#why can't i just take a pill and continue to eat bread

[guinevereslancelot]

ridiculous that there isn't a treatment for gluten intolerance that doesn't require giving up gluten. what if i love bread and noodles

[inforapound]

The Devil Inside  -  Part 3

I really meant for this to be the last chapter but it got away on me. I’m sorry. Also, please don’t date anyone who acts like Ivar. This chapter really makes me miss high-school though. 😬 It actually will be a couple of week before the finale is posted.

Pairing - Ivar and you

Warning - SMUT

The rest of the weekend was quiet and you spent it at home, declining invitations to meet up with friends. Instead, you studied, baked banana bread, and overall did as many wholesome things as you could to restore moral balance after your movie theatre shenanigans.

In truth, you felt a little sick over it, like you had been duped but what would you have even said to Ivar if he had called anyway? Thanks for the rub? Nope.

It was rare those days that your mom and dad were both home at the same time, or at all, as each traveled so much for work and you were pleased to have a family supper that Sunday night and pretend that you were still a kid.

Of course, the events of your Friday night did not leave your mind and you found yourself zoning out, remembering how Ivar had looked at the theatre and how he smelled, and what his mouth felt like on yours. God, his tongue had been inside your mouth as if wanting to taste your orgasm. More than once you had thought about his words, the part where he said “he knew that you were a good girl.”  How exactly did he know that? And if you were good, what was bad?

By Monday the entire event seemed less vivid and it was easier not to think about. But walking out of the school at lunch and seeing that black Camaro brought back that same rush of uncertainty. Was he there for you? Of course, he was, you almost rolled your eyes at yourself. He was parked right beside your car instead of his usual spot across the lot. God, you felt anxious but weren’t you also a little relieved? Shit... and where were Kim and Amanda? You needed them. As if they heard, your phone chimed but looking at your screen it was not a number you recognized.  

    : Are you going to stand there all day?

It was Ivar. Obviously. He apparently had your number after all.

Walking toward him, you were acutely aware that he was watching your every move. You could feel those cold blue eyes and because of the small size of your hands, when you got to the car, you struggled to open his car door with its stiff classic car handle. It was impossible to miss how he rolled his eyes when he leaned over to help open it from the inside. You felt stupid and awkward and by the look of him, you were already on his nerves.

“Hi,” you said meekly as you slid down into the seat.

Not saying anything back, he glanced over but continued to stare out the front window watching kids head to their cars.

It was quiet and felt strained and just… nope…. you weren’t doing it; his attitude, his sighs, and rolling eyes. Forget it. You had some self-respect and weren’t going to be ignored while sitting in his car.

“So, I was thinking... the other night,” you started and he glanced at you again, his face unreadable but the frown he often wore was there. “It was kinda crazy and I just don’t want to...”

“To what?” he snapped.

Hesitating you waited in case he was going to say more but when he didn’t you licked your lips and his bright blue eyes flicked down to catch that subtle movement. “So... I was saying,” you continued and he locked eyes with you again, “I don’t want you to think that you’ve got to follow up or, I don’t know, take me out...”

“You don’t want me here?” he cut you off again, his eyes were narrowed at you, assessing.

Oh no, you had not given enough thought to what you were trying to say. You had obviously insulted him.

“No, no,” you repeated, reaching over and putting your hand on his arm, his leather coat feeling soft. “I only meant...”

“Meant what?” his eyes narrowed further and he made a face like you had just blown salt at him.

“I’m sorry,” you apologized, shaking your head. “I’m bad at this. I only meant it feels backward, doing something so... intimate and then seeing each other and trying to... I don’t know...” you shrugged, sounding defeated.

Leaning over the console between your seats, he smirked. “Kiss me then.”

“What?” you couldn’t help but smile at his instant change in mood and you leaned back slightly to better look into his blue eyes. God, were they ever electric.

“If you’re not sure what to say, just kiss me. Everything else will come.”

Your enormous grin forced him to smile and you did, you kissed him. His hand came up and held the side of your face and it felt so amazing you sighed. You actually sighed. God, was this happening?

Pulling his lips away, he looked at you and his expression was serious but you could feel that his entire demeanor had softened. He was less on guard.

“Are you hungry? Wanna grab food?” he asked.

“Last block was home-ec; I ate everything in sight but I’ll go wherever you want so you can eat.”

Nodding, he straightened and turned the ignition; the engine firing up with a roar.

Less than five minutes on the road and you could tell where he was taking you. Driving through the gates, the impressive Tudor house came into view and he parked right in front, not saying a word as he got out and headed in, his crutch making a soft clicking sound as you trailed behind.

Inside, no one was around but you heard a TV or radio in the distance perhaps from the kitchen or that family room.

Down the hallway and into his room, you stood in the center looking around as he balanced his crutch against a hip and took off his leather coat, tossing it onto the loveseat. Flipping on music, he looked over at you and sat down on the end of his neatly made bed. You were dragging out the moment and when your eyes met his eyes, you knew, that he knew you were stalling.  

“You said you weren’t afraid of me.”

