When Andréa got back to camp, the others looked up in confusion.
"Where are my nephews?" Thorin asked, standing.
"Scouting," she gestured vaguely behind her. "Or at least bothering each other instead of me."
She sat down next to her pack and drank from her waterskin while the rest of the company exchanged raised-brow glances.
Gandalf sat down next to her, pipe in hand. "To think you could grow tired of dwarrow," he teased.
She glared up at him, about to retort when her dream came to mind again. She sighed and looked away.
Gandalf frowned. "What troubles you?"
She replied in Quenya. "Are you coming with us all the way?"
"Why do you ask that?"
She shrugged, avoiding eye contact.
Thorin narrowed his eyes at the foreign tongued conversation. He couldn't tell if the smaller wizard's annoyance was from his nephews or with Gandalf now.
Andréa let out a long sigh, then looked up at her mentor. "It's better when you're here."
Gandalf smiled softly. "That's kind of you to say."
But she stared back at him with a furrowed brow. He hadn't answered the question, which to her was the same as saying no. She hummed and pulled her knees up against her chest to stare into the fire that Bombur was using to cook breakfast. Her hand found her necklace under her linen shirt.
Gandalf watched her for a moment, then got up and walked off, lazily skirting the edges of camp while he continued to smoke his pipe. While he hadn't any concrete plans to leave, her sudden question made him wonder what had brought it to mind. She'd always had a keen and unnatural sense of premonition.
Andréa watched the flames lick the dry logs in the early morning light.
Even if Gandalf left, she felt she'd stay with the dwarves. She wanted to protect them, as she'd sworn to Thorin. But Gandalf was much more powerful than she was. She knew that as long as Gandalf was there, that even if she failed, he would do what she could not.
Can I protect them alone?
She clutched her necklace tightly and thought back to her younger days, when Gandalf had found her on the road. How weak she'd been, and how he'd shown her abilities she'd never dreamed of. He'd been like a grandfather to her, and he felt like a piece home here on their strange journey. She glanced over at him, then back to the fire.
Home always goes.
When Kíli and Fíli returned from their scouting, they were in good spirits.
Kíli saw Andréa tending to her pony and approached with a mischievous gleam in his eye. He grinned. "Ah, the flowers, together again."
She threw him an irritated glare, then continued to rake her fingers through Pansy's mane.
Kíli grinned crookedly, not dissuaded by her lack of response. "You should have come with us, Peony. We saw a fox hunting a rodent."
"Andréa." Her voice was dry as she stepped around him to the other side of Pansy's head.
He followed after her. "It was red orange, like the dying sun."
She grunted with disinterest, raising her brows as she combed through the pony's hair on that side.
He pouted momentarily, then tilted his head. "Are you still worried about a storm later? Because the sky looks cle-"
"I'm not."
"Oh. Good, then."
She stepped further from him and picked up her staff from where she'd rested it against a nearby boulder.
When she went to walk back to camp, he put his hands out to her shoulders to stop her.
She shook free, scowling at him. "Don't."
"Oh, lighten up, backup wizard." He poked at her sides, making her squirm and dodge in annoyance.
"Don't touch me."
"I thought you liked my hands on you?"
"Is everything a joke to you?"
He pouted slightly, but couldn't fight the grin that overtook it. "Just trying to get you to laugh."
"I don't want to laugh."
He raised a brow. "You wish to be in a foul mood?"
"I wish to have a moment's peace to think on important matters. Not spend my time entertaining a dwarf who has no interest in what I say."
Kíli tried not to take offense, and cocked his head, keeping his tone light. "What important matters?"
She didn't want to tell him that she suspected Gandalf might leave them again. Or that she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to protect the company.
Especially given his flippant interruptions that morning when she'd tried to tell him about her dream.
Instead she pushed past him to walk back toward the group. "I have nothing to say."
He caught up, walking backward in front of her. "Can't be that important, then, Peony."
"Andréa," she corrected coldly. "It's not that it isn't important, it's that I don't feel like sharing it with you."
"Don't be like that."
"What's the point of speaking to you? You don't listen anyway."
"And how can I listen to what you won't say?"
"When I tried to say, you cut me off."
He laughed, moving to touch her arm. "Peony-"
She raised her staff, pointing it at his neck. "Call me Peony once more and I will turn you into one!"
He raised his hands defensively, his grin fading to distress. Was she genuinely so bothered by him?
Most of the company stopped what they were doing and eyed the young company members who had come back to camp arguing.
"I- I'm sorry," Kíli breathed, taking a step back from her.
She suddenly turned with a huff and stalked off away from camp.
