Authoress Note: Welcome to Chapter 4 of Don't Want to Be Like You.. I know that I have been making the chapter a lot longer now. Which is a good thing, I think. I know I've been putting a lot more detail into my story now. But haven't been getting a lot of reviews. But that's okay I guess. *sighs* I think it is all because I've been gone for a while and not writing for a while which I am sorry. I didn't mean to be gone for so long to post a chapter. So here is the next chapter. I wasn't going to take long posting it this time. Without further ado Chapter 4. Enjoy.
Chapter 4
The Quest Begins
The next morning they had made sure that Bilbo Baggins' home was cleaned the way that they had found it before they had come and had made a mess of it. It was only polite to clean up the messes that you make. They had gathered up supplies and got ponies and two horses, and so thirteen dwarves, a grey wizard, and a she-elf all set out leaving The Shire in discouragement that Bilbo Baggins didn't join the company.
Gandalf had told Thorin to leave the contract just in case that Bilbo changed his mind. He had a feeling deep inside that Bilbo would come on the journey with them in the end. He had a small smile on his lips as they went down the winding road of the Shire.
Aranduriel was next to him. She looked out of the corner of her eyes, her hair and ears well hidden under her cloak. "You know something old friend." She said as her brow raised curiously.
Gandalf looked at her with a smile and winked. "One keeps a secret hidden until the right time my dear, you of all people know that."
Aranduriel shook her head letting out a sigh knowing that Gandalf indeed did know something. She should've known that Gandalf wasn't going to tell her the truth that he knew.
Hobbits curiously looked at them as they travelled down the winding path. They were talking about the odd people that were in the Shire. People that they were not used to travelling through their quiet Shire.
Once hitting the woods the dwarves began to make bets on if Bilbo would come or not.
"I bet he will come." Kili said with a smile.
"I agree with you there too brother." Fili said, nodding his head.
Thorin shook his head at his nephews anitics. He didn't think that the hobbit would come running to help them out. He had made his answer perfectly clear.
"I bet he will come too." Gandalf said looking at the dwarves.
Aranduriel looked at Gandalf with wide eyes. She was shocked to see her old friend betting that Bilbo Baggins would be joining the company. "Gandalf I didn't take you for the betting kind."
"There are things that you will be learning a lot about my Milady Aranduriel."
"Gandalf." She said softly in a tone that was in a warning. She didn't want him to give away that she was a lady. She wanted them to think that she was just an ordinary elf. Not someone important. Only two dwarves knew that and that was enough.
"Didn't I say it was going to be a waste of time?" Dori complained about going to The Shire. He didn't like the idea that they wasted their time trying to recruit someone that didn't want to leave their home.
Thorin turned his pony to talk to Gandalf so he could talk to Gandalf. "You made the mistake of picking the hobbit. Now we have an elf that doesn't belong among us." He said, shaking his head. He still was upset with Gandalf for bringing her into this quest to march on the mountain. He still didn't trust her or her people. How could he? After all he hadn't heard from her in all those years. He still was thinking that he was seeing a ghost with her there.
Aranduriel gripped the reins of her horse and looked ahead of them down the path that they were going down. She knew that Thorin was still going to be harsh with her until he settled his dwarvish mind down and learned to trust her again. It was going to be a matter of time and that was probably going to take a while. Hell she knew that and she needed to earn his trust back as quickly as possible. She knew that it would be a cold day in Imladris before that happened.
"I told you that she is a good addition to the company. She will get us through Thranduil's lands. She knows that path better than anyone else." Gandalf said, sending a knowing look towards the youngest crowned princess of Rivendell. He knew that she would be able to get them safely through without having too many questions, that is if Thranduil hadn't changed more since that last time he had seen the Elvenking. Or that matters to her.
Aranduriel rolled her eyes. Thorin was just going to continue to be rude. She had to admit that she had a feeling now Bilbo would be coming along on the journey. At least Thorin had admitted she knew how to protect herself in the wild.
"And it was an odd request that you think we should leave the contract for the hobbit. He won't accept. He would rather be in his home safe and sound."
