Lori woke up slowly as the first slivers of dawn began to brighten the sky outside. The open window let in a fresh scent of new summer rain and the first blackbirds started their morning serenades. All around her on the floor snoring piles of blankets were strewn, assumed each containing a dwarf. It was a wonder she had slept this long in the position she sat and with the ungodly roars surrounding her. As she came to she realized it was because she had been tucked in with a pillow and a blanket as well as a stool for her feet, making sure she didn't get a kink in her neck, turned cold or slipped to an uncomfortable position. She wondered who would have been so kind, as it was unlike Gandalf to care for such trivial matters.
She stretched and yawned and considered burrowing deeper into her blanket when the first ray of sun peeked over the horizon and hit her smack dab in the middle of the face. Grumbling, she threw the blanket off and balanced on tip toes through the gauntlet of sleeping dwarves. There were nine of them she counted and all the younger ones were there. The elder ones, Dori, Balin, Oin and Bifur must have gotten guest rooms for the night.
A bathroom was easy enough to find so she relieved herself and washed up for the day before she went to put her leathers on. Today was the day when they set out on their long trek to Erebor and because she knew that she was largely unwelcome, she wanted to be as ready possible so nobody would get an excuse to complain against her.
She tied the straps on her fitted cuirass and donned her vambraces on fore- and upper arms and finished with her shoulder pauldrons. Then she strapped four throwing knives in leather scabbards to each boot, three bigger ones to each thigh and her sai in their sheaths around her hips. Last she put on her long, pale grey wool cloak that was lined in white fur. So were her boots, to keep her as warm and dry as possible in all sorts of weather. Her mirror image stared back at her with a determined look until she put up her hood and swished out the door to go ready her pony.
When she arrived at the stable, supplies for the first leg of the journey had been delivered to the stalls and she happily packed her rucksack, her bed roll and all of her saddlebags while she hummed the slow tune of her dreams and ate a couple of cinnamon rolls. Her pony was a gelding called Hopscotch and she gently woke him while brushing his short, mocha colored fur and black mane and tail. He had black socks and a white blaze on his nose. Normally he was a bright, lively and sturdy pony but it seemed that it was too early in the day for him to be acting up, because he neither begged for treats or nipped her butt when she bent to clean his hooves, which he usually always did without fail.
Lori finished combing through his mane and tail, trimmed his bangs so they wouldn't get in his eyes, oiled down the saddle and bridles and finally deemed him ready for saddling up.
"You must be the most pampered pony I know, Hopscotch," she said as she gave him a few carrots. "Just look how shiny and handsome you are."
The horse nickered and pushed her roughly with his head and Lori smiled fondly at him. "Easy there you charmer, let's get this gear on you, what do you say?"
She heard voices outside just as she finished loading Hopscotch with equipment. Not a minute later the dwarves all piled in through the door in small groups. Oin, Fili and Nori were discussing what the odds were of Bilbo turning up once he awoke, and Nori ended up taking wagers on the matter. Gandalf put in one as well, saying that Bilbo wouldn't be able to ignore the Took in him, whatever that meant.
"Ah! Lori. Good, I was wondering where you'd gone off to," Gandalf smiled at her as he strode to the end of the stable where his horse stood next to Hopscotch. "Ready, my dear?" He winked.
She took a deep breath and sighed. "Let's do this," her back straight, she took the bridles and pulled Hopscotch out into the aisle, towards the door. Most of the dwarves looked surprised but wished her a good morning all the same.
Kili gave her an open grin and a wave. "Will you be joining us on the road, miss?"
"I will indeed. I trust you all slept well?"
"Oh, like rocks I assure you. How far will you be travelling with us then?"
Lori almost sighed aloud at the thought of another confrontation on the subject, but she supposed she might as well tell the rest of the company in one go, so she could start the adventure with honesty and openness, if not from rock bottom.
"I'll go as far as the will of the wizard and my fate takes me. I've always wanted to see the dwarves' kingdoms and what better place to start than with Erebor, hmm?"
To say that Kili looked surprised would have been a grave understatement, and as Lori looked around the dwarves all had expressions of varying shock, horror and disbelief except the two who already knew of her plans. Thorin looked angry and Bofur seemed wary and a bit sad.
"Now, before any of you start, know that I'm not part of the company any more than Gandalf is, and this is my own free choice. I'm not coming to take your gold but to help you in your quest. My fighting skills are not great but my mind's made up and you'll not dissuade me from this. So please, don't try." She walked proudly past the gaping dwarves, somewhat satisfied with her speech.
When she was outside she mounted Hopscotch and adjusted the stirrups as a great ruckus erupted inside the stable. All of them were shouting over each other, trying to make sense of what she had just told them and dissuade both Thorin and Gandalf from letting her come.
