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Mending the Broken Pieces	By : LadyLaran Category: Lord of the Rings Movies > Het - Male/Female Views: 13613 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own "the Hobbit" nor do I make money from this story. Tolkien and Jackson are the ones who own the characters and world.

Chapter List
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Author’s Note – Well, I do apologize for taking so long to get this written and posted. I kind of hit a moment of clarity and added to my stress by returning to college. I didn’t finish my degree years ago and figured this was the best way to achieve my dreams and get into a job that will pay better than what I’m earning now. So far, I’m enjoying it but it has been a lot of hard work. On top of that, this virus threatening the world has me stressed even more. I’ve learned to despise the word “nonessential.” Then, to add more frustration to my plate, the GPU in my laptop started to die and was freezing hard even in non-graphic intensive situations. Fortunately, I’m back to work (on a limited scale) and am writing this new chapter on a new computer.

Disclaimer – I do not own “the Hobbit” nor do I make any money from this tale. I just love playing in Tolkien’s sandbox! Several of the songs quoted in this chapter are not owned by me. “I See Fire” is owned by the people who have rights to the movies. “Health to the Company” and “Home Again” are owned by Blackmore’s Night. Excellent group and one I love!

Chapter Fifty-seven – Deepening Company Bonds

Thorin was incredibly happy now that he’d found a brilliant idea for one of his acts of devotion; he’d sent the others away and had spent time in conversation with the new arrival before ensuring that the hobbit was given comfortable quarters in the King’s Halls. The monarch had chuckled when Master Greenhand had tried to protest the richness of his rooms, and he’d explained that this was a sign of respect and gratitude on his part for the other coming all this way to help his people and those of Dale. Added to that was the fact that the hobbit still respected his betrothed and had been her friend. There was little Thorin would not do to show his gratitude, and that included an invitation to dine with the company the next night.

Holman had been a bit embarrassed but pleased to accept the invitation, and both Fili and Kili escorted him to the rooms that Gloin and Oin had claimed as their own. Thorin had gotten to the suite a short time before his sister-sons, and he could see the delighted look on Hawthorn’s face when the pair escorted their hobbit guest into the sitting room of the suite. It was an expression the king was determined to see on his beloved’s face more often.

“Master Greenhand,” she called out from her position on a comfortable chair, feet carefully propped onto an ottoman that had been arranged with pillows for her comfort. “By Yavanna, it is so good to see you!”

“As it is you, Miss Hawthorn,” the hobbit smiled, heading to her to shake her hand when she offered it. “We’ve been worried about you a great deal; my old gaffer was pleased to no end to hear you found your cariad. My mum put together a little feast for the family to celebrate the news, and both said to tell you they wish you the greatest joy as you two live this life together.”

A soft blush rose to tint her cheeks with a rosy hue at his words, and she gave him a shy smile as she spoke.

“You’ll let them know I am grateful, won’t you? It’s been so long since I’ve seen your family, old friend, and I have missed all of you.”

“I’ll let them know,” he said with a grin. “I know they’d love to hear from you if you have a chance to write?”

“I will tomorrow,” she promised, happy to know that she still had people who cared about her in the Shire. “What brings you here?”

“Well, I volunteered to come out early since the lands around here need our help to heal. I can at least see about getting preparations going before spring so we can get things planted when the snows melt and the ground thaws enough to plow. I figured it’s better I get out here early so the planning can be done.”

“That’s a long time to stay,” she said, sounding worried. “Won’t you miss home?”

“I’m moving here, Miss Hawthorn, and my sisters will be too once spring arrives. My mum and gaffer are too old to make the trip, but they said it was a good chance for me to do something with the skills Yavanna gave me,” Holman told her. “I won’t be bored neither since Mr. Thorin said there’s kitchen gardens I can work on to get back into shape.”

“I’m glad my old playmate decided to make the move,” the hobbit lass replied with a gentle smile. “I hope you make friends here too.”

“I think I will,” he said. “Dwarves aren’t too different from us so I think we’ll find something to bond over.”

The company chuckled at his words, and Ori showed Holman a place to sit while Bombur put out the various pots and pans that held the food he’d been working on since earlier that day. Thorin was quick to dish up a plate for Hawthorn, bringing it to her as Fili brought her something to drink. She was quick to thank them, giving them sweet smiles, and her smile grew when Thorin took a seat beside her after he’d gotten his own plate.

