A/N: Something tells me that a lot of you are going to be really happy with this chapter, and not just because Fili finally shows up again ;)
"Oh, it smells amazin' in here!"
Baylee looked up from kneading dough and Adela looked up from hulling strawberries only to find Bofur poking his head into the kitchen. Both smiled at him, though it was Baylee who greeted him.
"Mornin', Bofur," she chirped. She sounded just a touch breathless thanks to her kneading. "Kettle's almost ready for you."
"Thank you, lass," he grinned, coming into the kitchen. "I see you two are hard at work, preppin' for Fili's arrival later." He made his way over to the shelf of mugs. "What all are you makin'?"
"Baylee's workin' on various breads," Adela answered, "while I'll be makin' strawberry-rhubarb pies an' crisps."
"Well, if I wasn't hungry before comin' in here, I am now." He wore a cheeky grin before he hopped onto the counter. "Either o' you lasses want some tea?" He glanced over his shoulder as he pulled down his usual cup; his grin faded slightly when he noticed the dark circles under Baylee's eyes. 'Did she have a nightmare again?' he thought.
Adela shook her head. "No, thank you. I've got some cider."
"I'll take some," Baylee said, dropping the ball of dough into a large bowl.
"What flavor would you like?" Grabbing a second mug, he slid off the counter and back onto the floor.
Wiping her hands off on a towel tucked into her apron, she thought for a moment. "How about some o' that lemon-ginger tea Gerdi gave me?" She watched as he walked over to the tea tin shelf and once more hopped onto the counter so he could reach the shelf.
"Comin' right up." He grabbed the tin of lemon-ginger as well as a tin of a different citrus tea. "After I make these, do either o' you need help with anythin'?" Normally, he'd expect the usual answer of 'no thank you', but something told him today might be a bit different.
"Hmm…Not right yet, but I might need help cuttin' up all this fruit in a wee bit," Adela said. She then glanced over at Baylee. "Will you be handlin' breakfast, or should I get a start on it?"
"I'll get a start on it since I've got all my dough made," she replied. Using the back of her hand, she covered her mouth as she yawned. "I was going t' do griddlecakes with sausage an' bacon. Somethin' easy."
"That still sounds yummy," Adela smiled. She glanced over at her; she had also noticed how tired Baylee looked, but she figured it was just from waking up so early. "You can use some o' my strawberries to make some fruit syrup, if you'd like. Yavanna knows I've got enough."
"Ooh, I may take you up on that!" Baylee grinned. "First, though, I've got t' bring in some more water."
"I can help you with that, lass," Bofur said, bringing her tea over to her. "After kneadin' all that dough, I'm sure your arms feel at least a wee bit wobbly, after all." It would also give him a chance to ask her about her exhaustion.
She gave him a thankful smile as she took the mug from him. "You're not wrong," she chuckled. A shiver ran through her body as the warmth seeped through the clay and into her palms. "What you're seein' out here isn't even all o' it. Right now, I've some large loaves goin' in the oven that Galiene plans on usin' as bowls for tomorrow's dinner an' I've got the cranberry-orange breads coolin' off in the pantry."
"Why the pantry?" Adela questioned, her brow rising.
A cheeky grin came to her lips. "Because I want t' make sure they don't all get eaten up before Fili gets here."
"You might want t' get your da' or Will t' put the loaves on the top shelves, then," Bofur joked, "because once he hears that you made him a lot o' the stuff, he'll be tryin' t' eat it by the loaf."
Both women cracked up. "You make him sound more like an excitable child than a crown prince," Adela giggled.
"He's only ninety-two, so he's still a bit on the young side," Bofur explained with a grin. "An' he can act quite childish at times. So can Kili for that matter. You'd think with havin' Thorin for their uncle, they'd be a wee bit more mature by now."
Baylee snorted, her brow rising. "Maybe that's why they haven't matured—they want t' rebel against Thorin's sternness?" She took a small sip from her tea before setting it down on the island.
He quietly laughed. "That could be. But, from what I remember, their father was quite the mischievous bloke, too, so they might get it from him." He looked over in time to see Baylee picking up the water buckets; setting down his own mug, he went over and took one of them from her. He tried to take the other, but she playfully shooed his hand away and he teasingly stuck his tongue out at her.
"Be right back," she then told Adela.
"Alright. Take care t' not fall into that hole your da' dug last night."
"Hole?" Bofur questioned, his brow rising. He opened the door, letting Baylee step outside first.
"Aye. Galiene's going t' be roasting the hog in the ground, so papa had t' dig a hole big enough t' cover it.
Closing the door behind him, Bofur looked around for any sign of a hole. It didn't take long for him to find; it was immediately to his left, about a yard from the wall. To make it safer, Warren had built the dirt up around the hole and laid some boards across the piles. "…That is a large hole."
"Galiene got a large hog," she giggled, her brow rising. "It's longer than me an' weighs probably twice as much."
His brow rose in amusement. "Did he have you lay down on the ground so he could get somewhat o' a measurement for the hole?" he joked.
She burst into a fit of giggles. "That's actually exactly what he did!"
"Are you serious?" he laughed, not sure if she was being honest with all those giggles.
"I am! I was in the middle o' servin' Nori an' Ori their lunch yesterday when he called me out here. He had me lay down an' then went around me, makin' marks in the dirt t' outline where he needed t' dig."
