First off, sorry it took me so long to update! I've been fighting sickness and it fully hit me Sunday. On top of that I have work and school and my lovely readers are thinking "Excuses, excuses". Anyways, I am sorry, but just for future reference I don't know how consistent my updates will be. Sometimes it may take a while and other times they'll be really fast so yeah…
Thank you to my reviewers: VampWolf92, ZabuzasGirl, and babydake93! It means a lot to me for you guys to review.
Also, interesting thing, I just starting watching the BBC Sherlock Holmes show and as soon as I saw Martin Freeman, I'm like "It's Bilbo!" My mom's just like O.o "What?" (She doesn't like LotR or the Hobbit. I know, I should just disown her now, but I love her too much!)
So…onward with the story!
Loves to you!
Sarah Smithy :P
Gandalf opened the door.
"Gandalf, I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice," Thorin Oakenshield stepped into the warmth of the hobbit-hole, "I wouldn't have found my way at all had it not been for the mark on the door."
Elodie peaked over the shoulder of a particularly round dwarf, trying to catch a glimpse of Thorin. She barely managed to see his dark wavy hair that was streaked with a few strands of gray and his blue eyes seemed more severe than last she saw him, when someone shifted and she lost sight of him.
She saw Bilbo through a gap in bodies as he moved closer to the door. "Mark? There's no mark on that door, it was painted a week ago!"
"There is a mark," Gandalf said. He was tall enough for Elodie to see over the many heads, "I put it there myself."
Bilbo leant closer to look at the door, but Gandalf spoke, "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."
Thorin looked at the hobbit from head to toe, taking in his small stature and rounded belly. "So this is the hobbit," he said, "Tell me, Master Baggins, have you done much fighting?"
"Pardon me?" Bilbo spluttered.
"Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?"
"Well," Bilbo's eyebrows crinkled in thought, "I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know. But I fail to see why that's relevant."
Elodie sighed at his ignorance while many of the dwarves smirked.
"I thought as much," Thorin looked down on Bilbo with disdain, "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."
All the dwarves laughed, much to Bilbo's embarrassment, as Elodie shook her head. She supposed Thorin was right in his assessment, but he did not have to be so cruel. The years had not improved his disposition.
Somehow, without her noticing, the dwarves had shifted so Elodie was exposed to Thorin's stare as he looked over the group to see who had heeded his call. She just about breathed a sigh of relief when his eyes moved past her, but then his mind registered what he saw and his gaze flicked back to hers.
"Ellie," he breathed, taking a step closer to her; eyes warm and inviting, thinking back to lost memories.
She almost believed he would embrace her right there and they would be great friends again. They would go back to a time when the worst problem they knew was some silly arranged marriage. They would laugh and cry and forget the past. But then the walls were up again and he strode past her with an aggravated look on his face.
Idiot, she chided herself. Had she really forgotten him so much that she thought all would be forgiven so quickly or so easily?
The dwarves followed after him, back to the dining room, looking at her uncertainly. As Fili past her, he reached out and squeezed her shoulder in comfort. Kili looked at her in confusion. Neither of the boys knew what happened between them. Fili guessed that his uncle was angry about something that happened when she left, but Kili didn't understand what had transpired between the two people he cared about most, excluding his brother.
Most of the dwarves were settling at the table when Gandalf moved past. "Why did you want me to come Gandalf?" she questioned, "I was living a perfectly fine life."
He raised an eyebrow at her, "Were you living a 'perfectly fine life' as you so foolishly put it? I believed you would have wanted to help reclaim your home? And maybe fix some past decisions." Then he moved on to the table and sat to the left of the head of the table; the spot that Thorin was occupying.
As Gandalf settled in the corner and Bofur placed a bowl of stew in front of Thorin, Thorin said, "She will not be joining us."
Elodie moved to the only available seat, where she had sat earlier, but earlier it hadn't been right next to Thorin. "It's my home too, Thorin." His eyes flashed to hers; surprised she was right next to him.
"Ah, yes." Gandalf nodded to Elodie, "This is Elodie Mooncheek." A murmur arose at the table from those that just learned who she was, recognizing her name. "Elodie, you know Balin and Dwalin."
