Chapter 3: Supper is Served

Updates every Monday

A/N: So...as much as I love posting stories...I hate waiting to post them! It has been killing me! Though, I have made several f'ing thousands of edits and changes to the original Chapter 3, 4, and 5 (which, by the way, have been so revamped that the old content is almost nonexistent in the new). I really, and I mean really, like the way this chapter turned out. I swear, Thorin is such a hard character to write sometimes! *pulls out sword and threatens Thorin* Y U SO DIFFICULT TO WRITE?!

*Clears throat* Anyway, I wanted to take a different route with Thorin's reaction to Caynna. I mean, with almost every fan fiction he either hates, dislikes, thinks lowly of, cares too much for, is overprotective of, or in love with every other female character. Why not be intrigued yet confused by one and not hate her at the same time (or be falling for her...bleh...not Caynna...just sayin').

Enough of my rambling! Let's get to the actual story now...oh, and another useless piece of information: this chapter is 16 pages in Word...

End rambling!

Thanks for Following:
myshka
MerlynnPendragon
KatieBees
internationalnunofmystery
elamoureux2029
Hannah Michaelis

Thanks for Favoriting:
MerlynnPendragon

Littleflower19: I am glad that you enjoyed Scarlet Eyes and have taken the time to read this. I will be continuing this story as well as the rest of the Scarlet Eyes Trilogy, but I will now be updating on Mondays. This way I can make it, hopefully, all the way to when The Desolation of Smaug comes out on DVD. I will, most likely, update the third book in the SE Trilogy after I finish this one. That way, I can prepare everyone for the next part of the Eärlindë. Thank you so much for reading my works, and I hope you enjoy this one as much as the others :)

Adavan: Thank you so much! That means a lot to me *enter heart icon here* :)

"Who wants an ale? There you go!" Fili said as he walked across the table handing mugs of ale out to dwarves.

"Over here, brother!" Kili said and took a mug ale before smacking the back of his brother's leg. "Now get off the table!"

The dwarves laughed loudly as they talked and shared jokes with one another. Fili jumped off the table, not a single bit of food on his boots surprisingly. Once every one had a mug of ale, with the exception of Gandalf and Caynna, they cheered each other loudly. "Ale on the count of three," Bofur said. "One! Two-"

"Up!" Kili yelled out.

The room went silent as the dwarves drank up their mugs. Some spilled the ale onto their beards, intent on drinking as much as fast as they could while others, who clearly had some kind of manners or didn't want to lose a bit of their ale such as Kili, Fili, Balin, and Ori, drank their ale without spilling a drop. Mugs were placed back on the table and a burping contest ensued. Little Ori let out the biggest, loudest, and longest belch of the lot, and the dwarves cheered him as they all joined in on a laugh. "I knew you had it in you!" Nori yelled out to Ori.

"Caynna, lassie, did you want an ale?" Dwalin asked Caynna.

"No thank you," Caynna said as she leaned back in her chair slightly. "I don't drink."

"You don't drink, lass? I've never heard of someone not drinking."

"No, I don't," she said in a tone that clearly meant she did not want to indulge further into her reason behind not drinking. "Excuse me," she said more to Gandalf than anyone else around her.

She stood up silently and left, her absence going unnoticed by the dwarves. She moved throughout the house, taking in the living room, foyer, kitchen, and all the other rooms in the house. The architecture astonished Caynna with the home being underground and all. The rounded entryways really gave the place an interesting feeling. She rounded another corner to the study, too busy looking at the windows to notice the dwarf walking toward her who happened to also be busy looking at the study to not have noticed the lass. They ran right into each other, both stumbling slight before falling on the ground. Out of instinct, Caynna rolled and popped up onto one knee with her dagger at the ready, poised to attack. She lowered it with a sigh as Kili sat up on the ground, hand on his head. "That's twice now in one day that we ran into each other," he said as he looked at Caynna as a confused frown appeared on his face. "Why do you have your dagger out?"

Caynna took in a deep breath and let it out to calm her racing heart as she stood and sheathed the blade. "I'm sorry. It is a habit of mine," she replied as she held a hand out to Kili. "Most of the time when I get knocked over it is not on accident but rather someone is trying to kill me."

"Understandable," Kili said as he took the outstretched hand and was hoisted to his feet.

