Aurora's P.O.V
Do not kill the wizard. Do not kill the wizard. Do not kill the damned bloody wizard!
He's stalling. Probably trying to think up some sort of foolish excuse to convince me of why Bilbo is going on some silly adventure. I wait a bit more. Several minutes pass and now I'm convinced he has either had a stroke or died. Because it's almost 5 minutes later and all I've gotten from him, is; well.
I can't very well figure out much from 'well' now can I.
"Gandalf. I only have so much patience, so don't continue to sit there and think up of some ridiculous excuse when you know for a fine fact that I won't believe it. And if you think for one moment that I will, then you truly don't know me at all. I want the truth as to why you, 13 dwarves and some god forsaken quest, is here in my home and evolving Bilbo!"
Now I can only imagine what he's looking at right now. From the no bullshit look on my face, my stiff posture seated on the chair, a glare that will rival the flames of hell and the 'I am 30 seconds away from kicking your arse if you don't start talking' air around me. It looks as if he's fearing for his life but also debating something else.
"Now Aurora, this isn't exactly something I can tell you, without permission of course. I am not the leader of this company nor am I responsible for it. If you wish to know the truth, I will have to ask Thorin to be present, if he approves of informing you of this quest that is."
"Uh huh. So, you won't tell me the reason why you travelled all this way. Even though you're involved in this. And most likely the one to plant the idea, am I right?" The twitch in his eyebrow lets me know that I'm spot on with my assumptions. "Which is a bit suspicious, considering you only travel through these parts when I'm home. You've really got no other reason to come this way, considering your business is usually with myself and the fact that we are guardians, you discuss what you've come across on your travels and I do the same. You always know when I'm home. And yet you seemed very surprised to find me home, meaning you were not anticipating me being home, so early that is."
"Well, I-"
"No, you were counting on me still being away. What did you think was going to happen Gandalf? That I wasn't going to notice my brother missing when I came back home, or what if we crossed paths? What piss poor excuse were you going to come up with? Huh? Because seeing my brother, with 13 dwarves and you of all people, isn't going to naturally make me suspicious, nor want to drag Bilbo all the way back home, where he's safe?"
"That's exactly my point?" He accuses, pointing a finger at me.
"What point? Huh, Gandalf. So, far I've had to figure this out for myself. You and your merry band of dwarves want to take Bilbo away on some godforsaken quest without informing me of why, where and how in all of the gods names did you think you'd get away with this without me noticing let alone any of the other guardians."
"You keep Bilbo locked up in here!"
"That's not the damn point and no I bloody well don't keep him locked up!"
"Yes you do!"
"Bilbo is free to do whatever he wants, of which he knows of and not that he needs my permission."
"Ever since you became a guardian, I've noticed how little Bilbo seems interested in venturing beyond the borders of the Shire. And that's because of you, every time you come home and tell him of your adventures, your duties as a guardian. It scares him and I see it, that free spirit of his dulling. He's become too cozy, cooped up in this hole than living his life. Out there in the real world."
"You don't think that I haven't noticed that? He asks of my travels and I tell him. Every single detail. I don't lie to him Gandalf, I don't give him false hope. I tell him what the real world is like, all the dangers I've encountered, the evil that is trying to rot this world."
"Hmm." He agrees with me there.
"He knows of the monsters that I hunt down, the villages that I aid and protect, the people that I fight for. He knows all that, I see the fear in his eyes when I tell him this, as well as when I walk out that door to do it all over again. The world isn't what he reads in his books. I tell him so that he knows the truth, so that he'll be prepared, should a day ever come when he leaves this place. I want him to know so he can protect himself, if a day comes when I can't."
"When you can't?" Gandalf questions.
"You and I both know, that in the recent years, Middle Earth has changed. There's danger lurking around every corner. Orcs, trolls, goblins and those alike, are getting bolder. Barely a week ago, a caravan with a family of Men were attacked on the road." I hear several footsteps come closer, no doubt belonging to several pairs of ears all being nosey bastards.
