In the wake of The Blip, the multi-verse has expanded knowledge of the universe in ways no one thought possible. For the first time, journeying between realms and realities is a tangible possibility.
Ex-SHIELD agent and Avenger, Lilith Lenore, is h...
The room fell eerily silent. I followed the dwarves as they shuffled in the direction of the entrance. The jovial mood from moments before was gone, replaced with a quiet stillness that was unsettling.
I stood behind Kili and Fili at the back of the pack, trying to stay out of the way but still get a glimpse of who the last arrival was. Gandalf swung the front door open, and I heard a deep voice ring out.
"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice."
As he stepped through the doorway I took in the sight of the final dwarf. I couldn't be certain in comparison to Gandalf, but he appeared to also be a bit taller than the rest of the company as Fili and Kili were. He had long, dark hair streaked with white and two braids at his temples. His beard was cropped close to his chin. I also noted a remarkable resemblance to the two brothers I stood behind.
"Who is that?" I asked quietly.
"It's our uncle, Thorin." Fili whispered in return.
The party gathered around the dining room table again as Thorin stood in the hall, removing his cloak and conversing with Gandalf about his trip. I could overhear him begin to grill Bilbo about his experience and abilities as he picked over the leftover food and ale. I settled into a spot at the end of the table next to Fili and Kili. The dwarves remained silent, looking nervously from one to another as they waited for Thorin to enter. I grimaced when I heard him insult Bilbo from the other room.
"He seems nice." I said sarcastically, under my breath.
Kili and Fili both stifled a laugh as Thorin entered the room.
"You get used to him." Kili mumbled in return.
His nephew's voice seemed to draw his attention to the end of the table where the three of us sat. His eyes finally fell on me, only for a moment. As we locked eyes he quickly looked away, turning to face Gandalf with a disgruntled frown.
"You didn't mention anything about a hobbit or a woman on our journey." He said disdainfully. The disappointment was evident on his face.
I scowled in return, and I could feel the brothers both fix a sympathetic gaze on me. I'd certainly been misunderestimated on Earth before. I was young, I was small, and needless to say I was a woman. But it was remarkable how those things fell to the side quickly after you've saved the planet a few times. Thorin's attitude was one I hadn't been faced with in quite a while.
"Trust me, you will be grateful for Lilith's presence." Gandalf began. "I did not make my decision lightly. She is a skilled fighter. She is also remarkably quick and light on her feet, as is our hobbit. You tasked me with finding the 14th and 15th members of this company. I need you to trust my judgment."
Thorin did not seem convinced. He took a long sip from his ale before speaking again, though he refused to meet my gaze. He kept his eyes focused on Gandalf.
"I will not be responsible for her safety. I cannot guarantee it. Or the hobbit's."
Gandalf opened his mouth to respond.
"I can handle myself." I spoke up, cutting him off. I felt the eyes of the table turn to me. The room remained dead quiet, with the exception of the few words spoken between Thorin, myself, and Gandalf. I kept my attention focused on Thorin, ignoring the silent stares of the other dwarves. He wouldn't meet my gaze. His eyes were focused on his nephews, who were both watching me.
"I'm sure you can." He said, sarcasm dripping from every word.
I ran my fingertips over the hilt of one of the blades against my thigh, debating whether or not I felt like demonstrating. I loathed Thorin's attitude, but I also wasn't sure how much of a wave I wanted to make before the trip even began. His refusal to look me in the eye angered me as much as his words did, and he continued to avoid my stare as he spoke to Gandalf once again.
"I thought I made it clear the kind of assistance I requested." Thorin began, viciously eyeing the wizard as he spoke. "I don't intend to be slowed by the likes of a damsel in distress at every turn. Or a halfling."
He finally turned to me for the first time since he'd sat down, casting a disgusted look down the table in my direction as he turned up his mug to quickly finish the rest of his ale.
That did it.
In one smooth motion I stood and ripped the knife from its sheath. Without hesitation I flung the blade with a flick of my wrist down the table towards the rude dwarf. It whirled through the air seamlessly and lodged solidly in the bottom of the wooden mug. It found its intended target with a loud thud, planting itself dead in the center as I'd intended. Thorin froze in place, the glass still raised to his lips.
The silence was deafening. The dwarves sat motionless, half of them staring at Thorin and the other half staring at me. No one dared speak, let alone move.
Gandalf was frozen as well, still looking at Thorin as he held the mug firmly in place, unwavering. He looked from him to me and for the first time since we'd met, he appeared rattled. I didn't know if he'd anticipated Thorin's reluctance of my place within the group, but I was certain he didn't expect me to heave a dagger at the dwarf's head upon our first meeting.
Thorin slowly lowered the mug, not seeming to mind the ale that dribbled down from the hole in the base. We locked eyes and I kept my focus trained on him as I sat down, unwilling to be the first to break eye contact.
He kept his eyes locked on mine in return as he reached down and grasped the handle of the knife. He gave a sharp tug; nothing happened. He finally broke eye contact as he looked down at the mug and tugged again. Still, the dagger remained lodged in the center. He looked from his glass to Gandalf, seeming to realize how tightly it was stuck and how much strength that required; not to mention the skill required to place it dead in the center. It was a target of only about five inches, and a slight miscalculation could have been the end of the one they called Oakenshield.
A deep, rough noise came from his throat. It sounded like a cough at first, but slowly I realized it was a chuckle. The chuckle grew louder, turning into a deep belly laugh. He laughed alone for several moments, as the rest of the company were still too on edge to even crack a smile. I saw Gandalf relax out of the corner of my eye.
"I seem to stand corrected." He said, holding the mug out towards me. Ale continued to dribble from the bottom as he nodded his head to me in respect. "I can admit when I am wrong. Welcome to the company, Lady Lilith."
I returned his nod, grateful my gamble had paid off and not resulted in my banishment from the company. He finished his drink with the knife still stuck in the bottom of the mug, and once the glass was empty he handed it to Dwalin, gesturing for him to pass it down the line and return my blade to me.
Chatter slowly picked up around me as the dwarves began to discuss the mountain, speaking of signs and the logistics of the quest. As I tried to focus my attention on the conversation between Thorin and Balin to gain a better understanding of what our objective would be, I became aware of two stares that were still fixed on me.
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"Mahal." Kili breathed, scarcely above a whisper as he took Thorin's mug from Fili. "I've never known a dwarf that even had the nerve to speak back to Thorin." He passed me the glass and I could see a smile begin pulling against the corners of his lips. "You are endlessly fascinating, my lady."
"What if you'd missed?" Fili asked, his eyes still wide with a hint of fear and fascination.
"I don't miss." I whispered, winking at the both of them as I ripped the dagger from the mug in one pull.
**Mahal – the Dwarvish version of "God" or a maker
