~ On My Wargon We Run From Horror

Chapter 4

"Bilbo get behind me."

"Go, run as fast as you can to your father."

"What about you mommy?"

"Mommy needs to protect her little boy, now go!"

"But-"

"No buts! Now run!"

"Mom!"

"...Bilbo..."

"Belladonna! Bilbo!"

"...mom...don't go...please..."

"...live...have an adventure...you m-must c-carry on...son."

"Bilbo!"

"Don't look boy!"

"Dad!"

"I'm...sorry"

The hobbit king woke up curled up in his bed sheets. Sunshine was streaming down from the window of his room. He couldn't remember clearly about last night after dinner. Only that he asked to be excused and go to bed early his head throbbing and threatening to shut down and throw him in the nightmare that repeated itself ever since that day.

Yawning loudly, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He got up from bed and wondered what became of his guests. He told them to make themselves comfortable and sleep in the extra rooms. He really hoped they didn't destroy the plumbing.

Deciding to check on them, he went to each room and check on them. He always saw the same thing, loudly snoring dwarves asleep in awkward angles on the guest beds. He must be up early. He decided to take a shower before anyone else. He was not too keen on going back to bed and be plagued by awful nightmares of his past.

Grabbing a towel and a change of clothes, he headed for his bathroom. He was glad to see the bathroom was still okay and everything functioned properly. Clearing all thoughts of last night and his nightmare he stepped in the shower and felt the hot water relax him.

A few minutes later, one of the dwarvs began to stir and wake up. Thorin had noted last night had been...unexpected. His long anger towards the hobbits for not responding them had vanished once he heard the reason why they became so...distant. He didn't know much about hobbits but thought of them as soft weak little beings before the attack on Erebor when they came blowing a horn and charged head first for the burning kingdom riding on creatures he never seen before. He had mix feelings when he entered the Shire kingdom. It was suspicious when none of the guards stopped him but figured Gandalf had told them already about their arrival.

It was a long while before he found the place. When he knocked on the circular door he was greeted with the sight of shiny emerald green orbs in big round eyes behind long eyelashes. Soft, gentle and so pure like nothing had ever dirtied those emerald orbs, so clear and sparkled with intelligence yet held quiet confidence. The hobbit stood staring back at him.

He saw the pointed ears and almost reclined when he realized they were not like those of elves but less pointy and bared difference. The hobbit which he was soon introduced as Bilbo Baggins was shorter than him, hobbits were half the size of dwarves and had big hairy feet. Bilbo bowed respectfully after being introduced. He wondered if this small soft thing would be vital in their quest for Erebor. He was genuinely surprised when he heard he could fight, and with a sword and dagger no less. It would be an odd sight to see such a gentle and delicate looking thing fight.

He got up and went to check on everyone of the company. He found them all still deep in sleep. He was about to check on the kitchen when he heard a sound coming from the room near his. Taking careful steps he went to listen better. It sounded like footsteps.

Letting curiosity get the best of him, he grabbed the doorknob and twisted it open slowly and quietly pushed it open. He peeked inside to find himself seeing the bathroom and notice only one person in the room. Right in front of a mirror in nothing but a towel covering his waist and below was their burglar himself. He was brushing his hair, his attention focused on the mirror. His hair was still wet as was his skin but what he had noticed was the muscles. He was surprised to see some abs and muscular arms and legs. But he also noticed the scars.

One was on his shoulder, it looked like a wound made by an arrow being shot and gave hin a nice gash. It looked quite old, he may have gotten it when he was still young. Another was on his back the stretched on his upper back to his hips. It wasn't as old as the scar on his shoulder maybe a year ago. It was shocking to see these things on a hobbit like Bilbo. The muscles were very much real too.

The dwarf frowned when he remembered the information that was given last night. It was clear their burglar had been in that assault of the goblins and lost a lot. Seeing how big the house was it was a depressing amount of losses.

Realizing just how awkward it was peeking on the little one like this he pulled his head back and shut the door as quiet as he could.

Back in the bathroom, Bilbo heard a click sound. He turned his head to look behind him and shrugged when he saw nothing amiss. He returned to brushing his hair.

He had changed into special brown trousers that would keep his throwing knives strapped and hidden from sight if your far or don't look too close, a tight button-up shirt the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, hard yet light armor he could move freely in and only covered the upper part of his body and a red coat. His sword and dagger sheathed on his waist. He was ready.

He had just made breakfast for everyone when heard a banging sound on his door. He wondered who it was, no hobbit knew where he was except for two of them. As if on cue Thorin Oakensheild walked in the kitchen and looked curiously at the direction of the door.

