Eliza and Sterling had only visited the Shire a couple of times but it had not changed much since their last visit. Fresh, green fields spread for miles with all manner of crops growing in them. Small hobbit holes dotted the land with their brightly coloured doors standing out amongst the green.
The hobbits in the Shire were kind enough people but they were suspicious of outsiders and did not trust the likes of dwarves and elves.
During the Ironhands few visits to the home of Isabella Took, they had been treated with suspicion and a general air of dislike, particularly from the more 'respectable' hobbits like their distant relatives, the Baggins'. However other families, particuarly the Gamgees, Brandybucks and even part of the Took family had treated them warmly, inviting them round for dinner and even showing young Eliza and Sterling around the Shire and the neighbouring woodlands.
All in all, Eliza was fond of the Shire and the small hobbits that lived there but she did find their way of life a bit too slow and boring for her liking.
The company had reached the Shire on the verge of the evening and the sky was just beginning to darken. The little company got wondering looks from young hobbits and challenging glares from some older hobbits. The dwarves ignored the hobbits around them and continued on their way to a place Eliza knew to be Bag End.
"I think we had better split up to try and find Mr Baggins' house." Thorin instructed and Eliza froze.
"I'm sorry, did you just say Baggins?" She asked and the leader of the company turned and looked at her questioningly.
"Yes."
"A Baggins is not going to want anything to do with an adventure, I can tell you that now." She said, shaking her head at the very idea of one of her distant relatives willingly going on an adventure. Thorin turned back round and addressed the company again.
"We should go in twos or threes. I shall go alone." He said and he began his search for the elusive hobbit hole.
"I'll go with Fili and Kili!" Sterling practically shouted before anyone else could open their mouths to speak. Eliza looked at her brother in mock horror.
"Well I was going to say you could come with me, Ster. But no!" Eliza said, pretending to be angry at her little brother. Sterling knew it was a joke, she did it all the time to wind up people at Rivendell but the dwarves didn't know that and Eliza was putting on a very good show. They looked at her in a mixture of shock and worry.
"Um, you could come too, Eliza. It doesn't really matte-" Kili began uncertainly, looking slightly scared of the 'angry' girl.
"Its FINE!" Eliza snapped "I'll just go with Ori!" And she grabbed said dwarves arm and walked off in the opposite direction to Thorin, leaving the rest of the company staring after them, mouths agape.
When they had got a little way up the path, Eliza grinned and poor Ori, who had believed the whole act, looked at her nervously.
"A-are you alright?" He asked uncertainly, worried that she would bit his head off like she had done to unsuspecting Kili.
"Yeah I'm fine." Eliza positively beamed but noticing that Ori still looked uncertain she continued "I wasn't really angry. I was just pretending. It's something I do to wind up the elves at Rivendell, I just thought I'd try it on you guys. It was worth it, you should've seen your faces!"
"Oh! Ok then." Ori said, smiling weakly. "It just seemed real, that's all."
The pair continued walking around Bag End, desperately looking for the home of Mr Baggins. The had no idea what the house looked like, all they'd been told was that they'd know it when they saw it. They had passed Dori and Nori at one point and they hadn't had any luck finding the place either. Darkness fell on the Shire and the cold night air made Eliza shiver. She had all but given up on finding the damn house and was prepared to go and find an inn to stay in when suddenly Ori pointed out a hobbit hole with a dark green door engraved with a symbol that Eliza knew to be dwarvish.
"This must be the place!" Ori said excitedly, throwing open the gate and dashing up the makeshift steps leading to the door. Eliza followed, making sure to close the gate out of politeness. Ori knocked on the door and she hurried to stand next to him as the door was thrown open by a rather annoyed hobbit.
"Ori, at your service!" Ori said, bowing low and giving the accepted dwarf greeting.
"And Eliza, at your service." Eliza said, also bowing to the hobbit at the door.
"Yes, yes your friends are already here." He said hurriedly, stepping aside so they could see Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Kili and Sterling all sat at the table, devouring poor Mr Baggins' food.
"Oh they're not all here yet." Ori said, walking over and sitting himself down next to Dwalin.
