An Unexpected Romance

Chapter 3

Author note: I have borrowed the words jul’huon and armath taur from the fan fiction Way of the Dwarf by Shadow Smith.

 Primrose beamed at Thorin

“Thank you Thorin,” she said.

The two continued to spar until Thorin disarmed Primrose.

“You did well,” Kili said when Primrose rejoined him.

“I don’t know where I’m going to get a sword my size from,” Primrose said.

“That is a problem,” Kili admitted.

“Maybe I should focus on my archery in the mean time,” Primrose said.

Kili nodded and smiled. He was already planning to ask Bofur to make a bow and quiver for Primrose.

“Practice every day and you’ll soon be as good with a bow as I am,” Kili said.

“I will Primrose said.

Over dinner she thought about everything she had learnt and resolved that she would practice as much as possible so she could defend herself if necessary. Once dinner was over everyone sat around the fire and relaxed. The dwarves who had lived there told stories of Erebor which Primrose found very interesting.

“These stories of Erebor make me more and more determined to see my home,” Kili said.

He was sitting next to Primrose and he smiled at her glad she was along for the journey. He had been surprised at how quickly she had learnt to use his bow and Fili’s sword.

“Tell us about your life?” Thorin said, looking at Primrose.

So Primrose shared about life in the Shire and what it was like to be a hobbit. Then she looked at Thorin.

“So why did you need Uncle or I to come along on this quest?” Primrose asked.

“We need a burglar to get into Erebor and creep through the tunnels  unseen and undetected by the dragon. Someone who won’t be distracted by gold and isn’t known to the dragon,” Thorin said.

“I see. And what am I supposed to do when I am inside Erebor,” Primrose asked.

“Kill the dragon. He should be asleep if he hasn’t detected you,” Thorin said.

“K..k..kill the dragon? I’ve never killed anything in my life,” Primrose said.

She looked at Kili who was looking as shocked as she.  He hadn’t known this part of the plan and he was alarmed that Primrose would have to go into such danger.

“If the dragon is asleep it will be an easy matter,” Thorin said.

“I will practice my fighting skills every day,” Primrose said.

“Good,” Thorin said.

He began talking with Dwalin and Balin and Kili smiled at Primrose.

“I’m going to have a chat with Bofur,” Kili told Primrose.

She nodded and watched as Kili joined Bofur and the two talked. She could see Bofur nodding and Kili smiling. Then Kili rejoined Primrose and everyone began to get ready for bed.    

After another 3 uneventful days the company entered Trollshaw Forest and when they stopped for the night Fili and Kili were ordered to keep watch over the ponies. The rest of the company set up camp and Bombur began cooking their dinner. Once dinner was ready Primrose volunteered to take some food to Kili and Fili and was handed two steaming bowls of stew.  She made her way to where Kili and Fili were and found them talking and not paying attention to the ponies. At the same time she heard voices and the sound of ponies neighing.  Primrose glanced at the ponies and to her horror realised two of them were missing.