(Chapter 6) All Over It

Author's Note: So, I posted last chapter and came back to find my inbox filled with notifications. I know I said this last chapter (and maybe the chapter before that) but all of the follows/favorites/reviews are absolutely amazing and I can't tell you how much it inspires me to keep writing. But, enough of that. Onto the good stuff!


"'For your own good' is a persuasive argument that will eventually make a man agree to his own destruction." {Janet Frame}

"Miss Gry, you are to stay." Thorin demanded, strapping on his sword as the rest of the dwarves scrambled to equip themselves for battle with trolls.

"Stay here by myself? At night? Are you mad?" Gry sputtered.

"I do not have time to argue with you when I must go save our other encumbrance."

"Encumbrance? If this is because of the horse—" But Gry didn't bother finishing. Thorin was already hurrying along the path Fíli and Kíli had come from, his nephews ran close after him.

"Come on now, he doesn't mean it badly." Bofur hit her shoulder reassuringly as he passed by her with the rest of the dwarves, leaving her alone by the fire with her arms folded tightly against her chest.

"Of course not." She exhaled angrily. How were they to know that she couldn't use a sword? It was the horse. It had to be. So she'd fallen off. Dwalin said that all of them had—metaphorically—fallen off the horse at one point or another. This was unfair. Gry bent back down to where she had been sitting and picked up the bowl that she had set down in preparation to grab her sword and leave. She angrily shoved a spoonful in her mouth, but just as quickly and vehemently as she put the broth in, she immediately spat it back out as it burned her tongue. Gry let out an angry curse before forcefully setting the bowl down on the ground and pacing back and forth beside it.

"I came to help, and Bilbo needs help, so I should be there helping instead of here, left to watch a camp that has absolutely nothing in it. No ponies. No weapons. I'm sure they don't part with their gold." Gry ranted, ticking off each item on her fingers. "Do they expect me to just sit here and keep the fire going so the soup's warm and waiting for them when they come back? Because if they do…oh, if they do—" she walked over to pot and reached for it. She was seconds away from tipping its contents onto the fire, before managed to stop herself. Her temper had already burned one bridge, and who knew what this action could do. Besides, the pot was probably hot like the soup. Did she want to burn all the bridges, her tongue, and her hands? No. No, she didn't.

Defeated, Gry sat down where she had been, picking up her bowl again and just, stirring the contents. She was acting like a little girl who was willing to do anything to prove herself without actually thinking things through. Angrily throwing the soup around as retribution would do no good. Especially since in her argument as to why she should come the things she mentioned first were all of the more "womanly assets." Maybe somewhere in his head Thorin thought that she wanted to be left behind and was just trying to play brave, and if he did, was he right? Gry sat, staring at her soup, and thinking about it. No, he wasn't. Gry had just said whatever she needed to say to get herself onto this quest. She wanted—no, needed to be out there helping them. But she also had to prove that she could follow orders and was worth keeping. "20 minutes." Gry resolved aloud to herself. "If they're not back in 20 minutes, I'm going after them."

20 minutes passed.

And then 5 more.

There was no sign of them.

Gry grabbed her sword and threw her cloak on. Something had happened. Something bad. They should have been back by now. Gry sprinted down the path, not even thinking about the fact that she had no idea where she was going. As it turned out it didn't matter. The snapped trees and otherwise trampled path made it all too obvious where the trolls and company of dwarves had hurried off to. She could smell it as she got closer too. Smoke filled the air, a fire. Gry's stomach churned as the fire came into view. She dropped into a nearby bush, parting the branches to stare at the scene before her. Three mountainous creatures stood over a turning spit, tied to which were at least a half dozen of the dwarves. Her eyes frantically searched around for the rest and she exhaled as she saw a pile of them in burlap bags. So, nobody had been eaten. Yet.

Gry watched as the trolls placed more logs onto the fire. She had to do something. If she let them all die, Thorin would be right about her. She would be useless. What do you know about trolls? You've heard stories of encounters with them before. Just remember! Gry thought to herself as she stared at her friends slowly roasting over the fire. Her mind drifted back to sitting in a corner of the Prancing Pony, listening to the man with the greying-beard and the wildly curly auburn hair, streaked with grey.

"The thing about trolls is they're slow. Ain't no two ways about it. They're so big it takes them a while to move anywhere, and they ain't too quick in the mind either. Half-wits at best. They weren't no match for someone quick as me. Got one down and had the other chase me around 'til dawn."

"What happened at dawn?" Gry asked.

"Well they turn to stone, of course!" the man laughed, taking a swig of his ale. "That's why they're called stone trolls."

