Quick note - the layout and point of view of this chapter are (obviously) different than before. Explanation later :)
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
ELIZABETH
Clearly, there was no time to ponder the significance of jewelry that morning. Gandalf and Thorin immediately began pouring over the map that would take them to the hidden door leading into the great halls of Erebor, Bofur busily whittled away at a chunk of wood, and the two heirs of Durin had it in their mind that Lizzie was to learn the proper way to wield a sword. Most of the company agreed her to be as good as useless to continue without any knowledge of how to defend herself.
She guessed she'd have to hold off on finding more about where she came from, as bad as she'd wanted to know what Elrond meant.
"Alright Lizzie, don't be afraid to hit my brother. He's tougher than he appears." Fili called over his shoulder as he followed the stone stairs that traveled down the side of the mountain. Below, a courtyard in the middle of an elaborate maze of gardens opened up beside a waterfall, tumbling down over the rocks. "He has a knack for appearing the weaker one."
"Oi!" Kili growled and hit his brother in the back of the head. His furrowed eyebrows suggested the playful disquiet of a sibling. Certainly though, he wouldn't have his brother joke about him being a poor swordsman. When it came down to their masculinity, those two didn't take it lightly. Kili also wasn't keen on Fili making a joke out of him in front of Lizzie. He just didn't understand why that mattered so greatly. "Don't forget all of the times I saved you, older brother, when you were caught on the receiving end of a stable boy's blow!"
Fili's cheeks reddened at his brother's sudden outburst. "Don't listen to him Lizzie. He barks more than he thinks he bites."
"Stable boy?" She questioned, her soft eyes not straying from Fili's embarrassment.
Kili seemed to be more than happy to continue the subject. "When Fili and I were young we used to practice some with-"
"Shut it unless you want Lizzie here to know some equally horrific stories about yourself." Fili interrupted his younger brother.
A muffled laugh escaped her lips before Kili and his brother sent each other glowering looks in an exchange she couldn't quite understand. Some sort of secret had been shared between the brothers that she had no clue of. However, she was more concerned with watching her footing in order to not fall on the dwarf in front of her. Clumsily falling over the steps into Fili wouldn't have been the greatest start to learning how to fend for herself. She'd probably never live it down, either.
"Why don't you show us that sword Elrond gave you?" Kili quipped, breaking her train of thought. His dark eyes were fixed curiously at Almir newly fastened to her belt. Surprisingly the blade was impressively light (featherweight, to be exact) from what it appeared. She had forgotten all about it after Bofur had made a sight out of her in front of the company and the brothers had whisked her away.
She grasped Almir carefully as if it would snap in two before she unsheathed it and handed it into the wanting palms of Kili. His touch stirred a motion in her heart she tried my hardest to stifle, but it still bubbled forth in the forefront of her thoughts. She couldn't simply just start feeling butterflies like a middle school girl in the middle of a dangerous journey. In the middle of some sort of weird, alternate reality, She reminded myself. Thinking like that would get her killed. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized how fond she was growing of the dark-haired prince.
Fili stopped to peer over her head so he could examine the blade as well. "That was a mighty nice gift."
"You would think he had this made for you, Lizzie." Kili's brow crinkled in thought, "The lack of weight is impressive and it's just the right size in comparison with your height."
He gently placed Almir back into her hands as if he were trying his best to keep her from hurting herself, and followed his brother down into the clearing, leaving her to catch up. She furrowed my eyebrows. Fili and Kili- and all of them really- treated her as if they thought she were some kind of delicate flower they were trying not to break; like she wasn't the type that would be up for this sort of journey, but for some reason the Valar thought she was. She'd show them delicate.
"Don't put that up, Lizzie!" Fili called, her face betraying amusement when she moved to put the sword back into its leather, "We mean to teach you to sword fight with a sword."
She awarded him a dirty look, "I'm not daft you know!"
"We might know that, but do you?" This time Kili grinned with Fili's shared enjoyment.
