Chapter four - Bilbo baggins
That day Kili was riding in the front, with Winter's hands wrapped around him, with the excuse that she afraid of falling, when they got to the stables they would get their own ponies, she felt sad and lonely, she got used to his presence, he got down, and before walking away, he delicaly brushed his finger against hers looking into her eyes, hoping she would understand he was saying goodbye for now, he would wait until all was over to get to know her.
Their relationship felt easy, something Winter had never experienced before, they had natural chemistry, she felt she could say whatever was in her mind and he wouldn't judge, she would find herself smiling while in his arms, and with that she concluded that, in her journey so far, somehow deep down, it felt like she was finding a part of herself she didn't realise was missing.
The four of them rode together, the day was sunny and pleasant, they parted ways when Fili tried to convince his uncle he knew a shortcut through the woods, but Thorin and Winter, not being convinced, decided to carry on the road, so they split up.
The sun had set by the time they reached a strange place, with houses that looked like they were part of the scenery, covered with grass and plants, with perfectly round doors, and windows, that they could see candlelights through, and almost every house had a Chimney that let out smoke, that smelled like somethings was just ready for dinner.
They were trying to look for a mark, but neither of them knew exactly how Gandalf had made such a thing or what it looked like, Thorin was feeling tired and that was being reflected in his mood, making Winter uneasy, until out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blue light, almost like the one from her star.
They tied up their ponies and Thorin gave a strong knock on the door, the strange man Winter had encountered at her workplace opened it, and they saw dwarfs looking at them from the inside.
The inside of Bilbo Baggins house was cozy, and comfortable; it consisted of tunnels with spacious rooms, with delicate decorations, it reminded Winter of her own cottage, only with better furniture and more space.
"I thought you said this place would be easy to find, I almost lost my way, if it wasn't for that mark on that door." Said Thorin bitterly, removing his cape, entering the Hobbit hole and hanging it.
"There is no mark, I painted that only a week ago!" Said a small man walking across the room.
Winter couldn't help but smile, that man looked different from everyone she had ever seen, he had a small stature, and kind eyes, he was wearing no shoes and had large hairy feet, curly soft hair, and he seemed very distressed with the whole situation.
"There is a mark, I put it there myself." Replied Gandalf.
"Bilbo Baggins allowed me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield"
"So this is the hobbit." Said Thorin in a vicious tone.
Winter noticed how Gandalf didn't introduced her, but Bilbo seemed almost hypnosed with Thorin, they had a strange tension that everyone seemed to noticed, she looked across the room and found Kili and Fili looking at her, with a smirk on their faces, Fili whispered to her from across the entrance so she would read his lips.
"I told you I knew a shortcut."
"We let you win." She wispered back.
Thorin walked circles around Bilbo, assuming he wasn't a fighter, asking his weapon of choice and things as such, Winter wondered if he doubted her abilities as much.
They went to the kitchen and food was served to both of them, apparently being served earlier to the rest of the company, but they missed it because they were late, they had potato soup, warm bread and ginger wine, Winter was so hungry she didn't measure her wine intake, making her cheeks red, and her body warm.
They listened to Gandalf attentively, and talked about strategies when he placed a map on the table. From Winter's point of view the map was upside down, she could only recognize the figure of a dragon over a mountain.
"The lonely mountain." Said Bilbo slowly reading something on the map.
The dwarves started discussing the lonely mountain, talking about a beast, Winter and Bilbo had a tough time accepting what they were talking about.
"Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat-hooks, extremely fond of precious metals." Said one of the Dwarfs, Bofur.
"Yes, I know what a dragon is." Said Bilbo.
Winter's head began to spin, she wondered about her sanity again and if just like the impossible things that had been happening so far, a dragon could possibly be real, she heard the other dwarfs talk but she wasn't listening, until she heard a familiar voice.
"We may be few in number, but we are fighters all of us! to the last dwarf." Said Fili hitting the dining table.
"We have a wizard in our company, Gandalf would have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Added Kili.
Gandalf didn't seem sure of his own answer much to the disappointment of the company, but he presented a key that would apparently give them access to the mountain, he gave the key to Thorin, but the first challenge would be to find the door, dwarf's doors were invisible when closed, but Gandalf was sure the answers lied in the map.
It was mentioned that Bilbo was to be the burglar of their quest, he seemed as surprised as Winter, both of them only finding out their roles when the quest was already in motion; they were giving contracts.
"It is just the usual summary of all our pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements and so forth." Said one of the dwars, he had white long hair and beard, his name was Balin.
Bilbo read the contract in disbelief, while winter just gave a look to Gandalf and said quietly.
"You'll bring me home after this quest?"
"If that is your wish Miss Morison."
And so she signed the contract, she thought of asking to go back home immediately, to her comfortable bed, and to a warm shower, she fantasized grabbing a cup of tea and sitting in front of her fireplace watching a silly movie, but then what? what was she going to do with her life?
After her mother's unexpected death she had to quit university after only one month of class, having to sell her mother's shop to pay her debts, but finding herself her ideal life, she was safe and comfortable, but it was not very fulfilling, she was longing for an adventure, for excitement, and the reward expected written in her contract was also a contributing factor, she could finally traveled once she was back in her world, and have time to write novels.
At the very moment Winter finished signing her contract, Bilbo Baggings fell on the floor and passed out, after hearing more about the dragoon, making even Winter want to rip her contract apart.
Gandalf took care of him, while she drank tea and stared at the fire in the fireplace, wondering if she made the right choice, the dwarfs started to getter around in the living room by her side, smoking pipes and singing songs, their low voices in union.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep, and caverns old
We must away,'ere break of day
To find our long forgotten gold
The pines were roaring on the height
The winds were moaning in the night
The fire was red, it flaming spread
The trees like torches blazed with light.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep, and caverns old
For ancient king, and elvish lord
There many a gleaming golden hoard
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught
To hide in gems, on hilt of sword.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep, and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To see the pale, enchanted gold.
She fell asleep sitting in a comfortable chair, and woke up in the middle of the night alone, she quietly wandered around and found Bilbo sleeping in what probably was his room, and the dwarves in the kitchen, she thought that to be a sweet gesture, they let her sleep separately.
She kept walking hoping to find a bathroom to take a bath, her worried thoughts about her journey occupying her mind, when at the end of a hallway she saw Thorin with a white shirt opened halfway down, probably sleeping clothes from that realm, with his strong chest muscles showing, making her look at the floor to talk to him.
"You are worried." He whispered.
"Just trying to make the right choice." She replied.
She saw a bathtub behind him and as she walked past, he said.
"Do you Think he will come?"
"Who?" She asked confused.
"Bilbo." Said Thorin looking down.
She didn't reply afraid he would not like the answer she was about to give, closing the door, it wasn't until the next day, when she was wearing more appropriate clothing Gandalf provided for her, when she was riding her pony next to a quiet Kili, going away that she was proven wrong, when the hobbit showed up running with his signed contract.