"Wake up Kili, it is time to leave The Shire."
No matter how hard I tried to hold onto the dream, sleep would not find me and bless my wish. Fili sat at the edge of the couch we were sharing for the night, pressing into my legs to wake me.
Laurel.
As always her face was a blur but the ache in my chest that went to sleep with me awoke with me; this time with vigor. It was surprising I woke this time with a smirk.
She actually kissed me.
The memory was still fresh in my mind, almost as if I could still feel her soft sweet lips upon mine. Sometimes I wondered if it were only just dreams. She speaks of how I am merely just an imagination, and everything I do and say is her wishes. If it were truly that way, which we are creating an image of each other, who is to say that she is not just an imagination of my mind? That would simply be unfair. If it were my choice, I would have not had her run from me. We would have been embracing and sharing kisses much sooner.
Not on the last dream I would ever share with her.
"What of Bilbo," Fili asked, grabbing his weapons and rising to leave. I followed his lead, placing two daggers in my belt and boot and grabbing my arrows and bow.
"All we can do is leave the contract. If he wishes to accompany us, he will find us," Thorin replied.
Together the lot of us rose and left the hobbit's home and quietly as we could. It was not my first time meeting a hobbit, though after I met Bilbo, the similarities between him and Laurel were strong. The greed I felt to see her again was almost stronger of that of the need of this quest.
Just outside The Shire we met a farmer with ponies for hire. Gandalf took lead on his stead and we were off on our quest.
Fili rode in the last of the line of ponies with me. Out of the thirteen dwarves, Fili and I were the youngest. For most of our lives we were raised by Mother, father had passed in battle with Orcs. Uncle Thorin was around for much of our childhood. We were told of the tales of our people and how our home was stolen from us by the fire drake Smaug.
It was only a few months ago that he approached my brother and myself, declaring that he, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, was going to take back the Lonely Mountain. We promised Mother we would return as princes of Erebor and bring her home.
"Did you see her in your sleep again Brother," Fili asked softly.
For twenty years, I dreamed of Laurel. I do not know how old she was when I started dreaming of her, but she was very small. Most the dreams I had were of her, doing something ordinary such as chasing butterflies and sliding down snow covered hills on a piece of colored wood of sorts. I watched as she attended a ceremony were all the humans cried and spoke of a man.
Each of these dreams she was unable to see or hear me. It was as if I were invisible.
There were dreams where Laurel was barely clothed, only small pieces covering her. These dreams I had to focus my attention on other things. It was not until she was matured into a woman that I encountered her in a dream, where she could see me and speak to me.
I was amused that she was hunting a deer to feast upon.
From that one encounter, we discovered that each of us dreamed of the other. This encounter led to similar dreams of no talking, but after a while we were able to speak again.
These times in dreams where I could talk to her, understand her and where she comes from, were some of my favorite times. The world that she lived in was one very different than Middle Earth. Each of us had our own questions, very confused of one another.
Over time I came to care for the russet haired maiden. Often times in my dreams I allowed myself the pleasure of braiding her locks and caressing her skin. When I looked into her pine colored eyes, it was if I were already home.
"Yes, I dreamed very fondly of her," I murmured, "though I am afraid it may be the last."
A chuckle came from my brother, "It may not. This journey will be long and eventually you will see her again. I am afraid that I am jealous of your maiden that does not exist."
"Laurel is a true beauty indeed," I murmured dejectedly, trying to hold onto the last traces of her face that floated in my mind.
"Why do you sound upset," Fili asked earnestly.
"I think she is a Hobbit," I muttered.
This brought a hearty chuckle from the blonde warrior.
Bilbo found his way to us, joining the company and continuing on our journey. Once given a pony, the poor fellow already tried to turn back around for a hanky. To say in the least this burglar was not much of an assistance to the quest. He spoke often about how he missed his Hobbit hole and the warm food he often ate on a regular basis. If anything he was more of a bother with his consistent complaining.
All of it made me more irritable due to the lack of sleep that uncle kept us on. Most of the time we were lucky to sleep for a few hours, he wanted to get to the mountain as soon as possible. Though I fully agreed, I wanted to sleep and try to see Laurel once more.
After seven days of travel with no real rest, the company set Thorin straight. Came nightfall the lot of us were camped out with a fire, a nice warm meal, and promised a full nights worth of sleep.
