I am so sorry its been awhile since I have updated my work schedule has kept me really busy so I may only update once or twice a week. I apologize for making you wait and I hope you are still enjoying the story as much as I enjoy writing it!
Kierielle had been sitting in the entrance way for had felt like a lifetime when Thorin and Gandalf finally emerged from the back room. Thorin only glared at her with his piercing blue eyes not saying a word as he entered the dining room where his kin was waiting for him. Kierielle had been expecting as much after all it did not seem likely in the first place that he would have agreed to let her come so she stood from her spot on the bench before beginning to gather her things. That was when she heard someone clear their throat nearby and her head shot up to see Gandalf still standing in the hallway. He was looking at her with an amused look in his eyes and while she raised an eyebrow questioningly he motioned for her to join them. It took everything she had not to scream at the top of her lungs at that moment and she swallowed her excitement before placing her bow back on the bench and following Gandalf into the room. The dwarves in the room only looked up for a second glancing at her then at Thorin before seeming to shrug it off and continue their conversation. All except for the dark haired dwarf whose eyes seemed to linger on her slightly longer before he was nudged by one of the dwarves next to him. But despite that he still had a smirk upon his lips which made Kierielle both nervous and excited all at once to start on this grand adventure.
While Kierielle had been distracted with thoughts of her own the dwarves had begun their own conversation and it was not until she heard the hobbit pipe up
''You're going on a quest?'' that she suddenly became interested.
She thought it was peculiar that Gandalf had not told the hobbit of the quest after all was he not supposed to be the burglar or something of the sort? She turned and raised her eyebrow at the wizard but he did not take notice and simply replied to Bilbo
''Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light.''
It was then that Bilbo left the room and retrieved a candle as Gandalf reached into his pocket and revealed a map laying it flat out on the table before them. The room had suddenly gotten quiet and Kierielle along with Mr. Baggins and the company of dwarves leaned in for a closer look.
''Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak'' Gandalf began to speak and Bilbo leaned closer with the candle reading the map himself
''The Lonely Mountain'' he said aloud and Kierielle began to read the map to herself trying to decipher what exactly their quest was.
''Aye. Oin has read the Portents and the portents say it is time'' one of the dwarves spoke up and another whom she assumed was Oin continued.
''Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end''.
At the sound of a beast Kierielle began to get excited looking at the map she had noticed the image of the dragon near the lonely mountain and she could only assume this was the beast they were referring to. Bilbo on the other hand did not seem as excited.
''Uh, What Beast?'' his voice came and the dwarves stopped and looked at him before one wearing an odd looking hat began to speak up
''Well that would be a reference to Smaug the terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Air-borne fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals..''.
''Yes I know what a dragon is''
Kierielle looked over at the hobbit who seemed like he was getting a little queasy over the whole situation and she figured it was understandable after all from what she knew of hobbits they did not crave adventure as dwarves did. She on the other hand was thrilled, an adventure was one thing but a dragon? That was a whole other thing altogether not only would she cross middle earth she would actually see and possibly fight a real dragon.
It was then that things began to get a little out of control and the dwarves began to shout about how they were not afraid of the dragon and about how even there was only few of them they were fighters. And when the question of how many dragons Gandalf had killed came up they all turned their attention to him.
''oh well now I wouldn't say that I -I -I'' he responded and Kierielle muffled a giggle when it was becoming increasingly obvious that he had about as much as experience with dragons as she had.
''How many then?''
''Uh, what?''
''Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on give us a number!'' and it was then that Gandalf choked on his smoke and the rest of the dwarves began to argue over the number of dragons Gandalf had actually killed.
''Shazara! If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look East to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we sieze the chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekar Du Bekar!'' Thorin spoke up and the rest of the dwarves cheered.
Even Kierielle had to admit he was a natural born leader and it was not even her homeland and yet she was inspired to help the dwarves win it back no matter what happened. In fact the more she was beginning to hear about the quest the even more excited she was becoming. They had went on with Gandalf revealing a key to a hidden door and talking of another way in. When he mentioned the runes it was the first time they had caught her eye and she examined them on the map thinking to herself that if anyone could read them it would be Lord Elrond. And she would have said so to had it not been for the look Gandalf had given her when she opened her mouth to do so.
''There's another way in!'' the dark hair dwarf exclaimed and Kierielle caught his gaze before he looked over at Gandalf once more.
''Well if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle Earth who can'' he paused shooting Kierielle a look before continuing on.
''The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage. But if we are careful and clever I believe it can be done'' he finished and that was when the dwarves turned their attention to Bilbo once more who had been oddly silent the whole time.
''That's why we need a burglar'' one dwarf spoke up and Bilbo nodded looking at the map before responding
''Hm, a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine''
''And are you?'' '
'Am I what?''
