Bilbo woke long before the first rays of dawn thought to bless the sky with their light. With the dragons being bound to the mountain while the sun hung in the sky he had become accustomed to seeing it's warm light in passing only. He ambled over to his closet and dressed in the clothes he had set aside the night before.
He dressed the same way he would if he was going on a hunt with Kalith, leather pants that hung tight on his hips with built in holders and hidden pockets for a few smaller weapons; which Bilbo filled with two daggers and one small knfie. His shirt was made of a thick material with leather stitched into the underside hidden from veiw protecting his chest and arms. Bilbo had never been one to dress for flash preferring a simple look with a hidden purpose. On the outside his clothes seemed relatively plain, though out of place in hobbition, but if needed they would help protect him from harm.
He had two more sets of clothing identical to the one he wore now folded neatly in the bottom of him pack. He rolled up his heavier overcoat and tied it to the top of his pack over his sword. He ran his fingers over its scabbard slowly, the sword so familiar he swore he could feel its balanced weight in his hand even now.
Double checking that he had everything in order he scooped up the letter that was sitting on his deak and headed for the hall. A few of the dwarves were up and moving around going about their business Bilbo himself had just finished. He moved silently avoiding them easily before slipping out his front door. It only took him a little over ten minutes to make his way the Hamfast's house and slip the letter Bilbo wrote last night into his mail box. The letter stated he wished to resume the same agreement Mr. Gamgee had used with his mother regarding the care of Bag End, with an added provision that if any creature came asking after him to inform them that he had headed on adventure east and would return as soon as possible. He chuckled at the idea of Hamfast having to encounter his mother and brother.
As he approached Bag End he saw that candles had been lit and more of the dwarves were up and moving around inside. Bilbo took a seat on the bench and pulled out his pipe; if he sat in a way that hid his body behind the large bushes on either side hiding him completely from veiw he didn't notice, such behavior was second nature to him now anyway.
It wasn't long, though longer than he had anticipated before the dwarves to exited Bag End; all of them grumbling and groaning at the 'ungodly hour' and Bilbo stifled a laugh content to watch them from his seat on the bench. He found it rather off putting that no one addressed him as they mounted their ponies, and Gandalf his horse, as they started making their way down the dirt lane out of the shire. With a huff and a curse he shouldered his pack and followed softly behind them on foot. Not that he wanted to ride a pony, oh no, he was much happier on foot but a general 'Good morning' or 'Thank you for agreeing to leave the comforts of the shire to help us on this crazed mission' would have been appreciated.
He listened as the groans turned to laughs and the company began to banter back and forth light heartedly. Though they appeared to be disgustly rude to outsiders, or possibly just hobbits, they were open and friendly amongst themselves. Bilbo found himself becoming quite taken with the young pair of brothers Fili and Kili, they're light hearted teasing reminding him so much of himself and Kalinth it momentarily stole the breath from his lungs. He was glad that the pair were bringing up the rear of the company it allowed him to observe them with out drawing to much attention to his stares, not that anyone had even paid him the slightest bit of attention.
"It's a shame Mr. Boggins couldn't be convinced to join us." Kili stated guiding his pony closer to his brothers causing Bilbo to tilt his head to the side in confusion.
"Aye, having him around would've made the trip more interesting."
"Just think, there would have finally been someone who didn't think of us as a couple of kids always-"
"Getting into mischief" Fili finished his brother's sentence in what Bilbo could only assume was an impression of Thorin.
"I mean honestly, a few harmless pranks and your labeled a troublemaker for life. Gloin has no proof that we were the ones who put those spiders in his pack." Kili snickered.
"Right you are dear brother, No proof at all. I'm sure Mr. Baggins would have greatly enjoyed our company; we are rather irresistible." he chuckled wagging his eyebrows.
Bilbo could hardly believe his ears the company hadn't ingored him out of bad manners but because they had no idea that he was even present. Bilbo wasn't sure which option was worse that the dwarves were just blatantly rude or they were oblivious to their surroundings. The second possibility didn't bode well for their chance of success on this quest and for a moment Bilbo debated on turning around and leaving them to their fate.
"That we are!" Kili laughed, and Bilbo couldn't help but smile at the sound it was light and clear; and so full of life he thought ir may have made the sunshine just a little bit brighter. Oblivious they might be but he had signed the contract, even if they didn't know it yet, and a Baggins never went back on his word so he continued on. "Mr. Boggins could have proved to be an asset when Uncle decided to get cross with us, an alibi is always a handy thing to have."
"Maybe even eventually we could have added Mr. Baggins to our ranksl, though he did seem rather high strung last night, but that is easily fixed with the right influences."
"Baggins? I thought his name was Boggins?" Kili questioned sending Fili a confused look.
"No I'm sure Gandalf said Baggins."
