Sorry I took so long with this chapter, I had some serious writer's block but I'm back on track again. Here's the next chapter, please enjoy it and tell me what you think.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit, but I do own one character I created who's not in the book or film.
Chapter 9: Unexpected Surprises.
"Frodo?!" Belle gasped in disbelief, "What are you doing here? I thought you were at home with Mr Hamfast?!"
"Um… Well, you see…" Frodo stammered nervously to his aunt as he got off of Bombur to straighten himself out, while thirty pairs of eyes were all fixed upon him, especially the eyes of the furious, as well as shocked, leader of the company.
"MISTRESS BAGGINS!" Thorin thundered at Belle, making the Hobbit jump. "What is the meaning of this, why did you bring that child with you?! You were fully well aware that this quest is very dangerous and this journey is certainly no place for a small boy. That was very careless of you!"
"Excuse me," Belle spluttered with outrage. "I didn't bring my nephew along; I didn't know he was with us! I left him at home with Hamfast to look after him; I don't know how he came…" She stopped when she realized something, and slowly turned to Gandalf who seemed to be disinterested in the situation while he was cleaning out his pipe. "Gandalf, did you have something to do with this?" Belle severely asked him with an upcoming wrath.
"Maybe," Gandalf teased with a crooked eyebrow.
"Gandalf?!" Belle snapped harshly.
"Well, let's just say I had a little help in bringing him along with us." He hinted suggestively.
Both Belle and Thorin turned to the company with suspicion and in fury.
"Who among you had been mad enough to smuggle this boy all the way out here?" Thorin demanded loudly. "Did you two bring him?" He asked Balin and Dwalin first.
"No," Dwalin denied.
"We were unaware of the boy's existents," Balin answered.
"Did either of you bring him?" Belle asked Óin and Glóin.
"What, did we string him?" Óin asked in confusion as he pulled out his ear trumpet. "Why would we string him?"
"No Óin, she asked if we brought him along with us!" Glóin said out loud for his brother to hear. "And no Mistress Baggins; we have nothing to do with this."
"Did any of you three?" Thorin questioned Bofur and his brothers.
"We wouldn't do anything that absurd!" Bofur replied while his brothers shook their heads in denial.
"Was it one of you three?" Belle asked Dori along with his brothers.
"No, we know nothing of this," Dori spoke for his brothers. "Unless…?" Both he and Ori looked towards Nori with a stern look on their faces.
"Oi! I have nothing to do with this, Dori!" Nori shouted outraged by this accusation. "I may be a pickpocket thief, but I would never kidnap a child. Honest!"
But then they all knew, the company turned their eyes on Fíli and Kíli who stood there in silence and looked very nervous; Bella was horrified at them and their uncle was furious.
"BOYS!" Thorin thundered, the boys flinched at his voice. "Were you the ones responsible for bringing him here?!" he asked as he pointed at Frodo, who looked up sheepish.
"Yes, Uncle, we smuggled him secretly with us on Gandalf's behalf," Kíli confessed with his head down, "we brought him with us in my saddle bag and sneaked him some food along the way."
"So that's what happened to some of the spare food," said Bombur.
"But when we had discovered that our ponies were taken by the trolls; we realized that they must have taken Frodo with them too," Fíli admitted with guilt.
Belle's eyes widen with deep shock.
"What, what did you say?!" she asked in a demanding tone.
"But we didn't mean to put him in danger," Kíli quickly insisted, "or you Mistress Baggins, honest!"
Thorin breathed in slow, sharp but steady breathes with fury in his eyes. Belle's body shook with uncontrollable tremor.
"So let me get this straight, Gandalf; you recruited these two to bring my nephew far away from the safety of his home," she hissed at the wizard with rage in her voice and then turns to the boys, "and you two dragged him straight into danger?!"
The boys looked at each other briefly in nervousness.
"Well, strictly speaking…" Fíli uneasily began to explain.
"STRICTLY SPEAKING!" Belle raised her voice to cut him off. "You each deserve a big wallop from my frying pan, which I would gladly ask Bombur for his since mine is in absent!"
