Unexpected

Chapter 2: Bets

The dwarves had set out at first light. Bilbo hadn't signed the contract, but it was left at his house anyways, in case he changed his mind. They road their ponies on the path of a wooded area. Gandalf was in front, leading on his horse. Sudden footsteps approached.

"Wait! Wait!"

The dwarves shouted, signalling the ponies to stop. Bilbo finally caught up and handed Balin the contract. "I signed it!" He said happily. Balin took out his pocket glasses and inspected the contract. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." All of them clapped and cheered, except Thorin. "Give him a pony."

Bilbo tried to protest, but Fili and Kili road up beside the hobbit and picked him up. He let out a cry as he was lifted onto a pony that walked beside Eili's.

"Come on, Nori, pay up." said Oin. Sacks of money flew through the air from dwarf to dwarf. "What's that about?" asked Bilbo. "Oh, this? We took wagers on whether or not you'd show up."

A large sack of money was tossed to Eili. "How come everyone else got less? It looks like you made the most out of the others." He asked. She smiled. "You see Master Baggins, I bet double. I didn't doubt you for a second." Fili and Kili, who road behind the two, interrupted. "Aw stop Eili, you're making him blush." An embarrassed Bilbo hid his face by burying it into the horses mane. "ACHOO!" Bilbo sneezed. "All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction." He searched his pockets, but was unable to find what he was looking for.

"No, wait, wait, stop!" He panicked, "We have to turn around." The entire company stopped immediately. Gandalf turned his head to see behind him. "What on earth is the matter?"

"I forgot my handkerchief."

"Here! Use this." Bofur said as he tossed Bilbo a dirty piece of cloth. He looked at it in disgust. Dwalin started moving again. "Here." Eili held out her hand, offering a clean handkerchief. "I usually carry a spare." He accepted it thankfully, and the group continued on our way.

•

The company set up camp at the edge of a cliff. Most of the dwarves were asleep and Thorin was nodding off. Eili and her brothers sat by the fire. Gandalf stood at the edge and looked into the distance while Bilbo stood by his pony. A sudden ear piercing screech filled the night and tension now occupied the air. "What was that?" Bilbo hurried over to them.

"Orcs."

Thorin's head jerked up at that word.

"Orcs?"

Fili nodded. "Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them. They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood."
Bilbo and Eili looked away in fright. The brothers glanced at each other and started to chuckle.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"

They hung their heads. "We didn't mean anything by it." Kili murmured.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." The dwarf king said bitterly. As Thorin walked off to the edge of the cliff, Balin shifted towards the fire. "Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first." With that, he began the tale Eili had heard so many times before. How her uncle got the name 'Oakenshield', how he had almost defeated Azog the Defiler, and how Thorin led our people when their King was lost.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin spat. And with that to end the night, they slept.