"Orcs?"
"No, by goblins." His eyebrows disappear from his face.
"That was my expression when I heard their call for me. They were lucky enough to have been able to defend themselves against the goblins long enough until I arrived. If I hadn't, they would've been the 8th attack that I've encountered, that has ended in fatalities. It's getting worse, something is happening. A force far greater than our own, full of darkness and hatred, is out there, manipulating and encouraging them to come out and attack."
"Hmm."
"This is not the time to be encouraging Bilbo."
"I believe now is the perfect and only time for it." He replies, staring off into nothing.
"How? Why?"
"It's not my place to say, maybe now is the time for you to talk to Thorin. I'll watch over Bilbo."
"Pray tell, does this Thorin know about me?"
"I assume he will know you via your other given names. He may need some proof. You have everything you need to do that with."
"Let me guess, he's the grumpy one? That stared down his nose at me as if I were a piece of-" He gives me a look as he cuts me off and I hear a chuckle in the background. At least I'm amusing someone.
"Just go." Oh, he's using the tone with me now. It's so adorable when they think they have authority over me. I chuckle and raise an eyebrow at him. He frowns.
"Aurora for the love of-"
"Alright, alright. But if I don't get the right answers, be prepared for several burials' tomorrow morning, including yours." Several low gasps and murmurs meet my ears and I grin. Gandalf gives me a knowing look before chuckling lowly to himself.
"Go on." He motions me to the hallway with a wave of his hand, leaving a trail of smoke from his pipe behind. I stand up but move to Bilbo, who still seems a little out of it.
"I'll just be in the hallway Billy. I won't be far." I murmur softly, knowing his keen ears will pick it up, he barely nods his head at me. A wooshy feeling comes over me, probably best described as motherly love as I bend down, gently grasp the back of his curly head and softly give him a kiss on the forehead. His forehead wrinkles a little at the familiar gesture and I giggle softly.
Turning away, I give Gandalf a scolding look before moving to the archway leading to the hallway, there several of the nosey dwarves scatter at my sudden presence and it takes every bit of my being not to laugh at them. If you had told me 25 years ago that a group of 13 dwarves would run at the sight me, I'd say you were daft. Back then, I was terrified of the dwarves and they would hurl all sorts of insults, threats and objects at me.
Gandalf had helped me by taking me to several dwarven kingdoms, in hopes that someone would recognise me. However, pretty much no-one knew of my existence and pretty much exiled me from each kingdom. There are a few hand-full of dwarven establishments, ones that don't reside in mountains that is, who appeared to be more intrigued at my existence rather than disgusted. They are the select few who have shown me kindness, judged me not on my heritage but by my acts of kindness.
Which is how I learnt Khuzdul, well, relearnt actually. Somewhere, deep in the hidden vaults of my mind, a part of me remembers one of my native languages and so, I took to it like fish to water. Several of the dwarves admired my determination, to remember my dwarven heritage, thus resulting in my training with the blacksmiths, tinkers, soldiers and healers. Once again, I proved myself wrong and shocked not only myself but my teachers at how much I actually knew but couldn't remember how I knew it.
Imagine my surprise when I first disarmed, knocked over, pinned and held my blade at the neck of an experienced guard within seconds of him charging at me. Arny insists I join his guard, thoroughly convinced I was trained by the makers themselves. I laughed in his face the first time he asked that.
Composing myself, I angle my gaze around the hallway, coming across a white haired looking older dwarf who's seated next to a dwarf with black hair, with a few silver peppered through his locks, staring at me with an intense gaze. The air about him, his clothing, armour, hell his general appearance screams royalty at me.
"I welcome you, Thorin Oakenshield, to my home. For now." I say politely enough but holding his gaze, I nod my head slightly without breaking eye contact. His eyes widen by a fraction and alight with fire as I speak the secret sacred dwarf language to him, regardless as to the greeting. But before he can reply, the white haired dwarf stands.
