The Hobbit | The Lost Bender {Book 1}

12 | Reunion

{Rigmor POV}

"I look extremely gross."
"You don't smell very nice, either."

Bilbo gave me an annoyed glare.
"Thank you, Rigmor. Not helping."

I laughed a bit, helping him wash out his clothes. "I'm sorry."
The Hobbit huffed.
"No, I really am. I am helping you get this dried up snot out of your coat, you should be thankful, you know?"

He chuckled. I wrung the water from the red drenched fabric and laid it on top of a rock to dry in the rising sun. Bilbo stepped into the river, turning around to face me.

"Could I please have... some privacy?" I smiled and nodded, a blush creeping onto my cheeks.
"Of course, Mr Baggins."

I stepped away from the bathing Halfling and found Thorin and Gandalf inspecting the Troll statues.

"Any idea where those came from?" I asked, poking the solid surface of one with my finger.
"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors."

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin asked.

"Oh, not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands." the wizard answered, his face growing concerned. Gandalf looked up, staring into the distance.

"They could not have moved in daylight." Thorin started looking around. "There must be a cave nearby."

The cavern Thorin noticed about wasn't far away from the place where we were at.

Carefully, we slid down in the slightly sloping cave, a horrible stench filling my nose. It was like what Bilbo had smelled like, but far, far more disgusting. Myrna gagged and covered her mouth.

"This is fantastic..." she growled under her breath. "Poking through Troll crap? Party time..."

"It's a troll hoard. Be careful what you touch." Gandalf commented, walking past us towards a couple of swords.

Thorin had already picked one up, inspecting the blade carefully.
"These swords were not made by any Troll." he mumbled.
I took one of the remaining swords from the ground and blew the sticky cobwebs off of it.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men." He unsheathed the to view the blade for a few inches before pushing it back.

Gandalf explained: "These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age."

Thorin's face fell and he started putting away the sword, but the grey wizard interrupted him. "You could not wish for a finer blade."

Doubt started covering Thorin's features.

"That one seems well for Bilbo, my dear." Gandalf commented on the small blade I held.
"I will hand it to him outside, Gandalf."
The old man smiled.

"Tell him that it is made by the Elves and will start to gleam blue whenever goblins or orcs are close."

I nodded and walked back to the entrance, passing Myrna on her hands and knees, helping Nori and Bofur pushing sand over a chest with gold.

"We're making a long term deposit!" Gloin said upon seeing my confused face. I frowned and coughed. "Well..."

I stepped outside, breathing in deeply. I spotted Bilbo a few meters away, standing with Ori and Dori.
"Bilbo."
He turned around and smiled a bit.

"Oh, hey."
"How was your bath?"
He gave me a gentle smile.
"Pretty refreshing, thank you."

I held out the sheathed sword.
"Here, this is about your size. Gandalf said you should have it."