#snapdragon & Co. snazzynacho

[snazzynacho]

Snapdragon & Co. Masterlist

The Hobbit fan fiction/Thorin Oakenshield x Fem!fairy!elf!OC

(My (mainly lotr/hobbit) account is @whorin-oakenshield yet I’m posting this on here bc this is where I’ve already posted my fan fics to lol)

Read on ao3 here

Read on wattpad here

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Dragon Sickness, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Found family, Mage, Magic, Psychic abilities, Just kiss you idiots, Fae, Fairies, Fae magic, Thorin got that Royal Rizz™, Fili and Kili are sillies, Multiple Endings.

Synopsis: A lonely half-elf-half-fairy and her long-lost sister, whose speciality is magic, join forces with Thorin Oakenshield and Company. To them they are doing a noble thing but little do they know what darkness lies ahead. And what of their past they have to face.

Or, in which,

Nessa had a heart of gold and Thorin was addicted.

chapters under the cut:

Chapters:

1

2

More coming soon!

[snazzynacho]

Snapdragon & Co.

The Hobbit fan fiction/Thorin Oakenshield x Fem!fairy!elf!oc

Masterlist

Chapter One: Last of their kind

Chapter 2

Love had always felt like a distant dream to Nessa.

A fantasy one's imagination makes up to cope with the everlasting loneliness of what it meant to be a ranger. Even more so when she was turned away from the only place she could call home.

Even if she never particularly liked the elves, her being half-elf meant she grew up in the core of Elvish life. Rivendell. Her mother who was dying of a broken heart didn't help either. Especially since she is still knocking on death's door years later. Nessa presumed it would be easier to deal with her mother as if she's already passed than to watch her slowly dying.

It's not like her mother would care anyway. The last she heard of her was that she was doing much better since Nessa left. Seeing her daughter obsess over everything fairy-related must've been the cause for her decline. And Nessa's leaving, despite how horrible it sounds, made her survive.

Being Half-Elf and growing up in Rivendell meant Nessa would have always been fighting to fit into a world that saw her as a joke. A 5'3 half-elf half-fairy whose loud bubbly and, at most, eccentric personality only made her stick out like a sore thumb. I guess she could blame the fairy genes for that...But she never wanted to blame her fairy heritage for anything! The few times she had heard about the Fae from her mother appealed to her greatly. The lost race of the fairies would always hold a place in her heart. She was proud of her origin.

The Fairyland, though practically nonexistent today, sounded like the perfect place for her. If only it wasn't for the major depletion it accumulated in all of time, she would be living the dream by now. Thus her Elvish mother took her to Rivendell when she was a baby.

Also, because her fairy father flew off. (Literally.)

__________________

In a quiet clearing on the outskirts of a woodland, near a village in Bree, Nessa received a letter.

Upon opening, almost unreadable scribbles - assumed to be due to someone's shaky old hands scrambling to write their last words from their death bed - become clear and her theory of someone old writing this letter only made more sense to her as she began to read;

Dear, long lost sister.

                            My name is Rogue. All I've been told is that we have the same father. Sometime after he left you he became my father also. So, I am writing you this letter in the hopes that you may want to talk. You don't know me and I don't know you and yet we're sisters. Deep down I know you will do anything for me and I'll do the same for you.

This is why I want to ask, Would you like to meet in person? I will be arriving shortly.

We sure have a lot to catch up on. Time is of the essence, my dear sister.

From,

Rogue.

Nessa's eyes were as wide as her pet Owl's when she refused to give her another treat, and her mouth was agape. Nessa's had a long-lost sister this whole time and only finds out now?!

If this sister is who they say they are, they must be old now, as she speculates. Half-human. Half-Fae. Rogue is right, time is not on their side. Death seems to follow Nessa and even still, plagues a half-Fae-half-human.

