I'm Going On An Adventure! (A Bilbo Baggins Love Story)

Chapter 6

"How did you come by this?" Thorin questioned, and to which Gandalf responded "It was given to me by your father. By Thrain. For safe keeping. It is yours now." he began to hand the key o Thorin. Thorin took it, and Fili spoke "If there is a key... there must be a door." Gandalf nodded and pointed to the runes written on the map "these runes speak of a hidden passage, to the lower halls." "There's another way in." Kili spoke with a smile "If we can find it, though 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." Gandalf replied, Thorin glanced at Gandalf, "The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage." Gandalf looked to Bilbo and then back at the rest of us "But, if we are careful, and clever... I believe that it can be done." "That's why we need a burglar." Ori said "Mhmn! And a good one too. The next burglar I'd imagine." Bilbo spoke up, Gloin responded "And are you?" "Am I what?" Bilbo enquired. "He said he's an expert!" one of the dwarves cried, and there were cheers, "Me? No, no, no, no! I-im not a burglar, I've never stolen a thing in my life!" Bilbo exclaimed and I nodded, speaking up "Nor have I." In truth I had never stolen anything, I had never even wielded a weapon before. "I'm afraid I'll have to agree with mister Baggins and miss O'Brien, they are hardly burglar material. " Balin said "Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin agreed. There was a commotion of arguments and such between the dwarves for a short moment before Gandalf stood, "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins and Abigail O'Brien are burglars, then burglars they are!" Everyone shut up and listened to the wizard as he spoke "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. They can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a Hobbit is unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage." Gandalf sat down and looked to Thorin "You asked me to find the fourteenth and fifteenth members of this company, and I have chosen mister Baggins and miss O'Brien. There are a lot more to them than appearances suggest. And they have a great deal more to offer than any of you know. Including themselves..." He said, and glanced from me to Bilbo. I stood and walked out to grab more ale, returning a moment later and I stood by Bilbo. Gandalf leaned towards Thorin slightly "You must trust me on this..." Thorin nodded ever so slightly "Very well, we'll do it your way. Give them the contract." Much to Bilbo's dismay and sayings of no, he was handed the contract, which we both read over. He mumbled a bit of it aloud until he came upon 'incineration.' He turned and looked at the dwarves "I-Incineration?" Bofur nodded "Oh aye, he'll melt the flesh right off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bilbo gulped and bent over, panicking a bit, and breathing slightly heavy "You alright laddie?" Balin asked, Bilbo nodded "Yes... I-I feel a bit faint.." I gently rubbed his back to try and comfort him, and calm him down. I took the contract, and a quill, before signing my name in one of the blank spots, before giving the contract back to Bilbo. "Think furnace, with wings." Bofur stood and began to talk once more "Yeah... I-I need air.." Bilbo mussed "Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! Your nothing more than a pile of ash!" Bilbo stood straight and tried to calm down, but couldn't. "nope.." was the last word he spoke before falling over. He had fainted. Gandalf stood and picked Bilbo up, setting him in a chair in the next room, I made tea for him and after a while he finally came to. I gave him the tea and sat beside him, leaning my head on his shoulder. Gandalf sat across from us, watching us silently. "I-Ill be alright, just let me sit quietly for a moment." Gandalf finally spoke up "You've been sitting quietly for far too long! Tell me, when did doilies, and your mother dishes become so important to you?" I looked up and nodded "You know, Gandalf is right Bilbo. I remember a you being so adventurous when we first met, always running off in search of elves and treasure with me, coming home late and trailing mud on the carpet..." Gandalf nodded "Quite right, Abigail. A young hobbit who would have liked nothing more than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is more than your books and maps, it's out there." he pointed to the window "I cant just go running off into the blue! I-Im a Baggins o-of Bag End!" I rolled my eyes and groaned softly "You are also a Took." Gandalf replied "Did you know that your great, great, great, great Uncle, Bullroarer Took was so large that he could ride a real horse?" Bilbo nodded "Yes-" "Well he could!" Gandalf interrupted I smiled, having heard this story from Gandalf before and I then spoke "Yes, and in the Battle of Greenfield's, he charged the Goblin ranks and he swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin king's head clean off, sailing a hundred yards, and ending up in a Rabbit hole!" I exclaimed, Gandalf nodded "Indeed Abigail. And thus, the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time." I gigged slightly and nodded "I do believe you made that up!" Bilbo exclaimed, Gandalf sighed softly "Well, all good stories do need a bit of embellishment. You'll both have a tale or two of your own to tell when you get back." Bilbo looked up after sipping his tea "Can you promise that I will come back?" He asked Gandalf shook his head "No. And if you do... you will not be the same..." I fiddled with my skirt, knowing Bilbo would not come. "That's what I thought... Sorry Gandalf.. A-Abigail.." he stood up, setting his tea aside "I cant sign this... You've got the wrong Hobbit, why don't you just take Abbey instead, she's eager to go.." he said and walked off.