“I’m just trying to get a sense…. I don’t actually know you.”

Tipping his head to one side, he looked at you. Really looked, seeming to simultaneously analyze your appearance, your meaning, your reasons for coming, why you had let him do all those things to you. You didn’t actually know what he was thinking but that’s what it felt like. Regardless, it was clear, he held the power in the room.

“Come here,” he nodded to the bed beside him, his eyes not giving away his thoughts.

Clearing your throat, you made your way over, slowly sitting down, your hands running over your thighs to smooth out your skirt. Turning his head, he continued to look and you glanced up nervously.

“I know something about you,” he crooned, his expression a little more playful.

“What?”

“I know you are smart. Top of your class. I know you don’t go anywhere without those two chicks. I also know you dated some rugby player from Reynolds.”

“How do you know all that?” you asked your body picking up that static in the air that tended to play between you.

“Mark,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“I see,” you shifted on the bed, feeling squirmy. “I’m at a disadvantage then. I know nothing about you. Other than you have two brothers.”

“Three.”

“And that you go to Clairmont,”

“I don’t…I do school online.”

“Oh. I know that you are a good kisser,” you peeked up at him seeing how your comment brightened his face. “But that’s it.”

You weren’t sure why you couldn’t hold his eye contact but it was then that his fingers brushed back the hair hanging over your shoulder, and you stayed frozen as he pulled the collar of your white blouse aside. Slowly he leaned in closer and closer, his face reaching the crook of your neck and he pressed a kiss just below your ear. Ahhhhhh, you nearly melted as his lips continued lightly across your throat, gently sucking your skin into his mouth, making your body shiver. But you didn’t move…..

Pulling back, he looked at you and then sighed loudly.

“You’re so tense,” he breathed out. “Fine! What would you like to know?”

“Pardon?”

“You feel like you don’t know me. So… ask.” He lifted his eyebrows and shook his head like what he was saying was obvious. “I never lie.”

“Ohh-kay,” you said cautiously feeling unsure of where to start but not wanting this window to close.

“Where are your parents?” you started with the basics.

“My father is never around. Overseas working and my mom died two years ago.”

Okay, that was NOT where to start. “I’m sorry,” you turned your head and looked at him.

Swatting the air as if to move on, he gawked, impatient for you to continue.

“What do you want to do after school?”

“I don’t know.”

“Who was your last girlfriend?”

“Skip.”

“Wait you said...”

“I didn’t lie,” he cut you off. “I said skip.”

“Ohh-kay,” you replied, thinking quietly for a moment and you could tell this game was nearly done. “Do you deal drugs?”

He actually flinched and flared his nostrils, and you kept your eyes on him watching his reaction. Glancing around the room, he seemed to be steadying himself obviously hating this game.

“Weed,” he said almost bitterly. “I don’t deal drugs,” he mimicked some voice as if it was yours. “I sell weed. Nothing more than that.”

“Why?”

His head snapped over to look at you again and you could tell he was trying not to glare. God, he was not an open person.

“For the money,” you smiled, indicating you were joking, trying to lighten the mood.

“I started smoking it a couple of years ago. I went through a bad time after my mom passed. My legs were pretty bad,” he glanced over, “I have a disorder that I was on a lot of pain meds for and then the Drs gave me more shit because I was messed up over my mom. My dad basically ditched and I was not doing well. I had to quit all that shit. I knew I was heading toward a point that you can't come back from. So,” he shrugged, “I dropped the pills. Quit everything and just smoked weed.”

You were silent for a moment. “I see,” you said and it felt like the safest response.

“I started buying it in big qualities. Didn’t want to deal with small-time sellers. Didn’t know where their shit came from or what was in it. Just started selling a bit here and there and pretty quickly it paid for it. And then some.”

“Were you selling to other people who were in pain? Instead of them taking, like, pharmaceuticals?”

“Fuck no,” he scoffed. “Anyone with cash.” He rolled his eyes but it turned into a smile. “I’m done with your questions.”

With one hand, he pushed you abruptly back onto the bed.

“Ivar,” you gasped as he quickly scooped an arm around your waist and yanked you up until you were both laying on the pillows.

Meekly, you tried to resist, but he called bullshit and held your free hand back before pulling you against him and kissing you. His lips felt good, his tongue working its way into your mouth, his knee pushing between your legs. He knew exactly what he was doing pressing his thigh up against your crotch, his hand squeezing your ass, and running down the backs of your thighs.

You were going to stop him. You were. Just a few seconds more of his hot mouth, his amazing taste, and smell that flooded your head warming your body right down to your center. Oh god and the sounds he made. Small grunts like the more he kissed and touched you, the more he realized he wanted.

In one swift movement, he rolled on top, leaning on his elbows, his kisses becoming borderline rough. It was the bulge in his pants grinding against you, your hips rolling up against him that felt way too much. Way, way too much.

“Ivar,” you pulled your mouth back but he simply diverted, sucking on the side of your throat, one of his hands magically arriving at your cleavage and beginning to work on the buttons of your school shirt.

“Ivar, stop,” you said a little louder.