Astrid had gotten food too, thanks to Dori’s assistance, and the little girl was sitting beside the silver haired dwarf while she ate her meal. The little handmaiden had been quickly adopted by the company once she’d accepted the position after her mother’s passing, and the girl was blossoming under the attention. Both Thorin and Hawthorn had been pleased to see it, and they did their best to encourage her whenever they could. As much as the child loved the company, it was obvious her devotion was focused on the future queen and the monarch encouraged it as he knew his betrothed would ensure the child was happy. It didn’t hurt that Thorin found the nickname Astrid used for his Hawthorn utterly adorable, and he’d heard comments from the other dwarrow that they found it endearing too.

The meal passed with a lot of laughter and stories that all of them found to be very entertaining. Once dessert had been enjoyed, the plates had been set aside to be cleaned later and Thorin carefully set up his harp. He could see the other members of the company break out their own instruments, getting comfortable as they readied themselves for some fun. A quick glance told him that Hawthorn had her lute, and he smiled at his friends and family. When asked what song they should start with, she had asked for the song that she’d heard them sing in her home and the company happily complied.

When the song had finished, Hawthorn smiled a bit, rubbing a hand over the side of her lute.

“That song needs another few verses,” she commented. “To show that the goal has succeeded and everyone is home or soon will be.”

Balin nodded, knowing she was right on that. It was a song that would remain in the minds of every dwarf in future generations, and the song needed to show that the call of home had been answered.

“You’re right on that,” he said, hearing the agreement from the others. “Maybe you can come up with something?”

“I couldn’t,” she answered him. “This is a song written by a dwarf; it should be finished by one. I think it should be a company member though.”

Ori spoke up, knowing she was right but not liking that she didn’t think she should add the verses.

“It should be a company member,” he told her. “I believe you should consider writing the verses, but if you don’t want to, we can probably come up with something that will finish the song completely. But I think you should write one for the quest too. Our lore surrounding the loss and reclamation of our home should include something from our hobbit queen.”

“I actually thought of one during the first part of our journey here,” she murmured, blushing at her friend’s words. “I never shared it because I really didn’t find the right occasion to do so, and I wasn’t sure that certain members would appreciate it since it revolved around their family. It’s not a happy song either.”

Thorin’s eyes held a soft expression as he met his beloved’s eyes. He had a feeling he knew which family she was referring to, and he wanted to hear what she had composed during their difficult journey.

“Will you sing it for us, laslel?”

Hawthorn nodded, knowing she couldn’t protest it and settled her lute more comfortably before she began to play. Her voice was low and reverent as the words began to fill the room.

“Oh, misty eye of the mountain below, keep careful watch of my brothers' souls. And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke keep watching over Durin's sons. If this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together. Watch the flames climb high into the night: calling out father oh, stand by and we will
watch the flames burn auburn on the mountain side. And if we should die tonight, then we should all die together – raise a glass of wine for the last time: calling out father oh, prepare as we will watch the flames burn auburn on the mountain side. Desolation comes upon the sky. Now I see fire inside the mountain; I see fire burning the trees, and I see fire hollowing souls. I see fire, blood in the breeze, and I hope that you remember me. Oh, should my people fall then surely I'll do the same. Confined in mountain halls, we got too close to the flame. Calling out father oh, hold fast and we will watch the flames burn auburn on the mountain side. Desolation comes upon the sky. Now I see fire inside the mountain. I see fire burning the trees; I see fire hollowing souls. I see fire blood in the breeze, and I hope that you remember me. And if the night is burning, I will cover my eyes for if the dark returns,
then my brothers will die. And as the sky is falling down, it crashed into this lonely town and with that shadow upon the ground, I hear my people screaming out: now I see fire inside the mountains. I see fire burning the trees. I see fire hollowing souls; I see fire blood in the breeze. I see fire (oh you know I saw a city burning out), and I see fire (feel the heat upon my skin). And I see fire burn auburn on the mountain side.”

Her voice trailed off after the lute gave the final chord, and there were quite a few members of the company that had tears in their eyes. Hawthorn was quick to notice it, and she bit her lip for a moment before speaking.

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to upset anyone.”

“No my little topaz, you didn’t,” Oin assured his daughter. “In fact, you gave us another voice to share the story. I think it should be recorded and taught to others so that we never do anything to bring a dragon down on us again.”

“Ori, will you see to it and get the musical arrangement from her later,” Thorin asked, reaching out to take her hand. “Hawthorn, it was beautiful and perfect.”

As his comment eased her, he could hear Ori’s quiet response and then Kili’s voice as it broke through the emotional silence.

“Uncle, you should sing something for us!”

