A/N: Sorry for the somewhat late update; I lost track of time today. Also, thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter and wished me happy birthday! You all are so sweet~ 3
It felt nice, having the wind rushing through her hair.
Baylee wore a large grin as her horse galloped across the rocky plains. It had a been a few weeks since she last gotten to ride her mare, Buttercup, and the freedom that came with riding a horse was quite the refreshing change from her daily routine. Having a Rohirric woman for a mother, she had inherited the same love of riding as her mother. Will, too, had inherited the love, though he wasn't able to join her that day thanks to work.
Slowing Buttercup down to a canter, then a trot, and finally to a complete stop, she looked out over the landscape. Eight years ago, Dale, Erebor, and the lands surrounding the two city-states could be described as little more than frozen, ruined wastelands. But now, the ground was covered in lush, green grass and large swathes of wildflowers. Patches of wild berry bushes were scattered throughout the area; come summer, she would be making plenty of pies with their bounties. Closer to the foot of the mountain, trees had begun to grow and, though she couldn't see them from where she sat, she knew that farms were being cultivated along the southern foothills, the rich soil proving to be wonderful the crops.
It still had a long way to go, but the earth that had been ravage by Smaug was healing nicely.
"It's so pretty now," she sighed, a smile on her lips. Leaning over, she rubbed the side of Buttercup's neck. "Just a few years ago, this was wasteland. An' now…it's so pretty."
As if in agreement, Buttercup nickered before leaning her head down to nibble at some grass.
Turning her gaze skyward, Baylee looked at the position of the sun. It was halfway between noon and sunset, which earned a small sigh from her. "Should start heading back, I suppose," she thought aloud. "Don't want t' leave auntie an' Wenna all alone for the dinner rush."
She then looked to the east and found the sky beginning to grow dark; not with the approaching night, but with deep grey storm clouds that promised thunder and lighting. This brought a smile back to her lips; she and Will adored thunderstorms.
"He won't be sneaking out to court Adela tonight," she murmured with a chuckle.
Lightly tugging on the reins, she clicked her tongue and the mare started to walk. Soon, she was trotting, and, after holding that pace for a few minutes, she was back at a canter. They weren't too far from the western gate—maybe twenty minutes, at most—so she wasn't worried about tiring Buttercup out too badly. Once she was ready, Baylee urged her into a gallop and let out a laugh as the mare made no effort to protest.
'I wish Will could have joined me today,' she thought. 'I miss racing against him—even if he won most of the time.' Unlike her mare, who had been bred for endurance, Will's gelding had been bred for speed and often outran Buttercup. Neither minded, of course. It was all in good fun. 'Maybe Bofur and Bifur would be willing to give him a day off soon…With summer just a few months away, I'm going to be busy thanks to the summer influx, which won't leave me much time for riding. I won't have much free time at all, save for when the festivals take place.'
As they approached the western gate, Buttercup instinctively slowed her pace once more. The gentle thumping of her hooves on dirt turned to the sharp clopping of metal shoes on stone as she began to trot along the bridge. Only the northern gate of the city didn't need a bridge in order to access it; Dale had been built upon a massive, rocky hill and its base was surrounded on most sides by a river.
"What's on the menu for tonight at the Tankard?" one of the guards called out as the two passed under the archway.
"Your choice o' pork stew or beef potpie!" she called back. "An' there's apple-cinnamon crumbles for dessert!"
"I know where I'm goin' for dinner tonight!"
She laughed, her brow rising somewhat. 'Well, at least we can expect one person aside from the lads for dinner,' she thought as Buttercup began to ascend the first of many slopes on their way back to the Full Tankard.
It was on the third of these slopes that Baylee saw Ori making his way from a side street and onto main street. Slowing Buttercup down to a walk, she guided the mare towards him.
Before she could say anything, though, Ori looked up when he heard the approaching hooves. At first, he was a bit surprised to see Baylee atop the horse—given her small stature, he had expected her to ride a pony like—but after the initial shock passed, he smiled. "I didn't expect to see you out an' about, Miss Baylee."
"I managed t' sneak away for a little while," she chuckled. "Are you headin' back t' the inn?"
He nodded. "I saw those storm clouds rolling in and thought it'd be best to get back before they reach the city," he told her.
She looked eastwards, seeing that the clouds had reached Erebor by now. "Oh, it's a fast storm," she stated, a cheeky grin on her lips. Turning her gaze back down to Ori, she tilted her head. "Would you like a ride back t' the inn? I wouldn't want you or your sketchbook gettin' soaked through."
His cheeks turned a bit pink, but he nodded. "A ride would be most appreciated, Miss Baylee." When she leaned over and grabbed his hand to pull him up, he found himself taken by surprise once more, this time by her strength; dwarves were not the lightest of folk and yet she didn't seem to strain much as she hoisted him up. He figured it was because she was used to carrying heavy platters all day.
"So, where did you go explorin' today?" she asked once he was situated behind her.
"The graveyard," he told her. "I know it's a strange place to explore, but…well, it's a peaceful spot and Dale's graveyard is very pretty, what with all its statues and elegant tombs."
Her brow rose slightly; she would have never expected someone to find a graveyard to be peaceful. "Is that so?" she replied with a small laugh. "Well, t' each their own, I suppose. Personally, I'm unnerved by graveyards…they're too quiet."
He nodded in understanding. "They are very quiet," he agreed. "I suppose that's one of the reasons why I like them, though. It's so quiet and so tucked away from the hustle an' bustle of the city, despite being so close to it. There were all sorts of little birds flying about the place and there were wildflowers everywhere…"
Chuckling quietly, he rubbed the side of his neck. "There was one statue that really caught my eye. It was a warrior woman who was standing proud, but with a sorrowful smile. I don't often see the women of any race posed in such a way; it was really quite gorgeous, especially with the way ivy was starting to climb up the base." He pulled his sketchbook out and, opening it to the page, held it out in front of Baylee so she could see.
Looking down at the page, she saw a woman standing with one foot placed upon a rock and her hand resting upon her sword, which was stuck down into the earth while her other hand hung at her side, a shield strapped to her forearm. Her armor was different from that of Dale's military, being made of what looked like scale-mail and strips of leather. She wore no helmet, allowing the world see the sad smile on her lips as she gazed south, towards her homeland.
Baylee felt a lump form in her throat and her eyes stung for a moment. Swallowing hard, she looked back to the rode to guide Buttercup down the correct road.
"There was a plaque, too, but I couldn't read what it said," Ori continued, unaware of the emotions the statue had brought her. "It must've been in the old tongue of Dale."
"It's Rohirric, actually," she corrected. "It says, 'Ég hef farið í sölur forfeðra minna, þar sem mér hefur verið fagnað með opnum örmum og nefnd systir af þeim sem hafa fallið fyrir mér." The words left her mouth easily, as if she had repeated them a thousand times; little did Ori know, she had. "Translated t' Weston, it means, 'I have gone to the halls o' my foremothers, where I have been welcomed with open arms and named sister by those who have fallen before me'."
