Sorry about the stupidly long wait, but I'm trying to get through my Thorin/OC story first.
They awoke the next morning to a light rain. It was heavy enough to put out the fire and dampen their spirits but not heavy enough to impair their sight. "Will you ride with me again today?" Bofur asked.
"If you will let me." Rose replied. Bofur nodded and helped onto the back of the pony.
"Won't be long lass. Just need to pack up." He turned to help his brother destroy the fire pit and any trace of their camp.
"Curse this rain." Bilbo huffed. "It shan't fall when we need it to cover our tracks."
"I don't think it's possible to control the weather, Bilbo." Rose sighed, glancing up at the falling rain with squinted eyes. "If there was such a being that walked this soil then they would be very rich indeed."
"As rich as the dwarves of Durin's Folk." Bombur said with a passing wink. He scrambled (somewhat undignified) onto his pony. Bofur managed it with a little more dignity.
"Ready to go?" He reached around rose, picking up the reigns.
Thorin gave the signal and they moved off, leaving the clearing behind them. "Keep the noise to a minimum." He ordered. "We don't want any distractions."
"Bet you wish you had a thicker cloak now lass." Rose turned to find that Gloin was trotting beside them.
"I wasn't planning on staying out overnight." Rose smiled thinly, pulling her thin drape tighter around her shoulders. She shifted so that she was sat side-saddle. It wasn't particularly appropriate but it meant that her skirt covered more of her legs.
"We'll give you a spare one of ours when we stop." Gloin offered. "Might stop any more men chasing after you."
"I'm sure the thickness of her cloak has nothing to do with that." Bofur rebuked with a shark frown.
"Didn't meant to suggest that it did." Gloin apologised. "I merely mean that if they mistake you for a dwarf at first then they might hesitate."
Bofur thought about it for a moment. "Aye, you might be right. We'll seek one out for ye when we next stop. You'll freeze before night otherwise."
Rose nodded gratefully. She rain had succeeded in soaking her cloak and it was beginning to seep through her blouse. She was reluctant to breach the boundary of her newly formed friendship with Bofur by leaning against him, but he was supplying the warmth that she was lacking. "Is there nothing you can do about the rain, mister Gandalf?" Oin called grumpily from the pony in front an hour later.
"I cannot command the weather, master dwarf." Gandalf snapped. The cold and the wet seemed to be getting to him too. "If you wish for a wizard to control the weather then go find one who can."
"Are there others?" Bilbo raised his head, water dripping from his nose.
"Other what?"
"Wizards."
"Of course!" Gandalf chuckled.
"Are they great wizards or more… more like you?"
Gandalf turned on his horse to eye Bilbo wearily. "We're all great in our own ways. Now, who was there? I've forgotten the name of two I'm afraid, but there's Saruman the White who is the chief of the five of us. There's me and there's Radagast the Brown who dwells in the forests and prefers the company of animals to people."
"I can understand why." One of the dwarves muttered, but Rose couldn't identify who it was.
Thorin stopped the ponies briefly at Balin's request so that the white-haired dwarf could check the positions of his saddle bags. Gloin and Bofur took the opportunity to locate the spare cloak and give it to Rose. "It won't be warm right away." Bofur apologised as she slipped it on as carefully as she could without hitting him in the face.
"It's fine, thank you." It was a little large on her and the sleeves easily covered her hands. She didn't want to roll the sleeves up and expose some of the lining to the weather.
"We can dry your other one on the next fire and pack it into one of the bags should the sun ever reappear."
"Oh, cheer up!" Bilbo sniffed, wiping his nose. "It's only been raining for a few hours. We've been blessed with fine weather this summer."
Rose smiled inwardly. "It'll be doing the gardens back home good."
"Indeed." Bilbo nodded. "My roses will look splendid. Do you have flowers back at your home?"
Rose nodded. "We have our family namesakes."
"Are you all named after flowers?" Bilbo inquired.
"My mother, my sisters and I are yes, though my middle sister is rather a plant than a flower. My mother is named for my grandfather's prise marigolds. They were the colour of the setting sun and his garden was covered in them. My mother and I used to sit among them every summer and watch the clouds go by."
Bilbo smiled. "And your sisters?"
"Daisy is the eldest after me. She's just turned thirty six. She has a far fairer face than I and many people believe our names should be changed. She has for more expression than I could ever hope to have."
"Like the many colours of the rose."
"Exactly. The next is Ivy. She's still only twenty nine."
"What a strange name for a family of flowers."
Rose shrugged. "It's quite fitting should you know her. She seems to be everywhere at once and is quite nice in small doses, but unbearable for long periods of time." She smiled, calling her sister's fair face to mind. "She can be overbearing at times."
"Do you have any more siblings?"
"Just my young brother, Saradas. He's to take over the inn once my father retires, but he's only twenty one."
"What will they be thinking about your departure?" Bilbo inquired. Rose paused. What would her parents think? Her parents would probably be worried sick. Daisy would be taking over her role as head barmaid and would collect the deliveries with Finnie. Her cousin would have recounted her tale several times and many may blame her for Rose's disappearance. Ivy was probably spreading rumours about her sisters untimely death, or even the idea that she had gone off with one of the mysterious dwarves (this was partially true). Her brother would be defending her name, but secretly wondering if he could get word to her. "Forgive me, perhaps I should not have asked."
Rose smiled at the hobbit. "It's fine. They'll be worrying, is all. My father will be cursing that he's just lost a barmaid too."
Behind her Bofur chuckled. "Will Ivy have to take your place?"
"My father may try to persuade her, but I doubt he'll have much luck. She's normally off playing in the fields. It's a terrible business trying to keep her fixed on a single task."
"She sounds like a Took." Bilbo laughed.
Rose nodded. "I think she might be some long-lost cousin of yours." She jested.
"You hobbits are a funny lot."
"I could say the same about you dwarves!"