Caynna dropped her hand quickly and looked out the window. "Sorry about that," she said as she moved to the window above the desk and placed her hands on it. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Neither was I so we're even," he said as he moved up next to Caynna to peer out the window with a slightly confused face as he looked from the window to the interested look on Caynna's face. "What's so interesting about the window?"

"The view," Caynna said and Kili caught a hint of longing in her voice, but in the next second it was gone. "It is a really nice view. If you'll excuse me…"

She suddenly turned and began to walk away, her feet quiet on the wood floor as she did so. Kili watched the lass turn the corner again, her hand brushing her dagger as she did so.. "She's odd," a voice behind the brunette dwarf said.

Kili turned to Dwalin, the tattooed dwarf looking at the spot the lass had just disappeared. "She is a half-breed," Kili said.

"I meant the way she walks around. Dwarves, or even those who are half dwarf, are never that quiet. She's almost as silent as an elf. It's as if she's used to walking around without anyone noticing she's there," Dwalin explained. "And then there is that habit of hers where she always touches her dagger when she rounds each corner like she's waiting for something, or someone, to attack her."

"Earlier, she nearly drew her dagger on Fili when he put an arm around her shoulders as we headed to the table," Kili said as he remembered Caynna's reaction to Fili. He was sure Caynna was going to stab his poor brother.

"Aye," Dwalin gave a nod, "she's unsettling."

"Don't tell me that big, bad Dwalin is afraid of a half-breed woman?" joked Kili.

"I'm not afraid of her. I'm…apprehensive. The way she moves about the house is too odd and out of place for my liking."

"Is just because she doesn't wear a dress but instead has weapons and traveling clothes?"

"That can be added to the long list," Dwalin said as he turned and walked back toward the dining room.

As Caynna rounded another corner, this time watching where she was going, she caught sight of Gandalf talking to a frustrated Bilbo. "I just don't understand what they are doing in my house!" he said angrily with a sigh as he placed his hands on his hips much like an angry woman.

Just then, Ori walked up to Bilbo with his plate in his hand and a confused expression on his face. "Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" he asked innocently.

Just as Bilbo was about to give a reply, Fili walked right up to the other dwarf. "Here you go, Ori. Give it to me," he said before taking it and tossing it to Kili who happened to walk out of the kitchen at that moment with his pipe in his left hand.

Gandalf dove out of the way as did Bilbo, who looked like he was about to have a heart attack, as Fili tossed another plate to Kili who caught it with a flourish. Kili then tossed the second plate to Bifur who was at the sink. The dwarf with the ax in his head – which Caynna didn't think she would ever get over – caught the two plates in each hand without so much as looking up to catch them, and placed them together before setting them in the sink. They planned this, didn't they? Caynna thought to herself.

"Take that back!" Bilbo shouted as the dishes kept flying.

"Why don't you try this, Caynna?" Kili asked as he tossed a bowl to Bifur.

"Excuse me!" Bilbo shouted again in frustration.

Oh, by Mahal, Mister Baggins is going to have a heart attack, Caynna thought as she walked up to Bilbo's opposite side before turning back to Kili. "I do not think that'd be a wise decision," she told Kili.

"She's just scared that we'll out do her, brother," Fili smirked as he tossed a cup to Kili with a flick of his wrist.

"Really now?" Caynna asked as her interested peaked.

"That's my mother's West Farthing pottery. It's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo shouted in panic as Kili kicked up a bowl with his foot, caught it, and tossed it on while Ori watched the two brothers with an impressed look on his face.

"Alright then. Here, catch!" Fili said as he tossed a plate in the opposite direction.

Caynna dove away from Bilbo's side as the plate went over their heads. She rolled on the ground with a hushed thump before she popped up on one knee facing away from the dwarves and caught the plate in between her pointer and middle finger. She stood up with a turn and a step toward the dwarves without missing a beat before she tossed the plate to Kili who caught it and passed it on. Fili gave her an impressed look while Bilbo gave a sigh relief as his plate didn't break on the ground. "She just outdid you, Fili," Kili called to his brother as he caught a bowl and passed it on with a flourish.

"A-and c-can you not do that? You'll blunt them!" Bilbo said in an angry, flustered voice as the dwarves in the dining room began a beat with their forks, knives, and feet.

"Ooh! Did you hear that lads?" Bofur said as they continued on, his eyes giving the dwarves around him a knowing look. "He says we we'll blunt the knives!"

"Blunt the knives, bend the forks," Kili started to sing as he beckoned to his brother to send on the dishes.