She bounded down the stairs hastily, more than ready to take on any challenge the Durin brothers had in mind. Being the butt of their jokes was not her forte. Admittedly, one fault her hard head possessed was her inability to control her ferocity when she wanted to prove someone wrong. Lizzie usually took it upon herself to be on the right end of things.
BILBO
The hobbit fancied Rivendell far greater than the wilderness, that was for sure. The elves were kind creatures- despite Thorin's constant rage against them- and showed great hospitality and manners to their guests. In fact, he quite liked it in comparison to the Shire, where people dove their noses in his business whenever they pleased. The Sackville-Baginses quickly came to mind.
He sat against a stone column, his eyes closed as he rested for what seemed like the first time in weeks, even though they had not been journeying as long as it seemed. Either way, the little hobbit was exhausted. In all of his years, traveling with a band of hoodlums (a term he coined for the rowdy bunch back at Bag End), would have been the last thing he would have willingly done. Key word there being willingly. Because he most certainly wasn't when they burst into his home.
"Laddie?" The voice of a dwarf- he wasn't sure which one- thinned the silence. Bilbo's eyes popped open to the face of Balin, who scrutinized him under a pair of bushy eyebrows. "Just makin' sure ye were alright. Ye looked unwell."
"I'm fine, thank you Balin." The struggle in Bilbo's mind said otherwise. Why did Gandalf have to show up on his doorstep-
"Bilbo Baggins you're a terrible liar." Gandalf chuckled, smoking his pipe weed intently. He rose his grey eyebrows at the hobbit. "You're not expected to enjoy tramping through the woods and troll encounters, but I do believe you don't take it as well as I'd thought. You're quite the homebody. What a small streak of Took you must have."
Bilbo could say nothing. He gaped at the old wizard, not sure if admitting to his displeasure would be an offense or not.
"As it is you've no choice in turning back anyway..." He continued, crossing his arms and leaning back in the same position Bilbo took as he rested against the wall. A wave of guilt washed over him, and he could not help but feel sorry for being so hopeless in Gandalf's eyes. Strangely, he felt that he would rather not disappoint him.
"I will admit I am quite the complainer. Optimism was never my strong suit. Perhaps Elizabeth has more to complain about than me." Bilbo pondered before shutting his eyes again. He simply could not keep them open. "She seems... well, rather lost."
Gandalf took to sitting upright again at the mention of the girl's name. Indeed, Bilbo had caught his attention for good now. It was a subject even Gandalf had been contemplating for some time. "Ah yes, the little one. Lost indeed. She cannot remember her own history. What a strange circumstance she finds herself in."
Bilbo found himself beginning to drift, but his eyes shot open with the loud clang of pans as Bombur fiddled with his pack. He mumbled aloud about going crazy unless he found himself something decent to eat. He would not be able to find peace in this place. Instead, he bolstered Gandalf's curiosity. "What is her history, if you don't mind me asking?"
The wizard contemplated if he should tell Bilbo of her or not, whether it was the intention of the Valar for him to know at this moment, but he knew the time was near. "Pray tell, have you listened in on Bofur's tales?"
Bilbo nodded; he had traveled not far behind on most days when Bofur spent his time telling Lizzie stories. They were quite a pleasure to listen to when he had nothing else to look forward to except a line of trees surrounding him.
"Florin and Theódor found themselves with child. Strong and sensible with the traits of man, and delicate and brilliant with the knowledge of the small folk of the wood. That child was lost to them not long after she grew past two years of age..." Gandalf caught sight of Bilbo's understanding as soon as he began to pick up on his insinuations. It was rather hard for the hobbit to believe such a legend told throughout Middle Earth would be true. That little Lizzie- who didn't know a thing about the outside world- could be the child of such a tale. No, a history.
"But she does not know?" Bilbo worked through his thoughts with his words.
"No, but she will." Gandalf turned to examine the hobbit's expressions. Bilbo lacked the words to speak again, and he sat in silence for the rest of the time being. It was a hard fact to wrap around his head, and he felt like Bofur's tales had only scratched the surface. In fact, he was quite certain a simple happy-ever-after would not suffice for such a story. However, he did not question it any further.
