Finally joining the Company; perhaps not the dressing down he deserves, but she's still trying to stay on their good side for now. Seeing as they'd be traveling together for quite some time.
I used the Shire map from the LOTR online RPG for the places mentioned at the beginning of this chapter. Yes, I've played it, and enjoyed playing a Hobbit. The game has some of the best maps if you're looking for directions in Middle Earth.
I won't it the 50k for the NaNoWriMo, work and illness make it difficult to write. I am however, already over 25k words for this.
Chapter Ten
We Meet Again
Instead of taking the roads, she cut through the fields and headed straight through to Frogmortin and swung back towards the road before hitting Budgeford. She knew she should be able to catch up to them at about the old willow, if not just before, having made the trip in the past. Of course, she wasn't used to running after horses, yet, if they kept at a saunter, she should be able to get to them in time. If she missed them, she still had a few tricks that she could pull before they made it to the boarders. They would need to pass through Stock before they made it to the bridge to Breeland. She knew many of the passages to cut off much of the time.
The only thing she couldn't count on was if they'd get lost. She hoped they wouldn't, it would truly make things much more difficult to catch up to them. It wouldn't do if they ended up in Southfarthing because they didn't take the right turn off. And if they let Oakenshield lead, that may just happen. She could only hope it wasn't indicative of the rest of the journey. Hopefully, even if he was their leader, someone was smart enough not to let him actually lead.
Once she arrived at the willow, she checked for signs of recent passing and didn't find any. So instead of heading further on, she settled in to wait for them to pass. There was always the possibility that they hadn't been gone for long before she got the message. While she waited, she took the time to sharpen her blades, while keeping an eye on the road behind her.
Less than an hour later, she stood up, sheathed the last of her blades, and shouldered her weapons again. Pulling the contract out of her bindings, she moved a little closer to the road and smiled as they pulled up to her.
"Well, thankfully I finished the last of what I needed this morning. Master Oakenshield, as my contract is signed, I have arrived to join your company until my services are of use in Erabor." She handed the contract, again, to Balin, and walked down the line of ponies to the one that held her gear. Graciously accepting Bifur and Nori's assist into the saddle.
"Mistress Baggins," she tried to ignore him, "you were supposed to be ready this morning. As such we left you behind."
"Master Oakenshield," she gave him her sweetest smile, the one she saved for the Sackville-Baggins, "As I was only informed of this journey yesterday, I do believe I have made exceptional time in getting ready, as well as providing your people with a feast both last night and this morning. If you have any further complaints about my tardiness, please direct them towards the Gray Wizard. I do believe it was he that gave you the impression that he spoke to me sooner than he did."
With that she patted down her chest and cursed, "Oh bebother it!"
Gandalf gave her a look, "My dear, what ever is the matter?"
She sighed, "I forgot my handkerchief. Well, I guess I will..." she stops talking as something flies back and nearly hits her in the face.
"Here! Use this." She held the rag up in disgust, and looked towards the dwarf that threw it, the one with the funny hat. The one that didn't bother to come earlier.
"Thank you Master Dwarf. You did not need to damage your clothing for my sake, but it is most appreciated." She was a Baggins and would not lose her propriety, no matter how disgusted she was. Nor how much she wanted to avoid this particular dwarf.
Her thoughts on the first few weeks of traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshield, or the idiot as he is still called in her mind.