"Where're you going?" Bilbo called after her, but she didn't acknowledge him and was soon out of sight. "Gandalf, where's she going?"
"I think perhaps she's gone to cool down, Mister Baggins."
"She'd best be back before we get going. I don't mean to delay," Thorin huffed.
Bofur sighed. "I'll go get her."
"No," Kíli stepped forward and blocked Bofur's path. "I'll go. I think I owe her an apology."
Bofur raised his brows and gestured. "Be my guest, lad."
"Three gold says he gets turned into a flower," Gloin laughed.
Kíli found her sitting against a large boulder, meditating. She opened her eyes when he approached and couldn't help but scoff and look away in frustration. She got to her feet and continued to avoid eye contact as he slowly approached.
"I should not have threatened you," she said, pouting. "I apologize." Her voice still dripped with irritation.
"I- That is- You don't need to apologize. Rather I…" Kíli felt awful for having upset her so much. His voice was low and soft. "I am sorry for antagonizing you so. I did not mean to offend you."
"Ah, so what meaning was there behind your complete dismissal of everything I have to say?"
He shrugged sheepishly. "I thought you found the teasing charming."
"I am not here to find you charming. I am here to protect you from orc attacks and dragon's fire."
"I know." He let out a sigh. "I know. You are a great warrior and I hold you in high esteem. I never meant to disrespect you."
Tears threatened her eyes. "How am I to know that when you treat me so?"
"Peony-"
"Again, Kíli! You can't even respect my name?"
He pursed his lips, and when she looked up at him, she thought he looked like a wounded child. His eyes were wet, and he did not meet her gaze, one hand pinching the other.
"I… simply liked the idea of a name that only I could call you. I didn't realize it distressed you so." He swallowed. "I'm sorry. I'll stop. And… I won't tease you, or bother you any more."
He turned to walk back to camp, but she grabbed his hand.
"Kíli…"
He stopped, expecting her to continue admonishing him for his poor behaviour.
She thought back to how he had worded it. "I hold you in high esteem too. That's why it hurt to think you discounted my thoughts."
He squeezed her hand in apology. "I listen to every word, even if it seems otherwise."
"Then, please, make it more well known. I don't like being cross with you."
"Perhaps it was foolish, but… I did not realize I was making you cross." He studied the decaying leaves on the ground before him. "I thought you knew. How I felt."
"I can only guess unless you tell me."
Kíli met her gaze, and the two stared at each other in silence for a moment.
Fíli always knew how he felt, no matter what he said. But… maybe not everyone he could grow close with would be able to?
He licked his lips. "I care for you."
"I care for you, too." She admitted, though she said it so lightly that Kíli wondered if she truly understood his meaning.
He stared at her a moment longer, unsure what else to say to convey his feeling.
She chewed her lip. "You can tease me. It- It is charming. But not all of the time. Sometimes, be honest, and sweet with me, like this." She swallowed. "And when I am trying to tell you something, please listen."
He nodded. "Alright… Andréa."
The way he said her name made her stomach turn. It felt like a wall had been placed between them. She looked at their hands, how tentatively they held each other.
"You- You can call me Peony."
"Are you sure?"
She looked up at him with a vulnerable expression. "Only you."
He took a step closer and used his free hand to smooth some stray hairs from her face.
"Thank you, Peony."
She felt the color rise in her face as his hand moved to cradle her cheek. Surely this was too intimate? His words echoed in her mind. I care for you.
"Kíli…"
She watched his gaze move from her mouth back to her eyes.
His lips curled into a slight smile, and he was about to say something when he suddenly looked beyond her, startled.
"Orcs!"
Kíli pushed Andréa behind him and drew his bow.
She followed his line of sight several hundred feet into the woods and saw it; a pack of orcs moving toward them.
"Go warn the camp," he ordered urgently. He loosed one arrow, hitting an orc in the chest.
She closed her eyes and used her staff to send a message to Gandalf, then stood at his side and drew her bow. She shot an arrow, hitting the same orc he had, downing him.
Another dozen other orcs came into view before them.
Kíli put his hand out as he backed up, pulling her with him. "Get behind me."
"We can take them." She loosed another arrow, but narrowly missed the orc that was barreling toward them.
Kíli drew his sword and stepped in front of her.
"Kíli-"
A rush of snapping twigs and kicked up brush sounded behind them and she turned in panic before recognizing the rest of the company rushing to meet them in the fray.
Soon they were surrounded by the other dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo.
She switched to her sword and staff as the orcs met the company in a brutal clash.
It was chaos. She could barely keep herself from being hit from flying weapons, but she did somehow.