"Smash the bottles and burn the corks," Fili joined in with the second line as he popped a cup up in the air with his left elbow to arc it over to his right before he caught it and tossed it to Kili.

"Chip the glasses and crack the plates," the other dwarves started as they joined in together.

"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"

"Cut the cloth, tread on the fat!" the dwarves sang as they tossed bowls and cups to Ori who caught them all in his hands in a neat stack, his eyes growing wide at the large amount of dishes in his hands as he turned to make his way slowly into the kitchen.

"Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!"

Dwalin bounced cups off his head and over to Nori, the auburn haired dwarf using his foot, head, or elbow to gently pass each cup over to the next dwarf.

"Pour the milk on the pantry floor!"

Kili jumped up and wedged himself in between the door frame to the kitchen. He turned to Caynna who raised her eyebrows at him, and in turn Kili gave her a bright smile and motioned for her to toss him the plate she just caught. Caynna tossed him the plate to which he caught and tossed away, the plate arching to the ground. Fili dove into a roll, popped up onto his knee and caught the plate right at his head, and then passed the plate on as Kili jumped down from his odd perch in the door frame.

"Splash the wine on every door!"

Bilbo watched with his mouth hanging open in horror as Ori passed him with the stack of dishes perched precariously in his arms.

"Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl!"

They continued to sing as they rolled the dishes along the table and tossed cups and bowls over to each other before sending them down the line to the kitchen. Bombur was cleaning off any plate that stopped by him, the fat dwarf really enjoying getting any leftover food from the plates.

"Pound them up with a thumping pole!" the dwarves sang on.

Caynna flipped a plate over her head to Fili who caught it and passed it on.

"When you're finished, if they are whole!"

Kili threw a knife to Bifur who turned and caught it just before it impaled his face. "I wonder if that would stick in his head just like the ax," Caynna said to Fili.

"Probably," Fili smiled at her as he bounced a bowl off his elbow over to Caynna who caught it and tossed it on down the line.

"Send them down the hall to roll!"

Old Balin sat at the head of the table with a plate in his hand, bouncing the dishes that were rolled down to him with the plate. Fili caught the flying dishes and passed them on to Kili and Nori, both who would then pass them on to whoever was in the kitchen. Bofur had a flute or some kind of instrument of the like and was playing it while Oin had turned a teapot into an instrument as well. Dori stood beside Oin and passed dishes along, Bofur occasionally bumping a bowl or cup along with his elbow without so much as missing a beat of the song as he did so. Caynna turned and nearly ran into Kili as he reached out and caught a plate before it hit the back of Caynna's head. He held the plate up with a smirk. "You might want to watch where you are going," he said before flipping the plate over his head.

Caynna stood there frozen to the spot with an impassive expression on her face. "I'll try to not make it a habit," she said with a small smile before moving away to the opposite side of the room leaving a goofy smiling dwarf behind her as he passed on the last plate, wondering if he made the lass feel out of place even though she had a calm look about her.

The dwarves finished cleaning up and stacked the dishes nicely on the kitchen table as Fili, Nori, and Ori grabbed another mug of ale.

"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" they ended as Bilbo raced in with a horrified look on his face, expecting to see broken and shattered dishes everywhere in the kitchen.

The dwarves laughed at his shocked and clearly relieved face as he saw the pile of dishes cleaned and stacked neatly in front of him. Kili looked like he was about to die from laughing so hard, and Caynna wondered if he had a little too much to drink as well, though she highly doubted it. He pointed to Bilbo with his pipe. "Look at his fa…." He trailed off in another fit of laughter along with the other dwarves.

Caynna smiled and gave a small chuckle at the hobbit's expression. "We got him good," Dori said as he laughed.

Almost a little too good by the look of his face when he raced in, Caynna thought as she looked toward the hobbit who had joined in with the laughing. At least Mister Baggins has a sense of humor.

A sudden pounding on the door silenced the dwarves, and Caynna immediately unlatched the dagger under her right gauntlet. Dwalin noticed the movement as did a few others, and they exchanged a look as Gandalf said, "He is here."

Caynna walked behind the dwarves with her dagger still unlatched from the gauntlet not out and poised to attack, but rather the blade was placed against the underside of her forearm. She stood behind Kili and Fili, blending in with the other dwarves slightly. "Put it away, lass," Bofur said quietly next to Caynna. "He won't take well to you if you look ready to attack him."

