Chapter 3

Of Archery and Flustered Hobbits

The next day Enda arose earlier that the others. She kept having visions and when she awoke from the last one she couldn't fall back asleep. She tossed a turned for a while but it was no good. Her mind was active and she needed to be up and doing something. She was rarely a morning person so this surprised her.

She sat up after a little bit and she looked into the sky which was starting to lighten in the east. She then heard Kíli stirring. His face was scrunched up as if he were having a nightmare. Enda saw his eyes moving rapidly under their lids. His breathing became rapid and shallow.

Enda quietly scooted over to his side and placed her hand on his cheek and started to sing softly the same song her mother used to sing when she had woken up from nightmares. It was sung in Khuzdul.

"You have a beautiful voice…" Kíli mumbled sleepily. Enda stopped singing as Kíli's eyes opened and looked at her tenderly. She quickly pulled her hand away and blushed. She felt suddenly giddy and shy though she didn't know why. She felt butterflies in her stomach and she felt scared at feeling so strange.

"Thanks, I used to sing to my brother… Like my mum used to sing to me."

"Why are you awake?" Kíli asked. "It's too early."

"I can't fall back asleep. But you should try and sleep a little more…"

"I can't…" Kíli sat up. Enda saw a look in his big hazel eyes that made him look afraid and younger. She was very curious on what his dreams were but after last night and her yelling at him she didn't want to ask. "I can't wait to test our archery skills," Kíli continued after a short silence.

"I think I'm going win…" Enda said with a prideful tone in her voice.

"I don't know, you're so young…" Kíli then chuckled. "You don't even have a beard starting, not a single wisp."

"Oh hush!" Enda said, she sounded slightly wounded by his remark. "You barely have stubble so don't criticize me!"

"You look Elven." Enda then punched him in the arm, hard. "Oww! That actually hurt…" Kíli said rubbing his arm.

"What did you expect? Because I'm a girl doesn't mean my hit is a weak one. And you completely deserved it. I'm not an Elf nor will I be compared to one."

"I'm sorry…" Kíli said.

"You're probably going to get a bruise… So I must apologize as well…"

"We're good then?" Kíli asked with a small smile.

"Yep. I think you and your brother are the first of my friends here. I couldn't stay mad at you two…"

"That's good…" Kíli then lowered his voice. "We've been told that we are infuriating."

"Incorrigible, yes, infuriating, no…" Enda said cheerfully. "I'm told that I'm insufferable. That's probably why we all get along so well." Both of them laughed for a moment.

"You're very strange… I don't think I've met anyone like you…"

"Thank you?" Enda said with confusion.

"It's not a bad thing… You definitely are youthful and full of life… You laugh when most people would be annoyed. Even when you fell from your pony you got back up with a grin…"

"Like I said, it could have been worse. I smile because it wasn't." Enda then looked to the lightening sky. "I'm going to hunt down some breakfast."

"This would be a good time to compete then…" Kíli then nudged his brother awake. "Fíli should be the judge…" Fíli then sat up.

"I heard my name. Judge what?" Fíli asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"Enda and I are competing in archery."

"Oh… What rules have been established?"

"None yet…" Enda then stood up and put all of her gear on and neatly packed everything back up, ready for that day's journey. She then saw the trees in full detail. Her eyes lit up. "Apple trees…"

Kíli smiled then too. "Whoever shoots the most apples down is the better shot."

"Alright… Both of you will have ten arrows to fire," Fíli said. "Good luck to both of you."

The both of them started to shoot. Some arrows landed into the ground with nothing but the majority had apples stuck to them. Then Fíli collected the arrows. The ones with brown feathers were Kíli's and the ones with dark gray fletching were Enda's.

"Kíli you have eight apples and so do you Enda. It's a tie. But Enda you impaled two apples with one arrow. How does that judge? Or do you both have to shoot off more arrows?"

"Hmm…" Enda thought for a second. "What do you think, Kíli?"

"I've never seen a shot like yours. Two apples impaled…" Kíli shook his head. "I've never seen such a thing. I think for that sort of shot you'd win… But one more arrow each I want to see if it can be repeated."

"I doubt it… but we might as well try…" They both shot one more time. Enda chose her target so perhaps she could do it again and she wound up hitting two apples. Kíli got one but he looked a bit crestfallen. "You're a good shot," Enda said. The both of them took the apples from the arrows and cleaned the sharp bolts carefully.

"Apparently not, I was beaten by a girl-" Kíli cut himself off. "I didn't mean it in a bad way."

