A small yawn left Baylee's mouth as she came down the back staircase that led into the kitchen of the High Tide. It was early yet, with the sun still working its way into the sky, but she could already hear the crackling of a fire and a woman's soft singing—Elle. A small smile came to her lips and she paused a few steps shy of the bottom, staying silent as she listened to her cousin's song.

Come live with me and be my love,

And we will all the pleasures prove

That hill and valley, dale and field,

And all the craggy mountains yield.

There we will sit upon the rocks,

And see the shepherds feed their flocks,

By shallow rivers t' whose falls

Melodious birds sing madrigals…

Elle suddenly ceased her singing. "I know you're eavesdropping, Baylee Braddock," she said, a bit of laughter in her voice. "You can come out of hiding now."

A guilty smile came to Baylee's lips as she descended the last few steps and entered the kitchen. Elle stood near the hearth, one hand resting on the counter while the other sat atop her cocked hip. "How did you know I was there?"

She nodded at the window. "I saw your reflection." There was a small, amused smile on her lips. "Now, what are you doing up an' about so early in the morning, hmm? I have letters from Bard an' Will explicitly statin' that we're t' make sure you sleep in an' be as lazy as possible."

"Blame it on the nerves." Crossing the kitchen, she ignored the 'as lazy as possible' part of Elle's statement and hopped onto the counter to get herself a mug for some tea. "I tried t' go back t' sleep for nearly an hour, but I finally gave up."

"Ooh, that's right—you're spendin' the day with that handsome ranger friend o' yours." Turning back towards the counter, she resumed cutting up slices of fruit and quietly chuckled. "Or is he more than just a friend, hm?" She glanced over at her cousin, a playful twinkle in her eye. "I've seen the way he looks at you an' how he treats you. There has t' be something more between the two o' you."

Baylee's cheeks turned bright red. "It's…complicated," she answered, sliding down off the counter.

"Complicated? How so?"

Letting out a soft sigh, Baylee opened the drawer she knew contained the various tins of tea. "Well, there's another lad—"

Elle gasped, her eyes widening as she ceased cutting once more. "Another lad? Be still my heart—my favorite cousin's gone an' gotten herself into a love-triangle!"

Baylee's brow rose slightly; she thought 'love-triangle' had just been a term Primrose had made up for the situation. Shaking her head, she plucked up a tin of blueberry-almond tea before using her hip to shut the drawer again. "It's not so much a triangle anymore, though."

"Oh?"

"My heart's already chosen who I want t' be with." Going over to the hearth, she held her hand near the surface of the kettle only to find it touch-warm. "An'…well, it's not Rán. I plan on letting him know today." Setting her mug down, she went to go lean against the counter near her cousin.

Elle's brow rose as she glanced over at Baylee. "Must be a pretty special lad back up in Dale if you fell for him instead o' the handsome bloke."

"He really is," she said with a small nod. As a tender and somewhat faraway smile came to her lips, Elle couldn't help but smile herself.

"I know that look," she said. "You used t' wear it whenever you an' Bard were around each other. You're head-over-heels for this lad."

Her cheeks pinkening again, Baylee chuckled. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yes." Leaning over slightly, Elle nudged her arm with her elbow. "So tell me about this lad," she grinned. "I need to know everything about the man who won my cousin's heart."

She playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head. "If I must," she said with a theatric sigh. "For starters, he's…not actually a man. He's a dwarf."

"A dwarf?" She blinked, surprised by the information. After a few seconds, however, she shrugged. "That's rather unexpected, but not entirely shocking. There are some mighty handsome dwarves out there, after all. Like the one who happens t' be three floors up in room twenty-two. But, I digress. Continue, please."

Baylee quietly laughed at Elle's reaction, but she had to agree with her: Fili was a handsome dwarf. "His name is Bofur. He's a toymaker an' is actually about t' open a shop back in Dale with his cousin. He's managed t' make me laugh more times in the few months that I've known him than I have in the last ten years." A tender smile came to her lips. "An' he's a big sweetheart, always offering t' help me with things or makin' me breakfast when I'm too distracted by breadmakin' t' do it myself…I feel safe when I'm with him. Safe an' warm an' loved."

"An' what do Will an' Uncle Warren think o' him?"

"They like him," she chuckled. "Will was one o' the ones rootin' for me t' choose him." Despite her smile, she felt her stomach churn ever so slightly—she knew what Elle would ask next.

"An' what about mama an' da'?"

