Chapter I : An unexpected party

That night could have been another tranquil and peaceful one spent reading his favourite books on his armchair besides his fireplace after eating his dinner if it hadn't been for those two dwarves who seemed to have invited themselves inside his hobbit hole.
The first one, big and quite scary-looking, had introduced himself as Dwalin then had quickly eaten Bilbo's food without hesitation. While the poor hobbit was watching his fish and chips being devoured, the doorbell had rung a second time and he had found a second dwarf standing in the doorframe, older and looking much kinder than the first one. He had introduced himself as Balin and without further explication, had come in and he and Dwalin had warmly greeted each other while Bilbo had vainly tried to get some explanations about the reason of their presence in his house.

That's when the doorbell rang a third time. Growing more annoyed than surprised, the hobbit walked to the door once more and opened it to discover two much younger dwarves, the one who looked the eldest had blonde hair and bright eyes, his moustache was braided in a dwarfish fashion and the youngest one had dark hair and only stubble.

"Fili", the blonde introduced himself.

"And Kili."

"At your service", they finished in unison with a low bow.

"You must be Mister Boggins!"

"No! You can't come in, you've come to the wrong house!" Bilbo exclaimed.

He tried to shut the door but the dwarf with brown hair, Kili, blocked it.

"What? Has it been cancelled?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.

"No one told us."

"What? No, nothing's been cancelled", the hobbit sighted.

"That's a relief."

And with that, they made their way inside and Bilbo was too stunned to do anything when Fili started handing him all his weapons.

"Careful with these", he told him, "I just had them sharpened."

"It's nice this place", Kili commented, looking around him and taking the mud off his boots by rubbing them on a piece of furniture. "Did you make it yourself?"

"No, it's been in the family for years", Bilbo found himself answering. "Can you please not do that?"

"Fili, Kili, come on, give us a hand", Dwalin piped in, taking the young dwarf by the shoulders to lead him into the dining room.

"Master Dwalin!" Kili exclaimed with a huge smile.

Fili followed them and Bilbo found himself standing on his own in the entry, carrying Fili's weapons in his arms. He was about to follow them as well when his gaze turned to the door that hadn't been closed and he noticed for the first time a third person who had arrived with the two young dwarves and who had remained on the perron.

He opened his mouth to protest against the new person's entrance inside his house but his words got stuck in his throat when his glance met a pair of big eyes staring at him with surprise and -could it be possible?- respect.

He thought at that moment that he had just met the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen in his hobbit's life. They were blue, a deep dark blue the same color as a beautiful night sky and stars seemed to be shining in them. He felt as if they could read his soul and at that very moment, was convinced that he would never be able to lie to them because they would immediately know. There was also something in those eyes that Bilbo couldn't quite put a name on but that seemed to be the witnesses of a hard and sad past.
The eyes belonged to a young girl who couldn't possibly be older than the two dwarves who had just preceded her but who, at first sight, looked already much more mature and hardened by life.

She pulled her hood back, revealing luxurious auburn curls that fell down her shoulders and the movement finally made Bilbo leave her eyes to look her up and down in pure astonishment. That's only when he noticed the white moon-shaped scar on her cheek under her left eye and the way she was dressed for travel and carrying at least as many weapons as the four others. He found himself debating whether she was a dwarf or not for she lacked of any facial hair and never had he heard of such beauty amongst the dwarves women but her small size made no doubt she was one of them, and she certainly was no hobbit.

"Master Baggins", she said, "it's an honour to meet you."

"I…the honour is mine…who are you?" he asked, cursing his babbling and trying to shake himself up.

"My name is Luna, at your service", she answered with a respectful bow. "May I come in?"

"Of course…"

He stepped asides to allow her to come in and closed the door behind her. She was polite and seemed to have a lot more manners than the four previous dwarves but her voice was neutral and she didn't smile to him contrarily to the others who all had greeted him with nice smiles -expect for Dwalin.
He was about to say something when Kili reappeared from the dining room.