“What?” he asked, glancing up, managing to open two more bottoms with the flick of his fingers. How was he so good at that? Instantly, his hand was inside, squeezing and groping your breasts through your bra.

“This is too fast,” you muttered.

“Not for me,” he puffed, working his mouth back up to yours.

“Ivar, stop,” you turned your chin enough to escape him.

Letting out a resigned sigh, he tilted his head back to better focus on you.

“I don’t even know what is happening between us?” you continued sounding...well... a bit whiny.

“Don’t be childish,” he dismissed.

“I just want.... to take it slow. This is all new.”

“New?” his eyes flashed. “Not for me. I have wanted you since last the summer.”

What, you thought?! Last summer? Seven months ago? This was bewildering, you just met him.  

“I just fucking knew when I saw you,” his face grew serious, and he reached up, brushing your hair back from the side of your face.

“Knew what?”

“I just knew.”

Woah, this was overwhelming. His blue eyes were searching yours and you then understood how sincere he was being and how excoriating it was for him to be like that.

“Can I just... have a minute?”

“No,” he frowned but his features softened and he leaned down and kissed you again. It was a soft kiss, a beautiful kiss, his gorgeous lips pressing against yours, holding still as if pouring out the feeling behind what he had just shared. Dropping his head into the crook of your neck, his arms tightened around you.

“Don’t push me away, okay,” he whispered and you heard the anxiety in his voice.

It melted your heart and gave you some insight as to why he was such a weirdo. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you embraced him back.

“Why are you so.... cool with me sometimes. You’re unsure?”

Shrugging, he lifted back up to see your face but looked away, and you realized he was embarrassed.

“I don’t wanna freak you out. I can be…. a lot.”

No shit!

“Enough of your yapping,’’ he looked back and you could tell the subject had been changed.

“Ivar!” you gasped as his hand shot up your kilt, grabbing the waistband of your blue underwear.

Squirming, you latched onto his wrists to stop him but he clucked his tongue as if you were the one being naughty.

“These can fuck off,” he said yanking your underwear down your legs, slipping them off, along with your black shoes, and tossing everything onto the floor.

Narrowing his eyes at you, he looked wicked and smug and so incredibly sexy and you found yourself just watching, seeing what he’d do. Kissing you one more time, he moved down your body, nestling between your legs, and attempted to push up your kilt. Mouthing the word ‘noooo,’ your hands shot down to hold it against you.

“Move your hands!” he ordered.

“No, wait, this is crazy.”

“Move your hands or I swear to god,” he glared as if insane but it morphed into a grin. “Move your hands!” he barked, this time actually looking a little annoyed.

So, fuck it, you did. You moved your hands and he flipped up your kilt.

Oh god.

Even as your self conscientiousness began to burn, your bare box a mere five inches from his face, the glee that came over him made you laugh. But within a second, some darkness moved behind his blazing eyes and he just stared down at your pussy. Grabbing the back of your thigh, he bent your knee up, opening your legs wider.  

Oh god.

“Can we close the blinds or something? It's so bright in...”

“Shush,” he quieted you not looking up. “I want to see what I’m doing.”

Oh god.

With his free hand, he carefully spread the lips of your pussy, and you looked up to the ceiling, your cheeks hot, unable to watch. It was so weird, your legs instinctively tried to close but he clucked again, pulling them back open.

“Don’t hide from me. Ever,” he whispered and you glanced down just as he looked up at you. “Plus, you said you would go anywhere so I could eat,” he grinned wildly, looking handsome, like a total deviant.

You jumped when his fingers touched you a second time, his fierce eyes watching your face as he began running his thumb over your clit. Fucking hell, it was intense and you had never had a guy just hang out down there, staring at the details of your body. His mouth fell open alittle and you watched curiously as he spread your lips even further, rubbing that same spot that you knew was starting to swell under his soft strokes.

“Do you know how fucking perfect you are?” he asked, glancing up again, his expression looking somehow pained.  “Do you like that?” he kept staring at you, observing your reaction, his thumb gliding over and over. It felt amazing and by the way his head tilted to the side, gazing at your pussy and swearing under his breath, you knew he appreciated how wet you were getting.

“Fuck!” he rushed out loudly, “I could barely sleep last night. I was thinking about you. About kissing you. Everything at the movies. How wet your pussy was. Fuck!” he swore again. “Like it is now.”

His thumb pressed harder, and your stomach flinched making him laugh but he quickly grew serious and without breaking your gaze, he lowered his face, extending his unnaturally long tongue and swiped up the center of your folds. Jesus, it felt good and you glanced at his door noticing there was no lock.  Steadily, his fingers spread you further apart, so wide it almost hurt and he grunted, sounding very pleased, his tongue descending again and licking you, lapping you, feeling warm, circling your clit. Within a few seconds, your hips began to gently rock and your breathing became shaky.

Time was obviously not of the essence as he took his time swapping back and forth between tasting you and running his thumb over your slit and each time you twitched or shuddered, those menacing eyes were back on you, studying your reaction, seeing what made you moan.