"That…I don't know too well." She rubbed the side of her neck, a heavy sigh leaving her mouth. "At the moment, I know both auntie an' uncle like him just fine. But…" She let out another sigh. "I'm certain auntie won't be the least bit happy that I've chosen him."

Frowning, Elle set down her knife before wiping the fruit juices from her hands on the end of her apron. "He's not up to her standards then."

"No, he's not…not in anything, I'm afraid." Biting her lower lip, Baylee's gaze then fell to the floor. "…He was also part o' Thorin's Company," she said, voice quiet.

"Ooh dear…" Elle stuck the middle knuckle of her index finger between her teeth, a nervous look on her face. "Ooh dear, that's not good at all." She lightly bit her knuckle again, her brows furrowing in thought. "Which member of the company was he?"

Knowing that Elle had a very good memory when it came to faces, Baylee answered simply with, "The one with the hat."

"Oh! He's the one who missed leavin' with the group because he slept in!"

Baylee couldn't help but snort in surprise at her cousin's words. "Aye, that's him."

Nodding in understanding, Elle went quiet again, the look of concentration returning to her face. After a long minute of tense silence, she let out a heavy sigh. "I think the only way you could avoid mum's wrath is t' make sure she never finds out that he was part o' the company. She'll be disappointed that you're courtin' a toymaker, though."

"I'd rather suffer through her disappointment than her wrath, t' be honest." Moving away from the counter, she went to go check on the kettle. She held her hand over it again; this time, she could feel quite a bit of heat coming off of it. "But I know we wouldn't be able t' keep it a secret for forever. Varda's girdle, it might be Bofur himself who accidentally tells her—he has a tendency t' ramble at times. Especially when he's had a bit t' drink."

Watching Baylee fill her mug with steaming water, Elle sighed. "I don't know what t' tell you, 'Lee. Other than endurin' mum's wrath when she finds out, there's not much you can do."

Baylee went quiet, her eyes focused on the water as it filled her mug. Putting the kettle back on the grating, but not directly over the coals, she picked up her mug and returned to her spot by the counter. "I…I know she hates the company, but that doesn't mean the rest o' us have to. I just don't see why she can't accept that."

"Because mum is a stubborn, old jenny who thinks that, just because she's the matriarch o' the family, everyone needs t' share the same opinions as her." Shaking her head, she reached over and set her hand on Baylee's shoulder. "T' be honest, it's been so long since the war, her anger may have cooled off slightly. For all we know, she'll just be disappointed instead o' wanting t' throw one o' her axes at him."

Her brow rising, she glanced up at Elle as she took a tiny sip of her tea. "Luckily, she always aims too high, so she'd miss him by a few inches."

"That's true…Might still manage t' bonk him with the handle as it flies over, though."

"Which is far more preferable t' him gettin' hit with the blade."

"Maybe for you, but he might be left wishin' otherwise. Believe me—I have experience gettin' hit in the face with axe handles." She tapped the bridge of her nose, which had been left crooked thanks to having been broken years ago during a sparring match. "A broken nose isn't the least bit fun. It's horribly annoyin', especially if you like t' sleep on your side, cuddled up t' a pillow."

Midafternoon found Baylee sitting atop Buttercup as Rán rode alongside them on Galal. They were some miles west of Laketown, riding along a trail that took them into the forest. Around them, there were tall oak and apple trees, their boughs shading them from the late-spring sun. Sunlight, though, still managed to filter down through the leaves, dappling the ground and riders with little spots of golden light.

"I must admit, when Queen Muna told me that she was sending me and the others to Dale, I did not expect to see such lovely weather," Rán said, smiling as he looked up at the branches and leaves above them. "With how far north it is, I had been expecting the area to be a frozen wasteland." He watched as a squirrel skittered across one branch before hopping down onto another.

She let out a small laugh, her brow rising. "You haven't seen it in winter yet," she half-joked.

"Oh? Well, Seth is going to be in for an unpleasant surprise," he grinned. "He barely tolerated the coolness of early spring—I dread his complaints come winter and when the snow is up to our waists."

"He still thinks it'll get that deep?" she laughed, brow rising.

"He is incredibly pessimistic when it comes to cold weather."

"He certainly is." Lightly shaking her head, she shifted in her saddle a bit. "But, you never know. Once the snow actually gets here, he may take us all by surprise an' actually enjoy the stuff."

