Sorry this took so long.

It's hard to type when you don't have the ability to see...

Anyways, thank you for all of you following, and now following this story.

Also a huge thanks to:

Vault108

Laura en eryn

EvilPurpleCookiePenkeyMongui n

and my one Guest

Chapter 3: 'ân

Ahvain stood outside of Thorin's door. It was really early and at this time she couldn't remember why she was awake this time. Her dream was forgotten when she woke, and there hadn't been any noises that she could remember. Frustrated she moved to rest her back against the frame. There was another hour or so before the sky would grow lighter. With a sigh she stood straight and slowly walked to the kitchen, and then sat down on the table.

Three days had passed since Thorin had found about her being part elf, and the two of them had been sharing the forge, which was no easy task. She had found herself needing a tool as Thorin used it and sometimes vice versa. When the dead silences grow too strong she hoped from the table and returned to her room, pulling the cloth wrap from her head along the way.

Once there she went to a small box resting on the bedside table. Its small hinges gave off a soft creak as she opened it. In side were various sized metal beads with small designs carved into them. She grabbed three larger ones and shut the lid. There was a brush near the box. She picked that up and ran it through her hair until it stopped catching snags. She pulled a chunk of hair from the side of her head, relying on touch, started braiding. She did the same two more times before leaving her room again.

It was a little bit lighter out now, but nowhere near time to start doing anything. The stalls in the market wouldn't be open until an hour after light. It would not be polite to return the finished works until mid-day. There just wasn't much to do. Ahvain let herself fall onto one of the chairs at the table, what she didn't account for was the angle of which her weight landed on the chair. The chair tipped and only out of reaction did the woman shoot forward and grab onto the table for dear life. The near fall caused her heart to race. She smiled and released a short breathy laugh at herself and rested her head on the table, pillowed by her crossed arms.

"Should I pretend to have not seen that?" Ahvain jumped at the voice. Now setting up she looked over at Thorin who stood in the beginning of the hallway.

"If I say 'yes' will you?" She crossed her arms and sent him a playful glare.

"No."

Her eyes rolled, "thought as much."

He started walking over to her, letting out a rumbling chuckle as he did so. "Good morning Ahvain."

She yawned, "I'm not sure how good it is yet but, good morning to you, Thorin."

He sat down across from her, "do you have a plan for today?"

"I need to pick up food at the market today, and wash clothes. Do you have anything you'd like washed?"

Thorin nodded.

"Alright." Ahvain stood up. "Are you hungry?"

He shrugged.

"Lot o` help you are." She said entering the pantry.

She picked out some apples and a block of cheese and returned to the table. Thorin accepted the apple and the half of cheese in her outstretched hand and took a bite from it. He had been staring at her since he had first seen her almost tip the chair. This was the second time he'd seen her hair down. It was beautiful; he couldn't take his eyes from it. And the silver of the beads that ended the braids contrasted against her earthy colored hair magnificently. Thorin could even overlook her more slender, elf-like ears behind her two side braids.

"Thank you."

She nodded and took a bite from hers, positioned herself to be able to look out the window. Light was just starting to change the colors in the sky.

"I think I'm going to take a ride to the river before going to the market." Turning her eyes away from the window, Ahvain looked at Thorin. "Would you like to accompany me?"

Thorin gave her a smile, showing off his set of straight white teeth. "I would love to."

Ahvain blushed and turned to look out the window again.

"Why am I blushing?" The heat in her cheeks cooled slightly and she looked back a Thorin, "It's not like he isn't attractive though."

She rose, pushed in her chair and stretched. "I'm going to change clothes then," She put her apple core on the table. "Meet you outside?"

"Aye," He nodded and stood as well.

He watched as she walked off to her room. When she was gone he picked up her core and made his way outside to the stable where the two ponies stood gnawing on some hay. One core was given to each pony and they both stepped closer to him, hoping for more. The mares were annoyed to find that instead of more treats they got bridled, in the case of Ahvain's pony haltered, and saddled one at a time. Thorin found some line to use as some reigns and hooked it through the holes on each side of the halter before leading the two of them out to the front of the home.

Light started to make a bigger appearance in the sky. Hues of light blue stretched like ribbon out into the dark midnight of the heavens. Thorin took a deep breath of the clean air and released it in a long sigh. A door opened and shut behind him, jarring the king-in-exile from any thoughts he previously held.

