The trolls took a long while arguing over what to do with the dwarves now that they had plenty of food. They had already eaten supper, so it seemed fitting that they roast them now and save them for another time. They tied several to the splint over the fire and shoved the rest into sacks for later.
"No good roastin' 'em now," said a voice, "Might as well just stuff 'em all."
"Now don't go starting that again!" said one troll to the other, who looked very confused and offended.
"Who's startin' anything! Yer the one talkin' to yerself!"
Thus the argument began all over again. I'm afraid trolls do behave that way, even those with only one head. In any case, it was eventually decided that the dwarves should be minced into fine little pieces and boiled. But then the strange voice spoke again.
"The river is a good ways away, it would take all night."
"If you keep blabbering like that," said one troll as he shoved another, "It will take all night! And for that you can get the water yerself!"
Rose sat helplessly in her sack listening to the trolls argue over how they were to be killed. From beyond the trees she could see a faint ray of sun as the stars began to die and the world awakened. Finally the trolls settled on sitting on each of them, one by one, and squishing them to jelly.
"Which one should go first?"
"The one who hit me with a rock," said the strange voice.
"What are you talking about? They hit me with the rock!"
"Have you gone mad? Yer yellin' at yerself!"
"Don't play dumb, ya booby!"
"Booby yerself!"
"May the dawn take you all! And be stone to you!"
Gandalf popped out from the trees just as the sun came over the horizon. The trolls screamed in agony and rage as the light burned their skin and they became the stuff of the mountains in which they were made of. Now they stand there to this day, alone except for the birds that perch on them. The company cheered happily at the return of the wizard, who had saved their lives and played for time. He, of course, was the strange voice they heard.
Thorin came bounding up to his wife the moment his sack was removed. It didn't take long to see he was still upset with her for going against orders and leaving to find Fili, Kili, and Bilbo herself. He took hold of the sack she was still in and with a sharp jerk cast it to the ground.
"What on earth did you think you were doing?"
"I was only trying to help-"
"You nearly got yourself killed. I had to watch as they held a knife to your throat!"
The rest of the company was sure to keep a good distance between the two, busying themselves with their work and acting as if there wasn't an argument going on just feet away. Rose stood silent, unsure of what to say or do. Fortunately she didn't have to say anything.
"She was right to worry," said Bilbo, quickly coming to her aid. "I had been faced with more than I could manage, and if it weren't for Rose-" he blushed when he said her name "-I would have been roasted over the fire and tortured until I revealed where the rest of you were. She saved us all." Thorin turned his anger on the hobbit.
"And just why did you come so close to their campsite? You were told to investigate and come back with news. Because of you we were all in danger." Before he could give Bilbo a chance to speak, he stepped forward menacingly. "I saw what happened, just before they took Rose. You jumped into the bushes and allowed her to be taken instead!"
"I thought she was just behind me- I, I didn't-"
"Clearly," Thorin growled, "You were only thinking of yourself. What does it matter if anything happens to her or anyone else here? As long as you're a safe distance away from danger it's no concern to you!"
"Thorin!" Rose and Gandalf snapped at the same time. Instead of arguing further, the prince stormed away and readied his pony without bothering to see if anyone else was ready.
The day Gandalf disappeared, he ventured ahead to make sure their path was safe enough to cross into Rivendell and meet the elves of the Last Homely House east of the sea. Their path was soon to grow more dangerous and difficult, as you probably know from the trolls, and when he learned all he needed to, he looked back to see the campfire and immediately knew there was trouble. The dwarves were not so happy about staying in the home of elves, and even though they had no quarrel with Elrond's people in particular, they grumbled at the notion. The thought of gaining food and a safe place to rest quickly changed their minds.
Not far from where the trolls camp lay was an old cave that smelled of death. Corpses of different creatures littered the entrance way, surrounded by flies and other scavengers that picked the flesh clean off their bones. Gandalf agreed to go inside with Thorin, Dwalin, Bofur, Gloin, and Nori while the rest were content with waiting outside. Upon seeing his chance, Bilbo approached Rose where she stood playing a game of Mahal in the Middle with her nephews. She tossed a rock carefully over Fili's head and straight to Kili, who jumped up and caught it with a huge grin on his face.
"No fair," Fili protested, "You aim too high!" His brother smiled.
"Even if you had wings to fly up and take the stone, you still wouldn't reach it. You never were very good at this game, brother."
"If I had any say in the matter, we'd have a drag race. But you would ruin your pretty hair."
He flipped his blonde tresses over his shoulder, batting his eyes mockingly. For that, Kili launched the rock straight into his brother's back. The two immediately started wrestling, jumping through the air and rolling on the ground in an attempt to pin the other first. While they were occupied, Bilbo cleared his throat.
