Ranger of the South ➵ THE HOBBIT

➵ 03 | Q U E S T

"KEIRA? WAKE UP!"

I opened my eyes and took my knife, putting it on the throat of the one who woke me. In this case Kili. I let my knife go when I saw his shocked face.

"Oh Kili I'm so sorry! I just have spent to much time in the wild alone." He looked at me and the shock faded. He smiled a little.

"It's okay Keira."

I relaxed and patted his shoulder. "Thanks."

"Am I interrupting something?" a voice asked and I looked up to see Fili towering above the two of us.

"Nope, I was just saying how sorry I am for nearly killing him."

Fili raised his eyebrow and I quickly explained everything.

•

I mounted my horse and followed the dwarfs. I was riding besides Bofur, when I heard Kili calling out to me.

"Keira!"

I slowed down my horse so that they could ride beside me.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Do you think Bilbo is gonna come?" Fili asked.

I smiled. "Oh I think he will."

Fili and Kili gave me a misschievious look. "You want to bet?"

I laughed. "You've got youself a deal there lad!" And I shook Fili's hand.

We were riding through the woods when I heard screaming.

"Wait! Wait for me!"

I turned my horse and saw Bilbo running to us. I winked at Fili, who became red and rode over to Bilbo.

"My dear Bilbo, you came!"

I smiled. Fili and Kili put him on a pony and I saw that he had some problems.

"First time on a pony?" He looked at me and nodded. "You have to hold your hands like this." I showed him my hands. "She'll probably just follow the others so try to relax." He nodded in thanks. And I slowed my horse so that Fili and Kili could ride beside me once again.

"So," Fili began. I raised my eyebrow and he continued: "Tell us something about yourself."

I was silent for a while, not really knowing what to say. "I had two brothers," I just said. "Dalyor and Faelar." I remembered my beloved brothers, who were killed by orcs. "We were triplets."

They came in the night. Daylor was on guard and woke us. "They're here." Faelar and I took our weapons and I had just took my bow or the first Orc stormed out of the woods. It was dead within seconds. That's when the rest of them appeared.

We fought for what felt like hours. Eventually I saw Daylor and Fealar lying on the ground, unmovable. I let out a cry and that was all it took for an Orc to knock me out.

The next thing I knew was that I woke up in a cell. A few days passed when Arathorn eventually saved me from that place. Since then I do some business for him.

"What happened to them?" Kili asked. I stiffened and looked forward, not wanting to meet their gaze.

"They're dead." I felt someone looking at me and I raised my head, meeting Thorin's eyes. I looked away, back to Kili. "I still miss them everyday."

He put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a pinch. "You have us now." I smiled and nodded in thanks. "I have." They rode on, letting me alone with my thoughts.

We arrived on our night spot and I settled my things next to Fili and Kili who were on guard. We heard orcs and Fili and Kili were teasing Bilbo.

"Yes. They come in de dead of the night and slaughtered innocents." Kili mischievously, earning a scoff from me.

"No screams, just lots of blood!" Fili laughed at Bilbo's terrified expression.

Okay that's it.

"You think that's funny?" I said. "You think seeing the people you love get killed by orcs is a joke?"

"We didn't mean anything by it," Kili defended themselves.

"Of course you didn't," Thorin interrupted. "You know nothing of the world." He turned away and walked to the edge of the cliff.

I stood up and followed him. I could hear Balin explaining Thorin's short temper with the orcs, recounting the tale of the battle at Moria.

I placed my hand on his shoulder when I spoke. "Do not pick fights where there aren't any. You know they were just being silly."

He sighed. "They are naïve. They do not know of hardship."

"They don't, and that's not their fault. They are young and full of self confidence, let them be."
I replied.

His muscles relaxed under my touch, almost involuntary. "Thank you."'

"Anytime, my friend, anytime."