He snorted, shaking his head. "I suppose that's one way o' makin' sure the hog fits." As they reached the well, he set his bucket down before starting to turn the crank.
"He took so long tryin' t' get an accurate size down that I nearly fell asleep," she chuckled. Her nose then scrunched up slightly and she covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned.
His brow rose. "Speakin' o' sleep, I can't help but notice how exhausted you look, lass," he said, his voice a bit softer. "Did you have another one o' your nightmares?"
Glancing away, she let out a heavy sigh. "Two, actually," she quietly admitted. "Woke up from one, managed t' go back t' sleep, an' had the other. Gave up tryin' to sleep after that."
"I thought it was a bit odd for you t' have so much bread made already." Once he got the bucket within reach, he pulled it over and set it on the wall of the well.
Baylee's eyes widened slightly when she suddenly felt his arms wrap around her, but they quickly closed and a small smile came to her lips. She returned the embrace, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
"Isn't there anythin' you can do t' help stop them?" he murmured, gently rubbing her back.
"Not until we get t' Laketown an' my uncle can make me some dreamless tea." As with every time he held her, she could feel her worries starting to melt away as the feeling of security swept over her. Part of her began to wonder if she would have the nightmares if he held her like this at night—but she quickly chased that thought from her mind, as it would be extremely improper for them to share a bed before they were married.
If they got married, that is.
"Makes me tempted t' ride down there myself an' get the ingredients for him. You need the rest."
"I'll be able t' take a nap in an hour or two," she assured him. "Luckily, the nightmares don't seem t' come during the day."
He leaned back somewhat, concern written all over his face as he looked at her. "Lass, naps can only do so much good," he said. "With how busy your days can get, you need a long night o' sleep in order to get any sort o' rest." His hand unconsciously left her back and moved to instead rest on her cheek. "…I care about you, lass," he quietly admitted, pressing his forehead against hers. "I care about you a great deal. An' seein' you exhausted more days than I've seen you well rested worries me. It's not healthy."
"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I…I don't mean t' worry anyone. I just—I just can't stop them." She opened her eyes and looked at him, a small, guilty smile on her lips. "But, I promise when I come back from Laketown, I'll be better rested an' I'll have a large supply o' that tea."
He managed a small smile as well, his thumb caressing her cheek. "I hope you know I'm goin' t' hold you to that," he murmured.
"I know you will."
Bofur tilted his head and pressed his lips against hers. Unlike when Rán had first kissed her, Baylee didn't feel at all shocked or dumbfounded. Instead, as she returned the kiss, she was left feeling calm and happy. Everything about Bofur's kiss was so different from Rán's, from his mustache tickling her cheeks to the scent of cherry tobacco and cedarwood that filled her nose…
This felt right.
This felt so incredibly right.
After a moment, he pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against hers again. "…I know you're torn between me an' Rán, but…but I just had t' do that," he murmured, his cheeks having turned red.
"…You know about that?" She knew she shouldn't have been too shocked about this, given how everyone else at the inn knew, but it did bring back that sense of guilt.
"It's hard not to," he chuckled. "I think everyone here knows you're torn between the two o' us. An' if they don't know that, then they at least know Rán an' I are rivals for you."
She quietly sighed and glanced away guiltily. "I'm sorry."
His brows furrowed slightly. "There's nothin' for you t' be sorry about, lass." He stole a second kiss from her, this one lasting only a few seconds. "You can't rush a decision like this an', while I don't know 'bout Rán, I do know that I'll wait as long as it takes for you t' make up your mind."
When she looked back at his face, she found a reassuring smile on his lips; something inside her chest felt like it had started to melt. Her hand rising up, she brushed some strands of hair from his face. "You're too sweet, you know that?" she half joked.
He snorted, his brow rising. "That's a first. Normally, folk tell me I'm too annoyin' or crude—never sweet." A quiet sigh of content left his mouth as Baylee hugged him once more.
"You can never be too annoyin'," she murmured. By chance, she glanced at the kitchen window only to see Adela peeking out. Her eyes widened in a mixture of shock and embarrassment, but the other woman merely gave her a cheeky smile and two thumbs' up before ducking out of the way.
With a quiet sigh, she reluctantly leaned back. "We should probably get back inside," she told him. "I've got t' check on the bread an' get started on those griddlecakes."
He nodded in understanding. "Aye…If you need help with anythin', though, lass, I want t' know. I'd be more than happy t' help you, especially when you're exhausted." His brows rose in pleasant surprise when Baylee was the one to initiate their third kiss.
"I know," she murmured, a small smile on her lips. "An' I'll do my best t' remember. Though, Galiene, Gawen, an' Prim should be here soon, so there's more help right there."
He nodded in understanding. "Still. When I'm done helpin' Miss Adela with those berries, I'd be happy t' chop fruit or vegetables or flip some griddlecakes for you." He then gave her a playful wink. "Just for you, though."
She laughed, her brow rising; reluctantly, she stepped back from him, ending their embrace at last. "Oh? An' what if Gawen needs help haulin' the hog out o' the laundry, hmm?" she teased. Picking up one of the empty buckets, she placed it on the wall of the well.
