Price of Battle ➝ The Hobbit ✓

Part Two

PART TWO ~

Arien lunged backwards, parrying the blow being sent her way as the dwarf thrusted his sword forward. She spun on her heel, skittering around him and brought her blade down on his own, sending it flying out of his hand and landing in the crisp leaves with a soft thump.

Arien grinned and slumped down onto the protruding roots of a towering oak, stabbing her sword into the soft soil. Her forehead shone with sweat, and her hair clung to the sides of her face.

Fili took a seat next to her, and they sat in silence for some time as they regained their breaths and calmed their furiously thumping hearts.

"You've certainly improved," Fili commented after a while, his gaze scanning the darkening sky that peeped through the canopy of leaves above them.

A smile played vividly on her lips and she nodded at the comment, but said nothing as the cool wind rustled through her hair, making it bounce forwards and land in dark curls at her shoulder. Her braid had come loose, and now dangled by her side in a messy tangle.

Fili noticed and chucked softly, undoing the plait and brushing it out with his hands. She let him do so as she enjoyed the night breeze, and he carefully fixed it back into place. A tingling sensation ran down her spine as his hands gently brushed past her face, and she tried to conceal the blush that was creeping up her neck.

Arien sighed loudly and leaned back against the peeling bark.

"Heaven knows what my parents are thinking," She said in a somewhat distant state as she imagined the gaze of distress on her mother's face.

Well, she wasn't exactly her mother, as Arien herself was not of the dwarven race. She was very much human, though reasonably short for one as such. Her real parents had abandoned her as a small child, and she had been taken in by a loving dwarf family when she had come across the land of Erebor.

"Are you okay?" Fili asked, suddenly breaking Arien from her thoughts.

She glanced up at the dwarf and nodded. "I ought to be getting back now," She declared, pushing herself up from the ground.

Fili nodded, though he looked somewhat disappointed, and Arien felt a twang of happiness at the fact he didn't want her to to leave.

She suddenly let out a joyful laugh and pushed Fili playfully into the trees as soon as he had leapt to his feet.

"Seven o'clock tomorrow evening!" She shouted, grinning, as she bolted through the trees.

Fili shook his head, but he couldn't conceal the grin that broke out and lit his whole face. He let out a soft chuckle and walked back at a slow pace, pondering on what life would be like had he never met a human with so fiery a spirit as hers. Boring, no doubt.

~

After devouring her evening meal and hastily finishing her chores the following evening, Arien declared she was meeting Fili in the woods.

Her mother frowned upon the idea, but did nothing to stop her as she bounded up to her room, collecting her precious blade and sprinted out of the house.

She entered the shade of the trees, heading to their usual meeting place; a quiet clearing in which a stream trickled silently, with tiny fish that glided through the deep waves and splashed shimmering droplets of water at anyone who passed.

The girl planted herself near the stream, setting her blade on the ground as she gently ran her fingers through the icy water.

She stayed as she was for some time, but with no sign of Fili.

They sky above the canopy of trees darkened fast. The sun had sunk low in the horizon, and the pale disk was quickly dipping out of sight.

Arien sighed and waited a little longer, but worry was starting to devour her mind. What if something terrible had happened to him?! No. He was probably just preoccupied with something at home.

After a hasty debate in her mind, she decided to head back home, so she pushed herself up from the ground and bounded off through the trees, the sheath knocking against her leg as she leapt over fallen logs and stepped lightly between the dense undergrowth that tangled beneath her feet.