“Please,” you heard yourself whimper and it made him chuckle.

“Please what?” he asked, clearly loving it.

“Please,” you whined as his thumb and his intermittent licks began to drive you mad. Your pussy was wide open and needing more.

“You will have to be more specific, beautiful.”

“Please,” you tipped your chin down and looked directly at him. “Make me cum, Ivar, please,” you added the ‘please’ just to make him happy and his eyes flashed.

With that his mouth dropped down to your flesh, sucking your soft layers and clit right into his mouth. He was devouring you and it was raw and wild and the carnal sounds he was making made you imagine him as some beast. The climb to your finish was fast and powerful and when you finally came, all inhibitions were gone, you bucked your pelvis and grabbed his perfect hair, grinding your cunt up against his mouth, incoherently crying out. It was messed up and you had never once felt anything like it before.

“You are so beautiful, baby,” he murmured, kissing the inside of your skin and running the palm of his hand up and down the inside of your thigh. “You are so fucking beautiful. I have wanted this for so long,” he spoke against your skin as you came down from your climax.

As you untensed and simmered, he slid back up beside you, his hand snaking inside your blouse and grabbing your boob.

“You almost made me blow in pants,” he smiled and you just gazed at him, blissed-out, taking in how dreamy he looked.

“Oh shit!” you said, lifting your head, your eyes trying to find a clock.

“What time...”

“Relax,” he tightened his hold on you. “We’ll leave in 15 minutes. Plenty of time.”

Resting your head back down, you closed your eyes loving how much larger his body was than yours and how it felt to be in his arms.

“Plenty of time for what?” you asked, opening your eyes again.

“I’m not done.”

Oh god.

Sitting up, he grabbed you, roughly flipping you onto your tummy, his body quickly covered yours and pressing you down into the bed. It was so fast and you were confused but still too spaced out to speak. Pushing your legs apart, he shifted his weight to one side and flipped up your kilt uncovering your naked ass.

“What....” you rushed out, feeling too exposed. Your bottom, the back of your you-know-what, everything just out in the open.

“Stop fighting me,” he pressed his mouth to your ear. “You have a perfect ass, by the way.”

Fidgeting you realized he was opening and pulling down his pants and panic shot through you.

“Ivar, I can’t...”

“Shush, I’m not going to have sex with you. Relax.”

What was he doing, your mind started to reel? Was he lying? Was he going to try? If you were being honest, part of you wondered if maybe you’d let him. It was crazy.

You jumped, sucking in air when his hand touched the back of your pussy, his fingers rubbing between your lips and around your entrance. As the tips of his fingers dipped inside, the sounds of his approval fired back up. Bracing for it, you were thrown off when his finger didn’t push inside but instead traveled up the crack of your ass, circling around your asshole. Your eyes bugged out at the odd sensation and it hit you what he was doing; he was using your own slick to lube you up. But for what?

“What are you doing?”

Ignoring you he lowered himself back down, his weight feeling heavy, and you felt his hard bare cock land right in the crease of your ass. His elbows settled on either side of you, boxing you in, and just as you were about to tell him to get off, his face and chin burrowed back into the side of your neck. Slowly, he rolled his hips forward, his cock sliding between your cheeks, slippery and hard and feeling so unexpected. Pulling his hips back, he rutted again and his strained breathing showed you he loving it. It was different and hot and the sound of his panting in your ear was such a turn on. Not to mention his intimidatingly large rock-hard dick, touching the back of your entrance.

“All that panic for nothing,” he grunted and you could tell he was smiling. “I just needed to feel your perfect ass.”

It felt good. It felt surprisingly good and without thought you pushed your bum up toward him, immediately making his hiss.

“That’s it, my beautiful girl,” he grunted in your ear, pumping against your behind even harder. “Your little body knows exactly what to do, doesn’t it? Fuck!” he swore as his pace picked up.

Leaning on one arm, he snaked his hand under your tummy, finding your crotch, pulling you up toward him so your butt was at a better angle. Spreading your own legs a little wider, you dug your knees into the bed, arching your back even more. He fucking loved it and made you cry out when his fingers connected with your overly sensitive clit.

“Do you know how badly I want to fuck you? Hmmm? Put my dick inside you. Your beautiful little hole?”

He was moving faster and faster, it was so slippery and wet and you felt filthy because of how much you wanted him, wishing it might just slip and jab you.

“But I’m not going to rush you. I can wait,” he kissed the side of your head, his fingers rubbing your front which was a dripping mess at this point, your own hips moving in time. Everything began to feel funny and you realized you had never, not even once, had two orgasms in a row.

“You’re so wet,” he groaned as his hips moved faster and his fingers pressed harder. His breath grew even more ragged in your ear and everything began to distort. You couldn’t tell how long you’d been under him, grinding, panting, bucking up against him, and starting to whine his name. The air felt thick and your skin felt hot and you wished you were naked instead of your kilt being bunched around you. His arm was securely under you, his fingers slipping relentlessly over your clit, his cock sliding over the back of your pushed up ass. It was all too much and, in that blur, your second organism rolled, rocking you hard and stretching on so long you weren’t clear if it was still going or you were just that sensitive. You couldn’t breathe or think or move and or even make a sound. It was Ivar, crying out into the air above you that drew you back, his hips stuttering against you hard, and then you felt it, a warm pool of cum at the top of your crack.