"I know. Cheer up. I've been shooting for a long time. Probably longer than you and it's my main way to survive… Now I'd bet you all the money in the world that you would beat me in a duel. The sword is not my main method of fighting and I am terribly out of practice…"

"Then you better get some practice," Fíli said. "It wouldn't be good if it came to close combat and you couldn't use your sword."

Fíli and Enda then practiced with the sword. Enda was right she was out of practice and was easily disarmed by Fíli. She growled in frustration. She then picked her sword up again and she tried even harder to try and win. She was light on her feet and was good defensively but when it came to offensive she would completely drop being defensive. Thwack! Fíli's sword smacked her in the ribs.

"I'm sorry!" Fíli said, instantly lowering his sword.

"Only got hit with the flat, I'm fine… Come on real battle situation, I need to learn to react. If you were an enemy I'd be dead." Enda then raised her sword again.

After half an hour they decided to be done for the time being so they could eat breakfast. Kíli grabbed all the apples and hunted a few squirrels while Enda and Fíli dueled.

The company ate a quick breakfast and then they headed out. Gandalf decided to ride ahead and promised to meet them tomorrow at the Green Dragon Inn.

When they stopped for lunch Fíli and Kíli both dueled Enda. Two people against one was even more depressing for Enda, she was certain that she would die whenever she had to face multiple Orcs or Goblins. Fíli and Kíli then decided that it would be wise to take a break so they decided to try and teach her more about riding ponies. She learned how to jump without falling and even learned how to shoot from atop a pony, although her aim still needed a little bit of adjusting. She soon was able to hit targets.

They continued to teach her skills until that night after the sun had set and they had all eaten dinner. Ori helped her with her reading and writing again until the whole group went to sleep, except the ones on watch.

The next day was the last stretch. They arrived in the Shire the night before but now seeing it in daylight made them think of peaceful things. It was a pretty country but they didn't encounter many Hobbits. Enda saw a few and noticed that they were smaller than the Dwarves and went about barefoot. They all looked at the Dwarves in curiosity and but they shied away with suspicious looks thrown towards the travelers.

By sunset they got to the Green Dragon where Gandalf waited for them. They left the ponies at the stables there and then they were split into groups so they wouldn't all overwhelm Mister Baggins all at once. Dwalin set off down the road first then half an hour later Balin. Fíli and Kíli and Enda then were chosen to go up the road next, nearly fifteen minutes after.

The three of them then walked the direction Gandalf pointed them into. All of them kept their eyes open for a rune on a green door that would glow in the dark. Enda was the first to spot it. They all walked up the path to a door high on the hillside

"Remember your manners…" Fíli said to them.

"Of course…" Enda said. They then rang the doorbell. A few seconds later a rather flustered looking Hobbit came to the door. He let out a small moan when he saw the three Dwarves.

"Fíli."

"Kíli."

"And Enda."

"At your service" the three Dwarves said together as they bowed.

"You must be Mister Boggins," Kíli said with a grin.

"Actually I think its Baggins…" Enda said. "Mister Baggins, I presume?"

"Nope, you can't come in, you've come to the wrong house," the Hobbit said in a rush and he tried to shut the door but Kíli stopped it with his foot.

"What? Has it been canceled?" Kíli asked.

"No one told us." Fíli looked at the Hobbit with a look of suspicion.

"Can-? No- nothing's been cancelled…" Bilbo said.

"That's a relief." Kíli then walked into the house, followed by Enda and Fíli came in last.

Kíli and Enda dropped all their gear in the hall while Fíli unloaded all of his weapons into Bilbo's arms.

"Careful with these, I just had 'em sharpened," Fíli warned.

"So much for manners…" Enda muttered. She then called out loud to the Hobbit. "Mister Baggins just drop them anywhere…"

"Hey!" Fíli protested.

"Don't go whining at me. You can manage your own weapons. If you can't, don't pack so many."

"It's nice, this place. Did you do it yourself?" Kíli asked as he was looking around. Enda then looked around. It was a lovely home. Not like a nasty hole that she would have thought it might be but it was very neat and beautiful. Kíli then started to scrape the mud off his boots on a chest.

"Uh, no it's been in the family for years." Mister Baggins then looked at Kíli exasperatedly. "That's my mother's! Can you please don't do that!?"

"Kíli, please be a bit more respectful to our host. You wouldn't like it if someone used your sword to pick out dirt from their shoes…" Enda said. Bilbo smiled at her but he still looked stressed. Enda didn't want to be a burden on the poor Hobbit.