His brow rose. "Wait, what? Why's the hog in the laundry o' all places?" Grabbing the water bucket, he started to fill the empty one.
"Because it's the only spot with enough room an' airflow for it," she explained. "Galiene has it strung up an' covered in salt an' herbs. It's over a bucket, o' course, t' catch any an' all liquid that comes out."
"Huh. Normally, Bombur would just shove a spit up its bum an' roast it over the fire, basting it with its own juices." With the water bucket empty, he dropped it into the center of the well, watching as it fell down and down until he heard a splash.
She giggled at his description, her brow rising. "Galiene would do that for a smaller pig or roast, but as I mentioned, this one's bigger than me. Not even Gerdi's fancy stove could hold it."
"Hmm…that's true. Now, the royal kitchens on the other hand—those could handle it quite well." A cheeky grin came to his face as he started to turn the crank again. "If I recall, Bombur an' Gerdi were able t' roast a whole cow on the spit in there."
"Wh-what? Are you serious?" her eyes were wide in shock.
He nodded. "Aye, I am. Though, they've only done it once an' that was for Kili an' Tauriel's engagement party."
"I wonder what they'll be doin' for their wedding, then?"
"Oh, that's going t' be a joint effort between the two kingdoms. Since they're bein' married during the summer, they were goin' t' have the whole thing out in the fields, so there's going t' be a bunch o' spit-roasted meats, fire-baked vegetables, lots o' alcohol so the elves an' dwarves can tolerate one another…"
Once more, she burst into a fit of giggles. "Nienna help everyone when that day comes," she laughed, "because if Thranduil brings out his good wine, there are goin' t' be some major hangovers."
"If you think his wine's strong, you haven't tried dwarven mead." He grinned playfully at her. "That stuff can knock an elf on their arse, I'm sure o' it. It takes a couple o' tankards to get us dwarves drunk, but the other races?" He shook his head, snorting.
"Sounds like I wouldn't be able t' have even a drink o' it before I'm drunk." Grabbing the empty bucket, she put it on the wall so Bofur could fill it up, too.
"I don't think I'd let you near the stuff, t' be honest," he chuckled, pouring the water into the bucket. "Even if I wouldn't mind the cuddles an' compliments that come with a drunk Baylee. I wouldn't want you t' suffer the horrid hangover it'd bring you." Once the bucket was full, he left the still half-full well bucket on the wall before pushing one of his braids over his shoulder. Then, taking the handle of the smaller bucket, he easily lifted it. He reached for the second bucket as well, but Baylee lifted it up before he could.
She playfully stuck her tongue out at him as he pouted. "I'm awake enough t' carry one bucket," she told him with a small laugh. She started to walk back towards the kitchen door. "I could carry both, but you, bein' the sweetheart that you are, aren't lettin' me."
"Well, I did say I'd be more than happy t' help you," he grinned. "An' that includes carryin' buckets o' water for you, whether they're full or empty." He felt his cheeks grow warm and his grin turned a bit silly as Baylee leaned over, kissing his cheek.
"Baylee, lass? It's time for you t' wake up."
Groaning, Baylee rolled over in bed and pulled her blanket over her head.
Adela, who stood on the other side of her bedroom door, however, did not see that. Her brow rising at the silence, she knocked again. "Come on, Baylee—it's almost noon!" When still no answer came, she shook her head and entered the room. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the bed, where she couldn't help but giggle.
Baylee was curled up in the furthest corner of the bed; at first glance, most people would have simply assumed that she was a pillow covered by the blanket. Adela knew better, however. Shaking her head, she grabbed the edge of the covers and, with a quick tug, pulled it off the slumbering woman. Baylee swore and curled up into an even smaller ball, hugging herself. She turned her head, glancing over her shoulder at Adela only to blink in confusion.
"What're you doing in here?" she asked. Uncurling herself, she rolled onto her back before pushing herself upright and yawning.
"I came t' wake you up," Adela replied, her brow raised in amusement. "It's almost noon, so I came t' get you like you asked me to."
Nodding slowly, Baylee closed her eyes for a moment and rubbed the back of her neck. "Thank you," she yawned. "Though, I feel like I could use another six hours o' sleep…"
"I bet you do! You made a lot o' bread an' griddlecakes this morning." Leaning over, she grabbed Baylee's overtunic and tossed it to her only to chuckle when it landed on her head. "Your da' came into the kitchen just a bit ago an' thought he had walked into a bakery, there was so much bread."
"Aye…Galiene wanted me t' make her a lot o' bread, so I did," she chuckled, pulling the garment off her head and trying to find the bottom of it. "I hope no one's used up the last o' my cranberries, though."
"Don't worry. None o' us has touched them." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall, watching her. "An', as per your request, three loaves o' fruit bread have been set aside specifically for the prince."
She nodded in understanding, covering her mouth as she yawned. "An' still no word about a definite time o' arrival?" Finally finding the bottom of the overtunic, she pulled it on.
"No, not yet." Her head tilted and she quietly giggled. "Baylee, love, you do know that's inside out, aye?"
"…O' course I knew," she poorly lied as she removed the garment and quickly turned it right-side out. "An' I'm sure he an' Dwalin will show up before dinner."
"Dwalin?"
"That's the name o' the 'bodyguard' he's bringin' with him."
"Ahh…Have you met him before?"
