Concerning Hobbits

“Let me out I say, let me go!” Pansy called not giving up her fight, Balin had his ears covered, and unfortunately he was caught up in the bag with the rather upset hobbit. She began to panic more and more, dropping her dagger as she heard talk of squishing. “We’re going to be sat upon!” she gasped. Call her naïve, but somehow she had never figured this was the way that she would come to an end. However outside of the bag much confusion had taken place, a mysterious voice ad been talking amongst the Trolls, making each of them think that another was talking, and it was causing quiet the fuss among them. “The night's gettin' on, and dawn comes early. Let's get on with it! Dawn take you all, and be stone to you!” a great thundering voice called out. The trolls ores to their feet, but before they were granted the chance to investigate, a light, brighter than that of the sunrise blazed over the hills and through the wood, instantly the Trolls where turned to stone. “what's happened?” Balin asked, Pansy took back up her dagger and finished cutting the whole in the bag, she crawled out of the sack before Balin, who followed after. Casting her big blue eyes to the Trolls who were now grey and motionless. “Excellent!” Gandalf cheered coming out of the forests, he reached for Bilbo’s hand and pulled him out of a bush of thorns. “Why now it makes all good sense” Bilbo gasped “it was, it was your voice, that had them bickering” he said impressed and very grateful. “Pansy looked to the bags that where moving around, she took of her dagger and cut the ropes that tied them. Out rolled Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur , as the three dwarfs gained their bearings Pansy scuttled over to the next bag setting free Gloin and Oin who muttered under their breath strange curses about the Trolls before going to set free another bag, out which Dwalin rolled out. Pansy made quick work of her neck bag, and out came Kili and Fili who appeared to be slightly dazed. Pansy looked up to see all had been freed and that Thorin was far less than happy.

“Silly time to go practicing pinching and pocket-picking, when what we wanted was fire and food!” Bombur said, still very displeased even after hearing the hobbit’s account of what had happened. “And that's just what you wouldn't have got of those fellows without a struggle” Dwalin added, Pansy frowned “In all fairness my lords…it’s a burglars duty to come back with something even if the task sent for is otherwise impossible” Pansy said in defense for Frodo, he had almost gotten the trolls purse, it wouldn’t have been for not if luck had been on their sides. “In any case” Gandalf called clearing the tense air that had settled over the group. “You are wasting valuable time now. Do you not take it that the trolls must have a cavern or a hole dug somewhere near to hide from the sun in? We must look into it!” Gandalf added. It had gotten quiet; no one wanted to admit they had not thought of something so obvious. It wasn’t long before Thorin managed to find a set of large tracks; they followed them up the Hills and to a cluster of tightly grown bushes. Moving the branches they found a door, headed into the mountain side. They tried pushing it open but it wouldn’t move even Gandalf’s incantations had failed “a tricky lot of trolls maybe they were smarter than what we thought” Pansy said from her seat on the ground.

Many more hours past and it was late into the night the dwarfs where becoming frustrated and so was Gandalf, Many had become short with one another. “Would this be worth a go?” Bilbo asked holding out a large key, or at least it look rather large to Pansy “I found it on the ground where the trolls had their fight.” He explained “It must have fallen out of his pocket, very luckily, before he was turned to stone. Why on earth didn't you mention it before?” Gandalf asked grabbing the key from Bilbo and turned it inside of the key whole. There was a short rumble and with a deep hollow cracking noise Gandalf, Thorin, and Dwalin pushed open the door, allowing the others to enter. As pansy entered the cave she stop and brought her hand to her face, “rank” she yelped holding back the urge to gag. A crunching noise made the feeling all the worse as Bilbo had stepped on a bone, to what it belonged to, he couldn’t say. “Maybe we can just stay outside” Pansy said hopefully. “you needn’t worry Lass, we dwarfs are quiet adept at handling any such cave” Gloin called back to her Pansy frowned “you are in good hands Little Baggins, nothing to fear here” Thorin said as he walked past her, resting his hand upon her shoulder for a brief moment. Nori, Bifur, and Dwalin checked the Shelves that had been built within the cave, there was various food items thrown about carelessly. Fili and Kili investigated the Pots that where full of golden coins and bright brass buttons, various items that the Trolls no doubt stolen or kept from those they had eaten. On a rack in the farthest wall, there mounted, two great swords and a simple yet beautifully made knife, Thorin and Gandalf each took up one of the swords, their hilts adorned in stunning jewels. Bilbo took the knife, it would have made nothing but a pocket-knife for something as large as a troll, but for Bilbo, it was a hobbit sized sword. A lovely one at that.

