Author's Note: This was kind of a weird chapter to write. Generally, I wanted to give the impression of a lot of traveling. I suppose I could have split it up into two chapters, but each section seemed too short to be its own chapter. So, sorry if this chapter seems a little split up or a bit too episodic.

Chapter 3-Of Dwarven Princes and Dwarven Songs

This was taking a lot longer than Karra expected. She had thought they would travel for, oh, maybe a couple of days, and then she would be dropped off in some town or something. But instead, it seemed the dwarves had chosen a most circuitous route through the wilderness of Middle Earth, through much rocky terrain, many hills, and even some forests. At the very least, Karra was getting rather used to riding every day and camping every night. She was accepted as a temporary member of the Company without much hesitation, and the dwarves amiably included 'the lass' in every conversation and tale.

"You know," she said to Fili, who she always seemed to end up riding behind, one day, "I'm beginning not to mind ponies so much. Now if only I could have my own to ride."

Fili shook his head with a grin. "What do you think, Kili?" he asked. "Do you think we can trust her with a pony?"

Kili shook his head with an equally mischievous grin on his face. "I wouldn't risk it," he said. "She'd probably fall off and break her neck."

Karra rolled her eyes. "I am so riding with somebody else tomorrow," she said lightly. She wasn't at all insulted; she had gotten rather used to their teasing. To her comfort, she wasn't the only one; it seemed that the whole company teased Bilbo terribly, too.

Soon it began to grow dark, and the company came to a stop. Fili slid off their shared pony and helped Karra off the way he usually did; swinging her to the ground gallantly with his arms about her waist.

She had to admit, she rather liked the way he did that.

Glancing around at the place where they would be camping that night, she spotted something through the trees that looked like water.

"Wait, are we camping by a stream tonight?" she asked.

"Yes," Fili replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Yesss!" she exclaimed. "Excuse me while I go take a wash in the stream. I'm serious; I haven't had a bath in forever." Seeing Fili looking at her oddly, she added, "You don't really care about that kind of stuff, do you." She shrugged. "Whatever. I, for one, am going to get cleaned up while I have the chance." She promptly headed off towards the stream. The last thing she heard was Fili calling, "Be careful!"

"What!" she called back cheerfully. "It's not like I'm going to get attacked by a wolf or something!"

Once at the stream, she quickly slipped off her clothes and slipped into the water, fervently hoping that no one in the company came to find her anytime soon. That would be…very awkward, to say the very least.

It felt good to wash off the dirt and grime she had accumulated over the last few weeks of traveling. Her hair could have used a bottle of shampoo and a good comb, but since she obviously had neither, she had to content herself with running her fingers through her hair, as she did, or tried to do, every night. She was seriously contemplating cutting it short. Although thick hair could be fun, it was horrible when it came to tangles.

She climbed out of the stream, feeling significantly refreshed, and slipped her clothes back on. These clothes couldn't really be called dress clothes anymore, she reflected. They could have passed for beggar's clothes! Besides the strip she had pulled off her shirt to tie her hair back, the bottom of her pants was ripped in several places, and the whole outfit was generally a complete mess. She realized with a slight grin that the large dwarf boots made her look horribly mismatched. Oh, well, no one here minded.

She was standing by the stream, running her fingers through her wet hair, when she heard someone coming. A moment later, Fili stepped out of the trees. For a moment, Karra was irritated. If he had come just a moment earlier….! He knew she was taking a bath, for goodness sakes!

"Oh…..hello….." she fumbled awkwardly.

"I was told to come find you," he said.

"Oh, I see," she retorted. "Even though everyone knew I was taking a bath in the stream."

"We were worried about you being alone and away from camp," he said mildly. "Contrary to what you said, it is quite possible that you could be attacked by a wolf."

Karra nodded. "Right. But you still knew I was taking a bath." She sighed and followed after him. Well, it was rather flattering that they were worried about her.

