Chapter Three
Later that night, the Company stopped to camp. Merida volunteered to help gather the firewood. She loved helping others, and it would keep her busy. Meanwhile, the Company discussed Merida as a member of the company. "I really like the lass, she's quite a fiery little thing." said Gloin. "Considering how young she is, she is only a mere child. We should have left her behind in the Shire." spoke up Dwalin. "Then who would watch over her? It couldn't be Bilbo, because he's with us." said Nori.
"It doesn't matter, she shouldn't be part of this company! She told us earlier her age, and it wishes me more that Thorin should have left her behind." said Dwalin. "Does Thorin know how old she is?" asked Ori. "No, he doesn't. And one of us has to tell him." Dwalin replied. Thorin and Merida returned together after gathering firewood. "Thorin, we need to speak in private." said Dwalin. "Brother, don't do this!" protested Balin. "Butt out of this, brother!" snapped Dwalin. And the two dwarves walked away.
"Thorin, has Merida told you yet of her age?" asked Dwalin. "No, she hasn't why? I say by human standards she's eighteen." said Thorin. "Make that seventeen, Thorin." said Dwalin. "Seventeen?! Seventeen?! But she's only a child!" exclaimed Thorin. "Yes, she is only a child. Which you've made a bad call on allowing her to join us, Thorin." said Dwalin. Thorin scowled. She lied to me! She told me she is 19! How could that miserable woman do this?! I will speak with Gandalf at once about this, but I will speak to Merida first, thought Thorin.
"Thank you for informing me this, Dwalin. I will speak with Merida and Gandalf." said Thorin, and they walked back to the others. "Gandalf! A word with you, please! You too, Merida!" said Thorin icily. Merida's eyes widened. She didn't like the sound of Thorin's voice when he spoke.
I hope I'm not in trouble, I done nothing wrong, Merida thought as she and Gandalf followed Thorin. "Gandalf, Merida, why did you both lie to me? Merida, you told me you were nineteen years old that night we talked at Bag End, now you told the others you are seventeen! How old are you really?!" snapped Thorin.
Merida's eyes widened in fear. Gandalf looked Merida. "Tell him the truth, Merida." said Gandalf. "I'm sixteen years old! Why? Yer gotta problem with that?!" asked Merida.
"Yes, as matter of fact I got a problem with it! Most of us have a problem with it! You're a child, you shouldn't be out in the wild period! And you, Gandalf, of all people allowing a child to join us!" yelled Thorin. "What is going on here? Am I missing something?! Because if so, can someone just fill me in on it?! Do you have any idea why am I here in the first place?! Apparently you've forgotten!" screamed Merida.
"It doesn't matter. Gandalf, when we reach the next town, we're dropping her." demanded Thorin.
"No! You cannot do that! You can't! I need to find my mother! No, no! This isn't right!" shrieked Merida, tears streaming down her face. "Yes, you're right Merida, this isn't right!" snarled Gandalf, glaring at Thorin. "You apparently have forgotten, Thorin son of Thrain why we've brought the princess with us. She is searching for her mother, who could be anywhere in Middle Earth. And if you don't wish to help her, you are letting her hopes down. Not only that, she's needs adults around her. She can't be abandoned in a village alone." snapped Gandalf.
"But she lied to us!" protested Thorin. "I'm sorry I lied okay, Thorin! But you know what yer biggest problem is?! You don't have a heart at all! You have no idea how it feels of having a parent disappear in thin air! Yer don't!" screamed Merida.
And she bolted away from Gandalf and Thorin sobbing. "Merida, where are you going?!" called out Fili. "To crawl myself under a hole and…
And stay there!" shouted Merida. The dwarves exchanged looks at each other. Gandalf then turned to the Company. "I hope all of you are happy! Look what you've done. Dwalin, how would you feel if you were in her shoes right now? Having a parent mysteriously disappear on you. She is determined to find her mother, and she cannot do this alone. Apparently some of you don't have a heart." said Gandalf, and he turned away.
