"It is even more beautiful than I imagined." Nimera smiled, her head swiveling side to side as she took in the mountain around them.

"Aye," Dwalin nodded "The majesty of Erebor is second to none. Though it is a far cry from how it was when we reclaimed it."

"It has been a long path to restoring Erebor to its former glory." Balin sighed "But we are getting close indeed….Ah here we are!" He said stopping in front of a set of nicely carved wooden doors.

He pushed open the doors, ushering Nimera in. Her eyes widened as she looked around the large chamber. The room was nicely furnished with a large table and chairs off to one side, and a roaring fireplace set into the back wall.

Dwalin put her bags down next to the bed. "We were not quite sure what you would be wanting." He said pointing to a small bookshelf and vanity along the side wall "We can add whatever else you'd like."

Nimera smiled at him "It is wonderful, thank you."

He smiled, patting her on the shoulder. "It is good to have you back." He sighed "Maybe now I can get a proper night's rest not having to worry about what dark corner of the world you are wandering around in."

"Dark corners of the world! I was rarely in any danger." Nimera scoffed lightly "From what Balin's letter told me it sounds like you were in greater peril than I!"

Dwalin raised an eyebrow. "Rarely any danger eh?" He said tapping the thin scar that ran across her right cheek "I don't seem to recall you having that before."

"Well I seem to recall you having a whole ear last we met." She huffed pointing at the small piece missing from his ear.

Balin sighed "it would appear we have all had our fair share of perils as of late. But we are all in one piece more or less and safe, which is what matters."

The trio looked up as the door to the room was suddenly flung open. "So it is true!"

Nimera felt all the air leave her lungs as she was pulled into a crushing embrace. "It is good to see you Lady Dis." She gasped out.

Dis released her with a scoff "I think we hardly need to use titles my dear."

Nimera nodded "Of course."

Without warning the black haired darrow gripped her by the shoulders, cracking her forehead against Nimera's with an alarming smack. Nimera groaned, shaking the stars from her vision as Dis' booming laugh echoed in the room.

"I was worried spending all those years consorting with elves and humans had made you soft headed!" She laughed "It seems you are as thick skulled as ever!"

"Good to know." Nimera grumbled rubbing her forehead

"Now then let me have a look at you." Dis said holding her at arms length. The smile on her face grew "My you have grown into a fine young woman!" She rubbed her thumb against Nimera's cheek "Even if you are hidden under all this dirt!"

"Aye," Balin spoke up "Thorin was hoping you could help with that, the lass might need to borrow something for dinner."

Dis raised an eyebrow "What happened to your clothes?"

Nimera shrugged gesturing to the bag laying against the bed "In there but…."

Before she could finish Dis began rooting through the bag, pulling out the few items of clothing inside. She pulled a face as she looked at the travel stained clothes. "This is all you have with you? I thought you took more when you left."

Nimera nodded "I did, but I whittled it down when I was in the wilds. No need for nice dresses when you are trekking across half of the world."

Dis shook her head "You are no longer in the wild. I will not have you running around this mountain dressed as a vagabond!"

Nimera sighed "I admit it would be nice to have some new clothes..." she said fingering the fraying end of her sleeve

Dis beamed back at her "Good it is decided then, tomorrow I will take you with me to the seamstress. In the meantime I will find you something more suitable for dinner!" She turned on her heels. "I will be back soon!" She said with a wave of her hand before turning on her heels, leaving just as suddenly as she had arrived.

"It is good to see she is still as energetic as ever." Nimera said staring at the now vacant door frame

Dwalin shook his head "If anything she is getting worse."

…

Nimera looked down at the dirty water left in the tub then back at the smudges of dirt still caked onto her arms. 'perhaps one more tub full wouldn't hurt' she sighed pulling the drain watching the water swirl down through it, before replacing the stopper beginning to pump fresh water in.

She relaxed into the clean water relishing in the small moment of peace. She had not been alone in quite some time and the silence proved to be a rare treat. She pulled the bar of soap from the small shelf scrubbing away at her hair and skin until the last smudges of dirt began to dissipate.

"Nimera?" Dis' voice called through the door

Nimera jumped, splashing out of the tub "One moment!" She called hastily drying herself before pulling her undergarments and tunic. She peeked her head out of the bathroom door looking around the bedroom

"Just me!" Dis said, throwing the door open "Well and my maid" she said, gesturing to the women behind her. The woman bowed as best she could with the pile of clothes she was carrying.