Fíli and Kíli were a bit alarmed of her reaction, even the company were quite surprised; how could such small and gentle lady Hobbit display such a fiery temper?
Then Frodo stood in the way in front of Fíli and Kíli.
"Please Aunt Belle, Mr Oakenshield; don't punish them for what they've done, I'm the one who chose to come with them." Frodo defended, the brothers were astonished that the small lad stood up for them. "I made a dummy in my bed before I left; so it would look like I was still sleeping, I also left a letter that Gandalf wrote to explain to everyone in the Shire where I had gone."
"I have every right to be angry, young man; what were you thinking coming all the way out here on your own?" Belle scolded him, "Confound it all Frodo; this adventure is not like the books you've read, it's very dangerous and you could get yourself killed!"
Frodo felt her words gone straight into his heart and lowered his head down in shame for his foolishness.
"Calm yourself Belle Baggins," Gandalf spoke gently to help soothed the poor exasperated Hobbit as he placed his hand on her shoulder to console her.
"How can I be calm, Gandalf," Belle snapped at Gandalf, she had never been this furious, "Frodo was not supposed to be here, this journey's not safe for children, I'm taking him back home, right now!" She was about to take Frodo's hand to drag him all the way back to the Shire, But Gandalf stopped her.
"I'm afraid it's too late for that, Belle Baggins, Frodo was perfectly aware of how dangerous this journey will be when I told him," Gandalf explained to her to justify Frodo's decision. "But Frodo wanted to come with you; because he was worried that if you go on this quest, you might not come back alive."
Belle was astonished by Gandalf said and looked at her nephew; she could see tears were forming in his blue eyes, her anger fade away. To be truthful she kind of understood why Frodo wanted to come with her after he lost his mother and her father so tragically in the river; he couldn't bear it if something would happen to her as well and he would be all alone.
"Oh, Frodo."
Moved by his uneasiness and his need, she went up to pick up Frodo in her arms in a hug of comfort and softly reassured him that she wasn't angry with him; she was just concerned for his safety.
Frodo wrapped his small arms around her and wept quietly on her shoulder.
The whole company was touched by this display of affection; a mother and son love.
"Well, this is certainly an unexpected predicament." Balin duly noted, "But what shall we do, now that we have this young lad with us?"
"We are not having the boy with us on this quest!" Thorin furiously protested; the company immediately turned their heads to their leader; including Belle's. It was clear that Thorin had enough problems with this quest, now he will have to deal with two troublesome hobbits.
"On our way the next village or city we come to, we'll leave the boy in the care of some family." He bade his companions, but Belle looked horrified by this scheme.
"What? No, absolutely not!" Belle cried out in disbelief with her widened eyes fixed upon him.
"I forbid you to even think of using that despicable suggestion!" Belle shouted at him in sudden rage. "How dare you! Do you think that for one minute that I would have nephew left alone in the hands of complete strangers while we're on our merry way? Well, you're completely wrong because I'm not leaving him! I don't care how dangerous this hare-brained adventure will be; I will protect him even if it means my death!"
Thorin was astonished by her outburst; never in his life that a woman had ever deified his command.
Even the dwarves were equally flabbergasted by her fierce protectiveness of her boy.
"Very well, we'll send him back home to the Shire, his parents must be very worried about his disappearance; one of us must go and send the boy back to his parents immediately." He ordered his men.
But an uncomfortable silence hung in the air at that moment.
"Perhaps it would be for the best for his safety…" Balin began; thought it was a reasonable idea.
"I'm afraid that's not possible either, Master Balin," Belle spoken solemnly, her face expressed with a sorrowful emotion.
"And why is that not possible, Mistress Burglar?" Thorin asked scornfully.
"Because he has no home and no family left, Master Oakenshield," Belle answered gravely. "I'm all he has."
Thorin and the dwarves were thoroughly confused.
"I don't understand, Miss Baggins." Thorin inquired. Then Frodo turned his head to look up steadily at Thorin from Belle's arms with tears from his blue eyes.