The sweet hoot of her owl (Pilvi) and the gentle flapping of its wings brought Nessa back to her surroundings. She must pack a bag immediately. Food. Water. Medicine if needed. What state is Rogue in? Are they ill? Is that why they've waited all this time to contact them? Humans don't live long after all. Or had they only just heard about Nessa, as Nessa had about them? Is it too late to meet them? She received this letter weeks ago...

Her pet owl hooted again.

"Aw Pilvi, sorry, were you hooting for me?" Nessa caressed her bird and watched her enjoy it. Pilvi's eyes squinted and her head relaxed as if the loving touch could melt her.

Her precious hoot filled the room once again and Nessa cooed back, softly speaking to her.

Interrupting them, a knock sounded. It was uncommon for Nessa to receive visitors. Not after the fairyland practically died out. This must be some kind of trick, ironically.

Pilvi was flustered. Her wings sprayed in and out continually. After calming her owl down, Nessa grabbed the nearest item that she could find, which could be used as a weapon.

A frying pan.

Nessa slowly opened the door, peering out. An unknown figure stood in the pouring rain. Their fur cloak visibly weighed heavy on their shoulders as it soaked with rain. Along with wet blue locks of hair that peaked from under their hood.

"Oh, my, are you lost?" Nessa asked worriedly. She pondered to herself as to what might have happened to this poor soul out there in the woods in the rain.

"I am Rogue, your sister."

"Oh. You're not old,"

Rogue blinked in surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"You're human. Aren't you supposed to be old? Dying on your deathbed?" Nessa waved the frying pan about as she confusingly tangented. "That's why you asked to meet. And your handwriting...very shaky!" She pointed the pan in Rogue's direction who, in return, produced a blank stare.

The frantic waving of the frying pan returned along with another tangent from Nessa and before they knew it they were bickering like sisters do. Amongst the chaos Rogue managed to snatch the frying pan, tired of Nessa waving it too close to their face for their liking.

"GIVE IT BACK!" Nessa shrieked.

This continued for a few moments until Nessa suddenly screamed

"OLD CREEPY MAN!" as she pointed to someone not that far behind Rogue.

Rogue turned around and tried not to show her annoyance at the man. "Speaking of old, that is Gandalf. He's not creepy, he's a wizard."

A long pause comes as all three take long looks at each other.

"OLD CREEPY WIZARD?!?!" Nessa screamed again and in this moment of distraction, she grabbed the frying pan back and held it up as if she was going to do damage.

Rogue yelled out for her and swiftly snatched it again. "I'm half human. HALF. I'm not old."

"Then stop flailing like a child." Gandalf scolded as he walked closer to them, staff in hand.

"She started it!-" Rogue began as Gandalf stopped them again.

"Long-lost sister. Wizard. I think I'm going to faint." Nessa felt her forehead with her hand. The cold rain did nothing to cool her down.

"Let me help with that," Rogue declared as they took a purple glowing flower from their bag and the next thing Nessa saw was darkness.

_________________

Nessa stirred in her sleep, her nose twitched at the smell of

Pipe-weed. She had the weirdest dream. There was a wizard and her long-lost sister!?

She opened her eyes, expecting to be in her bed. Alone. Maybe with Pilvi by her side. And a book. But no. A figure with long blue hair, braided sporadically, leaned over her. Her dream was real. Though, no wizard in sight. Maybe that was the part her dream made up.

Before she could start to question anything and everything, Rogue placed a hand over her mouth and sent her a look, asking for trust. Nessa nodded and the hand was taken off her mouth.

Rogue slowly held out her hands for Nessa to hold. The single touch of their palms caused a glimmering shine to arise across their skin almost as if they were made of glitter. Their glowing veins painted the room in gold.

They studied their skin for what felt like years, unable to look away. "Fae markings," Nessa whispered, releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Fae markings," Rogue repeated, pleased that her trick worked.

"You're my sister!"

"Of course I am. Now let's get down to business," They gently let go of Nessa's hands, and the glow dimmed until it was no more.

Rogue took a chair, spinning it around to sit on it backwards,

"Would you like to help a group of Dwarves take back their land?"

