Heart of a Dragon

Chapter 4: King of the Forest.

When Elerìna awoke, it was to a ceiling. It took her a moment to realise her whereabouts—in the house of Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit who did not seem to want to come on the Quest for Erebor.

She rolled over, and noticed a blanket twisted around her legs. That was most definitely not hers, so she assumed that someone had draped it over her as she slept. Now that she stretched and packed up her sleeping mat, the sound of thunderous snoring reached her ears. She had no idea how she had managed to sleep so well in that din.

Elerìna fastened her sword to her belt, leaving her bow and quiver on the table, before stepping lightly out of the door.

From the look of it, the sun was just an hour old in the sky. To her slight surprise, there was a market just opening near the inn of the Green Dragon.

Elerìna examined some apples, before greeting the shrinking Hobbit before her.

'Good morning.' She said casually. 'I hope you slept well?'

The Hobbit grimaced, but said nothing.

Around her, some of the early risers were talking loudly.

'Did you hear those Dwarves?'

'Hear them? They were singing well after nine!'

Sighing, Elerìna bought some apples for Rochallor, bread for herself, and some food for Bilbo out of the pouch of gold in her boot.

When Elerìna returned to Bag End, the ponies were wide awake, and Rochallor looked slightly disgruntled, being surrounded by all these companions. He, like Elerìna, preferred a solitary life.

'Good morning, Rochallor.' Elerìna smiled. 'Are you hungry?'

She fed him an apple fondly, and opened the door to come face to face with a scowling Thorin.

'Where were you?' he demanded.

'Good morning to you too.' Elerìna replied dryly. 'I was down at the market, buying food for Mr. Baggins. If you did not notice, we plundered his pantry last night.'

Thorin stood aside to let her in. Some of the Dwarves were awake, and rousing the others.

'What's for breakfast?' Glóin asked the crowd, yawning widely.

'There is a market down the hill.' Elerìna informed him.

Most of the Dwarves, and a cheerful Gandalf went out of the door, leaving Elerìna with Thorin and a sleeping Bilbo Baggins. Dwalin frowned at her suspiciously as he left.

'Did you sleep well?' Elerìna asked as she slung her bow over her shoulder and examined her arrows critically.

'Well enough.' Thorin grunted, eyes fixed on her hands as she checked her arrows for warps or missing feathers. 'Who are you?'

'I am Elerìna.' She replied patiently, sliding her arrows back into her quiver.

'That is your name, not who you are.' Thorin retorted sharply. It was annoyingly astute of him.

'I am a Dúnedain Ranger, and your dragon-expert.' Elerìna answered smoothly. 'That is all you ever need know. My, you are full of questions this morning.'

'And you expect me to trust you?' Thorin said incredulously.

'I expect you to trust my ability to do the task assigned to me.' Elerìna said curtly. 'You do trust Gandalf, don't you? He wouldn't knowingly send someone to do something they couldn't do.'

'The Hobbit, you mean.' Thorin scowled at her darkly. 'He will not come, and he should not.'

'He will come,' Elerìna returned. 'And you need not worry about his safety. He will be under my care, and Gandalf's.'