A/N: Merry Christmas~! Enjoy the early update 3
"I want Fifika, Seth, and Nakara to search along the southern routes. Kreine, Aizik, Girish—you're to go east. Hunil and Ashailyn, west."
"Why aren't you sending anyone north?" Hunil questioned, his brow raised.
"They wouldn't come from the north. The terrain is too rough, even for wargs." Rán let out a quiet sigh as he looked up at his rangers. "Your mission is the same as yesterday. Remember: Even the smallest of finds can prove monumental in the long run. You're dismissed."
The rangers nodded and turned, leaving the room—all except for Ashailyn. She looked down at her brother, some worry in her eyes.
"Are you positive you'll be alright? You're going to be here all by yourself."
He gave her a reassuring smile. "You have nothing to worry about, 'Shai. I'll be in good hands, I'm sure." He watched as a teasing grin came to his sister's lips and she opened her mouth to speak, but he interrupted her before she could get out even a single syllable. "Don't make one of your crude jokes."
A pout came to her lips. "You're no fun." Leaning over, she kissed the top of his head. "But that's what big brothers are for: Being the boring ones." She chuckled, standing upright. "When I come back from my patrol, is there anything you'd like me to get from the market?"
"Not unless they have a miracle elixir that can heal me overnight." He glanced past her, looking at the doorway when someone approached. A smile came to his lips; it was Baylee, bearing a tray of food and drink. "Good morning, Lady Baylee," he said, switching to Westron.
"Good morning," she replied, also smiling. He could see some worry in her eyes, however. "I've your breakfast if you're ready for it."
"I am," he chuckled, beckoning her to come into the room. He glanced up as Ashailyn kissed the top of his head again before taking her leave. "I see you have finally returned from Erebor."
She quietly chuckled as she set the tray down on the bedside table. "Aye. We got back yesterday afternoon. O' course, unexpectedly bein' gone overnight meant I had a lot o' things t' catch up on…" She shook her head as she picked up the teapot, filling his cup. "An' I heard you got a wee bit chewed up while I was gone…though, judgin' by the amount o' bandages you've got on, Prim greatly underestimated the damage that was done." There was a small, worried frown on her face as she handed him the cup.
"I assure you, my lady, they look worse than they are," he told her. Thanking her for the tea, he took the cup and brought it to his face so he could smell it; he was a bit surprised when he discovered that it was his favorite flavor.
Her brow rose. "That's what they all say," she told him, a dry laugh leaving her mouth. "Regardless, I'm glad to see you sitting up an' talkin'. Not many can get chewed on by a warg an' be so…well, conscious."
"For that, you can thank my dwarven half," he smiled. He took a sip of the tea, enjoying the warmth it brought him. "It has made me quite hardy, though not nearly as hardy as a full-blooded dwarf." Looking up at her, his smile turned a bit tender. "…Do you have to return downstairs right away, my lady?"
She shook her head. "No. I've actually been asked t' sit with you while you eat, just in case you needed anything or any help." Though, she was positive that Ashailyn more or less wanted to make sure she spent some time alone with him.
"Have you?" he chuckled, motioning for her to sit on the bedside. "I suppose my sister does not want me to accidentally spill soup all down my front again."
Sitting down, she winced at the thought. "Ooh, I hope it had cooled down a bit first, at least." Doing her best to be subtle, she looked him over. Thanks to his arm being bound to his chest, he wasn't wearing a shirt, which not only gave her a view of the bruises dotted along his shoulder and parts of his bicep, but also his chest and stomach. Swallowing hard, she turned her attention to her dress, which she adjusted as she crossed her legs.
"Thankfully, it was about room temperature." His brow rose ever so slightly and a hint of a grin came to his lips; as subtle as Baylee had tried to be, he had still caught her staring at his shirtless torso. Not to mention, her cheeks had turned pink. He pretended to not have noticed, however, and after taking another sip of the tea, he reached over and set it on the table. "How was your trip, by the way? Entertaining, I hope?"
"Very much so," she smiled. "It was nice, seein' how much repair work had been done t' the city since I last visited it a few years ago. It was also much more populated than the last time." She watched as he grabbed the bowl of porridge and brought it over. Though his right arm was still bound to his chest, he was able to hold the bowl with his hand, allowing him to eat with his left hand. "I also got t' meet Bofur's family. They're very nice…His nieces are convinced I'm just a skinny, hairless dwarf."
He chuckled, his brow rising; while he didn't like hearing about Bofur, he was fine with hearing about his family. "Oh? How so?"
"Well, for one, I'm short. Secondly, I know Iglishmêk. An' thirdly, I know how t' toss food around like a dwarf." She lightly shook her head; not having undone her hair since the previous day, some of her braids swung into her face.
Upon seeing the braids, Rán found himself thankful that his face was partially hidden by his hand and spoon. Though he couldn't see all of them, a quick count told him that there were more than six in her hair and his injuries were the only things keeping him from jumping out of that bed and running off.
He so badly wanted to break a few of Bofur's bones right then.
Baylee didn't seem to notice, though, as she tucked one of the braids behind her ear. She did, however, know that Rán was unlikely to actually be enjoying listening to her talk about her trip since it had been with Bofur. As such, she changed the subject. "How did you even get attacked by a warg in the first place?" she questioned.
He, was, indeed, a bit relieved by the topic change. "Fifika, Seth, and I were on our patrol route," he started, "when we saw what looked to be two bears and three humans in the distance." Pausing for a moment, he ate a bite of porridge. "This, of course, meant that we needed to investigate. As such, we split up: Fifika came from the west, Seth from the north, and I went in from the east. Of the three of us, I was able to get the closest without being caught—at least, I was not caught for some minutes."
