Concerning Hobbits

The boat stopped, and Bard starting tipping over the barrels out tumbled Oin and Dori. He went to grab Dwalin’s barrel “don’t touch me” Dwalin grumbled popping out on his own, after that everyone popped up out of the fish, like daisies. Pansy gasped and sucked in a deep breath of fresh hair and flung fish juice off her arms, holding them out at her sides. “Ewwww” she whined shivering all over again, cold and wet with fish juice. She looked about to see a bit of snow sprinkled here and there over the buildings. Bilbo her helped her out of the barrel villagers watching them with wide eyes. “you didn’t see them they were never here” Bard said to one of the onlookers at the dock, he handed him a silver coin “the fish you can have for nothing” He added as the company climbed off the boat. “follow me” Bard said quickly leading them through the town.

Pansy marveled at the simple shaggy shops, smithies, markets, small pubs. Dim lights glowing within them in a cold cloudy evening. They looked so warm and homey. But the people, did not, they look tired and worn. Pansy could tell that life here was very hard. “Dad!” a young boy called darting around the corner, “the house it is being watched,” he said to Bard. Bard looked around and then at the company, he had an idea.

“you want us to what!” Pansy yelped as she looked at the ice cold water, “swim under the house, I’ve told you where the pot is, the water will lead you right up the bowl you can enter through there and no one will see” Bard explained again. Pansy watched him mouth wide. “No!” she said indigently. “Pansy,” Bilbo said taking her arm and dragging to the side. “we are running out of time, this is the only way,” he said in a hushed voice. “no” Pansy said making the word long as she spoke slowly leaning towards Bilbo’s face. “that water is frozen death waiting to happen! I am already frozen solid! And Kili’s hurt” She reasoned “the cold water will numb the wound” Bilbo shot back. “filthy cold water? They-they....relieve themselves in that water Bilbo! What if one of the children are sitting on the pot or had just got off of it when we arrive through there!” Pansy said nearly shuddering at the thought. “as it is I will smell of fish for days!” she said. Bilbo sighed and looked at her impatiently.

“I can offer you to a bath once inside,” Bard said Pansy looked up at him, “my daughters can draw you one, I gather it’s been a while since you’ve seen a proper hot bath, can’t be nice for a lady such as yourself,” Bard said. Pansy eyed him and then the water. “hot bath you say?” she asked reluctantly. “aye” he replied. Pansy crossed her arms and looked around glum “fine, let's go” she muttered.

“not a word to anyone about this!” Dwalin growled to Bain as he popped out of the pot in the bathroom. “up there!” Bain said pointing to some stairs, next out popped Bilbo wide eyes and freezing. Next came Nori, “dad why are dwarves coming out of our toilet?” the eldest girl asked as she watched from the main floor. “will they bring us luck?!” as the youngest with a smile as Pansy popped up gasping for air looking completely mortified. “look at that one!” the youngest called pointing a wide smile on herself. “it’s a girl!” she called “and she’s positively silver!” she added. “it's not nice to gawk dear stop it” Bard called to her as he removed his coat. “besides she’s not a dwarf” Bain called helping Pansy pulled Kili out of the water. Fili and Thorin coming up after helped him up the stairs. “then what are you?” the little girl asked looking down at Pansy “a hobbit” she answered shivering excessively “an v-very c-c-cold huh-hobbit!” she said. “oh come this way” the eldest said leading her towards the fire which Bard was starting.”you’re so small, you must be frozen!” the eldest girl gasped. “why you look just like a doll” The youngest commented fetching Pansy a towel.