"No, but the lads talk fondly about him. They're positive he an' I are the same height."
Her brow rose in amusement. "Really? I didn't think dwarves got much taller than Bofur."
"From what I hear, Dwalin's one o' the tallest dwarves there is."
"That'll be interestin' to see. Like I said, I didn't think they could get much taller than Bofur, an' he's still a good four inches shorter than you." She chuckled quietly as she watched her grab her boots, checking to see which was left and which was right. "Which made it a really adorable sight t' see him standin' on his tiptoes t' kiss you."
Baylee felt her cheeks grow hot and her eyes shot open. "I-I thought y-you only saw us huggin'?" she squeaked.
"Nope. I'll admit I was a wee bit o' a snoop and watched the two o' you for a bit. I know I shouldn't have peeked, but I couldn't help it." Her tone was apologetic.
"It's alright," she sighed. "Just—just please don't tell anyone, alright?"
"I wasn't going to, I promise." She stood upright when Baylee finished pulling her boots on. "Believe me, I know what it's like t' not want people t' know about my love life."
Baylee gave her a small, thankful smile. "At least you an' Will can finally be open about it. Seein' how happy Will is now that he gets t' cuddle you while eatin' breakfast is too adorable." She shook her head and, grabbing a belt, fastened it around her waist. "Is the kitchen still in a state o' chaos, by the way?"
"Not too bad, really. It's mostly just food prep now, which Bofur, Bifur, and Ori have helped quite a bit with. Those three are really good at chopping up vegetables and breaking down chickens."
She quietly laughed and followed Adela out of her room and into the hall. "I'm glad t' hear they offered their help while I napped. T' be honest, I was worried that me goin' off t' sleep would be a hinderance t' things."
Shaking her head, Adela chuckled. "Not at all. With how tired you were, I was surprised you were even managing to function as well as you did." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Though, why were you so tired?"
"The excitement for today." It was a lie, but the words flowed from her mouth as easily as the truth—one of the rare times she could lie well. "It's not every day you get t' meet a dwarven prince, after all."
"Says the woman who's good friends t' the King o' Dale."
"The king o' Dale an' the crown prince o' Erebor are two entirely different people. Bard an' I grew up alongside one another, so he's as good as bein' my brother at this point." Reaching the door of the family quarters, she grabbed one of the spare keys. As the two stepped into the hall, she started to lock the door.
Adela nodded in acquiesce. "That's true. By the way, do you think Bard'll be bringin' Sigrid an' Bain?"
"Even if he doesn't, I'm sure they'll find a way t' sneak down here before their nurse notices." She chuckled, slipping the key around her neck. Her brow then rose as a round of laughter erupted from the common room—definitely the lads.
When she and Adela stepped out of the hall to cover the short walk to the kitchen, she could see that the lads were eating their lunches. They had all donned nicer clothes than what she was used to seeing them in, more than likely so Fili wouldn't end up feeling overdressed or something similar. The rest of the common room, she saw, was the typical level of busy for it being around lunch time, with most of the tables taken up by customers. Primrose and Wenna sat at the bar, eating their lunches while Rosalyn and Rosamunde tended to the customers.
Upon entering the kitchen, she was greeted by the sight of many large bowls sitting on the island, each one containing either a chopped or diced vegetable. Galiene, she saw, was sitting at the end of the island, making quick work of peeling potatoes; once they were peeled, she dropped them into a bucket of water. Gawen, meanwhile, was stirring a large pot of something on the hearth. Both of them seemed quite calm as they looked over at her and Adela.
"Ah, you're awake!" Galiene chirped. "How was your nap, lass?"
"Decent enough," she smiled, looking around. "I see you've got enough prepped vegetables t' last you a few days in here."
Gawen snorted. "If only they'd last us for days. A good portion o' them are going t' go into this stock I'm makin', which'll then be turned into gravy."
She nodded in understanding, watching while Adela grabbed one of their smaller serving trays, which had a bowl, some bread, and a hand pie on it. "I heard the lads helped you with the prep."
"They did!" Galiene chuckled. "I was surprised by how fast they got everything cut up—they had ten pounds o' vegetables cut up in less than half an hour! An' that Bifur—oh, he could work in a butcher's shop with how well he can break down chickens."
"From what Bofur's told me, he used t' be a hunter, so that doesn't surprise me much," Baylee chuckled. "How many o' the chickens went into the stock?"
"Just the wingtips an' the back bones," Adela told her. She walked over and handed Baylee the platter. "The rest are currently roastin' in the oven. Now here's your lunch; Prim an' Wenna are out eating theirs right now, so you can go gossip with them."
Her brow rose and she snorted. "They're the ones who do the gossipin'," she countered. "I just listen to it." She grinned as Adela lightly bumped her with her hip before turning around and leaving the kitchen.
Entering the common room again, she made her way over to the bar so she could eat with her friends. She glanced over at the lads' table, finding them happily eating; by chance, Bofur looked in her direction and, seeing that she was awake, gave her a smile and a small wave. Returning the wave, she smiled as well, feeling her cheeks grow pink and a bit of warmth fill her chest.
"There's the sleepyhead!" Wenna chirped when Baylee set her tray down in front of them. "How was your nap?"
"Decent enough. I hope things weren't too chaotic without me out here."
