A/N: Guess which part of this chapter had me thinking 'Single Ladies' by Beyonce.
Chapter Twelve
The shop was packed.
It was barely noon and Bifur and Bofur's Toyshoppe was having a most excellent first day. At first, they only had one or two people stop in –they bought nothing. The two dwarves had just been growing disheartened when a group of young mothers out for a mid-morning stroll with their little ones stopped in. So amused and impressed by the toys (as well as being unable to resist the pleading pouts from their children), they had bought various toys.
Word of mouth had quickly spread after that small group left. Soon, more folk came in, whether they had children or not, and browsed the wares. More toys were bought and more people left only to be replaced by double the amount a few minutes later.
And now that it was noon, Bofur was having a hard time keeping up with all the sales. He was more than a little thankful that Ori and William were also there to help with the customers, since Bifur was unable to communicate. Instead, he sat at the counter, happily whittling away on the figure of a horse he had started on the previous night. He would occasionally glance up at his cousin only to quietly chortle and shake his head before returning to whittling.
More than once, Bofur found himself having to dash into the back room and throw open crates of toys so that he could restock the shelves or to find a kite in the shape of a certain animal. One little boy was left a bit saddened that he had to make do with a wolf-shaped kite because there were none in the shape of a dragon; he was too young to remember the horrors of Smaug.
By the time the crowd started to thin down, it was nearly two in the afternoon. Will and Ori sat down on stools with sighs, leaning back to rest their tired backs against the wall. There were only three customers in the shop at that point –a woman, her son, and an elderly man.
"It's a good thing we got so bored over the last couple o' years, isn't it?" Bofur quietly joked with his cousin.
"Gholiz," Bifur chuckled. He glanced over at Ori and Will, setting his tools down. "Dâzhzu ghelekhur?" he inquired.
Ori nodded, though hid a yawn behind his hand. "We're doing fine," he reassured him. "It just got a bit…crazy there for a bit."
Will grinned, though kept his eyes shut. "It was a refreshing pace," he joked. "Certainly worked off that large breakfast I had this morning!" He teasingly patted his stomach. "Wonder if Baylee'll be by with a lunch for us or if we'll have t' fend for ourselves?"
"Udu kulhu klutmâ, Az-Baylee uband avlâmniku," Bifur informed them.
Bofur frowned slightly. "That so? May have t' dig out the ointment again, then…"
Will cocked his brow. "What did he say?" he inquired, opening an eye to look at them.
"Said he heard that your sister's on linen duty today," Bofur answered. "If it goes as well as it did last time, I'll need t' find that burn ointment…"
The human laughed. "Oh, don't worry about that –da' didn't want t' risk another bad soap incident, so he tossed all the soap we had an' had Baylee and Wenna buy new soap from the most reputable soap makers." He gave them a reassuring grin. "She'll be fine."
Bifur glanced up as the woman approached the counter, balancing her son on her hip and holding a story book in her free hand. He nudged Bofur in the ribs, drawing his attention.
"Excuse me, but how much does this book cost?" she inquired. Her son leaned over, trying to grab it from her, earning a small chuckle. "We'll look at the pictures soon, lad," she quietly cooed to him.
Bofur smiled. "Eight silver, miss," he replied. Bifur chuckled beside him as the little boy latched onto the book while his mother fished around for the coins. "Wee tyke is anxious t' see more o' the pretty pictures, is he?" He watched at the child tried to open the book, but his mother's torso made it somewhat hard.
"That he is," she replied, separating her silver coins from copper and gold. "He loves havin' stories read t' him before naptime an' bedtime. Oh…I've only got six silver." Her brows furrowed as she tried to find more silver coins, but to no avail. "I guess I'll have to come back tomorrow…" she murmured.
Bofur waved his hand and slid two of the coins back. "Here; lil' fellow's stories are more important than a few coins."
The woman looked thoroughly surprised. "R-really?" she asked. "Are you sure? I could just come back tomorrow-"
He shrugged. "You could. Or you could read your son some stories tonight an' have him happily dreamin'," he told her with a smile. "Would ya like me t' wrap it up in some paper or would you rather let him look through it?"
A thankful smile came to her lips. "Thank-you," she told him. "I think he'd pout if'n you were t' wrap it, so I'll just take it as is."
He nodded in understanding. "Have a good day, miss."
"You too, master," she smiled before leaving with her son.
Looking around, Bofur saw that the old man had left, leaving the shop free of customers for the time being. Sliding a key out of his pocket, he unlocked the lockbox under the counter and slid the coins into it. His eyes lit up when he saw that it would soon need to be emptied –for the third time that day. Snapping the lid shut and twisting the key to lock it again, he turned around and gave the box a shake.
"I think the drinks will be on me 'n Bifur tonight," he told the other two.
"Oh, Dwalin and Nori will like that for sure," Ori chirped, sitting upright once more.
Bifur shrugged. "Imhilkhi…udugh Bofur ûn tashf nu ghuluz," he told them. As he spoke, he set down his whittling equipment and used Iglishmêk for Will's benefit.
Will frowned slightly. "You two are leavin' the inn, then?" he asked. "I mean, I know you've got part o' the upstairs converted into bedrooms, but your kitchen is mighty sparse and I don't think you've any pots or pans for cookin'."
The cousins looked at each other and chuckled. "We won't need much, lad," Bofur told him. "We plan t' frequent the inn still; Galiene's cookin' rivals my brother's. Pots, pans, and bowls we've got with us, though –they just aren't unpacked yet."
Bifur nodded in agreement, his fingers starting to sign. 'Not want us go?' The grin on his face let the human know he was joking.
