An Unexpected Companion
Chapter 6
The Beginning of an Adventure
Apparently, dwarves can eat as much as hobbits. In fact, to Tiki, it seemed like they ate more in one sitting than she and Bilbo ate during the entire day. Then again, there were twelve dwarves at Bilbo's dining table; chanting, laughing, chewing, and slurping. They certainly were not a group with the best table manners.
Gandalf did not seem to mind, though. He laughed with the dwarves, ate with them, smoked his pipe as he watched them toss food back and forth at the table. Meanwhile, Tiki remained at Bilbo's little breakfast nook near the window, watching it all unfold. As for Bilbo, well, the poor Hobbit had become a cyclone of activity, dashing from one room to the other as he tried to salvage his home from the dwarven intrusion.
"No-no, stop! That is not a napkin!" She heard Bilbo cry from across the room.
Tiki couldn't suppress a smirk as she watched Bilbo race after a dwarf with a black goatee and wearing a furry hat. The little hobbit snatched a lace towel from the dwarf's fingers and quickly tucked it away.
"That was my mother's- easy on the silverware! You're gonna dull the knives!"
"Hear that lads?" Kili chortled. "Mr. Baggins doesn't want his knives dulled."
And that's when the singing started. Tiki wasn't sure what song it was, or if it even was a normal song for this motley crew of dwarves to sing, but she had to admit, it was a fun tune. Her foot tapped against the floor to the rhythm. Then she noticed something even more peculiar.
The dwarves were cleaning up while singing. Plates flew through the house towards a soapy basin. Balin sat in his seat, using one plate to vault other dishes up onto a stack filling the sink. Three more dwarves scrubbed then flung the plates like discs onto neat stacks on the table. All the while, Gandalf smiled and puffed on his pipe.
"Be careful! Please for the love of-"
"~That's what Bilbo Baggins hates~!" All the dwarves cried as one.
The dishes were done. Tiki could only think one thing.
Dwarves are shockingly efficient, both at eating and cleaning.
More laugher ensued as Bilbo stewed off to the side, his hobbitly manners long abandoned for a disgruntled expression. Gandalf and the dwarves did not seem to notice, and Bilbo must have picked up on the lack of attention. With a frustrated huff, he threw his hands in the air and slumped into the seat across from Tiki. After staring down at his empty plate for a second, he raised his weary, irritated gaze at Tiki.
"Thank you for not causing a ruckus."
Tiki chuckled as she brought a cup of tea to her lips. "I preferred to watch, but you're most welcome."
Bilbo groaned and let his head fall to the table. As soon as he hit the table with a small thud, an even louder bang rang out through the little hobbit hole. Two more sharp bangs echoed through the halls and dining room. At once, the laughter and revelry at the dining table came to a halt. Balin, the dwarf with the white beard, glanced at the door, then turned to his companions, a serious expression on his aged face.
"He is here."
Silently, one of the dwarves, who Tiki assumed was the one named Bifur, marched to Bilbo's round door. With a deep breath, he pulled the door open. Tiki craned her gaze around an equally intrigued Bilbo to see who was there.
"Oh," She brought her tea to her lips as a small frown formed on her face. "It's him."
"Him?" Bilbo questioned.
Thorin Oakenshield stepped into Bag End, his heavy boots clomping against the hardwood floors. His stern gaze whipped over to the dining room. He didn't even smile when he spotted the other dwarves, preferring to give each of them a solemn nod of acknowledgment. The stoicism was both impressive and irritating to Tiki, but that must come with Thorin's role as royalty in the dwarven culture. At least, that's what she assumed. Royals have strange customs, in her experience.
"You know him?" Bilbo asked as Thorin walked by them towards an empty seat beside Gandalf. There, one plate of hot food waited for him.
Tiki hummed. "We only recently met before arriving here. His name is Thorin Oakenshield, and he's the dwarves' leader from the looks of things."
Bilbo's eyes widened. "Is he?" His jaw worked back and forth then he rose to his feet, standing as tall as he could. He still barely came to Tiki's shoulder. "Well then, I suppose we need to have a little chat about manners and the like."
Tiki choked on her tea as Bilbo marched towards Gandalf and Thorin. "B-Bilbo, I wouldn't-"
"Excuse me!"
Tiki sighed, shook her head, and sipped her tea. Her ears twitched as she strained to hear Bilbo. He approached the table with so much gusto, but now his voice was small. Strange.
She turned and saw why. Every dwarf at the table was staring at Bilbo. Not a single smile sat on their faces. Gandalf simply puffed on his pipe. As for Thorin, he glared at Bilbo, causing the hobbit to timidly finish with:
"I-I would appreciate it if your, um, friends were a little more, well, conscientious of others."
