A/N: I am so, so terribly sorry this took so long to update. My life...has been crazy these last few weeks and they're only going to be getting crazier. For those of you who are still reading this silly little fanfiction (that...isn't so little, considering it's over 400 pages so far), I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Dale was a beacon of joy illuminated by the early morning sun.

As the company rose from their sleep, there were a few shouts of joy from those who hadn't seen the city in weeks. So eager to see their homes less than five miles away, it was decided that they would forgo their morning meal and start off straight away towards the city. They knew that, once inside the walls of Dale, they would get meals consisted of far better food than dried meat and stale biscuits.

"Once we get back to the Tankard, I'm going t' have a large bowl of porridge. Then I'm goin' t' take a nice, long bath an' scrub all this grime off o' myself," Will was telling Dwalin and Nori. "That is, if Adela will let me. Knowin' her, she'll be clinging onto me like a leech."

"Well, she is bearin' yer child, lad," Dwalin mused. "I think she's got a right t' hold onto yeh an' not let go." He scratched his chin lazily. "I'm sure she'll be willing t' part with yeh for a wee bit, though. She won't want t' get her dress all dirty because o' yeh."

Will snorted. "Adela won't care," he told him. "Knowin' her, she'll probably even cling onto me in the bath." When he realized what he had said, his cheeks turned a deep shade of red and he glanced away from the two dwarves as they grinned cheekily.

Zori, on the other hand, began to babble to the three males. Nori glanced at him from over his shoulder, his brow rising as he was just able to see the child waving his hands around excitedly. More than once, he ended up thwacking his father upside the head –luckily, though, he wasn't the strongest baby and his blows barely registered through all of Nori's hair.

"Y'know, he's picked this up from Lovisa," mused Nori.

"Picked what up from Lovisa?" Dwalin inquired, his brow raising.

"The hand gestures. I don't talk with my hands an' neither does Ori. Lovisa's the only one o' us who uses her hands that much, so he's had t' have picked it up from her."

Will snorted a second time. "Maybe he thinks that Lovisa is his mother?" he jokingly suggested. "After all, she an' Baylee are the only females he's known for the last few weeks."

Nori gave him a dry look. "The wee lad doesn't have a mother. She gave him up the moment she tossed him out into the street t' die." Shaking his head, he adjusted himself in the saddle. "No; the lad's only got a papa. He doesn't need a mama."

"He's got aunts and they're good enough," Dwalin chuckled. "I'm sure as gold is soft tha' the wee laddie is goin' t' be callin' Lovisa an' Baylee 'auntie' by the time he can speak." He glanced up as a pony came trotting towards them, bearing Dori on its back. "Watch out –Dori's comin'."

Shifting in the saddle, Nori looked down and watched as his older brother rode up to his horse. "Mornin', Dori. Finished fussin' over Ori's arm, have you?"

Dori frowned. "I'll have you know, I didn't bring his arm up once this morning!" he scolded. "No. I wasn't even with Ori. I was talking with Bofur and Bifur about pleasant things." He leaned back as his pony tossed its head and shook its mane out.

"What sort o' pleasant things?" Dwalin grinned.

"Cakes an' teas an' books?" Nori snickered.

"Their shop!" he scoffed, mildly offended by their behavior. "Apparently, it's doing better than they had hoped. If sales pick up to where they had been before this whole fiasco, the two of them could easily bring in vast amounts of wealth to their families."

"That's good to hear," Will smiled, "because I work for them. It'd be nice t' bring in an extra bit o' spending money to my family –especially with a baby on the way."

Dori nodded in understanding. "Speaking of babies…Nori, how is little Zori doing?"

"Well. He keeps hitting me as he babbles…he'll probably need his diaper changed soon, though…Now if only I had a willin' volunteer…" He peeked at Dori from the corner of his eye, a sly grin on his lips.

It quickly faded as Dori next spoke. "Oh, no you don't! He's your son and you need to take responsibility for him," he told his brother. "Anyway, I've had my fill of diaper changes thanks to you and Ori."

"Oh, come off it –Mum was around enough times t' keep you from changing me often an' then when I was old enough, you had me changing Ori!"

"You just think our mother was around to keep me from changing you," Dori corrected, "when in all actuality, the poor thing was so busy through the day or worn out at night that it was me who did most of the work with you!"

Will laughed. "Nori, if you don't want to change his diaper, I'll do it. I need the practice, after all. I'm sure once Adela gives birth, she's goin' t' be bedridden for the first few days, so it'll be up t' me."

Dwalin nodded. "Just watch out –Baylee may try t' do some o' the work."

At that, Will frowned. "I hope not. She'll still be healing by the time Adela pops."

"Yeh do realize, lad, that this is Baylee we're talkin' about, aye?" He cocked his brow as he turned to look at the human. "She'll be tryin' t' do work, despite what any healer may say. It's her nature t' keep busy an' I'm damned sure she's not goin' t' let this keep her down for long."

Will let out a sigh. "Dad an' I have been talkin' about that, actually," he admitted. "We know that, if she stays at the inn, she won't stay in bed –an' not just because she wants t' serve our patrons, but because her room is so far away from the kitchen or the privy."

"Sounds like she may need t' stay elsewhere until she's able to be up an' about again," Nori commented.

Dori lightly shrugged. "She could stay with us-"

"Then she'll be fussing over Zori an' you know it," Nori interrupted.

"-Or you could ask Bifur and Bofur if she could stay with their family. Bombur and his wife are good dwarrows; I'm sure they'd be willing to help out the family that's helped their brother and cousin get their new business started."

"Let alone Bofur's lass," Nori and Dwalin chorused.

"Well, yes, that too," Dori agreed, "but I was emphasizing a more important part. Though, I am glad that Bofur has managed to find himself a new lass; I was starting to think the poor lad was one of those found-love-only-once sorts." He scratched his neatly-combed beard and glanced up at Will. "She would be in good hands, there. I daresay she may even gain a bit of weight –no offense to her, of course. The dear's always running around that inn, serving people so it must be a struggle for her to keep a bit of meat on her bones."

