, I'm sure I can handle anything you throw at me."
"An' even if you do hit his head, his big hair will cushion it!"
Both Nori and Baylee (as well as the rangers and Primrose) blinked in confusion before looking up to the second-floor balcony of the inn, where Ori was standing. He wore a cheeky grin as he waved down at them.
"Oi! How long have you been up there?" Nori called, his brow cocked.
"A few hours." He then turned his gaze more towards Baylee. "Don't be afraid t' use your fists an' legs when he gets in real close, 'Lee!"
Nori looked impressed. "That's actually fairly solid advice, so it'd be good for you t' listen to it."
"I'll do my best," she chuckled, her brow raised. "Thanks, Ori!" She smiled when he gave her a double thumbs' up.
"Now that you know not t' hold back, are you ready t' start round four?" Nori asked her, an amused smile on his lips.
She nodded. "Aye, I think so."
"Then get into position."
The two of them walked about seven feet apart and readied themselves; Baylee took on a more defensive stance with her hands spaced out along the spear whereas Nori took on an offensive one with one knife raised to the height of his shoulder and the other by his waist. When he called out 'go', however, rather than attacking, the two of them started to circle one another. They had done this the first two times, waiting to see who would strike first; it had been Nori before. This time, however, it was Baylee.
She took a step forward, bringing the butt end of the spear towards Nori. He blocked the blow with one knife, twisting out of the way and using the other to try and hit her. She was able to bring the spear around and block him, however, while also taking a step back to get some distance between them once more.
Nori came at her now. He kept one knife raised while the lower one he used to feint a blow at her legs. When Baylee made to block it, he brought the other knife towards her, but once more she twisted the spear around, parrying and then riposting. He hopped to the side, avoiding getting the spearhead smacked into his gut.
"You're bein' more offensive this time around," he grinned as they started to circle one another again.
"It's a little easier when I've got better control o' the weapon," she chuckled. "An' when I'm not as scared t' hurt you." Glancing over, she could see the rangers still watching her. She swallowed hard, feeling some color coming to her cheeks.
"Ignore them, lass," Nori told her, having seen her look over. For emphasis, he took a step forward, feinting a blow to get her attention back on him.
It worked, because she instinctively raised the spear, her eyes widening a bit in surprise. "S-sorry," she said when she realized it was a feint.
"Normally t' help calm your nerves, I'd tell you t' just picture them all in their underclothes, but something tells me that'd only make you all the more flustered." He grinned as she playfully pouted and went for his legs. "At least it's not Bofur an' Bifur who're here. Otherwise, I would tell you t' do that and then you'd probably be left with a rather large mental scar."
She snorted, doing her best to block a volley of blows he threw at her. "I highly doubt it'd be that bad." Spinning out of the way, she managed to smack Nori on the thigh.
"That's what you think," he laughed, quickly turning around to face her. It was now his turn to deflect a barrage of attacks from her. "I've seen them both in naught but their skin, lass. It wasn't very pretty."
For a second, Baylee's mind was filled with the sight of Bofur in just the sleeveless shirt, a broad grin on his lips thanks to his success at knocking down the wall.
Baylee suddenly swore as she doubled over; the image of Bofur had made her hesitate, giving Nori the opportunity to elbow her in the gut. With another hit, he knocked the spear from her hand and sent her down to the ground, where she landed hard on her back. The pain from both hits cleared her mind in time to see one of his knives came rushing down towards her in an attempt to get the winning 'stab'.
Rolling out of the way, she saw that she had rolled in the opposite direction of her spear. Now Nori stood between her and it, leaving her defenseless. Scrambling to her feet, she was forced to duck and weave her way out of 'danger' as the dwarf delivered another flurry of blows.
She took them both by surprise when she was able to catch one of Nori's wrists. Before he had time to process what she had just done, she spun them around in a semi-circle as if they were dancing. It switched their places and now, with an opening, Baylee was able to run back and grab her spear.
"That was tricky of her," Kreine commented, her brow rising in amusement. She spoke in their native tongue; it was easier to use for casual conversation than Westron was.
"And risky. He's a dwarf—he could have easily overpowered her and left her on her ass," Ashailyn said, sounding a bit impressed.