"You should have kept your trap shut, Dwalin!" snarled Balin. Thorin stood alone, as he watched Merida run off. Thorin closed his eyes and sighed. He never meant to upset her, he was only trying to protect her. Maybe I should go and talk to her, thought the dwarf, and he walked away as he went to find Merida. Meanwhile, Merida sat by a stream, just a few yards away from the Company's camp, looking up at the stars. "I'm sorry mother, I failed you. No one is going to help me find you. These dwarves have to be such arrogant, selfish beasts that care nothing but themselves-how did it end up like this? Oh mother, I wish I can find you soon!" said Merida loudly, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Merida?" said a deep voice behind her. Merida looked up, and she could see Thorin approaching her, his features softened as he approached her.
"Go away! I don't want to talk to you!" growled Merida. "Merida, look about earlier, I apologize. We should have never reacted the way we did. Its just we are very protective when it comes to be people that young." said Thorin. "Why does everyone think I'm a child?! I am not a child! Its bad enough my own family treats me like one!" snapped Merida. "But you still are, Merida." said Thorin softly, kneeling down to her. "I don't need anyone to protect me, I can protect myself, yer know. My father taught me ways of the sword and bow." continued the princess.
And there was a brief silence between the two of them. And then Merida broke the silence. "Apparently by the way you are looking at me, you don't believe me!" said Merida. "Of course I believe you! Why would you think I wouldn't? I seen you with a bow, Merida, and I'm quite impressed with your skill. You've beat my nephew in archery competition, and that says quite a lot, because Kili has mastered the bow himself! Come now, lass. Supper is ready, and its getting cold." said Thorin. Merida stood up, and the two of them walked back to the camp where the others are at.
No soon as they arrived, all the dwarves apologized to her, even Dwalin himself apologized, and explained to her, they were only trying to protect her.
"What is your family like, Merida?" asked Fili. Merida smiled, and she told them tales of her family, and of her father and mother, and of her father's friends, whom Merida claimed that the dwarves reminded her of them. She told them of the wild parties her father would host, involving his friends, that involved a lot of drinking, belching, boisterous singing, especially when they sing dirty ditties just to annoy her mother.
The dwarves laughed hearing this. After Merida told her tale over supper, she climbed into her bedroll, laying on her back, allowing the dwarves and Bilbo talk among themselves. She needed the rest badly. Suddenly, the voices of the dwarves fell silent, and replacing those voices was the sound of music. Harp music. And Merida knew where the harp music came from, because she heard it before at Bilbo's home. She looked up, and she saw Thorin sitting on a boulder, with a small golden harp on his lap, as he played gently.
As he played and started to sing, the dwarves joined in with him. Suddenly a strange feeling clouded over Merida. The more she looked at the dwarf leader, the more she found herself attracted to him. She found him quite handsome, more handsome than any man she ever laid eyes on.
Merida, stop behaving like a bloody fool, he maybe a prince, but he's not your type, Merida thought to herself, trying to dismiss this thoughts of her attraction to Thorin. But then she realized she could not stop looking at him. If mother only saw me now, she would play matchmaker, Merida thought again. Merida realized it became a problem, of this attraction to Thorin. Now she would not stop thinking of him. As she slowly dozed off, she kept seeing repeated images of Thorin on his harp, and singing.
The next morning, Merida approached Fili. "Fili, I got a bit of a problem, maybe you can help me out on!" said Merida. "What is it?" asked Fili, as he loaded up his pony. Merida tried circling around of what she wanted to tell Fili, but she didn't want to embarrass herself, or Fili. After all Fili is Thorin's nephew. "I'm waiting, Merida. What is your problem?" asked Fili. "What would you say if some strange young woman is in love with your Uncle?" asked Merida. Fili laughed. "I would say more power to him, I'll be happy for the lass and him! Well it all depends on who she is." said Fili.
"Well, what if this woman is afraid to tell your Uncle how she feels about him? She is scared, and unsure how she would approach him?" asked Merida, now speaking hypothetically.