"I believe Bilbo Baggins will come. He will find the side in him to join us on the journey, and be our burglar." Gandalf said, as he looked ahead.
A few of the dwarves complained even more about coming to the Shire was a mistake, as they got into the forest even more that they could only have two ponies or horses travelling side by side.
"I hope that you are right about your word, Gandalf." Aranduriel said, looking over at him, before she went further ahead of him not by much to travel alone for a bit to think. After all she needed to think for a minute.
"Wait! Wait!" A voice yelled loudly.
Aranduriel's ears twitched at the voice. She stopped her horse and turned looking behind her.
"Aranduriel what is it?" Gandalf said looking at her.
"Wait!"
A small smile came to her lips. Bilbo Baggins was coming. This meant that they were going to handle this quest a little bit better than they were before. "Bilbo."
"Wait!" Bilbo yelled again, as he ran up the path.
The rest of the company stopped their ponies.
Gandalf smiled at Aranduriel and patted her arm.
Thorin turned around on his pony. The look on his face was not a pleased one, he didn't want that hobbit here. Now he was going to have to watch the hobbit's safety and make sure that the hobbit made it to the mountain alive and hope that the hobbit found the arkenstone. He wanted the King's Jewel back. With the King's Jewel he would be able to control everything. Everything would be back in order like it should be like it should have been before Smaug had taken over.
Bilbo walked up to Balin's pony. "I signed it." He said, as he handed it to Balin. He had a proud look upon his face, proud that he had signed the contract making the choice that he had joined the company.
Balin took it from the hobbit and pulled out his little eye glass to make sure that it was indeed Bilbo's signature. He smiled. "Everything seems to be in order."He said folding it up. "Welcome Master Baggins to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."
Aranduriel looked at Thorin and saw that he was not impressed with this. This made her concerned that Thorin was going to keep Bilbo at arms length and treat him like he didn't know much about the wild. That means that she was going to have to make sure that Bilbo was well cared for and she was going to do just that.
"Give him a pony." Thorin said, as he turned around looking down the path.
"Oh that won't be necessary I made it as far as Frogmorton once."
Fili and Kili picked him up, putting him on a pony causing the poor hobbit to scream.
Aranduriel whispered into her horse's ear to get it to move forward. She patted her horse's head lightly, pleased that her horse was listening to her.
Bilbo looked nervous being upon his pony. He knew nothing about riding, it scared him. All he had wanted to do was walk instead of riding.
Aranduriel turned her head looking over at the hobbit. "She thinks that you don't like her." She said to him, giving him a small smile.
Bilbo's cheeks went red. "How do you know what the pony thinks?" He asked in confusion. He wondered how an elf knew that and he didn't? Was there some way to know what a pony was though?
Aranduriel chuckled lightly, her blue grey eyes twinkled with knowledge. "I'm an elf. I've been around horses almost all my life. I know what they think. She thinks you don't like her. You're not comfortable on her and she only wants you to be comfortable. You're making her worried." She explained to the sandy haired hobbit. She wasn't used to talking to anyone about what she knew. She was always around a young ten year old child and his questions were of course a lot different. She was just going to have to get used to people being curious about her since not many people got the chance to meet an elf outside of Imladris, Lorien, and Mirkwood, since they never really travelled outside for much.
Bilbo nodded his head nervously. Maybe he would be able to give this pony a chance and maybe not hurt her feelings after what Aranduriel had said to him.
Aranduriel rode ahead of Bilbo taking a soft breath as she gripped the reins of her horse in her hands.
Gandalf took Aranduriel's place.
"Hey Nori pay up!" Oin yelled at the thief.
The thief groaned and threw a sack of money towards Oin. He shouldn't have even tried to even bet that Bilbo Baggins wasn't going to show up. He should've known that he was going to show up.
"What's that about?" Bilbo asked confused, looking over at Gandalf. Why were there sacks of money being tossed around?
