Chapter 8: Scolding

"Give him a pony!"

Bilbo blanches as the company begins once again moving. Edyth doesn't even have the nudge Ginger into a walk as his starts as soon as Kili and Fili's ponies do.

Bilbo is shaking his head. "No, no, no, no. That…that won't be necessary. Thank you. I'm sure I can keep up on foot," he bawls. "Yeah, I…I've my fair share of walking holidays, you know? Even got as far as Frog Morton once."

Edyth barely holds her smile as the brothers ride in front of her on either side of her brother. Bilbo is plucked up into the air from under his arms. It is entertaining, to say the least, to watch his legs fumble through the air until he is placed on top of one of the pack ponies. He looks worse than she had when her behind first sat in the saddle.

Knowing that she cannot avoid him for long, Edyth pushes Ginger to speed up and ride next to her brother. Bilbo gives her a side glance with a loud huff. "I cannot believe you," he seethes. "Who do you think you are just leaving with a band of Dwarves?"

"Apparently their burglar," she quips back. With Bilbo's unamused expression, she tries again. "They need help, Bilbo. And I did tell you I was going."

"No you didn't!" he squeaks. "I found out when Goldie came knocking at my door this morning inquiring as to why you left with this lot just after sunrise!"

"I left a letter," she defends, voice starting strong but weakens knowing how pathetic her defence sounds. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd come running after me. But just think of what we're going to see! We're travelling to the other side of Middle Earth! You can't lie to me and say I'm the entire reason you're here. Even if I hadn't left, a part of you would have wanted to come."

Bilbo doesn't answer, only facing forward once again. She saw it last night when she spoke to him. The desire that she thought had left him many years ago. After a few minutes of simply enjoying the comfort of each other's company, Bilbo leans over in his saddle to her ear. "What exactly are we…burgling?"

Edyth pulls her neck back at the question. "Well I suppose…I'm not actually sure. I mean, something in that mountain but… I'm going to ask Thorin." Pulling Ginger to the side, she gives him a good nudge into a trot.

It is terrifying to go at anything faster than a walk, but it isn't like she could exactly ask Thorin to slow down. She won't let him scare her. She passes the ponies and Gandalf's horse as she makes her way to the head of the company, only coming to a slow once she falls in line with their leader. Thorin doesn't acknowledge her presence but she knows that he is very aware of her.

"We're burglars," she begins. "Not warriors. So obviously you don't intend for us to face the dragon. And from the tales I've heard, Erebor is a source of great wealth. So, tell me, Oakenshield, unless you expect Bilbo and I to be there for a year hauling gold out of the mountain, what is the treasure that you wish us to take that is so important?"

Thorin slowly turns his head toward her with a stony expression. Edyth holds it, her eyes only faltering every few seconds. "A stone," he answers after a long and uncomfortable silence.

"A stone?" she repeats. "Is this stone…magic?"

A voice behind her laughs softly, alerting her to another pair of ears listening. Checking over her head, Edyth finds Balin smiling affectionately. "No dear. He is referring to the Arkenstone."

"The King's Jewel," Thorin continues. "It is more precious than any gold in that mountain."

It became a little unsettling if she is honest with herself. A jewel prized above an entire mountain of gold. And now she is responsible for retrieving it. "And why is it so important?"

Thorin's head snaps towards hers again with a blaze in his eyes that she imagines would match a Dragon's. "Do you ever stop asking questions?"

"Not when I'm trying to figure out what I've gambled my life on," Edyth barks back without a thought. "You understand that, don't you Oakneshield? I'm risking everything I've known, my entire life for an exiled king I met less than a day ago. I think I deserve to know the answers to my questions."

"Get back in line with the rest."

Thorin's head is set forward once more with a clear intention not to turn back to her and give any more of his attention. It makes her blood boil but the only thing she can do is breathe out slowly in order not to be sent on her backside, or worse, back to the Shire. Tugging on Ginger's reins, she lets Thorin pass in front, followed by Balin who gives her a sympathetic nod. Next to pass her is Dwalin who doesn't face her, but he holds an extremely amused smirk, one hand on the reins, the other resting on his leg. Well at least she provided some entertainment.

Edyth rides slow, waiting for Bilbo to catch up but apparently Ginger has a different idea of who he wants to walk aside. As soon as a familiar brown mare comes shoulder to shoulder; Ginger picks up his pace to stay in place. Edyth chuckles, shaking her head at the ponies which nip at each other.

"I think our ponies might have an infatuation with each other," she muses to Kili.

"That they do," Kili also chuckles. "I think they've had a foal together actually."

"Oh, so they're married in a sense?" she plays with a grin. "Looks like I'll probably be stuck with you for a while unless I want to ride an antsy pony eager to return to his lover."

"Stuck? Is my company that bad?"

"I'm already thinking of swapping with Bilbo tomorrow."

"Wounded. Right in the heart."

Edyth giggles, letting her head drop down to hide the childish smile. "I suppose you are one of my favourites so far," she confesses.

Kili tilts one side of his mouth right up, head bobbling slightly with each step of his pony. "I am, am I?" That arrogant smirk matches what she would imagine Thorin's is if he ever pulled his lips up from a frown.

