Hi! Hi guys! How's it going? It seems as though my chapters are getting a liiiiittle bit longer recently. That just means more fun to read about. (^_^)

Sooo I know I took a long time in getting to this point, I'm sorry, but like I said. I am working on speeding things up so that we meet everyone, and more about what's going on too. I probably took longer than I should have, but I was also trying not to rush into things, which is probably what resulted in my feet dragging so much. Still! Thank you again for your patience, from here on out I really will be trying to get on the ball.

Breathing in deeply, the islander sighed as she slowly woke up. The soft old sheets insulating her in warm comfort as she relaxed in her bed.
Wait... her bed? She didn't have a bed. She had a cot. She didn't have warm sheets. She had one old blanket and layered in clothes. Her eyes opened now.
Above her was not the old wood roof of her little shelter. There was a window. this was not her bed. Wait a minute! she wasn't at her shelter at all! She was in the woods being mauled by an angry wolverine! How did she get here?
The woman sat up abruptly, and immediately paid for it. Her back and head suddenly was coverd in throbbing pain. her arm hurt a little too but not so bad. Her face twisted in harsh grimace she slowly put her feet on the wooden ground. Her shoes were at the end of the bed. her eyes scanned the knotted pine that formed the room, straining her ears to listen for anything. Ignoring the pain she tried to put back on her shoes. As quietly as she could, she meandered to the door to try to hear for anyone.
No doubt there were people there, as she heard unfamiliar voices.
"You'd be lucky boyo if she hasn't become inconsolable when she wakes."
"I thought she was a he! and I thought she was one of the scum that took ma!"
"I told you you needed to learn better control. You're an alpha so you must learn to control yourself better."
Alicia's head shook from the confusing banter. she shrunk back to her bed, now looking for a means of escape. She sure didn't want to be around people who couldn't control themselves. Their strong accents and talk of 'alphas' made her immeditaely peg them as dwarves. They might even be the two she saw before. Alicia grabbed up her torn clothes and wahtever she could salvage, until another voice came up.
"You will make up for this my son. I know not why she is here, but I have broken a promise with her now. So we both have to prove ourselves."
That voice...was that the dwarf she had met at the Ranger's Post?
The talking stopped and the door was opened. Inside walked a red headed woman, the same woman that was the hostage to the men in the woods. She looked a lot better now, not covered in dirt and her hair back to a tamed style.
Alicia looked up at her with wide confused eyes from her kneeled place. It was a little hard not to stare at the beard on a woman's face.
"Oh!" The woman gasped. "You're awake." She said asked she stepped closer. Her eyes were so full of concern, much like a real mother, it was hard to for Alicia to stay on alert.
"Uh, um.." Alicia stuttered with a dry throat.
"It's alright now dear. You're safe." The lady cooed, gently she came by Alicia's side. "Come, let's get you to the bed. Easy now." Alicia was at a loss for words, but did not resist as the lady helped her to sit on the bed. Actually the islander probably could have gone limp and the bearded lady would still have just as easily picked her up to the bed. She had a surpising amount of strength.

" I am Nadhia. This is our home. We brought you here once you fainted.' She explained, her brown eyes searching Alicia's face. "What ails you?"
"M-my head...and back." Alicia stuttered.
Nadhia nodded her head knowingly. "Aye. My brother in law said you would still be in pain when you woke. If you'll come with me to the kitchen, He'll have another look see and perhaps give you something to kill the pain."
Alicia pursed her lips, really unsure about it, but Nadhia did not give her much chance to say no, gently she urged Alicia to her feet, guiding her out towards the kitchen. Alicia spotted a small,young teenage looking boy with a lot more hair than one his age typically had, not to mention the start of his own beard. He was a furball of a kid. He ducked his head down, looking sheepish and grumpy when she looked his way. Then to the kitchen there was another old grey haired dwarf with his back turned to them. He was in some grumbling conversation with another red heairded dwarf who looked at the two females with a smile. "Milady." he greeted her.
