So the traveling goes on, the romance unfolds and this is where I start winging it.

Of Mountains and Woodlands Chapter 7

Thorin woke to the night sky still above him, the stars twinkling merrily down at him. Strange…he had dreamed of war. He sat up, blinking away the last inkling of sleep from his eyes as he tried to focus on the simmering embers of the fire. He got up and made his sleepy way to it and sat down, regarding the scorching hot coals as they burned themselves out with a wee bit of contempt. The hobbit had stood up to him, wounded him by stating the roar truth: he had no home. It was twice in one day that that had been said and he was still feeling the pain of such a reality. Yes, he had known he had been homeless for years, in his heart. But no one had ever had the courage to say it to his face for fear of falling victim to Thorin's fierce, short temperedness. He sat and he sat until the sun began to rise; the hobbit, oddly enough, was the first one to rise. He uttered his good morning and went about gathering the pots and pans together to make breakfast,

"So you're on breakfast duty, now," Thorin tilted his chin to see if he still could intimidate the little man but his attempt failed as Bilbo looked him straight in the eye and spoke as clearly as Dwalin might have if he was in the same situation as Bilbo,

"Yes. I told Bofur I'd do it this morning. I hope you like rabbit,"

Bilbo had grown braver and Thorin could not deny it. He nodded,

"I like rabbit."

And that was all for the moment as Bilbo had gone on about his business. Thorin's eyes fluttered to Maya's sleeping form, she had curled herself up in a ball, holding herself tightly – the Wild Wood was not going to leave her be so easily so it seemed. He thought of the Nymphs…a very real threat that he had almost forgotten. They were outlaws in their eyes now and he grimaced. Returning his gaze back to the busy hobbit, his original thoughts returned to him. Maya had always defended Bilbo against Thorin's scowls, insisting that there was more to him than Thorin cared to recognise. She was right, Bilbo had come back when he had the chance to run, had come when he had the chance to stay and had said yes when he had the chance to say no. It was all because he wanted to help in whatever way he could. So far, it wasn't much, but he was determined to show his worth and he never actually asked any of them to keep a particular eye on him. They just did because he was small and unaccustomed to the wide world but when he was on his own in Goblin Town, Durin knew where, he got out without too much harm having been done to him.

"Bilbo,"

Bilbo paused with what he was doing and looked up in surprise at being addressed by Thorin himself. The King, on the other hand, was unwilling to admit his fault and let his pride fall even further,

"I'm sorry I doubted you," he stood up and made his heavy way to Bilbo who looked at him with soft eyes, a hint of glistening tears brimming at the corners – a mild victory over Thorin's stubbornness, "You are more than what I have allowed you to be. You came back when I thought you gone…many times. I understand now."

The King held out his hand as an act of respect, offering a small smile. Bilbo took it whole-heartedly, squeezing it with all the forgiveness he could muster.

"I would have doubted me too," he shrugged, "I'm not a hero, not a traveller…not even a burglar,"

"No…I suppose we'll see to it when the time comes but you're a loyal companion, Mr Baggins. I can't ask more of a friend than that,"

Bilbo almost cried. Just almost, Thorin could see it as he turned from him to sit back down smiling to himself. To offer up an apology and make amends felt better than he had anticipated. His shoulders felt stronger, like a weight had been lifted from them. He stretched them out and glanced at Bilbo just as he wiped his eyes and sniffed to himself. Thorin's smile widened; Bilbo was indeed a brave little fellow but he was a sensitive soul.

The company awoke not long after that, grumbling but chirpier than they had been over the last few days. Maya came to collect her breakfast with a yawn, greeting Bilbo with her tonsils and then with her teeth as she grinned at him in thanks. She turned to find herself a seat and found Thorin's gaze instead. He shifted over slightly to make space for her with an apologetic smile. She sat down next to him,

"Have you eaten?"

"Not yet,"

"It's rabbit,"

"I know,"

She took a bite,

"It's good," she offered with a mouth full of food,

"I'm sure,"

"So have some,"

"When everyone else has had,"

"Stubborn,"

"I made peace with Bilbo,"

"Oh!" She turned to him with excitement, "You have and you're even calling him by his name,"

He glanced at her and nodded,

"You were right. Gandalf was right. The hobbit," he winked at her, "was right. I need help and Bilbo has the heart I need to help me. Strong and true,"

"You even called him 'friend'" she took another mouthful. He raised his eyes to the sky as he inhaled,

"I thought you might have heard our conversation,"

She chuckled over her swallow and let out a few unexpected coughs, tapping her chest and frowning as she choked,

"Of course I did," she coughed again to settle the itch, "I see everything."

The day was warm and comfortable and without trouble as they made their way over rocks and hills, through little streams and estuaries. It was a relatively easy walk compared to what they had already endured. Gandalf led them on, puffing his pipe with a relaxed look on his face and a little spring in his step. The Lonely Mountain came into view as they hit one particular hill. White, puffy clouds hung about it as the sun and the colour of the rock made the mountain give off a purple haze. The company had stopped to proudly admire their lands and oh how beautiful it was to admire. A vast ocean of green, speckled with the colour of various types of plant life. The forest was ahead of them and then came Lake Town, and then it was Smaug the terrible dragon of the Lonely Mountain. In hopes that everything went smoothly, the last real fight was going to be the dragon and that gave them a few more calm days before the fire. They got to the edge of the forest and it was there that Gandalf stopped.