Ahvain came out wearing loose trousers, her normal boots and a basic tunic. Her hair was still down, which, for whatever reason, pleased Thorin to no end.

"Thank you for saddling Pepper for me. She didn't nip at you did she?"

"No."

She walked up and took the make-shift reigns from Thorin and petted Pepper's nose. The black mare nudged against her. Ahvain gave of a smile Thorin hadn't seen yet and rested her forehead with that of the pony.

"Am I jealous of a pony?" Thorin shook his head and pulled himself up into his saddle. "Are you ready?"

She nodded and stroked her pony's neck before mounting her pony as well. "Come on then

~karak~

They were walking through a flat meadow; their ponies keep at a slow, steady pace. Thorin and Ahvain both enjoyed the breeze that passed between the quiet pair. Eventually they both grew tired of it.

"Why don't you leave your hair down?" The question snuck out before he could stop himself.

Much to his relief she didn't pass him a glare, in fact she smiled. "Does it bother you? That I've kept these fine locks hidden from you for most of your time here."

His mouth went agape. "How can I respond to that?"

She brought her pony closer to his and stretched to put a comforting hand on his arm. "I was jesting Thorin."

When her hand left he wanted nothing more than her to put it back, maybe wrap one around his waist from behind. "Stop! Where are these thoughts coming from? You hardly know this woman!"

"I had an accident in the forge and tried to burn all my hair off. Grandfather nearly died then. I've spent the better part of fifty years growing it out to where it is now." She returned her hand to the reigns.

"Fifty years?" Thorin was taken back, but tried not to show the extent of which he had been.

She scoffed. "You forget that I have the blood of my elven mother running thru my veins."

"Trust me, I'm trying to forget that." Thorin thought.

"For your information, I'm 138 years old. Since I know you're too much a gentleman to ask me my age."

"I would have guessed much lower." He said more to himself than to her.

"I thank your modestly, but if you think of it, I've only just come of age in elven standards." She held a constant smirk on her lips.

A line of fir trees lined the river and they were quickly approaching them. Ahvain turned to Thorin, it appeared if he'd been looking at her but had turned away as she had started to turn to look at him. She chuckled and turned back.

Thorin heard her chuckle and didn't know whether to be angry or to blush at her actions. Instead he thought of a quick question to ask her.

"Why did you ask if I wanted to come with you?"

"I think I've told you an answer before, but I enjoy your company. I've grown up in the presence of my grandfather and since he died I haven't seen another dwarf. I guess I didn't realize how much I've missed the company. I don't know what I'm going to do when you leave." The last parts of her words were whispered and Thorin didn't know if he heard her correctly.

"I also remember you pacing in my kitchen a few days back, concerned for my safety. I wouldn't want to be responsible for adding more silver hair on that head of yours."

He grinned, "Those would be my nephews doing."

"So they're a handful then?"

Thorin chuckled, "Yes, and they are both considered men now but still are able to cause enough mischief for their mother and I."

"Were you a handful for your parents as well?"

"I'd like to think I wasn't, but more than likely, I was." he nodded. "What about you?"

She nodded as well. "I used to hide in the forge all the time. Mom didn't like me in there while grandpa and father were working." She laughed a laugh Thorin would hear in his dreams. Light and lively. "When they found me I would get an earful about my safety and then all would be forgiven."

"I used to spy on my grandfather and father when they called a council."

"So your father and his were important dwarves then?" She looked at him, taking in the new information she'd learned.

"Yes, very important dwarves." He laughed, "I should tell her…"

They came up to the river. From where they were the current was slow and peaceful. Leaves and branches lazily drifted by. On the other side rabbits licked the dew from the grass on the banks. Alerted by the presence of the newcomers they perked up their ears, stood up on their hind legs and took off into the brush. Ahvain laughed at the sight.

She dismounted her pony and petted its neck. Thorin followed her example and tied his off on a near tree. When she had done the same she got close to the river's edge and picked up a rock before skipping it across the current. It skipped a total of three times.

She scoffed, "Today isn't going to be a good day."

She picked up and threw another. It skipped five times this time. "But everything will turn out in the end."

Thorin picked up his own rock; it was flatter than the ones she'd thrown. Seven times it bounce across the water before it skirted the surface and sunk. He turned to her, waiting for her to say something.

