Everyone gathered in the hallway as their Hobbit host opened the door to the last member of their group, Amara's gaze landing on their glorious leader that stood outside the door.
Thorin's gaze shifted inside the house as the door opened, catching Amara's gaze for a moment before glancing at the wizard.
"Gandalf." He greeted, a small smile playing on his lips as he stepped inside. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find." He said, eyebrow slightly raised as he stared at the gray wizard.
If Amara hadn't known better, she could have sworn this was a different home entirely compared to just two minutes ago. The air in the house change extremely with the presence of Thorin. It was as if every Dwarf in the house knew their time to joke and play, and when the time decreed for more serious matters.
"I lost my way. Twice." Thorin stated, hearing a quiet snicker as his gaze flickered to Amara for a moment, who quickly fell silent before he returned his attention back to Gandalf. "I wouldn't have found it if it weren't for the mark on the door.
Amara fell a gently tug on her shirt, glancing back as he found Kili, exchanging grins with each other before she stepped back.
Bilbo was quick to interject. "Mark? There is no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" He said, squeezing through the group of Dwarves as Gandalf shut the door before he could assess whatever mark that was being talked about.
"There is a mark. I put it there myself." Gandalf told him, as if to reassure the poor Hobbit but Amara was sure it only helped to stress him out more. How was it he was still standing even?
Thorin glanced over at his Nephews, a small smile crossing his lips as he was glad to see they had arrived safe and sound, as well as Amara.
"Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakensheild." Gandalf folded his hands in front of his as he let the Dwarven leader judge his choice for himself.
Handing his coat to Kili, Thorin stepped forward as he looked at the burglar. "So," He crossed his arms over his chest, eyebrows raised ever so slightly. "This is the Hobbit."
Amara watched as Bilbo took a uncertain step back, clearly intimidated by the brute that was Thorin. She took her place beside Fili, knowing there was a time and place for everything and right now was no time to interrupt.
"Tell me Mr Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin interrogated, circling him as he eyed him like a predator would do to its prey.
"Pardon me?" Bilbo quipped out, confused by the question.
"Axe or sword?" Thorin pressed on, coming to stand in front of him once again. "Whats your weapon of choice?"
"Oh boy." Amara put her face into her palm, shaking her head a bit. This was going sour, and quickly.
"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know..." Bilbo trailed off as he stared at the Dwarf in front of him, swallowing once. "But I fail to see why that's relevant." He finished off with less effort.
Thorin let out a thin breath. "Thought as much." He said, glancing back at the others. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." He stated.
Though Amara couldn't agree more, she did feel like that was going a bit far. Insulting one within their own home. But it seemed she was the only one who thought as much as the rest of them chuckled at the comment, before retreating back into the dining room.
Standing in the living room quietly, Amara stared into the fire. She had opted out of sitting around the table to hear the stories that she had grew up on. The tales of the lonely mountain. On top of which, she could hear everything that was being said from the room across the hall anyway.
"So its just the fourteen of us.." Amara mused quietly, picking up the poker as she stabbed the logs inside the fire. "I fail to see how this cannot go wrong." She sighed softly to herself.
"I think it's cause you're looking at the glass half empty." A voice piped up from behind her, glancing back as she found Fili walking up behind her. She smiled lightly, replacing the poker before standing up again.
"Not gonna sit through the speech?" She asked curiously, throwing a smile in his direction. It wasn't so much that she was looking at it in a bad way, more so that there was no room for error on her behalf.
Fili felt his lips turn upward at the sight of her smile, walking over to her side as he looked into the fire. "Nah. I think Kili's more interested in hearing our Uncle's speeches anyway." He chuckled lightly. "We have a map and a key, so at least we know where to go." He glanced over at her.
Amara raised an eyebrow in his direction, as if almost daring him to say what was on his mind. She had an inkling that she would be getting this speech alot during this journey. She almost wondered just how far until they gave up on sending her home?
Fili felt a grin tug at his lips, watching the look she gave him before holding his hands up in the air. "I wasn't going to say a thing." He said, as he knew just how stubborn she could get, and after being together since they were pretty much born, he wouldn't be surprised if she knew just what was going on in his head before he even said it.
Amara nodded with a huff. "Good." She said, jabbing him in the ribs playfully. It was then she heard Gandalf's voice raise from the dining room, tearing both of their attentions towards the hallway. Creeping over to the door, she peered out curiously. Bilbo stepped out of the dining room, a long piece of parchment in his hands.
"I-Incineration?" The Hobbit asked incredulously, looking back at the Dwarves as if they were crazy.
"Oh aye. He'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur nodded, confirming his question.
Amara watched as Bilbo dropped his hands to his sides, letting out a whimper of air. The poor Hobbit didn't know what he was getting himself into. Though, she probably didn't either.
"You alright, laddie?" Balin asked, leaning forward to get a better look at him.
"Uh, yeah." Bilbo leaned forward on his knees, letting out short puffs of air. "I feel a bit faint." He commented, trying to get his head on straight.
"Think furnace with wings!" Amara said, stepping out of the living room as she looked at Bilbo with a smile. "I find its the easiest way to wrap ones head around the idea of a dragon." She tried to help him come to terms with it.
