I Run To You

A/N- Hello again, I hope you all are still enjoying my work. I am sorry for the very late update of this story. Been a rough few weeks.

Disclaimer- I do not own this world, the main characters and such, but the family of Ludeth and Dinodas are all mine. Lurol and Poppy are my babies. =^..^=

'Thoughts'

Khuzdul

Enjoy this chapter.

=^..^=

Chapter 5:

Lurol stayed close enough to watch her sister as the youngest Durin looked at her. She could tell he had figured something out from just his body language alone. If that was one thing she'd discovered early on about these dwarrow, is that if one paid close attention to their body language, then they were easily read.

She only wished it were that easy to figure out the wizard. That man was still a mystery to her, but she knew he was getting something from helping along with this quest and picking her cousin of all hobbits to take this journey. Something was defiantly amiss there.

But currently her biggest problems were her sister's safety and figuring out just what Thorin Oakenshield found so interesting about her. For he was still overtly watching her. A fact that was slowly but surely driving her mad.

Deciding to just ignore it for the time being, Lurol pulled out her broadsword and whetstone. She looked her blade over with a sigh; it needed a good sharpening and now was as good a time as any. She began her task and before long began to hum. Then as was a habit of hers, she began to sing as she worked.

Poppy felt very nervous as she shifted under the gaze of the youngest Durin. When he wanted too, Kili could look just as intimidating as his uncle, but she would never tell him that. A few moments passed in silence and when he still didn't speak she cleared her throat.

Jerking Kili flushed red in the face as he looked away and then back. He poked two of his fingers together as he finally cleared his throat and spoke. "Poppy, I am supremely thankful for you saving my life. I hope I can prove worthy of your care." He paused as he slowly brought his eyes up to meet hers.

"I would like to ask...I mean, I would if you allow it. No. I am sorry I am doing this all wrong." Closing his eyes Kili took a deep breath, when he opened them his eyes were firm and he locked them to hers. This brought a deep blush to Poppy's face as she unconsciously shifted closer to him.

He reached out and took a lock of Poppy's hair. Pulling it closer he pressed his lips to the hair, looking her in the eyes all the while. She felt hot under that look, her body warming considerably. Not to mention him touching her hair, it was a very intimate gesture.

He spoke softly, "you have saved my life and have chosen me to wear your braid." He reached up and pulled out the braid she'd placed the night before. "You honor me and in response I ask if I may place my braid. I ask to seal the courtship between us."

Poppy felt her heart shaking in her chest, for the first time in her life a man was asking for her hand. A man she cared for deeply, a man she loved more than anything in the world. She felt so much rushing through her at once that it was overwhelming her. But Kili had asked her something and he deserved an answer.

Reaching out herself, Poppy took Kili by the cheeks and pulled him closer. She smiled impishly, "yes you may." She then pressed her lips to his before pulling away and glancing around nervously. She looked around, worried she might be embarrassing Kili. Her sister was singing to herself nearby, while the other's looked to be cleaning up their stuff and the breakfast.

It seemed her actions had gone unnoticed, but several of the company including Thorin were doing their damndest to pretend they were otherwise occupied. Poppy didn't get long to linger on such thoughts though as Kili reached out and pulled her against him. He pressed his forehead to hers and remained that way for several long moments, a silly smile upon his lips.

When he finally let go and pulled back he ran his fingers through her hair, "turn around." Feeling very nervous Poppy turned around as asked. She shifted a bit as she felt Kili begin running his hands through her hair, combing it. She'd only let her mother and sisters touch her hair before.

This definitely felt different. Poppy felt her eyes close as she leant back and let herself enjoy Kili's touch. Knowing she could get used to this, it also sparked a memory, one that she smiled as she let herself sink back into it.

The year was 2861.

Their father had fallen ill from a winter cold and while her elder sister Rowena was caring for him her mother was braiding her younger sister's hair. Lurol tended to only want their mother to do her braids, thinking that they were the most Dwarvish.

Poppy was bored, her twin Tansy was currently outside tending the garden with her brothers Rickon and Falden. Her eldest brother Bargen was off visiting with their granny Berylla. She'd already helped to make the meal and now she had nothing much to do.

