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Chapter 4

Nur's perspective

I looked at the grassy ground that stretched on forever over the head of my pony, bobbing up and down with her trot. We had been riding since the morning after the fire and were now reaching the end of another day, the sun setting low before us and blanching a peach sky with the moon already visible. We had ridden on the plains for a whole day, so expansive was it that we had not yet reached the other forest yet. With no other choice but to stop for the night out on the open prairie, we stopped our train, exhausted from last night's events.

Everyone halted and dismounted, preparing for food and preparing for sleep. Kili drove a peg into the ground and bound his pony's lead to it, humming softly while he did and sweeping aside the dark brown hair that fell into his face. His skin was a pale color and I observed my friend with concern.

I crossed the small distance and put a hand on his forehead. "You look a bit sick." I mentioned.

He patted my shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "Food and rest will revive me."

I remembered Gulm's hog from the night before and rolled my eyes. "I think it's my turn to cook." He smirked and joined Fili in unloading firewood logs from Fili's saddle packs.

I set to work in coercing a feast from our supplies—it was the least I could do with all the trouble I had caused.

I couldn't fathom how I was going to continue on this expedition, what with Gren's maddening infatuation with keeping me as his betrothed, my inexperience with travel, and Fili's growing affection.

Well, the last of those wasn't so heavy on my mind as all the rest, but I saw myself as something to be taken care of on a mission such as this, rather than conducting the care of others, and that was a new perspective for me. I did not want anyone to fuss over me, but I was clearly out of my element and unsure how to adapt.

I collected all the bowls and handed each to a dwarf. Gren was silent, but nodded his head as I handed him the meat. He'd held up no more pretenses, and for that I was appreciative, but barely ate. I couldn't stomach much food myself when there was so much going on.

After retrieving empty bowls and packing them away, I sat cross legged on my sleeping mat, which was seated beside the small cart belonging to our Ambassador, Varak.

I looked up at the stars above us. Despite the clouds earlier that morning, the night was surprisingly clear, and the stars hung like jewels overhead.

Fili made no effort to be anything but obvious when he sat next to me, almost as though letting the others know that what they assumed about us was true.

"Hello." I said, smiling at him. I could hardly think of anything else to say and my heart was fluttering as he lay on his back, resting on his elbows and looking up at the stars with me.

He took my closest hand in his and squeezed it, unspeaking. Oh, how my heart warmed in sitting there beside him. The moon was our companion and dashed white light on his shoulders and hair. Suddenly, the stars were not so interesting and I found myself staring at him instead.

He was content to prop himself there, holding my hand, not a word in his mouth and I began to feel as though I may be strong enough to finish this journey yet. If he was there, I could manage. I was not weak, but I certainly wasn't as sturdy as the rest of them—my work was with caring for people, not for combat, though I could hold my ground if it was necessary. I was soft, but that was not a bad thing when my service to others required it.

My mother, with her dying words, had told me play upon what strengths I had been given and to ignore my father's will to mold me into what he wanted: a warrior princess. Thus I had done, but this adventure made me wish I was made of stouter things to be less of a nuisance to Fili and the others. I sighed unhappily at the notion that I was a burden and Fili must have thought that sigh was meant for him.

He cocked his head to look at me and gave me a sympathetic look. "I am no poet."

My eyebrows shot up and I laughed. "When have I ever asked you for poetry?"

He shook his head. "I guess you never have."

"If I had wanted poetry, I would have stayed with other suitors." I eyed a sleeping Gren, who had moved his cot as far away from us as possible.

"Then it is fortunate for me that I am such a feast for the eyes." He overplayed a wide smile for me.

I rolled my eyes… even though it was true.

Tugging at the burnt edges of my hair, I bit my lip. It wouldn't bother me so much to be inflicted with shorter hair if I was not trying to impress someone. I ran my fingers like a comb through the upper strands at the top of my head, assessing just where the damage had been done—it was no different a result than if someone had taken a pair of shears to cut the length to the level of my jawline.

At this, Fili raised himself to sit cross legged in front of me so that our knees were touching, and he reached out a hand at the side of my head, brushing through the crisp strands which were discolored at the bottom with char. His eyebrows furrowed while he brushed it slowly with his fingers, taking in my discontent.

"Lovely Nur." He cooed. "Your beauty is not confined to this, but in your kindness, which is greater than the praise of your face." Now his fingers brushed my neck, and my heart reacted to the touch with warmth and fullness.

The skin on my cheeks tingled and he looked at me intently, blue eyes washing over my face and I was suddenly struck by how much I loved him.