She frowned, giving him a pitying look. "Did you at least learn anythin' that made getting attacked the least bit worth it?"
"I did, though it was not very much. The group was made up of what I think were two humans—a male and a female—as well as an orc. The female had to have come from Dorwinion or one of its surrounding territories while the male came from either Dale or Laketown."
"A bloke from Dale or Laketown?" she repeated, her brows furrowed. "Why would someone from up here be talkin' with a raider an' an orc, though?"
"I believe he was making some sort of deal with them. There was talk about delivering something." He paused again to eat more of his breakfast. "I wish I could have heard more," he sighed. "At least then, we would have a little more information at our disposal. As it is, we have only that bit of broken conversation and an inscribed kopis."
Her head tilted somewhat. "What's a kopis?"
He gave her a curious look. "You have never heard of a kopis?" When she shook her head, he quietly chuckled. "I should not be surprised. It is a type of sword that is fading out of fashion in Dorwinion and its surrounding territories. It is over there on the dresser if you wish to take a look." As he ate more porridge, he watched as she stood up and rounded the bed to go inspect the sword.
Baylee was surprised by how small and light it was. "This is a sword?" she asked with a small chuckle. "It looks and feels more like a long-knife." The condition of the blade shocked her as well; normally weapons were well cared for, but this one had clearly seen better days.
"Kopis are one-edged swords," Rán explained. "They are rather good for close-quarters fighting, but are particularly good for mounted combat. Which would explain why it was used by a warg-rider."
She nodded in understanding, her brows furrowing slightly as she wrapped her hand around the hilt. It was a strange design; it had no guard, but the end of the handle was curved towards the blade, forming a hook. "I'm not sure I like this handgrip, though I can see why it was chosen." The hooked shape, she knew, would help the wielder keep a hold on the weapon rather than dropping it.
Holding it up to the light, she looked it over one more time. It was then she noticed the runes in the metal, which made her head tilt again.
"Dwarvish runes," Rán told her, both amused and endeared by her reactions to the blade. "I am afraid I cannot read them; Master Ori, however, was kind enough to translate them for us."
"What do they say?"
"I cannot remember exactly, but they are on that piece of paper there." He nodded at the dresser again. "Essentially, it is a note left by the smith who made the sword—or, at the very least, worked on the sword at some point." As Baylee set the sword down in favor of grabbing the paper, he started to shift himself so that he was sitting even more upright; it hurt though, and he quietly swore in pain.
She looked back at him, concern on her face. "Are you alright?"
He nodded. "I am fine; I needed to change my position is all."
"Are you sure? You don't look very comfortable…"
"Admittedly, I am a bit uncomfortable, but it is hard to be comfortable when your arm is not allowed to move." He chuckled quietly and lightly shook his head.
Setting the paper down, she went back over to his bedside; she didn't want to spend too long looking at the note anyway, given that it would betray the fact she couldn't read too well. "If you'd like, I could fetch you another pillow or two," she told him. "It'd be no trouble, I promise."
He was quiet for a moment as he thought over her offer; it would be nice to have a bit more cushioning behind him, especially since he currently only had two pillows. But, at the same time, he didn't want her to leave, since it would cut into their visiting time. His injured shoulder continued to ache as it rested against the wooden headboard, however, making him relent. "I would greatly appreciate that, Lady Baylee."
"I'll be right back, then," she told him, a small smile on her lips. Turning, she left the room.
A heavy sigh left Rán's mouth and he let his head fall back against the headboard. Setting his half-eaten porridge aside, he rubbed his face in a mixture of frustration and embarrassment. 'I hope she doesn't find me burdensome,' he thought. 'Especially after she spent an entire day around that…that Bofur…' His brows furrowed slightly as he remembered how she had nine love-knots in her hair. 'I can't believe he thinks he can just lay claim to her like that! I, at least, put only six in her hair. I wouldn't dare put nine in; at least, not until she had officially agreed to—'
His eyes suddenly shot open. 'No. No, surely the two of them hadn't…? If they had, Lady Baylee would be a bit more giddy?' He let his eyes fall shut again. 'She would be more giddy. Not to mention, I see no rings on her fingers. Just a necklace, but no one proposes with necklaces.' He quietly chuckled to himself. 'No…he merely did nine braids as a threat to me. It almost worked, too. Almost.'
Hearing the creak of the door opening, he opened his eyes and lifted his head in time to see Baylee entering with two plush pillows in hand. "Thank you, Lady Baylee. I greatly appreciate this."
"It's no trouble," she replied with a smile. "Here, let me help you get them in place." Part of her wondered if she had made the offer with the genuine desire to help him or if some selfish part of her mind wanted to be closer to the ranger. Whatever the reason, she moved closer in order to help tuck the pillows behind him and get him comfortably propped up.
She didn't quite realize just how much closer she had gotten until he leaned back and she suddenly found his face barely six inches from hers. Her cheeks flushed pink when she realized how little space there was between them, but before she could pull back, Rán's hand came to rest on her cheek. His palm was warm against her skin and sent a small shiver running down her spine.
"Thank you," he told her, his voice soft. His thumb tenderly stroked her cheek; her skin was so much softer compared to his. "Has anyone ever mentioned how lovely you are, my lady?" he murmured, his eyes locking with hers. Beneath his palm, her cheek was growing hot as her blush darkened.
"N-no," she mumbled, suddenly feeling quite nervous and even a bit tense. Was it just her, or was Rán moving closer to her? "I-I'm not really—" But before she could finish speaking, she was silenced when Rán's lips pressed against hers.
