The Past That Blinds (1 of 3)

Carrying my saddle and saddle bags in the early light of the morning, the dwarves walking around sorting out their supplies and everything else they’ll need while chatting amongst themselves.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if our burglar doesn’t turn up” I hear one of the dwarves say behind me as I carry my saddle to my pony.
“Well, I think he will show, In fact, I wager ten - No - twenty gold coins on him showing up” I say with a smile on my face turning around to face Dwalin talking to Nori.
“And I’ll match that” Fili says walking up behind me
“Aye, as will I” Oin says “Nori, take the wagers”
I get a pouch of coins out of my saddlebag, having to hold the saddle in one arm, and throw the coins to Nori who catches it. I smile again and turn and head for my mount and saddle him, who whinnies playfully.
“You’re in a good mood today Fearlóf” I say and he nudges me with his snout slightly. “Here you go” I say getting a carrot out of my pocket and giving it to him.
“Saddle up” I hear Thorin say to the company. I step on the stirrup and I’m about to pull myself up when a pair of hands grab my leg and start pushing me up, one hand replacing to the bottom of my boot as another pair of hands grab my waist. When I’m seated on the saddle I see Gandalf laughing on his horse in front of me, I then look to my right to see Fili and Kili smiling brightly in amusement. Even Fearlóf whinnied and danced around a little bit as if he was laughing at me.
“Alright, what are you two up to?” I ask with a smile and a questioning look.
“Up to” Fili says
“Us?” Kili asks
Both smiling as they turn and walk away leaving me confused and amused. I shake my head a little before I notice Thorin walking in my direction. “You had better not slow us down” he says not looking at me as he walks past me to his pony. Fearlóf whips his tail irritated at the comment and I pat his neck.
We ride in almost silence as a few of the dwarves talk amongst themselves as we ride through a forest, I sit in silence in my own thoughts wondering if this is going to be worth all the hassle I’ll most likely get from Thorin on the way when a shout of “Wait!” breaks my train of thought.
“Wait!” the voice calls again from behind, I stop Fearlóf and Myrtle - the horse I was in charge of leading, and I turn to see Bilbo running to catch up to us. The dwarves holt their ponies and turn to look at the hobbit running towards Balin contract flying in the wind. I smile and lean on my knee with my elbow.
He holds the contract up so everyone can see it “I signed it.” He says with a weary smile on his face then goes over and hands it to Balin.
“Everything appears to be in order.” Balin says with a smile “Welcome, master Baggins... to the company of Thorin Oakenshield.” A few of the dwarves cheer slightly as smiles, probably wondering what he’s let himself in for.
“Give him a pony.” Thorin says from up at the front of the group causing the hobbit to look at him fairly horrified.
“No, no no no. That- that won't be necessary. I can-” he starts protesting again as we start moving on. I continue to look at him as the two brothers ride up besides him “I am sure I can keep up on foot, yeah, I- I've done my fair share of...walking holidays, you know, even got as far as the Frog Morton once-” He then gets pulled up by Fili and Kili on either side of him causing him to yell and placed on Myrtle’s back. While still moving I tie the leading rope into reigns and pass them to Bilbo.
“Hold them like this” I say and show him while looking at him over my right shoulder. He holds them about right while frowning Myrtle whinnies and throws her head back causing Bilbo’s face to contort a little amusing me to the point of a giggle. “That’ll do” I say still giggling. Soon enough he gets used to riding and relaxes. Gandalf has slowed down now and is besides Bilbo on his right
“Come on Nori. pay up!” Oin says from behind us
Nori throws a pouch of coins to Oin from in front of us
“One more.” Fili says and he too gets thrown a pouch
“What's that about?” Bilbo asks
“Oh they took wagers... on whether or not you would turn up.” Gandalf says and I get thrown my pouch causing Bilbo to look at me slightly surprised, seemingly he knew I started it. “Most of them bet that you wouldn't.” I say
“And what did you think?” Bilbo turns his gaze back to Gandalf
Gandalf hesitates to answer until a pouch is thrown his way. “My dear fellow...I never doubted you for a second.” Gandalf smiles putting his pouch in his bag when the hobbit sneezes and sniffs.
“Oh it's horsehair… Having a reaction.” He starts to say while rooting in his pockets for something.
“Uh...Wait, wait. Stop! … Stop! We have to turn around.” Bilbo says causing the company to stop. I look at him bemused .
“What on earth is the matter?” Gandalf asks
“I forgot my handkerchief.” He says
“Here!” Bofur says ripping some leathery material and throwing it to the hobbit who catches it and holds it as if it’s something unpleasant “Use this.” Bofur smiles
“Move on!” Thorin automatically speaks
I look in my bag realizing I have a bit of spare cloth.
“Bilbo” I say getting his attention as he is still wondering what to do with the material. He looks to me with a surprised expression as If I’m going to give him a lecture “Here” I say handing him the white cloth.
“Oh, thank you” he says taking it and automatically using it.
“You'll have to manage without pocket handkerchiefs, and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire. But home is now behind you. The world is ahead.” Gandalf says
We journey past winding rivers, down thin rocky paths, over plains and through forests.
Night is now falling and we stop to set up camp overlooking a deep jagged ravine. A fire is set and food is being made. Everyone is either sat quietly, moving around or conversing with each other all sat around the fire. But while they’re getting their food and eating I choose to sit further away from the group looking over the other side of the ravine, a constant feeling we’re being watched with unfriendly intentions. After eating, most set out their bed rolls close to the fire and then turn in for the night. Fili and Kili sit in a small alcove in the rock keeping watch. Gandalf sits against a tree smoking his pipe and Thorin sits leaning against a rock.