He blinked, finding it a bit odd for her to have memorized an inscription on a grave of all things. "You have it memorized?"
"Aye. It's part o' the adage used by the shieldmaidens of Rohan before battle," she explained. As she glanced over his shoulder at him, Ori could see sadness in her eyes. "That's my mother's grave."
His eyes widened and he felt some color drain from his skin. As he looked back down at the page, it was only then he realized how similar the statue's face was to hers. "I-I-I'm sorry, I didn't know, M-Miss Baylee," he stammered. "I-If you want, I can t-tear it out or something?"
Her brow rose and she let out a small laugh. "Why in Middle Earth would I want you t' destroy it?" she questioned. "You did a beautiful job on that drawing; no doubt you spent hours workin' on it."
"A-are you sure?" he asked, sounding uncertain. "I know how sacred graves can be t' people…I don't want t' be doing anything accidentally disrespectful."
A reassuring smile came to her lips as she looked back at him once again. "If anythin', my mum would be thrilled t' see that someone thought her tomb beautiful enough t' want t' draw it." She reached back and patted his knee; she was glad she had managed to resist crying, but she had the feeling she'd be visited by one of her nightmares that night. "It really is lovely, Ori. You're such a good artist; Bofur an' Bifur's shop is going t' look amazin' after you get through with it!"
The combination of her smile and her tone made him feel more at ease. "I hope so…It's been hard, trying to settle on a single idea when there are so many different ones runnin' through my head." He shook his head, closing the book so he could put it away once more. "Luckily, they've settled on a mural design. But their sign is goin' to take a bit longer to do…I think I already have four different versions drawn out."
"Four?" Ori couldn't see it, but her eyes had widened. "An' you're still coming up with more?"
"Well, they gave me a list o' things they'd like t' see in the sign," he said, "so, I've been tryin' to incorporate them in different ways. Or I'll leave some o' the lesser ones out while keeping the important ones…I know I don't have too many more designs left t' sketch out. Another four at the most." Peering around her, he could see that they weren't too far from the inn now.
"An' I take it they'll have Will carve out the sign?"
"As far as I know, that's the plan."
She chuckled. "Then they'll have the best sign in town. With your art skills an' Will's carvin' skills…" She shivered slightly as a cold wind blew down the street. "I hope they call it quits early—I don't like the idea o' them having to come back to the Tankard in the midst o' a storm, even if Will would be more than happy to."
His brow rose. "Will…likes storms?"
"We both do; always have. When we were younger, we used t' run out into the street so we could get a better look at the lightning and feel the thunder." She smiled at the memory. "We eventually learned that it was best to stay inside, though. We didn't want t' get fried by lightning."
"That's understandable." Glancing up at the clouds, he frowned. "I can't ever look at storms the same way after we passed through the Misty Mountains."
"Oh? What happened?"
He rubbed the side of his neck. "Well…as we were travelin' through the mountain pass, a storm rolled in. An' in the middle of the storm, we saw giants having a thunder battle."
"…Giants?" she repeated. "There are giants in the Misty Mountains?"
"I'm not sure if they're still alive, given how intense that battle was, but aye, there were at least three o' them." When she brought the mare to a halt in the courtyard, he let her dismount first before getting a bit of help dismounting himself. "They looked like they were a part of the mountain at first. But then they started t' move and throw absolutely enormous chunks o' rock at one another."
Baylee tilted her head slightly, her eyes wide with wonder. "That…sounds like it was both amazing an' terrifying t' see."
He chuckled and nodded. "Amazingly terrifying more like it."
Excusing herself, Baylee moved to lead Buttercup into the stables while Ori headed inside the inn. "Peter, I'm back," she called, guiding the mare towards her stall.
Poking his head out from one of the larger stalls, Peter smiled. "I was wondering if you'd get back here before the storm or not," he said. Stepping out of the stall, she saw that he was holding a broom. "To be honest, knowing you, I was thinkin' you'd be stayin' out there until the storm passed just so you could see some lightnin' up close."
Despite rolling her eyes, there was a smile on her lips. "I don't do that anymore," she reminded him with a laugh. "The last thing I want is t' be out in the open like that during a thunderstorm." She started to remove Buttercup's saddle while Peter started on her bridle. "I take it things have been quiet around here?"
"Ah, somewhat. Bard sent us a message, requesting that nine stalls be readied," he answered. "That has me a bit confused, seein' as how the meetings don't take place until next month."
Baylee's brow rose. "Really? That's…odd. I'll have t' ask papa why that is." She wondered if, perhaps, one of the royal mares had gone into season and Bard needed to keep the stallions away from her. Getting the saddle off Buttercup, she carried it past Peter and towards the storage area.
"Whatever the reason, he couldn't have had better timing. We got a fresh shipment o' hay in and our oat supply was topped off when Will came back." He tossed the bridle to her so she could put it away as well. "At the same time, though, he couldn't have had worse timing thanks t' this storm coming in."
She nodded in agreement. "Let's hope those horses aren't skittish. We wouldn't want any o' them getting injured." Having to do a small hop, she put the bridle on a hook.
"Aye. At least I don't have t' worry much about your family's horses. They're used t' loud noises." He grabbed a brush and started to run it along Buttercup's neck. "You go on ahead an' head inside. I've got her from here."
"Thanks, Peter," she smiled. "Hope all goes well for you tonight." Leaving the stables, she crossed the courtyard and headed into the inn. She was greeted by warm air scented with sage, cinnamon, and apples and the sight of the lads and Will sitting at their table.
"There she is," Will grinned. "We were wonderin' when you'd be back."
A smile came to her lips. "An' I was hopin' you three would make it back before the bad weather set in." She walked over to their table.
"Aye, we came back about an hour ago," Bifur chuckled. "Not much we can do at the shop while we wait for supplies t' come in. Well, except for your brother. He's been workin' all over the place in there."
Will grinned cheekily. "They've a lot o' loose windows and such. But after tonight's rain, we'll find out if we need t' have the roof replaced or not."
At that, Bofur groaned. "We probably will, especially since we tore that roof deck down," he said. "I know I saw at least a couple o' tiles fall off when we brought it down."
"If you do end up needin' t' replace parts of the roof, at least you won't have t' be the ones doin' it," Baylee chuckled. "I know I wouldn't like t' be on a roof that high up…"
"'Lee…We used t' climb onto the roofs o' Laketown and run around," her brother reminded her, his brow rising.
"Aye, but if we fell off in Laketown, we'd fall into a lake—not onto solid rock." It was her turn to wear the cheeky grin as Will turned a bit red. "Anyway, let me go get changed an' then I'll be back out t' bring you some food an' refill these tankards o' yours, alright, lads?"
"Take your time, lass," Nori told her. "Will just refilled them for us."