She was struck shocked and dumb for a few seconds before regaining her senses. Shyly, she somewhat tilted her head and started to return the kiss, hoping what she did was alright—this was her first kiss, after all, and she wasn't quite sure what to do. She did find herself pleasantly surprised that Rán's stubble didn't scratch her skin like she expected; instead, it tickled. Being so close to him, she was also able to smell the scent of his citrus-and-vanilla hair oil. It was such a strange scent for a man, she thought, but it suited him. Unconsciously, she set a hand on the mattress and leaned in a bit closer to him so he wouldn't have to strain himself. Her other hand came to rest on the uninjured side of his chest.
As much as she was enjoying Rán's kiss, however, a part of her felt guilty. Bofur had been so kind to her by showing her around Erebor and letting her stay in his home for the night—he even bought her a lovely necklace!
And yet, he had only gotten a hug as thanks.
After nearly a minute, Rán pulled back ever so slightly, his eyes half-lidded and a small grin on his lips as he watched Baylee's eyes open partway as well. His thumb still stroking her cheek, he tilted his head forward and kissed her a second time, letting this one linger for a moment or two. He enjoyed how soft her lips felt against his; with how harsh the northern climate could be, he had been expecting them to be a bit on the rough side.
"I have been longing to know what your kiss feels like," he breathed when the second kiss came to an end. "And I must say, I was not disappointed."
"Th-that's good t' hear," she quietly chuckled, a shy smile on her lips. "I w-was hopin' I wasn't too bad…"
A curious expression came to his face. "And why would that be, my lady?" His hand pulled away from her cheek only to brush his knuckles against the soft skin a few seconds later.
Baylee felt another shiver run down her spine; though his skin was rough, his touch was so very gentle. "…Th-that was my first kiss."
His brow rose and his grin turned a bit victorious. "Is that so?" When she nodded, he stole a third kiss from her, though this one lasted only a few seconds. "Then I feel honored to have been your first."
Half an hour later found Baylee returning downstairs, the tray of dirty dishes in hand. The common room was practically empty; Bofur and Bifur had already gone off to work while Ori and Nori sat at the table, playing a game of dice. A handful of other guests were scattered about, either talking quietly with one another or eating their breakfasts.
As she neared the kitchen, she could see that the Lightfoot sisters had arrived; Wenna had gotten there shortly before she had been requested to sit with Rán. Galiene and Gawen, too, had arrived, with the former already having her nephew prepping vegetables for the later meals.
"Ah, Baylee, there you are!" Wenna chirped. There was a mischievous smile on her lips as she watched her friend carry the dishes over to the sink. "How's Lord Rán feeling today? Better, I hope."
She nodded, dunking the dishes into the large bucket of sudsy water. "Aye, he's feelin' better. Still not quite strong enough t' walk, but he's able t' shift himself around on his bed as well as eat an' drink on his own." Grabbing the washcloth, she picked up the bowl and started to clean it.
"That's good t' hear," Primrose smiled. "It was scary when Lord Seth came dragging him in the other day; he was absolutely covered in blood…We all thought the worst had happened."
"He was also soakin' wet, which means even the smallest bit o' blood could look ten times the amount," Gawen reminded them, his brow raised.
Wenna pouted. "You weren't the one who had t' see him come in like that. You got t' be back here in the kitchen."
"He was dripping blood onto the floor!" Rosamunde countered with a pout of her own. "I don't care if it was bloodied water or entirely blood—it was scary t' see!"
"Yeah!" Rosalyn agreed as she finished tying on her apron. "You're used t' seeing butchered animals and their innards—of course you wouldn't be as affected as the rest o' us."
Galiene snorted. "You lasses are soundin' like wee schoolgirls all over again," she told them, shaking her head. "Now why don't you stop your frettin' an' go see if any customers need anything? Lord Rán is alright an' not bleedin' all over the floor anymore."
Rosalyn and Rosamunde nodded before making their way out into the common room.
"Do any o' you know if Will's headed off t' the shop yet, by the way?" Baylee asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"Nope, I'm right here!"
Baylee squeaked and dropped the bowl, which she had been rinsing, into the sink as Will came out of the pantry. He had a large, ceramic pot on his shoulder and a cheeky grin on his lips. His sister's cheeks flushed red as the others quietly laughed at her reaction.
"Here's the pickled veggies you asked me t' bring up, Galiene," he said, setting the pot down on the island. "You're goin' t' want to either make or buy more soon, though—after this, you've only got one small pot left."
The cook nodded in understanding. "Thank you, lad. I much appreciate it."
He nodded, giving her a smile. "It's no trouble." Then, turning towards his sister—who was drying off the bowl by this point—and asked, "Why did you want t' know if I had left for work yet?"
"I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment?" Setting the bowl on the counter, she slipped the towel back on its ring.
"O' course. I always got time t' talk t' my big sister," he teased as he lightly tousled her hair. His head tilted somewhat as she motioned for him to follow her out into the hallway. "Is something wrong?" he asked her, his voice quieter once they were out of the kitchen.
"No, no—nothing's wrong, I promise. I just…I need advice an' I need it from someone who's been in more than one relationship." She rubbed the side of her neck; she looked rather confused and nervous.
His brows furrowed, a serious look coming to his face. "I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee I'll be able t' tell you anything helpful."
She nodded in understanding. "Well…you know how I told you an' papa that I fancy both Bofur an' Rán…? An' how they both fancy me?"
"O' course. Hard t' forget when you turned as red as a tomato."
Her cheeks flushed again and she ever so slightly pouted. "Well…The thing is, I was up with Rán just now, sittin' with him while he ate breakfast an' whatnot. An'…uh…" Her cheeks turned even redder now. "He kissed me. A couple o' times."
Inwardly, Will began to panic. Outwardly, though, he looked calm as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. "He gave you your first kiss, eh? How was it?" He even managed a small chuckle.
