They were loud and messy, just like Tolkien had described them. There were bits and pieces of food flying around, ale was splattered on the floor and table. They laughed and sang, ate and cheered. Ruby was glad she had bought this much food otherwise they would have eaten her out of home and house.
Looking at the gathered lot she couldn't help but smile. Even her dragon seemed to gradually accept them. It had started when Ori had walked up to her, fidgeting with his fingers and asking if there would be something to read that hadn't been destroyed. The joyful spark in his eyes and the excited squeal had almost melted her heart.
The dragon reacted strangely, just like when Bilbo had handed her the tray and the tea-set he only grumbled low and swung his tail from one side to the other, watching the young scribes every movement. Not controlling, but rather protective.
There was still another strange thing she had noticed. Whenever Throrin was near the dragon would uncurl himself and openly watch the king, urging her in his direction with gentle, and not so gentle, nudging against her ribcage. Shaking her head she tries to forget the strange thoughts.
"Tell me about your adventures," pleaded Ruby after bringing out a large tray of cookies.
Dori urged her to sit down, while Ori was immersed in the book she had brought him. Bombur seemed to make sure her plate was never empty and even the stern warrior, Dwalin, looked out for her, refilling her cup with tea and sliding her the sugar before she could even ask. Balin was just about to begin telling their story as Nori cleared his throat.
It was unusual for the king's spy to direkt any attention towards himself. Still, he eyed her with a piercing gaze, noting her every movement and word. He found it strange for such a young girl to live all alone in this mountain where there should be a dragon. She had enough food ready for all of them as they arrived, as if she had known they would come. On top of that Thorin was acting strange, well, stranger than normally, and Dwalin looked like he just had seen a puppy in a carton at the corner of the street, free to adopt. Something was off, he just couldn't put his finger on it.
"Mistress Ruby, I hope you do not mind me asking, but do you live here all alone?" he asks, well aware of the looks his brothers were giving him.
"Ah, well yes… I do live alone. Have been on my own here since I can remember. That reminds me. Why don't you send a message to lake town, so the others can come home as well? The ravens came back a few years ago. They don't really like me, but I tolerate them," her dragon snorted as she mentioned the ravens, all they did were laugh at her whenever she had tried to send a message to Bard through them.
"When exactly did you arrive? Was the dragon gone then already and where is he now?" the thief wouldn't so easily back down, not even the murderous look from the oldest of the Ri brothers could stop him now.
In the meantime it had quieted down around the table. All eyes were on Ruby and Nori, most of them concerned for their hosts' reaction and wellbeing, some angried by the rude behavior of a member of the company and one pair confused, yet somehow knowing.
"I, I arrived some time ago. You could say the mountain is all I know. Besides Lake Town I haven't been anywhere else so far," she stopped hesistand of how to answer the second question of the dwarf.
The dragon had curled himself back up around her heart, snoozing peacefully. She didn't know why, but he had taken a liking to the dwarrows he once had killed and robbed off their home. But maybe that were her feelings and he just accepted the fact. He had been acting strange since she first shifted into human form. Valuing books and tea over gold and jewels and now even having the desire to protect the rightful King under the Mountain instead of roasting him alive.
"The dragon is currently sleeping and as it seems he doesn't mind you being here," she answered truthfully.
Chaos broke loose. The fact that the dragon was indeed alive and sleeping somewhere in the mountain, presumably, made the resting dwarrows wary once again. Dori grabbed her and Ori and pulled them closer to himself as if to shelter them. If he knew who he was pulling close…
Dwalin and Thorin were immediately on their feet, knocking over their stools and scattering some food across the floor while Bilbo shrunk, nearly vanishing under the table. Bombur nudged Bifur, who pulled out a knife while Gloin eyed the fast halls.
"Where is that ugly fat snail?!" Thorin rumbled to no one in particular.
Outraged, the dragon jumped up and against her ribs. Ruby let out a small yelp by the sudden impact forcing the air out of her lungs. It was one thing to tolerate them, but hurting a dragon's ego was never a good idea.
Ruby could feel the familiar warmth rising from her chest and lungs up her throat. She had to bite her own tongue so as not to curse. There was no way they would not notice if there would be smoke coming from her mouth or worse, fire.
