Chapter 16: Heart Sister

The next two days passed relatively quickly for Sara, she had visitors regularly but none more frequently than Dori. Nori had offered to tell off his brother for her, but after a few visits she had grown accustomed to his fussing and sometimes even found it a but enduring, sometimes. Occasionally Ori would come with him and bring his journal and sketchbook and show Sara the drawings he had made in Rivendell. Thus far, Sara had only seen as much of the Hidden Valley as was visible from her window, and she very much enjoyed perusing through Ori's sketches for the young dwarf was quite skilled and it was delightful to see Rivendell if only through his eyes.

Between Dwalin, Balin, Nori, and even occasionally Gloin, there was almost always a dwarf on watch outside her door despite her protestations. Sara suspected that when Nori was on guard Dori was turned away as often as not, the thief making up one excuse or another. Because of this guard, Sara only ever saw one other elf besides Lord Elrond, the elf maid who brought her meals, and she never stayed to speak. Sara couldn't say she blamed her though because whenever Bofur spotted her he made it a game to try and get the elf girl to blush, flirting shamelessly with her.

Bofur had after the first day become almost a permanent addition to Sara's room spending much time in her company claiming that no one came to visit him in his room save Bilbo and his brothers on occasion. So it was that Sara found Bofur often hobbling into her room on a crutch which Bifur had made for him, complaining merrily about this or that, or teasing whoever happened to be on post outside her door. Fili, Kili, and Bilbo too were regular visitors, and even Gandalf made an appearance or two in her room however short lived they were. In fact there was only one person from the company Sara had not seen since she had woken, but she did not ask after him knowing Kili would only tease her for her curiosity.

After Elrond's visit the second day Sara was cleared to take a bath and with the help of the elf maid she was soon soaking in a warm bath. Sara could not however find any soap other than the small cake she used to wash her hands and her small bottle of three in one had been long since empty. She made do with a little bar scrubbing vigorously at her skin until she glowed pink like a new baby. Sara had not had a real good soak in warm water since the hot springs outside of Bree, and even with her arrival in Rivendell she had only been given a sponge bath, so it was a very clean and satisfied Sara who slipped into her own clothes and beneath the sheets of her bed.

During the third day in the elvish infirmary, Sara and Bofur could be found playing with a set of cards Sara had made out of some folded paper from her journal. She taught him to play Crazy Eights, Speed, and Blackjack, but the game that really lit up his eyes was Poker. It took a few minutes to explain the rules to him but by the time he had played a few rounds he was becoming rather adept at the game. While Sara shuffled the floppy paper cards she told him that poker was usually a gambling game and he had liked that idea and quickly suggested they play for favors since Sara had no money. Sara had been a bit hesitant but with his assurance that the favors were to be small things that either party could veto, she agreed. Several minutes later Sara revealed her hand to a rather disappointed Bofur.

"Alright lass, what be yer favor from me?" Sara had been pondering this for the last few minutes and had an answer ready.

"I want you to tell me all you know about what a heart sister is," she said. Bofur looked at her blankly before blinking.

"Have those two scamps not told ya yet?" he asked, as she collected the cards and shuffled them.

"To be honest, I keep forgetting to ask," she admitted. "That, or someone else is around, and I'm tired of waiting to find out. Besides, I don't see why it should matter who tells me. I just want to know why everyone's acts like it's such a big deal. Why is Thorin so against it? I mean he said he wouldn't stand in the way of a friendship between me and the boys so I don't see why it matters if they nickname me their heart sister. It's not like they're actually going to be my brother's," she said, holding the cards out to him.

"Actually lass," said Bofur taking the cards and dealing them out. "It's very much like that." Sara froze in her place on the bed looking at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked. It was a moment before he spoke as he studied his cards.

" Well lass, if ya should become an official heart sister ya would become in fact as well as name, Fili and Kili's sister, a true daughter of Lady Dis." Sara set her cards down not caring that Bofur now knew her hand. She was shocked. She had always imagined the term heart sister to simply be a cute term of affection; only now was she beginning to understand the weight behind the words.

"They want to adopt me into their family?" she asked the dwarf who sat cross-legged on the end of the bed organizing his hand.

"It would seem so lass," he said still not looking up from his cards, a small frown of concentration on his lips. "But, I have to admit, I've never heard of the formal protocols being undertaken for any but a dwarf, so who knows if there are laws against it."

"What protocols," asked Sara hesitantly.