"It—it was nice," she admitted. "Very nice…"
"So, what advice do you need from me?" he then asked, brow rising. "How t' gently tell Bofur that he isn't—"
"No!" she said before he could finish. "No, that's not it at all." Sighing, she closed her eyes for a moment, her hand beginning to fidget with one of her braids. "While Rán an' I were kissing…As nice as it was, I couldn't help but feel guilty."
"Guilty?" he repeated. Maybe he didn't need to panic…
"Aye, guilty. I mean, Bofur showed me all over Erebor an' took me t' meet his family. He let me stay the night an' even bought me this gorgeous necklace and—and all he got was a couple o' hugs." Her other hand grabbed another braid and started to fidget with it now. "Don't get me wrong; it's not like Rán didn't deserve the kisses—I was worried sick when I heard he was bedridden with injuries an' got even more so when I saw the extent o' them. But…at the same time, I can't help but feel like I might've shortchanged Bofur." As Will started to chuckle, she pouted. "Don't laugh, Will! I'm bein' serious!"
"I know, I know, but I'm not laughin' at you. I'm laughin' at the situation," he assured her. "Only you would feel bad 'bout having two lads chasin' you an' you only smooched one o' them. Most people would say you've made your choice."
"But I haven't! If anythin', I'm even more torn now than I was an hour ago."
He looked down at his sister, a pitying smile coming to his lips; he couldn't blame her for being so confuddled. Before this, the only lad she had ever fancied and vice versa was Bard. "Do you want my honest opinion an' advice, 'Lee?"
"I wouldn't have come t' you otherwise."
Sighing, he stood upright and set his hands on her shoulders. "I think it's perfectly normal for you t' feel guilty. As you said, you haven't made your choice yet, so o' course you're going t' feel that way. You care for both o' them." He then gave her shoulders a small squeeze. "But I also think you need t' sit down an' seriously consider this situation you're in. Aye, it might feel nice, knowin' that two blokes are fightin' over you, but there are three hearts on the line here, 'Lee. An' I'm sorry, but you have t' break one of them to avoid breakin' all three."
Slowly, she nodded and let out a quiet sigh.
"Somethin' to consider when you're thinking about all o' this is how you feel when you're around them. Does one make you happier than the other or feel safer than the other? Maybe you're less nervous around one than you are around the other. Whatever the case, it's definitely something you need t' take into account. They've both got dwarf blood in their veins, which means there's a strong chance you'll be spendin' the rest o' your life with one of them an' you don't want t' be left feeling nervous or whatnot for that whole time."
Again, she nodded. "Maybe…Maybe when Rán is allowed t' get up an' walk around, I'll see if I can spend a day with him like I spent a day with Bofur. See how I feel after that."
"That's a good idea," he told her, smiling. Though he didn't want Rán to be the winner of her heart, he did have to admit that it would be fair to give him a day with her. Who knows? Maybe Rán would be the one to learn he didn't fancy her as much as he thought…? "That's really all the unbiased advice I can give you, though. If you need more, you might want t' talk to Adela."
"Why not Prim or Wenna?"
At that, he snorted. "Baylee, they practically drool over Rán. O' course they'd want you t' choose him. Just like the lads an' I hope you choose Bofur."
"Y-you hope I choose Bofur…?"
He nodded. "I do. But I'm not goin' to tell you why. I don't want t' influence your decision at all. Which is why, if you need to talk to someone about all this, it needs t' be someone unbiased. And, frankly, off the top o' my head, the only two I can think of are Adela and Peter. But given how hopeless Peter can be with courtship…"
"Why not papa? Surely, he's—" When Will shook his head, her brows furrowed. "…So, what you're tellin' me is that almost everyone I interact with daily has picked a side?"
"I'm afraid so." He gave her an apologetic smile. "We can't help it, 'Lee. After you an' Bard…Well, we just want you to be happy, but we all have different opinions on who would do that."
She closed her eyes for a moment. "Why is fancyin' someone so damned hard?"
"Because you're not fancying someone. You're fancying some-ones." Crouching down, he gave his sister a hug. "But I know that, in the end, you'll have made the right choice."
A half-hearted smile came to her lips as she hugged him in return; she stood on her tiptoes so he wouldn't have to crouch as far. "Thanks, Will."
"Anytime, 'Lee." Pulling back from the hug, he smiled down at her. "Now, I think it's high-time I get t' work."
"Before you go—where is Adela?"
"She's with da', discussing the terms and rules o' her staying here," he answered. "He'll be having you show her where everything is later, so be prepared for that."
"That won't be hard. I've already done it once this week."
Some relief swept through him when he saw her smile. "If we get anymore new hires, we may as well make you the inn's official tour guide," he joked.
"Oh, very funny," she said, her brow rising in amusement. As she watched him walk down the hall, she shook her head and, under her breath, muttered, "…Arsemunch."
Unbeknownst to the siblings, their conversation had been almost entirely overheard. Under the guise that they were washing some dishes for Galiene and Gawen, Wenna and Primrose stood near the doorway, their heads ever so slightly cocked as they were able to hear the exchange taking place just a yard or two away. When Baylee mentioned that she and Rán had kissed, the two had quickly clapped their hands over each other's mouths to keep themselves from squealing in delight. But it was when Baylee spoke of possibly spending a day with the ranger, they looked at one another knowingly.
"I know her better," Primrose whispered. "I'll let Rán know what sorts of things she likes and places around town she likes to visit."
"Don't forget that they both know how t' ride. If he's well enough by then, they could go out an' spend the day riding. Then it could be a picnic," Wenna added. She then let out a quiet giggle as she scrubbed the inside of a cup. "An', being away from a bunch o' prying eyes, they could also do a wee bit o' necking." She giggled again as Primrose lightly hit her with the dishtowel.
