PurpleFairy11: Your wish is my command.

PleaseStopYourScaringMe: Aw. I'm so glad you like it! It really means a lot that you're enjoying it.

writingNOOB: Yeah. I don't really know what Thorins problem is right now. His character just kind of takes over whenever I start to write. I always break out in hives when I get to him. Hopefully, I can reign this shit back some though. Calm his whole moody thing down. *stares hard at the King Of Erebor*


Chapter 5: Interesting

"I really liked that pony," I whispered glumly, staring at the back of the hobbit's head as my pony reared her head again, nickering. The others had gotten over the oddity of seeing Fili and me on the same horse (thank the Valar.) Although some of them seemed to be keeping an eye on us. Notably, my own brothers.

We had long since broken free from the Shire to enter the rugged highlands just outside of it's borders. It was the last bit of quiet we would get before we broke into the mountain terrain and into harsher areas. A cool breeze ruffled through my hair and I winced as I tried to reign it away from smacking Fili in the face.

"Sorry," I mumbled, glaring down at the errant curls as my fingers became ensnared in their depths.

"I like it." My breath stuttered for a moment, my head turning slowly so that I could stare up at him. Standing significantly taller than me on the ground, Fili's whole build was impressive enough that I felt like I was being engulfed, his fur-lined jacket open so that I could see the tensing of his muscles against my back. Heat rolled up my neck. It wasn't an altogether unappealing thing. Slowly, his crystal clear blue eyes moved to connect with mine, a lazy smile curling his lips. "Your hair."

"I-Um." No one had ever said that to me. I didn't know what to say. Instead, staring dumbly up at him seemed like the best option.

"I remember something…" He murmured thoughtfully, his brows suddenly narrowing and his eyes sharpening. Realization dawned on me with the accuracy of an anvil on steel. Gruffly, I looked away, my hand going to stop his much larger one from creeping any farther up my thigh.

"I'm sure," I started tartly, glaring unseeingly at the dwarves in front of us. "That you're remembering how very unappealing my hair was for you when we were little."

I certainly did. It had been a constant taunt when I was in the mountains.

"...Hm." Anger rolled through me. This idiot prince with his stupid face and his stupid words and his stupid-

"Hm?" I snapped. "That's all you've got to say for yourself? You called me every name in the book."

"I don't feel like I should be getting all the blame on this one."

I twisted around, snarling up at him. "You're the only one here at the moment."

For a moment, he stared down at me, his eyes calculating. Then he was leaning forward, his eyes traveling slowly to my lips and then back up again, darkening. "Fine, Tori."

"Fine what?" I choked out, my fingers curling involuntarily into his.

"Fine; I'm sorry," he whispered, his breath warm against my lips and his eyes going heavy lidded. "Fine; I was a stupid kid. And fine - I love your hair now."

A lump strangled all the smart retorts that I had, his sweet scent confusing my mind. That was...a really good apology.

"That-" I coughed, forcing myself to look away from him and break his close contact. "Apology semi-accepted."

"Semi?" he mused and I shivered as I felt his words warm my ear.

"You called me carrot top," I snapped, my nose wrinkling up as I remembered the imperious look on his face as he stared down at me. "And said that instead of the torches we could just have me streak through the halls of the mountain."

I huffed at that one, ignoring what I thought sounded a lot like a strangled laugh. He had been a mean one. And his words had cut more than I would or could ever admit. He was my dream when we were growing up. It was hard to know that your prince charming was repulsed by the sight of you. I shifted, suddenly very uncomfortable in my own skin, tugging my coat closer around me.

Silence held for a moment. With every second that ticked by, my skin began to itch more and more. I was great at ruining the mood apparently. Whatever mood we had going for us. Gulping, I brought a hand up to run belatedly through my hair, self-consciously tucking it behind my ears. I wished I could let go of the past - forget about it like Fili and Kili and all the others had seemed to. In truth, I thought I had. The more distance that my brother and I had gained, the farther away all those years had become. I had thought that I was new, all the grime polished away. But coming back to these dwarves…

Fili's hand jerked me from my thoughts, his fingers rough and warm as they still my fingers that had gone to knotting my hair, gently untangling it so that he could toy with it. Breath lodged thickly in my throat as his eyes caught mine.