Dis took her by the arm pulling her into the bedroom. "Now they might not be perfect fits but I have managed to find a few things that might fit you…" She paused as she looked Nimera over "What in Mahal's name happened to your hair!"

Nimera frowned pulling a strand of her hair in front of her face, inspecting it. "What do you mean?"

"It is much shorter now!" Dis said taking a piece of her hair which fell to the top of her chest "You had such long hair. What happened?"

Nimera shrugged "When we were traveling from Erid Luein the caravan was ambushed by orcs. One of them grabbed me by my braid and I decided to let them keep it and I keep my life." She ran a hand through her hair "This is pretty long considering how short it used to be! I almost preferred it short when I was traveling."

"Orc ambush!" Dis frowned

Nimera laughed "that was probably the more tame part of my travels if I am being honest."

Dis pinched the bridge of her nose "I do not think I want to hear any more of your traveling stories, lest I go and throttle Dwalin and Balin for letting you go in the first place!". She turned her attention to the pile of clothing stacked on the bed holding up a few for inspection. After a moment Dis handed Nimera an ornate gold gown "Here this is one of my favorite dresses."

Nimera stepped into the dress pulling her arms through the long sleeves. The maid worked her way behind closing the buttons along the back.

"Now then let's have a look" Dis said coming to stand in front of Nimera

As Nimera shifted slightly the dress began to slowly slipping off her shoulders.

Dis sighed "this would be easier if you were not such a wee thing."

Nimera raised an eyebrow "I am not that small anymore! I am only an inch or so shorter than you."

"Aye but you are still a bit too lithe to be filling out my clothing." Dis frowned as she sifted through the stack of dresses holding a few to Nimera for a moment before tossing them back into the pile.

"Ah!" She said triumphantly pulling out a deep purple dress from the middle of the stack "This one should do the trick. And with a nice bodice we can make it fit you a bit better"

Nimera nodded stepping into the dress, slipping her arms through the long trumped sleeves. The sleeves engulfed most of her hand but it managed to stay on her shoulder.

Dis hummed her approval as the maid buttoned up the dress. "Much better. I think the black bodice will go nicely" she said handing it to Nimera.

The maid came around the front pulling the laces of the bodice as tight as they could go until the dress sat tightly against her.

"Perfect!" Dis beamed. "Now you look more like a proper lady."

Dis reached into her pocket "One last touch." She said, opening a small box before handing it to Her.

Nimera smiled as she looked inside, It was a small silver chain with a single tear shaped emerald hanging from it. "You brought it with you!"

Dis nodded "Balin charged me with bringing it with me. I kept it on my the whole way."

"Thank you for keeping it safe." Nimera said taking the necklace from the box, clasping it around her neck

Dis looked at her thoughtfully "Your mother would be proud of the woman you have become."

"Thank you." Nimera said quietly

Dis put a hand on her shoulder "I should go and get everything ready. I will see you soon.". With a wave the older dwarf closed the door behind her.

Nimera sat down at the small vanity, pulling out a comb from her bag as she began carefully brushing through her hair

She had just finished when there was a knock at the door "Are you almost ready?" Balin's muffled voice called through the door.

Nimera pulled open the door "I'm ready."

Balin's face softened "You look quite lovely."

"You look quite nice yourself!" she smiled. "Shall we?" She said offering her arm to him

"Aye, though I hope you are prepared for quite the affair. I hear Thorin has invited the entire company to dinner this evening!"

.

"Will you hurry!" Kili groaned from where he lay sprawled on the bed, his feet swinging off the edge "Mother will kill us if we are late."

Fili looked at him irritatedly as he pulled on his jacket "Since when are you so keen to be on time?"

Kili shook his head "I am keen on not getting a lecture on punctuality."

Fili laughed as he finished securing the belt around his jacket "I think you will be getting one of those no matter what."

"Finally," kili groaned as his brother stepped to the door "I am starving!"

As they reached the private dining hall Fili could hear voices filtering out from the doors

"I told you we would be late." Kili said as they stepped inside.

Fili looked up as the doors to the room were opened. Most of the company were already sat around the large wooden table, waves of raucous laughter filling the room.

"I see you two have decided to grace us with your presence." Dis frowned as they took their seats beside her "One of these days I am going to string a clock to a chain and make you wear it around your necks. Maybe then you will manage to be on time!"