Bard let the company sit around the fire while we went to fetch some coats. “they might not be the best fit, but they will keep you warm” he said passing them about “thank you” Bilbo said taking one hurriedly. Pansy sat annoyed as Bards daughters fawned over her. The youngest asking her questions and pointing out new things she noticed about her, while the eldest braided and dried Pansy’s hair. “um excuse me” Pansy said shaking the girls free from her “I need to have a word with my friend” She said. The girls nodded and allowed Pansy to leave, with coat wrapped around her she went to Thorin who was gazing out the window. Peering out she could see a rather peculiar contraption on the very top of a tower. “what is that?” she asked, “a dwravish wind lance” Thorin said softly. “you look like you’ve seen a ghost” Bilbo noted joining the two a cup of warm tea in his hands. “he has, the last time we saw such a weapon, the city was on fire” Balin said. Pansy tore her eyes away from the Wind Lance and looked at Balin, “it was the day the dragon came, the day that Smaug destroyed Dale, Lord Girion rallied his bowmen to fire upon the beast.” He said shaking his head he sighed “but a dragon’s hide is tough, tougher than the strongest armor, Only a black arrow fired from a Wind Lance could have pierced a dragon's hide” Balin explained. “ and few of those arrows were ever made” he added, Bilbo took a sip of his tea, and Pansy felt jealous that she hadn’t any, but also found herself lost in another great story. She watched the Wind Lance outside the window with stars in her eyes.

Kili, pale-ing across the room nearer to the fire, watched Pansy as her eyes twinkled with wonder, he smiled faintly as Tauriel’s words echoed in his head. “it is something precious and pure” his smiled faded slowly but his eyes stayed on her.

“his store was running low when Girion made his last stand,” Balin said. Thorin frowned a bit and looked back out the window “had the aim of men been true that day, much would have been different” he said darkly. Bard walked up with a cup of tea in his hands. He held it out and Pansy quickly scurried to take it from him. The hot cup felt nice in her painful frozen hands. She beamed up at him in thanks before sipping some and going back to Thorin’s side near the window. “you speak as if you were there that day” Bard said. “all dwarves know the tale” Thorin replied, “then you would know that Girion hit the dragon, he loosened his scale under the left wing, one more shot and he would have killed the beast!” Bain said defensively. Pansy looked to Thorin as Balin chuckled a little. “it’s a fairy tale lad, and nothing more”Dwalin said with an amused smile. Thorin rested a hand on Pansy’s shoulder and she slid out of his way so he could walk to Bard “you took our money” he said grabbing his attention back. “where are the weapons?” he asked. Bard looked at him with skepticism “wait here” he said before taking his leave. Pansy swatted Thorin’s arm as she watched Bard go “you offended him!” she whispered as the other dwarves gathered around, Pansy ran to help Fili get Kili to his feet. Kili gave a faint chuckled “you do not have to help every time” he said amused. Pansy looked at him “but I want to, its the least I can do” she said looking off shamefully. Kili looked at her with soft eyes and shook his head.

“tomorrow beings the last days of autumn” Thorin said. “Durin’s day falls the morn’ after next” Balin chimed in. “we must reach the mountain before then” he added. “and if we do not? If we fail to find the hidden door before then?” Kili asked worried “then this quest has been for nothing!” Fili hissed.

Bard’s daughters watched the company hold a small counsel. “she’s actually one of them? Do you think she’s a warrior?” the youngest Tilda asked “she doesn’t rather look like one, she’s so tiny, I’m larger and I’m called short” Tilda added. The eldest Sigrid leaned over to whisper “no, not a warrior, maybe she is their princess or queen, she looks like one, doesn’t she?” Sigrid said. Tilda nodded “like pure silver” Tilda sighed, “or the light of the night sky,” Sigrid said, “like the stars?” Tilda asked. Sigrid shook her head “no, well yes, in a way but, no like the moon” Tilda looked up at her elder sister “who do you think is the thing if she is a queen?” She asked her. Sigrid looked over the group carefully. “him there” she said nodding to Thorin. “He’s always at the head of everything, and she always returns to his side” She reasoned. Tilda tilted her head. “but he looks so much older, and she does that with the beardless one too” Tilda said. “no that’s her brother I heard him say so” Sigrid said. Tilda shrugged. “I think it’s him,” she said pointing discretely to Kili “the injured one. She fawns over him, and the way he looks at her” Tilda said with a dreamy sigh.”you think so? I think the other one looks at her about the same, he is always watching, as if she’ll disappear before his eyes. Every move she makes he sees it” Sigrid said watching Thorin. “besides, they would make a regal looking pair, all adorned in royal clothes” Sigrid added in. Tilda nodded “you may be right.” she said.

