For the love of Erebor
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. That is how our story usually starts but this one is quite different from the usually hobbit story you will of heard. As many people seem to forgotten the fifteenth member of the company. Trissella. (Mostly known as Lady Tris) Lady Tris' story is the tale you will read today.
The Green Dragon was one of the many inns of the Shire. It was located in Bywater on the Bywater Road and was the building nearest to Hobbiton, being one mile southeast from the bridge over the Water that led to Bag End. As such, Hobbits from both villages could be seen there. But today a queer vaster arrived at the round door of the inn, her cloak drenched from the drizzling rain that was pouring outside. She wiped her feet once in a shuffling motion, before opening the green oaken door and inhaling the scent of fresh ale, and smoke lingering in the musky dim lit air.
The jolly murmuring in the Inn silenced staring at the new arrival; she glared around and took her hood off her cloak before approaching the hobbit sized bar. She glided her hands over the oaken counter and waited for someone to attend to her. A plump rosy cheeked woman came over to her wearing a bright cheery smile; she had a small rag in her hand for which she used to clean the worktop of the bar.
"How may I help you miss?" She said in an overly cheerful voice, Tris couldn't help but notice everyone eavesdropping on their 'conversation'.
"I seem to be a bit lost, I'm look for a house- Erm hole?" Tris started unsure of what to say to the small hobbit lass.
"Aye, and who's hole are you looking for miss?" The barista asked.
"He goes by the name of Bilbo Baggins." Tris replied eyeing the peoples shacked faces.
"Belladonna Took's son, Aye I know where he lives." The woman replied her smile not leaving.
"It's just up the road, he lives in bag end. It's quite a big hole he lives under the hill."
Pretending she understood what any of that meant Tris nodded in thanks to the cheery woman and made her leave, she did want to stay for a short ale but the stares she were receiving sent her on edge. She carried on the road, and then she saw a familiar figure.
"Dwalin is that you?" She asked cautiously
a hearty laugh echoed from the dwarf "Aye lass are you lost too?"
"Aye" She laughed as well.
She joined Dwalin in the hunt for ' house.
"What's that rune on that door there Dwalin?"
"I believe its khuzadul, this is the place we're meant to be."
Dwalin pushed open the white picketed fence of the hobbit house, and approached the round green oak door. Tris knocked on the door, Dwains eyebrow rose when he saw the force used in her knock.
A small messy haired hobbit answered the door, confusion etched on his face.
"Ah-"Bilbo starred but Dwalin cut him off,
"Dwalin at your service" He bowed low
"Lady Tris, at your service" She curtsied
Shell-shocked Bilbo let out a noise like a whimper. Coming to his senses he quickly tied his crimson robes together and stands taller, although still confused before saying.
"Bilbo Baggins at yours."
Dwalin barges inside without Bilbo inviting him in.
"Erm D-do we know each other?" Bilbo asked looking somewhat scared.
"No" Dwalin replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Which way laddie? Is it down here?" Dwalin then dumped some of his stuff on the polished floor and the rest into Bilbo's arms.
"I-is what down there" Bilbo said, then turned to look at Tris.
"Supper, he said there would be food, and lots of it." Dwalin said making his way to the hobbits kitchen. Bilbo muttered something incoherently then turned to Tris.
"A-Are you coming in?" He asked offering a very small smile.
"May i?" She said curtsying again
He smiled and nodded appreciating at least one of his unexpected guests had manners.
He showed Lady Tris into his kitchen only finding a dwarf sat at his chair on his table eating his supper! Bilbo shuffled uncomfortably away behind Dwalin, as the dwarf rips off all the flesh from the lemon scented fish. Bilbo cringed and Tris suppressed a smile. Bilbo snapped from his little trance and noticed the dwarrowdam stood in his hallway looking at Dwalin who was eating savagely into his supper.
"Would you erm like some supper?" Bilbo asked Tris
"Yes please" She offered Bilbo a kind smile.
She then watched Bilbo smile back and shuffle into what she presumed the pantry.
Tris then settled herself down facing Dwalin, who smiled at her with a mouthful of food.
