The Night Walker (A Hobbit Fanfic)

Four ~ The Journey Begins

I woke in the morning with a blue blanket over me as I lay over the arms of one of Bilbo's armchairs. I blinked my eyes as the early morning sun shone in my face. By my chair was a slightly larger sofa which had a stirring Kili and Fili sharing it head-to-toe. I smile at them and Kili's eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the light. He looked over to me. "Did you sleep well Valia? We will be leaving shortly I'd expect."

I laughed a little at him as he stretched making a noise which sounded like he grew bigger as he rose his arms up and stretched his back.

"I slept fine thank you, Kili. Did you get enough after the amount of ale you drank?"

Kili smiled at the floor then looked up to me as I watched him.

"I will admit I'm slightly sore from sleeping on Fili's boot." I removed my blanket and stood up. Kili copied me.

"Will you join me for a stroll?" Standing in front of him I looked at his chest and watched how he breathed. I swear I could see his heart beating.

"That would be nice. Thank you, Valia."

"I should thank you. Without you I wouldn't be here right now, about to embark on the biggest adventure of my life. And I wouldn't have been given a good chair to rest in or a blanket. You gave me your cloak." Kili simply gave me his arm and I took it. We quietly left the hobbit hole and began to step down the path to the left. The sun was only just risen and it was very early yet. It was already much warmer than the previous night. Neither of us had bothered to find our big coats  or put on our hooded cloaks. They could wait till we needed to leave.

I inhaled the fresh air and smiled to myself. I felt my cheeks turning red when I glimpsed Kili looking down at me smiling. He kept staring and I kept blushing. "What are you staring at?" I laughed a little and turned to look up at him. Our arms were still interlocked.

"How can I stand at the side of a wonderful, Night walker, and not marvel at her beauty." I blushed and looked to the ground. Kili's warm smile wasn't one of his funny grins, but one which made me feel different. "Valia, would you mind telling me a thing about you or your kind? I should very much like to learn more about you." I sighed a little, quickly evaluating how much I should tell him.

"Well, where do I begin?"

"Tell me about your childhood. Start with the beginning." Kili kept on smiling .

"You won't like this, I was brought up by the Elves of Rivendell." Kili and I kept walking slowly to the middle of Hobbiton.

"Is it a presumption to expect all dwarves to hate elves? I don't. Uncle Thorin is passionate about staying away from them, I think they are very peaceful folk, they seem loyal to their kin. Sure enough, King Thranduil wouldn't help as Erebor was attacked, but his reasons were pure. He wasn't prepared to risk his entire kingdom against the dragon. I understand his reasons and, truthfully, I would love to see Rivendell."

"I would too. As a young lass growing up, I quickly mastered the bow and arrow," I smirked up at Kili. "As I got older I learned how to yield a sword. I was always a good horseman. I had one you know, I called him Spirit. He was beautiful. Fast and obedient. I believe he is still waiting for me at home. He was dark brown with a black mane and tail, and a white star on his forehead. Anyway, Lord Elrond raised me and taught me about my kin. He told me the Night Walkers were the most silent and unseen assassins. They could kill any foe they came up against, before he even knew there was a knife to his throat. The foes that killed them all off however, that is another story."

"Kili! Valia! We are leaving now!"

We heard Fili shout us from Bilbo's house to come and pack as the company was about to leave.