Primrose shook her head, using a napkin to wipe her face off. "Not at all. We've been workin' in shifts. Rosalyn and Rosamunde ate their lunches first while we served customers an' then we switched about ten minutes ago."
Noticing the pinkness on her cheeks, a mischievous smile came to Wenna's lips. "What's got you so pink in the face, 'Lee?" she asked before shoving a spoonful of soup into her mouth.
Her cheeks darkened at the question and her brow rose. "Just saw Bofur smilin' is all," she said, leaning against the counter. She stirred her soup around for a moment before gathering up a spoonful and popping it into her mouth.
"You and smiles," Primrose chuckled, her brow rising as well. "Though, I have to admit, it's a bit strange not seein' you going upstairs to eat with Rán after you've gone up there the last four days or so."
Wenna nodded in agreement. "Aye, I'll agree with that," she said. "He did try t' request it, o' course, but we told him you were takin' a much-needed nap."
"He still ate, though, right?"
"O' course he did. He ate at his normal dinner spot," Primrose answered. "Right now, he's out on a small walk. Though, as far as we're all aware, he's been here at the inn all day." She quietly giggled and shook her head.
Baylee snorted. "Ah, I see he finally got stir crazy enough t' disobey Seth's orders then."
"Aye, he did. I can't blame him much, though, considering that he's been stuck in the inn for almost a whole week now," said Primrose. "Bein' that he's a ranger, he's used to being outside most o' the time. And with his men being away from the inn most o' the time, it's got to be a bit lonely."
"Well, that's why he's always asking for Baylee," Wenna giggled. "So she can give him some company and they can do a wee bit o' smooching."
"Wh-what? What're you talkin' about?" She glanced at Primrose as her face grew hot; Adela had told her that Primrose promised she wouldn't tell anyone else! "W-we-we don't do any smooching!"
A cheeky grin came to her lips and she started to giggle harder. "I was just teasin' you, but the way you reacted just now tells us you have been doin' some smooching," she teased.
Her lips pursing in a pout, she tore off a piece of bread from the loaf before dipping it into her soup. 'At least that means Prim kept her promise,' she thought with a sigh. "Alright, alright…Rán an' I may have done a bit o' kissing," she admitted, knowing it would be of little use to hide the information from them.
"So you're made your choice?" Primrose chirped, her eyes widening.
"No."
"But you just said—"
"Aye, I know I just said we've kissed, but…I'm still not certain. Not t' mention…" She glanced across the room at Bofur only to bite her lower lip. "Bofur an' me have kissed, too."
Wenna blinked, her eyes widening slightly. "What? Really? But he doesn't seem like the sort t' smooch without officially courtin' someone."
Baylee nodded in agreement as she chewed the soup-soaked bread. "That's what I kind o' thought, too, since he's been the more subtle o' the two this whole time." She glanced over at Primrose when she nudged her.
"So, what're you waiting for?" she chuckled, her brow raised. "Are you going t' tell us what the kisses were like or are you just goin' to keep us in suspense?"
Rolling her eyes, Baylee chuckled. "Well…It's kind o' hard t' describe them, to be honest. Rán's kiss is…patient, but sort o' hungry at the same time, if that makes any sense. Like, I can tell he wants more than what I'm willin' t' give, so he holds himself back. An' his stubble tickles my chin quite a bit."
"If a man as handsome as him kissed me like that, I'd let him go as far as he wanted, whether we were courtin' or not," Wenna mumbled under her breath.
Primrose's eyes widened and she used her napkin to lightly smack her upside the head. "Wenna! That was crude and highly unladylike!" she gasped while Baylee cracked up beside her.
Wenna grinned innocently. "Oh, you can't tell me you don't think the same, Prim!" she accused teasingly.
"I don't! No such thoughts o' that sort have ever entered my mind," Primrose retorted, looking aghast that Wenna would even suggest such a thing. With her lips pursed in a small pout, she added, "I'll have you know, I do have similar thoughts, but me an' the lad are always either courtin' or engaged." Her pout turned into a bit of grin when Baylee and Wenna cracked up.
"See? Even you've got some unladylike thoughts roamin' around in that brain o' yours," Baylee joked. She lightly shook her head and ate another spoonful of soup, chewing the piece of fish that came with it.
Wenna snorted, breaking her hand pie in half. "So, you told us about one kiss and it sounded quite pleasant. What about the other, then? What was kissing Bofur like?"
Baylee stirred her soup around a bit more, trying to come up with a way to describe the kiss. "He was very gentle and soft," she said, still not quite sure if she was describing it properly, "an'…well, it was filled with love. I can't really describe it any other way." She badly wanted to tell them how right the kiss had felt, but at the same time, she knew it would only make them want to help Rán in winning her over.
'I love them dearly,' she thought as she chewed more bread, 'but I know they're on Rán's side. And while that's perfectly fine, it's bad enough knowing that my closest friends and some of my family is going to be more than a little disappointed when I tell them he's not my first choice…' Using the last bit of her bread to sop up the remaining bits of soup, she popped it into her mouth before breaking her hand pie in half.
"Well, that's good!" Primrose chirped. "But Rán's was also filled with love, right? It couldn't have been just hungry-yet-patient."
