I woke up at the crack of dawn the next morning. Within five minutes I had bathed and dressed wanting to get some breakfast before the others ate it all. Grabbing my bag, I walk out of my room and down the hall of the now silent hobbit hole.
SSSSnheewww.
Ok not silent after all. I looked into the sitting room and saw most of the dwarves sound asleep on either a chair or on the floor, snoring loudly. The only one absent was Thorin which didn't really surprise me. I looked out the front window in the entryway and saw him smoking his pipe. I decide to not bother him and continue on my original mission. Bilbo's kitchen was a bit on the small size, but that might be because the ceilings are slightly lower to where I have to hunch over a bit to avoid hitting my head.
I look around in his cabinets but only find glass crockery and eating utensils. I walk down the hall and find his large pantry. There wasn't much left, but i would make do. I grab some rolls along with some vegetables and some sausage that was surprisingly left. I find a smaller pantry that is also mostly empty, but do find some eggs. Heading to the kitchen with the food, I light a fire under the stove and grab a pan. The next fifteen minutes is spent of me cooking some egg mixed with vegetables. When the eggs are done I start cooking the sausage then put everything on my plate. There was the sound of the kettle coming from the other side of the kitchen after setting my plate down. I take it off the hot platter and pour some tea that I decided to make before I started cooking.
I take the tea to the table and start eating. Within a few minutes i can hear some of the dwarves stirring from sleep. It isn't long before I see Bombur, Gloin, Oin, Bifur, Balin, and Dori coming into the kitchen. "I made some sausage and eggs they're on the counter if you want some and there's some tea in the kettle." I say to them and get some grunts in reply and a 'Thank you' from Balin, making me smile slightly. It doesn't take long for the rest of the company to awaken and eat breakfast. At some point Thorin came back inside and had some breakfast with us, though he only talked to Balin and Dwalin and every now and then he would scold one of his nephews for their… less than explinary table manners.
"Finish up, Dwalin and I are going to purchase some ponies me us at the Green Dragon in half an hour." Thorin says as he and Dwalin stand from the table about to leave. I clear my throat awkwardly to get his attention. He stops and turns his attention towards me with an annoyed scowl promantly on his face. "I already have a pony." I state. He nods his head and continues out the door Dwalin following behind him.
Fili and Kili came up from behind me, Fili wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "I didn't know you could cook Lady Inari you didn't seem the housewife type." He said with a smirk. I returned it with a sickly sweet grin, while Kili just chuckled beside me. I then took Fili's hand and twisted it around then pulling him down to the ground to where he landed on his back. Then I laid my foot on his stomach effectively trapping him. It was deadly silent, so I looked up, not loosening my grip, The whole company was staring at me with looks of shock and awe. I turned my gaze back on Fili, who was groaning in pain.
"Don't ever touch me like that again." I said in a slow and deadly low voice. "I'm not your mother or your lady love." He groaned once more. "Coulda fooled me." Was his smart ass response to which i twisted his wrist a little, not enough to break, but enough to be really painful. "Are we clear, your majesty." I said with slight sarcasm at the end. Fili nodded emphatically and I released him giving him one last glare as he stood up. I then looked back at the rest of the still silent company. "Anyone else." I stated with an eyebrow raised. This got the dwarves out of their stupor as they all looked away quietly muttering their objections. I nodded firmly at the response. "That's what I thought." I then went back to my room and finished packing my things.
I went back down the hall carrying my bag and picking up my weapons. I heard footsteps from behind me, I turned around swiftly holding my dagger up ready to strike, but stopped once I realized it was just Kili. He looked shocked as he held his hands up in surrender. "Woah, easy I'm not an orc as you can clearly see." he said with a smirk. "Hmm I wouldn't say that." I deadpanned. This only made Kili's smile wider and I couldn't help, but return it with one of my own. "I just wanted say that was amazing what you did. Fili could use that a bit more, you know to keep his ego in check. Unlike me I'm very modest." He said with a prideful smile. "Yes I can see that. Don't mention it. Just wanted to lay down the rules and make sure that consequences were clear. Though, I'll admit that I may have been a bit harsh. How's his wrist?" I asked in slight concern. He just shrugged dismissively.
"Oh he'll be fine and he won't hold it against you. If anything, I think he's impressed and maybe a bit embarrassed." he chuckled and I joined him. We turned when Balin entered the entryway. "Lad, Lass. I think it's about time we go. Thorin isn't known for his patience and he won't be happy if he has to wait." We both nodded and headed out the door the rest of the company following. I looked back at the hobbit hole with sadness. I had hoped that Bilbo would come along, but I suppose the Wild is too dangerous, especially for someone with no training. Still I had grown quite fond of the little hobbit in the few hours I'd known him. I turned back to the road and walked alongside the company as we travelled to meet Thorin at the local inn.
We all gathered at the stable where Thorin was waiting with sixteen ponies in tow. I walked into the stable and asked the stable boy to bring my horse. Timber seemed happy to see me though it was only one night. I scratched his head, his favorite spot, and gave him an apple I had gotten from Bilbo's pantry. I figured he wouldn't mind seeing as he had almost nothing left and would need to restock anyway. "I see you've been treated well. I'm afraid it will be awhile before you get that kind of treatment again, my friend." I whispered to him, his ears twitching at the sound of my voice. He only nickered in had a light dun coat and a dark black and white mane that was in a mohawk type style with the forelock remaining long. His legs were dark but got lighter further up. All in all he was a very exotic horse compared to the other ponies to which he was about a hand taller. However, his breed was common in Forodwaith.