"There-there's more of you?" Mr Baggins said in horror and Eliza looked at him in surprise.
"Do you know why we're here Mr Baggins?" Eliza asked politely.
"No!" Squeaked the hobbit and Eliza silently cursed Gandalf for not thinking to tell the poor hobbit why 15 strangers were to invade his house.
"I'm really sorry about this then." She said sincerely, resting her hand on the hobbit's shoulder.
"At least someone here has some manners." Mr Baggins said with a a slight smile. Eliza returned his smile and walked over to where her brother was sat, eating rather delicately in comparison with the dwarves around him. Kili and Fili looked at her like she was a bomb that could go off any second.
"Have you calmed down now?" Kili asked her.
"What? Oh, I was never angry in the first place. I was acting." She told him as she beamed at him.
"Why you-" But he was cut off by the door opening once more and the remainder of the dwarves, except Thorin, literally tumbled in. Soon, almost the whole company was sat at the table, Eliza wedged between Sterling and Bifur with barely enough room to eat, laughing and joking around as only dwarves can do. Mr Baggins stood at the end of the table, his arms crossed despite Eliza and Bofur's friendly attempts to get him to join the table.
"Bombur, catch!" Nori shouted as he threw some food across the table to Bombur who caught it all neatly in his mouth. The dwarves roared with laughter and Sterling hiccuped a laugh, the ale he was drinking beginning to go to his head. There was another knock on the door and soon enough Gandalf the Grey sat next to them, hunched up at the table, blowing colourful smoke rings into the air and laughing merrily at the dwarves.
When it came to clearing the table or collecting more food, the dwarves had a very unique approach. Each of them had a specific position and they threw all manner of food and tableware at each other, not once dropping any. However, this didn't do much to calm down Mr Baggins who watched in horror as his precious dinnerware went flying through the air into Fili's hands who then chucked it into the kitchen. He ran between the dwarves, desperately trying to recover everything and shouting at anyone who threatened to damage his belongings.
"Now is that really necessary?"
"Put that DOWN!"
"That was my mothers, be CAREFUL with it!"
The dwarves as well as Sterling found the whole matter rather hilarious and even Eliza, although feeling sorry for the hobbit, couldn't help giggling at their antics. Soon enough the dwarves begun a song.
"Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates-
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!"
Poor Bilbo looked absolutely horrified at the song, even though it was a joke and despite their lack of manners, the dwarves wouldn't even think of destroying the hobbits possessions. The song was so catchy that even Eliza joined in with the last verse although perhaps she only joined in because the hobbit's ale was stopping her from thinking straight. She did feel a little bit tipsy and the room was beginning to spin...
"Dump the crocks in a bowling 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!
So carefully! Carefully with the plates!"
The song finished with a roar of laughter from Bilbo's visitors. There was a knock on the door and it suddenly fell silent, plates no longer being chucked into the air. Everyone suddenly realised that Thorin must have arrived.
"He is here." Gandalf whispered and Bilbo walked to the door, a little nervous about who or what was able to make the dwarves fall silent so suddenly. The door was opened and there stood Thorin Oakenshield.
"Sorry I'm late. I got lost, twice." Thorin said, striding into the house and Eliza had to cover her mouth behind her ale to hide the giggle that threatened to escape. The idea of their leader, the majestic Thorin Oakenshield, getting lost in the Shire was a strange image. She was certain that he would not have asked for directions and instead would've stomped around angrily, generating furious looks from the Shire folk.
"It's good to see you Thorin." Balin said, breaking the silence that had fallen over the dwarves and soon everyone was talking again, although slightly quieter than they had been before. Thorin looked around and his eyes fell on Bilbo Baggins.
"So," he said, with a smirk playing on his lips "This is the burglar. Looks more of a grocer than a burglar." The rest of the company let out a roar of laughter and it seemed everyone but Eliza and Bilbo had found the joke absolutely hilarious. Even Gandalf had let out a chortle but Eliza noticed that when Thorin's back was turned, the smile fell from Gandalf's face and he looked apologetically at Bilbo who looked positively furious.
