Chapter Seven
Bernadette shortly saw Gandalf storming passed her, angrily. What did Thorin do to anger Gandalf like that? Bernadette thought. She decided to not to get involved in their quarrel, because she didn't want to anger Thorin. Especially after things going well between the two, she didn't want to ruin it. Thorin later sat next to Bernadette. "I don't understand wizards sometimes." sighed the dwarf. Bernadette. "Me neither." said Bernadette. "So? Did you tell Mister Baggins the news?" asked Thorin. Bernadette smiled. "Yes, and he gave us his blessing!" said Bernadette. "Well! That's a surprise. I thought he wouldn't approve." said Thorin.
"Well, he told me after hearing the story Balin told Fili and Kili the other night, he felt bad for you, and he considers you a friend. He also said any friend of Bernadette's is a friend of mine! But Thorin, you have to put more trust in him. I'm not trying to judge your or criticise you, but I can tell in your eyes you still don't like Bilbo all that much." said Bernadette. Thorin remained silent. It was the truth, he didn't. And he couldn't understand why. "Bernadette, I'll try to like him-its just.." began Thorin. "Its just what?" said Bernadette.
"Its nothing, Bernadette." said Thorin. A few minutes later, Fili and Kili bolted into the camp. "The ponies, the trolls got them! And they got Bilbo!" panted Fili. Bernadette quickly stood up. "WHAT?!" shrieked Bernadette. "We'll come with you." said Thorin. "No one messes with my brother!" snarled Bernadette, but as she was about to follow them, Thorin stopped her. "You're staying here." said Thorin. "But Thorin, they got my brother!" snapped Bernadette. "You are much safer, if you just stay put." said Thorin. "Thorin, they got my brother, and by golly, I'm going in there after those trolls!" yelled Bernadette.
"Listen to me, I said you're staying right here! And that's an order!" snapped Thorin, hotly, and he turned away. "Idiot!" shouted Bernadette, and she sat back down. She couldn't believe he would do this. She knew a little of fighting. She's not useless. And they got her brother, she wanted to go and save him. Finally, she couldn't take it any much longer, and she followed the path where Thorin and the rest of the company took. Shortly, she arrived at the Troll's camp. When she peeked through the trees, she saw that Bilbo and all of the dwarves tied up in sacks. "I'm not going to stand for this. I must do something." said Bernadette.
Bernadette stepped out of the trees.
"Bernadette! What are you doing? Go back to the campsite! You'll get yourself killed!" barked Thorin. But Bernadette ignored them. "Distract them, do something Bernie!" whispered Bilbo. "Well, well! Looks like we got a tasty woman in our midst, Bert!" grinned the first troll. "Wait! You're making a mistake!" called out Bilbo. Bernadette grinned. "You shouldn't be cooking hobbits, but as for dwarves, I know a thing or two of cooking them." said Bernadette, and she looked at Bilbo and winked, and the other dwarves in the background calling Bernadette names.
"Oh, and what do yer know, woman?" snarled the second troll. "The way to cook dwarf is too-boil them first!" began Bilbo, who joined in. Bernadette started to get frustrated with the dwarves whom were shouting vulgar names at them in dwarven language. And the two of them continued their diversion. Suddenly, the third troll grabbed Bombur. Bernadette gasped in horror as she seen this. "Bilbo, do something!" hissed Bernadette. "Wait! You can't cook that one!" cried out Bilbo. "Why?" asked the second troll. "There's something in his tubes! He's got parasites!" said Bilbo.
"Parasites?! We don't have parasites!" shouted Kili.
Suddenly, Thorin kicked his nephew in the backside, catching on to the diversion. "I got parasites as big as my arm!" cried out Oin. "I got parasites! Big huge parasites!" shouted Kili. "What are you leading up to, ferrets?" snarled the first troll approaching them. "Bilbo-I think this would be a good time to fun!" said Bernadette. Suddenly, they heard Gandalf's voice speak. "May dawn take you all, be stone to you!" called out the wizard, as he slammed his staff on a bridge, and bright light shone throughout the forest, turning all three trolls into stone. Bernadette sighed with relief, as Gandalf approached freeing all the dwarves and Bilbo.
Thorin angrily approached Bernadette. "Miss Baggins! I specifically told you to stay behind at the campsite! You deliberately disobeyed me!" snapped Thorin. "Thorin Oakenshield, may I remind you, my brother was in danger, and by rights, I ever right to rescue him! You expect me to sit there, and allow him and ALL of you to become troll dinner? What's wrong with you?" yelled Bernadette. "There's nothing wrong with me! The one with the issue here is you! You disobeyed my orders after I told you to stay behind!" shot back Thorin. "You don't get it do you? I'm able to defend for myself, trying to help out and this is the way I'm treated? No! I'm not going to stand for this!" barked Bernadette.