"It's not that. It's just…you've been there nigh two months. The only time someone's stayed any longer was when an old man all but bought a room back in Lake Town."
"So, you're sayin' we've become like family?" Bofur grinned.
Before Will could answer, however, the door opened and both Nori and Dwalin came in. Nori held a large basket in his hand while Dwalin carried an equally large basket, though he also had a small barrel tucked under his arm. They set these things down on the counter beside Bifur's things without so much as a 'hello'.
"From Galiene, Demelza, an' Baylee," Nori told them. "A nice, hearty lunch for your first day on the job."
"An' some good beer t' wash it down from Warren," Dwalin grinned. "We tried t' stop by earlier t' see how things were goin', but it was jus' too crowded for us. So we went back an' had ourselves some lunch an' listened t' gossip 'bout the town. Apparently yeh'll be gettin' a flood o' customers come midafternoon."
Bifur's eyes widened. "Tada kidgh?" Dwalin nodded and Bifur looked at Bofur. "Ughlakhmâ blug ra rimish bovod," he told him, his voice a bit worried sounding.
He nodded in agreement. "That we should. Ori, Will –c'mon lads; we need t' get this eaten before midday is up."
As the four scrambled to get food, Nori glanced around the shop. A few items had been moved from their places, but everything seemed in order. They had done a good job keeping their wares stocked as well; he could hardly tell that a large crowd of people had been in there earlier. Walking over to one of the shelves, he saw that it held a collection of toy animals that could be pulled along behind a child via a string. Glancing over his shoulder, he made sure no one was looking before curiously tugging the string on a horse figure.
To his surprise, it did more than merely roll across the shelf. Its body moved as it rolled, mimicking the smooth movements of a real horse. His braided brow rose and he tried it with the figure of a dog; it, too, had mobile joints as well as ears that flapped up and down gaily. There was even a cat with a swishing tail and a chicken with a bobbing head. On the floor alongside the shelf were life-sized versions of the cat and the dog.
"How much for these wee things?" he called back to the others. Plucking up the chicken, he grinned slightly. It reminded him of Dori.
Bifur glanced up. "Hadud makal."
Walking over to them, the chicken still in hand, Nori fished seven copper coins from his coin purse and put them on the counter. "Ori, doesn't this remind you of Dori?" He pulled it along the counter, amused by the perfect bobbing of the chicken's head.
Ori watched as well, quietly laughing. "It does. It's even a hen," he grinned. His eyes then widened and he covered his mouth to stifle some giggles. "Don't tell me you bought tha' for him!"
A wicked smirk came to his lips. "Of course not. Why would I ever get our beloved, maternal brother such a cruel gift?"
Dwalin snorted from across the room. He had been looking at the mechanical birds that Bifur had made. "We all know how much yeh just adore yer brother there, Nori. I'm sure Dori will appreciate the gift." Standing on his tiptoes, he could see the little cards that stated the prices for each of the birds. The eagle, being the biggest, was the most expensive at a gold piece –a fair price, he thought, because Bifur had spent so long working out how to get the mechanisms just right. 'Balin really liked these,' he thought, resisting the urge to reach up and take one for closer inspection. He knew that the toys weren't fragile –Bifur had made them to last- but he didn't want be caught playing with a child's plaything. 'Maybe I should get him one? His birthday is coming up soon, after all…and he was full of such wonder seeing the Lord of Eagles…'
Shrugging, he plucked the eagle off of the shelf and pulled a gold piece from somewhere inside his vest. He flicked it over onto the counter, earning confused looks from Ori and Will, who hadn't seen him grab the toy.
"Aw, even Dwalin has a soft spot for toys," Bofur teased.
Dwalin's brow rose as he half-glared at the smaller dwarf. "S'not for me," he flatly told him. "S'for Balin. He loved seein' the Lord o' Eagles. Remember? He was the only one besides Gandalf convinced tha' they weren't goin' t' eat us when they saved us from the wargs." Before he could get teased further, he left the shop, grumbling to himself about how he needed to find a box and some hay so he could send the eagle off to his brother.
Baylee wore a frown as she stared down an obstinate stain on one of her brother's shirts. It was a sort of dark purplish color similar to that left by blackberries and it was on the stomach of the garment. Despite her best efforts to remove it, it refused to wash out of the brown fabric and she supposed it rather enjoyed its new home.
She knew that he worn this shirt just the previous day and there had been no such stain on it. She also knew that Will hadn't gone out during the night –had he? If he did, it had been late and he had finally remembered to unlatch his window. Shaking her head, she sighed and once more rubbed the soap into the fabric.
The door to the washroom opened, though she didn't look up. "Set them there," she told who she thought was Wenna, pointing at a small pile of sheets near the tub. "I'll get t' them soon."
"Well, if I had something that wasn't food to put there, I would."
Baylee looked up, eyes wide as she saw her father. He laughed as he saw her shocked expression and lightly shook his head.
"I brought ya some lunch," he told her. "Galiene said she hadn't seen you since breakfast and since it's long past midday…"
He looked around the area, surprised by all the clothing that she already had strung up to dry. Its north and eastern walls were missing, having purposefully been remodeled that way so whatever had been hung up to dry could have access to the breezes. It had been Demelza's idea –one that worked surprisingly well. Since it was built much like a wide, covered porch, they needn't worry about much rain or snow getting in during winter.
She watched him curiously. "It's past midday?" she repeated. "What time is it then?"