Hearing their sister calling for their mother, Ludeth asked Poppy to finish her little sister's braid. Lurol looked unhappy but Poppy just smiled. She told her sister that she could braid her hair afterwards if she liked. Lurol brightened at that and agreed before presenting her back.

Poppy just smiled before finishing the braid. Almost immediately Lurol turned and demanded to begin her own braiding. Poppy rolled her eyes before she did as asked and let her sister have her way with her hair.

In the end when their mother returned Lurol had braided over half of Poppy's hair into rather bizarre and crooked braids. Ludeth had scolded her daughter and began to show Lurol the proper way to braid, of course they had used Poppy as their training tool.

Something she didn't mind one bit. At least now she wasn't bored.

Kili had been finishing up the braid when he heard her laugh. Curious now he deftly secured a piece of his tunic into her hair as well as a small bead, one he normally used for his own hair. He then moved to sit at Poppy's side, "what's so funny?" She merely smiled before telling him of her memory.

At this same time, Lurol had finished working her blade and reached to pull out one of her short swords when a pair of boots stopped before her. Looking up she raised a brow at seeing Thorin standing there. "Yes?" He seemed hesitant before he pulled the blade at his hip and held it out to her, blinking Lurol gave him a questioning look.

"Since you were working on your own blade and seeing as you did such a fine job of it. Might you be willing to sharpen mine as well?" His voice seemed uncertain which surprised Lurol; normally Thorin was confident in every word he spoke.

Nodding her head in acceptance, Lurol took the offered blade her fingers brushing Thorin's in the process. His touch made her fingers tingle and she felt a slight heat in her cheeks. Not sure how to react to this new development, Lurol looked down and did her best to focus upon the blade and the job at hand.

"It could use a little care; I shall have it finished momentarily." All the response she got was a grunt and the sound of the ground next to her shifting as Thorin sat a couple feet away. She did her best to ignore his presence but only a few moments passed before his voice broke the silence.

"Seems like my nephew has agreed to a courtship with your sister." Lurol looked up at that, Thorin was looking over at where her sister and Kili sat speaking animatedly to one another. She followed his gaze and smiled softly, "Yes. I do hope he understands what he's getting into by agreeing. Poppy showers those she cares for with affection, he might grow sick of it."

To Lurol's great surprise Thorin snorted in response. She looked at him in surprise but he was still looking at the newly formed couple. "Kili has had a rough childhood considering how he looks. Many a dam treated him badly just because of his lack of a beard. Trust me in this; he shall enjoy every bit of attention your sister can bestow upon him."

Lurol tilted her head at Thorin's words; he seemed almost saddened by this. Deciding to not press him for more she went back to cleaning the blade. "They are well matched then. Poppy was always too adventurous, too friendly for most of the hobbits we grew up with. It was considered improper to polite society. I didn't help her situation by being more dwarrow than hobbit myself."

Pausing once more Lurol was pleased to see that Thorin had turned his gaze back upon her; she met his eyes as she continued her comment. "This I can promise you though, Poppy is very protective of those closest to her heart. She is loyal to a fault and Kili will be well cared for if this ends in their marriage."

Thorin looked contemplative at this and Lurol finished the polish she had started on the blade. It needed a little sharpening but that was it, the blade was well cared for. So she pulled out her whetstone once more and began sharpening. A hum began low in her throat as she worked; to her surprise she heard a deep humming join her.

Pausing her work she looked up in surprise at Thorin, he just turned his head and looked away as he continued to hum. Smiling at that she continued working once more, she couldn't help but enjoy the deep and rather comforting tone of his voice. Her father rarely ever sang and other than what the company, Thorin included, sang at Bag End she had never heard a more enjoyable male voice.

Having enjoyed her moment with Kili, Poppy wanted to show her new braid to her sister. Kili seemed a bit embarrassed by this, but she just waved it off. "Do not think on it like that Kili, this is a happy moment. I just want to share it with everyone, don't you?"

Kili shifted a bit before he nodded in agreement, getting to her feet Poppy turned to approach her sister only stop in surprise at what she saw. Her sister was sharpening a blade, but it was who was sitting with her that had Poppy's eyes going wide.