"I would say she needs to stop acting like such a coward and tell him how she feels. If I was in a love with someone, I would directly tell her how I feel, without backing down." said Fili. "Thanks Fili!" said Merida. Fili eyed the princess, wondering why she had brought the subject up. "Merida, you won't be riding your horse today." said Thorin. "Why?" asked Merida. "Your horse ran off last night." said Dwalin. "WHAT?! And nobody bothered telling me?!" shouted Merida. "I'm sorry Merida, but he was acting strangely, and all of a sudden he just bolted." said Kili.
"Well, what am I going to do now? I can't walk!" snapped Merida. "You shall be riding with me, Princess." said Thorin. "Oh Lord have mighty! Why you?!" moaned Merida. Suddenly all the dwarves laughed. "What? Are you afraid of riding with Thorin, lass?" asked Nori, grinning. "I am not afraid, yer bloody ass!" shot back Merida. "Oh, such language." said Nori sarcastically. "Just mount up here, Merida." said Thorin, extending his hand. Merida took his hand, and mounted, and she sat in front of the dwarf.
And they continued their journey. Merida remained silent the entire time as they rode, trying not to lean back, knowing Thorin is sitting behind her. "You may lean back if you want." said Thorin.
Thorin, must you make this so bloody difficult? Merida thought, as she leaned her back against his chest. "Like I said earlier, I apologize about your horse." said Thorin. "Don't worry about it." said Merida softly. And they remained quiet for some time. This time it was Merida who broke the silence. "Who taught you the harp? You play very well." said Merida. Thorin smiled. "My mother taught me the harp. She told me its part of my duties as Prince. My mother is a harpist." said Thorin.
"Did you enjoy it?" asked Merida. "Now Merida that is a silly thing to ask. Of course I enjoyed it." said Thorin. "I remember the past year, on my birthday, my mother made me take lessons of the protocols of being a princess. Yer know, the manners, the etiquette, learning to speak like a lady, and of course, I had to learn to play harp myself. My mother plays harp too. I love harp music and all, but I really never had an interest in playing." said Merida.
"You have the fingers for it." said Thorin, looking at Merida's hands. "Just because I have the fingers, doesn't necessarily mean I like to play it, Thorin. I just told you I was never interested in playing the harp, like you or my mother. Why does it have to be mandatory to do that? I like to be myself, and not like others." said Merida. Thorin smiled.
"And you have every right to be, that's what I admire about you, Princess." said Thorin. "Please just call me, Merida. If I hear you call me Princess again, I'll scream." said Merida. "But that's what you are, aren't you?" said Thorin. "Yes, I am a princess, but I also have a name." said Merida. Thorin laughed. "You never cease to amaze me, Merida." said Thorin. By nightfall after riding for several hours, they stopped for camp again. This time, Merida decided to help Bombur with the cooking.
However, she felt distracted. She couldn't stop thinking of Thorin again. What's gotten into you, you were never like this, before you even came to this Middle Earth, or whatever you call it! Get your act together, Merida, stay focused! thought Merida. Once supper was ready, Merida served the food. As she was about to take a bowl of soup to Thorin, she didn't pay attention of where she is going, and she tripped over a small branch, and nearly spilt the soup of the dwarf leader.
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" cried out Merida. "No worries, Merida. Its washable. If you don't mind doing the laundry for us as well!" said Thorin with a smirk on his face. "Ha, ha, very funny!" growled Merida, folding her arms crossed her chest, feeling rather embarrassed after her ordeal.
No soon as she walked away from Thorin, she walked right into a tree, and all the dwarves burst into roaring laughter. "Stop it! Its not funny!" shouted Merida, and she sat away from the Company alone. Balin took notice of Merida's behavior. "She's distracted. Something has distracted her." said Balin. "Well I'm hoping its not Fili or Kili. They have no time for love, especially now." said Thorin. "Thorin, you really don't believe she's in love with one of the lads?" asked Balin.
"I don't know. I can tell when someone is in love. I remembered the look on my sisters face the day she met her husband. Dis behaved the same way." said Thorin. "I think you should talk to the lads." said Balin. "No, I'm going to talk with Merida and ask her." said Thorin. He looked around, and he didn't see Merida anywhere. But then, Thorin shortly found Merida sitting a few yards away from the Company.