The Past That Blinds (1 of 3)

After being up most of the night and not eating yesterday today is already starting to feel rough, I just hope the entire journey isn’t like this. But thankfully it started to rain quite heavy, the cool water keeping me awake. I sit in a daydream for the most of today, the only thing I remember hearing was Dori complain about the weather and Bilbo and Gandalf conversing about wizards, learning that there are five others somewhere in Middle-Earth, one that was most talked about amongst them was Radagast The Brown, he was said to love animals more than anything and looks after the vast forest lands to the east.
We come out of the forest to a hill with an old destroyed house just ahead “We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them.” Thorin says dismounting. Gandalf dismounted a lot sooner than anyone and is now at the ruined house. As I dismount I twist my right ankle on part of the rocky terrain that was hidden under the fairly long grass. I grip onto the saddle to keep myself stood up
“Oin, Gloin”
“Aye?” Oin says upon hearing his name
“Get a fire going.”
“I think it would be wiser to move on.” Gandalf says as Thorin walks closer to him and they seem to be having a heated conversation, before Gandalf starts walking off looking fairly irritated.
“Gandalf, where are you going?” I hear Bilbo ask
“To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense.” The wizard replies
“And who's that?”
“Myself, mister Baggins!” he almost shouts walking in my direction
“I've had enough of dwarves for one day.” He mumbles as he passes
“Come on Bombur, we're hungry.” Thorin says sounding fed up “Elf. Make yourself useful” he starts to walk back to the group.
“What would you have me do?” I ask politely
“Gather wood for the fire” he replies dismally
I curse under my breath at my stupid question and I take my cloak off and hang it over the saddle before I head for the forest, trying to hide my limp.

I get yet another armful of fire wood before heading back, my limping has stopped now and my ankle is just numb.

I put the wood down in a pile near the fire, but not too near.
“He’s been a long time.” Bilbo says, I turn around and look around, no Gandalf still.
“Who?” Bofur asks as he’s dishing food out.
“Gandalf.”
“He's a wizard! He does as he chooses.” He states “Here. Do us a favor, take this to the lads.” He hands Bilbo two bowls and the hobbit heads off towards Fili and Kili who are watching the ponies still. I turn around about to head back off into the forest for more wood.
“Oi, where ye’ going?” Bofur asks
“For more fire wood” I say simply turning to look at him.
“Sit down, ye’ve got plenty. Ya’ won’t do that limp any good if ya’ keep walking on it”

I reluctantly do as he says and go and head over to Fearlóf. I get a red apple out of my saddle bag which is on the floor next to the saddle that’s placed on a rock. I go over to him and pat him on the neck as I sit down leaning against him.
“Here you go boy” I say and give him the apple, he eats it and whinnies, then he softly nudges the side of my cheek with his snout. My ankle twinges and I react by holding it in both hands, even through my boots it feels swollen. I stand up and go and sit on my saddle so I can stretch my leg out. I end up sitting there silently seething at myself, I asked a stupid question and it was noticed that I’d injured myself - however slight. More reasons for the company to think I’m useless. I just sit there in silence looking out for any sign of trouble.

“You look like yer’ expectin’ an attack.” Bofur says from behind me, I turn and look at him confused.
“Yer’ holding yer’ sword pretty tight” he says motioning with his head to my hand gripping my sword which I didn’t even realize.
“I didn’t even realize I was holding it” He chuckles a bit .
“Here you go.” He hands me a bowl. I nod thanking him and taking it.
“Is everything alright lass?” Bofur asks sitting down a serious look now on his face.
I nod, not wishing to share my thoughts.
“If this is about Thorin, he’s been a bit grouchy since Gandalf left but ye’ shouldn’t need to take it to heart”
“It’s not that I take it to heart Bofur. I just want-” I exhale loudly in a poor excuse of a laugh “I want you all to trust me” I say
“Most of us do lass, it’s just Thorin who doesn’t. We just need to prove he can” he says
“Yeah” I laugh a little unsure “And how are we going to do that?” I ask in a jokey way
“We’ll think o’ something.” He says and stands up with a smile. “Eat. I’ve got a feeling ye’ didn’t eat yesterday and yer’ going to need yer’ strength.” He says before walking off.

