"Ooh, now this is a lovely shade o' blue!"

Ori looked over at Baylee, who was a few feet away from him as she inspected the contents of a linen-lined basket only to find it filled with balls of a deep blue pigment. Walking over to her, he looked into the basket as well and smiled. "That looks t' be powdered woad. When it's turned into paint or a dye, it gets a bit lighter in color, though if you use it for tattoo ink, it starts off a nice, deep blue an' then fades into an almost sky-blue over time."

Baylee nodded in understanding; she had quickly come to learn that Ori was extremely knowledgeable when it came to pigments. Not only did he know what various pigments were made from, he knew which ones were good for paint, for dye, for ink, and for a type of art medium he called 'pastel'. "I've heard o' woad, but I never really knew what color it was," she admitted. "And now I'll be looking for a woad-dyed scarf for Wenna. I think it'd look quite nice with her black hair."

"I agree," he said with a nod of affirmation. "Black hair paired with blue anythin' is almost always going t' look nice. An', speakin' o' blue…" Turning towards the pigment vendor, he pulled out a little cloth pouch and some coins from the pouch on his belt before buying three balls from the vendor. Slipping them into the pouch, he carefully put them inside the bag at his side. "With those purchased, I've gotten all the pigments I need. Should we go look for that scarf an' the other gifts you were wantin' t' get?"

"I was actually thinkin' o' getting a bite t' eat," she admitted, following alongside him as he started to walk. "If you don't mind, that is."

He snorted, his brow rising. "I never mind a bite t' eat," he assured her. "Should we head back t' the High Tide or is there somewhere else you'd like t' go?"

"Somewhere else. An' it just so happens t' be right over there." She pointed a little ways down the street to a building on the corner. A sign in the shape of a pie hung above the door; painted across the pie was the shop's name.

"The Pie Hole?" he read, amusement in his voice.

She nodded. "Aye. It's run by Adela's brother, Ned. He was the best piemaker in all o' Laketown—probably still is, t' be honest." She shook her head, chuckling. "I'm not sure how he does it, but the pies he makes are just delicious. Whether they're hand pies, meat pies, or normal pies, they're amazing." Her stomach suddenly growled, making Ori laugh and her blink in surprise.

"If his pies make your stomach that impatient for one, then I can't wait t' try them," he laughed.

The pair made their way down the street, their pace having quickened slightly due to the want of food. Not at all to Baylee's surprise, when they stepped into the shop, there was a decently sized line of people waiting for their turn to order. They were also hit by a mixture of delightful scents; Ori closed his eyes for a few seconds, a silly grin coming to his lips as he slowly inhaled. He couldn't tell what all the different scents were, but all together, they smelled delicious.

Glancing down at him, Baylee quietly giggled. "Enjoying the smells, are you?" she teasingly asked.

He nodded, his cheeks turning a bit pink. "I am…I also think I just got twice as hungry. Is there a menu or somethin' t' look at t' see what the day's specials are?"

She pointed at a black board hanging on the wall, the day's offerings written on it in white chalk. "Right there," she said. Going over the menu herself, she was quite glad to see that she knew almost all of the words that had been written. She did have some trouble figuring out 'brie' and 'spinach', but one word left her utterly baffled. "Ori?"

"Hm?" He glanced up at her curiously.

"After 'spinach an' fennel', what's that word? I've never seen it before."

Reading the menu over again, he chuckled when he reached the bottom of the list and found the word she had been having trouble with. "Quiche," he told her. "Spinach and fennel quiche." His stomach growled slightly; though spinach and fennel were both 'rabbit food', he couldn't help but admit that it sounded like a tasty combination.

She made a curious sound before admitting, "I've never heard o' it before."

"It's a savory sort o' tart," he explained, "made with custard, vegetables, an' cheese. Dori makes a decent quiche—it's one o' the very few things he can make decently, actually."

"That sounds like an interesting mixture," she said, head tilting slightly. "I'll have t' try one sometime before we leave Laketown."

"Why not buy one now?" he questioned.

A cheeky grin came to her lips. "Because my stomach is demandin' some o' those strawberry an' brie tartlets."

