Thank you for the fantastic support for this story! You're all absolutely wonderful. :)

loveorpain: Lol, I wouldn't say Thorin and Talaitha experienced love at first sight. Maybe intrigue at first sight instead?

TheStarfish: I grin every time I the notification emails that someone's responded to this story, so if you're vain, then I am, too. But really, you're too kind. As for Thorin's attitude towards Talaitha, it's not too difficult to keep him in character when he barely speaks to her, haha. Someone is always interrupting them for a reason. ;) Talaitha's rejoining them in Rivendell has a purpose, which you'll learn about a bit in this chapter.

Malffinka: Thank you!

Navy Reservist: I shall never abandon this story! It's too near and dear to my heart. I'm just awfully busy lately.

Karana: *dances and prances* A fellow Hungarian! It was important to me to include Hungarian in this, because very few people write about Hungarian folklore/myth, so I figured that would make my story a little more unique.

You'll find character images and pronunciation guides for the Hungarian words on my profile. Check them out!

Enjoy! :)

Chapter 4: He's Going on an Adventure!

The next morning, Talaitha awoke feeling warm and content. A soft, heavy garment covered her, and the first thing she noticed was the distinctly male scent that emanated from it. She smelled pipe smoke, earth, and something faintly musky. They were unfamiliar aromas yet inexplicably comforting ones, as well.

As she sat up, a leather coat slipped from her shoulders. That explained the weight, then. She felt the fur around the collar, attempting to match the coat with its owner. With a start, she realized it belonged to Thorin. Talaitha was alone in the den now, but surely the dwarves had seen her asleep in their leader's coat when they had awoken. A blush crept into her cheeks. She tugged on the coat, avoiding the kitchen where the dwarves were preparing breakfast, and went outside.

She found Thorin readying the ponies. Szélvész nickered a greeting to her, which drew the dwarf's attention. He smirked when he saw how large his coat was on her, how the sleeves drowned her arms and the bottom hem brushed the grass. For reasons yet unknown to him, the sight sent a tendril of warmth through him.

"Good morning."

"Morning," Talaitha replied. She shrugged off the coat and held it out to him. "Thank you. It kept me quite warm during the night."

Thorin nodded, their fingers briefly touching as he took his coat from her. Talaitha approached Szélvész to stroke her velvety nose. The small black and white horse affectionately nuzzled Talaitha's cheek, and the woman smiled.

"So she's yours, then," Thorin murmured darkly.

Talaitha's arm slid protectively around Szélvész's neck. "Yes," she affirmed, frowning, "she's mine."

"She nearly bit me."

Talaitha studied him for a moment, then laughed.

"I'm sorry, Szélvész is a bit wary of strangers. Please don't take it personally." She turned to the mare and admonished her with a gentle poke to her nose, earning a playful nudge in response. "You must be nice to him, Szélvész. He's a king, you know."

The horse eyed Thorin dubiously, as though she had understood her mistress' words but did not believe them, and whinnied softly at him. Thorin felt that a truce had settled between them. Before he could voice his surprise, Kíli poked his head out the door to tell them that breakfast was ready.

There was enough food left to make a decent meal of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and tomatoes, and Talaitha managed to salvage a plate for Bilbo. After they finished breakfast, she helped the dwarves clean up both the kitchen and the rest of the house, smiling once the rooms no longer bore evidence of last night's party.

She joined the Company outside, while they mounted their ponies. Szélvész observed the process with alert ears, but when Bifur and Bombur moved too close to her, they flattened suspiciously. Talaitha flashed her a pointed look. The mare snorted but left the dwarves alone.

As the Company prepared to depart, Talaitha bid them farewell. "I wish you a safe and successful journey," she said, her gaze passing over each of the dwarves. When it reached Gandalf, however, she smiled slyly. Unbeknownst to his companions, she would be seeing them again very soon. "May the blessings of Aulë and all the Valar go with you."

Thorin was the last to acknowledge her, giving her a small nod and a lingering glance, before leading the Company from Bag End. Talaitha remained on the porch, until they disappeared around the bend.

When she returned inside, Bilbo was already awake and exploring the house. She looked on in amusement as he peered under cushions and poked his head into the fireplace. Seemingly satisfied with his inspection, he finally noticed her.

"Everything's clean," he observed. "How?"

Talaitha shrugged. "The dwarves felt bad about the mess and cleaned it up."

Bilbo nodded and moved into the hall, staring at the contract that lay on a table. Thorin's and Balin's signatures were on it, but the space for "burglar" was empty. His hand twitched towards the paper, then he cleared his throat.

"Did the dwarves happen to leave me something to eat?"

"They really went at it," replied Talaitha, "but I was able to save you breakfast."

She warmed up the bacon and eggs in a pan over the fire and sat with Bilbo while he ate. Neither spoke during the meal. Bilbo seemed pensive, and Talaitha was content to leave him to his thoughts.

Once he had finished eating, however, he remarked, "So, they've gone on their quest."

"It would appear so," Talaitha agreed. She observed him as he gazed outside the window. "Don't you want to use your maps and meet the people from your books?" she asked him suddenly.

Startled, Bilbo's attention shifted to her. "I don't even know how to fight."

"You'll learn," she said offhand. "I did."

"Need I remind you that there's a dragon waiting at the end of it?"

"There is," she nodded. "But remember how many times you've accidentally sneaked up on me? Smaug might not even notice you're there."

"It'll be cold, dirty, and wet," Bilbo protested. "And I'll have to sleep on the ground."

"Yes, but isn't it worth it to see the wonders of Middle-earth? You'll get to meet the elves, stroll around Rivendell, and witness as Erebor is restored to its former glory."

Bilbo considered her words, but Talaitha had seen the spark of excitement in his eyes. She knew his decision before he even voiced it.

"Yes, it is," he declared, then rushed around the house, hastily stuffing clothes and food and even a book into a leather pack. He signed the contract and shoved that into his bag, too. "Are you coming?"

"Not yet," she said. "I have two snakebite victims to treat in Chetwood first." Talaitha smiled at her friend fondly. "But we'll meet again soon, I promise."

His face fell, despite the assurance. "So I'm going to be traveling with thirteen dwarves, and I won't even have a buffer?"

"Gandalf can be your buffer," she suggested.

"Oh, yes, the wizard" muttered Bilbo. "He was the one who got me into this mess."

Talaitha laughed. "Like I said, we'll meet again soon. Until then, think about the fact that you'll have enough adventures to write a book of your own."

The prospect appeared to mollify him, but he was not so distracted that he forgot to remind her to lock the door when she left. She laughed and pulled him into a hug, which he readily returned.

When Talaitha released him, Bilbo cleared his throat and said, "Right, I suppose I'll be off now. I've a bit of catching up to do, I imagine."

They said their goodbyes, then he was sprinting down the path and leaping over fences. The world, with all its wonders and perils, lay ahead.