[Edited 5/20/18]

So this is my replacement for Chapter Three. It starts out the same, but this chapter turns very different as we stop in Bree rather than meeting our friendly trolls who only want to eat you.

Chapter Three – To Bree

She staggered as she ran through the streets. Her skirts were torn and she'd lost sight of Marigold ages ago. She could still hear the men behind her, still there, still chasing. Why weren't they giving up?! She was grabbed suddenly, a hand over her mouth as she was yanked behind a door. Her scream muffled under the thick hand.

"Shhhhh. Shhhh now lass. It's a'ight. Listen."

She heard the men's footsteps run past, angry threats and garbled cursing. She stood trembling, her back to the door, as the hand was removed from her mouth and a lamp was lit. Her eyes darted to the corner when she heard a shuffle and the relief of seeing an equally wide-eyed Marigold staring back at her caused her knees to cave. She burst into hysterical sobs that had their rescuer raking fingers through her hair as he tried to piece together what he had stumbled across.

Bilba jolted awake and groaned, reaching up to wipe the wetness from her face automatically. Only the coals still burned from the fire. She looked around in the predawn light, noting that she and the guard were the only ones awake. She stood stiffly and limped her way over, not even sure of who she was seeing in the gray light. She dropped gracelessly to the ground in front of them and moaned.

Gloin's coarse chuckle greeted her ears. "Shoulda asked me brother for some ointment," he said at last.

"Meant to." She answered. "Got distracted."

He watched curiously as she fiddled in her pouch before grabbing a long stick from the ground next to her. "What are ya doing?"

Bilba grinned in answer as she lay the stick across her lap and began tying a string to it. "What I intend to do, Master Gloin, is go catch some breakfast. Any hobbit worth his salt can fish his toes off and I, dear sir, am certainly worth my salt! Plus, we're still in the Shire, so I know all the good spots." She was off before Gloin could dissuade her, humming as she heard the sound of water growing closer.

She settled into a spot on the creek bank, her line cast toward the shallows. She sang quietly as she began to see the sky brightening.

I am Yavanna's child

Bride of the Smith She'll always be

She holds me close in times of trial

Brings me peace when I'm on my knees

Born of the fields and woodland flowers

She gave us life straight from her dreams

With loving hands and fertile powers

We make our homes and gardens sing

To give our gifts to all the Valar

But none so great as the Mother Green

That we should live to bring her honor

By cherishing life and love and peace

As she sang she gathered up a few berries, flowers, and grass from around her. She placed them in a small circle of pebbles pulled from her pouch. "It is not much sweet Yavannah, but I hope this humble offering this morning is enough to guide me as I search for peace. I fear the places we will go and see. I fear we will find Men or worse, that Men will find me. I... I think though, that even if they knew, there are some of the dwarves who would protect me? Your husband has made a strong people to have survived the dragon and still want to try again. I... I hope that by the end of this I may call some of them my friends, Mother Yavannah." She allowed her voice to trail off, suddenly overwhelmed by just how lonely she had become over the past years that her heart ached with the question of whether or not they would become her friends. She swallowed hard around the sudden lump in her throat and went to check her line, not surprised to find it already bobbing along.

She pulled in five fish of good size in no time at all, and as she turned to head back to camp she noticed that where her offering had been there now stood a brilliant pink cosmos. She smiled as she retrieved her pebbles, placing them in her pouch once more.

She didn't see the two figures standing in the trees. "My children may be physically strong, my love, but yours are astounding. For her to have gone through what she did and then still be willing to come do this..."

The female nodded, her hand in his. "I worry for her though. The trials they will face on this quest will not be easy, and some of hers will be the hardest of them all."

"Where has that dratted hobbit gotten off to?" Thorin demanded as he did a quick headcount. The sky was just barely light, how could he have gone anywhere? He turned to glare at Gloin, but Gloin, being used to Thorin's temperament merely lifted an eyebrow.

"Fishing."

"And a fine morning it is for fishing, too!" Bilba called as she stepped into camp.

Bombur gave an excited shout as he took the fish from her, earning him a grin.

"Hobbit, you do not wander off!" Thorin began.

Bilba turned to him with a glare. "I am not one of your subjects, Thorin. I am a hobbit who has agreed to come on this quest for no other reason than to help you! I have no use for gold or treasure! I have no use for going down in poems and sonnets! I am here to help a bunch of dwarves get their home back – and this morning I took it on my own charge to get us fish for breakfast so that we may extend our supplies as much as possible!"

They glared at each other until one of the other dwarrow began to laugh. Bifur was pointing at them and gesturing to Oin who snorted. "He says ya better watch out lad. You've only been around a few days and you're already picking up our hardheadedness."

The tension dissolved into snickers amongst the other dwarves and Bilba shook her head. It was a quick breakfast, and as they began to break apart camp, Bilba was glad to note that there was still fish left over. She was trying to figure out how her short arms were going to get the saddle back onto her pony's back when a shadow fell over her and the saddle was taken from her arms.

