She Walks In Shadow

Chapter 17

Bilba studied the pony critically.

The animal, in turn, completely ignored her, which was simply rude. Particularly given how sore she was. Everything hurt, and she could barely walk straight thanks to all the riding from the day before. One would think the least said pony could do was acknowledge her presence after causing her so much physical discomfort.

Instead, said pony was focused on its food, munching away with a glassy look in its eyes. Most likely fantasizing about how it planned to torture her later.

"What are you doing?"

Bilba jumped and spun around to see Fili standing behind her, studying her with a raised eyebrow. Past him most of the Company milled about, finishing up preparations to head out.

"I think they've gotten bigger since yesterday," Bilba complained, crossing her arms.

Fili came and stood beside her, studying the pony. "I don't know. Seems the same size to me."

"That's because you're bigger," Bilba grumbled. "Hobbits were not meant to ride ponies. It's why our feet are so tough, so we can walk where we need to go."

Fili chuckled. He had a nice laugh, Bilba noted. It was deep and rumbling and seemed to build upward from his toes until it simply rolled out of him.

The young prince flung the bags he'd had over his shoulder onto the pony's back and strapped them into place. Then, before Bilba could react, he grabbed her and, as if she weighed nothing at all, lifted her up into the saddle.

She grabbed at the reins and sat stock still, terrified the slightest movement would send her sprawling to the hard-packed dirt below. She glared down at Fili, who gave her an entirely unrepentant grin in return. He grabbed the front of the saddle, forearm pressing into her leg for a moment, slid his foot into the stirrup and, in one easy move, swung into the saddle behind her.

The motion caused her to rock and Bilba tightened her grip on the reins as his body settled in, legs on either side of hers, chest pressed into her back. So inappropriate, her mind informed her. Her neighbors would be scandalized. She should insist he allow her to ride her own pony or walk or...something.

She really, really should because all this was just...completely...inappropriate.

Fili leaned forward, pressing harder again her, and brought his head nearly alongside hers. His hands came to rest on her elbows before slowly sliding forward to cover her hands where they held the reins in a near death grip. "I should probably take those."

"What?" Bilba's brain was legitimately not working, had stopped working the moment he'd pressed forward. An odd thrill she'd never felt before ran through her and her heart pounded in her chest.

"The reins," Fili clarified. "I should probably take them."

"Oh, of course." Bilba released her death grip, put her hands on her legs and stared very hard at her lap. Her face felt like it was on fire. Fili settled back again, and she risked raising her head, only to see Kili a few feet away openly smirking at them.

If possible, Bilba's face got even hotter.

What would her mother think?

She frowned.

Her mother would probably congratulate her.

Fili clicked at the pony, and she felt the muscles in his legs tense as he urged the pony into motion. The first few steps threw Bilba back into his chest. The day before she'd spent most of her time trying to hold herself away from him which, she was sure, had doubled how sore she felt today.