To Love a Half-Blood (A Kili Fanfic)

Chapter 29: Monotony

 As soon as we stop, Kili slides off the back of my pony and grabs its reigns. He leads us over to his pony and ties the reigns to his saddle-horn.

"So you don't have to try to steer the unruly beast." He explains.

Before long we are on the move again. I'm stiff and hesitant at first, clinging tightly to the saddle-horn. However, as the sun climbs higher and higher into the sky, I begin to relax. My pony is little trouble, following obediently behind Kili. He is a natural at this. He easily balances in the saddle, only using the reigns to nudge his mount in the right direction. With every moment The Lonely Mountain's looming shadow gets closer. The sun starts to slip behind the horizon, blinking through the trees and wreathing Kili's figure in light. Fili is a ways up ahead, already entering the shadow of the mountain. The ponies are not eager to enter into the darkness, but Kili coaxes them out of the sunlight and into the shadow. Hours trickle by with nothing to do but think and stare at the back of Kili's head. Trees, rocks and grass creep by as we travel. The jolting gate of my pony is uncomfortable and I try to readjust, nearly toppling off of the beast.

Nevermind. Bad idea.

Apparently, Kili was having a similar thought, because at this moment he decides to mix up the monotony. Before I know what is happening, he boosts himself up in the saddle and starts to shimmy his left leg up under him, then his right. He looks back at me with a mischievous smirk as if to say "Watch this." I know nothing good can come from that look and my suspicions are proven when, all at once, he stands up. The ponies are cantering briskly over rugged terrain, jolting back and forth, and this stupid dwarf decides to stand up!

"Kili! Get down! You'll kill yourself!" I shout angrily.

"Oh come on Lari-sar! I know what I'm doing." He laughs back. With the wind blowing in his hair and that stupid grin he looks quite like an unruly child, albeit a handsome one.

"Sit down!" I shout again.

"Easy there! Calm down, this is fun!" He retorts, still grinning.

He leans down to my reigns from the saddle-horn and starts to shorten my pony's lead.

"What are you doing?! You're mad!" I cry.

Our ponies are side by side now, I can see the intricate patterns stitched into his boots.

Without faltering, he crouches down and whispers in my ear. "Stand up."

"No! You're mad!"

"No Lari-sar, I'm exciting. Don't tell me you weren't bored to death a moment ago."

"Yes, but-"

"Here, I'll slow us down a bit, and you can try." He steps so that he has one foot on each animal and calls a low "Woah" to slow them to a trott.

"Kili!" I shout indignantly as I'm lifted into the air.

He laughs in my ear and sets me down with one foot on each saddle. I'm terrified and squeeze my eyes shut.

"Lari-sar, it's okay, I've got you. Open your eyes." Kili whispers in my ear.

His hands are firmly on my waist, keeping me on balance when I sway. I open my eyes, one at a time. We're flying now, at a full canter. The air rushes past my ears and my heart threatens to beat out of my chest. I feel shaky and invigorated all at the same time. This certainly was a way to break up the monotony. I start to smile a little. I reach out with one hand and play with the wind. The ponies under our feet roll like the waves of grass in the wind and I feel free.

This is perfect. This is freedom. This is living.

Kili hugs me closer to him, nuzzling his face into my neck.

"See, I told you it was fun." he says, and I can almost hear the smirk on his face.

I giggle in response as his stubble tickles my neck. The sun is completely gone now, only a faint glow remains.

"Perhaps we should get down before it gets too dark." Kili says reluctantly.

I nod in agreement. "How?"

He slows the little beasts to a walk and helps me to sit back down. I yawn.

"Don't want to get too far behind by stopping." He explains and reaches down to loosen my reigns again before slipping into his saddle.

I can't suppress another yawn. Kili brings the ponies to a halt.

"On second thought," He grins, "Ride with me?"

I nod sleepily and clamber in front of him on the pony. He wraps his arms around me, and I wiggle into his over-sized coat with him. I take a deep breath of his sweet, musty smell and close my eyes. The last thing I notice before sleep takes me is his warm lips kiss my forehead.