Disclaimer: The Hobbit Belongs to J.R.R Tolkien, WB, and MGM

Gazing back at the darkened windows of Bag End, a sense of wistfulness overcame me that I did not expect. The Shire had been my home for months, and I found I was going to miss the peaceful valley and leisurely pace of life I'd become accustomed to.

A large hand descended on my shoulder, interrupting my train of thought. "Come on, lass. It's time we got going. The hobbit is not coming."

I turned to look at Balin and adjusted the straps of my backpack. "Alright." I said and followed the line of dwarves through the early predawn to a clearing at the edge of the woods where a herd of sturdy mountain ponies were tied up. They'd have to be sturdy to support the dwarves' much bulkier frames.

"There you are." Balin pointed to a beautiful cream and tan colored mare snuffling the grass.

I eyed the equine warily. "I'm supposed to ride that?"

"Aye, tis the idea." Balin said and walked over to his own steed and clambered up onto its back with no problems.

I rested a careful hand on the mare's snout, and she bucked her head with a snort.

When she didn't kick or bite me, I gathered up my courage, grabbing ahold of the saddle's pommel and lifted myself up but nearly fell off the other side.

Kili reached across from his own pony and caught me by the shoulders, steadying me. "Careful there. You'd think you'd never been on horseback." He said with a teasing grin.

I flicked a strand of hair out of my eyes and sat up in the saddle. "No need to rub it in."

The young dwarf barked a laugh. "So, tis true. You've never ridden before."

"Not since I was a kid." I admitted, taking up the mare's reins. "Horse riding isn't common where I'm from."

Kili gave me a questioning look and I just shook my head. "Never mind."

I could hardly explain I came from another world. He would not understand. I gently pressed the heels of my boots into the mare's sides, and the pony lurched into motion, following the rest of the herd.

My behind wobbled a bit in the saddle as we climbed a hill, so I clutched the reins tightly in a white-knuckled grip. At this rate, I'd soon be on my ass. Falling off my pony from the onset would only prove Thorin's point about me.

Not for the first time since I signed the contract, I wondered why Gandalf insisted I go on this journey. This is the last place I wanted to be.

The wizard was being tight-lipped about his reasons. In the books he seemed trustworthy and I knew he did nothing without purpose, but I could not see what value I added to this quest.

Any one of the dwarves were capable of fulfilling the task of a scribe.

We reached the edge of the Shire by mid-morning, the golden sunlight spilling through the early spring foliage. As we started past the border we were interrupted by an urgent cry. "Wait! Wait!"

The company came to a halt as Bilbo burst through the trees, frantically waving his contract in the air. "I signed it!"

Leaning forward in the saddle I let out a sigh of relief, glad I decided to pack Bilbo's bag for him before I left.

The hobbit passed the contract up to Balin who examined it with a pleased smile. "Welcome to the company, Master Baggins."

A delighted smile crossed Bilbo's face.

"Give him a pony." Thorin ordered from the head of the line, barely glancing at the new addition to his company almost as if he could pretend the hobbit was not there if he did not look at him too closely.

I frowned a bit at his imperious attitude. If he didn't want Bilbo along then why did he bother tromping across the continent to the Shire to hire him? Thorin might feel compelled to reclaim his ancestor's treasure horde but I cared nothing for his mountain of gold and gems.

Hopefully, a way home presented itself before entering Erebor ever became a real possibility. I had no wish to become dragon food.

"Oh, no, no I can walk-" Bilbo's protests were cut off as Kili and Fili swooped down on him dumping him in an empty saddle.

Little pouches of money flew through the air as the company settled a bet about Bilbo's arrival. Even Gandalf collected a win, tucking the pouch into one of his voluminous sleeves with satisfied chuckle.

Bilbo sagged in resignation and took up the reins, moving up to join Gandalf and engaged the wizard in quiet conversation.

I hung back not wanting to interfere though I had a million questions to pepper Gandalf with. Now, wasn't the time. I clenched my jaw in determination. But soon. I'd give the wizard a good whack with his staff if I had to.

Guilt pricked me instantly for my wicked thoughts and I let out a long sigh. Alright. I actually wouldn't hit an old man with his staff. Resentful as I was, Gandalf wasn't the one who trapped me in Middle Earth.

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Other than a brief break in the afternoon we kept riding until nearly sunset, then Thorin let us stop to camp for the night.

While the dwarves broke away to gather firewood or lay out ingredients for cooking, I shambled around the camp, rubbing my thighs which burned and ached from the ride. If I sat down, there was no way I'd be getting back up anytime soon.

A clay jar sailed through the air in my direction and I caught it automatically.

"That should help with the saddle soreness." Thorin said and strode away toward the outskirts of the camp to dig through his saddlebags.

I curled my fingers around the jar, watching him. "That was surprisingly nice of him." I said to no one in particular.

