Now, just go straight to the one you picked to continue your story line. They will all come together at the end of this chapter again. At that point, we are ready for your next choice...

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A) 'Give Bilbo some to think! We are talking about a dragon for Durin's sake!' you bellowed through the small room. The room suddenly fell quiet and everyone simply stared at you. The hobbit had gotten some color back on his cheeks and stared at you with an open mouth. He had never heard a lady talk like that before. It just wasn't decent. 'We don't have all night, (y/n). We must leave early tomorrow morning' Thorin said in his usual gruff voice. The rest of the dwarves mumbled in agreement. 'What do you say lad? Ready to face a dragon and return to this hobbit hole of yours with your pockets filled with gold?' Balin asked.

Did they really not understand anything about hobbits or were they just being ignorant? The hobbit almost tore the paper apart because of his violently shaking hands. You felt sad for the hobbit, like he needed someone to protect him. He was just so weak and vulnerable... 'How are your sunflower growing this season?' All eyes were turned on you again. Bilbo did that cute thing with his nose and seemed confused by your question. 'E-excuse me?' You placed one foot against the table and leaned back in your chair so you were balancing on two legs of the chair. 'I think they are doing great, even after the cold weather of last week' you continued, ignoring your companions.

Bilbo looked at Gandalf with questioning eyes. The wizard simply smiled at him. That didn't help. 'Well, that's true. The sunflowers are doing great this year' he answered. You nodded in amusement. 'And I have noticed that this specific area is extremely green. Do you take a fancy after trees and honey?' you asked. Fili looked at you like you had officially lost your senses. 'Did one of you hit her at the back of her head or something?' Dwalin asked, his eyes focused on you. You send him an angry glare. You crossed your arms in front of your chest. 'I am just trying to make him think about anything but fire-breathing dragons, his skin burning up in flames or him being eaten by a great lizard!'

*Thump* You turned your head around when you heard the noise. Where the hobbit had first been standing, you now did see nothing at all. 'Bilbo?' Balin got up from his chair and looked down at the floor. Thorin shook his head and left the room, muttering something about useless hobbits. 'I am afraid he lost consciousness' the white haired dwarf stated. You sighed deeply. 'I'll carry him.'

(Go to the end of this chapter)

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B) 'Will you finally decide hobbit? It is taking way too long!' you growled, glaring at the frightened hobbit behind you. This was no laughing matter that could be taken lightly. This was a tale about your lost home and the gold that belonged to your kind. And of course the most important; Thorin should be sitting on the throne he deserved. That is why you had fought everyone who had dared to stop you to join the Company. This was something you felt strongly about. Everyone had seen it in your eyes; this wasn't a woman who would let other's mess with her.

Not that you weren't kind. Quite the contrary. You were very loving towards your own kin and helped other's in need. As long as said ones weren't elves. Frankly, you didn't understand how those tree shaggers were able to survive. 'Lass?' Gloin's voice finally got through to you and you looked up at him. Apparently he had been asking you something a few times now. The annoyance in his eyes was something that you simply couldn't ignore. 'What did you ask?' you asked him. 'I was asking you if you are willing to carry the hobbit to his chair since you were the one who made him faint.'

You raised an eyebrow and looked down at your feet. Surely, there was the hobbit, laying on his back with his eyes closed. You rolled your eyes. 'Seriously? This is your idea of a burglar?' you asked Gandalf as you bend to pick the hobbit up. 'Dwalin! Give her a hand' Thorin ordered, leaving the room. Together you dragged the hobbit towards his nice, comfy chair. You tried to be as gentle as possible.

You carried him towards his study. There was a nice, green, warm chair in the middle of the room. It looked like a great seat to drop the hobbit in. Once the hobbit was sitting safe and sound you looked around you. There were paintings of far off places on the walls. Books about adventure hidden from view behind cooking books. 'Maybe he will be of some use after all' Dwalin stated, noticing the same things that had caught your eye. You shrugged. 'No, he is useless' you said and walked away. 

