Chapter Nine
Bernadette watched the other dwarves laughed and making merry, while she waited for the others to return. "Hey Bernadette, want to join in on a dance?" asked Fili, as Bofur took out his flute, and Kili picked up a fiddle he found laying nearby in the room. "Yes sure!" smiled Bernadette approaching Fili. Bofur and Kili started playing a lively dance tune, as Fili and Bernadette started dancing. After the two danced, Bofur lead the dwarves into singing another song, while Fili and Bernadette continued dancing. Later, Thorin, Balin and Bilbo returned. Bernadette sat down, realizing she overdone it with the dancing, and she made faces of pain.
"Are you alright, Bernie?" asked Bilbo. "I'm hurting." said Bernadette, pointing to her side. "She over did it." said Dwalin with concern. "Over did it with what?" asked Thorin. "Dancing." said Fili. "Bernadette, you weren't supposed to be dancing that much! The elves told you to take it easy!" lectured Thorin. "Talk to your nephew. He was the one that asked me." said Bernadette. "Oops." said Fili, softly, not realizing that Bernadette was still injured, and he didn't know she had to take it easy. "Fili." said Thorin, glaring at the young blonde haired dwarf.
"I'm sorry, Uncle. I didn't know." said Fili. "Well, all of us need the rest. We're leaving in a couple hours." said Thorin. "Already?" said Bernadette. "Gandalf insists we need to leave. He didn't say way." said Thorin, sitting down next to Bernadette. The two sat in silence. Thorin looked over at Bernadette, as she tried to get comfortable in her bedroll, but the more she moved, the more she winced in pain. Maybe she needs to stay here, she is still hurt, Thorin thought. He really hated to having to leave her behind, but he decided too. Thorin leaned over to Bernadette and kissed her.
"Good night, love. Someday, our paths will meet again." whispered Thorin. And he climbed into his bedroll, closing his eyes, falling into sleep. Four hours later, Bernadette woke up. And to her shock and dismay, the dwarves and Bilbo already had gone! What?! How can this happen? Why did they leave me here?! Bernadette panicked. Bernadette decided to she would go and look for Gandalf. Finally she found him and Lord Elrond talking. "Bernadette! Why are you still here?" asked Lord Elrond. "They left me!" cried out Bernadette. "WHAT?" snapped Gandalf standing up.
"They left me without saying a word, Bilbo went with them." said Bernadette.
Tears streaming down her face. "Now, now, Miss Baggins, don't cry. You will catch up with them, and I will go with you since I promised them I will catch up with them soon. I assume this was Thorin's idea of leaving you behind?" said Gandalf. Bernadette nodded. "I figured as much. Don't worry, we will catch up with them. You have a very important role on this quest, Miss Baggins, as well as your brother. Thorin had no right to leave you behind like this." said Gandalf. "I know, Gandalf." said Bernadette softly. "Go and grab your belongings. We will catch up with them, and I will give Thorin a piece of my mind." said the wizard. Bernadette nodded, and she went to get her belongings.
Meanwhile, the company arrived at the Misty Mountains, and it was raining and thunder storming badly. "I cannot believe Thorin had left my sister behind like that!" snarled Bilbo. Balin, who stood nearby, overheard Bilbo's mumblings. "I have to admit, I'm with you there, Bilbo. But she is injured though, she would've never made it." said Balin. "Balin, I know my sister. She is very strong! She can take anything that comes her way. I seen her fighting off the orcs." said Bilbo. "She is a very brave lass, your sister." smiled Balin. Bilbo took notice of two large rock shaped beings tossing boulders at each other. "What are those?" asked the hobbit.
"Stone Giants! The tales are true!" exclaimed Bofur. It was then, it felt like to them that the entire mountain began to shake, but it was the Stone Giants that was the cause of it. "We need to find shelter!" called out Thorin. Suddenly, Kili and Fili ended up separated, with Kili behind a large rock that fell in between them. "KILI!" cried out Fili. Thorin noticed, trying to make his way to the young dwarf. When the rock moved, Kili stood there, and he jumped over to them. Thorin smiled, sighing with relief that his nephew is okay.
Suddenly, they heard Bilbo yell. "BILBO!" cried out Bofur. Bilbo slipped over a ledge of the mountain, hanging on tightly as he could, while Dwalin tried his best pulling Bilbo back up. Shortly, Thorin climbed down, picking up the hobbit, and pulling up back on the mountain. "We thought we lost our burglar!" said Dwalin. "He should've never came. He lost his way since he left home. He has no place amongst us." snarled Thorin. Fili and Kili looked at each other. "Good thing Bernadette didn't hear that." grumbled Fili. Bilbo stood there, his heart sank hearing the words coming from Thorin.
He decided that once everyone fell asleep, he would go back to Rivendell to be with Bernadette, and the two of them will make their way back to the Shire.
"We'll make camp in here!" said Dwalin, and they entered a cave. As they got settled, Gloin took out his tinder box. "Now lets get a fire going!" smiled Gloin. "No, Gloin. No fires." said Thorin. After everyone settled in their bedrolls, everyone fell asleep except for Bofur, who took first watch. Although Thorin laid down, he still remained awake, because he could not sleep. Meanwhile, Bilbo stood up and decided he would make his leave, hopefully without any of the others noticing. Of course, Bofur took notice of Bilbo preparing to leave. "Where are you going, lad?" asked Bofur.
