Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings Imagines

Connected 2

The first problem arose when they got back to the ponies.  There weren't going to be enough for each to have their own.

"Then you will simply have to share."  Gandalf said loudly over an argument that started.  "I am sure that you are more than capable."

"That is out of the question Gandalf."  Veera said quickly, looking very agitated at the mere thought.

"Veera, what choice do you have-"

"This isn't a matter of choice Gandalf."  Keeva said quickly, looking worried.  "This is part of the reason we left.  It's been getting worse, but only for Veera."

Gandalf's gaze rests on Veera, who he suddenly realised looked very tired.  "Veera?"

Veera's lips tighten together, realising that if they wanted to move, she would have little choice.  "I can handle it."

"Veera, we've had this discussion-"

She looks at him, her golden gaze steady.  "I'm fine."  She pulls a pair of thick gloves out of her pocket and pulls them on.  "We will do what we must.  We are wasting time."

The other dwarves asked no questions, even as Keeva and Gandalf share a worried look.

For that first day, Keeva was paired with Fili and Veera with Kili.  It quickly became clear that Keeva would be doing most of the talking.

"We're twins,"  She said brightly after one of them asked how many years were between them.  "Couldn't tell you which of us was born first though, our parents died when we were very young."

"Why did you never seek out your kin?"  Balin asked curiously.

"Honestly, we didn't know where to start.  We were left on the streets, so that is where we raised ourselves.  We learnt to fight through practise and defending ourselves, we would either beg or steal food.  Until Gandalf came along, we were no more than street riff raff."

"They made the mistake of trying to steal from me."  Gandalf said with a smile hidden beneath his beard.  "I quickly set them in the right direction."

"And we haven't looked back since."  Keeva said, grinning.  "We've been working hard, paid back a lot of people, and now, we travel."

"Why didn't you send them to their kin Gandalf?"

"Because they would been treated as criminals, no doubt,"  Gandalf said carefully. "They had no easy time growing up, and with no caste or skills to speak of, I felt it safer not to."  This caused a grumble through the dwarves.  "They were without family, without money and without skills, apart from stealing and fighting, none of which are looked particularly good in women.  They would have been more outcast than in the human town they were in."

The dwarves still clearly denied this, several of them even saying that all women are looked after, but Gandalf just shook his head, unconvinced.

Not that it seemed to bother Keeva or Veera.

"We're alive, that's all that matters."  Veera said, making Kili jump as she hadn't spoken the entire time.

Keeva watched her sister, a slight worried look in her gaze.  "Right.  Honestly, even as we've gotten older, it hasn't really fazed us."

The dwarves seemed to like this even less but the topic was dropped and other tales began to be told, Veera going silent once again.

By the time it was called to make camp, Veera's face was very pale.

Keeva basically leapt of the pony.  "Veera!"

Veera dropped off the pony before Kili and staggered, Keeva catching her arm as she breathed heavily.  "I'm fine."  She said quietly, even against all the sudden worried looks.