"Lass," Dwalin nodded his head to her as Balin smiled and winked.
"And here's Oin." An older dwarf with long gray hair held a horn to his ear so he could hear. His beard was separated into two braids that both curved up toward his face.
He studied her face, looked to Thorin then back to her, "Elodie Mooncheek? I remember you." She smiled in greeting as Gandalf moved onto the next dwarf.
"There's Bifur." A dwarf with black hair and beautifully braided gray beard came next, but what caught her attention was the battle ax in his forehead.
Gandalf skipped over Fili and Kili, coming next to a very rotund dwarf at the opposite end of the table, "Bombur, cousin to Bifur." This dwarf had a very thick red braid coming from one side of his face, traveling low down his belly and going up to the other side of his head. He also somehow managed to find more food to snack upon.
"Ori." The polite dwarf who had approached Bilbo about his plate; he seemed sweet. Elodie smiled at him and he shyly smiled back. "His brothers, Dori and Nori." Dori had many braids, intricately weaved upon his head and a serious look on his face. Nori's hair was interesting in style. Three sections spiked back and his beard was separated into three sections as well with many braids running through it. He eyed Elodie curiously then gave her a quick grin, much to Dori's chagrin.
"And Gloin, brother to Oin," Gandalf said. This dwarf had a full red beard and eyed Elodie closely.
"Are we going to let some she-dwarf join us?" he questioned. This caused all the dwarves, save Thorin and Elodie, to erupt. Fili and Kili stood, defending her. Oin and Dori didn't think a she-dwarf should come along. As each dwarf tried to be heard over the other, Gandalf seemed to sit taller.
"Silence!" All the dwarves quieted. Gandalf ignored their antics and finished the introductions, "And this is brother of Bombur and cousin of Bifur; Bofur, whom I believe you have already met."
Bofur smiled at her and she smiled back, "Yes, we met earlier."
Elodie couldn't think of anything else to say after seeing that many did not want her to come and the other dwarves seemed to be at a loss as well. Thorin picked up a spoon and ate some of his stew while Balin decided to break the silence.
"What news from the meeting in Eren Luin? Did they all come?" he asked.
"Aye, envoys from all seven kingdoms," Thorin answered.
"And what did the dwarves of the Iron Hill say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin questioned.
"They will not come," all the dwarves were upset by this news, "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."
Bilbo spoke from where he stood in the doorway, behind Thorin, "You're going on a quest?"
"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light," Gandalf asked. As Bilbo went to get a candle, Gandalf pulled something out of his cloak, "Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak."
Bilbo brought in a lit candle as Gandalf unrolled a map on the table. The hobbit leant over to get a closer look and Elodie felt chills go down her spine as he said in awe, "The Lonely Mountain."
"Aye," Gloin spoke up, "Oin has read the portents, and the portents say: it is time."
"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold. When the birds of old return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end," Oin stated.
"Uh...," Bilbo gulped, "What beast?"
"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the terrible, cheifest, and greatest calamity to our age," Elodie glanced down at the gloves covering her scars as Bofur explained, "Airborne fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals."
"Yes, I know what a dragon is," Bilbo said.
Ori stood up nervously, but stated bravely, "I'm not afraid, I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the dwarfish iron right up his jacksy!"
The dwarves cheered at his declaration while Dori pulled him to his seat, "Sit down!"
Balin looked back to Thorin, "The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best nor brightest."
"Hey! Who are you calling dim?" Ori yelled.
Elodie watched the dwarves start talking all at once and heard Fili over the noise, "We may be few in number. But we're fighters, all of us! To the last dwarf!"
"And you forget we have a wizard in our group. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time," Kili added.
"Oh, well," Gandalf spluttered, "No, uh, I wouldn't say…"
Dori asked, "How many then?"
"What?" Gandalf raised his eyebrows comically.
"Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Dori prodded, "Go on, give us a number."
At Gandalf's lack of answer, the dwarves began talking all at once again. Many were arguing over the number and betting on it as well. Elodie started to feel an ache in her head as Bilbo tried be heard, "Uh…please! Please!"