Deft fingers quickly cinched it into place before Bifur turned and smiled at her. Bilba scowled a little and crossed her arms. "Well, I could do that as well if I could reach it!" She said, trying to make the playfulness plain in her voice.

Bifur grinned and handed her a small vial. She looked at it curiously, head tilted. He gestured from her pony to her to Oin. "Oh! For the saddle sores?" He nodded and made a grimacing face, feigning walking around with his legs splayed apart. Bilba burst into laughter and punched his arm. "I have not been that bad!" She declared. He snorted and shrugged, impishness alight in his eyes.

It was after they set out that morning that Bofur dropped back from his brother and his pony fell into step beside hers. "Thank ye."

She blinked, looking up from her hat which she was adding a new symbol to. "Whatever for?"

He nodded his head in Bifur's direction. "For being kind to him."

She twirled her needle between her fingers for a moment, trying to think what to say. "I must tell you honestly Master Bofur, how I treat Bifur is no kindness. It saddens my heart that your family has grown so used to negative reactions that you view decency as kindness. I have no reason to treat Bifur any differently. It's clear that he understands anything I say to him, and while I wish I could understand what he says, he manages well enough to get his point across either through a translator or his own gestures."

They rode for a while in companionable silence, and if she noticed when Bifur and Bombur drifted back so she was included in their group she chose not to say anything, simply glad for the company. It was a comfortable group that they settled into, occasionally speaking but often just riding in silence, the four of them lost in their own thoughts. Perhaps this journey wouldn't be so bad after all.

She was cursing that thought by the very next day.

"So, we mix a bit of honeysuckle leaves in with the willow bark, and it helps to make the tea more palatable. Especially if it needs to be taken by a young one. Or, just someone stubborn."

Dori had caught her heating up a bit of water that morning to make tea, and he had latched onto the realization that there was another in the group who enjoyed the drink as much as he himself did. Bilba, for her part, was amused that she and Dori had been discussing teas for the better part of the morning, and somehow Oin had drifted towards them, his ear horn already out and ready. The conversation had then turned towards more medicinal teas. Bilba suspected the healer was trying to suss out what differences there may be in hobbit and dwarrow healing, because Valar forbid he ask directly.

Although, since Bilba's answers to the last friendly questions put to her hadn't exactly been polite, she couldn't say that she blamed them. Not really anyways. Her answers had been truthful, but perhaps a bit too blunt.

"How do you know so much about medicinal teas, Master Baggins? If you don't mind an ol' healer asking."

"Please," Bilba repeated, "it's Bilbo, really. I've a love for reading, and for a time I had thought to perhaps be a healer for the shire, so I had done quite a bit of studying." She had in fact already had an apprenticeship sat up with the elves of Rivendell, before everything had gone so horribly awry.

Oin was about to say something else when a comment from the front of the party startled her so badly that she nearly jerked from her saddle.

"We should reach Bree by tomorrow's eve. We'll stay for the evening and then first light we'll gather more supplies and be on our way."

Her hands clenched on the reins even as her pony fell back. Oin and Dori continued their conversation, assuming she'd lost interest. Her pony fell into step beside Gandalf's horse and she cast him a venomous look.

"Did you know?" She hissed.

He frowned at her. "Did I know what?"

"That we're stopping in Bree." Her hiss grew lower, more frustrated.

Gandalf's brows drew closer together in answer and he shook his head. "No. I did not know. It was definitely not in our plans." He rode to the front to speak with Thorin, leaving Bilba to her own thoughts which rang loudly in her ears.

She was unaware of the deep frown marring her face, and her mood was unpleasant for the rest of the day, though she did her best not to snap or snarl at anyone. When they halted for camp she slid gratefully to the ground, her legs holding her weight on this third day of riding. They camped close to the river that night and Bilba grabbed her line from her bag, stalking off to where she could hear the water running.

She heard the footsteps behind her before Gandalf's voice even reached her ears. "I am sorry, my dear Bilbo. It would seem that a few things were forgotten from the supply list. We have no choice but to stop."

Bilba bit back a moan of dismay, recasting her line again. "Gandalf... What are we... I can't... Big Folk!" She gasped the name for men out on a wheeze and Gandalf's hands came down to rest on her shoulders, murmuring gently as he spoke soothing words in her ear.

The bushes rattled behind them and Bofur's brogue brushed through the clearing. "Sorry, Mister Gandalf sir, but supper's done now, and Thorin wants everyone back ta camp."

Gandalf gave a long suffering sigh. "Thank you, Bofur, but you may tell Thorin Oakenshield that he should know better than to rush a wizard. I will be there, when I choose to be there, and since I currently choose to have a conversation with the company's hobbit, we may both be a few moments."

Bofur grinned. Thorin wouldn't like being told that, but it would do the exiled king some good to have the wizard remind him not everyone was at his beck and call. He snickered into his whiskers as he made his way back to camp, whistling happily.

Bilba let her head fall forward into her hands, fingers twisting tight into the short curls. Gandalf set beside her on the ground, fingers gently uncurling her own. "Nothing will happen. No one will know. All will be well," he promised.