"But I am very small and very cute," Ruby managed to say, trying her best to calm the dragon before he would break her whole rib cage in the attempt to escape.
"Yes, you are very sweet," Dwalin mumbles to her and the whole company's surprise.
The dragon stopped his attempts and returned to his spot around her heart, grumbling and growling lowely, but rather pleased with the praise, non the less vary and with one eye open. This had been dangerous. Ruby couldn't have ever forgiven herself if she would have harmed any of them. She would need to be more cautious.
"I need some air," she excused herself rather poorly.
Separating herself from Dori she nodded apologising in Balin's direction and rushed past the startled Thorin. Ruby could feel Noris eyes staring at her back just like the worried looks from the rest of the company.
"What were you thinking?! She is our host! Did you even consider …"
The voices grew quieter until they finally faded away. The cold wind blew through her hair, made single strands dance and pulled on her several braids as she reached the very top of the wall. In the distance she could see the faint lights of lake town shining through the fog and the dark.
It was quiet out here. When she had still been at home, on earth, she had always longed for peace and silence. Now it seemed less peaceful and rather suffocating. They all had been so happy, probably positive that the journey was over. And yet there were so much more to come.
Her heart tightened at the sheer thought of losing any of them, of seeing them run into battle, into their death. The dragon growled threatening and she eased his and her worries by starting to hum. It had become a habit over the years. Whenever the silence would become too heavy she would break it with something as simple as humming.
For some reason Ruby ended up with the song 'Still into You' from Paramore. She climbed up onto the outer wall, opening her arms, closing her eyes and just enjoying the wind. Yes, maybe even after sixty years she still wasn't over that stupid crush she had on the king that Tolkien had killed in the end. Yes, it didn't help that Peter Jackson had casted Richard Armitage. And hell yes, why on earth did they resemble the movie characters so much?!
For a moment she thought about letting herself fall and stretch her wings for a bit, as she spun around herself again and again, when two strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, easily lifting her up and bringing her away from the edge.
~
"What were you thinking?! She is our host! Did you even consider …" Dori immediately started his lecture.
Nori could only roll with his eyes. He had heard all of this more than a million times. That he would not come far by being so nosy and rude and that he should finally stop upsetting everyone around them and consider the feelings of others … bla bla bla.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it, you nagging old mother hen. For how long did we know her? Three hours? Four? There is something fishy here and it is not the soup."
Turning around on his heels he followed the strange little girl calling herself their host. She was strange and his instinct told him that she was hiding something. A bit further behind him he could hear the hesitant steps of his younger brother echoing from the walls. For some reason Ori had already let that little redhead into his heart. Ori had always had a soft and big heart.
His heart however nearly stopped when he saw her. Dancing on the outer wall, eyes closed and humming a strange tune. She turned and turned, her arms extended and her feet always seemed to find the right foothold. Even though she danced right on the edge her movements were precise and confident.
Before Ori could let out a high pitched squeak, Nori quickly covered his mouth. He didn't dare to startle the girl and risk her falling off the wall. Signing in Iglishmek he urged Ori to go and get Thorin and better not let Dori know. Otherwise their brother might indeed blow up or at least get a heart attack.
It didn't take long and to Noris' discomfort Ori not only brought Thorin and maybe Dwalin, but also Dori and Bombur. Rubbing his temples the spy only pointed at the still dancing and humming girl.
Nori witnessed, for the first time on their whole quest, how all color drained from the king's face. Gently Thorin approached Ruby and waited till she slowed her spinning and turning and then quickly wrapped his arms around her middle, carrying her away from the edge and back inside.
What a particular and strange behavior for their king and leader. Looking to the side Nori could spot Gloin and Balin joining them with a large raven on Gloins arm. Dori leaned at the wall, his eyes wide open and one hand clutching his chest. It was obvious that the mother hen was not too far away from a hysterical attack.
"What were you doing?!" Thorin grumbled, horror in his voice, looking down at the small creature, still secure in his arms.
"Well, it is a wonderful night for a dance under the moon, don't you agree?" tilting her head back until the back bumped against his chest she smiled up.
AN: what do you think so far of this little story of mine?