Bilbo left the plate of bacon on the table and went to answer whoever it was on the door. He swore if it was a group of hobbits asking for two young dwarrows who had ruined their gardens last night he was going to grab his things, warn the company and get the hell out of there. Shire folk were not to be messed with when it came to their gardens. But he saw something entirely different when he opened the door.

"Gah!" He yelped as he was suddenly tackled to the ground by something furry.

"Roaf!"

"Trevor?" Bilbo spluttered bewildered and taken back "What on middle-earth are you doing here?!" He demanded.

"Roaf!" the large wargon responded and licked his master's face happily.

"Master Burglar? What's the commotion ab-" Thorin stopped dead on his tracks as he stared like a statue at the large hound-like creature on top of Bilbo.

He was was about to pull out his sword to save the hobbit when Bilbo saw what he was about to do and hurriedly stopped him before this would end badly.

"No, no wait! It's okay, it's okay!" He said still trying to push the wargon off him who then noticed the dwarf and began growling.

"Trevor that's not nice, this is a king in our midst and I expect good behavior from you" Bilbo scolded waving a finger in front of the wargon who ceased its growling at the dwarf and looked at Bilbo with a blank look.

"I mean the dwarf Trevor, the dwarf" Bilbo mumbled to the wargon in his mother tongue.

Trevor nodded it's head as a sign he understood. Thorin never averted his eyes from the wargon. He had no idea what it was but it seemed on friendly terms with the halfling but he wasn't sure if it would be the same to the dwarrows.

"You'll have to excuse Trevor, he can be a tad bit affectionate." Bilbo said to the dwark king who was still wary around the wargon "This is Trevor, he's my pet wargon." Bilbo introduced trying to clear the tense air around Thorin.

"A wargon?"

"Yes, a wargon." Bilbo said "Their the only things hobbits can ride on without sneezing their noses off, wargons are rumored to be a mix of wolves and wargs so we called them wargons."

Thorin studied the creature. Thick dark blue fur everywhere on its upper body while it had a lighter shade of blue fur on its belly, crimson red eyes like pools of blood with a blotch of black in the middle like a small black marble, large tall ears, stout wolf-like nose and claws like a warg's, it had a long rather fluffy tale that swayed a little and he knew behind that mouth was razor sharp teeth. It stood a few inches taller than him and towered over the hobbit who scurried to his feet.

"...he's your pet?" was the question.

Bilbo nodded stroking the head of the large beast who purred like a kitten with pleasure.

"Uncle what's going on- OH MY BEARD WHAT IS THAT?!" Kili screeched so loud Bilbo was sure it woke up the other dwarrows.

"Kee you don't have a beard" Fili corrected coming in after his brother and saw the wargon next to Bilbo who was busy paying attention to its master who stroked his fingers through his furry head and showed mild interest for the three dwarrows.

"Morning Master Baggins, nice warg you have there." he said giving his best dazzling smile at the hobbit which surprised the two other dwarves of his casualty.

"Good morning to you too Fili" the hobbit king greeted back also a bit surprised but hid it with a smile "Thank you, but Trevor is a wargon, he's a gift when I was a child, he really is a good companion."

"A wargon? Never heard of it and how are you so calm seeing it Fee?" Kili asked.

"Didn't you see the other knights that passed by us last night riding those things? So I figured they were tamed animals here and normally seen around." he explained.

Bilbo smiled impressed "Good observation and deduction, Thorin is fortunate for having an heir such as you."

A faint pink almost unnoticeable appeared on the blonde's face at the compliment. Bilbo said something to Trevor they could not hear but it made the wargon nod its head and go outside. Bilbo shut the door and faced his companions.

"So...breakfast?"

Everyone got ready for their departure from the Shire kingdom. The company had gotten on to their ponies well all but Bilbo who rode on Trevor on a saddle. Bilbo had a hunch a certain brunette hobbit lass from the castle had sent his royal wargon to keep watch on him. Not that he minded, he could use Trevor's speed, animal instincts and company.

Bilbo rode behind the dwarrows at the very back. They were leaving the borders of the Shire and officially leaving for their journey that gave the hobbit king a headache just thinking about it. He glanced back at the borders. At his kingdom. His home.

He was going to be homesick at some point of his journey. He would fret about his home and people fearing the goblins would attack once again and he wouldn't be there to help but there was no turning back now. He had signed the contract. He was going to the Lonely Mountain with thirteen dwarves and a meddling wizard. Lovely. Just lovely.