"Too right!" Nessa wholeheartedly agreed. She had nothing to lose. With the died-out fairyland and all, she also most certainly understood their wanting to take back land. These sisters finally reunited, the last of their kind would be helping the dwarves reclaim their home, as they wished others would have helped the Fae.

"You didn't make up that wizard, by the way."

"How did you know-"

_________________

A/N:

omg hi I have so much planned for this fic it's insane.

I started this with my bestie and we have made so much lore for the sisters and I literally cannot wait to show you all!

Btw We started a lotr fan fic before this one but we've not added onto it nearly as much as this one although they do have similarities (fairies & angst lol)

So idk when we'll pick that up again (probably after I finish writing this) but for now enjoy this fic <3

Anyway, we hope you enjoyed reading! look out for chapter 2👀

Also I made Nessa and Rogue in sims 4!!!

[snazzynacho]

Snapdragon & Co.

The Hobbit Fan Fiction/Thorin Oakenshield x Fem!fairy!elf!oc

Masterlist

Chapter Two: Comforts of Home

Nessa hadn't known much of The Shire or its inhabitants. Though Rogue apparently did as throughout almost the entire journey to The Shire, Rogue had complained about a Hobbit being allowed, no, asked, to join them on the quest. And it hadn't stopped now, even when they arrived in Hobbiton.

"Can we talk about something else now?" Nessa whined.

"What?"

"The whole journey here you've been complaining about a Hobbit joining us."

"Not my problem a Hobbit going on an adventure is unheard of! What is Gandalf thinking?!"

"Gods, you're not even Dwarven yet you're so stubborn."

"I was raised by them though," Stated Rogue.

Nessa sighed. She hated arguing or anything along those lines. "All the more reason we need anybody we can get to help Thorin and his people."

Rogue grunted in frustration, knowing Nessa was talking perfect sense.

After a few moments passed Nessa spoke up.

"So, is he hot?"

"Who?"

"Thorin..."

Rogue came to a stop. They swivelled around to face Nessa, and glared at her, arms crossed.

"I'm just asking the important question here,"

"The important question here is where on Earth are we?!" Rogue held their map, vigorously turning it and inspecting it from different angles. The next couple of hours drained on. Their map reading skills were not up to measure, clearly. Nonetheless, they had finally reached a market in Bag-End. A very busy one.

"Where are we supposed to find Bilbo now?" Nessa spoke her thoughts aloud.

"Bilbo Baggins?" A fellow Hobbit asked, having overheard.

"Yes, we are looking for him. Do you know where he might be?"

"You're in the right place. He's just over there." The Hobbit pointed to another Hobbit before walking off. The Hobbit in question was further away from them. He anxiously stalked the market, stopping shortly at a stall. It seemed he was waiting for someone, as he glanced at the letter in his hand and back up, skimming the crowd.

"Well, that was easy." They said, striding over with a beat in their step, they felt confident in their plan.

Before Rogue could utter a word, Nessa talked first. "Hello, Mr Baggins. It's nice to meet you." She held her hand out for him to shake, who in return, sent them a puzzled look yet shook her hand to be polite. "I'm sorry, but, do I know you?"

"In a way..." Nessa hesitated.

"Right-" He looked down at his letter and the stall of food again.

Seeing he was losing interest, Rogue noticed the letter and smugly spoke, needing to get to the point. "I suggest you stock up, it will be quite the dinner this evening."

Bilbo looked at them quizzically.

"Oh, and here, have this honey!" The pair held out a jar of pink honey. By the time Bilbo accepted the gift, they had run off, leaving a very confused Hobbit. He listened to them though and began to buy a couple of other things, thinking it'll just be them...

_______________

Truth be told Bilbo's home was a small dome-shaped hill with a circular green door, fit for any Hobbit, just as Rogue described to Nessa along the journey. Even in the dark, it looked welcoming.

Nessa and Rogue stood near the front of his house where they told Pilvi to wait for them outside.