"Wenna!" she whispered scoldingly. "We want Baylee to realize that she loves Rán, not that she wants to get a bit frisky with him!"
Wenna pouted. "She could do both!"
"Baylee is not the sort o' lass who would get frisky with someone's she's not even officially courting and you know it." Shaking her head, she let out a sigh and started to dry off the cup Wenna handed her. "No. This is a delicate situation that needs handled with a great amount of care. You heard her; she feels guilty about not kissing Bofur. That means her heart's startin' to lean towards him."
Washing a bowl now, Wenna cocked her brow. "As much as I'd like for her t' end up with Rán, is it really so bad if she an' Bofur end up together?"
"Yes!" She sighed, putting a hand to her forehead in exasperation. "You know how her aunt is! Everything is about appearances and Rán is the better choice when it comes t' that. Not t' mention…" She glanced around to make sure no one was around to hear her. "Bofur and the lads were part of Thorin's company."
Her eyes widened in shock. "Oh…that is bad," she murmured.
Primrose nodded. "If she were to find out about that while Baylee and Bofur were courtin', it wouldn't be good. It wouldn't be good at all." A sigh left her mouth. "So yes, we need to make sure Baylee ends up falling for Rán. I'll take his next meal up to him an' give him some ideas of how t' best woo her. That'll give him a definite leg up over Bofur."
"Thanks again for comin' with us t' get this vegetable order, Ori."
"Oh, it's no trouble! I needed the break from sketching anyway." He smiled up at Baylee. "Not to mention, it's a nice, sunny day. It's good t' get out an' walk around a bit."
"Aye, I'll agree with that," Baylee chuckled, pushing some hair over her shoulder. She looked up towards the sky; it was a vast ocean of blue with not a cloud in sight. "Makes me wish I was out ridin', though."
There was a laugh on her right and she looked over to see Adela wearing a knowing grin. "You always wish you could be out riding, though." A few days had passed since she had started working at the Tankard and the welt was no longer visible on her face.
A cheeky grin came to Baylee's lips. "Not always. Sometimes, I wish I was curled up in bed, sleepin' in a few extra hours."
Nodding in acquiesce, Ori chuckled. "Sleepin' in once in a while does feel nice," he agreed. "I get t' do it more often now that I'm here in Dale. Back in Erebor, Dori would always wake me up around the time the sun rose." He shook his head. "Nori, though…Nori just lets me sleep. He does make sure to check on me if I'm not up by noon, though."
"It's nice, gettin' to have an extra hour of sleep," Adela smiled. "At my fa—At Mannus' inn, I'd have t' be up before dawn in order t' get all the baked goods ready for the day." Shaking her head, she then let out a soft sigh. "But, I was also the only one who made the baked goods. At the Tankard, it's Galiene who makes a good portion o' the desserts while 'Lee here handles the breads."
Baylee chuckled, rubbing the side of her neck; she knew it still hurt Adela to call Mannus by his proper name instead of 'father' or 'dad'. "I also make the breads in large batches. I think one batch o' fruit bread comes out t' about six loaves…? Sometimes six an' a half."
Ori's brow rose. "And a half? What do you do with the half loaf?"
"It usually gets nibbled on by the staff."
"That makes sense." He looked up as they rounded a corner, now heading down a quiet side street rather than the main thoroughfare. "So…where is it we're going again?"
"T' Tamás Sawyer's place," Baylee answered. "He's got the biggest an' best market garden in Dale. Whenever Galiene needs a lot o' fruits an' veggies for some special occasion, she uses his produce. An' since it'll be a prince who's coming the day after tomorrow, she wants everything t' be extra special."
"I just hope she doesn't overwork herself," he admitted with a small, nervous laugh. "Aye, Fili's the crown prince an' all, but he's just like the rest o' us lads. The only real difference is that his speech is a little more refined than ours."
Adela leaned forward so she could look at Ori. "You know Prince Fili?"
"Oh, aye! Along with Kili, he's one o' my best friends." The dwarf wore a broad smile.
"Don't let auntie know, but the lads were part o' Thorin's company," Baylee explained when Adela still looked a bit confused. "An' that's how they know the royal family."
She nodded in understanding. "Ahh, that makes sense. How big o' an entourage will he have?"
"Just Dwalin—ah, he's the captain o' the guard for the palace. Not that the palace needs many guards. The entire royal family is made up o' seasoned warriors who are more than capable o' defending themselves."
"Even Lady Dis?"
He nodded. "Oh, yes, of course! Though, she's much like Baylee in that, while she knows how to fight, she doesn't really like t' do it."
"She'd probably be a lot more intimidating during battle than me," Baylee snorted.
Ori cracked up at that. "No offense, Baylee, but I don't think you could look intimidatin' if you tried."
"Which I'm perfectly fine with," she smiled. "I'd rather be chirpy than scary."
"Actually…" Adela bit her lower lip slightly. "When you were yellin' at Mannus, you…you were quite threatening. But I think that's because you were tryin' to protect me. Even though you don't know me too well just yet."
Baylee felt her cheeks start to heat up. "I had t' do somethin', though. I couldn't just let him bully you like that." She looked up at the other woman. "Especially when you make my brother so damned happy." A small chuckle left her mouth.
"Sounds like Baylee's got a bit o' a mama bear side," Ori smiled. "A very, very small mama bear, but one nonetheless." He suddenly blinked and looked around them when he noticed that they were no longer surrounded by buildings. Ahead of them was a gentle slope leading down towards a few houses. While all of them had rather large gardens, one house had a garden that was thrice as large as the other two—from the looks of it, it even had some fruit trees. "Ah, I take it that's the farm we're headin' to?" he asked, pointing at it.
