***hello everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far and staying safe out there wherever you are reading from! For those of you who are curious, I based the looks of Fleur on the fairy from "Whisper of the Heart" from Studio Ghibli. Please don't forget to comment! ***
Bilbo jumped slightly from the snoring. . . winged thing on his bed. It appeared to be a mess of curls, as bright as starlight and just as wild as the woods. Its wings were fragile looking. Not unlike a dragonfly, the wings were simple, but elegant. It had only one wing on each side. The membrane of its wings was a rose gold color that reflected the sunlight from the window. The membrane was nearly translucent. Bilbo reached out to touch one of the wings, but the snoring thing let out a groan before turning over.
The face that revealed itself from underneath the riot of curls was the same face from Bilbo's dream. But she was much smaller now than she had been in his dream. He also distinctly remembered a lack of wings on the woman who had grabbed his hand to help him.
The thing on his bed couldn't be bigger than his hand at the moment.
For something so small, he had a feeling it would be a headache of giant proportions.
"E-excuse me, miss. You're on my bed." Bilbo began, but got no response from the sleeping thing.
Deciding a more direct approach would be necessary, he poked her gently on her tiny shoulder.
"hmm?" the thing replied sleepily, not fully coherent yet.
Poking her again, Bilbo began to question her.
"I hate to be rude, but you are on my bed in my home and to be honest I've had just about enough visitors to last me a lifetime thank you very much."
She opened an eye, a shade of brilliant green just like the woman in his dream, before she shot out into the air, wings fluttering.
"Did I miss it? Where is everyone?" she asked frantically, the bell like tone of her voice ringing in Bilbo's ears.
"You mean the death wish that the dwarves and Gandalf were insistent on?"
Looking confused, the flying woman perched on Bilbo's knee.
"No, I meant breakfast. What's this about a death wish?"
"wait, if you're not part of that what are you doing here?"
"It was raining, and I can't fly in the rain. You had a fire going and I was just so tired."
It was just then that Bilbo realized the woman wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing. And she was very much a woman by the looks of her anatomy.
"Oh, for heaven's sake where are your clothes?" Bilbo shouted at the girl, knocking her off his knee causing her to summersault in the air before landing on her tiny bottom on the floor.
"well I don't normally let folk see me! Most don't or can't! I didn't realize you could even see me until just now!"
Covering his eyes and turning his head, Bilbo tried to reason with the stubborn woman who made no sense. The headache he predicted was coming in full force.
"You can't just be flying about without clothes on!"
"Well its never been a problem before!"
The woman flew back into the air and into what she assumed was Bilbo's closet looking for something to wear.
Bilbo had uncovered his eyes at the sound of fluttering to find that his uninvited guest had invaded more of his space.
"Nope, get out of there! There's nothing for you to see there. Nothing would fit you anyways!"
But the woman flew out wearing a much smaller version of his favorite brown tunic and green pants. Her feet were bare, but at least she was dressed. Even if it was masculine in nature.
"There, better?" She asked before spinning in the air to show off her new wardrobe.
"Spectacular" Bilbo replied sarcastically. He had no idea how she had shrunken his clothing down to fit her and honestly was too afraid to ask.
"Good! Now tell me more about this adventure!"
"Shh! Let me get dressed and see if they are still here!" Bilbo said, whispering at finally realizing he hadn't heard any commotion from outside his bedroom.
The flying woman stayed with him while he looked for clothing.
"Um. . . would you give me some privacy please?" Bilbo asked, annoyed.
"Why?" The woman asked, sitting cross legged on the bed once more. Her wings were tucked behind her and pointed down. It was just then that Bilbo realized her ears were pointed like an elf rather than rounded like men.
"Because I'm changing! Where did you grow up, a barn?"
"Barns are lovely and warm thank you very much" the woman said snippily but turned around. "I don't understand why its that big a deal. Everyone is naked really. Its just body parts. Clothing restricts movement and doesn't change well nor hold up in the elements."
Bilbo quickly changed before his newest uninvited guest could decide she had given him enough time to change.
He left his bedroom then, creeping around the halls of Bag-end looking for the dwarves from the previous night.
"Hello?" He called out, almost fearing to have a response.
"Hello!" the tiny woman replied, leaning over his left shoulder. "why are we creeping. Is this not your home?"