Alicia smiled back once she recognized who it surely was. "Mister Gloin. How are you?"
Gloin put down a stack of dishes in his hands. " Ah fine. Mahal bless you lass, but what are ya doin' here?" The red head dwarf questioned in a tone as if he still didn't believe she was standing there.
Gloin had a very strong face. Or maybe the right word is stony? It seemed to not be a very mobile one when it came to expressions of most emotions. Almost always he seemed to have this hard stare pre set. Had she not met him before in such a kind manner, she might have guessed him to be a very dour, rude arse. All that red hair nearly reaching his belt, obscuring his features even more made him harder to gauge properly.
" I came in search of a good job." She answered him while trying to be subtle at her observations of his features.
"A job?" Gloin quetsioned with furrowed wiry brows. "What happened to the one you've had at The Post?"
"It was temporary work." Alicia repolied airily.
As she sat down, the grey bearded dwarf had put hung the dish cloth over his forearm, observing the whole scene. He broke into a small smile when their eyes met.
" Ah." Gloin said as he noticed. " This is my brother Oin. He's a healer. You've already met my wife. and that boy there is my wee lad Gimli."
"I'm not wee!" The pouty boy said from the couch.
Nadhia turned a disapproving look his way. " You still owe this lady an apology."
Gimli's fur ball head ducked even more as he sheepishly got up to stand before the gathering at the kitchen table. " I'm sorry Miss." he said after taking a deep breath. " I was so angry at anyone harming my ma. After I challenged twenty men-."
"Two." Oin interupted.
"I was caught up in the moment, just happy to finally find ma. I made the grave mistake of thinking ill of you. And I'm right sorry for it." Gimli finsihed without missing a beat. He rose his head a little and his hand palm up.
Alicia satred at it, unsure of what he was doing. A handshake? Sure.
Alicia rose her hand, locking thumbs with him, giving it a shake. she clapped it palm side, then back hand, made a fist bump and fluttered her fingers. a common fun gesture from her island.
By the stunned look of Gimli's face, that wasn't a thing here either. Nadhia's eyes went wide and she stiffened as if in worry.
Oin loked confused while Gloin cleared his throat pointedly.
"Lassie. he is just a boy. My brother is an excellent healer. We don't need to be rash." Glion said in a more calm tone.
Now it was Alicia's turn to look confused. Gloin sounded as if he was trying to calm a raging bull.
But she was smiling, and didn't do anything aggressive...Did she? "I, I thought he wanted to shake hands. So I made it fun in an attempt at exemplying no hard feelings."
"Looked more like rejection to me." Gimli grumbled.
"Really?" Alicia breathed out, still a little confused.
Nadhia sighed. " Now everyone. We are of two different races and cultures, so let's clear things up a mite aye? Miss Alicia. My son was offering his hand, so that you take it and he makes the greeting promise to earn your forgiveness." She explained.
"Greeting promise? Oh is that, when you smell my hand and kiss it?" Alicia looked to Gloin when she remembered it.
"Aye the very one." Nadhia smiled. Her shoulders bunched slightly in subtle amusement. "What was, all that you did?"
"It's an informal handshake you could say. Mostly the younger audiences do it in comradery and fun." Alicia taught. " I was just showing that I'm not mad about it at all." She said apologetically as she sank into a chair.
Oin still looked bemusedly puzzled while Gloin snorted. "Well, just to advise you. That is not something people do here. You may wish to reframe from it until more people understand. Slapping at hands while someone is trying to regain retribution means to deny them it in the culture of dwarves you see. Speaking of, I too must beg your forgiveness. I have made that promise and here you are, injured by my own family."
Alicia now looked at him like he was crazy. " 'Snot your fault. How could you have known?" Alicia smiled at him. "No worries friend." This whole ordeal and honest misunderstandings had her inner self scowling at the awkwardness that accompanied it. It was all so weird, over a simple hand manuever. Still, Alicia forced the friendly demeanor on display.
