It was the sound of clanging pots that woke Kelsey up; which she was grateful because a fiery nightmare plagued her sleep. Slowly opening her eyes to see rays of orange hues from the rising sun, Kelsey pulled herself up to lean on her elbows. A sudden pain in her left shoulder caused her to wince and to place her right hand over it to try and dull the pain.
"Are you okay?" asked Kili as he kneels down to hand her a bowl of soup. Kelsey hesitantly nods and sits up properly to have her food. "You should go to Oin to make sure your wound is not infected."
From the mention of his name, a grey-haired old dwarf stumbled over; a hearing horn in his hand.
"Alright lass, let me take a look at your shoulder," Oin said, as he started to unravel the bandage. Kelsey then realised that someone had taken her leather jacket off and had her left tank top strap down. The dwarves quickly looked away as if it was offensive to look at a woman's bare shoulder.
"Why is everyone looking away?" she asked, curiously. Kili blushed and explained that it was appropriate to look away when someone was in their undergarments, especially a woman. Kelsey laughed out loud causing the dwarves to look at her strangely.
"Kili, you do realise that you have seen me in less clothing" explained Kelsey; jumping when a sudden outrage spread through the company. Kili's brother Fili and the king rushed up to Kili to give him a lecture. "Oh no, please don't yell at him. When we met, I was swimming and was wearing a swimsuit."
"Don't think that is helping, Kelsey," said Kili, his eyes widen. Kelsey simply laughed again as the scene was too hilarious. Poor Kili.
"Didn't you tell them how we met?" she questioned as Oin finished bandaging her shoulder and handed over her jacket. She quickly stood up and regretted it; as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Kili jumped to her side, avoiding the glares of the dwarves and grabbed her good arm to help.
"Yes but I left that detail out," sighed Kili, as he quickly glanced over to his brother and uncle. Kelsey grinned at his embarrassment while holding back her own blush.
After the outrage, the older dwarves just shook their heads and continued the packing up of the camp. Oin tried to give Kelsey an ointment to help with her wound but she just shook her head and pulled out antibiotics that she kept in her first aid kit.
"Are you a healer back in your world?" asked Oin, gazing at her kit.
"I guess you can call it that," smiled Kelsey.
"At least that is one skill that you can contribute to this company," mumbled Thorin as he glided past to his pony. A frown appeared on Kelsey's face as his words sunk in.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"That means, Miss Kelsey, Kili refuses to let me drop you off to the nearest village so you must journey with us. And next time I would like some respect when you question me," said Thorin, lifting himself on his pony and start to lead the group.
Now normal people would just let it go, but Kelsey is very stubborn and has her own opinions and just because Thorin is royalty, she would treat him just the same as everyone else. Unfortunately stubbornness is one of her flaws that would often backlash.
"I understand you are a king, Thorin, but you are not MY king. As for respect, you have to earn it," claimed Kelsey, spinning around with a flick of her hair. She had one of the dwarves mutter under their breath.
"She is as stubborn as a dwarf."
…..
As the day progressed, Kelsey was questioned about herself and in return got to know more about the dwarves. Kili and Fili is the troublemakers of the group and would often try to pull pranks. Ori is the scholar who is documenting the journey for the history books. His older brother, Nori is cunning when it came to stealing and the mother hen of the Ri brothers, Dori is often mothering Ori and scolding Nori. Brothers Bombur and Bofur are a cook and a toymaker; their cousin Bifur is also a toymaker and freaks Kelsey out as he has a part of an axe sticking out of his forehead.
"He only speaks Khuzdul," explained Bofur, when Kelsey gave a concerning look towards Bifur. "If we pull it out, he might die."
"Oh," said Kelsey. Bofur quickly returned back to the conversation about the group. Gloin is great warrior and his brother Oin is the company's healer. Balin is Thorin's advisor and Dwalin is another great warrior and great friend to Thorin.
Kelsey's brain felt full with an overload of information in which she almost miss the question from Kili.
"Kelsey, why do you look older than we last met?" he asked, peering behind him as Kelsey sat behind him on his pony. "It has only been a month since we met."
"What?!" exclaimed Kelsey, shock running through her. Time must run differently here to Earth.
"Aye, it scared everyone when he just appeared in the middle of a council meeting, covered in blood," said Balin, riding up to meet them.
"It's been 8 years since we met, Kili. I was 17 years old and now I'm 25," said Kelsey. And dying.
"Well that is a long time," said Kili before a grin appeared on his face. "But I am glad you are here now."
"Me too," sighed Kelsey just as rain started to pour down on them. Before long everyone become miserable.
"Mr Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" asked Dori. Kelsey sent a puzzled look to Gandalf where he gave her a wink. How could Gandalf change the weather?
"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."
Oh, so he is a wizard.
"Are there any?" asked Bilbo, who Kelsey found out was a hobbit, from the Shire. "Other wizards?"
"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue wizards; you know I've quite forgotten their names," replied Gandalf with a laugh.
"And who is the fifth?" asked Kelsey, when Gandalf didn't mentioned the fifth wizard.
"Well that would be Radagast, the Brown."
"Is he a great wizard or is he…more like you?" asked Bilbo. Kelsey and few of the other dwarves had to stifle a laugh as Gandalf looked slightly offended.
"I think he is a very great wizard, in his own way. He is a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East and good thing too, for always evil will look to find a foothold in this world." And with that, Gandalf continued to lead the company through the muddy forest.
"Kelsey, last night when I was trying to pursue Uncle to allow you to join us, I told him that Fili and I will teach you with defending yourself," announced Kili, when the rain finally stopped and they had stopped for the night. "What is your weapon of choice?"
"Either a sword or bow and arrows," smiled Kelsey. "I have been practising with a sword and archery since I was a little girl so I am no amateur."
"Well I look forward to our duel."
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