"Fíli, Kíli, come on give us a hand," Dwalin said as he wrapped his arm around Kíli and led him to the dining room.

"Yes Mister Dwalin." The three youngest Dwarves all walked into the dining room where they were setting up.

"Let's shove this into the hallway, otherwise we'll never get everyone in," Balin said and they all adjusted the table.

"Everyone? How many more are there?" Bilbo then cringed at the sound of the doorbell ringing. Enda helped set chairs around the table and then she heard the others arrive.

Greetings were shouted and then all the Dwarves started to raid the pantry Bilbo was protesting but no one listened to him. Enda watched and laughed as Fíli and Kíli tried to get the barrel of ale from the stand.

"You just lift it… It's not so hard." Enda smirked at the brothers.

"Alright miss know it all. Why don't you lift it?" Fíli asked.

"I will…" Enda said. She then raised one side although it was very heavy. "Come and help me you two… Or else you will get none."

They all then lifted and started to walk into the dining room. Gandalf banged his head on a chandelier and then spotted the three youngest Dwarves.

"Hello Gandalf!" Enda said with an innocent smile.

"Enda, Fíli, Kíli…" Gandalf was too busy counting the Dwarves than to notice the three youngest Dwarves who needed to have alcohol the least.

Enda sat next to Kíli and they started to put food on their plates. Bombur catches some food that Bofur tosses with his mouth and everyone at the table burst into cheers and laughter. Enda smiled, she liked to be among these Dwarves. They were loud and random and easily amused.

Fíli then walked on top of table with an armful of ale tankards.

"Who wants some?" he asked. He winds up giving away all of the tankards except for three. He gives his brother one but keeps the other two. "Here we are…"

"Hey!"

"You're a bit young."

"So?" Enda asked. "Hand 'er over."

"If you get drunk…" Fíli said warningly.

"I'm not a Dwarfling… Hand it over!" Enda said. Enda then takes the mug and smiles. "To my new friends. May your beards never fall out."

"And to Enda. May she one day get a beard," Kíli said. A mischievous glance passed between the brothers.

"To Kíli and Fíli. May their mouths be forever mute if they don't stop teasing me on how baby faced I am."

"To Enda. May she learn to gain a sense of humor," Fíli said.

"I have a sense of humor! Mine just is on a higher intellect…" Enda then raised her mug clearly tired of this downward spiraling toast. "To my dear friends. Let's just drink already!"

"Agreed!" Fíli and Kíli the crashed their mugs into Enda's and the three of them started to drink. The truth is Enda never really drank much before and so she started feeling foggy after she finished her first mug. She had a second mug but stopped after that. She couldn't help but laughing when some of the Dwarves started burping. She knew her mum would have had some words about drinking and how disgusting burping is but she laughed. Ori surprisingly enough had the loudest and longest burp. It's always the quiet ones who do something unexpected, Enda thought.

She then hiccupped. Fíli and Kíli then looked at her.

"Drunk already?"

"Nope. Sober as ever." Enda cringed as her words had a slight slur to them. She was not drunk, just a little foggy.

"Really?" Fíli asked with a smirk.

"Yep." Enda hiccupped again.

"Sure… Sober…" Kíli said. He then hiccupped.

"Ha… You're drunk too…"

"Oh no… You Dwarflings better stop drinking," Fíli said.

"Shush… I'm notta Dwarfling," Kíli said with a pout. His words slurred together and Enda smirked at him. Then the two youngest started laughing for some reason and Fíli looked at them concerned. They would get in big trouble for drinking. He quickly snatched their mugs away and then placed them on the table while the two of them continued giggling. Fíli himself felt a little silly too. He placed his ale away from him to avoid getting drunk too. He had to be the responsible one. He then saw Kíli pull out a pipe and then Enda did too.

"Enda? Why do you have a pipe?"

"It's my father's. He gave it to me…"

"Yeah, he gave a pipe to you…" Enda giggled. "Hand it over." Fíli then snatched Kíli's pipe and then Enda's. "Come on… You two are too young to smoke and drink."

"Why do you drink then? You're hardly older than us," Kíli whined.

"Because I'm responsible enough," Fíli then took a large drink of his ale as if to prove his point.

"What do I do with my plate?" Ori asked.

"Here give it to me, Ori." Fíli then feeling rather drunk himself then tossed the plate to his brother who then tossed them to Bifur who caught them without turning around.