"No, it was Boggins, I even him called him that name last night."
"It was Baggins, Bilbo Baggins of Bag End, I kept repeating it like a tongue twister on the way there." Fili huffed in annoyance.
"No your wrong it's Boggins!" Kili cried punching his brother in the shoulder.
"My name is Bilbo Baggins." Bilbo threw in, laughing as both brothers jumped almost clear off their ponies, with Kili screeching in fright.
"How in the-"
"Where did you-" the brothers stuttered Fili still clasping one hand over his heart.
Bilbo cast a glance over his shoulder and saw that Kili ' s girlish screech had brought the entire company to a halt and he was now the focus of their confused stares. Gandalf was the first to recover and moved his horse around bringing him a few feet away.
"My Dear Bilbo when did you join us?" he asked with a twinkling smile and Bilbo had the inkling that Gandalf knew exactly how long he'd been walking behind him.
"I've been here the whole bloody time, not that any of you lot seemed to notice. In fact I was sitting not three feet from you as you all lumbered down my stairs towards the ponies." Bilbo declared letting his tone reveal how ridiculous he found the whole situation.
Bilbo ignored the raucous that followed his statement coming to the conclusion that even the smallest things could send dwarves into an uproar. Some shouted that they had seen him while other maintained that there was way he could have escaped their notice. Bilbo stalked past them all and made his way to the head of the line. He quickly drew the contract out of a pocket on the outside of his pack and shoved it into the dwarf kings hands.
Thorin shot him a fierce glare that left Bilbo unsure if it was because he had managed to surprise the dwarf or that he had in fact decided to join the quest. Bilbo met his gaze with a challenging one of his own. Though Thorin ' s glare was impressive it had little effect on Bilbo who had been on the receiving end of a dragons more than once.
Thorin passed the contract to Balin never taking his eyes from Bilbo.
"Looks like everything is in order." the old dwarf informed sending Bilbo a wink.
"Get him a pony." Thorin barked sharply kicking his own mount to continue on his way, sharply turning his back to the hobbit.
Bilbo tired to protest and insist that he would be quite fine walking but was given little choice in the matter a Fili dismounted and hoisted Bilbo up on the back of a chestnut mare.
"You do know how to ride?" Kili asked.
Bilbo slid forward in the saddle, the leather hardness already becoming uncomfortable and glanced at the dark dwarf prince out of the corner of his eye.
"I'm actually used to a much different form of transportation." was all Bilbo offered in response.
Kili and Fili gave their ponies a light squeeze with their legs bringing them up on either side of Bilbo so they were riding three wide instead on one after another.
"Let us be the first to welcome you Master Baggins to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." Fili proclaimed spreading his arms out to gesture at the group before him.
"Thank you that's very kind."
"Just stick with us and you'll be fine." Kili added with a smile.
"You boys aren't fooling me I heard everything you said before." Bilbo chuckled as the brothers turned their faces into a look of pure innocence. "You'll not be pulling any funny business with me." He finished shaking a finger at the pair.
"Wouldnt dream of it, would we Fili?"
"Not at all." Fili answered with a mischievous glint in his eye.
The trio spent the rest of the day bringing up the back of the line sharing stories and discussing the many differences between dwarves and hobbits. Bilbo became more relaxed with each passing mile spent in their company and could only hope the rest of the dwarves would be as welcoming as the two Druin Princes.
That night as the company set up camp Bilbo found Kili and Fili glued to his side. While the other dwarves only acknowledged him with a grunt or a nod of their head in passing the brothers were happy to keep him surrounded with happy conversation. He found his input wasn't always needed and was content to listen to the easy banter that passed between the pair. When he offered to take first watch they quickly volunteered to keep him company, only to be denied by Thorin who insisted they get their rest. Bilbo tried not be offended as he caught the suspicious look their leader threw his way. It seemed Thorin was not pleased with his nephews spending so much time with a strange hobbit.
It was decided that Bofur, brother of the overly round dwarf Bombur would help keep him watch for half of the night. The pair sat in companionable silence for most of their shift but Bilbo found the miner and sometimes toy maker quite friendly and was happy to know him better.
The next three weeks passed in a rather uneventful routine. Each morning the company would break camp and push forward. Bilbo spent his days in the with Kili and Fili and found his stomach and sides would ache from the constant stream of laughter the pair pulled from him or with Bofur and his brother Bombur talking of any manner of subjects. When the company would set up camp he would take first watch with one of the Ur brothers and stumble to his bed roll which was always neatly laid out for him next to the Kili and Fili. He was touched by their thoughtfulness and chuckled at the memory of the first time they'd done it.