Indeed, Mr Baggins was furious. This stranger had waltzed into his house without so much as a 'good evening' or a 'nice to meet you'. At least the others who had invaded his house at least had the decency to introduce themselves but this, this brute, clearly thought himself better than everyone else and if there was one thing that angered Bilbo Baggins more than anything else, it was big-headed people. And then, the dwarf had the cheek to insult him when he had so graciously allowed him into his home! Bilbo hated confrontation but in this particular case, he refused to let Thorin get away with it. He straightened his back and strode over to where the newest addition had taken a seat and he stood there bristling like an angry cat.
Eliza had noticed Bilbo's angry expression and she silently prayed that the hobbit wouldn't be stupid enough to shout at Thorin. However, when he cleared his throat and tapped the dwarf on his heavily armed shoulder, she realised that the hobbit was intent on letting Thorin know exactly what he thought of his rude, but typical of the dwarven prince, entrance.
"Excuse me!" Bilbo said loudly over the dwarves chatter. Everyone fell silent and turned their attention to the fuming hobbit.
"I would like to know exactly why you have all, very rudely may I add, entered my house and completely destroyed my food supplies! I would especially like to know why you," he pointed at Thorin now "believe yourself to be so... so special that you can disrespect me!" The dwarves were looking wide eyed at the hobbit and Thorin raised his eyebrows.
"And how exactly have I disrespected you, halfling?" He thundered and Bilbo looked outraged.
"How- how have you disrespected me?! Well for starters you had the complete cheek to storm into my house without so much as a hello directed towards me. Then you completely ignore me, even though it is my house you and your friends have so rudely invaded! Why, the only thing you have said to me at all since your entrance was a one sentence insult! Even now, you don't even have the decency to call me by my name so I will not call you by yours, you selfish... BRUTE!" The other dwarves gaped at Bilbo and even the hobbit himself was shocked at his Tookish outburst.
"Do you know who I am?" Thorin snarled
"What?" Bilbo looked at the dwarven king with panic etched on his features. He hadn't meant to call him a brute to his face. Now he was in for it.
"I said, do. You. Know. Who. I. Am." The dwarf thundered, separating each individual word and his company shrunk away from the authority in his tone.
"No." Squeaked Bilbo.
"My name is Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thrór. I am the heir to the throne of Erebor. I am the leader of my people. I am anything but selfish. I am royalty and I will call you what I please, halfling." Thorin told Bilbo before turning his back on the shaking hobbit. Despite his anger at having been called a selfish brute, Thorin's faith in Gandalf had been partly restored. Even though then hobbits courage had disappeared now, it had definitely been there. Yes, there was certainly more to the halfling than met the eye. Perhaps he wouldn't be such a useless addition to the company.
"You all know what we're here to discuss. Years ago, the kingdom of Erebor was stolen from us by that great worm, Smaug." Thorin repeated the story of the loss of Erebor, and spoke of the mission to gain it back. Obviously the company already knew this, Thorin was merely repeating it for the benefit of Bilbo who listened with rapt attention, like a child listening to a fairy tale.
"This has been in my possession for some time." Gandalf finally spoke after Thorin had finished his tale and everyone at the table turned to look as the wizard withdrew a key from his robes. "A key to Erebor, but not the main key."
"If there's a key, there must be a door... THERE'S ANOTHER WAY IN!" Kili shouted in realisation and whilst Fili turned to look at him in pride, the rest of the company rolled their eyes at Kili's obvious statement.
"Indeed there is. If you can find the other entrance, perhaps you have a chance of defeating the dragon." Gandalf told them and for the first time that evening, a smile found its way onto Thorin Oakenshield's face. It didn't stay there long though, as Bilbo decided to speak up.
"Hang on, you're planning to kill a dragon?" He said in pure disbelief
"Yes, halfling. What is wrong with that?" Thorin asked in annoyance, as though Bilbo were some irritating fly that kept buzzing around his head.
"Well no offence but that's not really going to happen is it? I mean, come on, there's only 16 of you and you don't seem to be the best fighters in the world." Bilbo said, looking round his table at the unlikely group of people.