"Um- My Lady," he said awkwardly, "I just wanted to apologize for what happened the other night. Thorin was right all along, it should have been me that was taken. Perhaps I should never have stepped foot outside my door."
Rose gave him a kind smile. "Don't believe everything my husband tells you. You are more important than you realize, Bilbo." She squeezed the back of his hand as he fumbled them around anxiously. "Besides, there is nothing to forgive."
When she saw her husband exit from the troll's hoard, Rose caught the rock Kili tossed to her and the game was ended. Fili would have to wait for another day for a chance at defeating either his brother or aunt. Thorin walked directly to Rose carrying two beautiful swords that were obviously of elvish make. They looked like a matching set, although one of the blades was about an inch longer than its counterpart. With some reluctance, he held out the smaller one to Rose.
"This is yours from now on. I don't very much like the idea of you having to use it, but if you must then use it well."
Thorin wore his usual stony expression as he handed it off. She stepped forward and planted a kiss on his cheek, pleased to see that he relaxed at least a small degree, before turning away and tying her new weapon around her waist. It felt a little odd in her hands when she unsheathed it, no doubt because it was made for someone twice her size, but Rose figured she would soon get used to the weapon. She looked over to see Bilbo holding a small blade of his own and smiled.
"We match," she said when she caught his eye. The two smiled and went back to their business.
With the weapons they gathered what food looked edible, some ale, and a few chests of silver and gold trinkets some of the dwarves decided to bury for if they came back on a return journey. Gloin, Nori, and Bofur were busy digging a hole deep enough which caused Dwalin to roll his eyes and Rose to shake her head slowly. Even with the vast amount in Erebor, it never seemed enough.
Over the next few days the company grew more weary and quiet. They could almost sense the danger that was close ahead, and it unsettled their nerves. Every so often, Rose would glance over at her husband or back towards Fili and Kili to make sure they were alright. One day they came across a shallow river easy to ride through, and just beyond lay numerous mountain peaks topped with snow. Bilbo's eyes widened with reverence.
"Is that the Mountain?" he asked solemnly.
"Of course not," Bofur said in his usual cheerful tone, "That is the beginning of the Misty Mountains. We have to cross those before crossing the Edge of the Wild. Even then it will take much longer before we reach the Lonely Mountain."
"Oh." Suddenly Bilbo grew very tired, still wishing to be inside his nice hobbit hole reading a book while his supper cooked over the fire.
The paths through the Misty Mountains were very dangerous. It was only too easy to take one leading a wrong way, and in the event that happened you had to go back and start from the beginning- assuming you lived to do so. There were many dark, evil places filled with goblins and other ancient beasts, and few travelers ever ventured through them. The company's best bet was to find Rivendell and seek advice from Lord Elrond- he and his people, who lived just at the base of the Misty Mountains, would know which path would lead them through.
It took another day before they could find Rivendell, but when they finally did they found the doors open wide and the elves already waiting for them.
"Ah!" said Gandalf when an elf came down to greet them. "Limir!"
"Mithrandir!"
The dwarves huddled in a tight circle, whispering among themselves like gossiping adolescents as the elf approached. He made small talk with Gandalf briefly in a language none of the others could understand until finally Lord Elrond ascended the staircase to see the new visitors. He was tall and fair, with long dark hair that settled neatly on his back. He was as wise as the oldest wizard (and far older, though he didn't look it) and as kind as summer. He greeted Gandalf in a similar fashion as the first elf before addressing the leader of the company.
"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."
Thorin eyed him suspiciously. "I do not believe we have met."
"I knew your grandfather when he ruled under the mountain. He was a great leader."
"Is that so? He made no mention of you."
Elrond passed him as if he hadn't heard the last statement, though elves have far better hearing than any other race in Middle Earth. He invited them to stay as long as they needed and freshen up before the evening meal was ready. As soon as he walked away, Rose elbowed Thorin gently.
"Behave," she said through gritted teeth. He flashed her a smirk and followed Gandalf into one of the many white buildings that lay before them.
A/N: Me again. As you probably guessed by now, I took out the scene with Radagast. I feel like if he were an important character, Tolkien would have made it that way (in fact, he's only mentioned all of once in the book, where Gandalf refers to him as his cousin). Also, the relationship between the dwarves and elves is still somewhat strained, but unlike the movie I decided to have less drama with Thorin and his whole they-did-something-to-us-eons-ago-so-I-still-hate- them grudge. When I think about it, it kind of makes him sound like a teenage girl. Currently working on Chapter 10 or so, I have a lot of editing and writing to do. I also have a good idea of what happens in the end, which I love in this version, but more of that later. Till next time.