When they arrived back at camp, Karra saw that they were preparing dinner. Well, that was nice. Fili had brought her back just in time for dinner. But he had still known that she was taking a bath. Nothing quite excused almost walking in on her in the middle of a bath. Although she supposed he had been careful enough not to come until he was sure she was finished, it was still a bit embarrassing.

She plopped down beside the fire and began running her fingers through her hair again.

"I seriously think I'm just going to cut my hair off soon," she grumbled. "If it gets any worse, I'll just have one big tangle."

"Oh, I think it looks quite nice the way it is," Fili replied, sitting down beside her.

Karra stared at him for a moment. "Is that a genuine complement or are you just trying to flatter me?" she asked suspiciously. "Or…wait a minute, are you complementing the way my hair looks when it's tangled?"

"All three," he said lightly.

Karra gave him an odd look. After a moment, she shook her head and said, "Whatever. I think dinner's ready."

Fili just chuckled. Karra glared at him. After a moment, she turned away and took a bowl of the soup that Bombur had made. How did Fili manage to do such a good job of getting her flustered?

Everyone finished their supper rather quickly. The dwarf sitting beside her, Gloin, she was pretty sure his name was, licked his fingers and let out a loud belch.

"Good soup, that is," he said gruffly.

Karra made a point of glaring at him. "Don't you know there's a lady in your midst?" she exclaimed. "You are so uncouth!"

She noticed Kili grinning at her from across the campfire. After a moment, he let out an even louder belch. Then he tossed his hair behind his shoulder lightly as if to say, I can do what I want, and you can mind all you want, and I won't care. Karra raised an eyebrow at him, and then purposefully set down her empty bowl and walked away from the group, to the edge of camp. Everyone had such horrible table manners! Well, except perhaps Thorin.

Bilbo walked over and sat down beside her. "Don't worry," he said gently. "You're not the only one who thinks they're uncouth. Did I ever tell you what they did to my house?..."

The firelight played on the faces of the company as they sat around the campfire one night about a week or so later. They had spent the whole evening telling stories, tales of the dwarves of old. All in all, it had actually been a rather pleasant evening. Karra sat with her arms around her knees, staring into the fire, listening to the friendly banter of the dwarves.

"Well, little brother," Fili was saying, "you must admit, the only reason you were chosen to come is because I was coming." He slapped Kili on the shoulder with a teasing grin. "I highly doubt you would have been chosen any other way."

"And just why did you come?" retorted Kili. "As if you're anything special."

"Children," laughed Balin. "You are both of the line of Durin. Never forget that."

"Oh, of course." Kili lounged back. "I wasn't planning on it."

Karra laughed. "Young, naïve dwarflings, I suppose," she said, sitting up straighter and assuming an air of mock superiority. "He called you children."

Kili shot her an amused look. "And just how old are you?" he mocked. "I suppose you're old. Although you certainly don't look it. For a dwarf woman, that is."

"Oh, gee thanks," Karra said dryly. "I guess that was supposed to be a complement. And in case I haven't told you, I'm not a dwarf. Apparently I've never said that before." As a matter of fact, the whole I'm not a dwarf thing had become a bit of a joke. She had been trying to convince them of this fact ever since she'd joined the company.

"Oh, of course you're not," Fili joined in. "So how do you explain your….dwarven height?"

"I'm just a very short human. Only explanation I've got. I guess you don't have short humans here, do you." She laughed. "And I'm eighteen, if you really want to know, Kili. I can't see you being much older than that, Mr. Old and Experienced."

Suddenly Karra realized that everyone was staring at her.

"Eighteen?" one of the dwarves finally said, seemed a little shocked.

"You're only an infant!" exclaimed another.

"Excuse me?" Karra exclaimed. "I know I'm not totally grown up yet, but I'm certainly not an infant!" She turned to Fili. "And how old would you be, Mr. Child?"

"Eighty-two."

Karra nearly fell over. "What—did—you—say?" she gasped.

"I said I'm eighty-two." Fili grinned, obviously enjoying her confusion.

"You're….you're old!" she exclaimed. "My grandpa died at eighty-two!"

"He died young, then," Balin replied.