"Alright go on and get us supper ready." Nadhia shooed away her husband. "Shouldn't be much longer now." She called over her shoulder to the three remaining.
Oin replaced Nadhia's spot in front of Alicia." Humans." he half-joked. Up close he looked even more grizzled. A downward pointed beaky nose, two large braids in front of his beard that curved upward, (Alicia suspected that had a much more practical intentiuon than just for the style), huge ears at the sides of his head, deep set eyes that still looked as lively as someone her own age, and all wrapped up in mostly wool clothes. "How are ya feeling Missy?" He asked in a noticable louder voice than the others spoke.
"Not so bad. Only a little pains."
"Only brittle rains? Nay, it's supposed to be clear skies this week." Oin anwered suddenly sticking what she first assumed was a drinking horn, in her face.
"She said only a little pains uncle!" Gimli yelled.
"Ah." Oin said. " I've got an herbal mix here we can re-apply on your wounds after dinner." Oin rose a mittened hand to her head to gently touch at the wound there. He observed how her eyes squinted a little in a subtle wince." Mm-hm. We'll keep a close eye on that one. Do ye have family or friends ye must inform?"
Alicia shook her head." I just have work tomorrow."
"Aye? what kind of work? You ought to take it easy for two days at least. " OIn advised as he lumbered towards a small kettle. The dwarf worked at draining what was in it into a cup, then turning back and handing her the strong tea. "This will help with recovery and pain killing."
"Thank you." The isalnder accepted. " It's farmwork and errend running usually."
Oin's brown eyes flickerd up to her with an unreadable glint. "Mmm, try not to do too much labourous work if you can help it aye?"
"Alright." Alicia said after another drink.
The healer turned back to his little work station. Above the desk were rows of drawers and two cabinets, no doubt that's where all his medicinal wares were.
In the silence Alicia's eyes roamed the place. It seemed that weapons served as decor as well as combat here. Everything that was needed for a daily use was resting or hanging out in the open in easy reach. On one side were wooden weapons, axes and staves mostly.
"That was my first axe." Gimli said suddenly, interupting her thoughts. he cuaght her staring at a small wooden one hanging at the end of a row of weapons. "When I was actually a wee lad, Da had it made for me. Then he gave me his old axes as I progessed so rapidly." The son beamed proudly.
This guy liked to exaggerate. He reminded her of Lonnie who liked to do the same for luaghs.
Alicia smiled at him anyway. "The axe hasalways ben your facored weapon?"
"Aye. I did try the hammer for a while, it's fine too. I donna' care too much for the sword or staff." Gimli went on. " Know you any skill in battle?"
Know I any skills in battle... people have funny dialect here.' she snickered in her head. "I like the double broad sword myself."
"The what?" Gimli perked up. "What kind of weapon is that?" His eyes lit up. This must have been a subject he enjoyed talking about very much.
"It's a single blade sword that splits into two swords." Alicia summarized, smiling at his elated reaction.
"Really? How's that work? Can you show it to me?" Gimli pressed. " Perhaps, when you're healed up of course, we could dual each other?"
Before Alicia could answer, Gloin and his wife came back in, all hands full of dishes and food.
Oin turned about to help and Alicia got up to follow his lead, but she was waved away by Nadhia. "Sit sit my dear. You're our guest. Gimli go get the rolls in the kitchen."
Gimli quickly hopped up to do so. Lots of cooked meat cuts with potatoes and carrots and grapes and oranges.
The islander was amazed at just how much meat was served. Did they only save meat for one meal a day? Or did they actually have such a carnivorous diet?
Nadhia sat next to her, Gloin on the other side of Nadhia. Oin was on the other side of the table with Oin.
Nadhia led them into a prayer of thanks before they tucked in.
Each of them stuffed their faces with gusto, as if the food wouod run off their plates at any moment. And the islander thought she was a fast eater...