He was just glad his mom did not need to go through this. Better him than her. Stroking Trevor's head the hobbit king continued to drift in his own thoughts. Then it was all disrupted by a loud shrill yell.

"BILBO! " Lobelia Sackville-Baggins roared looking furious as her face was red with rage and eyes glaring daggers at him and she looked like she was about to breath fire too.

"Oh dear..." Bilbo muttered seeing the walking thing of raw horror.

"Who's that?" Bifur asked looking at the small stalking hobbit who was as red as a tomato and coming nearer and nearer.

"Lobelia." Bilbo gulped. Why was she here? Was the secret found out? Were they going to live?

"What'a Lobelia? " asked Ori.

"Pure horror, Run Trevor! RUN!" And with that Trevor sprung into a sprint almost vanishing from sight running ahead of them and further. Gandalf had sped after Bilbo the very second 'run' was said.

"BILBO!"

The dwarrows thought it would be best to go after the two fast. Only because they would not be left behind. It was not like they were scared or anything from a simple hobbit lass...

"BILBO BAGGINS YOU COME BACK HERE!"

In a blink of an eye they rode after Bilbo and Gandalf totally not afraid of the horror screaming at them from behind. Because they were not.

"That...was...terrifying..."

"Gandalf! " Bilbo called after they had stopped and sure that Lobelia was far behind and would not follow.

"Yes sire?" Gandalf asked.

"I think the plan had been found out, at least to Lobelia." he said panicked.

What happened? Did Saradoc break? He hoped for the best of his head scribe and wondered how Sylvia was doing. Was she the one who did spill the beans? Now he was worried how the kingdom was dealing with this. Their own king sneaking out when they were facing big problems and are in need of their king in the Shire. He had to calm himself. Saradoc will think of something. Stay calm, stay calm.

"I saw that, shame I know. Though I don't see you keen on going back?"

"Are you mad? Of course not! To Lonely Mountain it is!"

Gandalf laughed heartily.

The company was back on track and in a safe distance from the Shire and saw no sign of raging hobbits lasses near them. Bilbo rode in silence looking around his surroundings in wonder and awe. He had never been out of the Shire. Being out and adventuring was giving him a thrill he had never felt before... or haven't felt in a long time.

"Enjoying the scenery Bilbo?" Gandalf asked riding on his horse beside the hobbit king's. He was glad to see his little friend having the same thrill look in his eyes he had when his parents were still alive and well.

"Huh? Oh, yes very much" the hobbit king nodded his head and breathed in the fresh outdoor air. "I never thought I would be out and adventuring."

"We can never really be so sure what and what will not happen in our lives."

"Point taken."

Bilbo had noticed how the ponies had scooted away a small distance from him. Trevor was a predator, of course they would be uneasy. Trevor wasn't even looking the least bit tired from the sprint he had done getting away from his relative and was carrying him with ease as they travelled. He was thankful for his captain for sending Trevor after him. Now that he thought about it, he had not have much time to play or see Trevor in a while. The whole ordeal with the goblins was taking much of his time, maybe on this adventure he'd have more time with his childhood friend.

"How are you doing my friend?" He asked Trevor in the language hobbit use called Hill Speak.

Trevor responded with a small growl and scratched his left ear. Since they were little Bilbo could communicate with his wargon pet in Hill Speak and he could understand Trevor by the signs he would send like growing, snarling, scratching of nose or shaking of head. The hobbit king understood what Trevor was trying to say, he was both happy and relieved. Bilbo knew he was happy to be out in an adventure and relieved to be away from the terrifying Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. He agreed on both, especially the latter.

"What did he say your majesty?" he was surprised that it came from Gandalf.

"You still speak Hill Speak?" he asked Gandalf.

"Well of course, I visit the Shire very often before."

"I see, Trevor said he's glad to be out of the Shire and away from my relative."

"I can't say I don't agree to the latter."

"I thought the same thing."

Trevor gave a soft whining noise and a growl and sniffed the air shaking his head. The hobbit king had to agree, the stench of these ponies were making him feel so sick he could throw up. He wonderd of they ever had a bath before.

"The stench is making me want to hurl as well." he agreed with Trevor.

"You will have to get used to I sire, the rest of the company don't fret over hygiene sadly." Gandalf said both amused and bemused.

"We meant the ponies Gandalf! " Bilbo pointed out nearly laughing.

The dwarrows near Bilbo and the wizard glanced curiously at their conversation they could not understand. They spoke in a weird foreign language that they have never heard before. Even more so when Gandalf had gestured to the dwarrows and made a face and Bilbo had replied looking like he was about to burst out laughing.

The two ignored the staring dwarves and traveled on in silence.