Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

They camped when they reached the foot of the Mountains, the sun long since set, and got a fire up and burning. By the time dinner was ready everyone was settled and relaxed, talking about the Mountain and what they would each be doing with their gold. Maranda was sat between Kili and Thorin, with Fili on Thorin's other side. The boys had not given up trying to pair the two together, you see.

"What will you do with your gold, Mara?" Kili asked as everyone laughed at Bofur's answer. Maranda blinked at him, slightly disoriented and shrugged.

"I'm not a part of the Company, I don't get any gold," she said casually and everyone gaped at her. She glanced around. "I'm on this quest but I never signed the contract, never was promised anything."

"Do you...want-"

"No!" she said with a laugh as she interrupted Kili. "No, I am just fine without a bunch of shiny rocks, thanks." The whole group looked insulted.

"Shiny rocks?" Gloin said, eyes as big as dinner plates. Maranda bit her lip. "Is that all gold is too you?" She shrugged and the next half hour was spent explaining the properties and market surrounding gold and rubies and emeralds and sapphires and diamonds and mithril and basically everything ever. She gaped and her eyes twitched slightly.

"Now you understand," Bofur said proudly, much later. She burst into laughter, toppling against Thorin's shoulder. Instant reflex kicked in and Thorin pushed her off him. He regretted it.

"Unders-s-stand!" she laughed and shook her head, the curls bouncing in the firelight. "Bofur, the only thing I understand is that you guys busy yourselves with the material way too much." She grinned. "It's absolutely endearing."

"Well what do you hold dear? Feathers?" Dwalin scoffed and she laughed again.

"My dear Hercules, I hold dear much more than I should. I'm a bit greedy in that respect. But if I had to choose one...Bilbo here loves his garden and the rolling hills. That is what he holds dear. You all covet gold and sparkling earth that makes men rich. Me. I'm weird. I'd be happy just to dance for the rest of my life." She grinned.

"Dance? What like at a festival?" Kili questioned and she shrugged.

"Music is what makes me happy. Singing, making, dancing. If it involves music I'm happy. Dancing is just singing with your body."

"Um, I'm sorry, I've seen you dance, music is so much more than spinning and flailing," Bilbo said and a few dwarves laughed in support. She grinned.

"Well, duh. There so many ways to dance, it's amazing."

"Show us," Kili said suddenly and shot Fili a look.

"Show us how to dance," Fili agreed and she shrugged.

"Fine," she stood up and dusted her hands of grass. "So, who is my dance partner this evening?" she asked and Bilbo would have stood if Kili hadn't held him down with one hand.

"We'll you already taught me that jig, and Fili has already learned to sauce-"

"Salsa," Maranda corrected.

"Yes, that. Why not something a bit grander? What's that one you told me about? Salt?"

"Waltz," Maranda said and pulled her iPod from a small purse at her hip.

"Yes teach Uncle the Waltz!" Kili said and Maranda shot him a look then one at Thorin. He narrowed his eyes at his nephews.

"Let's start with the steps before we move to partners," she mumbled. She scrolled through the music. "It's something you would see in court, like for Men and maybe Elves. Although, that might be a galliard or god forbid a bassadanza." She shuddered theatrically. "Here." She plugged in her diamond, which she explained to Kili a thousand times was a speaker, and music rolled out. "So you bow and curtsy," she bowed grandly to thin air and raised her arms up. "The ladies hands go on one shoulder, and the man's go on one hip and they hold the other hand and the easiest is a box step so..."