"Nearly three!" he answered with a laugh. "Have ya been that dazed while washin'? It's not even that warm in here, 'Lee." Sitting down, Warren rested his back against one of the support beams, motioning for his daughter to come join him. He also set down a large tray packed with food and drink. "Ah, don't worry. I was lost in my own thoughts out in the forge."
Wringing out Will's shirt, she moved to hang it up on one of the many lines strung across the room before going to sit near her father. "It's never a good thing if you're lost in thoughts while in the forge, papa. You could get yourself a nasty burn that way." Pulling her knees to her chest, she reached down and started to pick at the food.
"The soup's for you," he informed her as he took up a large piece of boiled, cured beef. "And I have my reasons for gettin' lost in my thoughts." He peeled off a length of the beef before popping it into his mouth. "But everythin' I do in that small room is so ingrained into my mind tha' I can do it all without needin' t' think."
She glanced up at him as she took up the bowl of soup. Just by the smell of it, she knew it to be fish soup. "What've you been thinkin' about, papa?" she dared to ask. Using her fingers rather than the spoon, she reached into the soup to pluck out the chunks of fish, popping it into her mouth. Her stomach grumbled appreciatively; she was hungrier than she had thought.
For a moment, Warren was silent as he continued to eat the beef. He reached down once, grabbing a mug and taking a long drink out of it; Baylee supposed it had some warmed cider in it since it was steaming. He stole a look at his daughter, smiling slightly; most didn't realize it thanks to her shortness and ashy hair, but she bore a great resemblance to her mother. The freckles, the wide, green eyes, the smile…even the too-big front teeth were all traits Baylee and Éolynna shared.
"Papa?" she questioned, her brows furrowing slightly. "Is something wrong?"
Shaking his head, he set the mug down. "No, nothing's wrong, 'Lee," he quietly reassured her. "It's just…You'll be turnin' twenny-four soon an'…Well…"
She bit the inside of her cheek. "You want me t' start lookin' for a husband," she quietly finished.
"It's just –ya need t' at least start lookin' a wee bit, 'Lee. I don't think I can even recall ya courtin' someone before," he admitted. He rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn't needed to have this conversation with Will; Will knew well enough that, as a son, he would need to find himself a good wife sometime soon. But Baylee…?
"I've courted a few lads!" she argued. "Just…not for very long…" She self-consciously rubbed her arm and looked away from her father as she blushed. "I've had my eyes on a few, but they're not the types who'd fall for an inn maid."
"An' why not?" he demanded. "Are they too thickheaded t' see that you'd be the catch o' their lives?"
She gave him a long look, her brow raised slightly. "They're courtin' other lasses, that's why." Plucking a piece of carrot from the soup, she popped it into her mouth.
"So, aye, they're too thickheaded."
"Papa!"
He grinned cheekily. "C'mon, 'Lee, I'm just pullin' your leg."
Her brow remained raised as she sipped some of the soup's warm broth. It helped to warm her up quite a bit; it may have been spring, but the winds that filled the room were still crisp with the bite of winter. "I'll find a lad someday," she reassured her father. "Just…don't expect it t' be any time soon."
"You never know –you may find one down in Lake Town."
She snorted before cracking up in a fit of laughter. "No, thank-you! I'll look around Dale an' Erebor instead. The men and dwarves are much better husband material."
Warren's brows furrowed. "You'd…court a dwarf?" he slowly asked.
Baylee lightly shrugged, getting another chunk of fish from the stew. "Why not? I'm about the same height as them anyway," she chuckled. "Anyway, some o' them are quite handsome –an' they tend t' be much friendlier than human blokes." She stuck the fish in her mouth and chewed away, looking out over the city below them.
"It's just a lil' odd that you would."
"I thought you liked dwarves, papa?"
"I do! They're mighty fine blokes. But I don't think I'd want my daughter courtin' one." He peeled off another piece of the beef and took a bite out of it.
She frowned and glanced at him. "Why not? Like I said, they're-"
"Aye, they're good folk," he reassured her, "but, 'Lee. They age far slower 'n us humans."
"So?" She shrugged and drank some more broth. "I know full well a dwarf can look thirty but actually be a hun'erd-fifty."
He nodded. "That's why, Baylee. If you were to marry a young dwarf, he wouldn't age with you. He may get a little older, but not by much." He set a large hand on her shoulder. "He would look an' be as spry as a sapling while you got older an' older…And then who knows how long he'll continue t' live after you pass on? Dwarves only fall in love once or twice, 'Lee."
Her brows furrowed as she listened to his words and her eyes fell to the remainder of her soup. She didn't enjoy the picture Warren had painted with his words, even if she knew full well that it was possible for someone to continue on without their spouse –he was one of them. But dwarves lived much longer and if they had so few chances to find love…She shook her head, knowing that if a dwarf were to fall for a human, they would make the most of their time together. That's what love was about after all.
"Then let's hope that, if I do fall for a dwarf, he's an older one with some grey already in his beard."
"'Ey, c'mon, Bifur! Don't stint!"
"Izmâ!"
"Yes yeh are; look –tha' mug ain't even half full!"
"Angûriskha shuluk," he argued, pointing at the foam. "Gîrisknârgh arkabeth."
Dwalin raised his brow. "Fine, fine. I'll believe yeh this time," he grinned, knowing Bifur told the truth. The beer had overflowed with foam, so the older dwarf was letting it die down a bit before he continued to fill the mug.
On most nights, it would have been one of the girls or Will filling the mugs, but they were so busy tending to other customers that they had entrusted the dwarves to refilling their own drinks. The crowd surprised the dwarves; as far as they knew, there was no holiday or any sort of celebration going on.