She rubbed the side of her neck, her brow rising. "O' course there was love," she chuckled. "If there hadn't been, I wouldn't have let him keep kissin' me." Taking a bite of the hand pie, she glanced around at the customers; she was unaware that Wenna was giving her a bit of an odd look, as her answer didn't sit too well with her for some reason. A handful of patrons had left since she started eating, though most of them remained—and a good portion of that remaining number didn't have food on their tables. Only tankards.
Just when she was about to point this out to Wenna and Primrose, the door to the inn opened. Sigrid and Bain came bolting in, giggling their little heads off. They came to a halt, looking around for a few seconds before spotting Baylee and rushing towards her. Sigrid, Baylee saw, had her hair in upturned pigtails, which made her quietly laugh.
"Why hello there, you two troublemakers!" she grinned, catching them as they flung themselves at her. "I take it your da' an' the prince are here, then?"
"An' Mister Dwalin!" Bain chirped, letting himself be draped over Baylee's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "He's as tall as you, auntie!"
"An' he-he's even missin' part o' the same ear as you!" Sigrid giggled as she, too, was hoisted over Baylee's shoulder. Seeing her aunt's plate of food and the untouched half of a hand pie, she grinned. Reaching over, she plucked it up, earning some snickers from Wenna and Primrose.
Baylee turned slightly, just barely able to see Wenna past Bain's bum. "Do either o' you happen t' know where papa is?" From the corner of her vision, she could see Will getting to his feet.
"He's outside!" Bain answered for them. "He an' da' an' the prince are chattin'. We got bored, so we came in here." He snickered and, reaching out, snatched up the other half of the hand pie, not caring that a bite had already been taken from it.
In mid-chewing, Sigrid's eyes widened. "Oh!" she said, some crumbs falling from her mouth. "Daddy says he'd like some ale, Mister Dwalin would like beer, an' Mister Prince Fili would like cider. An' all three would like some lunch—whatever Miss Galiene has goin' is just fine." She giggled as she was suddenly hoisted off of Baylee's shoulder by Will.
"Well, well, well, looks like we've got a pair o' silly royal siblings on our hands again today," he grinned, tucking them under his arm. "An' I see you've managed t' steal your auntie's hand pie!"
Baylee's brows furrowed and she looked back at her tray. A pout came to her lips when she found her dessert gone. "You two cheeky blighters…you're lucky you're cute," she said, reaching over and teasingly tweaking their noses. "You think you can handle these two for a wee bit, Will? I've got three plates o' lunch t' go get ready."
He snorted. "O' course I do. An' if they try t' misbehave, I'll just hang them from the chandelier," he told her.
"That'd be fun!" Bain grinned.
"Well, now that you went an' said that, he's going t' have to dangle you upside down over the soup pot!" Baylee giggled, her brow rising. She turned to face Wenna and Primrose again. "Can one o' you get those drinks ready?"
"On it!" Wenna chirped. "Ale, beer, an' cider, aye?"
Nodding, she started to gather up their empty dishes onto her tray. "Correct. I'll be out shortly with their lunches." With the tray full now, she lifted it and headed into the kitchen.
Galiene, Gawen, and Adela glanced over at her as she entered. "How goes it out there?" asked Gawen. "Rosalyn said it's calmed down quite a bit."
"It's goin' well enough. There's still a bit o' a crowd waitin' around to see the prince, who just arrived," she replied, carrying the soiled dishes to the sink. "As have our prince an' princess."
"What!? Already!?" Galiene gawked, nearly dropping her wooden spoon.
"Aye." She moved to grab a larger tray as well as four bowls: Three for soup and one for bread.
"W-w-well, I need t' make somethin' special for him right quick then, now don't I?" she stammered, her eyes wide.
Gawen pointed his wooden spoon at his aunt, a scolding look on his face. "Stop your frettin', Aunt 'Ene," he said. "I'm sure if the prince wanted somethin' fancy for lunch, Baylee would have told us by now. Right, 'Lee?"
She nodded in agreement. "They just want whatever you've already got goin'," she chuckled, ladling soup into the bowls. "From what the lads have told me, Fili doesn't really like much special treatment."
"Unless it involves cranberry-orange bread," Adela laughed. "Would you like me t' fetch you a loaf o' that from the pantry?"
"Aye, please!" She then looked over at Galiene. "You're already roastin' a whole hog for him, Galiene," she then said, her voice a bit on the gentle side now. "He can handle a bit o' yummy fish soup for his lunch."
There was a small pout on Galiene's lips, but she shook her head and sighed in defeat. "I suppose you're right. I can't have all his meals be fancy, after all. Otherwise, I'll have us all worn out by the end o' his visit."
"Exactly," Gawen agreed. "As it stands, you're goin' t' be busy enough, thinkin' about how t' use all the leftover meat from that hog over the next few days."
Coming out of the pantry, Adela snorted. "Leftover roast hog? Gawen, do you not know how quickly your aunt's roast hog gets devoured, lad?" She brought the loaf of cranberry bread over to Baylee, who was putting some small, crusty loaves of bread into the fourth bowl. "Do you want me t' slice any o' this up, 'Lee?"
"Hmm…aye, make about four slices, but then leave the knife on the plate so they can cut more if they want," she replied. Standing on her tiptoes, she grabbed a tiny bowl meant specifically for butter from the shelf before crossing the kitchen to fill it.
