The Sisters [A Hobbit Fanfiction]

Chapter 43

Aelith was starting to understand exactly how underappreciated Bilbo was. If it hadn’t been for that stubborn little hobbit, the dwarves would have given up and left, never to realize that the door had opened after all.

Now they had finally finished setting up a makeshift sort of camp just inside the doorway and Bilbo was helping Balin pull out some cold rations to tide them over for the night. Everyone was exhausted from the trek up the mountain from the lake shore, and most were sitting about, half asleep by now.

Aelith noticed suddenly that Avice was sitting right next to the cracked doorway and fidgeting slightly. She walked over to her friend softly, crouching down to join her on the dusty floor.

“What’s wrong?” asked Aelith and Avice glanced at her friend nervously.

“I don’t like being underground…”

“Really?”

“It brings back bad memories.” Avice offered no further explanation, and Aelith didn’t press for more.

“You know,” said Aelith changing the topic, “you don’t have to wear the mask anymore.” Avice looked at her in surprise.

“Of course I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m well aware of what I look like. It’s unnerving…”

Aelith sighed sadly,

“You know none of the girls would judge you and if the dwarves do, which I highly doubt they will, they’re not worth your time.”

“I know…”

Satisfied she’d made her point and deciding what Avice really needed was time to think, Aelith moved back towards Bilbo and Balin to help hand out food to the sleepy dwarves.

*    *    *

Later that evening, Nora and Aelith both noted how Thorin temporarily left his seat with Balin to slip over to the opening of the cave with a plate of food.

He wasn’t gone long, but several minutes after his return, Avie rejoined the rest of them.

She wasn’t wearing her mask this time.

Just as Aelith had predicted, none of the company seemed to even notice and both of her friends saw Avice’s tense shoulders slowly relax as seconds became minutes and minutes became hours and nobody said anything.

*    *    *

Legolas was slightly irritated. He’d come all this way, for what? To be informed that neither elf had any intention of going anywhere and that his company was unwelcome.

“Unwelcome?” he repeated in disbelief as he faced Nienna’s smug face. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Silvia slipping out of the room, but he couldn’t care less at this point.

Had he been concerned about Silvia? Yes, but she was his friend and he knew she could take care of herself. The real reason for his rebellious journey was standing right in front of him and ruthlessly telling him to beat it.

“You held us prisoner and you expected a welcome?” retorted Nienna sarcastically. Legolas looked at her,

“I didn’t hold you prisoner, my father did.”

“Same difference.”

“Not really!”

“Yes really!”