"You would be correct," Adela answered. "It looks like it's gone an' doubled in size since I last saw it."
"If you last saw it two years ago, then it has doubled in size," Baylee explained. "Tamás bought the property next t' his, tore down the wall, an' turn the house into a greenhouse."
Ori frowned; the smaller of the two houses had a roof and large windows made of glass. None of it, however, looked very green to him. "You mean that smaller house there?" Baylee nodded. "It doesn't look very green." His cheeks turned a bit pink when he heard the two lasses quietly giggle.
"A greenhouse is a buildin' used t' grow plants out o' season," Adela said. "It can also be used t' sprout certain plants before you put them in the ground outside."
"How does that work?" he questioned, his confusion evident.
"Somethin' about the glass bein' able t' let in a lot o' sunlight while also keepin' the room relatively warm?" Adela shrugged. "I'm not quite sure, t' be honest."
"I'm just as clueless," Baylee admitted. "Maybe Wenna would know, though?"
"She might. You did say her family owns a farm outside the city." He rubbed his arm slightly as he looked back at the property. There was so much color in such a small space…He had seen gardens before—Bombur and Gerdi had one, as a matter of fact—but they had never been anything that big and colorful.
Baylee glanced down at Ori, smiling when she saw the awe on his face. 'I think I know where he might come for his next set of drawings,' she thought. 'And I'm sure they'll look just as lovely as the real thing.'
After nearly twenty minutes, the trio was walking under an archway formed by the intertwined branches of two fruit trees: One pear and one apple. Hanging from the branches was a wooden sign that read 'Sawyer Gardens'.
"Oh, how I love this place," Baylee murmured. As she looked around, she smiled broadly; everywhere she looked, there was something growing. Flowers, berry bushes, vegetable patches, fruit trees…Off to one side, there were three boxes that gave off a quiet buzzing sound—artificial beehives.
Ori glanced at her, finding her face to be akin to a dwarrowling in Bofur and Bifur's old toyshop. He quietly chuckled before continuing to look around himself.
"It smells so wonderful here," Adela sighed. "It's so fresh an' sweet. I wish there was a way t' turn this scent into a perfume."
"It needs just a hint more o' cherries, but other than that, aye, I agree," Baylee smiled.
"Why cherries?" Adela questioned, her brow rising as they started to follow a gravel path towards the backyard.
Baylee shrugged. "I don't know," she lied. "I've just really been enjoying the scent o' cherries lately."
Ori, however, had a feeling he knew why she liked the scent so much, though he wouldn't say it out loud. 'It's because of Bofur's tobacco,' he instead thought.
"Ah, Miss Braddock! I've been expectin' you." A man around Warren's age with jet-black hair had appeared from behind a large bush. "And I'm glad t' see you've brought help with you. I'm afraid you'll need it—Galiene place quite the hefty order!" He gave both Adela and Ori polite nods.
"I believe it," Baylee chuckled. "When it comes t' making feasts, she does not skimp on the portion sizes."
Tamás motioned for the three of them to follow him. "I hear tell she's going t' be making one o' her famous whole-roasted hogs."
"You heard right. In fact, Halfast's delivering it today," Adela answered.
The man glanced over his shoulder. "Any particular reason why she's doin' one o' her hogs? Or is it a secret we non-inn owners aren't allowed in on?" he asked with a chuckle.
Baylee quietly laughed. "We'll be playin' host t' royalty and some royal meetings."
"Ooh, so that's where those meetings about raiders are happenin'!" He nodded in understanding before looking back at the path ahead. "I was wonderin' if Bard was going t' have those in his hall or not. I'm surprised he's not lettin' the prince stay in the hall, though. Surely stayin' with another member o' royalty is more befittin' his status?"
"Fili insisted on stayin' at an inn," Ori pipped up. "Though they're royalty, the royal family o' Erebor prefers t' stay an' eat amongst normal people when they travel. It helps them get t' know the citizens better. An', if they're in a place with a new culture, it helps them better learn the culture as well."
Tamás looked impressed by this answer. "Well, that's somethin' you don't hear about very often—at least, with human kings an' queens." He chuckled, lightly shaking his head; just a few yards in front of them was a wheelbarrow that was filled to the brim with vegetables. "I hope you lot have enough baskets."
Adela looked between the three of them, her brow rising slightly. Ori had two large baskets while she and Baylee each had two medium-sized baskets. "We've got six decent sized ones, so I think we'll be good."
It ended up being just barely enough baskets to carry everything. Ori's baskets were filled with cabbage, lettuce, two jars of honey, and potatoes; Adela's baskets had carrots, turnips, and spinach; and Baylee's had rhubarb, fennel, strawberries, sprouts, and asparagus. After paying Tamás, they started to head back.
"This…is a lot of different vegetables," Ori said, his eyes a bit wide in awe. "Is Miss Galiene really going t' use all o' these in the meal she an' Gawen are going to be cooking for Fili?"
"Mm…Probably not, admittedly," Baylee chuckled. "I know for a fact that the rhubarb an' strawberries are for Adela."
"Aye. I'll be makin' plenty o' strawberry-rhubarb pies an' crisps t' last us a while," Adela smiled. "At least, judgin' by that one basket o' Baylee's that's almost nothin' but strawberries."
"I…don't think I've ever heard o' that combination for a dessert before," Ori admitted. "In fact, I don't think I've ever heard o' rhubarb bein' used in cooking aside from the chicken braised with rhubarb Gerdi sometimes makes."
The two women looked at him in a mixture of confusion and awe. "Really?" Baylee questioned. "Because I don't think I've ever heard o' it being used for anythin' other than desserts."