Trissella then noticed Bilbo shuffle back into the kitchen and place a plate of assorted food in front of her, she beamed a smile up at him. It'd been a long time since she had proper food that wasn't rationed.
"Thank you!" She said to Bilbo
Bilbo noticed how her face lit up on such a small plate of food, he felt guilty in not giving her a bigger one. Bilbo thought that Tris may have good table manners unlike Dwalin. Unfortunately they were quite bad, but there were a lot better than Dwain's at least. He wondered at just how long had it been since she last ate.
"Have you got anymore?" Dwalin asked somewhat politely, well as polite as a dwarf can.
"What, uh, oh yes, yes" Bilbo said picking up a tray of biscuits and passed it to Dwalin. Tris noticed he took one and hid it behind his back.
There was another loud knock at the door, and it startled Bilbo.
"That'll be the door" Dwalin said in his usual gruff manner.
Bilbo went to the door and found an old white –haired dwarf waiting at his door.
"Balin, at your service" He bowed low
"Good evening" Bilbo said not sure if he said the right thing.
"Yes? Yes it is, though I think it may rain again later. Am I late?" Balin said
"Late? For What?" Bilbo said being totally ignored by Balin whom saw his brother in the kitchen and barged into the hobbit hole.
Dwalin stood up to greet his brother.
"Oh, ha ha! Evening brother. Heh heh" Balin said grasping onto Dwain's arms.
"Oh, by my beard you are shorter and wider from when we last met" Dwalin replied mimicking Balins movement.
"Wider, not shorter. Sharp enough for both of us." Balin replied
Laughing, they greet each other amicably. Putting their arms on each other shoulders, they smash their foreheads together. Bilbo watched in wonder.
A small chortle left Tris' lips when she saw the brother's antics. Balin noticed Tris and beamed at her.
"My my Lass how long has it been"
Tris stood up and bashed foreheads with Balin also bashing their foreheads together.
Bilbo gathered it was a tradition dwarven greeting.
"Uh, excuse me; sorry, I hate to interrupt, ah, the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house." Bilbo said being ignored by Balin and Dwalin, they went into his pantry and poured some of his ale and examined his food. As they talk to each other Bilbo continued his speech.
"Have you eaten?" Dwalin asked Balin
Bilbo interrupted "it's not that I don't like visitors, as much as the next hobbit, but I do like to know them before they start visiting."
Balin and Dwalin were still not paying heed to the poor hobbit fellow and continued to rifle through his pantry.
"Ah that looks very nice indeed" Balin said holding up some food.
Dwalin mutters something indistinguishable.
Balin picks up a piece of cheese.
"What's this?" Dwalin asked
"I don't know" Balin continued muttering something indistinguishable that ended with "cheese"
"The thing is um-" Bilbo continued to try talking
Dwalin and Balin still paid no heed while Tris looked at the whole affair supressing a smile.
"It's gone blue!?" Dwalin muttered
"It's riddled with mould" Balin replied
Dwalin takes the cheese and throws it past the still-speaking Bilbo.
"It's supposed to be blue Dwalin" Tris said entering the pantry and scooping up the splattered cheese in front of Bilbo. Bilbo looked at her before starting to speak again:
"The thing is, um, I don't know any of you, not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I, uh, had to speak my mind. I'm sorry" Bilbo continued rambling on.
Balin muttered something to Dwalin whom nodded.
They all pause and look at Bilbo.
"Hm, apology accepted." Balin said
"Hm?" Bilbo started
"Ah, now fill it up, brother, don't stint. I could eat again, if you insist." Balin said to Dwalin while Tris places the splattered cheese onto the counter.
Balin hands a tankard to Dwalin so it could be filled with more ale. The door knocks again.
Bilbo warbled over to the door sighing in defeat, as he opened up the door to see two young dwarfs one with messy brown hair the other with neat and prim blond hair. Bilbo made a small noise which sounded like a groan upon seeing the duo.
"Fili" said the blond haired one
"And Kili" said the cheeky brown haired one
"At your service!" they said in unison bowing fast and springing back up.
"You must be mister boggins" Smiled Kili mischievously
"Nope, you can't come in, you've come to the wrong house"
Bilbo tries closing his door, but Kili the messy haired Dwarf wedged his foot in the door way and opened it.
