Author's Note: Hello readers! I have review the chapters that I have so far updated on this site, and I find them lacking a great deal. Compared to my Supernatural stories (though those are mostly rate M (really M), they at least have details, AND longer chapters), so I have decided to rewrite the story (even though it's quite young). However, by no means am I leaving this unfinished. I plan to finish The Dwarvish Hobbit first.
Anyway, enough of that, on to chapter 13! But first…
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OF THE HOBBIT SERIES BE IT BOOKS OR MOVIES.
AUTHOR'S NOTE 2: OKAY! FIRST, I AM SO TERRIBLY SORRY ABOUT ALL THE MISSED UPDATES! SOMEHOW I LOST ACCESS TO MY COMPUTER, AND MY LAPTOP HAS TOO MANY VIRUS FOR MY PATIENTS! BUT! I HAVE FINALLY FOUND A WAY… My trusty cellphone has come to the rescue! HURRAY! Okay, without further adieu (not sure if that's correct) CHAPTER 13!
Chapter 13: Of Horrid Past & Hidden Meanings
Within a moonlit room, behind rose wood doors, slumbered a young Miss Rosemary Baggins. It was not a sweet embrace of sleep that she was currently experiencing, but rather an unconscious struggle against an invisible invader. In her sleep induced conscious, Rosemary was revisiting her past. More specifically, the Fell Winter that robbed her of her beloved parents.
That year the Shire experienced its heaviest winter since the hobbits had settled under and upon its lands. Their doors blocked by pounds of thick snow with nary a sign of melting. Soon the trapped hobbits began to run out of food, and the braver figured that perhaps their neighbors would have food to spare. However, with all the heavy snowfall and cold winds for the first time the Baranduin river froze solid, and that frozen lake allowed for timber wolves to make their way into Shire.
Many hobbits disappeared, but as homes were blocked by snow and homes weren't as close, nobody knew until the Baggins broke free from the smail only to find timberwolves roaming through Shire and patches of bright red snow scattered around fields of white. They hadn't been far from their home, and Bungo Baggins was sure they could ration the food more than they had before; but that small gap between the door and them was enough for one wolf to appear. Like a cat chasing a mouse, Bungo, Belladonna and Rosemary ran for the lives from the hungry timber wolf.
Belladonna urged them to head for the forest and to climb the trees as fast as they could, and that perhaps the Rangers would pass by. But it was not to be, safety was not within the forest that day. Azog the Pale Orc was with his group of murdering demons.
If Rosemary's mother wasn't who she was, the rose would have never bloomed. Azog had slashed Rosemary only once before her mother had tackled the giant warg; which allowed her only child to quickly escaped. Rose ran as fast as her legs could move before tripping over an uplifted root hidden by snow. There she lay her heavy coat torn and blood seeping from her wound, but that would be the only physical injury little Rose would get that day. Her brave parents worked together to ensure her safety. Belladonna charged at the Orc seated Warg. Bungo ran with Rose in his arms, Belladonna not so far away, but Azog was bigger and much faster than the hobbits. The Lady of Bag End never stood a chance, and with a mighty swing of his hook of a hand the blazing light of Belladonna was extinguished. Even though Bungo felt the moment his beloved Bella had perished he continued to ran as fast as he could while carrying his injured daughter; but he wasn't his wife. The best he could do was hid his little girl in a hollow tree, and call out to the murderous beast to lead him away from his baby.
The screams of her father and her dream self's cry of angst woke her from her nightmare. She sat upon her bed drenched in sweat, gasping for breathe when her doors were suddenly thrown open by Elrond and his eldest son. Behind them came thirteen weapon wielding dwarves and Gandalf.
"Rose? Are you alright?" Ori asked, with obvious concern.
"Yes.. what are you all doing here?" she asked in return, her voice aching and raw.
"We heard you scream, Rose…," Elrond stated, walking to the bed, "was it the same dream?"
Rosemary's eyes shone brightly as he sat and gently brought her close, "Yes…"
"What dream?" Kili asked, his arrows lowered.
"It's…" she hesitated shortly, "it's more of a memory. A memory of Azog murdering my parents… if the Rangers and the visiting elves hadn't come by when they heard my… my father… then I'd most likely be dead."
The room was silent as the company took in that their burglar remembered such a horrid day that gentle folk, like Rosemary, should never witness… especially one so young.
