From Other Worlds

The New Adventure

The sun had just risen with its rays shining into Bag End. The warmth across her face was what told Rayna it was time to get up. Usually by now she heard Bilbo puttering about, but as she opened her curtains she remembered. Opening her bedroom door she could hear the sounds of thirteen sleeping dwarves and Gandalf. She had risen before any of them did which came as a surprise to her.

Quickly and as quietly as she could she headed to the pantry and the kitchen to try to see what was left so that maybe there could be breakfast. She found nothing but some herbs so at best what she could make was tea.

"Good Morning Miss Thorne." the voice made her jump.

"Good morning Fili." she whipped around.

"Startled you did I?"

"A little bit. Are you the first one up?" Rayna busied with heating the kettle.

"I believe my uncle and Balin are up. Although it would be hard to tell over Kili's snoring." Fili joked.

"So that's him making all the noise?" Rayna turned around, two mugs in hand, "Would you like some tea? I would have made breakfast but you all ate everything."

"I wouldn't mind some tea. And apologies." Fili offered as he took a seat at the table.

"It's for the best anyways. Wouldn't want anything to go to waste."

"But what about the halfling?"

"His name is Bilbo." Rayna turned quickly to face Fili, "And I have confidence he will join."

"Maybe we should wager on it."

"Keep that amongst yourselves if you must." she grabbed the kettle and began pouring the water into the pot.

"Fee?" they both looked to the voice.

"In here!" Fili called.

"He calls you Fee?" Rayna looked to Fili as Kili walked into the kitchen.

"For short, he's been calling me that since he was a pebble." Fili confirmed.

"You call dwarf children pebble? That is the CUTEST thing!" Raynas hands flew to her face and her eyebrows flew as high as they could go on her forehead.

"What do you call children of men?" Fili raised an eyebrow at her strange actions.

"Kids. Like goats." Rayna shrugged and turned for another mug.

"What's this?" Kili asked as she poured.

"Tea, and good morning to you too." she sipped her own.

"Good morning Miss Thorne." Kili spoke a little quieter before he sipped.

"Please call me Rayna, or even Ray for short." she asked of them.

"Like a ray of sunshine?" Fili smirked.

"Well I do try to brighten up every room I go in to but it doesn't always work. Excuse me." Rayna made a quick leave of the kitchen.

"What was that all about?" Kili nudged his brother.

"What? Just being kind." Fili shook his head.

Riding with the dwarves out of the Shire was an odd experience for Rayna. She had been out before, usually to the North but that was only twice. Normally she stayed to the borders and with every step the ponies and the horses took to the border the more her anxiety seemed to creep up.

"WAIT! WAIT!" the sound of Bilbo shouting brought a smile to her face as they all stopped.

"I signed it!" he proudly held the contract up.