"What has it been cancelled?" He asked his voice raising an octave.
"No one told us" Fili chipped in.
"can-? No nothing's been cancelled"
"Well that's a relief" Kili said
The Dwarf princes pushed their way in and begun unloading their stuff onto Bilbo.
"Careful with these, I just had em' Sharpened." Fili stated throwing a bunch of swords onto Bilbo's straining arms.
Kili walked around inspecting the place. "It's a nice place, did you do it yourself?"
Kili then scrapes the mud off his boots onto a chest nearby.
"Ah, no it's been in the family for years. That's my mother's glory box can you please not do that?!" Bilbo replied his voice higher than he wanted.
"Fili! Kili! Come on Lads give us a hand" Dwalin yelled from the pantry.
Kili smiled "Mister Dwalin" he said getting a hard pat on the back from Dwalin.
All the Dwarfs and dwarrowdam laughed greeting each other.
"Lady Tris?" Fili asked and started a conversation
"Let's shove this in the hallway, Otherwise we'll never get everyone in" Balin instructed.
Fili, Kili and Tris push some furniture into the hallway whilst the other dwarfs do the same creating a feasting place.
"Everyone!? How many more of you are there exactly?" Bilbo started flushing bright red.
"Where do you want this?" Fili asked to Bilbo who wasn't paying much heed.
The door banged again very hard and longer than before.
Bilbo in anger quickly walks to the door and dumps the swords in his hands onto his mother's glory box.
"Oh no. No, no! There's no body home. Go away, and bother somebody else. There are far too many dwarfs in my dining room as it is. If this is some clot heads idea of a joke, ha ha, I can only say it is in poor taste. Bilbo swings open his door and a heap of dwarfs fall onto his polished floor, eight dwarfs to be exact. Struggling to get up, they grumble and yell at each other, saying "get off" Gandalf was standing behind them crouching down to peer into the door holding onto his staff.
"Gandalf" Bilbo gasped.
The entire group of dwarf began raiding Bilbo's pantry and taking out all his food. Bilbo shouts and starts to protest but they ignore him.
"Those are my plates! Excuse me! Not my wine. Put that back, put that back! Not the jam please! ... Excuse me"
Bombur the fattest dwarf of the group who had bright ginger hair braided into a rounded lop that suited his body shape, walked out of the pantry with three large wheels of cheese.
"Excuse me a tad excessive don't you think? Haven't you got a cheese knife?" Bilbo asked
"Cheese knife? He eats it by the block" Bofur stated.
Oin and Gloin walk through the hall carrying chairs from Bilbo's room.
"No, no please those chairs are antique! Not for sitting on-"Bilbo continued. The dwarfs continue bringing all of Bilbo food and chairs into the dining room. Dori approaches Gandalf and Lady Tris with a tray of tea.
"Excuse me Mr Gandalf and Lady Tris, can I tempt you in a nice cup of chamomile tea"
"Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think but I dare say lady Tris may want one." Gandalf replied sending a grandfatherly smile to the long haired dwarrowdam. Dori poured some tea into a tiny little tea cup and handed it to Tris, whom smiled in return.
In the background you could head Gandalf counting the dwarfs.
"Tris, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Ori…Nori"
Gandalf continued muttering, "It appears we're one dwarf short."
"Aye" replied Tris hauling a chair into the dining room.
Bilbo wrestles a bowl of cherry red tomatoes from Nori. Bifur, the short dwarf with the reaming of an ancient Orc axe in his head approached Gandalf. The two talks fluently in khuzadul about Thorin and his were abouts.
"He is late, is all. He travelled north to a meeting of our kin. He will come." Tris reassured
"Mr Gandalf?" Dori interrupted
"hmm?" Gandalf replied turning to the Dwarf holding a very small goblet of wine.
"A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's, eh, got a fruity bouquet" Dori smiled handing Gandalf the hobbit sized glass of wine.
"Ah cheers" he smiled "Very small indeed" He muttered to himself swigging the whole crimson substance in one gulp.
