Where two people meet, who hate each other more than Anakin hates sand.
Tw: Violence (not against a person)
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"Those are my... Excuse me, not my wine!" Bilbo spoke, trying to stop the dwarves from plundering his pantry. Raewyn had resided in the corner of the room, just in front of the hall, where the dwarves had settled Bilbo's dining table. She gave the hobbit a questioning glance, but he just shook his head at her and resumed talking - nay - yelling at the dwarves.
"Put that back. Put that back! Not the jam, please. Excuse me!" He grabbed multiple condiments, and he stuffed them back in the pantry. Just then, the biggest dwarf walked out, carrying various blocks of cheese.
"Ex-Excuse me..." Bilbo began, not even knowing how to correctly speak to him. "A tad excessive, isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?"
A second dwarf walked up and smiled at the hobbit. "A cheese knife? He eats it by the block."
"You are not a dwarf." Someone spoke to Raewyn, causing her attention to divert from the still struggling hobbit. In front of her stood a dwarf with white hair, holding a plate of, what appeared to be, tea. She raised her eyebrows and nodded at him.
"Keen observation." She spoke sarcastically, forcing kindness out of her throat.
"What are you then?" The dwarf did not sound rude, even though Raewyn had expected him to. He sounded genuinely interested and confused about her build. As a joke, the woman looked down, as if inspecting her own body, before looking back up and shrugging. "A woman."
"From the race of men?" The dwarf questioned, not catching her joke. Raewyn's lips formed in a thin line as she shook her head. "Sure."
"So, I should just call you lady, then?" The dwarf resumed, causing the young woman to widen her eyes and wildly shake her head. "No. Not a lady."
"How do I refer to you then?" He continued, trying to address Raewyn. "Preferably not," she muttered under her breath, but when she noticed Gandalf's glance, she picked up her speech, "but if you must, you can call me Tolmiró."
The dwarf smiled at her and nodded. "Well, my name is Dori."
The woman smiled back at him and gave a nod of her head in recognition to him. "Would you like a nice cup of chamomile tea, Tolmiró?" Dori asked, offering her a cup.
"I just had my fill." She answered, rejecting his offer. When she saw his face fall, she looked back at Gandalf, who was now smiling at the other dwarves who were decking the table.
"Gandalf might want one, though." She spoke, causing Dori's face to light up and walk towards the tall wizard. Raewyn watched as the dwarf walked away, still surprised by his kindness.
"You are not from the race of men." The tall dwarf that arrived earliest noticed. "But you are not dwarven either."
"That is correct." She assured, giving him a questioning glance.
"Your feet tell me you are no hobbit and you are too short to be an elf....what are you?" He now asked, almost suspiciously. She hesitated over what to say, but she shot him a small smile, not trying to draw too much attention.
"I'm just a simple ranger trying to make my way in the wild. Like my father before me." She clarified, not revealing more and not revealing less. The dwarf, Dwalin, was about to ask more of her when Gandalf interrupted. Raewyn let out a quiet sigh, which went unnoticed by both of them.
"There you are. I was beginning to wonder on whether you had left or not." The wizard spoke. The woman send a nod in his direction.
"I didn't. This kind sir," she began, nudging her head towards Dwalin, "has eaten my meal for this evening, so I'm afraid I am still counting on our host's offer for some nice food."
The grey wizard chuckled at her reply, but got halted halfway. A dwarf with an axe in his head signed to Gandalf, mumbling Khuzdul words in between that even Raewyn couldn't hear. She didn't have to wonder for long, because Gandalf quickly answered his apparent question.
"Yes, you are quite correct, Bifur." The wizard spoke, looking around at the swarming creatures. "We appear to be one dwarf short."
"He is late, is all." Dwalin said, causing all three heads to turn to him. "He traveled north to a meeting of our kin. He will come." Raewyn rolled her eyes at his statement. Without any form of comment, she walked into the hall, trying to make her way through the chairs.