"Gandalf?" Balin asked him with concern, "Is everything alright?"

"Indeed it is, my dear Balin," he smiled down at the old dwarf before addressing the whole company, "But this is where I leave you to make your own way. Stick to the path and stick to each other,"

Maya felt Thorin come up behind her, his fingers lightly snatching hers.

"Why? Where are you going?" Bilbo looked perplexed, his eyes wide and questioning.

"Don't fret, Mr Baggins, you will be fine. I have business back at Rivendell which I must attend too. Do as I say,"

He knelt to Bilbo,

"Remember, Bilbo, sometimes the smallest people have the most courage," he winked and bid the others fare well before he made his way back over the way they came. He was gone within minutes.

"Alright, stick together," Thorin grasped Maya's hand more firmly and started making his way into the forest. They walked and walked until they could walk no more, with Bombur collapsing in a heap, spread eagle, claiming that on this very day, he would go no further. Thorin had to yield, as hard as he tried to convince them to carry on but a bit further, they were adamant on staying put and putting some food in their bellies. Fili and Kili were especially keen on having a sort of story night, ghostly tales around a camp fire in a forest. Maya checked out her surroundings and was slightly ill at ease with idea of telling ghost stories in a place such as this one when her own ghosts were still so close. It didn't take long for the fire to be started and considering the fact that they were still close to the outskirts of the forest, if the need to abandon post and make for a hasty exit was to arise, it would be easy. The stories were told though they weren't as terrifying as the boys led them to believe. The last story ended with a dull silence. Dwalin shoved Kili off his log and laughed,

"Go an' hunt down a real ghost in the forest, boy. When you find one, then you can tell us all about it,"

The company laughed along with him though Kili looked a little wounded. The night wore on and one by one the dwarves nodded off leaving Maya to take watch with none other than Thorin. Bilbo had initially offered but Thorin fought with his fabled ferocity for the right to be night-watchman for the second night in a row. Maya smiled, amused by the small argument. Thorin won out in the end, taking a seat next to her once more. He was doing that more and more often.

"It's really dark in here," she commented, breaking the silence with the obvious when she thought it had gone on for quite long enough.

"Certainly dark enough but I don't think us unsafe yet,"

"Maybe not this night but we'll need to be more cautious further in,"

"Do you know this forest?"

"No, do you?"

"No,"

"My point exactly,"

Thorin shrugged, accepting her point. Maya rested her head on his shoulder, sighing with content. She felt him rest his own head upon hers as the touch of his thick, flowing locks tickled the back of her neck. They spoke in small tones about their lives, their histories, their relatives and Maya let him on the secret of Nirvara, the secret forest. She made him swear not to tell a soul and he promised with an amused grin. He never did, let it be said in advance. He never did, he never would. She stood up quite suddenly after a few moments. Stretching,

"Right, the moon as far as I can tell, is directly above us. Let's wake Fili and Kili, I want sleep,"

She was about to go but Thorin pulled her down again,

"No," he sounded desperate, it sounded terrible and he coughed and cleared his throat, trying to shake off the momentary humiliation, "No, stay with me a while longer. I…would like to talk to you,"

"We've been talking all night," she looked bemused.

"I know," he struggled, "I know. I just…want to know, want you to know something,"

Maya felt her heart clench. This seemed like a big moment and she wasn't sure if she was entirely prepared for it. She turned her face from his and waited for him to continue.

"Maya, you…are…you amaze me. You have amazed me in every way," she felt him looking at her intensely. She glanced at him to humour his advances but only for a moment. She was terrified…this was by far, the most terrified she had ever been.

"Ever since Bag-End," he stumbled on bravely through the fray, "you have amazed me. I find myself…unable to not want to have you close, to hold your hand, to keep you out of my mind. It gets harder every day because I put you there every day.

"Maya," he edged closer to her, "I…"

He trailed off, his resolution failing him and he dropped his gaze unable to carry on: Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror, and last King under the Mountain; had lost his tongue. Maya didn't know what to make of it, didn't know how to handle it. No one had spoken so gently to her or admitted such affection and no one had ever said what, she assumed, Thorin was going to say to her before either. Not even her father, though she never doubted he did. She rested her hand in his and looked upon him warmly,

"Come on," she whispered and started to rise but he resisted and kept her with him.

"I'm not done," a different expression was on his face now. More determined, more resolute. He licked his lips and started to lean towards her. Maya's heart stopped and her breath caught.

Bilbo had been awake the entirety of the time. Not that he wanted too, he was simply unable to sleep. He had too many things sticking into his body and his pack wasn't letting his head mould into it properly. He had turned onto his side and opened his eyes in frustration only to find the gentle and tender moment unfolding between Thorin and Maya as gracefully as swan might glide across still water. He saw Maya's innocent nervousness cause her to turn from Thorin and in turn saw Thorin's kingly confidence take action, laying a calloused hand on the side of her cheek, turning it back to him. The other hand was on the small of her back, holding her gently to him as he leaned toward her. Bilbo's heart swelled once more, his soul lighting up as he beamed his way into sleep having seen the lightest, most subtle kiss Bilbo had ever seen.

I have made a different plan with the whole star thing, it's just not working so I's going to put a boring line there instead. Yay. Enjoy le lines ;) Please Review!