Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings Imagines

Thorin ~ Accidents 3

If anyone thought that the journey would be a calm one, they would've been very wrong.

From the first time they set camp, there was an issue.

"Gandalf you cannot expect-"

"She still has a lot to learn."

"Magic is dangerous!  We can't have someone just prac-"

"We will be far enough away that nothing should affect the camp should it go wrong."

"I can't believe that you would let someone untrained travel-"

"Excuse me,"  the camp fell silent and they all looked at Louisa, who's arms were folded and she looked irritably amongst them.  "Not only am I quite capable of talking for myself, something that seems to constantly be looked over,"  She shoots a look at Gandalf.  "But I am also not incompetent.  I may still be somewhat new to magic but I understand enough to control it when I practise."  Her eyes flashed.  "I would also appreciate it if you stopped talking about me as if I were not here."

There was some muttered apologies from a couple of the dwarves, most of the others just looked away guilty.

The only one that didn't, was Thorin.

"That does not change the fact that magic is dangerous."  He growled.

"I never denied that, however Gandalf has simply been teaching me about light so far, nothing dangerous about that."  As if to prove her point, Louisa held out her hand and a ball of light formed and hung in the air.

A tense silence follows for a moment, many of them watching the ball of light and Thorin's expression, who clearly seemed torn over something.

Louisa let the light fade.  "Now, if you don't mind, Gandalf still has a lot to teach me."  She turned on her heel and walked away before another word could be said.

Gandalf looked amused as he followed.  "I suggest listening to her.  She's as stubborn as any of you."

So every night for about the first week, the camp grew tense as Gandalf took Louisa off to practice.  They could see mostly what was happening but that didn't mean they had to like it.

Thorin was still clearly not impressed.

What clearly made Thorin's mood worse was when Fili and Kili made friends with her.  Louisa was glad that someone besides Gandalf actually wanted to talk to her, and the two young dwarves were excellent company, often making her laugh as they rode beside her.

"What's it like using magic?"

Louisa shrugged at Kili's question.  "I don't know if there's a way to describe it.  What's it like using a sword?"

The brothers shared a look.  "You don't know how to use a sword?"

She shook her head.  "Gandalf said once my magic is up to par, I won't have to."

"It's absolutely absurd."  Thorin growled later after the brothers had told him.  "You cannot possibly believe Gandalf, that she will never need to defend herself."

Gandalf puffs patiently away at his pipe. "Once she is experienced in magic, she will not need it."

"And until then?  If she gets attacked and no one is around?"

"It's not like we haven't discussed this," Gandalf said with raised eyebrows.  "Trust me Thorin, I have made sure she is well prepared for this journey.  Louisa is-"  Gandalf looks around and frowns.

"Where is she?"  Fili asked, following Gandalf's gaze around camp.  "She was just here."

"Go find her before she hurts herself or finds some trouble."  Thorin said to the brothers.  "Honestly Gandalf, thinking that she was-"