chapter36

He groaned, stretching, and when his outstretched hand touched the empty bedclothes he realized he was alone. He groaned as he slid his feet to the floor and stretched again, then pressing his hands into his back like a pregnant woman he leaned forward and stood, the bed clothes sliding off his rotund form. As he bent over to look for his under-linens he heard a small gasp from the doorway.

"Sorry my love," Melda smiled, "I had forgotten how wonderfully round you were. The way the light caresses you emphasizes your amazing body."

She moved to his side and, stroking his protruding belly, she bent and handed him his clothes. "We have dallied far too long in each other's arms, it has been a day and 2 nights and Beorn has returned. He said we must get ourselves in order, prepare our gear, and secure our weapons."

She swatted him on his plump rear and kissing him again said, "I am almost packed my love, and a late breakfast is awaiting you."

Letting her fingers linger on his abdomen briefly she winked and left the room. Gamli grunted, obeying her and in a short while was ready. He found the repast waiting as she had promised and very dwarf-like, bolted it down so that in short order until there was not but spars crumbs littering several empty plates. Burping, he scratched his newly filled belly and stood. Hearing her laughter and then a deeper mirroring laugh from the great room down the long hallway, he followed the sound to find her standing next to the great shaggy man they knew as Beorn. The two were looking over a great map spread out on a huge table.

"What is so humorous?" he asked as he moved next to her and slipped his arm around her leather clad waist.

Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "Oh nothing my love...I was just retelling our encounter with the orc female."

His face turned red like a ripened tomato causing the giant Beorn to laugh that much harder. He looked down quickly at the table to both hide his embarrassment, as well as the erection he developed as the memory of the orc's squeezing of his member and pawing of his tender underbelly fat flashed through him.

"It was an experience that I would prefer was forgotten," he responded, reaching down and pinching her round derriere though the thick leather, "by everybody."

Melda giggled again as she twisted away, teasing "oh no, sir dwarf, the tale will soon become legend and I will see that it will be passed down from mother to daughter as warning against the wiles and disingenuities of the male of any species."

"Enough," roared Beorn, his low chuckles plain through his gruff demeanor, "you two need to save your energy for the journey ahead." He gestured to the old map spread out before them. "This map is of southern Mirkwood, here is the Anduin, here we are and here is dol Guldur. Radagast the Brown is here," he indicated a spot with a huge long-nailed finger, "where I left him, just within sight of the Sauron's ancient stronghold."

He watched them, reading them with his ancient honed senses, liking what he saw. "We don't know for certain the Entwives are imprisoned there, but we found some evidence they are ... or were. In two days we must meet Radagast and the other...ummm...creatures I have enlisted in our aid. Spreading the word for our quest is what delayed me."

He reached over and patted Gamli's belly adding "which time looks to have been put to good use. He turned to Melda and seeing the glow she radiated, nodded, grinning, "Yes, a fruitful time for both indeed." He watched her smile shyly back. "Well then," he rumbled, "are we ready to set off?"

It took Melda a very short amount of time to have everything ready to go. She was suddenly all business and no play. Gamli admired her ability to focus but it had him confused about her sometimes. As they set off, he glanced back at the house that had offered such comfort and sanctuary for the past few days. He felt a sinking in his heart but he looked forward to this quest. It was something to do and every step they took towards the end of it was another step closer to a life with Melda. He looked at her shapely back as she walked ahead with Beorn, discussing ideas and plans. "Oh how I hope she's serious about me...about us...I want her so.."

For a while the path was wide and level and the way easy. The thick loam of the forest floor was gentle to his feet. Even though he walked as briskly as he could, he strayed farther and farther behind his two comrades.