Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my ocs. Except for Aloura she is my friends.
Chapter One
Just a Swim
It has been one hell of a summer between my job my sister's job and not to mention the heat has been horrible. I am just glad that mom and dad let us come over and swim when we need to. My sister Aloura and I share a flat in the city while our wealthy parent's live in the country. Did I mention that we are identical twins?
We moved out on our own to see what life can teach us. I own a book store called "Sunny Corner". Aloura has a shop called "Healing Touch" she is a massage therapist. We have been doing pretty good business for little mom and pop stores in our city.
Today is a very hot Sunday and neither of our stores were opened today. So we spent the day at our parent's pool. It's so hot that it felt like you could melt if not in air-conditioned house or in a pool. "Paige I am so sick of this heat," she whined to me.
"I know Aloura but think of it this way we can stay in the pool until the sun goes down." I did a flip into the water and smiled coming up for air as the cold water engulfed me. Aloura and I have jet black and ice blue eyes. Her's goes to mid back while mine is short and more manageable. Mine is a little longer than chin length and layered. Aloura jumped in splashing me in the face. She came up laughing as we started a splash war.
When we were done I laid on my back and just floated looking at the sky. Blue as far as I can see, not a cloud in sight. I did a back flip coming up, my hair in my face. I heard Aloura come up but something was wrong. The water felt colder not to mention a fishy smell. My hair still covered my eyes so going under and coming up to get the hair out of my face and wiped the water from my face to look around. But what I had expected to be the side of the house wasn't the house.
"Paige where are we?" Aloura asked swimming over to me. We looked around but couldn't put my foot on it but it somehow felt familiar.
"I have no idea," I replied to her until someone yelped behind us.
"Um...excuse me but what are you two doing in the lake?" someone behind us asked. Aloura and I turned around to see a frightened man standing off the bank with a fishing pole. He had curly brown hair and was his ears pointy? Yes yes they are. Aloura and I swam to the bank and we got out of the water. I looked down at his feet and they were large and furry. He blushed and turned around not facing us.
"What's wrong?" Aloura asked him as we wrung out the water from our hair. Even the tips of his ears were red from the blush.
"You are hardly dressed. Why are you in only your bloomers?" he asked not turning around at all. We looked at each other as Aloura mouthed "bloomers?" I shook my head and then shivered as a breeze chilled our wet skin.
"These are our bathing suits. We were swimming. Um...Mr...?" I started to say when he turned around to stare at us.
"Baggins, Bilbo Baggins. What is a bathing suit?" he said looking at us finally. But he dared not look down and kept his eyes on our faces.
"It's an article of clothing that is easy to swim in and wont weigh us down. Mr. Baggins," Aloura explained to him as our teeth started to chatter. What a difference it makes going from melting hot to bone chilling.
"Bilbo is fine. Do you have any warmer clothes?" he asked us. We shook our heads. How were we suppose to tell him that we aren't from around here at all. "I can't just leave you out here. Come on we can go to my house. Mind you don't drip on the carpets."
"We really appreciate it Bilbo," I said shivering as Aloura huddled to me.
"Well here it is. Home sweet home." We went in and he took us to a spare bedroom and told us we could stay here until we can get back on our feet. He rummaged through a trunk of things trying finding us some clothes that we could wear. "I am afraid that I don't have any shoes. Us hobbits don't wear shoes," he said.
"Thank you Bilbo we will deal with that later." He left for us to get changed to make dinner for the three of us. I found a teal tunic and threw it on. It was very long so it must have belonged to his father. I looked around and found a belt and put it around my waist. Then the pants I found were black and went to mid calves and fit nicely.
Aloura found a blue tunic and black pants along with a belt. "Well at least we have warm clothes on," my sister said making me smile. We walked out of the room and into the kitchen to see Bilbo placing plates out while he was frying up some fish. He looked at us and shook his head. "What?"
"I thought you ladies would wear something of my mother's not my father's," he said shaking his head. "Well sit down supper is almost ready." We sit down and he scoops out the fish and sets it on our plates.
"Thank you," we say in unison. He nods and goes back for his own fish and puts it on his plate. He sits down and gets ready to dig in when the door bell rings.
"Are you expecting someone?" he asked us. We turn to each other and shake our heads. He gets up and answers the door. We are curious and we follow him as he answers the door. Standing before us is a big, burly dwarf is what comes to mind.
"Dwalin at your service," the large, buff and bald dwarf said bowing.
"Bilbo Baggins at yours." Dwalin came into the home leaving Bilbo stuttering. "Do we know each other?"
"No." Was all he said. He walked further into the house and saw me. He bowed and repeated his name. "Which way laddie? Is it down here?" he asked throwing his cloak at Bilbo.
"Is...is what down where?" Bilbo caught the cloak making me smirk.
"Supper. He said there will be food and lots of it." The dwarf headed for the kitchen. He sat down at the table and just ate all three of our suppers.