"When do you think will be the most inconvenient time for us to show up?" Nessa mischievously asked. "I want to see him livid," She giggled. By now, they'd watched several dwarves enter Bilbo's home, waiting for the right moment.

"Hmm. Just follow my lead,"

Suddenly they heard someone near them. Someone running. "Come on Kili, you can run faster than that!" The person shouted as they ran closer as another, presumed to be Kili, ran behind him.

The two fairies jumped behind a bush, successfully hiding themselves as the two men reached Bilbo's house.

"Not fair, Fili. You started running first." Kili panted.

"Nuh-uh. I'm just fast. I've still got it," He pridefully admired his muscles causing Kili to roll his eyes.

"What was this Hobbit's name anyway? Mr Biggins?" Fili pondered.

"No no, I'm sure it was Mr Boggins, or was it Bimbo?—"

Fili shrugged and proceeded to ring the doorbell. He just wanted nice warm food and a drink of - preferably - ale.

During this, Nessa had been trying ever so hard to stifle her laugh. And it only got worse when Bilbo opened the door, an irritated look on his face remained as it did the previous times this evening a dwarf was at his door.

The pair introduced themselves as: "Fili." "And Kili."

"At your service." They said at once and bowed.

"You must be Mr. Boggins," Kili said.

"No! You can't come in, you've come to the wrong house." Bilbo tried to shut the door but Kili stopped him. "What?! Has it been cancelled?" he asked. The distraught look on Kili's face only entertained the two hiding fairies even more.

"No one told us," Fili added.

"Can-! No, nothing's been cancelled."

"That's a relief."

"Careful with these, I just had them sharpened," Kili said as he handed over a pile of weapons to Bilbo and barged inside with Fili striding behind.

Seeing the flustered expression on Bilbo's face was the last straw for Nessa - she let out a wheeze of a laugh and just before it could turn into a proper belly laugh, Rogue slapped their hand on her mouth, muffling her laughs, and the bush rustled from the movement. To which Bilbo thought he heard something outside but was ultimately distracted by Kili rubbing his boot on his furniture.

"That's my mother's glory box, can you please not do that?!"

They heard Bilbo say as Rogue gestured for Nessa to follow, quickly but quietly leaving their positions behind the bush. The two walked into the house, the door closing behind them.

"Fili, Kili, come on, give us a hand," Dwalin called for them and they followed, not noticing the fairies. If only Bilbo could do that. He turned around and thought he was going to drop the weapons and combust in rage at the sight of them - which didn't help with Nessa's giggling.

Amid their secret entrance, Rogue couldn't resist a theatrical touch. With a flourish of their hand and a raised eyebrow, Rogue delivered their line to a bemused Bilbo, "You might want to hand those weapons to me, Mr Baggins, someone is at the door,"

He staggered backwards but was able to compose himself. "No one is at the door!"

Nessa's giggling persisted, even though her hand was on her mouth. Only further aggravating the poor Hobbit.

"No, look! Someone is ringing the bell right now!"

"NO THERE'S—"

*Ring.*

Their prediction rang true. Rogue smirked at Bilbo's face, seeing him turn red, as he angrily threw the weapons into Rogue's arms and stormed off to answer the door. They swore they could see steam flaring out of his ears for a second.

"How rude," Rogue remarked and Nessa stifled another giggle, impressed by her sister's flair for the dramatic. They revelled in the lightheartedness of the moment, eager for the adventure that lay ahead and the camaraderie they would forge on this grand quest.

After moving aside, Rogue placed the weapons carefully on the floor out of the way, unlike Bilbo. They took a moment to gather their composure, knowing that their true purpose would soon be revealed. The anticipation of the adventure ahead mingled with the amusement of this unexpected start, creating a sense of belonging that hinted at the bonds they would forge on this daring quest to reclaim Erebor.

Peeking around the corner, they saw the door swing open and a bunch of dwarves fall into a heap on the floor, on top of each other, earning another laugh from Nessa. Even Rogue sniggered.

