(Arulla's P.O.V.)
I crouched and a squeezed my way behind a great deal of dwarves, making sure that he couldn't see me. Even though being massivly hidden, I could still hear his booming voice echo throughout the hobbit's home. I stretch on my toes to catch a glimpse of him walking through the door.
"I thought you said this place would be easy to find? I lost my way twice." I hear him grumble. "Wouldn't have found it at all if it hadn't been for that mark on the door." Thorin turned around as he thrashed his cloak in front of him and gathered it in his arms. His eyes slowly finding Kíli's. He gave off a small smile and turned to stare at the quite disturbed hobbit.
"There is a mark I put it there myself." I hear Gandalf say As Gandalf clears his throat I see Thorin slowly turn his gaze, from Gandalf to the hobbit, and then to Kílí, and back to the hobbit.
"Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."
"Thorin." The hobbit began, "As in Prince Thorin of Erebor?"
"King." Kílí corrected.
Throin gruffed and replied, "So, this is the hobbit." and he starts to walk in a circle around Bilbo. "Tell me Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?"
"Pardon me?"
"Axe or sword. What is your weapon of choice?"
The hobbit looked quite confused at the point of all these questions, and what all they mean, but I knew exactly why. Thorin was testing the hobbit's worth.
"Well I do have some skill at conkers if you must know. But I fail to see why that's relevant."
Thorin smirked, "Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." He looked up at Gandalf, "Honestly Gandalf, this hobbit will never be a warrior, because no one here will teach him the ways-"
"I will teach him!' I shouted above the crowd. Everyone's eyes were on me now as I made my way to the front of the room. Thorin's eyes went wide when he saw my face, I was almost sure he would recognize me but,
"Gandalf who is this?" Thorin gruffed.
My mouth dropped agape do only a few moments before I regained my composure. I let out the quiet breath I was holding and looked towards Gandalf. He pursed his lips together and inclined a head to me, "This is Aranel Oiailmarë, Daughter of Imladrís. She has come to help."
Thorin groaned, "We don't need any help. Especially from an Elf maiden. She probably doesn't even know how to wield a dagger."
I groaned myself and was fed up with Thorin's disbeliefs. I quickly jerked my foot behind his and made him fall on his back. I drew my bow and arrow in one quick move and aimed it directly at Thorin's head. I smirked at my acomplishment,
"You seem to know very little of me Master Dwarf. Do not test me." I scowled. Gandalf smiled when I gave Thorin a hand to sit up. He took it and looked up at Gandalf for an explanation. Gandalf sighed and began to speak, "Although she has an Elf name, and seemingly Elven heritage, she is as much a dwarf as you are, but unlike you, she was raised by Elves when she was a dwarfling nearly 70 years ago."
Thorin turned his head, "No! I will not have a woman on this quest! I will not be responsible for her! She will not come!" He concluded, but I was far from finished. He turned to walk from the room, but I yelled at him with no sense of repect to him or anyone here.
"Too late!" I screamed. Thorin stopped walking and turned on his heels, slowly.
"What did you say to me?" He growled at me. I smiled rather cruely, "I said, 'Too late.' I have already signed your bloody contract, so forgive me for being disrespectful. But I'm coming on this quest."
I began to walk towards him. I was almost past him when I stopped to say, "Oh, and don't worry about me being your responsibility. I'm sure I can take care of myself." I growled at my final words and walked into the living room, back into the comfortable armchair. I buried my face in my hands and silently sobbed. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Once again, it was Fílí. He had a dissapointed look on his face.
"Why did you say that to my uncle?"
I jerked up, "Your uncle?"
Fílí nodded, "Yeah, remember when me and Kílí were talking about our uncle. That was him. So why did you say that?"
I shook my head, "You wouldn't understand Fílí. It's a long story."
"Can you summon up that story?"
I shook my head, "No. It's a long story and you have anything but time to hear it."
Fílí began to protest but a loud voice stopped him.
"Fílí!" Thorin shouted. "Come!"
Fílí looked back at his uncle and nodded.
"See?" I quietly whispered. Fílí nodded and patted my shoulder and left the room. I quickly followed behind but did not enter the dining room like Fílí. Instead I went outside for air and moved to Amdir and slowly mounted her bare back and rode off to clear my head. Some tears stained my face and the oncoming wind blew them away.
When I reached a little forest outside the edge of the Shire, I dropped to the floor and wailed. I wish I could be happy, but I wasn't. 'He probably never even bothered to search for me. He probably has a new family in the mountains of which he's been living in. But did I ever cross his mind? No! He doesn't even know that I'm standing right in front of him! He's forgotten all about me, and he doesn't care.' Then I remembered something, searching through my tunic's pockets, I smiled slightly when I found the parchment I was searching for.
Opening the now worn and yellow paper, tears began to fall again. Then I began to reread out loud, the letter that I've read endless times,
"My dearest Arulla...."
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(Thorin's P.O.V)
"Who does that child think she is?" I thought to myself. "She has no respect at all!" I groan and lift a hand to rub the back of my head where I landed flat on my back. I chuckled, "Maybe she's not so worthless." I smiled but then shook it off, 'No Thorin! Don't let your heart go soft! She's just a woman. Whether Elf or Dwarf, I have no care for her.' I grumbled to myself and made my way back to the long dining table where a bowl of soup and bread were waiting for me.
I look back at the door, hoping she would be back before long. 'Why was she tugging on my heart?' I thought to myself. I turned my head back around to look at my company. I continued to eat my soup an my bread when Balin spoke up.