Thorin said nothing in reply. Instead, his gaze shifted to Gandalf.
"He's not a burglar."
Gandalf pulled his pipe from his mouth. "Well, he most certainly is a burglar. He is my choice, therefore, he is my burglar."
"Have you ever burgled before Gandalf?" One of the younger dwarves asked. Tiki thought his name was Ori… or was it Nori? So many rhyming names; it was hard for her to parse through.
"Well, if you're implying that I have stolen-"
"Of course he hasn't burgled before Ori!" Dori cried. "Gandalf is an esteemed wizard. He wouldn't debase himself so. So…" Dori blinked. "Why was he responsible for finding the burglar again?"
"Because he is a wise and knowledgeable wizard, of course," Balin nodded.
"But what does that have to do with burglary?" Ori questioned, but not in a frustrated way. The young dwarf seemed quite curious to Tiki. Although, the others took the question as an attack on Gandalf, with some of them agreeing.
"Aye," Dwalin nodded. "Gandalf is wise, but what does he know of thievery?"
"We've entrusted a do-gooder wizard to find us a thief!?" Gloin huffed. Beside him, Bifur garbled something in a language Tiki could not understand. Whatever he said riled up the others though, because much shouting erupted from the table, all of which made Bilbo flinch and take a step back.
Amid the shouting, Tiki overheard several dwarves turn to the fattest of the bunch, Bombur. Upon which, instead of adding to the conversation, Bombur uttered one of the loudest, most impressive belches Tiki ever heard.
And that was when Gandalf had enough.
The gray wizard rose slowly to his feet, suddenly towering over the room like a giant instead of appearing like a doddering old man. His staff was clenched tight in his grasp. Shadows crept along the walls, dimming the candles in the entire home to mere glimmers of flickering light. His voice rolled like rumbling thunder, making the hairs on Tiki's arms stand on end as adrenaline shot through her in one sharp pulse.
"I have chosen this burglar for a reason! If that reason is not sufficient for you, then I shall let you handle this quest on your own! But, if you want my assistance, then if I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is!"
The entire room was silent. Every dwarf shrank in their seats before Gandalf. Every dwarf, that is, except for Thorin. The dwarven prince merely munched on a turkey leg, set the bone down on his plate, then wiped his hands with his napkin.
"Are we done squabbling?" He asked as the shadows in the room receded. Gandalf sighed, nodded, then returned to his seat. Thorin leaned over his plate. "I asked for Gandalf's assistance. And… while I may not agree with his selection, I will trust his judgment. Balin, the contract."
"C-contract?" Bilbo stammered.
"Ah yes, where did I put that?" Balin patted his clothes and fumbled through his pockets before gasping and pulling a small square of paper out from his breast pocket. Then, he unfolded it. Tiki's eyes slowly widened as she watched the small square of paper descend to the floor in one long list. "Here be your contract, Mr. Baggins. Read through it. It should go over everything, including potential compensation to next of kin should you meet an untimely end."
Bilbo's trembling hand took the paper. His sharp eyes darted over the elaborate writing. Then, Balin's words hit him.
"Untimely end?" He croaked.
"Death." Dwalin rumbled.
"Painful death," Kili agreed.
"Orc arrow, goblin sword," Fili shrugged.
"Crushed to death," Gloin muttered.
"Beaten with a club," Nori gulped.
"Drowning," Bofur sighed.
"Quicksand. Oh, or," Nori snapped his fingers, "Sickness."
"Starvation," Bombur burped.
"And finally," Thorin stared hard at an increasingly pale Bilbo, "Dragonfire."
The last one perked Tiki's interest. Dragonfire was quite the gift for any dragon to have. Magic like that required great power to wield and control. If Smaug was capable of it, then he would be a formidable adversary for this party of dwarves. Perhaps too much for them?
Bilbo swallowed hard. The paper shuddered between his shaking fingers.
"Dr-Dragonfire?"
Balin gave him a somber nod. "Gandalf assured us that you would sign."
"It'll be quite the adventure, right Mr. Baggins?" Kili grinned beside Fili.
Bilbo fainted, falling to the floor with a quiet thud. Tiki furrowed her brow as she looked down at the unconscious hobbit. When she raised her gaze again, she realized all the dwarves were now looking at her. Some gave her curious glances. The older ones gave her suspicious glares. Thorin hardly acknowledged she was there.
She shrugged, gestured at Bilbo, then raised her teacup.
"Now it's a party."
The party did not last long after Bilbo fainted, which was a bit of a shame to Tiki. She enjoyed Bilbo's company and found the hobbit to be a fine, kind, although a bit stiff person to be around. He was polite, practically gentlemanly to her. Surely a compliment to whoever raised him.