Smiling, she left their table and made her way into the family's private quarters. She used a key that hung around her neck to open the door, tucking it away again as she closed and locked the door. It didn't surprise her when she saw no one in the living room, so she continued down the hall and took a right. Going to the end of the hall, she entered the door on her left and found herself in her room.
"First thing's first," she murmured, going over to a shelf. From it, she pulled down a rather large and heavy book. Carrying it over to her bed, she carefully opened it and, with even more care, turned the pages and seeing the dozens upon dozens of flowers that she had pressed over the years. Once she reached a blank page, she removed a pouch from her belt and opened it. She dumped its contents—a handful of wildflowers—onto the book and began arranging them around the page.
In the middle of arranging the flowers, there was a knock on her door. "Baylee? Can I come in?" came Will's voice.
"Aye," she called back, a bit surprised that he wasn't with the dwarves. Hearing the door open, she glanced over her shoulder in time to see her brother step in.
"I thought you were going t' change?" he questioned, his brow rising.
"I am—after I finish pressing these."
Peering over her shoulder, he grinned as he saw the flowers. "I knew there was an ulterior motive behind you goin' out for a ride today."
She tilted her head back to look up at him. "Actually, I just happened across these when I was lettin' Buttercup have a break." Turning her attention back to the book, she double checked the placement of the flowers before carefully closing the book. "There. Now, what did you need?" Standing upright, she took the book over to her dresser and laid it down flat.
Will watched as she proceeded to stack some heavy items atop it. "I have a present for you."
Her brow rose. "A present? What for?" Turning around, she was just in time to see him pull a small, wooden box from his pocket.
"Because I felt bad," he told her, holding it out to her.
Giving her brother a wary look, she took the box from him. As she opened, her eyes widened and a small gasp left her mouth; he had gotten her a new ear cuff. This one was made of thicker wire that had been treated in such a way that it looked green. Like her old cuff, it was bent into the shapes of leaves and flowers. For the flower petals, the wire had thinned out slightly and held onto sheets of pounded gold, making the flowers solid.
"It's so pretty!" she gawked, carefully taking it from the box. After looking it over it a moment longer, she glanced up at her brother. "You know, you didn't have t' get me a new one, Will."
"I wanted to," he replied simply. Grabbing her comb, he turned her around and started to work the knots out of her hair. "I know how self-conscious you are about your ear an' the fact that I was the reason you had t' tell the lads about it made me feel bad."
A small pout came to her lips. "It wasn't your fault. That cuff was old an' brittle. I should have gotten a new one much sooner."
"Doesn't matter t' me. I was the one who broke it, so it was my fault." He was gentle as he worked the teeth of the comb through her hair. "Who knows? Maybe now that you'll have a way t' hide your ear again, your nightmares will stop."
"I doubt that," she sighed. "They'll go away on their own, though. Hopefully it won't take as long as before." She carefully ran her fingers along the metal vines, a small smile on her lips. "Where did you even get this? Ear cuffs like this aren't exactly common pieces o' jewelry…"
"I had Ori design it an' then I scuttled off t' Erebor a few days ago. With permission from my bosses o' course." Her hair now knot-free, he tucked the back of the comb between his teeth and started to section her hair.
She quietly laughed. "Well…Thank you. An' I'll have to thank Ori, too. He's such a wonderful little artist."
"Aye, he ith," he agreed, his words a bit muddled thanks to the comb. "I'm almoth temthed t' have da' hire him t' paint the common room."
"Oh, I think that would be a lovely idea—it's been needin' a new coat o' paint anyway." She felt him starting to work the sections of her hair over and under once another. "By the way…do you know anythin' about Bard requesting nine stalls in the stables t' be readied?"
His brow rose. "What? I don't know anyfing about that."
"Hm. Guess we'll have t' ask da' about it, then."
"Ask me about what?"
The siblings looked over their shoulders only to find Warren standing in the doorway.
"Hi, da'," Baylee chirped. "Why did Bard ask for nine stable stalls t' be readied?"
He chuckled, his brow rising. "Oh, straight t' the point for once, I see," he teased. "We're going to be housin' some rangers for the next few months," he explained.
Will frowned. "Wangers…? But Dale doesn't have wangers."
"Exactly." Stepping fully into the room, he crossed his arms and walked over to his children. Pulling the comb from his son's mouth, he tossed it onto Baylee's dresser. "They're a gift from the queen o' Dorwinion as part of the renewed peace and trading treaties. The number o' soldiers that we have can hardly be called a militia, let alone an army, an' absolutely none of them are skilled in stealth, nor do they do patrols of the surrounding areas."
Baylee's head tilted ever so slightly. "Did she send them because o' the raiders that have been attacking?"
At that, Warren frowned. "How did you hear about those? Did you tell her 'bout them, Will?"
"No, he didn't. Bard told me," she explained. "I ran into him the other day an' he told me how he was going t' ask you about holding the meetings with Prince Fili here. He also mentioned that they were going to be about the raiders who've been attacking."
"Hand me that ribbon please, da'," Will said, pointing at one of the lengths of ribbon on Baylee's dresser. "I wasn't going to tell 'Lee about the raiders anyway, since I hadn't run into any. I didn't want to get her needlessly worried when we all made it home nice and safe." He thanked his father as he took the ribbon from him and used it to tie off the four-strand braid before plucking the ear cuff from his sister's hands. Carefully, he fitted it around her ear, a small grin coming to his lips when, as he gently pinched the top and bottom, he found that it fit perfectly. "Aha! Perfect fit!"
"Good job with that, lad," Warren chuckled, his brow rising as he saw the cuff on his daughter's ear. "That looks very pretty on you, love."
"Thanks, papa," she smiled, her cheeks a bit pink. "Did you need somethin', by the way?" She went to the corner of the room, standing in front of her mirror so she could look at her ear. She thought the cuff looked very pretty, though part of her wondered if, perhaps, it was too pretty for her.
He blinked, having almost entirely forgotten that he needed to speak with them. "Ah, yes—about those rangers. They'll be stayin' here for a few months, since the barracks…well, they're not exactly in the best o' shape just yet. They arrived this morning, so Bard will be bringing them over soon. I'm not quite sure what their culture is like, so do try t' keep an open mind if they do anything out of the ordinary."
"I know about their culture a little bit," Will stated, "so if there are any problems, I'll be able t' help—if I'm around at the time, that is."
Warren nodded in understanding. "Good, good…I've never been that far east, so I'm afraid I'm wholly ignorant. If they were dwarves, however…"
"Then you and Baylee would be experts," Will joked.
Baylee snorted. "No, papa would be the expert. I don't know much about them, aside from their methods of tossing food about an' that playing with their hair is a sign o' flirtation. Oh, and that they revere scars an' tattoos."
Warren's brow rose in amusement. "An' just how did you find that out?"
Her cheeks turned a bit pink again. "Bofur an' I were talking about how Will has a rough time finding work because o' his scars," she admitted, "an' he told me that he'd have no trouble finding work with dwarves, since they take pride in their scars."
