Frodo returned to Needlehole, ready to continue his journey. He just hoped his friends wouldn't leave him. He needed them.
"Ready to go?" the stable hand asked, as soon as Frodo joined him. "You sure you won't stay?"
Frodo shook his head. "No. My journey must go on." He said, kindly, "Thank you for taking care of our ponies."
"Anytime lad." The stable hand said, passing the pony's reins to him.
"Let's go!" Merry said, mounting his steed.
Frodo waved to the stable hand, before mounting his pony, too. In minutes, he and his friends crossed the bridges, leaving the Shire for good.
.
Almost a week had passed since Frodo entered Ered Luin. The Blue Mountains stood aloft, as well as the passage leading to Thorin's Halls. By the start of the second week, Frodo reached Thorin's Gate. The arched wall was made out of grey stone, while the gate was made of silver metal. Two dwarves guarded the gate, ready to defend it.
One dwarf guard, with auburn hair, green eyes, and donned in brown armor, stopped Frodo from entering the courtyard. "State your business, hobbit!"
"I've come looking for work," Frodo said. "I thought the dwarves of Ered Luin might help me out."
"Ah! Well, the inn is open in Thorin's Halls." The dwarf guard said. "You should find what you need there." He asked, curious, "Might I ask why a hobbit wants to seek work with the dwarves of Ered Luin?"
"Does a hobbit need to state his reasons out in the open?" Merry raised an eyebrow.
"No." The dwarf guard shook his head. "We just need to be cautious." He added, "Anyone loyal to the dwarves is okay in my book."
"Then perhaps you've heard of Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who helped reclaim the Lonely Mountain?" Frodo nodded. "I'm his nephew."
"Oh! All the more reason to stay! Please. Go inside." The dwarf guard gestured to the snow-covered courtyard, where some paths had been cleared off.
"Thank you," Frodo said, riding on ahead.
"We're with him," Merry told the dwarf guard.
Frodo looked back to see Merry, Pippin, and Sam follow him to the stable. There, the four hobbits passed their ponies over to the dwarf stable hands, before checking out the courtyard. A giant statue of a dwarf, dressed in battle armor and ready to attack his foe, stood in the center of the courtyard. The statue made Frodo a little scared, but not enough to sway him not to take part in another adventure. His only fear was that he might not get another one and that was something he couldn't afford to lose.
"So, Frodo, where to?" Merry asked, getting his cousin's attention.
"I'm going to look for the tavern," Frodo said to his three friends. "Then find work. If I'm lucky, I'll buy a house here. A grand one that'll have enough room for us all."
"Frodo, are you alright?" Pippin asked, concerned.
"Um…" Was he alright? Frodo had the strangest sensation that he was meant to be here. He brushed the snow off his curly brown hair. The chilly air sent shivers up his spine. He needed to get out of this courtyard before he froze to death. Frodo looked around. For a moment, he felt his brother's presence. It was close. Closer than he thought.
"Wait," Frodo blocked his friends.
There was something here! A blue light glowing brighter and fiercer. The blue light grew in strength, revealing a hobbit that looked identical to Frodo in almost every way, except for his clothes, which consisted of a brown tunic, brown breeches, a deep brown vest, and a black jacket. The cloak the hobbit wore looked elvish in some ways before it turned into a dwarven cloak. The hobbit, Frodo's twin, met his gaze with keen eyes.
"Hullo brother," Bingo said, giving a small grin, "I've been waiting for you." He inhaled. "We need to talk."
"I'm sure we do," Frodo said his blood boiling.
"There's no need for that!" Bingo smiled, curtly. He repeated, serious, "We need to talk before one of us is in danger."
"What are you talking about?" Frodo asked, concerned. "Last time I checked, you made that elven teen stab me in the stomach. You expect me to forgive you?"
"No, I don't," Bingo said. "I don't expect you to forgive me right away, but you need to listen to me!"
"You understand that I have friends willing to defend me this time!" Frodo said, annoyed.
"Frodo, we can't trust him!" Sam whispered in his ear. "I don't like him – oh!"
"Sam, he tried to kill me," Frodo whispered back. "How can we trust him?"
"I don't know, Mister Frodo," Sam said, suspicious. He told Bingo, "No tricks. Do you hear? We'll have none of that!"
"He's suspicious. I think we can trust him," Merry said.
"I don't know, Mister Merry," Sam said, unsure. "He seems dangerous."
"Right!" Pippin warned Bingo. "How can we trust you?!"
Bingo raised his hands. "I mean you no harm," he said, truthful, "but if we don't find cover soon, then I fear something bad will happen to me, to Frodo, or to both of us!"
"Why should we trust you?" Frodo asked, suspicious.
"You'll just have to," Bingo answered, calmly.
Frodo didn't like this, but then these were unusual times. Where did Bingo learn to use magic? How did he find him? Something didn't feel right, but there was nothing more Frodo could do. He would just have to trust his brother. For now.
Frodo nodded. "Fine, but don't double-cross us!"
"I promise I won't," Bingo said, calmly. "Now follow me."
Frodo did, not knowing what his brother wanted. When they reached the pub, inside Thorin's Halls, and found a place to sit at one of the empty tables, Frodo listened as his brother recalled the events of his time spent in Eregion.
*.*.*
Thanks for reading. :)