Ori lightly shook his head and quietly laughed. "How about I let you have a bite o' one of my quiches in exchange for a bite o' one o' your tartlets?" he offered. "Because my stomach's demanding I give it quiche."

"That sounds like a rather fair exchange," she giggled. "Offer accepted!"

Half an hour later found the two of them sitting on the edge of a boardwalk, their legs dangling just above the water. It had been a bit difficult, finding a quiet spot to sit, but Ori had managed to find them a good one on the north side of the city. They sat in relative silence for a while, simply enjoying their lunches as they looked out over the lake.

After some time, Baylee let out a wistful sigh and leaned her weight back on one hand. "This view was so different eight years ago."

"Hm?" He glanced up at her, tucking his bite of food into his cheek so he could reply. "How is it different?"

"It's so much more green," she explained. "Before, that whole horizon line was just grey, brown, an' yellow. Not t' mention, the Lonely Mountain had always looked…not quite frightening, but more—"

"Foreboding?" he suggested. At the same time, he held up an untouched quiche, offering her the first bite.

"Aye, foreboding's a good word for it," she chuckled, taking the quiche. Taking a small bite from it, she handed it back before looking at the mountain once more. Her brows rose slightly as she chewed the bite; it tasted fairly good. "That's quite nice. Can't say it beats my tartlets, though." Plucking one of them up, she offered it to Ori.

"I'll be the judge o' that," he joked, taking the tartlet from her. "So, you don't find the mountain forebodin' anymore?" he then asked, getting them back on subject.

"No. Now it seems rather invitin'. But I'm not sure if it's because I know what it's like inside the mountain an' know how cozy it can be or if it's because most o' the traces o' Smaug are gone now."

He lightly shrugged, handing the tartlet back. "It could be a mixture o' the two," he said after swallowing. "The tartlet's rather good, by the way, though I think I prefer the quiche more. Dwalin, though—now he would love that tartlet."

"Oh? Because o' the strawberries or the cheese?"

"The strawberries." A soft chuckle left his mouth as he thought about his lover; he wished Dwalin could have come with them, but he had his duties back home. "For as big o' a brute as he is, he has quite the weak spot for anything with strawberries in it."

She quietly laughed, her brow rising slightly. "I honestly wouldn't have expected that o' Dwalin. He seems the type t' dislike any food that isn't meat or cheese."

Ori snorted. "When he was younger, he was that sort of person. But now, he knows that fruits an' vegetables can be just as good as meat an' they're good for you. Though, I'm not one t' talk. I used t' refuse t' eat anything green." Pushing one of his braids over his shoulder, he let out a soft sigh.

Baylee watched him for a moment as she ate a tartlet, a knowing twinkle in her eye. "You're missing him, aren't you?" she casually asked.

His cheeks reddened and he somewhat cleared his throat; unaware that she had seen them leaving the Tankard, hand-in-hand, he wasn't sure if telling her he was in a relationship with another male was the best idea. "Aye, a bit. He's a good friend t' everyone in the company an' his presence is usually missed." He leaned his weight back on one hand, letting his eyes close as he ate his last quiche. "But he's a busy dwarf, bein' captain o' the guard an' all. Not t' mention, I've been in Dale, so it's not like I could be there for pub nights with him, Fili, an' Kili."

"At least the two o' you were able t' get a bit o' alone time together when he an' Fili visited Dale."

Brows furrowing, he looked at her in shock and confusion. "How did you—?"

"I saw you an' him sneak away the first night him an' Fili were in Dale." She gave him a small, apologetic smile. "By your reaction, I take it that no one's really supposed t' know about the two o' you?"

He rubbed the side of his neck, sighing. "No—well, not yet, at least. Only Fili knew until now. We were goin' t' tell Nori, Dori, an' Balin after I got back from Laketown."

She nodded in understanding as she finished her last bit of tartlet. "May I ask why the two o' you are keepin' things between you a secret?"

"There's a fifty-year gap in our ages," he explained. "Normally, age gaps aren't much o' a big deal among dwarves, but I'm still fairly young, so some might think Dwalin's manipulated me into fallin' for him."

"When, in fact, he hasn't."