But the dwarves were interesting to her. They were creatures, like Hobbits, that she never encountered before. And, they were so human-like in the ways that she always admired in humans. Efficient, hardy, heartwarming, and boisterous; in many ways, she got the sense some of the Shepherds like Vaike or Sully would love being around this raucous group of thirteen dwarves. Thus, it wasn't a difficult choice for her to decide to continue with Gandalf as he joined the dwarves on their quest to retake the Lonely Mountain.
They set off from Bag End, with Bilbo still on the floor, when the sun peeked over the horizon. The dwarves had horses for themselves. Not tall ones, but tall enough for them to not be considered ponies. They did have two actual ponies, though, for their supplies. After all, according to the maps both Gandalf and Thorin possessed, it would be a long journey to the Lonely Mountain. Once they set out, Bree would be the closest stop, then Rivendell, then beyond Rivendell… not much of anything.
It's amazing how empty this land is. Tiki pursed her lips as she rode along to the rear of the column of dwarves. They were nearing the borders of Buckland, close to the Brandywine Bridge, which would take them on the road east out of the Shire.
Even the Shire had its sparse places. Yet, those sparse areas held a warmth to them that reminded Tiki so much of Ylisse during the height of Exalt Chrom's rule. The Hobbits of this land were prospering, and it warmed her heart. There was no war here. No violence, no strife, nothing more than a simple life tending to the land, raising a family, and settling down for a quiet smoke with pipeweed. Such a life tugged on her heart.
A sad smile crossed her lips. It was a life she likely would never have.
"Lady Tiki," Gandalf said, pulling her from her thoughts as he rode alongside her. "You seem a tad dour at the moment?"
Tiki's sad smile remained as she uttered a long breath. "Reminiscing and wondering, Gandalf. Two things that can be both splendid and sobering."
Gandalf nodded, the tip of his hat wagging as his head moved. "I see. Are you, perchance, reminiscing and wondering about your home?"
"I am, a little bit." Tiki focused her eyes on the dwarves in front of them. They were chatting and bickering, as usual. She heard a few jokes tossed back and forth, most of which were little inside sayings she had no part of, but all of them made the dwarves toss their heads back in laughter. "I understand them, Gandalf. At least, I understand what they're going through a little bit."
Gandalf furrowed his brow. "Is that so?"
Tiki shrugged. "I've had many homes Gandalf, but my birth-home, the home my mother once built, well… I was taken from it long ago. Unlike these dwarves, I never had the opportunity to return."
"Taken?" Gandalf remarked, his brow knitted in concern.
Tiki noticed his worry. She sighed and shook her head. "Not in the way you're thinking. I wasn't kidnapped. I was… stowed away, for lack of a better term. It's difficult to explain, but Mother wanted to make sure someone always had a close eye on me." She sniffed and uttered a dry, sardonic chuckle. "Maybe that's why Ban-Ban- I mean Bantu- was more of a parent to me than she was."
Gandalf slowly nodded. "You and your mother are not on the best of terms?"
Tiki scoffed. "We have a complicated relationship, yes."
The old wizard shifted in his saddle. "What do you remember of your home, Lady Tiki?"
Tiki grimaced. "The first one? Not much. I slept for a good few hundred years at least after I was taken from there. I remember the second home well. It was a cave; an icy cave. Bantu always kept a warm fire going though. He was a good cook too. The reindeer he fed me was always well done and juicy." A wistful smile crossed her lips. "That's the earliest home I remember."
Gandalf arched an eyebrow. "And the latest?"
"Ylisstol," Tiki answered. "The Exalted city in Ylisse. It is… was, a wonderful place. I think you would have liked it. The Shire reminds me so much of the countryside around the city. Meanwhile, inside of the white walls, you'd be greeted with smiles and friendly waves. It was a peaceful place with good rulers."
"Yes, it sounds like it," Gandalf nodded. "What changed?"
Tiki's jaw tightened. "Grima. That's what changed." A shuddering breath left her lips. "Just like these dwarves, I aim to return to my home and slay the dragon that's tried to take it from me."
"Ah, then you understand our companions even more than you might've thought before?"
Tiki nodded. "Perhaps. Yes, I suppose you are correct." She leaned back in her saddle, watching as Thorin led the company around a bend in the road. On the wind, she heard the rush of the Brandywine running through the green forest. Not much further and they would be leaving the Shire. Leaving the warmth and peace that Tiki long craved.
And there was still no sign of Bilbo Baggins.
Tiki frowned and twisted in her saddle to face Gandalf. "You don't think you were wrong about Bilbo, do you?"
A heavy breath left Gandalf's lips. "A wizard knows a great many things, Tiki, but the longings of the heart, and the desires of living beings, are beyond us." He shook his head. "I thought I knew that hobbit better."
"Wait!"