She did try to maintain manners at the table, but when she got her first bite of real food, that was thrown out the window too. So used to living off a minimum wage diet of dired meats, vegetables and occasional fruits, it was almost heaven to have juicy meat again.
Nadhia, who was watching her, smiled as she chewed. "She eats like a dwarf." the kind lady joked.
"Perhaps because she don't get enough of a decent meal." Oin said.
Alicia blinked at him. " I eat." She corrected. sure it wasn't as big as this one, but, she still ate when she could.
Oin snorted in disbelief. He was the one who had the closest examination, since he had to patch her up, so his opinion would be the hardest to change.
"About that double broad sword.." Gimli changed the subject. " Would you like to duel with me? Ill go gently on you of course."
"Thing is I don't have it anymore." Alicia said with sorrow. "I used it till I lost it to the orcs."
Gimli's face fell and turned sour. "Scum. You shouod get a new one."
"It's in the plans." Alicia replied.
"Orcs you say?" Nadhia frowned. " Not around here surely?"
"No it was orc slavers, almost three months ago." The woman replied idly. The table went silent, and she looked up from her roll to see all eyes on her, wordlessly begging for the entire story.
And so she obliged starting from how they were ambushed to arrival at the Ranger's Post.
They clearly had mixed feelings about it all. most were quiet except Gimli who was now looking at her as if she had just become some hero.
"You came here a slave to the orc scum?" Gloin rumbled. His face had suddenly made a darker turn.
"Poor lass." his wife breathed.
Oin shook his head while still stuffing his mouth.
Alicia pursed her lips, now really beginning to regret what she shared. " It's over now. They, those particular orcs no longer exist any more."
"Aye." Gloin agreed. " That is one good thing. But how in Mahal's name are orcs getting and learning to man ships now?"
They all had a far away look except Gimli. It was as if they were reminising over similar situations. But they had never ben enslaved have they? One of them would have mentioned it by now if they had surely.
Alicia wasn't sure if she should ask about what was bothering them so, or if she should let it go. Either way, she tucked it in her mind for later, clamping down another bite of the roll. " That tea you gave me was lovely." She attempted to change the subject. " Thank you for it.
Oin nodded once. " I'll have more for you to drink when you need it."
"And this dinner is splended. My compliments to the chefs."
A kind smile graced Nadhia's beautiful features. " Thank you deary. Eat as much as you can take."
Alicia thanked her by following that invite.
'Which farm do you work?" Gloin asked.
" The one run by Miss Freya and her husband."
"Ah. I know where that one is. I shall escort you there in the morning." Gloin planned.
"Well, thank you." Alicia replied, but looked back up. "In the morning?"
"Of course!" Gloin replied. "It's nearly dark out. You can stay with us the night, and I'll take you to the farm in the morn." The dwarf popped grapes in his mouth.
Alicia dipped her head, smiling in gratitude for the generosity her friends have shown her.
Gimli asked for every detail involving the double broadsword and it's fighting style until Nadhia shushed him up to change the subject on Alicia herself. Nadhia thought her eyes were like the 'most beautiful violet flowers' she had ever seen.
They seemed unsure how to take of her 'lost island', Gloin in particular was very vocal and even brought out a few of his old maps so they could try to pinpoint where exactly it was.
Even for her it was difficult to gauge exactly where, since she was knocked unconsious after all. The only real direction she had to go by as 'East'. Gloin scratched his head, grumbling about it until Nadhia declard bed time.
As subtly as she could, she observed the family without openly staring. Nadhia for instance, her hair compared to Glon's was a little brighter and wavier. She had brighter eyes too and a shade darker skin color. The mother was also more outgoing of the bunch too. Oin had the darkest skin of the four. His hair was a wooly grey, even his beard that wasn't braided. He was the most taciturn of them all. Gloin was the most talkative, entertaining with some funny traveling stories he had. His son Had the same hair shade as his dad, and the more enthusiastic attitude as his mom.