Caynna let out a breath she did not know she was holding, and the two brothers in front of her turned to give her a look. "Oh, sorry," she said quietly when she realized she was still holding the dagger, and promptly reattached the blade to her underside of her gauntlet.

"Let me guess," Fili said.

"Habit," the two brothers chorus.

"Actually, that was reflex," Caynna said.

The brothers exchanged a look before they turned back to the opening door. "Gandalf," the dwarf said as he entered.

Caynna knew right away that this particular dwarf was one that held everyone's respect. He carried himself like a leader, and he looked the part as well. He was taller than most of the dwarves in the room, most likely an inch taller than Caynna, and had a "cleaner" look about him with his black, somewhat grey streaked wavy hair and neatly trimmed black beard. He was definitely another handsome looking dwarf. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door," the dwarf said as Gandalf shut the door.

He looked at Kili and Fili and gave them a small smile, the two brothers returning it with a nod. "Mark? There is no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago," Bilbo said in annoyance at another dwarf in his house.

"There is a mark. I put it there myself," Gandalf told the hobbit as the new dwarf took off his cloak. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Kili moved up toward Thorin and took the dwarf's cloak before returning beside his brother. "So this is the hobbit?" Thorin said in a tone that suggested he wasn't at all pleased with the way Bilbo looked as he began to circle the hobbit like a vulture. "Tell me, Mister Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?" Bilbo asked in shock.

By now it should have been obvious that Mister Baggins has never touched a blade other than the knives in his kitchen, Caynna thought as her eyes turned to the hobbit and examined his posture.

"Ax or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin continued as he examined the hobbit as well.

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know," Bilbo said as he tried to stand up taller as he looked the tall, regal dwarf up and down. "But I fail to see…why that is…relevant."

"Thought as much," Thorin replied as he stopped in front of the hobbit and crossed his arms over his chest. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar," he said with a small smile as the other dwarves chuckled.

"Thorin, there is one other person I would like you to meet," Gandalf said as he caught sight of Caynna.

Kili and Fili turned to Caynna, both wearing a nervous look as they moved out of the lass's way. Caynna stood tall and proud as she walked away from the two dwarves, her steps calm and confident as she approached the newest dwarf. Thorin sized her up and went to circle her much like he did with Bilbo, but stopped as she rested her hand gently on her dagger, a move that showed she was not too comfortable with him doing so. "Caynna," she said with a small bow though her eyes never left Thorin's to which the dwarf narrowed his own eyes in an intrigued look, "at your service."

They both looked at each other, neither averting their eyes. "And what are you exactly?" he asked after much confliction in his thoughts as he took in Caynna's appearance.

"Half man, half dwarf."

"I didn't mean that," Thorin said.

"Caynna, here, is both a ranger and a trained assassin," Gandalf put in, and Caynna turned her head sharply to Gandalf, her face impassive but her eyes showing a shocked look.

Some of the older dwarves, now very wary of the assassin in front of them, gave her a glare each. "I knew something was off about you," Dwalin said as he drew himself up to try and look more menacing.

"I don't know if that was a compliment or an insult," Caynna said as she turned to Dwalin. "But I'll take it as a compliment anyhow."

"She is here on behalf of my request," Gandalf put in.

"You could have left the 'assassin' part out," Caynna muttered with slight annoyance.

"The truth is better said than not said at all."

"Don't start lecturing me, Gandalf," Caynna said before she turned to Thorin who was watching the lass with general curiosity. "If you would like," she started in reluctance, but continued anyway in the same calm manner, "I'll remove my weapons if that would set everyone here at ease."

Thorin raised an eyebrow at the lass. "I believe you, Gandalf," he said to the wizard as they exchanged a smiling look. "She's an honorable assassin."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Caynna asked in confusion.

Instead of answering her, Thorin gave Caynna one last look before he followed the other dwarves to the dining room. Gandalf gave a sigh as Bilbo went to grab Thorin something to eat. "That went better than expected," he said to Caynna as the dwarves sat themselves at the table.

"When you said you had 'sort of' talked to the leader of this company," Caynna started.

"I merely meant that I explained who and what you are and why you are coming along with us if you so choose to," Gandalf said. "Thorin was just seeing if you would tell him what you were, which was obvious that you were not about to do so."

"So you actually talked to him."

"Yes."

"You couldn't have told me that in the first place?"

"I wanted you to be on your best behavior."

Caynna raised an eyebrow. "Most others would have already gone defensive against such accusations that many here have made with their actions. I, clearly, have not. I am always on my best behavior anyway."