Nori rolled his eyes. "There he goes, frettin' again."

"I'm not fretting!" he argued. "I'm merely stating that the lass needs a bit of meat on her bones. Not to mention, a hearty chicken soup or beef stew will help her gain some strength back after what she's had to go through." He sat up a bit straighter in the saddle and turned away from his brother; Nori knew from years of experience that this meant Dori was annoyed with him. "Bombur and Gerdi are more than capable of giving her the proper care and attention she'll need during the coming weeks."

Will gave him a thankful smile. "I'll discuss it with dad an' Bofur. Though…Dori, just one wee thing."

"What's that, lad?"

"Da' doesn't know about Bofur an' Baylee yet."

"Oh? And why not? I thought it was law for human fathers to be asked if someone could court their daughter?" At that, the other three males burst out into laughter. "What?" he demanded. "What's so funny?"

Will was able to stifle his laughter long enough to answer. "It's not law, Dori –just polite. An' to answer you…Bofur an' Baylee don't really know how t' tell dad. After all, Baylee's his only daughter an' he's a bit hesitant about lettin' her court anyone."

"Ah, I see. Well, then, they best tell him soon, lest he find out from someone else." He shook his head. "Secondary sources almost always prove to cause trouble in the long run." Lightly stroking his beard, he glanced up at Will. "When they do decide to tell your father, just be sure to reassure him that Bofur's a good dwarrow. He'd be hard-pressed to find any one more gentle and kind than him."

"Aye, I can attest t' that," Dwalin agreed. "An' if ever someone threatens her, Warren can be sure tha' Bofur will protect her."

"Oh, I'm rather sure he already knows that one," Will chuckled. "Then again, it wasn't just him fighting those wargs a few weeks ago. It was all o' us."

Dori cringed at the thought. "Just how many wargs were there? No one's given me a proper answer yet."

"That's because we don't know for certain," Nori answered. "We just know that there was more 'n ten and less than fifty. Ori an' I stayed back-t'-back for the most part, though in the end, I had to keep him between me and a tree so no one got t' him."

Dwalin grinned. "Aye, it was a right, proper fight. Haven't had that much fun since Goblin Town."

"Fun?" Nori and Will chorused, their brows raised.

"I'm jus' pullin' yer legs, lads. I was fairly certain tha' was going t' be my last battle, but Mahal didn't see fit t' make it so." He turned towards Will. "Have yeh given any thought t' those warrior marks, lad?"

Nodding, Will pushed his sleeves up his arms, finding the fabric a bit scratchy. "Aye, I have," he told him. "I think I'll take your offer up. If anything, they'll hide some of these scars an' maybe intimidate some o' rowdy folk who come into the inn sometimes."

"Tha' it will," Dwalin smirked. "Show 'em those an' they should quiet down –if they don't, knock 'em upside the head with a stool."

Will blinked before letting out a small laugh. "I don't think that one is goin' t' happen any time soon, Dwalin."

He shrugged. "Yeh never know, lad."

Elsewhere in the company, Caranonel and Bofur were riding alongside the wagon, which had the canvas drawn back to allow the occupants to see a bit of sunshine. Inside, Baylee was still asleep while Ori sat with his back against a barrel, eating some jerky for his breakfast. He would have much rather had some porridge, but knew he would be getting some soon.

"Are you excited to be so close to home again?" Caranonel asked the two dwarves.

"I'll be more excited when I've got a nice, large bowl o' soup in front o' me an' a tankard o' ale beside that," Bofur grinned.

"I just want a proper bed again," Ori yawned. He shifted himself a bit and winced when he accidentally thwacked his arm against a crate. "And a bath. I don't think I've had a proper bath since we left."

A small grin came to Caranonel's lips. "Rivers and streams only make for good bathing when the air is hot," she agreed. "Though, I must admit that I prefer the earth to a feather bed."

Bofur shrugged. "It's nice once in a while, but it gets old real fast. An' I'm tired o' wakin' up t' find ants in my hat an' boots."

"That wouldn't happen if you had checked the area you were goin' t' sleep in," Ori laughed. "You were less than ten feet from an ant hill, so of course you woke up covered in them!"

A pout came to his lips. "It was dark; how was I supposed t' see it?" he grumbled, his cheeks turning red. Taking off his hat, he wiped his forehead on the back of his sleeve, sighing quietly. "It's goin' t' be warm today," he commented –an attempt to change the subject.

Squinting his eyes, Ori glanced up at the sky. "Aye, it is," he agreed, "though we'll be inside most of the day, I'm sure."

"Inside may be warmer than outside," Caranonel told him, "especially when the people flock to the Full Tankard to hear the tale of your ordeal. That, alone, will quickly make the main room a hot place, but when you also count the kitchen fires and the hot baths that will no doubt be prepared…" She shook her head. "I think I may stay in the courtyard instead."

Ori scrunched his nose up. "When you put it that way, I may stay in the courtyard as well. Or maybe I should just go back to Erebor. It's cool during the summers."

"O' course it is. It's inside a mountain," Bofur laughed. "Though, some parts get rather warm –so long as ya stay away from the forges, you should be fine."

"No sane person would go near a forge anyway." The three looked down as Baylee spoke, surprised to find her awake. She smiled tiredly. "Bloody noisy places they are."

"Mornin', sunflower," Bofur chirped. Leaning over, he nearly fell off of the horse as he held onto the side of the wagon and kissed Baylee's forehead. "I hope ya slept well."

Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Well enough, for bein' in this lousy wagon," she replied. "An' careful now! Don't go fallin' off o' your horse jus' for a peck on the forehead."

He grinned cheekily as he managed to right himself once again. "Ah, but it'd be worth it." He gave her a small wink, watching as Ori did his best to help her sit up. Leaning back, he grabbed his water skin and tossed it onto Baylee's lap. "Have as much as ya like; we'll be home within an hour."

