Snow and the 13 dwarves

Chapter 17: On The Road Again

(Sarah's POV)

It was a tedious task to climb down from that ledge.  First of all, the eagles had left us very high up.  I especially wasn't too comfortable with heights before or after the rock giant incident, but I don't think anyone else was either.

After we had climbed down to a lower ledge, I noticed that Bilbo was staring at the side of my head.  "You good?" I asked.  "Sarah, your ear is bleeding down your neck," he said, sounding concerned.  Upon reflex, my hand went up to my ear, and it felt sticky.  Sure enough, there was now blood on my hands. "Ah great," I whined, frowning and wiping it on my pants. Thorin finally noticed and said, "Oin, get Sarah cleaned up.  Everyone, take a rest while we find a place to camp for the night."

"I didn't even know I was bleeding," I said, slightly surprised.  "You must have gotten it in the trees or when Gollum attacked," Bilbo started, scanning it with his eyes.  I just nodded and said, "Oh yeah. Probably." "What happened down there, Sarah?" Kili asked.  I frowned and told our story. 

"Well, after the floor gave out, the goblins didn't notice me and Bilbo because we were lying on the floor. Then when we got up after you all left, a goblin came out of nowhere and jumped us, and then we fell down a long way into this corridor of some sort.  Somewhere around 100 feet."

"How would you both still be alive, lass?" asked Oin as he cleaned my ear.  I shrugged and made a face as I said, "I don't even know, but- I'm alive. We landed in a big pile of mushrooms, so that must've done something."  I felt my face automatically scrunch up in an attempt to remember as I continued, "Aaaanyhoo, I remember Bilbo waking me up, and then we met Gollum. That guy was really skinny. And pale, and really weird. He kept talking in third person point of view, and I don't really know why."

Of course I did know why, but I wasn't about to tell.  Shaking my head, I continued to say, "He asked what I was, so I told him I was Snow, a loli of monopolyland, 'cause I don't want him to know where I live, right? We're watch out for people like that where I live."  "So what did you do?" Fili asked, seemingly interested in the story.  "Well we played a game of riddles," I continued, "and he lost because he told me to ask a question, and I asked what was in my pocket."

Grinning and wagging my eyebrows, I took my phone out of my pocket and triumphantly continued, "Luckily, it was my phone, so he couldn't have guessed it anyway. Then he found out that he lost something of his, and thought we stole it, and then he chased me and attacked me."

I paused, remembering every vivid detail of that moment.  Fili put his hand on my shoulder and some of the other dwarves stood around me listening. I grew angry at myself and Gollum as I forced the tears to go back to the depths from whence they came. 

I feel more offended than sad, I told myself, he went for me instead of Bilbo. And I wasn't even the one who turned invisible!  "That was the first time someone has tried to kill me," I realized, getting even more offended, "Like, on purpose." Shaking my head, I continued to say, "I dunno. I'm not as... used to it as some to you are, I guess."

Dwalin pat my back reassuringly and said, "We are just as surprised, and even as scared as you sometimes." 
I didn't know whether to feel offended or assured at the same time at that last bit. 
"Aye," continued Balin, "Some of us may seem as tough as stone, but at the end of the day, we just want to be home."  "Relatable," I agreed, holding the the newfound handkerchief to my ear.