All I've ever known

22

Mivera and Bilbo didn't reall have much to say to each other, but being the gentle hobbit he was, Bilbo attempted to make small talk."So, um my Lady-", Mivera stopped him right then and there,"Mivera, please Bilbo." He nodded,"Alright, Mivera, um, thank you for the handkerchief." She gave him a warm smile,"My pleasure Master Baggins." Feeling immensely awkward, Bilbo didn't speak for the rest of the night.

Later that night they made camp. Fili and Kili were cleaning there weapons, Bilbo and Balin were staring into the fire, and Mivera was sitting near Thorin, who was leaning against a rock, everyone else asleep. Mivera watched as Bilbo 'snuck' over to the ponies. She saw him whispering to one and giving it an apple. The peaceful silence was pierced by a horrible shrieking. Mivera closed her eyes as Bilbo cam running back to the fire. He looked at Fili and Kili,"What was that?" Kili simply answered,"Orcs."

"Orcs?!" Mivera looked at the trio as they talked."Throat cutters. There'd be dozens of them out there. The low lands are crawling with them.",Fili said."They strike, in the wee hours, when everyone is asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood." Bilbo looks very worried and has paled a few shades. Mivera is angered when she hears the brothers laughing. She walked over in front of them,"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Kili hung his head in shame and mumbled,"We didn't mean anything by it." Thorin was now awake from Mivera's angered voice. Mivera continued,"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Mivera walked off to be alone.

Thorin looked at his nephews confused,"What did you say?" They both hung their heads and Balin answered Thorin,"They made a crack about Orc night raids." Bilbo watched as Thorin's face went from an angry look to his nephews, then a concerned look to Mivera.

"Don't mind them, laddie. They have more reason than most to hate orcs.", Balin said.

"After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first. Moria had been taken by legions of orcs, led by the most vile of all their race, Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin.

He began, by beheading the king. Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief, he went missing. Taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw them. A young dwarf prince and princess facing down the Pale Orc. They stood alone their armor rent, sharing an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learned that day, that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken.

Our forces rallied, and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated, but there was no feast, nor song that night for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, those are people I could follow, those are the people I could call my King and Queen."

Thorin and Mivera turned around to see all the dwarves awake and looking at them."As for the other half of the story, Mivera..", Balin began, but Mivera interjected,"My story is not as valiant, it does not need to be told." Thorin put his hand on her shoulder and she gave him an appreciative smile.

With that small little conflict resolved, Thorin, Balin, Kili and he rest of the company had fallen asleep and were snoring softly. Mivera was on watch and Bilbo simply couldn't sleep.

"You're married?", Bilbo asked. Mivera hadn't noticed that she was twiddling with her ring in her daze. She looked down at it,"Yes Bilbo, I am married." Bilbo smiled,"Where's your husband?" Fili stifled a laugh. Bilbo sent him a curious look."He's near Bilbo, very near." Bilbo thought she meant something like 'near and dear to her heart'.

"Do you have any kids? Or if you don't do you plan to?", he asked. Fili could not contain his laughter this time and Mivera hit him in the back of the head. She looked to Bilbo,"No, I do not have kids, and yes, I suppose I plan to."

"What's he like? Your husband.", Bilbo asked with genuine curiosity. Fili and Kili were both now leaning in with cheeky grins on their faces, they most definitely wanted to hear this. Mivera took a deep breath,"Well, he's very stubborn. He's sometimes arrogant, cocky, cheeky, and an overall pain in my arse." Bilbo furrowed his brow,"Then why did you marry him?" Even Mivera laughed and said vaguely,"How could I not?"

Fili rolled his eyes, still with a smile,"Come on, just tell him auntie!" She hit him in the back of the head even harder. Bilbo was now thoroughly confused, auntie? His eyes widened as he put the puzzle pieced together,"You're married to Thorin?" Mivera nodded her head cooly. Before she could explain, Dwalin came up,"My shift Mivera, go ahead and rest." She got up wished them all well sleep, and went to her spot beside Thorin.

"Bilbo you looked a little shocked.", Fili smirked. Dwalin looked at him,"What's the hobbit shocked about?" Fili glanced to Dwalin,"He just found out that Mivera is married to Thorin." Dwalin nodded and smiled,"Weren't expecting that were you?" Bilbo shook his head.

"They, just don't act like a normal married couple. They're more like good friends." Both dwarves nodded."They didn't really marry out of love, but they do have a strong bond." Bilbo furrowed his brow,"They didn't marry out of love?" Fili smirked,"Looks like you're going to have to tell him the whole story Dwalin."

"Well back in the days of old, when Thorin had just come of age, Thror decided it was high time for him to choose a wife. Thror put together a small klatch, or group of eligible bacheloretts, Mivera among them. Thorin was, as you can imagine, very upset about this and would not take part of it.

This upset Thror and told him that if he did not choose a bride, he may as well be ending the line of Durin. A reluctant and rather angry Thorin chose that he did not care whom he married. He announced this to his father and the wedding was held not 5 days later, 1 day before Smaug.

When Smaug came, everyone was evacuated. Mivera however, was not in the mountain. She was at Esgaroth that day with Thorin's sister, Dis. She protected Dis but lost her brother in the flames. They've been traveling and helping our kin ever since."

Bilbo laughed,"And she said her story wasn't valiant." Dwalin shook his head,"That's not her story, that's their story." Bilbo decided not to question that."It must be strange, marrying someone you don't love.", he said. Fili and Dwalin both laughed.

Bilbo looked at them,"What?" Fili stopped laughing,"Wait you seriously can't tell?" Bilbo was confused,"Can't tell what?" Fili began laughing again,"That they are in complete and utter love with each other?"

Bilbo interrupted,"But they are complete opposites!" Dwalin lazily shook his head,"No, they are actually quite the same." Feeling confused beyond his natural limits, he decided to just stop asking questions and go to sleep.