I Won't Let You Go (Bagginshield)

Journey Continues.

We woke up early the next morning to continue on the next leg of our journey. We had passed some old, abandoned campsites which Thorin feared belonged to goblins or Orcs. I was in no hurry to meet up with any of those, I had heard they could be particularly nasty, and Orcs...well, they would eat anything and everything.

"Bilbo," Thorin said as we rode the ponies, "come up here and ride beside me. I wish to speak with you."

Nervously, I guided my pony so we were side by side. "Yes?"

"Tell me about your home."

"Well..." I hesitated. What was there to tell, really? Did the future king under the mountain really want to know, or was he just making conversation? "The Shire is a nice place, at least for us Hobbits. We don't use weapons or have wars, we're generally very peaceful...um, we like to farm. And smoke pipeweed and have parties, but of course we usually do work before play. We eat alot..."

He smiled. "It sounds like a very nice place, Master Baggins," he told me. "Perhaps one day I will have to come and see this Shire at it's full glory, in the daylight."

I was stunned. "You will have to show us how to make Dwarven ale," I replied. "Our ale is rather dull, and tastes a bit like Earth."

He laughed out loud, and I was embarrassed. What had I said? Thorin looked at me and noticed my cheeks were red. "Oh, no worries, Master Baggins. I laughed merely because I could taste what you described, and it's a foul taste indeed. I promise that one of these days, after our journey, I will bring you a special recipe for Dwarven Ale, and we will share a mug or two together."

I nodded, unable to speak. Would he really be impressed with the Shire? He had been in my home, for a small time, but he had been in it nonetheless. Had he been impressed with what he had seen? I hoped so, but for some reason I couldn't find the courage to ask.

"What about your family?" He asked, growing serious again.

"Family. Well, Thorin, it's simple. I have no family. I have nothing, and no one. Well, that's not true. I have a sister, and some disgruntled relatives that I wish to disassociate myself with. But other than that, I have no one. I have had many women come to me, but they haven't stayed. They claim I'm selfish. And I suppose, maybe I am."

"Selfish? Why do they call you that?" His gaze was burning into me, and I had to look away.

"Many of them want to leave the Shire...they want to go out and see the world, to be somewhere else other than Hobbiton. I understand their point of views as to why they want to leave, but...I have no desire to leave the Shire. It's my home, it's always been my home, I don't think I should leave it just because someone wants to."

Thorin nodded. "That's not selfish, Master Baggins. That's simply just your preference in life. I had to leave Erebor, and many of the women that desired a relationship did not want to leave. They chose to stay, so I went without them. And here I am..."

For a few minutes, we rode in silence, just thinking. Then I spoke up. "My sister has one child, a boy named Frodo. I keep meaning to visit him but I haven't had a chance. I just hope I get to make it back and see him."

"I assure you, you will make it back," Thorin promised.

"But how can you be sure? There are so many dangers."

"That's why we come armed, Bilbo Baggins."

I flushed. I was being illogical and I knew it. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him about Erebor, about that day so long ago, when he had saved my life. I was going to ask if he remembered that prisoner, until I realized I was afraid to hear the answer, in case the answer was no. I didn't want to have to deal with the pain of knowing that he had forgotten me.

"Next stop?" I asked instead.

"We cross through Rivendell," he answered, his voice tight. Had I angered him in some way? I stayed silent, waiting for him to make the next conversation.

But he said nothing, and we rode on together, in silence.