"I was gonna eat that," Aloura whispered to me. I shrugged as we watched Dwalin bite off the last fish head making my stomach churn at the sight.
"Very good. Is there any more?" he asked still with his mouth full. Bilbo looked around and took a plate of biscuits took one for himself tossed two over to us and handed the plate to Dwalin. Which he grabbed the plate and started stuffing his face. Man he can eat a lot.
"It's just erm...I wasn't expecting more company. These two were a bit of a surprise," he was interrupted by the ringing of the door bell.
"That'll be the door," Dwalin spewed food as he spoke. We giggled and watched Bilbo go to the door. He looked at us and I felt Aloura grab my hand as his gaze was a bit intimedating. "And what are the lasses names be?" he asked between mouthfuls.
"I am Paige this is my sister Aloura," I said trying not to stammer my answer. We heard the other person introduce themselves to Bilbo as Balin. These two must be brother's with the almost same name.
"OH! Evening brother," Balin said coming in. Dwalin started laughing at the sight of his older and shorter brother.
"By my beard. You are shorter and wider then last we met," he insulted his brother in the greeting. I could never understand dwarves in their greetings.
"Wider not shorter. Sharp enough for the both of us," and back with the insults. They chuckled and then head bashed each other. Both of us jumped at that and both of us put our hands to our heads as if we had been head butted ourselves. Balin turned to us and bowed. "Balin at your service."
"Paige and Aloura." I said pointing at us. Then him and his brother went to raid the pantry. "Why don't we sit down in the sitting room?" Aloura nodded and we sat down. We could hear Bilbo in the background trying to get them to leave when the doorbell rang again.
He answered the door to have two more standing on the threshold. But these two were very good-looking.
"Fili,"
"And Kili,"
"At your service." They finished in unison bowing elaborate bows.
"You must be Mr. Boggins," Kili said smiling. Bilbo huffed and started to shut the door.
"Nope you can't come in. You've come to the wrong house," Bilbo tried to shut the door on them.
"What has it been canceled?" Kili asked concerned.
"No one told us." Fili looked at his brother.
"What? No nothing's been canceled," Bilbo mentioned confused.
"Well that's a relief," Kili pushed open the door and they both walked in. We rushed back to the sitting room to stay out of sight.
"Careful with these I just had them sharpened," Fili said taking off his weapons and loading poor Bilbo's arms.
"It's nice this place. Did you do it yourself?"
"Kili, Fili come give us a hand," the buff dwarf said taking the brunette by the shoulders.
"Mr. Dwalin." Kili said with admiration in his voice.
"That means you as well," Balin said to us putting his hands on our shoulders and pushed us into the kitchen. I stubbed my toe on the corner of something and fell into the back of someone. Closing my eyes waiting to make an embarrassment of myself when I felt arms go around me.
"Sorry," I said opening my eyes to meet gray-blue eyes. He was one of the good looking brother's I supposed. Fili I think his name was. He had blonde hair with many braids, a short beard and a braided mustache.
"Careful now you can get hurt. And how come you are not wearing boots?" he asked looking at my bare feet.
"We don't have any," Aloura said. She came up to me and the boys just looked at us like they were seeing something they shouldn't.
"You two look the same," Kili replied making us smile.
"We are twins. Identicle twins. I am Paige and this is my sister Aloura," I introduced. But I started blushing as Fili's arms were still around me. "You can let me go now." Now it was his turn to blush.
"Oh right sorry." He let go as there was a bunch of noise coming from the entrance. They continued to move things around as Balin and Dwalin put food in our arms and had us place it on the table. A bunch of dwarves came into the house and startd to go through with chairs and other things to sit on. A very tall man was doing a head count and he looked at us and couldn't give us names.
"Who are you two? I don't remember having two um...half dwarves coming here?" he questioned.
"We um...sort of came here by accident. Scared poor Bilbo when we appeared in the lake in nothing but our bathing suits." Aloura explained.
"I am Paige and this is my sister Aloura. What is it that you called us?" I asked him.
"Half Dwarves that is because you don't completely look like dwarves but you aren't quite a hobbit either. But what is two more dwarves on this journey. Come sit and eat get to know your fellow dwarves. It is going to be a long journey," he said and continued to count.
Fili and Kili grabbed our arms and pulled us so that we were sitting by them. Me next to Fili as Aloura was next to Kili and the one they called Ori. There was heaping piles of food and my stomach grumbled reminding me that Dwalin at our supper. Food was tossed around and I went to grab a biscuit only to have Fili's hand grab mine instead of the biscuit.
"Sorry," he said letting go and grabbing something different.
I ate along with the others as did Aloura. We smiled at each other and laughed when I think Bofur through something at Bombur who I sat next to. This was starting to become more fun that I had expected. Then Dwalin poured ale down Oin's hearing horn then he blew it out like a trumpet. We all laughed at the event unfolding. Then they all took up their tankards and drank it down. My sister and I just looked at each other and continued to eat.