Instead, he rose to patter across the stone floors and seat himself beside Ori. Perhaps the dwarf's interest in crochet would alleviate his homesickness. He convinced himself that he must do something to prevent any more disappointment he might bring to Gandalf. Maybe some time with someone who had an appreciation for something other than the wilderness would cheer him.
"Ori, might you know the trick of crocheting doilies?"
The mention immediately brightened the young dwarf's face.
ELIZABETH
For the final time, Lizzie succeeded in toppling over onto Fili, causing him to land painfully on the rigid stone below him.
"If you're going to swing a sword, Lizzie, you don't need to be throwing your weight at anyone. You're going to end up killing yourself too," Fili heaved, gasping for the air that had been emptied from his lungs. A small smirk returned to his lips, a triumphant look glazing over his eyes. "My brother would quite enjoy a go at you."
Lizzie choked, but it wasn't from a lack of air. After all, she wasn't the one being crushed by her own body. Certainly Fili was doing all that he could to make her blush. That or either poke fun at his brother. She really couldn't tell. All she knew was she was more than eager to remove herself from on top of him.
"Why don't you use him anyway, I'm getting tired." Fili puffed. He'd refused to let Kili teach her the basics, mumbling something about archers not having any skills to teach sword fighting properly. He eyed his brother before he started toward the stairway, "You can have at it, brother. I'm rather finished with being toppled to the ground."
"Aye, see you're giving up brother." Kili's arms were crossed as he glanced back at the retreating form of Fili. He did not receive an answer from his brother, but instead a grumble about his aching back. Lizzie didn't assume she was that heavy.
She stood in the golden sun, a sheen of sweat forming on her brow from the several times she'd rushed at Fili. Her hair was a little messy, but it was still secure in its mint green bow, and her hands were placed softly on her hips as she breathed steadily. Lizzie could have easily taken a break right then and there, but no words formed on her rosy lips.
Kili's eyes lit up when he realized it was his turn with their trainee. "Alright Lizzie, why don't you try again? Not tackling me."
"I'm not doing it on purpose!" Lizzie's eyes widened in shock and her brow formed a straight line. "It's not my fault Fili backed away from me every time I got closer. I don't understand what else I'm supposed to do!"
Kili raised his eyebrows at the petite girl standing in front of him before he sent her a mischievous smile. Taking his stance in front of her as Fili had done before, he waited for Lizzie to begin. He wouldn't exactly just tell her how to go about fighting. When they were being chased by a pack of orcs, he didn't reckon anyone would be informing her of the right fighting stance.
Lizzie scoffed and positioned herself as Fili had explained, perfectly mirroring Kili's more masculine frame. She did exactly as instructed and moved to strike him, but instead she found herself tumbling again with all of her weight crashing down on Kili. She landed face first into his firm (yes, she took note of that) chest, her legs in a tangle with his, not much different from when she'd found herself on top of Fili. But some how, she was much more flustered this time.
"Sorry! I don't know why I can't just-" She mumbled, her sunkissed brown tresses falling lightly out of her hair tie as she attempted to push herself off of Kili's chest, "-seem to do anything right-"
Both of them stopped, their eyes widening as Lizzie looked down into the dwarf prince's amber-colored eyes. She couldn't help but notice how close the two of them were. The rapid beat of Kili's heart sped against her palms. A blush- or maybe it was just the heat from running around under the heat of the sun- made its way across both of their cheeks.
If there was ever an awkward moment of clouded understanding between the two, that was it. Oh boy, that was it.
I am terribly sorry this took forever! I've been so busy for the past few weeks, and in the middle of all of it, my computer broke. Either way, I promise I'm not quitting on this!
Starting this chapter, I'm writing about each of the different characters (kind of in a George Martin Game of Thrones style, if you will), because I think it'll broaden the story. And develop more of the different characters. I will be going back and doing the same in the previous chapters, so I will let you guys know when I do, because new information will be added. Thank you guys for reading, reviewing, your favorites, and follows. You make my day!