"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless-it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."

C.S. Lewis

It was the first day of their journey and Thorin was already irritated with the company. Their "early start" was not as early as he wanted. Breakfast had taken far too long and he had meant to leave at daybreak. The sun was rising higher in the sky, lighting the path ahead. We should have been long gone by now. His eyes continued to scan the horizon. They were still in the Shire, but that did little to calm Thorin's nerves about possible threats.

"I suppose we can call ourselves the company of fourteen now," said Gloin as he removed a pastry from his saddlebag, he began to talk with his mouth full of food, "I bet the little grunt won't even come."

Thorin assumed after last night that the hobbit would not come. He had also assumed he and Balin had run off the human girl as well, but she had been the first to arrive by the horses, packed and ready to start the the trip. A smirk was all she could wear on her face when he arrived second. A mumble of annoyance escaped his lips.

"I'd take that bet," Dwalin agreed.

"Care to make it interesting, brother?" Balin said, with a wry look in his eye.

"Aye, but you'd have to have someone who believes the little halfling will show first," Dwalin jested, making Thorin smile slightly.

"I'll bet that he comes," the woman spoke up, for the first time in while. Thorin caught her eye for a brief moment before looking to Gandalf.

"I believe I'll wager towards Mr. Baggin's arrival as well."

"Of course, you will," Dwalin growled, "What of the rest of you lot?"

"I'm with Gandalf!" cried Oin.

"Not a chance, the little halfling will stay in the Shire," Nori replied.

"Agreed."

Thorin saw Gandalf give him a hard look, but the wizard remained silent. He nudged his pony on to the front of the group.

The rest of the dwarves cast their bets. He was still sore towards Gandalf for insisting to bring such unprepared candidates on this quest. If the hobbit did refuse to show up, it would be of no loss to Thorin.

Alex let out a great yawn as she stretched her arms in front of her. She had not slept much the night before due to her excitement, but now she was finding it hard to fully awaken. They had only ridden for thirty minutes and it had mostly been in silence. Looking back, she saw Fili and Kili who looked to be just as tired as she was. She was never very good at adjusting to mornings.

Thorin had thrown her several sour looks over his shoulder since they had left and she would just roll her eyes and ignore him. Balin, on the other hand, had been avoiding her gaze all morning. She shook her head, to hell with them.

"Hey there, lassie," the dwarf with the hat rode up next to her, "I don't believe I introduced myself properly, he said extending a hand, "The name's Bofur."

"Hi," Alex perked up, offering him her hand, "Alex." His grip was firm and she attempted to match it.

"Very pleased to make your acquaintance, but what a very odd name. What part of Middle Earth did you hail from, if I may ask?"

"Miss Lawson does not come from Middle Earth, dear Bofur," Gandalf explained from in front of this.

There were suddenly several mutters amongst the group, Alex was not sure how to respond.

"What do you mean not from Middle Earth? Where else could she come from?" a grey headed dwarf sneered skeptically.

Gandalf continued, much to her relief, "Well, Gloin, Miss Lawson is of a different age than we. She knows much history and has a different view of the world that I think we will find much useful in our coming adventures."

There were a few grunts of protest.

"Better than a hobbit at least," one of the dwarves called out. Alex didn't care for the compliment - or insult, she really wasn't sure how to look at it.

"That true enough!" said Gloin, from behind her.

"'Use a hobbit.' Who's idea was that anyway?" Nori chided beside him.

Alex was about to defend Bilbo when she heard calls from behind.

"Wait! Wait!"

Alex sat up straight and turned her horse to a halt.

"Wait!"

"Bilbo!" she called, the other dwarves stopped their ponies. She could see the small hobbit running through the trees. The contract flying wildly behind him. She couldn't help giving the dwarf next to her a smug look.

He caught up with them finally, greatly out of breath - but what more could you expect of hobbits? Those second breakfasts were not conducive for physical fitness. She was pleased to see him nonetheless.

"I signed it!" he said proudly as he handed the large packet to Balin.

Balin looked down at him suspiciously and then eyed the paper with a pair of spectacles. Bilbo looked towards Gandalf and then caught Alex's eye. She gave him a satisfied look and turned her horse around to face the others. Thorin was glaring at Bilbo. Alex suddenly found herself with the urge to throw something at him.

"Everything appears to be in order," Balin announced, folding up the contract, "Welcome Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." Balin gave him a softer look and winked.

Alex heard Thorin growl, "Get him a pony."

Bilbo tried to protest, but ended up on one of the supply ponies. He looked oddly uncomfortable. Alex was thankful for her obsession with horse riding lessons when she was seven. And her parents told her it would never be a useful skill.

She was riding along Bofur now, the two were discussing what she thought of hiking through the woods and if she had ever done such a thing before.