A grey wizard peered into the house behind the dwarves. Gandalf. With no time for Rogue to grab Nessa, dart behind a wall, and pretend they didn't see each other, he and Nessa had already locked eyes, and he sent her a complicated look - a mix of perplexity and suspicion. Nessa felt a flicker of uncertainty. The renowned wizard's sharp eyes seemed to search for hidden truths. However, he turned his attention back to Bilbo and the clumsy mound of dwarves, allowing Nessa and Rogue a moment of relief.

_________________

Whilst all the dwarves were grabbing and snatching different foods from cheeses, bread, meats - and not to mention alcohol - Nessa and Rogue respectfully stood aside marvelling at the chaos unfolding in front of them with nothing but a plate of food and a teacup ale each, classy yet down-to-party, reflecting a sense of poise amidst the merriment.

Sipping wine occasionally, Nessa took pleasure in the jovial disarray of the dwarves ransacking Bilbo's pantry before their eyes. Sometimes, when she could get ahold of food she added it to her plate. The variety of foods showcased the cultural richness of the different lands they were from, a testament to the uniqueness that comprised the company. As they nibbled on their golden toast doused in the pink citrusy honey they gifted Bilbo, Rogue on the other hand had their watchful eye make sure they were always out of Gandalf's line of vision, wanting to be discreet, avoiding him at least until the meeting.

When it came to the song the dwarves began to sing as they cleared the dishes - 'blunt the knives, bend the forks' - Nessa's enthusiastic clapping and Rogue's polite applause blended harmoniously with the dwarves' spirited song, filling the room with a sense of companionship. This all reminded them of the few comforts of home they so missed, one of them more than the other.

Sensing someone new, Rogue urged Nessa to quieten down right as the doorbell rang for the last time that night. A silence replenished the room momentarily.

"He is here," Gandalf declared.

Rogue passed Nessa a glass of wine. "Shit's getting serious?" Nessa joked to her sister.

"I'd say so. Besides, this is the last good wine we'll have in quite some time, we need this."

Nessa nodded and gulped wine, the bitter but sweet flavour lingered on her tongue as she savoured it. Going in for another taste, she nearly choked. A noble, slightly taller looking dwarf with long dark wavy hair, framed perfectly with a couple of white strands, entered. Everything about him - from the dramatic way his arrival was announced, to his demeanour - oozed authority. Even the warm smile he gave the dwarves, she found attractive. He must have been Thorin Oakenshield. King of Durin's Folk. And...

"...The leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf introduced Thorin to Bilbo.

Thorin's smile turned stern when he noticed Nessa and Rogue yet he kept quiet. Instead, he joined everyone at the table. Nessa quickly took off to the kitchen and diligently prepared soup using some leftovers, hoping to extend a gesture of goodwill and earn some favour within the company. When she presented the bowl to Thorin she offered a shy but warm smile, his hesitation was apparent, but hunger won over scepticism.

The two fairies stood behind Kili and Fili, somewhat out of the way. After eating and drinking heartily with his kin, he became serious again and undoubtedly wanted to start a conversation on the quest.

So far, all through the evening, most of the dwarves had given Nessa and Rogue wary looks. They noted that the pair were likely fairies due to Rogue's bright blue hair and Nessa's hair (although a normal dark blonde) also had pinky gold highlights in - yet they did not look entirely Fae-like. At least not of their ideas on what Fairies should look like; Rogue's hair was braided intricately suspiciously in a style reminiscent of Dwarvish craftsmanship, and Nessa's handmade dress on her chubby figure from afar could look like any mismatch of patterns found at markets sewed together. Nothing like fae fashion. And not to mention their heights - they were the same height as the dwarves! Yes, only slightly taller but they also were nowhere near as tall as elves...Last but not least, there were no fairy wings in sight! It was clear that their presence seemed out of place and raised questions about their true identity and intentions, and now, as the discussion to consult the quest approached, the lingering caution and uncertainty among the dwarves remained, leaving Nessa and Rogue acutely aware of the need to prove their worth and establish their role in this company bound for Erebor.