"I'm doin' medium slices. That alright?"
"Sounds good." By the time she returned to the platter, Adela had rearranged the bowls so that the plate of cranberry-orange bread could fit as well. "Thanks, Adela," she said, putting the butter dish onto the platter as well. Then, lifting the whole thing up, she carried it out of the kitchen.
And just in time, too, by the looks of it. Across the common room, Bard and Warren were stepping through the door, followed by two dwarves. Even without the lads' explanations, she was certain she would have been able to tell who was who: Fili, who was shorter and blonde, looked quite young next to Dwalin, the taller one who had deep, blue tattoos across the width of his half-bald scalp.
The lads let out cries of joy upon seeing the two and, jumping up from their seats, hurried over only to practically tackle Fili—except Ori. Though he had gotten up to greet them, Baylee watched him first greet Dwalin. Normally, she would have thought this was so he didn't help overwhelm the prince, but she saw a softness come to both his and Dwalin's faces that told her there was something more than just friendship between the two of them.
She was just about to carry the tray over to the lads' table when Wenna came out of the private dining room. "Ah, so we'll be settin' him up in there, then?"
Wenna nodded, brushing her hands off on her apron. "Aye. Since he's a visitin' prince, I put his cider at the head o' the table, nearest the fireplace."
"Alright. Thanks for gettin' their drinks, by the way." She gave her a thankful smile.
"No trouble. By the way, there's somethin' I need t' talk with you about later."
Baylee's brow rose. "Oh?"
Once more, Wenna nodded. "Don't worry, nothin' serious," she assured her. "Just…a wee bit o' 'girl talk'." Her cheeks turned a bit red and she smiled innocently.
"Alright. When we get our next break, we can chat. Does that sound good?" Given how Wenna was blushing and that it was 'girl talk' she wanted to talk about, she figured that the younger woman wanted to talk about something a little more private than gossip about handsome men and rangers. 'Then again,' she told herself, 'maybe she does just want to talk about one of the lads, but it's not proper enough to be said around Prim?'
"That works perfectly. Now, I best let you go put those bowls down before your arm turns t' lead. Oh, and the beer is on Fili's left while the ale's on his right." Smiling, she headed off to check on some patrons while Baylee went inside the private dining room.
'I bet she's going to want to talk about Nakara,' she thought, carrying the tray to the head of the table. 'It's too bad he has his eye on Ashailyn. He and Wenna would make for a cute couple…Though, she'd also be cute Seth…' Shaking her head, she started to unload the platter. She made sure to put the plate of cranberry bread right in front of Fili's spot so that it wouldn't go unnoticed.
Just as she set the bowl of crusty bread loaves down, the lads, as well as Bard, Fili, and Dwalin, came through the doorway.
"Ah, here's Baylee!" Ori chirped. "We were wonderin' where you disappeared to."
"Just into the kitchen t' get some food for the newcomers," she chuckled.
Seeing the loaf of fruit bread, Bofur grinned broadly. "Ah, I see you brought Fili a whole loaf o' the cranberry-orange bread," he joked. He then gave Fili a hearty pat on the back. "Don't eat all o' it before you eat your soup now, lad. Don't want you t' spoil your appetite."
Fili's cheeks turned a bit pink, but he snorted and elbowed the older dwarf. "Very funny," he grinned, his brow rising. "I know to save the last part of a meal for last. Especially if it has cranberries in it."
"Now if only my children would learn t' such a thing," Bard chuckled. He looked at Baylee, a smile on his lips. "Baylee, I'm sure you know already, but these are Prince Fili an' Captain Dwalin."
"Welcome t' the Full Tankard, milords," Baylee chirped. "I hope you two enjoy your stay. Before you sit, that one's the cider, that's the ale, an' that's the beer." While she spoke, she pointed at the tankards.
"Thank you, Miss Baylee," Fili replied. "Everything both looks and smells delicious."
"That'd be Miss Galiene's handiwork," Nori said. "You'll soon find out she's almost as good as Gerdi when it comes t' cookin'." As the two royals and Dwalin took their seats, so did everyone else. None of the lads, however, seemed to have their own drinks on them.
Her brow rising slightly, Baylee chuckled. "Lads, did you forget your drinks?" she asked them.
Bifur frowned slightly and looked down only to realize that she was right. "Ah…I suppose we did," he chuckled.
"Tell me what you all had t' drink an' I'll refill them before bringin' them to you," she chuckled.
"Beer," chorused Nori and Bifur while Ori and Bofur chimed in with, "Ale."
Nodding, she excused herself and went to go fetch and refill their drinks. She normally would have asked at which spot they had been sitting so she wouldn't accidentally hand them the wrong mug later, but given that they always sat in the same spot (unless she, Will, or Warren was sitting with them), however, she wasn't terribly worried about mixing them up.
While gathering up the tankards, she glanced around for Warren, Will, and the two smaller royals. Out of the four of them, she only saw Warren, who was behind the bar, though she soon saw Will sprinting by the window while glancing over his shoulder.
'Ah, good, he's helping them to spend some of that excess energy of theirs,' she thought with a chuckle. Her platter now filled with the nearly-empty tankards, she took it over to the bar. 'I'm sure Bard will appreciate that…and I'm sure they're going to be disappointed to find that my hard candies aren't in the same spot anymore.'
