The rain had stopped by the following morning, leaving everything smelling of damp earth. It reminded Rose of her mother's flowerbeds, lining the path to their front door. Her mother tended to garden once the rain had passed because it made the soil softer and easier to tend. While Rose was quite happy with the turn of weather, some of the dwarves were still complaining.
"Oh, curse this mud!" Dwalin growled, wobbling precariously on the back of his pony as the animal stumbled in the sticky soil.
"You're never happy." Rose observed with a smile. "First it's too wet, now it's too muddy. At least the rain has stopped, can't you be grateful for that?"
Dwalin grunted but didn't grace her with an answer.
"I quite like the morning after rain." Bilbo stated. "Smells fresh."
"I agree."
Rose had chosen to share a pony with Bilbo that morning, allowing Bofur to have more room. Two hobbits could easily fit in the saddle, but a dwarf and a hobbit were a bit of a squeeze. It also seemed far more dignified and socially acceptable to ride with a member of the same species.
Not that my mother's social expectations apply at this point. Rose thought with a light frown.
They rode until late afternoon when they came across an old, run down house. It was more like two and a half stone walls and three roof tiles, but Thorin called the company to a halt. "We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Stay with them. Oin, Gloin."
"Aye?"
"Get a fire going."
"Right you are!" Oin clapped his hands, sliding from his pony. "Wood!" he and his brother headed off a little way to search for suitable material to light while Thorin followed Gandalf to the run down house.
"Down you get, you two!" Fili took the reins from Bilbo. "We're gonna need that pony."
Neither were very elegant dismounting; Bilbo had never spent much time on a horse before and Rose was still in a dress.
"We'll need to get you more suitable clothing." Bofur observed as Rose made her way towards him. "Can't do much in a skirt. You'll need a weapon too."
"How far do you think I'm going with you?" Rose laughed. "I'll be leaving in a day or so."
Bofur hummed, searching in one of the packs attached to the pony. "Here." he held out a small dagger on a belt. The metal of the blade was still clean and free of scratches. It was set into a wooden handle with an intricate design of swirls and circles. "Put that on. Even if you don't use it it'll make you look more dangerous."
Rose laughed as Bofur showed her how to attach the weapon. "I hope I'll never need it, but thank you."
Bofur was about to respond when Gandalf stormed past.
"Where are you going?" Bilbo called after him.
"To seek the company of the only one around here who has any sense!"
"And who's that?"
"Myself, Master Baggins!"
The dwarves watching him go, looking a little offended.
"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin called from the ruins.
Bombur nodded, collecting his bags and making his way to the fire Oin and Gloin had successfully started.
Night had fallen by the time the food was ready to serve. Bofur produced fifteen wooden bowls and began to serve the soup whilst fending off Bombur. Rose wasn't sure what was in it but it still tasted quite good. "Bombur's a fantastic cook." Nori said as he seated himself on the log next to Rose. "Probably how he got so large!"
Rose chuckled, knowing the comment wasn't meant in a harsh way. From what she had tasted of Bombur's cooking it was certainly a good quality. He gave her grandmother a run for her money.
"Bilbo, stop looking so worried!" Rose smiled at Bilbo as he passed her, carrying two bowls for Fili and Kili. "Gandalf will be back before we leave tomorrow."
Bilbo didn't answer as he continued on his way, but chewed his lip nervously.
"Not bad stew, Bombur!" Oin called across the fire. "I've had worse!"
"Aye, Dori could've made it!" Nori laughed next to Rose.
"Hilarious." Dori grumbled one log over from Rose. She laughed alongside the others, but made sure that Dori wasn't actually upset before doing so. The last thing she wanted to do was anger him or hurt him.
Bilbo had still not returned by the time the remaining company had finished eating and were gathering their bowls. "I'm starting to think Bilbo may have gotten lost." Rose frowned, glancing towards the woods as she handed her bowl to Bofur.
"Now who's worrying?" Nori nudged her arm.
"There's a difference between a hobbit and a wizard." Rose pointed out. "Maybe I should go look for him?"
"You'll stay here." Thorin ordered from across the fire. "The Halfling needs to learn to stand on his own two feet."
Rose bit her tongue, unwilling to anger the dwarf. What could she possibly say to sway his mind? If she got up and left regardless of his orders then he'd either fetch her back or leave her to the mercy of whatever foul creatures roamed the woods at night.
There was a commotion on the path leading towards the company and the dwarves leap to their feet, brandishing their weapons. "Trolls!" It was Fili and Kili. "Trolls!"
"They took the horses!"
"Bilbo's gone to get them!"
The dwarves paused for a just a second before running down the path after the brothers. "Stay here!" Bofur ordered Rose as he ran past. The hobbit was lifting herself to her feet but stopped when the dwarf passed her.
Rose sat back down on her log, annoyed at being left behind. At the same time she knew that there was nothing she could do to help. Just because she'd been given a dagger didn't mean she knew how to use it. To pass the time she gathered all the bags and put out the fire. No point attracting unwanted attention. She waited for an hour and when the dwarves didn't return she went to investigate. She had a terrible feeling that she'd left it too long to go searching for them.
The path leading to the troll's fire wasn't hard to follow. They'd uprooted trees and left large footprints in the soggy mud when they'd taken the ponies. Smaller footprints were alongside them, that of the dwarves. Pausing at the sound of voices, Rose could just make out three of the creatures through the thick foliage. Three large shapes were illuminated by a large fire which threw the shadows into the surrounding wood. She made her way to the right on the tips of her toes, dropping to crawl through the bushes as she got closer.
"They're infected with parasites!" Rose stifled a laugh as she got near enough to see the dwarves. The protests of the dwarves were enough to mask the sound of her wriggling through the bushes. There was a large rock behind those still on the ground and an overhanging bush that would allow her to reach Thorin and Balin without being seen. If she could cut them free they might be able to get the others out.
She was able to reach Thorin just as he kneed Kili and Oin in the back for messing up Bilbo's plan. As they tried to right their wrong Rose shuffled closer to Thorin. "Mind your neck." She whispered as she slid her sword between the fabric of the bag and he skin, sawing through his bindings. He nodded his thanks as he was able to reach the knife in his boot and move his arms. Rose wasted little time and made her way to Balin, repeating the process.
Thorin had just about freed himself when Gandalf reappeared. "The dawn will take you all!" the light of dawn suddenly flooded the clearing, bathing the trolls in sun and turning them to stone as they tried to flee.
A cheer went up from the dwarves. Those on the ground began to wriggle frantically as Thorin and Balin cut them loose. "Give us a hand!" Ori called from the spit above the fire. He and Dwalin were directly above the still blazing fire.
Rose ran to Bilbo, cutting him free before the pair headed to the fire pit. Gandalf had managed to put out the flames and was waiting for them. "You two climb up and cut the ropes. I'll help them down."
The dwarves on the spit praised the two hobbits as they climbed nimbly to the top of the wooden structure. It took a few minutes for them to work out which rope would be best to cut. They eventually located the one which would allow those on the top to wriggle free and those on the bottom a slow decent.
Bilbo and Rose sawed through the rope together, helping Dori and Bofur from the top of the wooden pole. "Told you that knife would be useful." Bofur grinned as he dropped to the ground.