Thorin raised a brow to see Bilbo holding his sword defensively, but quickly grew distracted when he realized the hobbit only fled from their enemies' strikes. Thorin effortlessly killed an orc that followed Bilbo, then turned to identify the biggest threat and beeline for them.
Andréa couldn't keep track of where anyone was, but slashed mercilessly at any orc she got an opportunity at. Eventually she was hit hard across the face by one and fell with a thud to the ground. The orc that had knocked her raised his axe, but was soon struck down by a dagger that had been thrown by Fíli from some distance.
She looked around to try to spot Fíli in the brawl to no avail.
Instead, time stilled as she caught sight of an orc running up behind Kíli.
He was distracted with the one he was slaying, and the large, grotesque orc that was approaching him was in his blind spot. She felt like her body had turned to stone, unable to even cry out in warning as it raised its weapon overhead to strike him.
A cold fear ran down her spine and she was certain that this was the moment she would lose the group; that she would fail to protect them. Her past losses whispered to her that they would find new company; that she would bury the dwarves on the road to Erebor.
To her surprise, an axe landed in the orc's face, killing it instantly. Kíli didn't even notice it as he rushed toward another orc before him.
She was brought back to reality as another orc set upon her. She barely lifted her staff in time to defend herself, the dead orc landing with a thud beside where she was sitting on the ground.
To her great surprise, Bilbo rushed over and quickly helped her back up to her feet. The two stood back to back, swords held defensively as the rest of the company swiftly dispatched what was left of their enemies.
Andréa sighed with relief when Thorin announced that the threat was gone. She sheathed her sword and then ran a hand over her face.
Fat lot of help I was, she thought.
Bilbo was both relieved and surprised to see that the backup wizard was as weary of the battle as he was. He was about to say something to her when Kíli rushed over.
Kíli grabbed Andréa's shoulders and looked her over. "Are you alright?"
She shook free, embarrassed by his concern. "Yes, of course."
"Why didn't you go back to camp to warn them, like I told you?"
"I didn't need to." She gestured vaguely in Gandalf's direction. "I told Gandalf and they all came."
"You told Gandalf?" Kíli looked between the wizards, brow furrowed.
Andréa tapped her staff in explanation - though it was far from complete enough for Kíli - and turned to join the others who were filtering back toward their camp.
Kíli turned to Bilbo with confusion.
Bilbo shrugged. "Wizards."
Kíli raised his brows and nodded in agreement, seeming overwhelmed by his morning with Andréa. He rubbed the back of his neck and started heading toward the camp.
Bilbo looked around to see that he and Thorin were pulling up the rear of the group.
Thorin met his gaze and started walking after the others, gesturing with his head for Bilbo to join him.
Bilbo swallowed and fell into step beside the company leader. "Orcs," he offered with a nervous laugh.
Thorin nodded gravely. "They seem to find us, even here, off the roads."
Bilbo was surprised by the concern in the dwarf's voice. "Do you think they're seeking us out?"
He was met with a low growl. "Most likely unlucky circumstance. But…" He trailed off, staring into the distance as they walked along, lost in some dark thought.
Bilbo waited for Thorin to finish his thought, but he soon felt he'd been forgotten entirely. "Seems mostly unlucky for the orcs," Bilbo offered lightly.
"Hm?" Thorin blinked at the hobbit, processing what he'd said, then suddenly his face lit up as broke into a short chuckle. He clapped his hand down on Bilbo's shoulder. "Right you are."
They came upon the camp and Thorin started issuing orders, his mood seeming somewhat lighter.
As they made their way on their ponies, Bilbo noticed that Andréa was riding alone in the formation. Usually she would sidle up to someone and make conversation, but today she was just staring ahead with a slightly furrowed brow.
He recalled how she'd tromped back to camp alone, and then argued with Kíli. He wondered if they'd made up or not.
Slowly he directed his pony so that he could ride alongside her.
"Fine weather, at the very least," Bilbo said in greeting.
Andréa looked over to him and smiled. "Yes. Hopefully it keeps."
"Don't fancy riding in the rain?" He laughed.
"Not particularly." She glanced about the group, realizing she hadn't done so since they'd left.
"Did you sleep well?" Bilbo pressed.
"N-no, not really, actually." Andréa furrowed her brow, though her tone was light. "Is it so apparent?"
He shrugged. "You seem distracted. But a good night's rest should help."
She hummed in agreement.
After a moment of further silence, she thought it might be rude of her not to try to make conversation with Bilbo, who had so kindly come to keep her company on their ride.
She leaned slightly toward him to quietly gossip. "Do you know that Fíli tried to convince me that he and his brother are not considered good looking by dwarf women?"
