Note: Italics is thoughts, unless specified otherwise i.e flashbacks or visions. / is timeskip


FIRST POV

"Two coins says he's not coming," Fili, I think called out

"Really brother? Because I bet FIVE coins that he is!" Kili shouted back.

The bickering continued as the company rode on, most bet against the poor Hobbit – only myself, Gandalf, Kili, Oin, and Bofur seemed to share the same hopefulness. Trotting along, we come to the outskirts of Hobbiton. Looking around at the tree's surrounding us, I notice they were as dark and mysterious as they were four years ago when Ben and I first appeared in this world.

Sighing deeply, I thought back to that day the Valar of this world saved us. Ben was just three months old when it happened – he would never know of the world he came from, though that's probably for the best, I think. If the attachment rule was not in place then maybe Anakin would have never turned to the dark side. Maybe if-if. No, I can't think like that. What Anakin-Darth Vader did that day cannot be undone-the horrors cannot be unseen.

"Hey lass, what do you think hmm? Will the lad come or no?" peering from the corner of my eye, I realize Nori was the one asking.

Smirking I reach out in the force to look for any life forms - I come across a squirrel, a couple of rabbits and one running Hobbit. Slyly looking at Nori I say "I bet you ten gold coins that Mr Bilbo will come," Nori piped up at that "Oh, you're on lass,"

Gandalf rode his horse towards me and smiled knowingly "You sensed him, didn't you?" he asked quietly, as to not alert the Dwarves.

"Yes, I did. He shall be arriving any minute now," I grinned.

Just as I predicted, Bilbo came thumping towards us within minutes. Grinning smugly at Nori, who just looked at me confused, I nodded in Bilbo's direction. Upon noticing the Hobbit, the Dwarf's face fell.

"Dammit," he muttered as he reached into his pack to grab the coins.

"Wait! Wait!" Bilbo shouts, finally within hearing range of the company.

The Dwarves make haste in pulling their ponies to a stop as Bilbo approaches Balin, stumbling along quite clumsily. He hands him the contract I had signed the night prior – when I had come back inside.

"I-I signed it," he said out-of-breath, smiling as he looked around the company. Balin pulls out a sort of crystal glass contraption. Examining the parchment, he smiled softly at the Hobbit.

"Everything appears to be in order," he announces to the company, Balin proceeds to fold the piece of parchment.

"Welcome Master Baggins to the company of Thorin Oaken-shield!"

"Give him a pony" Thorin commands, with a sour expression on his face

Wow, he really didn't want the guy to come. I thought. He didn't put up that big of a fight over myself joining. I wonder just how much Gandalf told the Dwarf – he didn't seem fazed by me using the force to hold Dwalin's fist back. Was he testing me? Dwarven women are hard to come by, so surely Dwalin wouldn't even dare to punch a lady… Oh, this opens a lot of doors . Coming out of my thoughts I notice Fili and Kili giving each other a nod. Oh, this will be interesting. I watch on, stifling my laughter as Kili and Fili sneak up behind the Hobbit on their ponies. Bilbo continues his rant.

"No, no, no, no that-that won't be necessary, thank you. But I-I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I've done my fair share of walking holidays - you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once,"

Grabbing an arm each they successfully throw Bilbo onto his own pony, interrupting the Hobbit from his speech, "GAHH" I tossed two coins at Kili and Fili 'Good jobboys,' I mouth, winking at them – grinning at each other they face me once more'Any time,'they mouth back.

I kicked my horse, Ardeth, into trotting faster to catch up to Bilbo – upon coming to him I giggle to myself. The poor thing was holding the reins rather stiffly and high for that matter. It didn't help matters when the pony neighed, throwing its head up with the action – he just gripped tighter, looking even more uncomfortable. Reminding myself of the bet I call out - along with Oin.

"Come on Nori! Pay up,"

Bilbo looks around with the utmost confusion as sacks full of coins went flying all over the company.

"What's that about?" I heard him ask Gandalf "Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't," he stated matter-of-factly, Bilbo looked on intrigued.

"And what did you think?" Gandalf smiled at the Hobbit knowingly.

"Oh…" at that moment a rather large sack of coins was thrown towards Gandalf, catching it with his right hand he tested the weight - throwing it up and down a few times.

"My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second," he says, putting his sack in one of his many pouches on his horse.

Bilbo glances at me "And you?" he asked, I looked straight at him, face emotionless. He nods once looking down at his hands.

"Alexa, heads up!" yells Nori as a sack sailed straight towards me. I catch it smirking at Bilbo who now has his eyes on me from the noise.

"I too Bilbo believed in you," I said, packing my coins away in a pouch on Ardeth's saddle, smiling to myself.

A loud sneeze went off beside me, peering over my shoulder I see Bilbo sniffing heavily, "Oh it's horsehair, I'm having a reaction. Um-" his hands patted down his coat, frantically searching for something.

"Wait! Wait! STOP! STOP! We have to turn around," I looked on giggling at the Hobbit. And the Dwarves were worried about me?