"What news from the meeting in Erid Luin? Did they all come?" I looked up from my bowl and smiled proudly,
"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms."
I hear the door slam and resist the urge to turn my head. She comes up behind me and begins to glare at Gandalf. For a reason I did not know. But I turned my head and glared at her. But I was far from nice.
"What do you want Elfling?" I insulted, my tone far from gentle.
She turned and her glare was instantly replaced with a face that was almost about to burst and I could see that her eyes were puffy red and tears still rolled down her cheeks when she looked at me. My face softened only a little, bit my glare stayed.
She shook her head and then finally cowered away and said nothing. She walked away slowly and came to rest on the hobbit's armchair. My gaze followed her and I wanted to go and comfort her. Not like a lover mind you, but like a man would hold his child close when she was scared of monsters. I shoved the feeling away and my face became hard again. 'No Thorin! You had your chance to do that, and that life is all but gone now, Arulla is dead and she will never come back." I turned back towards my company, but in my mind, I couldn't help but continue to think of Aranel.
"And what do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked, pulling me out of my stupor.
(Arulla's P.O.V.)
I entered the the room will puffy red cheeks and tear stained eyes. My eyes scoped the company and they quickly found Gandalf. my face turned to pure anger. I glared at Gandalf and spoke to him mentally,
"You knew. You knew he was alive and that he would be leading this company. You knew this whole time. And yet you didn't tell me?"
"You refused to be told otherwise, my dear Aranel. You are just as stubborn as he was when I saw him the other day in Bree." Gandalf replied, his voice echoing in my head.
"You- He- He was there..... HE WAS THERE!!!!! While I slept alone above you, you saw the only person I have ever dreamed of seeing again without telling me?! And then you knew that he would be coming here so you dragged me along! Was it just for your entertainment to see my heart break a second time because now he doesn't even know who I am!!!"
"No!!! It's because you need him as much as he needs you!"
"I do not-"
"What do you want Elfling?" Thorin retorted, breaking my connection to Gandalf. I turned my head and looked into those eyes, the same eyes as mine, and yet completely different. My face is quivering and if I don't turn away, I would not last long to throw my hands up in the air and bolt.
When I saw his face soften, I thought he was going to finally realize who I was, but he didn't. My heart sunk, I felt like he was never going to figure it out. But I was never going to tell him, if he wanted to know who I really am, then he must figure it out. I quickly walked to the armchair, I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn't care.
I hear a quiet 'thunk' in the floor and I move into the hallway to see poor Bilbo lying on the floor, unconscious. I rushed to his side,
"What did you do!?" I growled, but no one answered. I picked Bilbo up and carried him to the armchair of which I was sitting across from. I regained my seat across from Bilbo as he began to stir.
"Bilbo are you alright?" I asked quietly.
"I'm alright, just let me sit quietly for a moment." He replied.
"You've been sitting quietly for far too long." Gandalf inquired.
"Tell me; when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire." Gandalf shook his pipe towards the window as of to show his point. "The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there."
Bilbo stuttered and began to protest. "I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End."
"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?" Gandalf smiled.
"Yes."
"Well he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time."
Bilbo chuckled a bit, and I couldn't help but stifle a laugh "I do believe you made that up."
"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back."
Bilbo's smile faltered for awhile, "Can you promise that I will come back?"
Gandalf sighed, "No. And if you do, you will not be the same."
Bilbo pursed his lips and gave a nod of understanding, "That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit."
This time it was my turn to sigh, I laid a comforting hand over Gandalf's. Gandalf turned and smiled at me, "Give him time." I said reassuringly. Gandalf nodded and reversed to another room, but I stayed out in the comfortable little armchair.
I laid my head on the side of the armchair and just stared at the ceiling. It was only until the dwarves began to file in that I decided to move. I got up from the chair and offered it to Balin. he thanked me and I quickly left the room. I was almost out when an arm stopped me. I looked up and quickly looked down again.
"Where did you go?" He asked.
I shuddered, "I'm not sure I understand my Lord."
He eyed me curiously as I just gave him respect, and called him the name he used to hate coming from my lips, but then again... He didn't know who was standing in front of him...
"When you left after I called Fíli into the dining room. You slammed the door behind you and left. So where did you go."
My eyes turn angry and my pride returned, "Why do you care? I'm sure you wouldn't even care if I rode off so far that a pack of wargs attacked me and picked meat from my bones!"
His eyes flew back and he let go of me. I glared at him once more and he sighed deeply, "You signed the contract. Therefore, I am responsible for you." He looked at me, anger was not in his eyes, but it was an emotion that I saw in him a long time ago, protection. He turned around to leave but before he did he began to speak again,
"And I would care."
"No one is responsible for me except me. And please keep your lying sentiment to yourself. You don't need to butter me up so I can join your quest."
My eyes filled up and hot tears flowed heavily down my cheeks, I lowered my head and before he could respond I bolted to my bed that I was given by Bilbo. Very faintly I could hear Thorin's voice sing a very low-dimmed song. I think it was like this,
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.
The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning in the night,
The fire was red, it flaming spread,
The trees like torches
blazed with light.
I smiled in my pillows, and slowly drifted off to sleep like all those times long ago when Thorin would lull me to sleep. It was a peaceful paradise... Well almost
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Special thanks to all of my fans for keeping me on my toes on this chapter. Thank you all for reading this story... It truly makes my day!
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Le hannon!
Namarië!!!
-TC110