"Bifur was tellin' me the same thing, actually," Will chuckled. "He even said that, if I wanted to have my scar decorated, he knew a dwarf who was excellent when it came t' tattooing."
"As much as I love dwarven culture, I'm not so sure I'm ready for my son t' be tattooed like them," Warren said, his voice a bit bland. "Maybe if it were in a hidden spot, but knowin' dwarves, they'd want t' put it all over your scar." Shaking his head, he let out a small sigh. "Well, now that I've warned you about our guests, I should get back out front. Don't want them t' arrive and find it empty up there."
"An' I should let Baylee get changed," Will stated, nodding in agreement. "That's why she came back here originally."
Shrugging, she smiled up at them. "I just need t' change into a different overdress is all. It won't take me long."
The two men nodded and moved to take their leave. Once Will had shut the door behind him, Baylee took off her belt and overdress. Giving the latter a good shake, she carefully folded it up and tucked it away in one of her drawers.
'Knowing papa, he'll want me to wear one of my newer overdresses so the new customers won't think he's a miser,' she thought, opening a different drawer. A quiet chuckle left her mouth and she shook her head. 'If he was a miser, the inn wouldn't be in such good condition nor our food and drink so good…Hm. I've got brown trousers and a cream-colored shirt on now…Maybe I should try this pink tunic?'
Pulling out the garment, she unfolded it and held it in front of herself. 'Hm…It's such a light color, I don't want it to stain if I spill anything on it…' Then, shrugging, she pulled it over her head. "I'll just wear my apron over it," she thought aloud. She grabbed a different, wider belt and, as she fastened it around her waist, she left her room.
When she walked out into the common room, she found Bofur and Nori arm wrestling while Bifur and Ori cheered them on. Her brow rising, she shook her head and quietly laughed before ducking into the kitchen. She grabbed her apron and, after putting her head through the top, she tied it into place. Looking around, she saw only Gawen in the kitchen at the moment; Galiene must have been taking a small break.
"What sorts o' food do we have ready that would be good for snacking?" she asked, going over to the wash basin. Pulling the wooden ladle out of the fresh water bucket, she wetted her hands before lathering them up with a bar of soap.
Gawen glanced over at her as he peeled some potatoes. "We've got some fruit bread left, along with some hand pies, some rolls, cheese, meat…I'd say we have fresh vegetables, but my aunt's goin' to be using them in dinner tonight. Did you hear 'bout the rangers?"
She nodded, rinsing her hands off. "Aye, da' told me and Will about them just a few minutes ago." Grabbing a bowl, she went to fill it with rolls. "Are auntie an' Wenna getting the rooms ready for them?"
"Aye. They should be done soon, though. Do you want me to slice up some ham for the lads…?"
Setting the bowl on a platter, she then grabbed a plate. "No thanks, I got it," she replied. Opening the knife drawer, she found one of their sharpest cutting knives and went over to the ham sitting on the counter by Gawen. "Thanks for the offer though." She smiled up at him before looking at the meat. "How're you liking it here, by the way? I know I asked you a while ago, but minds can change."
He chuckled, tossing a peel into the waste bucket. "I'm still enjoyin' it," he answered. "My cooking's already improved threefold and my knife skills have improved tenfold…An' I get to make sure my aunt doesn't overwork herself."
"Aye, that's always a good thing," she agreed. "My auntie does her best to keep up on the busiest nights, but there's only so much she can do before her hip starts acting up."
He nodded in understanding. "Will your da' be hiring any extra hands come summer?"
"Oh, most certainly." Once she had enough ham sliced up, she cut the piece in half before laying them on the plate. "We usually get three extra hostesses an' two extra cooks. This year, we might only get one, though, since you're here." Wiping off the knife, she put it back in the drawer and instead brought out a cheese knife.
"Makes sense. An inn this big needs a lot o' help when there are a lot o' customers."
"Aye, it does," she chuckled. Taking the plate and knife over to the platter, she then went into the pantry. "Which is why it's nice during the winter—it's so much quieter, it gives us time to rest and prepare for spring an' summer!" She came out with a block of cheese, which soon joined the platter of snack food.
Lifting it up on her palm, she carried it out to the lads, where it was now Bifur versus Nori. "Sorry that took a bit, lads. Who won the last match?"
Bofur plucked a roll from the bowl as she set it down on the table. "I lost, but only just," he told her. "Nori has the advantage o' not working all day like me an' Bifur did."
Bifur snorted. "If by working, you mean moving a pile o' wood from one side o' the kitchen to the other, then aye, I suppose you were workin'." He almost had the back of Nori's hand touching the table.
"Oi, it was a lot o' wood to move!" Bofur pouted, his cheeks turning a bit red as he was called out. He then looked up at Baylee with the full intention of thanking her for the snack food, but instead, he caught sight of the cuff on her ear and smiled. "Aha! I see your brother gave you the cuff!"
Her cheeks turned a bit pink, but she smiled. "Aye, he did, that big lug." She then looked at Ori. "An' I have you t' thank for it, too, Ori. You came up with a gorgeous design for it."
He smiled shyly. "I'm glad you like it, Miss Baylee," he said. "I've never came up with a design for jewelry before, so I was hopin' it would translate well t' the real thing."
"Well, I think it turned out—" She jumped as there was a thud followed by Bifur letting out a victorious cry. Rolling her eyes, she laughed as Bofur and Ori joined in with the little victory celebration.
"Ah, you just got lucky is all!" Nori snorted, his brow rising. "If I hadn't gone against Bofur first, I would have beat you easily."
"Excuses, excuses," Bifur grinned, feeling quite chuffed with himself. "Too bad the others aren't here with us—I'd have more blokes to go against."
"Would you want t' try to go against a human?" They looked over in time to see Warren and Will coming in from outside, with the former having been the one to speak. "I know I probably won't stand a chance, but it's been a long while since I've had a bit o' a challenge."
The grin remained on Bifur's lips. "If you're willin', then so am I," he said.
"Before you lads get carried away, mind letting me know what you all were drinkin'?" Baylee asked with a chuckle. She was in the process of gathering up their nearly-empty mugs.
"Ale," replied Nori and Bifur.
"Beer," came Bofur and Ori's answers.
"Could you get me an ale, too, 'Lee?" Will asked. "I want t' see how badly da' loses."
She rolled her eyes once more, but smiled. "Aye, I will." As Warren sat down across from Bifur, she plucked up the tray and carried it across the room.
It was as she was in the middle of filling Nori's tankard that the door to the inn opened. Looking over, she watched as Bard stepped in, followed by nine people, all of them in nearly-matching uniforms. It was also at that moment that another victorious cry arose from the lads' table; though he had lost, Warren had put up a good fight and even got Bifur's arm more than halfway down.
"It seems we've arrived at a bit o' an exciting time," Bard chuckled.
Warren grinned apologetically at the group of newcomers. "Just a wee bit, but you know how us blokes get when it comes t' arm wrestling." Standing up, he headed over to give them a proper greeting.