'Valar, you'd think I'd threatened to walk to Erebor in the nude, the way they are carrying on,' she thought as she tried to not let the loud protests and upset gestures get under her skin. Among the shout she heard "It's not proper!" "She'll get killed!" "What about sleeping arrangements?" Something in khuzdûl from Bifur and "Thorin, you have to stop this!"
They sure hadn't exaggerated when they'd told her it was against their customs to let women go on adventures.
Thorin stood still as a cliff in the maelström of complaints, supporting his hands on his sword and gazing steadily at Lori as if to say 'I told you so' and to silently pass the requests of his men on to her. Her face flushed at being caught in his stare and for a long while she was unable to rip her eyes from his. Gandalf stood aside and watched the quiet communication between the two with a bemused smile, but said nothing to the demands of the dwarves either. In the end, Lori finally averted her eyes and turned Hopscotch towards the east road.
She heard Thorin address the men gruffly, "It's out of our hands. Saddle up." There were a few undignified huffs, but none protested after that, and soon they were on their way out of the Shire with Gandalf in the lead.
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Riding in front of the company she felt stares at the back of her head almost constantly. It was unpleasant to say the least, but she was determined to wear the men down during the next weeks, if at all possible. After a few miles, though, it was getting hard not to turn around and shout at the obstinate dwarves to just draw a blighted picture and get it over with, so when the hobbit's shouts echoed through the woods, she almost cried out in relief. Here was one she might be able to talk to and gain friendship with if all else failed. She would not be alone in her estrangement from the men.
She stayed at the front of the line as Gandalf fell back to welcome Bilbo and assure him that he never doubted him. Lori's mood was vastly improved at the little hobbit's apparent surprise that he had made it. When he requested that they go back after his pocket-handkerchief she all but burst out laughing and only the fear of drawing unwanted attention once more kept her from it. He had a lot to learn about life as an adventurer it seemed.
When night fell and Thorin declared that they would make camp, she first tended to her tired pony and then went to help Bilbo get settled. Chances were, after all, that he had no idea how to set up his sleeping arrangements so he wouldn't risk sleeping in a puddle or an ant hill.
"Oh hello miss Lori. I didn't know you were coming as well… But I suppose it's only natural when you're travelling with Gandalf," he smiled at her.
"Hey Bilbo. It's been a well disputed subject, but yes, I intend to come with you, and I thank you for your acceptance. Do you need any help getting settled?"
"Uh… I don't know what you mean? Don't I just find a spot and roll out my bed?" He frowned.
"Yes, but you wouldn't want to be too close or too far from the fire, you probably shouldn't be on the periphery of the group since you aren't armed. In case of rain you need to make sure you stay dry, and there's a great deal to gain by avoiding bugs and critters where you lay your head," she winked at him and held out her hand for his bed roll.
"Oh! Well in that case… I suppose I would be grateful for the help. Thanks." He said.
They found a spot for him and Lori patted him on the back to let him know they were done. Her own equipment was still where she left it but when she went to grab it, Thorin beat her there and snatched her bags and bed roll as she reached for it.
"What's this? Are you going to make me sleep on the cold ground to get me to leave now?" She crossed her arms and glared at him.
He stopped and returned her burning look, "Of course not. There's a bivouac for you behind those trees over there," he pointed towards a group of thick pines a few yards away from the camp. "There's a fire going, and I'll make sure to set a guard shift through the night." His free hand turned and he held it out to offer her assistance over the short distance.
Her bafflement had her locked in place as she did her best imitation of a fish on land.
His face melted into a gentle smile and he took her hand, prodding her softly to follow him. "Come, Lori. You deserve rest as much as any of us and we have provided you with privacy."
Her mind went numb and all she could do was follow him and obey his wish. The warm hand surrounding hers was calloused and firm and somehow set her skin on fire where it touched her.
"I- Well… Thank you. But I really don't want to be an inconvenience, Thorin."
He huffed sarcastically and looked at her doubtingly, but didn't elaborate further. "Bifur takes first watch with you, I'll be next myself, then Gloin and last Bombur until morning. Someone will bring you supper in a short while." He nodded once and turned to leave.
"Wait!" she saw him cringe before he looked at her over his shoulder.
"Why am I under watch?" her tone was bitter and a bit pathetic even to her own ears, as if she was close to weeping. "Don't you know that I wouldn't hurt anyone? I'm only here to help you all, you know…"
Like lightening Thorin whirled around and grabbed her by the shoulders as he shook her, "I know that, woman! The watch is for your protection, not ours! I told you before, we safeguard our women…"
With that, he looked like he had just accidentally revealed the secret door to Erebor to his worst enemy, and all but ran back to the camp in long agitated strides and sat himself down furthest away from her by a cliff wall.
"Our women…" A slow smile of understanding crossed her lips. Maybe they would accept her as one of their own still. Not that she wanted to be such a burden that they had to make an extra camp for her and set the watch, but if it stemmed from their including her in the party she would take it for now. She also needed to prove to them that they needn't treat her with such gallantry, but that would come in time when they learned how crude she could be in casual company.