"We are not that late!" Kili protested "Balin, Dwalin and Nimera are not here!"

"Nimera has had a long afternoon, she can be late if she wishes. You have no such excuse!" Dis scoffed

The doors to the room opened once more as Dwalin walked in.

"Sorry we are late, it took two tubs of water to get this one cleaned up!" Dwalin laughed gesturing behind him to Nimera

Nimeras ears turned pink as the room filled with laughter "Was that really necessary to announce!" She hissed, taking her seat at the table.

Dwalin merely gave her a shrug and a grin in return.

"Well now!" Kili grinned looking at her from across the table "You have cleaned up into quite the presentable lady. What happened to the little mud ball that rode in this morning?"

Nimera frowned at him "It is called soap and water, it can do wonders for a person." She paused looking him over "Though it seems like it has done nothing to help you."

The table broke out into another round of laughter

"I think I am going to like you a good deal lass." The dwarf beside her laughed.

Dis cleared her throat loudly settling the table back down "I believe some introductions are in order. I'm sure You know most of those here, but I do not think you have formally met the Ur family." Dis said gesturing to a few dwarfs around the table

"I am Bofur!" The dwarf beside her said with a broad smile "this here is my cousin Bifur"

"I am Bombour" said a Large dwarf from the far end of the table "and this is my wife Tera and our children Bomor, and Tilla."

"It is good to meet you!" Nimera smiled "Balin mentioned the three of you in his letter. He spoke very highly of all of you"

Bofur chuckled "It is amazing he had anything good to say about us after all those months of travel."

What about you?" Nori asked eying her "Lets hear about your travels."

"Aye We're all curious" Gloin laughed "There were many rumors swirling around after you disappeared from Erid Luein!"

Nimera arched an eyebrow "I did not disappear," she protested "I went to study from other healers!". She looked over to Balin "did you not tell people where I had gone?"

Balin shook his head "We tried but the rumors spread faster than anyone could contradict them."

Nimera sighed "Well at first I left Erid Luein With a caravan of dwarves headed to the Iron hills. But when we were near the shire I decided to set out on my own and go to Rivendell instead. I stayed there for two years studying with the elves before I set my sights further east. I got a job in a village by the great east road apprenticing with their healer myatr for the winter. I wanted to travel further east, but I knew I could not make the journey alone. When the spring finally came she told me of a group of rangers who had come back to town who would take me on with them as their healer, that is how I met Dovon, Rhava, and Erron. Mytar vouched for them and I ended up traveling with them east to Rohan and through its surrounding lands. Then last spring we were called to Gondor. We were just preparing to depart the city when Balin's letter finally reached us informing me of the reclamation of Erebor."

"Gondor?" Thorin's brows furrowed slightly "What business did rangers have in the white city?"

Nimera sighed "The city of Osgiliath was besieged by orcs of Mordor. We traveled there to scout how the had come into the city."

"You...You have been to Mordor then?" Ori spoke up.

The table grew silent as they waited for her answer.

Nimera shook her head slowly "No merely into the ranges that surround it." She gave a slight shudder "But it is as close to that place as I ever wish to be. The very air there is thick with evil. It is nothing but a dead waste land as far as the eye can see."

"Let us speak of more happy topics," Dis declared, breaking the silence that had settled over the table "Nimera perhaps tomorrow Kili and Fili could show you around the mountain?"

"Oh… yes, that would be lovely." Nimera nodded

"Here now lass," Oin spoke up from down the table "You wouldn't have happened to have written down any of the things you picked up in your travels? I must admit I would be curious to take a look at what you have learned in your travels."

"I did indeed master Oin," Nimera smiled "I would be glad to share my journals with you."

"I don't suppose you would be interested in coming on as my assistant would you?" Oin asked "Someone with your experience would be a great help."

Nimera nodded enthusiastically "It would be an honor. I also brought back some seeds with me so I could grow some medicinal plants here."

"I'm sure we can find some space for you to work." Oin nodded "Perhaps on your tour tomorrow the lads can bring you down to the healing hall."

"Of course!" Kili agreed "Right Fili?" He said nudging his brother

"Hmm? Oh yes of course." Fili nodded

Nimera turned to him. The feeling in his stomach redoubled as she smiled at him, their eyes meeting for a brief moment before her attention was pulled further down the table. He sighed refilling his wine glass, this was going to be harder than he thought.