"You said Azog… we've already told you, he's dead." Thorn said stubbornly, only those closest to him could detect the fear in his otherwise strong voice.
"You'd be a fool not to believe he words, Oakenshield." stated Elrond's eldest son, glaring heatedly at the fool of a king.
"I do not lie, Thorin, if you don't believe me on anything else… please, at least, believe me on this. It wasn't any Orc that took my parents from me, nor gave me the scar across my torso… it was the Pale Orc, the defiler, Azog." Rose whispered, her head bowed.
"He just can't be alive…" Thorin whispered in return, walking out of the room, a dark cloud over his head.
Bofur, Ori and the princes stayed with Rosemary along with Elrond and Gandalf. All were concerned with the pale, trembling lass. Many questions of her well-being, and her answers of being alright.
"No one would blame you if you decided to stay, Miss Baggins." Bofur offered, gently patting her back.
Rosemary smiled a bit, "I suppose not, but I did sign a contract. It's only the traveling giving me these nightmares… I'm sure they'll stop eventually."
"Aye, dear Rose, until then please take some sleep tonics with you… they will at least give you some peace." Elrond stated, handing her the pouch that his son had previously held.
"Not to make light of this matter, but Rose you must be ready to leave when the moon is highest… Elrond and I will try to hold the council." Gandalf said.
"Aye, I'll be ready… but, may I please have a moment alone?" Rosemary asked.
"If that is what you wish… we will be right outside the door."
With that she was once again alone, Rose drew her legs close and buried her head upon her knees. Silent tears soaking her sheet covered legs.
"Breathe, Rose, Azog may be alive… but these dwarves will never them him or his minions hurt you. Breathe, and move." she whispered, willing her shaking to stop.
And stop it did. With a deep inhale and song exhale, Rosemary was back to being more tookish. Rebranding her golden hair and dressing in clean travel clothes, she quickly grabbed her pack and went to join the company.
Meanwhile with said company, the more suspicious dwarves were discussing her nightmares and what troubles it would bring them in the wild. Kili, being much more of a talking before thinking kind than his older brother, suggested that he and Fili could sleep next to their only female companion.
"Kili!" Galin stated, scandalized, "Do you plan to marry this lass along with your brother?!"
"What? No! I just thought that if she had a sense of warmth next to her she'd have less chance of getting nightmares!" the brunette prince defended himself, a bright blush present on his cheeks.
In dwarven culture the only female you slept next to was either your blood relative or your One… not a stranger and, certainly, not one of a different race who was also a female; and especially beautiful, single far from home female. Before anything else could be said, however, Rosemary quickly said:
"That's very sweet of you, boys, but really all I need is a thick blanket… I know Elrond would gladly give me one to borrow during the travel, and I'm rather good at folding so it shouldn't slow my down or be too heavy for me."
"No the boys are right," Thorin stated, "it isn't normal for outsiders to… huddle… with a traveling family of dwarves, however, considering that the circumstances are rather unique… the family of Durin will provide you, Miss Baggins of Bag End, temporary familial status, if you accept?"
Rosemary stood speechless at the genuine offer, and Thorin stood nervous as the she hobbit stood speechless. The company, though few snickered, was silent at the sudden kindness of their king. Balin and Dwalin knew where that kindness had come from, though it was only Balin who had immediately understood the use of "family of Durin"; which meant that Thorin planned to sleep beside Miss Baggins.
"Are… um, are you absolutely certain?" Rose asked, shyly, staring up at Thorin a soft blush upon her cheeks.
"Aye, I would not have offered if I wasn't." he stated with a curt nod.
Clearing her suddenly dry throat, Rose strongly stated, "In that case, I accept your generous offer, Master Thorin Oakenshield son of Durin."
The way she stated it had surprised Thorin, and Balin, as it was the proper way to accept an offer of such magnitude by stating the full name of both participating in the offer. There was one thing for certain that everyone in the company could agree on without words: things had just become more interesting with Rosemary Baggins around.
Author's Note: FINALLY finished this chapter, my phone is not the best at typing things, and you would not believe how many times I had to go back and erase an entire sentence or whatnot. BUT! To answer all those who have questions of me continuing this, I am! I'm not abandoning this story, it's just hard to type on phone then update it on phone too Dx pls, I'm sorry to ask for more patients, but I'll get it all finished soon and updated it all! Promise, on the upside, I'm getting my computer fixed so hopefully soon I'll be able to type fast and update sooner, wish me luck!
Until next time.