Tiki heard that faint call before anyone else. Her long ears twitched and she tilted her head. When she heard that quiet voice shout again, she recognized it. Instead of a somber smile, a bright grin spread across her lips. She started chuckling, puzzling Gandalf.
"Is everything alright?"
Tiki raised a hand. Then, Bilbo shouted a third time. This time, Gandalf's head whipped behind them. Tiki followed his gaze.
Bilbo Baggins sprinted up the road after them, red travel coat flapping in the wind behind him, walking stick hefted in the air as he raced as fast as his bare feet could carry him. In his other hand, the long contract flapped like a flag behind him.
The dwarves noticed him last, but when they did, the entire party came to a halt on the narrow road. Thorin twisted in his saddle as Bilbo shot past Tiki and Gandalf towards him. With a proud smile, Bilbo held the contract aloft for all the dwarves to see, showed it to Thorin, then smacked it into Balin's lap.
"There," Bilbo gasped. "All signed. Everything is signed. Initials, signatures, all of it." He gasped and nodded. "Didn't think I'd catch you."
Balin smiled at Bilbo, plucked the contract from his lap, then donned some spectacles from his pocket. After reading over the long document, he nodded, folded it up, and placed it back into his breast pocket.
"Everything's in order."
"Very well then," Thorin nodded, and snapped the reins to his horse, urging the party forward. "Mr. Baggins, you may ride one of the ponies."
Bilbo blinked. "R-Ride one of the- no, no thank you. That won't be necessary. I am perfectly capable of walking."
Bifur and Bofur both reached down from their horses, hooked Bilbo's arms, and placed him on the pony that rode alongside Bofur's horse. Bilbo blinked, shocked by the sudden change, then immediately scrambled to grab the reins. Once he had them, he awkwardly held them near his chest and sat frozen in his saddle, petrified.
Tiki chuckled, smiled at Gandalf, then urged her horse towards Bilbo's side.
"First time?" She asked.
Bilbo whipped his head to her. " You're here too!?"
Tiki tilted her head. "You didn't notice?"
Bilbo's mouth opened and closed rapidly. "Yes, well, I um, the run here was quite strenuous. I believe I've heard it referred to as tunnel-vision?"
"Mmmm," Tiki eyed Bilbo then cracked a smirk. "I'll accept that explanation."
A sack of coins flew at Tiki. Without breaking eye contact with Bilbo, Tiki snatched the small sack from the air. She smiled when she shook the bag and heard the coins jingle inside. Then she tied the sack to her belt.
"What was that?" Bilbo asked.
Tiki grinned. "A wager."
"On whether or not you would show up." Gandalf finished for her as he rode up along the other side of Bilbo.
Bilbo gave Gandalf a stunned look. "And what did you wager?"
"Oh well…" A sack of coins flew at Gandalf, who easily caught it and pocketed it. He gave Bilbo a mischievous smile. "The dwarves still doubt me."
Bilbo's lips thinned and he shifted in the saddle, finally relaxing a little bit. "I apologize for giving them cause to do so."
"No need to apologize, Bilbo," Tiki chuckled. "We made a good amount of money off of that doubt. You should sow it more often."
Gandalf laughed with Tiki. Bilbo furrowed his brow, puzzled for a moment, then he shook his head and laughed with them.
"So," Bilbo drew in a deep breath. "How much further are we going?"
Tiki tilted her head. "I don't know. Gandalf?"
"The Lonely Mountain is… is… well, it is past the Misty Mountains. We'll go with that."
"Th-the m-misty-" Bilbo gulped. "Well then, it's a good thing I locked the door of Bag End. It appears I'm going to be gone for a long time, and those Sackville-Baggins' would love a chance to get inside."
"Sackville-Bagginses?" Tiki questioned.
"Relatives," Bilbo bemoaned.
"Ah," Tiki nodded. "Family. I understand."
"Both of you could use a healthy dose of it I'd say," Gandalf remarked, drawing both Bilbo and Tiki to stare at him.
"Well, if you're right, then perhaps we'll find some of it on this adventure. Friendship is the closest thing to family, after all." Tiki leaned back in her saddle and allowed the reins to rest in her lap. A small yawn slipped from her lips. "You all can get a head start. I could use a small nap. Wake me when we stop."
Tiki's eyes drooped, and her head nodded. Within seconds, her vision darkened, and she began her latest adventure with a much-needed nap.
Ah, it's nice to get back to this story. Sorry for the long wait on a new chapter folks. Life's been a bit of a whirlwind recently. I got a new job, and it's got a lot of hours involved with it, so I'm limited on my time. That said, I'm very happy I got to write a new chapter for this story. It's a good break from the bigger, more epic stories I have going on in the Fire Emblem Archive. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as me! Let me know what you all think. And, as always, have a nice day!
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