Bard walked in with the weapon wrapped in a tarp. He lay it on the table and rolled it open. The dwarfs looked over the weapons, which were mostly mere tools, and seemed unimpressed, Pansy thought they looked pretty dangerous even still. “what is this? A Pike-hook” Fili asked holding up one of them “it's the tip from an old harpoon” Bard explained Kili picked up a hammer and held it up “and this?” he asked confused by what exactly it was. “a Crowbill, fashioned by a Smithies Hammer” Bard said. Pansy peered at it “ooo” she said touching it she liked the way it looked. How hard could a hammer be to use? “it’s heavy in hand I grant, but in defense for your life, these will serve you better than none” Bard said. It was clear by the looked on their faces, they were nowhere near as satisfied as Pansy with the weapons dealt to them. “we paid you for weapons” Gloin said dropping the one he was holding on the table. “Iron forged swords and Axes!” Gloin roared. “ it's a joke!” Bofur said shaking his weapon “you won’t find any better outside the city Armory!” bard said as the dwarves threw the weapons back on the table. Pansy picked up the Pike hook and smiled at it “it's simple enough for me to use” She said taking it back. Thorin walking by her snatched the Pike-Hook from her and threw it on the table “trust me you do not want that” he said continuing by he stopped before Bard and crossed his arms, looking up at him. “all Iron forged weapons are held under lock and key” Bard said.

Thorin and Dwalin glanced at each other, a mischievous glint in their eyes. Pansy groaned “I hate when they get that look” she muttered to Kili who grinned at her she eyed him “just like you lot” she said gesturing to the two brothers. As she looked at Kili she frowned a bit and worry came onto her face. “what is it?” he asked. “you’re getting paler” she said. Leaning forward to his ear she whispered “are you sure you are alright?” she asked before pulled away, he looked her in the eyes as she did so and sighed. “I will be” he said.

“Thorin” Balin called, Pansy noticed bard raise his head and watched them deep in thought. Pansy tilted her head at him and then looked as Balin. “I thought we weren’t naming names” she thought to herself. “why don’t we take what we have been offered and go?” Balin asked “we’ve made do with less and so have you” He said, just wanting to reach the mountain as fast as possible time was running out. “I say we leave now” Balin said. Bard raised his head and leered slightly “you aren’t going anywhere” he said. “what did you say!” Dwalin growled “there are spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town” Bard warned. “Just wait til nightfall” said Bard, at that Bifur, Bombur, Nori, and Ori all sat back down. Kili using one of the longer weapons as a cane limped over to a long chair and eased himself down, matching sure no one was looking he examined his leg, unease clear on his face, why was it still so painful?

Bard stepped outside, and Sigrid came out from a room in the bottom of the house and called out “Miss” She called. “Miss?” she called again Pansy got up and peered down at her over the railing. “me?” she asked Sigrid giggled “you are the only other lady here” she said. Pansy gave a sheepish smile, she’d never been called miss before. “your bath is drawn, it’s a bit colder down here without the fire but you will have your privacy” Sigrid said. Thorin looked up and got to his feet. “she will be going no were alone” He said sternly. “b-but you all can’t very well watch!” Pansy gasped. “I should say not, she will be safe it’s just down the stairs” Bilbo reasoned. Thorin walked to the stairs standing next to Pansy. “I will stand guard” he said, Pansy threw him a look “I will not peek you have my word” he said. Pansy sighed. “fine, fine, if I try and change your mind the water will get cold” she said heading down the stairs. “how come he gets to watch?” Ori asked, Fili whacked the back of his head. “he’s not watching he is standing guard” Fili said. “I would watch” Ori added in granting him another whack in the head this time by Bilbo.