"My parents had died, Sir," Frodo explained with a quiver in his voice. "They're in heaven Sir; my aunt took me in when they passed away years ago, drowned in the river."
"Forgive us, laddie, we didn't know," Balin begged as he looks upon the grief-stricken hobbits. "We're so sorry for your loss."
Frodo uttered softly a small thank you and Belle hugged her boy.
"We have only one choice, my friends," Gandalf astutely advised to the dwarves and the hobbits. "We'll have to bring him with us on our journey."
"But Gandalf, he's too young, how could he possibly be able to defend himself from the dangers out there?" Belle asked him with concerned eyes. "And who will protect Frodo if something happens to me?
"Actually, Miss Belle; he can." Fíli clarified when he caught her attention. "You see, Kíli, Gandalf and I had been training him how to use a sword in secret every time stop to make camp."
Belle and the other dwarves were flabbergasted.
"You've been training him?!" she shrieked.
The boys both nodded in admission. "Yes, because that was how we lost the ponies, we were off to find a secret spot to continue his training," Kíli answered.
"Yes, but he still has a lot more to learn." Gandalf simplified. "So he'll need more practising on the way."
Then in a few moments, Dwalin stood up next to Fíli and Kíli.
"There are other swordsmen's skills the wee laddie will need to know, so I'll help them train the boy, Miss Baggins." Dwalin pledged to her, because while he was at Bag End; he already took a shine to Frodo.
"Don't you worry lassie, we'll guard him with our lives," Bofur promised along with Bombur and Bifur who vowed in the dwarvish tongue.
"If by our lives or our deaths, we will protect him." Dori and his brothers devoted themselves. "We will."
Then the rest of the company pledge themselves to offer Frodo's protection.
Gandalf turned his head towards Thorin; who was still in deep doubts about the situation.
"Would you all excuse us for a moment if you please?" Gandalf requested to the rest of the company. "We need to discuss whether Frodo is joining us or not."
"Thorin, Balin, come," He called to them.
He took them aside so they wouldn't be heard, while the dwarves and the hobbits wait in agonising silence to hear what the result is going to be.
"Well, it seems the others are willing to guard the boy." Gandalf lowly uttered to Balin and Thorin.
"But why bring him Gandalf?" Balin questioned him. "It is a risk of bringing such a small boy out into the big world, it might be dangerous out there."
"I don't doubt that Balin," Gandalf answered. "But I have to make sure that his Aunt does come along with us whether or not she discovers him missing."
"So you would use him as bait to lure her here?" Thorin suspected.
"Bait or not. I'm merely giving the boy a chance to help his aunt on this quest," Gandalf answered. "After all, he did help you along with Belle; if I hadn't brought him with us, you all would have been Trolls' dinner."
"Aye, he's a bright wee clever lad," Balin admitted with a fond smile. "We owe her and her lad our lives."
"But I still think the boy should go back to him home." Thorin insisted. "He's only an innocent boy; he has no idea of the horrors of bloody battles."
Gandalf looked at him thoughtfully; he gave him a small warm smile.
"So you do care about him too," Gandalf said considerately.
Even though Thorin wouldn't admit it, but deep down in his hard heart knew what it felt too lost a family he loved; first his Grandfather taken by a sickness and by the hand of the pale orc. His Father and his little brother, Frerin; whose lives were stolen in the battle to reclaim the Mines of Moria.
He felt a bond with the boy's tragedy.
"I'm only concerned for his safety and of the company's welfare, that's all." He claimed with a stern expression. But Gandalf looked not convinced; for he knew better.
"You have no choice Thorin, whether you like it or not; Frodo will have to come with us." Gandalf persevered. "With his and Belle's help, you can take back your homeland."
"I'm afraid Gandalf is right Thorin," Balin said rationally, "and anyway it's too late now if we do send him back; we'll lose more precious time to get to the mountain."
"Young Mr Frodo has no choice," Balin confirmed, "he is, as of today, a fifteenth member of the company."