Gandalf glanced at the Hobbit from under his hat "What on earth is the matter?" Bilbo snaps his head up at the Wizard.

"I've forgotten my handkerchief," You've got to be kidding, I thought, up ahead Bofur calls out "'ere,"

I watch as he rips the fabric from a sack on his saddle off "Use this," he then throws it to Bilbo. Sniffing the fabric, Bilbo looks on disgusted. At that laughter burst out among myself and the Dwarves.

"Move on," Thorin ordered, and move we did – along the way I heard Gandalf lecturing Bilbo.

"You will have to do without pocket-handkerchiefs, and a great many other things before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of The Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead," smiling sadly at the Wizard's words, I dig my ankles into Ardeth, promoting him to run. I ended up riding next to Bofur and his brother Bomber, Well, this will be interesting for sure I thought as I caught sight of Bofur's enthused grin.

/

It was dusk by the time Thorin announced we stop for the night on a cliff face no less. He began assigning jobs to multiple Dwarves, thankfully none to me. I climbed off Ardeth gently pulling him over to some half-decent grass.

"Here you go boy, save some for the other's though," I said, giving him a pointed look – that horse always ate too much for my liking.

Grabbing my pack, I settled down on one of the few spots without sharp niggly rocks and lay down for the night.

Shuffling around, I struggle to find sleep. This was the fifth time I had moved and still sleep will not come, looking around the camp I notice Gandalf too was awake along with Fili and Kili - keeping watch. Slowly, I plant my hands on the ground, giving me leverage to stand. Without a sound – thank force – I managed to walk to Gandalf without waking up any sleeping Dwarfs.

"Alexa?" Gandalf whispered as I took a seat beside him, he handed me his pipe.

"You should be sleeping dearie,"

In response I take a long drag of good Ol' Toby, breathing out slowly I said "I couldn't sleep, I felt a disturbance in the force. Whatever it was, it isn't going to be good,"

I watched as Bilbo silently snuck over to his horse Murtle with an apple in hand "Hello, girl. That's a good girl. It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. Shhh," he whispers to the pony, not realizing all four of us could - without a doubt hear his words.

Taking another drag, I feel myself calming down. Damn this is some good shit. A shrill scream sounds from the west, must be an Orc I thought having encountered their kind a few times – awful creatures – coughing slightly on the smoke, I watch as Bilbo starts to converse with the brothers Fili and Kili – asking what the scream was. As I expected, the two made a joke out of it, scaring the poor Hobbit.

"They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet. No screams, just lots of blood," Kili said dead serious, snorting with his brother at Bilbo's look of fear.

I notice some movement out of the corner of my eye, Thorin. Oooh someone's in trouble! I think to myself as I watch Thorin get up and stalk towards the two boys.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raided by Orcs is a joke?" Thorin yells at his nephews, Serves them right!

"We didn't mean anything by it," Kili defends, looking down at his boots.

"No you didn't, you know nothing of the world," Thorin says bitterly, stalking off to the edge of the cliff, looking off into the distance. Damn, that is a man right there... Well Dwarf.

Biting my lip, I rise steadily, walking in the direction of Thorin - I came to stand beside him. Sighing heavily, I turn towards him. "I am sorry for what you lost to the dragon, and the pale Orc,"

Thorin glared out into the distance "I do not need your pity," he spits, clenching his fists tightly.

"Thorin," I say softly, gaining the attention of said Dwarf, "I did not mean to offend, I too have lost people – not to Orcs or a dragon but monsters, all the same," Thorin looks at me for the first time that night.

"I am sorry Alexa, I-I did not know," he said in his deep baritone voice.

THIRD POV

As this was happening, Balin was consulting the brothers. "Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs,"

Hearing this Fili stares off at his uncle, Kili, however, stared at the dying fire at his feet, "After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient Dwarf Kingdom of Moria… But our enemy had got there first," Balin sighed, staring off towards Thorin and Alexa.

"Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs, led by the most vile of all their race, Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin," exhaling slowly, he continues with a sad look in his eye.

"He began by beheading the King. Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed; we did not know. We were leaderless, defeat and death were upon us," smiling slightly, Balin looked off once more at Thorin.

"That is when I saw him; the young Dwarf Prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armour rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield… Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the Orcs back; our enemy had been defeated… But there was no feast or songs that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived and I thought to myself then 'There is one I could follow. There is one I could call King,"

FIRST POV

After hearing Balin's retelling of the battle, I softly laid a hand on his shoulder - as to not startle him. He nodded at me, eyes flashing with emotion – it was gone as quick as it came, I wonder what that was.

Thorin turned around, looking out at the company – following his lead, I turned my body back towards the camp. Everyone was staring at us in awe, well at Thorin. It was understandable, the guy saw his grandfather decapitated in front of him! His father, gone and he still managed to lead the Dwarves to victory, I thought sadly.

"But the Pale Orc. What happened to him?" Bilbo asked,

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago," Thorin replies, his voice thick with anger - he stalked over to his bedroll. Gandalf and Balin shared a wary look, could the pale Orc have survived?