His body went slack and he flopped down, half on and half beside, his leg and arm still wrapped around you. Catching his breath, he brushed the hair that was sticking to your tacky forehead away to uncover your eyes and pressed a breathy kiss to your lips. You didn’t open your eyes but felt him snuggle in, your faces very close and you guessed he was looking at you.

“I want you to be that person in my life… who….” his voice dropped off as if unable to finish what he wanted to say and you thought you heard him whisper your name. “God,” he continued. “I just want to be with you. So badly.”

Woah……

----

Not once on the short ride back to school did he let go of your hand, even bringing it to his mouth and kissing the back a couple of times. If you had any mental capacity left after your two earth-shattering orgasms and his heart breaking-ly sweet admission, you would have realized that you were in shock. Was it good or bad? It was hard to tell but he was swooning over you, smitten with an entirely different warmth in his eyes.

Kissing him goodbye and swinging the door closed, you walked toward the side entrance of the school, wondering if it was possible to bruise a tail bone and seeing your two best friends, waiting. By their expressions, it was clear they wanted to talk.

Great, you thought, you had to tell them that, like it or not, Ivar Lothbrok was your boyfriend now. And despite your hesitations, you did, you liked it very much.

Next chapter

*Happy Valentines Day❤️

@youbloodymadgenius  @whenimaunicorn @ceridwenofwales   @sweeneythots @funmadnessandbadassvikings @redama @mdredwine@didiintheblog   @londongal2810 @fields-and-fields-of-poppies  @oddsnendsfanfics @youbelongeverywhere @flowers-in-your-hayr @hecohansen31 @naaladareia @gearhead66 @blonddnamedhandz @lisinfleur @geekandbooknerd @xbellaxcarolinax @edythofhastings @ivarsgoddess  @where-beauty-goes-to-die @zuxiezendler @punkrocknpearls @snatcherheart  @lordsexmachine @fuchsiagrasshopper @wilhelmyna @heavenly1927 @cececolbert​ @peachyboneless​

[demeteroh]

Conflicting Loyalties (Part 2)

Based on a dream I had a while ago + some prompting from my friend Anna. Tell me if you think it should be a love story, and who with.

Mero meets her first dwarf!! Things will get more interesting I promise. This chapter is double the length of the last one, more the length the rest will be.

Warnings: abandonment, stereotypes (bias, fantasy racism?? I suppose that is what it is), mild gore and battle scenes. More will be added as the story progresses.

ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE. If you see mistakes please let me know, but if you are rude I will ignore.

Conflicting Loyalties Masterlist

It wasn’t until the next day that Mero thought to tell Bilbo of the guest that would be joining them. It took a moment for the information to process, but once it did Bilbo all but yelled. “You invited him to tea?”

The invitation had entirely slipped Mero’s mind (as things so often did) until she saw Bilbo preparing two fish teas. She had, quite offhandedly she liked to think, mentioned that they would need more food than that to feed their guest. As expected, Bilbo was less than pleased to hear the news. 

“Why - oh goodness I think I need to sit down, I’m feeling quite faint.”

”I shan’t suppose it’s out of excitement?” Mero said hopefully, guiding her cousin over to his chair in the sitting room. He was shaking beneath her hands. “By the hair on my toes, the way you are acting makes it seem as if that dear old wizard had done something unspeakable - he didn’t take your smokepipe, did he?”

”No, no, thankfully,” Bilbo said, leaning back on his chair and fanning his face. He seemed even more flustered now than he had the previous day, which was no small feat. Mero, concerned for the hobbit’s health, pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. Bilbo waved her away. 

“Are you quite well, Bilbo?” Asked Mero, a frown on her face. Bilbo leant back in his chair with closed eyes, attempting to collect himself before he worried Mero. It was too late on his part, for Mero was already regretting extending the dinner invitation. “Did I make a mistake in inviting Gandalf around?”

Sighing, Bilbo rose from his chair and put his hand on Mero’s shoulder. He had to reach up because the girl was substantially taller than him (as many Tooks were), but it comforted her nevertheless. “Of course not, Meroderada. I should have done so myself, yet my manners completely escaped me. All of the talk about ad - well, never you mind what Gandalf was babbling on about. I am happy to say I managed to avoid quite a bit of tomfoolery yesterday. I can’t imagine that he should bring it up again, certainly not in your company.”

A burst of curiosity spiked inside Mero along with a childish wish to object. As much as she tried to tell herself that she wasn’t interested in knowing what had made Bilbo so unsettled, she couldn’t deny that she was slightly curious. Slightly more than curious, one might say, had they seen what she fantasized Gandalf was speaking of - elven lords, terrifying monsters, and heroic acts, to name but a few. Before she could let slip that she desperately wanted to know, she herded Bilbo back into the kitchen, noting that the time was nearing four.

