I know I have other stories that I need to be paying attention to but I can't get this story out of my head! It's been awhile since I actually put out something entirely new, it's only been rewrites.
Anywho, onward. I hope you enjoy this story.
Stars lit the little village of The Shire as dwarves were spotted slowly coming to Bag End, home of Bilbo Baggins. The hour was growing late when Gandalf came into view with a small band of dwarves making their way to Bag End whilst chattering amongst each other. A shadow moved towards the group swiftly, not making a sound until Gandalf stopped on the path. Shifting his eyes around him,
"Master Gandalf?" One of the dwarves asked as they all turned towards Gandalf.
"I do believe we have a visitor." Gandalf smiled as the shadowy figure came into the light.
"Gandalf." The hooded figure bowed before standing straight up and removing the hood.
Gandalf and the small group of dwarves looked upon a young woman, skin slightly tanned from the days outside, long ash brown hair with few small braids here and there and a face that Gandalf had heard many elven men in Rivendell say her face seemed to be carved from the elves of old. She wore what many rangers wore, cloaks to hide their faces and bodies from view and she was no exception. Her cloak was dark with an elm bow strapped over her upper body with a quiver of arrows upon her back.
"Allanna, my dear! It is nice of you to join us!" Gandalf laughed and the small band of dwarves seemed to relax a tad before one stepped forward.
He had a long mustache that hung over the sides of his mouth and past his chin with a strip of beard under his lip. He wore simple garb, brown leather tunic with a brown hat with the inside coated in gray fur and a mattock slung on his shoulder. His black hair came out of his hat and was braided so that it stood away from the front of his body. He had a twinkled in his eye that spoke of mischief and happiness,
"Good eve milady! Bofur, at your service." He took his hat off and bowed.
A rather round dwarf stepped forward and bowed,
"Bombur, at your service." His red beard was parted to show his chin and wound around his neck to lay on his chest in a finely braided plait.
"Oh, let us get to Bag End where I will learn all of your names then!" She laughed and shooed them all over to Bag End.
Once they came upon the house and the bell was rung, a rather perplexed hobbit opened the door and in tumbled all of the dwarves with Bombur on top of the pile. All of them griped and groaned as Gandalf and the woman leaned over so that Bilbo could see them
"Gandalf." Bilbo sighed and moved so that the dwarves could right themselves in his main hall.
The dwarves hurriedly went to help the others raid the pantry while Gandalf showed Allanna to the dining area and handed her plates as he laid down the forks, spoons and knives next to the plates then the dwarves brought in bowls and plates of wonderfully delicious looking food.
"Gandalf, have you brought another for our quest?" An older dwarf with white hair and a long white beard to match asked as he approached Gandalf but looking at the young Dúnadan woman.
"Balin, she is of the Dúnedain in Arnor." Gandalf whispered as he looked over at Allanna then back at Balin.
"Not often you see them or know if they are indeed a Dúnadan." Balin shrugged and went about filing mugs of brew for everyone with the wooden mugs provided by his brother Dwalin.
Allanna watched every dwarf, careful to memorize who they were or to introduce herself. Bombur walked out of the pantry with three blocks of cheese as Bilbo stood close to the pantry doorway but out of the way and told every dwarf that passed him with food to put it back. A smiled graced her face before she felt eyes on her, so she lifted her eyes and looked to see who might have been watching but could not see who had been watching her with the crowd of dwarves going back and forth with food.
"A tad excessive, isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?" Bilbo asked Bombur but was ignored by the dwarf he spoke to.
"'Cheese knife'? He eats it by the block." Bofur told Bilbo as he passed him with a ham in his hands.
He then turned his sights on Glóin and his brother, Óin when they came into the hallway before the improvised dining area with chairs.
"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf? Ms. Allanna?" Gandalf and Allanna turned towards a dwarf who held a tray with a tea pot and two cups on it.
The dwarf seemed gentle and kindly with his gray beard and hair braided so wonderfully that Allanna wondered if he was royalty.
"Yes?" Gandalf looked back at the dwarf as Allanna moved towards the doorway.
"May I tempt you with a cup of chamomile?" He smiled sincere and sweet.
"Oh yes. That would be lovely!" Allanna held out her hand graciously as he poured a cup and then gave the full tea cup to her.
"Oh, no, thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think." With his answer, Dori left to fetch the wine Gandalf requested.
Allanna sipped on her tea as she helped move the food around to make room for the food that was still flooding in. Gandalf left the room and was close to hitting his head as two brother dwarves came in carrying a keg. One with dark brown hair starting to grow past his shoulders with no beard and the other with auburn blonde locks that were pushed from his face with several braided plaits to match his braided mustache that had silver clasps at the ends. She could hear Gandalf naming off the dwarves to count them all before one with wild black hair and an axe protruding from his forehead came up to him, speaking in dwarvish or just grunting, Allanna was not quite sure what to make of the dwarf.
"You are quite right Bifur, we are missing one." Gandalf turned back towards the improvised dining area and moved to go inside before he was stopped by the tall, bald Dwalin who wore tattoos on his balding head and fur on his leather.
