The Hobbit | The Lost Bender {Book 1}

18 | Misty Mountains

{Rigmor POV}

I shivered a bit whilst we climbed higher and higher upon the mountain, the paths becoming narrower. Trembling even more than I did was the Hobbit, who was walking in front of me.

"Hey, are you okay?" I quizzed.

Bilbo looked over his shoulder and almost tripped over a loose pebble.
"Oh, yeah fine. It's just a bit chilly here."

I nodded. "Indeed it is, and it won't get any warmer the higher we go."

The Halfling let out a nervous chuckle.
"Ever been this far from home?" I asked him, pulling my cloak a bit tighter around myself. A cold drizzle started falling down.

"No, never. How about you, miss Rigmor?"
"No, me neither. I've always been someone that stayed close to home."
I fastened my pace to walk next to him, silently applauding my own little metaphor I had used for being imprisoned.

"You never really told me about yourself, Bilbo." He chuckled a bit, looking at his feet. "There is nothing interesting about me..."

"I am sure there is. Come on, Mr Baggins. How was your childhood? What are your hobbies?"

The Halfling looked a bit flustered at the sudden interest.
"Well, I grew up in the Shire as an only child, as the son of Bungo Baggins and Belladonna Took. I've never left home and I like to read books."

I smirked a bit.
"There must be more than that." He shook his head.
"Not really. What about you? I guess you grew up in a nice family with a few siblings and you like to take care of people. It's what comes first to mind when I talk to you. You're kind and caring."

I swallowed thickly.
"Not really, no... I've never known my parents, honestly. They... I was more of a castaway, Radagast found me and Myrna when we were young and helpless, looking for a loving home."

The Hobbit hummed. "Must've been tough. Have you ever found out who your parents are and why they did those horrible things? If I may ask, of course. I don't want to seem rude, I just want to help out in any way I can."

I closed my eyes for a moment. "Listen, Bilbo. I might not be who you think I am. You'll find out eventually, but I can't tell you. Still not now. I'm sorry."

The Halfling frowned deeply.
"Alright. I respect your privacy."
"Thank you."

The rain was now pouring down freely, drenching our clothes completely. A loud call was heard from the front side of the line of the Company. It was Thorin.

"Hold on!" For a split second, the sky was a bright blue with lightning, thunder crackling its way through the Mountains, deafening us with its echo. We walked a few steps further, but Dwalin suddenly pushed Bilbo backwards, making the Hobbit bump into me as the stone under his feet started crumbling away.

"We must find shelter!" Panic started to form within the group as the storm roared around us.

"Watch out!" Dwalin shouted, looking in the sky. Suddenly, the sound of rock hitting rock was heard, and we pressed our body against the mountains to avoid being crushed by stone.

"This is no thunderstorm!" Balin yelled. "It's a thunder battle! Look!"

My gaze dared to shift to the sky, a huge monster appearing, ripping a massive boulder from one of the mountains.
"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants, stone Giants!" Bofur said, his voice not even trying to hide the dread he felt.

"Take cover, you'll fall!" Thorin ordered.

"What's happening?!" I heard Kili's voice.
With great force, one of the Giants flung his boulder through the air as another appears behind us, judging by the loud sounds that emit from the other side of the cliff we are standing on.

"Brace yourselves!" The rock collided with the second Giants head, the force causing the stone underneath our feet to break. We huddled closer to the wall.

And then I saw it. A crack between us few and the other members of the Company had formed and we were leaning apart. I realized Myrna was on the other side and I screamed. "Myrna!"

She was the very one who could do something. With her powers, she could—

Between two members of the Company, I spotted her body laying limp, slumped against the wall. "Myrna!!"

"She will be alright lass. She just got knocked inside the head with a stone." Bofur said. I could only hope and pray he was right. We were flung around as the Giants fought, holding onto the mountains for our dear lives.

A third Giant appeared, lunging a stone towards both the Giants, both of them collapsing with great impact. Upon losing his footing, the third one falls down a ravine as well.

With immense force, our part of the split mountain slammed into another one, and for a second I was sure I was going to die.

Yelling.

It became calmer.

I dared to open my eyes, taking in a sharp breath. I was okay, very much so. A sigh of relief left my lips, but it was soon replaced by a scared nagging in my body. Where was Myrna?

I spotted her, awake, at the other side of the cliff, Ori taking care of her. A small smile covered my face. Good.

"We're all right! We're alive!" Balin exclaimed. Happy relieved mutters emitted from the group. Bofur suddenly spoke up.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?"

Blind panic washed over me as I started looking around frantically. Did he fall? I pressed the back of my hand against my mouth and let out a muffled cry of agony, just loud enough for Bofur to hear.

"Don't worry lass, I am sure he is fine!" I gazed down into the chasm, the pit of my stomach turning around in anguish.

"There!" Ori yelled from the other side, Myrna's and his eyes fixated on something on the very edge of our cliff.
My gaze fell upon tiny fingertips clawing into the stone and I felt like I was going to cry of happiness.

"Get him!"
"Bilbo!" I ran towards him, crouching down in an attempt to help him up, but my arms were too weak according to the Dwarfs.

They pushed me aside, fruitlessly trying to hoist the Hobbit back up.

"Out of my way!" Thorin barked, swinging down the cliff next to Bilbo's to help him. This time, Bilbo is successfully brought to safety, but as Dwalin reached out to assist his king, the raven-haired lost his grip.

In a reflex, Dwalin grabbed his wrist, gritting his teeth.

"Help him!" He managed to get out. The other Dwarfs gathered around and heaved Thorin onto the edge. I made eye contact with Bilbo for a split second, his face wild and scared.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar." Dwalin said, relieved.

Thorin stood back up, dusting off his clothes. When he opened his mouth to speak, I had not expected him to say such foul words: "He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us."

The group started moving again, but I was glued to my spot, anger starting to build towards Thorin. Who did he think he was to accuse Bilbo of something such horrible... Could he...

Maybe he was even right. Bilbo was no adventurer nor a warrior. Bilbo was a Hobbit from the Shire, who liked to read his books and browse through his maps, a Hobbit that liked to bake fresh goods and go to the market, but not further away from home than that.

Bilbo was a Hobbit I perhaps cared too much for...