Notes: Invited to spend Halloween night (Samhain) with Bard, he didn't expect it would end with a declaration.
Warnings: Bard x fem!reader; reader gets along well with children; mention of burning; SFW.
It was Samhain day, if it weren't for Bard's invitation you would be in your house eating all the good things your salary allowed you to buy, which wasn't much. But luckily for you, you were now together with the children trying to cut the pumpkins to make lanterns, the task being more difficult than you imagined and making everyone laugh. You were too focused on trying to draw a smile on the pumpkin to notice Bard looking at you with a discreet smile on his face. The children adored you, and the feeling was reciprocal because even if they weren't your children you would die for them. You knew that life in Lake City wasn't easy, every day you woke up early to work and got home late at night, but even so you were kind to the children, never taking away their hopes of having a better life one day. And with each passing day, Bard's admiration for you grew.
- Okay, everyone finished? On three, everyone shows how it turned out... 1..2..3!
At the same time, the children who were sitting in a circle around you turned the pumpkins with you and the room was filled with laughter once again when they saw the result of the lanterns. Some had missing teeth, one eye bigger than the other and crooked smiles, it was a disaster and that's why they were perfect. When they managed to recover from the laughing fit, you turned to Bard, your cheeks still red from laughing so much.
- Can you get us some candles, Bard? We have to put up these lanterns to ward off the spirits before nightfall - you joked placing your pumpkin in front of your face, a crooked smile and cross-eyed eyes staring back at him.
- I think you outdid yourselves this year, this will be the most protected house in the city during the night of Samhain - he laughed - I'll be right back with the candles.
As promised, Bard didn't take long to return with the candles and handed one each and you a matchbox. You promptly placed the candle at the bottom of the pumpkin and lit the match to light the candle, teaching the children, but when you held the match at an angle in the small space to light the wick, the flame grew and burned the tip of your finger. The response was automatic, pulling your hand away and letting out an "Ouch!" before extinguishing the match. Hearing, Bard turned and walked over to you when he saw what had happened.
- Are you fine? Let me see - he carefully took your hand and checked the burn - Luckily it's nothing serious, wash it with water and bandage it, help her Sigrid, I'll turn on the flashlights - he smiled to calm you down.
When the lanterns were lit and placed in the windows and you had already wrapped your finger in a piece of cloth, you went with the girls to the kitchen to finish preparing the Samhain feast, with sweet breads, cakes and other treats. Bain wasn't there because he's a disaster in the kitchen. Taking advantage of the privacy of being alone with his father in the living room, Bain broached the subject.
- You like her, right?
- Who? - Bard asked, suddenly caught.
- Her, dad - the boy pointed discreetly to the kitchen - I noticed how you look at her.
- Y/n? No, the only woman I've ever loved was your mother and you know it - he sat back in his chair to get away from the subject.
- It's okay if you like her, dad. She's cool, Sigrid and Tilda like her too... And if she makes you happy you have to tell her soon, it's not like you're the only suitor.
- What? - Bard frowned.
But before his son could say anything else, Tilda entered the room to call them to dinner. You thanked, ate and laughed amid conversations, Bain's advice not leaving the archer's head throughout dinner. After they were done and everything was cleaned and put away, you helped Bard put the children to sleep by telling them stories. When they fell asleep and you turned out the candles in the room, the two of you left. The silence seemed thicker, which found you strange, the atmosphere between you didn't used to be like this. You absentmindedly looked out the window.
- The sky is beautiful today... You can see all the stars.
- Do you want to go out to see better?
- I’d love to - you smiled.
The wind outside was cold, the night was calm and silent, the clear dark sky filled with stars like thousands of fireflies, the sound of crickets in the distance. You sat on the steps of the house stairs and Bard sat next to you. He remained silent for a while, thinking about how to tell what was weighing on his mind. It was true that you were the only one in the city that Bard considered a true friend, that he felt comfortable around and could forget about his problems for a moment when you smiled. Deep down he knew he liked you, but he felt guilty about it, he shouldn't fall in love again, he had already gotten married and he had sworn to himself that he would never get married again after he lost his wife, he couldn't handle feeling the pain again. Besides, now he had children to raise, what woman would have a relationship with a man who is already the father of three children? But you didn't seem to care about any of that, you took care of the children and always helped him, they loved you and now he did too. The man called your name breaking you out of your trance.
- There's something I need to tell you.
- You can talk, Bard.
- I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for the children, for our friendship, it's good to have someone to trust.
- I think I was the one who should be saying that, inviting me to spend the night with you and the children, helping me when I needed it most, I'm happy that you consider me so much - you smiled.
- I don't know how to say this, but - he adjusted his posture, nervously - the children like you so much and so do I that I would like to know if you don't want to... stay with us forever? - you blinked your eyes at him.
- Like what...?
- I would love for you to be my wife, Y/n - he found the courage to say - I understand if you don't want to, if you think it's too much responsibility because of the children or - you silenced him by sealing your lips with a kiss that surprised him , but he soon reciprocated, the desire warming you both on that cold night.
- You don't know how many times I dreamed about this - you smiled at him.
Bard also smiled, after all, since you met, your smile always made him feel better.
(and I don't care if you ship them, it's a nice ship) the reason I don't ship barduil is that elves culturally only marry once and even if they are a widow they don't do it, and it is surely possible, it did happen once and everyone hated it so much so if you are going to ship them at least make them a scandalous tragedy in thranduil's side and then I will devour it maybe possibly
Like,we have Tilda who’s an Elven archer (x) and Bain who’s some form of knight or something.
But what if Sigrid, after becoming queen and often working with the dwarves of Erebor, became fascinated with their culture and weapon craft.
She becomes friends with the company (Or, those who survived I’m so sorry), and starts to recognize the different type of craftsmanship the different Dwarf family uses.
So much so that when she means Gimli she’s just immediately “Ah, you’re the son of Gloin, a pleasure to finally meet you”
Also that a dwarf of the company (Dunno who, maybe Bofur cuz he’s my favorite) helps her to craft her own battle axe she wields to battle.
Bard, yo. I’m suddenly madly in love with Luke Evans :D I feel like I might have mentioned this before, but drawing someone can often make me feel a million times more attracted to them. Noticing the nuances of their features endears them to me in an almost indescribeable way. His nose is my favorite feature FYI.
That happened when I drew Fili for the first time. I wasn’t really into Dean but after a few sketches he suddenly became my dream man with beautiful beautiful lips :P