" Well ya see, normally a heart sister or brother is taken because a young dwarf has lost their family, usually to battle or other misfortunes," said Bofur now setting aside his cards when it became obvious she was not playing. "The child was offered a place in the new family and should they accept then the one who is made the offer must prove his determination."

"Prove his determination? How?" she questioned, not sure she liked the sound of that.

"Yes lass, through combat. If there are any who would oppose the offer set forth, then they may challenge. Up to three may challenge an offer, and the family of the one who extended the offer is given the first chance."

"Is that why everyone says that Lady Dis would give Fili trouble?" she asked. Bofur nodded his head. "You're saying that Fili would have to fight his mother if he wanted to make me a heart sister, simply because she would object. Not that I would blame her," she added. "I mean she has never met me and I'm not even a dwarf."

"That's about the crux of the matter lass," he replied. "And if by some miracle Fili should succeed against his mother, he would then have to fight Thorin, for he would be the next closest family that would object." Sara rubbed her hands over her face and blew out a strangled breath.

"So Fili would have to fight his mother, Thorin, and possibly one other person, then what?" she asked. "What should happen if he lost?"

"If he prevailed against all challengers, which is unlikely even with his skills and training," Bofur admitted. "Then ya would become his official heart sister, a true member of his family and all would be compelled to accept ya. But should he lose, it would be as if the offer were never made."

"I don't want Fili to have to fight anyone," said Sara. "Especially not his family. I will just have to tell him I change my mind, that's all."

"Changed yer mind lass? Am I to take it ya have already accepted an offer from Fili?" Bofur asked, waiting none to patiently for her answer.

"If by that, you mean he asked me about it then yes," she replied.

"How exactly did Fili phrase it?" he questioned.

"He asked me if I would consent to be his heart sister," said Sara.

"And he used yer full name did he?" asked Bofur leaning forward slightly.

"Yep, Sara Miller of Earth," she said, remembering the odd formality.

"And what did you say lass?" he asked, holding his breath.

"I said yes, I would like that." Bofur's face drained of color a bit.

"That was it lass, that was a formal offer and ya accepted it."

"But I can't," she protested. "I don't want him fighting, and I won't always be here. I don't belong to Middle Earth."

"Be that as it may lass, unless the Valar whisk ya away, I'm afraid ya have no choice. Once and offer is made and accepted, the only way out is for Fili to lose a challenge." Sara sat there on the bed completely flabbergasted. The thought of Fili and Thorin fighting frightened troubled her deeply.

"A challenge isn't like a crazy fight to the death or anything is it?" asked Sara dreading the answer.

"Na lass, only to first blood," he replied watching her reaction. First blood didn't sound so bad.

"Like split lip or bloody nose first blood?" she asked. Bofur looked pityingly at her as he answered.

"Well I suppose it may count, but I can't recall a challenge ever ending in anything less than a blow from a weapon, and I've never heard of a challenge coming to fists blows." A glint of mischief returned to his eyes and he continued. "There is, however, a rule that if one of the parties should be permanently injured or killed then the other party is considered to have lost."

"Killed!" squeaked Sara. "People have died during a challenge?" Bofur's eyes twinkled with mirth as he observed her reaction.

"Not to my knowledge," he admitted grinning. "But the provision is there nonetheless."

Sara groaned and ran her hands through her loose hair. "Why does everything your dwarves do have to be so dramatic and violent?" she questioned miserably, laying back against the pillows as she worried the gold chain around her neck again.

"I shouldn't worry too much lass," said Bofur seeing her obvious distress. "As the others have said, until Fili can face Lady Dis, it will matter little. He may never get the chance if the Valar send ya back, and who knows when that will be. Have ya any idea what the Valar have in mind for ya lass?" he asked. Sara shook her head staring at the ceiling morosely.

"I still have no idea why they sent me," she said sitting up. "I thought for a while maybe I was here to pull Fili and Kili from the river, but I'm still here so I guess that's not it. I suppose I'll just have to see the quest through and try not to get in the way. Eventually I'm bound to find out what I'm here for right?" she asked. Bofur just shrugged his shoulders.

"I suppose so," he said. "Though I'm no wizard so I'm not really the one to ask." They were quiet for a moment thinking. Bofur picked up the cards shuffling them, intent of distracting Sara. "Ready for the next round?" he asked. "Ya have to give me a chance to win a favor from ya lass." Sara nodded and took the cards from him to deal, but her head was not really in the game and several minutes later when he showed her a winning hand she admitted defeat.