One night a week past Bilbo had been walking back with Bofur from their watch duty on the outskirts of the company. Hoping not to distribute any of the sleeping dwarves he quietly laid out his bed roll next to Bofur on the edge of their circle. He'd woken an hour later to find himself being dragged, still tucked in his bed roll across the ground by Kili. The young dwarf deposited him next to his own bed roll on the side that wasn't occupied by Fili all while Thorin looked on with a thunderous expression from his spot near the fire.
The next morning Bofur had teased him but Bilbo brushed it off with a shrug and a smile. The following night Bofur had grabbed Bilbo's bed roll and laid it out next to his with a snap and flourish gaining much more attention than necessary in Bilbo's honest opinion. That night it was both Kili and Fili who dragged his sleeping form over to their spot on the ground. Bilbo opened one eye groaned and immediately fell back asleep cursing the strangeness of dwarves. The next morning the company was startled from their sleep; dwarves grabbing their weapons and jumping from their bed rolls by a scream. Sometime during the night a large snake found its way into Bofur's bed roll and sunk it's teeth into his behind more than once. If Kili and Fili laughed a little louder than the rest every time ever time the other dwarf rubbed his rump no one mentioned it but Bofur kept sending them both knowing glares. Ever since that night Bilbo just allowed the boys to place his bed roll next to theirs, an arrangement Bofur hadn't tried to interrupt again.
As for the leader of their company, Thorin was just as cold and unfriendly as the first morning of their journey. The only time he spoke to Bilbo was to bark out orders or complain about how long it took him to compete a task. It had become a normal occurrence for Bilbo to find the dwarf king glowering at him from a far, even more frequently if Bilbo seemed lIke he was actually enjoying himself. Bilbo pushed aside Thorin ' s dislike as a lost cause; he'd be damned if he spent the entire quest with a scowl in his face and miserable. Bilbo was a naturally happy creature finding joy in the little things in life it was one of the reasons he got along so well with Kili and Fili who were much like him in that way. If Thorin didn't like that fact then he could piss off.
As night descended the company set up camp on a flat grassy cliff. Bilbo watered the ponies while sneaking Myrtle, his mount an apple from his pocket. A eerie cry echoed off the rock face and his head shot up quickly scanning the dark surrounding him.
"What was that?" he heard Ori squeak.
"Orcs." Kili answered in a low voice as if he were sharing a most guarded secret. "Vile creatures the woods and hills will be full of them when the sun disappears."
"They slip into to town and upon lonely travelers, cutting them down in the dark, always slinking away before the sun rises." Fili continued leaning back casting his face into the shadows adding the the unsettling effect of his words.
Bilbo rolled his eyes as he heard Ori gulp loudly slinking into his brother Dori 's side.
"You think that's funny?" growled Thorin rising to his feet, "You think a night raid by orcs a joke?" he accused pinning the boys still with the fire in his eyes.
"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili murmered his head cast down looking properly chastised.
"No, you know nothing of the world." Thorin spat before striding away from the fire into the dark.
Bilbo took a seat next to Kili and rested a hand on his shoulder, he knew the boys were only teasing Ori but Thorin was right orcs and their terrible deeds were nothing to take lightly.
It was Balin who spoke first breaking the tense silence that had covered the found himself drinking in every word that left the old dwarf ' s lips as he recounted the tale of the battle for Moria. Bilbo turned his eyes scanning the edge of the darkness until they rested on Thorin. Bilbo couldn't help the feeling of admiration that swept over him as he listened to the tale. Thorin was unlike anyone he'd ever met and he began to respect him in a way he hadn't before.
Gandalf spoke of Thorin having his life ripped away from and being forced to make a choice but he had left out the amount of heart ache and pain that the dwarf had lived through. How could one man endure so much and still carry on with his head held high. Bilbo was sure if he had been given Thorin ' s lot in life he would have crumbled beneath it's weight.
A hot feeling filled his stomach, gripping him; he was taken by an intense surge protectiveness towards Thorin. He had brushed Thorin off as a cold distant being, not caring to analyze what could have possibly made him that way and was ashamed. He swore in that moment he would do anything in his power to protect Thorin from harm, nothing would hurt the dwarf king while Bilbo still had breath in his body.
When Balin finished his story and Thorin turned around to take in the now standing company Bilbo's heart burned fiercely. This man was a marvel, a pillar of strength when everything else around him was crumbling. He was a king among kings and Bilbo understood why thirteen dwarves had pledged to follow him to the end of the earth. Bilbo had given his word to help him succeed by signing the contract but on that night by the light of the fire he had given a part of his soul. Fierce blue eyes met his across the distance and he tried to convey all of his swirling emotions in his gaze. Bilbo wasn't sure if he managed it but for the first time since they'd met Thorin looked at him with out suspicion or contempt. It may not of been much but it was a start and it was the look in those eyes he saw that night in his dreams.