"While I adore your optimism, Baylee, I cannot share in it when it comes to Seth's distaste for the cold," he laughed. "It would take a miracle from Manwë himself to get that man to enjoy cold weather." Lightly shaking his head, he let out a sound that was a mix of a sigh and a chuckle. "If he had been given a choice in the matter, I'm certain he would have much rather stayed back in Dorwinion."

Her brows furrowed slightly and she looked over at him. "You lot weren't given a choice about comin' up here?" Seeing Rán tense up ever so slightly, she frowned. "Rán…? Is everything alright?"

He gave her a reassuring smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yes, everything is fine," he told her. "But, no, we were given no choice in the matter of being sent to Dale. Since I know you will ask me why that is, why don't we first find a spot where we can let the horses rest a bit?"

Her curiosity now piqued, she nodded; Rán hadn't ever avoided answering one of her questions before. "That sounds fair," she told him. Shielding her eyes against the sun, she looked down the road, trying to find a place that would be good for taking a break.

Rán, however, spotted one first. "Why not over there?" he suggested, pointing at a stream in the distance. It was almost hidden from view and, had it not been for the way its waters glittered in the light, Baylee wouldn't have been able to see it at all.

"Looks perfect," she smiled. "I'm sure the horses will appreciate bein' able t' have a bit o' a drink."

"I am certain they would," he chuckled. Mischief then came over his features and, bringing Galal to a stop, he grinned at Baylee. "Would you care to make it a race?"

Her brow rose and a playful grin of her own appeared on her lips as she brought Buttercup to a halt. "Aye, I would. How about first one t' reach that big oak wins?"

"The one on the left?" Glancing at Baylee, he saw her nod. "That works. On the count of three, then?"

The pair turned their horses in the direction of the stream and Rán started the count down. The second he said 'three', Baylee loudly clicked her tongue, urging Buttercup forward. Having already been warmed up from trotting and cantering, the mare took off at a gallop, leaving Rán and Galal behind.

Galal, however, was a horse built for speed. As Rán spurred him forward, he took off at a gallop himself. His longs legs enabled him to quickly catch up with the two females and even start to pull ahead. Rán glanced over at Baylee as they started to overtake the pair, a playful grin on his lips.

Baylee blew a raspberry at him before urging Buttercup to go faster, though she had a feeling this was the fastest she could go. To her surprise, however, the mare did pick up a bit of speed, closing the gap between her and Galal.

Despite the boost in speed, however, Rán and Galal reached the oak tree first—but only by a few seconds. Bringing Galal to a halt, he looked over at Baylee, mischief still in his smile and eyes.

"I must admit, I was not expecting it to be that close of a race," he said before dismounting. He patted the side of the stallion's neck.

"Buttercup took me by surprise, too," Baylee laughed. Leaning over, she patted Buttercup's neck. "She clearly has a few surprises for me hidden in her forelocks even after nigh seven years." Unhooking her knee from the saddle horn, she slipped her other foot out of the stirrup. Just as she was about to slide to the ground, though, Rán came over and easily lifted her from the saddle. "Rán, you know I can dismount just fine on my own," she said, her brow rising in amusement.

"Yes, I know that quite well," he said with a soft laugh. Setting her feet on the ground, he let his arm slip down to her waist as he brought her closer. He gently lifted her chin with his other hand, letting the pad of his thumb brush against her lower lip. "But it is so much easier to steal a victory kiss from you this way."

"A wh—" she started to ask, but was cut off as he pressed his lips to hers. Unconsciously, she returned the kiss, her hands coming to rest on his chest. A small shiver ran down her spine when she felt his hand on her cheek, the warmth of his palm sinking into her skin. Despite the fact that her stomach was quickly filling with guilt, she couldn't help but admit that she was enjoying the kiss.

But whether it was because she was beginning to get touch starved from being away from Bofur or if it was because Rán was just a good kisser, she couldn't tell.

After a moment, she pulled back a few inches. "You're tryin' t' distract me," she murmured, cheeks flushed as she looked up at him, her gaze locking with his.

"And what would I be trying to distract you from?" he replied, voice just as quiet, but bearing some mischief. Tilting his head to the side, he started to trace the line of her jaw with soft kisses.

She bit her lower lip, her fingers gripping onto his tunic slightly as goosebumps covered her skin; as good as his lips felt, she couldn't help but wonder how Bofur's lips would feel in place of Rán's or how much his long mustache would tickle her skin. He was still too shy to leave kisses anywhere but her lips, cheeks, and hands. "From tellin' me why you an' the others had no say in comin' t' Dale." Another shiver ran down her spine as he breathed a sigh of defeat against her skin, warming it.