"That is what he meant by an 'honorable assassin'," Gandalf explained. "You are one of the few that actually keep calm and levelheaded, and then offer to remove your weapons to help ease the situation."

Caynna shrugged. "Courtesy is a virtue, you know," she said as they went to join the rest of the company.

Caynna gave Gandalf one last look before she made her way to the end of the table and to the back wall. She leaned against the wall behind Kili and Fili, Thorin's intrigued look not leaving her for a few moments. Bilbo gave the dwarf a bowl filled with some kind of soup and a mug of ale. "What news from the meeting of Erad-Luin? Did they all come?" Balin started after a few moments.

"Aye, envoys from all seven kingdoms," Thorin answered though the look on his face said he was not quite pleased with the outcome of the meeting.

"All of them!"

"What did the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked with an enthusiastic look.

"They will not come," Thorin answered in a grim, angered tone. "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked in shock.

"What did he think we were doing?" Kili mumbled to his brother.

"Just coming for dinner apparently," answered Fili.

Good observation, boys, Caynna thought, though, she was thinking the same thing.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light," Gandalf said as he pulled out a map and placed it on the table. "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single, solitary peak."

"The Lonely Mountain," Bilbo read the map title.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents and the portents say it is time," Gloin spoke causing the other dwarves to grumble and roll their eyes with a sigh.

That was all Oin had been talking about after dinner.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold," Oin confirmed with a nod. "When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

"Uh, what beast?" a fearful hobbit asked.

By the gods, Caynna thought as she resisted face-palming her face. This hobbit…did he just miss the picture of the dragon flying directly next to the mountain?

"That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, the chiefest and greatest calamity of our age," Bofur answered with a slight drop in his voice as he held his pipe. "Air-borne fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metal."

"Yes, I know what a dragon is," came the quick and fearful answer.

Thorin looked at the assassin in the corner, the shadows seeming to wrap themselves around her as if trying to protect her from prying eyes, yet she was still very much visible. Caynna's face was impassive as she listened to the conversation, not even her eyes gave away what she thought. She just stood there and listened. "I'm not afraid of it! I'm up for it! I'll give him a taste of Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!" Ori said with confidence.

Oh, Mahal, Caynna thought to herself, he'll probably be fried before he tries that.

"Good lad, Ori!" Nori called out to his brother.

Don't encourage him to get himself killed!

"Sit down," Dori said as he pulled his younger brother back into his seat with a pat.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us," Balin said. "But we number just thirteen. Not thirteen of the best, nor brightest."

Caynna's eyes roamed over the angry muttering dwarves. She looked at each one, picking up on the characteristics of each. Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, and Thorin had seen battle before. As her eyes continued down the line of dwarves, she spotted Bifur. He had definitely seen battle if he had an ax in his head, to which Caynna still inwardly shuddered. His brother, Bofur, might have been in a skirmish or two, but he didn't seem like the type that had gone to battle before. Their fat brother Bombur no doubt had not seen battle as he was overly large and needed help getting up from the ground when he fell over.

The assassin's eyes moved over the Ri brothers, and caught sight of Nori slipping something from his older brother's pocket into his own. Nori was more of a thief, Dori may have seen battle (Caynna was stretching the may part), and then there was little Ori. He most likely had never seen battle, and by the way he was dressed and the note pad he carried around along with his sketch pad, he was more likely the company's scribe, but came along the journey because his brothers were coming.

Then Caynna's eyes found Kili and Fili. The two had training, no doubt about that from the way they had carried their weapons and checked them back when Caynna ran into them. They held themselves just like Thorin, all warrior and leader (sort of), though they didn't have a burden on their shoulders the way their uncle did. They were both confident in the way they walked and what they did, even though Caynna found herself often questioning their one-tracked minds. As she continued to take in each dwarf's appearance, she caught herself looking at the two handsome dwarf brothers longer than she would have liked. She quickly turned her gaze away only to have it turn back to Fili as he slammed his fist on the table.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters. All of us," he said as he slammed his hand on the table again to emphasize his statement, "to the last dwarf!"

"And do you forget that we have a wizard in our company," Kili joined in enthusiastically with a bright smile as he turned to Gandalf now. "Gandalf would have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

"Well, no I-I wouldn't say-" Gandalf started.

Uh-oh…here we go… Caynna thought as the wizard looked a bit flustered.

"Well, how many then?" Dori asked.