Aizik shook their head. "She used her size and strength to take him by surprise. Due to how much weaker she is compared to him, he wasn't expecting her to try grabbing him, let alone spinning him around like that. I know I wouldn't have expected such a thing."
"No. It was just sheer, dumb luck that it happened that way," Nakara scoffed. "Didn't you see? She was just as shocked as he was. She reacted faster than he could is all." He shook his head. "I don't know why a little thing like her would want to fight anyway. Look at her. She's clearly more suited for her inn work and not battle."
"Don't let Fifika hear you say that," Kreine told him, her voice bland. "I think she's a decent fighter. It's clear she's got some skill about her, but you also must remember, this is her first day with a spear. She had been using a sword and shield before. And from what I saw of that, she has the makings to be a fairly good warrior. Master Nori, on the other hand, is clearly extremely skilled when it comes to fighting and with using a variety of weapons."
As the others continued to discuss the fight taking place in front of them, Ashailyn cocked her brow as she looked down at her sibling. She saw the dreamy look on his face and quietly snorted before nudging him with her hip. "Rán, you're practically drooling at the sight of her."
Coming out of his thoughts, he straightened up slightly. "Sorry, what was that?"
She rolled her eyes, grinning. "You were staring so hard at your little inn maiden that you were practically drooling," she repeated.
He frowned, his brow rising. "I was not."
"Yes, you were," she chuckled. "It's alright though; I'm sure she stared plenty hard at you while you and Nakara fought." Reaching over, she lightly poked the exposed bit of Rán's chest. "I know for a fact you wore this in hopes of her seeing the two of you duel."
A small smirk came to his lips. "There's nothing wrong with giving her a glimpse of what could be hers."
"Which leads me to wonder why in the world Nakara is wearing the same tunic," Ashailyn commented, her voice a bit louder so the others could hear. "Who're you showing off for, 'Kara? Lady Wenna? Or, perhaps, you're hoping some beautiful woman comes here to dine only to spot you in this tunic and fall head over heels for you?"
Nakara's cheeks darkened, a frown on his lips as he glanced away from her. "Or, perhaps, it's because I get hot when sparring and didn't want to sweat all over my usual clothes?" he put forth, his voice dry.
Rán's brow rose slightly; unlike his sister, he knew very well that Nakara had been hoping she would be the one to swoon over him. He lightly shook his head and looked back at Nori and Baylee in time to see Baylee knock Nori's feet out from underneath him; she had her spear at his throat before he landed. Though he wanted to let out a cheer for her, he knew that would be too much. As such, he opted instead for clapping.
Panting quietly, Baylee looked up as she heard the clapping and, seeing that it came from Rán, her stomach jumped slightly. She held a hand down to Nori, helping him back to his feet.
"That was actually fun," she told him, sounding a bit winded. Despite the lack of breath, she wore a smile. "And not just because I won."
"I'm sure it helps that I wasn't comin' after you like you were an orc or goblin," he told her, brushing himself off. "No offense to your aunt, o' course."
She chuckled, using the spear to keep her somewhat propped up. "Ah, don't worry—I fully agree with you." She glanced over as Primrose walked over.
"I must say, Baylee, you do work better with a spear," she smiled. "Though I'm afraid I won't be able t' stay for the rest o' the matches. I just remembered that mother wanted me t' stop by the bakery and get a few things for dinner."
Baylee nodded in understanding. "That's alright. I'll be seein' you nice an' early tomorrow, anyway." She grinned, though her brow rose slightly as Primrose leaned over.
"Rán's been starin' at you the whole time," she quietly said beside her ear, "and he's been wearing a dreamy smile." As she stood upright once more, a playful grin was on her lips.
Nori's brow had risen slightly; he had been able to hear the words 'Rán', 'staring', and 'dreamy'. Pretending to brush a bit more dirt from his tunic, he stole a look over at the rangers. He found that Rán was watching them—or, rather, watching Baylee. A small frown came to his face. 'Looks like Bofur's got himself a rival for his little inn maid. That's not good; that's the last thing he needs when Mahal's given him a Second Chance.' He then looked up at his brother, finding that he was still watching, too. 'Hm…Maybe I could rope Ori and Bifur into some sort of plan…'
"Nori? Is everything alright?" He came out of his thoughts, finding Baylee looking at him with some concern on her face.