"Don't get too excited. It's the first day after all and I've yet to even talk to everybody."

"Well, that's too bad. I think I'm starting to favour Bilbo as our burglar now."

Edyth tugs on the reins, pulling the reluctant Ginger slower. "Alright, I'm going to ride with your brother."

Kili laughs loudly, leaning down from his saddle and grips one side of her reins right above the mouth bit and pulls Ginger back up to speed. "No, I enjoy your company." Edyth laughs to herself, barely able to hold her smile and blush.

"…Wait, wait! Stop! Stop! We have to turn around!"

The entire company is pulled to a stop by her brother for a second time that day. Edyth frowns, looking over her shoulder as the rest of the Dwarves do. Bilbo is panicking, patting over all the pockets of his red coat and pants.

"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf wonders.

"I forgot my handkerchief."

Edyth closes her eyes, shaking her head slightly in utter disbelief. She opens them to look at Kili who has the utmost amused expression. At least he isn't upset about the delay. Her eyes change to Thorin up the front, but he also just appears annoyed rather than angry.

Bofur tears off a piece of his tunic, which is slightly dirt-stained. "Here! Use this!" He tosses it through the air and Bilbo catches it between two fingers, holding it high, trying to hold his disgust.

"Move on!"

Edyth shakes her head again. "A handkerchief," she mutters. "We are going to be living in the wild, I think a piece of cloth is going to be the least of his worries."

"Well at least one of you has proper sense."

Edyth smacks his arm gently. "I'm allowed to insult him, you are not." She sits deeper in her saddle, stretching her already sore neck around. "Besides, he's not used to being out here. Well, neither am I if I'm being honest but I think I have more of a sense about what we're going to face. Bilbo's exploration of the wild ended in his younger years."

"And yours didn't?"

Edyth smiles, shaking her head. "No. I've always wanted to go to Lothlorien." Kili's intrigued eyes turn sour, causing her own to falter. "Do you not like the Elves?"

"No."

His lack of explanation keeps her own mouth shut from asking for any explanations. Perhaps he had a dark history with them, or maybe it was a feud between the two races she is unaware of. She could ask Balin later.

As the day passes on, Edyth remains on the quieter side, listening instead to the conversations of others. At some point she fell back in line with her own brother, leaving Fili to replace her spot next to Kili. Neither Hobbit has much to say to the other, both trying to solve their own mental thoughts and puzzles.

Just from observing she begins to identify a few more Dwarves. The ones riding in front of her are Nori and Bifur. They spoke in a foreign language which confused her at first since it is very well known that Khazdul, the Dwarvish language is of the utmost secret but after thinking over it, she had never heard the one called Bifur speak in Common Tongue. She tries not to listen to the words out of respect, even if she didn't know what they meant.

"You can go home, you know?"

Edyth slowly looks towards her brother. "I can't believe you just suggested that to me. I'm the one that left first. I should be telling you to go home."

Bilbo exhales exasperatedly. "I just don't want you to be here because you feel like you have to. Even if you go, I'll stay."

Edyth tips her head closer to her shoulder. "You would?"

Bilbo nods, licking his lips. "Yeah," he swallows. "You were right last night. They need help. And I'm the blood of a Took. I could use a little adventure."

"We're both Tooks," she corrects, smiling at her brother's confession. "Which means we will both be going on the quest. Besides, I doubt they'd let me take the pony back and I don't exactly feel like walking all the way home again."

"Of course you don't," Bilbo chuckles. "But promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"When do I ever?"

"Would you like me to start with today or last night?"

After another few hours, with a short stop before to let the ponies rest and drink, Thorin calls for camp to be made. Edyth slides off the saddles at a disastrously slow pace as her legs ache even as she only put them together. Before her feet touch the ground, hands rest on her hips, alleviating some of the weight.

"Thank you," she says through gritted teeth at the familiar blond hair. "I've never sat in one position for so long."

"You'll get used to it soon enough," Fili assures, patting her shoulder. "Do you know how to take off the saddle or do you want some help?"

Edyth glances over the contraption, having no idea where to even start. "Some help would be nice."

Fili takes the time to show her the different straps and buckles on both the saddle and bridle as Ginger stands there, content to just not be moving. As they remove the saddle and saddle blanket, his back is dark and covered in sweat.

"Kee and I are on horse duty, so we'll brush him down for you. Go help camp set up."

"Are you sure?" she hesitates. "I don't mind grooming."

Fili smiles softly, squeezing her shoulder. "It's our job for the night. No doubt yours will be something along the lines of gathering wood or helping Bombur cook. And I'd go get started before Thorin throws a fit for taking so long."

"Alright, well, thank you. I think I'll remember that all tomorrow."

Fili nods in farewell, leading Ginger over to the trees the ponies are being tied up to. Kili is already mid-way through brushing out the others, sending Edyth a quick wave. Edyth waves back shyly. The entirety of the day doesn't seem so bad in perspective. The Dwarves are more settled, ambling around camp doing their own things without making a mess. As Fili guessed, Dwalin instructed her to assist Bombur by cutting up all the vegetables and watching over the pot on the fire to make sure it doesn't boil over.