After a few days of time for recovering, the company made its way down the carrock. The few bruises and scratches of the dwarves were almost gone and they were getting all giddy, being stuck rather high up from the ground. Oin advised against it, since Thorin and Andy weren't fully recovered yet. Thorin's warg bite was closed, but rather easily reopened again. Being stubborn as he is, he ignored Oin and decided to finally move on. Azog wouldn't be far behind. Knowing he was right Andy agreed to leave and swung her back pack over her shoulder.
"Woah, woah, woah. Hell no!", Kili exclaimed, jumping in front of her. "You are nowhere close to recovered. "
"Neither is antsy-pants over there. You heard your king, didn't you?", she dared him. "He said were moving out. Are you disobeying his order?"
Kili gave her a disapproving look but knew, that he had no chance against that argument. Snickering, Fili laid an arm over his brothers' shoulders.
"You should know better by now. Andy doesn't take orders. Not even from uncle. However," he turned to Andy, " at least let us carry your bag for you. Not like we have anything else to carry anyway. "
In the end, Andy was not allowed to carry anything, except her twin daggers. They also wanted to take them off her but as she started threatening to shove them of the carrock, they backed off. Step for step they got closer to the ground. It took them a while to get down but they all were relieved, as they finally did.
"Mister Gandalf? Do you know where we are?", Nori asked the wizard. Without uttering a word, the old man just started walking in a direction and the dwarves trotted after him. Asking him where he was leading the, would get no answer, so why bother asking again. Andy staid at the back, not wanting to talk to anyone, since they were getting on her nerves. All they asked about was how she was felling, if she needed a break or if she needed something else.
She felt in pain, her ankle was protesting after the long climb down, a break would be amazing and she needed a bath and something else to eat than the rabbits the eagles brought them twice a day for the last four days. She didn't say anything out loud, of course. She said she was fine and they should stop asking.
Andy didn't notice Thorin fell back to her, until he cleared his throat.
"Manwë's beard, what was that for?", she snapped, holding a hand over her heart.
"I'm walking next to you for almost two minutes now", he explained plain.
"Oh", was her reaction. "Sorry?"
Thorin's lips twitched a little. It was so small and quick, Andy already thought she imagined it.
"What's up?", she asked, to get the conversation started.
"You're limping, walking stiff - probably cause to the cut of the whip - and breathing heavily, due to overexertion and pain. "
"Is that an observation or a question?", Andy asked mockingly. Her face twisted into a grimace, as her foot weirdly stepped onto a root because she wasn't looking where she was going. Thorin's hand wrapped around her waist, stabilizing her.
"You need rest", he spoke, a stern expression on his face.
"We've got no time for rest. The bastard Orc is still on our tails. And, in fact, so do you, princess", Andy shot back, not missing Thorin's frown. He didn't get the chance to say something, as Andy's head shot up.
"What?", he asked alarmed.
"Water", she spoke, a smile crossing her face. The soft sound of water rippling over stones met her ears. "There's a river up ahead", she shouted, falling into a sprint, leaving Thorin behind. "Shit, shit, shit", she muttered every time she stepped onto her bad foot. But she didn't stop until she reached the river. The company caught up with her the moment she jumped into the refreshing water with only her trousers and her breastband on. After a few seconds she broke through the surface again, flipping her hair back.
"I bet I can do that with my hair as well", Fili said to Kili.
"We will follow the river down, around those boulders", Thorin ordered, pointing out the spot he was talking of. "You can join us after your bath", he said to Andy. She nodded in agreement, looking at the bubbles that rose when she breathed out her nose under water.
"Okay", she spoke and spat out some water that filed her mouth. "If you hear me scream or see my lifeless body floating down the stream, please move your backsides over and help me. "
"Great", Dwalin muttered as the rest of the company headed down the river. "Now one of us will have to keep watch for bodies in the water, if we want to be able to relax a little. "
As soon as they were out of sight, Andy swam back to shore and undressed fully. With a splash she jumped back in. Using the lemon soap she stole in Rivendell, she scrubbed all the blood and sweat off her body and hair. She hadn't felt so clean since she left that place. Thinking about it, it was only a few days ago. But in those few days a lot of things happened. After lying in the water for another while, enjoying the refreshing cold Andy started to freeze and got out. After getting dressed, she limped around the boulders, a hand over her eyes.