At first the company were angered by Bilbo's statement but as they looked around, the harsh reality of his words sunk in. After all, they weren't the best fighters, not by any stretch of the imagination, nor where there many of them. They looked around at Oin, who was so deaf he could barely hear people talking let alone hear an enemy sneaking up on him. Their gaze fell on Ori who preferred to write or draw rather than fight and whose weapon of choice was a handcrafted slingshot. They stared at Sterling who they had all seen break down when he had killed an Orc. Bilbo was right, what kind of chance did they have really?
Not to be put down by the hobbits words, Fili piped up.
"We might not be the best fighters but we're determined!" He said.
"Yeah, and we stick together. Think of what we've already got through." Eliza added, smiling at the men around her.
"And we have the white wizard, that's got to count for something!" Kili chipped in.
"He's right! Gandalf will have killed tonnes of dragons in his time!" Ori shouted, standing up from between Dwalin and Dori. Gandalf choked on his pipe at this comment. The smile had returned to Thorin's face and he addressed his loyal companions.
"No, we aren't the best. But I'd rather have every dwarf here rather than the best armies in all of middle earth because you all came to help when I asked. I could not ask for better companions." He praised them and everyone toasted to that (all except Sterling who Eliza had decided had drunk enough ale for one night).
"So, Mr Baggins, are you going to join us?" Eliza asked the hobbit who turned to face her startled.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Are you joining us on our quest to regain Erebor. That's why we're here, to ask you to be our burglar on the journey." She clarified for Bilbo who stared back in a mix of shock and horror.
"Me. Go on an adventure?"
"Yes, Mr Baggins. An adventure!" Kili grinned at the hobbit.
"We've got the contract here for you to sign." Balin told him, taking the contract out of his pocket and passing it to the hobbit who snatched it and began to read, his nose practically touching the parchment. He mumbled as he read.
"The journey includes food, transport etc... Funeral arrangements? Death by lacerations, starvation... INCINERATION?!" Bilbo looked up at them in complete shock and many of the dwarves were beginning to doubt whether or not Bilbo Baggins was a real burglar.
"Aye laddy. He'll burn the skin off yer in a blink o' the eye." Bofur told him
"No, no I can't do this." Bilbo muttered
"It's easy lad. Just think furnace with wings. Searing pain and then poof! Yer nothin' more than a pile o' ash." Bofur added, thinking he was being helpful which, obviously, he wasn't.
"Are you ok, Mr Baggins?" Eliza asked, noticing that the hobbit looked quite pale.
"I'm okay, I'm okay." He froze and lifted his head "Nope." Was the last thing he said before his legs gave way and he collapsed to the floor.
"Is he alright?" Ori asked, concerned for the well being of their host who was lying on the floor, completely still.
"He'll be fine, Mr Ori. We just need to sit him in a chair." Gandalf instructed and he watched in slight amusement as Nori and Oin carried the hobbit onto a patchwork chair. When Bilbo woke up, the wizard was going to have a lot of convincing to do...
The company left Mr Baggins house a few hours later, their bellies full but still with the same number of members. When Bilbo had finally woken up Gandalf had spoken to him about his brave Took ancestors and had argued with the middle aged hobbit that he couldn't spend his whole life in Bag End doing nothing useful with his life. However, despite all Gandalf's attempts to convince Bilbo to join the company, the hobbit was having none of it and his answer was still a firm no.
Thorin and the majority of his company were happy to accept this as his final answer but Gandalf had convinced them to stay in the Green Dragon inn overnight and to depart in the morning. He had agreed that if Bilbo was not there by that time then he was a lost cause and they would set off on their journey without him.
There were mixed opinions over whether or not the hobbit would join them or not and so that night, in the inn the group made bets on whether or not he would join them or not. In the end those who said he would join were Sterling, Eliza, Gandalf, Kili, Ori and, to many people's surprise, Nori. Everyone else bet on him not joining them and although Thorin refused to participate in the bet, it was clear he thought the hobbit would never show.
In the early hours of the morning the company departed into their separate rooms, all wondering what the morning light would bring and more specifically whether it would bring them their hobbit burglar...