I tacked him up and attached the remaining supplies onto the saddle. "We're heading out now we need to cover as much ground asz we can before sunset." I heard Thorin say from the front and within minutes we were on our ponies and heading out of Hobbiton.
We were on the edge of the Shire within a few hours of leaving. I overhear a few of the dwarves scoffing and complaining about Bilbo, but only snipits, such as "Waste of time…: from Dwalin and "... use a hobbit?" from Dori. It was then that we all heard a voice from behind making all of us look back.
"Wait! Wait!" Bilbo shouts as he catches up with us running with the contract flying in his hand behind him. We watch as he goes to Balin and hands him the contract. "I signed it." Balin inspects the contract with the pocket glass before looking back to Bilbo. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." Balin then gives him a friendly wink while the others including myself cheer. All except Thorin who looks unimpressed. "Give him a pony."
The others start moving again while Bilbo tries to convince everyone that he would need a pony. "No, no, no, no, that-that won't be necessary, thank you, but I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I-I-I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once-WAGH!" I turn at the sound of Bilbo's yell to see Fili and Kili holding him by his arms before dumping him on a little brown pony. Kili catches me looking and gives me a mischievous wink. I roll my eyes and turning my head towards the front once more, but I can't help the small smile on my lips.
Bilbo is riding beside a few minutes later and oh my does he look uncomfortable. He looked absolutely ridiculous. "Bilbo just relax. Myrtle is a very gentle pony and all you need to do is tell her what to do and trust her." I say with smile. He looks at me then lets out a breath which seems to relax him slightly as his body becomes less tense. "Thank you, Miss Inari," He says as e gives me a smile. I smile back, "No problem and please none of that Miss and Lady. It's just Inari." "Oh, all right, Inari." I smile again and then look forward once more. That is when we both notice money bags flying around the company. "Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." Oin shouts. Nori grudgingly through a small bag of money to Oin who cheered gleefully along with the some of the others.
Bilbo glanced at me with a confused look on his face. "What's that about." I had opened my mouth to answer when Gandalf rode up beside us and answered for me. "Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't." Bilbo grunted at his answer before glanceing up at Gandalf and then myself. "And what did you two think?" I gave him a sly smile while Gandalf just hummed making Biblo frown. Then two bags of coins were thrown at us from a grumbling Gloin and Dwalin. "I betted that you would catch up before we entered Bree." I said with a smile making Bilbo chuckle. "My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second."
"Pleasure doing business with you Gloin." I shouted gloatingly. Gloin only grumbled louder in response. At the sound of Bilbo sneezing, I turn to look in slight concern. 'I hope he isn't getting sick. He's not used to being in the wilderness.' "Ohh. All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction." He begins searching for something to clean his nose but can't seem to find anything which causes him to start panicking. "No, no, wait, wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around." We all stop abruptly at his shout and look to see what is wrong many making complaints and objections.
"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asks in an exasperated tone. "I forgot my handkerchief." I groan at this as well as most of the company. Bofur then tears off a piece of his sleeve before tossing it to Bilbo. "Here! Use this." Bilbo catches it with look of disgust on his face. The dwarves laugh before moving once again. "Move on." Thorin shouts from the front,
"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 and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead." Gandalf says in his usual wisen voice. I look a head once more as I ponder on his words. My thoughts took me back to Forodwaith and my father and siblings. I had not seen them in years though I had tried to keep in touch through letters. I knew my father would be furious if he knew I was on this journey, but I also knew that I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to me and he would have no idea thinking that I would come home eventually. Resolved, I take out my leather bound journal and begin writing him a letter.
Dear adâd,
Tha aglâmetk-mênu ana aglâb-mênu nala nalim ana Erebor. Al asa a namil fuvuz aglâb-mênu a askad guhnâl ni al abad. Tha nala ulro al gabil Barel eron Thorin Oakenshield ana al Lonely Mountain. Smaug var mer mabazgûn.
Please do not try to stop me, this is something I must do for all of us. I will write to you as soon as I can. Until then, Tha nogazen mênu. Tha var ival mênu gavin nerak.
Nogazen,
Inari
A/N
Translations:
Dear adâd,
Tha aglâmetk-mênu ana aglâb-mênu nala nalim ana Erebor. Al asa a namil fuvuz aglâb-mênu a askad guhnâl ni al abad. Tha nala ulro al gabil Barel eron Thorin Oakenshield ana al Lonely Mountain. Smaug var mer mabazgûn.
Dear father,
I write to you to tell you I am traveling to Erebor. There is an old map that speaks of shadowed (hidden) door. I travel with the great Company of Thorin Oakenshield to the Lonely Mountain. Smaug will be slain.
2. Tha nogazen mênu. Tha var ival mênu gavin nerak.
Nogazen,
Inari
I love you. I will see you again soon.
Love,
Inari
Wow this took forever! I'm sorry this took so long. The past month has been crazy. I did get to see Ed Sheeran in concert and he sang "I See Fire" with clips from The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug playing on the jumbo tron. It was so nostalgic. Took a standerdized test and did terribly. I also celebrated my birthday and then went Black Friday shopping. Got so many good deals and able to get most of my Christmas shopping done. I hope everyone had an amazing Halloween and Thanksgiving!
I have a question for everyone. Do you think I should write a Christmas special for this story kind of a oneshot but with the same characters. I might do it anyway cause for some reason I'm really in the Christmas spirit this year. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Next chapter will be a filler mainly so I'll try to get that up soon.
Translations were from The Dwarven language and Scribd Khuzdul Dictionary.
Thank you so much for reading and hope you enjoyed this chapter. This is ArcherWriter signing off.