Setting Nori's tankard down on the tray, Baylee grabbed Bofur's mug. A bit of movement above her caught her attention, however, and she glanced up to find Wenna and Demelza leaning over the second-floor railing. Wenna's eyes were wide in wonder and Baylee knew exactly why: As she looked back at the rangers, she realized that they were all very attractive.
'Now that's not something you see every day,' she thought, finally moving to fill Bofur's mug. 'I'm sure part of it is knowing that they're from Dorwinion, though.' Glancing over, she saw that three of their number appeared to be female while the rest were male. They were all also quite tall, save for two: A woman with deep, olive skin and straight, brunette hair and a man with golden skin and curly, auburn hair. The shorter man seemed to be the leader of the group, as he was the one speaking with both Bard and her father.
Once Bofur's mug was full, she returned it to the tray and carried it back over to the table. The lads had quieted down, their interests piqued by the newcomers and their mouths filled with bread, meat, and cheese.
"These folk must be pretty important if Bard's the one showin' them to the place," Ori quietly commented.
"They were sent by Dorwinion," Will answered, his voice also soft. "They're a group of rangers—a gift sent by the queen, since we don't really have rangers o' our own just yet."
"They'll be stayin' here for a few months," Baylee added, setting the mugs down next to their owners. She put Will's down last and he gave her a nod of thanks. "Do you lads need anything else? If you'd like, I could slice up some more ham."
Ori glanced up, having been reaching for the last piece of ham. "…That would be wonderful, actually," he replied sheepishly.
Smiling, she plucked up the plate and carried it into the kitchen, where she found Galiene standing at the counter next to Gawen. Both had their sleeves rolled up to their elbows as they mixed together large batches of pie dough.
"Be a little easy on the water," Galiene was telling her nephew. "It's going to be rainin' soon, so you won't need as much as you think."
"Why's that?" he asked, confused.
"Because the air is wetter," Baylee answered, retrieving the same knife she had used earlier. "The rangers have arrived, by the way." She started to carefully carve slices from the ham once again.
"Have they? Good thing we're startin' dinner a bit early then," Galiene said, blowing a stray lock of hair from her face. Her brow then rose as she glanced over at Baylee. "I take it the lads were feelin' a bit peckish?" she asked with a chuckle.
"Aye, they were. They're still workin' on the rolls and the cheese, but the ham they devoured right away." Part of her wondered if, perhaps, she should preemptively get some snacks ready for the rangers. 'No, no—They've spent the day at Bard's hall. I'm sure Ethel kept them well fed.'
"If you think o' it, lass, ask the lads what they'll be wantin' for dinner," Gawen told her. "That way, if any of them want the pot pie, we can make half a dozen extra." He looked over at her, a teasing smile on his lips. His brow then rose; rain had begun pounding against the windows.
She snorted, glancing at the window as there was a flash of light. "I'll be sure t' ask," she replied, cutting the slices of ham in half once more. She had sliced double the amount as before, hoping it would be enough to tide the lads over until dinner. Plating the meat, she wiped the knife off again and was about to put it away when Galiene instructed her to leave it out.
"We'll need it soon enough anyway," she explained.
Nodding, Baylee plucked up the plate and headed out of the kitchen. She was in time to see Demelza and Wenna coming down the staircase, the latter struggling with trying to not stare in awe at the rangers. Shaking her head, Baylee quietly laughed to herself.
"Here you go, lads," she said, setting the plate down on the table. "Galiene and Gawen were wanting to know—"
A loud boom of thunder interrupted her, bringing matching grins to her and Will's faces. They did their best to restrain their joy at the storm's arrival, however, knowing that not everyone appreciated thunderstorms like they did.
"This is goin' to be a mighty loud storm from the sounds o' it," Nori said with a small frown. "Good thing we're not out in it."
"Aye, it's always better t' watch a storm from somewhere inside rather than bein' out in it," Bofur agreed with a small laugh. As he spoke, he was tamping some tobacco down into the bowl of his pipe. "An' thank you for the extra ham, Miss Baylee."
"It's no trouble," she smiled. Being that she stood beside him, she caught a whiff of his tobacco; she was more than a little surprised to find it cherry scented. "As I was sayin' before the thunder interrupted, Galiene an' Gawen were wonderin' which o' you would be having beef potpie and which o' you would be having pork stew for dinner tonight?"
"I think I'll be havin' the stew," Bifur replied. "Stormy nights just call for stew."
Nori and Ori nodded in agreement. "Aye, I'll have the stew, too," they chorused.
"Potpie for me, please," Bofur answered with a small grin. "As much as I like pork, I can't resist a good potpie."
"I'll have the potpie, too," Will told her, a cheeky grin on his lips.
Her brow rose in amusement. "O' course you are—you don't like pork stew!" she chuckled.
"Baylee, Will! Over here!" Warren called.
Excusing themselves, the siblings went over to their father, Bard, and the rangers. Demelza and Wenna were already standing there, Wenna's cheeks still pink. Drawing closer to the rangers, Baylee saw that their leader was even shorter than she originally thought—he was less than a foot taller than her.
"An' these two are my children," Warren introduced as the siblings stopped alongside him. He clapped a hand on Baylee's shoulder. "This here is Baylee, my eldest an' one of our hostesses."
She gave them a small curtsy, a friendly smile on her lips. "At your service."
Warren's hand then moved to Will's shoulder. "An' this is Will, my youngest an' a sometimes-host for the inn."
Also wearing a welcoming smile, Will gave a half bow. "At your service."
"I'm sure your father's already told you, but these rangers have been sent by the queen o' Dorwinion," Bard explained, "an' since our barracks aren't in the best o' shape still, they'll be stayin' here for the next few months. Rán here is their leader," he motioned at the shorter man, who gave an acknowledging nod. There was a flash of light, but no sound followed it. "This is his sister, Ashailyn," he motioned to a tall woman with the same golden skin and auburn hair as Rán. "His second in command, Nakara—" a man with slightly paler skin than the first two and brunette hair, "—Hunil—" a man with pale skin and short-cropped blonde hair, "—Kreine—" a tall woman with dark skin and short, coiled hair, "—her brother, Seth—" a dark skin man who stood a few inches shorter than his sister and had the same short, coiled hair, "—Aizik—" a pale half-elf with gingery hair, "—Fifika—" the shorter woman, "—and Girish," an olive-skinned man with black hair.
"I hope your stay here is a comfortable one," Warren then said with a smile. "If ever you need anythin', don't hesitate t' ask one o' us. We'll do our best t' help."
Before anyone could reply, thunder finally rumbled outside; it was a bit distant yet, but still made the floor tremble slightly. Some of the rangers looked out of the windows, their brows raised.
"I'm sure our stay will be a most pleasant one, Lord Braddock," Rán said once he was certain he wouldn't be interrupted by the storm. "And again, I thank you for your hospitality in allowing us to stay here for such an extensive amount of time. It is most appreciated."
