The Company allowed themselves to be pushed and prodded from before the throne and through the stony corridors to the very place they had only just escaped from. It was almost insulting really. All that running and teeth dodging had ultimately been for nothing. More than one of their number allowed themselves a glare at the ever calm wizard who was being treated with great suspicion by the Goblins. Not that they could blame the creatures. Upon consideration most of them didn't completely trust Gandalf either.
The sounds of their heavy boots hitting against the cold stone floor echoed around them, mixed with the occasional hiss or growl from their Goblin herders to emphasis a particular prod.
None of them would admit it to anyone but themselves but it was nice to be surrounded once again by stone after so long with nothing but the open sky above and soil below them – it became unsettling after a while. It was a surprise to them all that, despite them being surrounded by Goblins at all times, the halls and caverns felt almost cosy. Homey even.
They cast glances at the Goblins about them, meeting each other's eyes occasionally and frowning their confusion at one another.
To look at the Goblins they appeared to be anything but organised. They moved with a hobbled swing that seemed almost painful but they had all witnessed how quickly the savage creatures would come to attention at one glance from Bilbo Baggins.
Just how had she managed this?
It was still difficult to get their heads around that she was the queen of this place. How in control she was. What was even more difficult to understand was how willingly the sniveling creatures bowed to her will.
And then there was the matter of the Orcs…
They arrived at the entrance to their cave and were non to gently pushed one by one through the gap - that was wide enough to admit three or more abreast - once they had been searched again for weapons.
It came as a surprise to no one when a hidden blade was found somewhere on Fili and he received a hard cuff to the side of the head by a leathery hand and an angry bearing of teeth from a grey face.
The young heir winced at the rough treatment but looked exceedingly pleased with himself, an unrepentant grin quirking the side of his lips as he was pushed along. In fact there was even a swagger to his trip as he righted himself from the push.
Silence filled the surprisingly warm cavern.
A fire burnt in the centre of the room, glowing hot and smoking little – it seemed that the Goblins had found a way not to accidently kill themselves by smoke inhalation in an attempt to stay warm.
Oin had pounced on the youngest Durin as soon as they had been left by the Goblins - none of them were foolish enough to think that a group had not been stationed at the entrance - and was ignoring his complaints to be left alone as he checked his colour and temperature with a concerned and practised eye.
Kili succeeded after many failed attempts in batting away the elderly healer.
"I am fine Oin," he smiled tiredly to soften his actions, "I feel a lot better than I did. That stuff was fowl though," he huffed, his eyes regaining some of their sparkle but he was unable to keep the grimace from twisting his lips at the memory of the fowl drink. He could still feel it oozing down his throat as he had been forced to swallow, his nose being covered and his mouth held shut by hands that he knew could have just as easily snapped his neck.
"It could have been poison lad. Then where would you be?" Oin told him, once again reaching to place his wrinkled hand across the prince's forehead.
Oin never had been one for trusting foreign concoctions and he preferred to know what was in a thing before dosing a patient with it. This treatment from these dark creatures did not sit well with him, even if it had been sanctioned by the Hobbit.
"Bilbo would never so that!" Kili objected, succeeding in dodging the hand and stepping around his brother, firmly placing Fili between himself and the healer who seemed to be determined to pronounce him ill or dying thanks to the healing draught.
He believed what he said and he looked to his brother for support. Fili just looked at him with worried eyes, obviously still trying to decide if he was going to start acting Orcish or something equally stupid.
He glanced to his uncle but he knew no backing would come from that quarter.
Thorin stood with his arms folded across his chest and an angry scowl creasing his features.
"Oh aye," Nori spoke up from behind his younger brother, "because we all know her so well, obviously," the red head narrowed his eyes and leveled Gandalf with his gaze.
The Wizard didn't even blink.
They all wondered if Gandalf had so many years of practice at being glared at that he just paid it no mind anymore. It would not surprise them if it was the case.
"The lass would never hurt the lads, she wouldn't hurt any of us," defended Bofur angrily, being held back from pouncing at the thief by Bifur's strong grip on his arm.
