Concerning Hobbits

Pansy had only gotten but a few hours’ sleep when Bilbo shook her awake “come on do get up, we are leaving. Pack up” Bilbo said shaking pansy gently. With a groan and a moan Pansy pushed herself up and rolled up her bedding, slinging her back onto her back she sighed “why so soon” she muttered “because we must leave before the elves take notice” Bwalin answered Pansy had not realized her was there and jumped a bit “good morning” Bwalin laughed “is it good? That was the worst night’s sleep I’ve ever had” Pansy said with a frown closing her eyes for a minute she saw a towering figure clothing in thick black armor she gasped and opened her eyes “I feel something awful is coming” she thought looking over the company “let’s hope it wants nothing to do with us” she muttered before going to Bilbo’s side as they awaited for the others to head out.

Thorin lead the company up the side of a mountain on a very narrow trail. “I hate heights” Pansy muttered refusing to look down, “be on your guard” Thorin called out “we are about to step over the edge to the wild” He said letting a few of the party pass him up “Bwalin you know these paths lead on” he called as the elder dwarf passed him. Pansy looking down at her feet trying not to focus on how high up they were bumped into Bilbo who stopped taking one last long glance at the beauty of Rivendell. “Bilbo!” she barked lightly as she fell back on her rear “Sorry, sorry” He called scrambling to help her back up. “Are you alright?” he asked, Pansy dusted herself off “I’m just sleepy” She muttered Bilbo nodded a bit and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Maybe this was a bad idea” She sighed. Thorin watched them carefully growing impatient. “Master Baggins, Little Baggins” He called out “I suggest you keep up” He added once the two hobbits looked up at him. Pansy frowned “sorry” she muttered following after Bilbo.

They had been walking for hours now non-stop Pansy dragged behind greatly now, “maybe Bwalin was right.” she thought watching the others “maybe I shouldn’t have come” she muttered. Kili glanced back and her and stopped letting a few of the others pass him up. He looked her over and sighed to himself before jogging back to her. “Something troubling you Little Baggins?” He asked as he walked beside her. “I’m starting to think that I don’t belong here” Pansy said with a sigh. “And?” Kili asked, even he knew that, but that never bothered her before, after all He thought that was the very reason why she had come along at all. “Lord Thorin thinks I am slowing everyone down” She added “ He thinks Bilbo is to, and no doubt he think Fili and I are as well, My uncle has his moods, I pay them no mind” Kili chuckled, Pansy sighed again “I want to be useful on this adventure, it’s probably the only one I’ll ever have” Pansy added, Kili looked down at his feet “well the next time to rest, You will get another lesson” He beamed, Pansy shook her head “if we stop at all we’ve been going on for hours” she added in. Kili stayed quiet feeling defeated and then he got an idea. If Thorin thought she was slowing them down He would make her fast, as fast him. Kili grabbed Pansy’s hand and started running. “What! What are you doing!?” she called trying her best to keep up and not be dragged along the ground. “If you are to slow, you will become faster” He said simply. “This isn’t going to work!” Pansy said stumbling slightly. “sure it will every so many feet you will run, and you will keep up with me” said Kili turning to look back at her He smiled and let go of her hand “keep up with me” He stated again. Pansy began to fall behind dramatically so. “Ugh! This isn’t going to work!” she called in frustration but nonetheless kept running, trying her best to go faster but she hardly sped up at all. “Come on!” Kili called from the head of the line now he had stopped running and was now waiting for her. Thorin raised a brow at Kili as he walked by “I said I would train her…I said she’d be able to fight and I plain to keep my word” Kili said somewhat seriously. Thorin shook his head “you will fail” he muttered continuing on. Bwalin patted Kili’s shoulder and smiled a bit following after Thorin.

Pansy stopped in front of Kili panting heavily resting her hands on her knees hunched over. She looked up at him through her hair “How did I do?” she asked between breaths “bad” he laughed at this Pansy groaned. Kili slapped his hand onto her back and gave a wide toothy smile “but you will do better” He said, Pansy looked up at him and stood up straight and nodded. Before following him as he walked slowly with her following Ori and Fili.

They traveled under a large waterfall over very slick rock, “watch your step” Bilbo warned but it was too late, pansy slid forward, keeping her balance she didn’t fall as she skated across the ice, yelling for the others in line to move side or to watch out. Thorin turned and grabbed her by the arm halting her, she looked up at him with a silly smile “um thank you?” she tired but was given an irritated glare. Thorin threw down her arm and walked on ahead again. “ow” Pansy thought rubbing her arm where his grip had been. She watched him walk away “I do not understand. He wasn’t so mean before” She thought but her words left her mind and came from her lips. “Yes he was he was just keeping it to himself” Bilbo muttered walking past her. “Hardly has a nice bone in his body I am sure of it” He added at this Pansy giggled and followed after Bilbo. As long as Bilbo could handle a bit of Dwarvish rudeness so could she. After all who had more patience? It had been now nearly the whole day it was around dinner time and between the sheer ceaseless hours of walking and the off and on running with Kili Pansy was completely worn out and lagged far behind the others. “Go help her out” Fili said nudging Kili a bit nodding back to Pansy. “How?” Kili asked oblivious Fili shook his head at his younger brother “go carry her” Fili muttered “why she’s heavy and I’m tired too” Kili stated Fili shook his head “you are too thick” he said nocking his fist against Kili’s forehead like a door “now go and help her out” Fili instructed giving Kili and light push. “Alight, alright” Kili muttered with a sigh he ran back to her “you look half dead” he commented with a smile “I am not, I’m just saving energy” she said stubbornly “want a rest? You can ride on my back for a while” Kili offered but Pansy shook her head “I’m fine really, but I could use a bit of company” she said, Kili just nodded, he was thankful he didn’t have to carry her after all “I can do that” he said and then struck up a conversation.