Bilbo soon started begging them to stop and he was quite flustered as more Dwarves started to toss dishes around and the ones at the table were pounding and clanking silverware together.

"Can-can you not do that? You'll blunt them."

"Ooooh, did you hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives…" Bofur said. That then caused Kíli to start singing.

'Blunt the knives, bend the forks'

Fíli then started his own line.

'Smash the bottles and burn the corks'

'Chip the glasses and crack the plates

That's what Bilbo Baggins HATES!' Enda sang and then everyone shouted the word hates.

Then all the Dwarves burst out in song.

'Cut the cloth and tread the fat

Leave the bones on the bedroom mat

Pour the milk on the pantry floor

Splash the wine on every door''

All the Dwarves were tossing plates and singing merrily, tidying up while Bilbo looked ready to go completely lose it.

'Put the crocks in a boiling bowl

Pound them up with a thumping pole

And when you finish if they're whole

Send them down the hall to roll'

Then Enda, Fíli, and Kíli sing and shouted. 'That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!'

Everyone started laughing and Bilbo looked surprised to see all his plates still whole and his house was nearly tidy as it was to begin with. Kíli sits down and Enda does too. Fíli then sits as well but completely misses his chair and lands on the floor on his bum. Enda and Kíli burst out laughing.

Then there were loud three knocks on the door. Everyone instantly goes silent.

"He is here," Gandalf said.

Enda then realizes that Thorin was the only one not there. Joy, I was wondering when grumpy would show up, Enda thought to herself. She then realized that she had to sober up quick. Thorin would have no hesitation throwing her out if she acted stupid now.

They all went to the door and Thorin entered and he started talking immediately.

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice." Enda smirked. Thorin got lost, twice, really and he's the leader? "Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for the mark on the door."

Thorin gave a small smile to his nephews and then a cold look to Enda. Enda raised her eyebrows unimpressed. Thorin could glare all he wanted but she wasn't going to be intimidated. She wasn't going to feel bad for being here.

"There's no mark on my door. It was painted a week ago!" Bilbo said.

"There is a mark, I placed it there myself," Gandalf said. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of this company, Thorin Oakenshield."

"So, this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins have you done much fighting?" Thorin then started asking Bilbo what weapons and such. Enda tuned him out. She was really annoyed by the arrogant Oakenshield and didn't bother to listen until they all sat back down at the table.

Thorin eats while the others ask him about his meeting with the other Dwarves. Enda didn't really understand the importance but noted how disappointed they were when they were told the Dwarves of the Iron Hills wouldn't help them.

"They said this quest was ours and ours alone," Thorin said confirming what he said.

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked. Enda almost rolled her eyes but then remembered that the Hobbit hadn't heard anything of the quest yet. Gandalf asked Bilbo to bring a little light so Bilbo grabbed a candle and then Gandalf placed a map on the table.

Gandalf and a few Dwarves started to explain that they were off to the Lonely Mountain and that the signs showed that the time came for them to reclaim Erebor from the beast.

"Uh, what beast?" Bilbo asked sounding a bit nervous.

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals-" Bofur rambled.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is," Bilbo said cutting off the rant.

"I'm not afraid!" Ori said standing up bravely. Soon he was told to sit down by a few Dwarves when he started to sound a bit foolish.

Balin said something to the effect that just the few of us would be almost hopeless but Fíli was ready to say otherwise.

"We may be few in numbers, but we're fighter, all of us to the last Dwarf!"

"And we have a Wizard in our company! Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!" Kíli said.

"I wouldn't say that…" Gandalf said. Then some of the Dwarves started to ask for a number and Gandalf looked a bit embarrassed. Some of the Dwarves begin arguing until Thorin shouts.

"Shazara!" (Silence!) Then he talked about reclaiming what is rightfully theirs. All the Dwarves then cheer even Enda. She wanted to be a part of this and she wanted to find her home.

"But the front gate is sealed," Balin said. Gandalf then pulls a key from his pocket and holds it for Thorin to see.

"How did you get this?" Thorin asked. Then he looked up at Enda who was watching them. He glared at her. That was the key that got her father his bad name. Keyseeker. Only a nice name for the traitor who tried to kill the king for the key. Enda had the sense to look away before Thorin could get angry and blame her.

"Your father gave it to me to keep safe. It's yours now."

"If there's a key, there must be a door," Fíli said. Enda rolled her eyes. Stating the obvious never seemed like a thing Fíli would do, Kíli yes but Fíli not likely.

