Chapter 10
Leaving
I woke up to someone poking me in the back. I groan and snuggled closer to Nori, who tightened his arms around me.
"You know its a bad idea to wake her like that. Remember last time?" Fili's voice asked.
"I don't care. Thorin wants to get a move out and both love birds are still sleeping." Kili's voice rang. I felt a poke in my neck and I turned around and punched whoever was poking me in the face. "OW!" I opened my eyes to see Kili adjusting his jaw.
"Well Fili did warn you, Kili." Thorin said with a chuckle in his voice. I sat up and stretched with Nori sitting up.
"Well didn't you two look comfy." Kili teased.
"Keep poking and teasing me and you'll end up with a broken nose." I said. Kili ran away as Bombur handed Nori and me some breakfast. I curled up to Nori as I ate my food. Nori kissed my temple before he started eating.
"Eat fast and let's go. We need to cover ground before nightfall." Thorin said. Nori and I finished and Nori took our bowls to Bombur as I went to grab my coat and weapons. I head outside as the others finish cleaning their mess. Gandalf stood outside, smoking his pipe.
"Your brother wanted something, didn't he?" Gandalf asked before I could open my mouth.
"He warned us that the dwarves are being hunted and my father and his followers are hunting me." I said.
"Its what I feared. Don't bring this up to anyone." Gandalf whispered as the others came out. We got the ponies and my horse. I strapped my bag onto my horse and swung myself onto my horse. Nori rode up next to me and reached for my hand. He kissed it making me smile.
"Ready, love." Nori asked.
"As always." I said.
"Move out." Thorin said. I saw one was missing.
"Father. What about Bilbo?" I ask.
"He's not coming. He'll catch up if he changes his mind. We need to cover ground before night." Thorin said. I rolled my eyes, but followed his order.
"Who wagers he will come?" Bofur said. The dwarves started betting and I just shook my head.
"Come on love. I bet 10 coins he won't show up." Nori said.
"I bet you doing all my chores for me tonight that he will." I said. I heard snorts from Fili and Kili.
"Deal." Nori said. We rode on as I listened to the dwarves complain that the trip was a waste of time and that Bilbo was a worthless Hobbit. I reached into my bag to pull out one of the books I brought along to read when a voice caught my attention.
"Wait! Wait!" Bilbo's voice came. I pulled my horse to a stop and the others follow. Bilbo was running our way.
"Looks like someone will be doing my chores tonight." I said, sending Nori a smirk. Nori mumbled something about making bets with a woman. I stuck my tongue out at him. Bilbo catches up to us and hands the contract over to Balin.
"I signed it." Bilbo sadi. I smile at Bilbo as Balin takes the contract and inspects it with a pocket glass. Balin smiles.
"Everyting seems to bein order. Welcome Master Baggins, to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield." Balin said. I joined the dwarves in cheering. Thorin didn't look happy as he turned his attention back to the road.
"Give him a pony." Thorin said. I moved my horse with Nori as we listened to Bilbo complain as we rode behind Fili and Kili, who got ready to grab Bilbo.
"No, no, no, no that won't be neccessary, thank you, but I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I-I-I've done my fair share of walkingholidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once- WAGH!" Bilbo never finished as Fili and Kili grabbed him by the armpits and put him on a pony. Nori shot me a glance and rode up to where Bofur was to talk. I rode alongside Fili and Kili.
"Won a bet against Nori. He doesn't look happy." Fili said.
"He doesn't like to loose. Especially when its me." I said, smiling. Fili and Kili chuckle.
"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." Oin said. Nori tosses a sack back to Oin as pouches were tossed around. Fili caught his and I grinned.
"Guess I wasn't the only one." I said.
"Yep." Kili said.
"Wait. Stop! We have to turn around." Bilbo said. I pulled my horse to a stop again as did the others and turned to look at Bilbo.
"What now?" Kili asked as other dwarves objected to us stopping.
"What on earth is the matter?" Gandal asked.
"I forgot my handkerchief." Bilbo said. I rolled my eyes.
"Here!" Bofur said, tearing a piece of cloth from his shirt. He tosses it to Billbo, who catches it and holds it by his fingertips. "Use this." We all laugh as Thorin shakes his head.
"Move on!" Thorin called. I rode up to Nori and Bofur as Gandalf talked to Bilbo. We were travelling through plains, forests, and hills as we rode. I read most of it but joined the others in talks.
That night. I laid in my bedroll near the fire with Nori snoring beside me. Fili and Kili sat near the wall, smoking their pipes. We were on a cliffs edge. I heard footsteps and looked to see Bilbo going over by the ponies. I slipped the book back in my bag and curled up into Nori's warmth to fall asleep. Nori wrapped his arms around me. A screech came and I sat up fast, reaching for my sword. It was an orc."
"What was that?" Bilbo asked.
"Orcs." Kili said. Bilbo comes running back to the fire as another screech came.
"Orcs?" Bilbo asked. Thorin jerked awake at the word. Nori sat up and wrapped his arms around my waste, pulling me against him.
"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili said.
"They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood. I saw the look of panic on Bilbo's face and heard Fili and Kili chuckle.
"Idiots." I mumble as Thorin stands and approaches the fire, looking at his nephews.
"You think that's funny? You think a night raid of Orcs is a joke?" Thorin asked, sternly.
"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said. Thorin turns and walks away.
"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin said. Balin approaches us.
"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." Balin said. I blocked out the story for Balin had told me the story. A memory of my own came to my head back when I was still in Erebor
Memory
"Zippy. Zippy. Wake up." Thorin's voice came. I opened my eyes. I was in the kitchen with books spread out on the table. I was around the age seven.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pass out." I said.
"You studied. Long enough. Come with me." Thorin said, holding out his hand. I got off the chair and followed him onto the balcony.
"Dwalin said that your fighting well and training harder. You deserve a few weeks off of training and studying." Thorin said.
"But I want to be a good warrior and prove to my father I'm not a weakling." I said.
"Your not, darling. Your becoming strong with Dwalin's and my training. I'm glad I can call you a daughter I won't get." Thorin said.
"Thank you, father." I said, hugging him which he returned.
END OF MEMORY
"There was no feast, no song that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived." Balin said. I looked up as Nori stood up with others following. I stood up and stood next to Nori, who wrapped an arm around me as we looked at Thorin. "And I thought to myself then. There is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King." Thorin turned and saw all of us standing looking at him. I smiled. He was the only one along with Fili and Kili I would consider King. Thorin nodded and walked our way.
"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked.
"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin said. I shared a look with Gandalf and Balin. We knew they were alive. I knew for sure because my father and his followers were working for Azog.
Third person's POV. The orcs sat on their wargs on the other side of the cliff. Two panthers came out and transformed.
"Send word to the Master. We have found the dwarf-scum and that the panther traitor is with them." The orc said in the black speech.
"Father will be pleased to know Tzipporah is with them." Skull, One of Zippy's traitor brothers said. The other panther nodded in agreement as both panthers and the orcs disappear into the darkness.
AN: So there's the new chapter. I'm excited that BOTFA is coming out this month. I already got it preordered and gonna do a marathon. I'll update soon