"What?"

"How many dragons have you killed?"

Gandalf started to choke on the smoke of his pipe. "Go on, give us a number!" Dori yelled out.

Thorin was still watching Caynna who had barely moved from her spot against the wall. She just…observed. She didn't even voice an opinion, and it was starting to unnerve Thorin a bit. The dwarves entered an uproar about the number of dragons Gandalf probably killed.

What are they arguing about? The number of dragons Gandalf didn't kill? Caynna thought as she tried to discern what they were saying, but it was so jumbled that it was hard to figure out what they were saying at all. That was when she realized that not all of them were speaking in the common tongue.

Thorin suddenly stood and yelled out in dwarvish, and the dwarves immediately shut up and sat back down. "If we have read these signs do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look east to the mountain assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance and take back Erebor?" he said to the dwarves and received an uproar of enthusiastic shouts.

These dwarves really respect him, Caynna thought.

But then, Balin spoke up. "You forget, the Front Gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain," he said.

There is always a way in. Whether it is an easy route or hard, you can never be locked out of a single place. I would know. I bet my life that none of these dwarves have ever tried to break into the steward's hidden cellar. That was not a fun experience, nor is it something I ever want to try again.

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true," Gandalf said as he pulled out a key from his robes and held it up for all to see.

I knew he had something up his sleeve.

"How came you by this?" Thorin asked.

"It was given to me by your father. By Thrain. For safekeeping. It is yours now," Gandalf said as he handed the key over to Thorin who took it.

"If there is a key, there must be a door," Fili said.

Um…didn't we just establish this?

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls," Gandalf continued as he pointed to a spot on the map.

"There's another way in," Kili said in an excited voice.

Great job using your head, you two, thought Caynna. Real intelligent conversation right there.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gandalf said.

Well, that just made this a whole lot harder. Wait...why are dwarf doors invisible when closed? That makes no sense…at all…

"The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map but I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever then I believe it can be done," Gandalf continued.

"That's why we need a burglar!" said Ori as he looked to Bilbo.

Something I think you already have, Caynna thought as she turned her eyes to Nori before back to Bilbo as he began to speak.

"Hm. A good one too. An expert, I imagine," Bilbo said as he looked at the map.

"And are you?" asked Gloin.

"Am I what?" Bilbo asked as he looked back up from the map in complete confusion.

"He said he's an expert! Hey!" Oin said.

Um…no he didn't. You need a new ear trumpet, Caynna thought as her eyes shifted to the grey haired dwarf with the ear trumpet.

"Me? No. No, no, no," Bilbo began to object. "I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life!"

That was obvious.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Mister Baggins. He's hardly burglar material," Balin pointed out to the others.

"Aye. The Wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves," Dwalin added.

"He's just fine," said Fili with a wave of his hand.

Thorin was looking for Caynna's reaction once more, and found that she still had the same impassive face and calm look about her as before while she observed and listened to the dwarves begin another argument, Gandalf growing increasingly angry. "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, than a burglar he is!" Gandalf roared angrily as he stood up, the lights growing dark only to lighten again. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet, and in fact, they can go unseen by most if they choose too. And while the dragon is accustomed to the scent of dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all but unknown to him which gives us a distinct advantage."

Interesting fact. But I still do not think a dragon will take kindly to someone going within his lair. They are, after all, protective of their treasures, Caynna thought, which is part of the reason why the front door is sealed shut.

"You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company and I have chosen Mister Baggins," Gandalf continued. "There is a lot more to him than appearance suggests. He's got a lot more to offer than any of you know. Including himself. You must trust me on this."

"Very well. We'll do it your way," Thorin said as he looked at Caynna for any sign of her speaking up, but was greeted with calm silence from the lass. "Give him the contract."

Bilbo began to object as Balin stood up and pulled out a contract. "It's just a summary of our out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth," Balin said as he handed Thorin the contract who shoved it roughly into the hobbit's hands behind him.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo asked uncertainly as he took the contract.

He won't like what else is in that contract for sure.

He turned and began to read it quietly to himself as Thorin stood up and moved over to Gandalf and bent to speak to the wizard quietly. As he sat back down, he looked at Caynna and was slightly annoyed that she was still silent and impassive. "Incineration?" Bilbo asked in fear and shock.

Mister Baggins, it is a dragon we are going up against.

"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in a blink of an eye," Bofur said encouragingly.