"Kili," uncle approached me, "take first watch. In a few hours we will have Fili switch with you so that you can rest as well."
"Yes uncle. I will wake the company if I hear or see of anything suspicious."
The hill that we found had a pleasant flat bottom to the south that we placed camp in. It also provided for a great vantage point to see from all angles anything that would try to sneak up on us.
I used the time of peace to reflect on the last time I slept and saw her. The ache in my chest returned at the thought, the last I can remember of her face is her pine eyes, everything else blurred into her silhouette. She was so scared of… me. If it were really only just a dream, she was not real, then why would I dream of her fear? I would dream of her desire for me! The fact itself was even more frustrating than Bilbo's complaining. There has to be more than just a coincidence that I dream of the same woman all these years.
The more I concentrated on trying to envision her face, the sleepier I became. Shortly I felt the drags of tiredness pull me into a soft sleep.
Covered in odd greens and blues, she was walking across sand. The green clothing she wore covered her head and hair. Blue waves crashed against the shore, water tickling her boot covered feet. This was one of the few times she was actually wearing boots.
I even felt the cold of winter's chill.
Happiness filled me, I had gotten my wish to see her again. It was not as exciting to know that this was not a time of meeting, but I could gaze upon her once more.
When she strode forward, I followed. Not much of anything was happening, it seemed that the walking continued on forever. Suddenly it started to rain. As if I were there, I could feel the cold pelting drops. It did not take long for them to become heavier and more furious. When the quake of thunder exploded around her she turned and started to walk the way she had come.
The water just on the other side of her lit up with the lightning of the sky. Laurel started to run.
I myself was running just so that I would not lose her. The sight of her face was already swallowed by the rain.
Lightning struck, blindingly, just in front of her. Fear grasped my heart.
"Laurel!" My voice was horse and booming, but fell upon deaf ears, almost deaf to my own if it weren't for the crack of thunder.
She turned to escape the danger, only to be pushed forward into it instead.
A loud crack of thunder awoken me with a gasp.
Laurel, she fell into electrifying lightning.
I looked up into the night sky instinctively to gaze at the storm here.
Something was falling through the air. Was it a bird? As it started to gain momentum the closer it got, I could see it was not a bird at all. It was something much larger. It was coming right for me actually.
With a start I jumped, reckless as I was, holding my arms out ready to catch the oddity.
The force of the drop and thing brought me to my knees, grunting at the impact. With all the gentleness I could bestow I rolled the object into the ground to inspect it.
A familiar ache burst through my chest as I saw a familiar woman. Wearing a worn green short tunic of various hues, and dark blue pants, she was soaked to the bone. Just as I pushed back the hood of her clothing, her russet hair tumbled out. The short breath was stuck in my throat.
Laurel?
"Fili," my voice bellowed across the valley.
My hands grasped her face, pulling her head into my lap. How could this be happening? Falling into lightning takes you to another world? Voices were vaguely heard coming up the hill. Was she even alive? I lowered my head to her mouth, listening for her breath. A faint inhale and exhale could be heard. Excitement started to bubble up within me.
"Kili, what is it," Fili asked kneeling down next to me.
A gasp left me, "She fell from the sky."
"She's soaked to the bone, we better find a dry space and start a fire for her to warm up," he whispered urgently. "Do you have her? I'll go start the fire."
Her weight was so light, I feared for her health as I carried her down the hill. Gandalf was persuading a fire to life under a cliff where the rain was not so heavy. With some of his powers he allowed a small bubble of clear air. I laid her gently against the ground, and then placed myself behind her with her head against my legs once more. Russet locks were soaked as well, causing me to run my fingers through them.
"Where did she come from," Gandalf asked.
"Quite literally out of the sky," I murmured. "I looked up and she was falling, right into my arms."
"We cannot let this halt our journey," Thorin muttered as he strode towards all the commotion.
A grunt of sorts escaped me. They would have to have a dragon breathe it's flames of death upon me before I will leave without her. "Uncle," I muttered, "we cannot just leave her in this condition. I will not leave her side."
Thorin crouched down to get a better look at her. Instinctively I wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer. Even if I did not want it to happen, there is always one being in this world that could stand between her and me, would be him.
"I know who she is," I muttered.
"If she is one of your whores—"
"Never," I growled, "she is of another world…"