Calm The Fire

21

The pale pink sky was ebbing away to light blue with the rising of the sun. White clouds lazily moved in the sky as the eagles flew past, every so often they'd let out a screech and divert in their path. Sometimes going higher, or sometimes lower, but all seemed to be heading in the same direction. An oncoming waterfall with pure blue water and white foam was quickly passed and little dwelt on it, even more so when a tall cliff appeared in sight.

Thorin was the first to be placed down gently, unmoving, followed by Gandalf who leaped from the eagle and charged over to where he laid. The other members of the company soon followed and were all back on solid ground, which they were all rather thankful of after their previous experiences.

"The halfling?" Thorin whispered, Gandalf had managed to revive him and pull him out from unconsciousness. He laid looking around and then up at the wizard above him.

Gandalf smiled lightly. "It's all right. Bilbo is here, he's safe."

With a groan, Thorin commenced sitting up and then slowly standing, only to get aided with the latter. "You!" He said sternly and impatiently.

Bilbo blinked and shuffled from foot to foot, the other members of the company were standing either near Gandalf or behind Thorin. It was only Náriel who stood by his side and frowned at his tone of voice. Even when woken up from a deep unwanted sleep he still managed to find a way to be irritated by Bilbo. It annoyed her.

"What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild, and you had no place amongst us?" He asked still with the same blunt tone of voice while shuffling forwards awkwardly. Bilbo in his defence just stood silent not sure what to retort with. Looking up when Thorin stopped in front of him, he blinked and looked around when he was suddenly enveloped in a tight embrace by the dwarf in front of him. "Never have I been so wrong, in all my life." Thorin said while leaning back and putting a hand on his shoulder, he smiled lightly down at Bilbo. "I am sorry I doubted you."

"No, well, I...I would have doubted me too." Bilbo stuttered to reply. "I'm not a hero, nor a warrior. Not even a burglar." He admitted which caused a light laughter to filter through everyone. As if to remind everyone they were still there, the eagles screeched loudly and started to fly around the small cliff and then fly away.

"Náriel-" Thorin moved forwards, the quiet peace everyone was enjoying got promptly disrupted by a rather painful snapping sound. It wasn't until everyone looked over to see Náriel shaking her hand, which was throbbing, and Thorin rubbing his cheek and looking slightly bewildered that it became clear that the snap was actually a slap. His bewildered expression vanished though as a pair of arms quickly flew around his neck.

"Don't ever do that again. Next time you say you'll return, so help me don't let me believe you as I believed you back there." She whispered while burying her face in the fur of his cloak.

"Apologies, Princess." He said lightly, trying to lighten the moment and ignore the obvious upset which Náriel was feeling. He couldn't completely ignore her sadness due to her shaking. She was crying quietly, reaching up, he stiffly managed to wrap his arms around her.

"Apology accepted, my King." She mumbled and pulled away, she was smiling widely despite of the tears which were still trailing down her cheeks.

Putting his hands on her cheeks he frowned lightly. "My?" He whispered while wiping the tears away. Náriel just gave a wink and looked over her shoulder. His eyes followed suit, stepping away from her, he moved forwards, though he did reach down and hold onto her hand and pull her forwards too.

Coughing awkwardly, Bilbo stepped beside the two. He felt a little awkward being literally right next to the two of them as they had their moment. The rest of the group found it all rather amusing and were either laughing quietly, shaking their heads, or in Fíli and Kíli's case: grinning rather childishly while nudging each other on the arm. "Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo managed to ask eventually.