"Luna, are you coming or not? Dwalin and Balin are here!" he exclaimed with a huge grin on his face.

She gave Bilbo an apologetic nod then walked into the dining room as well.


Thirteen. There were thirteen dwarves in his dining room eating all his food and laughing merrily. Plus a wizard. The rest of the group had arrived shortly after the young girl. They had been pushing so hard against the door that they fell in a messy pile of arms and legs when he opened it. Behind them had been standing Gandalf, the grey wizard who had visited Bilbo earlier that day. As soon as he had seen him, the hobbit had understood that this idea of a gathering in his hobbit hole could only have come from him.

He looked in despair in his cellar that had been completely emptied.

Bilbo basically spent the night trying to save what could be saved from the dwarves who showed the worst table manners he had ever seen. Gandalf had introduced them all to him : Balin,, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Luna, Oïn, Gloïn, Dori, Ori, Nori, Bofur, Bifur and Bombur, but he had only been able to remember exactly Balin and Dwalin because they had arrived first, Bombur because he was by far the widest person he had ever met, Bifur who had an axe planted in his head and seemed to be only able to speak in Khûzdul and Bofur who was keeping a funny-looking hat one his head even though he was inside. He also remembered the names but always mixed up Fili and Kili and of course remembered Luna who was the only girl amongst them all and was so far the most pleasant unwanted guest. The contrast between her and the others was quite shocking, she remained calm and quiet when they were all speaking loudly and messing around but Bilbo could see some amusement making her eyes shine a bit brighter when the dwarves started improvising a song about himself while -rather dangerously- washing the dishes.

He also noticed how she seemed very close to Fili and Kili and stayed mostly with them although all the others seemed very fond of her as well and, to Bilbo's surprise, didn't seem to find it surprising at all to see a young girl carrying weapons in a company of warriors.

Just as the dwarves' song ended with their laughters and a pile of very clean dishes, a knock on the door quieted them all.

"He is here", Gandalf announced in a low voice.

The dwarves all gathered in the entry and when Bilbo opened the door, a fourteenth dwarf came in. That one didn't look anything like the others : there was no smile on his lips and no amusement in his eyes as he took his fur coat off his broad shoulders. The others looked at him with respect.

"Gandalf", he sighted. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost me way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all if it hadn't been for that mark on the door."

That was enough for the hobbit who finally exploded.

"Mark?!" he exclaimed. "There is no mark on the door, it was painted a week ago!"

"There is a mark", Gandalf insisted. "I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

The dwarf folded his arms. He was taller than Bilbo as they all were -maybe with the exception of Luna- and the hobbit couldn't help but find him a bit intimidating.

"So, this is the hobbit. Tell me, master Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"What?"

"Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I do have some skills at concaves, if you must now, but I fail to see why that's relevant", the hobbit proudly answered.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

The dwarves sniggered then followed their leader into the dining room and although he was shocked to have been mocked in his own house by a most unwanted visitor, Bilbo didn't fail to notice that Luna solemnly bowed her head when Thorin passed in front of her and that he answered with a little smile.

At Gandalf's request, Bilbo had agreed to bring Thorin some food and they were all sitting around the table in the dining room while he was eating, questioning him about a meeting that he had attended but the hobbit wasn't really paying attention to the conversation until he saw Gandalf drawing an old parchment out of his coat and put it on the table, revealing a map. As he had always been very fond of those kind of things, this time he paid more attention to what was being said and read over Thorin's shoulder.

"The lonely mountain…"

"Aye", Gloïn said. "Oïn has read the portents and the portents say it is time."

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold", Oïn added. "When the birds of Old return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

"What…beast?" Bilbo asked, perfectly aware that he was going to regret his question.

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age", Bofur explained as if he was talking about the weather. "Airborne fire breather, tears like razors, claws like meathooks. Extremely fond of gold."

"Yes, I know what a dragon is."

One of the youngest dwarves, Ori, suddenly stood up from his seat and banged his fist on the table.

