I awoke early that morning to find Bilbo on his bed asleep with a long list on his bedside table. It had a bunch of breakfast orders with a dwarf's name next to the food. I guessed that the dwarves told Bilbo their orders for breakfast the next morning. I went back to my room and packed my bag. Then, I went to the kitchen and made all the breakfast orders and my breakfast as well. Once I had finished cooking, the dwarves and Gandalf were barely waking up. I ate my breakfast alone and went to get my archery set. When I returned to the kitchen, everyone was eating their breakfast very quickly.
"Write a note to Bilbo telling him where to meet us," Thorin said when he got the chance. He was constantly eating and so was everyone else.
"And what do I write exactly?" I asked politely.
"The Green Dragon Inn in Bywater at 11 o'clock sharp," Thorin replied.
"And try to make it sound professional," Balin added. After I wrote the note, I stuck it under the clock on the mantelpiece. They had just finished their breakfasts and put their dishes in the sink. Then they looked for their bags.
"Find the ponies. When you've rounded them up, pack these bags and supplies on them. We'll leave as soon as you're done," Thorin commanded.
I had to walk all the way down the road where they were eating the grass from someone's lawn. I quickly grabbed all of the ponies' bridles and speed-walked back to Bilbo's house before anyone saw me. I was tethering their bridles on Bilbo's fence post when I heard opening and closing of the front door. Then I saw piles of stuff on the porch waiting to be packed and loaded. So I started to drag a pile toward the ponies so I wouldn't have to walk back and forth. Then Fili and Kili walked out of the house and asked me,
"Do you need help?"
"Of course I need help! There are far too many bags for one person to finish alone," I replied. They helped for a while before Thorin called them inside.
I finished and went inside again and Thorin was telling everyone to get out the door.
"Time to go everyone! We must be at The Green Dragon before the stroke of eleven!" he shouted.
"What took you so long?" he asked.
"Sorry. You gave me a lot of tasks to do and it's not even ten in the morning yet," I answered as nicely as I could.
"I suppose," Thorin muttered.
"You're welcome..." I said to his back as he walked away. But he didn't turn to say "Thank you", like I had hoped. He just ignored me and kept walking. Gandalf was the last one out the door.
"Shouldn't I wash the breakfast dishes first?" I asked.
"No time for that! Don't worry about it; Bilbo can do them since you did last night's," he replied. When we were on our way to Bywater, everyone rode on their pony but I walked with the pony's bridle in my hand. I figured I wouldn't want to walk when it would rain.
"I am going to check on our burglar. Keep on the path and I will meet you there," Gandalf said as he rode back to Bilbo's house. We traveled for about an hour more. When we got to Bywater, they looked around the town while Balin and I stayed at The Green Dragon and waited for Bilbo to arrive.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
The Decision
When they had finished their song, they sat down and got ready to "talk business".
Gandalf then told me,
"Try to look busy while I convince them to let you join." Then I went to the kitchen and started to wash some dishes. Bilbo was not near them after they had put his dishes in the kitchen. I believe he was in his room at the time when they started to vote about me joining the company. Most of them refused, saying things like "too young" and "too inexperienced" and things like that.
Suddenly, Gandalf called for me and said to me,
"It appears we haven't made a unanimous decision. Some even question your abilities to fend for yourself or even keep up with the group. Will you prove to them you are capable?" I nodded and they talked among themselves. Then they put a cork on top of a leg on a chair. They told me if I could shoot close to a bullseye they would let me join. Gandalf looked pretty upset when they did not trust his word about me. I gulped hard; I wasn't sure I would make it. I drew an arrow and took a breath. Then after I released it, I shut my eyes. There were murmurings and faint gasps in the room. Once I opened my eyes, Gandalf was grinning at me. And all the dwarves were staring at me and then I saw it. The arrow was in the middle of the cork. I exhaled calmly and Balin declared me a member of Thorin's Company!
Then I said to all of them,
"I thank all of you for giving me a chance and for allowing me to join. I do not want a share in the treasure. I only wish to share your adventure. I promise to defend this company as much as I can and will. You have my bow. Thank you." There was scattered clapping in the room for a brief moment. Thorin then started to talk again and I left the room unnoticed. I went to find Bilbo and see if he was alright. He was huddled in a little corner in his hallway.
"Are you alright, Bilbo?" I asked. He shook his head and mumbled to himself. I went to my new room and put my things on the little table next to the door. I was so excited that I started jumping up and down and dancing as quietly as I could. I stayed in that room so I could express my excitement alone. I went to sleep early that night so I could be able to wake up early. I then slept to the quiet of the Shire dreaming of the day to come.
Gandalf then told me,
"Try to look busy while I convince them to let you join." Then I went to the kitchen and started to wash some dishes. Bilbo was not near them after they had put his dishes in the kitchen. I believe he was in his room at the time when they started to vote about me joining the company. Most of them refused, saying things like "too young" and "too inexperienced" and things like that.
Suddenly, Gandalf called for me and said to me,
"It appears we haven't made a unanimous decision. Some even question your abilities to fend for yourself or even keep up with the group. Will you prove to them you are capable?" I nodded and they talked among themselves. Then they put a cork on top of a leg on a chair. They told me if I could shoot close to a bullseye they would let me join. Gandalf looked pretty upset when they did not trust his word about me. I gulped hard; I wasn't sure I would make it. I drew an arrow and took a breath. Then after I released it, I shut my eyes. There were murmurings and faint gasps in the room. Once I opened my eyes, Gandalf was grinning at me. And all the dwarves were staring at me and then I saw it. The arrow was in the middle of the cork. I exhaled calmly and Balin declared me a member of Thorin's Company!
Then I said to all of them,
"I thank all of you for giving me a chance and for allowing me to join. I do not want a share in the treasure. I only wish to share your adventure. I promise to defend this company as much as I can and will. You have my bow. Thank you." There was scattered clapping in the room for a brief moment. Thorin then started to talk again and I left the room unnoticed. I went to find Bilbo and see if he was alright. He was huddled in a little corner in his hallway.
"Are you alright, Bilbo?" I asked. He shook his head and mumbled to himself. I went to my new room and put my things on the little table next to the door. I was so excited that I started jumping up and down and dancing as quietly as I could. I stayed in that room so I could express my excitement alone. I went to sleep early that night so I could be able to wake up early. I then slept to the quiet of the Shire dreaming of the day to come.
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