Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Maranda sighed and rolled over. Someone was breathing on her hips and someone else was two inches from her face. Damn twins.

"Tom, Ben, geroff." She mumbled and pushed the face away from her. There was a shout and a loud thump that made Maranda sit up with a shout. Fili was on the floor, rubbing his head and glaring as Kili sat up, still half asleep. Around the room Dwarrow were stirring at the sound, the sun just coming up. "Sorry, Fi," Maranda said and helped him up. A wide smile was spilling across her face. It was REAL! It wasn't a dream!

"It's fine," Fili said and then bent slightly, kissing her cheek. She turned bright red, right to the tips of her ears. "There. Now we're even." He smirked and stretched, going to find his boots from the pile at the foot of the couch. Maranda stood, rooted to the spot and shaking slightly. Kili shouted in an angry way.

"That's no fair!" He bounced up and kissed her other cheek. "Ha." He sounded much too happy about it and Maranda was gaping at the pair of them. There was the sound of skulls smashing into one another and the Durin Boys sat on the floor groaning and rubbing skulls. Maranda stood over them, face livid.

"The fuck was that!?" she shouted at them and they flinched. The whole room was awake by now and laughing at the unfortunate Boys. Thorin marched in and the room grew serious immediately. Maranda rounded on him and her face relaxed into an awkward expression.

"Come on. We have to get to Bree by tomorrow night," he growled and they all started gathering their things. Maranda slipped away and managed to find Bilbo's bathroom. She closed the door and stared at herself in the polished, nickel mirror. She splashed water on her face from the basin, soaking her collar and cuffs. Then she pinched herself, hard, in several places. Then she slapped herself right across the face. She stared at her reflection and grinned.

It was real. It was all real! She was in middle Earth with Fili and Kili and Dori and Nori and Ori. Balin, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin and Bilbo and ahh! She almost screamed. She sucked in her lips and examined her ears, longer than a Hobbit and much thinner. She decided they were cool and she liked them. She could hear the Dwarves talking from the other end of the house. Oh yes, very cool. She looked at herself in the mirror.

"This will not turn into a sappy fanfiction. This is my chance for an adventure. I am going on an adventure. This is not a stupid sappy love story. It's an action film." She glared at her reflection. She nodded and grinned. "Doesn't stop it from being fantastic." She beamed and nudged open the door. She made her way outside and they set out. She leapt onto the pony that wasn't carrying anything on it and brushed her bangs back. They set off and Fili and Kili started talking about how excited they were about Erebor. She listened with a smile, but her eyes were wet and her hands shook on the reins. They didn't notice, but Balin did.

"Lass!" he called and she slowed her pony so they rode side by side. "Little bit humid today," he said offering her a small square of fabric. She smiled and wiped at her eyes.

"A bit," she mumbled.

"Miss Maranda?" he said and she rolled her eyes.

"Master Balin, miss makes me sound like a proper lady. Call me Maranda." She smiled warmly and he nodded.

"Maranda then. Does something happen to the lads?" he said and she froze, eyeing him carefully. Her face went from sorrowful to determined in the space of a half second.

"Not if I can help it," she said and he nodded slowly. She looked up at the woods surrounding them. "He should be-ah." She beamed as shouts of 'WAIT WAIT!' came from behind them. Maranda looked over her shoulder and waved cheerily. Bilbo ran up and handed the contract to Balin who beamed at him. Thorin looked stony and then he noticed Maranda. She was beaming at Bilbo and had climbed off her pony. She was speaking to him in a low voice.