“Set the table, dear Bilbo, I will quickly scrap something together for myself, and Gandalf can have my fish dinner,” Mero said, talking quickly. “I do hope he likes fish, though I can’t see why he wouldn’t, being as well travelled as he is. Though, Old Took said he once met a traveller who wouldn’t eat anything that was once living. Curious, don’t you think?”

Before Bilbo could reply, a harsh knock sounded from the hallway. Mero paused in her food preparation, turning towards the door with anticipation. Perhaps she could manage to get Gandalf to talk of his travels without Bilbo intervening to say it all sounded dangerous. A good cake ought to distract the hobbit enough. 

“I’ll get it, you continue,” Bilbo said, scurrying out of the kitchen and towards the door. Mero, too distracted now to continue preparing food, quickly put an extra plate and some bread on the table. Wiping her hands on her dress, she glanced at the clock to see that Gandalf had arrived at exactly four o'clock, which ought to have please Bilbo. Several moments passed and Gandalf had yet to join her in the dining room, so she went to investigate. 

In the hallway, she saw Bilbo standing stock still. She couldn't see Gandalf behind the coat rack blocking her view of the outside, save for the night sky. This should have been the first indication to her that it was not the wizard at the door, indeed that it was someone quite dissimilar. 

"Why do you stand here so, Bilbo Baggins, as if a spell has befallen you?" Mero said, walking up to stand next to her beloved cousin, still not noticing that their guest was not at all the one they had been expecting. It was Mero's way to notice everything and yet nothing if her mind was sufficiently occupied, as it happened to be at that very moment. "What on Middle-earth is that in your arms? A sword? I can't imagine what our guest must be thinking seeing you carrying around a - why you're not Gandalf."

The man (Mero thought it must be a man, yet he looked like no male she had ever seen before) chuckled or made a noise that resembled a chuckle. It could well have been a hairball, but Mero was inclined to think better of people. Most of his hair seemed to be concentrated around his chin area, stretching up to his ears but not much farther, leaving a clean bald spot with a tattoo on it. Although she had never met one, it was clear that this man with his tattoos and beard was most certainly not a hobbit, but a dwarf.

"By Elbereth and Lúthien the fair, you're a dwarf, aren't you?" Mero couldn't help but stare as she pulled Bilbo out of the way. The dwarf seemed quite content to walk into their home though she had not invited him to, yet she was too shocked to comment on it. Bilbo was in a similar state as her, but at the dwarves words, he snapped out of it.

"Aye, I am, lassie," the dwarf said, in an accent entirely new to the young hobbit girl. "You're husband here had much the same reaction."

"Excuse me," Bilbo said, pilling what Mero now assumed to be the dwarves belongings by the front door. "Firstly, this is not my wife-"

"A pleasure, Mister Dwarf. I am called Mero-"

"-derada. My cousin Meroderada,' Bilbo said, a hint of protectiveness in his voice. The courage that Bilbo had managed to build up to speak strongly to the dwarf suddenly disappeared when he started ravenously eating one of the fish dinners. "Oh, oh my."

That was how Mero would have described it as well, the way the dwarf was using his hands to tear apart the fish and stuff it into his mouth. With wide eyes, Mero watched, until the dwarf noticed her staring. Bilbo had long since moved to sit at the table, most likely feeling faint for the second time that afternoon. It was rare times like these that Mero's Took side shone much brighter than the Baggins side she had partially been brought up with.

"Dwalin," the dwarf mumbled through a mouthful of bread. It took Mero a moment to realise he was saying something, and only a moment later did she come to the conclusion that she had no idea what he was saying. She wagered she wouldn't have had much more luck without food in his mouth.

"I'm sorry?" she said, looking for him to repeat himself. He paused with another chunk of bread just in front of his mouth to fix her with his gaze again.

"My name. Dwalin, after my grandfather, Farin," Dwalin said, his gruff voice making Mero have to pay extra attention. "Your cousin said your name was Merida?"

"Meroderada," Mero corrected, before quickly adding, "though most call me Mero. Bilbo just tries to - well, I'm not entirely sure why he uses my full name. He is the only one. You are welcome to call me either."

"There was no mention made of a young lady hobbit." Dwalin raised a tankard to his lips, Mero following his every move.

"Who would have mentioned it?" She asked, although by now she was beginning to suspect that Gandalf, that sneaky old wizard, had something to do with it. He had said he was going to inform the others. 

Dwalin regarded her with what could only be described as suspicion. He seemingly didn't find what he had been looking for, because he grunted and chewed quickly in order to answer her. "The same old man who told us about this place, and your cousin Bilbo -"

"The door!" Bilbo squeaked loudly, having heard the knock quite clearly. "Excuse me."

Mero suspected it to be Gandalf this time, ready to explain exactly what was going on. However, Dwalin seemed to think differently.

"That should be one of the others," he said. "My money's on Balin."

