Ok, hi again, I am seriously hoping that we get on with the journey in this chapter, but that might not happen. Well, we will see! Ok, please enjoy, and please review as always!
Congratulations to EtherealBrook for being my very first reviewer! You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that! Thank you sooo much!
Disclaimer: I still do not own any of Tolkien's fab characters (no matter how much I wish I did) I only own my OC's.
As the dwarves still cheered, Baling ruined the mood by giving a piece of information that no one wanted to think of.
"You forget the front gate is sealed." Thorin sat down and to Elriauna looked like he was mopping. "There is no way into the mountain." All the dwarves were again sorrowful, until Gandalf spoke up.
"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." As he spoke, the wizard pulled out a key from his robes. He held it up for Thorin to see, and the dwarf king looked amazed.
"How came you by this?" He asked with awe.
"It was given to me by your father, Thrain. For safe keeping. It is yours, now." He handed it to Thorin as the others watched with amazement.
"If there is a key, there must be a door," Fili said with slight assuredness. Eliauna smiled and nodded.
"That's usually the case." Kili laughed a little at that, and Fili shot them a playful glare. Gandalf looked at them with a hint of a smile on his lips, before pointing at one side of the map with the end of his pipe.
"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls." Kili suddenly gave a childish grin and nudged Fili with his elbow.
"There's another way in!" he said happily, and Eliauna gave a sigh.
"The two of you! How ever do people live with you?!" Dwalin nodded toward the boys and gave a gruff laugh.
"Be careful not to say that around their mother. She'll give you a whole lecture on why never to have children." A couple of the dwarves chuckled at that, and Dwalin leaned slightly closer to them. "Take Thorin's word for it." The king glared at the bald dwarf, and shook his head.
"Stay on topic please." He looked back down at the map and examined it a little more while Gandalf talked.
"You're right Kili, if we can find it. But dwarf doors are invisible when closed." He sighed before continuing. "The answer lies somewhere in this map, and I do not have the skill to find it. But, there ae others in Middle Earth, who can." Thorin looked up at Gandalf with a look that said the wizard was crazy in a way. "The task I have in mind will require a great amount of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful, and clever, I believe that it can be done."
"That's why we need a burglar," Ori said with realization clear in his features.
"Hmm, a good one too. An expert I'd imagine." Bilbo said.
"And are you?" Oin asked. Bilbo gave him a confused look, not realizing that he was to be the burglar.
"Am I what?" He asked. Eliauna sighed again, while Elriauna face-palmed. Oin, not understanding, got a little excited.
"He says he's an expert!" Bilbo realized what was going on, and shook his head.
"Me, uh, no, no, no, I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life." Balin nodded.
"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Bilbo nodded in agreement, and Dwalin added on to his brother's statement.
"Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Bilbo again agreed to the statement, and the dwarves began to argue again. Only when Gandalf stood and began to yell did they quiet in fear.
"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is." It was completely silent as everyone didn't want to say anything that would upset the wizard further. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet and 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. Plus, you have two of the best archers I have ever known in our midst, and that is something I would not pass up." Thorin scoffed as the wizard mentioned the twins, but quieted when Gandalf gave him a stern glare. "You asked me, to find the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth members of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins, Ms. Eliauna Firemoon, and Ms. Elriauna Firemoon." He smiled at Bilbo as Thorin sighed. "There is a lot more to him than appearances suggest. And he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself." Bilbo looked slightly surprised at the wizard's words, but did not say anything. Thorin looked at Gandalf skeptically. "You must trust me, on this." The wizard said quietly, and everyone watched Thorin, waiting for him to answer.
"Very well. We will do it your way. Give him a contract." Thorin said to Balin, who took a piece of paper out of his jacket.
"It's just the usual, summary of out of pocket expenses. Time required, reiteration, funeral arrangements, and so forth." When Bilbo didn't take it, Thorin grabbed it out of Balin's hand and shoved it behind him into the hobbit's chest.
"Funeral arrangements," Bilbo said fearfully, as he was pushed slightly back by the force of Thorin's push. Bilbo stepped into the hall and opened the contract, beginning to read silently to himself.
"Give them contracts as well." Thorin said, pointing to the girls, before he leaned into Gandalf to whisper something. Elriauna noticed as her sister's ears twitched, and realized she was listening to what the two were saying.
"I cannot guarantee their safety." Thorin said with slight worry, and Gandalf nodded.
"Understood." H said casually.
"Nor will I be responsible for their fate." Thorin added, and Gandalf looked at the dwarf with understanding.
"Agreed." He finally replied, before they turned back to listen to what the hobbit was saying.
"Terms: Cash on delivery up to, but not exceeding 1/14 of total profit if any, huh. Seems fair." At this point, both girls had finished signing the contract and handed them back to Balin. "Present company shall not be held liable for any injuries inflicted or sustained including but not limited to, lacerations, evisceration," He paused for a moment, then looked back at the company. "Incineration?!" He asked with alarm, and Bofur spoke up to try and clarify for the hobbit.
"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bilbo closed the contract, and went a bit pale.
"You alright laddie?" Balin asked the poor hobbit, who was now turning a ghostly white.
"Huh, ya, I'll be ok, huh," Bilbo leaned over to catch his breath. "Feel a bit faint," he added before standing back up. Bofur got out of his chair and went to stand in the doorway of the dining room, and attempted to ease the hobbit.
"Think furnace, with wings." Bilbo was starting to panic, and Eliauna stood, ready to go to him if he needed help.
"I-I-I-I need air," Bilbo said, and this time Elriauna stood too.
