"Oin has read the portents and the portents say it is time." Gloin folded his hands importantly.
"Aye, ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain."
"As it was foretold. When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." the words escaped me and a smile crept up in their place.
"Exscuse me, what beast?" Bilbo's head swiveled.
"Oh, that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible. Chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire breather. Teeth like razors, claws like meat-hooks.... Extremely prone to precious metals."
"Yes, I know what a dragon is. There's one on the map right in front of me." I raised my eyebrows at Bofur. I could sense Thorin's eyes on me.
Ori jumped up from his chair, "I'm not afraid, I'm up for it! I'm up for it! I'll give him a taste of Dwarvish iron right up his jacksy!" Dori told his brother to sit down.
"The pass will be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen. And not thirteen of the best or brightest." many dwarves took offense to being called dim. Fili brought his hand down on the table.
"We may be few in number, but we're fighters. All of us, to the last dwarf!"
His brother chimed in,"And you forget we have a wizard in our company! Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!"
"How many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number." All the dwarves began rioting.
"THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN 7 DRAGONS IN THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE EARTH INCLUDING THE IDIOTIC WORM LOCKED UP INSIDE YOUR MOUNTAIN!" I looked around and no one was listening, "Please..."
"SHARZA!!!" Every dwarf went silent. Thorin had evidently heard my quiet please and silenced the crowd. "If we we have read these signs do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look East to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back and claim what is rightfully ours, or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?" the dwarves cheered.
"But the Front Gate is sealed. There is no way into The Mountain." Balin's face saddened.
"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf drew a key from the folds of his robe with a flourish.
"How came you by this?" Thorin gazed at the key as if it was the last jewel in Middle Earth.
"It was given to me by your father. By Thrain. For safekeeping. It is yours now." the key changed hands and all the power in the world seemed to settle on Thorin's shoulders.
"If there is a key, there must be a door..." I rolled my eyes at Fili, but he didn't see. My eyes turned to the red runes on one side of the map.
"These runes speak of a hidden passage... to the Lower Halls..." I squinted at the runes to be sure I had read them right.
"There's another way in..." Kili smiled.
"If we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies somewhere in this map, but I do not have the wits to find it." Gandalf looked as if he was afraid that he would let the Dwarves down.
"But Gandalf, aren't there others in Middle Earth who can?" Gandalf smiled down at me and Thorin let out a small sigh of relief.
"The task I have in mind will require stealth and no small amount of courage." He paused and cast his eyes on Bilbo and I. "But if we are clever and careful, I believe that it can be done."
"That's why we need burglars, isn't it?" Ori pointed to me.
"Good ones too. Experts, I'd imagine." Bilbo slid his fingers along his suspenders.
"And are you?"
"And are we what?" Bilbo looked so naive.
"They said they're experts!" Oin and the other dwarves cheered.
"Me? No! I've never stolen a thing in my life!" Bilbo looked offended.
"I haven't either but I can guarantee that I'd be a better burglar than you, brother dear." Fili and Kili chuckled.
"I'll have to agree with the lady. Mr. Baggins is hardly burglar material."
"Aye," Dwalin stared at Thorin," the wild is no place for folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves."
"I can do both." Bilbo looked at me as if I had some horrible disease.
"ENOUGH! If I say the Bagginses are burglars, then burglars they are." Gandalf was enshrouded by dark clouds. Bilbo had jumped back nearly 10 feet. It was most amusing.
"Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact they can pass unseen by most if they wish." Gandalf continued.
"The dragon is familiar with the smell of dwarf, but the scent of Hobbit will be all but a mystery to him!" Gandalf's plan was genius. Thorin looked doubtful.
"You asked me to find the fourteenth and fifteenth members of our company, and I have chosen Belladonna and Bilbo Baggins."
"There's quite a bit more to my brother than meets the eye. He's got a great deal to offer. More than any of you know! More than he knows about himself, I'm sure." I looked over at Bilbo and he smiled weakly. "Trust Gandalf, Thorin. If not Gandalf, then trust me."
"Very well, give them the contract." Balin stood.
"This is just the usual. Out of pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, and so forth." Thorin passed the paper to Bilbo.
"FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS!?!?" He unfolded the paper as he stepped out into the hall. I followed and Thorin turned to Gandalf.
"I cannot guarantee their safety."
"Understood."
"Nor will I be responsible for their fates."
"Agreed..." I could picture the sad look on Gandalf's face. I could hear Bilbo muttering in the background.
".....present company will not be held accountable for injuries inflicted or sustained by... not including or limited to: lacerations, evisceration, incineration.." he turned back towards the room full of Dwarves.
"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off yer bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur said.
"Are you alright, Bilbo?" he was on the verge of hyperventilating.
"Yeah.. feel a bit faint."
"Think furnace with wings."
"Bofur, you're not helping!" I smacked him in the shoulder.
"I need air.."
"Flash of light, searing pain, then.."
"POOF! You're nothing more than a pile of ash, I know. Sit down and shut it."
"Nope." Bilbo collapsed, contract in hand. I bent down and picked it up off of the floor.
"Appears he's been struck by lightning. Let's get down to business, shall we? Do you have a quill?"
YOU ARE READING
The Shire's Deadly Flower
Fanfiction"He looked rugged and dangerous. He looked like a king." The sister of Bilbo Baggins has been raised to be a high society hobbit woman all her life. However, she has been learning of the outside world just as long. She is particularly interested in...