Her eyes widened and she bolted upright, ignoring the pain in her side and causing Bofur and Ori to lurch forward in futile attempts to keep her still. Turning, the trio watched as a large smile spread across her lips. "Now that's a sight for sore eyes!" she sighed. Soon, however, her joy was overcome with pain and ever so slowly, she turned back around and lay back down, partially propped up by her pillow. "I really shouldn't have done that…"

Caranonel frowned and brought her horse next to the wagon. With ease, she hopped into the cart and knelt beside Baylee. "You may have ripped the stitches," she lightly scolded as she tossed the blanket back. Pushing her shirt up a bit, the elf inspected Baylee's wound.

Bofur leaned over, trying to get a peek at whatever damage that had been done. He cringed as he saw the main incision; it was about as big as his thumb and was surrounded by several smaller punctures –holes left by the other teeth. The skin was bruised in areas, though it was worst around the incision. A bit of blood trickled down Baylee's hip, but all the stitches were in place and unbroken.

Spotting his look of intrigued disgust, Baylee gave him a small smile. "It looks better than it did a few days ago," she told him as Caranonel applied a bit of salve. She clenched her eyes shut, slowly breathing through the pain. "It was sort o' greenish then an' really swollen. I don't know how he managed t' make it heal this much in just a few days, but I'm thankful for it."

Still wearing a frown, Bofur sat up in the saddle. "I'm glad he got t' it when he did, then. I don't want t' think about what it would have looked like if it had gotten worse."

"You are not the only one," Caranonel agreed. "It does not help that wargs will eat almost anything; that is probably why she got the infection." She wiped her hands off on a cloth before tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "If it had been any other substance, I am positive she would not have gotten the infection."

Baylee let out a quiet sigh. "Well, what's happened has happened. I'm more or less lookin' forward t' what's comin', because I'm certain it means we'll get ourselves a proper breakfast." She pushed her shirt back down and tugged the blanket up a bit.

Ori let out a small laugh. "You're almost like a hobbit –you go through turmoil and then you come back out only thinkin' about food."

"I'm hungry!" she argued. "An' as good as Lovisa an' Bifur's cooking can be, thin stews and dry biscuits aren't the tastiest of meals –especially after havin' them so many days in a row. I could really go for a nice slice o' blackberry cobbler an' a big ol' chunk of beef."

It was Caranonel's turn to laugh. "Little one, you could not eat that much, even if you tried." She reached down and lightly ruffled Baylee's short hair. "The most I have witnessed you eat is half a steak as well as some mashed potatoes."

Her cheeks turned pink. "I was barely fourteen at the time!"

"Yes, and you were the same size then as you are now." She gave her a gentle smile. "I do not doubt your appetite; just the capacity of your stomach."

"What I don't eat, I'm sure Ori, Will, or Bofur will take care of," replied Baylee. She shifted slightly, still having to breathe slowly; the salve, while providing a cool feeling to the wound, still stung as it worked its medicinal magic. She covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned.

"Should try an' get yourself a bit more rest, lass," Bofur told her. "I'm sure you'll get your fair share o' excitement once we get ya back t' the Tankard."

She looked up at him; she looked tired, but the smile on her lips proved otherwise. "I'm fine. Anyway, I've already had my fair share o' excitement, haven't I?" Watching as Caranonel stood up and hopped back onto her horse, she inwardly sighed. 'I wish my adventure had been more pleasant,' she thought.

"And now you need your fair share o' rest," Bofur mused. He glanced forward as someone called his name; Will was motioning to him. "Ah, looks like Will an' your dad want t' talk with me," he murmured, a bit of a feeling of dread filling his stomach. 'Did Will tell Warren about Baylee and me?' he internally worried.

"I'm sure it's nothin'," Baylee yawned. "Probably just want t' discuss if you an' Bifur want baths when we get back." She thanked Ori as he offered her some jerky, but declined his offer.

"Aye, it probably is," he smiled. 'Or maybe Warren wants my head on a platter,' he thought as he urged his horse towards the two humans. The closer he came towards them, the more uneasy he felt. The feeling was eased slightly when Warren gave him a friendly smile.

"Mornin', lad," he told the dwarf. "Baylee up yet?"

Bofur nodded. "Aye, sir, she is. She's babblin' 'bout how she's craving a proper breakfast from the Tankard."

"I think all o' us want that by now," Will agreed. "I know I could eat at least three bowls of porridge and ten slices of bacon." He brushed a fly from his face. "Anyway, Bofur, we were wonderin' something…"

Cocking his head, Bofur felt even more at ease –if Will wanted to know something, then it wasn't about him and Baylee courting. "Oh? An' what's that?"

"Well," Warren began, rubbing the top of his head, "I wanted t' ask a favor o' you. I know you've already done me a big favor in keepin' me boy an' girl safe all this time, but this one isn't nearly so…hazardous."

Bofur dismissively waved his hand. "I've fougth worse than a couple dozen wargs an' some angry womenfolk," he joked. "What is it?"

"We've been talkin' 'bout Baylee," explained Warren, "an' we've come t' realize that, even with doctor's orders, she isn't going t' be stayin' in bed very long if she stays at the Tankard. An' it's no fault o' hers –she's not used t' being off her feet."

"Not to mention, her room is in the very back of the building, far out o' the range anyone normally visits," Will added.

Warren nodded "An' Will told me a wee bit ago that Dori mentioned the possibility o' havin' Baylee stay in Erebor, either with the Ri family or with the Ur family."