"I wouldn't have expected it t' be good for desserts, given how tart it can be."
"That's exactly why it's so good in desserts," Adela grinned. "Especially with strawberries. The tartness o' the rhubarb is mellowed out by the sweetness o' the strawberries, but its tartness also helps bring out the flavor o' the berries." She blew a stray lock of hair from her face. "It sounds a bit odd, aye, but when you taste it, you'll understand, I promise."
"Hmm…I suppose if it means gettin' to eat tasty desserts, I can't complain too much," he grinned.
Upon returning to the inn, the three were greeted by the sight of large, whole hog being unloaded from a cart. It was nearly as long as Baylee was tall and, more than likely, weighed twice as much as her. Galiene stood nearby, her eyes fixed on the hog as it was carried by two men.
"Right into the kitchen, lads," she told them. "I've cleared a space for it on the counter—it's impossible t' miss. Mind the step, too! Don't need you lads trippin' an' falling." She brushed some hair from her face before catching sight of Adela, Baylee, and Ori entering the courtyard. "Ah, there you three are!" She wore a thankful smile as they came near. "Did you get all the vegetables?"
Baylee nodded, holding up her two baskets. "Aye. Even got the two jars o' honey."
"Though, that was almost forgotten. Baylee had t' run back an' grab them," Ori grinned. As he glanced up at her, he saw her cheeks turn a bit pink.
Galiene laughed, her brow rising slightly. "So long as she remembered before it was too late! I've just finished preparing your lunches about seven minutes ago, by the way, so I hope you lot are hungry." She then looked at Baylee, her smile turning a bit more teasing. "Though, 'Lee, love, a certain someone requested you dine with him, so your meals are on a tray, ready t' take up."
Her cheeks turning a bit pinker, she nodded in understanding. "Alright. Thank you for lettin' me know."
A small frown came to Ori's face. 'Rán's been requesting she dine with him quite a bit over the last few days…I get that he's probably lonely, but why can't he request one of the other lasses to dine with him for once?' he thought. He stole a look up at her, quietly sighing. 'Aulë—or should it be Yavanna I ask? Maybe even Nienna? One of you Vala—please don't let her fall for Rán over Bofur…Bofur doesn't deserve that kind of heartbreak.'
When the butchers left the kitchen, the dwarf and two humans entered. There, on the center of the island, was the pig; Galiene stood beside it, starting to roll her sleeves up past her elbows. There was a broad grin on her lips and a determined look in her eyes.
"Ooh, do I get t' learn the secret about how you get the skin so crisp now?" Adela asked jokingly as she set her baskets on the counter.
"Perhaps you do, lass—but only if you wash up an' help me. An' that's after you've eaten your lunch."
Grinning, Adela hurriedly grabbed one of the plates of food near the hearth and hurried out to the common room to devour her lunch.
Baylee snorted at her reaction and shook her head, also setting her baskets on the counter. "Galiene can get the skin so crisp, it's like a cracker," she explained to Ori. "It's so delicious! There was one time she crumbled the leftover skin into bacon an' potato soup instead o' bacon and it was heavenly." Spotting the tray of food meant for her and Rán near the hearth, she went over to it.
"Oh, one more thing before you go, lass," Galiene said, looking over at her as she used her hand to stir the contents of a bowl. "He said t' tell you that he'll be out second floor deck."
Her brow rose. "I see Seth finally allowed him t' get up out o' bed." Plucking the platter up, she headed out of the kitchen. She waved at the Lightfoots and Wenna as she made her way towards the stairs, her cheeks growing even darker when they started to knowingly giggle.
'Of course, they know he requested I dine with him,' she thought, biting her lip and starting to ascend the stairs. 'At least he can get out of bed without assistance now…That's a good sign. He's been getting quite antsy, being stuck in bed all day. Or, rather, pacing around his room and climbing back into bed before Seth knows he was up.'
When she reached and opened the door of the second-floor balcony, she was greeted by the sight of Rán standing at the southern railing, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the light breeze and warm sunlight. Baylee could see that he was fully dressed and his arm was no longer bound to his chest. Instead, it was hanging against his chest in a sling.
She shut the door behind her and he turned, a warm smile on his lips. "Hello, Lady Baylee. I trust that your errands in town went well?"
"Aye," she replied, carrying the tray over to a small table. Normally, the table was tucked against the wall of the privy so it would be out of the way, but Rán had moved it to be near the middle of the eastern railing. "We didn't have to do much; just pick up a bunch o' vegetables an' some honey for Galiene."
"She has been quite busy these past two days," he commented. "Does the prince's arrival the day after tomorrow worry her that much?" He started to walk towards her.
"Not so much worry her, no." She quietly laughed, beginning to unload the tray's contents onto the tabletop. "She doesn't often get t' make feast foods an' they're some o' her favorite meals t' make. An' since most o' Dale knows by now that Fili will be stayin' here, she's expectin' quite the crowd."
A small frown came to his lips. "If the whole of Dale knows the crown prince of Erebor is to be staying here, will King Bard provide more security?" he questioned. "Or will the prince have an entourage of guards with him?"
She shook her head. "From what I hear, he'll just have the captain o' the guard with him. But he's also got Ori an' Nori here. Also Bifur an' Bofur when they're not at the shop."
He nodded slowly, watching her with a somewhat tilted head. "Curious that such an important figure would have so few guards with him. Does he not fear an assassination attempt?"
"I don't know if there's anybody who wants him dead, t' be honest."
"He is prince, my lady. I am afraid that there is always an illicit bounty on the heads of royalty." He shook his head and let out a soft sigh. "But I pray that you are correct. I have seen King Bard walk among his people with no guards and he was unscathed; I can only hope the same will happen with Prince Fili."