"Young!" she exclaimed. "He was….old! What are you saying?"

"Eighty-two is quite young for a dwarf," Balin explained. "Eighteen is simply an infant."

"But….but..." Karra spluttered. "I'm an adult! At least, I am in my world….." her voice trailed off as she saw all the dwarves staring at her. "How long do dwarves live?" she faltered.

"Generally around two hundred years," Gloin chimed in.

"Two hundred….oh gosh…I didn't know…." Karra was at a complete loss for words.

"How is it that you knew so little of your own people?" said another.

"I told you I was raised in a faraway land and have no knowledge of the dwarves. And how many times do I have to tell you, I'M NOT A DWARF. So you needn't say, your own people, Nori."

"Dori," the dwarf corrected her. Karra suddenly felt that her argument had become invalid by calling one of the dwarves by the wrong name. Turning to Fili and Kili and changing the subject, she said, "Well, if you guys are 'only children,' as Gloin said, why did you come? Yes, I was listening when you mentioned your son, Gloin. I know he didn't come because he was too young."

"Ah, yes, my lad Gimli," Gloin said. "He was not mature enough for a quest such as this."

"And I suppose Fili and Kili are?" joked Karra, giving them both a teasing look.

"It is as much our kingdom as our uncle's!" piped up Fili, apparently unable to keep quiet any longer. "As you said, Balin, we are of the line of Durin." He grinned. "I wasn't planning on forgetting it either."

"What do you mean by that?" Karra asked. "The line of Durin."

"The line of the Kings Under the Mountain, the Dwarf Kings of Erebor," Fili explained. "Our uncle is to be the next King, and…" his voice trailed off, as if he had just about said something he shouldn't.

"That would make Fili the heir to the throne," finished Balin. "And Kili Fili's heir."

"Wait a minute." Karra was finding it a bit hard to process all the new information she was getting tonight. She turned to Fili. "Doesn't that make you a prince?"

"I suppose," he said quietly.

Well, thought Karra, he could certainly look the part. The firelight played on his face, accentuating his features, and, Karra thought, making him look very handsome. Despite the teasing, despite the carefree personality, she could see him being a king, or a prince. She suddenly looked at him with new eyes. She had never really noticed how much he looked like his uncle, how kingly he could look.

The moment was broken when she noticed Fili looking back at her strangely. Oh, gosh, why was she blushing? Breaking her gaze from his, she stared into the fire. Her thoughts drowned out the conversation that was continuing around her. How much she had learned this night! Dwarves lived to be two hundred years old, and….Fili was a prince. A dwarven prince. She rather liked the sound of that. A handsome dwarven prince. She liked the sound of that even better. Silly her, he was seventy years older than her! She laughed silently at the thought. How very silly of her…

She was drawn back into the conversation around her by the sound of someone singing. Tearing her gaze away from the flames, she saw that Thorin had started a song, and the others were gradually joining in. It was a grand sounding song, and so very dwarven that it gave Karra chills. The whole group was singing now, and Karra began to hum along. An ancient song, full of power and might, it told of dwarves of old, of reclaiming kingdoms and defeating ancient foes. Karra suddenly felt a thrill. Perhaps there was something to this adventure thing after all! The song carried her away to another place, another time. Carried by the sparks from the fire, it floated up to the stars, filling the night with grandeur. Karra shivered, lifted away from the present time and place…..

And then it was over. Karra looked around at the faces of the others, still a bit awestruck. Almost before she could think what was happening, everyone was getting up and preparing for bed. Karra spread out her own bedroll, her mind swimming from the conversation and the song. She climbed in and stared up at the stars, her mind filled with songs and kingdoms and dwarven princes.

Well, that was interesting. I'm not exactly sure how that happened….it just kind of flowed off my fingers! Hehe, that kind of makes me sound crazy, doesn't it? Like, I was just writing along, and, oh wait a minute, they're singing? Lol. I think my fellow writers will understand.

If you review, I'll give you…er…Bofur? Yeah, that's it. If you review, I'll give you Bofur. He's really quite a nice guy.