The Hobbit and Her Memories

CHAPTER 2

THALIA'S POV

"Bilbo..." I mumbled. "You don't really mean that, do you?"

Everyone was staring at me now. Gandalf and Thorin were both studying me. Then, Thorin snickered. "Well, this is awkward." he said.

I didn't wait for anything else. I left the room. As I turned the corner, I heard Thorin say out loud to his fellow dwarves, "Well, I guess she doesn't want to hear about our little adventure, men." I stopped and peeked around the wall.

"Adventure? What adventure?" I asked. Thorin chuckled. "Come, let's sit down and talk about it."

I listened as Thorin and the dwarves spoke of a place far away called Erebor. Gandalf pulled out a small worn map an placed it in front of Thorin, along with a strange-looking key.

"If there is a key," a dwarf by the name of Fili (Kili's brother) breathed. "There must be a door." Gandalf nodded and continued on.

Then, the dragon was mentioned. I have forgotten about Bilbo until he got startled by that word. Then, he was handed a long contract. As he read it out loud, I studied him. Why was he acting this way? This wasn't the same thing Bilbo that I remember all those years ago. If anything, the Bilbo I remember would already be out the door.

"Incineration?" Bilbo said. Even I was shocked with that statement. A dwarf called Bofur waved it off and said, "Think furnace, with wings." There was a pause as Bilbo seemed to be taking that in.

"Nope." he said, and fainted.

"Bilbo!" I said, shocked. The dwarves just sighed as I ran over, knelt down next to him, and tapped his face lightly. "Hey, hey, Bilbo." I called quietly.

When he woke up, Gandalf and I helped him to his armchair. I made him a quick cup of tea and handed it to him. "Thank you." he said, quickly taking a sip. He looked up at me and, clearing his throat, he asked, "I don't believe I introduced myself properly. I'm -"

"I know who you are, Bilbo Baggins." I said. He stared at me as if he was trying to know why I knew him. Suddenly, Gandalf came in with a thousand things to discuss in his eyes. But before he could say anything, Bilbo blurted out, "I'm fine, just let me sit quietly." Gandalf got an angry look. "You've been sitting quietly for far too long."

Then, Gandalf began to talk about the past. I left them but did not take my ear with me, for I wanted to hear every word. He described a young hobbit skipping frolicking around in the hills, an adventurous hobbit. It was all true. A full-of-energy boy who had his best friend at his side the whole way.

"Why are you crying?" I hear a voice. I opened my eyes and noticed that my cheeks were wet. In front of me stood Thorin and an older dwarf, Balin. "Why do you cry?" Thorin repeated.

I wiped my face and eyes with the palm of my hands, and faced him. "Memories, Master Dwarf." I wanted to be as respectful as possible, for after hearing the dwarves' conversation, Thorin seemed to be a very important dwarf. "Just good memories." Thorin had a firm look ( actually, he'd always seemed to have a firm and serious look).

"I see, and these are of Mr. Baggins?" Balin presumed. I gazed over at Bilbo, then back at Thorin and Balin, and nodded.

"But he says you two do not know each other. So why memories if you never met?" Thorin asked. New tears fell from my eyes. Then, I heard Bilbo say to Gandalf, "Sorry, but you got the wrong hobbit." I winced at that. This wasn't the Bilbo I once knew, was it? "Because we do know each other." I said, tears began to fall again. "But he's...forgotten me." Thorin and Balin looked confused, but I didn't wait to explain it. I left the room and headed somewhere quiet.

A couple minutes passed, and I decided to go back to the main room. As I got closer, I heard humming. Low harmonized humming coming from all the dwarves in the main room. I saw Bilbo leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, as if he was taking in the music. I stood next to him and listened to Thorin sing.

Far over the Misty Mountains cold
To dungeons deep, and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day
To find our long-forgotten gold.

One by one, each dwarf joined in with a sweet low tune that I will never forget.

The pines were roaring, on the height
The winds were moaning, in the night
The fire was red, its flaming spread
The tree like torches, blazed with light

I fell in love with my memories. I wanted to remember them all. I gazed over at Bilbo, who had a blank look to the ceiling, though I knew he was thinking of something. He swallowed and quietly went to his room. But I didn't follow him; I stayed and cried all over again.

Then, I did the unexpected. I faced Thorin and asked him straight, "Master Dwarf, please let me join your company." Thorin stared at me, shocked. All the other dwarves stared, too. Kili was the only one with a slight grin on his face.

"Please, I won't be a burden. I promise." I begged. "If Bilbo won't do it, then I will take his place as the burglar." That made Thorin grin. Then, ruffling my hair, he bent down to my eye level.

"Welcome, little one." he proudly declared.