"And I'm not going to stand for some pip squeak, useless, defenseless hobbits standing in my way!" roared Thorin. "Thorin, that will be enough!" broke in Gandalf. "You stay out of this, wizard!" yelled Thorin. "NO! Thorin Oakenshield, a word with you alone!" snarled Gandalf. "I wish I never allowed you hobbits on this quest. Should've left you behind." growled Thorin, and he walked away. "Fine! If you want me to leave, I'll leave!" yelled Bernadette, and she stormed away, running back to the camp site. "Bernadette!" cried out Bilbo. "Leave her be, Bilbo. All of this will soon pass." said Gandalf.
Meanwhile, at the campsite, Bernadette sat down underneath a tree, weeping heavily. Now she wished she had never came. She thought her and Thorin would go great in their courtship, but now things are falling down hill and fast. Bernadette decided once and for all she is going to return home. She stood up, but as she was about to leave, something and stopped her. She remembered that Bilbo was still with them. She couldn't possibly go home. Not without her brother. Bernadette sat back down, leaning her head back against a tree, and she closed her eyes.
Tears streaming down her face. Suddenly, she heard a voice speaking to her.
"Miss Manning, Thorin has discovered a troll lair, and I have found something for you and Bilbo. Something, you will find useful." said the voice. Bernadette looked up, and there stood Gandalf. "Hello, Gandalf." said Bernadette, her voice raspy from crying. "Bernadette, are you okay?" asked the wizard gently. "No, I'm not okay." said Bernadette. "I've spoken to Thorin, but unfortunately, his mind has not yet changed about you or Bilbo." said Gandalf, sadly. "He can rot in the underworld as far as I'm concern." growled Bernadette. "Bernadette, he will let go of his anger towards you. It will take some time. Come. Lets go the troll lair." said Gandalf.
And so Bernadette followed Gandalf to the Troll lair. Once they entered, Gandalf gave both Bilbo and Bernadette swords. "Wow, Gandalf! These are beautiful! Are they elvish?" asked Bernadette. "Yes." said Gandalf. "Hey Fili and Kili! Check out our new swords!" smiled Bernadette. "Nice, very nice." smiled Fili. "I also found me a bow and arrows. I have some knowledge with bow and arrow as well." said Bernadette. "I didn't know you knew the bow an and arrow." smiled Kili. "I do, but its been a while since I done any archery, so I have to train myself all over again." said Bernadette.
"Well, you can have me train you!" offered Kili.
"I like that very much, Kili. You are so kind. Unlike a certain family member of yours." said Bernadette. "You and Uncle had a fight?" asked Kili, his face filled with concern. "Unfortunately yes. I don't wish to discuss this anymore." said Bernadette. Kili agreed, and they dropped the subject. Shortly, Thorin called for everyone to move out of the cave. Once they did, the hear movement. "Someone's coming!" said Gloin. Shortly, they saw a wizard driving a sleigh drawn by rabbits. It was Radagast the Brown. While Gandalf and Radagast spoke, Bilbo and Bernadette talked.
"What he said about us is downright wrong. I should've disapproved of your courtship. What was I thinking?" said Bilbo. "Bilbo, do you think there will be a way if we go back home?" asked Bernadette. "Bernadette, we cannot turn back now! We got so far already. Besides that, I want to help the dwarves, in spite of King All High and Mighty feels." said Bilbo. Bernadette laughed at her brother's statement. "He thinks he's mister wonderful." said Bernadette. "Look, I like Thorin and all, but he's a bit too much for you, don't you think? I heard the way he spoke to you back at the Troll's camp, and I didn't like it." said Bilbo.
"I know, Bilbo. I don't think he's going to be talking to me for a while." said Bernadette sadly. Suddenly, they heard howling coming from the distance. "Is that wolves?" asked Bilbo. "No, its wargs." gasped Bofur. Suddenly Gandalf angrily approaches Thorin. "Whom did you tell about the quest?!" demanded Gandalf. But Thorin didn't answer. "Who did you tell?!" snapped Gandalf. "No one! I swear!" shot back Thorin, sharply, as he turned and killed two wargs. "We're being hunted by orcs." said Gandalf. Bernadette took out her bow. And the hobbits find themselves running alongside with the company, as an army of orcs and wargs following them.
Bernadette turned, shooting arrows, killing quite a few of the orcs. "Good aim, Miss Boggins!" said Kili. "Its Baggins, and thank you!" called back Bernadette. "Miss Baggins, keep up!" said Thorin. As Bernadette kept running, she felt a sharp pain in her side, and she fell. And she realized she had been struck by two orc arrows. "BERNADETTE!" cried out Bilbo. "Bernadette!" exclaimed Thorin, and he ran to her, picking up the hobbit maiden, and they continued running. "Over here, you fools!" called out Gandalf from behind a large rock.
And they ran to the direction of Gandalf's voice. "Down in the tunnels, quick!" said Gandalf, Bernadette, slide down, and she remained seated in the tunnel, and in extreme pain.