Before long, Bifur came over carrying two steaming bowls of stew and the smell of it made Lori's mouth water. After the meal they sat in silence for a while, making Lori squirm at the awkwardness of it. She figured she might as well venture a conversation with him even though from what she had seen, the axe imbedded in his skull prevented him from making any sense in the common tongue.
"Hey Bifur, you lived in Erebor before the siege of the dragon, right?" He nodded slowly. "What was it like? Can you tell me?"
There was a long silence as he thought about it, and then he started with soft words in khuzdûl and moved his hands to show her. 'The caves were grand, grander than you could imagine,' she translated. 'With cities built into the stone and pillars as large as the bones of the mountain.'
'There were levels upon levels of platforms where houses, businesses and royal buildings spread out.' His voice rose slowly in elation as he told her of his former home.
'Instead of a starlit night sky the endless vaults of the mountain ceiling were covered in gems that twinkled and winked at the people beneath. The depths beneath Erebor were so deep and dark that it felt as if the mountain sat on your chest when you ventured there, but oh the riches that were to be found there!'
His speech was eager by the end and when he saw by her rapture that she understood most of his tale, he scooted closer to her and pulled a small golden music box inlaid with tiny gems depicting dancers out of his bag. He turned the handle and it played a merry little tune in plinking cords. He looked at her and gestured that he'd made this. It was marvelous.
She studied the dancers closely and complimented him on the artistry of the trinket. It must have been made for someone very rich, indeed, but Bifur denied this and gestured to a short person, a baby in his arms.
"Do you have family, Bifur?" Lori asked carefully. His eyes turned full of sorrow and he nodded. 'Two children and a wife, all dead in the flames.' Lori felt tears pressing behind her lids as she saw the scars on the poor man's soul. "I'm so sorry… So very sorry."
She took his hand and they sat still together for a long time until Bifur breathed a deep sigh and let go of her hand with a grave nod at her.
He picked up his little bag of tricks and pulled out a clarinet that he began to play a soft melody on. Lori relaxed her mind as she watched the burning logs on the fire, letting the heat pleasantly warm her and the tune tell its story. She felt at ease for the first time since leaving the stables that morning.
When he finished and rose, he patted her gently on the shoulder and went back to the main camp. It was getting late, so Lori went over to the nearby stream to fill a pot with water to heat for a wash. It had been a long, warm day in full armor so she looked forward to getting clean and sleeping until morning.
Just as she reached her little camp she was nearly trampled down by a frantic looking Thorin. "Where were you?" - was all the apology she got.
"By the creek to get water. Please, calm down. I'm perfectly fine, and you'd have heard it if any wild and hungry rabbits had wanted a fight me I'm sure." She smirked and patted his arm as she skipped by him.
"You should not be so careless as to wander about alone. Not fifteen minutes ago Bilbo heard shrieks in the darkness that we did not know to identify. Please stay within the light of your fire where we can see you."
She thought it over for a bit but then looked at him with a challenge, "then how will I bathe? Will you watch me skinny dipping in the river as well?"
He colored rapidly and averted his eyes from hers, "No, of course not… I'll make a stop once in a while if we come upon water and then we can scout out a safe place for you to clean up in private. Or you could just not bathe at all until we reach civilization once more." He looked almost hopeful.
"Absolutely not! Don't you know that I'll catch infection and death if I never clean myself? And heavens knows how many months we'll be travelling… There are other concerns for a woman as well in that regard!" She was completely aghast.
Thorin looked puzzled and tilted his head slightly, but Lori just threw up her arms and rolled her eyes at him. "Please don't make me spell it out for you…" He still looked as if she was speaking in another language. "Monthlies, master dwarf… A woman's monthlies." She was completely mortified and hid her face in her hands, just wishing he'd magically go 'poof' and disappear.
Realization dawned upon him and as his brow shot up his face turned impossibly red under his beard. "Oh… Oh! Right… Never mind. We'll just… Stop to bathe along the way… Please excuse me, I watch better from the darkness… Without the light in my eyes that is… Goodnight… Lori. Sleep well."
He hurried off to the shadows where he quickly found a tall rock to use as a lookout post. He watched as she heated the water and then climbed into the bivouac. The blasted canvas was backlit by the fire, so when she removed her armor and shirt to wash up, he got a clear silhouetted view of her generous bosom and slim waistline before he abruptly turned around to face the blackness of the forest.
He squirmed for a bit to find a comfortable sitting position; somehow his clothes had started snaring at him in the past half hour. When he finally calmed down enough, he huffed in contempt at himself and mumbled under his breath.
"Damned woman…"
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Looks like I caught the writing bug on this one. Thanks to Winsome Elf, Ninediva, Whiskas395 (my dear beta), Just4Me, Lady Legend-Maker, Lady La-sara and Blood White Rose for reviewing, as well as every single reader.
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