Thorin stood with his back turned to Pansy as she undressed, Sigrid walked past him covering her eyes as Pansy slid into the iron tub of hot water. She sat down a bar of soap, a towel and some spare clothes. “I do not know how well they will fit.” Sigrid said removing her hand as she heard Pansy enter the water. “they are mine so they shouldn’t be too loose on you, just a bit long, I am sorry I know you arrived in pants, but dresses is all we have” she said. Pansy smiled a bit and looked at the purple and green garment, with it was a breastplate of sorts “the breastplate was my mothers when she was young, it’s too small for any of us” Sigrid said. “I think it's fitting that a warrior wear it” She said with a smile. Pansy’s smile faded as she looked away. “i am sorry to disappoint you, but I am no warrior” Pansy said. Thorin glanced back “do not be modest, of course, she is, and she thanks you for the gift” He said. Pansy looked up at him in surprise. Sigrid nodded and bowed before leaving up the stairs.

“why tell her that? It isn’t true” Pansy said to him once Sigrid has left. “Thorin turned around to face her how that she was covered by the water. “you have faced Goblins, Trolls, Orcs, Wargs, though terrain, hostile elves, stone monsters” Thorin said slowly walking closer to her, he gave her a playful smile. “a grumpy dwarf king” he said. Pansy giggled but smiled wide. “that's the first time, you’ve called yourself King” she said happily. Thorin’s smile faded a bit “we are so close, I can almost taste it” He said. Pansy nodded. “you’ll make it, it’s nearly written in the stars, after all, you’ve made it this far” Pansy said she paused. “they couldn’t have done it without you, you are a good King” she said. Thorin looked on her softly, and this new looked made her heart race. Pansy hugged herself in the water. “so” she said watching the steam rise above the water. “you really think of me as a warrior?” she asked timidly. “you are not the same hobbit whom left the Shire” He said “fight-less, ignorant little thing, be it still as innocent, but you have become strong and brave” Thorin said. “you may not be the mightiest, but yes, a warrior nonetheless” he said with a proud smile. Pansy beamed and her eyes shimmered with glee. “so says the King under the mountain huh? Wow” Pansy breathed. Thorin chuckled and sat down on the stool. He looked over her face.

With this short time to breathe he could finally get a good look at it again. It didn’t look as childlike as it had when he had first saw her. Feelings of hurt, pain and fear had changed it, her eyes held a new found depth to them, were they had been their saddest and their happiest. Pansy looked away from him and slid into the water her nose just above the water she started to hum. Thorin closed his eyes and listened remember the early days of the journey and she would sing her hobbit traveling song. “sing me a hobbit song” he said. Pansy sat back up and giggled “what?” she asked. He opened one eye to look at her “I’m serious” he said. Pansy stopped giggling and thought. “All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.” Pansy sang, looking up to the railing she could see Bilbo walk by pausing to listen, briefly reminded through her singing of the hobbits songs at home in the Shire.

“From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.” Pansy finished looked to Thorin, “that does sound like a hobbit song.” he said. Pansy shook her head and looked to the ceiling “no” she breathed smiling to herself. “its what came to mind, while thinking of you” she said. Thorin smiled a bit and stood up walking off he turned his back to her “wash up while the water is still warm and get out, we will rest and gather out affairs till nightfall.” he said. Pansy nodded and grabbed the soap.

Pansy washed up and put on her clothes and headed up the stairs while drying her hair following after Thorin. She shivered a bit, but the fire kept most of the cold away. Color had filled back into her cheeks and lips with her blood now flowing freely again. “no more fish smell” she said happily. Thorin chuckled. and took a seat near his Nephews. Pansy took a near bye seat as well and Dori passed her a cup of tea. Pansy was sure to thank him before taking a sip. She wanted adventure this was true, and when the hard times passed it was quite fun she had to admit, but even still she missed civilized things such as this. Sitting with friends around a warm fire with a cup in her hand and conversation abounding. Even if so far from home. “but is it even home anymore?” she thought to herself looking over the company, she smiled. “or is my home right here?” she wondered. Thorin watched Pansy looked over his people with fond eyes. He drew in a breath, how much longer could he ignore himself?

“we cannot wait” Dwalin whispered in Thorin ear “we just wait until the boy lets down his guard” Thorin murmured back as the two dwarfs turned their eyes to Bain.