NOTE: Hey guys been a long time lol. For those of you new to the story, basically I'm trying to create a love interest for Thorin. Frankly the hobbit lacks a little romance haha. For those who have already read this story I thank you for your continued patience. I know it's been a long haul. As you can see I have restructured the story a little bit to make longer chapters. There is a new one at the end. REMEMBER: any and all reviews are greatly appreciated.
I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS CREATED BY J.R. TOLKEIN
Thorin tried to sleep, but the anticipation of their journey would not allow him to quiet his mind. Kili's conclusion that orks may be nearby did not help. He jerked himself fully awake to listen to his nephew's assessment.
"Throat cutters." Fili added. "The low lands are crawling with them"
"They strike in the wee small hours when everybody is asleep." Kili added. "Quick and quiet no screams, just lots of blood..."
The brothers were able to keep a straight face until they looked at each other and burst into laughter.
"You think that's funny?" Thorin scolded "you think a night raid by orks is a joke? You know nothing of the world."
Balin went to cheer up the brothers and Bilbo, explain to the trio that Thorin's hostility was not directed at them but to his past. Bilbo became mesmerized by the tale of the dwarfs' battle for Moria. Balin recounted it all; the loss of territory, power and most importantly their kin.
"But once we drove our enemy back into the mine, I thought to myself, there is one I could follow." Balin said to Thorin more than anyone. "There is one, I could call king."
By now the whole encampment had risen from their resting places, gazing at Thorin. He could see the hope and faith in their eyes and believed that he could truly place his faith in them. He only hopped he could justify their faith and that he would not fail them.
By the time they had reached their next choice for camp and settle in for supper, Thorin had managed to drive off Gandalf and lose half his ponies.
"Durin's beard if only I could do this quest single handed." Thorin ranted. "Then I wouldn't have to put up with the 'suggestions' of an old man and the incompetence of my nephews. If Dis hadn't made me bring them I would have left them home with her!"
He and the other 11 dwarves were searching through the bush for Fili, Kill and of course that pesky little hobbit. Thorin knew the first time he had laid eyes on him that Bilbo Baggins would be nothing but a pain in the neck.
Suddenly he heard shouting just ahead of where he was standing.
"I said... drop him!"
Thorin burst through the trees just in time to see a giant troll throw Bilbo into Kill. As he ran by to attack, Thorin held his breath to avoid the stench that clung to one of them. He didn't wait to find out which one. Sounding a loud battle cry he dashed toward one of the Troll's raising his sword.
Shouting all around him from both Troll and dwarf alike rang in his ears.
"I've been waiting for this the whole trip!" He thought amusedly.
The clang of swords rang all around the clearing. Thorin slashed his sword moving from one troll to the next. He was never able to focus on one opponent due to the fact that his companions kept getting themselves into trouble. For example: was currently getting crushed in a death grip. Aiming for the troll's wrist Thorin brought his sword down.
Thorin didn't even wait for Ori to hit the ground before he went on to his next victim. However he didn't make it very far before one of the troll's spoke up.
"Lay down your arms!" It shouted above the war noise. Thorin turned to see Bilbo, imprisoned by two of the trolls holding his arms. "Or we'll rip his off." It threatened.
Everyone looked to Thorin for an indication of what to do next. He gave the troll a death glare before throwing down his sword, the rest of the company following suit. It was long before the three smug and oversized creatures had half the dwarfs tied up in sacks, while the other half was placed over the fire.
"Don't bother cooking 'em. Let's just squish 'em and squash 'em into jelly." The smaller one complained.
"They should be sautéed, with a sprinkle of sage."
"That does sound quite nice."
"We ain't got all night!" the third piped in. "Dawn's ain't far away and I don't fancy being turned to stone!"
"Stupid trolls... stupid hobbit." Thorin thought to himself. "Why couldn't he have just... wait! What's he doing?"
Bilbo jumped to his feet and hopped closer to the fire.
"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake!" he announced boldly.
All the trolls turned to glare at him.
