Sorry for the long pause, enjoy!

~Chapter 34~

I move to raise my arm above my head only to find that it won't budge. Sharp tingles of pain shoot across my hand when I try to wiggle my fingers. A throaty groan pulls me away from the edge of wakefulness and sleep. My eyes snap open to a darkened room. I can vaguely see the outlines of the room I was in. It looks like my room, but cleaner with the books stacked neatly in the shelves surrounding a squat fireplace which currently housed the glowing embers of a dying fire.

The heavy weight on my arm shifts away, it's fur brushing against the exposed skin of my hand. Thunder groans again as he shifts to sleep on his back, his legs raised in the air, one paw flicked out to the side at a weird angle, twitching every so often. I relax, knowing that I'm safe at home and that none of the fears that had momentarily run through my mind were real.

Wondering why it was so dark, I sit upright to look through the window above my bed. Outside was dark and wondered if it was still night out. Pushing my covers away, I stand atop my bed peer carefully out the window. Pitch black storm clouds brewed outside, promising a heavy rain, the final rain of summer and the first rain of autumn. The autumn ball was only a month and a half away. And Legolas said he would be coming.

I sigh, deciding that it might be a good idea to take Thunder out before the clouds burst. Which wouldn't be long by the looks of it. Dressing quickly in a tunic and pants, I attach my dagger to the inside of my right boot and quickly pulled my hair into one long braid, clasping my family bead to a thin braid that I had weaved into the main braid.

Thunder was up now and waiting for me to get ready. He tilted his head to the side, as though he was asking me if I was ready to go.

"Hey boy," I lean down and scratch behind his ears as I open the door. Thunder trots out as I follow behind him, heading straight to our meager library to ask for someone to accompany me outside. Gloiron had made it very clear when we got home last night that I was not allowed out of the house alone from this point on, and I was in no position to disagree with him at this point.

"Good morning," I say, entering the library, surprised to find only Bilbo seated inside.

"Miss Caelinn," Bilbo greets me, worry shining in his eyes.

"I was just about to head outside the mountain. I was wondering if Mother or Adad were around to go with me?" Bilbo shakes his head.

"I'm afraid not, they left about hour ago, right after breakfast. If you do not mind," Bilbo stands, stretching his tiny body out. "I should like to accompany you. I'm feeling a bit cooped up inside this mountain at the moment," Bilbo says, slipping on his red jacket and smoothing out it's wrinkles.

I smile, relieved that I don't have to go outside by myself. As we walk to the front gates, Bilbo and I have a long and complicated conversation about the growing of potatoes. His gardener Mr. Gamgee, is apparently an expert at growing potatoes and has almost finished a 400 page manuscript about the fine art of potato farming.

"Four-hundred pages?" I ask, shaking my head in disbelief.

"It's true!" Bilbo assures me. "He asked me to proofread it myself once I'd gotten back to the Shire. I had to take notes just to make sure his facts were consistent throughout!" I laugh, now understanding why Bilbo had such an extensive knowledge of potato farming.

"Will you be proofing it again once Mr. Gamgee has finished the last hundred pages?" Bilbo blanched at the thought of reading another hundred pages of potato farming.

"N-no, no, I don't think I shall be doing that again any time soon." Bilbo says, puffing his cheeks.

"That's a shame, you would've learned all the secrets of the potatoes and put half the Shire's potato farmers out of business. And…" I add, pointing my finger at the hobbit, "if you played your cards right, you could become the number one potato supplier in both Bree and the Shire," I tease, trying hard not to laugh at the scandalized look that crossed his face.

"I would never," the hobbit said, "take over the Shire and Bree. I would take over all of Middle Earth with my potato farming," Bilbo's smirks, looping his thumbs inside his pockets while looking rather pleased with himself. Shouting nearby jars us from our reverie.

"Over there," I point at the dwarvish guards hauling a burly looking dwarf away from another dwarf with an elaborately braided red beard, who was currently being held back by a single dwarf. As the guards haul the dwarf down the hall, the shouting subsides and the tension of the crowd begins to lessen.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Bilbo asks me. I'm about to tell him I don't know when I notice Visha standing next to us.

"I believe that dwarf there," she points to the dwarf with the intricate red beard, "was accusin' the other dwarf of meddlin' with his sister." I nod, understanding the gravity surrounding the situation.