"Damn," he murmured as he reluctantly drew back. "I see I am not the best at creating diversions."

"I'm sure it would have worked on anyone else," she assured him with a soft laugh. "But you piqued my curiosity earlier." Seeing the bit of reluctance that now filled his eyes, she frowned. Before she could stop herself, she reached up and brushed a stray curl from his face, tucking it behind his ear. "If it makes you uncomfortable, though, you don't have to tell me."

"No. You deserve to know." Taking her hand before she could pull it away, he turned his head and pressed a kiss into her palm. "It is not something we would have been able to hide forever, anyway."

Her cheeks grew a bit warm as he showed her such small and gentle affections. At the same time, however, it made her guilt grow even stronger. "Alright. Then let's go sit down and you can tell me."

A soft sigh left his mouth and he nodded, stepping back from her. Still holding her hand, he guided her over to the oak tree, where they sat down between its roots. He remained quiet for some minutes, though, as he tried to come up with the right words to say.

She sat beside him patiently, saying nothing as she let him think. Instead, she gave his hand a small squeeze, hoping that it would bring a little reassurance to him. The gesture made a halfhearted smile come to his lips.

"I suppose there is little choice but to be blunt about it," he said at length. "You heard of the death of Queen Muna's son, yes?"

"Aye. He was killed by raiders almost two years ago now." Her brows creased somewhat, wondering where he was going to go with this information.

"He was killed while being escorted by my rangers and I." A quiet gasp from Baylee made his gaze drop to the ground, a guilty expression coming to his face. "It was supposed to be a simple, short trip from the capital to the royal summer home in Delphygis—a trip that would not even take a full day. But we were ambushed halfway there."

He paused a moment, his eyes closing; he could still remember that day as if it were yesterday. "The battle left none of us unscathed, but Efisio had an especially deep bite in his thigh from one of the wargs. Seth applied as good a tourniquet he could with what few supplies he had before I rode off with Efisio." His voice betrayed the guilt and sorrow he felt as he recounted the story to her. "Galal galloped faster than he ever had before, but it was of no use. Efisio passed just as we reached the city gate."

Baylee bit her lower lip before wrapping her arm around his shoulders. She pulled him to her in a gentle hug and, as he wrapped his arms around her in return, he buried his face into the crook of her neck. "I'm sorry," she said, voice quiet as she comfortingly combed her fingers through his hair.

"He was a dear friend to all of us, but he was closest to Ashailyn and me." His voice was somewhat muffled by her neck, but neither cared. "It was because of him I even became a ranger in the first place. He said I had too sharp an eye and too quick of reflexes to be an apprentice to the palace baker. I told him he must've gotten knocked upside the head once too many times during his combat training. But he eventually convinced me." A soft laugh left his mouth and he shook his head; there was something in the way he spoke about the prince that made Baylee wonder if, perhaps, they had been more than just friends.

Rán then sighed heavily. "Losing him like that—so close to the city and so close to the help he needed…it was devastating. The worst part of it all, though, was that I felt him die. His breathing had been so labored, that his entire body heaved every time he inhaled." He had to pause again, swallowing hard as his jaw and voice started to waver. "But then he let out one, final breath and went still. I knew he was gone, but because he passed with his eyes opened, I tried to convince myself that he was still alive. That there was still time to help him."

"That's the worst part o' it," Baylee murmured. "When the eyes stay open, just starin' at you as they start t' glaze over…It's like they're starin' into your very soul and you want t' look away, but you just can't." A small shudder ran down her spine as, for just a few seconds, she could see her mother's green eyes watching her as they glazed over with death.

He nodded slowly, feeling himself beginning to calm down a bit as Baylee continued to hold him and finger-comb his hair. "I had nightmares for months after that day. Nightmares where he asks me how I could let him die like that. Sometimes, he tries to kill me in revenge while in others, he just stands there, staring at me with those lifeless brown eyes of his." He exhaled, the breath shuddering as it left his mouth. "The nightmares still come, but, thank Lórien, not nearly as often, nor ever as intense as yours.

"After his death, Queen Muna, who already disliked us despite how well we completed our missions, came to despise us," he continued. "She had always accused us of distracting Efisio from his duties or enabling him whenever he snuck out of the palace to venture around the city." Unconsciously, he began to toy with a lock of her hair, his eyes fixing themselves on the grey-brown strands. "The missions she would send us on became more and more perilous as a way of lawfully punishing us for letting Efisio die while under our watch. We always came back, though—injured, but alive."