They returned to the camp fishless, which was no real surprise given Bilba's current state of mind. She kept recasting her line every few seconds, unable to focus. She ate her serving of food and slipped off to her bedroll without so much as word, missing the look of concern the family Ur sent her way. Gandalf didn't miss it, however, and gently shook his head to them.

Sleep that night was even worse than the first. It was slow to come and once it arrived there was no peace or restoration found that night.

Bilba laughed as she ran a few stalls in front of their group, her skirts gayly dancing about her feet as she dragged Marigold along with her. She could hear her cousin's laughter as they both oohed over a brilliant bolt of rose red fabric. Her eyes had then been caught by the shimmering green one and she let out a squeal. "Oh, I've never seen such richly colored fabrics, cousin!"

They stood at that stall oohing and aahing over the wide variety of colors, laughing and giggling over pattern ideas, until Marigold looked up.

"Uh oh." She breathed.

Bilba glanced up too and then frowned. Their group was not in sight. Automatically, she grabbed Mari's hand. "It'll be all right, Mari. We just have to find them is all."

She stepped away from the stall and everything went black. The lanterns all plunged into darkness and the stalls seemed to vanish into the sudden shadows. Marigold pressed up against her side, shaking from head to toe. Men suddenly loomed up in front of them. "We'll show you the way, my little beauties," the one promised with an oil slick voice.

Bilba let out a scream as a hand wrapped around her throat, tossing her and Marigold in the cage with delighted laughter. The screams just kept coming.

Bilba jolted awake, instinctively cramming her fist against her lips as she fought back a scream. She lay there for a long moment, chest heaving as she tried to regain her composure. It was still dark, no sign of the sun yet to rise as she staggered to her feet, taking her pack with her. Her eyes darted til they landed on Nori who sat at the edge of the camp.

"I'm going to the river," she murmured, voice pitched low so as not to wake anyone else. "Night fishing."

He arched an eyebrow but nodded. "So long as ye scream when the beasties try ta eat ye."

She snorted slightly. "There are no beasties here except for you dwarrow, Master Nori."

Nori's answer was a grin.

As soon as she was out of the camp she broke into a run. Her pack was dropped at the edge of the river and then she plunged in still fully dressed. She came up with a gasp, the cold water wiping away any lingering remnant of her nightmares with the pure shock it gave to her system. Trousers and tunic weighed heavily around her til she waded back close enough for her feet to touch bottom. She drifted back until her bottom touched the ground and then she pulled her knees to her chest and simply buried her face against her knees.

She was no stranger to the nightmares. She simply wished the reason for such a vicious one wasn't looming in front of in just a few hours. "It's just one town," she whispered to herself. "It's just one town. I can do this."

There came the sound of running feet, a laughing shout, and then something burst through the trees only to sore into the water a few feet away from her. She spluttered as a fresh wave of water was doused over her head and Bifur's head popped up out of the lake. She heard a laugh and swung her gaze to see Bofur making his way more calmly to the sandy beach. Bifur said something and Bofur momentarily frowned as his own gaze came to rest on her. She blushed and jerked her gaze away as the two moved closer to her.

Bofur laughed a little as he sat down behind her to pull his boots off. "I donna think that's the way yer supposed to do it, lad!" He cackled, gesturing to Bilbo's soaked clothing as he began to strip his own.

She choked slightly averting her gaze as she scrambled up and out of the water. "Yes, well... Shireling's don't bathe in front of others, and I figured it wouldn't be long before one of you came bursting through." She forced a smirk across her lips. "As you've so obviously proven. Shouldn't you still be asleep?" She demanded as she grabbed her dry clothes and moved off into the trees.

"Nah. Bif' taught me to appreciate a good bath whenever there's a chance."

She snorted, struggling to pull the sodden clothing off her skin before it finally dropped like an overused sponge to the ground. She dried briskly, thankful that the night sky had not yet begun to lighten. "You mean there are those of you who actually enjoy bathing?" She mock gasped, poking her head out to stare at the two.

Bifur let out a rolling laugh, pointing at Bofur as he grunted in Khuzdul. Bofur's answer was to scowl. "Oi, I was na that bad!"

Bilba let out a grunt as she stumbled over a tree root and landed on her side, still trying to wiggle her pants up her damp legs as she cursed in Sindarin. When she got back to her feet both Bifur and Bofur were looking in her general direction with startled expressions. "What?" She growled.

A slow smile curled Bifur's lips as he rumbled at her. Bofur grinned devilishly. "Bifur says he knows just enough elfish to know them weren't pretty words a hobbit gentleman should be using."

Bilba huffed and rolled her eyes at the two of them as she strode back towards camp, hanging her pants and tunic over a nearby tree.

Back in the riverbed the two cousins slowly washed off. "Bifur... did ye see?"

There was a firm nod in agreement. "Do not mention it. I doubt Bilbo would appreciate it."

Bofur was quiet before slowly agreeing. Even among the dwarrow, who often took great pride in their scars, whip marks were rarely discussed, and that was certainly what they had seen splayed across the back of Bilbo's legs.