"Oh, sure. I went back packing through Alaska once-"

"Oy! Come on, Nori, pay up!" She heard Orin yell from in front of her.

Nori shot Oin a glare, but then grinned, tossing him a brown sack. Oin caught it easily and stuffed it in his pocket. Another came flying towards her and she caught it easily, following Oin example and stuffing it in her pants pockets.

"Thanks lad!"

She turned to Fili and Kili, "Pay up, hombres."

Fili rolled his eyes at her and pulled a small satchel from his bag tossing it to her, Kili did the same with a large grin still spread across his face. She rode up to Oin and tossed him one of the bags.

"Why thank you, lassie," he said, giving her a kind smile.

Thorin sat beside the wizard as they set up camp for the night. They both sat in silence, the smoke of their pipes swirling to mix with the smoke of the fire in a haze of different grey hues.

He watched the woman from where he sat, she was talking with Bofur, Fili, and Oin. He assumed she was telling a story by the way her hands were motioning. She suddenly made a huge hand motion with her hands and the dwarves laughed heartily.

A woman in the Wild. It was preposterous. There were so few women in Middle Earth as it was. But, according to Gandalf, she is not of Middle Earth. He leaned back, his eyes narrowing at her once more. His nephews were spending the most time with her, if they allowed themselves to be killed at the expense of a human… Thorin did not want to think of it.

The hobbit joined the human's conversation. That hobbit. Thorin could almost excuse the human's presence, but to include such a pathetic creature into this quest made Thorin question if the wizard was truly for or against him. I do not doubt this wizard is making a mockery of me by bringing this Hobbit along. Wizard's are well known for their tricks. This hobbit was to steal the Arkenstone - his stone - back from Smaug. He was forced to rely on this Master Baggins. The small, fat hobbit that spent all his time focusing on home, dreaming of the softness of a warm bead and a full stomach.

Perhaps such weak creatures could be drove off with harsh words. It would be a kindness to the really. If he could run them off he would be saving them from the perils ahead, or worse. Thorin wasn't going to lay down and take orders from a wizard.

"Bombur, come on, lad, we're starvin' over here," Bofur groaned from the opposite side of the fire.

"Quit your bellying, you can't rush such things," Bombur retorted, swinging his spoon towards Bofur.

Thorin smiled faintly, and looked back behind him. Dwalin was staring out into the distance. His arms crossed and his shoulders hunched. He rose from his seat to join him.

"You seem bothered, old friend," he said, approaching Dwalin. He placed a firm hand on his shoulder and Dwalin gave him a respectful nod, "Zûr zu ? [How are you?]"

"Aye, I fair, though I do not care for the direction in which we are heading," he grumbled.

"How do you mean?"

Dwalin sneered, "I do not like that the wizard is leading us towards the Hidden Valley."

Thorin threw Gandalf a cautious gaze, Making fools of us indeed. "Nor do I."

"The last thing I wished to do in this venture is "happen" upon elves," he continued, "The Woodland elves refused us shelter when Erebor fell, and when the orcs had taken Moria, did any elves come to our aid?"

"No," Thorin said, his voice low, "They did not."

There was a comfortable silence amongst them for while. Thorin looked into the distance. He could not see the Edge of the Wild or the Misty Mountains, but he knew they were there, and he knew of the dangers they posed to not only him, but his men.

"I also do not care for the lass accompanying us on this quest," Dwalin said finally, his voice was a hair above a harsh whisper.

They both turned towards camp. Kili was asleep against a boulder. The woman and Fili were both trying to contain laughter and Fili began to pick at Kili's hair. He glowered at them. They did not need to feel as if their lives were worth that of a human's.

"I agree. I do not want my sister's heart broken because my nephews are fond of a human, no matter what Gandalf says about her, she's a liability."

"Oy! Come on, ya dolts! If you don't get yer share of supper, I'll eat it myself!" Bombur was yelling across the camp to the dwarves. Thorin and Dwalin turned towards camp.

"Stop it. You've had plenty," Bofur said, swatting Bombur's hand away from the stew.

"Aye, it's not bad stew Bombur!" said Gloin, filling up his bowl.

"I'm sure I've had worse," said Dwalin from beside him as he reached for an empty bowl and mug.

"Well, we could of always had Dori cook it!" Nori said as he tipped his own mug back.

Laughs came from all the dwarves. Thorin looked to Dori who had his eyes squinted.

"That's hilarious."

Thorin took the bowl that was handed to him with a nod and he took his seat. Kili, Fili, and the human were coming towards the fire.

"Oy! I smell food! Bought time!" Kili grinned rubbing his stomach.

Thorin watched the entire camp burst into a raging laughter.

"What? I just said I was hungry?" Kili defended himself, looking to Fili and the human, who shrugged.