When she turned to him, a solemn face was what he got.

"You'll be injured…" Thorin brought his brows down in confusion.

She smiled before he said anything and put a hand on his shoulder. "I was jesting. You'll have good news passed to you, soon."

"How do you know of these things?"

Thorin could feel her hand still on his shoulder when her smile widened, not that he was complaining. "Honestly I make the lot of it up. Seven is a good number though."

She removed her hand and took a few steps away before returning to the ponies. It was light out now and the stalls in the town square would soon open up. "Are you ready to leave?"

They had just gotten to the river and he'd hoped that they could have stayed longer. But he nodded none the less and mounted his pony beside her. A thought passed thru his mind and he didn't think on it before he spoke.

"First one back carries the supplies?" He turned to her briefly, making sure she heard him before tapping the pony's side urging her into a full gallop. A smile made its way onto his face. "Where did that come from?" He didn't want to answer, he knew that is was because of the feelings he had started to feel for this girl, no, woman, where slowly taking control over him. And though he knew she shouldn't get attached to her, he didn't want to stop.

Ahvain watched Thorin take off, she'd heard him but didn't think him serious. She clicked her tongue and tapped Pepper's ribs. "Alright girly, let's show them what we got."

When they had almost caught up Thorin sent a smile back at her. "Cocky bastard" Ahvain clicked her tongue more, Pepper huffed but pressed forward. "This dwarf is going to be the death of me."

Her home could be seen now, they were tail to nose. With one last set of clicks and a few taps to the white flecked mare, Ahvain ran even with Thorin's pony. He was grinning, at lease she thought he was, the wild mane of black hair from the dwarf and his pony restricted the view.

They arrived at the building at nearly the same time; Thorin was just seconds ahead of the girl.

"You may have arrived first, but you cheated!" Ahvain declared getting off of her pony to stroke its sweating neck. With a few more pats she started leading her towards the water trough.

Thorin followed, "And how did I cheat?"

Pepper and Thorin's pony drank greedily from the wood held water.

"You took off, it was an unfair start."

"You're just angry because you lost."

"Maybe, but you still cheated."

He chuckled, that deep reverberating chuckle that made Ahvain smile. They took the saddles and halters off of the ponies and brushed them down before Ahvain grabbed a basket and heading into town.

~karak~

It was a busy day. Men, women and children ran about the market. Thorin stood closer to Ahvain this time, all the people made him uncomfortable and he had done it out of instinct. She smiled when he did, but wasn't going to let him see that.

The humans stared at the two, most gave off dirty looks, not caring if they could see or not. They went to that same farmer they went to last time. He was an older man with a bolding head of white hair.

"Hello Ahvain, how are you on this beautiful morning?" He smiled at her as she started picking up potatoes, carrots and a cabbage.

"I'm good. We've finished repairing your tools, what time would you like then back today?"

She put the produce in her basket and handed the man a few coins. "Anytime after your mid-day meal?" He sent a worried glance to Thorin. "Your friend is going to stay and help you out then?"

Thorin shrugged, "I'll leave when I have the money to gather the supplies I need."

"He is a great help, a far better smith than I, I think I'll miss him when he leaves."

Ahvain thanked the old man and walked off. Thorin went to follow but was held back by a weak arm. The old man gave him a cold glare, "You look after her dwarf."

Thorin nodded and went to catch up with Ahvain. She was making her way over to the cheese lady. He met her there. More cheese was bought, the lady gave Thorin a disgusted look, and they walked off to another booth.

"How do you ignore them so well?" Her voice was quiet and took Thorin by surprise.

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged, the smile now gone. "All the dirty looks they give you, you act like it's nothing."

It was Thorin's turn to shrug. "I'm a dwarf; I get dirty looks from every man in every town I travel thru. It comes with being what I am." He companion was still silent. "Why do they treat you wrongly here? What have you done to them?"

"I don't… I've tried to ignore them for my entire life. I've done nothing to them or to make them believe I'm untrustworthy, they drew that conclusion themselves." Her voice held a tone he hadn't heard from her yet, anger.

The rest of the shopping was done in silence.

So~

Kind of a filler but I promise that the next one is going to have some action in it.

However I don't know when I'll be able to get it out. I might be moving this weekend and will loose internet. But that means I can bust out some chapters and not be distracted...

Until next time, whenever that is...