He nodded before quietly chuckling. "Truth be told, I was the one havin' t' pursue him," he admitted. "He thought I just had a wee crush on him at first. Took me three years t' finally get him t' understand that I did fancy him. O' course, durin' this whole time, he had actually been fancyin' me as well, but wasn't tellin' me because, again, he thought I only had a crush."

She giggled at the mental image she got of Ori trying to woo Dwalin. "How did you finally manage t' get him convinced, though?"

"It was the war that did it, really. I saw him laying on a cot in one o' the hospital tents with practically half o' his body covered in bloodied bandages an' I just…" He paused, bafflement coming to his face once again. "Wait—why aren't you disgusted by all this?"

"Disgusted?" she repeated, confused. "Why would I be disgusted?"

"Because humans don't think it's right for two males or two females t' be in love with one another."

Baylee lightly shook her head, giving him a reassuring smile. "Aye, there are some humans like that, but I'm definitely not one o' them. Neither are most folk I know."

"Really?" Baylee nodded. "That's…both strange an' a relief t' hear, if I'm being honest." A relieved laugh left his mouth.

She chuckled softly. "Aye, the majority o' folk from Laketown are either indifferent or wholly acceptin' o' those sorts o' relationships. Some o' them can be against it, but they're in the minority."

"I honestly wouldn't have expected that," he smiled. "But…that is good to know. I'll have t' let Dwalin know next time I see him. It'd be nice t' get to hold his hand in public without havin' to worry much about gettin' insulted or somethin'." He then glanced at Baylee from the corner of his eye. "Though, on the topic o' hidden relationships…"

"The day after tomorrow," she answered before he could ask. Heaving a sigh, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back to let the sun warm her face. "We've planned t' go out ridin' for the day, so I thought I'd tell him towards the end o' that."

Ori nodded in understanding, though he knew she couldn't see it. "I hope it goes alright for you. I know Rán's a decent fellow, but he is part dwarf an' dwarves sometimes don't do well with rejection." Seeing Baylee's eyes opened wide and her face pale slightly, he quickly added, "I-I don't mean violence, o' course! I mean they can get very…well, mopey."

A sigh of relief left her mouth. "You had me worried there for a second, Ori."

"Sorry." A sheepish smile was on his lips. "But aye, if he's really fallen for you as hard as he makes it seem like he has, then he's going t' be depressed for a while."

"…Do you think I'll have t' worry about him gettin' into a fight with Bofur once we're back in Laketown?"

He shook his head. "No. Even though I don't much like him, I know Rán's an honorable person; once you break the news t' him, he should stand down." He then shrugged. "He'll also have a bit o' satisfaction, knowing that, back in Dale, Bofur's probably a bit o' a wreck thanks t' him know that his romantic rival is with you."

"With luck, he's not worryin' too much. He already knows he's won my heart." As she spoke, her hand unconsciously drifted to her neck, but there was no necklace there for her to fiddle with. Not wanting to risk it getting lost or stolen, she had left it back up in Dale.

Ori nodded slowly, looking back out over the water. "I'm sure it's going t' be quite a large weight off our shoulders, once we tell folks about our Ones. I just hope Dori's not too upset with me for keepin' it a secret for so long."

She quietly chuckled; she wished a weight would be lifted from her shoulders once people knew about her and Bofur. But with her aunt's hatred of Thorin and the members of his company, it was hard to say what she would do if ever she found out that Bofur was one of those members. And that was on top of the disappointment that would surely come with learning her niece was going to be courting a toymaker instead of a captain of the rangers…

"What's the worst that mother hen can do?" she joked, brushing the thoughts aside for now. "Squawk in anger and lay a few eggs?"

Ori burst out laughing.

"A little t' the left. A touch more—just a hair more—aye, right there!"

Hopping down off his stool, Bofur took a few steps back before looking up at the shelf filled with toy animals. A grin came to his lips and he proudly put his hands on his hips. "An' with that, every shelf in this place has been filled," he declared.

Turning around, the cousins looked over the rest of the room, where all sorts of toys were on display. There were toys for children of all ages—from the littlest of children who were only just starting to teethe to those children who were on the cusp of being teenagers. Kites shaped like swans and ravens hung from the ceiling as well as simpler kites that were just colorful shapes with long tails. The length of one wall was even dedicated entirely to four types of rocking animals: Horses, goats, cows, and pigs.