"I'll bring a chair up for you, lass." One dwarf spoke. He had a full red beard with many beads. The woman looked at him, before declining his offer.
"I got feet. I can stand."
The dwarf chuckled at her speech, but shook his head. "Nonsense. A lady shouldn't stand at dinner."
"Oh no, I'm not a-" but the dwarf had already disappeared. She sighed and looked at the table. Many condiments had decorated the furniture now. A large plate of ham was placed right in the middle with multiple small dishes surrounding it. The utensils were arranged neatly in front of the chairs, each one of them having their indicidual place.
More dwarves started entering the hall, talking merrily while finding their seats. One of them started walking on the table, carrying multiple cups filled with beer. She recognised him as Fili, who had introduced himself to her earlier at the door.
"Who wants an ale?" He asked, reaching them out to his kin.
"Over here, brother." Raewyn heard, looking at the dwarf who called him. Kili, evidently- his brother.
Dwalin, who had now been seated across from the woman, dumped his drink in a trumpet, causing him to laugh out loud. "Here you go, lass." The dwarf from earlier spoke, shoving a chair her way. She silently thanked him and sat down, shoving her seat towards the table.
"Ale on the count of three." A voice announced, silencing all dwarves. "One, two, up!" And then they all began to chuck, spilling beer all over their beards. Raewyn winced uncomfortably and grabbed a small slice of ham. When she returned to her plate, one of the dwarves began burping loudly, making her stop in her tracks. When a second one was followed, she closed her eyes for a few seconds before walking back to her seat.
It was going to be a rough dinner.
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"There are times I wish I was you." Raewyn began, now seated outside of the hobbit hole. The dwarves were talking and laughing, but only small echoes ran across the gardens. Farris, her owl, was seated on her arm, enjoying the attention it was getting from her owner.
"These dwarves are so rude, yet respectful. It's unbelievable." She spoke, softly petting the owl's feathers. The creature let out a small noice and nudged into Raewyn's palm. The woman chuckled at this action and leaned back again the fence.
Her head shot up when she suddenly heard stomping from the hobbit hole. She furrowed her eyebrows and stood up. Farris remained seated on her owner's arm, but her head was now turned towards the green door.
Carefully walking up to the house, Raewyn opened the round door, entering the hall again. She was quick to notice Bilbo's frustrated look as plates were thrown around. A beat of sympathy ran through her.
"Blunt the knives, bend the forks." Kili suddenly sang. Offering the hobbit a comforting look, the Asha wandered further in the hall.
"Smash the bottles and burn the corks." Fili resumed, throwing plates at his brother.
"Chip the glasses and crack the plates. That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" All dwarves joined in, smiling together, as one of them picked up his flute.
"Cut the cloth and tread on the fat. Leave the bones on the bedroom-mat, pour the milk on the pantry-floor, splash the wine on every door." Now cutlery has joined the flying, which made Raewyn decide to drag Bilbo back a few steps - just for his safety. She knew interrupting now would be folly.
"Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl, pound them up with a thumping pole. When you've finished, if any are whole, send them down the hall to roll!" The young woman could see Gandalf laughing at the dwarves, making Raewyn frown at him, even though he couldn't see. Bilbo now noticed the owl on the woman's arm and was about to question it when he noticed more plates flying towards his kitchen. Grunting in anger, he left the ranger's side, following the flying cutlery.
"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" The dwarves finished, laughing at Bilbo's surprised face when he noticed everything cleaned and neatly stocked up. Many dwarves were still drinking their ale, but Raewyn ignored them, joining Bilbo's side. As she was about to speak, there were knocks heard throughout the house, silencing everyone.
"He is here."
Gandalf walked towards the door, ignoring the hobbit's protests, and seemingly avoiding Raewyn's gaze. When he reached the door, the wizard seemed to halt, but opened it after a short second's thought.
"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice." A deep voice was heard, causing a sudden angry feeling to rush through the woman. A figure walked into the hall. All at once, it took everything in the her will to not run at him and attack him right where he stood.