"Bombur catch!" yells Tris, throwing food at Bombur. Bombur catches the food in his mouth, and everyone cheers. As everyone begins throwing food around, Bilbo walks away in disgust. He looks at his pantry in shock; it has been entirely cleared of food. Fili walks on top of the table, carrying several cups of ale and knocking aside the food in his way.
"Who wants an ale? There you go." Fili said handing a tankard of ale to Tris winking;
"Let him have another drink!" Dwalin yelled pointing to Oin.
"Here you go." Fili yelled handing a tankard of ale to Dwalin
Dwalin pours his ale into Oin's hearing trumpet, and as Oin splutters in anger, everyone else laughs. Oin puts his hearing trumpet to his mouth and blows the ale out of it, making it squeal. One of the dwarves yells, "On the count of three!" and the dwarves pound their tankards together. Someone counts, "One!...Two!" Then all the dwarves go quiet and begin drinking their ale together. They are incredibly messy, as ale falls all over their faces and runs down their beards. When finished drinking, they begin burping; then something unexpected happened, Tris stood up and belched louder than all of the dwarfs put together. She then collapsed into her chair with a smug smile of pride winking back at Fili, The dwarves laugh. Bilbo looks away cringing slightly. Dwalin clapped his hands and bellowed in laughter.
"Now that's one fine dwarrowdam!" He yelled.
Ori then stood up and belched but not quite as loud as Tris'. Fili and Kili laughed.
"Hey look at that lads, the wee lass has a bigger beard than Kili" Dwalin laughed again clearly drunk. It was Kili's turn to go bright red; he hadn't grown a proper beard yet. Dwalin went onto a sensitive subject. Tris quickly changed the subject.
"Are any of you lads courting anyone back in the Blue Mountains?" She let out a drunken giggle.
"Naw" They both said in unison, making Tris roll her eyes.
When the meal finishes, the dwarves leave the table and begin walking around. Bilbo grabs a doily back from Nori.
"Excuse me, that is a doily, not a dishcloth!" Bilbo yelled to a drunken Bofur
"But it's full of holes!" Bofur protested
"It's supposed to look like that, its crochet." Bilbo corrected
"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you got the balls for it." Bofur rambled.
"Bebother and confusticate these dwarves!" Bilbo yelled dropping to the chair outside the pantry
"My dear Bilbo, what on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asked
"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?" Bilbo asked "Oh, they're quite a merry gathering, once you get used to them." Gandalf replied
Nori has a chain of sausages over his shoulder, and Bofur grabs them from him. They play tug-of-war with the sausages.
"I don't want to get used to them. The state of my kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pi-pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!" Bilbo stuttered
"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" Ori the youngest Dwarf asked Bilbo rather politely. "Here you go, Ori, give it to me." Fili yelled smiling mischievously Bilbo did not like the look in his young eyes. Fili takes the plate from Ori and throws it to Kili, who throws it behind his back to Bifur, who is standing at the sink in the kitchen. Bifur catches it behind his back, without even looking at it. Kili, Fili, and other dwarves begin throwing the plates, bowls, and utensils to each other, eventually throwing them to the sink to be washed. As dishware flies through the air, Gandalf ducks to avoid getting hit.
"Excuse me, that is my mother's West Farthing crockery, it's over a hundred years old!"
The dwarves at the tablet begin rhythmically drumming on the tablet with utensils and their fists, denting the mahogany table.
"And can-can you not do that? You'll blunt them!" Bilbo protested.
"Ooh, d'hear that, lads? He says we'll blunt the knives." Bofur yelled laughing.
Kili begins singing and the other dwarves join him, as they continue throwing the dishware.
"Blunt the knives, bend the forks That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"
Smash the bottles and burn the corks
Chip the glasses and crack the plates,
that's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
Cut the cloth and tread on the fat,
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat.
Pour the milk on the pantry floor
Splash the wine on every door
Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl
Pound them up with a thumping pole
When you've finished, if any are whole
Send them down the hall to roll
Bilbo huffs up in anger, only to find all the dishes stacked neatly and cleanly. The dwarves and Gandalf laugh. Suddenly, there are three loud knocks on the door, and everyone falls silent.
"He's here" Gandalf says gruffly.
"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." Thorin said gruffly.
"Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" Bilbo protested.