The dwarves all had one question in particular - what were two fairies doing at a, supposedly, private meeting of dwarves to reclaim their homeland?

"Now that you've stopped hiding from me, I'd like to know what your sister is doing here." Gandalf directed at Rogue, as he sensed the ongoing tension towards the two sisters. At this, Nessa side-eyed Rogue, sending her a searching glance for the truth.

Surely Gandalf knew she was tagging along? Nessa had assumed that's why he was there on that fateful day. Evidently, Rogue had taken the initiative to ask her to join the company, yet Gandalf's inquiry brought a different perspective to light.

"Well, I didn't inform you but I did inform the leader of this company," Rogue voiced nonchalantly.

The revelation of Rogue's secret communication with Thorin left the company in an uproar. Clamorous objections rose from the group. The dwarves exchanged incredulous glances, their trust in Thorin momentarily shaken. In the midst of the confusion, Nessa and Rogue found themselves at the centre of a storm they had unintentionally ignited. Amongst the commotion, questions upon questions flew at Thorin.

"Is this true Thorin?"

"How long have you kept this from us?!"

Rogue saw Thorin's face contorted in disbelief at their statement and said, "Yes, I have. The letter is in your front left pocket."

The room became silent. They watched Thorin reach into his pocket and pull out a letter. Gasps and murmurs of shock from the company broke the stillness. Thorin dramatically held the letter in front of him, as if it was the most precious thing in the world. Gandalf immediately snatched it. He ever so carefully unfolded it, and read it. All that was printed on it were stamps that represented Rogue, their sister and their pets. He glared at Nessa and Rogue, slamming the letter on the table, with an exasperated huff. "Fairies and their mischief,"

Gandalf's remark hung heavily in the air, an indication of the distinctive circumstances surrounding Nessa and Rogue's inclusion in the quest. They exchanged a glance, realising that their path forward would be even more challenging than they had anticipated, as they needed to overcome not only their own doubts but the mistrust of Thorin's company as well.

"I've personally looked that letter over from front to back and not found a single word," Balin spoke. "How on Earth could it have addressed your arrival?" Balin thought back to when Thorin first received the letter. Thorin had angrily rushed around the entire place, asking anyone and everyone if they had sent the alleged indecipherable letter to him. If it was some sort of trick. They had even hunched over the letter, inspected it using a magnifying glass, and were still met with the same four vertically placed stamps.

Rogue grabbed the letter back and showed the group. In order, they explained that each stamp in a fairy letter symbolised someone or something. They began with the first stamp - a hand holding a rose representing Pilvi, Nessa's pet. Then the second beneath it - the cat: Pip, Rogue's cat. Then at the bottom, the butterfly: Nessa and the Rose: Rogue.

With the company's reluctant understanding and acceptance, a tentative sense of unity began to form within the group.

At this, Bilbo retrieved his letter and gave it a look over again, realising the letter he also received was from the two fairies as well. Now recognising the stamps with meaning, as illustrated.

Moving on to the more important part of the evening, they finally started to discuss the quest. Balin began by asking if the dwarves of the Iron Hill would be joining - which turned out to be no - "They will not come. They say this quest is ours, and ours alone."

"You're doing a quest?" Asked Bilbo and Rogue had to use all their willpower not to face-palm, or worse, smack him.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light. Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." Gandalf restated, spreading a map on the table for all to see.

"The Lonely Mountain."

"Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portents say: it is time," Gloin expressed and Oin elaborated with, "Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold. When the birds of the old return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." At the mention of birds, Nessa pondered to herself if Pilvi was doing alright outside, in the dark, alone, but was interrupted by Bilbo, bringing her attention back to the real problem at stake: "Uh...what beast?"

"Well, that would be a reference to Smaug the terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals." Bofur clarified.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is."

Ah. A dragon...Nessa hadn't really thought about who they had to fight. Too late to back out now.

Ori who was especially eager stood up and announced: "I'm not afraid, I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the dwarfish iron right up his jacksy!" Rogue face-palmed for real this time while Nessa giggled.