"And then she decided t' permanently get rid o' you by exiling you and the others t' Dale under the guise o' a gift o' accord."

"Yes," he said, nodding somewhat.

"Were…were you at all upset by her decision?"

"Myself, personally? No. Ashailyn and I wanted to leave Dorwinion. It already held too many ill memories for us, but Efisio's death was the straw that broke the donkey's back. The others had mixed feelings, however. Seth, as you know, disliked it because he knew the climate would be colder. Girish and Nakara were unhappy because they have family back in Dorwinion. Fifika, Kreine, Aizik, and Hunil, though, did not mind too much." A small smile then came to his lips. "But, when we left, all of them had said if I had been banished to the edge of the world, they would follow without hesitation."

A smile came to Baylee's face as well. "Well, you're a good leader and a good friend to them. It's no wonder they'd be that loyal to you."

"I am lucky to have them in my life," he said, voice soft. "They have all but become mine and Ashailyn's family over the last decade. Even if Nakara and I do not always see eye-to-eye on some matters…especially ones regarding my sister."

She quietly chuckled, her brow rising; Rán had vented to her a time or two before about Nakara's attempts to woo Ashailyn and how they mostly went unnoticed by her. "Well, you are her older brother. It's only natural that you would be wary o' any man's attempts at flirtin' with her."

He let out a soft laugh, his brow rising in amusement. "That is true…And it certainly does not help that I was the one to all but raise Ashailyn. I daresay that has made me almost as protective as a father over her."

"Ooh, Nakara best be careful when tryin' t' woo her in front o' you, then. The combination o' a father and a brother's protectiveness can be deadly t' any potential suitors," she teased.

Though he tried, Rán was unable to stop himself from letting out a rather loud snort. "To his luck, the worst I would do to him is give him a rather stern talking-to," he chuckled. "Even then, there is always the possibility that his feelings for Ashailyn will change with time. We live in a new place and are surrounded by new people. He may find someone else to give his heart to."

"Don't let Wenna an' Prim know," she snorted. "They'll start gussying themselves up in hopes o' tryin' t' win him."

Rán tilted his head back slightly, looking at her in confusion. "Gussying up?" he repeated, curious. "I have never heard that phrase before."

"It means t' get dressed up and make yourself look nice, usually when you're wantin' t' impress someone."

He nodded in understanding, letting his head rest against her shoulder once more. "Interesting…Though, it does not surprise me that they would want to try impressing Nakara. He is a handsome man, after all." His eyes drifted shut and a small smile of contentment came to his lips. "On the subject of your friends wishing they could be with one of my rangers, I have noticed that Lady Rosamunde has taken quite an interest in Hunil and he in her."

Baylee closed her eyes as well; it was then she realized that she was still toying with Rán's hair, making her blush slightly. "I've noticed that as well…I also couldn't help but notice that he's seemed rather mopey ever since we left Dale," she replied, a bit of amusement in her voice.

"I must confess, Fifika and I have been teasing him about that," he admitted with a small laugh. "However, Fifika did advise that he find Lady Rosamunde a small gift in order to let her know of his feelings, so he is spending the day scouring the market for just that." As he spoke, his voice became softer and his words were getting a bit more drawn out. The mixture of the warm, late-spring day and how comfortable he felt was quickly working to lull him into sleep.

"He could give her a little daisy and she'd love it." She could hear the sleep overtaking his voice. "I'll have t' let him know that he could get even further into her good graces by askin' her father if he could court her."

"Mm…a good idea."

She let out a soft sigh, still letting her fingers comb through his hair as the ranger drifted off into sleep; she wouldn't wake him. Not right now, at least. 'He's been incredibly busy ever since we got to Laketown,' she thought. 'Between visiting all the seedier establishments to ask around about Mannus and scouting out the lands around the Long Lake, it's a wonder he's able to get any rest at all.'

Opening her eyes, she looked down at him. A small, guilt-filled smile came to her lips when she saw how peaceful he looked as he napped against her. 'I can't tell him today…not after what he told me. It'd just be cruel. But…I will tell him before we get back to Dale.' Tilting her head back against the tree trunk, she stared up at the leaves only to sigh again. 'I hope Bofur's doing alright…'

Bofur was, indeed, doing quite alright at the moment—in fact, he was doing wonderfully. It was near dinner time and he and Bifur were closing up the shop for the night. It had been their second day in business and they had had to restock the shelves three times that day alone.