"He is late, is all. He traveled north to a meeting of our kin. He will come." Giving a wink to Gandalf and then moving away from the doorway.
Dori, having founded the wine, came to stand behind Gandalf with two small glasses of red wine. The glasses were small enough for a hobbits' or dwarfs' hand but not Gandalfs' hand.
"Mr. Gandalf? A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's got a fruity bouquet." Dori held the glass aloft and was thanked by Gandalf.
"Cheers." Gandalf downed the glass but was only slightly disappointed when he noticed that it had only been a mouthful.
The dwarves finally started to settle in and the feast started, the dwarves ate like they hadn't in months but Gandalf and Allanna actually used the plates and forks. She felt like she was in heaven with all of the delicious food before her, she already had a slice of pie, a thin slice of ham, some assorted cheeses and greens before she went back in for her second helping. Laughing and watching the dwarves throwing food into Bombur's waiting mouth. It was so gay and merry that she had forgotten why the company hadn't come to the Hobbit Hole. They threw food at each other while the blonde dwarf served the ale whilst walking on the table. With a biscuit in her mouth, she reached over and grabbed a tomato then a link of sausage before sitting back down,
"Who wants ale?" The blonde dwarf asked and she held her hand out for one, she was rewarded with the ale and thanked the dwarf.
"Ale on the count of three!" One shouted,
"One… two…Up!" Everyone took a long swig from their mug, and then set them down only to burst into laughter and belching.
"This is quite the gathering Gandalf." Allanna whispered to the gray wizard.
"Indeed!" He let out between laughs.
It was not long after that supper was finished and everyone began to find places to lean against or sit on for a well-deserved rest from eating heartily. Bilbo was in a fuss about the mess and the vast amount of dwarves,
"What should we do with this mess?" Allanna asked and another kindly looking dwarf, Ori stood up and went into the hallway.
"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" Bilbo looked at him before the blonde dwarf came out of the room across the hall.
"Here you go, Ori. Give it to me." The blond dwarf took the plate from Ori's hands, his brother came out of a room behind Gandalf just in time to catch the plate and throw it into the next room.
The dwarves made a game out of it that had Allanna laughing as she came to stand next to Gandalf. He looked in to see the dwarves pounding and hitting his cutlery together,
"Can you not do that?! You'll blunt them!" Bilbo yelled, Bofur laughed.
"You hear that lads? He said we'll blunt the knives!" Stomping their feet along with the cutlery.
"Blunt the knives bend the forks." The brown haired dwarf said as he tossed a plate to his brother,
"Smash the bottles and burn the corks." They sang then the others chimed in,
"Chip the glasses and crack the plates. That's what Bilbo Baggins hates! Cut the cloth, tread on the fat. Leave the bones on the bedroom mat. Pour the milk on the pantry floor, splash the wine on every door. Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl; pound them up with a thumping pole. When you're finished, if they are whole….Send them down the hall to roll!" All the while they sang, plates were soaring to Bifur as he caught them with expert hands, Bombur eating the scraps off of the plates and Bilbo running after almost every one that went flying to Bifur.
"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" The song finished, Bilbo came running back in and saw all of his plates stacked neatly on top of one another in several piles.
Everyone laughed merrily until a pounding was heard on the door, everyone looked down the hall to the door before Gandalf spoke up.
"He's here."
Gandalf and the company went towards the door, but it was Gandalf who opened it to reveal a dwarf man who lifted his stormy eyes to look up at the old wizard. His black hair fell down close to the middle of his back with very few braids, his black garb was that of royalty but he did not keep his beard long like others had. Allanna knew this dwarf only by hearsay; he was the rightful heir to the Kingdom Under the Mountain, Erebor.
"I thought you said this place would be easy to find." He scolded Gandalf as he stepped inside the Hobbit Hole and began to unclasp his cloak.
"I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." His eyes found the dwarves in the doorway and gave them a quick, encouraging smile.
"Mark?" Bilbo pushed through the dwarven company to look at his door for signs of a mark.
"There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" Squeezing through, he came looked at the door then moved as Gandalf closed it.
"There is a mark. I put it there myself." Gandalf confessed as Bilbo looked very cross with that singular action.
The dwarf who had just come in, removed his cloak completely but his shoulders were still covered in fur, not unlike Dwalin.
"Oh! Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield." Thorin only moved towards Bilbo a few steps while the hobbit moved closer to greet the dwarf prince.
"So…this is the hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin circled the hobbit,
"Pardon me?" Bilbo spat out with a look of confusion upon his face.
"Ax or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin's look was assessing as he circled the hobbit before coming to stand back in front of him, still with a critical eye.
"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know but I fail to see how that is relevant." Bilbo stood his ground against Thorin, looking mightily displeased at the line of questioning.
"Thought as much. Looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin looked up at Gandalf as he finished his statement as the dwarves behind him chuckled before showing their prince into the room where they had all been sitting not long ago.