Shrugging, Dwalin took up two of the foaming mugs and carried them back to the table while Bifur carried the other three. It wasn't his place to ask those sorts of questions. It was, however, his place to drink delicious beer to his heart's content –especially since the drinks were on Bofur that night.
He should have known that Dwalin and Nori would take advantage of such a thing.
As the two dwarves were setting their beers down, Demelza and Wenna came over with trays full to the brim with their dinner. Ori and Bifur helped the two women get everything settled so they could hurry off to tend to other customers. Nori was of little help; he kept stealing bits of food off of the plates as they were passed around the table, earning a bit of a scolding from his youngest brother.
"I'm hungry," he argued. "I'd like to see you not do the same if'n you've not eaten since breakfast!"
"And just why haven't you eaten?" Ori demanded, holding a plate of rolls out of his reach. "There was plenty of food at the shop this afternoon, you could have had some then!"
He rolled his eyes and waited for the food to be settled. "Because I went back home for a bit an' didn't want t' get sick from Dori's cookin'." At his reply, Bofur and Dwalin cracked up, knowing full well that most of Dori's cooking was rather…inedible. "An' I would have stopped for food in the market, but I wanted t' make it back here before night fell."
Ori cocked his brow as he glared at his brother. He knew that Nori was telling the truth –most of it, at least. Nori always had a hard time lying to Ori. Shaking his head, Ori sighed and set the rolls down near Dwalin, knowing that the burly dwarf would make sure that Nori wouldn't take more than his fair share.
"Dori should take lessons from Miss Galiene," he at last spoke. "He makes a good chicken soup, but that's about it. Except he puts spinach in it."
Nori's brows furrowed. "You used to gobble the spinach out of the soup. Don't tell me you don't like it anymore."
"It's green!"
"Mabahk wîhyid danukur ablug," Bifur mused. "Izhûl danuk ablug ghelek…Amtêk khazâdmâ!" Dwalin quietly snickered at that comment; he barely ate green food and he was as strong as an ox.
Ori shook his head defiantly. "Ever since that Rivendell place, I can't stand the taste of green food."
Bofur cocked his brow. "I don't know. I thought it tasted rather good. Then again, I have a soft spot for dandelion salad. Especially with a side o' roasted buttercups an'-" He paused, seeing the odd looks he was earning from his companions. "What? Can't a dwarrow enjoy some salad every now an' again?" he asked with a small frown. "We don't always have t' be eatin' meat. I mean, some salad or roasted vegetables are good every now an' again! They help keep you regular, if you're catchin' my drift."
Bifur lightly patted him on the shoulder. "Cazîmun, Bofur."
He pouted as he took a long, slow drink of his beer. "Tellin' me t' shush just because I like salad…" Setting his mug down, he reached out and pulled a bowl of fresh, uncooked greens towards him. Ori cringed slightly, but said nothing as he forked some roasted potatoes and carrots onto his plate.
Nori chuckled. "I, for one, think salad's alright if you pour some hot pork fat over it and add in some bacon an' toasted bread. Maybe some cheese as well. You hardly taste the green of it all through the bacon."
Dwalin raised his brow. "Why would yeh tarnish the heavenliness o' bacon by doin' that?" he inquired. He stuck his knife into a large piece of boiled beef and brought it onto his plate along with a fairly large serving of oven-roasted sausages.
"Because it's good," Nori repeated. "I'll have t' have Galiene make it for you sometime t' prove it."
Ori shook his head, sighing. "Not even bacon could make a salad good."
Bifur raised his brow as he glanced at the youngling. "Khelech agrunâkzu corîch," he lightly scolded. "Khi mukhuh taghelêkh."
He pouted slightly and brought some roasted mushrooms and a roll onto his plate. "Who knew salads could be such a debate amongst dwarrows…?" he grumbled under his breath.
"Urùthûkhruk cheese," Bifur requested of Nori.
Nori, however, just stared at him, mouth slightly open in shock.
"Khulu? Urùthûkhruk khi, mîb," frowned Bifur. He then noticed that the other three dwarves were also staring at him with the same shocked look (which was a little disgusting on Dwalin's part, for his mouth had been full of half-chewed food). "Khulu khi!?" he demanded, brows furrowed.
It was Nori who spoke first. "You said 'cheese'," he murmured. As if hit with a brick of realization, he grinned broadly and laughed. "Bifur! You said 'cheese' in Westron!"
"Dîz?" he blinked. "Aglâb cheese?" His eyes shot open. "Agláb cheese! Cheese!" he cried happily.
Bofur burst into a fit of merry laughter. "See? I told ya that you'd relearn Westron" he called, pointing at his cousin. "I told ya! Wait 'til Bombur hears about this! He'll be ecstatic!"
Bifur was shaking from excitement. After so long, he had spoken a word in Westron –and it was on accident! Maybe…just maybe if he concentrated on saying other words –he knew it would take a great deal of effort- he could once more be fluent in the language. He just had to practice at it…
Baylee held her knees to her chest as she stared out of her window. It was open, letting the cool night breezes waft in and clear the room of any stuffiness. A quiet sigh left her mouth as she stared out across Dale towards the great mountain of Erebor, just barely able to see the small, yellow specks that were the great torches that illuminated the entrance into the dwarven city. It was a sight that was frequently the last thing she saw before falling asleep, but tonight, sleep was evading her.
Raising a mug to her lips, she slowly took a sip of the chamomile tea it held. The moon was shining brightly in the sky, nearly being full. The light of it and the stars worked together to give Dale and the lands around it a deep blue color. She found it rather pretty and envied those, like Ori, who were able to capture such beauty on paper or canvas.