"Then you can be semi-mad at me for as long as you want to, hamumal amrul," he murmured softly, his word like warm honey. "I'll still love your hair. Even if it is bright enough to light the halls of Erebor."

"You're pompous," I snarled out, trying to keep down the wave of irrational butterflies that were rolling through me as he brought a couple strands of my hair to his lips. "And I don't like you."

"That's okay," he whispered with an irritatingly knowing smile. "I like you."

"Give me that back." I yanked my hair out of his grip, scooting forward as far as I could on the saddle and slapping the hand on my thigh away. "Don't look at me. Don't talk to me. Don't even think about me, Fili of Durin's line. This is a quest. Not some run down, dodgy inn on the other side of an orc hovel. Stop trying to weasel your way-"

I stopped myself, my mouth slamming shut as I realized the implications that I was making. He was still my prince. No matter how annoying he was being.

"My way where, Tori?" I gritted my teeth at his nearness, my mind fluttering as I felt the hand that wasn't holding the reigns curl around my hip. I didn't say anything. His hand tightened. "Where?"

"Into my sleeping bag!" I hissed, my face flaming. That was all he wanted right? How could he go from being so utterly revolted by my very existence to suddenly being infatuated with me? It was stupid. There had to be motives. I bowed my head, staring hard at my hands as they went white on the leather horn.

Fili took a breath, his hand suddenly loosening on my hip and slipping. This would make him stop all this nonsense. Getting my hopes up - I squeezed my eyes shut. The wind ruffled through the trees, drizzles of sunlight falling through the cover of the canopies. Hooves crunched rhythmically down on the gravel roads.

"He read your letters." I blinked, my brows furrowing as I turned to stare up at Fili who was staring pointedly at the forest around us.

"What?" Red seeped up the fair haired dwarves' neck, scorching his nose as his eyes narrowed and he gave a cough.

"Your letters. The ones that you sent home. Dori would read them aloud to Ori when they came to eat in the great hall." Wind rippled through his hair, his beads clacking against each other as his eyes slowly turned to meet mine. "I heard them and… I… You're very interesting."

"Interesting?" My tongue rebelled against the word. That was hardly a compliment. His cheeks reddened even more as his lips twisted.

"What do you want me to say, Tori?" he grumbled, his eyes swirling with deadliness.

"The truth," I whispered, a giddy kind of excitement lighting inside of me as I saw his eyes flick around and his fingers knot the reigns.

"Are you trying to rile me?" He eyed me suspiciously and I grinned, turning even more in the saddle. For once in the conversation, I felt like I was in control. He was flustered.

"Are you trying to avoid the question?"

"I didn't hear one posed."

"Fine. What did you think of my letters? Truthfully."

"Truthfully I thought you were crazy," he snapped, his dark eyes clapping with mine as he lashed out, one of his big hands curling possessively around my knee. "I thought that a girl that used to be in danger of falling off the side of a bloody mountain, shouldn't be on the lamb from goblins and ogres and Valar knows what else. I thought that the girl that used to cry every time you probed her a little with a few jabs about her hair color, shouldn't be taking up in inns that likely didn't have locks or anything else in the form of protection and a bit of safety. I thought that you were stupid and irrational and so damned sweet that I had to get to know you."

By the time that he was done, his breath was ragged and so was mine. I felt like I had just run a mile and I had whiplash, my head a dizzying array of different possibilities and circumstances. But above all that, I was unbelievably happy. I was so happy that I wanted to lean forward and kiss him even though he looked mad enough to strangle me.

I restrained a smile, watching as his eyes narrowed.

"Interesting," I murmured, turning back to face the front before a goofy grin took hold.

"Interesting?" he grumbled in question, sounding highly annoyed.

"Mm," I whispered in agreement. "Just so."

After a pause, Fili let out a breath. "Does this mean you're forgiven me completely?"

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "Not at all."


So this one was kinda short. But I wanted to get it to you guys since I've been sorta flaky. I kind of feel like some really soggy Frosted Flakes at the moment. But I promise that I'll try to be good. Anyway, you guys know what I like! Oh and also, I have a Hunger Games story up. I really don't want to delete it (I actually got kinda attached to my OC) so if you like that area please take a look. *puppy dog eyes* Kisses and I hope to see your thoughts.