"Alright you win," she said with a small moan as he gloated. "Now, what do you want as your favor?" Bofur smiled wickedly at her from his spot on the end of her bed. Slowly he got to his feet and rather clumsily hobbled to stand next to her head. Sara watched him, not quite sure what to make of the odd expression on his face as he tipped his hat back further on his head. He leaned down slowly over her reaching across her to rest his weight on his hands which were now on either side of her hips.

"Bofur," she asked as he leaned closer and closer to her.

"Yes Lass," he purred, not looking away from her as he shifted his weight slightly to sit on the bed bringing him closer still.

"What are you doing?" she asked her voice squeaking faintly. He was only inches away from her now and as he watched the flush creeping across her skin he very deliberately focused his gaze on her lips and licked his, which he was pleased to see made the flush spread even faster.

"I should think that was obvious lass," he said, tilting his head to the side slightly, now almost nose to nose with her. "I'm collecting my favor" Her eyes flew wide and it was at this moment that his searching fingers found their prize and he withdrew his hand from under her pillow.

"Bofur, I… I… I…," she stammered, but before she could say anything else he leaned forward and kissed her… on the forehead. Sara stared up at him, confused, as he leaned away from her, a smirk plastered across this smug face.

"What… what on Earth was that about!" she spluttered, her face red and hot is a coal.

"Aw lass," he said his eyes twinkling. "Yer not disappointed now are ya?" he asked getting to his feet a mock pout on his lips. "I know I'm irresistible, but ya will simply have to find some other dwarf to satisfy ya." Sara was opening and closing her mouth, trying to speak, but the words would not come. "I can make a suggestion for ya if you like though," continued Bofur, his smirk back in place. "What about a certain dwarf who couldn't seem to keep himself away from ya when he arrived here in Rivendell carrying ya?" His eyes now positively danced with mirth as he continued conspiratorially. "Indeed lass, Gandalf himself could hardly get him to leave yer side and Thorin only left, red as a beat mind ya, as that elf lord began to undress ya to tend yer wounds." Sara clobbered him with a pillow, beating him repeatedly around the head as he laughed. Unfortunately the pillow was the only thing she could reach.

"You great sod!" she shouted angrily. "You perverted tease! You... You…" but she could not even think clearly so flustered was she. But try as she might she could not stop the laughter that seem to bubble forth from her making her ribs ach faintly as she watched Bofur clutching his stomach laughing hysterically. It was a few minutes before the two could resume normal conversation.

"Whatever possessed you to do that?" she asked when she finally caught her breath. Bofur smiled and brought his hand from behind his back. Her phone and headphones, which had previously resided under her pillow, were in his large hand. She looked to him nonplussed.

"You could have just asked me," she said, pursing her lips.

"Aye, I could have but that would not have been nearly as much fun," he said winking. "And I've told ya before, ya look right pretty all hot and bothered lass." She just shook her head wearily at him.

"You are terrible," she accused.

"Never said I wasn't, and I am rather good at terrible," he said winking at her again. "For my favor lass, may I borrow your noisy earmuffs? It gets right boring in my room." Bofur came to stand beside her again. She looked up at him still not quite believing what he had done.

"Sure, Bofur," she said waving him off. Several minutes later after she had shown him how to navigate her phone he hobbled out of her room already bobbing his head to an invisible beat. Nori poked his head through the door eyebrows raised.

"Do I want to know what all the fuss is about?" asked the thief.

"No you don't," was her only reply.

After dinner had come and gone along with Fili and Kili, Lord Elrond came to check Sara one last time and pronounced her good to leave in the morning. Her bruising had all but vanished and the small pink puckers were the only visible sign she had ever been injured. She could breathe without pain she had her full range of motion back. Elrond had however warned that she may still find herself easily tired for a day or two, but said she was fine to push to her limits.

"Tomorrow morning I will have a maid show you to your new rooms closer to your companions," he said as he rose to leave. "Perhaps there will no longer be a dwarf guard stationed in my infirmary once you are relocated."

She grimaced. "I tried to tell them it was unnecessary but…" she laged not quite sure what to say.

Elrond sighed. "Dwarves will be Dwarves, that is to say protective and secretive." He smiled kindly at her. "I am quite accustomed to their eccentricities, having been acquainted with their kind many times in the past."

"Thank you for being patient with them," she said. " Thank you for healing me, for everything really." He bowed slightly to her.

"It was my pleasure Ms. Sara, but let us hope you never require my services again." He nodded politely and was gone.