There and Back Again: Edith's Story

Chapter VII

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After leaving Lord Elrond, Edith wandered around Rivendell. She took in the beautiful sights before her. The moon and starlight made it even more beautiful. The reflection off the waterfalls shimmered in it. The peace and quiet was soon disrupted by the sound of splashing and laughter. Edith looked and saw the dwarves, all naked, jumping and swimming in pools of water. Some of the elves looked on in horror at the sight before them.

Edith couldn't help but laugh lightly at the sight before her. Fili caught her gaze and smiled at her, his eyes filled with mirth. Edith couldn't help but notice his muscular physique. Jack, comparing physical statures, looked rather scrawny compared to Fili's muscle and broad shoulders. His chest was covered with hair, now drenched. Fili was caught off guard as his brother body slammed him into the water, tackling him down. She burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter, this didn't go unnoticed by the other dwarves. A handful of them got up, revealing everything and Edith's laughter stopped immediately.

It turned into a small shriek and she quickly turned around, wanting desperately to erase the memory of a bunch of naked dwarves staring at her, wondering no doubt why on earth a woman was even watching them! Her cheeks were red and flustered as she scurried off, feeling the embarrassment overwhelm her. The dwarves laughed loudly at the sight of what had just happened. In her hurried departure, Edith failed to see Bilbo walking her way, she slammed into him, sending them both to the ground. Bilbo groaned as he lay beside her, the young woman before him laughing uncontrollably.

"I am so sorry, Bilbo! I just saw the dwarves stark naked and I had no intention of staying long enough to see them all – you know, so I ran off. I didn't notice you coming this way! Are you hurt?" Edith asked, sitting up.

"No, no, I'm alright." Bilbo answered, with a soft chuckle. "I daresay I never imagined to be knocked off my feet by a woman though."

Bilbo too sat up, clearing his throat as he did. Edith smiled at the hobbit. He looked down, plucking at the grass. His smile soon faded.

"What's the matter?" Edith inquired.

"I am thinking of staying here in Rivendell." Bilbo said, quietly.

Edith frowned.

"But – you've come so far since leaving The Shire. Why would you give up now?"

"It's obvious Thorin doesn't want me as a burglar. I have done nothing to prove myself otherwise worthy of this quest."

Edith snorted.

"At least you didn't run away like a coward, Bilbo Baggins. You have more courage than I do!" Edith snapped. "Thorin doesn't tolerate my presence at all. You cannot give up on the company now! Fili told me you helped rescue them from the trolls."

"Did he mention the part when I almost got eaten by them?" Bilbo replied.

"You are a complete fool if you decide to give up this journey now. You must keep going! Even if it isn't for Thorin, do it for yourself. But, if you stay – then I will stay with you, if that is what your heart is set on."

"Why would you stay behind?" Bilbo asked, curiously looking at Edith.

"You are my friend, Bilbo. I think we get along quite nicely."

The hobbit smiled.

"If you were not engaged or attracted to Fili, I think I might have asked you to marry me." Bilbo said, with a laugh.

"I am not attracted to Fili!" Edith exclaimed, feeling her cheeks go hot.

Even in the moonlight, Bilbo could see her cheeks turn into a deep shade of red.

"But if I was not engaged, I think I would take you up on that offer."

Bilbo raised a brow and smiled.

"Really?" he asked, in wonder.

Edith nodded, smiling as she did. The hobbit laughed and shook his head.

"Any girl would be lucky to have you, Bilbo. You are kind and very sweet," she said.

She giggled as the hobbit turned red in the face. He shook his head at her as she continued to laugh. This young woman was truly something else. Unbeknownst to them, a certain young dwarf prince had been watching the woman and hobbit interact. Fili clenched his jaw at the sight. There should have been no reason to be jealous though. She was engaged to another man named Jack. He had seen the silver ring on her finger.

Yet, why was he jealous of Edith spending time with Bilbo? They were only friends. Fili cleared his throat as he came up to the pair. He was now fully clothed, which Edith was grateful for. Edith looked up, a strand of dark hair falling over her eyes. She brushed it aside as she stood up, face to face with Fili. He looked at her curiously.

"I think I'm going to go explore a bit more." Bilbo muttered, getting up and hurrying off.

Edith felt the same embarrassment all over again.

"I am so sorry for watching – I just I was passing by, I heard laughing and splashing…"

"I hope you enjoyed what you saw." Fili commented, smirking. "I think I look quite lovely, don't I?"

Cheeky bastard, Edith thought, turning red.

"Oh, you and Kili are both such arrogant dwarves…I have never met anyone as confident as you two." Edith cried, with a laugh.

"You don't deny that we're good looking then?"

"I—,"

Fili chuckled as she blushed and looked away. She folded her arms across her chest and huffed irritably.

"I won't mention it to the others that you were spying on us. I know we're fetching, but you should have been less obvious in your intention." Fili whispered, leaning towards her.

"I told you I was not spying on a bunch of naked dwarves! I was on my way to my sleeping quarters when I heard you lot – the loudest lot here!" Edith yelled.

"Yet, here you are blushing at the thought of me that way."

Fili winked at her and she shoved his chest.

"Oh, you, brash son of a bitch!" Edith growled. "Why must you tease me so?"

"What do you mean by 'son of a bitch'?" Fili asked, frowning.

"Sorry – it's a saying where I come from…it is mostly used as an insult. Forget I said it." Edith stuttered.