His cousin growled something and Bofur stopped struggling to turn his glare on Bifur. His expression shocked and hurt.
"You mind your tongue," he snapped in an uncharacteristic sign of anger at his relation.
"He's right," this time it was Dori who spoke up from his spot beside Ori where he was fussing with the younger's clothing and hair. He stopped to point his finger at Bofur. If it was a blade, the toy-maker would be dead. "She lied to us!"
"Well actual-" a soft voice began only to be cut off as the Company erupted into chaos. It seemed as though each member of the Company had found someone else to argue with, or at in Gandalf's case, as the Wizard stood tall and silent as he was ranted at - mainly by Thorin.
Balin however remained aloof and looked to the youngest Ri brother who was standing back from the shouting and fiddling with his sleeves, his eyes full of anxiety and he shifted his weight from one leg to the other, his mouth opening a shutting more than once as he went to speak and then changed his mind.
Balin felt sorry for him and wondered just what he had been trying to say before…well...this broke out.
He looked to Thorin who was still shouting at Gandalf – no doubt revisiting something already touched upon by the look of exasperation on the wizard's face - and sighed. It looked like he could not rely on his king to restore order.
He was getting far too old for this.
Balin cleared his throat.
"Silence!" he shouted, his voice echoed about the room, bouncing from one stone wall to the other.
Much to his surprise everyone stopped and all eyes turned to him.
He breathed in and out steadily before speaking.
"Now, the way I see it is that Miss Ba- I mean, her Majesty, never lied to us,"
Balin raised his hands to stop any potential arguments when he saw more than one mouth open.
"Ori, lad,"
All eyes now turned on the young scribe and he looked up from where he had been focusing on the ground with great interest.
"Yes, Master Balin,"
"Speak your mind lad,"
Ori gulped, not used to having the attention of so many upon him. Well, while he was sober anyway. He still cringed in embarrassment when he remembered his actions the night at Bag End.
"Umm…well, Miss…I...I mean her Majesty…she spoke to me a lot on the journey and I…I listened a lot to record it," he looked at Balin and he nodded in encouragement.
"She…umm…she never actually lied,"
A raised hand from Balin silenced the voices again, although a few still mumbled under their breath.
Ridiculous. The lass was married to Azog and ruled over the Misty Mountains. Of course she had lied to them how was anything else possible?
"She spoke a lot about the Shire and…and sometimes she mentioned her parents and she answers all of my questions but…but," his nerves finally seemed to get the better of him and he stopped to breath for a moment.
"No one really spoke to her,"
Mouths opened wider or closed with a click at the declaration.
"She was made the brunt of jokes and she answered questions that were put to her but no one really sat her down and had a conversation about…about herself,"
The young Dwarf closed his eyes and gulped.
"And…and when anything did come up she always managed to…to change the conversation. But she…she never lied,"
One by one they grudgingly accepted that he had a point. They hadn't really gone out of their way to make her a part of the Company at first, but during the journey she just seemed to fall into a routine. They had to admit that it felt almost awkward to ask her about herself after treating her so, and so they had just fallen into the habit of treating her as if she had always been there. And while it was obvious that she had a soft spot for the princes, Ori and even Bofur she accepted their actions towards her with a smile or, in Thorin's case, a sarcastic comment on occasion.
She listened intently to any stories they told around the fire, laughed at Bofur's jokes – risqué or otherwise – and would smile and chat with Bombur as she helped with the meals but there was nothing of substance discussed.
They had to admit Ori had a point.
-To Be Continued-
Hi everyone.
I meant to have this posted last night but ended up seeing double with sleepiness halfway through the editing so I went to bed instead :)
I had trouble getting into the Dwarves' heads in this chapter but I knew I had to do it and I really hope I haven't let you down as I know more than a few of you were looking forward to the Company's POV :)
Next chapter will be the Company again and then back to Bilbo.
Please let me know what you thought of this chapter.
Take care and have a safe weekend everyone.
:)
