Authors Note: This story isn't going to follow the book and it will be based largely on the movie. It takes place before and after the dwarves visiting. I haven't read the book but very much enjoyed the movies. I'm not looking for reviews that are super critical. I'm not an aspiring writer. I just want to write. It's just going to be itself, in whatever shape or form I imagine it. Please don't scrutinize the details "It doesn't follow the book! That's not what happened…) It's called fanfiction for a reason. I've quit this site before because of this type of critical review when I've clearly stated that I never meant to follow a specific storyline. And frankly, i felt very much bullied. I did not appreciate name calling over a story, at all. That being said, please let yourself be captivated into the story (especially if you love Thrandy as much as I do). And if you don't enjoy this story, please don't feel the need to bully me about it. If you like it please review or favorite, or just bookmark it in your tab. My characters may be flawed or they may be plain to you – that's fine. They serve my purpose in the story. They are shaped to create the story as I feel they should be. I'm a hopeless romantic and i hope you love this romantic story. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own no characters but my own: the shopkeeper and the main character – Marian Howard.
Marian Howard filled her small studio with pretty little trinkets and books. A rose-detailed teacup sat on her windowsill; a collection of books adorned the wall by her bed. Her kitchen, a small nook in the corner opposite her door, was filled with painted ceramics and tins jam-packed with chocolates and teas. A love of all things cozy and unique filled her heart and her head. Marian thought of nothing more than finding homes for the items tucked away in corners of antique shops and estate sales.
It was Sunday morning and Marian walked over to the town's local antique shop, a weekly tradition she had started nearly a year after moving to her studio. The shop stood on the corner of a lonely road, almost close to the woods that encircled the town. She walked up to the wooden door and turned the doorknob, the bell above the door rang as she entered the shop. Her Sunday morning sanctuary was a lovely maze to be lost in. No corner of the shop was left untouched by little trinkets, pieces of furniture, or books. The smell of dust and of things past delighted her. The sunlight came through stained glass windows and its rays illuminated the tiny dust particles that floated as she walked by rows of things set on shelves. Marian stretched her hand out, brushing the covers of old books and antique postcards.
These little treasures made her happy and reminded her of her childhood home that was filled with books and beautiful pieces of furniture. Her parents died a few years back and Marian sought to preserve their memory by collecting her own treasures, filling her small studio with things that made her happy, that reminded her of this past. Marian swiftly turned to another row to glance at a candelabra that stood high on a shelf.
"Miss Howard!" The old shopkeeper shouted out as he walked back to the front. He caught a glimpse of her long raven hair and white dress in the isle next to him.
"Mr. James!" Marian rushed back to the front to greet the old man. "How are you?"
"Just fine, missy, just fine…I thought you'd be in today. I told Ellen 'I bet Miss Howard be in today, I bet'"
"How is Mrs. James?" Marian asked cheerfully,
"Oh, you know lass, me and the miss aren't getting any younger. No ma'am. Ellen and I tired, very tired" The old shopkeeper replied.
Mr. Thomas James was in his eighties and had owned the shop ever since anyone could remember. His wife, Ellen, shared in the business. They had both been collectors since childhood. Their home, a small cottage on the brink of the town, was filled with just as many things as the shop, perhaps even more.
He was of a fairly small stature, just as tall as Marian- who was merely a 5'1, not the average stature of an average woman. Alas, Marian was not the average woman. Although just 24, she was filled with the wisdom of a woman who had lived a lifetime. Her constant reading of books and yearning to learn had titled her the "Librarian" of the town. She read in cafes, she read while getting groceries, and perhaps to the annoyance of many she read during the previews at the local movie theater. But this love of reading, of antiques, and of all things curious had created a friendship with Mr. James, whom she enjoyed talking to of adventures and intellectual topics. He spent every Sunday talking to Marian about everything and anything. He thought the world of her, as she reminded him of his own daughter now far away from this little town with her own family.
Mr. James moved to rest in his chair by the register, holding on the wooden desk it stood on for support.
"Let me, Mr. James." Marian brought his stool closer to him and helped the old man sit down, letting him use her arm to steady himself as he lowered himself.
"Ay, my dear, you have a kind heart, helping an old man like me" he said as he shifted on his stool.
"You're too kind, Sir" Marian gave him a hearty smile.
"No, my dear, it is you who is too kind…you have always been. Your parents have raised you well, my dear." Mr. James took off his round glasses and wiped them with a red cloth from his shirt pocket.
Mr. James smiled as he put his spectacles back on. Marian was always very helpful and kind to all in their little town. She often visited the elderly, babysat the town children, and helped bring happiness to all who needed it. She was a comfort to Mr. James, always curious to know how his health was and inquiring after his wife. Marian brought him baked goods, another thing she enjoyed doing for people she liked.
"I have something for you, Marian." Mr. James put his glasses back on and put his finger in the air, telling Marian to stay where she stood. He turned in his stool to a desk behind him.
Piles of books sat on the dark wooden desk he now faced. He ran his finger up and down the columns, and stopped at a dark green cover towards the top of a pile. He pulled out a small but thick book, dusting off the cover. He turned around in his stool and faced Marian. He held the book out to her and she slowly took it.
It was an ordinary book with no special designs and no title.
"Mr. James, I don't understand….what book is this?" Marian's green eyes scanned the side for a title. Nothing.