"Nineteen, twenty! Ready or not, here I come!", Andy called as she rounded the boulders, making every dwarf aware of her presence. A few moments later, she took her hand from her face. As fast as her foot allowed, she walked over to Bifur, Gloin and Bombur, who were already finished with bathing and sat around a pit, filled with firewood. Glion slid to the side, making place for her to sit down. She did so, facing away from the water full of bathing dwarves.
"Well Lassie, nice to see your face free of all the blood", Gloin spoke, giving her a short smile before smoking his pipe again. Andy's jaw dropped. Gloin disliked her since the beginning of the journey. It was the first time he spoke to her, without hatred or mistrust in his voice. And then it was a compliment!
"Thanks. I guess", she said, disbelieve still written all over her face. Bifur across of her, grunted something that once in a while sounded like Khuzdul and made gestures with his hands, nodding with a smile. Not completely understanding what he meant, Andy looked at him with a crunched-up face. Bifur let out a frustrated sigh and waved Bofur over.
"He says thank you for rescuing us back there. ", Bofur called, getting dressed.
"No problem. You'd have done it as well. "
Bifur tried talking to her again. His face was concentrated and he stumbled over his gibberish, frustrated that it didn't work.
"What is he trying to do?", Andy asked Bofur. He gave her a sad smile.
"Trying to talk. See, the axe in his head damages his brain. Now he can hardly speak Khuzdul. Common tongue is in impossible. "
Andy nodded and looked at the frustrated Bifur. "Hey, Bifur", she got his attention and lifted her hands and started signing. Do you know Sign language?
His face lit up with joy as he immediately stated brabbling on.
How do you know sign language? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Now I can talk to you too!
"I learned it from a deaf friend of mine. I didn't know you knew", she smiled at him, seeing how exited he got.
"What are you guys talking about?", Kili asked as he stepped next to them, half dressed. Overjoyed Bifur babbled a few words in Khuzdul. Kilis eyes widened in surprise.
"Really?", he asked Andy. A little sheepish she nodded. Normally people would look at her weirdly, when she revealed a skill like that. This was a welcoming surprise for her. Within second, the whole company was gathered around them, asking her to sign for them. They all knew a little, so they could communicate better with Bifur. However, they spoke Khuzdul, so they still had another way to understand him. Andy actually could too, but didn't tell them. Otherwise, they would start to wonder and ask questions.
Thorin decided they would not continue for the night, since it already started to darken. They would set off in the early of the morning. After eating, silence laid over the company. The dwarves smoked their pipes, all in deep thoughts. The few that weren't smoking, entertained themselves somehow different: Ori was drawing, Bifur sharpening his axe, Kili was waving long grass to something that looked like a crown. Andy felt the need to lift the mood a little, feeling the unsettlement of the company.
"Home", she started, making a few dwarves look up.
"A place where I can go
To take this off my shoulders
Someone take me home"
She started snipping along.
"Home
A place where I can go
To take this off my shoulders
Someone take me home "
She closed her eyes, beginning to stamp and clap gently.
"Look, I didn't power through the struggle just to let a little trouble
Knock me out of my position, and interrupt the vision
After everything I witnessed, after all of these decisions
All these miles, feet, inches
They can't add up to the distance
That I have been through, just to get to
A place where even if there's no closure, I'm still safe
I still ache from trying to keep pace
Somebody give me a sign, I'm starting to lose faith"
The dwarves had sympathising smiles on their faces, feeling the meaning of the words she was singing. Bofur was once again the first to catch on, adding a little to the melody.
"Now tell me, how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?
How did I lose it when I was right there?
Now I'm so far that it feels like it's all gone to pieces
Tell me why the world never fights fair
I'm trying to find
Home», Andy closed her eyes in fear of tears collecting. She had many places she was home over the last millennials. However, she never felt fully save. Could never fully relax. Never fully trust her host with all parts of her. And the one time she did, her life broke apart. As did her heart.
"A place where I can go
To take this off my shoulders
Someone take me home
Home
A place where I can go
To take this off my shoulders
Someone take me home
Someone take me
home ho-o-o-o-me", her voice rose, filling the night. A few voices joined hers.
"Home, ho-o-o-o-me
Home, home
Someone take me
Home, ho-o-o-o-me
Home, home"
"Look, I've been through so much pain and it's hard to maintain
Any smile on my face, 'cause there's madness on my brain
So I gotta make it back, but my home ain't on the map
Gotta follow what I'm feeling to discover where it's at
I need the"
"Memory", the dwarves chanted.