"I do not believe that we have been introduced," Bilbo says to Visha. "Bilbo Baggins, at your service" he bows to Visha, who darts her twinkling eyes to me and raises an eyebrow.

"Visha, daughter of Veera," she curtsies to Bilbo, who's eyes widen in response.

"Ori, Nori and Dori's aunt?" Bilbo asks.

"Not exactly," Visha says, wrinkling her nose. "I jus' took them in when they were wee lads."

"They've told me all about you," Bilbo's grins, his eyes shining bright. "They never mentioned how young you were though," Bilbo, realizing what he said, flushes deeply.

Visha, so flustered by Bilbo's slip, says nothing and begins turning away to hide her blushing face.

"I-I'm so sorry," Bilbo stammers. I motion for him to stop before he says something that might actually offend her.

"Oh, it's alrigh'. It's been a vera long time since I was thought of as young," Visha grins, her face practically glowing with joy as her blue eyes twinkle with delight.

"Visha, we're just about to head outside the gates, would like to come with us?" I ask, really hoping she says yes.

"Please, Miss Visha," Bilbo offers her his arm, surprising me. Visha smiles sweetly and loops her arm through his, allowing him to lead the way.

I gape at them for several seconds before remembering my reason for coming out. I hurry after them hoping that it hasn't started raining yet.

A blast of icy cold air hits me as I exit the gates of Erebor. It hadn't started raining yet, but it would soon. Thunder trotted around outside, happy to finally relieve himself. I keep my back towards Erebor as I watch Bilbo and Visha take a short stroll towards the red flower bushes that were native to Erebor. I think the dwarves called them flames of Yuldoon or something along those lines.

An icy cold drop splatters on my face, followed by another.

"Thunder!" I call him over to me. His head pops up with a large stick in his mouth. I sigh, knowing that it'll be impossible to get it away from him now that he's latched on. I look back towards Visha and Bilbo. They're standing together talking and admiring the flowers, not taking any notice of the rain sprinkling around them.

I huff in frustration. While I don't want to get in trouble for being alone, I also don't want to get wet or interrupt Visha and Bilbo, who seem to be getting along very well. I decide to stand underneath the gate, in view of both Bilbo and Visha but also out of the cold rain that was beginning to come down somewhat lightly.

"Caelinn! What are you doing here alone?" Kíli startles me.

"Oh geez Kíli!" I gasp, clutching my pounding chest. "I'm not alone," I say once my heart has calmed down. "I was with Bilbo and Visha but they're…" I motion towards the dwarrow and hobbit outside the mountain.

"What?" Kíli asks, confusion plastered on his face. "Are they…" Kíli falters as he watches their interactions.

"Apparently," I shrug.

"Who would've thought Visha and Bilbo would hit it off?" Kíli chuckles. I lightly slap his shoulder.

"We don't know that yet, they literally just met! It's too early to be thinking anything of it," I reason, even though I have those same thoughts rushing through my brain. Kíli gives a slight whistle.

"I'm just a little concerned about Bilbo if things progress."

"Why's that?" I ask, wondering at the boyish grin spreading across his face.

"I'm worried that she might flatten our little burglar should they-"

"Kíli!" I shout, smacking him again with a satisfying pop. Kíli laughs, rubbing his shoulder.

"I'm being serious, you don't know dwarrows Caelinn, they're…"

"Don't even finish that sentence," I warn him. Kíli holds up his hands in surrender, that goofy smile still on his face.

Bilbo and Visha look our way and I wave at them. Bilbo waves back, acknowledging that I'm with Kíli.

"It looks like they'll be here for a while," Kíli says.

"At least the rain has stopped," I say, peaking out from under the massive stone gate. "What are you doing out here, shouldn't you be getting ready for the tournament?" I ask.

"I'll get ready later, I just got called here about an incident involving two dwarves. One of them got violent." I hum in understanding. "If you don't mind, may I escort you home?" Kíli says, offering his arm to me. Raising my eyebrow at him, I take his arm and he grins.

"Are we taking the long way or the short way?" I ask.

"The short way, with a small detour, if you're up to it,"

"Detour?" I ask. Kíli raises a parcel in his right hand that I hadn't noticed.

"Dwalin asked me to drop this off at one of the forges on my way back," Kíli shrugs an apology.

"I don't mind," I say, allowing Kíli to lead the way to the forges.

And there you have it! Thank you everyone who's read this far and put up with my long breaks