Freya, noticing no one was getting up from the table; got up and approached the door and opened it to reveal another Dwarf. She starred at the stranger on her cousin's door step, not moving for him to walk in, they both looked at each other in uncomfortable silence. " Thorin Oakenshield, at your service." The Dwarf finally spoke, breaking the silence between them.

" Freya Brandybuck , at yours." The Hobbit choked out, as she felt awkward standing there starring. He gave her a shy smile.

"Brandybuck? This isn't the home of a Baggins?" Thorin questioned, a little annoyed that he had come to the wrong house, or least that's what he thought until a shadow approached behind her, and the Dwarf sighed in relief. " Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." Thorin stated. Freya had moved out of the way for there new guest and he came in, removing his cloak and folding it up. The Hobbit woman eyed this Dwarf curiously, he seemed different then from the rest of these Dwarves that had shown up in Bilbo's home. As Bilbo came into the center of the circle with his cousin, Gandalf and their newest arrival.

" Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" Bilbo informed the wizard.

" There is a mark; I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." The wizard stated as the Dwarf approached the Hobbit.

" So, this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Mr.Baggins, have you done much fighting.?" Thorin questioned and Freya's eyes widen at this strange question. The Dwarf began to circle him, making him more uncomfortable as he gave the wizard a look and then turned back to the leader.

" Pardon me?" Bilbo finally choked out.

" Axe or sword? what's your weapon of choice?" Thorin pressed, clearly ignoring the Hobbit's startled expression he was wearing. Freya was just as shocked, what kind of Hobbit did these Dwarves think her cousin was.

"Will, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant." Bilbo stated. Freya couldn't hold it in anymore as she burst out laughing at her cousin's silly answer. The wizard, the leader and Bilbo as did the rest looked at her strangely as she had been so silent since the arrival of Thorin.

" I'm sorry, it's just who told you my cousin had skills at wheeling an axe or sword?" Freya asked, trying to stop giggling. Thorin shot a look at the wizard, clearly having missed this little bit of knowledge from him. As the woman let out another giggle, Thorin gave her funny look and found her laughter amusing as he sighed, forgetting his thoughts and spoke calmly.

" Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar. " Thorin said as the Dwarves laughed and they walk back to the dining table. The wizard finally let out a breath, as if he had been holding it this entire time since Thorin arrived and began to question the Hobbit's ability. Bilbo looked at his cousin.

" What was that about?" Bilbo snarled, clearly upset with her. She shrugged and shot her annoyed cousin a smile.

" I'm sorry Bilbo, it just came out. You could have just said 'no' you have no experience with weapons, it would have been better than your skills at 'Conkers' remark " Freya explained. The wizard rolled his eyes at the two cousins and ducked under the doorway to join the others. Bilbo furrowed his brows.

" You know nothing about fighting either." Bilbo shot back, clearly having a point.

" He didn't ask me, if I knew how to fight. Their more interested in you." The woman pointed out, which left the Hobbit wearing a blank expression.

" Me? I am not that interesting, I assure you." Bilbo stated as Freya rolled her eyes and skipped over into the dining room, interested in what they were discussing. Balin had asked Thorin a question about how his meeting had went with their kin. He opened his mouth to say only to shut it again when the Hobbit girl came into the room, making the others glance at her as to how she had disrupted there leader.

" Please, you don't have to stop, please continue." Freya reassured. Thorin looked at the wizard and then turn his attention back to the girl.

" I would prefer to discuss Dwarf business in private, this does not concern you." Thorin grumbled. Freya was a little surprised by his sudden rudeness towards her as she looked away from him, to the wizard and then caught the other Dwarves, staring from her to the leader.

" Thorin, she is fine to stay, she is harmless and a sweet little thing; hardly a threat to us." Balin stated as he smiled at the girl and patted a chair for her to sit by him, which she slowly sat in, seeing the un-eased look Thorin had on his face, looking at his most loyal member. Dwalin let out a chuckle at his brother.

" You have grown soft brother in your old age." Dwalin snickered, as he took another gulp of ale, spilling it down his beard. The leader looked at the older Dwarf and finally gave in.

" Fine. She may stay." Thorin said.

" Thank you." Freya whispered in a low voice to Balin.

" No problem lass." Balin whispered back as they waited for the meeting to continue. Gandalf took something out of the inside of his rob and spread it out on the table. Freya's face lid up with excitement, when it came to maps.

" Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lays a single solitary peak." Gandalf spoke as he smoothed out the piece of parchment. Freya's curiosity got the better of her as she pulled the map over to her and read the inscription out loud.

" The Lonely Mountain." Freya read, forgetting she had others in the room, she pushed the map back over towards the wizard.

" Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin told everyone as he looked to his older brother to explain further.

" Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." Oin explained as everyone at the table fell silent.

" Uh, What beast?" Bilbo asked, looking concerned, he had been so quiet since the Dwarves meeting until now; hearing the word 'beast' being said. Freya listened, waiting for someone to explain what this beast was.

" Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age." Bofur spoke, scaring the frightened Bilbo as Gandalf shot him a look to stop but he pressed on. " Airborne firebreather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals." He stated.

" Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo stated, in frustration not wanting to know anymore of this terrible beast. Thorin looked up and glanced at the cousin and saw she didn't look frighten by this, like her cousin.

" I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." Ori; the youngest Dwarf in this group jumped up and spoke. Freya raised her eyebrow at this, as his older brother grabbed him by his clothing and pulled him down, back in his seat.

" Sit down!" Dori snarled, as several other Dwarves began to shout at 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 pointed out, as the others began to object to the older Dwarf's assumption of them.

" We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last Dwarf!" Fili exclaimed, making the company cheer once more. His younger brother Kili had also something to add.

" And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Kili stated in exaggeration. The wizard looked completely bewildered by this as he thought about what he was going to say next.

" Oh,well, now, uh, I-I-I wouldn't say that, I--" Gandalf stuttered as he had all the intense eyes of the Dwarves waiting for him to answer.

" How many, then?" Dori wondered. Gandalf's head snapped in Dori's direction.

" Uh, what?" Was all Gandalf managed to say.

" Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Dori continued in a demanding voice as his stare never left the wizard. Gandalf embarrassedly starts choking on his pipe smoke. " Come on give us a number!" Dori insisted as the Dwarves jump to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons the wizard had killed. Nori had been sitting on the other side of Freya, and knocked her chair off the floor making her fall off and landed on her back she rolled her eyes as the Dwarves continued their arguing as she starred at the ceiling.

"Shazara!" Thorin jumped up and silenced the others as they all sat back on there chair. " 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 seize this chance to take back Erebor?" Thorin proclaimed as the company once again cheered, when it came to their homeland that would soon be there's once again. Freya, still laying on the floor listening to the leaders intense speech found herself in deep thought, when she noticed a pair of eyes looking down at her strangely.

" Why are you laying on the floor?" Thorin questioned her; as he thought this Hobbit was an odd one.

" I-I was thinking." Freya spat out, without thinking. The leader gave her a confused look.

" Do you lay on the floor often to think?" Thorin wondered as he noticed she was very strange and yet something about this woman made him a little curious about her as well. Freya got up from the ground quickly and looked at the Dwarf, wondering what to say.

" Uh, well, ah--" Freya stuttered, now knowing what the wizard felt like when he was trying to figure out what to say.

" Freya, you, ah should take care of that." Bilbo stated as he pointed his own finger at his head. Her hand went to her forehead and she looked to see blood on her finger.

" You are one strange little Hobbit." Thorin stated. Which only made Freya snort at this remark before she decided to leave to take care of cut.

" Excuse, me. I should look after this." The woman said as she quickly left the dining room, as Thorin watched her leave and gave the wizard a look. The meeting continued on, as the young woman looked after her wound. She didn't know how long she had been gone. She walked down the hall and saw her cousin, storming out of his living room towards his bedroom.

" What's going on Bilbo?" Freya asked, wondering what she missed.

" I am not going on this quest, I am not a burglar, I cannot fight; I will not fight and I am a Baggins, not a Took!. Now it is late, you can stay here tonight if you wish too. I am going to bed, night Freya. I will see you in the morning." Bilbo stated in frustration and left his cousin standing there confused, wondering what just happened. She wanted to look for the wizard, so he could explain what she missed when she was approached by Balin.

" I hear you have a great interest in maps, and knowledge of the terrains in Middle-Earth. We could you someone with your expertise in this company." Balin informed her, as he smiled at her. She was mildly shock, but she had no real hands on experience, just mainly knowledge she had gain from reading, but she thought about when Thorin had gotten angry at her just for joining there meeting of the quest.

" I don't think Thorin wants me on this quest. " Freya stated. Balin nodded his head and tilted it to the side as if he was thinking.

" Thorin, is just very protective, when it comes to others knowing about his homeland, don't take it personally lass, he might not see it now, but you would be a great asset to us, and so would your cousin." Balin explained to her as she felt overwhelmed with all this, but she thought if she agreed, would she really live her cousin behind?

" I-I, ah.....I can't. I'm sorry Balin, I wish I could help you all with reclaiming your homeland, but I can't leave without my cousin." Freya finally said, with a hint of disappointment in herself. She wanted this so bad to see the world, but she was more scared than she thought. Balin nodded to her.

" It's alright lass, I understand." Balin said to her as he noticed, she did truly want to come, but something had held her back to change her mind, and he noted her tone that she felt bad." Don't worry about us, we will be alright; we'll managed." He said as he patted the young girl and gave her one last smile before he disappeared into the living room with the others leaving the Hobbit in a predicament. She looked up as she heard the Dwarves beginning to sing. She crept up to the door way as she peered into the room. They were all smoking there pipes around the fire. She realized they were singing about there homeland that was taken and it made her wonder about her decision as she left the doorway and curled up in her cousins reading chair and close her eyes.

"Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To find our long forgotten gold

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light"