Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Maranda struggled to fly a day and a half later. She had ridden with Kili every day, whispered conversations about plans to save Fili and Thorin passing between them, while at night Fili and Kili plotted to pair their Uncle with the Fairy, making Kili feel like a true master planner. For the first time in a long time he felt like the protector of his family. But at the moment helping Maranda reclaim her power of flight was his main priority. Maranda had been avoiding Thorin as much as humanly possible and hadn't even thought of him for a while.

"JUMP!" Kili shouted and she leapt up, flaring her wings as the wind hit her. She was blown back and crashed into a bush. He helped her out while Nori and Bifur laughed from where they were watching. Maranda cast them a mopey look.

"Kili, this is stupid. I haven't been able to fly since the river, and now they're making fun of me," she said kicking the ground. Kili glared at his distant relatives and took her hands, drawing her gaze.

"Just focus on how you felt the first time you flew," he said and Maranda's eyes drifted to Thorin. She was with Thorin the first time she flew. He was talking to Balin, a real smile on his face for once and her heart fluttered wildly. She was suddenly hovering fifty feet above Kili and she spread her arms, letting the rush of flight take over her soul. It was amazing!

She shot higher, running her hands through the clouds so that droplets of water accumulated on her hands. She flew tight circles around a particularly large cloud, condensing it and moving to hover over where Nori and Bifur sat. She coiled tighter, forcing rain from the cloud that drenched the two Dwarves. She could hear Kili and Fili laughing even in the sky and she dove down, knocking them both off their feet. She laughed and spiraled wildly up into the air. She settled hovering over Bilbo. She dropped silently and shouted in his ear. He let loose a wild squeak that made her laugh as she jumped into the air, her wings buzzing into action.

She soared above the tree tops and spotted a bird's nest nestled high in an oak tree. She laughed and swooped past it, the wind rustling the leaves and making the father puff up in indignation. She flew back to the camp and had to hover around Kili for several minutes before she could touch down again. That was the night she picked the guitar back up and played again. She was playing a song to Bilbo about a girl named Delilah when Kili plopped down next to her.

"What was that song you were playing when you first arrived?" Kili asked and and she rolled her eyes, strumming on her guitar.

"The one about the sticky sweet?" Fili said helpfully. She turned bright red and her wings buzzed slightly. Kili had to grab her to keep her on the ground.

"A wha-wha?" she stuttered out.

"About hummingbirds," Kili said and Maranda let out a nervous laugh.

"Oh, that. Hummingbird Heartbeat."

"It's a weird thing to write about, birds," he said, then he turned abruptly. "Don't you agree, Uncle?" Thorin nearly snorted his soup across the campfire. Maranda was truly pink now and struggling to maintain her place on the ground.

"That-um...that's not what the song's about," she muttered and Kili frowned, truly confused.

"Then what?" he asked, forgetting the whole point was to get her to play for Uncle. She strummed wildly, the erratic notes sounding like what you and I would recognize as a mariachi band style tune.

"Oh...um...see...when a man...the thing about women..." she floundered, face vermilion. Thorin watched in amusement for a moment then cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him.

"Recall what your mother said about having children?" he said firmly and Fili frowned.

"Something about chopping off..." he paled and shifted his legs around.

"And marriage," Kili said crossing his legs. Maranda giggled slightly, still playing wildly. Bilbo was frowning.

"Now, what is it about? I remember a white flower and blooming," he said and Maranda let out a squeak and covered her face. She sucked in a deep breath and cupped her hands around Bilbo's pointed ear. He steadily grew paler the longer she spoke and he eventually rolled up to his feet and stumbled off, legs tense and back stiff. Kili and Fili exchanged looks. What? Thorin sighed and looked at the sky.

"Guys, come on," Maranda said as she clung to Kili's shoulder trying to stay on the ground.

"Just tell us!" Kili begged and she screwed her eyes up.

"Sex, boys. Sex," she said through gritted teeth as her wings hummed behind her. Kili's eyes nearly exploded out of his face and he ran off, screaming about innocence while Fili gaped then charged after his brother. Meanwhile Maranda was trying to find purchase on the ground, when a pair of large hands grabbed her and pulled her down. Something heavy, familiar and warm was placed on her shoulders, effectively stilling her wings. She looked up and Thorin stared into the fire, face slightly pink and his warg fur coat around her shoulders.

"Thank you..." she said in a small voice and began strumming gently on her guitar. "This won't be the end of it," she mumbled and Thorin nodded. "Once they get over the shock they'll be back wanting details, details, details," she shook her head. Thorin exhaled heavily, almost a laugh.

"Aye, that they will," he said and she picked a song.

"My heart is paralyzed, my head was oversized, I'll take the high road like I should. You said it's meant to be that it's not you, it's me. You're leaving now for my own good," she said in a light voice and Thorin looked away. "That's cool but if my friends ask where you are, I'm gonna say: She went down in an airplane, fried getting suntanned, fell in a cement mixer full of quicksand. Help me, help me, I'm no good at goodbyes! She met a shark under water, fell and no one caught her I returned everything I ever bought her. Help me, help me, I'm all out of lies And ways to say you died."

"That sounds...grim," Thorin mumbled and Maranda glanced at him.

"Not as grim as some things," she said pointedly and he shot her a look.

"What?" he demanded. She stopped playing and stared right at him.

"Would it kill you to smile?" she demanded and he blinked. That's when Fili and Kili returned.

"Play the song again," Kili said intensely, eyes flashing brightly. Maranda sighed.

"The shit I do for you two. You make me feel like I'm losing my virginity..."