A Heart of Gold

Chapter 2

3 months later...

Helga walked down the lamp lit streets of the peaceful town of Hobbiton, looking for the mark that Gandalf said. Passing by every small rounded door, she searched and searched for the mark until she passed by the hole on top of a hill, where she spotted something blue and glowing. She knocked on the round, green door and smiled at the small hobbit who opened the door for her.

However, the hobbit was frightened by her appearance, more so since her hood was on.

"Um... Ma-May I help you?" He stammered and she was about to say something when she spotted a familiar face within the room.

"Ah, Helga! You've arrived!" Gandalf said, as he stood beside the hobbit, ducking his head a little underneath the doorframe. "Bilbo, this is an old friend of mine, Helga. Helga, this is our host, Bilbo." Gandalf said, and Helga nodded towards the hobbit, who nodded back.

"Good evening." She said, smiling at the hobbit before turning to Gandalf with a serious face. "Is there food?" Was the first thing she asked, and Bilbo was stunned by her voice. For a frightening person, her voice was soft and gentle, albeit a bit low. Being an old friend of Gandalf's, he expects that she's a bit old herself, too.

"Right, follow me. Although, I must say, the others might've finished most of it. I think stew is all there's left." He said, mumbling more to himself than to Helga. She was caught by surprise when she saw the dining room, for it was filled with 13 dwarves, both old and young, and for small creatures, it rather felt crowded. When the dwarves saw the new guest standing just outside the dining hall, they immediately stood up, hands on their weapons. The head of their group, who was obviously sitting at the head of the table, had his back against the guest. He stood up and turned around, and was taken aback by the sight of a woman in this meeting.

"This is no place for a woman." He said to her, eyeing her from head to toe. For someone who wore such intimidating armor, she was quite thin.

"Not unless that woman was invited, then she has a right to be here."

"Depends on who invited her." The dwarf said and Helga just stood her ground. Gandalf just sighed and shook his head; these two bickers like children.

"I'm afraid I forgot to tell you that she was the other member I talked to you about." Gandalf said, ducking his head again to avoid hitting his forehead on the beam... again. The dwarf just glared at the old wizard.

"Apparently, you failed to mention that this member was a woman. I will not be accepting her here." The dwarf said and Helga started to panic at first, then felt anger lighting her heart up on fire. No, the Valar cannot be that cruel. To present an opportunity right in front of her only to take it back. She was about to let out a snarky remark when she bit back her tongue and shot The dwarf a glare instead, before stomping out of the house.

"Excuse me," Gandalf said, smiling at the dwarves before following Helga outside. "Helga Skyrunner, you stop at this instant!" He called after her as she started to prepare the saddle on her horse, Shadowmere.

"It's alright, Gandalf. This is what the Valar wants, is it not? To taunt me? Well, I don't need them! I'll charge to Erebor myself!" She exclaimed, pulling on the buckles too tightly that her horse reacted, standing on its two hind legs, making Helga stand back as it's hoof hit her forehead before it trotted away. "Argh! You useless ass!" She cursed at the retreating form of her horse. She grumbled and picked up her belongings while she held her slightly bleeding head, sighing in defeat.

"Helga, falling into your short temper won't do you any good at the moment. You can't simply walk into Erebor by yourself, there is no way in! You must be patient." Gandalf said.