An Old Amulet
Chapter Six
After getting Bilbo somewhere much more comfortable, though he was still out cold for the time being, Gandalf and I sat down with Thorin and discussed what should happen next with concerns to myself. It wouldn't be easy, convincing a man such as him. But Gandalf had confidence, which meant that I probably shouldn't've worried as much as I did. Still, I'm a worrier. He couldn't expect much else from me.
"What is your plan, Gandalf?" Thorin asked when his pipe was lit. "Have this maiden cook our meals and mend our clothes? I cannot think of any other use for her."
Well that's rude. And sexist. I thought quietly to myself, but I kept my trap shut. I knew he wasn't a man to cross. Especially if he already thought so low of me.
Gandalf inhaled on his own pipe, eyeing the dwarf. "Just as I told you before in regards to Mr Baggins. There is much more to this young maiden than you or the rest of your company can see. She will be of great use to you during your journey. Of that you can have no doubt."
"Are you a warrior then?" Thorin finally asked me directly, pointing his pipe at me.
I wasn't sure how to answer that, but I did my best. "No, not necessarily. Though I'm quite strong. Stronger than my father. And in my spare time I enjoy forging weapons. I know my way around a hammer and I could mend your weapons, along with your clothes, if you so wished."
And it's true. My uncle is quite the renaissance fair nut and he really likes to have true authentic weapons to show off to his friends. Once upon a time my great-grandfather used to forge the weapons my uncle used, but he's long since passed. And while my gran offered, I decided to add weaponry to my repertoire. For the past several years I go home for a few weeks and I forge everything from swords to axes to war hammers to shields and whatever else you can think of to impress King Arthur. And I truly love it.
"Is that so?" Thorin said quite skeptically. "When did you find time to learn all of that? When you should've been tending to your husband and your children?"
"How old do you think I am?" I asked with only the slightest bit of snark, and with a small laugh.
"Plenty old enough to have your own family." Thorin returned, not phasing in the slightest.
"Where Miss Bronwyn comes from, the traditions are not the same." Gandalf interjected, lest I lash out and slapped the prat. "Women are given the freedom to do whatever they choose. And if they do not want to start a family right away, they have the right to decide that for themselves."
Thorin scoffed quietly, finding that absolutely preposterous. "If you insist, but I still do not much like the idea of having to watch over her if we were to come under attack."
"And you will not have to." Gandalf assured him. "She is under my care, not under that of the company's. She will not be your burden to bear."
I tried not to twitch at the word "burden".
"But won't she be?" Thorin still pressed, not letting the topic drop. "She does not know how to fight, the others will automatically come to her aid if she were to need it!"
Gandalf sighed, tired of the discussion already, as was I. "The moment she proves to be of more harm than good, you have the right to leave her behind. Will that please you?"
Finally, the dwarf seemed to find that outcome to be the most profitable on his part. If I became too much for him, he could simply drop me on my ass without a second thought. Rude, but if that allowed me to come along with them all, I'd accept it. And that was the agreement we came to.
"Welcome to the company, Miss Bronwyn." Thorin said, with a bit of a bow. "We leave at dawn."
I nodded at him, appreciative of the little he'd given. "Thank you, Thorin Oakenshield. I promise to not purposefully hinder your journey in any way."
I hoped he caught my dry tone and took that to mean that we would not be on perfectly amicable terms. Which was probably perfectly acceptable to him. He wasn't a friendly guy, or a talkative one. So we didn't get along, that was perfectly fine.
"Mr Baggins has come to!" Ori exclaimed as he poked his head into the parlor.
Thorin nodded, getting up and heading towards his kin. "Thank you, Ori."
With a pat on the shoulder, Mr Thorin Oakenshield was gone and Gandalf and I had been left to ourselves. To start, I let out a slightly hysterical laugh.
"That went much better than I expected." I breathed, finally relaxing since Thorin arrived.
Gandalf nodded, sucking on his pipe. "That it did. Might I add that you're doing quite wonderfully, my dear. Despite knowing what lies ahead."
I sighed, leaning back and stretching a bit. "It's still like a dream to me. Like it isn't happening."