"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! You're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bofur's attempts to calm the hobbit were taking no effect, and actually made the situation worse. Bilbo stood staring at them all, and looked as if he was getting better.
"Nope." He stated, before promptly fainting on to the ground. Eliauna quickly ran to him, while Elriauna went to get a glass of water and a rag.
"Very helpful Bofur," she said with sarcasm as she walked by with a full glass in her right hand.
"Help me get him into the study, will you?" Eliauna asked Gandalf, and the wizard stood with a nod of his head.
"Of course my dear," he said somewhat happily, and the three disappeared down the hallway. Once they got to the study, they laid him down in his favorite chair. "It may take a while for him to awake, so I will stay with him. You two go and enjoy the rest of your evening." The sisters nodded, but hesitated before leaving. "Do not worry, he will be safe with me." The twins felt reassured at those words, and so they left to go back to the dining room. When they arrived, it was still silent, and some of the dwarves had left and gone to the living room. Eliauna sat down by Kili and Fili again, and rested her head on the table. Elriauna left, and went to sit in the hallway near the back of the house, way from the others. She heard heavy footsteps, and looked up to see Thorin standing in the doorway at the end of the hallway watching her. She looked back down at her feet and rested her chin in her hands.
"I apologize." She looked up at him and caught a glimpse of surprise on his face. She sat up straight and sighed. "I have a temper, and if you push the wrong buttons, depending on the day, I will just explode. In truth, I have always thought that you were one of the bravest and most noble dwarves in all of history. When I was younger, I would often ask my mom or dad to tell me the story of Erebor, and how you worked so hard to start a new life for your people. I have always respected you, and I do apologize deeply for saying what I did. Your name is in no way filthy, and I am sure you can find your way around just fine in somewhere that isn't a palace." When she had finished, Thorin had come over and sat next to her on the bench. She looked at him, and saw for the first time the true sorrow and happiness that he felt at her words.
"Thank you." Thorin said. At first, Elriauna thought she hadn't heard correctly because he had said it so quietly. When she realized he actually had, she began to think of him in a new light. "I have always thought that all elves were ignorant and insufferable, but I guess I was wrong about half-elves. Tell me, do you truly come from the firemoon clan?" She looked at him in surprise.
"Yes, how do you know about them?" Thorin looked at her with hazel eyes, and smiled a genuine smile.
"Gandalf had to tell me in order to get me to let you come on this quest." She widened her green eyes, and asked,
"Does that mean-" Thorin cut her off with a slight laugh.
"Yes, I do know about your powers, Miss Elriauna." She sat in silence for a moment before nodding her head.
"Ok. Ok, I can live with that. But only on one condition." He dropped the smile partly, and looked at her with uncertainty. "You have to be ok with me or Eliauna saving your life from time to time, and you have to call me Auna, and drop the whole 'miss' thing." He looked a bit exasperated, but finally gave in and nodded his head.
"Ok, fine. I will call you Auna, and I will allow you to save my life from time to time." He smiled at her and she added,
"Or all the time. Especially with you nephews around. They seem like they are going to be the trouble maker type." She gave him a big smile, and he laughed loudly.
"I heard that you know." The two turned to find Fili standing in the same place Thorin had been, and he was trying to have a hurt look on his face, but couldn't keep in a smile.
"How long have you been standing there?" Thorin demanded playfully, and Fili walked up to them.
"Just long enough to hear you say that Kili and I are trouble makers." He said to Elriauna, and she laughed along with Thorin.
"Well then, why did you really come here?" she asked with the smile still on her face.
"Your sister wanted you. She asked me to find you." Elriauna nodded and turned to Thorin.
"Would you like to come with us, or would you like to go back to the other dwarves?" He placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled again.
"Well, I need to go back and find the other dwarves, but I had one other thing to say to you. Fili, do you mind waiting by the door for her?" The blonde dwarf shook his head, and moved away. Thorin leaned in close to her and whispered, "Do you wish to keep this a secret, or would you like me to tell the others?" She thought for a moment before responding.
"Let's make it a surprise, how about that?" He nodded, and smiled once more.
"Well I guess that settles it. Fili, you two may go now." Elriauna turned to leave, but stopped and quickly grabbed Thorin to lean close and kiss him on the cheek. A very faint blush crossed his face, and she smiled with pleasure before tuning to walk with Fili back to the dining room.
"Thank you." Fili said, and Elriauna looked at him with a confused smile.
"For what?" She asked. He glanced at her and smiled.
"For making my uncle laugh and look happier than he has in a while. It has been so long since he has smiled like that. I just- really, thank you." She stopped him right before they entered the room and pulled him closer to her so that she could also give him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed, and she smiled happily at him.
"You're welcome Fili." She took his hand and led him into the dining room. "You wanted me Elli?" Eliauna looked with surprise at the two's entwined hands, but then looked back up at her sister's face.
"Yes, Bilbo's awake, and he wants us to bring him some tea." Elriauna nodded and let go of Fili's hand, to the disappointment of them both, and went into the kitchen to make Bilbo's favorite tea. When she came out, Eliauna stood and started to follow her sister.
"Would you like us to come with you?" Kili asked with sincerity. The girls looked at each other, and Elriauna shook her head.
"No, but thank you Kili." She gave him a smile, and he smiled back before they disappeared down the hallway in the direction of the study.
Hope you guys all enjoyed that chapter, and please tell me what you think about the relationship I am forming between Thorin and Elriauna, because I would really like to know! Also, I know I said that Thorin's eyes were hazel, but does anyone know if that is true? Because I couldn't decide if they were hazel or green. Anywho, please review, and this time I can promise that we will be leaving Bilbo's house next chapter!