Once they were done they started to belch. Nori first and then Ori let out one that shook the table. My sister and I let out two shrieks of laughter and decided that we should give these boys a run for their money. They replenished their ale and I snagged Fili's as Aloura snagged Kili's and we drank. After it was gone we looked at each other and we both let out two loud belches mixing into one sound. The boys cheered making us bow. We sat down and continued to eat.
"Where'd you two learn to do that?" Fili asked pointing at the two of us.
"We're twins," was both of our replies.
"That is amazing," Ori said making us laugh. "You two sound alike, look-alike yet are completely different."
"Thank you Ori. This is the most fun we have had in ages," I said and Aloura agreed. We continued to eat until we couldn't eat any more.
After dinner was over everyone started leaving the table. "I am not cleaning this up," Aloura said pointing at the mess. I agreed with her totaly. We started to make our way to the sitting room when Ori stopped in front of Bilbo asking him what he should do with his plate.
"Here you go Ori give it to me," Fili said taking the plate than he chucked it to his brother that was coming out of the kitchen. Then plates started whizzing by our ears. I could hear banging from behind us and clashing silverware.
"Could you not do that? You'll blunt them!" Bilbo said very irritated.
"Oh do you hear that lads? He's says we'll blunt the knives?" Bofur joked then Kili turned around and started off with a song.
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
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 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;
And when you've finished, if any are whole,
Send them down the hall to roll!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
Aloura and I started dancing to the beat cause it was in four four time. We were giggling when they finished and all the dishes were washed, dried and ready to be put away. Everyone started to laugh with us but got quiet when there was a banging on the door.
"He is here," the man known as Gandalf said. Bilbo, Aloura and I all looked at each other and shrugged not knowing who it was at the door. Gandalf went first to open the front door.
Opening the door revealing another good-looking dwarf like Fili and Kili standing on the threshold. "Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all if it wasn't for that mark on the door." He took off his cloak. Aloura tugged on my hand and we fell to the back of the group. We heard his name was Thorin Oakenshield as Gandalf introduced him to Bilbo.
"I don't think we need to be in this. Let's go back to the room," she said and I nodded thinking the very same thing.
"Wait a minute you two," it was Gandalf. The group stepped back revealing our presence.
"Uh oh busted," Aloura whispered. That earned an elbow to her ribs. "Ouch." She rubbed her ribs as we walked forth to the new comer.
"Gandalf who told you to bring women?" he asked.
"These two I even were here before showed up," Dwalin injected.
"They claim they are not from here. I found them in the lake. Not sure why. They said that they were swimming," Bilbo spoke up looking at us. We bowed to show our respect.
"I am Paige and this is my twin sister Aloura," I said then we stood straight up,
"I will not be taking women on this trip. Look they don't even have boots," Thorin stated angrily. "Do they even have skills in fighting?" Aloura and I puffed up at being put down by this arrogant man.
"I'll have you know that my sister and I are champions at sword fighting and archery," Aloura shouted. I nodded in agreement to what she said. He scoffed and looked at us.
"You will take them Thorin for is sixteen not better than just fourteen? These two young women look like they can hold their own. What say you girls ready for an adventure?" Gandalf proclaimed. We looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement.
"Of course."
"You bet." We said.
"Fine give them the contract." Balin stood up and handed me a contract.
"Sorry but we only have one contract. Best read it over and think carefully lassies," he said and we took it into the other room and we read it.
"Well what do you think?" Aloura asked as we finished reading it.
"Who knows what might happen. I think they mean for Bilbo to face the dragon so the incineration might not be for us." There was a loud commotion in the dinning area. We shook our heads and looked at it.
"I think we go for it. Haven't we always said that life was boring and we needed an little adventure. Why not help claim their home from this Smaug?" she said making her point.
"Alright let's go." She smiled and we signed it and handed it to Bilbo who in turned read it himself.
"incineration? And you girls are alright with this?" Bilbo looked at us.
"Why not? I have always wanted to see a dragon." Aloura said smiling.
"It's a dragon who can fry us," Bilbo stated. He started to get pale but green around the gills so to speak.
"Think furnace with wings." Bofur said as he taunted the poor hobbit.
"I need air," he said then put his hand to his face.
"Watch out splatter zone," I said as we moved out of puking zone.
"Flash of light, searing pain then poof you're nothing more than a pile of ash," he said. Bilbo stood up right.
It looked like he was going to speak until his eyes went into the back of his head. "No." Then he fainted almost catching me underneath him.
"Very helpful Bofur. And you two didn't help either," Gandalf chastised the hat wearing dwarf and us. We shrugged as Bofur continued to smoke his pipe.
A/N: So ends the first chapter of mine and my friends story. This is a co write between her and I. Please leave a review even constructive criticism no flames please or they will be reported. Thanks again.