"I would have not found it all, had it not been for that mark at the door." The dwarf spoke, shedding his cloak and handing it to Kili.
"Mark? There's no mark on that door, it was painted a week ago!" Bilbo protested, walking up to the dwarf. Gandalf closed the door behind them and objected. "There is a mark, I've put it there myself."
As Gandalf was shortly distracted, the new dwarf's eyes found Raewyn's. His attitude immediately turned, causing the woman to let Farris rest on a wooden structure before subtly reaching for her dagger.
"Asha." He spoke darkly, acknowledging her presence, though not quite merrily. Many dwarves now gasped quietly, some in realisation, others in recognition.
"Oakenshield." The woman responded in the same tone. The tension in the air had become almost insufferable and every dwarf could feel it. The only one who didn't notice it was Bilbo. And how could he? He had never heard stories beyond the Shire that weren't fairy tales.
Raewyn's hand rested on the holster of one of her daggers, but she did not intent to draw it. Not yet, at least.
"You're still standing." She quietly spoke, harsh and venomously. It took Gandalf by surprise to hear her speak this way.
"I regret nothing." The dark haired dwarf returned, making a pang of pain and hurt flush through Raewyn's chest, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.
Gandalf coughed awkwardly, before addressing the hobbit. "Bilbo Baggins," he began, causing Thorin's attention to shift to Gandalf, but the woman's eyes never left the dwarves body. Her hand was still beside her dagger and she intended on keeping it their for as long as he was around. Perhaps it was out of protection, perhaps it was out of revenge - she hadn't decided yet. All that she knew, was that she could not be safe around him. Not now, while the dwarves knew about her identity. She knew they would die for their king in a heartbeat, but they would not attack her lest they had good reason to. As long as she remained calm and made no rash decisions, she would be safe for as long as the night should last.
"Allow me to introduce the leader of our company; Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf finished.
"So," Thorin spoke, now much less hostile, but not yet kind, "this is the hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" The dwarf questioned, confusing Bilbo.
"Pardon me?" The hobbit asked, turning as Thorin circled around him.
"Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?" The dwarf clarified, now offering the small creature a choice.
"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know. But I fail to see why that's relevant...." Bilbo spoke hesitantly. Thorin smiled sarcastically at the hobbit, looking at Gandalf.
"I thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." As the dwarf spoke this, the others started laughing.
Dwalin lead Thorin towards the hall they previously vacated for dinner. While the others followed him, Gandalf looked at the young woman disapprovingly.
"What did you do, Raewyn?" He asked, not really expecting an answer. She knew he did not ask why she behaved this way, but rather about her earlier statement.
You're still standing.
The wizard did not know what it meant, but he was aware of the impulsive actions Raewyn could make. When the woman did not answer, he frowned at her and followed the dwarves, signaling for Bilbo to follow him.
When she was sure everyone had left, Raewyn let out a frustrated sigh and threw her dagger into the door, startling Farris. Instead of walking towards it and peeling it off, she threw her second, followed by a third. A frustrated cry almost left her throat, but she knew how to contain it.
I regret nothing.
He said it so cold. So emotionless. It should not have bothered her, but it did. And she hated that it did. There were moments she had dreamt of the day where he would come to her in need of aid so she could refuse, but now the time has come, she was incapable of rejecting. She would not be joining for him, yet she would be helping him. And he did not feel remorse one bit. Not for what he did and not for what he said. The times she had thought about forgiving him had all disappeared in just a few seconds.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she looked up and forced them back, already yanking a fourth dagger out. With more anger than before, she launched it at the door, wedging it right in the middle of it, buried more deeply than the other three. She inhaled sharply and wiped her eyes. Even though no tears had fallen, she did not want her watery eyes to be shown to the rest of the company.
"Come on, Farris." She spoke, her voice now smaller. The owl looked up as if understanding her owner.
"Time to have some discussion about this quest of ours."
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