And he was correct, and Mero would have lost her money if they had actually put a bet on it, because a white-haired dwarf walked into the dining room, talking over his shoulder to Bilbo. Dwalin greeted Balin (his brother, perhaps, both of them named after grandfather Farin) in a peculiar way that made Mero jump - they smashed their heads together violently. Shocked, Mero decided it was best not to ask for if that was how they treated friends she was wary to see how they treated those they disliked. 

"Balin this is Merida, Merida this is my brother, Balin," Dwalin introduced you both as Bilbo reappeared with another tray of cakes. 

"Its Mero, actually," Mero corrected again, yet she had a feeling Dwalin was not going to remember. "A pleasure, Mister Balin."

"At your service, Miss Mero," Balin said, bowing to her. "They didn't tell us that one of our burglars was a lady."

"Burglar?" Mero questioned with interest, at the same time Bilbo said the word with horror. The doorbell rang again before either Balin or Dwalin could explain anything to the hobbits. This time, Mero made sure Bilbo was safely in a seat and answered the door herself because she was certain it was not Gandalf like he was expecting.

Opening the door she was met with the smiling faces of two more dwarves, around her height. One had golden hair that blended into his golden beard, the other dark hair and a little beard, that he made up for with a large grin.

"Mr Boggins," he exclaimed, bowing with the other dwarf. 

"Fili, at your service," the blonde one said, followed by the dark-haired one saying "and Kili."

"You aren't Mr Boggins," Kili said upon hopping inside the home. "You're a woman."

"Mero Took, at your service, dear dwarves," Mero said, remembering her manners, even if she was panicking slightly on the inside. Watching Fili and Kili join Dwalin and Balin in the dining room, she whispered to herself, "We should have made tea for more than three. Now I fear we shall have no food left."

[vexkader]

Solis Part 10

  I stared down at my paws, sitting up as one them started to twitch. A nagging feeling coming up at the very back of my head. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore it. 

  "Tiny-Half, you do not look well. Are you sure you-" Jóhan expresses, but I immediately blow him off with a scoff. "We're going. I'm fine." 

  He raises a brow, looking down at me. "You shake as if you are cold." 

  "Not cold." I state, looking up to him. "Do you have any water?" He nods and turns around, my voice sounding a bit dry. He came back with a small little cup, which I gratefully took. He expected me to down it right away, instead I reached a paw into my pocket. Pulling out two tiny white pills, which I took then followed by the water. 

  "Is that why you shake?" He asks curiously. 

  "It's for a condition." 

  He looked puzzled at me for a moment, tail twitching as he didn't understand. "What is this.. condition?" He asks me, throwing together a pack of food and supplies for a like hike. Hearing everything rustle around as he talked. "Shaking does not seem right."

  "Its none of your business." I tell him bluntly, finishing off everything including the water. With a scoff he heads to the mantle. Pushing down the fire to keep it low and slow burning, smoke billowing from the coals. Above he takes a dark orange-colored fish, looking to me with a newfound smile. "Smoked trout, it is good! We will have it for our walk."

  I nod, getting off the bed and recounting my items. My rifle, smooth and sleek as always. Check. Energy bars, dull and tasteless as ever? Also check. Jóhan finished up his preparations and we headed out into the cold morning. 

  A cold glacier breeze swept through my fur, Jóhan put his paws on his hips and breathed in deeply. Puffing out his bare chest. "Ah! beautiful morning, no?" 

  I looked around, the sun has barely even risen, just a slight glow on the horizon to signal its return. "I guess so, now show me the way to this ruin. I'm eager to finish this."

  Jóhan laughs as we start our trek, motioning a paw to follow him. "Patience Tiny-Half! Patience, enjoy this beautiful land and its offers!"

  I didn't know what he meant by this, and I wasnt interested in spending too much time here. "Jóhan, I do have to be paid for this you know. And get to other things." I protest, waving my tail behind me in irritation. 

  He blows me off as our paws carried us over dirt and grass. We must've been quiet for at least half an hour, enough time for the sun to start poking through. Up and over a grassy hill,  to a wonderful view of a blissfully dark grey beach. A small lake reflecting the scenery around it, as the sun bounced off its ripples. 

  "Here we are, it is time for morning eats!" The leopard gracefully bounced down the hill to the beach, heading toward what was a shovel left there. I had to admit, I was curious about this. So I bite his bait and followed him down. 

  "You come from a place of volcanos, yes?" He asks me, grabbing the wooden shaft of the shovel, sticking it into a mound of sand. This sand felt odd beneath my paws. Warm and almost bubbling, in definitive contrast to the cold and hard dirt on the way here. 

  "Yes, Venus is covered in them. Why do you ask?" 

  "Because my home, Iceland, as you see is also volcano. Our land is warm and beautiful!" 

  I had a hard time believing the 'warm' part of that. It was summer and I was reconsidering bringing a jacket. 

  "Some of these sands you see carry that warmth. Warmth of an oven!" He tells me, digging away at the sand. I watched carefully, a rifle still in my paws. He lifted sand upon sand, water filling the holes he created. To my amazement this water was bubbling and steaming! I could feel that very heat from here! 