I eat what I assume is Rabbit stew and I decide to go to find Bilbo who I think must be lost in the forest since he’s not back yet.
“Bilbo” I shout walking backwards a few steps while turning around, thankfully my ankle isn’t too bad anymore. It hurts a little bit to walk on it but I’m not limping now which is a good thing. I move round a tree when I see a line of trees torn up and pushed over.
“What happened here?” I ask myself.
I follow the path of destruction stealthily, ducking under and jumping over branches that are in my way. I then see a couple of ponies, they’re some of the companies ponies and I wonder where Fili and Kili are, but I had a thought, did whatever cause this destruction take the brothers. I hope not, Thorin will have my head if I tell him. But then, up ahead I see fire light and as I get closer I hear voices.
“I’m a burglar- Ahh- Hobbit” I hear Bilbo’s voice
“A 'burglarobbit'?” I hear someone say.
“Can we cook him?” asks another voice.
“We can try!” comes a third, I move into a position where
I can see, Bilbo is surrounded by three trolls.
“He wouldn't make more than a mouthful. Not when he's skinned and boned!” One says pushing Bilbo into the middle of the trio with a spoon, only to face a troll's knife.
“P'raps there's more burglarobbit 'round these parts, might be enough for a pie!” the troll pushes the hobbit around again and Bilbo starts to run as they try to catch him.
“Grab him” I run in to help the hobbit.
“He's too quick” He’s still running around and dodging them they’re too slow to catch him. “look there’s another one”
“Ahh, come here, you little...” One of the trolls grab Bilbo by the legs “Gotcha!” I run over to help the hobbit with my sword drawn but my left leg gets grabbed, surprising me causing me to drop my sword. I cross my arms over my chest making sure my tunic doesn’t fall too far and show too much skin.
“Are there any more of you little fellas hiding where you shouldn't?” I get asked while being held upside down by my ankle.
“No.” Bilbo answers plainly.
“He's lying!” One troll states
“No I'm not” The hobbit replies all too quickly.
“Hold his toes over the fire. Make him squeal!”
“If you hurt that hobbit I will have your heads on spears” I shout annoyed. The trolls laugh
“Put. The Hobbit. Down” I say trying to reach my boot
A troll screams in pain causing me to look in the direction of the scream. I see Kili attack one of the trolls and it falls over yelping. ‘what are you doing?’ I think to myself before another thought pops into my head wondering where the others are and they’re probably going to think I can’t even take care of myself. Kili swings his sword around at his side and smiles smugly.
“Drop them!” he says
“What? Drop?” I say to myself before looking to the floor
"Drop? Is that the best you can come up with?" I ask Kili with a pointed look to the floor.
“You what?” the troll holding onto Bilbo says and the trolls laugh.
“I said... Drop them.” Kili repeats
I manage to reach up and get my knife from my free boot and stab the trolls’ hand causing him to let me go. Instead of landing on my back I manage to just land on my feet facing Kili who has just caught Bilbo after the troll threw him. Thorin followed by all the dwarves come running out of the trees shouting with their weapons drawn and start to attack the trolls
I spot my sword about two meters away and roll to get it just in time because I would’ve been stood on. I start attacking the troll closest to me with Dwalin on my left as we both fight one troll. As we’re fighting I trip over a vine and the troll goes to grab me but Bofur hammers the trolls foot causing it to yelp and then he helps me up, we exchange nods before getting back to fighting I fight a different troll now slicing and stabbing the thick skinned creature. The trolls move around so do all of us, it’s almost like a dance gone bad with dwarves running around swapping partners - in this case the trolls.
Now back to the troll I was fighting with Balin - now with Nori and Bofur attacking it and Dwalin attacking another one, the troll turns its back as the back of its legs get sliced and I put my weapons away and pick up a vine from off the floor and jump up onto its back and use the vine as reigns. The toll tries to swipe me off but fails hitting the other trolls instead. I suddenly get picked up off the troll and thrown. Someone catches me in a strong safe grip around my waist and abdomen and we both fall to the floor my back to his front. I’m grateful for the soft landing but upon realizing who it was I would have rather been thrown into a tree.
“Find the hobbit and get out of here before you both get hurt” I hear Thorin say below me, there was something different in his voice this time, he almost sounded like he cared. Never the less I roll my eyes and roll off of him and go to find Bilbo, I find him hiding behind a barrel and I go over to him, dodging trolls legs so I don’t get trampled on.
“Bilbo, you’ve got to get out of here.” A troll stumbles in our direction, so I quickly unsheathe my sword and attack it causing it to stumble the other way. “Get back to the camp” I say worried about my little friend.
Dwarves are being kicked into the air, picked up and thrown, trolls yelping and roaring as they’re sliced and hammered.
“What are you going to do?” he asks
“Do what I do best” I say with a small smile before getting my knife and jumping over the barrel and back into the fight .
One of the trolls wander off and I go to help when I get kicked backwards into the group of dwarves that have now stopped fighting realizing Bilbo’s been caught.
Balin and Oin help me up
“Bilbo!” Kili shouts, about to run forward and attack the trolls.
“No!” Thorin stops him before he can.
“Lay down your arms! Or we'll rip his off!” The troll says, Bilbo looks absolutely terrified.
Thorin, irritated, stabs his sword into the ground and we all put our weapons down.