After considerable thought, Thorin slowly nodded his head in agreement.
"Very well, but let the burglar must decide for herself," Thorin testified "the boy is her nephew after all."
The dwarves, Belle and Frodo waited in an unnerving delay until they spotted Gandalf, Balin and Thorin are returning from their conversation.
The look on Thorin's face showed that clearly, he's not happy with the arrangement. Then Gandalf spoke.
"Well, Belle the decision is up to you now; on if you want Frodo to come on the journey with us or not," Gandalf stated to her. "What is your decision?"
Belle looked around to the dwarves who gazed were fixed upon her, waiting for her answer. Then she looked down to her nephew in her arms; his eyes were pleading for her to let him come with her.
She gave a big sigh and gave her decision for everyone to hear.
"All right Frodo, you can come along," Belle admitted in defeat. "But remember, you have to do exactly what we say. Do you understand?"
Frodo's face lit up with joy and wrapped his arms around her in gratitude.
"Oh thank you, thank you, Aunt Belle." Frodo cried with joy. "I promise I will."
Balin looked up at Thorin and he, in turn, gave back a nod of confirmation.
"Well, lads," Balin announced with a smile as he gazed upon Frodo, "it looks like we have ourselves a fifteenth member of the company."
The company gave a cheer for this conclusion and went to congratulate Frodo and thanked him for saving their lives.
Belle looked up towards Thorin who stared back at her and she gave him a small but gentle smile of appreciation. At that moment she smiled at him for the first time; he felt like a light has lit up in his hard heart. He never felt this way about anyone.
Then he felt a slight nudge from Gandalf that snapped out of his thoughts. The Wizard gave a respected smile for the decision that was made. But in secret, he noticed his attention towards Belle and couldn't help but felt pleased by this effect. Things are getting very interesting.
Gandalf and Thorin wandered back to the stone trolls; Gandalf began to observe the horrid trolls.
"They must have come down from the Ettinmoors." Gandalf examined.
"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin questioned as he looked at the statues.
"Oh not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands," Gandalf said uneasily.
Thorin felt a spine-chilling dread run through his body.
'He doesn't mean…?' Thorin thought in unease, 'that's not possible.'
But Gandalf changed the subject.
"They could not have moved in daylight." He pondered.
"There must be a cave nearby." Thorin speculated and went off to gather the company to search for it.
The company followed the trail the trolls left until a foul stench reached their noses; they came to a small hill of rock and found the entrance down below near the ground.
Some of the company wanted to stay outside in the fresh air and they sent Ori, Bifur and Dori back to their campsite to gather their supplies and ponies.
Gandalf and Thorin, along with Dwalin, Bofur Glóin and Nori who volunteered, they lit a touch and went into the cave. As they descended down into the darkness, the disgusting odour was unbearable, it made them wanted to gag and cough.
"It's a troll-hoard," Gandalf said. "Be careful what you touch, you don't know where these trolls have been." He warned.
The flame from the torch had lit the whole cave there were so many things that the Trolls either found or stole like old farming tools, furniture, parts of a wagon and most of all, treasure.
Bofur's eye gazed down greedily on the glittering pile of gold.
"It seems ashamed just to leave it lying around." He broods over as his boot touched the shiny gold coins. "Anyone could take it."
"Agreed," Glóin thought so too as he opened a small chest full of treasure, he turned to Nori who was next to him, "Nori, get a shovel."
While they were gathering some treasure, Gandalf and Thorin were still exploring further into the cave. Thorin took a keen interest in the collection of weapons that were covered in cobwebs and were gathered in a box, especially at the swords. He took out the longest one out and a second one that was just about his size to inspect them; like from his days when he worked as a blacksmith.
"These swords were not made by any troll." He examined, they were too fine for a smith's work to be made by a clumsy and stupid troll.
He handed the longest sword to Gandalf for an analysis. The Wizard lifted the sword from his scabbard to look at the blade.