Bard chuckled. "Believe me when I say there have been others who have stayed longer," he told him. He then looked up at Warren. "From the sound o' the weather, it's looking like me and the children will have t' stay the night, too."
Both Baylee and Will perked at this. "You brought Sigrid an' Bain with you?" the latter asked. "Where are they?"
As if on cue, childish giggling erupted from the kitchen.
"They were out in the stables with Peter," Bard chuckled, his brow rising. "I'm glad to hear that they made it back inside safely, though." Shaking his head, he let out a content sigh; he always enjoyed it when he could take a small break from being king.
"An' it sounds like they're in good spirits," Baylee grinned. She then turned to the rangers. "Can I get any o' you something to drink? We've tea, ale, beer, mead, cider, an' a handful of fruit juices on tap."
Rán turned slightly, looking at his companions. They quietly deliberated for a moment before he turned back to face her. "Tea would be most appreciated, Lady Braddock," he said. "Any kind would do."
Nodding, Baylee moved to head to the kitchen.
"While she gets that ready, Wenna an' me will show you t' the rooms," she heard Demelza say. "If you'll just follow us up the stairs…"
As she walked into the kitchen, Baylee was greeted by the sight of a young girl and boy, both of whom had the same thick, dark hair as Bard. They each held a half-eaten piece of fruit bread, large grins on their faces as they nibbled away at it.
"I see Galiene's spoilin' the two o' you already," she chuckled.
Their eyes widened and they looked over at her in surprise. "Auntie!" they cried in unison. They rushed over to her, happily clinging onto her. As they did so, Baylee saw that the top of Bain's head almost reached her chin.
"Oi, when did this happen?" she laughed, hugging them in return. "Bain's nigh as tall as me now! That's not very fair—you're supposed t' stay tiny your whole lives!"
"We've-we've been eatin' our veggies, we 'ave!" Sigrid giggled. Baylee was happy to see that she was still a good head and a half shorter than her.
"I have," Bain countered. "Sigrid not so much. She feeds a lot o' them to the dogs, which is why she's still short." A cheeky smile came to his lips as Baylee tousled his hair.
Galiene came over, wagging a playfully scolding finger at Sigrid. "You should be eatin' your vegetables, young lady. A princess such as yourself needs as many veggies as she can get if she wants t' grow up t' be tall an' fair."
"Or at least taller than auntie," Bain joked. He let out a shriek of laughter as Baylee suddenly lifted him up and over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"At least you're still light enough I can do this with you!" she grinned victoriously. She then looked at Galiene. "Can you put some o' the kettles on, by the way? The rangers requested a spot o' tea."
Nodding, Galiene moved to grab two of their four kettles so she could top off their water supply. "How many are there again?"
"Nine." She then set Bain down and made a shooing motion at the two. "I've got a bit o' work to do, so why don't you two run off an' go see Uncle Will an' Grandpa, eh?"
Giggling mischievously, the prince and princess hurried out of the kitchen. As they ran across the common room, they ran right for Warren and Will. "Uncle! Grandpa!" they called.
"There's my wee tykes!" Warren grinned, crouching down and holding out his arms. He burst out laughing when they launched themselves at him. Easily catching them, he gave them a big, bear-style hug.
"I don't think they're wee tykes anymore, da'," Will snorted, his brow raised. He crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Warren stand up, the two sitting on his forearms as he held them. "They're almost as tall as their Auntie Baylee by the looks o' it!"
Bard laughed. "They've still got a ways t' go before they get taller than her—something I'm sure she's happy to see."
"She doesn't think it's fair Bain's as tall as he is already," giggled Sigrid. "He reaches her chin now!"
Warren snickered. "Doesn't surprise me! I can already tell the lad's goin' to be taking after his father in terms o' height!" With some reluctance, he passed the two off to Will so he could get a proper greeting hug in.
"But he won't ever be as tall as you an' Uncle Will," Sigrid giggled. "Even if—even if he does keep eatin' his veggies!"
"Well, you know, your auntie ate her veggies an' she's still smaller than an acorn," Will grinned. "You two want t' know the real secret t' gettin' good and tall?"
"Yes! Yes!"
He teasingly turned away from Bard and Warren. In a loud whisper, he told them, "Eatin' as many cookies an' fruit pies as you can steal from the kitchen!"
"Will!" Bard laughed, his brow rising. "They steal enough sweets from the kitchens as is!"
Looking over his shoulder at him, Will grinned cheekily. "Well, it's better than tellin' them about Auntie Baylee's jar o' candies she keeps in a yellow clay pot on the bottom-left shelf o' the pantry," he retorted. "Oops, did I say that out loud?" He wore a look of mock guilt.
Bain and Sigrid looked at one another, their eyes widening. Squirming their way free from Will's grip, they bolted back towards the kitchen.
"Oooh, you're goin' t' have hell to pay for that, son," Warren laughed. "You know how Baylee is about her stash o' candies."
"Well, if she doesn't want them raided, then she should hide them better," Will snorted. He started to make his way towards the bar. "You want anythin' t' drink, Bard?"
"I'll take a cider if you wouldn't mind," he chuckled. "An' if my children are up until midnight because o' the sugar rush you're givin' them, then it's you who's goin' t' stay up with them."
Warren shook his head, laughing. "Ah, he wouldn't mind. It'd be good practice for when he eventually has his own tykes t' chase after!"
Will snorted. "What're you talkin' about? We just plop them on Baylee's lap an' have her tell them some fairytales an' they'll be out in no time," he told them. Pulling out a mug, he crouched down so he could reach the cider barrel. "Just like when they were toddlers."
"I don't think they can both fit on her lap anymore," Bard chuckled. He glanced over at the kitchen doorway just in time to see Baylee come walking out. Bain and Sigrid were draped over her shoulders, wearing mischievous grins. "I see they were caught."
"Aye, they were," Baylee chuckled, her brow raised. "An' they're little snitches, too—told me right away it was their Uncle Will who told them where t' find my candy."
"Did you make sure to fill your pockets?" Will called from behind the bar.
"And our mouths!" Sigrid giggled.
"Atta girl!" Standing upright, Baylee could see that her twin wore just as mischievous a smile as the children she toted. "Did you steal any fruit pies before auntie caught you?"
Bain shook his head, a small pout coming to his lips. "There weren't any. Weren't any cookies either." As Baylee let go of him, he slid backwards until his feet hit the floor; Sigrid copied him, though she let out a little squeak of surprise, as she had further to fall.
"Which is good, considerin' that too many sweets will have your appetite spoiled," Baylee told them. "Give me just a second, wee ones. I got t' go check on the lads." Ruffling their hair, she walked over to the dwarves, who seemed to be rather entertained by her antics. "How're your drinks, lads?" she asked.
"Close to empty," Bifur admitted. "I didn't know Bard had himself some bairns."
Nori nodded in agreement. "Knew he had himself a wife who passed on a few years ago, but the children are a bit o' a surprise." He slid his mug across the table for Baylee as she started to gather up the vessels.