Bofur blinked, any tenseness that had been in his body instantly leaving; in fact, he felt so much better, he outright laughed. "Oh, aye! I'd have t' talk with Bombur an' Gerdi 'bout it, but I'm sure it won't be any trouble. An' if all else fails, Bifur can go over and help keep her planted in bed. He could also probably keep the wee ones from ambushin' her…"

Again, Warren nodded, a small smile on his lips. "That'd be nice," he told him. "I've heard from Ori tha' Dori's a capable caretaker, but I've also heard that he's a bit o' a…well, a fusspot, an' I know that wouldn't bode well with Baylee –especially when she's going to be grumpy from not doin' anythin' for so long. I figured your family would be the best bet, and not just because we already know most o' you." He gave Bofur a small wink before looking back towards Dale.

"Well, like I said, I'd have t' go an' talk t' Bombur about it," he told him. "But I'm pretty positive he won't say no."

"I think the only person protestin' this will be Baylee herself," Will told them. "After all, she's not been home in nearly two months…She'll want t' stay longer, but at least she'd be just an hour or two away. We could come visit her any time we'd like."

Bofur nodded in agreement. "Aye, that is true. There's also the fact that, under Bombur an' Gerdi's care, she'll be gettin' fed about six meals a day –if not more." He adjusted his hat atop his head so that it better blocked the sun from his eyes. "Not t' mention, she'll be taller than anyone else in Erebor. I'm sure she'll enjoy that."

At that, both Will and Warren burst out laughing. "Oh, I'm sure she would!" Warren grinned. "She's shorter than everyone in Dale, so no doubt it'd be a nice change o' pace for her."

When the company reached the city of Dale, they found it, for the most part, still asleep. Being just an hour past dawn, the riders couldn't blame them –half of the company had fallen asleep in the saddle again before they had reached the city's gate. The dwarvish troop that had joined the humans had turned back towards Erebor, telling Bard that they wished to reunite with their families under the Mountain; but they did promise to tell Dain of the heroics performed by both human and dwarf. Rumor quickly spread throughout those who remained that there would be an enormous feast to celebrate.

Bard led the company through the streets, followed by those who had gone after Baylee, Ori, and Tyko. Behind them was the cart with the two of the returning prisoners along with Tyko, Warren, Richard, Rhovathor, and Caranonel. After them came the rest of the company, who slowly dispersed as they went street, taking the road back to their own homes.

As they came to the Tankard, their numbers greatly reduced by this time, they were greeted by the sight of Adela, Galiene, Demelza, Peter, and Gawen waiting for them. The three women let out squeals of joy and raced towards the group (with the exception of Adela, who had to wobble thanks to the child within her) while the others dismounted. Will nearly fell over from the force of Adela's hug, though he laughed and returned the embrace. Galiene and Demelza found themselves having to awkwardly half-hug Baylee, as she was still in the wagon. Their joy soon turned to horror, however.

"What in the world happened to your hands!?" Galiene cried, holding up Baylee's hands.

"And your face!" Demelza groaned, cupping Baylee's scarred face in her hands. "You're adorable face…"

Baylee winced. "Er…well, it's a wee bit o' a long story…" she murmured, feeling her cheeks turning a dark shade of red.

"She got 'em like the rest o' us." The women looked down as Dwalin came over and opened the back of the cart. "Fightin' a large pack o' warg riders." He didn't see the pure look of horror that came to Galiene's face and the expression of pride that came to Demelza's. "We thought for sure she an' Will were dead when we found 'em, but they were still breathin'. Somehow." He gave Ori a peck on the cheek before lifting him out of the cart and setting him on the ground.

"We're not easy people t' kill," Baylee chuckled.

"That much I know," Demelza mused, "though why are ya in the cart while everyone else came in ridin'?"

Her cheeks once more flushed. "Well, I'm not…really supposed t' walk for a few weeks."

"Not a few weeks." She looked up as Rhovathor hopped into the cart. "At least a week and a half, and after that, you may start to take short walks. You need to give the injury time to heal."

She sighed. "I know, but I feel so lazy!"

Demelza chuckled and gave her shoulder a pat. "Welcome to the realm o' being a fighter –it takes time t' heal."

"I'm not a fighter," Baylee told her, her voice suddenly stern. "I am an innkeeper's daughter; I only fought t' keep myself from dying." She squeaked as Rhovathor lifted her up and let out a hiss of pain when her side was jostled.

Apologizing, Rhovathor carried her out of the cart, hopping onto the ground with ease. Thanks to his elvish grace, Baylee barely felt his movements. "A bath should be prepared for her," he told the two women, "as well as food and bed. For now, I will put her with the dwarves and her brother in the common room."

Galiene nodded. "Aye, we'll have everything ready as soon as we can muster," she told him. "Demelza, come on –I'm goin' t' need your help. You too, Peter!" Grabbing the boy's shoulder, she started to tug him along behind her as she headed for the kitchens.

Baylee frowned. "If ya put me on a stool, I can at least cut vegetables for Galiene an' auntie," she told Rhovathor.

"That is exactly why you are staying in the common room," he explained as he carried her into the inn. As it was still early in the morning, they had barely anyone there –though the few that were present were already chatting excitedly with Will or some of the dwarves. "You only have just come home and you already want to get up and do chores. It will take time for you to adjust, little one, but you do need this rest." He set her down in one of the more cushioned chairs the inn had and scooted her in towards the table.

She groaned and slouched in the chair. "But I'm home. It's me duty t' me family to be running around and serving others."

Rhovathor raised his brow before leaning over the chair and looking her directly in the eye. "Little one, would you like to keep the use of your legs?"

She shrank down slightly. "A-Aye, I would."

"Well, if you were to get up and do your normal routine, I can promise you that you will not be retain that ability for very long. Your hip needs time to heal, especially since I had found it infected. Do you understand?"

Nodding, Baylee glanced away from him as he finally stood up. "I do," she murmured.

"Good. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go speak with Galiene and Demelza."

Baylee watched as the elf disappeared into the kitchen, where she could hear Galiene giving orders to Demelza and Peter. Bard, Warren, Will, Tyko, and Adela were sitting at the large, round table in the center of the room, already discussing things as they drank ale and tea. Lovisa, she could see, was off to the side with Bifur, filling some mugs for Dori, Nori, Ori, and Dwalin. Where Bofur or Caranonel were, she hadn't the slightest idea.

