Authoress Note: Welcome to Chapter 3 of Seven Wonders. I want to thank those who have left reviews for this story. We're finishing off the second part of the original chapter 2 that I had for my other story. So here is the ending of that chapter. I know that it is also on the fairly long side. I hope that you enjoy this next part. Without further ado Chapter 3. ENJOY!

Chapter 3

They go into the dining room.

Thorin was eating his meal.

Bilbo had brought some food to Artemis which wasn't much. "Here. You haven't eaten yet." He said softly to her.

Artemis looked at him. "Oh no. I couldn't." She said softly.

"Please. You look hungry and thirsty." He said, handing her a glass of wine with the food.

"Thank you." She said taking it from him. She had to admit so far this was not the way that she had wanted to spend her 25th birthday even though here it was April 26th and not September 13th.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked Thorin.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin replied.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked.

"They will not come," Thorin said, as the dwarves showed their disappointment. "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked, confused.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light," Gandalf told the hobbit.

Bilbo brought a candle over to the table as Gandalf laid a map down on the table.

Artemis finished eating and came closer so she could see as well.

"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak," Gandalf said.

"The Lonely Mountain," Bilbo said reading the map.

"Aye," Gloin said. "Oin has read the portents and the portents say it is time."

"Ravens have been flying back to the mountain as it was foretold. When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

Bilbo turned and looked at them. "Uh. What beast?"

Artemis pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew what beast that they were talking about. She knew that Bilbo was most likely going to freak out due to this. All because not many dragons had been seen anywhere in Middle-Earth for a while.

"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 began to say to Bilbo.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo snapped.

Ori jumped up. "I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarvish iron right up his jacksie."

Several of the dwarves shout causing Artemis to wince.

"Sit down!" Dori yelled at Ori pulling him down.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just 13, and not 13 of the best, nor brightest." Balin said, causing shouts around the table. "Well, 14 if you count Miss Houston."

"What did he say?" Oin asked.

Fili smacked his fist off of the table. "We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf."

"And you forget. We have a wizard in our company. Gandalf had killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Kili stated proudly.

"Oh, well, now, uh. I-I-I wouldn't say that, I…."Gandalf started to say.

Artemis gave him a look. She knew that he had never slain a dragon in his life.

"How many, then?" Dori asked, looking at Gandalf.

"Uh, what?"

"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!" Dori said looking at him.

Artemis just shook her head as he hummed and nervously smoked on his pipe. Her ears were ringing due to the yells of the dwarves trying to argue about how many dragons Gandalf had killed.

"Shazara!" Thorin yelled in anger causing them to go silent.

Artemis rubbed her ears. He was louder than she thought he would have been.

"If we have read these signs, do you not think that others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekar! Du Bekar!"

All the dwarves cheer except for Balin.

"You forget, the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Balin said, telling Thorin his concern.

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true," Gandalf said twirling his fingers before producing a dwarven key.

Thorin looked at it in wonder. "How did you get this?"

"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It's yours now." Gandalf said, handing him the key.

"If there is a key, there must be a door," Fili said.

Gandalf points to the runes on his map with his pipe. "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."

"There's another way in," Kili said with a smile.

"Well, if we can find it, but 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. 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 stated.

"Hm, a good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo said, thinking.

"And are you?" Gloin asked, looking at Bilbo.

"Am I what?"

Artemis wanted to smack her head. Bilbo had pretty much fallen into that one. She couldn't understand why Bilbo fell for it so easily walking right into a question that anyone would want a confirmation of what was going on.

"He said he's an expert! Hey hey!" Oin said laughing.

Several of the other dwarves laughed.

"M-me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen anything in my life."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material. Miss Houston would seem more of the type." Balin said looking at the young woman.

Artemis's eyes widened. "Oh no, no, dear me. No, I can't even move out of my parents' home without being caught." She said shaking her hands causing the gold bracelets she wore on her wrists to clang together.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves," Dwalin said solemnly.

The dwarves began to argue again. This time about Bilbo not being able to fend for himself in the wild.

Gandalf stood to his full height casting a shadow onto the group. "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar then a burglar he is." He said in a powerful tone causing them to stop arguing amongst themselves. He reverted to normal. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit will all, but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the 14th member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this. You already trust me with the 15th member."

"Very well. We will do it your way." Thorin said.

"No, no, no."

"Give him the contract. Her as well."

"Please."

"Alright, we're off," Bofur said with a smile.

Balin handed the contract to Artemis first.

Artemis looked at Gandalf. Her brown eyes narrowed at him.

Gandalf nodded his head.

Artemis gave him a curt nod and signed her name not even reading the contract surprising them. "I will not need any kind of payment to help." She stated handing it to Balin.

Balin handed it to Bilbo. "It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, and so forth."

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo stepped back a few feet to read the contract over.

Thorin leaned towards Gandalf whispering something to him and Gandalf answered back in a hushed tone.

"Terms: Cash upon delivery up to, but not exceeding one fourteen of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations… evisceration… incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in a blink of an eye," Bofur said looking at Bilbo.

Bilbo looked breathless. "Huh…"

"You all right, Laddie?" Balin asked, looking at Bilbo.

Bilbo bent over, nauseous and pained. "Uh, yeah… feel a bit faint."