The company finally took rest after protest from Bwalin and Nori that they had been pushed far enough. Pansy exhaled in relief as she dropped her pack from her back and flopped to the ground. She began to rub her feet, closing her eyes she tried to relax but her feet would not stop aching. Bilbo came over to her side “ it’s about time, I thought we’d be going on for days before we stopped” He said looking down at Pansy his eyes went to her hand “your burns almost completely gone” he commented “mhhhm” Pansy said with a nod. Bilbo furrowed his brows and red droplet appeared on Pansy’s hands. “Are your feet bleeding?” Bilbo asked kneeling at her feet pansy opened her eyes and stopped rubbing her feet, she laid her legs out in front of her and looked at her hands “great something else” she muttered “I need the medical pouch” Bilbo called out, “hello? Someone?” he asked Bofur, Bifur, and Bwalin looked up “the medical pouch?” Bilbo asked again “has anyone got it?” He asked “well, I believe Gandalf did” Bwalin answered Bilbo rolled his eyes “great, well hasn’t somebody got a gauzes or some wraps of some kind” Bilbo called frustrated not only was he exhausted but now there was this. “What’s going on?” Fili asked with a raised brow as he and Kili came to investigate what all the commotion was about. “Pansy’s feet are bleeding and I would like to find something to wrap them in” Bilbo huffed “It’s not so serious, honestly I’m fine” Pansy spoke quickly grabbing Bilbo’s collar she yanked him closer to her “listen, I need you to not make such a fuss, Thorin and Dwalin already want me gone, and I want to stay,” Kili and Fili circled around her to listen “any little thing can have me sent back and I don’t want to go” She said sadly, the two brothers glanced at each other and Bilbo sighed “fine” He said simply as she let him go “Bilbo Thorin’s got a few wraps” Bofur called looking back at Thorin who was making his way over to the small group. “Perfect” Pansy muttered deprecatingly. “One of you are in need of dressing?” Thorin asked looking over the small group. Pansy pulled her legs in and sat with them curled up to her side as to hide her feet. “Um it turned out to be something minor” Bilbo managed glancing at Pansy. Thorin reached into his side bag and pulled out a roll of wrapping “Here” he called tossing the roll to Fili “in case it is decided it’s needed” Pansy watched him baffled as he didn’t seem annoyed this time around. Thorin focused on Pansy for a moment before heading back to Dwalin. Pansy exhaled in relief before wincing a bit at her throbbing feet. “Here while he isn’t looking, quick give us your legs” Kili said taking a bit of the wrap as he and Fili began to patch up Pansy’s feet.

Night fell Pansy wasn’t feel hungry, she was too nervous to eat. She laid on her bedding far from the rest of the group and watched them sit around the fire talking. She’s never felt so out of place in her life. Bilbo watched her from his seat frowning a bit. He knew how much being able to be and stay on this adventure meant to her. After all she hadn’t stuck her noise in that book of hers since they started out. He carefully watched the dwarves talk and eat. Thorin, Bwalin, and Dwalin were having a very hushed private conversation. Pansy too could see this from where she lay and it made her all the more ill at ease. Rolling over to turn away from the group and saw her crossbow sticking out from her pack. Her eyes lingered on it for a while, finally she grabbed it, she looked back at the group to make she was had gone unnoticed before quietly getting up and slinking off. There wasn’t much brush so she used the large rocks as cover. She roamed a good distance away from the party, so far she could no longer see the bonfire. Looking around and scanning the area, she looked for something she could use as a target. But all she found was rocks. “Oh” she sighed in disappointment lowering her crossbow. Not one thing besides the dirt that her arrows could safely lodge into without snapping in half. Then she spotted it, a tinny bird, it fumbled in their air as it tried to fly, it never got too far off of the ground. It had a lame wing. Surely if she could kill it and bring it back they would see she has learned something. That she won’t be useless forever. Pansy notched an arrow into her bow and fired, but her shot missed. And merely knocked the bird to the ground it laid there regaining itself before getting to its feet. Pansy rolled her eyes at herself how could see miss it? She was determined to try again but this time she got a little closer. As she notched another Arrow into her bow the bird looked at her. “Wait! I beseech of you!” she heard something called Pansy lowered the Bow and blinked a few times she then raised it back up to take aim shaking her head, “I’m losing it, and If I am not I need this little bird to show the others I am useful” she muttered “You have lost nothing, let me go free and good fortune shall come to you when you least expect it” The bird called Pansy dropped her crossbow “again?” She gasped “first the rabbits, now birds?” She added. “let me go free and one day I will return the favor, A Sparrow is always good on his word, little girl” It chirped. “I am not a little girl!” pansy barked she then sighed and rubbed her temples “But honestly what would such a small little bird have shown them anyway” she muttered picking up her bow and slinging it onto her back “and even so I cannot take the life of something so helpless” she added. “Thank you, thank you, you will not regret this night, no, no, no” The sparrow chirped before trying to take to the air again. Pansy watched him fail a few times and finally take to the air. With a heavy sigh she headed back.