Suddenly, Thorin rose and Elodie could see the annoyance in his eyes. "Enough!" he shouted.
"If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty 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?"
The dwarves cheered and Elodie felt anticipation well in her chest as she looked upon Thorin, as the very King he was raised to be.
"You forget the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain," Balin reminded.
"That, my dear Balin is not entirely true," Gandalf said as he pulled out a key. Elodie gasped and Thorin looked to her quickly before looking back at the key. They both new of the key Thrain had possessed, but Elodie thought it was lost.
"How came you by this?" inquired Thorin.
"It was given to me by your father Thrain for safekeeping," Gandalf said as he handed the key to Thorin, "It is yours now."
"If there is a key, there must be a door," exclaimed Fili.
Gandalf pointed to a spot on the map at the base of the mountain, "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."
"There's another way in," Kili said.
"Well, if we can find it. 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're careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."
Ori spoke up, "That's why we need a burglar."
"Hmm," Bilbo mused, "And a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine."
"And are you?" Gloin asked. Everyone looked at him expectantly.
Bilbo glanced at all the eager faces, "Am I what?" He looked helplessly at Elodie.
Oin pulled his ear horn closer to his ear, "He said he's an expert!"
"Me?" Bilbo squeaked, "No! No, no, no! I'm not a burglar. I…I've never stolen a thing in my life!"
"And I'm afraid I have to agree with Mister Baggins. He's hardly burglar material," Balin said.
Dwalin added, "Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves."
All the dwarves erupted in comments. It seemed to Elodie like each was talking at the same time and the voices just melded into one loud noise. She rubbed her temples, trying to get a handle on the ache in her head.
Gandalf stood and the room seemed to become darker, "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is!" he paused and calmed some, "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 Mister 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."
"I asked for a fourteenth, not a fifteenth as well," Thorin said to Gandalf. Elodie tried not to let it show how much the comment hurt her.
"I'm surprised you did not ask Miss Mooncheek to join us yourself," Thorin lowered his brow at Gandalf, "You must trust me on this."
Thorin's shoulders dropped a bit, "Very well. We'll do it your way. Give him the contract and have one written for," he looked at her and stole her breath with his penetrating gaze, "Elodie." She couldn't read him past the walls, but felt like he could see into her very soul.
Balin stood and held out said contract, "It's just the usual summary about the pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." He handed it to Thorin who passed it to Bilbo.
"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo unfolded it and started reading.
Elodie heard Thorin whisper to Gandalf, "I cannot guarantee his safety."
"Understood."
"Nor will I be responsible for his fate."
"Agreed."
"'Total cash delivery, up to but not exceeding, one fourteenth of total profit if any,'" Bilbo pursed his lips, "Seems fair. 'The present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof, including, but not limited to…lacerations. Evisceration," he unfolded a page and read apprehensively, "Incineration?"
"Oh, aye," Bofur piped up eagerly, "he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye."
Bilbo seemed to go pale with shock.
"You alright laddie?" Balin questioned.
"Uh? Yeah, I fe…" he took a breath, "I feel a bit faint." He bent over and placed his hands on his knees, close to hyperventilating.
"Think furnace with wings," Bofur continued.
As the hobbit swayed, Elodie stood and watched him apprehensively, admonishing the delighted dwarf, "Bofur, you are not helping." If they needed this 'burglar' as much as Gandalf said they did, then making such comments was not the right way to persuade him to come.
"I…I…I need air."
Bofur ignored Elodie's 'suggestion', as he thought of it as, and continued his torment, "Flash of light, searing pain, then puff! You're nothing more than a pile of ash!"
Elodie glanced behind her, "Bofur!" He merely grinned and shrugged his shoulders. She looked back to Bilbo.
He straightened and looked at all of them, appearing like he might be well, then said, "No," and collapsed unconscious on the floor.
Elodie rushed to his side as Gandalf commented, "Oh, very helpful, Bofur."
I know, I know, Elodie is so quiet! Don't worry, she'll talk more next chapter; maybe give more insight into her past. Oh, and next chapter will most likely be out Monday or Tuesday, but no guarantees!
Review, don't review. Whatever floats your boat, but I'll love you forever if you review!