Most of the dwarves have now fallen asleep including the hobbit, Gandalf is still smoking at the tree and Fili and Thorin seem to have nodded of where they sat, all that can be heard is snoring from some and the fire crackling, I lay my bed roll down away from the other dwarves and since I do not feel tired I unsheathe my blade and start swinging it around as if practicing until I hear screams somewhere in the distance, but not human screams. I stop mid swing upon hearing the noise.
“What was that?” I hear the hobbit say, causing me to look around, I never even realized he had gotten up until he spoke.
“Orcs.” Kili replies
“Orcs?” Bilbo asks scuttling back towards the campfire, I start to walk towards the fire and Thorin wakes from his nap upon hearing another scream.
“Throat cutters. There'd be dozens of them out there.” Fili continues from his sibling. I stand opposite them behind the fire my blade still drawn.
“The low lands are crawling with them. They strike, in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood.” The brothers joke, unnerving the hobbit.
“You think that’s funny?” Thorin asks not amused now wandering around “You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?”
“We didn't mean anything by it.” Kili says hanging his head, he didn’t mean to cause offence.
“No you didn't. You know nothing of the world.” Thorin walks off towards the ponies. I walk over to the young dwarf and lift his chin up with a friendly smile, before I could offer him some comforting words Balin speaks.
“Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs.”I stand up and lean against the wall, holding the pommel of my blade in front of me resting the tip of my sword on the ground “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. Moria had been taken by legions of orcs, led by the most vile of all their race... Azog... the Defiler.” As Balin told the story I could imagine it as if I was there “The giant Gundabad orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began... by beheading the king. Thráin, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief, he went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat... and death... were upon us. That is when... I saw him. A young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe. His armor rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learned that day, that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied, and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated... but there was no feast, nor song that night... for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few, had survived... and I thought to myself then... there is one... who I could follow... there is one... I could call king.” By this time everyone was awake and had heard the story, they all stood looking at their leader. It was then that I understood all of his hatred and anger, he went from having everything, to nothing, his home had been taken, his family were slain - grandfather, father younger brother. And most of his people were lost.
“And the Pale Orc?” Bilbo asks “What happened to him?”
Thorin started walking back towards the camp “He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago.” He vanished from sight. I notice Balin look at Gandalf with an ‘I’m not so sure’ look on his face.
I went back to my roll and started practicing again, not too long after a questioning voice came from behind.
“Why do you stay so far from the group?” Kili asks I lower my blade and turn around to face him.
“Because I doubt Thorin would really want a half-breed… A half elf… Near his kin” he nods his head understanding. “Half elf or not I bet I could still beat you in a fight” He says lightening the mood
“Is that so?” I ask with a smirk
He draws his sword and we stand and stare for a short while before he makes the first move. He swipes his blade towards mine and I parried the blow by hitting the sword vertically. He spins around clockwise and goes for a downwards side swipe which I block in front of my face. The sudden clanging of weapons caused the group to react by grabbing for theirs, but noticing the smiles on our faces they relaxed again. I push his blade away from me and he spins again for another sideswipe, this time counterclockwise, I duck and attempt my own sideswipe but get parried by him hitting my blade vertically. Now with a few spectators Fili, Bilbo, Bofur, Dwalin, Balin and Ori, some shouting support for Kili and others for me as this gets more serious and fast paced, that is until he lunges at me and I dodge to the side a little bit and trap his arm between mine and my waist and hold my blade near his throat smiling, both of us are out of breath and panting heavily, he looks a bit shocked at the blade in front of him until he looks at my face and starts to chuckle slightly and I release him. “No more swords, just melee. Let’s see how quick I can beat you” he says smiling, sheathing his sword. I stick mine in the ground and move away from it. I look at our spectators and past Bilbo I see Thorin just out of everyone’s view, I look back to Kili and get ready.
We start to circle around, slightly crouched ready to lock up with each other. We go for each other and lock up, he pushes me backwards and down but I manage to get my foot wedged on a small rock and push him back. He trips me up and we end up rolling over multiple times until he is on top, I kick him over my head and we get up and lock again. The rest were going back to sleep or doing something else. Kili pushes me down again and I roll us both over so I’m in control of the wrestle but he does the same. I roll over again and manage to get him in a headlock, but he soon gets out of that and kicks me away slightly. I turn around to be met by another lock up, this time I end up on my back on the floor after rolling around in the grass with Kili sat on my abdomen, not letting me up and grinning widely.
“Everyone get some rest” Thorin says, Kili looks up from me and looks forward. I look backwards - turning everything upside down, and I see Thorin, stood looking directly at us. Balin and Dwalin turn around automatically “Kili, Fili, Ori, Bofur” he starts calling them away. “You as well master Baggins” They all leave as I get helped up by Kili before he goes scampering off.
I grab my sword and sheath it, then take my belt off and sit on my roll about to settle down.
“Gloin, take the first watch” I hear Thorin say, his voice sounding like it’s getting closer to me.
“It’d be wise for you to sleep closer to the rest of the group” I look back at him over my left shoulder.
“It appears there is no room” I say not really wanting to move closer. He just keeps giving me the same plain expression as he always does before heading off towards his sleeping mat. I don’t even feel tired, either I’m on edge too much or I’m not used to sleeping without ale, but whatever it is it’s keeping me awake. I manage to get a few hours of sleep in, waking up a few times during the night but mostly going back to sleep while staring at the moon.