"You're not supposed to be awake." Will sat down on the edge of her bed. He was wearing his night shirt and a pair of loose breeches and looked very much like he had just woken up.
"I didn't wake ya, did I?" she asked with a small frown.
He shook his head. "Had t' use the privy," he replied. "What has you awake? Did you have another…?"
"No. Just been thinkin' is all." She scooted over, allowing for her brother to sit beside her.
Will climbed onto the bed and sat beside her, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. "About?"
"Somethin' papa told me earlier."
He frowned slightly and mentally cursed. "What did he tell you?"
She sighed, her finger tracing the rim of her mug. "That…I should be thinkin' 'bout gettin' married soon," she quietly admitted. "Said I should start keepin' my eye out for a lad t' settle down with." Taking a drink of the chamomile, she knew her brother was growing upset; he didn't show it, but she knew he was not pleased.
Will rubbed her shoulder, sighing. "Take your time," he softly reassured her. "We're only twenty-three…we both have plenty o' time ahead of us before we need to get married. He should know well enough tha' love can't be forced out o' someone."
Resting her head against him, she closed her eyes. "Thing is…I have been lookin', Will. Every man that I end up fancyin' turns out t' be taken or not interested in me at all…or they turn out t' be shallow arsemunches…"
"Well, maybe you're not lookin' in the right places? No doubt most o' the blokes you see are customers of ours. Lake Town has a bunch of new residents from Dorwinion, so maybe you'll find someone down there?"
She shrugged, offering him her mug of tea. He gladly took it and drank from it. "Maybe. Or maybe I'll end up an old, husbandless crone who makes bread all day an' chats up inn patrons…" She chuckled at the thought. "That wouldn't be too bad; sounds kind o' fun, really."
Lifting his brow, he gave his twin a dry look. "Or maybe you'll end up with a dwarf lad."
"Papa says he hopes I don't fall for one."
"Why's that?" He frowned again; he would need to have a frank talk with their father later.
She shifted and turned in his arm so that her back was against his side and his arm draped over just one shoulder. "He doesn't like the fact that, if I fell for a young dwarf, the rates of aging would be too different. I'd turn into a wrinkly ol' grey thing while he stayed young an' handsome."
He rolled his eyes. "I have the feeling you gave him a snappy comeback."
Again, she giggled. "Aye…I told him, 'Well then, let's hope I fall for an older dwarf –one who has some grey in his beard'." Tilting her head back, Will could see she wore a tired grin. "I'm actually startin' t' not mind the idea o' marryin' a dwarf," she admitted. "I mean…they know how t' have fun."
"That they do," he agreed, nodding. "And they know how to spoil their lovers. I've heard tales from Bifur and Bofur about how this mysterious Bombur loves to randomly give his wife extravagant gifts –no reason at all, just gives her presents."
"Well, after she gave birth to eight children, I would hope he spoils her rotten!"
He grinned, lightly ruffling her hair. "I think a dwarf would be good for you, in all honesty –an' not just because of the height difference."
Her brow rose curiously. "Oh? Why's that?"
"Well, look at the way the lads are treatin' you –like you're their best friend."
"I bring 'em food an' drink all o' the time; of course they would!"
Laughing, he nodded again. "Aye, that's true. But, Baylee…when was the last time that any of our customers –besides the elves an' ol' Will an' Abbot- have treated you with such kindness?"
She thought for a long moment before shrugging. "Rán did, but his whole group was polite." Her fingers unconsciously rose and stroked the choker still clasped around her neck. "Now that I think about it," she murmured, brows furrowing, "I think he actually fancied me."
"Oh, I'm sure he did," Will chuckled, "but he's on his way back t' Dorwinion now."
Another sight left her mouth and she closed her eyes. "Missed that chance…But, I wouldn't want t' live so far away from my family."
"Well…if it makes you feel any better, I'm rather sure one o' the lads fancies you as well."
Baylee suddenly turned around and faced him, her brows furrowed as she locked gazes with him. "Nori said the same thing t' me a few weeks ago," she told him.
"Did he now…?" His brow rose and he felt a bit amused. "Did he tell you which one?"
She shook her head, settling down once more. "No –only that he would have fun watchin' me fret about as I tried t' guess which dwarf it was." Her eyes closed and she tucked her feet under the blanket. At last, she was beginning to feel tired.
"Well…if you're interested…I know which one it is."
"You do?"
"Mhm. Would you like me to tell you?"
No answer.
"Baylee? Don't you want to—" He looked down at his twin, finding her fast asleep in the crook of his arm. Sighing, he rolled his eye and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. Closing his eyes, he lightly shook his head. He knew that he wouldn't get back to his room tonight; if he were to move, Baylee would wake up. 'You make teasing you so difficult, you know that?' he thought.
Ori was going through his pack for the third time that day, making sure he truly had everything he needed for the journey to Lake Town. Nori and Dwalin had spent the afternoon with him, fretting over him so he wouldn't end up buying cheap supplies or food that would spoil in a few days' time. With a small sigh, he found that his bag was perfectly full and had been untouched since he last checked it an hour ago.
It wasn't his fault that he was so nervous; he would be leaving for Lake Town the next morning. Sighing, he leaned back on his heels and tiredly rubbed his face. The excitement had kept him up the previous night and he wondered how little sleep he would get tonight from it. He knew full well that he would need as much rest as he could get; Baylee had told him that they would go south via the river. That filled his mind with memories of being holed up inside barrels and floated out of Mirkwood –his own barrel had once been filled with sauerkraut, leaving him unable to eat the stuff for some months.
