Chapter 3
As the sun slowly rose and dew from spider's webs glistened Thorin thoughtfully gazed out of the window. Solana's terrified face wouldn't leave his mind. He wondered where she had ridden off too in the early hours. Balin had woken and joined his side, "Shall I wake the others?" Thorin merely nodded and headed for the door when he saw Gandalf exit the house.
"Gandalf, if I could have a private word." Gandalf noticed there was no choice in the matter. "That woman… what past haunts her?"
Confusion filled Gandalf's face until he seemed to realise Thorin's question. "Ah… Perhaps it is not my story to tell. All I shall say is something dark is following her. Asking her might be the better option instead of asking me." With that Gandalf walked down the path. Thorin watched after him until turning back to the house to gather his men to get ready for their departure.
…..
Solana sat gazing at her reflection in one of the nearby lakes in Hobbiton. When the dwarves decide to leave they will have to travel past her, it was the perfect spot to join them again. She didn't have the nerve to face Thorin any time soon. In the reflection she saw a stranger looking back, rather than herself. She gently rubbed her hand over the scar at the side of her forehead. She couldn't remember how she had gotten it, nor her other scars for that matter.
Her thoughts flashed back to the early hours. She had attacked Thorin Oakenshield and cringed at the memory. "What a way to make a first impression…" Solana grimaced and let her head fall into her arms.
…..
Fili and Kili rode side by side with their ponies trotting along the cobbled paths. They had all placed bets on whether Bilbo would turn up or not. Bofur had asked where Solana was but Gandalf had simply said she would catch up. As they rode towards a huge field something shone in his eyes briefly. Looking ahead for the source he saw someone sat down near the lake. "Hey Thorin! Is that Solana?" Thorin glanced back to Kili and then turned his head to where he was looking.
He managed to get a better look at the person who had started to stand up the nearer they got. It was a woman who was now walking her horse to the path. She turned in their direction and started walking forward as they did the same. Closer he could see that she was wearing a sleeveless hazelnut coloured tunic with black fingerless gloves that ended just above her wrists. Her swords were held either side of her belt which hung perfectly around her hips on top of her tunic. Thorin looked down to her black trousers covering her legs and then to her brown leather boots. Only when she was metres away and mounted her horse and approached them again did he realise it was Solana. He'd only ever seen her wear a brown cloak and had her hair tied up. She looked completely different now, somehow wilder to him.
Solana smiled to him as she passed to join Gandalf at the back of the group. Their eyes locked mere seconds before she passed. Bofur slowed his pony as she turned hers to start going in their direction. "Glad you made it lassie… Care to place a wager?" She laughed and asked what she'd be wagering on. "Whether or not Master Baggins decides to join us on our journey" She thought for a minute or two before smiling at him.
"Of course he'll come, just you wait and see." Gandalf agreed with her and some of the others did the same. The rest believed he wouldn't especially Thorin. They carried on making small talk until they heard someone shouting to them.
"HEY WAIT FOR ME! WAIT!" Everyone turned and Fili and Kili cheered at the sight of Bilbo. He ran straight to Thorin and Balin at the front of the company. "I… I signed it." Bilbo handed the contract to Balin and eagerly looked to Thorin for approval.
"All is in order." Balin said after he'd gone through the contract. As he folded and tucked it into his coat pocket Bilbo smiled to Thorin.
"Very well…Give him a pony and let's be off." Thorin headed off and the others began to follow.
"Oh no I'm quite alright. Don't worry I can keep up with you all." Solana laughed as the young hobbit was lifted into the air and placed onto a brown pony. Bofur turned and tossed Solana and Gandalf their winnings for the wager.
Moments later Bilbo managed to stop everyone again to get them to turn around for his pocket handkerchief. Bofur tore a piece of his tunic off and tossed it to Bilbo. Solana felt sorry for the young hobbit and looked into her bag. He had never left the safety of the Shire but he had chosen too to help the dwarves reclaim their homes. She found what she was looking for as she pulled out a small white cloth.
The movement caught Bilbo's eye. He watched as she unravelled a small silver dagger. It was only brief but he saw strange symbols and writing engraved into both the blade and handle. She turned her head to him and smiled as she handed him the white cloth. "Here you go. It's only small but it should do."
"Oh thank you! This is perfect." Bilbo smiled but his thoughts were still on the dagger as they travelled onwards.
