The King And The Dragon

Slight Problem

I just finish the drawing for Bilbo after I've finished the drawing of the sky and just starting to finish the drawing I have of Rivendell when Thorin came and sat by me. I didn't even look up.

"Hello, Thorin." I say, smiling.

I can sense him smiling, as well.

"Hello, Saphira. How are you today?"

"Never felt better. Thank you for asking."

"No problem at all. That's a great drawing. What is it of?"

"Well, this is a drawing of my home, Rivendell. The hidden valley of the Elves."

"For a moment, I thought that it was the halfling's home."

"Bilbo. He has a name, Thorin."

"What do I care what his name is...."

"Thorin, why don't you like him?"

"Because, he's a weakling. He's just going to slow us down."

"You don't know that."

"Perhaps."

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go check on our dinner."

Thorin doesn't say anything as I stand up and walk away.

I go over to the pot of food, which Bofur is stiring the contents around, Bilbo next to him, smelling the food.

"Is it ready?" Bofur asks me as he hands the spoon.

I take it, scoop out a little bit of the stew, and put it in my mouth.

"It's ready." I nod. "You can help the lads serve themselves."

He nods. "Bilbo, take these to Fili and Kili, will ya?" Bofor asks Bilbo, after dishing out two bowls.

Bilbo nods. He takes the bowls and start to walk in the forest where Fili and Kili are. I go with him, just for company, since I'm not really in the mood to sit down and draw some more.

"What comforts you when times are hard, Saphira?" Bilbo asks me before we make it to the lads.

I take a second to think about that. "Memories, mostly. Memories about my home and my family." I say.

"Wouldn't memories make the hard time harder?"

"Not for me. When I think about my memories, I remember how I felt while I made them. And then, I make new memories so I refeel those feelings, or I experience more feelings. Especially for memories of my parents."

"What happened to them?"

"My father, he... he was killed by a small legion of Orcs. And my mother, she was murdered by Azog the Pale Orc."

"I am so sorry, Saphira."

"Do not be sorry for me. My memories do not always make me sad, they make me happy. They comfort me in times of pain and sorrow."

"Hmmm. I've never thought about it that way before."

We walk up to Fili and Kili, who are just standing there, staring at the ponies.

"Kili? Fili?" I ask them both.

They don't say anything.

"Guys, what's wrong?" I ask, trying to get one of them to answer me.

"We're supposed to watch the ponies." Kili says, still not looking at me.

"Only, we've come to a slight problem." says Fili, who actually looks at me.

"We had sixteen..." Kili starts to say and Fili finishes his brother's sentence.

"Now, we have fourteen."