Balin looked up from the map he was studying. "Thorin Oakenshield is capable of great kindness. I hope you will not judge him too harshly by your first meeting. He carries a heavy burden on his shoulders."

"I understand."

"Do you?" He looked at me shrewdly and then nodded as if he made up his mind about something. "Perhaps, perhaps not. It's clear there's more to you than meets the eye, lassie."

Uncomfortable with the old dwarf's scrutiny, I sought out the privacy of some trees to answer the call of nature and apply the salve Thorin gave me. The ointment smelled strongly of mint and lavender and tingled against my skin.

I scrubbed my hands in a nearby creek and returned to camp, offering the jar back to Thorin. He grunted something in dwarvish when I thanked him and settled on a fallen log near the fire a little away from everyone else.

That sparked something of an idea. If I was going to be traveling with the company for a year or more then I should try and learn some of their language.

Balin motioned to me. He held up a slim journal along with an inkwell and quill. "A scribe needs tools to do her accounting." He said with a little smile.

I settled down on a flat-topped boulder and began to recount the events of the day. It didn't take long to scratch out a summary because nothing momentous had really happened.

Though I smiled faintly as I recalled how Bilbo threw a tantrum when he couldn't find his handkerchief. The look on his face was priceless when Bofur tossed him a scrap of sweaty fabric from his own clothes to use.

Kili set a bowl of steaming soup in front of me. "What are you smiling about?"

"Oh, nothing important." I waved him off, but he didn't budge.

The dwarf grinned, his dark eyes dancing with humor. "This is the first time I've seen you smile at all. I was beginning to fear you were a gloomy maid."

"I'm not gloomy!" I huffed, snapping the journal shut. "I've just had a lot on my mind."

"Gloomy and a bit cranky." The young dwarf affirmed and gestured for me to scoot over to make room for him. I saw no way to refused him without being rude, so I inched over.

Kili had a mischievous streak and I had no idea what he might say or do. That alone had my curiosity piqued.

"I'm not sure if I should be offended or not." I glanced at him slyly. "But I'm sure you can make it up to me. Will you teach me some dwarvish?"

"Khuzdul, that's what our language is called." Kili corrected.

"Khuzdul, then. Would you teach me some khuzdul?" I asked.

He scratched at his chin, his beard rasping beneath his blunt fingertips. "I don't see why not. It'll be fun to hear a human butcher khuzdul."

I glared at him and he grinned jokingly.

"But first, there's something I've been wondering about." Kili said with the start of another grin.

"And what's that?"

"Why do you have a fire poker strapped to your pack?"

I flushed a bit. "I figured I needed a weapon."

Bilbo did not have any weapons in the house, so I'd grabbed the first sharp thing I came across.

The dwarf burst out laughing, slapping his hands on his knees. "Aye, I can think of no finer weapon for a wee lass."

He was only kidding, and I couldn't help smiling back feeling lighter than I had in a long time. "It was the only thing I could improvise last minute." I confessed.

"Well...that's being resourceful, I suppose." Kili said skeptically.

I twisted around in my seat and sat cross-legged. "Okay, Kili. Let's begin our language lessons. How do I say 'By my beard' in khuzdul?"

It was an exclamation I'd heard often from the dwarves in the past twenty-four hours. So, it seemed a good place to start.

"You don't have a beard." Kili pointed out objectively.

"So?"

"It doesn't make any sense. You'll just confuse the others if you say that!" Kili argued and then backpedaled when I narrowed my eyes. "Alright, say durinu shirumund."

"And that means..." I prompted.

"By Durin's beard." He replied.

"D-durinu shirumund." I repeated, the words forming awkwardly in my mouth.

Kili shrugged. "Well it's a start."

"Thanks a lot." I said dryly.

He patted me on the back, completely missing my sarcasm. "You're welcome."

These dwarves. They were something else. I rested my chin in my hand and studied Kili. He was more handsome than I imagined he'd be. Of all the dwarves he had the most human features and could easily blend in anywhere.

Kili finished his stew and belched loudly.

I winced. Or maybe not.

The dwarf laughed at my disgusted expression. "Do not be so dower, Miss Adelaide. There is much to be merry about. We have a nice fire, food, and good company."

"That's true. There are people who have much less." I admitted, growing serious.

The pandemic had highlighted the abject poverty most Americans lived in, barely scraping by. It was only one of many problems that had to be dealt with. Just because I was in Middle Earth, did not mean I never thought of home and the trials I left behind.

I gazed into the crackling fire, brooding.

In a way, I felt like I cheated. Like I escaped. I should be there with everyone else, sharing the same perils and struggles and sorrows.

I rose from my seat and stretched. "I'm going to bed." I told Kili.

"Pleasant dreams."

Unfurling my bed roll, I curled up on my side and closed my eyes. Pleasant dreams? I haven't had those in a long time.