Chapter 7

Ember's long black eyelashes fluttered softly as she opened her sleepy eyes. She smiled fondly at the dark hair that lay before her, Kili's head having drooped onto the couch in sleep, his face tilted slightly towards her. She studied his features intently; the beautiful lashes resting on his face, the chiseled cheekbones along with the coarse stubble of his whiskers and the soft lips of his mouth all combined into a vision of loveliness. Kili had no beard, unlike the others in the company, but his skin had a healthy tan glow from hours in the sun. She resisted a sudden urge to caress his cheek. Sighing softly, she peered around the still dark room; she saw that she was the first to awaken. The dwarves lay sprawled about the room in various positions of sleep, their combined snoring nearly shattering the windows. Fili lay close to his brother, one forearm sprawled on the younger's ankle. She smiled at how close these two were, even in the depths of sleep. She would have given anything to have a sibling, but though Elrond's children were always kind to her, there was still the fact that he was her guardian, not her father. Looking back down at Kili, she softly brushed a lock of hair from his forehead and stifled a giggle as he murmured in his sleep, before deciding it was time to get moving.

She slowly lifted herself from the sofa, being careful not to awaken the others. She tiptoed into the kitchen, focused on preparing a very large breakfast. Knowing it would one of their last mornings spent in relaxation and comfort, she was determined to make it wonderful for her dwarves. She stopped suddenly. HER dwarves? The thought had entered her mind so easily…but it felt right. She set about gathering eggs, bacon, and fruit from the pillaged pantry from the night before, when a harsh voice broke through her silence. She turned, offering a smile to Bifur, a wild looking dwarf with an orc axe stuck in his skull. He muttered in Khuzdul, the dwarven tongue. "Mukhuh?" as he gestured towards the stove then to himself. She pretended that she did not know the meaning of his words. He again gestured towards the stove, and grabbed a pan. With a smile of understanding, she nodded to him, and together they began to prepare the morning meal. As the smells began wafting throughout the kitchen, she could hear the other dwarves stirring. She began to take out more plates, when she suddenly stopped and grinned. Bilbo had tried to hide rich maple syrup behind his serving bowls. Grabbing the rather large jug of syrup, she turned with a cheeky laugh to Bifur, and said, "Let's make pancakes as well!" She held her treasure up as he chuckled at her excitement.

The meal was greatly appreciated by the company. She smiled as they all devoured what she placed in front of them. She turned back into the kitchen, heading to the sink to wash up. As the dwarves brought their now empty plates in, they all smiled cheerfully at her, with the exception of Dwalin, who was still a little wary of her after the apple incident. Bifur was the last to enter, and as he joined her at the sink, he smiled. "Akminruk zu, Ember."

"Yamal," she replied absently, her attention focused on a particular pot that was stubbornly refusing to be cleaned. Bifur gasped…and Ember stopped in silence. She had replied to him…in Khuzdul. He stared at her in shock. Khuzdul was a language known only to dwarves. This girl should not have known how to speak it. His eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. Ember glanced at him, turning her full gaze into his dark eyes. He felt an immediate sense of urgency to finish clearing the table. Yes, that is what he had been preparing to do…hadn't he? Bifur shook his head and looked confused. Ember turned back to the pot as Bifur patted her on the arm and went back to finish gathering the dishes. Ember sighed with relief. That had been close. She knew that the longer it took for the dwarves to figure out her lineage, the better the journey would go.

Within the hour, they had packed up their belongings and had begun their long trek into the wilderness. They had still seen neither hide nor hair of their host prior to their departure, and while she felt a sadness at leaving without saying goodbye, she had a feeling that she hadn't seen the last of her hobbit friend. Ember's pony was ebony in color, and she lovingly caressed the silky mane, thoroughly enjoying the warm sunshine, the blue sky, and her companions. She noticed Fili and Kili laughing, and picked up her pace until she was riding beside them. "What are you two up to?" she asked suspiciously. They laughed at her, and Kili admired how her blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

"We were just about to make a wager about Bilbo," Fili replied. His golden blond hair had several braids in it, as did his mustache. She raised an eyebrow.

"A wager?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, some of the others don't think he will show up," added Kili. She grinned at him and leaned closer.

"Let's up the ante, shall we? Let's wager that Bilbo will not only arrive, but he will arrive before lunchtime?" She smiled at the doubt in their faces. However, she seemed so certain of Bilbo's appearance that they nodded their heads and proceeded to collect the wagers from the other dwarves. They continued along and Ember admired the beautiful countryside of the Shire. The rolling green hills spread out before them, rivers and creeks babbled along and the birds chirped merrily in the trees. Kili watched as she closed her eyes and tilted her head up to let the sun warm her beautiful face. He nearly rammed his own pony into his brother's as he watched her, and as Fili chuckled at him, he turned his head back to the road. Soon, the other dwarves began to jeer and tease as the time to stopping for a meal approached. Kili looked nervously at Ember. They had bet quite a lot of gold, and he himself was unsure that the hobbit would actually turn up. Ember just flashed him a gorgeous smile and relaxed in her saddle. Suddenly, they heard crashing in the trees behind them. The company halted as a voice shouted at them.

"Wait! Wait!" Kili turned to see Bilbo running up towards them. He swung his head back to Ember who met his eyes and laughed warmly. She smiled fondly as the hobbit passed her, making his way to Balin. "I signed it!" he gasped, handing the contract to the older dwarf. Balin examined the contract and nodded.

"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield. " Balin replied. Thorin glanced at the hobbit, and then spoke up.

"Give him a pony," he said, and began to move forward once again. Despite Bilbo's protests that he would walk, Fili and Kili rode alongside him and picked him up from behind to place him on a pony. Soon sacks of money began flying back and forth between the dwarves. Fili and Kili cheered in victory, as they collected their share of the winnings. Ember rode up beside Gandalf and Bilbo, who was sitting on his pony with a suspicious look on his face, as if he thought the animal was going to kick him off at any moment. He held the reins awkwardly and Ember couldn't help but laugh. Bilbo glared at her, but finally chuckled at himself. He noted another pouch come flying past him to the dwarven brothers who rode behind.

"What's that about?" Bilbo grumbled good-naturedly. Ember giggled again, teasing a smile from the hobbit.

"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't," replied Gandalf. Bilbo looked at Gandalf silently, then at Ember.

"What did you two think?" Gandalf caught a sack of money tossed at him, putting it into his cloak. Ember leaned over to Bilbo.

"I never doubted you for a second, my friend," she whispered. He smiled back at her, and she slowed her pony back into the company of Fili and Kili. "Now, my dear dwarves, where's my share?" she teased. They split the winnings between them. As Kili handed Ember her winnings, his fingers touched hers. They both froze…(if such a thing is possible on a pony). Her fingers tingled slightly at his touch, and Kili smiled as a faint blush rose into her cheeks. "Thank you, Kili," she murmured. Fili nudged his brother roughly back into focus.

"Yadashun, vol kaon," he managed before reluctantly releasing her fingers. Glaring at his brother, who was now laughing at him mercilessly, Kili rode ahead. Remembering that she was not supposed to understand Khuzdul, she asked Fili, "What did he say?" Fili grinned.

"He said, you are welcome, blue eyes."

Mukhuh?" - May I

Akminruk zu, Ember - Thank you Ember

Yamal - With pleasure

Yadashun, vol kaon - You are welcome, blue eyes

So this chapter is a filler mainly. Trying to establish the relationship between Ember and the company, so the next will probably be filler as well. It is important to note that there is a reason the dwarves cannot know her history...that will be revealed soon. Please review if you can! I own nothing, only Ember