"Sporting quite the hair do, Kili, fancy mushrooms?" Bombur asked, his mouth full.

Thorin looked to the top of Kili's head where a small amount of Kili's hair was gathered on top of his head, forming a small mushroom shaped pony. He rolled his eyes.

Kili reached for the top of his hair and then turned around.

"Very funny, you two, just wait until I'm on guard and you two are asleep," he said, smiling, as he always did.

"It was Alex!"

"It was Fili!"

"Oy, you three argue like younglings," Gloin gruffed, now on his second bowl of soup.

Alex was unsure at first about what the soup would taste like, but it was surprisingly good - or not as bad as she was expecting. There was silence around the fire as everyone sat to eat. She enjoyed the sound of birds behind her and the wood cracking beneath the fire.

"So what's it like, where you're from?" Kili asked, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"It's quite different than Middle Earth. We don't have kings anymore, at least not in the sense that you do."

Nori furrowed his eyebrows, "Don't have kings? How do you protect your kingdom? Do you even have kingdoms?"

Alex nodded, "We have countries. Most countries now are a form of democracy," she paused as they all tilted their heads in confusion, "It's where the people in the country get to vote on who they want their leaders to be."

"What a strange system, do you like it then?" Fili asked her. He took a deep inhale from his pipe.

"I don't know actually," she hadn't thought about it in a while, "It started off as a great idea, but now it seems to be able making money. I don't know what is really best anymore," she admitted twirling a twig between her fingers.

"Besides there's so many types of monarchies - or types of kings - you have constitutional, limited, unlimited. How does it work here in Middle Earth?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"The king rules absolute, with a council to guide him," Dwalin replied, his voice low and threatening.

"So what happens if the king does something stupid? You just go with it?" she asked, her voice was tipped with humor, but no one was laughing.

She tried to backpedal, "I mean a king is a king, what, fifty to one hundred years? Surely he would make a mistake at least once."

"He is the king and we are bound to follow him," Gloin said.

"That seems like an easy way to attract trouble," Alex said, leaning back against a rock.

"And I'm sure you suppose you have the answer to fix it," she heard from her side. Thorin was glowering at her.

"I don't have the answer. I do not think I have the answer, but I do think all things are worth questioning. If at least to strengthen the resolve that the act in question is the right thing to do."

Thorin looked away, obviously irritated. She looked towards Gandalf. Under his large hat, she could see his coy smile.

"Traveling is quite dull isn't it?" Bilbo said.

It was later in the afternoon and they had been traveling all day long. The sun was beaming down on them now that they were out of the wooded areas of the shire. Everyone had been silent all day. Alex was finishing her Wuthering Heights book she had brought with her.

"Dull?" Fili said, prettying to be offended.

"Can't we do something? Talk or converse or anything," Bilbo said, wiping his forehead with a spare cloth.

"Fine, what do you want to do?" Alex said, tucking her book into her saddlebag.

"Perhaps a game then?" Kili said, riding up along side the three.

Alex looked around thinking of a game. The license plate game wouldn't do her much good here. There was I Spy…

"What about a game of riddles?" Ori said from behind them.

"Oh, aye, I love a good game of riddles, count me in," Bombur called as well.

"Anyone else?" Alex asked, smiling at the dwarves.

Thorin gave her a heated look and turned back around.

"I would prefer peace and quiet if you quite mind," Dwalin murmured under his breath.

Alex ignored him, "Alright, who's first?"

"I've got one, lassie," Bombur volunteered, "What goes up and down stairs, but doesn't move?" Alex didn't even have time to think.

"A rug, you dolt. At least make it a challenge," Gloin answered from the back of the group.

"Aye! You cheater! You aren't playing!"

"I've got one," Ori said quietly. Alex looked towards him, her smile beaming. She was starting to like dwarves - or well at least few of them.

"Alright, Ori, give it a go," Fili said.

"Well, um, give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?" he said, a little more confidently

"Bombur!"

Everyone laughed.

"Nori! You aren't playing either!"

"Am too! I've just decided!"

"A fish!"

"A fish? I think it would be the other way around," Gloin grumbled.

"It's fire, lads," said Balin. Everyone looked forward towards the front of the group.

"Alright, I think it's safe to assume everyone is playing, aye? Aye," Bombur announced, "Who's next?"

"I believe I have one, master dwarf," Gandalf announced, "What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees, up up up it goes, yet never grows."

Alex was stumped, You're thinking too hard.

"Uh."

"What has roots as nobody sees," Fili mused from beside her.

Taller than trees. Yet never…grows…

"A castle!"

"A watch tower!"

"It's the mountain."

Everyone looked up towards the source of the voice. Thorin was looking back at them triumphantly. Alex scoffed to herself, she should have gotten that one.

"Right you are, Master Oakenshield. Let's hear another one."