"In case this fate's forever
Just to be sure these last days are better
And if I have any"
"Enemies"
"Then give me the strength
To look the devil in the face and make it home safe"
The smiles in the dwarves faces grew larger. The song had a comforting effect and gave them all new hope. And peace for the night. Almost all of them somehow sang and played along.
"Now tell me, how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?
How did I lose it when I was right there?
Now I'm so far that it feels like it's all gone to pieces
Tell me why the world never fights fair
I'm trying to find"
"Home
A place where I can go
To take this off my shoulders
Someone take me home
Someone take me"
They paused for a second, so Andy could take the next part.
"I found no cure for the loneliness
I found no cure for the sickness
Nothing here feels like home
Crowded streets, but I'm all alone"
Finally, Thorin also looked up. His eyes searched hers, but she was too caught up in memories. Her eyes were watering and reflected the fire she was staring at. Her voice lowered, almost cracking in the end. Thorin knew that expression on her face. Loss. She had lost something. And listening to the lyrics of the song, he would say, she lost a home. After a deep breath her voice raised again, lifting the voices of the dwarves higher.
"I found no cure for the loneliness
I found no cure for the sickness
Nothing here feels like home
Crowded streets, but I'm all alone", Andy almost cried it out. The last chorus went wild, all the voices and pitches blended together.
Someone take me home, ho-o-o-o-me
(Take me home) home (take me home), home
Someone take me home (baby, I need it, somebody, somebody), ho-o-o-o-me
(Ain't no place like home) home (take me home), home
Someone take me home"
They all fell back into silence, envied in their own memories. The restlessness had disappeared, leaving the company in a mind easing silence. Blinking a few times, Andy tried to get rid of the tears lingering in her eyes.
"Good night", she whispered, quickly got up and rushed away from the fireplace. Back at the river, she sat down on a rock and stared into the water.
"I miss you guys", she muttered voiceless, finally letting the tears fall. It slid down hear check and dropped into the water, sending little ripples over the surface. It was quickly flushed away, carried to the sea, a lost home of hers. Gently she stroked through the water. "You and Aulë were the only ones who really cared about me back then. "
A scratch to her right caught her attention. A ripple just disappeared back onto the river, leaving a seashell. "You softie", she said with a smile on her face and wiped the tears of her cheeks. Gently she picked up the beautiful seashell. "You know, you're actually not allowed to give me anything. Manwë forbid it. "
Little ripples jumped up, splashing her bare feet. Now she had to giggle. She laid her hand back into the water, as if she was stroking it. "Alright, alright. Enough now. You have to stop before he notices. But it's nice to know you're still watching over me. Bye, Ulmo. "
A fish came swimming towards her and kissed the back of her hand. Andy took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the smell of the ocean far away, the last present of Ulmo. The smell of a long-ago home full of memories and people waiting for her return.
Fili and Kili squatted down behind a tree and piqued around the trunk. They wanted to go and comfort Andy, since they noticed her mood. However, they found her talking to the water. They saw her pick up a seashell from the ground, a smile on her face.
"You softie", she said, confusing the two brothers. "You know, you're actually not allowed to give me anything. Manwë forbid it. "
This confused them even more.
"This is weird", Kili whispered, making sure to keep his voice down.
"Do tell", Fili answered and leaned closer.
As the water splashed in response, the brothers gasped. What was going on here?!
"Alright, alright. Enough now. You have to stop before he notices." They heard her speak, her voice no longer so sad. "But it's nice to know you're still watching over me. Bye, Ulmo. "
Their eyes widened even further. They staid hidden until Andy had passed them back to the camp.
"This is getting weirder and weirder. The more we find out about Andy, the less I actually know who she is", Fili said, a frown on his face. Kili nodded on agreement.
"She's an excellent fighter, she knew Lord Elrond and some kind of elf king, she was tortured by the Goblin King, she can speak orcish, knows sign language, she knows the Eagle lord, she's friends with uncle's guardian angel and now she knows the Valars personally!"
"She knows orcish?", Fili asked horrified. Kili nodded.
"I heard her speak it back at the cliff as she was facing down Azog to defend uncle. "
Fili shook his head in disbelieve. "This is mental!", he exclaimed. "There has to be a centre of all these mysteries. A reason, why Andy can do all the things she can and knows all the people she does. "
"The next chance we catch her alone, we'll confront her with it, aye?"
"Aye. Now we better get back, before someone notices us being gone for too long. "
Together they made their way back to camp, acting as if they did not hear Andy's conversation with a Valar.