Child of Sky (eventual Legolas/OC)

Book 1: chapter 2

I took a seat away from the company after Gandalf explained us what we will be doing in the near future. Traveling to the Lonely Mountain in attempt to get the Kingdom under the mountain back into dwarfish hands is suicide in my opinion. Smaug, the mighty dragon still resides there after all and this is no company of dragon slayers. 'But who am I to question them?' I think begrudgingly, still a little upset because of the words Thorin spoke after meeting him:

"A woman Gandalf? Our scout is a woman?" he asks shocked after I introduce myself. I suppose I could have seen it coming, especially after he scrutinized Bilbo. He had to endure many unkind words.

"There is no one better." Gandalf defends me, making me look at him gratefully. I can always count on his support, but this hardly seemed to cut it for Thorin Oakenshield.

"She hardly looks able to lift a sword. She will be a distraction and will get herself and us killed!" he counters with much exaggerating if you ask me. "We have need for a warrior, not a pretty face that will cower at the first sight of an orc!" he continues as I feel my blood start to boil, my patience running quite thin. My nails scratch the tabletop as I drag my fingers across it to clench my fists.

I can see the anger in Gandalf's eyes, but also a hint of caution as he eyes me as if to gauge my reaction. I do not enjoy to be taken lightly and he knows this. "I do not think she agrees with you on that." he murmurs, making the dwarf prince look back at me. His pupils shrink as he sees the wood curls on the tabletop. I will have to apologize to Bilbo later for ruining his furniture. I breathe hard and the dwarves nearest to me scoot over to have some leeway.

"Thorin Oakenshield." I hiss, making him nearly cringe. "If all you have are negative words to pass your lips, I do suggest you keep them tightly sealed. I have no problem relieving you of them otherwise." I threaten, making him glare, but it leaves me undeterred.

Before he can speak up though, Gandalf stops him. "I would choose your next words carefully, else she may keep up on her word. Believe me when I say she speaks the truth."

A tense silence fills the air before Thorin finally backs down. "I have better things to do than to argue. I'll just see for myself if she's useful to us." he says, hiding his defeat well before turning to the others. No, first impressions didn't quite turn out the way I hoped for.

"Are you well miss Therith?" Balin questions as I glance at the room where Gandalf is speaking with Bilbo.

I look back at the kind dwarf, sighing lightly. "I am. Please do not worry for me. No harm was done but to my ego. I can get over that." I assure him.

He nods sadly. "I'm sorry about him lass. I mean not to defend his actions, but he has his reasons for reacting so. I'm sure he'll change his mind soon enough. I can tell you are no pushover" he says, making me smile a little.

"Thank you master Balin. I do hope you're right."

"May I ask why you are joining us miss Therith? Not to be rude, but it seems to me that you have nothing to gain by coming." Balin asks.

"No, I do not. But Gandalf asked me to come, that is the only reason and I need no other." I tell him, drifting into memories of a past long gone.

Balin asks no more and returns to the others as Gandalf emerges from the room he was in. I look up at him in wonder. He looks rather tired as he says to me, "Go to sleep Therith. We leave at dawn. Tomorrow we will see if our burglar will join us." With that he leaves me on my own once more.

I sigh and close my eyes, knowing I will need the energy. Slowly I drift off as heavy voices sing a solemn song about the mission that we will start off on in the early morning.

The next morning, I ride a dark brown horse that Gandalf brought me as we ride out of Hobbiton. It is not often that I ride a horse, not that I have anything against them, but it does take some getting used to, hence the reason I have been shifting around on the saddle ever since I mounted the animal. I wonder if it will soon get tired of me, but for now it seems patient with me.

My thoughts are cut off when a voice calls out from behind us and I look back in surprise to see Bilbo hurrying to catch up while waving the contract about that he was given the night before. I smile at the sight, glad that he has chosen to join us after all.

"I signed it!" he declares when finally reaching us, making us halt our horses and ponies.

Balin takes the contract from the smug looking Bilbo and looks it over carefully. "Everything appears to be in order." he says tucking it away. "Welcome, master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

"Give him a pony." says Thorin, making Bilbo look up, obviously disturbed by the mere idea of riding a pony.

"No no no, that won't be necessary. I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I- I- I- I've done my share of walking holidays, even as far as Frogmorton once, wha!" he is cut off from blabbering as he's set on a pony anyway. I nearly laugh at the look on his face. I've never seen a look as sour as his.

"Come on Nori, pay up!" Ori calls before bags of money fly through the air. I hold up my hand, catching one without really paying attention before stuffing it within a pouch fastened to my hip.

All the money being passed around is clearly confusing the hobbit as he looks around himself. "What's that about?" he questions Gandalf.

"Oh, they took a wager on whether or not you would turn up or not. Most of them didn't think you would." Gandalf explains casually.

"And what did you think?" Bilbo asks, sounding disappointed that he was betted on.

"My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second." he replies when catching his own winnings, smiling amused.

Bilbo sneezes and rubs his nose. "All this horsehair, I'm having a reaction." he complains, patting his pockets as if searching for something. "No wait! Wait, stop, stop! We have to turn around!" he calls when coming to a realization of sorts.

The company halts in confusion. "What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf prompts.

Bilbo's answer nearly made me fall off my horse. "I forgot my handkerchief!" he calls out to us.

"Here, use this!" A rag is tossed his way and he looks at it as if it came from the loincloth of a troll, causing much laughter as Bilbo looks it over disgusted.

"Move out!" Dwalin calls as he regained his senses, making us move forward once again.

"You will have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a great deal of 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. Your home is now behind you, the world is ahead." Gandalf tells the hobbit and realization finally seems to set in with him as his eyes grow large in wonder.