It is morning. Bilbo wakes up on his bed, and suddenly realizes that his house is very quiet. He walks all around his house expecting to run into the dwarves; however, there is no one there. The house has been cleaned up completely from the mess of the party last night, almost as if it had never happened.
“Hello?“ He called out. Bilbo looks a bit lonesome. He sees the Contract sitting on a table; he looks at it, then looks up with a determined face. Bilbo runs out the door of Bag End and down the path, wearing a travelling pack and holding the contract. He runs through Hobbiton, jumping over fences and pumpkins in his haste. His neighbors shake their heads at him.
“Hey! Mr. Bilbo! Where are you off to?”
“Can’t stop, I’m already late!” He shouted back.
“Late for what?”
"I’m going on an adventure!” Bilbo cried out excited. The dwarves are riding their ponies, and Gandalf his horse, down a path through a wooded area. A few words of their conversation are heard, including “waste of time” and “use a hobbit”. Thorin couldn't get his mind of North as Balin and Dwalin were getting slightly worried. Bilbo runs up from behind them.
“Wait! Wait!” Bilbo cried out. Some dwarves call “Woah!” and stop their ponies. Bilbo catches up to them and hands Balin the contract.
“I signed it!” Bilbo smiled. Balin takes the contract and inspects it with a pocket-glass. He then smiles at Bilbo.
“Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield.” The dwarves cheer. Thorin doesn’t look too impressed.
“Give him a pony.” Thorin demanded not in a very good mood.
“No, no, no, no, that--that won’t be necessary, thank you, but I--I’m sure I can keep up on foot. I-- I--I’ve done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once--WAGH!” Bilbo’s speech is cut off as two of the dwarves ride alongside him and pick him up from behind to put him on a pony. Bilbo is riding a pony and looking quite terrified. The pony neighs and tosses its head, making him quite uncomfortable…Some of the dwarves laugh as money gets thrown back to and fro from the bets on whether Bilbo would even show up.
“What’s that about?” Bilbo asked.
“Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you’d turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn’t.” Gandalf explained as Bilbo looked up at Gandalf slightly pained.
“What did you think?” He asked unsure if he really wanted an answer. Just then Gandalf catches a sack of money tossed to him and puts it in his bag. A smile placed on Bilbo's worried face.
“My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second.” Gandalf chuckled as the company continued on their journey. They were halfway through the forest when Thorin was nearly knocked off his pony when an Elvish soldier came running out panting. Blood dripping down the sides of his mouth. Thorin tried to steady his horse, whilst the other dwarves prepared to attack, when Gandalf recognized the soldier and moved forward frowning. He looked down at the distraught soldier.
"Gandalf?" He asked unsure panting as he nodded.
"Please you have to help, we we're attacked and---" He was cut off by Dwalin.
"Why should we help and Elf?" He snarled, as the soldier frowned. He didn’t know of the quarrels in this world between Elves and Dwarves, but Gandalf just frowned once more.
"Where is her Ladyship?" He asked slightly worried as Thorin's eyes snapped up to Gandalf as though he knew who they were talking about.
"She sent me to find you. Please, I think she's dying" He gulped, as Gandalf sat straight up on his horse.
"Take her to me" He instructed as the soldier nodded with the company riding hard after him as he ran through the woods. It seemed like only a few seconds before they all dismounted their horses to run after him to find him frozen in shock, horror and confusion. Staring out from behind the bushes to an open clearing in the center of the woods.
"This isn't possible. She was right here? Where are the others? They were stone!" He exclaimed as they all turned to the soldier in confusion, before to the left came out of the bushes, the Lady in White with the four soldiers beside her. The young soldier gasped beside Gandalf as he saw himself standing just a few feet from him.
"A time slip. Listen to me all of you. No matter what you see you must not interfere" Gandalf hissed quietly to everyone in the company as they frowned.
"Why what is happening?" Thorin asked as his eyes were glued to North whose head perked up in the direction to her left. They watched as the soldiers drew their swords, howls echoed as the young soldier beside Gandalf gulped.
"We are about to relive the events of an attack" Gandalf whispered….