"Those wee tykes must have been savin' up every bit of their pocket money since we started on the remodeling," Bifur chuckled. He was counting the day's profits as Bofur swept the floor.

"That, or it's just they've finally got a place where they can spend said pocket money on things they'd actually like," Bofur grinned. "I'm surprised by how popular the kites have been, though. I honestly didn't think they'd do as well as they did."

He nodded in agreement. "Aye. Truth be told, I didn't think we'd sell more than ten durin' the whole first week o' bein' open, but we tripled that in just the first two days!" Lightly shaking his head in amusement, he slid a pile of ten gold coins across the counter to join the other stacks. "We'll have t' see how things are once it calms down a bit, though. If we stay constantly busy throughout the day over the next week or two, we may want t' think about havin' Berez come help us."

"Aye, that'd be a good idea. It'd also give the lad a chance t' mingle among humans an' better learn about them." He carefully swept a small pile of dust and dirt towards the center of the room, where a larger pile sat. "Are you close t' finishin' up with the counting, by the way?"

"Almost. I still have a little bit left to sort. But, so far, it's looking like we made quite a profit." He glanced over at his cousin, watching him crouch down to start sweeping the dirt pile into a dustpan. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm gettin' mighty hungry, but I don't want t' head t' the Tankard without you."

Snorting, Bifur shook his head. "You don't have t' wait for me, lad. I'm capable o' walking there on my own, you know." He slid a pile of ten silver coins across the counter. "Anyway, if you headed there now an' asked for a bath t' be drawn up for me, it would be ready by the time I got there."

Bofur's brow rose slightly as he glanced over at him. "Didn't you just bathe the night before last? Why would you want another bath again so soon?"

"Because we've only got two more days left until we can move into the livin' quarters an' I want t' take advantage of not havin' t' draw my own bath."

"…Alright, so you've a point there."

"Age brings wisdom and I've got a few decades on you, lad," he chuckled. He lightly shook his head in amusement when Bofur blew a raspberry at him. "Now, after you dump that dust an' dirt, go ahead and head out. I'll get the money put away an' the place locked up soon enough."

Doing as he was told, Bofur took the now-full dustpan into the kitchen before tossing its contents out the backdoor. After making sure he had everything he needed, he also left through the backdoor, as the front door was already locked tight for the night. He hummed as he walked down the street, his hands clasped behind his head.

'Baylee, Fili, and Ori should be back in about a week,' he thought, 'and a few days after that, it'll be Baylee and Will's birthday…I should start looking around for some gifts for those two. But the question is what to start looking around for.' Seeing a horse and cart coming down the street, he moved off to the side.

'Will's got plenty of tools for his craft, so those are off the list. But then again, his apron looked fairly worn in places. So that's a possible idea. Could also get him a nice branding iron so he could 'sign' his future work if he wanted…' He scratched his beard, a thoughtful expression coming to his face. 'I think the apron might be a better option. I can find him a real nice one in Erebor. I'd need to get it custom made, though, given that he's a good two and a half feet taller than most dwarves.'

As he came around the corner, he could see the Full Tankard at the end of the street. 'As for Baylee…now she's going to be a hard one to shop for. There are so many things I want to get her, but it's more a matter of finding her something she'd actually use. As much as I want to drape her in silks and heaps of jewelry, that's not her style. Maybe I could get her some pretty hair trinkets?' He smiled at the thought. 'They'd certainly give me an excuse to braid her hair more often.'

He hadn't come any closer to deciding on a gift for his beloved by the time he walked through the door of the Tankard. Not much to his surprise, the place was quite full; a caravan had come into town just a few days ago, leaving the inn at nearly maximum capacity. With so many guests staying at the inn, Primrose had brought two more of her five sisters to the inn to help out.

Taking a seat at the bar, he gave Will a smile. "Evenin', lad. Things still as overwhelmin' for you today as they were yesterday?"

"Thank Nienna, no," Will replied, a small laugh leaving his mouth. Leaning over, he grabbed a mug from under the counter. "Rosalie an' Rosemary have been a big help. Beer or ale?"

"Ale, please. An' that's good. This place has been extra busy o' late."

Will quietly snorted, moving to fill the mug with ale. "That's what happens when the second biggest inn in the city gets blown up," he joked. "What about you? Was the shop just as busy today as it was yesterday?"

Bofur nodded, watching Will as he slowly tilted the mug upright while filling it. "Aye, it was. But Bifur an' me didn't mind much—not with all the smiles we were seein' from the wee lads an' lasses. Oh, speakin' o' Bifur: He'd like a bath tonight, if possible."

