Far Over The Misty Mountains ...

Kili tossed and turned on his temporary bed beside his brother. No matter how hard he tried, sleep continued to elude him, a loud sigh escaped his lips as he flopped onto his back, his dark eyes staring at the low ceiling.
"If you don't stop moving around, I'm going to march Bombur in here to sleep next to you. Then you'd have reason to be awake." Fili grumbled, his words coming out in a harsh whisper, as he buried his head deeper into the soft pillow.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Kili whispered feeling guilty for waking his older sibling.
"Well now that you have, what is it?" The blond asked, his eyes still firmly clamped shut and his breathing heavy with sleep.
"Many things really. I was talking with Calla about our younger days with Thorin earlier, it made me think."
"Made you think of our younger years? Or made you think of a certain young lady hobbit?"
Kili choked on his own saliva as he drew in a sharp breath. "I don't understand what you mean brother."
"Never mind Kili, just try to get some sleep. We'll be woken up soon, and you'll need your wits about you." murmured Fili as another wave of sleep over took him.
Kili took his brother's advice and squeezed his eyes shut willing sleep to envelope his body.

*****
The smell of cooking bacon, sausages, eggs, various cheeses and fresh bread filled the house waking each dwarf, and they slowly began to pile into the pantry, where the delicious odour was eminating from. Kili and Fili ambled into the small room laughing and shoving each other childishly.
"Now, that is an impressive breakfast spread" commented Fili as he eyed the table, that was nearly sagging under the weight of all the food, and he slid into his place in the corner grabbing a plate as he went, his younger brother quickly following suit.
"Quick, fill your plate before Bombur wakes, if you intend to actually eat." Joked Bofur who was sat across the table from them, happily tucking into a plate of bacon and eggs. The three of them laughed as they started to eat their fill.
A lilting feminine tune announced Calla's arrival into the room before she was seen. Her hair was loose and flowing down her back in waves of scarlet curls, and she wore a blue work dress with a white apron hanging from her waist. She jumped a little when she turned seeing the princes had arrived at the table. “Good morning my lords.” she called happily, filling two mugs with freshly squeezed orange juice and handing them to Fili and Kili.
“Morning miss.” Kili began through his mouthful of bacon, earning a disgusted look from his brother whose nose wrinkled seeing the partially chewed food in his mouth.
“Kili, theres a lady present, you now better than that.” The older of the pair scolded. Kili quickly held up a hand in apology, and promptly continued to eat in silence, with his mouth closed.
“Are you well this morning?” Fili asked her casually, he watched her bustle around the kitchen, flipping bacon and checking on the bread in the wood oven by her feet.
“Very well, thank you sir.” She replied in a satisfied tone, as she pulled the tray out of the oven, a steaming golden loaf sitting atop it.

Kili and Fili exchanged glances, before the elder spoke up again, “We have names you know.”
Calla turned sharply to gaze at them, unsure of what they meant, her eyebrows dipped in confusion.
“You could, you know, call us by our names … Sir and My lord make us feel old.” Kili explained, his mouth forming a cheeky grin at the end of his sentence.
“And it gives them ideas far above their station.” boomed the voice of Thorin as the king entered the kitchen.
“It does not!” defended the two heirs, as they finished their first plates of breakfast.
Calla just chucked at the interaction, realising the family unit had the most loving of relations, even if it wasn't the vibe they intended to give. She filled another jug with orange and brought it to Thorin, placing it in front of him. “And you sir, did you sleep well?” she asked, perching on the bench beside Bofur for a moment, her eyes resting on the face of the noble dwarf.
“Well enough, Would have been a sight better if these two hadn't spent all night talking.” He grumbled, indicating his nephews with the piece of bread he held in his large hand. Calla looked up at the brothers who just shrugged at her sheepishly.
“I have packed you some food supplies for along the way, nothing much but it should keep you going for a few days at least.” Calla said returning to the stove, quickly removing the pan of bacon before it burnt to a crisp. “Just some bread, a few meats, cheese and cake... although” she started, looking at the already considerably depleted amount of breakfast. “seeing you've nearly eaten the entire breakfast and there’s only four of you up, I'm not so sure any more.” a low chuckle surrounded the table as she served the newly cooked bacon on to the now virtually empty platter.
A comfortable silence surrounded the room for a few minutes as the company ate, being joined by both Balin and Gandalf. Calla continued to be busy around the kitchen cooking and cleaning up around herself.
“So” Thorin asked, his voice unchanged from its casual tone, “Tell me, have you packed yet Miss Took?”

Calla was taken back by the question, and stopped her washing up, turning to gape at the six inhabitants of her cousin's pantry. “I'm sorry, my lord, I do not understand what you mean?”
Gandalf chuckled, as he lit his pipe, “For the journey, young Miss Took, are you packed ready for our journey?” Calla dropped the metal tray she had been previously washing up as she caught on to what they were asking her.
“I had no idea you were intending for me to join you?” Calla stuttered as she hastily picked up the tray, sliding it into the sink full of soapy water.

“It was not what was originally decided.” Thorin explained, as he watched her carefully, his eyes almost piercing through her soul, “It is a task far too dangerous for women. There will be no comforts, and exposure to danger. But Gandalf informed me you would be a valuable member of our company. I am still wary, but I trust him, and he has vouched for your responsibility. So on his head be it.” Finished the dwarf king, as he pushed back his chair and stood up, leaving the room without a word.
Calla continued to stare into space, completely stunned. She was invited to go on an adventure! An actual adventure, just like her father had.
“Well, you had better go and pack young Took.” Gandalf reminded with a large grin as he observed her pretty face lighting up in excitement.
“Thank you!” She cried happily as she removed the white apron, dropping it hastily on a counter, “Thank you all so much!” And with that she fled from the hobbit hole to her own to pack, before the great leader could change his mind.

Fili looked at his younger brother with his eyebrows raised, “She took that rather well.”

*****
An hour and a half later, the company of dwarves and Gandalf sat atop their ponies, ready to head off on their quest. Bets were being placed between them as to whether the burglar Baggins would change his mind, Calla hoped against hope that he would, having packed a spare handkerchief and pipe, the things her cousin would always forget when they were going anywhere.
The female hobbit looked warily at the ponies, they were all far too big for her to control on her own, which panicked her some. She shuffled her bare feet slightly unsure as to what to do, she wouldn't be able to keep up with them on foot, even though she was faster than most hobbits in The Shire.
Thorin watched her pondering from the front of the troupe, his mouth set into a firm line, 'These hobbits may turn out to be more trouble than their worth' he thought to himself, before sighing and commanding “Kili, Fili Miss Took is in your care.”
The brothers nodded, obeying the order from their uncle.
Kili leaned down from the side of his pony, one hand held out to help her up. She accepted, sliding into a spot in front of the young prince, who controlled the reigns around her sides, keeping her steady.
“We can linger no longer. Let us away.” Called Thorin, as he nudged his pony in to life, the other dwarves following suit.
Calla caught her breath as the pony moved beneath her, suddenly feeling unsafe, when Kili's soft voice murmured in her ear, “It's ok, you're not going anywhere, I've got you.”

*****
The group had only managed to get a mile or so away from Hobbiton when a heavy panting was heard, along with the scurrying of feet. “Hold on!” shouted Bilbo Baggins as he drew up beside the ponies. “I've signed it.” The hobbit said, thrusting the signed scroll at Thorin, who signalled Dwalin to bring Bilbo the smallest pack pony they had. “Very well master burglar, hurry, time is pressing on.”
Bilbo clambered onto the steed with some difficulty, and the procession started again.