"They clearly take after their father in his younger years," Bofur joked, giving Baylee a small, playful wink. As her cheeks grew a bit darker, he felt a little flutter in his stomach for some reason. "Though, they could stand t' learn a thing or two about bein' sneaky."
"They're young yet," she smiled, putting the mugs on a tray. She glanced towards the window as there was a third flash of lightning. "They'll learn in time. Ori, could you pass me Will's mug?"
He nodded and, plucking it up, held it out to her. "He hasn't been back here yet, so it's still got about a quarter o' his ale left."
Taking the mug from him, she glanced over her shoulder. Will was busy entertaining the children; as such, she shrugged and downed the rest of his ale for him. Setting it down on the tray, she grinned as she heard the lads snicker. It wasn't the first time they had seen her finish Will's drink when he wasn't looking, but they still got a kick out of it. Lifting the tray, she carried it over to the bar, where she began to refill them.
"Auntie?" She looked down to see Sigrid standing a few feet from her.
"Yes, little one?" Outside, the thunder finally rolled.
"Who're—who're those dwarves over there?" she asked jumping slightly at the thunder. "The ones pa, grandpa, an' uncle are sitting with?"
Glancing over her shoulder, Baylee found that the three humans had, indeed, joined the dwarves. "Those are some o' our friends who're staying here," she replied. "They're very nice folk."
Sigrid took a few steps closer. "One o' them—one o' them looks like a star," she loudly whispered. "He's very pretty."
Baylee did her best to not crack up; it was the first time she had ever heard one of the lads referred to as 'pretty'. The fact it was the fairly stoic Nori made it all the more humorous to her. "That one's Nori. He's the big brother o' Ori, the blonde one. Bifur's the one with the big black an' white beard while Bofur's the one in the hat."
Peeking over the bar at the group, Sigrid looked them over. When Baylee walked over, putting a full mug on the tray, she glanced up at her. "Bofur has pigtails like me," she stated. For emphasis, she held up the two brunette braids on either side of her head.
"Mhm. 'Cept he knows a dwarvish secret that makes his curl upwards."
"Do—do you know the secret, auntie?"
She shook her head. "Can't say that I do, little one." She then chuckled. "Why? Do you want your pigtails t' stick up like his?"
Sigrid wore a small grin as she nodded heartily.
"Hm. Well, you know, dwarves think o' hair as a sacred thing," she told her, "but maybe he'd be willin' to teach you the secret, since you're so cute an' small."
At that, the princess crouched down slightly, her eyes wide.
Knowing that look all too well—Sigrid did it whenever she felt nervous about having to talk to someone new—Baylee chuckled and gently patted her on the head. "Would you like me t' ask him for you?"
"Please?" came her tiny, shy reply.
"Follow me then, love. I can't promise he'll say yes, though. Like I said, dwarves find hair t' be sacred." She picked up the tray and started to head back towards the table.
"Like—Like grandpa finds his forge sacred?" She stayed close to Baylee, somewhat hiding herself behind her auntie, despite being almost too tall to hide properly.
Baylee giggled quietly. "Sort o'." As they approached the table, she removed the mugs and set them by their owners. "Bofur?"
"Aye, lass? An' thank you for the refill, by the way." He grinned up at her before taking a drink.
"It's no trouble," she chuckled. "This wee one," she used her head to motion down at Sigrid, "was just wantin' to know if you'd be willin' to reveal the secret about how you're able t' get your braids t' curl upwards like that."
Bofur blinked before chuckling as he saw the little girl peeking out from behind her auntie. "Hmm…Well, normally I'd have t' decline, since it's a dwarvish secret as you said," he said, amusement in his voice, "but if the wee princess says the magic word, I suppose I could let her in on it by showin' her."
Sigrid poked her head out a little more. "Pretty please?"
At that, Bofur feigned a look of shock. "Oh, she used two magic words—Now I definitely have t' show her," he grinned.
Baylee giggled, her brow rising. "Aye, I can definitely tell you've nieces an' nephews of your own," she said. She watched as he slid off his stool and patted it, motioning for Sigrid to take his place.
"Do you?" Bard questioned, his brows furrowed slightly.
"Oh, aye—Bombur's got seven children with the an eighth on the way," Bifur answered. "An' all of them adore their Uncle Bofur."
"And their cousin Bifur," Bofur added. When Sigrid got situated, he started to untie her braids so he could redo them the dwarvish way. "An' it's not just because we make them toys."
"But it sure helps," Nori joked.
"Oh, you shush now," Bifur snorted.
Lightly shaking her head, Baylee smiled at the group. "Do any o' you need anythin' else t' munch on?" she asked.
Warren shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but there was a boom of thunder. Once it passed, her said, "We'll be fine, love. Will an' I can keep the tankards full."
"Alright then," she smiled. "You know what t' do if you need anythin'." Turning, she headed back to the kitchen, where she found the kettles just starting to steam. She grabbed the first of the three teapots and, using a dishtowel to protect her hand from the head, removed the kettle from the fire. Filling the teapot nearly to the top, she watched as the leaves and bits of dried fruit started to both scent and color the water.
"All three tea pots have Yavanna's Bounty in them," Galiene said, glancing over her shoulder at the younger woman.
"Ooh, givin' them a nice, fruity blend," Baylee chuckled. "Good choice, especially with this storm ragin'." Once the first teapot was full, she replaced the lid before setting the now-empty kettle aside. Opening the second teapot, she grabbed the second kettle. "Did I tell you which lads wanted what for dinner, by the way?"
Gawen shook his head. "You were too distracted by the arrival o' the prince an' princess."
"Ahh. Well, all but Bofur an' Will are having the stew."
Galiene looked a bit surprised by this. "An' here I was expecting most o' them to want both," she chuckled. She jumped as another clap of thunder shook the building slightly. "Ugh. I hope this storm passes soon…"
"The thunder is still fairly spaced out from the lighting an' is still pretty quiet, so it'll be a while before it passes over us," Baylee told her as she filled the second teapot. "My guess is the Lonely Mountain slowed the storm down a bit, so it's not movin' as quickly as it had been an hour ago."
The cook shook her head, letting out a theatric sigh. "You an' your love o' storms," she jokingly scolded. "It's unnatural, it is. Storms are loud an' scary for a reason: T' keep us inside on nights when we shouldn't be out. But, no, you an' Will want t' go out and play in the damned things."
Gawen and Baylee snorted at her comment. "We know better than t' go out and play in storms now," the latter replied, filling the third teapot now. "We'd rather not end up gettin' fried by lightning." Seeing movement in the corner of her eye, she turned just in time to see Wenna and Demelza entering the kitchen.
While Demelza headed over to help with the dinner preparations, Wenna hurried over to Baylee. Her eyes were wide and there was a broad grin on her lips. "Aren't they handsome?" she whispered excitedly.