'Maybe helping with the horses,' she thought, letting her eyes close for a moment. Her side was beginning to ache –an unfortunate side effect that came from sitting up. 'After all, there are a lot of horses to deal with…Gawen will have his hands full for a while, that's for sure.'

"You asleep, lass?"

Opening her eyes, she found Dwalin and the Ri brothers sitting down at her table. "Nah," she replied, giving them a small smile. "Just thinkin' 'bout how many horses poor Gawen's going to have t' bathe an' brush an' stable." She thanked Nori as he slid her a mug of cider.

"Ah, he's got help," Dwalin assured her. "Girish an' a few o' the other blokes are helpin' him. I'm pityin' Galiene an' Demelza –they're goin' t' have a full house today thanks t' us comin' back. Aye, they'll have the help o' Wenna an' Peter, but four people ain't enough t' cover the entire kitchen for a day-long crowd."

Baylee frowned, setting her mug down after taking a swig of the cider. "I know. I told Rhovathor the least he could let me do is sit in the kitchen and chop vegetables, but apparently, I'm not allowed to even do that."

"That's because you need t' rest," Ori told her. "Don't worry about them; I'm sure they'll find a bit more help before the day is through." He gave her a reassuring smile before hiding it with a drink of ale.

"If all else fails," Nori told her, "your da' and brother will go in there to help. No doubt Lovisa will help, too."

Dori sipped his ale. "I believe I saw the elvish woman –Caranonel?- head in there as we were getting our drinks," he mentioned. "I'm sure she'll be of some use to the kitchen –at least, with the salads. Never had a good elvish roast…" He scrunched his nose up at the memory of the prison rations he had been given while within the halls of Mirkwood's palace.

Baylee cocked her brow and let out a small laugh. "Ah, ya best watch it with that sort o' talk around Caranonel. She's the one who taught Galiene how t' roast meat," she informed. "I know you lot have a wee bit o' a thing against the Mirkwood elves, but Caranonel an' Rhovathor aren't from there. I don't know where they're from, exactly, but it's not this side o' the Misty Mountains."

His cheeks turning a bit rest, Dori glanced away and Baylee knew she had made him a bit flustered. Nori and Ori noticed this, too, and laughed. "Ah, you gave him a tellin' off and now he's got his hen-feathers all ruffled," Nori grinned. "Good job! Normally only Gandalf or Balin could do that." He glanced over his shoulder as Zori started to wake up.

"Oh, quiet you!" Dori lightly snapped. "Now look –your loud guffawing's gone and waken the baby."

Shrugging the sling from his back, Nori looked down at his son, who was wriggling about as he started to fuss. "Good morning, Zori. Did you sleep well?" he questioned the infant as he carefully lifted him from the cloth. Zori whined and snuggled against Nori's chest, blinking tiredly at the world. "Ah, someone definitely needs a diaper change," he murmured, his nose scrunching up. "Just a tick…" He excused himself from the table and headed off.

Dori sighed. "He's being a surprisingly good father," he commented. "I never expected Nori to be the type to take on a task such as childrearing, and yet there he is –the only one of us three to be doing just that."

"Well, he did save the wee lad," Dwalin shrugged. "Anyway, Zori took a likin' to him right away. Aye, he likes Baylee an' Lovisa well enough, but Nori's the only one who can seem t' calm him down when he's most upset."

"Still. It's not something I'd ever expected of him…" He sighed, leaning back in his chair as he took another drink of ale.

"Should see him when he's alone with the tyke," Ori grinned. "He starts babbling in baby at him and doesn't act as cool as he does around us."

"Oh?" Baylee chuckled. "An' how d'ya know this?"

A cheeky smile came to his lips. "I caught him once or twice. Seein' him on his stomach, playing with Zori was really adorable."

Baylee laughed. "Oh, I bet it is, considerin' that Nori's normally so stoic." She took another drink of her ale, watching as Demelza and Galiene came hurrying out of the kitchens, each carrying a large tray filled to the brim with food. These they took over to the center table, where they started to arrange the food around Bard, Warren, and the others. 'Can't wait for the food to get over here,' she thought, her stomach growling.

Hearing her stomach, Dwalin let out a quiet laugh. "Gettin' hungry now that yer home, lass?" he asked. His answer came in the form of Baylee blushing as she drank more cider. "Ah, don't worry. We're all achin' for some good food," he told her as he lightly patted her on the back. "How're yeh feelin', by the way? Heard yeh got a spot o' surgery durin' the storm."

"Surgery?" Dori blinked. "Oh dear, what happened?"

She shrugged lightly. "Eh, apparently there was still a tiny bit o' tooth in my side that Hunil had missed –I don't blame him; Rhovathor was barely able t' see it. It caused the wound t' get infected, so he had t' open my hip up t' get it out an' clean away the infection."

Dori winced at the thought. "That doesn't sound pleasant at all. Do you know when you'll be allowed to walk again?"

"Not for a couple of weeks at the least. It's goin' to be boring for me, but I'm goin' t' have to deal with it." She gave them a small smile before looking up; Bifur, Bofur, and Lovisa were carrying trays of food towards them. "I think breakfast has arrived…" she grinned.

"Tha' it has, lass," Bofur grinned. He set one of the trays down between her and Dwalin. "Fresh out o' the pot an' out o' the pan!" Before Baylee he set a bowl of porridge and a plate containing three slices of bacon and two fried eggs as well as a mug of lemon tea. Dwalin got a large plate of sausage, bacon, eggs, and biscuits. Bofur stole Nori's spot next to Baylee and served himself some porridge, eggs, bacon, and sausage. "We've been helpin' you aunt an' Galiene; they were surprised how fast the three o' us were able t' get the food cooked."

