A Willing Heart

Twenty-Four

The town of Fennhill wasn't exactly large, but it was large enough. Sitting atop a hill, it seemed to grow upwards, with its tall and narrow buildings that seemed to crop up everywhere. Except for the well-planned streets and alleyways, there wasn't much room left on the hill to build. In fact. Master Renner had begun expanding the town along the plains to accommodate its growing population.

While one street led straight up to Master Renner's inn, shops and other homes, another street led straight to the rest of the town. It also led to the second gate that took people in and out of Fennhill. It was a much larger gate designed to accommodate livestock as well as to the part of the town that Master Renner was developing.

Some of the dwarves from Erebor had decided to stay in Fennhill and already they'd staked out their place in the flat lands, where they could build homes that they bermed halfway into the earth, along the rocky terrain facing south. Most of the dwarves who had decided to stay were mostly smiths - and with their skill highly prized in the Rhovannion, some of them opted to stay behind instead of traveling in exile with the king.

I walked through the streets, some crowded while some were deserted, calling out Kili's name. Some of the alleys led to what looked like residences, much like the street where Bernd and I lived in Greenbanü, while some of the alleys led to smaller courtyards surrounded by small shops.

In the distance I could hear Thorin's voice calling for his nephew. Desperation tinged his tone and I wished the boy was safe, and that if he could hear us, he'd say something. Just then I saw him run past me a few alleys away. He wore the same blue tunic he always wore, his coat almost a miniature version of his uncle's, lined with a fur trim and even the same embellishment that marked him as belonging to the house of Durin.

"Kili!" I shouted as I ran ahead, turning the corner just in time to see him disappear into an alley. I rushed towards him and as he scampered ahead of me, I reached out and grabbed him along the neck of his coat.

"Where do you think you're going?" I demanded, trying to keep my temper in check. Kili looked at me, his eyes widening. "Everbody's been searching for you. And your uncle is not happy."

"But I just want the stick horses," Kili said. "The man promised them to me, and we're about to leave."

"I don't care what he promised you, Kili, but you're not supposed to go off all alone without telling a grown-up where you're going," I said, pulling him towards the main street. "We are leaving right now."

As I half-pulled Kili through the alley, turning one way and then the other, it soon became apparent to both of us that we were lost. But how could one get lost in Fennhill, I wondered. Surely it wasn't too difficult to find our way back. But with Kili pulling me one way and me pulling him the other way, we weren't progressing too much. The little dwarf was strong and quite stubborn, just like his uncle.

The alleys seemed to lead between the main thoroughfare that led to the town and the main street leading back to the inn. Finally we made one last turn and stopped. Before us, was a stall laden with toys, among them two stick horses with colorful manes. Kili squealled with glee, jumping up and down as he clapped his hands. "See? I knew we'd find it! There it is, aunt Frigga," he said. "Can we get two?"

The two stick horses were indeed beautiful to look at and definitely more fun to hop around with, as Kili proved the moment he had one in his hands. I had to half-pull him down the hill as he kept wanting to hop farther away from me every chance he got, but with the marketplace ahead of us filled with people, I knew that I couldn't let him get too far away from me lest he run too far ahead and get lost again.

Thorin and Dwalin were at the opposite end of the marketplace and I tried to wave my hand at them but there were just too many people in front of me. I pulled Kili next to me and slowly made my way past buyers haggling over food, vegetables and fruit. The difference between them and myself was never as evident until that moment when I looked up and realized how everyone towered over me.

How could I ever believe that I was anything than a dwarf, I wondered. Most of them hardly noticed me, their attention only on the sale at hand, or the bargain to be had. Since we'd done most of our packing the day before, we would have purchased everything we needed days earlier. Now was the day we were leaving for good.

Suddenly someone grabbed me from behind my neck, pulling me back. I yelped, dropping the stick horse meant for Fili from my hand as pain shot through my head and neck. Kili ran forward, looking back at me with his eyes wide with fear. He shouted my name, but before I could shout for him to run, a hand covered my mouth as I frantically reached up behind me to grab my attacker, but his hold was too strong. His grip was like a vice and I lost my footing, feeling myself being dragged farther into the alley as the hand clamped tightly over my mouth again, silencing the scream that was about to emerge from my lips.

The people in the marketplace were suddenly screaming, running in all directions as the scuffle caught them by surprise.  The hand over my mouth slipped and I bit down as hard as I could.  A yell filled the air and suddenly I was flung towards the floor, landing on my back with a thud that knocked the wind out of me.