chapter 12

Occasionally he peered at what she was doing, stunned at her amazing skill at the fire. Truly she could work miracles with the simplest fare, pulling herbs, spices, and condiments from her seemingly bottomless knapsack.

He retreated to a spot upwind of the fire where he had arranged a comfortable seating area for them both and sat with a sigh. Too soon they would be on the march again he groaned and reached down best he could with his belly in the way to massage the stiffness out of his thighs and knees.

As she turned back to him he decided her face was neutral, no hint of any earlier turmoil. Perhaps she has come to a decision? He was curious but held his mouth shut except to accept the brimming bowl from her small hands and to allow her magnificent meal into his mouth bite by magical bite.

She had prepared a lot of food and he found himself inhaling it until he was soon round and full. Fuller this time than he remembered ever being. What magic was this he mused, gently massaging the sides of his stretched and distended abdomen.

"Melda, you are truly an amazing cook as well as a brilliant companion. But I am afraid I have done much too well with your skillfully prepared meal." He saw her eyes explore his fecundity and the corners of her lips twitch upwards as he struggled to his feet. With a grunt he leaned over and collected their bowls and utensils to take to the stream for cleaning.

The exercise and unfamiliar heaviness caused him to breathe heavier than normal, and returning to the fire he and sat heavily on his bedroll, spreading his legs to make room for his overfull paunch.

She appeared next him, sitting lightly beside him. She was so close that he could feel her smooth skin. She reached out and started rubbing his sorest spots. He wasn't sure how to react so he just watched her and waited for her to speak. At first it seemed she was going to stay silent...

"Master Gamli, what do you fear most?" She never looked up nor stopped what she was doing. "I have been in many fights, I yearn to fight in battle. But my fears are not there. Where does the fear of others lie?" She chose this moment to look up and he could tell she was searching for answers deeper than her questions.

He leaned back and closed his eyes, sighing in pleasure as she kneaded the sore muscles in his knees and upper thighs.

"What do I fear most?" he was silent for awhile, then he continued "I too do not fear battle, for I am stronger than most dwarves and many men, my armor is thick and my axe is sharp.

"Because I am different I do not fit, I never did fit in the underground mines and echoing dark palaces of home. I ache for the green things, the growing things as I have said...the fresh, clean air above ground, which I am determined to protect and save.

"But more than that what I fear most is that I will endlessly wander Middle Earth unwanted and unloved, for no dwarf maid will accept me, no maid outside of my race will have me."

She thought for a minute before replying "I fear love...or rather the removal of. When you fall in love you give the other being your heart...what happens when they leave? The pain is enough to kill. I've watched it kill my father....How do you get over that?"

He shrugged, "A little lower please, yes...there. By all the gods woman that feels wonderful.