He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear the knock on the door or the gentle creak of floorboards as someone entered. He did, however, let out a small yelp and spun around as someone set their hand on his shoulder. Seeing that it was only Dwalin, he sighed in relief and rolled his eyes.
"You should have knocked," he scolded, standing upright.
"I did, laddie." His brow rose as he saw how much of a worried mess Ori was. "How much sleep have yeh gotten? Yeh look terrible."
Brushing himself off, Ori pouted. "I've gotten too little, but I promise I'm fine. Just…excited for tomorrow is all." He gave Dwalin a small, reassuring smile. "What do you need?"
"Have a lil' gift for yeh…An' I didn't really want Nori t' see it, lest he tries t' take it from yeh." He chuckled quietly, drawing something from the back of his belt and holding it out to the young dwarf. Opening his hand, Ori saw a masculine-looking ring in his palm that had a decent sized opal resting in the center of it. "It's a poison ring," he informed Ori, a grin coming to his lips. "An' I've already taken the liberty o' puttin' some poison in it for yeh. Just lift the stone an' slip it in yer enemy's drink or dinner an' out they go!"
Despite how disturbed he was at the notion of such a thing existing, Ori laughed. "A poison ring?" he questioned, carefully taking it from him. He looked it over. "Why would I need such a thing, Dwalin?"
He shrugged. "Never know when yer in a situation tha' needs a delicate hand instead o' a nice, bloody axe. Plus…I know yeh like opals an' it was the only one tha' didn't look like it'd grace the hand o' a woman…" His cheeks turned a little pink and he glanced away. "So I thought I'd get it for yeh."
"Was it originally a poison ring or did you modify it?" he questioned, starting to see which finger it would fit on. "Because I can't imagine you going into the thieves guild an' asking for one."
"Jus' because I'm a dwarrow o' the law doesn't mean I don't know where t' get such things," he firmly stated. He blinked as Ori lightly tugged him down by the shoulders and kissed his cheek.
Grinning, Ori could see that Dwalin's cheeks were now deep red. "Thank you."
He shuffled slightly, glancing away. "Yeh know, yer brother is right downstairs…" he murmured.
Still on his tiptoes, Ori wrapped his arms around Dwalin's neck and nuzzled his cheek. "He's down there, not up here, so I don't have t' worry." He kissed his chin. "Anyway, I won't see you for nearly a month, so I'm allowed t' snuggle you a bit."
Realizing that Ori's words were true, Dwalin wrapped his arms around him and grinned. "That is true…" He kissed his forehead, sighing quietly in content. "Don't think either o' us has gone tha' long without seein' the other in a long while."
"Not since the year after the War," he murmured, burying his face in Dwalin's chest, "when you, Bofur, Bifur, Nori, an' Gloin went back to Ered Luin." He let out a quiet sigh, letting his eyes close. "I was so convinced that you'd have a wife when you came back."
His brow rose. "Why would yeh think such a thing?" Easily lifting the younger dwarf, he moved to sit on Ori's bed with him in his lap. He leaned back against the wall, cradling him slightly.
"Because you had become a great hero amongst our people. What dwarrow woman wouldn't want that?" he chuckled. He started to fiddle with Dwalin's beard, combing his fingers through it.
Dwalin grinned, watching him. "Not many, turns out. Guess I'm jus' too scary lookin' for 'em."
"Their loss, my gain."
He let out a laugh, stroking Ori's hair. "Tha's a lad," he murmured, kissing his temple. "Just don't go off findin' yerself a wife while yer away, alright? Tha' includes Baylee."
Ori cocked a brow and slightly rolled his eyes. "If that were t' happen, I'm positive that Bofur would have my head." Dwalin nodded in agreement. "Anyway…I prefer lads. You of all dwarrows should know this. You're the most masculine dwarrow out there."
Dwalin grinned proudly. "Aye, tha' I am," he agreed, his chest puffing out slightly in a prideful manner. He stole a kiss from Ori's lips, holding him closer to him. "An' I'm yer masculine dwarrow."
"That you are." He stole a longer, lingering kiss from Dwalin, his arms snaking around his neck again. "And if someone tries t' steal you from me, they'll meet the edge of your war hammer."
He chuckled. "Now why would I be hittin' 'em?" he mused.
"You wouldn't. I would have taken the hammer from you and smashed them upside the head instead." He smiled innocently despite his violent words, earning a broad smirk from Dwalin.
"Keep talkin' like that, lad, an' yeh'll almost have me convinced yer a warrior."
Ori shrugged lightly before starting to place gentle kiss along Dwalin's neck and shoulders. "I'm content with being a scribe. You need a bit o' gentleness every now 'n then…" His fingers lightly toyed with the buckle to Dwalin's belt.
Sighing quietly, Dwalin closed his eyes and tilted his head back against the wall, enjoying Ori's kisses. His hands rested atop his hips, holding him in a light, but protective hold. He was half tempted to go with the group tomorrow, but knew better. This was something Ori had wanted to do on his own and he wasn't about to argue against that; the lad needed to get a sense of independence.
He let out a quiet grunt and opened his eyes in shock as he felt Ori's bare hands sliding along his chest. Looking down, he saw that he had managed to undo his belt and had pushed up his shirt and tunic. Ori smiled innocently, though that same innocence was missing from his mischievous brown eyes. Dwalin grinned, tilting his head up and kissing him deeply.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Demelza was doing her best to remind Baylee of everything she needed to keep track of while away from home. "Now remember, you'll need t' pack more food for the journey back then what we're packin' for the journey down. You'll have to eat sparingly, so you may get a bit hungry-"
"Demelza, love –Baylee's made this sort o' journey before. Stop hassling her." Richard laughed. He tucked a handkerchief into the pocket of his pack.
