The Princess of Erebor (A Hobbit Story)

A Dangerous Mountain Path

The next morning, Lauranna woke up to a knock on her door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Bilbo Baggins," a voice replied.

"Come on in," she said.

The door opened and revealed the Hobbit. He smiled at her as he shut the door. It was early in the morning, making Lauranna yawn and stretch, not happy about being woken up before the sun was even close to appearing.

"Thorin said we need to leave now," Bilbo informed her.

Lauranna groaned. Of course Thorin would order everyone to get up early. She sighed and stood up, moving to her bag. She grabbed a pair of clothes and stepped behind the screen to change.

"Where did you get these new weapons?" Bilbo asked, examining the weapons she had been given.

"Lady Arwen gave them to me as well as everything else I now have," Lauranna replied.

She came out from behind the screen, changed into traveling clothes. She packed up everything and shouldered the pack over her quiver and double daggers. She put her sword on her hip, bow on her back. She picked up her cloak and swung it over her shoulder.

"Ready?" she asked.

Bilbo nodded and led the way out of the room. He took her down to the courtyard, where the rest of the Company, minus Gandalf, were waiting. Thorin eyed the Elvish weapons with distaste. Lauranna saw his glare and sighed.

"No, Thorin. I'm not getting rid of the weapons the kind Lady Arwen gave to me. Yes, they were made by Elves. You got a problem, you have to deal with it," she said stubbornly.

Bilbo chuckled at her words and shook his head in amusement. Lauranna looked at him.

"What?" she asked.

"I find it amusing that you are so stubborn. That's all," he answered.

"That's my defining trait; stubbornness," Lauranna defended.

Bilbo merely smiled and turned to the others. Thorin turned and led the way out of the valley. Soon, they were out of the city, overlooking it.

"Be on guard. We are about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths. Lead on," Thorin said.

Bilbo had stopped and looked back at the city. Lauranna grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

"We'll see it again one day," she assured him.

Bilbo sighed and nodded, following his daughter. Over hills and under trees, around lakes and through swamps they went. They were nearing the Misty Mountains as they loomed in the distance. Lauranna shivered.

"Are you cold?" Kili asked, making to remove his cloak for her.

"No. I just get a bad feeling about this mountain path," she said.

Kili looked at her in surprise. He didn't see anything wrong with this path. Maybe he was not paying attention. It wouldn't surprise him as he didn't pay attention to a lot of things. It was his and his brother's fault that she had gotten hurt by Trolls after all. He shrugged and followed her.

Lauranna shivered again as they stepped onto the path. It was a narrow one, a rock wall to their left and a drop-off to their right. One small misstep could have one of the Company falling to their death. She felt something wrap around her and found it was Kili's cloak. He had given it to her when he saw her shiver. She rolled her eyes.