There and Back Again: A Girl's Tale

Chapter 4 The Company of Thorin Oakenshield

Chapter 4 The Company of Thorin Oakenshield

Twelve dwarves, one hobbit, one wizard, and one girl were packed like rats in the round tunnel-like entryway of Bag End, all staring as Gandalf opened the door to let in an apparently very important guest.

Elwen was nervous. She'd heard Thorin's name mentioned enough to guess he was some kind of inspirational figurehead to the dwarves, some kind of leader, but she had no other knowledge of the fellow other than the fact that he did not care for elves, and likely wouldn't care for her either.

Well, he doesn't have to like me, she thought. He may be important to these folk, but he's nothing to me. I'm going with them, whether he likes it or not!

Gandalf opened the door and greeted the latecomer with a smile.

"Gandalf," a deep, gruff voice called from the doorway.

The dwarf stepped inside and from her vantage point, Elwen could barely get a glimpse of him. He was taller than all of the other dwarves she'd met up to that point, very close to her height in fact, and he had long black hair set with a few braids. No matter how she angled herself, she couldn't quite see his face.

He pulled off his traveling cloak and said, "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way. Twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for the mark on the door."

He must be crap with directions, then, as I found it easily enough, Elwen thought cheekily.

"Mark?" Bilbo asked, elbowing himself out of the crowd and in front of his new guest. "There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!"

"There is a mark," Gandalf said sheepishly. "I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin turned slightly toward Bilbo and Elwen could finally make out his side profile. He had a handsome face, from what she could tell, with a long nose and shortly trimmed dark beard. He looked rather young but she noticed streaks of grey beginning to appear in his long locks. Curious, very curious.

"So, this is the hobbit!" Thorin said pleasantly enough, taking in Bilbo's appearance as he handed a traveling cloak to an awaiting Kili. "Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?" Bilbo blanched.

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well," Bilbo replied, sounding quite proud, "I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much," Thorin replied, the pleasantness of his voice almost turning to sneering. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

Who the hell did this guy think he was? Elwen knew she should probably keep her mouth shut and stay in the background until Gandalf introduced her, but as the crowd thinned and they attempted to lead Thorin into the kitchen to eat the food of the person he'd just insulted, she couldn't help herself. She really couldn't.

"Where I come from, it is bad manners to insult a man in his own home," Elwen said with a sneer of her own.

She leaned casually against a pillar, arms crossed, trying her best not to seem nervous. But when Thorin Oakenshield whirled around and their eyes met for the first time, it was all she could do not to let her jaw drop.

Thorin wasn't just handsome, he was gorgeous . It wasn't just the ruggedness of his face or the way he held himself, but his eyes were like two beautiful polished blue sapphires, and they were now narrowed on her and filled with pure unadulterated rage.