Bilbo raised his brows. "How did that topic come up?"
She sighed, thinking. "Kíli wouldn't stop interrupting me to say brazen things."
"He's quite fond of teasing you."
"He's incorrigible."
He looked around to make sure nobody was close enough to eavesdrop, but dropped his voice and leaned in close regardless. "But handsome?"
"Unbearably," she whispered, wincing.
Bilbo nodded. "Their uncle's not bad looking."
Andréa tried to temper the wide eyed grin that her face automatically pulled into, looking away. "I suppose," she agreed lightly. She met his gaze again, voice growing quiet. "He's quite regal."
"You think so?" Bilbo snickered a bit, leaning closer as he also lowered his voice. "I think he's a bit rough around the edges, personally."
"But in a good way?" she guessed.
Bilbo laughed bashfully to himself.
"Dwarrow," she sighed dreamily.
After a moment of comfortable silence, she turned behind her to see where Kíli was. He was near the back, riding lazily beside Fíli, only Gandalf behind them.
He caught her looking and tilted his head in confusion. She quickly turned away, pretending not to have been trying to look at him.
Fíli secretly studied Kíli's bewildered face. His brother had long been a relentless flirt, but was terrible at actually wooing dams. He'd seen Kíli chase off girls before, in a similar fashion to his disagreement with Andréa earlier that day. But based on her embarrassment at having been caught looking at him, Fíli suspected that the backup wizard was even more charmed by his baby brother than she was letting on.
That night, Kíli and Fíli had been tasked with gathering firewood once again. As Fíli made his way back to camp, he noted that Andréa was sitting away from the group on a small cliff overlooking the fields below. The normally upbeat wizard seemed lost in dreary thought, shoulders slumped forward. He couldn't help but think she'd been acting strange since that morning, from talking about a dream she'd had to fighting with Kíli, and now moping alone.
He added his load of firewood to the pile, then walked up the hill before Kíli could catch up to him.
Andréa started when Fíli sat down beside her, but relaxed when she realized it was him. "Ah, hello again Fíli." She gazed back out over the fields.
"What thoughts trouble your mind?"
"Mmm…" She rubbed the back of her neck, looking up at him sheepishly. "You will think me a foolish girl."
He snickered. "Was that not the impression you thought I had of you already?"
She smiled at the teasing, but looked away.
"Are you still cross with my brother?"
"No, no."
He waited a moment, hoping the silence would coax a proper explanation from her. Instead he watched as her face slackened into a morose daze.
"Better you tell me now, than I get Kíli to help me draw it out of you," he chided.
She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, it is not so very much." She sighed and rolled her shoulders. "Only…" She rested her elbows on her thighs and tilted her face up at him crookedly. "I felt afraid today. In the battle."
He cocked his head in surprise. "Is that so abnormal?"
"Not… fear for my life," she clarified. "Fear that one of you would be hurt, or worse." She looked at her hands. "There was a moment when thoughts of what might befall you made me freeze completely."
"Mm," he grunted in understanding. "That can happen."
She raised a brow. "I thought dwarrow never feared."
"Dwarves… are brave," he conceded. "Even the brave can fear. The trick is to not be stalled by it. If you have time to be afraid, take action instead."
"I was so…" She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "Useless. I was useless."
He put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "You had one moment of fear in a battle. It's natural, and you'll overcome it. It will come with time."
She took a deep breath and sighed.
"Kíli and I can practice with you."
"Would you really?"
He smiled. "Of course. It will benefit us as much as you."
She leaned over and wrapped her arms around his thick torso. "Thank you, Fíli."
He returned the hug, glancing down the hill to see Kíli glaring at him with confusion. He smirked at his brother.
When they pulled apart, he moved his face close to hers, so that from Kíli's perspective, it might look like he was kissing her.
"Come to me with any troubles. You will be as my sister."
She felt a rush of warmth in her chest. "Thank you. Truly."
Fíli nodded and rubbed her cheek. "Alright. I am going to go help with camp. You should come down when you're ready."
She nodded as he walked off, then looked out toward the fields below again. A brother? The idea made her happy.
Kíli noted the blush on her cheeks and the way she seemed to be smiling to herself.
He met Fíli at the foot of the hill. "What is Andréa doing up there?"
Fíli shrugged. "Sitting."
He pulled a face at his brother, annoyed that he was playing obtuse. "But why is she sitting up there, and not at camp?"
Fíli remained unphased and gestured towards the top of the hill. "Ask her yourself."
"What did you talk about?"
He stepped past Kíli. "That's private."
Kíli grabbed his arm. "Brother-"
Before he could continue, Fíli stepped close, staring up at Kíli with an unusual intensity. "I have said all I will say on the matter. If you wish to speak with the wizard, do so."
