The next week followed in a pattern. They would wake, have a small meal, and then ride on through the day. Percia, being small enough, shared a pony with Mister Baggins. Given her abilities in riding it proved helpful to all. Mid-day the Dwarves would pass food down along the line and eat on the go, only stopping at night to make camp. Percia often declined their food, indicating she would not burden them. She didn't mention she generally didn't eat much, having survived on sparse rations due to her low-income level.
She mostly spoke to Bilbo and Gandalf, though Bofur proved very friendly, and she had a feeling Ori wanted to speak to her as well, but his brother Dori generally kept him away. The brothers Fili and Kili sometimes rode by them, usually to tease Bilbo. Neither said much to her, but Kili seemed to stare at her a lot. She only noticed because her gaze often drifted to him, but she doubted anyone would call her on it.
Currently she was explaining her family to Bilbo in all its messy detail.
"Goodness, and I thought I had hordes of cousins to remember," he muttered sheepishly. "How do you keep up with them all?"
"I'm afraid I don't. I pretty much only stay in touch with Nico, Jason, Thalia and my brother Tyson. Though I did get to know Triton a bit better before coming here," she responded, having finished giving him the run down of the godly side of her family.
"What of your mother," Bofur asked having joined them part way through her story. Vaguely she noted most of the Dwarves had slowed their mounts down to hear them speak.
"She's mortal, hence the demigod status. She married Gabe when I was a toddler. I haven't seen her since I was twelve," she answered honestly. "I never knew anyone on her side. The less said about Gabe the better."
Bilbo seemed to pick up on the underlying current in her statement about her stepfather. She found the little guy to be extraordinarily astute when it came to others.
"Was he the one who gave you those scars," he asked quietly, though the others had heard if their sharp glances meant anything.
She couldn't blame Bilbo; he hadn't known she was cooling down by the stream that night. She had taken her shirt off to wipe down when he came out of the woods looking for her. His face had turned a very interesting shade of red. After several apologies he fled from her sight and neither had said anything about what he did or did not see. Granted she had very few scars with her ability to heal, but Gabe had caused his fair share of them.
"Some." Percia refused to elaborate having moved on from that part of her life. "What of your family Bilbo? You mentioned it was rather large?"
Taking her hint he easily flowed with the change of topic, going on to explain his own family tree. This soon became a tale of his continued rivalry with a Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Quite a shrew of a woman if Bilbo was to be believed.
Travel came to a halt that evening at the remains of a burnt out home. Something about the area did not sit right with Percia, but she said nothing. Gandalf clearly felt the same considering his argument with Thorin on the matter.
Ignoring them she set about her assigned task to gather wood for the fire. The others already working on their tasks as well. Upon her return she learned Gandalf had stormed off in a huff. Apparently even sagely wizards got fed up with stubborn leaders.
As she couldn't do anything about it she made herself comfortable on her bedroll watching the others around camp. Ori was writing away in his little journal while his brother Dori sat next to him piddling with a pair of knitting needles. Nori was further away sharpening his knives. Balin, Oin and Bifur were having an argument of some kind, mostly in a language she didn't know and liberal use of hand signs. Whatever the subject was they were going at it heatedly. Gloin was laid out on his bedroll already starting to snore, while Bofur and Bombur worked on making the evening meal. Thorin sat to one side speaking quietly with Dwalin, and his nephews were off caring for the ponies. Only Bilbo seemed worked up over the wizard's absence, pacing back and forth his eyes occasionally looking to where the other departed.
When Bofur finally announced supper many of the others practically stampeded over. Percia just stayed put, content with a power bar and half an apple she swiped from Bilbo. She knew the Hobbit had saved it for Myrtle, their pony, but she wanted it more. Part of her thought about burning some food for the gods, but she doubted they would get the same buzz from this world as they did in hers. Besides, no need to alert more people to her current situation.
Vaguely she wondered if her dad had even realized she was gone…
"You sure you don't want any lass," Bofur's jovial voice broke through her thoughts.
"No thank you, I'm good," she promised, showing her half eaten power bar.
Bombur snorted. "That can't possibly be filling. Why I'd need to eat a hundred of them to even feel satisfied."
"Probably more than that," Nori chided causing the others to laugh.
Percia grinned slightly. "It is fine for me. I really don't eat much in general. Never have."
"That's why you're so scrawny," Oin pointed out, somehow hearing their conversation. "Not enough food growing up, can see it in your bones."
"You survive with what you've got." She shrugged to indicate she could not change the past. No one could, not even the gods. A frown took over when she noticed one of their numbers missing. "Where's Bilbo?"
"Sent him with food for the lads," Bofur stated with a wink. "No sense letting them starve out there."
"Ms. Percia may I ask you a question," Ori murmured shyly, having maneuvered to her side without his brother noticing.
"You may Mr. Ori, though I reserve the right to not answer," she replied with an encouraging smile.
"You mentioned earlier to Bilbo that your father was ruler of the Oceans on your world." At her nod he continued. "Does this mean you are a princess?"
Percia blinked slightly surprised at the question. "I guess it depends on who you ask. Many do consider me a princess simply because of my father's position. However, I am not a product of his lawful marriage, so I am an illegitimate heir at best. Though…" A soft look took over her features one hand reaching up to touch the pearl necklace. "My brother Triton, who is the King of Atlantis, the major kingdom of the Ocean, claimed me as a Princess of the Seas."
Before anyone could comment on this Fili came crashing out of the trees rambling on about Trolls and Bilbo. The group gathered their weapons and followed after the young prince to save their Hobbit.