"Aye, he can get one," Wenna chirped, suddenly appearing on his left. She set a platter of mugs down on the counter. "Would he like it before he eats his dinner or afterwards?" Slipping behind the bar, she grabbed two of the tankards so she could fill them with cider. Bofur could see that her cheeks were a bit pink from running around so much.

"Before, please. But he's going t' be a little while yet—he's countin' the day's profits an' lockin' up still."

She nodded in understanding. "Alright. After I get these drinks refilled an' delivered, I'll get it started. I just hope I don't accidentally forget about it."

"Ah, even if you do, I'm sure he wouldn't mind takin' a lukewarm bath," he snickered.

Will came over, setting the now-full tankard of ale in front of Bofur. "Lucky for him, I know Wenna won't forget. She's worked here long enough that she's got herself a memory that rivals 'Lee's at times."

Shaking her head, Wenna chuckled. "I think you're confusing me with Prim again," she joked. Setting the two tankards down, she picked up three more to fill with ale. "She caught onto this a lot faster than I did when I first started."

"Aye, but Prim grew up helpin' us out occasionally," Will reminded her. "You came here with no prior knowledge on how t' be a hostess."

Bofur tilted his head slightly as he picked up his tankard. "What did you do before this?" he asked. He took a long drink of the ale.

"Worked on my family's farm. I was usually the one in charge o' carin' for the chickens as well as hocking our produce in the Sunday markets." Seeing Will pick up the final three mugs from her tray, she said, "Those three were beer."

"How'd you come t' work in an inn o' all places?"

"I wanted t' be closer to my friends an' I wanted a way t' meet new people more often," she explained with a small laugh. "Mum and dad had plenty o' help on the farm, so they didn't object when I told them I wanted t' come stay with my sister an' her husband for a while. Once I got settled, Baylee told me they could use some help here at the inn since the previous two hostesses decided they couldn't handle the pressure anymore."

Will's nose scrunched up at the memory. "I remember that…they quit right before the start o' summer last year. Da' an' auntie were not happy."

Bringing the three ale mugs back over, she arranged them on the tray. "Aye. I had t' learn on the fly, but thankfully, last year's busy season wasn't too busy." She looked over at Bofur. "By the way, did you want a bath drawn as well or just one for Bifur?"

"Just one for Bifur, lass," he answered. He quietly snorted as Will easily reached over Wenna's head to place the two mugs of beer onto the tray.

"Alrighty. I'll get that goin' for him as soon as possible," Wenna chuckled. Plucking up the tray, she headed off to go deliver the drinks to their owners.

Taking another drink of his ale, Bofur glanced up at Will. "How's your dad doin', by the way? Still havin' those phantom pains?"

"Sadly, yes. But he says they're not as bad as they were when his arm was first removed." Sighing, he rubbed the side of his neck before rolling his head around his shoulders; a relieved grunt left his mouth when he felt a pop in the middle of his neck. "Uncle says he might even be able t' get up an' walk around by the time Baylee an' the others get back." A small grin came to his lips.

"Oh? That'll be good!" he grinned. "I'm sure 'Lee would be ecstatic t' come home an' find her da' up and walkin' around again."

"Aye, I think she would be, too," he chuckled. "I will be too, though for different reasons."

"An' what reasons would those be, lad?"

Glancing at the kitchen to make sure no one was watching him, he leaned forward and spoke in a quieter voice. "Because it'll mean my aunt will stop pesterin' me t' fancy the place up."

His brow rose and a small frown came to his lips; he knew that Demelza had tried convincing Baylee to get some fancier looking décor while Warren was bedridden, but he didn't know that she had started pestering Will about it, too. "She's bugging you about that now?" Will nodded. "You'd think she'd realize that it's a lost cause."

"Aye, but she's nothing, if not persistent." He lightly shook his head, resting a hand on the bar while the other moved to rest on his hip. "I actually almost snapped at her this morning," he admitted, guilt in his voice. "She was tellin' me how Peter's got a cousin who does stained glasswork down in Laketown an' how elegant the top floor windows would look if they were all done in stained glass…"

Bofur couldn't help but snort. "Stained glass is far too expensive t' use on an inn," he said before taking another drink of ale. "A palace, a castle, or some sort o' temple? Aye, those are befittin' the time an' effort that goes into makin' stained glass windows. But an inn…?" He shook his head. "Maybe your aunt should think about buyin' the Flying Hen's remains an' rebuildin' it t' be an inn o' her liking."