Kíli blinked as Fíli pushed him off and walked away. He rubbed the back of his neck, watching his brother as he began to tend the fire. It wasn't like Fíli to be so harsh to him.
He looked up the hill again and decided not to join Andréa. If she and Fíli were getting close, perhaps it was best that he let go of his thoughts of her. Instead he grabbed his bow and stalked out into the woods to practice his archery.
Fíli shook his head, smiling to himself.
When Andréa did come down the hill to camp, she noticed that Kíli was the only one missing. She dropped her pack where Fíli sat with his own and his brother's and raised a brow to the older sibling. "Where's Kíli?"
"Oh, he's gone to practice his shooting," he said lightly, pointing off in the direction Kíli'd gone.
"Really?" She looked over to where he'd pointed, frowning as she realized she'd missed out on a good opportunity to improve her skills.
Fíli noted the disappointment on the wizard's face, and smirked to himself before forcing a neutral expression. "You could try joining him," he suggested.
She grabbed her bow and quiver, but hesitated. "You don't think he'd mind?"
Fíli shrugged. "He did seem in a foul mood when he left, but, I think he'd welcome your company."
She pursed her lips, considering what he might mean by that. "If not, I suppose I'll just return to camp." With that she set out to find him.
Kíli knocked his last arrow and aimed it at the dead tree he'd been using for target practice.
Snap. A twig broke behind him. He spun and aimed at where the sound had come, nearly letting the arrow loose when he realized with surprise that Andréa had joined him in the woods, her eyes wide.
He let out an angry sigh and lowered his bow. "I nearly killed you."
She chuckled nervously, raising her hands. "I'd rather you didn't."
"You should announce yourself more readily. You could have been an orc."
"I am sorry." She gripped the bow over her shoulder and sighed. "It was not my intention to surprise you."
He put his arrow back in his quiver and turned from her. He walked over to the tree and began to pull his other arrows loose. "What was your intention?"
"Just… to find you? And to see you. And, well, to speak with you," she stammered, stepping closer. "Um, that is…"
He raised a brow and turned to look at her. "It is not like you to fall over your words."
"Yes, ah, well…" She rubbed her arm.
He furrowed his brow and closed the gap between them. He gave an incredulous laugh. "What? What is it?"
"Could we practice archery together again?"
He raised his brows, then nodded. "Oh. Of course." Why was that so difficult to ask?
"I know you were doing so on your own. I don't mean to intrude."
He smiled crookedly. He couldn't help his desire to flirt with her again now that they were alone. "You may intrude any time."
She smiled to herself as he explained how they would take turns shooting the same dead tree, so she could watch his form, and he hers.
The third time she shot - missing, again - he sighed and walked over to her. "Knock another arrow. Your form is weak."
She did as she was told, and held her breath as he put his hands on her body. He adjusted her posture slightly, then let go.
"Pull tighter. A weak draw will make your arrow fly short and awry."
She frowned but did as he said, challenging her arm muscles.
"Now shoot."
She let loose the arrow and sighed in relief when it made contact where she had intended.
She waited for him to draw again, but when she met his gaze he was studying her face.
"What? Did I do it incorrectly?"
He pursed his lips, then took a step closer. "You're behaving strangely. I don't understand why you're being so timid."
She flushed and looked away. "I'm not."
He put his hands on her shoulders and ducked his head to be in her line of sight. "You are doing so now."
She winced, feeling foolish again. "I… My confidence was shaken today. I feel…" She met his gaze. "Lacking."
He frowned and leaned closer still. "I don't find you lacking."
Her eyes widened slightly as she realized how close they were. She could feel his breath on her lips. Her mouth parted to speak just as a familiar voice called out to them.
"Kíli! Andréa!"
They swiftly moved apart. Fíli came into view several yards away.
"Ah, there you are! If you don't hurry, there'll be no supper left!"
Andréa moved to retrieve her arrows and flashed a quick smile. "Coming!"
"We'll be right there!" Kíli called, nodding to Fíli. To his surprise, his brother nodded back and simply turned away, not waiting for them.
"The light is fading anyway," Andréa remarked, placing the last of her arrows back in her quiver.
"That it is," Kíli agreed quietly.
When she tried to walk past him toward camp, he grabbed her wrist. "Peony."
She looked up at him and froze.
He glanced at her mouth, then back up to her eyes. "I don't find you lacking." Then he let go and walked past her.
She touched her wrist with her other hand, noting her quickened pulse. She followed him back to camp silently, telling herself not to entertain any ideas about the dwarf.