A Single Dream is More Powerful Than a Thousand Realities

No Ordinary Hobbit

Lyla felt content even as she felt confused. Her mind was muddled, trapped somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. She was aware that someone was near her, but her body was too tired to respond.

"Will he be alright?" Thorin's voice floated around her.

"Aye. Far as we can tell it's just a nasty shock," Balin's voice carried in reply, "We'll let him rest for a few more hours then try and get some fluids in him. Gandalf mentioned a friend nearby who could give us shelter and supplies."

"Very well..."

Lyla slipped back into darkness.

***
"Here Master Baggins," Someone placed a cool cloth to her lips, gently nudging her mouth to open.

Cool, blessedly, cool water trickled down her throat, and awakening a deep thirst.

She drank greedily.
***
The next time she awoke, the sky was dark but a small fire glowed nearby. Several of the company members were sitting around the orange flames, their quiet murmurs rising to the sky.

But a good majority of the company were scattered near her, deep asleep.

Bofur lay at her feet, hat propped over his eyes, arms tucked behind his head. Ori and Dori lay next to him, Dori's massive legs jerking every now and then as his hand searched to
find comfort by grasping Ori's sweater. It appeared that even in sleep, Dori was protecting his young brother. Dwalin, sat propped against a small boulder, his arms crossed over his chest, a deep frown pulling at his mouth, head bent forward ever so slightly.

Most surprisingly, though, was the fact that she was cocooned between two young dwarf princes.

Fili and Kili flanked either side of her radiating warmth, their arms twisted around her own, heads tilted on her shoulders and a couple of cloaks covering their legs. Soft snores whistled through their lips.

Lyla studied each of the brothers quietly. Kili's dark, bedraggled locks were flopped over his eyes, hiding the bruise she knew to be there. His mouth was quirked upwards in a gentle smile even as he slept, and he appeared carefree and content, which brought a smile to Lyla's own lips. Fili's long blonde braids were coming undone, and the gash on his forehead was hidden beneath his furrowed brows. The older of the two, Fili appeared far more thoughtful in his demeanor.

It made Lyla's heart swell with emotion to be near two people who had risked their lives to protect hers; who had nearly died...

But they were here and they were whole (mostly) and as she watched their breathing, she was filled with a deep gratitude for their presence near her. Her gaze flicked back towards the fire where Thorin and Balin sat conversing.

Thorin's eyes were trained on Lyla, studying her carefully, his dark brows knit in confusion, his sapphire eyes narrowed.

Lyla swallowed and looked away, eyes searching for a distraction away from the dwarf king with his tussled hair, his scraped and bruised face.

"I've come to find," Gandalf's voice made her jump, "That hobbits are most remarkable creatures."

Lyla inclined her head towards the tall grey wizard who had been sitting in the shadows this whole time, smoking a pipe, his hat resting on his knee. Gandalf's eyes were twinkling and a large smile broke out on his face.

"You seemed to have acquired an affinity for doing foolish things," he continued, the soft smells from his pipe filling Lyla's nostrils. "Running off with a band of dwarves to defeat a dragon, facing a pack of bloodthirsty orcs...you are quite a bit more Tookish than I originally supposed."