Yeah…that's not going to help his cause, Caynna thought as she watched the hobbit pale a bit more.

"You alright, laddie?" Balin asked as Bilbo gave a small whimper.

"Huh? Yeah," came the weak response from the hobbit as he bent over and exhaled air quickly through his mouth. "Feel a bit faint."

"Think furnace, with wings," Bofur continued as he stood a bit.

Stop talking now, Bofur.

"Air," Bilbo replied. "I-I need air."

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! You're nothin' more than a pile of ash!"

…he's going to faint…

"Hmm," Bilbo said as he stood up and looked like he was going to be alright. "Nope," he said before he fainted and fell to the ground with a thump.

Called it.

Thorin shook his head in dismay before he looked at Caynna. "What do you think about all this?" he asked her.

Caynna raised her eyebrows. "I'm sorry, sir, were you talking to me?" she asked.

"Yes," Thorin answered as he leaned forward a bit.

Caynna moved away from the shadows and leaned her hands on the table. "Whether you take an army or this company, it will not make a difference. A dragon is a dragon, and you will fight it one way or the other. You have the first step to taking back your home; a way into the mountain. The next step is to figure out Smaug's weaknesses," Caynna said with a sly smile. "If you know your enemy's weakness, you can find defeating them easier, and in the case of a dragon it would be a hell of a lot easier. After that, it is only a matter of how, when, and where you take him out. But, sending a hobbit in to kill the dragon should not be an option. The way he just went down at the mention of being incinerated shows that he will have a hard time going up against a dragon at all, but I believe you already knew that."

Gandalf gave Caynna an approving nod. "And this is why I brought you here," he said.

"It was an extremely hard going adventure, Gandalf," she smiled in amusement. "If this was all you needed of me, then I shall be going-"

"I did not mean it that way," Gandalf said as Caynna stood up from her leaning.

"I know. But," Caynna's eyes darted to Thorin, who was still watching her with curiosity, and back to Gandalf, "some may not want me here."

"We do," Fili said as he threw an arm over his brother's shoulders. "Besides, Kili would miss running into you."

"Ha, ha," Kili said as he elbowed his brother, "very funny. I ran into her twice-"

"Three times," Fili corrected his brother.

"Shut up…"

Caynna's eyes didn't leave Gandalf's face though as they shared a knowing look. Gandalf was about to say something when Thorin started. "Can you fight?" he asked.

"Must I answer that?" Caynna replied with a small smile.

Thorin seemed to be conflicted with himself. This woman was, after all, still a woman. A female even though she was trained for this kind of quest they were about to embark on. On the other hand, he still didn't know anything about her except for what Gandalf had told him. Thorin wanted to know more of her backstory, something the wizard had refused to talk to him about despite his questioning. "If it helps any," Gandalf started as his eyes turned from Caynna to Thorin, "Caynna is not just any trained ranger and assassin as I have explained to you."

"What do you mean?" Thorin turned to Gandalf with a questioning look.

"This woman in front of you is none other than the Amarië herself," Gandalf said and the dwarves turned their shocked looks to Caynna.

"The Amarië?" Balin asked. "You are the Amarië?"

"Yes," Caynna responded with her usual expression of impassiveness.

"The Amarië is just a legend," Dwalin said with a wave of his hand. "Nothing more than a tale to tell others. Do you mock us, Gandalf, in trying to portray this woman," Caynna did not miss the way he emphasized the word, "as one of the most well-known assassins in all of Middle-Earth?"

Caynna's face grew impassive, something that did not go unnoticed by those at the head of the table. "I can assure you, Mister Dwalin," Caynna said as she unfastened her right gauntlet and placed it on the table, "that I am the Amarië and that this is no joke."

She removed the glove on her right hand and held it up. There, covering the entire back of her fisted hand was the iconic black tribal tattoo made only for the assassin wearing it. On all four sides of the single opened circle that rested in the middle were three, overlaid check marks with the larger ends going inward toward the circle, but not touching it.

It was the mark of the Amarië.

*I suck at describing this tribal tattoo marking, or at least I think I am. They are HARD to describe. If you are interested in seeing what I tried to describe her tattoo as Google Images small tribal tattoo designs. It will most likely be the 7th picture with the copyright OPEN GRAPHIC DESIGN DOT COM at the top right hand corner. The tattoo that I tried to describe is the top left hand tattoo. Hopefully you'll be able to recognize it when you see it :) I tried XD. Also, it is on the story cover.