"How dishonest of you." My voice came out as a trembled whisper. He frowned at me and then I added, "You said you weren't a poet."

He smoothed both of his hands over my cheeks and around my ears, pulling me softly to his face and kissing me gently. He kissed the corner of my mouth, my cheek, and then my jaw.

I was lost in sensations and barely heard him when he whispered in my ear, "The only thing exceeding your kindness is my love for you."

My hands shook, my heart ached, my body trembled—all of which would have alarmed me into thinking I had become sick if it had not been for the dwarf before me.

Forgetting all other ambitions and ignoring all my fears and woes, my future was now hopelessly entangled with Fili. I was about to tell him this when a shadow cast over us and the clearing of a deep throat made us turn to face a standing Thorin.

Fili's hand stayed on my neck and I couldn't read his expression, but it looked to me like something between an apology and looking upset that we had been interrupted.

Thorin's face was lit up with moonlight and his arms were crossed over his blue helm. "I need to speak with Lady Nur."

I knelt on one knee and rose upward, fingers brushing Fili's hand as I passed by. I knew his eyes were following me while I walked behind Thorin and once we were removed some ways from our campfire, Thorin and I stood facing each other on the yellowing grass of the plane under bright moonlight.

I had always had a high respect for Thorin due to the circumstances of his leadership, but also I respected his demeanor. He was born to be a leader of a great people and it was no lie that I held him in higher esteem than even my own father at times, though I knew it could never rival his bond with his nephews.

"Nur, I have known you since you were a babe and I have never known you to be deceitful, so I hope you will speak plainly with me as to why you are here."

I was startled at how blunt the statement was, but I knew these words would have come eventually. I was still indecisive as to how I would ever answer them. "My father commanded me."

Thorin looked at me sympathetically. "I know your father expects a great deal from you, to rise to his vision of an unerring commander." Thorin stepped forward. "I say he is a fool; you will not command with an iron fist. There are swords to protect your kingdom, but you yourself do not need to wield one."

Never before had anyone spoken to me a mirror of my thoughts; my surprise left me speechless.

His gruff voice went on, "Though he means to throw you to the fire to forge you into something stronger, he must see the error in commanding you to come with us. Why is Varak not enough to spy on me? Must he also send his daughter to have an account of his allies?"

I shook my head. "We are not spies..." I heard the squeak of leather as he gripped his bracer and I held my hands out peacefully. "You have acknowledged that King Dain seeks to harden me and make me a commander in his armies. I have resisted him this far, but he takes your expedition as an opportunity to 'forge' me, as you have said. Is that not reason enough?"

His silence and the crossing of his arms told me 'no'.

My brow furrowed. "Have you questioned why he is so intent on having his own children in military positions?"

Thorin must have sensed that I was leading him down a further trail of thought, and I continued. "Perhaps he thinks that the only trustworthy commanders of his forces would be his kin… perhaps he has begun to think such because his allies have proven themselves to be full of secrets…"

He nodded at me. "You bring me a message of caution. I have long planned in quiet and have not taken stock of the friends willing to help me."

My shoulders loosened with relief and my mind was a little lighter when he didn't respond in anger—he could have, but a small part of me chided myself for expecting it.

He stepped closer to me, his stern face radiating thought. "You have not come to give an account of me to your father, but to implore me to respect my allegiances before they are injured beyond repair. Were I to take back the kingdom today, I would have rewarded you with jewels for your selflessness, but you are a princess and have no lack of such trinkets."

I bit my lip and eyed a blonde dwarf in the distance. "I have no need of those, but there are other favors I might soon request."

Thorin peered behind him to see what I was looking at, took in Fili, and then turned back to me with a half-smile. "In time…" he nodded. "I would not disagree with the unity of two great kingdoms."

Uncrossing his arms, he offered me one to follow him back and I slipped my hand over the great padded forearm.

"…Though there are some among us who might not agree as quickly." He lowered his voice.

He pointed with his forehead at Gren. My mood darkened and I admitted, "I do not know what to do about him."

Thorin patted my hand before releasing it. "I cannot advise you on that, save to say he will not be permitted to speak to you unless you wish it."

The King then retired and I was left to my thoughts. My small feet padded slowly through the maze of sleeping bodies until I found my own mat.

Fili had returned to Kili's side, for which I was grateful—his brother needed him more than I did.

Hello, all! I've made the decision to post more than one chapter a week (as this is a revision and doesn't need too much time :P)

I've also started looking for a beta reader, so if you think you're interested, please PM me!