"There is a mark; I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf said.
"So, this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin asked
"Pardon me?" Bilbo stuttered
"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin said gruffly
"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant." Bilbo said proudly.
"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin huffed.
The dwarves all laugh and they walk back to the dining table. As Thorin eats, the rest of them talk to him.
"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked
"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin said
The dwarves murmur their joy.
"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked
"They will not come." Growled then noticed a set of emerald coloured eyes staring at him from the back, her beard was braided up to frame her face and her long locks of hazel coloured her was braided neatly down her back. She smiled at him, reassuring him.
"Lady Trissella" He said standing a smile spreading on his usually stern face.
"My Lord" She curtsied.
They both then stood looking at each other, after a while Balin cleared his throat. They all erupted into laughter as Thorin and Tris hugged each other greeting one another.
"So what did Dain say" Balin asked
"They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." Thorin said sadly.
Disappointed murmurs erupted from the group.
"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked
"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf said
Bilbo brings a candle to the table, where Gandalf has spread out a map which was in his pocket.
"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." Gandalf said
The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo says reading the map that was spread on his table, now dented with marks.
"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin said
"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." Oin preached
Bilbo, hearing "the beast," looks concerned.
"Uh, What beast?" Bilbo asked
"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals-" Bofur continued
"Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo said in frustration
"I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." Ori yelled.
"Sit down!" Dori yelled
"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." Balin sighed
The dwarves start objecting, saying things like, "Hey, who are you calling dim?" "Watch it!", and "No!"
"What did he say?" Oin asked
"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" he looked at Tris " to the last dwarf and dwarrowdam"
"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Kili said brightly
"Oh, well, now, uh, I-I-I wouldn't say that, I- -" Gandalf stuttered
"How many, then?" Dori asked
"Uh, what?" Gandalf replied
"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!" Dori urged
Gandalf embarrassedly starts coughing on his pipe smoke; the dwarves jump to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf has killed. Thorin jumps up in anger and bellows, silencing the rest.
"Shazara! [Silence!] If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr! [To arms! To arms!]"
All the dwarves cheer.
"You forget: the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Balin said sadly "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf said
twiddling his fingers, Gandalf produces a dwarvish key, ornately wrought. Thorin looks at it in wonder.
"How came you by this?" Thorin asked
"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." Gandalf said
Gandalf hands the key to Thorin as everyone looks on in wonder.
"If there is a key, there must be a door." Fili said
Gandalf points at runes on his map with his pipe.
"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls." Gandalf stated
"There's another way in!" Tris yelled
"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done." Gandalf said.
"That's why we need a burglar." Ori yelled
"Hm, A good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo went on
"And are you?" Gloin asked
"Am I what?" Bilbo said
"He said he's an expert! Hey hey!" Oin cheered
Several dwarves laugh.
"M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo lied thinking about the time he stole some of lobelias puddings.
"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin agreed
Bilbo nods in agreement.
"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin murmured.
Bilbo continues nodding in agreement; the dwarves begin arguing. Gandalf, growing angry, rises to his full height and casts darkness over the group as starts speaking in his "powerful" voice. The others stop in awe.
"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is." Gandalf yelled
Gandalf goes back to his normal self.
"Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this." Gandalf continued.
"Very well. We will do it your way. " Thorin sighed
"No, no, no." Bilbo protested
"Give him the contract." Thorin said gruffly
"Please." Bilbo whined Tris sent him a sympathetic look.
"Alright, we're off!" Bofur cheered
Balin hands Bilbo a long contract that touches the floor and had several flaps dangling off it. He then gave Bilbo a quill and ink pot.
"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, and funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin explained
"Funeral arrangements? "Bilbo squeaked
As Bilbo steps back a few feet to read the contract, Thorin leans toward Gandalf and whispers to him.
"I cannot guarantee his safety." Thorin said
"Understood." Gandalf said and he knew Thorin would come to like this hobbit, eventually.
"Nor will I be responsible for his fate." Thorin continued
"Agreed." Gandalf said
Bilbo reads parts of the contract out loud, much to Tris' amusement
"Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?" Bilbo read.
