Chapter 4
Leaving

I woke up early before the dwarves were awake and slipped into the kitchen and started cooking breakfast. I smile lightly. I was looking forward to leaving the Shire. I had eggs cooking on the stove along with Sausage and toast. I heard heavy footsteps and turned to see Nori standing there.

"Something smells good." Nori said.

"Thought I would make something before we leave for the Journey." I said. I heard more footsteps and knew all the dwarves were awake as well. I smile. "Come eat." The dwarves ran to the table. I saw Thorin give me a nod of approval and sat down as well as Nori helped me hand out plates of food. I gave him a smile of thanks. Nori and I sat down as soon as the food was handed out.

"This is really good, lassie. Thank you." Oin said.

"Aye." All the dwarves agreed. I finished eating and the dwarves finish eating and head outside. I took all the dishes and Ori and wash the dishes as the others head to get the ponies ready. I go to grab my bag. I slid into pants along with a tunic that had a purple corset wrapped around my waist. I head over to my father's room. Bilbo was passed out in his bed. I kissed his forehead.

"I hope you will join us, father." I whisper. I head outside to find the dwarves waiting on their ponies.

"Miss Lily. You'll be riding with Nori." Thorin said.

"Yes, sir." I said. Nori held out his hand and I took it so he could pull me onto the pony in front of him. Nori takes my pack off and put it behind him.

"Move out." Dwalin said. Nori got the pony moving with the others. We were leaving the Shire. The dwarves started betting if Bilbo would show up or not.

"I bet he does." I said.

"How many coins?" Nori asked.

"I bet 10 coins that he'll show up." I said.

"I'll take that." Nori said. We rode through a wooded area. Dwarves were complaining that it was a waste of trip to the Shire. I listened to Nori and Bofur talk. I heard yelling and the dwarves stop.

"Wait! Wait!" Bilbo's voice called. Nori turned his pony.

"Father." I said with a smile.

"Well he did come." Nori said.

"I signed it!" Bilbo said, coming to a stop and handed the contract over to Balin. I smiled at Bilbo, who returned it as Balin examines the contract.

"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." Balin said. The dwarves cheer while Thorin didn't look impressed.

"Give him a pony." Thorin said. Bilbo looked panic.

"No, no, no, no, that won't be necessary, thank you." Bilbo said. I rolled my eyes as the dwarves started moving. "But I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once- Wagh!" I laugh as Fili and Kili grab him and picked him up and set him on a pony.

"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on!" Oin called as we continued to ride. Nori tosses a sack of money to Oin. The dwarves started tossing sacks around.

"Where's mine?" I ask as Bilbo and Gandalf talked.

"Here you go, Lily." Nori said, giving me a sack. I slid it into my pocket and smiled at him. He winked at me.

"No, no, wait, wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around." Bilbo called out. The dwarves stop their ponies and I look at Bilbo.

"Father?" I ask.

"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asked.

"I forgot my handkerchief." Bilbo said. I pinched my nose and shook my head.

"Here! Use this." Bofur said, tearing a strip from his clothing and tosses it to Bilbo. Bilbo holds it by the tip of his fingers, looking at it with disgust.

"Move on." Thorin said as the dwarves laugh. The ponies were back to moving.

"So will you teach me how to fight when we come to a stop?" I ask with a blush.

"Of course, lass." Nori said. I smile for the first time in awhile.

That night. We stopped for the night by a cliff. Nori grabbed an extra sword and pulled me away from the others as Bofur got cooking.

"Where ye two going?" Dwalin asked.

"To train, Lily. We won't go far." Nori said. Dwalin nodded. We went a little ways away and started to train. I was getting the hang of it.

"Your doing well, Lily." Nori said. He was firm with me, but gentle. I met his sword and twist it around bringing it out of his hand. He smirked as I pointed my sword at his neck. "Well done. Your fast learner."

"Thank you." I said.

"Let's head back to the others." Nori said. I handed him the sword and he picks up the one I took from him. Nori leads me back to the cliff. Most of the dwarves were still sleeping. Thorin was sleeping sit up next to the rock wall. Fili and Kili were sitting by the fire talking. I sat down near the fire. Nori sat beside me, smoking his pipe. Bilbo got up and head over to the ponies. A scream was heard and I moved closer to Nori in fear. He wrapped an arm around me.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked.

"Orcs." Kili said. Nori reached for his sword as another sword came and I moved as close as I can to Nori. Bilbo runs back to us as Thorin jerks awake at Kili's words.

"Orcs?" I ask.

"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili said.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood." Kili said. I wrapped my arms around Nori in fear. Bilbo looks away, scared. Nori rubbed my back. Fili and Kili start to laugh and I knew they did it to scare us. Thorin comes up to Bilbo.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Thorin asked. Kili sighed.

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin said. Thorin walks to the edge of the cliff and looks out over the valley. Balin walks up to Fili and Kili.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient Kingdom of Moria. But our enemy got there first." Balin said. I sit there amazed as Balin told the story about how Azog cut of Thror's head and how Thorin defeated the pale orc. I sat listening in interest but my eyes were on Nori, who was watching his king. He stood up with the others and faced Thorin as Balin finished. Fili, Kili, Bilbo, and I stayed sitting. "Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King." Thorin turned to see the dwarves standing looking at him. He gives a nod and walks back towards the fire. Nori sat down beside me.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin said. I saw a look pass between Gandalf and Balin and I had a feeling Azog wasn't dead.

"Go to sleep, lass." Nori said. I went and laid in my bedroll near the fire. I saw Nori move his near mine. I fell asleep to the cracking of the fire and Nori snoring next to me.

AN: Hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the wait