"How was your nap, 'Lee?" Warren asked when she approached.
"Decent," she replied, setting two of the mugs on the counter for him. "Those both were beer."
He nodded and, grabbing them both in one fist, stepped over to the tap. "I'm surprised you even needed a nap," he chuckled. "Did you have trouble fallin' asleep because o' the excitement for today?" Seeing her cheeks pinken, his smile faltered slightly.
"N-not exactly." She rubbed the side of her neck.
A sigh left his mouth. "You had your nightmares, didn't you?" When she bit her lip and glanced away, he knew he had hit the nail on the head. "Baylee…Don't you have any o' that dreamless tea Richard makes?"
She shook her head. "We'll be restockin' when we get t' Laketown," she told him. "An' I'm going t' be sure t' get extra o' the ingredients so I can have a nice, big supply."
Turning his wrist so the next mug started to fill with beer. "When you phrase it like that, you almost make it sound like they've started up again." Her cheeks turned redder and a mixture of concern and scolding came to his face. "Baylee…have they started up again?"
"M-Maybe?" She smiled innocently.
"For how long?"
"…Maybe a month…or four…"
He nearly dropped the beers in shock. "Baylee Braddock!" Closing the tap, he put the two tankards back onto her platter before putting his hands on his hips. "Why haven't you said anything, young lady?" he demanded. Though his tone was scolding, he kept his voice quiet enough that only she could hear him.
"I didn't want t' worry anyone," she replied, slouching slightly. "An', t' be fair, I did tell Will."
"After he coerced you into tellin' him, I'm sure."
"Not really, no—you can even ask him. I told him just a few days after he got back from Dorwinion."
His brow rose in skepticism; part of him believed her, but another part of him knew Baylee was the sort of person that did need coercing when she thought a trouble of hers would be bothersome for other people. Sighing heavily, he shook his head. "Well…this definitely explains why you've been gettin' up so early these past couple o' months…" He picked up the two ale mugs and moved to fill them as well.
"To be fair, even on days when I don't have nightmares, I've been wakin' up early," she told him. "It's been nice, makin' my bread with only Bofur or Rán around…I don't have t' share counter space."
He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Well, when you're down at the High Tide, you better be sleepin' in an' catching up on some rest," he told her. "Admittedly, now that I know you've not been sleepin' well, I'm tempted t' put you on temporary leave so you can sit around an' be lazy for a while."
She gave him a dry look. "You an' I both know that wouldn't work." Sighing, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Papa, I promise I'm fine. Last night was especially bad, but every other night's been fine."
"You say you're fine, lass, but that's not goin' t' keep me from worrying about you." With both tankards filled, he closed the tap and set them on the tray with the two beers. "I'm your da'. I'm going t' worry about you no matter what." He reached across the counter and ruffled her hair, making her pout when she tried to flatten it again. "Now, you should probably get these drinks t' their owners before they start wondering what happened t' you." Glancing past her, he could see Wenna and Rosamunde coming towards him, both with trays full of empty tankards. "An' I need t' get ready for a long night o' drink-refilling."
Lightly shaking her head, she picked up the platter and headed towards the private dining room. Since the doors were open, she could see a few people leaning back in their chairs, attempting to get a look at the dwarven prince within. Some of them, she saw, were even tilting their chairs back, teetering on just two of the four legs. Her brow rose and she wondered how many would end up falling over.
When she entered the room, only Bofur and Fili really looked up at her. Fili, she saw, was munching away on a large bite of the cranberry-orange bread; his bowl of soup had barely been touched.
'So much for saving the best for last,' she inwardly laughed.
"Thanks, lass," Bofur said, taking his mug as she held out to him. "I'm surprised you knew which tankard belonged t' which bloke." He took a drink of the ale, being sure to suck the foam from his mustache afterwards.
"Not hard t' remember when you four sit in the same spots every day." She smiled, setting Ori's ale beside him before rounding the table to give Bifur and Nori their beers.
"Do we?" Bifur questioned, his brow rising. Seeing Ori and Nori nod, he chuckled. "Huh. I never noticed that. I suppose it makes a bit o' sense, given that we've become creatures o' habit, it seems."
"Miss Baylee, this bread is very delicious," Fili said once there was a slight lull in the conversation. "In fact, I daresay this is better than that first loaf I tasted."
A bit of a victorious grin came to her lips and her cheeks turned a bit red. "I'm glad t' hear you enjoy it, milord," she replied. "It might taste a bit better because I let the cranberries an' orange pieces rehydrate in some mead for a wee bit longer than usual."
At that, Bard's brow rose. "Baylee, are you tryin' to get the prince drunk before dinner?" he half-joked.
"It's goin' to take more than a few mead-soaked berries t' get Fili drunk," Dwalin snorted. "It's Kili who's the lightweight." He tore a chunk of crusty bread off from a loaf before dipping it into the soup.
Baylee laughed, holding her tray in front of her once more. "Is there anythin' I can get for you lads?" she then asked. "Some snacks or bowls o' soup?"
"Some snacks should do us," Nori told her. "We've already had lunch, but it's always good t' have finger food nearby when talkin' with friends."
Bifur nodded in agreement. "Aye, that's very true. An' since it's Fili an' Dwalin, that talkin' is sure t' go on for ages."