"It's a mighty good thing we've got ourselves quite a bit o' stock saved up," Bifur chuckled. "From the looks o' it, we're going t' have a number o' customers on our hands tomorrow." He then nodded at the window, where a gaggle of children was peeking in, their eyes wide in wonder. For the last three days, children had been gathering around the window so that they could peer in and get a glimpse of the sorts of toys that would soon be available to buy.

Bofur smiled when he saw the children, a small laugh leaving his mouth. "It's a good thing we didn't have t' push back the openin' day, then. I'm afraid if we made those little ones wait any longer, they'll come stormin' in like an angry mob."

Snorting, Bifur shook his head. "Now that I doubt. Now their parents on the other hand…" He moved to head into the kitchen, which was filled with empty, wooden crates and had bits of straw strewn all over the floor from the toys they had been unpacking over the last few days. "Well, we've made a right mess out o' this place."

Using his foot to 'sweep' some straw from the hallway into the kitchen, Bofur nodded. "Aye, that we have…Shouldn't be too hard t' clean up, though. Just sweeping an' takin' the crates t' the storage room."

"Except you broke our broom yesterday, remember?" His voice was dry as he gave his cousin a look.

Bofur smiled innocently. "You can't put the entire blame on me, Bifur," he said. "If you hadn't startled me, then I wouldn't have toppled off o' the stool an' fallen on the broom."

"That sort o' excuse may have worked on me when you were a dwarrowling, but not anymore." Shaking his head, Bifur knelt down and started to gather up handfuls of the straw. "We'll need t' get a new broom, though. Maybe I'll get us some when I go check on the status o' our beds later."

"Sounds like a good idea." Joining Bifur on the floor, Bofur began to also gather up straw. "Maybe get two—a normal sized one for the front an' a wider one for back here?" he suggested. He glanced over at him in time to see Bifur dumping two handfuls of straw into one of the open crates. "Are you lookin' forward t' the day you don't have t' share a room with me anymore?" he asked jokingly.

"As comfortable as the beds in the Tankard are, aye, I'm lookin' forward t' a wee bit o' privacy," Bifur chuckled.

"Privacy an' the fact we won't be getting our clothes mixed up anymore is what I'm looking forward to."

Snorting, Bifur shook his head. "I wouldn't count on that—I just know we'll get them mixed up when it comes time t' do a bit o' laundry." He dumped more straw into the crate before taking Bofur's handfuls. "I will admit, though, it'll be kind of odd to wake up and have t' make our own breakfast again. Been quite some time since that's happened."

"We don't have t' make our own breakfasts, you know." He pulled his hat off as Bifur knelt back down on the floor and began to fill it with straw; he wanted to lessen the amount of times they had to stand up only to get back down and bend over again. "We're not too far away from the Tankard. It'd just means rollin' out o' bed a wee bit earlier."

Bifur glanced over at him, a knowing smile on his lips. "If we did that, you'd have t' wake up much earlier—I know how you like keepin' your love company while she gets the breads started for the day." He watched as a bit of color came to Bofur's cheeks.

"Aye, well, if that's a sacrifice I must make, then so be it," he replied with a chuckle. "I just hope she's gettin' some rest down there in Laketown. Will was tellin' me how Warren had him write a letter to their cousins with the explicit instructions t' not let the lass do any sort o' chores."

"That'd be nice. She's a hardworkin' lass—she deserves a bit o' a holiday." He stole another look at Bofur, wanting to see how he would react with his next statement. "Though, lets hope that a certain ranger isn't tryin' t' interrupt her quiet time too much."

Bofur growled under his breath as he thought about how Rán was most certainly trying his best to woo Baylee while they were away. "He can try all he wants t' win her over, but it's not going t' work," he stated, voice firm. "He doesn't know how t' make her laugh nearly as hard as I do."

Bifur snorted, glad to hear that his cousin finally had a bit of confidence in himself in regards to winning Baylee's heart. "Aye, that's true. I bet the bloke doesn't even know her favorite color. In fact, I bet every time they're together, he just goes on an' on about himself. A fair share o' the pretty ones are like that, after all."