Gry highly doubted that she could outrun three trolls until the sun came up, but if they were as stupid as the traveller had claimed, she might have a chance at tricking them into letting her companions go or at least keep them talking until dawn. A small idea popped into her head. It was dangerous, but there wasn't much of a hope left for the dwarves or Bilbo. Not unless Gandalf managed to come back in time, and the odds weren't looking too good for that. Gry eyed the rock ledge nearby the trolls, and she quickly worked her way through the woods and over to it, pulling the hood of her cloak up over her head and drawing it around her so that not much of her body was revealed. Gry crept up the rocks before standing still, her hands on the inside of her cloak, keeping it together as the hood covered her face.

"Let the dwarves go." Gry said loudly, but calmly. She breathed in slowly, attempting to calm her racing heart that pounded hard, trying to escape her chest.

"Who's that?" One of the trolls boomed, turning to look at her. The other two turned to look around as well.

"No idea." The troll just as big as the first commented.

"Can we eat it?" The skinnier troll asked. The first troll who spoke moved away from the spit, pulling a large knife out from behind his back and moving towards her.

"That would not be wise." Gry said with all of the authority she could muster, holding out a stiff hand to stop him. Whether or not they comprehended her words, the stop sign was enough to give the trolls pause.

"Why not?" The troll who had been advancing on her asked.

"I am not as I appear." Gry answered, tucking her arm back inside the cloak.

"Not as she appears? What's that mean?" The other large troll asked, standing up from where he had previously been bent over by the fire.

"Explain yourself!" The first, the leader, demanded. From behind him, the dwarves on the spit called out things as they rotated, asking the others what was going on. She heard some mumbling and yelping, but she had to focus on the task at hand. She couldn't let her nerves or desperation get the better of her. Can't let 'em see you sweat. Dwalin's voice rung through her head. Now she knew what he meant.

"I am not a Man." She said drawing out her words as if each one were a gift that she was gracing the trolls with. "I am a Solfolk, and I am the guardian of these dwarves. And the Halfling." She added, just as evenly and calmly.

"You're lying." The leader said getting closer to her. "She smells like a human…"

"But she doesn't talk like a human." The skinny, high-voiced troll thought.

"Shut up, you." The other troll said, turning and hitting him on the side of the head. Before they could decide that she really was lying, and they really did want to eat her, Gry spoke.

"I adopt the form, the body, of one passed. As you know not what I am, I will tell you. We Solfolk are of the sun. We are made of daylight. We are brighter than the brightest corner of your worst fears. Destroy this form, and my true form will be released. I will burn brighter than the sun and you," she paused for emphasis, "will perish." There was a pause after this speech as the trolls stood, dumbfounded and the dwarves lay quiet. Should she survive, this would certainly be a great legend to pass on to her children.

"Tie her up, and put her in a sack. We'll decide if she's for eating tomorrow. The dwarves are getting colder." The leader decided. Gry cursed in her head, but did her best to remain calm, another idea coming to mind.

"For your own good, I would not." Gry warned, reaching into her cloak and drawing out her sword before turning it on herself. "Should you lay a finger on me or any of those under my protection, I will release the light myself. I warn you, I am not very much attached to this form."

"Gry, no!" Kíli called out, and many of the dwarves shouted their protests.

"Silence." Gry called, her voice so loud and strong it surprised even herself. The protests faded away as the dwarves obeyed. "Once the blade enters, you must shut your eyes lest you be blinded. Do you understand?" There was a pause and then a chorus of:

"Yes, we understand! Yes, the light is so bright! We'll shut our eyes. We promise!" They were overselling it, but it was better than no help at all.

"Good." Gry said, moving on. So, trolls," she turned her attention to them. "Tell me, are you willing to risk it? Does your desperate hope that what I say is not to be believed prevail?"

"Bill, perhaps we'd better not!" the squeaky troll warned.

"If you're so dangerous, this being of sunlight. How come we'd never heard of you." The second large troll asked.

"Not many of your kind live to tell the tale of mine." Gry answered simply. "Now make your decision. Leave these dwarves alone, or breathe your last." Gry bit her tongue as she finished the statement, hoping beyond hope that this would be enough, that she had convinced them.

"Let's let them go!" the skinny troll, pled with the other two. "I don't much fancy being turned to stone!"

"But what if we were to swallow her whole?" the leader asked, turning on her. Gry had not thought of that. She fumbled around for an excuse.

"One more step, and I'll take my life." Her voice faltered a bit. The troll looked as if he was about to move, and for a brief second Gry considered killing herself, before she realized that upon her death, absolutely nothing would happen. Suddenly there was a rustle next to her as a form appeared. Gry jumped back, turning her sword on the stranger, her hood flying back to rest on her shoulders.

