Bilbo began to sneeze and fidget, looking through his pockets. He began to panic. "Stop! We have to turn around, we have to go back!" Bilbo said. Gandalf looked at him oddly.
"What in the world is the matter?" Gandalf asked with an irritated voice.
"I have forgotten my handkerchief." Bilbo stated.
"Here use this." Said Bofur as he tore a piece of the inside of his jacket and threw it back to Bilbo. Bilbo held it between two fingers as though it stunk and stared at it. "You'll have to manage without pocket handkerchiefs and a good amount of them, Bilbo Baggins, before the journey's end." Gandalf said. "You were born to the rolling hills and rivers of the shire. Home is now behind you. The world is ahead."
"You don't need fancy handkerchiefs Master Baggins, you're discharging, not taking in." Adara said with a giggle. This brought a roar of laughter from the dwarfs and the wizard.
"Exactly right Master Boggins, out not in." Kili teased the Hobbit cheerfully.
"Lady Adara?" Ori asked quietly.
"Yes Ori?" Adara looked to her front left.
"Will you sit with me at dinner tonight?" Ori asked shyly, trying not to look at her.
"Of course Ori. It would be my pleasure." Adara smiled at the sweet, shy dwarf. Ori went slightly pale and leaned to his right in the saddle. Adara feared he would slide off his pony, but Nori and Dori his brothers were on either side of him, making sure he stayed on his mount.
"That was very kind of you, my little one." Gandalf stated with a smile and a twinkle in his eye.
"Ori, is sweet and kind. I like him very much."
"Perhaps you would consider having dinner with me one of these nights?" Fili asked with a kind smile.
"I would like that Master Fili, you have a nice soul." Adara stated.
"What about me! Don't I have a nice soul? Won't you sit with me?" Kili sounded offended, although he was smiling all the while.
"Of course Master Kili, as long as we have a chaperone." Adara said innocently and everyone including Kili laughed.
"This girl knows Kili already." Dwalin stated patting Kili on the shoulder, laughter broke out again. Kili turned in his saddle and smiled widely at Adara, her smile in response was sweet and innocent. As he turned back to face front, Kili's smile left and he touched his hand to his heart, feeling out of breath. One sweet smile and he had become lost. He wondered if his brother, Fili had the same feeling.
He knew his brother also liked the beautiful Dunedain. Little Ori was even finding his way out of his shell to have time with her. Then he remembered how Dwalin had watched her when he thought no one was looking and how even Thorin had gotten lost in her wonderous color changing eyes. One minute deep brown like velvet, then green like the forest in springtime, next blue as the waters of the sea and finally grey as a storm.
He feared that the whole company would be lost in those amazing eyes. But what a way to go. Many women were beautiful, but few also had a kind and virtuous heart. Adara was perfection, the perfect woman; five feet tall, long dark auburn hair,gorgeous eyes and what a body. Large breasts, softly curved waist and wide hips. All that with a heart the size of the an ocean, intelligence. Kili couldn't seem to end the list of her qualities, although he had not seen her fight yet. He would not be suprised by her being a skilled warrior as well. Kili wondered if he would ever find another woman as perfect.
Fili rode next to his brother, also thinking of the beautiful lady. His heart beat for her, yet not sure of the outcome of their adventure he was afraid to commit to anything. He knew that he would love to be hers and she his.
Adara watched Fili, she liked his strong quiet manner, she liked Kili as well, but he was to fast and aggressive to become serious about. Fili though used his mind and his heart equally. She wanted to get to know him better.
That evening they stopped and made camp. She laid out her bedroll next to Balin and Gandalf, Ori brought her and himself a plate and they sat near the fire and she poured them both a cup of tea. They ate in silence, while the others talked and joked among themselves. After they were finished, Ori took their plates back to Gloin, but soon came back and sat with her.
"Would you like an apple, Lady Adara?" Ori asked.
"No thank you Ori, I am quite full, but you go ahead." Adara smiled at the polite dwarf.
"Would you like to take a walk with me." Ori stuttered shyly.
"That sounds lovely." Adara stated and Ori offered his hand, she took it with thanks and got up. Ori was nearly bursting with joy, his smile was so big it nearly went from ear to ear. He bent his arm and she looped hers through his and they began to walk slowly about the outer portion of the campsite. They looked at the stars and laughed at the fireflies that danced around them. It was very peaceful until a loud menacing screeching rent the silence.
"What was that?" Bilbo stammered.
"Orcs, Master Baggins. Throat cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there, the low lands are crawling with them, they strike in the wee small hours when everyone is asleep, quick and quiet, no screams; just lots of blood.." Fili and Kili joked and snickered.
"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke? " Thorin asked in an angry tone.
"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili apologized.
"No you didn't, you know nothing of the world." Thorin added and walked over to the cliff to look down.
"Don't mind him Laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs." Balin stated. "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. Moria had been taken by legions of orcs, led by the most vile of all their race, Azog the Defiler. The Giant Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin.
He began by beheading the King. Thrain, Thorin's father had been driven mad by grief, he went missing, taken prisoner or killed. We don't know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him, A young Dwarf Prince facing down the Pale Orc.. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent, using 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, no song that night, for our dead were beyond our count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, there is one that I could follow, there is one that I could call king." Balin continued and the others stood and stared in reverence at Thorin. He turned and looked at them and bowed his head slightly acknowledging their loyalty.
"But the pale orc, what happened to him?" Bilbo asked.
"Slunk back into the whole once he came." Thorin stated and walked by them. "That filth died of his wounds long ago."
Gandalf and Balin just gave each other a quiet look, as though they weren't completely sure that the pale orc was gone.
The next day they continued on their journey, the rain was coming down in buckets, Oin asked "Master Gandalf, is there anything you can do about this deluge?"
"It is raining Master Dwarf, and it will continue raining until it stops." Gandalf stated. "If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard.
"Are there any?" Bilbo asked.
"Any what?" Gandalf answered.
"Other wizards." Bilbo continued.
"There are five of us." Gandalf explained. "The greatest of our order is Sarumon the white, then there are the two blues, I've quite forgotten there names. "
"And who would be the fifth?"
"That would be Radagast the brown.
"Is he a great wizard, or is he more like you?" Bilbo asked in a cheeky voice.
"I think he is a very great wizard, in his own way. He is a gentle soul, who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye on the forest lands to the east and a good thing always evil will find a foothold in this world."
As the sounds got farther away, all began to take their rest. Adara went to her bedroll and sat down. She felt eyes upon her and looked up to find Fili watching her. She blushed and smiled slightly at him. She mouthed good night. He did so in return and laid down close to the cliff wall. Still watching the beautiful woman. Kili had been watching the two of them and decided that he would not pursue Lady Adara. It was his brother's turn for happiness.