"Oh they took wagers on whether or not you would show up." Gandalf explained to the hobbit with a chuckle. "Most of them thought you wouldn't."
"What did you think?" Bilbo asked, looking up at the wizard wondering what he would have betted.
Arandureil caught the sack of money that was for Gandalf and turned on her saddle and threw it at him, which he caught it easily and put it into his bag that he carried on him.
"My dear fellow, I didn't doubt you for a second." He said with a smile. He bowed his head to the elven lady who was ahead of his as a thank you for her tossing him the money.
Bilbo smiled at the thought. He didn't know that Gandalf would hold that much faith in him, but he was glad that the old wizard had that much faith in him, he really did.
Fili looked at the elvish woman that was ahead of Gandalf and the sandy haired hobbit that still was covered by her cloak. He was still trying to figure out why his Uncle Thorin was still allowing this to happen. To have her on this quest. This was unlike his uncle to allow an elf to even be this close to him. He had to admit that it took a lot of guts to leave her home and come and help them. Maybe there were some good elves out there. Maybe she was different.
Kili looked over at his brother. "Hey Fili." He said trying his best to get his brother's attention off of the raven haired elleth that was travelling with them.
Fili looked over at his brother. "What."
"You're thinking about that elf again." Kili said, giving his brother a look.
"I am trying to figure out why Thorin is allowing her on the quest." Fili admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. He didn't see a problem of trying to figure out the raven haired elleth.
"I am too. It is strange isn't it?" Kili said thinking about it as well. "But I have to admit she ain't bad lookin to look at."
Fili gave his brother a look.
Bilbo sneezed loudly. "Oh all this horse hair. Having a reaction." He began to search his pockets, his eyes went wide. He didn't have his handkerchief. "No, no, wait. Stop, we have to turn around. Bilbo said frantically. He couldn't believe that he had forgotten the one thing that he was going to need.
Aranduriel turned her head and saw the hobbit continue to go through his pockets. She raised a dark eyebrow. What was the sandy haired hobbit looking for now? This was no point in turning around and going back to the shire for something small. They had a long way to travel to Erebor and there was no way that they could turn around. There was no reason to.
"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asked, as he looked at Bilbo.
"I forgot my handkerchief." Bilbo exclaimed as he continued to look around.
Aranduriel shook her head letting out a sigh. That was no reason to turn around.
Bofur ripped a piece of cloth off of his shirt. "Here, use this." He said throwing it at him at least it was something to use.
Bilbo looked disgusted at what was given to him.
"Move on." Thorin yelled to keep the company in line.
They continued on down the path.
"You'll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things. Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The rest of the world lies ahead of you." Gandalf told him.
Bilbo rode ahead of Gandalf after being told of what he was leaving behind. He began to move toward Aranduriel who was travelling by herself between the brothers Bofru and Bombur. He had to admit that he was curious of the woman that was travelling with the company of dwarves to reclaim the homeland. She was the odd person out as he was no way that they were going to fit into a group of thirteen dwarves. "Lady Aranduriel?"
Aranduriel looked over at Bilbo. "Yes, Master Baggins?" She asked with a small smile wondering why the hobbit was seeking a word with her.
Bilbo felt his heart jump a beat, he couldn't believe that he was going to be asking her this question, but he wanted to know. He truly did want to know about her. He knew that she was an elf from Rivendell. "What was it like to live in Rivendell?" He asked curiously.
Aranduriel laughed lightly. "It was peaceful and quiet. A remarkable sight." She said softly remembering her home. "Well about as peaceful as you can get when you have two twin brothers."
"You have brothers?" Bilbo questioned, tilting his head slightly surprised that she was revealing this much to him, trusting him so much with this information about her home and her family.
She nodded her head. "Elder. They taught me what I know. Thought it was wise." She said with a smile. "To protect myself. But I've been a teacher and friend lately."
"Oh?" He asked curiously.
"Yes… Someone under my father's care. He is a curious little thing."
"It must be wonderful to bestow your wisdom onto someone else."