"Hm? Oh, yes. I was just thinking this would probably be a good place t' call it quits for the day," he told her. "I know we only had a few matches, but they were fairly long ones. Plus, it'll be dinner soon an' you'll want t' get cleaned up."
She nodded in understanding. "Sounds good t' me. This gambeson's getting stupidly warm anyway," she chuckled.
"I believe it," he snorted. "You're basically wearin' a very tightly sewn quilt. It'd get warm even in winter!" He lightly patted her on the back. "You did well, by the way. For only just properly switchin' today, you're getting a handle on this spear pretty quick. You sure you haven't used one before?"
A sheepish smile came to her lips. "I haven't used a spear before, no, but ah…When we were younger, Will an' me would sometimes spar against one another with brooms as our weapons. They were always too long for me t' use as a sword, so I pretended it was a halberd."
His brow rose and he let out a hearty laugh. "Now that had t' be amusin' to see," he laughed. "I bet you could have never guessed that your playin' make-believe would come in handy as an adult."
She laughed, nodding in agreement. "Aye, you're right there," she said. "Now if only it could have made it faster t' sweep!"
He snorted, shaking his head. The two of them moved towards the stables and smithy so they could return their weapons. By the time Nori emerged from the stables, Baylee was already out of the smithy and was across the courtyard, Rán at her side as she headed for the kitchen door. A small frown came to his face and he looked up at the second floor, seeing that Ori had returned to his drawing.
'He can help me come up with something for sure,' he thought, heading into the inn. Crossing the common room, he saw Wenna tending to Abbot and Bill; Warren was nowhere to be found.
Soon enough, he was stepping out onto the second-floor balcony, where he found Ori packing up his things. His brother looked at him and cocked his brow when he saw the serious look on his face.
"What's wrong?" he asked, standing upright once more. "You always wear that expression when something's wrong."
"Before I tell you, I need to ask you something," Nori replied, speaking in Khuzdul. With Aizik being a half elf, he knew there was a strong chance their conversation could be overheard. "Have you noticed how Bofur and Baylee get around each other?"
Ori snorted. "Of course I have, Nori. It's hard not to notice when they're making each other blush all the time." He brushed a braid out of his face. "They get along so well, I'm surprised he hasn't asked her if she would like to start courting yet."
"That's the problem," Nori sighed, "because Rán's fallen hard for her, too. And I think she's crushing on him as well as Bofur."
His eyes widened and he looked at his brother in disbelief. "You—you're joking, right? But this is Bofur's Second Chance! We can't let it get away!"
"Exactly. Which is why we need to make sure that it's Bofur who wins her over and not that ranger." He let out a heavy sigh, going to the railing and peering over it. Baylee was still chatting with Rán, who was leaning against the wall in such a way that the lass most certainly had a good view of his torso. "The problem is, I don't think Bofur knows he's in love yet, but Rán does know…and that ranger is starting to pull out all the stops in order to woo her."
Ori pursed his lips in a pout. "We need to keep that from happening."
"We do. I've already planted a little idea into her head to ask Bofur to go with her to Erebor in a few days," he said, turning around and leaning against the railing. "She needs to go there just to get a spear, but if Bofur's the one who goes with her, then I'm positive he'll spend the whole day showing her around or introducing her to Bombur and Gerdi."
"Good, good…We'll need to get Bifur and Will in on this, too," he stated.
Nori's brow rose. "Will…? I don't think that'd be a good idea, little brother. Humans are just as protective over their siblings as we dwarrows. And with Bofur being a dwarrow, I'm not sure Will would appreciate such a pairing."
At that, Ori grinned mischievously. "That's where you're wrong, big brother," he replied. "I was talking with Bifur the other day; apparently, he and Will had a chat some time ago about Bofur and Baylee. Will said that he hopes Baylee falls for Bofur because then he'd know that she'd truly be loved and taken care of."
A roguish smirk came to Nori's lips. "Is that so? Well, that gives us quite the advantage, now doesn't it?"