Demelza pursed her lips as she looked at her husband. "Not by herself she hasn't!" she argued.
"She's not goin' t' be by herself," Warren chortled from across the room. "Richard an' Ori are goin' t' be with her, as well as Osvald, Tamás, Stigg, an' many others she knows."
Baylee cocked her brow as she sat on the floor of the family's private quarters, her back resting against the wall. "An' it's not like I don't know what the lands are like; we had t' live in 'em for a couple o' months, remember?" She stretched her legs out, adjusting her boots slightly with a frown; the straps for the buckles were worn out and getting too loose. She'd have to cut a new hole into them soon.
Demelza sighed. "I know, I know…it's just…" She shook her head. "Truth be told, Baylee, I never expected you to be the sort to want to go on an adventure."
Richard laughed. "Adventure? Love, this is just a trip to Lake Town. She's made it before a couple of years ago!"
"Yes, but now that the lands are filled with raiders, you never know what will happen!" she argued. "I'm just lookin' out for her."
Warren cocked his brow. "We all are –that's why I made her start sparrin' with you again."
"Which, I'm getting' better, by the way!" Baylee quickly added. "I can get three or four wins in against Mister Dwalin now."
Richard quietly laughed. "Only if you hit him in the family jewels."
She pouted. "That was an accident!" She watched as Demelza started to go through her pack for the fourth time that day and she sighed. Rising to her feet, she brushed her backside off before grabbing the bag from her aunt. "It hasn't changed since you packed it this morning, auntie." She gave her a reassuring smile as she slung it over her shoulder. "I'll be fine, I promise."
With a resigned sigh, Demelza nodded and rose from her chair, pulling her niece to her in a tight hug. "You had better," she warned, her tone firm. "Because if you're not…Nienna help me, I will tan your hide!"
Baylee, her uncle, and her father cracked up. "Ya act like I'm venturin' over the Misty Mountains!" she giggled, pulling back. "It's just a journey t' Lake Town. How bad can it get?"
Demelza raised her brow and gave her a knowing look. "Do you really want an answer to that?"
"Auntie…I'll be surrounded by big, strong men in armor with sharp spears," she chuckled. "We will be fine. Now may I go eat dinner? Galiene will have my head if I don't get a good meal in me before the mornin'."
With a pout, Demelza kissed her forehead and nodded. "Go one then. Be sure t' say goodbye before you leave in the morning, alright? I know you'll be leavin' with the sun."
As Baylee left the private quarters, she heard her father lightly scolding her aunt and she chuckled. Closing the door behind her, she let out a small, weary sigh and leaned against the wall. 'I didn't know she would get so worked up over this,' she thought, closing her eyes for a moment. 'She's acting like this is another Battle of Five Armies.'
She jumped as, for a brief second, the image of a snarling orc filled her mind.
Swallowing hard, she walked down the hall and rounded the corner. The common room was fairly empty tonight, with only about fifteen customers. She knew Nori and Bifur were off in the bathing room but where Dwalin and Ori were off to, she couldn't guess. That left Bofur by his lonesome with a mug of ale and some pieces of wood he was whittling. She noticed that his hat was mysteriously missing; she had only seen him without it twice.
Her brow rose as she ducked into the kitchen. "Wenna, have any o' the dwarves eaten yet?" she asked the younger maid.
"Bofur's the only one who hasn't," she replied. "He just got here 'bout twenty minutes ago," she replied as she warmed herself some bread and cheese by the hearth.
"Alright. Thank ya," she smiled, grabbing two bowls. She filled them to the brim with stew and grabbed some bread off the shelf. All the while, Galiene watched her, making sure she put enough food on her tray for two people.
Galiene pointed at a pan on the counter. "There's some stuffed mushrooms in tha'," she told her. "Take some o' them. An' the roasted apples!"
Soon enough, Baylee was setting the tray down in front of Bofur, startling him slightly. He looked up with a tired smile and leaned back in his seat, scooping the bits of wood into his palm before tossing them into the fire. Baylee, meanwhile, set out the plates and bowls food before them.
"Evenin', Baylee," he smiled. "What's all this?"
"Our dinner," she replied, setting a bowl of stew in front of him. She gave him a warm smile as she sat down on the stool normally occupied by Ori, not caring that, since it was the tallest, it made her knees scrape across the table's bottom. "Hope ya don't mind; it's too warm for me t' eat in the kitchen."
He shook his head, pigtails swaying slightly. "Don't mind at all." He tucked his carving knife into his belt and set aside the figures he was working on, wearing a large grin as he looked at the stew. It was unlike many he had seen before, being white in color instead of the usual red or brow. "Chicken stew?" he asked, his head cocked to the side.
"Aye," she chuckled. "Galiene thought it's time t' start makin' some lighter fare since spring's here." She speared a mushroom with her knife before taking a bite out of it.
"Ah, good idea," he said with a small chuckle. "Don't want t' have bellies full o' heavy food when it's goin' t' be hotter 'n a furnace outside." Dipping his spoon into the stew, he took a bite out of it.
Baylee quietly giggled as she watched his brows rise. "I take it ya like it then?" she teased as he started to shovel it into his mouth.
"It's very good," he replied between bites. "I've never heard o' chicken stew, so this is a pleasant surprise for me!"
She stared at him. "You've never had chicken stew?! It's a staple 'round here durin' the summer!"
