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The next morning when Abigail awoke she was alone at her camp. The blanket she had given to Balin was folded neatly where he had been sleeping. She sat up and took stock of her supplies, nothing was missing thankfully. Abigail shrugged her shoulders and went about putting out her fire and packing her things. After much deliberation she decided to retrace her steps in order to check the traps she had set yesterday but just as she was about to leave the camp, she noticed something. Tracks. Abigail knew they had to be Balin's, however they were headed the wrong direction. Dale was south and Erebor was north, these tracks lead west. For a few moments she struggled to figure out what to do. On the one hand it wasn't her responsibility to help him find his way, on the other hand he was injured. Abigail thought of her mother who would have been appalled that she had even thought of not helping someone in need. She expelled a breath which she didn't know she'd been holding and set off west at a swift pace.
It was easy enough to follow the large tramping footsteps of the dwarf, he seemed to have no regard for the forest or its game. About half an hour later she heard the distant footsteps of her prey. When she finally caught up to him she could hear a string of dwarfish curses coming from him, evidently the pain in his leg had worsened.
"Balin?" called Abigail.
The dwarf spun around with his large sword drawn and ready.
"Abigail?"
The disbelief in his voice almost made Abigail smile.
"Did you follow me?" Balin asked.
"I followed your tracks yes." She said simply "I felt as though I should tell you, you're going the wrong way. Dale is that way." she pointed in the right direction.
The dwarf's mouth opened and closed a few times before he cleared his throat awkwardly and sheathed his sword.
"Well, thank you." He said
"You're welcome. How's your leg?" She asked.
"It…it hurts." Said Balin reluctantly "but I'll live."
There was a moment of silence where the two didn't know what to say next.
"Perhaps I could take you there myself?" She said at last "My brother lives there and I have been meaning to go and see him and his family."
"I can't ask you to do that." He said "You've done me enough favors in the past few hours."
"Luckily for you, you don't have to ask." Abigail gave him a smile to let him know he needn't feel guilty.
"Lead the way then." Said Balin, seemingly eager to get under way.
Thorin followed silently, or as silently as a dwarf with a hurt leg could, behind the elf as she set off in the direction she had pointed out earlier. Admittedly the dwarfish prince was a bit embarrassed to have set off in the wrong direction. It was very unbecoming of someone of his stature to have to be rescued by a run of the mill hunter, especially an elfish girl. However, it was apparent to him that she was no ordinary elf, for although she did bare the pointed ears of an elf, her face lacked the harsh, sharp features that were common to her race. The slight roundness of her face and the warm brown eye's together with her unfavorable reaction to his question regarding Mirkwood, forced him to come to the conclusion that she wasn't fully an elf. Not that this bothered him much, he had never been comfortable around the elves that came to visit Erebor. They were much too uptight and seemingly perfect.
"So, you said your brother lives in Dale, does that mean you don't?" Asked a curious Thorin sometime later.
"That is correct," She confirmed, glancing back at him "I live in a cabin to the east of here with my mother."
"So that's why you were out here hunting? You're the provider for your mother?" He ventured to question further.
"Yes, is that hard to believe?" Asked Abigail, a small smirk gracing her lips.
"No," Thorin replied hastily "no, I've seen the way you can handle a bow, it's just…a bit unusual."
Abigail let out a snort. Thorin's lips twitched upward into a smirk of his own, the action seemed a very un-elfish thing to do.
"So, Balin, you've asked me several questions, maybe you could answer me one?" asked Abigail, slowing her pace a bit to walk side by side with the dwarf.
"Seems only fair," He said "I will answer to the best of my ability."
"Why did you leave Erebor? I know, or at least I have been told, that most dwarfs don't like the outside world too much."
Thorin paused for a minute to gather his thoughts before answering. Of course he couldn't tell her he felt stifled because of the pressure being a prince, but he also didn't want to lie to her completely
"I've lived in Erebor all my life, I guess I was just curious."
"And after everything that's happened?" Abigail pressed.
"I still find it an intriguing place, although it severely lacks in precious jewels."