"Have you read The Hobbit, my dear?" Mr. James asked her.
Of course she had once read The Hobbit, she thought. She had even seen the movies, which her younger sibling had enjoyed. She found the story and the movies quite adventurous and exciting. I remember dreaming about being in the woods...traveling with elves.
"Yes, Mr. James, I've read The Hobbit" she replied.
The old shopkeeper stood quite for a moment. Marian looked up at him. His lips curled into a smile.
"Not like this, you haven't…" He let out a small chuckle.
Marian stood perplexed but smiled at the charming old shopkeeper.
"A gift my dear, I have no need of it any longer. Take care of it, as you do with all your precious items."
Marian thanked him.
"Let me at least pay you, Mr. James" she insisted.
"Oh no, my dear. It is a gift…. use it wisely. You like adventures, don't you?" He raised a white bushy eyebrow as he gave her a smile.
Marian chuckled. The old shopkeeper had always known her sense of adventure and love of plots. She held the book close to her chest after giving the cover another glance.
"Yes, I like adventures" she replied. I love adventures.
Marian was a day dreamer, living in a fantasy everyday. Sometimes her dreams of fairytales and taking trips to different countries with her younger brother would dominate conversations she had with others. It was evident she wished to travel, buying one guidebook after the other from the shop. She pinned maps along her walls, hung up pictures of scenic landscape, and often sat up all night planning fake vacations. Marian was that type of dreamer, the dreamer that never stops dreaming. She was overly confident that one day she would leave her little town and see things she's never seen before.
"Go and read it someplace nice. The bench in the woods perhaps?" Mr. James suggested as he saw her scanning the cover.
Marian nodded and said her goodbye, leaving the shop with book in hand towards the woods across the street. The woods were a wonderful place this time of year. The spring time meant all the leaves were green, roses were red, and the stream flowed serenely. An retreat from the hustle and bustle of the little town, Marian delighted in the idea of spending and afternoon reading on the lone bench in the woods.
The shopkeeper waved from the door and closed it after seeing her enter the forest.
"Have an adventure, my dear, for you deserve it" he said to himself as he faced back into his shop. Marian needed something magical and that is what she would get.
She entered the green woods through a small trail that from the road. It winded down into the thick bushy green that engulfed anyone who entered it. Not many did enter these woods. It was a popular picnic spot for some but, only to those who appreciated the fresh air and plants that surrounded them.
Marian had always had an appreciation for nature, ever since she could remember. She had grown up in these woods- scraping her knees as she climbed trees and dipping in the stream that ran through the middle. She remembered when her family would take hikes here during the summer.
She continued on the path finally coming to a stop at the beautiful bench at the end of it. Large trees and bushes surrounded it. Sunlight peered through the leaves, kissing her pale skin and raven hair. The sun was warm. Marian smiled as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air was fresh, filled with leafy smells and the sound of the stream nearby.
Marian sat on the wooden bench and sighed as she looked at the dark green book in her hand.
What a kind man, giving me this book. Her long pale fingers traced the outline of the book. Marian had received one of two little trinkets from Mr. James every now and then. She was a frequent visitor and he knew she cared for little objects that were unique. Sometimes he had given her precious books, knowing she would take care of them like no other.
How is this version of The Hobbit any different than the next one? she thought.
Marian was curious the find out. She looked around to check if anyone had gotten on the trail. No one.
Marian placed the book on her lap and opened it to the first page. She read….and nothing. This version did not look any different. She kept reading. She read and read until a yearning for sleep came over her. Her eyes grew heavy.
What is happening? she thought.
Her eyes grew heavier and a yawn escaped her mouth. In a matter of minutes Marian had fallen to the ground, fast asleep. The book lay open near her stretched hand on the woodland floor. The wind suddenly picked up. The pages of the book fluttered fast then faster. A big gust of wind came along and then everything was silent.
Marian and the book were no longer there.
"Here! Over here!" A tall elf in full armor stood in the woods.
Two more fully armored elves joined him where he stood.
"What will we do with her?" the first elf asked the others.
"Let us take her to His Majesty. He will instruct us further" said another elf as he drew closer to the woman on the ground.
They examined her closely. She wore a white dress with a green sash, her dark and curly hair was strewn over her shoulders and on the forest floor. The woman before them was as pale as an elf but with a faint pink blush on her cheeks. Her lips, slightly parted in sleep were a deep red. The first elf stood in awe. She's beautiful, for a mortal. What is she doing in the forest?
"Is she...sleeping?" another elf asked?
"I believe she is" the first elf answered back. "Why is she sleeping in the forest?"
"Perhaps she is injured?"
The three elves looked her over again. There were no visible injuries and no blood stains. She was just a sleeping woman.
The first elf kneeled on the forest ground and put his arms under the woman in front of him. As he stood up leaves fell from her long black hair and white dress. She made no noise nor movement as he started carrying her away.
"There is a book" the third elf said as he picked up a dark green book that had been next to her on the ground.
"Bring it with. It must be hers," said the elf that carried the woman away.
The elf glanced at the book. He opened it to check its contents. He flipped through the pages. It was completely empty. No words…nothing. He tucked the book away in his surcoat and joined the two elves heading back to the halls of the kingdom of Mirkwood.
Stay tuned! This is going to be a long adventure. Hopefully.