Not Forsaken

Chapter 20

They had travelled a few hundred miles, through mountainous terrain and forest. It had been rather slow going, but uneventful. Poor Mr. Baggins was exceptionally miserable. He moaned and complained about missing his armchair, and second breakfasts, and was still bitter about not having his pocket handkerchief. They had ridden through soaking rains for the last several hours, and it seemed that no one was happy. Dori complained that Gandalf could not cause the rain to cease, Bofur was complaining that his pipe would not stay lit, and the entire company was in bad spirits.

Luliana was used to being out in the elements, so she simply pulled her wool cloak a bit tighter, and looked around her. The leaves were now fully grown in, and she listened to the sound of the falling rain, taking notice of the deep green leaves, and the ferns growing all along the forest floor. Here and there she would see a stream running through the rocks, and was quite delighted to hear the water bubbling down into the deep forest beneath them. The air always smelled so lovely in the forest when it rained, she thought. She looked ahead at the dwarf king, he wore no hood, and his thick mane was soaked through. He did not utter a single complaint, she thought with admiration. He carried himself as a king, even in this deluge.

They had not spoken much since their last conversation. She wasn't sure how to approach him now, and did not want to seem too eager, nor did she want to pry. Their journey had only just begun, and she knew there was time. She thought about her mother, and wondered what her grandmother would have looked like. Would Thorin remember? She wondered. They had been part of the royal court, Luliana thought. Maybe that was why her mother had spoken with regret about not marrying a dwarf. Would that have made Luliana part of the court as well? She found herself thinking of being in the royal court, with Thorin. She wondered if he could ever be interested in a woman like herself, if he could ever imagine her as his queen. IDIOT. She scolded herself. You are not royalty, and he would never look at you that way. You are nothing, you are no one. You are a half breed, a reject. Forsaken, just as mother had said.

She was deep in her own thoughts, arguing with herself, when she sensed someone riding alongside her. "Are you well, my dear?" It was Gandalf. Puffing away at his pipe. How does it stay lit, she wondered? She was suddenly amused, thinking of poor Bofur.

"I am, my friend, if a bit damp," she said to Gandalf with a shrug and a small smile. "Not much to be done about the rain, I guess, but it is pleasant enough."

"Yes, it is." Said Gandalf. "I am glad to find you still in good spirits." As if on cue, the dwarves began arguing about who would take the first watch if it was still raining. Gandalf and Luliana looked at each other and smiled. "And how do you find the leader of the company, has he been kind enough to you?" Luliana thought for a moment that she saw some mischief in Gandalf's eye.

"Aye, he is kind enough." She thought for a moment, before adding "he has told me that he knew my grandparents, in Erebor. Before Smaug came."

"Did he now?" Gandalf looked rather surprised, but pleased as well.

"Yes." She answered. She looked at the wizard carefully. "Gandalf, how long have I known you?"

He looked at her and smiled. "Well my dear, I have known you all of your life, although you may not remember much of me." He had that familiar twinkle in his eye. "I have been keeping a careful eye on you for many years now."

"Oh really?" Luliana smiled back. "As if I could not care for myself?" she said, jokingly. "I think I have fared very well, being on my own for so long."

"Oh, yes, my dear. You have done a fine job. But you have never truly been alone." Gandalf finished. He gave her a wink and a nod, and trotted ahead on his horse.

"He has an odd way about him, does he not?" Asked Bilbo, who was not just behind Luliana.

"He does, indeed!" She agreed with the hobbit. "Have you known him long?" She asked, curiously.

"Well, yes, now I guess I have known him a good long while. He knew my  mother." Luliana looked at Bilbo, wondering what sort of business his mother would have had with the old wizard.

"He is a queer sort." She smiled at Bilbo, who offered her a genuine smile. "How fare you, Bilbo? I imagine this is not the sort of outing you are used to," she laughed quietly, looking at the hobbit who was obviously soaked to the skin and miserable.

"No, it is not," he said. "But I imagine if you are not complaining, then neither shall I." Bilbo dat up a bit straighter in his mount, and attempted to look as proper as he could. With that the two of them started to laugh. He will make a fine companion, Luliana thought. The hobbit seemed, if nothing else, resilient.

"Bilbo, may I ask you some questions, about hobbits?" She asked him, hoping to find out mor of his kind.

"I suppose," answered Bilbo, never one to pass up the opportunity to converse. "What would you like to know?"

"Well," Luliana started, "I do not wish to offend you, Mr. Baggins, but do all hobbits have such...hideo....hairy feet?" She blushed, hardly believing she had almost asked such a thing.

Bilbo gave a good-natured chuckle and answered, "why yes, I suppose we all do! But it serves to keep them warm, I suppose." He looked at the poor woman, who was blushing terribly. "And I am not offended, by the way. I have relatives who have said worse!"

"Oh good!" Said Luliana, quite relieved. "I noticed that you have no beard, is that also common with hobbits? I suppose you can see plainly that we are the only two in the company who do not have beards. Well, Kili is giving it a good try I guess," she added, smirking.

"It is quite common. We don't have beards, and only the women folk keep their locks long." He looked around at the dwarves a bit disdainfully.

"Oh?" Asked Luliana. "However do you think you will manage on this long journey then master hobbit?"

Bilbo fumbled around in his pack for a moment, searching for something. "Scissors," he said, pulling a lovely pair out. "I've brought scissors."

Luliana looked at the hobbit, giving him a smirk. "How ever did you manage to bring scissors, but forget your pocket handkerchief?" She started to laugh, as Bilbo blushed slightly.

"Ah, yes. I suppose it is laughable," he agreed. Smiling sheepishly. "Maybe I will just give all these dwarves a trim!" He said, jokingly.

"You will do no such thing!" Dwalin yelled at Bilbo. Glaring at him as if he would shave him bald any moment. Well, more bald than he already was.

Bilbo looked at the large dwarf, quite frightened, and said nothing more. Luliana simply smiled, and rode on.

The rain had finally stopped, and the sun was peeking through the clouds as they looked for another camp for the night.