Abigail let out a laugh, it was a soft delicate sound, one that he didn't find himself minding too much.
"So you've had the pleasure of seeing my world, would you tell me more about yours?"
After that they settled into a relatively easy conversation about Erebor and its people. However, in the back of his mind Thorin had a nagging guilt about telling her a false name. For a moment he pondered telling her his true name, after all what harm could it do? In the end though, he decided it would be best for everyone if he just kept quiet. Besides, he kind of liked having someone talk to him freely, and without fear.
"It's just past these trees, I promise." Abigail tried to reassure the dwarf.
Over the past hour the pain in Balin's leg had worsened. Of course at first he had tried with all his might to hid it, putting on a straight face when his leg would suddenly give out but when Abigail finally confronted him about it he begrudgingly allowed her to help him.
So it was that the two emerged from the tree line, Abigail's arm wrapped around his upper torso, and his arm slung around her hip. Luckily for them Abigail was considered a few inches shorter than normal and Balin a few inches taller, although there was still a significant height difference. Suddenly there was a tug at her side, when she turned to see what was wrong she smiled. Balin stood staring in shock at the city of Dale.
"It's beautiful." was the only thing Balin could manage.
"Yes, it is and I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to stand and admire its beauty but right now I think we need to get you to my brother's home." Abigail said rather impatiently.
"Your brothers home?" Balin asked as they began moving again.
"Indeed, his wife Catherine is quite a healer, she'll have you back on your feet with no pain in no time." She said
The thought of no pain must have given the dwarf some kind of motivation because he moved much quicker after that. Once they got through the gates of Dale it was a fast and easy trip to her brother's home. Abigail knocked on his door and a moment later a man with messy blond hair answered. He looked surprised but happy to see her all the same.
"Hello Adam." Abigail said "Uh, is Catherine here?"
Adam finally seemed to notice that she wasn't alone. To say he looked surprised to see a dwarf attached to his sisters side was a gross understatement.
"O-oh, she's at the market but she should be back soon. Come in, come in."
Abigail could not help but grin at her brothers stuttering voice, he too had never seen a dwarf up close before.
"Adam this is Balin, Balin this is my brother Adam." Abigail said as she led him to sit in a chair.
"A pleasure to meet you." said Balin once he was sitting.
Abigail let out a sigh of relief, even with the dwarf's small size his weigh was that of a regular man's. Just then there was a knock at the door and Catherine came in. She handled the appearance of the dwarf with much more grace than Adam had. Catherine was a beautiful woman with Caramel colored hair and a tall slender figure. Here kindness was known throughout the city, so she was used to coming home to strangers who needed her help.
"Hello Abigail, Adam, who's your friend?"
"This is Balin, I brought him here to ask you to take a look at his leg. It's been giving him fits." explained Abigail.
"Of course." She set down her things and put a kettle full of water onto the fire "Balin would you do me a favor and roll up your pants leg?"
Abigail stood back as her sister-in-law worked her magic. Soon Adam came to stand by her.
"How did you come upon a dwarf?" He asked in a hushed tone.
"To be honest, we didn't met in the best of ways, but he needed my help getting to Dale and I obliged."
"He didn't hurt you did he?" Adam asked anxiously.
"Calm down Adam, you know I can handle myself." She dismissed.
"Yeah, but I'm your older brother and I have a right to worry." He said smiling softly.
Before Abigail could retort Catherine cleared her throat.
"The inflation was bad but I've wrapped it tightly and given him an herbal tea to bring it down. It would be best if he could rest it for a few hours but he has told me he has things he wishes to do."
"Thank you Catherine." Abigail left her brothers side to come to sit on the foot rest in front of Balin.
"So, what's your plan now?"
"I came here to explore the city and that's what I'm going to do."
"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time for that, you really should rest a little." She said.
"But that's it, I won't have time. I have to leave for Erebor before tonight which only leaves a few hours."
After a quick pause Abigail smiled at him.
"Then we better get started."
I know this chapter didn't really have any action or anything but it was kinda necessary in order to build their relationship a bit. I promise the next chapter there will be more action. As always Reviews are amazing!