(Go to the end of this chapter)

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C) 'We should place some bets, who thinks the hobbit will faint before he signs the contract?' you asked. There was grunting from all around the room when the rest of the dwarves pulled their money bags from their hidden places. '10 coins on the hobbit fainting after we tell him that his flesh can burn right off and will smell like a roasted cow!' You caught the small bag of coins Nori threw at you. Dori tried to catch it to stop his brother from placing bets but he was too late. You caught it with ease. 'I will smell like a what?' Bilbo stammered. You clapped him on the shoulder. 'Just listen to what we have to say and try to make me some money' you whispered the last part.

The hobbit began to really look pale to you. It wouldn't be long now. 'No one else wants to earn some easy money?' you asked, trying to get everyone to participate. The Durin brothers were muttering to each other in the far left corner. You looked at them suspiciously. 'What is that, Fili? I didn't quite catch that' you said teasingly. Fili smiled smugly. 'We will place 20 coins-' 'I'll join, whatever the lads say is right' Dwalin said, throwing his money to you. Some of the other's now threw their money at you as well. 'We think he will faint right when we tell him about the fairytales about the dragon' Kili said, keeping his eyes fixed on the hobbit.

'Which fairytales?' Bilbo asked. The poor lad would later wish he hadn't asked. Thorin merely rolled his eyes and left the small room. This wasn't his thing. 'Oh, the ones about virgins getting stolen by dragons because they are so beautiful to them. Honestly, not even the Arkenstone would be able to catch his attention with a virgin near him. Are you a virgin, Bilbo?' you asked in a serious tone. From the corner of your eye you could see the blood draining from the hobbit's face. Clearly, he was. 'Because if you are you should do something against it' you advised. 'I-I-I... don't think it would be proper' he muttered under his breath.

'Well, you can still take a chance on it and simply wait and see' Fili joined in. You quickly put some of your own money in too. There was no way the hobbit would keep standing after this bit of information. Suddenly, there landed another pouch of money on the pile in front of you. 'I bet the hobbit will faint before he signs the contract when I tell him that we won't have breakfast every morning' Ori spoke enthusiastically. *Thump* 'That was simply unfair' you said before getting up and dragging the hobbit away.

(Go to the end of the chapter)

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D) 'Are you alright? Just think furnace with wings! ... Bilbo?' In the middle of your sentence, he had fainted. 'Good job' Dwalin said and Thorin merely sighed deeply. 'Get him off the floor and take him to one of his comfortable chairs' the King ordered and left the room. Everyone now looked at you. 'What? Why do I have to do it? It's not like it is my fault!' you said in a high pitched voice. This was really something. Now they were all blaming you for something you clearly hadn't done. 'Now, now lass. It was you who made that reference to a furnace with wings' Balin explained calmly.

You raised your hands up in the air. 'So what? That doesn't mean that I can be blamed for the hobbit being light headed!' you semi-yelled. A soft, warm hand landed on your shoulder and calmed your spirits for a while. You looked up to see Bofur smiling assuringly at you. 'Come on, I will help you lass' he said and moved back to pick the hobbit's feet up. You huffed but decided to help him. Maybe it was your fault after all. 'I just thought it would make it less scary to him' you muttered more to yourself then to anyone else. Bofur chuckled. 'Aye, it would have been nice if it worked out like that' Bofur agreed.

Bilbo was quite heavy for a little fellow. His pantry should have given you a hint about his eating habits, but it had already been quite empty by the time you arrived. 'Where does he hide it?' you asked out loud as you tried not to drop your host on the floor. You didn't get an answer from the other dwarf before you laid the hobbit down on his large, comfortable chair. Bofur wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked down at the small creature. 'I have no idea, hobbits are nothing like I thought they would be. Do you know they all looked at us like we were some weird creatures from another world?' he asked you with a slight hint of amusement hidden in there somewhere.

'They ran inside their homes once they saw us. Maybe they think we have come to steal their vegetables from them or something.' Bofur felt a cold chill running down his spine, as did you. 'Vegetables' you said in horrified unison. Why these creatures chose to eat vegetables was beyond you. Really? Why would anybody eat that when you could eat meat?

