Chapter 2: Change of heart

We all approached my door. And I opened it to see a rather handsome dwarf anf I was secretly glad I had changed into a simple skirt and blouse. My hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."He said his voice deep and enchanting. But what he had said pulle dme out of my trance.

"Mark? There's no mark on that door. I painted it a week ago!" I said outraged

"There is a mark; I put it there myself. Bella Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf introduced and I looked up feeling smaller than ever.

"So, this is the Hobbit." Thorin said and took my hand kissing it. I was trying desperately hard not to blush but it was not working I had to have been beet red. "Tell me, Ms. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" He asked.

"Pardon me?" I asked in reply. Fighting?

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant." I smoothed out my skirt.

"Thought as much. She looks more like a grocer than a burglar." I was slightly insulted as the dwarves laughed at me. They began to talk of their quest and I saw the map.

"You're going on a quest?" I asked intrigued a bit now. Gandalf began to look at me along with Thorin.

"Bella, my dear girl, let us have a little more light." I lit a candle and Gandalf began looking at the map. "Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak."

"The Lonely Mountain."

"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time."Gloin said he had a rather large deep red beard.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."Oin a greyer dwarf and Gloin's brother stated. The beast?

"Uh, What beast?" I asked concerned.

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals-" Bofur pointed out this beast was clearly a dragon.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is." I pointed out quite done with this entire evening.

"I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." Ori one of the younger ones said and they all began to shout and cheer.

"Sit down!"Dori another grey one who was a biit calmer than the rest ordered. They talked about a key and a door and then I heard it.

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori said.

"Hm, A good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." I said trying to get myself out of this.

"And are you?"Gloin asked.

"Am I what?"

"She said she's an expert! Hey hey!"Pin said and they cheered I cannot go on this quest!

"M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." I exclaimed.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Ms. Baggins. She's hardly burglar material." Balin aid and it hurt a small bit but helped in my favor.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves."Dwalin said and they all began to argue.

"Enough! If I say Bella Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar she is."Gandalf shouted and then quieted again defending me hen I desperately wished he would stop. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen . There's a lot more to her than appearances suggest, ands he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including herself. You must trust me on this." It lightened my heart a small bit to hear Gandalf talking about me this way but I couldn't do this.

"Very well. We will do it your way." Thorin groaned.

"No, no, no." I protested.

"Give her the contract."

"Please." I was handed a long contract.

"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin said and I looked at him.

"Funeral arrangements?" I asked but he wuickly dismissed me and I began to read. "Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?" My eyes widened.

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye."Bofur said and I began to pale and I couldn't breathe.

"Huh." I began panting.

"You alright Lassie?" Balin asked slightly concerned thank god someone was for once!

"Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint."I replied.

"Think furnace with wings."Bofur said.

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

"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash." That was it.

"Hmmm. Nope." I replied and fell to the ground my hair sprawling out behind me.

Thorin's POV

There was something special about her. Something different. Why had Gandalf chosen a hobbit? And why this peculiar hobbit woman?When she fainted thanks to Bofur I scooped her up.

"Where can I place her?" I asked Gandalf.

"In her living room she should come to in a bit, relax Thorin I'll take care of her." Gandalf replied and I placed her in a chair. Oin placed a cool cloth on her head. I didn't know if we should take her. I couldn't be responsible for her, I couldn't let feelings get in the way.

"She'll be alright Laddie and she'll come with us." Balin said and led me awway from the pale hobbit girl sitting in front of her fireplace. She came to rather quickly and talked to Gandalf. She wouldn't come.

"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit." She said and walked towards Balin and I. "I am very sorry Thorin I hate to decline the offer but I just can't." She said and looked sadly at me.

"It is alright my lady. We are sorry to have disturbed you." I replied and she walked away with sad brown eyes before going off to a different room in her home.

"It appears we have lost our burglar. Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; hardly the stuff of legend." Balin said and I looked at the path she had taken.

"There are a few warriors amongst us." I defended.

"Old warriors."

"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that."

"You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor."

"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

"Then we are with you, laddie. We will see it done."

Bella's POV

I apologized to Thorin their leader and he apologized for their behavior but then I heard them sing. He had a beautiful voice.

"Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To find our long-forgotten gold

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light"

Something had come over me. Perhaps iit was a change of heart but for now I needed sleep and it's bliss swept over me.