Finally! Here's the third chapter! I only own Syl. :) Enjoy!
Chapter 03
The Burglar
The dwarves and Gandalf sat at the table, Bilbo paced in the hallway and I was leaning against the wall in the dinning room. They threw down a map on the table. I looked it over from my spot, there were two things intriguing about the map. The first was The Lonely Mountain, above it a red dragon soared. The second was a creepy looking hand pointing to the mountain, dwarven ruins scribbled blow it.
A dragon had taken over the mountain for its gold long ago, and now, according to some of the dwarves at the table, signs had been read that it was time to reclaim what was stolen.
"We might have been able to do this with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen. And not thirteen of the best nor brightest." Many had a lot to say about this, but Fili was the only one to pipe up the loudest.
"We may be few in numbers, but we're fighters. All of us, to the last dwarf!"
"And you forget we have a wizard in our company!" Kili decided to add his piece of courage to the table. "Gandalf would have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!" Everyone murmured, quite surprised they didn't think of this.
"Oh, well no. I wouldn't-" Gandalf tried to correct.
"How many then?" Dori asked.
"What?"
"How many dragons have you killed?" Gandalf just sat there and choked on the smoke he inhaled. It felt like a Twix moment, but the fact he didn't answer sent the whole table in an uproar. It lasted about five seconds before Thorin jumped up and demanded silence.
"If we have read these signs do you not think other's have read them too? Rumor's have begun to spread the dragon Smaug hasn't been seen for sixty years. Eyes look east to the mountain. Assessing. Wondering. Weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people lays unprotected, do we sit back while other's claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?!" Everyone cheered, eager to be on their way, but Balin had to put everyone in their place.
"You forget the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Gandalf, however, had a trick up his sleeve.
"That my dear Balin is not entirely true." The trick in his sleeve was a key, which silenced the silence in the room. Thorin stared at the key like he had seen it before.
"How came you by this?" His voice came out as a whisper.
"It was given to me by your father, Thrain, for safe keeping." Gandalf handed the key to Thorin. "It is your's now." The room was filling with hope.
"If there is a key, there must be a door." I wanted to face palm at Fili's statement. I felt it was obvious otherwise Gandalf wouldn't have brought the key out to begin with.
Gandalf pointed to the ruins underneath the creepy hand, "There's ruins speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."
"There's another way in." Kili looked excited enough to burst.
"Only if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gandalf sighed. "The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map, but I do not have the skill to find it. However there are other's in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mid will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage." He looked to Bilbo, "But if we are careful and clever I believe that it can be done."
"That's why we need a burglar." Ori pointed to Bilbo, who was to busy admiring the map.
"Hm, and a good one too. An expert I'd imagine." He obviously thought they had given up on him being their burglar.
"And are you?" Gloin asked. Bilbo looked up when no one answered, he slowly realized who they were talking to.
"Am I what?"
"He said he's an expert!" Oin misheard and cheered. Everyone just waved him off.
"Me? No, no. I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo was finally on the same page with everyone.
"I'll have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin agreed.
"Aye, the wild is not for gentle folk that cannot fight or fend for themselves." Dwalin added.
"I still say the elf should be the burglar." Thorin looked to me. I just shook my head.
"I'm too loud to be a burglar." I put my hands up in defense. It was a lie, I was actually very quiet on my feet.
Everyone grew agitated that they were slowly growing to realize they may be without a burglar. Gandalf looked around irritated that they had so little faith in his decision to make Bilbo the burglar.
"If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is." Everyone stared in shock, Bilbo even more so because it seemed he wasn't getting out of it. "Hobbit's 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 a hobbit is all but unknown to him. Which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find us a burglar for 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!" He looked around to see if anyone had anything to say, but continued on before really giving any one the chance. "Including himself." He ended looking at Bilbo, who almost looked touched by Gandalf's words. "You must rust me on this." He directed this to Thorin, who in turned sighed.
"Fine, we'll do it your way." Bilbo began to protest. "Give him the contract. And you." He pointed to me. "Will sign below his name." Thorin shoved the papers into Bilbo's hands. As I walked over to look over the contract too, Balin summed up what was written on it.
"Incineration?!" I stopped in my tracks, a slow headache beginning to form.
"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in a blink of an eye." Bofur said, trying to turn our stomachs. It only worked on Bilbo.
"Are you going to be ok?" I asked as I rubbed my left temple. The headache was worst over there.
"Yeah... I just feel a bit faint."
"Think furnace with wings. Flash of light, searing pain and then PUFF! You're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bilbo stood there for a moment and let it all sink in.
"Nope." And he passed out cold. As I bent over to catch him a silver apple fell out of my pocket and rolled down the hall. My headache spiked and I passed out next to Bilbo.
I awoke to someone setting me down on my bed. Whoever it was lit a candle.
"Good, you're awake." I looked over from where I was and saw Kili's face flicker in the light of a candle. "You beat Bilbo." I glanced around and found I was in my room.
"What happened?" I asked as I sat up, but my head hadn't fully stopped hurting and caused me to lay back down.
"Bofur got to the both of you. You passed out." I looked up at the ceiling, I remembered seeing the silver apple rolling across the floor.
"Did you see a silver apple rolling across the floor before I passed out?" He looked up in thought.
