Jeweled dolls of Durin

love { pg-13}

That evening they all stayed at the cottage so they could catch up and visit with each other until they became tired . Tia was givin the bed to sleep in while all the men slept in the loft , which in the morning the three awoke to the smell of food cooking down in the kitchen. Bofur was the first to go down and saw Tia stirring porridge and browning some bread for toast. He quietly walked over softly clearing his throat so not to startle her and not loud enough to wake the others up.Tia turned to look at who made the sound and saw Bofur with hair messed up and shirt partially undone baring some hair on his chest. As he got closer he saw where her eyes had wandered and he gave a lopsided grin to her which she blushed at being caught looking and she turned around. Tias heart began to pound and she felt the heat in her cheeks form. " Mmm.. i like that lassie.." she glanced over at him and saw him looking into her eyes. Her heart pounded so hard she thought everyone would hear and felt the heat in her cheeks get hotter as she spoke.

"W..w.. what you like ?" she stuttered while looking in his eyes.

" The food ..it smells good " he figured it was wise to say he meant the food.. for now. She nodded not trusting her voice at that moment and it was about then that the others got up. As they ate she didnt know why she felt dissapointed..he loved her cooking..but why did it bother her. Did she want him to say it was her that he liked ? She didnt get to think to long about it for it was time to get back to town ..they had to leave the next day for home. They all promised they would get back together soon as a family.

"Rasup gamut khagam (farewell father). she leaned in and kissed his cheek goodbye and Tohlm semi-embraced him.

" Rasup gamut men berch vel makk (farewell my daughter and son). Tak yemu (until later)." they parted and got on thier ponies heading back into town.

They were halfway to town when out of no where three orcs attacked them. The pony threw Tia from its back and she landed hard knocking the breath from her body. Bofur and Tohlm dismounted without incident running to her as the orcs closed in on her since she was the closest . Tia looked up and saw a sword descending towards her and she cringed in fear expecting to feel the blade slashing her when suddenly she heard metal on metal and she looked up again. There stood Bofur over her with his mattock in hand stopping the blade from reaching her. he pushed the beast back and swung the axe side of the mattock at the orcs head chopping it off, Another orc rushed him but he quickly dispatched it by disembowling it before it could do any harm. Bofur turned around looking down on Tia who still laid there and reached his hand out to her with worry evident in his eyes." Yeh alright lass?"

She suddenly had a flash back to a dream long ago of something similiar happening and just like in her dream there stood Bofur pulling her into his arms to hold her close comforting her . Bofur looked over to where Tohlm was at and saw him dispatching the other orc with ease while holding Tia close still not letting her go till his heart calmed down . He sighed with relief that they were all fine when suddenly he felt her jerk in his arms and cry out in pain. The orc that he had cut open ,with his dying breath ,stabbed her in the back then it collapsed dead on the ground. Bofur looked into her eyes as she whimperd in pain in his arms and he let out a roar "No Tia!" she collapsed and passed out in his arms and he felt fear unlike he had ever known sweep through him. Hearing Bofur scream Tohlm spun around and saw his sister collapse in his arms. Bofur picked her up in his arms looking around for thier mounts and saw his and Tohlms not far. "Tohlm get the horses.. we have to hurry." he shouted and Tohlm retrieved the mounts . Bofur handed Tia over to Tohlm so he could mount and he reached for her. As soon as she was in his arms he spurred the pony into a run as fast as it could go ..racing for Dahls home hoping Ahmi was there to save his heart from dying.

" Please hang on lassie..please hang on ..were almost there." he kept chanting as the ground blurred under them in thier headlong flight to the healer. As they got closer he started shouting " Ahmi! Kechi! Help..Tias hurt!"