"It is." She said with a nod of her head. She missed Estel a lot and wished that she would be able to see him again. She knew that she would see him again when they made it to the hidden valley. She couldn't wait to give that little boy a hug. She knew that he would ask her many many random questions. She knew that she couldn't tell him about what had happened though. It would be too much information to give the ten year old. Plus it would make him worry about her too much.
"How do you know Thorin?" He asked softly.
Fili and Kili looked up and their eyes went to her back. They were curious too of how she knew their uncle.
Aranduriel shifted uncomfortably in her saddle. She really didn't want to tell that story. Not with the dwarf in question that was so close to her. She shook her head. "That story I cannot tell you. It's not my tale really to tell Master Baggins." She looked at the wooded ground sadly as they continued down the path even her tone was sad.
Kili and Fili heard the tone in her voice. They looked down knowing that they would probably not hear this tale any time soon.
"But you know Thorin well." Bilbo pressed the matter. He wanted to know how the elf knew Thorin. He was blaming his Took side for being so curious about how the two knew one another.
"That's enough Master Baggins." Thorin growled from up front. His cold blue eyes met with Aranduriel's grey blue ones. He didn't want the hobbit to know the story that was between the two of them. It brought up very painful memories.
Aranduriel let out a soft sigh. She was glad that Thorin had intervened before the hobbit did get information out of her. There was no way that she was going to allow Bilbo know the history between them.
Thorin saw that she was no longer rigid which was good.
Balin shook his head. It was going to have to stop. Thorin was going to have to talk to her soon and stop being so bullheaded with her. It wasn't her fault that everyone had thought that she was dead for so long. Hell he was glad that she was alive and well.
AUJAUJ
"We will rest here for the night." Thorin told the company after so many more hours of travelling.
They were still in the woods which meant they were far from other villages meaning there would be no resting in a nice warm bed like Bilbo had thought there would be on this quest.
Aranduriel dismounted her horse and walked around it patting it lightly on the nose. It neighed at her lovingly. Aranduriel smiled and petted her horse lightly.
Fili got off his pony and looked at the elvish woman that was petting her horse. A small smile came to his lips. He knew that this woman was a kind hearted woman and he felt conflicted. Did he trust her didn't he? That was the quest that boiled in his mind. How was he and his brother going to trust her? Really trust her when there were just things that were hidden from him and his brother from his own uncle and her?
Night had begun to fall and Thorin made the choice that he and Aranduriel were to take the first watch of the night.
Aranduriel sat across from Thorin, the fire separating them. She was messing with something that was around her neck. She couldn't bring herself to look up at Thorin. It still hurt when she thought that Thorin wasn't going to trust her. What was bothering her now was that soon THorin was going to be finding out about Gandalf's plan of going to the Hidden Valley. He was going to blame her once he found out. She could only hope that he would not find out about it because she knew that Thorin was going to be a very stubborn dwarf and not allow them to go into the Hidden Valley and they needed the map read. Her father was the only one that could do it.
Thorin looked at her seeing her messing with a necklace that she wore around her neck. He saw that it was the red one that she had worn when they had first met. The fire light made her look like the day that he had first met her. That was something that he didn't want to admit. He looked down as he kept his ears open for sounds that were strange for any type of movement that was a danger to them. He couldn't help, but now think that maybe Gandalf was right about having her on this journey with them.
Fili tried to get comfortable and saw that his uncle was looking at Aranduriel. He couldn't help, but wonder why Thorin was so cold towards her and what this story was all about. He wanted to know the truth. But maybe the truth was something better unknown for now. He saw Aranduriel was messing with something around her neck. He rolled over and tried to get some sleep trying to not let the thought of what she had around her neck bother him. He needed his sleep so he was well rested for the long journey that they had ahead of them.
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This is the end of chapter 4. Please let me know what you guys think. I hope that you guys like it. I thought that I needed to add a little bit more to it. The next chapter will have a bit more added to it too. Please let me know what you think I will try to add more to this story soon. So please leave a review and if there is anything that you would like to see. Well please let me know. I always do like changing things up a bit. Until next time guys.