"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur continued Tris rolled her eyes. Bilbo looks a little breathless, and Tris noticed him paling slightly.
"Huh." Bilbo gasped
"You all right, laddie?" Balin asked in concern
Bilbo bends over, nauseous and pained, Tris got up.
"Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint." He wheezed
"Think furnace with wings." Bofur continued unaware of Bilbo state.
"Air, I-I-I need air." Bilbo sighed weakly
"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! You're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bofur continued.
Bilbo breathes heavily, trying to compose himself as the others stare at him, Tris gets behind him in case he fainted.
"Hmmm. Nope." Bilbo fainted, He fell into the sturdy Dwarrowdam arms, Kili giggled at his state but received a cold glare from both Thorin and Tris and soon shut up.
"Ah, very helpful, Bofur." Tris said earning a small smile from Thorin.
Trissella placed the little hobbit cradled in her arms onto the nearby arm chair, and pulled a crochet blanket over the poor fellow who looked awfully pale. She sighed and went back to the table and towered over the Dwarfs crossing her arms, and pulled a stern face that would put Thorins own to shame.
"Please can you refrain from teasing the poor fellow?" She said hitching her thumb to the fainted hobbit. "After all he is our generous host" She continued Fili noticed a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "After all, you don't know what he's fully capable of. And if any of you should cross me." She crunched her knuckles "There will be severe consequences" she couldn't keep her stern face for long as she stared at the Dwarfs shocked faces. She exploded with laughter. And sat down with the Dwarfs and carried on with their merry making. Soon, Bilbo began to stir. Dori made him a cup chamomile tea; Tris sent him an approving nod. Gandalf and Bilbo started talking in a hushed voice; Tris couldn't make it out until Bilbo said "I'll be all right, let me just sit quietly for a moment"
"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me; when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire? The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there." Gandalf said furrowing his eyebrows and pinching his forehead.
"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End." Bilbo said proudly.
"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?" Gandalf urged.
"Yes…" Bilbo whimpered under Gandalf's glare.
"Well he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time." Gandalf ranted.
"I do believe you made that up." Bilbo enquired
"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back." Gandalf retorted.
"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilbo asked hopefully
"No. And if you do, you will not be the same." Gandalf said grimly
"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit." Bilbo confirmed.
Bilbo walks away down the hall. Gandalf sighs. Balin and Thorin see Bilbo walking away.
"It appears we have lost our burglar. Probably for the best. The odds are against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; hardly the stuff of legend" Balin sighed.
"There are a few warriors amongst us." Thorin urged
"Old warriors" Balin huffed
"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honour. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that." Thorin said looking over to his fellow Dwarfs, his eyes lingering on a laughing Dwarrowdam who seemed to glow. Her laugh sounded like a soft sweet melody, if only she laughed more.
"You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honourably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor." Balin urged
Thorin holds out the key Gandalf gave him and looked at it sorrowfully.
"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me." He said
"Then we are with you, laddie. We will see it done" Balin said
The dwarves gather in Bilbo's living room, smoking their pipes by the fire. They all begin humming, and soon Thorin begins to sing, and the others join him (Listen to watch?v=8OiYDUEu3i8 ). Gandalf listens from nearby; Bilbo listens from his bedroom. Lady Trisella's solo in the song made tears swell up in everyone's eyes.
Thorin went over to Tris after they finished the heart breaking song.
"You sing beautifully" He complimented
Tris blushed before saying "My voice doesn't do the song justice unlike yours."
The dwarfs shuffled around the room spreading out bed rolls everywhere and settling down for the night. A soft orange glow flooded the room, silence was all you could hear except from the crackling of the fire and the pitter patter of the rain outside.
Tris lay down her bed roll by Kili, Fili and Thorin. During the Night she unconsciously snuggled over to Thorin. His body heat was to tempting, so she curled up in his arms. Thorin looked down at the sleeping lass and wrapped one of his muscular arms around her petite dwarven waist and held her close. He tucked a stray coil of hair that fell out of her braid, behind her ear. His thumb unconsciously trailed down her braided beard. He noticed her Smile in her sleep.
He grinned and closed his eyes, letting sleep wash over him only for them to be plagued by a familiar dwarf lass.