Back at the camp Pansy dropped her bow and went to lay back down, it seemed that the others were sleeping, she had no idea she had been gone so long “and just where did you run off to” Pansy jumped a bit at the sound of Thorin’s voice. “Nowhere” pansy said lowly getting down on her pelts. Thorin grunted a bit and continued to leer at her “goodnight” she called before turning her back to him and trying to get some sleep.

In the morning breakfast was quick and merger, which was disheartening for the two hobbits as without having their customary second breakfast the bigger the first one the better. Pansy gathered her things and made sure she was one of the first ready to head out. The hike was the same as the day before, with Kili running Pansy every so often, however still she had gained little to no speed or stamina. Pansy found that she had safe and friendly company in Ori, Dori and Bofur and would try and keep walking pace with one of them in order to keep up with the group. “Hey Ori?” Pansy called out jogging a bit to catch up with him. “Yes?” Pansy adjusted her bag on her back “I have a question, Dwarf women. They have beards too right? Why don’t they shave them?” Pansy asked truth way this question had been on her mind ever since she had read about the dwarves in her book back in the shire. Ori thought for a moment “because most dwarf men like them not all but most” He said Pansy shook her head “but well isn’t like being with a man? I mean how can you tell would it even matter?” Pansy asked Ori laughed a bit “I’m serious” Pansy stated “Because men don’t have breasts” Bofur commented walking past them. “But they do! I’ve seen it with my own eyes if they are fat they grow breasts to” Pansy said at this Bofur Laughed “that and it is not allowed in our custom to choose the same gender has your wife” Bofur added. “You can’t tell the difference, so I don’t see why not. You know the elves do it from time to time.” Pansy paused “come to think of it half the time you can’t tell their genders apart either” she added in. “the fact that the elves do it is a good enough reason why we don’t” said Ori. Pansy nodded her curiosity satisfied, and then she had a thought “You’re all men right?” she asked almost timidly at this both dwarves laughed loudly and kept walking.

Their road took them over the mountains, Pansy stopped to take in the site before her, large snow caped mountain peaks stood level with her in the near far as they hike atop of one themselves. She’s never seen something so beautiful yet so frightening in her life. So mesmerized by the mountains that she had nearly forgotten she was afraid of heights. “Wow” she breathed as a small grin came to her face “The misty mountains are a lovely site to see, Cadaras being one of the best peaks within the misty mountains” Bwalin commented offering up a smile. “Cadaras? I’ve never really seen many mountains, the Shire is made up of hills and flat lands.” Pansy said never taking her eyes off of the mountain. Bwalin nodded. Thorin seeing the two had fallen behind went to them to get them on the move again “their beautiful, the Mountains. The snow, looks almost heavenly atop them” Pansy said. “Do they all get snow?” Pansy asked turning to Bwalin. “No not all, Mount doom in Mordor is untouched by snow, ah but Erebor” Bwalin said fondly Thorin drew in a deep breath as the tough of his home at once relaxed him and hurt him. “Erebor” He spoke Pansy had not notice he was there at all “In the winters it’s dusted in the whitest of snow the outer walls of the Lonely Mountain frost, though inside warmth rises like steam from volcanic lochs. Its exterior glistens like Jewels of granite under the rime in the sun. A lustrous stone countenance” Thorin went on Pansy listened and as he stopped talking she looked back to the snowcapped mountains “I would like very much to see it, for myself” she muttered Bwalin laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled “you may yet little Baggins, you may yet” He said as he walked on, Pansy watched him, Thorin gazed out over the mountains in a daze, Pansy watched him intently and then a delicious idea came into her mind and walked by him, made sure she had walked a good distance before she stopped “ Lord Thorin” she called out trying her best not to smirk as her lips trimbled “I’d suggest you keep up” she added as he turned to look at her, she quickly turned around and ran to catch up with Bilbo. Bwalin who heard her chuckled a bit and shook his head watching her run on ahead of him. Thorin quickly caught up with Bwalin “she makes the journey a bit more interesting that I will give her” Bwalin commented in amusement. Thorin watched her talk with his nephew’s, He lowered his head a bit and then glanced at Bwalin briefly “she is a distraction” he muttered making his way to the head of the party. Bwalin sighed and shook his head before following after him.