Bofur quietly laughed, shaking his head. "As much as I dislike the git, I doubt he goes on an' on about himself," he said. After putting a bit more straw into his hat, he stood up and dumped it into the crate.

"Who goes on and on about himself?"

Both dwarves let out shouts of surprise as the third voice suddenly joined in on their conversation. Looking at the back door, they were more than a little shocked to find Nori, his arms crossed as he leaned back against the wall. There was a cocky grin on his face as he watched his friends let out sighs of relief.

"How in the world did you get in here?" Bifur questioned, his brows furrowed. "An' how long have you been standing there?"

Nori merely continued to grin. "That's my little secret and about five minutes."

Bofur gave him a bland look. "You stole our keys an' made a copy o' them so you could get in through the back door, didn't you?" he asked, voice dry.

"As good o' a guess as that is, no. Though, thank you for reminding me that I do need t' do that at some point." Bofur blew a raspberry at him as he stepped away from the wall to go help them in their task. "I came in through the roof which you two should keep locked, you know. Just in case someone who isn't me gets a bit ambitious."

"What were you even doing on our roof?" Bifur's brow rose slightly as he looked at the younger dwarf. "You haven't been up to your old tricks again, have you?"

"O' course not," he snorted. "I was, however, using my old tricks t' make sure your building was secure, what with your grand openin' being tomorrow." He took the straw from both cousins and added it to the crate.

"Mhm. I'm certain you were doin' something out of the kindness o' your heart," Bofur said with a dry chuckle. "C'mon, Nori—why were you really up there?"

Nori frowned slightly; he should have known that the pair wouldn't have believed him; they had known each other far too long for that. "I was following someone, but I lost them in the market."

Bifur and Bofur exchanged curious looks. "What did this person do that warranted bein' followed?" the former asked.

"Something about them didn't sit well with me. But that's all I can really say for now."

"So it was official business?" Bofur asked.

"No, but just in case, I don't want t' say too much. An' it has nothing t' do with you, the shop, or anyone at the Tankard, so there's no need for you t' worry."

Nodding in understanding, Bofur dumped in another hatful of straw. "Alright then, keep your secrets, Sir Spymaster," he half-teased. "But we'll be sure t' get the rooftop door locked. We don't need anyone else breaking in."

"When are you two movin' in, by the way? I know you're opening tomorrow, but I didn't see much in the way o' furniture up there. Just a few mattresses, cushions, an' piles o' blankets."

"As soon as we get word that our bedframes are done, then we'll be movin' in," Bifur explained. "The dressers an' chests are going to take a while longer, but we don't mind another week or two o' living out o' our packs."

"I'm surprised you didn't just bring some over from Erebor. Mahal knows your mansion has more than enough o' them."

Shaking his head, Bifur leaned back on his haunches; bending over for so long was starting to make his back ache. "We thought about it, but it'd just be too much o' a hassle. An' it's not like we need anything too fancy anyway. Our good stuff can stay home in Erebor." A thoughtful expression came to his face. "Though, we probably should have grabbed some more clothes the last time we were there…It'd be nice t' get our wardrobes changed up a bit." As he looked around the area, he let out a small sigh; they had barely made a dent in all the straw they had scattered about.

"It's not even noon yet," Nori told him. "You have time to go there an' come back before dark." The cousins gave him a long look, making him frown slightly.

"There is no way that would ever happen," Bofur chuckled, his brow beginning to rise. "Unless we managed t' sneak in an' out as silently as you, we'd be stuck there until way past nightfall." Hearing Bifur grunt beside him, he frowned and looked over to find the dwarf just standing up. "You alright, Bifur?"

The older dwarf nodded, though there was a look of mild pain on his face. "Aye—just a wee bit o' a backache is all. All this haulin' stuff around an' bendin' over t' pick it back up this week is starting t' catch up with me."

"Well that's no good." Getting to his feet, Bofur dumped a final hatful of straw into the crate. "Here. You take a break an' rest yourself. I'll go t' the market an' get us some brooms, alright? An' I'll check on our beds while I'm out, too." A few bits of straw still clung to the inside of his hat, though he didn't notice them as he put it on again.

"Thank you, Bofur," Bifur said, giving him a thankful nod. Going over to the table, he let out a sigh of relief as he sat down on one of the stools.