Baylee quietly laughed and rolled her eyes; she knew Wenna was speaking about the rangers. Despite her reaction, she nodded in agreement. "Aye, they're very handsome. An' their women are very beautiful, too." She set the third kettle aside and moved to arrange the teapots on a platter. "Which one do you find most attractive? My guess is Nakara."
"Ooh, he's definitely one o' the more handsome ones, but the Rán fellow…Aye, he's a wee short, but somethin' about him is just so…" She let out a quiet, dreamy sigh before shaking her head. "What about you? Who do you think's the most handsome?"
"Not sure yet. I've only seen Rán an' his sister smile. I'll let you know after I've seen the others smile." She moved to grab nine clay mugs as well as a handful of tea strainers.
Wenna pouted at her words. "Smiles or not, they're all attractive," she told her, "so you must find at least one o' them more appealin' than the others!"
Her brow rose and she chuckled, the sound a bit defeated. "Alright, alright…I have t' agree with you: Rán is the most handsome o' the bunch. But Seth is a close second."
"Are you two discussin' the attractiveness o' our new guests already?" Demelza questioned, her brow rising.
"Oh, let them be, Demelza," Galiene laughed. "They're young, single lasses—they're allowed t' look around." She then gave her friend a teasing nudge with her hip. "Never know. One o' them might find a husband among the rangers."
Both Wenna and Baylee's faces turned bright red at her implication, making the older women and Gawen laugh.
Gawen walked towards them, bearing a large bowl of sliced vegetables. "That's what you two get for gossipin' in the kitchen like wee schoolgirls," he teased.
Wenna pursed her lips in a pout. "Is that so? Well, I'm sure once you see their women, you'll be right back here, gossipin' with us," she countered. "Because they're just as pretty—if not more so—than the men."
"No, thank you. I'd rather not get thwacked upside the head by my aunt," he replied, pouring the vegetables into the large cook pot. They hissed and sizzled when they hit the hot metal. Grabbing the longest spoon, he started to stir them around before adding a good bit of salt and pepper. "Especially since she's currently wieldin' a marble rolling pin."
"Smart lad!" Galiene laughed, her brow raised.
"That he is," Baylee agreed with a laugh. Unable to fit all of the mugs and teapots onto one platter, she divided them up between two. She handed the lighter one off to Wenna before motioning for her to follow her back out to the common room.
Only five of the rangers had returned from inspecting their rooms so far, but they had taken up residence at the second largest of the inn's tables. She and Wenna started to unload the trays, placing a mug in front of those who were seated while the rest they set around one of the tea pots.
"Thank you very much, Lady Baylee and Lady Wenna," Rán told them, giving them both a thankful smile before pouring himself some tea. "About how long will it be until dinner?"
"About an hour, hour an' a half," Wenna replied, her cheeks still the slightest bit flushed. "T'night's menu is your choice o' pork stew or beef potpies. There will be fresh bread an' rolls to go with both, as well as cheese if you'd like."
He nodded in understanding. "It sounds much more delicious than the hardtack and jerky we ate while on the road here," he said with a soft chuckle. Now that she was closer to him, Baylee could see some dark circles under his eyes. She also saw that he had strange scars around his lips—it almost looked like his mouth had been sewn shut at one point.
'They must have been traveling with little rest,' Baylee thought as more thunder rumbled outside. "Are you sure you wouldn't like anythin' to snack on in the meantime, my lord?" she asked.
He nodded. "His Majesty made sure we had a filling lunch," he assured her.
"Alright," she smiled. "If you change your mind, just give us a holler." Excusing herself, she went over to the fireplace, where the fire was beginning to burn a bit low. Crouching down, she grabbed the poker and started to move the logs around.
"Now you bring this one under like this before looping it over this one." Glancing over at the lads' table, she saw Bofur instructing Sigrid on how to do the 'secret' dwarven braid. While he did one side of her hair, she was following along with the other side. "Aye, just like that, lass! Now, remember how we did that first bit o' weaving?"
"Mhm!"
"We need t' do that all over again. An' again, an' again until we reach the end, alright? Do you think you can remember all those steps or would you like me t' show you again?"
Sigrid wore a determined expression as she looked up at the dwarf. "I wanna—I wanna try it on my own first, please."
Bofur chuckled as he nodded. "O' course you can, lass. We've all the time in the world for you t' practice."
Baylee smiled as she watched them; Bofur continued to braid her hair, though he went much slower than normal just in case Sigrid needed a little bit of help. 'I'm surprised she's being so still for him,' she thought, looking back to the fire. 'Normally, she's a little wiggle worm. Then again, it has been a few months since I last saw her…She and Bain both seem to have calmed down slightly since then. And Bofur is teaching her something—which is also unexpected. It normally takes her a while to warm up to strangers."
Standing up, she went over to the wood box and gathered up a few logs. But, as she turned around, the logs were suddenly lifted out of her arms, making her squeak in surprise. Looking up, she saw Bard chuckling, his brow raised at her.
"What's this? I've finally managed to startle the little mouse lass?" he joked.
A playful pout came to her lips and she gave him a small shove. "Very funny, Bard," she said. "O' course you startled me—last I knew, you were over at the table with the lads." They walked back over to the hearth, where Bard knelt down to start placing the logs. "You know, I could have done that myself."
"You could have…but what kind of king would I be if I didn't help out once in a while?" he questioned, amusement in his voice as he glanced up at her.
She rolled her eyes, grinning. "Oh, don't give me tha' tripe. You know full well we don't care if you're a king or not 'round here," she chuckled.
"Except Galiene, of course," he replied, using the poker to adjust the coals a bit more.
"Ah, you know she only cares because it means she gets t' cook her best recipes—the ones she doesn't get a chance t' cook very often for us." She watched him for a minute before looking back at Bofur and Sigrid. It appeared that the girl hadn't quite gotten the braid right, so he was once more having her follow along as he braided one side. "I'm a wee bit surprised Sigrid's taken so well t' Bofur so fast."
It was at that moment Bofur glanced over at them, catching Baylee as she watched them. He smiled at her and it almost looked like his cheeks had turned a bit pink; the lighting, though, made it hard to tell. Baylee felt her own cheeks grow pink and she returned the smile. When the dwarf went back to working on the braid, she looked back down at Bard.
"Well, from what my memory serves me, he was one o' the more likeable members o' the company," Bard grunted, having to lean in a bit closer to the flames in order to place one of the fresh logs. He stole a glance up at her, finding her cheeks a bit rosy as she watched him. Part of him wondered if the heat of the hearth had simply made her flush or if, perhaps, he had brought it about…? "Though, now that they're not hiding in my house and complaining about the cobbled-together weapons I provided them with, the other three seem quite agreeable as well." Hearing Bain burst into laughter, he glanced over his shoulder to find the lad being dangled upside by Will, who was also slightly swinging him from side to side. "Will, please don't break my son," he called out as he put the last log on the fire.
"I can't make any promises!"
"You had better make it a promise!"