A Priestess For Middle Earth

Chapter 8 Traveling Through The Shire

As the morning wore on, Bilbo's stomach rumbled loudly. He suddenly realized that the Dwarves were not going to be stopping for his usual second breakfast or for that matter any of his meal times. He let out a sigh of frustration. Just then Kagome handed him something wrapped in a handkerchief. He looked at her curiously.

"I made them early this morning just in case you changed your mind," She tells him.

He opens the handkerchief and inside are three rice balls. Bilbo gives Kagome an appreciative look, "Thank you Kagome I appreciate it."

She smiles at him, "I know it isn't much-"

He cuts her off, "It is more than I could have hoped for," He squeezed her hand in thanks, then proceeded to eat them.

Thorin had seen the entire exchange between the Priestess and the Halfling. His hatred for the little Hobbit grew though he didn't understand why. He faced forward hands once again squeezing the reins so tight his knuckles turned white. Gandalf saw this and only smirked, but said nothing. Thorin hates the fact that he feels this way and doesn't know why.

*It's because the Halfling is a weakling that has to be coddled by the girl.* Thorin thought. There could be no other reason.

*It was a mistake to let him join. He will only slow us down and may even cost us this quest,* Thorin thought bitterly.

He had yet to form an opinion about Kagome, other than she could be a potential distraction. He looked back again at Kagome and his heart skipped a beat.

*Hmm, I must have Oin examine me to see what that is about,*' Thorin thought as he rubbed his chest.

It didn't hurt, it just felt strange. Thorin narrowed his eyes as he saw his nephews slowly making their way towards Kagome and the Halfling. He turned back around shaking his head, "A distraction."

Dwalin rode up next to Thorin. "If you keep doing that, Thorin, you're going to pull something." Dwalin said with a chuckle.

Thorin frowned and looked at his best friend, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Dwalin," Thorin said.

"Twisting around in your seat to glare at the Halfling,"

Thorin only huffed and looked straight ahead.

In the back of the line Fili and Kili made their way towards Kagome. Curious about what Bilbo was eating. They came and rode on either side of Kagome, "Hello Kagome." The said in unison.

She looked at  both of them and giggled, "Hello you two, what brings you up here?"

The boys lean forward and look at each other, "Well, we saw that you gave something to Bilbo and were…" Fili said

"Curious as to what it was," Kili finished.

Kagome blinked and burst out in a fit of laughter. It was such a contagious laugh it had Fili and Kili laughing as well.

"What's so funny," Kili asked.

Kagome gasps trying to control herself, "Do you always finish each other's sentences?"

The boys look at each other, "We do not…" Fili said

"Finish each other's sentences," Kili finished.

Kagome collapsed in another fit of laughter. The boys looked at each other stunned, they never realized they did that and started laughing as well.

Thorin squirmed in his saddle out of sheer annoyance, hearing Kagome and his nephews laughing so loud. The older Dwarves could see that, but the young ones were oblivious. Thorin stopped his pony and waited for Kagome, Bilbo, and his nephews to catch up to him. Thorin's mood soured the closer they got to him. He was sending them an icy glare. Fili and Kili made eye contact with their uncle and instantly stopped laughing. Bilbo followed their gaze and saw the look on Thorin's face and fell silent as well. Kagome, on the other hand, was still unaware.