When Baylee stood up and turned to face him, she let out a soft squeak when she found him barely two feet from her. She was thankful that she had propped the tray against the railing, as Rán slipped his good arm around her waist and pulled her against him. Her hands instinctively came to rest on his chest; his injured arm reached up and gently lifted her chin.
"Let us talk of happier subjects," he murmured, his thumb reaching up to brush against her lower lip. He smiled, watching her cheeks turn red.
"S-such as Seth finally lettin' you out of bed?" she replied with a small chuckle. This wasn't the first time he had held her so close; he had done it many times over the last four days while also stealing plenty of kisses from her.
As much as she did enjoy the physical affection, however, she was always left with the same, lingering feeling of guilt as when he had first kissed her.
A soft laugh left his mouth. "Yes…though, I believe it was more my complaining than my injuries being on the mend that finally made him relent." Moving his thumb, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.
Her eyes drifted shut as she returned the kiss. To her surprise and embarrassment, it abruptly ended when her stomach made a loud, hungry sound. Her cheeks turned beet red as Rán leaned back slightly, looking both shocked and impressed.
"I believe we should eat," he chuckled, his brow rising. "You must truly be starving if your stomach was able to make such a loud noise."
"I suppose so," she chuckled, rubbing the side of her neck. "Then again, I did haul quite the load o' veggies all the way from across the city. That'd work an appetite up in anyone's stomach."
"It most certainly would." He stole a second kiss from her before reluctantly letting go of her. "What sorts of vegetables did Lady Galiene have you get?" As he spoke, he went over and pulled her chair out for her.
"Oh, all sorts. Turnips, cabbages, carrots, sprouts, spinach, potatoes…good vegetables for roasting. As well as a lot o' strawberries an' rhubarb for pies an' crisps." She tucked her tunic under her as she sat down, thanking him.
At the mention of pie, he seemed to perk. "There will be strawberry-rhubarb pie?" he questioned, sitting down across from her.
She nodded. "Aye. It's one o' Adela's specialties." Looking down at her plate of food, she found it to be filled with roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy along with a small bowl of rolls—more of a dinner than a lunch, but she didn't mind.
"Well, normally I am looking forward to the desserts made here, but now I am even more eager," he chuckled. "Strawberry-rhubarb pie is my favorite dessert. Though, I have never tried it in a crisp before."
"You also haven't had crumbles or crisps before you came up here," she reminded him with a small chuckle. "I actually prefer the crisp version t' the pie." She started to cut up her chicken breast; Galiene had made sure to leave the skin on, letting it get nice and crispy.
Rán tilted his head slightly as he chewed a bit of his chicken. "Why is that?" he asked after swallowing. He popped a bite of potatoes and gravy into his mouth.
She shrugged. "I just like the way the oats go with it more than crust, I suppose. It also has bit more spices with it—at least, when Adela makes it, it does." Dipping a bite of chicken into her gravy, she popped it into her mouth.
"What sorts of spices? Or does she keep it secret?"
"I'm not sure, t' be honest. But it's not because she keeps it secret; it's because her git o' a dad wouldn't let her give away any recipes when she still worked for him."
His brow rose, a bit of a frown coming to his lips. "What, exactly, transpired that led to her staying and working here, if you do not mind my asking? There was only so much Ashailyn and the others were able to tell me."
"Essentially, what happened was that she caught Mannus—her father—stealin' from his own register box an' called him out on it. In turn, he called her out for runnin' off at night to secretly meet up with my brother. Only, he also humiliated her an' made it seem like everything was her fault." She shook her head as she ate more chicken. "Mannus is a right piece o' shit."
He was a bit taken aback by her use of the curse word; the worst word he had heard her use was 'damned'. "If he is able to bring out such a reaction from you, he must be a foul person."
"Aye…But, thankfully, Adela doesn't have t' endure his abuse anymore an' she gets t' openly be with Will now." She started to mix her gravy into her potatoes. "Mannus an' my da' have a bit o' a history," she added, "an' it's not a very good one. Thus our family's hatred o' him." She thought it best to just leave it at that; she didn't want to lose her appetite talking about him.
Rán nodded in understanding. "I had been wondering if he had done anything to warrant such distaste from you." He grabbed one of the rolls and tore it in half, dipping it into the juices that had accumulated beneath his chicken. "After all, you are normally such a friendly and caring woman."
Her cheeks turned a bit pink and she chuckled. "It does take quite a bit t' make me hate someone," she agreed. "But, as you said earlier, let's talk about happier subjects."
"I agree. Which, reminds me: I have been meaning to ask you something."
She glanced up at him, chewing a bite of chicken.
"I was wondering if in a couple days, perhaps, I could…possibly steal you away for a few hours?" There was a bit of a hopeful lilt to his voice and a small, almost shy, smile on his lips.
Admittedly taken a bit aback by the question, Baylee blinked in surprise. "I'd have t' ask Galiene," she said, grabbing a roll for herself. "Understandably, I wouldn't be able t' join you for at least the next three days."
He nodded. "Of course. The inn and its kitchen are going to be quite busy and I would not want to take away one of its main hostesses. I was thinking, perhaps, a few days after the prince's arrival? That would allow things to calm down a bit—or rather, I hope it will allow them to calm down a bit."
"Hard t' say," she smiled, her brow rising. "If there's going t' be a prince here, it's goin' t' be busy. Not t' mention, we've already had an increase in customers, given that the warm seasons are upon us. But…I'm sure Galiene will let me out for a few hours, especially if auntie's well enough t' sit in the kitchen an' cut up vegetables."
A smile came to his lips and he quietly laughed. "Well, then I wish even harder for your aunt to have a speedy recovery."