"Balin, at your service, milady?" He questions, hinting for my name and I recognise his voice as the one that was concerned for Bilbo earlier.
"Aurora, call me Aurora." I say gently, smiling at him and giving him a short bow in return as he's already earned my respect. "It seems we have a few things to discuss, if you'll kindly follow me please." I head to Bilbo's study. Our study really. "You're welcome as well Master Balin, bring that contract of yours too. You can be our witness." I say over my shoulder, already hearing footsteps.
Rounding the corner slightly, I come past the pantry and to my horror, I find it empty. I stop, partly in shock and now, of all times, my stomach decides to remind me that its still hungry.
"Er, Miss Aurora, perhaps, I could whip you up something real quick, I'm sure I can find a few scraps around here to make a meal of." The dwarf, who I hadn't noticed, with bright red hair, a braided skipping rope of a beard with one very large belly asks me. I can't very well reject his offer, not when he jumped straight in when he heard my stomach growl, as if I'd offended him. Nor with the puppy dog look on his face either.
"That's very kind of you Master?"
"Bombur. At your service." He bows, almost losing his footing as his weight tips him forward a little. He rights himself before I can grab him though.
"Thank you, Bombur." I turn back to the pantry and notice that certain shelves and hidey holes have not been discovered. I grin, knowing my stash of favourite food and snacks remain untouched. "However, Master Bombur, you needn't worry about finding some scraps. In the pantry, there are certain shelves and hatches with a Rose symbol carved very finely into the wood. You'll know what to do from there, follow your nose." I turn back to Bombur and pat his back, he looks a little confused at my directions but heads into the pantry none the less.
Moving forward again, I hear the sounds of thundering footsteps behind me. "And if you wish to leave tomorrow morning with all your limbs attached, you'd best take what you need to make a meal for me and the leave the rest." I'm met with silence as I trot my way into the study, I turn around to watch Thorin and Balin walk in a few minutes after. There's only two chairs in the room that miraculously haven't been discovered and I motion for them to sit at them whilst I lean back against the writing desk.
"Now, with Bilbo's safety and wellbeing in mind, I am only going to ask this once. And I want a straight answer. After that, you can ask me any questions you want to, I can already see them forming in your mind. If you don't answer, Bilbo will not go on this quest. I will move mountains, raise hell and anything else that comes to mind to make sure he's safe. Don't forget that."
There's a pause as they take in my words before looking to one and other, silently having a conversation. Eventually Thorin nods and Balin smiles gently at me.
"Very well. But first, I need your word, that nothing of what I tell you leaves this room."
"I'll sign my name in bloody if that appeases you." Poor Balin's eyebrows disappear from his face, much like Gandalf's do when he's shocked or surprise by me. He quickly replies.
"They'll be no need for such drastic measures deary."
"Very well, then I, Aurora Gladiolus Baggins, here by swear that whatever concurs in this room, stays here."
"Interesting name their lassie." I smile at him.
"Indeed, now, I believe you have an explanation for me." Thorin takes a deep breathe.
"Do you know of Erebor?" I nod vaguely. "Erebor or the Lonely Mountain is the ancestral home of the King under the mountain. Thrain the first founded the first dwarven kingdom, it was a stronghold that was prosperous and full of Durin's folk. As our forefathers dug deeper into the rock, they grew very rich and were amassed by gold and other treasures alike. Deeper into the mountain, they found something, the King's jewel."
"The Arkenstone." I whisper in reply, not knowing how I knew it. My confused face must've prompted them not to ask me how I knew this.
"Thror, my grandfather, took this as his right to rule. But, my grandfathers love of gold grew too much." He pauses, becoming lost in his thoughts so Balin takes over.
"That much gold, in one place, attracted the likes of Smaug. Chiefest and greatest calamity of our age."
