The next morning the company packed up chatting merrily with each other. They had all noticed that their king and elemental seem to be back on friendly terms and it set the companies' mind at ease. The only thing that seemed to dampen their spirits some were the ominous dark clouds above them that seemed to promise a great downpour any moment.
"Come let's get moving I wish to get as far as possible before this rain decides to come down." Thorin called out. The rest voiced their agreement and began to climb onto their ponies.
"Restania come." Thorin called just as she finished helping Bilbo onto his horse
She laughed heading in his direction only speaking when out of earshot of the others. "Have I been a good dog today my king?" she teased.
"Aye lass that you have." He answered back and reached down to pet her hair.
Still laughing she smacked at his hand until he held it out to help her on the pony. She was surprised as were several others when he pulled her to sit in front of him instead of behind.
"Not that im complaining but didn't you have enough of holding me last night Thorin?" She asked quietly.
"I doubt there shall ever come a time that I grow tired of holding you." He replied back seriously.
She tried to twist around to look at him but he simply started the pony and she settled back against him preparing for yet another long day of riding.
They spoke quietly together sometimes including others sometimes not and she enjoyed herself immensely he was a deeply intelligent dwarf and it was one of the things she liked most about him. He was also a fantastic story teller and told her several stories about the dwarves and their hero's.
They had been riding almost five hours and had just stated again after breaking for lunch when the rain started. It began as a drizzle and stayed that way for quite a while. It then grew harder and before the company knew it, it was pouring.
Restania settled back closer to Thorin. He looked down surprised to see her settling back against him. She could feel his look. "Im sorry does this make you uncomfortable?" she asked and went to move forward again when one of his arms encircled her keeping her pinned where she was.
"It does not it simply surprised me." He replied "It is a good way to stay warm."
"That was my thinking." She said settling back against him again and noticed when he moved his arm to take the reins again.
They rode another hour in relative silence so she was surprised when she heard Dori call out to Gandalf. "Mr. Gandalf can't you do something about this deluge?"
"It is raining master dwarf and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world you should find yourself another wizard." Gandalf replied testily for he too was cold, wet and miserable.
"Are there any?" Bilbo asked from just behind Gandalf.
"What?" Gandalf asked obliviously
"Other wizards?" Bilbo supplied
"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman the white. Then there are the two blues' you know I've quite forgotten their names." Gandalf paused for a moment as though trying to remember the blues' names.
"And who is the fifth." Bilbo asked trying to keep Gandalf on topic.
"Well that would be Radagast the brown." Gandalf answered
"And is he a great wizard of is he more like you." Bilbo asked getting a little testy himself.
"I think he is a very great wizard in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forests to the east and a good thing too for always evil will try to find a foothold in this world."
Restania tuned out the conversation then and only came back in when she heard her name being called.
"Ms. Greengrass could you do something about this rain then?" Dori asked. She felt all eyes turn to her.
"I might be able too. I cannot change the weather but I might be able to construct a barrier that would give us a reprieve. But be warned that im not sure how long I'll be able to hold it and I will not be of much use if we are attacked."
"We will protect you if we are attacked we promise we just want this miserable rain to stop falling on us." Young Ori said
"Very Well." She concentrated then lifting her hands and forming a complex dance with them. The company looked up and was shocked to watch a barrier made of the water come up and surround them.
The cheers that went up from the company almost made the effort worthwhile. She had known that it would take a lot of energy to form the barrier and even more to hold it but the strain was greater than she had anticipated and she started to grow not only weary but short of breath.
Thorin felt the change in her breathing immediately. "Restania?" He questioned concern coloring his voice
As she grew more out of breath he said "Let it go Restania."
When she did not do so immediately he gathered the reins into one hand and wrapped the other around her waist again. "Restania let the barrier go."
This time she obeyed. The barrier dropped and the water crashed down on all of them. Thorin was especially glad for his quick reflexes for when the barrier dropped she lost complete consciousness pitching dangerously forward. He used the arm that had been around her and pulled her back so that her head was laid back against his shoulder.
"Gandalf" he called and must have sounded slightly panicked for the grumbling and complaining that had followed the barrier collapse stopped immediately and all eyes turned to him.
The wizard hastened his horse and was beside them in mere seconds. "Will she be alright?" Thorin asked and this time heard the slight panic himself. Gandalf reached over putting his hand on hers and almost smiled at the low growl that emanated from Thorin.
Gandalf chanted softly for a moment and smiled at what he found though he wasn't entirely surprised. He looked to Thorin when he stopped. She will be fine she simply exhausted herself. I imagine that barrier took a lot more then she thought it would is all. Allow her to rest for long while and she will be right as rain as long as we don't run into trouble.
Thorin nodded his thanks and when Gandalf fell back to where he had been Thorin let out a sigh of relief. He wondered why this creature in his arms had become so precious to him in so little time. He was usually so much more cautious around strangers but she had strolled through the walls he built in himself for protection as though they were open doors.
He was still curious too as to why his touch seemed to soothe her nightmares. He knew she had mentioned something about life mates and he had begun to wonder if that was not what was going on between them. It would certainly explain several things. He made up his mind to talk to her when she awoke.
When they came upon an abandoned farm house a little over an hour later he called a halt and with several sighs of relief heard all around announced "We camp here tonight."