Fili shrugged and walked with her as she turned to leave.

"Do you mind if I escort you to your sleeping quarters?"

"No, I don't mind at all." Edith said.

She looked away smiling.

"I will come wake you as we are leaving so you don't miss going with us across the Misty Mountains. Don't worry about Thorin. Kili and I will look after you. Once we get across the mountains, we'll do some fighting. I'll teach you properly."

She nodded and stopped at the entrance to her sleeping quarters. It wasn't far from where the dwarves were sleeping. The elves thought it was best to keep a lady separated from the dwarves. It was highly inappropriate that a lady such as herself should sleep amongst a group of males. Fili took her hand before she turned to leave.

"I am glad you are safe, Edith."

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. She placed her other hand on top of his, stepping closer to him than she had intended. Her heart was racing wildly in her chest as they looked at one another. The way Fili looked at her now, Jack hadn't looked at her like that in years – not since the war. Her head was screaming at her to be logical, she was in love with Jack – she was going to marry him, not Fili! Yet here she was in an intimate moment with a character from a book. He brushed his fingers through her hair slowly, carefully.

"I should go get some sleep." Edith barely managed to speak.

What on earth was this dwarf doing to her? She wondered. She turned to leave but his grip was firm, and he pulled her back, kissing her the moment she turned to face him. His arms slipped around her waist tightly and drew her closer. He weakened as he heard her moan into their kiss. He pressed her against the wall, noticing how truly thin the fabric of her dress was. The moment she realized what they were doing she stopped and shoved him away from her. Edith looked at him horrified.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she cried, realizing she had just betrayed Jack.

She was breathless as she yelled at Fili.

"You feel nothing for me then?" Fili asked, sharply.

"Fili, I am engaged!"

"You did not answer the question. Tell me truly how you feel. One word will silence me for a lifetime."

"I can't do this to you or to Jack!"

"Very well. I apologize for wasting your time, Lady Edith." Fili avoided her gaze as he left hurriedly.

Edith felt tears threatening to fall as he left to join the others. She had enjoyed every moment of their kiss. But she had betrayed Jack. The more she did what she was supposed to here, the more she realized that Jack was starting to slip away from her thoughts. She was forgetting him. Edith walked into her sleeping quarters, allowing herself to cry. As she went to turn over her sheets, she saw a pile of fresh clothes and a sword on her bed. Edith gave a small smile and packed the clean clothes into her knapsack. There was some food as well wrapped in cloth that she placed there also. She crawled into bed once her items were safely stowed away and drifted into a sleep.

That night she dreamt she was on a battlefield, nothing like she had seen in her world. The land was barren and dead. Armies surrounded her and before her she saw the company fighting within the army. Thorin was there clad in armor. His nephews were fighting beside him. Edith looked on at the battle before her, the foul creatures of darkness were devouring the opposition. The shrieks were horrifying, the demons of this world, Edith thought.

An arrow went past her and struck Kili in the chest. He looked on in shock, stumbling as the arrow hit him. She tried to run to him, screaming out, hoping someone would hear. But she was stuck – it was as though her legs had been made of stone. She looked on as the youngest prince fell defending his uncle. Thorin had been pierced by a spear into his chest. Fili stepped in cutting down the demons before they could slay his uncle. Fili no! He looked up at her just as a sword went through his chest.

Edith screamed. There were no words for what she had seen. She continued screaming. There was no way to reach Fili. He looked at her, but his eyes almost lifeless. Edith woke to someone holding her arms and pinning her down. Someone had been speaking to her, trying to calm her and to get her to listen. Her face was as white as ghost and she felt a cold sweat on her forehead. Edith looked up in horror at the person holding her. It was Fili. She was trembling uncontrollably, weeping as she sat up. Some of the dwarves were present in the room and two of the elves aside from Lord Elrond and Gandalf. Fili sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she wept. He held her securely, one hand stroking her hair gently.

"She has had a nightmare or a vision. I have never seen such fear in anyone from any common dream." Gandalf said, quietly. "Fili, stay with her for tonight. Lord Elrond, I would request giving Oin some healing herbs for this if anything like this should proceed in the future. I ask that everyone else leave her be for the time being. Out, all of you – except for Fili and Oin."

The crowd of people left the room. Oin prepared a cup of tea and placed it beside Fili and Edith. Fili thanked him and watched as Oin left afterwards. Edith still trembled in his arms, but her weeping had ceased.

"Edith," he said, softly. "Edith, look at me."

He wiped her tears away and rested his forehead against hers gently. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"What happened?" he continued.

"It felt real…I could have sworn it was real." Edith whispered, her voice cracking.

"Tell me, what happened, what did you see?"

"I saw you, your brother and Thorin. There was a battle. You fell, one by one and I could not stop it."

"It was just a dream, Edith." Fili said. "Nothing more."

"Promise me you will not die, Fili!" Edith cried, nearly panicked.

"I am not going anywhere." He answered, with a chuckle. "I promise."

"Thank you for staying with me tonight." Edith murmured, dropping her head into his chest.

Fili hummed as he kissed her forehead. He sang softly to her that night, staying with her as she slept. He never told her, but he felt something foreboding that night after hearing her dream. A dream in which he died, his brother and Thorin. It had driven her to panic, waking almost the whole company and no doubt a handful of elves. He dared not linger on it, not now. It was far too early to be thinking about death. For Edith's sake, he would try to live as long as he could.