"Come deary. You can sleep in the spare room you were in. I've some sleep wear for you." She said kindly.
Alicia pushed in her chair to follow her. " Goodnight and thank you for letting me stay." She said to Goin.
"Think nothing of it." Gloin responded, waving away her thanks.
Oin had not said much more since dinner time, still not getting much more than a head dip and wave when she bade him good night with Gimli too.
Nadhia had laid out a nightgown and a set of sleeping trousers for her on the bed. "Will you need anything else?"
" No thank you. I appreciate this." The islander gently stripped off her outer shirt, careful not to tussle the bandages.
The mother watched her, lips pursed in a thoughtful manner. "I've been meaning to ask you, why are you dressed as a male?"
"Easier for me to get jobs sometimes." The islander replied. It wasn't a lie nor was it the whole truth. But why should she spill all her concerns out to this kind and generous family who have already opened their home to her? It didn't sit right with Alicia to tell her all her own personal problems.
Nadhia didn't look entirely convinced though, as if she knew the islander's tactics already. "I understand."
Alicia quickly changed the subject. " If you don't mind my asking, what kind of, cat are you?"
Nadhia's cheeks bunched up in a smile. "I am what you call a cheetah. For some of us our fur has a little more value in the black markets. That's what you rescued me from. Brave attempt to try to take those men yourself I might add." Nadhia dug out a couple extra candles from her apron to put by the stand. "Surely you have someone who'd be worried sick about you if you were to be in danger?"
At that reminder, Alicia surpressed a sigh. She hid it with a smile instead. "I've made a couple friends on the farm." She said, hoping that was some consolation to the generous mother.
Nadhia tilted her chin down, in some look of disdain. "Do you stay with them then?"
"Not in the same hut." Alicia answered.
"Hut?" Gimli echoed. " You live in a hut? Why?"
" It's an extra deal some of the large farms can do. There's a space on the farm with little sheds that some workers can stay in exchange for labour." His frown deepened. " Not a very secure home."
"No not at all." Nadhia agreed. She took a sip from her cup. Alicia noticed that in that silence, they had all been looking at each other, as if some muted conversation was happening. Then she sopke again. " You can come live with us."
Alicia was so surprised at the offer, it took her a mment to process it. "Is that not imposing?"
"If it was I wouldn't offer it. After work, gather your things and come back here. That guest room shall be yours." Nadhia prompted.
Alicia wasn't sure exactly how to take that. On one hand she loved the privacy and having her own house rules in her littl ehut. On the other hand she was touched, but not surprised that this family just opened up their own home to her. However when she did weigh the options, of course it was smarter to take their offer. " Thank you. I appreciate it."
"Of course. It would put us all at ease if you stayed here." The mother continued.
Dinner was done and it was time to retire for the night.
In the dark with one candle as a light, Alicia changed completely. the trousers stopped just below her knees, implying that it might have been Gimli's.
She climbed into the bed, sighing at the feeling of a real bed under her. The warm sheets caressed her skin, lulling her even faster into sleep. The islander thought about any figure she might want to hit before she looked for another ship. Well, this place wasn't by the ocean like she once suspected. Maybe she'll just have to keep her search, raise more money until she found the place she was looking for.
'and where is that?' she thought to herself. "If you are in no rush to go home, but eventually do, what do you truly need then? where does your urgency lie?'
Turning on her side, she stared at the shadows in the room. Alicia thought about all the people she had encountered. She wanted to know more about the dwarven culture, but was too polite to just ask right now on the first day. She was reminded to not get too comfortable too fast around here. What may be a good thing or greeting in her home may not mean the same here.

I don't actually know Gloin's wife's real name to be honest. I was first under the impression that it was Nidhi. So I changed it to Nadhia because I thought it sounded prettier. But Yes! Kid Gimli is here! and He's a wolverine! *O* hahaha! I had fun writing this chapter and I hope you had as much fun reading it. You know what would really be cool? hearing your thoughts in some reviews! Please?