A Treasure Beyond Compare (ThorinxOCxOC)

Chapter 19

Blue sky stretched overhead, a cloudless expanse that made me feel small and insignificant. Fall sunlight shone on a herd of black and white ponies and the sight of them galloping in the lush green field stole my breath away.

I hovered beneath the shade of a large oak tree watching them. It made me miss my own pony Stardust who had vanished months ago in the chaos of the troll battle. I hope she wasn't killed by an orc pack or a wild animal.

The others were inside with Beorn trying to persuade him to offer the company supplies for the rest of their journey. Given his hatred of dwarves, I expected the shapeshifter to be a hard sell.

Leaning back against the tree, I sighed. Not that I could discount Beorn's feelings entirely. Gold fever caused an entire spectrum of chaos. Give me a library full of books over treasure any day.

I inhaled a lungful of crisp air and rubbed my arms; the elven tunic barely combated the chilly air.

I'd left my coat inside thinking I'd be alright without it. Now I wished I'd slipped it on before leaving the cottage. That's what I get for wanting to avoid tense discussions.

Leaving the shade of the tree I stepped out into the sun-drenched field and sighed in relief. Much better. Hand outstretched I approached one of the ponies, gratified when the horse pranced in place and snuffled my fingers gently.

Grinning, I combed my fingers through the pony's soft mane. "Aren't you a pretty girl?" A quick glance confirmed the pony's gender. "It looks like Beorn takes good care of you guys."

A few minutes later the cottage doors slammed shut behind me. I whirled around. Oin and Bilbo headed in my direction, the hobbit balancing a tray loaded with hotcakes and a glass of fresh milk. "We thought you might be hungry, how about breakfast?"

"That sounds great." I called cheerfully, giving the mare one last pat on the head.

I ate while Oin cleaned my cuts and scrapes applying more of that smelly unguent. Bilbo drizzled a generous stream of honey from a small dispenser. "Everything's all set. We're going to depart tomorrow."

"Really? So soon? I thought we'd stay here for a few days at least." I murmured when Oin finished his ministrations. "I'm going to ask Beorn if I can get a bath."

"I just applied ointment!" Oin complained.

"Trust me, I'll heal better if I'm clean." I said over my shoulder and ambled for the cottage. Oin was an excellent healer but had no knowledge of germs or bacteria which caused infections. Taking a bath is the best thing I can do for myself. I hated being dirty.

Beorn graciously agreed to my request, ushering the dwarves out of the cottage. Kili snagged his half-eaten breakfast and ambled out after the others.

I caught Thorin's eye and the dwarf king inclined his head respectfully.

My cheeks heated the memory of his touch still lingering on my mind.

It took several trips to the well and then time spent waiting for the water to heat before I was able to sink into the large tin tub in front of the fire. As the water soothed the aches and pains in my body, I felt an enormous surge of gratitude for Beorn's willingness to draw a bath for me.

I lathered up the cake of lavender scent soap and scrubbed my hair and skin thoroughly. The water immediately became murky, so I scrubbed myself a second time. Unwilling to linger in the dirty water longer than I had to, I climbed out of the tub and toweled myself off with a long cotton cloth.

I dug my old hobbit dress out of my pack and gathered my soiled clothing to wash in a tub. The dress was still ill-fitting, but I was shocked by how loose it hung on my frame. Living on the road had taken its toll on my body. Now I was a little too skinny.