"These runes speak of a secret passage to the lower halls."

"There's another way in!" Kíli said. His eyes were alight with determination.

"Well, if we can find it, Dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle Earth who can," Gandalf said. "The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage. But if we are careful and clever I believe it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar," Ori said.

"And a good one too. An expert I'd imagine," Bilbo said. Everyone looked up at the Hobbit.

"Are you?"

"Am I what?" Bilbo asked confused.

"He said he's an expert!" Óin said.

"No, no I'm not a burglar! I've never stolen a thing in my life!"

"I think I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's not burglar material," Balin said.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves," Dwalin agreed. Bilbo nodded in agreement.

That caused an argument to spread between all the Dwarves until Gandalf stood up and used some magic to darken the room and add power to his voice. Everyone instantly fell silent.

"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is!" Gandalf then released whatever spell and went back to normal and sat down again. Enda exchanged a look with Kíli and Fíli which showed her shock. Enda had never seen any of Gandalf's power in use.

Gandalf then continued on the advantages of having the Hobbit on the quest. Eventually Thorin decided it would be wise to not fight against the Wizards wishes and Bilbo was given a contract.

Bilbo read over the contract and then spoke a few words out loud that shocked him.

"Incineration?" he asked turning to the Dwarves.

"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye," Bofur said. Bilbo paled. Enda rolled her eyes. Bofur was not much comfort for the poor Hobbit.

"You alright, laddie?" Balin asked.

Bilbo leaned forward looking nauseous.

"Yeah… Feel a bit faint," Bilbo said.

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur stood up and watched Bilbo.

"I-I need air!" Bilbo whimpered.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! You're nothing more than a pile of ash."

Bilbo tried to compose himself but he fainted.

"Brilliant, Bofur. Brilliant. Frighten the poor fellow, why don't you?" Enda said sarcastically.

Gandalf then went off with Bilbo trying to revive him and get an answer out of them. Bilbo wound up saying no to the quest and went to bed. Everyone went into gloomy spirits.

Enda sat down a stool in the hallway and yawned.

"Are you falling asleep?"

"No," Enda said although it was not convincing as another yawn came forth.

"You have to stay awake, they're about to sing…"

"Sing?" Enda asked.

"Yes. It's a song you have to know since you're a part of the quest," Kíli said.

They then led Enda into the next room and they all sat down. Enda listened as they sung.

'Far over the Misty Mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To find our long forgotten gold

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light'

The song inspired Enda. Even though she had never seen Erebor she felt like it was her home and that she needed to help reclaim it. It put longing in her heart and courage in her soul. She was going to do whatever it took to help reclaim the Dwarves kingdom. Enda was always amazed at how a song could change emotions and inspire one.

Slowly the Dwarves spread out among the house. They all sought out bedding arrangements. Enda quickly claimed an armchair for herself and curled up in it. It would only be right for her, the smallest of the Dwarves, to take the smallest piece of furniture.

She felt like a small child as she curled up. When she was a Dwarfling she often would rest her head on the arm of the chair and watch the fire until she fell asleep. She enjoyed watching the flames dance. She nearly fell asleep as she hummed a soft song to herself. It was a song of longing for home and finding your home. She then softly sang a verse of it in Khuzdul to herself. This is the translation of what she sang.

'Go out and see the world

And find your place in it

The hearth fire will greet you

The flames dance welcoming you home

To the place you belong and are loved

You will know your home is where you belong

Come home, oh, come home

I will find you there, I will find you'

Enda then saw that she was singing louder than she thought. Some of the Dwarves were listening to her. She looked away and instantly stopped singing. She then saw Thorin looking at her with a softer emotion in his eyes, pity maybe. Enda didn't think he'd ever stop giving her disgusted or hate filled looks.

She then pulled her cloak from the floor and used it as a blanket. She continued to play the song in her head except with her mother's voice singing it. It was one of the songs her mother would sing to her as a child. Tears threatened her vision so she closed her eyes.

She thought deeply on her family that had left her to wander the world alone and find herself a place to belong. She wondered if it was true that her father had really been a traitor and she wondered if she'd ever be judged by her own actions or just the acts of her father. She thought of Erebor, she hoped that's where she belonged. She didn't want to live in solitude and she was eager to be able to gain her own honor by helping to reclaim it.

With these thoughts she fell asleep.

Hey everyone!

Thanks for reading. Now would you please comment? Pretty please? I really want some input from you so I can know what you think.

Thanks in advance!

~ Maethorni