  "Earth is a giant oven here, ripe for cooking!" His shovel thunks against what sounds like metal. Carefully he goes a bit lower, upon popping the shovel out. A whole metal pot came out with it, the warm smell of bread with it? No that can't be right, as delicious as it smelt. 

  "It is time to eat, come sit, sit with me!" He grabs the metal handle with his bare paws walking back to the grassy hill. Intrigued by this, I followed. Sitting down, he opened the pot. The smell of bread was even stronger now, and sure enough there was bread! Cooked from the heat of the sand!

  "Amazing." I remark, eying it closely. 

  "Ah but wait till you see how it tastes friend, come sit. Eat with me!" 

  Still amazed by this, I did just that. I sat down with him and enjoyed a breakfast of bread with the trout on top. Cut thinly to not over power each other. I had to admit it was a nice diversion from the usual instant noodles I would usually eat. Doing all this as the sun rose above this island. 

  "So Tiny-Half, we will continue to the glacier but I must warn you. We will pass through a old town. It has been untouched for hundreds of years." He turns to me, a seriousness on his face I had never seen from him. "Do not enter those buildings, they are cursed from the útrýmingu."

  My face twisted, "The what now?" I ask him. 

  "I do not know the english word, but long time ago the world shook. Creating monsters and us alike. Do you not know this?" 

  I huffed, I did know this. Everyone was taught this from elementary school. The apocalypse that destroyed civilization as we knew it over six hundred years ago. 

  "I do, I'll be careful in it. I expect you to lead the way." He nods understanding his part. 

  "Good, you may have gun but these things do not bend to your weapon." I wasnt going to argue, I've heard terrible things about the past. I suppose some areas like here in Iceland are still affected by these... anomalies. 

  We continued onward after breakfast. Passing over hills, marshlands, using old forgotten roads to travel. All the while Jóhan enjoyed the cool weather. 

  Though come mid afternoon, after I was told we were getting close. His demeanor changed, the once strong and head held high snow leopard now looked anxious. Checking around, nervously looking to the top of the hills. 

  His uneasiness felt contagious, knowing something was around that could scare this cat was unsettling. I had my rifle though, let something test us. Soon enough however, I knew what was making him this way. At the bottom of a small hill stood a dilapidated town. 

  Buildings that hardly stood made up a small maze of old roads. Crumbling from the harsh weather, bits of asphalt sticking between my toes. Windows almost nonexistent here as the glass been broken and smoothed out by the years of neglect. 

  "BB?" I asked silently so Jóhan couldn't hear me. 

  "Vex, you havent talked all day. Do tell me you're not being eaten."

  "I'm not, I'm in a small destroyed town. It looks like a war was fought here." I whispered anxiously, feeling a growing unease. "Are you seeing this?"

  "Off your feed yes." He says confirming my question. 

  "Tell me, how old are these."

  A brief silence was heard before he told me. "These buildings predate the apocalypse, being built either late nineteen nineties, or early two thousands. Making them a touch over seven hundred years old."

  This blew my mind, how could such buildings stay standing for being so old? Almost none had a roof, but still for even the foundations to still be there. 

  "Seven hundred." I whispered to myself in awe, walking through ancient history practically. My thoughts were quickly off by a sound of what was like steel collapsing on itself. Mine and Jóhan's fur sticking up from the sudden shock. 

  "BB I have to go!" I say in a rush, cutting him off and readying my rifle before the AI could talk back. 

  Stepping up to Jóhan, he walked slowly eyeing every building we passed. "I do not like it here Tiny-Half."

  I agreed staying close to him. "Neither do I." 

  As we edged near the town, a thick fog rolled in. Covering and hiding these buildings, as they started to say their whispers to us. Dead languages I couldn't understand, things moving in the distance I could not see! A dread feeling struck my heart, I could not stay here. 

  "Tiny-Half we must go, please no more here!" Jóhan says in a panic, his pace turning from slow to a jog. I picked it up as well, my paws pounding the ground below, kicking up debris. 

  Human figured danced in the fog, trying to coax us in, into the basements of the building. Whispering a doom I did not wish. I started to run, wanting out of this personal Hell. The dead will not call me, as Jóhan shared similar thoughts. The two of us running, panting and feeling this feeling of encroaching death! 

  The whispers were louder, almost yelling for us! Fog creeping in, trying to choke our lungs out! What has Earth done for this to happen! 

  I coughed while running, no more of this please! My legs carried my up as fast as they could, up and up with the leopard beside me. 

  The further up I went, the cleaner things became! The fog was lifting! Freedom from a dead town! I started to smile, feeling a heavy feeling off my shoulders as the day was now clear. No more was the fog there to snare us. 

  Looking back from my position, I could see no fog. Only the town, left as we entered. A shiver ran down my spine, wanting nothing to do with that place anymore.  Jóhan's face said it all, fear of that place. 

  Neither one of use said a word, the further we moved away the better. I wanted nothing else with it. We had to have been miles away at this point, as the air felt clear once more. And colder. 

  "We are close Tiny-Half, the glacier will show soon." I nod, eager to get off this island. I wished to find these ruins, and leave nothing else.