''He said he's an expert!'' another dwarf shouted out and Kierielle looked desperately from Gandalf to Bilbo wondering when he was going to jump in and save the poor hobbit.
''Me-e? No no no no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life '' Bilbo exclaimed.
''I'm afraid I have to agree Mr. Baggins he is hardly burglar material'' The dwarf with a white beard sitting closest to Thorin spoke up and the one near with him a balding head agreed '
'Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves''.
Kierielle was about to defend the poor hobbit when Gandalf finally spoke up explaining why he had chosen Bilbo in the first place and though he seemed very reluctant and disagreeable he was handed a contract.
''Give the she-elf one too Balin I will not be responsible for her'' Thorin added as an after thought and Balin the dwarf with a white beard handed her a contract as well.
Kierielle simply scanned the document half listening as Bilbo read his aloud and signed her name at the bottom before pushing it back towards Balin with a smile. Meanwhile Bilbo was not doing so well he had stopped reading at incineration pausing to look up looking a little overwhelmed from what Kierielle could see.
''oh aye, he'll melt the flesh off of your bones in the blink of an eye'' The dwarf in the hat spoke up and Kierielle shot him a glare though he ignored her.
''huh'' was Bilbo's response and Kierielle moved over to where the hobbit stood in the hallway with the contract in his hands.
''Are you alright master hobbit?'' she spoke stepping a bit closer as he leaned over looking quite pale and nauseous.
''uh yeah..feel a bit faint'' he replied and she raised her eyebrow in concern.
''Think furnace with wings'' the dwarf shouted out and Kierielle shot another glare at him
''Excuse me!'' she snapped at him but he simply continued
''Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more then a pile of ash'' Kierielle resisted the urge to rush over and smack the stupid dwarf when Bilbo collapsed to the floor she knelt beside him lifting him in her arms and looking from the dwarves to Gandalf.
''Well done you've scared him half to death and what so you could have a few laughs?'' she snapped before turning on her heel and bringing the hobbit to the nearest bed she could find.
Gandalf was the one to follow her into the room giving her a disapproving look but she ignored him as she exited the room waiting for the dwarves to retire to the sitting room before she made her way into the kitchen. She brewed a pot of tea adding some calming herbs from her pouch into it before pouring it into a cup and returning to the room where she had left him. When she entered he was awake and Kierielle smiled at the sight approaching his bedside and offering him the tea
''Here you are Mr. Baggins I've added some calming herbs it should help'' she spoke and he took the tea from her with a small smile '
'Thank you miss..'' he paused and she smiled softly
''Kierielle is my name and it was not a problem'' she replied and he took a sip from the tea. Gandalf cleared his throat looking at Kierielle before speaking
''I would like a word with Bilbo please'' and with that she nodded giving Bilbo one last smile before leaving the room altogether.
She did not join the dwarves in the sitting room knowing she would not be welcomed instead she took a seat in one of the upholstered chairs in the hallway putting her feet up on a nearby box and closing her eyes.
''I don't think our hobbit friend would appreciate you putting your feet on his furniture''a voice spoke causing her to jump removing her feet and opening her eyes only to see the familiar smirking dark haired dwarf in front of her.
He took a seat on the box she had removed her feet from and Kierielle raised her eyebrow slightly at him.
''What makes you say that?'' she asked and he grinned
''I tried to wipe my boots on something earlier and he nearly threw a fit'' he replied and she couldn't help but smile back before looking down at her hands in her lap. '
'I'm Kili by the way, I never did get the chance to introduce myself'' he spoke and she began to feel slightly embarrassed for her actions earlier that day.
''I'm Kierielle and thank you for sticking up for me earlier you did not have to do that'' she replied and Kili smiled shaking his head slightly in response.
''But may I ask why did you do it? You owe me nothing and it is obvious the others have something against me being here'' she asked eyeing him slightly to see if she could read him but he simply smiled.
''Because I do think you will be an asset to our group after all I saw you face down those bandits today''
''But you did not see me fight'' she replied confused and Kili grinned even wider shrugging his shoulders as he stood from his spot and began to head back towards the other room '
'Well I'm sure I would have but some jerk got in your way'' he called out shooting her one last smirk before leaving her with her own thoughts.
Later that evening Gandalf returned from Bilbo's room entering the sitting room and because there was no chatter Kierielle stayed put in her chair thinking of the adventure that laid before her. The dwarves began to sing in the other room and though the sound was beautiful as she listened to the lyrics her heart began to break for them and what Smaug had taken from them. And it was that night before she fell asleep that she swore she would help them regain what was theirs, she would help them take back Erebor no matter the risk.