"Nor were they made by any smith among men." He agreed as he blew away the dust, as he studied the design of the blade, he discovered where they came from and the people who made them. "These were forged in Gondolin, by the High Elves of the First Age."
Learned that the sword was made by Elves; disgusted he was about to put the sword back where he found it when Gandalf stopped him.
"You could not wish for a finer blade." He spoke sharply.
Curiosity got the better of him and unsheathed the sword to examine it, the blade was skilfully made he had to admit it and the balance was perfect and begrudgingly tied it to his hip.
"Let's get out of this foul place," Thorin ordered he and Dwalin made their way out of the cave. "Bofur, Glóin, Nori!" He called to them and they followed him out.
Gandalf who was behind them walked towards the exit when his staff hit something metal on the ground. He looked down to the where his staff hit on the floor of moss and rotten leaves; he used the end of his staff to brush away the moss and leaves and saw another elven blade but smaller and he knew just the person to have this blade. He picked up the blade with its scabbard and went out of the exit to join the others.
But as he left the cave, he was unaware that a pair of eyes was watching him from the darkness of the cave and then a smell of cooked meat reached its nose; slowly it followed the wizard and the smell towards the exit.
Outside of the cave, the rucks and supplies were brought back to the company it was just the matter of gathering the ponies. Bombur was cooking everyone's breakfast; Belle was sitting outside the cave entrance; eating her breakfast sandwich as she watched Frodo helping himself to a sandwich with bacon and sausages.
Then Gandalf appeared out of the cave.
"Belle," He called to her, Belle got up from where she sat and walked over to him. "Here, this is about your size." He handed her the small elven blade, Belle took it from him, but she was not sure on whether she will use it.
"But Gandalf, I can't take this." She said doubtfully.
"The blade is of Elvish make," He informed her, "which means it will glow blue when Orcs or Goblins are nearby."
Belle realised that this information would be useful to her and Frodo if they are in danger, but she did not know how to fight in a battle.
"But I have never used a sword in my life," Belle told him.
"And I hope you never have to." He expressed, and Belle glanced at him in confusion. What could he mean? "But if you do, remember this: True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one."
Belle didn't know what to say by these words of wisdom. Before she could ask him what he meant; Frodo came over to her, dragging her backpack in one hand and his breakfast sandwich in the other.
Gandalf went over to talk to Thorin who was with Dwalin and Balin, along with Fíli and Kíli.
"Here Aunt Belle, here's your rucksack," He puffed out of breath, and then he noticed the sword. "Wow, is that sword yours Aunt Belle?" He asked her.
"Well,…" Belle began as she looked at the sword in her hand.
"Can I see?" Frodo asked excitedly.
She signed in defeat and withdrew the blade from the scabbard to let Frodo have a look at it. Frodo was in awe, this was the first to see a real sword and in a hobbit-size too.
As Belle was putting away her sword; she heard a strange noise, like something rustled through the leaves, she looked round to see where the noise was coming from. Frodo noticed his aunt looked towards the cave and followed her gaze.
The strange sound was coming from the cave's entrance; Belle narrowed her eyes in the darkness to see what it was that was making the sound.
Then she saw something moved in the darkness of the cave.
"Gandalf," She called to him in a low voice, Gandalf Thorin and others turned their attention to her.
"Something moved in there." She pointed towards the cave, Gandalf tried to see what was, and then slowly he crept towards the cave.
Beside him; Thorin unsheathed his new sword just in case, Balin, Dwalin, Fíli and Kíli did the same with theirs. Then Gandalf saw too that something was moving in the dark.
"Get back." He ordered Belle and Frodo and turned to Thorin along with the others. "Get ready." Thorin nodded and raised his sword as the Balin and others raised their weapons.
Belle withdrew from the cave entrance; clutching Frodo securely in her arms as she looked nervously at the cave.
Then Gandalf cautiously raised his staff into the cave; he muttered a spell and made the cave lit up.
And there what he saw made his eyes widen…
What was it that Gandalf saw in the cave?
Can you guess?
Find out next time in the chapter…
With thanks to yinyangswings for beta reading my chapter.