"Khazadmâ ghelekh falakat umezêr dônick," Bifur chirped. He served Dori and Ori part of their breakfast while Lovisa gave them the rest. He then pulled out Lovisa's chair for her and made her sit before scooting her chair in and serving her some food. "Khidu blug ramum!" he told the others before heading into the kitchen to get his own food.

Bofur leaned over. "He said 'eat up'," he translated.

"I thought I recognized 'eat'," she smiled, pouring a bit of cream into the porridge. She also sprinkled in some fresh berries and honey before mixing it all together.

The table fell quiet as they began to eat and Baylee took the chance to look around the common room again. Nothing had changed since she had left at the beginning of summer and yet, everything seemed new to her. The tables looked like they had been sanded and gotten a fresh coat of stain even though she knew they hadn't; there were stuff scuff marks and small pieces missing from the occasional knife that missed its place. The ceiling appeared to be taller than when she had left, even though that was quite impossible –maybe it was just the light? Whatever it was, it was making her feel like a stranger in her own home.

'I couldn't have forgotten what the inn looked like during that time, could I?' she thought, her brows furrowing slightly. 'I mean, I was away for quite a while, but I've lived in this place for the last five years. A few weeks shouldn't blur my memory of it…Or maybe this is what soldiers feel like when they've come back from war?' She picked p a piece of bacon and took a bite from it; she was thankful it wasn't nearly as salty as the stuff down in Rhûn. 'I don't want to feel like a soldier. I want to feel like myself…yet everyone's acting as if I am a soldier thanks to what I went through.'

Bofur set his hand atop hers, pulling her from her thoughts. "You alright, lass?" he asked, his voice quiet. She could see the concern written in his features.

"Aye, I'm fine," she replied, giving him a small smile. "I'm just thinkin' 'bout how good it feels t' be home."

"You didn't look too happy when you were doin' the thinkin'," he told her. "Are ya sure you're alright?"

Knowing her father was occupied across the room (he was letting out a hearty laugh at one of Bard's jokes), she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Aye, I'm sure."

"Good," he smiled. He nudged her mug of tea towards her. "You should drink this before it gets cold; Rhovathor told me t' make sure ya did so."

Her nose scrunched up. "Which means it's more than likely medicinal tea…" Picking up the mug, she moved to take a sip only to be pleasantly surprised. "No. Just lemon tea."

Within an hour, everyone had eaten and most had bathed. Bofur was just coming out of the bathing room and was toweling his hair dry when he happened to look up and see a familiar figure –one that was very round and, currently, very red in the face.

"Bombur!" he laughed, more than happy to see his brother. He glanced over his shoulder and called down the hall. "Bifur! Bombur's here!" Dropping the towel, he ran over to his brother and gave him as tight a squeeze as he could manage (since he couldn't fit his arms around him).

"I came as soon as I heard that you lot had come back!" Bombur told him, hugging him in return. He then lightly pushed his brother back so he could get a good look at him. He frowned upon seeing the many scratches and bite marks that covered Bofur's body, all in various states of healing. "Oh Mahal –look at you! You look like a bear mauled you!"

"Not a bear –just a few wargs," Bofur chirped. "You should see some o' the others –they're off far worse than me! But we're all alive an' well."

Bombur didn't seem nearly as pleased by this news as Bofur had imagined he would be, but that was because Bombur was a bit more of a realist than his older brother. "What do you mean, they're off worse? No one's missing any limbs, are they?"

"Oh, no limbs, but a few digits an' an eye," Bofur explained. "Dwalin got an eye clawed out an' Baylee lost two fingers. Ori's arm is broke, I've got these beauties," he pointed at his face, "Will's got his face an' shoulder all scratched up again while Nori's a bit scratched as well. Hmm…what else? Bifur has a few arrow wounds, but he an' Lovisa are the least wounded besides Zori –oh, that's right. Nori's got a baby now!"

Cocking his head, Bombur stared at Bofur, trying to comprehend everything he had just heard. For one thing, he didn't recall who Will, Baylee, Zori, and Lovisa were. Another thing was Dwalin managing to lose an eye –he had gone through the Battle of Five Armies and didn't so much as lose an inch off his beard, let alone a limb- so he knew the battle had to have been fierce. The final thing, however, was what finally made him snap to his senses.

"You…you mean all this time, Nori's been a…a female?" he asked, his voice barely above a nervous whisper and his eyes as wide as saucers.

Bofur stared at him for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter that sent him rolling onto the floor. "No!" he cackled, tears starting to come to his eyes. "Why in the world would ya go an' think that, Bombur? That's absolutely preposterous, that is!"

He looked away, feeling quite ridiculous at the moment. "Well, then, what do you mean by Nori's got a baby!?" he demanded, his already rosy cheeks growing even redder.

Bofur stood back up, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I mean he's got a baby with him," he explained. "He went an' saved a child that someone tossed out onto the street. Been raisin' him ever since. He's named him Zori."

Bombur slowly nodded, though his brows were furrowed together in contemplation. "So…Everyone is alright, then? You've managed to rescue those who got taken away?"

"Aye, everyone's safe an' sound," he said, leading his brother away to the table he had sat at earlier. "You'll be seein' 'em all soon enough –except Baylee. I think she's bein' taken back to her room thanks to her wound." As he mentioned this, his expression turned a bit sad and it didn't go unnoticed by Bombur.

"Baylee? Bofur, you're going t' have to explain to me who all these people are. The names are familiar –at least, some o' them are- but the others are foreign to me." A tall man strode past their table, three, foaming tankards of ale held in each hand. "I can see why this place is the Full Tankard," he murmured.

Bofur pointed at the man. "That's the owner, Warren Braddock. His son an' daughter are Will an' Baylee Braddock. Baylee is the lass that was kidnapped with Ori an' a human lad," he explained. "Neither one o' them are out here right now, though. You'll recognize Will; he looks just like his da'."

"An' Baylee?"

