The Sisters [A Hobbit Fanfiction]

Chapter 42

“Row, row, row your boat! Quickly ‘cross the lake! With Grumpy and Dopey and Sneezy and Happy and far too little caaaaake!”

Nora finished her ditty with a majestic flourish, forgetting she was holding an oar and almost taking off Fili’s head.

“Oi! Watch it!” the dwarf cried, barely ducking out of the way.

“Whoops,” giggled Nora sheepishly. Kili chuckled from behind them before allowing his attention to wander over his companions.

Thorin was in the back, steering as he squinted into the wind. In front of him sat Avice and Bombur, both grumbling under their breath.

Up in the front, Bilbo and Aelith sat next to each other, chatting. Bilbo was half way through a story about a very interesting family reunion he’d hosted that had involved dumplings, lost mail and rather smelly feet.

Kili’s eyebrows shot up as he saw Aelith chuckling while as Bilbo animatedly concluded his tale. Thinking back… Aelith didn’t laugh that much. Given the circumstances, that wasn’t surprising.

Perhaps this hobbit was more than a burglar after all.

A slight pall hung over the company, oddly paralleled by the mist that had settled about an hour into their rowing. How Thorin knew where they were going was beyond Kili, but he had implicit faith in his leader.

Next to Kili sat Sarabelle and Kili suddenly noticed the short, fast breaths and, upon turning to glance at her, her taunt face furrowed in determination.

“Here,” he said, quickly reaching around her to take her oar. “Let me.”

“No, I’m fine,” she began, but Kili interrupted her with a gentle smile, saying,

“No, you’re not. And if you slow any further, you’ll break with the rhythm.”

Sarabelle hesitated a moment longer before caving and releasing her grip on the oar. Kili scooted closer on their shared bench to get a good grip, his arm going around Sarabelle’s shoulders to reach.

“Thanks,” she sighed, rubbing her sore arms tiredly.

Kili smiled at her.

“It’s fine, I’m strong,” he joked easily falling into the rhythm of the rest of the company’s oars. The corner of Sarabelle’s mouth quirked up,

“Muscles aren’t everything you know.”

Before Kili could ask what exactly she meant by that obscure statement, Sarabelle began humming a tune. Though her voice wasn’t angelically pure like Runa and Nienna’s, it had a charm to it, a lilt that Kili could only assume was part of her origins.

“What’s that you’re humming, lass?” asked Nori from behind. Sarabelle turned with a happy smiled,

“It’s a tune my gran taught me back when I was learning to walk.”

“Well go on,” urged Dori from his position by Nori. “Sing it for us.”

“Aye, it’ll pass the time,” agreed Nori. Sarabelle nodded and softly began to sing.

“My bonny lass has a crown of flowers and she weaves them dusk ‘till dawn…”

*    *    *

“I’m bored,” Runa groaned, staring dejectedly at the ceiling. Nienna rolled her eyes.

“I swear, you almost died and you just keep whining about boredom. Get some perspective.”