The Hobbit: An Unexpected Discovery

Chapter Eighteen: What Signal?

The next morning, Fae and Serethiel were woken by a commotion outside their bedroom door. The dwarves were running around and panicking due to the sudden appearance of their host, who had switched back to his human form and was brandishing a giant axe outside. Gandalf was standing by the door desperately trying to shut them all up. Fae sat up slowly and laughed at the sight of them.

"Care-vamme n-faica. So na-scarime ana i ince cait. (don't be mean. He is scary to the small folk)"  Serethiel chided, glaring at her cousin.

"Ar i alta bui i thír-o ha. (and the big by the look of it)." Fae said, pointing at Gandalf who was looking increasingly more stressed by the minute. Both elves shared a laugh before walking to the front of the gathering.

"I say we should leg it, slip out the back way" Nori volunteered, stepping towards Gandalf. Dwalin turned to face him with a look that could kill.

"I'm not running from anyone, beast or no." Dwalin spat and Nori squared himself up, still only reaching half the height of the large dwarf, and opened his mouth to start shouting but was interrupted by Fae's scolding voice.

"There's no point in arguing we cannot pass through the wilderness without Beorn's help. We'll be hunted down before we ever get to the forest." She said, leaning into Thorin's outstretched arm. He squeezed her shoulder gently and kissed her atop her head. Unlike the other members of the company, Thorin, Fili and Kili were scarily calm. Contrasting to the small hobbit, who had just wormed his way between the brothers of Durin. He was trembling so hard that Fae was worried he might pass out. She buried her head into Thorin's shoulder in order to stifle her laughter as Gandalf spotted the hobbit and called his name, causing him to whimper in fear.

"Ah, Bilbo there you are," Gandalf called. "Now this will require some delicate handling. We must tread very carefully. The last person to have startled him was torn to shreds." The elves nodded in confirmation, causing the dwarves to panic again. Kili and Thorin glanced at each other and the young prince went and stood by Serethiel's side whilst Thorin tightened his grip around Fae's shoulders, smirking slightly when Gandalf winced at the sound of Beorn's axe cutting a block of wood in half from outside. The wizard swallowed loudly, looking at the elves for help.

"I will go first and...uh Bilbo..." Gandalf started pointing at Bilbo "will come with me. Fae and Serethiel you can come too." he finished and the hobbit whimpered.

"Is...uh...is this a good idea?" he questioned. Fae rolled her eyes and stepped away from Thorin.

"Yes." She said in passing before facing the company as a whole. "Now the rest of you just wait here and don't come out until Gandalf gives the signal." She finished glaring at the troop who nodded in understanding.

"Right wait for the signal," Bofur said, nodding his head and looking out the window once more. Serethiel stepped forward next to her cousin.

"And no sudden moves" she started, making a list of all the things the dwarves were not to do and would surely fail at. "or loud noises and don't overcrowd him. Only come out in pairs." She paused and looked at Bombur, who was eating a carrot rather loudly. "No...uh actually Bombur you count as two so you should come out alone" upon hearing these words the dwarf nodded sadly and Fae patted him on the shoulder comfortingly.

"Remember, wait for the signal," Gandalf said turning around and pulling the elves and Bilbo out of the house. The dwarves began to whisper among themselves, gradually becoming louder, only silenced once more by Bofur's shout of: "What signal would that be?" Gandalf however, was now too preoccupied with the large man looming above him.

"You're nervous," Bilbo observed as the wizard cleared his throat and combed back his grey hair. Fae chuckled and placed her hand on Gandalf's shoulder.