"Well, like I said, she may not be out here again. If she is, though… She's the pretty lass with ashy hair, freckles, an' the prettiest smile Mahal ever crafted." A silly grin came to his face and Bombur instantly knew that his brother was in love. More proof of this came as Bofur let out a dreamy sigh and plopped his chin in his palm.

Bombur grinned knowingly, but decided to not torment Bofur right now. "And…Lovina?"

Bofur shook his head, snapping out of his little trance. "Ah, aye –Lovisa. She's a half-dwarf," he continued, his cheeks reddening. "An' she's mute, but she knows Iglishmêk thanks t' her da'. Anyway, she's a ranger o' sorts as well as quite a nice lass. Bifur also happens t' think she's got a nice a-"

"Bombur!"

The two of them looked up in time to see Bifur hurrying over. Standing up, Bombur laughed and hugged his freshly-bathed cousin, giving him a hearty pat on the back. "Bofur was just tellin' me about your companions on the adventure."

Bifur smiled fondly at his cousin. "Should been there," he spoke, using his broken Westron. "Had good fight."

Bombur stared at him, his jaw hanging slack in awe. "You…you're speaking…"

"Westron!" Bifur chirped. "Take lot khelech." He frowned slightly as he used the Khuzdul word, but shrugged it off. He let out a small curse as Bombur pulled him into another hug, this one tighter than the last. "Bombur…oataman," he wheezed.

Releasing him, Bombur put his hands on his shoulders –an action that required Bifur to lean forward a bit thanks to his cousin's girth. "I'm proud o' you, cousin," he told him, still wearing a smile. "I know it's no easy task relearnin' Westron, but you're already doing quite well. I'm sure you'll be fluent again in no time!"

Bifur shuffled his feet and tried to look at the floor, feeing quite chuffed by the compliments. "Dolzekh menu, êzban," he murmured.

Bombur sat back down, giving them both warm smiles. "Now, when the two o' you last came to visit, you told me this place had some good food. How 'bout you tell me about your little adventure while I have some breakfast?"

Bifur and Bofur looked at one another, wearing identical looks of slight panic. They knew full well that, if Bombur was hungry, he could easily eat all of the food the Tankard had to offer. Not only that, but the Tankard was already quite full of people who had come to hear the various retellings of the 'dramatic' rescue of those who had been kidnapped, even though most who knew the story were off, bathing.

Bofur clapped him on the shoulder. "I'll get ya some food," he told him, nervously chuckling. "Bifur here will start the tale, though you'll no doubt hear a slightly different version from Ori later, aye?" Before either of them could object, he was on his way towards the kitchens.

Baylee stirred as there was a knock on her door. Burying her face into her pillow, she yawned. "Who is it?" she called, her voice somewhat muffled.

"It's Adela," came the woman's reply. "I've some dinner for ya, lass."

"Then come in." Slowly, so as to not hurt herself, she rolled onto her back and was in the process of propping herself against her headboard when Adela came in, holding a tray with some food on it. "Ya shouldn't be carryin' loads like that 'round –not when you're so far along."

Adela gave her a warm smile, setting the tray down. "It's not that heavy," she assured her. "Anyway, I've not been doing much besides cooking –even that has me sitting down most of the time." Tucking her skirts under her bum, she sat down on the edge of Baylee's bed. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired, but only because I just woke up," Baylee yawned. Covering her mouth, she quickly excused herself.

"I meant injury-wise."

"Oh…Well, me side's still sore, but my hands are finally feelin' better than they have been."

The older woman frowned. "What d'ya mean?" As Baylee held up her hands, she let out a quiet gasp. "Will didn't tell me about this!" she gaped, lightly taking her hands and gently turning them over as she inspected them. "What happened?"

"They were cut off as a punishment," Baylee explained. "I talked back t' the queen o' the raiders an' she thought this would be better 'n cutting out me tongue."

Sighing, Adela let go of her hands and shook her head. "Sounds like you lot went through quite a bit o' torment."

"Aye, but we're home now. That's all that matters, doesn't it?" She gave her a smile. "Dinner smells good. What is it?"

Adela seemed to perk slightly at the topic change. "You've got roasted lamb with mint an' garlic sauce, a spot o' chicken soup, an' I brought ya a wee spot o' dessert." Lifting the tray, she set it over Baylee's lap only to crack up as the small woman let out a cry of joy.

"Lemon cake!" she cried, seeing the large slice sitting next to a mug of tea.

"Aye, lemon cake," Adela smiled. "I had made one for yours an' Will's birthday, but…Well, that one went bad because we forgot about it in our worry."

Nodding in understanding, Baylee forsook her roasted lamb and soup, instead moving to take a bite out of the cake. She closed her eyes, savoring the taste as she leaned back. "Now this is a good cake," she told Adela, moving to take another bite. "Best thing I've eaten in months."

"I bet it is," she laughed. "Though, make sure t' eat some meat, too, otherwise you'll get a stomachache on top o' your other aches an' pains."

"I'll be fine," Baylee chuckled. Despite her words, she lifted the bowl of soup and took a small drink of the broth. "So, Will told me you've been livin' here."

She nodded slowly, tucking a lock of her fiery hair behind her ear. "Aye, I have. It was…not a pleasant situation for me back at the old place when da' found out about your brother 'n me. You know how much he dislikes your da' an' brother."

"An' me," Baylee added with a small nod.

"No so much you, for some reason, but aye. He wasn't happy in the least."

"Will said that he yelled at you in front o' customers."

Sighing, Adela nodded and looked down at her lap. "Aye, he did," she murmured. "Embarrassed me in front o' 'bout thirty people. I didn't stay long enough t' see if any o' them did anythin'; I just grabbed me cloak an' ran out o' there."

Baylee gave her a pitying look. "Well, ya don't have t' worry 'bout being treated ill here," she told her. "Though, I'm sure ya know that well enough by now." She took a bite out of the lamb, leaning back against her headboard once more. "Especially when tha' lil' one o' yours comes into the world. Then you'll be gettin' spoiled."