"I mean with the seasoning." Bilbo continued sheepishly.
"What about the seasoning?" One of the trolls asked.
"Where in middle-earth is he going with this?"
"Have you smelt them? You're going to have to use a lot more than sage before you plate this lot up!" Bilbo stated.
As he went on and on, the dwarves grew increasingly outraged. Bilbo even went so far as to suggest skinning them.
"What his goal?" Thorin pondered. "Is he trying to make a new friend or what?"
It was somewhere around when Bilbo warned the trolls that all of the dwarves were infested with parasites that Thorin realized what he was doing. He gave a swift kick in Kill's back, stopping him from objecting to Bilbo's accusations.
Kili looked back at him and Thorin gave him a pointed look.
"I've got huge parasites!" Kili insisted as the rest of the dwarves joined in.
Unfortunately not all of the trolls were convinced.
"You think I don't know what you're doing?" The troll asked as he pocked Bilbo in the chest. "The little ferret is taking us all for fools!"
"The dawn will take you all!" came aloud booming voice from behind them.
Thorin looked up to see Gandalf standing above them on a huge boulder.
"Who's that?"
"Can we eat 'im too?"
Gandalf raised his staff above his head and brought is down quickly to meet the stone. As the boulder split, the trolls were bathed in sunlight and screeched and hollered in pain as they were turned to stone. It took only moments before their captors were completely incapacitated.
Shortly after the dwarves had been freed from their bonds, Thorin found himself questioning his wizard companion.
"Where did you go to if I may ask?"
"To look ahead." Gandalf replied
"And what brought you back?" Thorin tried again.
"Looking behind."
"Well that was helpful."
"Still they're all in one piece." Gandalf said to himself, looking over everyone.
"No thanks to your burglar." Thorin added.
"He had the nerves to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Gandalf scolded.
Thorin had no reply for that one.
After pondering the implications of the troll's presence and looking around for a bit, the dwarves discovered a troll cave. They were awed by the treasures they found. Gold beyond imagination and any weapon a warrior could dream of could have been found in that cave.
After they got past the smell, Gloin, Nori and Bofur started to pile as much gold as they could into a chest and started to bury it. Dwalin looked down on them with a look of exasperation.
"We're making a long term deposit" Gloin explained.
Dwalin just rolled his eyes and shifted his focus onto Thorin who seemed to have found a treasure of his own.
"These were not made by any troll" He speculated, pulling two cobweb-covered swords out of a barrel.
"Nor any smith among men." Gandalf added. After inspecting the weapon he realized "These were made in Gondolin by the high elves of the first age!"
As Thorin began to return the sword in disgust Gandalf scolded him: "You could not wish for a finer blade!"
"Let's get out of this foul place!" Thorin ordered, clutching the sword reluctantly.
Almost immediately after exiting the troll cave, out of the corner of his eye Thorin saw Gandalf handing the hobbit a dagger, explaining the importance of judgment with the weapon.
"As if he would even know how to use it." Thorin thought grumpily. Suddenly he heard something move in the bushes. "Something's coming!"
He could barely hear Gandalf shout to arm themselves as he ran towards the noise. The adrenaline was flowing through his veins and he was prepared for the worst. Sword raised, ready to strike when a short, fat and brown man burst through the bush riding a sleigh of bunnies.
"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" The man was screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Is that bird poop on his..." Thorin peered at the small man.
"Radagast!" Gandalf announced. "Radagast the brown!"
Thorin just stared at the two of them in disbelief. "This can't be the wizard Gandalf was talking about!"
"What on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf asked as they walked away to talk in private.
The dwarves sat there for a long time while the two wizards discussed Mahal know what with very stern faces. Thorin took the time to examine his new blade.
"It is fine craftsmanship, no matter how idiotic its creator was..." he admitted grudgingly.
Suddenly, everyone looked up as they heard a howl.
"Was that a wolf." Asked Bilbo sheepishly.
"Wolves?" Bofur pondered. "No that is not a wolf..."