"Good lad, Ori!"

"Sit down!" Dori grabbed his brother, reminding the two sisters of each other.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest," Balin said, feeling defeated already.

"Hey! Who are you calling dim?"

"Sorry, what did he say?"

Fili then spoke proudly, reassuring his kin. "We may be few in number. But we're fighters, all of us! To the last dwarf!"

"And you forget we have a wizard in our company, Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Kili looked over at Gandalf expectantly.

"Oh, well. No, uh, I...I wouldn't say..." Gandalf spluttered over his words.

"How many then?"

"What?"

"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!" Dori insisted. The room quietened, waiting for what they hoped to be an impressive answer from Gandalf.

However, an embarrassed Gandalf started to cough on his pipe smoke making the dwarves groan and shout at one another, feeling hopeless.

Thorin abruptly rose to his feet. "Enough!" He roared. The dwarves sat back down. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look East to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?"

Thorin was right. Rogue had heard all about this for years, and now more than ever, in recent months. Inspired by the speech, the dwarves jumped and cheered. His words struck a nerve with Nessa, who had always wondered if she should return to the abandoned fairyland.

Balin stood and raised his voice. "You forget the front gate is sealed! There is no way into the mountain."

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." With a twiddle of his fingers, Gandalf produced a Dwarvish key, ornately wrought.

Thorin's eyes lit up and he looked at it in wonder. "How came you by this?" He questioned curiously.

"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." Gandalf handed the key to Thorin, who held it in awe. Everyone looked on in proud astonishment. Including Nessa and Rogue.

"If there's a key, there must be a door!" Fili exclaimed excitedly.

"Very astute observation," Rogue whispered sarcastically to her sister. Rogue's sarcasm had hit the mark, and Nessa burst out laughing, but in the midst of their serious discussion about the quest, Nessa's laughter seemed like an outburst at an inappropriate time. A few sent scrutinized glances her way and she quickly realised how it might be perceived and made an effort to regain her composure, all while attempting to convey that her amusement was unrelated to the quest itself.

Fili's observation, though met with humour, was indeed astute, and the company continued to brainstorm and plan their next steps, eager to unlock the way into Erebor. "These ruins speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls." The wizard pointed to runes on the map, ignoring the 'fairies and their mischief.'

"There's another way in," Kili noted.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map...and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-Earth who can." Everyone looked at him, listening carefully. "The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar," Ori stated.

"A good one too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo added.

"And are you?" Gloin asked.

Bilbo froze, half confused, half afraid. "Am I what?"

"He said he's an expert! Hey!" Gloin cried out, optimistically, and the other dwarves cheerfully joined in. Rogue snorted...Bilbo didn't even know he was to be part of this journey beforehand and they had to travel all this way to Hobbiton for him...Just for him to mess up this badly...

Bilbo's face however was livid with shock causing the fairies to laugh again. "Me? No, no, no, I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin conversed.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin agreed.

Bilbo nodded in desperate agreement, ignoring the insult. Nonetheless, Gandalf shook his head, irritated. He stood tall, imposing the dwarves who looked on in shock. "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then he is. Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet! In fact, they can go unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a Hobbit is all but unknown to him which gives us a distinct advantage."

Gandalf turned to Thorin, determined to make his point. "You asked me to find another member of this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this."

Thorin sighed and for a moment scanned the room, weighing the outcome. "What about those two?" He nodded over at Nessa and Rogue, all eyes on them.

Nessa waved slightly but Rogue smacked her hand. "As for them, well, Rogue is remarkably agile and has a talent in magic - fae magic in particular - and that I do know to be very rare these days, so we are lucky to have them on this quest. Their sister, Nessa, on the other hand-" he wavered to continue so Rogue cut in. "-Is exceptionally talented with her axe," - Rogue grabbed at the pink axe that was attached to Nessa's belt at the back that just peered over the top of her head and showed the company - "and, I assure you, she is not afraid to use it."