"Not as spoiled as this one will be." She looked down at her stomach and smiled as she rubbed it. "Your brother an' I just need t' get married now. Warren's made that much clear t' us –that he's not havin' me go through the same thing Éolynna had t' go through when she gave birth t' you two."

At that, Baylee chuckled. "Well, Will's not havin' t' travel all the way t' Rohan t' ask your family for permission t' marry you, is he?"

She smiled at that comment. "I guess not," she agreed. "Though…Baylee…how do you feel 'bout the two o' us gettin' married?"

Baylee raised her brow, chewing on a bit more lamb. "What d'ya mean?" she asked through a mouthful of food. She hoped Adela would forgive her current lack of manners; she had missed Galiene and Demelza's cooking.

"Well, you're the person who's closest to Will," she told her, "bein' his twin an' all. I've heard tha' sometimes people get…well, jealous when their sibling gets a beau."

"Adela, ever since Will started courtin' you –even if it was a secret courtship at first- I haven't seen him happier." She set her knife down and plucked up her soup again, taking a long, slow drink of the broth. "Will's a handsome bloke, aye, but not many women find him appealin' thanks t' his scars. An' yet, there you are –the prettiest woman in town an' madly in love with him. I'm not jealous in the least; I'm happy for the two o' you."

Her cheeks flushed red. "Really?"

"Aye!" she chuckled. She blinked as Adela suddenly hugged her, thought she let out a small laugh. "Were ya that worried about it, Adela?"

"Knowin' that we have your blessin' is almost as good as knowin' we've got Warren's blessing," she told her. "Like I said, you're his twin. You're the person who's closest to Will."

"Oh, I think you're the one who's closest to him now," Baylee joked. "After all, you are havin' his baby."

Adela gawked at her, not knowing Baylee to be the sort to make bawdy jokes. Despite this, she ended up in a fit of giggles. "I think you've been around those dwarves a bit too long!"

"They're a fun lot," Baylee grinned. "Even if they can be a bit…crude at times, but what's the harm in an occasional bawdy joke?" She took another bite of the cake. "An' they're all around just nice folk. At least, the ones I've met are."

"Speakin' o' which, there's a new dwarf in the inn now."

She glanced up. "Really? Who?"

"Bofur's brother, I think. I didn't catch his name, though."

"Ah! Bombur!" she chirped. "He probably heard that we were back an' wanted t' check on Bofur an' Bifur." She took a drink of her tea, finding that it was plain black tea with a bit of honey to sweeten it.

"I take it they've told ya about him quite a bit?"

"Well, Bofur has," she explained. "He's mentioned once or twice how he thinks I should visit with him one day so I can meet Bombur an' Gerdi an' their children."

Adela cocked her brow. "Is that so?" she mused.

"Aye," Baylee chirped before finishing off her lamb.

"Then the two o' you are quite close?"

Baylee's chewing slowed and her cheeks started to redden. They only got redder when she saw the mischievous and knowing grin on the redhead's lips.

"I knew it!" Adela giggled. "I had a feelin' the two o' you were hidin' a courtship when I saw how he was treatin' ya at breakfast!"

"I-It's not like tha'!" she argued, cheeks as red as Adela's hair. "We're just…we're just tryin' t' find out the best way t' tell papa is all. After all, he wasn't too keen on the idea o' me takin' a dwarf as a beau…even if he did help t' save me…"

Adela stood up, smiling knowingly. "Just don't do it the way you brother an' I had to. Make it a pleasant surprise for your da' this time around, aye?"

"I think, for now, it's best t' just let him calm down from havin' me back home. Otherwise, the shock may be too much for him."

"Oh, come now –you courtin' a dwarf isn't that bad. Bofur's a sweetheart an' your da' seems t' get along well enough with him!"

Baylee raised her brow as she took another drink of her tea. "It's not that part I'm worried about –it's the fact that I'm actually courtin' someone that'll surprise him."

Adela gave her a stern look, her hands resting on her hips. "And just why would that surprise him?" she demanded.

"Because…most males don't find me the sort they'd like t' court?" She shrugged. "I don't know. Bofur's just the first male who ever t' want t' pursue any sort o' romance with me an' I'm fine with that. Frankly, I'd trade all the males in Dale for one Bofur; none o' them are as much o' a sweetheart as he is."

Adela's look softened. "Good. For a moment, I thought you were goin' t' go off on how you're not pretty enough or tall enough for the men 'round here –because if that's all a man wants a woman for, he isn't worth it." She picked up Baylee's now-empty tray, though she set the tea on the nightstand. "Though, I'm tellin' you this as a warning: Word's spreadin' through town quite fast about how ya helped slay a bunch o' wargs an' their riders. When the boyos start hearin' about that, they're going to be linin' up at the door for the chance t' be with you."

Baylee snorted. "Well, they can go ahead an' line up, but I'm not goin' t' look twice at 'em," she laughed. "I'm quite content with Bofur. Anyway, I'm sure none o' them have as fine o' a mustache as him."

"Oh, I'm sure they don't –that is, unless some dwarf boyos line up as well. They may have better mustaches an' beards."

She dismissively waved her hand. "Bofur's got just the right amount o' facial hair. If he had a beard like Bifur, Dwalin, or Nori, it'd be too hard t' kiss him!" she giggled. Reaching over, she grabbed her tea and took a sip from it. "Though, I must admit –It is nice bein' the tall one for once."

"Just imagine –if ya go t' Erebor with him for a bit, then you'll be havin' t' duck in all the doorways!" she teased. She ducked as Baylee tossed a pillow at her. "I'm onl' tellin' the truth!" she giggled, leaning down and picking the pillow up. She tossed it back onto the bed.

"Oh, I highly doubt I'll be hittin' my head; I'm barely a quarter span taller than Dwalin!"

"You'd still be the tallest," she grinned. "You'll be a giant amongst the short folk."

"Ha, ha."