"I'm going to Rivendell. Its not the same without my sisters. And besides, Thorin is right. I don't belong in the company." said Bilbo sadly. "What are you saying? You're one of us!" said Bofur. "I'm not one of you, not belonging anywhere." said Bilbo. "You are right. We don't belong anywhere." said Bofur sadly. "I have to return to Bernadette. Good bye, Bofur." said Bilbo. "I wish you all the luck in the world!" said Bofur. "Thank you." said Bilbo. Thorin heard the conversation between Bilbo and Bofur. And deep down inside, he felt bad of saying those words about Bilbo.
Now they are stuck without two members. One remaining in Rivendell from an injury.
And the other voluntarily leaving the company. Thorin, you should've kept your mouth shut, Thorin thought. Thorin looked over, and he saw Bilbo with drawing his sword. He noticed the sword was glowing. And he knew danger was near. "Wake up!" Thorin called out to the others. But no sooner as he was about to stand, the entire floor caved in on the entire company, and they fell through the floor, landing in another large cave underground. And they found themselves surrounded by goblins. Meanwhile, Gandalf and Bernadette rode as the continued their journey catching up with the company.
"How are you feeling today, Miss Baggins?" asked Gandalf. "Much better thank you. I just wished Thorin would never left me behind like without saying a word to me." said Bernadette. "Well you know Thorin, stubborn as an oxen. Most dwarves are." said Gandalf. "I wish I can take that stubbornness and shove it…" began Bernadette. Gandalf laughed. "I think you aren't the only one that thinks that." said the wizard. "We're not going through the Mountain Pass?" asked Bernadette. "Nope. I know a short cut, and that I sense that our friends are in danger." said Gandalf.
"In danger?" gasped Bernadette.
"They are captured by Goblins, they are meeting with the Goblin King as we speak." said the wizard. Gandalf pointed over to a large opening of a cave. "We go in here. That is where the goblins are located. I suggest you withdraw your weapons." said Gandalf. Bernadette nodded. And the wizard and hobbit entered the Goblin caves. They could hear the Goblin King's voice singing. "Once he's done singing, we'll make our way in there." Gandalf instructed Bernadette. Bernadette nodded in agreement, and they waited. When the Great Goblin finished the song, Gandalf and Bernadette charged into the main area of the caves where the Goblin King and his goblins are located.
The Goblin King looked at the Wizard in fear, as they approached. "Bernadette?!" cried out Fili. Thorin quickly spun when he heard Bernadette's name, and he saw her charging at the Goblins with her sword, and also using her bow. "Follow me! All of you!" Gandalf called out. And they followed the wizard, attacking goblins as they went. When they approached on a bridge, the Goblin King stepped out in front of them. "You really think you can escape me, wizard?" sneered the Great Goblin. Without saying a word, Gandalf thrusts his sword into the Great Goblin's gut. "Well!-That will do it." said the Goblin King, and he fell through the bridge.
Suddenly, the entire company fell with a bunch of debris landing on top of them. "Well, that could've been worse!" said Bofur. And no sooner Bofur had spoken, the corpse of the Goblin King fell on top of them. "Nice going, Bofur." mumbled Bernadette. Gandalf removed the debris from the company, and he leads them out of the Goblin Caves. Bernadette felt happy that is she is outside in the open air. They soon arrived in a clearing, and Gandalf made count of everyone, making sure everyone was there and accounted for. But all except for one person: Bilbo Baggins. The hobbit was missing.
"Where's Bilbo? Where's our hobbit?" asked Gandalf. "Curse the Halfling! The last person who saw him was Dori!" growled Dwalin. "Don't blame me, it was Nori whom had last seen him!" said Dori, sharply. "Well I did see Mister Baggins approach the bridge, but he disappeared." said Nori. Suddenly, Thorin began his rant on Bilbo, which angered Bernadette. And she also felt sad, wondering where Bilbo had gone. Bernadette bit her tongue, trying to keep herself from telling off Thorin. No sooner as she was about to speak her mind, Bilbo appeared.
"Bilbo! I thought we given you up!" chirped Kili.
"How did you manage to escape the goblins?" asked Fili. "Well, it doesn't matter now. Our hobbit is back!" smiled Gandalf. Bernadette ran to her brother, hugging him. "It matters. Why did you come back?" asked Thorin. Bilbo began his speech. Bernadette had never felt so proud of her brother, because his words are moving, and it moved the entire company, even Thorin. Bernadette gave a 'I told you so' look at Thorin. Suddenly, they heard howling coming from the distance. "Out of the frying pan!" hissed Thorin. "Into the fire! RUN!" cried out Gandalf.
And they begin the chase again, with the orcs and wargs following behind. "Those orcs are getting on my last raw nerves!" shouted Bernadette. "You and me both!" said Bilbo. "Climb up the trees!" Gandalf ordered. Bernadette and Bilbo climbed up into the trees, following behind Thorin, Balin and Dwalin.