"The dawn will take you all!" a familiar voice boomed, putting her own shouting skills to shame. It took her a second to realize that Gandalf stood beside her, driving his staff into the rock, causing half of it to fall down and reveal the dawn sun. The trolls screamed as they twisted and turned, slowly turning into stone. The dwarves laughed and cheered, and Gry stashed her sword, smiling. Gandalf moved to the side of the rock, sliding down before moving over to release the dwarves from over the spit. Gry followed, instead moving over to the dwarves who were tied up in a pile of burlap sacks.

"Excellent job, Miss Gry." Gandalf called over smiling.

"Yes, excellent indeed." Thorin commented. "You almost got yourself eaten. Then what good would you have done us?"

"About the same good as I would have done had I stayed back in the camp like you ordered," Gry responded, loosening his sack so that he could move. "Besides, the important part is that I didn't." Gry added, giving him a little bit to think about as she moved on to loosen Kíli's sack. The two made eye contact, and smiled a bit before moving on to Bombur who lay on top of Kíli, making it difficult for the dwarf to move. Soon, they were all loosened and the dwarves and Bilbo were able to wriggle out of their sacks. Gry turned around to see if Gandalf needed any help with those who had been tied to the spit and found herself slightly embarrassed as she noticed that the dwarves had been tripped of their outer garments before they were tied to the pole.

"What'd I tell you, lads! I knew she'd come!", slightly embarrassed as she realized that most of the dwarves had been stripped of their outer garments before they were tied and placed in sacks.

"Did I not tell you, Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf boomed from where he stood with the other dwarves. "That Miss Gry's charm and persuasion would prove to be most helpful?" Thorin nodded.

"Indeed," he said as he passed by Gry on his way to speak with the wizard. The way he said it made it seem as if he actually agreed with Gandalf. Apparently you were able to speak some sense into the old Dwarf king.

"What'd I tell ya?" Bofur asked, coming over fully dressed. "You've got a goldentongue."

"And that sometimes everyone can use a dawn." Gry added. "I bet you didn't know that'd save your life today." She smiled, hinting at the inspiration for her story.

"Are you really a Solfolk?" Ori asked approaching them. He walked on unstable legs having been turned over a spit for who knows how long.

"Solfolk? There's no such thing." Gry laughed. "It's just a story, and apparently a rather good one." The dwarves milled around, Óin and Gry walking around and making sure that they each of them were all right. Thankfully the only injuries were some cuts and bruises; nothing too major. A few, Kíli and Fíli included, went off to corral the ponies, and as soon as they got back Thorin informed them that they would be going back to the camp to gather the rest of their supplies before searching out the cave. It didn't take long to pack up or saddle the ponies, and considering the fact that the previous day had been a wreck, nobody had slept, and Fíli, Kíli and Bilbo had almost gotten them all eaten, everyone was in a good mood and joking by the time they found the cave.

"Ori, you stay out here and watch the ponies with Dori. Glóin, Bofur, Nori, Dwalin, Gandalf, and I will go into the cave. The rest of you are to keep watch down here, we'll call you if needed." Thorin instructed.

"Perhaps Miss Gry and Mr. Baggins should accompany us down." Thorin did not argue or question Gandalf's reasoning. He merely raised an eyebrow at the wizard, and then nodded his consent.

"Very well." He said, before heading down into cave. Gry walked in behind the others and was immediately hit with the overwhelming stench of decay and body odor. The company coughed as they began to descend further into the cave.

"What is that stench?" Bofur asked between coughs. Bilbo turned back to wait at the mouth.

"It's a troll-hoard. What did you expect?" Gandalf asked. Gry felt sick to her stomach and turned, placing a hand on the wall and bending over coughing.

"Are you alright?" A hand was on her back. Gry looked up to find Kíli there, looking concerned. "Perhaps you'd do better coming out to keep watch with us." Gry nodded and followed him back out. There was something she needed to do anyway.

"Wait a second." She said pulling him to the side of the mouth of the cave. "I'm sorry." They chorused at the same time. Gry smiled a little and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Me first, you've said enough apologies already." Gry swallowed. "I've been thinking of the best way to apologize since yesterday, but I've yet to come up with anything good. So, I wanted to let you know that I'm sorry for being a stubborn ass and I'm really glad that you weren't eaten." He laughed.

"As am I." The laughter died, but a grin remained. "I'm also glad that you did not kill yourself. It would have been a shame."

"Yes," Gry laughed this time, nodding "It would have been."


Ending Thoughts: Yay for reconciliation! I've read a lot of Hobbit fics and as tempting as it was to have Gry get caught in the thick of the mess, I wanted to do the troll scene a little differently. What did you think of it? Anyway, it may be a few days before I get the next chapter up, but hopefully it will be up soon!