Meanwhile Pansy had managed to wander over to a cloak, it was Sheer, not very thick, and was of a pale green, trimmed and embroidered in stunning sliver leaves. It was as light as a feather has she picked it up in her hands; though it was sheer it felt like pure silk and was softer than velvet. Pansy’s eyes twinkled and she wrapped herself in the cloak. It was far too long for her, obviously made for someone much taller, and there was no way the hood was going to fit over her small head. Nonetheless she adored it. She walked over to Bilbo with a smile on her face “It’s beautiful!” she said twirling around the Cloak fling behind her gracefully as she did so. “Why you look like a elf in that get up” Bilbo laughed “the smallest in history you’d have to be” He added. Pansy smiled and began to look around at other things, her fear melting away. “These look like good blades” Gandalf said as he and Thorin looked over their blades. Kili watched Pansy float round the cave looking at various objects He chuckled “look it’s a little green ghost” He said to Fili but was not amused, he had his noised plugged shut between his fingers and held a frown on his face. “They were not made by any troll, nor by any smith among men in these parts and days; but when we can read the runes on them, shall we know more about them.” Thorin answered to Gandalf’s statement. That was it Fili couldn’t take it any longer “Let's get out of this horrible smell!” He called loudly Kili smirked at him “you’ve smelled worse” He stated in amusement. Pansy yawned as she walked to the entrance “it’s dawn” she called, The dwarfs began to gather the untouched food and a barrel full of ale, some others took with them as much gold and trinkets as they could carry. “you take nothing with you? Have you no interest in gold?” Thorin asked as he watched Pansy leave empty handed, minus her new found cloak. “Nonsense, I’ve not left with nothing” she said stroking the soft fabric “I’ve come back with this, women are simpler creatures than what we are given credit for, give us something simple we can cherish and we will gladly take it over all the gold we can dream of” Pansy said perfectly content with her cloak. “Decides I feel like we’ve robbed the dead as it is” she added with a weak smile. They followed the other out of the cave.

Outside the party took the bacons, breads, and cheeses they had found and made a breakfast, satisfying all bellies. Pansy reached into her old cloak pocket and pulled out the dagger which had been given to her. She got up and headed over to Thorin whom had been in a conversation with Gloin & Ori, of nothing significant just a leisurely talk. She tapped Thorin on the shoulder and held out his balde “I don’t think I will be needing this anymore” she said meaning to give it back. Thorin held up his hand and shook his head “keep it, it is yours, one cannot see what will come in the future, you may need it again in the hereafter” He said closing her finger tips around the sheathed dagger, Pansy’s eyes brightened “thank you my lord” she said quickly before turning around and running to Bilbo “Bilbo! Bilbo!” she called “Thorin’s given me his dagger; I’ve got a real dwarven blade!” She called out stopping in front of him, showing him the sheath. A short walk away Kili watched the two hobbits while sitting next to his brother and Nori. “maybe she should have stayed back in the Halfling city” Kili sighed his smile fading from his face. “and why the change of heart?” Nori said watching Pansy run her mouth to a very tried Bilbo “because the things she will see on this journey cannot be unseen, and they may change her. As of now she is innocent” Kili stated “who’s to say by the end she won’t still be?” Fili asked trying to lighten up his brothers mood “Nothings gone horribly wrong yet, don’t send a shadow over your thoughts just yet” He added.

The party finally found rest and slept ‘til noon. Pansy tossed and turned in her sleep, nightmares of frightening things taking over. She dreamed of swords and splintered shield, chipped axes, burning cities and a great and monstrous dragon. “Wake up little Baggins!” She heard a voice call, jolting awake they nearly bumped heads. “Lord Kili!” Pansy gasped mildly frightened and shocked “well that was a narrow miss” He laughed touching his forehead. “Nightmares?” He asked Pansy nodded she felt silly; haven had such a fright from something that was purely imagination. “Although this didn’t feel much like pure imagination” She thought to herself. “We are on the move again” Kili said before heading back to his brother, who he now had to share a pony with. Pansy waited everyone seemed to have been mounted and ready to go, and just as he had done days before Thorin helped her mount his Pony behind him and they were off. A brief stop at the River, they buried their treasures, Gandalf setting powerful spells of protection of the burial ground. They had hoped to retrieve these items on their return, if they returned.

Pansy had not quiet awaken fully and as they rode onward, to wherever Thorin and Gandalf had planned, Pansy began to doze slightly, She tried her best, he keep up straight but her body failed her and soon she found herself resting her head on Thorin’s back. Gratefully he didn’t seem to mind, a faint smile came on his face she he glanced back at her. Gandalf watched them with amusement from his Horse, as he rode next to the Dwarf king. Thorin became aware of Gandalf’s gaze and cleared his throat “Where did you go to, if I may ask?” he said Gandalf looked as if he had no plans of revealing his business “To look ahead” the wizard stated , Thorin arched a brow “And what brought you back in the nick of time?” The dwarf asked “looking behind” was the wizard’s Answer, Pansy laughed silently at his short and very annoying answers. “But could you be more plain?” Thorin grumbled Gandalf sighed, there was no keeping of any secret from Thorin, not without much difficulty “I went on to spy out our road. It will soon become dangerous and difficult. Also I was anxious about replenishing our small stock of provisions. I had not gone very far, however, when I met a couple of friends of mine from Rivendell.-“ “where is that?” Bilbo asked eagerly at the mention of the Elf city Pansy’s ears prickled and she listened in “Don't interrupt! You will get there in a few days now, if we're lucky, and find out all about it As I was saying I met two of Elrond's people. They were hurrying along for fear of the trolls. It was they who told me that three of them had come down from the mountains and settled in the woods not far from the road; they had frightened everyone away from the district, and they waylaid strangers. I immediately had a feeling that I was wanted back. Looking behind I saw a fire in the distance and made for it. So now you know. Please be more careful, next time, or we shall never get anywhere!” Gandalf said, Thorin nodded stiffly, trying not to cause much movement for Pansy’s sake who he assumed to be sleeping by now “thank you” he said to Gandalf who merely nodded.