He chuckled. "I guess us dwarrows never thought o' usin' chicken in such a way. It's quite good though; I'll have t' tell Bombur an' Gerdi about it next time I got t' Erebor."
Taking a drink from her mug, she licked the foam from her upper lip. "Ya mention your brother a lot whenever there's food. Is he a sort o' cook then?"
"Oh…You could say that. He's quite good in the kitchen, but it's his wife who's the real cook," he chuckled. "Bombur's more o' a food…aficionado." He bent his arms and held them out to his sides before making a bit of a waddling motion, earning a giggle from the human.
"Ah, I see," she chuckled. "Galiene's sister is like that. Rightly so, though –she cooks for the king."
Nodding in understanding, he was about to grab some of the mushrooms with his bare hand, but stopped himself. Instead, he grabbed up his knife and speared just one, not wanting to use dwarvish manners in front of Baylee –even though she was used to them by now. "You've got many cousins?" he inquired.
She shook her head. "Just four. One o' them lives up here while the rest are in Lake Town…An' you've reminded me tha' I was supposed t' buy some toys from you for their children, but it slipped my mind." She shrugged lightly. "Oh well."
Bofur's eyes widened as he halted in the middle of biting a mushroom. He let it plop into his stew as he glanced up at her. "I can take ya t' the shop after dinner an' you can get some," he told her quickly.
"I wouldn't want t' trouble you," she replied, knifing a roasted apple and pulling it onto her plate. She started to slice it open, watching as bits of cheddar and mashed apple oozed out.
"Oh, it wouldn't be any trouble," he assured her. "I actually left my hat back at the shop, so it'd be doin' myself a favor as well."
Her cheeks turned a little pink and she nodded. "Alright then," she shyly told him. "But onl' if it's really no trouble."
He smiled rather handsomely as he chewed some more of the chicken stew. After swallowing, he reached for his mug. "No trouble at all, I promise t' you." In all honesty, he didn't really need his hat, but he wanted to help Baylee out. She had helped him and Bifur out so much…It was his turn to do a little something for her, even if it was just toys.
Within the hour, he was leading her through the darkening streets. As they approached the shop, he pulled out a heavy iron key and unlocked the door to the shop and stepped aside as he opened the door, beckoning her inside first. She thanked him and entered.
"It's a bit dark thanks t' it bein' near dusk," he admitted, "so if you want me t' light any candles-"
"No, it's fine," she smiled. "I know exactly what I wanted to get." As she spoke, she walked easily through the dark room to one of the shelves where the rolling animals were.
He watched her as she went about the store, picking out the toys she wanted to buy without needing any assistance. "How do ya do that?" he asked, brows furrowed in amazement.
She shrugged, hopping slightly to grab one of the kites. "I've a weird memory, remember?" Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled at him and Bofur felt himself go red in the face.
"Oh, aye…that's right…" He chuckled quietly and shook his head. "I'll be right back; just need t' grab my hat."
"Alright," she told him, crossing the room again.
Needing more caution than Baylee, he made his way to the backroom. He squinted and peered through the dark area, looking for the dark, oddly shaped mass that would be his hat. However, it was not to be found.
"Now where did you go?" he muttered, starting up the stairs. The second floor was better lit thanks to its west-facing windows, so with a cursory glimpse around the room, he could see that his hat was not in the workshop section. He went to check in the bedroom, where the unmade beds sat, still needing their sheets and blankets. "Where in Mahal's name-"
"Bofur?"
He hurried to the top of the stairs, able to see Baylee below –she was grinning and wearing his hat. "Found your hat," she chirped. "It's quite warm; I can see why ya wear it."
A relieved laugh left his mouth. "Where was it?" he asked, starting down the stairs.
"I'm not too sure; it sort o' fell atop my head went I knelt down to pick up a book I dropped." She smiled up at him as he stopped two stairs up, leading him a full head taller than her. Tilting her head forward, she waited for him to take it from her.
"Odd. I could have sworn I left it in the backroom," he mused, plucking it from atop her head. "Did ya find everything you'll be needing t' spoil some wee ones?"
She nodded, walking back into the main room. "An' then some. I had t' get a lil' something for Galiene." She pointed at one of the rolling, head-bobbing chicken toys.
"Funny," he grinned. "Nori bought one o' those for Dori this afternoon."
"Did he now?" Bofur nodded, counting up the amount of coin she would need to purchase the various toys and the book. "Well, Dori was a bit…mother hen-like from what I remember. Galiene, on the other hand, just likes the way they move when they walk."
"They do have a funny way about them," he grinned. "Two gold an' fifteen silver," he told her. In truth, a normal customer would pay about four gold…but she didn't have to know that.
"Wow," she blinked. "So little for so much…" Pulling out her coin purse, she started to sort out the amount needed.
He casually shrugged. "What can I say? Bifur 'n me like t' have low prices," he told her. While she counted out her money, he put the toys into the basket she had brought. "After all, children don't make too much money an' they like t' buy toys."
Sliding the seventeen coins towards him, a warm smile came to her lips. "That's sweet. Your nieces 'n nephews must adore the two o' you."
Again, he shrugged and smirked. "Let's just say that those tykes are a wee bit spoiled because o' us." He quietly laughed as he tucked the coins under the counter; he'd put them in the lockbox tomorrow.
"Thank-you again for doin' this, Bofur," she told him as they left the shop.
He dismissively waved his hand while locking the door. "Ah, don't mention it." He turned the key a few times before he heard the familiar click of the lock going into place.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Baylee shyly leaned over and kissed his cheek. "It was still sweet o' you."