"A dragon!" I gasp.
"Aye, when Smaug sacked the Lonely Mountain, our people were forced to flee, we lost many but not more so than those who fell when King Thror attempted to take back the ancient kingdom of Moria. Wee few survived, Thorin lead us to the Blue Mountains and from there our folk grew."
"Gandalf sought me out. He told me to march upon Erebor, the dragon hasn't been seen for 60 years. I'd march an army up that mountain and reclaim it, however, I need the kings jewel to be able to command all 7 kingdoms." Oh, he's back from his brooding.
"And you want Bilbo, to go in there, where there's a potentially live, fire breathing dragon waiting for him, just so you can have a damn jewel! Absolutely not!" I hear my voice rise at the end.
"It is my birth right, I have every right to take back Erebor." Thorin raises his own voice.
"But you can't very well do that without an army can you? And an army who won't come to your call because you don't have the damn jewel. If your people honour and respect you that much, then they would come to your aid jewel or no jewel!" I'm met with silence. I take a few breathes to calm myself. Luckily this time I haven't managed to make the Earthquake.
"Lassie –" Balin begins.
"Look, I get it. Those of you who lived in Erebor feel like you've been robbed of your homeland, lost important years of your lives. Not belonging anywhere but Erebor. But look at it in through my eyes, you lot drop in, all strangers and unannounced. No doubt embarrassed and degraded Bilbo because of his gentle spirit and then drop this quest nonsense on him! Of course he's going to say no. Why would he travel all that way, with a band of dwarves like you, to potentially meet an early death."
"Lassie."
"No, if you had done this another way then maybe he'd say yes. If you were his friends. Then yes. But you are not. You're complete strangers who have barged into his life with one thing in mind. You've already admitted that you'll not be responsible for him. That's a long journey to take with no protection, there's all sorts of dangers out there. Everything from Orcs to illness'. And he has to defend himself from all of that? No!" Balin glares at Thorin, no doubt disappointed in him for that.
"Lassie, you're making us out to be careless, mindless brutes! We may be protective of our own kind but if Bilbo becomes part of the company, we'd protect him."
"Not when I heard for myself that your leader, your King, wont even offer him protection, what makes you think the rest of your companions will. And pray tell, what would happen say if your King demanded that none of you protect him, hmm? No, if and that's a very big if, Bilbo decides to lose all sense and join the company, then I'm coming too!"
Well, that can cause an uproar! Several voices in the hallway shout, Thorin looks about ready to pop a vein and poor Balin is spluttering like a cat that's fell in the pond!
"Out of the question, this quest has no place for a woman!"
"Now lassie, don't be brash! You said it yourself, these roads can be perilous with dangers lurking around every corner!"
"Then maybe it's time I told you about myself. Yes, my name is Aurora Gladiola Baggings. But I also have several other names you just may recognise. The elves call me Hiril Galad or Heri Kal. Men call me by several others although these are the most popular; The Saviour, The Watcher, The Guardian, The Warrior. The wizards call me either the Wandering Rose or The Nomad. The dwarves however, the ones that are kind to me call me Defendruum Eron Da Thorak or Varekan." I swear, if anymore eyebrows rise, they'll be up in the heavens before the night ends.
"You?!" Thorin basically offends me by the words and expression on his face but I don't let it bother me, it's not the first time someone's had the same reaction.
"Then of course there is my other names, the ones in black speech. Burguul. Angath. Gurz. But either way, they all know me. And of what my place is in this world is." I continue.
"It's true! The rumours are true. You're the other Guardian of Middle Earth." Balin murmurs in surprise.
"It's not the first time someone has been taken by surprise by that. Either way, I was drawn back home for a reason, and if this reason is to stop Bilbo, consider it done but if its to protect him, rest assured, not a hair on his body will be out of place all the way to Erebor and back. You can either accept that I'm coming with you, or not all."