"It's the least I could do, since I was the one who broke the broom in the first place," he chuckled. He then pointed at Nori. "You make sure he behaves, alright?"

"I'll do my best, though I make no promises," Nori snorted. Brushing the straw from his knees, he went to join Bifur at the table while Bofur headed towards the front of the shop. A quiet sigh left his mouth and he lightly shook his head as he sat down.

When he was sure Bofur was gone, Bifur looked over at Nori. "Alright—spill it. Why were you really following someone?"

Nori quietly snorted a second time, his brow rising. "An' what makes you think I'm going to tell you just because Bofur's not here?"

"Because, unlike my cousin, I don't have a tendency t' blurt things out."

"That is very true." Crossing his arms, he rested them on the tabletop. "Alright—I'll tell you. But you have t' promise you won't tell anyone." Instead of saying anything, Bifur made a sewing motion over his lips to signify that he wouldn't tell, which made Nori snort yet again. "Remember a month or two ago, when Rán got attacked?"

"Aye. How can I not? All the lasses at the Tankard were frettin' over him an' askin' Seth if he needed help changin' Rán's bandages." Both dwarves snickered at that.

"Being who I am and what my job is for Thorin, I went t' Rán an' inquired about what all he saw and heard before he was attacked. He mentioned that there were two people and an orc present an' that one o' the people was a male from either Dale or Laketown."

Bifur's brows furrowed slightly. "What?"

Nodding, Nori continued. "Apparently, he was working out some sort o' deal with the other human and the orc. Not sure what sort o' deal; Rán didn't hear. Anyway, I've been spending most o' my time the past few weeks lurking in the seedier parts o' the city, trying to find anyone that might have business that takes them outside o' the city at times. I've also been listening for any information at all about those raiders."

He slowly nodded in understanding, his brows knitting themselves together now. "So, you're certain that the raiders have some sort o' informant living within the city walls?"

. "I've found a few possible suspects, but I've been trailin' them for two weeks now an' nothing's come o' it. They're just petty thieves lookin' t' score some coinage when the next merchant caravans come in. With that said…"

A more serious expression now came to the spymaster's face and he glanced around, making sure they were truly alone. Then, scooting his chair a bit closer, he lowered his voice. "I have a very strong suspicion that who Rán saw that day isn't in Dale anymore and when he left, it was with a bang."

Bifur's frown deepened and he felt himself growing both curious and wary. "You think it was that Mannus git?" Nori nodded. "What makes you think that?"

"He ran the second most popular inn in the city, so he's no doubt overheard foreign merchants talkin' about when they'll be goin' back t' Dorwinion with their pockets full o' gold. An' from the information I got from Bard, Mannus had debts t' pay. Debts he didn't want t' pay back because he's a greedy git."

"So, in exchange for supplying the raiders with information about the returning merchant caravans, you think they'll help him escape to Dorwinion or to wherever it is the raiders themselves are from so he can fashion himself a new identity an' live richly?"

Once more, Nori nodded. "Aye, I do." He let out a sigh and rubbed the side of his neck. "There are still a few bits an' pieces I'm tryin' t' figure out, though. Like what it was that woman an' orc he met up with were supposed t' deliver t' him."

"It could have been those fireworks he had stored away."

"No. I asked Miss Adela about those an' she said those had come in two days before she was disowned—that was before Rán overheard the conversation."

"Hm. Well, that certainly doesn't help things, does it?"

Sighing, Nori shook his head. "No, it doesn't. An' it doesn't make for a very good report t' give t' Thorin, either."

"So this is official business."

"Truly, it's not." He leaned back in his seat, his voice returning to a normal volume. "But I've taken t' writing Thorin at least a rundown of everything I've been doin', been hearin', an' been seein'."

Bifur was unable to keep himself from snorting. "Unless it happens t' be the women you take t' bed, aye?"

A small smirk came to Nori's lips. "Unless I have reason t' suspect them o' any wrongdoing—aside from not bein' with their husbands for the night, that is—my bedfellows will remain my own little secret."

A/N: Here's a nice, short chapter with a possible plot reveal at the end for you, my lovely readers~😘 I hope you enjoyed reading and I'll see you next update!