Zaliya's Unexpected Journey

Ch 2: Who's She?

I hope you guys liked the last chapter, it was a lot of work. Anyway here is the next chapter, where the company finds out who's at the door. Enjoy!

Third Person POV

Bilbo's heart thudded as he slowly opened the door to reveal a hooded figure.

The person bowed, and said, "You must be Mr. Baggins, I'm sorry I'm late." Bilbo inclined his head and tried to pinpoint a gender on the voice, it wasn't very deep, so it must be a woman.

Gandalf's deep voice spooked Bilbo as he said, "Yes my friend, you are late. Where have you been?"

The woman at the door chuckled as she stepped into the house, "My apologies Gandalf, but your dwarf friends had some suspicious followers that needed to be taken care of."

Thorin scowled and repeated, "Followers?"

The woman turned toward him, "Yes, it's not often one sees a dwarf in Bree, so you raised some suspicion in certain people, Thorin Oakenshield. But do not worry, they won't be following you much longer."

Thorin blinked surprised by this woman's boldness, "Who are you, remove your hood, and reveal your face," he commanded. The woman looked around the room at all the frowning dwarves, until her eyes found the wizard. Gandalf smiled and nodded his head, with his support she slowly removed her hood. The light then shined on her beautiful bronze face, and her black curls tumbled out of her hood, as her large sparkling brown eyes blinked in embarrassment at the attention. The dwarves and Bilbo gasped in awe at her beauty. Gandalf smiled as the woman blushed, she didn't even know her own beauty.

He then stood and announced, "Everyone this is Zaliya Pinewood, she has certain qualities that will help you all on your quest, and I am the one who invited her here." Thorin walked over to her, trying to control his rapid heartbeat at seeing Zaliya's face.

"Have you done much fighting?" he asked, slowly circling her. In the background Gandalf rolled his eyes, knowing all the fighting that she could do.

But Zaliya just looked at Thorin and nodded, "I can fight with pretty much any weapon you give me, as well as my hands."

Dwalin spoke up from the back of the room, "What would a women know of fighting, you'd just slow us down!" Zaliya smirked and whipped out a dagger from inside her cloak and sent it hurtling toward Dwalin, just barely missing his head and thudding into the wall behind him. Everyone tensed as Dwalin slowly pulled the dagger out of the wall and stalked toward Zaliya. But he just handed her the dagger with a small bow and smile, acknowledging her skill.

"Alrighty then, Zaliya, let me introduce you to the company," Gandalf said pointing to the dwarves, "This is Dwalin, as you know, Oin, Gloin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Nori, Dori, Ori, Kili, Fili, and the leader of our group, Thorin." Zaliya nodded in greeting to each of the dwarves, blushing when Dwalin, Kili and Fili winked at her. But when she made eye contact with Thorin, her heart fluttered its wings. Thorin felt his heart flutter as well, but he covered it up with a scowl.

"Well now that you know everyone Zaliya, let's all go back into Bilbo's wonderful dining room," Gandalf recommended.

Soon everyone was seated at the table and Zaliya was squished between Kili and Fili.

"I didn't think that I'd be accompanied by such a beautiful woman on this quest," flirted Kili, as Fili nodded at Zaliya.

She blushed and chuckled, "My dear boys, I'm much to old for you!"

"What!" said Kili, "You can't be that old!" Fili nodded in agreement.

"Ha, I'm only about 175 years old, give or take a few years, I lost track awhile ago," laughed Zaliya.