"It is very much my home thank you! I was just. . . seeing if the others were still. . . here."
A sinking feeling crept into Bilbo's stomach then. The feeling of having quite possibly missed something grand and important. There, on a stool by the door lay the contract from the previous night. It had been signed by Thorin, witnessed by Balin, and the signature spot left blank for the burglar to sign was all that was left.
The contract hadn't been signed the night before.
"what's this?"
"My contract."
"Well, now it makes sense why you were confused in this hole. You were here to steal from it, weren't you" she said slyly, looking amused at the thought.
"I've never stolen a thing in my life. . ." Bilbo repeated, sounding much less sure of himself than when he had said it the previous night.
Staring at the contract for just a moment longer, Bilbo made up his mind before he could change it.
He quickly scrambled around, looking through several drawers before finding a quill and an ink pot, signing his name at the bottom, and rushing to pack.
"Where are we going now?" The woman asked.
"I am going on an adventure. You are leaving."
"Well, that's not fair! I wanna come too!"
"Why?" Bilbo asked, not really paying attention as he shoved clothes into a pack.
The woman shrugged. "Seems like something interesting to do. Can we have breakfast first?"
"No, we cannot have breakfast first! They already left!"
"So, your name is Bilbo Baggins?" the woman asked, having read it from the contract after he signed it.
"Yes, although I'm afraid to ask for yours."
"Well, no worries then! My name is Fleurel, but you can call me Fleur." She said happily.
"Well Fleur I'll be traveling with several different rathe rough dwarves who have no home and a wizard. I can't even say what we will run into except for certain there is a dragon involved."
"Oh good, I like dragons."
"This one is a very mean and nasty one who stole their home. I doubt he would like you for anything except a snack."
Rolling her eyes, Fleur decided to drop the argument. Instead, she flew into the kitchen to grab a piece of ham and some bread making a cold breakfast sandwich. She made one for Bilbo too, seeing as it was most likely his own house. She still wasn't quite convinced.
Passing him the much larger sandwich, he stuffed it and her into his pocket before running out of his home and down the path.
"Hey! I'm on here you know!"
"I know, now hush up. If you wanna come, I need to keep you secret. I doubt very much they would appreciate a female on their quest."
"How come?"
"Do you ever stop asking questions?" Bilbo replied, panting as he was running as fast as his small legs could carry him.
"Not until I'm dead."
Bilbo continued to run, while Fleur bounced around in his lower pocket. She was greatly regretting having eaten anything at that point.
Eventually Bilbo slowed.
Fleur could hear rough voices outside of her pocket but couldn't quite make out what they were saying. It sounded like they were riding ponies or horses as well. It smelled like it too.
"Wait! Wait!" Bilbo shouted, sounding out of breath.
The horses neighed at being stopped so suddenly.
"I signed it!" Bilbo said proudly, coming to a stop. Fleur wanted to peak out his pocket and did so every so stealthily.
She could see absolutely nothing because Bilbo was covering her pocket with his hand, having anticipated her nosiness.
"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."
"Give him a pony" a commanding voice said from up front.
Bilbo tried to argue, saying he was sure he could keep up on foot, but it was no use.
He rode stiffly on the pony he was thrusted onto.
"Come on, Nori, pay up."
"What was that about?" Bilbo asked to someone that Fleur couldn't see. Thankfully, she could at least peak out from his pocket now to see an older looking gentleman in a grey robe and matching pointed hat. He was on a horse instead of a pony and carried a large stick. Fleur suspected he was a wizard. His aura made her wings tingle, as they always did around power.
"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't."
"And what did you think?" Bilbo asked, sounding unsure of himself.
"Well. . . "a coin purse flew into the wizard's hand as he chuckled. "My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second."
Bilbo sneezed at that moment. "Ah, its horsehair. Having a reaction. Oh, no wait, wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around.
What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf questioned.
"I forgot my handkerchief."
"Here, use this!" came from up a head and the sound of taring fabric.
Whatever had been torn was thrown at Bilbo, which he caught surprising Fleur.
"Move on" came from up front of the company. Chuckles from the men rung through the area.
"You will have to manage without pocket handkerchiefs and a good many other things Bilbo Baggins before we each our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire. But home is now behind you. The world is ahead." Gandalf stated.