The king was quick to agree, setting his harp into position before launching into an older song that had been around for generations. It fit with this particular setting since the people around him had been through so much at his side.

“Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme. Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine.
Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain for we may or might never meet here again. Here's a health to the company and one to my lass; let us drink and be merry all out of one glass. Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain for we may or might never meet here again. Our ship lies at harbour; she's ready to dock. I wish her safe landing without any shock, and if we should meet again by land or by sea, I will always remember your kindness to me. My footsteps may falter; my wit it may fail. My course may be challenged by November gale. Ere fortune shall prove to be friend or be foe, you will always be with me wherever I go.”

His song brought about a few cheers, and Holman looked over at Hawthorn.

“I think we should share something cheery, Miss Hawthorn. Maybe the one you wrote for Mrs. Bella and Mr. Bungo?”

It took her a moment to remember which one her friend was speaking of, and she frowned for a second before grinning, fingers moving into position on the neck of the lute.

“Will you sing with me, Holman?”

“Oh certainly, Miss Hawthorn, if you want me to,” he said with an easy grin. “I mean, it seems fitting since you never really sang this alone when we were tweens.”

Hawthorn nodded, grin not fading as she launched into another song. Her fingers danced over the lute and, for the first time Thorin could remember, she belted out the lyrics with a strong voice that was full of laughter. Usually, she sang softly and with passion but it seemed she knew how to handle the more carefree songs found at parties and pubs by letting her voice flow without restrictions and having fun.

“I've been many places; I've traveled 'round the world always on the search for something new. But what does it matter when all the roads I've crossed always seem to lead back to you...Old familiar faces, everyone you meet, following the ways of the land. Cobblestones and lanterns lining every street calling me to come home again. Dancing in the moonlight, singing in the rain, oh, it's good to be back home again. Laughing in the sunlight, running down the lane, oh, it's good to be back home again. When you play with fire, sometimes you get burned. It happens when you take a chance or two, but time is never wasted when you've lived and learned. And in time it all comes back to you...dancing in the moonlight, singing in the rain, oh, it's good to be back home again. Laughing in the sunlight, running down the lane, oh, it's good to be back home again. And when I got weary, I'd sit a while and rest, memories invading my mind. All the things I'd treasured, the ones I'd loved the best were the things that I'd left behind....old familiar faces, everyone you meet, following the ways of the land. Cobblestones and lanterns lining every street calling me to come home again. Dancing in the moonlight, singing in the rain, oh, it's good to be back home again. Laughing in the sunlight, running down the lane, oh, it's good to be back home again. Lalalalalala....Oh, it's good to be back home again.
Lalalalalala....Oh, it's good to be back home again. Dancing in the moonlight, singing in the rain, oh, it's good to be back home again. Laughing in the sunlight, running down the lane, h, it's good to be back home again. Dancing in the moonlight, singing in the rain...oh, it's good to be back home again.”

Holman joined in with her on the chorus, tenor adding more joy to the lyrics, and the company demanded they sing it twice more before joining in on the song the fourth time with both instruments and voices.

Once the song had died down, Hawthorn laughed, eyes dancing with merriment. She beamed at her family and friends.

“I haven’t had such a large group sing that one with me in a very long time,” she shared. “I’d forgotten how fun it is to share music with others like this.”

“And the night isn’t over yet,” Bofur said with a merry smile. “Let’s have some hobbit drinking songs, shall we? We’ll teach you ours.”

“Within reason,” Dori said with a laugh, tilting his head to where Astrid had been bouncing in her seat. “We do have young ears in our audience.”

“That we can do,” Nori agreed, nodding at Hawthorn to keep on.

“Right, let’s see,” she said, then started laughing when Holman made a request for one that had been written from a human’s perspective and she began singing again, much to everyone’s delight.

The night was filled with laughter, music, and a lot of merry making. Thorin was incredibly joyful as he took part in this, and all of those with stone sense could feel Erebor responding to the joy and music. The bonds between all of them were growing, and he was thankful to be a part of this. He wanted more memories like this to help combat the shadows that his people had lived with for so long.

Not for the first time, the monarch gave thanks to the Valar for the miracles that had been brought into the lives of his people as well as his own.

Author’s End Note – So I did shift some of the lyrics a bit on one because it wouldn’t work as a solo, and some of them probably had not been written down correctly on the site I use for them. I hope everyone enjoyed this installment. I appreciate the patience and understand of those who have been sending words of encouragement. Please be safe and healthy, everyone, and let me know what you think of this chapter. I’ll see you all next time! ~ Laran
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Mending the Broken Pieces