"That's…actually what I almost told her to do," he told him, chuckling. "An' I keep telling her that, even if we wanted to—which we don't—Baylee an' me can't make those sorts o' decisions. Dad's the owner o' this place, so it's him who says how the inn gets decorated. An' he likes it nice an' comfortable."

"An' I'm guessing your da' has already told your aunt on multiple occasions that he's not going t' change a thing?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It's…" He shook his head, sighing. "It's annoying, t' be frank. And it's not like this is a recent behavior, either. She's always been like this…Ever since she and mum moved up from Rohan, she's been obsessed with tryin' t' better her an' mum's image."

"…Was your mum like that, too?" He was uncertain if he should ask about Will's late mother, since he knew she was a sensitive topic.

"No. She was perfectly alright with what we had—which wasn't much back then, given that the Master was no fan o' us." Leaning over slightly, he peeked into Bofur's mug to find it nearly empty. Without waiting to be asked, he plucked it up and moved to refill it.

Bofur scratched his chin. "You said your cousins run an inn down in Laketown?"

"Aye, the High Tide. It's where 'Lee an' the others are stayin'." He opened the tap, watching the amber liquid flow into the mug.

"Is it at all high class?"

Will thought for a moment; he hadn't been down to see his cousins in quite some time and his memory was nowhere near as good as his sister's when it came to remembering what things looked like. "I think it was a bit higher class than the Tankard," he said, "but not by much. It's been a while since I've been down there. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "Just curious is all. You'd think she'd rather live down in Laketown with her own children an' bug them about makin' their inn all fancy-pantsy instead o' bein' up here."

Closing the tap as the ale foam reached the lip of the mug, Will let out a sigh. "It's because she feels like she owes it t' mum t' watch over us an' make sure we do well in life."

Bofur's brow rose slightly. "Do well in life?" he repeated. "How so?"

"Mostly it means tryin' t' ensure we marry well—her definition' o' well, mind you."

His words brought a small frown to Bofur's lips. "…An' I'm guessin' Rán's more o' her definition o' a good match for your sister than I am."

A small pout came to Will's lips and he wagged a scolding finger at him. "Don't you go thinkin' that auntie's opinions are goin' t' have any effect on how much Baylee loves you," he told him. "Rán's not the one her heart chose—you are."

"You don't have t' worry, lad," he snorted, amused by his reaction. "Though, I do actually feel a wee bit bad for the bloke, admittedly."

"Why would you feel bad for Rán?" His brow lowered in confusion.

"He's down there in Laketown with her, no doubt tryin' his hardest t' woo her, an' instead, she'll be tellin' him that she didn't pick him." He lightly shook his head before taking another drink of ale. "No doubt, he's going t' be rather miserable for the rest o' the trip, given how heartbroken he'll be. After all, he is half dwarf an' we dwarves love quite deeply."

Will nodded in acquiesce. "That is true," he admitted.

Bofur then let out a small sigh. "An', as much as I hate t' admit it, he's not a bad guy. I think I might've even gotten along with him if he weren't my rival for 'Lee." Glancing up at Will, he saw a contemplative expression on his face. "You alright, lad?"

"Aye, fine. I just had a strange thought is all."

"Hm?"

"Well, like you said, Rán's half dwarf. You don't think half dwarves have Ones like full-blooded dwarves, do you?" He watched Bofur's brows furrow together and a thoughtful expression of his own came to his face. "You'd think I'd know this, given that I've known Lovisa literally my whole life, but as far as I know, she's never expressed interest in anyone."

Bofur lightly shrugged. "It's hard t' say, lad. There aren't many half dwarves out there in the world an', t' be fair, Rán's the only one I personally know. Given that he hasn't gotten violent with me over Baylee, I'd have t' wager a guess that they don't."

"That's what I was thinking," Will said with a small nod. He excused himself as a group of patrons came over after finishing their meals so they could pay.

Despite his indifferent exterior, inwardly, Bofur was feeling concerned. 'What if they do have Ones like us full blooded dwarrows?' he thought. 'I've heard of some dwarrows and dwarrow dames getting into pretty nasty fights because it turns out they had the same person as their One…but those altercations always ended with someone getting a broken heart and living unhappily for the rest of their life or even taking their own life out of despair.' A frown came to his lips, though he quickly hid it behind his tankard.

'I may not like Rán very much, but Mahal please don't tell me that Baylee was his One and I ruined his chance at love…'