Gandalf looked after Thorin as he was led away by the others and Bilbo could only look up at him before turning to look at Allanna who moved to stand by Gandalf.
"I did not expect this of Thorin Oakenshield, Gandalf." Allanna pronounced as she shooed Bilbo into the next room.
Gandalf huffed irritatedly,
"Dwarves." The pair followed the path of the dwarves and came to sit in the room with Thorin as he was given a bowl of stew and a mug of ale. All of the dwarves sat down at the table with their eyes on Thorin while Allanna was aware that Thorin stared at her.
"What news from the meeting at Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin inquired; Thorin shoveled a spoon full of stew into his mouth and swallowed before speaking.
"Aye, Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Was Balin's answer.
"All of them!" The dwarves smiled at one another then looked back at Thorin.
"What do the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say?" Dwalin asked as he turned towards Gandalf then to Thorin.
"Is Dáin with us?" Dwalin's face was unsure as he asked and his question was received with a sigh and a downcast look from Thorin.
"They will not come."
Allanna looked to Gandalf then to Thorin, this was not the news anyone wanted to hear. The Longbeards, Or Durin's Folk, had long since dreamed of reclaiming Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug the Golden. Gandalf had told her this much and hearing that Dáin Ironfoot would not come was a blow to the company.
"They say this quest is ours and our alone." Thorin took a swig of his ale dejectedly,
"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo questioned as he came to stand next to Allanna.
Everyone looked at him then Allanna,
"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf requested and Bilbo went to fetch a candle while Gandalf continued,
"Far to the east…over ranges and rivers… beyond woodlands and wastelands…lies a single, solitary peak." The wizard said as he unfolded a map and placed it in front of Thorin, Allanna moved next to Bofur to see the map while having to push her hair over her shoulder so Bofur could see the map clearly.
The map showed the Lonely Mountain, Erebor, where Smaug lay in wait as well as writing she had not seen before on the side, penned in red ink like the dragon was.
"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo read as he hovered to the side of Thorin with a candle before placing it by the map, examining the map from over Thorin's shoulder for a moment before leaving the room.
Suddenly Glóin spoke up,
"Aye, Óin has read the portents and the portents say it is time." Everyone groaned at the statement,
"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold." Óin added.
"When the birds of yore return to Erebor…the reign of the beast will end." Quoted Óin then he looked to Thorin
"Uh…what beast?" Bilbo faced the dwarves and everyone looked through the door behind Thorin at the hobbit.
"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 told him and Allanna rolled her eyes.
"Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo quickly retorted.
Ori stood up proudly,
"I'm not afraid. I'm up for it! I'll give him a taste of Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!" Dori pulled his brother back down to his seat while everyone half-heartedly agreed.
"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen. And not thirteen of the best…nor the brightest." Balin grumbled, his statement caused several to be disgruntled at him, asking who was he calling dim amongst other murmurs. Óin didn't even hear what Balin had said,
"We may be few in number but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf." The blond haired dwarf shouted,
"and you forget, we have a Wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!" his dark haired brother added with everyone agreeing then looking over at Gandalf, even Allanna had believed the Grey Wizard would have killed at least a few dragons in his day.
"Oh, well…uh, no. I wouldn't say—"
"How many then?" Dori asked.
"Yes, how many Gandalf?" Allanna repeated with eyes going to her then Gandalf.
"What?" Gandalf looked about then back at Dori and Allanna.
"Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Dori asked again while Gandalf took a puff of his pipe then coughed it up at the end of Dori's question, as if, to stall.
Dori had said something else before a few of the dwarves stood up and began to argue back and forth as poor Bilbo tried to interject, only to be ignored as Thorin stood up, shouted in dwarvish. Each dwarf sat back down before Thorin spoke.
"If we have read these signs do you not think that others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east towards 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 and take back Erebor?" Everyone hollered in agreement before Balin delievered grave news,
"You forget, the Front Gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Balin looked at Thorin in sadness.
"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Eyes were on Gandalf as when he spoke the last word, he made a key appear in his fingers.
Thorin's eyes glazed over as he looked at the key,
"How came you by this?"
"It was given to me by your father. By Thráin. For safekeeping. It is yours now." Gandalf handed Thorin the key and Thorin examined it.
"If there is a key…there must be a door." The blonde dwarf stated as he looked towards Thorin with a questioning gaze.
Gandalf used the mouth piece of his pipe to point at a red inked 'X' figure on the mountain on the map,
"The runes speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls."
"There's another way in." The dark haired dwarf patted his brothers' shoulder and smiled as he looked at everyone.
"Well, if we can find it, but Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gandalf sighed and pointed at the map with his finger.
"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." Gandalf looked at Allanna then to Thorin who, in turn, looked up at him.
"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." Gandalf gave Thorin a promising smile and was returned with a half-smile form the dwarven prince.
"That's why we need a burglar." Ori nodded and looked at Bilbo,
"And a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo said as he looked at the map.
"And are you?" Glóin asked as he looked over at Bilbo.
"Am I what?" Bilbo looked to each of the dwarves then to Allanna with such a look of confusion that the young woman could only groan.