Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Waking up was a messy affair, more for Maranda than anyone. She had been plagued by dreams of Azog and a future she couldn't stop. She woke with her fingers tangled in Thorin's cloak and curled so tight her body ached. Thorin was still asleep and the sun wasn't quite up so she lay still, panting and gagging. There was blood in her mouth. She managed to slide out from Thorin's grip and found a pail of water. She shoved her head in the oversized pail and pulled out, gasping. She shook the water from her hair and swished it around in her mouth. She spat pink water onto the ground. Blood. She had been grinding her teeth in the night.

Water trickled down her back and she stilled at the sensation of the water where her wing should have been. She realized after a moment that she felt wrong without her wing, sick and sort of exposed. She couldn't understand how she had spent eighteen years of her life without her wings, She had always felt like she was missing something, like she was exposed and more than a little weak. Her mom said she felt that way because of her power, her father said she was imagining things.

She heard groaning voices and looked out the window. The sun was coming up properly now, but she couldn't hear the sound of chopping wood. She still had time. She ran her fingers through her hair, now truly short, and stretched slightly. She walked into the room everyone was sleeping in and looked around. Dwarves were sitting up and yawning and Dori was removing straw from Ori's hair. Thorin was staring out the window darkly, his coat still on the ground.

Bilbo was still sound asleep but with a loud crack of wood splintering, the room froze and Gandalf rose to his feet. They gathered by the backdoor, whispering and worrying. Maranda shook Bilbo awake as several Bumblebee's fluttered around her head. Bilbo looked up at her blearily.

"Maranda?"

"Get up, Mister Baggins," she said with a forced smile. "Time to meet the skin changer." He sat up.

"What?" he squeaked and now her grin was genuine.

"Come on, wee hedgehog," she laughed and dragged him to the others. Gandalf spotted them and dragged out Bilbo. Maranda watched with a grin and had a giggling fit as Bofur sent out the Dwarves at the worst possible times. Thorin and her were suddenly alone in the room. She glanced at him, turned pink and looked away.

"Go," she waved slightly and he tugged her wrist.

"You too," he ordered and she followed him meekly. She froze at the sight of Beorn, huge and fierce, eyes fixed on Thorin. Then they slid to her face. He flung the axe far to his left and it stuck in the wall with a loud 'twack'! He marched over and the Dwarves scattered. He plucked Maranda from the ground and she yelped as Thorin shouted angrily.

"I see a little birdie has found her way to my house," he said and gazed at her in wonder.

"Little birdie?" Maranda repeated in disgust.

"Ah, yes. Maranda. A Fairy," Gandalf said weakly.

"I recall Fairies," Beorn said eyes fixed on Maranda. "I have met many and remember two very well. One was a warrior, wings of an eagle and a spear."

"Amilia?" Maranda gasped and Beorn nodded.

"Aye, the same. She refused to stay and went to live with with the eagles in the mountains. A proud woman. Refused me," he grumbled. "But perhaps you would stay still long enough for me to have you," he mumbled, mostly to himself.

"Have me?" Marand roared in rage. "HAVE ME! Put me down right now or I'll let you have something you'll never forget!" she screamed, flailing wildly. Beorn set her down, but frowned.

"Your wing," he said and she turned pale, stumbling away from him. Thorin put one arm around her and glared at Beorn. "You smell of Orc."

"Azog," breathed Maranda. "Can you heal it?" she begged.

"Not I. Only powerful Elven magic can return your wing to you," Beorn said. Maranda nodded slightly, blinking rapidly. Thorin squeezed her slightly and she sucked in a deep shaking breath. "Come. I have food," Beorn rumbled pulling a heavy tunic down from a peg. Everyone went inside and Thorin turned Maranda to face him.

"I'm fine," she cut him off, face hard. "I'll just have Elrond do it. Or..." She bit her lip, looking at Thorin. "I'll do this. If it's the last thing I do."

"Not the last," Thorin said softly and she smiled crookedly.

"Crossed fingers." The two went inside where Beorn was talking to Bilbo about his kind as the Dwarves sat in awkward silence. Maranda kept her head down, fiddling with the bread and honey-butter on her plate. Everything was so much bigger than she could have ever expected.

"Surely you won't take the princess," Beorn suddenly said. Maranda looked up.

"Princess?" Kili said in disgust.

"Aye, she's injured and delicate. You never should have stolen her from the Elves," Beorn growled, clenching his fists. Thorin was about to tell him exactly what he thought of him, his mother and the Elves when Maranda was suddenly on her feet on the table, yelling very loudly, her three remaining wings whirring at a feverish speed.

"EVERYTIME, WITHOUT FAIL, I FEEL INSULTED AS YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH, MASTER BEORN! I THINK IT WOULD BE WISEST IF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP! FOR YOUR EVER SO LACKING INFORMATION, I HAVE BEEN WITH THEM, ON THEIR SIDE FROM THE VERY START OF THIS FUCKING JOURNEY AND I INTEND TO SEE IT THROUGH TO THE END! I'M NOT A PRINCESS, I'M NOT DELICATE AND I AM MOST DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO STAY WITH YOU OR SOME SNOTTY ELF WHO NEEDS TO RETRACT HIS NOSE FROM HIS FUCKING ASS!" Silence followed as she stood panting, her body glimmering with blue light and eye sparking.

Beorn leaned away from her and glanced at Gandalf who shrugged helplessly. Kili and FIli were struggling to contain snickers and the majority of the Company had a moment of unadulterated fear. Fear of Maranda, and fear for Beorn. In the end Beorn said no more and they were soon getting ready to go.