"Think of a furnace with wings," Bofur said.

"Air, I-I-I need air," Bilbo said, becoming worse.

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

Bilbo breathed heavily trying to compose himself as they looked on. "Hmmm… Nope." Bilbo faints crashing to the floor and hitting his head.

Artemis winced.

"Ah, very helpful, Bofur." Gandalf looked at Artemis and pulled her aside. "You'll be able to help him, my dear, but you'll be tired afterward. You will need no candles. So all you have to do is say the spells." He told her in a hushed tone.

Artemis looked at Bilbo and then back to Gandalf.

"He will have a concussion with how hard he hit his head."

Artemis nodded her head before going over to Bilbo. She had long since taken her boots off bringing her down to 4'10 which made her taller than most of the dwarves except for a few of them. She brushed past a few of them before getting to Bilbo. She kneeled next to him. She placed her hand on his forehead.

"Gandalf what is she doing?" Kili was confused as much as the other dwarves were.

"You'll see soon enough," Gandalf said looking over at Artemis.

Artemis slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It had been a while since she had to heal anyone. But she did not want Bilbo to have a concussion when he woke. "Trean beannachdan agus slainte bi ar tu. Aiseirigh Dain'cecht agus bris seo mallacht. Mascail agus dibir bu airt. An solas de Awen cuidigh mo! Dibir seo tinne me! Dean as! Dean as! Dean as!" She said the spell. Her hands had begun to glow turquoise in color, as she healed the concussion.

The dwarves looked on in shock.

Artemis slowly opened her eyes and slumped back some. "He will need to be taken into the other room so he can wake up." She said tiredly.

"And what of you Miss Houston?" Balin asked, looking at her.

Gandalf picked Bilbo up and took him to another room to place him into a chair.

Artemis slowly tried to stand. Her legs were shaky. "I will most likely need to sit." She said trying to take a step forward, but her legs were not going to allow her.

Gandalf had caught her before she crumpled to the floor. "You did well, my dear girl." He told her before scooping her up into his arms and taking her into the other room placing her into a chair so she could rest and regain some of her energy.

"Gandalf?" Ori asked, looking at the wizard.

"Yes, Ori?" Gandalf asked, looking at the third youngest dwarf.

"What exactly was that?"

"My dear Ori, that was a healing spell. Miss Houston is a very gifted young woman. This is one of the many talents that she has. One of the reasons why I brought her as the 15th companion."

Ori nodded his head. He returned to the table with the others.

Bilbo soon enough awoke and now was holding a cup of tea in his hands. He had noticed that Artemis was in the other chair looking more weary than he had seen her before. She was holding a cup of tea in her hands as well. "I'll be alright, let me sit here quietly for a moment."

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me, when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young hobbit who always was running off in search of elves in the woods, who'd stay out late, and come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps, it's out there." Gandalf said to Bilbo.

"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins of Bag-End."

"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great-great-great-great uncle Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?"

"Yes."

"Well, he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the same time the game of golf was invented at the same time." Gandalf said.

Artemis stood up. "I'll be out there in the other room if you shall need me." She told Gandalf.

"Be careful my dear."

Artemis nodded her head and shakily went back into the other room to be with the dwarves and allow Gandalf and Bilbo to talk.

"How are you feeling Lass?" Gloin asked, looking at her.

Artemis slumped into one of the empty seats that had a back on it. "Tired." She said softly.

"That is quite a gift you have," Bofur said with a smile. "You'll come in handy."

Artemis smiled a small smile. "I have more than that gift Mister Bofur. Much more and I am sure they'll be seen soon enough."

Bilbo walked down the hall.

"It appears we lost our burglar. Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers. Hardly the stuff of legend." Balin said to Thorin.

"There are a few warriors amongst us," Thorin replied.

"Old warriors."

"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over any army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them they came. Loyalty, honor, willing heart. I can ask no more than that."

"You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life worth more than all the gold in Erebor."

Artemis knew that Thorin wouldn't give up. She knew that the dwarves couldn't hear them because they were far enough away, but she heard them because she was close enough to them. She saw Thorin hold up the key.

"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice Balin. Not for me."

"Then we are with you, Laddie. We will see it done. Even she will see it done. She is behind you even though she does not know us." Balin said looking over at Artemis.

Thorin looked over at her. "She is a fool to join us, but her gift will help us. We will need it if one of us gets badly injured." He could not understand why this young woman would sign her life away to help them reclaim their home. She didn't even read the contract. He thought she was insane to do so.

Later on, the dwarves are in Bilbo's living room next to the fire. All of them were smoking on their pipes.

Artemis sat next to Gandalf who was also smoking on his pipe. Artemis had pulled out the cigarettes that she always carried on her and was smoking one.

The dwarves began to hum and Thorin began to sing.

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

Artemis listened sadly to the song. She looked over at Gandalf and could only hope that Gandalf had made the right choice in picking her. She slowly drifted off to sleep because in the morning the journey would begin.

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This is the end of Chapter 3. I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. I hope that I didn't miss anything when I went back through and edited this story. I'm excited to show you guys what happens next. Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this chapter. Reviews help me keep going when it comes to writing any sort of story. I'm kind of glad that I came back and wrote this story out. I hope to have the next chapter out soon. Until next time.