A Shot in the Dark (Thilbo - Bagginshield)

Chapter 24

The mithril shirt was just as light and cool as Bilbo remembered it to be. It fell to his thighs and past his elbows but left his collar bone and neck wide open along with his legs and arms. When he stood before Tauriel to show her this, she slowly took in every inch of skin that was visible to her in the morning light.

"I believe I have made enough and what I lack can be easily fixed," she said with one arm crossed over her chest while the other tapped out an unknown melody against her chin. "I may have to adjust a few pieces too."

Bilbo shrugged one shoulder. "As you wish. May I see what you have made so far?"

The Elf nodded and squatted down to the swathed bundle that she had brought along. When she opened it, he saw several pieces of light brown leather that were sewed together with meticulous little brown stitches. Most of the pieces looked incomplete to his eyes but he couldn't be sure. It wasn't as if he knew anything about armor.

"The first thing I made were these greaves to protect your legs," Tauriel explained, holding up the two longest pieces of leather with brown laces at the edges. "I will tie them for you, but you must tell me if they're too tight."

He nodded and held still at the Elf slid the smooth leather around one of his legs. It came up just past his knee and ended nearly to his ankles. The rough edges tickled his feet, but it covered his tendon well enough, so he ignored it. When he gave her a nod, Tauriel easily and quickly laced it up on the side and looked up at him with her brows raised.

"How does it feel?"

The Hobbit lifted his leg, tested the weight, and then bent it before he gave her a nod. "Perfect. It's not too heavy and I can still move easily enough."

The Elf flashed him a quick smile before setting her attention on the second greave. "Perfect. Let's try the other one now."

Once both greaves were laced up and secured, the warrior moved on and pulled out an oddly shaped piece of leather. It was the same color as the greaves but was shaped as a triangle with smooth edges and the same bit of lacing at one end. When he asked what it was, the captain explained it.

"This is a gorget," she said, wrapping the piece around his neck. "It will protect your neck and collar bone."

"It feels like a noose," Bilbo complained, tugging at the top where it dug into his jaw and chin.

Tauriel rolled her eyes and pulled his hand away. "You'll be thankful for it later when it saves you from an arrow to the neck. Now stop wiggling and let me tie this."

He sniffed but held still for the Elf. Once it was properly laced up, he found that it did, indeed, cover most of his neck and a good portion of his upper chest. The leather was just as smooth and warm as the other two and protected him well enough. He still hated it though as it kept pushing up into his jaw.

The final piece of armor the Elf presented to him was a simple pair of fingerless gauntlets. The leather was soft and well used and covered his entire forearm. It snugly embraced his hands and arms when he flexed them.

"Well, now. Take a look at you. You look like an actual warrior," the captain praised, settling her hands on her slight hips.

Bilbo looked down at himself and snorted. "I look like I allowed a blind Man to dress me. Nothing matches."

"Really? I was thinking you look more like you allowed a child to dress you," the Elf commented, winking at him.

He made a face at her that earned him a wind chime laugh in response.

"Put your shirt and pants on and it will look better," she advised him, tossing her long hair over one shoulder.

The Hobbit did as order and found that in the end he did no longer look as ridiculous as before. When he pulled on his frayed and ripped red coat, Tauriel made a noise in her throat that drew his attention back to her.