(Go to the end of this chapter)

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E) 'We can't drag a hobbit out of his comfortable home. Don't feel pressured to come with us when you owe us absolutely nothing. Just remember that they just pillaged your pantry. I'm just saying' You said the third sentence while placing your hand at the side of your mouth so that only the hobbit would hear you. Oin even leaned in with his ear trumpet so that he could hear what you were saying. 'What are you whispering lass?' Dwalin asked. Your hands flew up in the air as you tried to act innocent. 'Nothing' you said quicly. To quickly. Dwalin got up from his seat and you find yourself trying to hide beneath the wizard. Why did that dwarf have to scare you like that?

He knew pretty well that you were afraid of him. For Mahal's sake, you were a dwarf! Would you cower away from a dwarf like Dwalin? He narrowed his eyes at you. Aye, aye you would.

'Now, look at that! I thought that dwarves were kind to their own kind but it seems like the tales I read were far from the truth' a small voice spoke up behind you. You dared to look the other way, not looking any longer at the terrifying dwarf in front of you. Wow. The hobbit really knew how to get the attention in a room. 'Excuse me?' Dwalin asked, his attention now fully on Bilbo. 'I think you shouldn't forget your manners when you're talking to a lady' the hobbit squeaked. Was he really trying to stand up for you? None of the other dwarves dared to whenever Dwalin or Thorin spoke to you. Mahal, he was really something. A dragon would be nothing if he was brave enough to stand up to Dwalin.

The bald dwarf walked up to the hobbit, shoving Bofur out of his way. His full armor came into view as everything that had hid his weapons before was now gone. Bilbo swallowed as he noticed the many weapons on the dwarf. 'Did you have anything to say about our woman, halfling?' the warrior asked. He stopped right in front of the now terrified hobbit. Their chests were almost touching as he looked down at the trembling little thing. *Thump* 'I didn't think so' Dwalin mocked. 'Get him into a chair, Dwalin, a word' Thorin ordered and left the room. 'I will carry him' you yelled, careful not to get in Dwalin's way.

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'That was quite something' Fili remarked as he sat down next to you. You had left the house and now sat on top of Bilbo's house. It wasn't that hard considering that his house was built beneath a hill and all. 'What was?' you asked absend mindedly. Your old friend chuckled. 'That thing you said when the hobbit was about to faint. It really took some nerve to say something like that.' A small blush crept up to your cheeks. You had never been one for speaking loudly in larger groups. Nor speaking at all. Fili pushed you playfully at the shoulder with his fist. 'Don't worry, none of them really mind.'

You huffed. 'I can name at least one of them who minded' you muttered. Fili smiled. 'I think Gandalf will mind everything on this quest.' It started with a small smile, but soon you were both laughing. 'I would like to see his face when he finds out Thorin does't want to stay in Rivendell, like he planned.' There fell a comfortable silence. Fili stretched his arms. 'I want to see his face when he finds out we already know he wants to go to Rivendell' he said. You chuckled. 'What is your opinion on the matter?' Fili suddenly asked.

'What do you mean?' you asked confused. Fili laid back on one shoulder so he could fully look at you. 'I mean to ask what your opinion is on the whole going-to-the-elven-city plan of Gandalf' he explained. 'Oh that' you said. The lights were turned off one by one in the houses of the hobbits. First, you were able to stare into the distance and still see some houses. But now, there were only a few lights on and you couldn't see past Bilbo's fence.  '...'

A) 'I think those tree shaggers will bring us nothing but trouble. They will never allow us to continue on our quest. Did I already mention they shag trees?'

B) 'Honestly, I can't wait to see them. Maybe the tales are right and they really are as magnificent as the stories describe.'

C) 'Well, I don't think they could be that bad. I mean, as long as they have ale, right?'

D) 'I think it wouldn't be a bad thing to just stay in the Blue Mountains and continue making our home there. It is a respectable home and your uncle has already earned everyone's respect... Why would he ruin that now?'

E) 'Oh, I simply can't wait to swim in their fountains! Did you already hear about their endless supplies of wine? First, I will swim in the fountains and then in their wine barrels!'

Good luck in chapter 3!