"Air." The Hobbit wheezed out. "I-I need air."
"Flash of light, searing pain, and then, poof!" Amara gestured with her hands, watching as Bilbo went green in the face. "You're nothing more than a pile of ash." She stated, putting her hands on her hips as she grinned proudly for her contribution.
Unfortunately, Bilbo didn't seem to share the same thought process. He hummed once, and Amara held her breath, wondering if he was actually going to stay standing. That was until he muttered a 'nope' and collapsed to the floor with a thud.
"Oh, very helpful Amara." Thorin commented from the kitchen, glancing down the hallway at her. She merely smiled back in his direction. "I'm here to serve." She bowed her head, before trotting back into the living room to rejoin Fili.
With the help of a few pairs of hands, the Dwarves had hauled the fainted Hobbit into his living room chair; Dori had fixed up some tea for him as he came to.
"I'm really sorry, mister Baggins." Amara apologized, standing in front of him as he held his cup of tea. "I thought, since well..you Hobbits don't get out much, I thought you might not get the full idea of a dragon." She stated, rather bullheadedly.
Bilbo shook his hand in front of him. "No no it's alright." He said, dismissing the insult he was sure was laced in there somewhere. "I'll be alright. Just let me sit quietly a moment." He told her, cupping his tea once again.
Gandalf, who had been leaning against the wall quietly up until that point, spoke up. "You have been sitting quietly for far too long." He said, leaving Amara to take a step back and leave the room, giving the two time to talk.
Wandering down the hall in search of the boys, she was stopped by the leader of their company.
"I need to talk to you." Thorin spoke, the tone of voice not to be questioned as he looked at Amara.
Amara fell silent, glancing up at the King before nodding once. As much of a trouble maker she was, she knew there was a time and place for everything. "What is it?" She asked, her tone just as serious. She may have made her smart ass comments up until now, but she wanted Thorin to see her as a part of his company as much as his nephews. She wanted him to know that she was just as serious about this quest as everyone else.
Glancing down the hallway, Thorin pressed his lips together before nodding his head. "Alone." He added in, before heading down the hallway to the front door. Pulling it open, he stepped outside with her.
The cool night breeze felt nice after being cooped up in a house with fifteen other people. Walking over to the fence, she leaned on it as she looked into the distance, admiring the nighttime view.
"I will only ask this once." Thorin stood behind her, watching the carefree girl that stood in front of him. Despite the many years she had been with his nephews, he hadn't gotten to know the girl they spoke so fondly of.
"There's no turning back after this point. Once we leave at dawn, you will officially be a part of this company and will be seeing this to the end." He told her.
Amara felt a small smile tug at her lips, tilting her head back as she looked at Thorin. "That was the idea I had in mind." She said, the smile dropping off her face before turning around to face him. "I'm serious about this Thorin. I want to help you reclaim the mountain as much as the others, on top of making sure your crazy nephews stay alive." She added in, dropping her gaze down to the ground. "I can handle my own. Like I said before, they taught me how to use a bow and arrow and a sword." She glanced at Thorin again, as he stood silently, listening to her. To which she was grateful for.
"I knew just how dangerous this quest was going to be when I came to you in Ered Luin. I know what I signed myself up for, and I'm willing to go through anything for those boys." She told him.
Thorin watched the g̶i̶r̶l woman in front of him, her gaze boring into his own. He was silent for a long while, before let out a sigh. "I will not be held responsible for what may happen to you on this journey." He reminded her. "Just so we're clear."
Amara nodded in understanding. "I know." She told him, standing straight. "I may be a woman but I'm just every bit a Dwarf as everyone else in that house. Excluding the wizard and the Hobbit." She tilted her head to the side in thought.
"Then we're on the same page. Good." Thorin nodded, turning back to the house, pausing for a moment as he glanced back at her. "Welcome to the company, Amara." He told her, before twisting the doorknob and walking back inside the Hobbit hole.
Thorin had twelve others lives to keep care of, not saying he wouldn't watch out for Amara when needed. But he knew that his nephews would protect her with their lives, so he didn't need to worry too much about the woman of the company. He just hoped the two wouldn't let their feelings towards her compromise their quest.
Following Thorin back inside, she overheard Balin approach Thorin. "It appears we have lost our burglar." She heard, quietly shutting the door behind her as she glanced down the hallway, watching as Bilbo disappeared into what she assumed was his bedroom.
"Probably for the best. They odds were always against us." Balin continued, glancing up at Thorin as he leaned against the wall. Thorin let out a quiet sigh, glancing down the hallway as Amara wandered down the hall to find Fili and Kili.
"Heh, hardly the stuff of legend." Balin chuckled quietly. Thorin smiled softly at his old friend. "There are a few warriors amongst us." He reminded him.
Balin shot him a look. "Old warriors." He fired back with a shake of his head.
"I would take each and every one of these Dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills." He told him. "For when I called upon them, they answered." Thorin stepped forward, his words true from his heart. "Loyalty, honor.." His gaze traveled down the hallway where Amara disappeared. "A willing heart.." A ghost of a smile formed on his lips. "I can ask no more than that.."