"We are descendants of the Fallen Fae and I know what it is like to lose your home, so please, we would like to contribute to this quest." Nessa pleaded.

Thorin regarded Nessa with a newfound understanding, her words resonating with the struggles and losses he had faced as a leader seeking to reclaim his homeland. Growing up, Thorin had heard of the Fallen Fae, of their tragedy. From this moment forward he promised himself he would hold the sisters in high regard. If they could prove their worth, that is.

"Very well. Your dedication to the cause is duly noted. We shall need all the skills we can muster." He settled. "Give them our contract."

A sense of relief washed over them. Nessa's heart soared with gratitude, and Rogue offered a respectful nod.

Balin handed a scrolled contract to Bilbo to which Thorin grabbed and shoved it at him, who unrolled the scroll, which nearly reached the floor. Balin began explaining that the contract was a summary of out-of-pocket expenses, including... "Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo queried after looking at the contract reluctantly.

Bilbo, now intensely reading it, was growing more and more distressed with each new word he spoke, "...Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof, including, but not limited to - lacerations? Evisceration? Incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur teased.

A white sheet of paleness covered his complexion. Bilbo seemed breathless and unwell. His grip on the contract tightened nervously, needing something to hold onto, as he grabbed a hand to his chest.

"You alright, laddie?" Balin asked, worriedly glancing at Bilbo.

"Huh? Yeah, I feel...I feel a bit faint."

"Think furnace, with wings," Bofur egged on.

"I...I...I need air."

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! You're nothing more than a pile of ash!" Bofur continued, much to the situation. The vivid descriptions of potential injuries were enough to make anyone apprehensive, and the jests from the dwarves only exacerbated his anxiety. So much so that he managed to let out a pained "No-" before fainting, falling to the floor.

"Oh, very helpful, Bofur." Gandalf sarcastically said.

Rogue walked up to the unconscious Bilbo and poked him with their boot. When they confirmed he was out like a light they pried the contract from his grip. Nessa brought out two large stamps for them each from her bag. They skipped to the last page where the spaces for their signatures were and raised their stamps to print. Having not realised how loud the stamps would be when they collided with the paper with an audible thump, everyone jumped. Additional disapproved glances were sent their way though the dwarves tried to trust their leader, Thorin's, decision to accept them.

"Not going to read the terms and conditions?" Fili asked them.

"I mean, Bilbo here just read it for us before he...fainted...but It's not like we have anything to lose."

Rogue said indifferently when a ginger kitten poked his head out of their pocket and meowed softly. "Isn't that right, Pip?"

Excitement grew amongst the company with the upcoming quest ready to commence and now with the added addition of a cat, the companionship was prospering already. The tiny feline seemed to captivate the attention of the dwarves, melting hearts and creating a brief respite from the otherwise serious discussion.

Thorin of course wanted to send scrutiny, though he couldn't help but crack a smile at his happy kin, welcoming and recognising that bonds were forming that would be crucial on their journey to reclaim Erebor.

_______________________

Thorin stood by the fireplace, pipe smoke in hand. The golden glow from the fire lit up his face revealing the stoic expression that was still present as he was in deep thought. The crackling fire was unexpectedly interrupted as he began singing.

Far over the misty mountains cold.

One by one each dwarves began joining in, following Thorin's lead.

To dungeons deep and caverns old.

We must away, ere break of day.

To find our long-forgotten gold...

Their deep voices hummed and gently sang heartfelt and deeply meaningful lyrics together, harmonising perfectly. Their pain and sorrow filled the now atmospheric room, and Nessa, who stood to the side solemnly with her sister, wiped a tear away from her cheek she didn't know was there. This hit close to home. She understood their pain. Their burdens. Their losses. She knew what it was like having no home. Forgotten gold for her was her heritage which, over the years, had been slipping away from her. If only they could truly see that. See they cared. She hoped to prove this. They did have a whole quest to fulfil together after all.

___________________

Thanks for reading! Please reblog if you liked it :)