"A box without hinges, key or lid, yet inside golden treasure is hid," Dwalin spoke up. Alex looked to Kili who smiled and shook his head.

"The mountain!"

"That was the answer to the last one, Oin."

"And it's not a box."

"But there's treasure in there!"

"Aye, but that doesn't make it the answer, Dori."

"A treasure chest!"

"That does have hinges, key, and a lid. Do you even know how to play this game, Nori?"

Why am I suddenly craving scrambled eggs? Alex thought to herself. She was hungry, breakfast for supper would be divine. Back to the riddle, golden treasure is hid…

"I don't think that was a fair riddle, Mr. Dwalin, there's no answer!" Kili called up.

"Aye! There's no answer!

"Aye!" everyone called.

"It's eggs!" Alex suddenly answered, "Box without hinges, key, and a lid, yet golden treasure is hid. The yolk is the treasure!"

Dwalin sneered at her and kicked his horse ahead.

"Good guess, Miss Alex!"

"Yes very good!"

"What a wit!"

Alex was glad to have finally settled down for camp that night. They had been on the road for two weeks. Today had been the hardest. They were going uphill the entire day and she thought her calves were going to fall off.

She sat with Fili and Kili in a small, rock alcove. Her back was leaning against the wall as she stretched out her legs. Fili had his pipe out already and had his eyes closed in relaxation. She looked to her left. Thorin was dozed against a rock, his hand firmly on the hilt of his sword.

Finally, at least he's stopped terrorizing the village and let us have some peace for a while.

She had pulled out her book once more and was just about to find her spot where she had stopped when an odd screeching was heard from over the cliff. Everyone - at least those who were awake - looked up.

"What was that?" Bilbo whispered loudly, he was far off by the ponies.

"Orcs," Kili said, hauntingly.

Fili and Alex gave Kili a surprised look, then towards Bilbo.

Bilbo gave one last look over the edge of the cliff, "Orcs?" Bilbo began to run towards them on his toes.

Fili gave Alex a look then turned towards Bilbo, bringing his pipe to his lips, "Throat cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there."

Bilbo's face was horrified and Alex was trying hard not to smile.

"These areas are crawling with them," she said, looking out into the distance.

Kili began to looked panicked, "They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet. No screams. Just lots of blood."

Bilbo spun around as if something was right behind them. The three of them looked at each other and began laughing under their breath.

"You think that's funny?" Thorin's voice seemed to thunder in the silence.

Alex felt her heart leap into her throat. And he's back. She wasn't expecting him to be listening, she thought he was asleep. Kili looked at his feet ashamed.

"You think night raids by orcs is a joke?" He said, passing them as he walked.

"We didn't mean anything by it," Kili surrendered, refusing to look up.

"No, you didn't," he said, making specific eye contact with Alex, "You know nothing of the world."

Gandalf gave her a sharp look and she felt her stomach drop next. Now she felt as if everyone hated her once more. She took a deep breath looking away. The chill in the spring air suddenly seemed colder.

"Don't mind him, lads," Balin began, making her feel a small bit better, "Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs."

He began the tale of Moria. Where Azog the Defiler, the white orc, had raided before King Thror could reclaim it. Thror, Thorin's grandfather, was slain in battle. This caused Thrain, Thror's son, to go mad with grief, leaving the dwarf army leaderless and susceptible. They were doomed.

Thorin however, took it upon himself to destroy Azog. He attacked. Soon he found himself with no weapons and an ax soaring towards his head. Thorin grabbed what ever he could to shield himself from his assured dead. It was an oaken branch. Fighting for his life, Thorin reached out again, grabbing a dwarven sword he sliced off the arm of Azog. With the orc leader lost, the dwarf army had their advantage, but the damage was already done. The loss already too great.

"And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one, I could call king." Balin looked proudly at Thorin as he turned back towards camp.

There was silence for a few moments and Bilbo spoke up.

"And the pale orc? What happened to him?"

Thorin growled, refusing to look at anyone, "He slithered back into his hole from which he came. That beast died of his injuries long ago."

"Why did the pale orc want to destroy the line of Durin?" Alex asked hastily, deciding she didn't care of Thorin became angry at her question.

She watched him stop suddenly, he looked back to her, as if confused by her question. When she looked to Balin, he had the same expression as well.

"What?" he finally spoke.

"I mean what would an orc want with Erebor? Orcs have no need for gold or the Arkenstone. Why do they need to wipe out the line of Durin? I mean, unless there is someone over them that needs the mountain."

Thorin looked the the ground. Alex assumed everyone had thought of this, but as she looked amongst the dwarves they shared the same thoughtful look.

Gandalf finally spoke, "Why indeed, Miss Lawson, that is a very good question."

Thank you my dearest readers! :) Please review and let me know what you think!