Kili seemed as equally surprised as well, "Uncle's letting someone else sharpen his sword. That is a shock." Poppy looked to him for more of an explanation and Kili didn't disappoint. "Uncle has spent most of the time between now and when Erebor was taken working as a blacksmith. He's very particular about who touches his sword, let alone who sharpens it. So seeing your sister doing so now with his full approval...well, it's just a shock, like I said."

As they moved closer they both heard the melodic tones of both Thorin and Lurol humming together. Not wishing to break the moment and enjoying the sound of their combined voices, Kili and Poppy moved off to sit nearby and waited. Poppy glanced about the clearing and stifled a smile when she noticed that everyone was trying to pretend that they weren't paying attention. Clearly everyone was watching Lurol and Thorin. Even Gandalf.

This was something the both of them began to notice. Lurol noticed it before Thorin did, she was certain of it. She felt her voice waver for a moment before she kept humming, it wasn't that she minded so many hearing her but she couldn't help but wonder what they were looking at. Thorin on the other hand ignored their audience, focusing instead upon something in the distance as he continued to hum as well.

With the blade in her hands was finished, Lurol brushed it off once more, she hoped Thorin would approve of the finished work. Halting her humming Lurol turned to Thorin and held out his sword, "there, I am done." Thorin halted humming as well and took the sword from her looking it over closely, Lurol even felt a little uncomfortable at how closely he looked at it. She stood by her work though and didn't turn away as she waited for him to speak his opinion on her work.

This was when Poppy decided it would be a good moment to approach them; she walked over dragging a nervous Kili along behind her. Seeing them, Thorin re sheathed his sword and spoke gruffly. "The blade looks new, I shall ask you to sharpen it again if needed." Thorin then looked to Kili and Poppy with slight quirk of his lips, "remember what we spoke of Kili." He then moved away, barking orders to the others.

Lurol watched him go with a slight smile on her lips as well, "I see you two were getting along." Blinking at the sound of her sister's voice, Lurol turned to look at Poppy and Kili. "Hmm?" Kili snorted at that and Lurol narrowed her eyes at him. "You two sound good when you sing together." Poppy smiled as she said this and Lurol couldn't help but smile back. "I felt honored when he asked me to sharpen his blade, I didn't think he'd let anyone do so."

Kili laughed. "That is for sure, but he must respect your skills to let you do so. I'll have to ask you to sharpen my arrowheads and blade too, when I need it." Lurol raised her brow at this, "well you'll have plenty of opportunities now that you're courting my sister. Just one word of warning Kili."

Lurol stepped closer to him and poked him in the chest roughly, "you better take good care of her, or else. You get me?" Poppy reddened as she watched this but she didn't step in at all, she knew her sister needed to speak her piece after all.

Reaching up Kili fingered the braid that Poppy had given him, his expression serious. "I understand. I hope I can only prove worthy of her affections." Lurol nodded at this, pleased to see he wasn't acting full of himself. Hearing the approach of someone she looked over her shoulder and raised her brow.

Fili had decided to join them. He clapped a hand onto her shoulder as he nodded his head towards Kili, "trust me on this one. When he really tries he does just fine. So you better really try this time brother. Because if Lurol here doesn't kick your ass, I definitely will."

Lurol just turned and moved away to pack up her things. She understood what Fili was trying to do and appreciated it, she really did. But she didn't know any in the company enough to be any friendlier than she was now. It was just the way she was and even having Kili become her brother-in-law wouldn't change it. At least not at first.

"Let's move out everyone." Turning towards where Thorin was mounting his pony, Lurol followed suit. They had already lost a day on waiting for Kili to get better so she knew Thorin would be in a rush to make up for lost time. Once she was atop her pony she looked over to her sister, Poppy looked worriedly at Kili but she mounted her pony as well.

Sighing Lurol moved her pony closer to her sister and swatted her on the shoulder, "He is fine, do not worry about it." Poppy just smiled at her before they all began following Thorin as he lead them on their way. This was going to be a long day but at least it was a good way to start it.

A/N- Alright then, that is it for this chapter.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

Until next time.

May the Fluff Be With You!

=^..^=