"Understandable." He offered gently, giving me that kind look of his. "You've been through quite the ordeal. I do not know that anyone here could address your unique situation with as much tact as you have."
"Oh, Gandalf." I laughed a bit. "You're making me blush."
The wizard chuckled quietly as he exhaled some smoke. "While I've enjoyed our little chat, I do believe it's time for me to convince our burglar to join our company."
I nodded, finding that to be most wise. "Won't be any burglaring without a burglar!"
"Quite right." He concurred, standing and moving towards wherever Ori and Thorin went.
That left me perfectly and gloriously alone. I hadn't really had time to settle down, since I arrived in Middle-earth. And while I peered into the hearth, I finally felt perhaps a moment's peace. I propped up my feet and enjoyed the silence.
For about half of a second.
"What did he say?" Someone whispered from behind me. "Are you to join us?"
I groaned a bit, having closed my eyes and ready to take the nap I'd planned for hours ago. "Yes, I am. I'll be cooking your meals for you, and fixing the holes in your trousers should they arise."
"That's fantastic!" They continued, ecstatic and seeming almost like – a puppy.
I opened my eyes and surely enough, it was the young brothers Fili and Kili standing over me. "Why is it you two've taken such a liking to me? I can't recall myself doing anything to deserve such attention."
Fili gave me a smirk. "If we're being honest, you really remind us of our mother, without all of the hair here and not quite as small as her." He said, stroking his face and smiling all the while.
"Even female dwarves have beards?" I asked innocently enough.
"Oh yeah." Kili nodded, still appearing to be quite excited. "If you've ever seen a family of dwarves, it's a bit hard to tell the men from the women. We're about the same size, we've both got beards down to our toes, and we both live in dank dark holes!"
I chuckled quietly. "Is that any way to talk about your mother."
The two laughed, but it was Kili who responded. "It's uncanny, how much you remind us of her. Same quick wit, same spirit, if you were a dwarf then we probably could not see a difference between you!"
"I do what I can, lads." I said easily, smiling up at the brothers. "Now, let your mother rest. She's had a long day."
They let out one more laugh, clapping each other on the back before relocating to the other room and I was finally allowed that peace I knew I so greatly deserved. Closing my eyes, I thought deeply about the few months ahead. The dragon. A large fire-breather that could render towns to ash in mere minutes. I don't know why it didn't unsettle me, didn't force me into a fit, like Mr Baggins.
Perhaps I was more resilient, than the hobbit. I'd never succumbed to any sort of panic in my life, never felt that anything was out of my reach. And while I wasn't particularly gifted, I could still get by in whatever I did. Perhaps that's why when faced with an unexpected journey and the likelihood of certain death, I stood strong.
Lost in my thoughts, I barely registered the song that was being sung in the other room. Minutes of silence, and then the low timber of several men singing a tune that still was able to calm me. Despite the sad story it told. And the lyrics were as such:
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To seek the pale enchanted gold.
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.
For ancient king and elvish lord
There many a gleaming golden hoard
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught
To hide in gems on hilt of sword.
On silver necklaces they strung
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire
They meshed the light of moon and sun.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To claim our long-forgotten gold.*
Goblets they carved there for themselves
And harps of gold; where no man delves
There lay they long, and many a song
Was sung unheard by men or elves.
The pines were roaring on height,
The winds were moaning in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches blazed with light.*
The bells were ringing in the dale
And men looked up with faces pale;
Then dragon's ire more fierce than fire
Laid low, their towers and houses frail.
The mountain smoked beneath the moon;
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
They fled their hall to dying fall
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.
Far over the misty mountains grim
The dungeons deep and caverns dim
We must away, ere break of day,
To win our harps and gold from him.
The song was haunting, and beautiful. I felt a tear fall from my eye, not knowing why the song spoke to me so profoundly. But the dwarves pain, their struggle, they sang it out with every note. They would do anything to reclaim their home, and I felt that even if I was as useless as I appeared, I should do whatever I could to help them take back what was rightfully theirs.
Author's Note: Passages marked with an asterisk are the ones found in the movie. The rest is from the book (along with those passages). I hope you enjoyed the read! I felt like Thorin's resistance to bringing Bronwyn along was sound and reasonable. Thoughts? xoxo, Momma Love