"No, I can't say I did. Are you sure you're going to be able to stomach this journey?"
"What? Yes, I didn't faint from the thought of being burned alive. I fainted because I had a massive headache. Doesn't happen often, I promise." I tried sitting up again, this time with success.
"So, your name is Syl?" I looked over at him a bit surprised. I didn't think he would have wanted to talk to me after I passed out.
"Yes, Sylin Young."
"Sylin..." Our eyes locked for only a moment before I looked away, a bright red blush burning my cheeks.
"Maybe, you're a fairy and not an elf?" He suggested/
I giggled. "I never thought of that. I didn't think there were fairies here."
"There aren't, but they are in legends. Legends had to have come from somewhere." I gave it a thought and nodded.
"True."
"Good night Syl." Bilbo poked his head in the door.
"Night." I waved and he disappeared. Kili kept his eye on the door for a moment before turning back to me.
"Are you sure the two of you aren't married?" I laughed, which caused him to blush.
"I'm extremely sure. We'd be sleeping in the same room and have rings on ours fingers if we were." He looked away, a blush apparent on his cheeks.
"True..."
"Why, are you trying to say you fancy me?" He whipped his head in my direction, eyes widen and his mouth opening and closing like a fish. I laughed at his reaction. "We've only just met Master Kili." I smiled teasing him.
The sound of humming filled my ears and caught Kili's attention. He took that moment to rush out of the room to join his company. I tiptoed through the hall and peeked around the corner at the dwarves. They were singing a sad and solemn song of how they lost their Lonely Mountain. It brought a tear to my eye, and I wanted nothing more than to help them reclaim their home.
The next morning I awoke to a knock on my door. I grumbled as I felt my way around in the dark to find the door. When I opened my door I found a grumpy looking Thorin.
"Are you coming?"
"Yes, let me give Bilbo one last convincing, and if I can't I'll catch up with you."
"You're wasting your time, but you'll find us on the main road heading east."
"Thanks." Thorin turned and left.
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and dressed in my Renn Fair clothes. Over the last two months I lost a little weight (surprisingly) and had to lace it a little tighter than I normally did. I packed a bag I found stuffed in the corner. I left my room looking in the bag to make sure I packed everything when I bumped into someone.
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." I looked up and saw Kili. "Huh..." I found it odd he was at this end of the hall.
"You're joining us?" He smiled.
"Later, but yes. I'll be catching up."
"What are you staying behind for?"
"I'm going to try and convince Bilbo to join once more."
"It's a lost cause if you ask me."
"He's been a dear friend to me, if he doesn't come the least I could do is say goodbye."
"Alright then, see you soon." He grinned and turned around to walk back down the hall.
I walked into the nearest pantry and scrounged up some breakfast for Bilbo and I. I made a pot of coffee and sat at the table to wait. Thankfully it wasn't long before I could hear Bilbo tiptoeing through the hall.
"Hello?" He called out.
"In here." He walked in and saw food on the table. Smiling he sat down and dug in. I poured him a cup of coffee and slid the contract towards him. He stopped eating and looked at my signature at the bottom.
"So you're really leaving?"
"Yes."
"It's going to be quiet without you around." A tear came to his eye.
"Well, you know how to cure that don't you?" I smiled. He looked up at me confused.
"Find another hole mate?" I laughed at his answer.
"Think on this." I stood and gathered my things. "How often is something this grand going to fall in your lap?" With that I left.
I made it halfway through Bywater when I heard Bilbo yelling at the top of his lungs. Turning I smiled at him as he leaned on his knees to catch his breath.
"You're right, this will never happen again in my bleak life."
"That's the spirit! Vamanos!" I took off running at full speed down the worn paths. We made it to the main road leading out of the Shire.
"Geeze, their ponies are fast! How far did they get?" I huffed.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" I looked up at the run.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." With a shrug we took off again. About ten minutes down the road we saw the troop of ponies in a line.
"Wait! Waaait!" Bilbo found just a bit more energy and sped ahead of me. As he handed Balin the contract I tripped and fell right on my face.
"Are you alright?" Bilbo looked back at me.
"FINALLY!" I yelled out to cover my clumsiness. "WE MADE IT!" I laid in the dirt for a moment longer to catch my breath.
"Nice save." I heard someone say. I gave a thumbs up hoping they saw it.
"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome Master Baggins and Miss Syl to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." Balin smiled. Bilbo was all smiles until Thorin opened his mouth.
"We only have one free pony. The two of you figure it out." Thorin almost seemed to vocally roll his eyes.
"What? No, no! That won't be necessary. I'm sure I can keep up." Fili and Kili road up on either side of Bilbo and placed him on Myrtle. Kili road up next to me on the ground and held out his hand. I rolled over and clasped his hand. Pulling me up I somehow managed to gracefully throw my leg over his pony and make myself comfortable. I knew for a fact I was never going to be able to do that again.
On the road! :) These are honestly my favorite parts, so much between time that I can fiddle with. :3 If I can just get finished with the chapter I'm working on, I might be able to post again tomorrow, er... later today. xD (It's currently 5:30 am for me.) And given the current part I'm writing, I can say I definitely will. :3 Reviews would be lovely!