"I'm not afraid! I'm not afraid! I'll give him a taste of dwarfish iron!"

His brother next to him pulled him back down on his seat but the others cheered until Balin who seemed by far to be the oldest and wisest spoiled the mood.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us", he said. "But we number just fourteen, and not fourteen of the best…nor brightest."

Bilbo couldn't quite disagree with him but the others didn't seem to think that much.

"We may be few in number", Fili exclaimed, "but we are fighters, all of us! To the last dwarf!"

"And you forget we have a wizard in our company, Gandalf would have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!" Kili jumped in to support his brother's argument.

"Well not quite hundreds", Gandalf corrected at once, looking very embarrassed.

"How many then? How many dragons have you killed?"

"Well…I…"

In front of the wizard's hesitation, the dwarves began shouting again and some rose from their seats. Bilbo vainly tried to ask for silence but they only grew quiet again when Thorin himself rose from his seat, shouting a word in Khûzdul.

"If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too?" he asked. "Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years, eyes look East to the mountain, wondering, assessing, weighing up the risk. Perhaps the wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back whilst others claim what is rightfully ours or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?!"

Again the dwarves cheered until Thorin sat back and the mood was set down once again by Balin.

"You forget the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain."

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true", Gandalf said in a mysterious tone, taking a key out of his sleeve.

From the look on the dwarves' faces, and especially on Thorin's when he saw it, Bilbo assumed this key was going to be very important in whatever plan they were going to come up with.

"How came you by this?" Thorin muttered.

"It was given to me by your father, for safe-keeping. It is yours now."

"If there is a key…there must be a door!" Fili exclaimed.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage", Gandalf confirmed, pointing at the map.

"There's another way in!"

"Yes but of course dwarf doors are invisible. The answer lies somewhere in this map and I do not have the skills to erad it but there are others in Middle-Earth who do. The task I have in mind will require stealth…and no small amount of courage. But I believe that if we are careful and clever, it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar!" Ori piped in.

"An expert I'd imagine", Bilbo confirmed. He had gotten really interested in their conversation.

"And are you?" Gloïn asked.

Bilbo looked behind him as if he thought there was someone else the dwarf was talking to.

"Am I…?"

"He says he's an expert!" Oïn shouted.

"No! I'm not a burglar! I've never stolen a thing in my life!"

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mister Baggins", Balin sighted. "He is hardly burglar material."

Bilbo fiercely nodded.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves", Dwalin added.

The rest of the table started shouting in approbation and didn't calm down until Gandalf's shadow seemed to grow around him and he shouted in a very dark voice:

"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar then a burglar he is! Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. They can pass unseen by most if they choose and while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarves, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him."

He turned to Thorin.

"You asked me to find the fifteenth member of your company and I have chosen Mr Baggins. There's a lot more to him then appearances suggest and he had a great deal more to offer than any of us know…including himself."

Bilbo had an indignant expression on his face. Not only did a whole company invite themselves into his hobbit hole and eat all his food but now they were debating on whether or not they should bring him alone in a quest to slay a dragon.

"Very well we'll do it your way, give him the contract", Thorin sighted.

Before he could protest, Bilbo was handed a very long contract that he unfolded. His face grew paler as he read its content.

"It's just the usual", Balin said, "pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."

"Funeral arrangements?!"

While the hobbit was reading, Thorin leant towards Gandalf.

"I will not be responsible for his safety", he whispered to the wizard.

"Understood."

"Nor will I be responsible for his fate."

"Agreed."

Bilbo was now reading the terms of the contrat aloud, a worried expression on his face.

"Present company will not be liable for injuries inflicted or sustained as a consequence, thereof, including but not limited to lacerations….eviscerations…Incineration?!"

"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye", Bofur nodded.

"You alright laddie?" Balin asked in a gentle voice as the hobbit was trying to steady his breathing.

"Think furnace with wings", Bofur continued, not realising the effects his words had on the poor hobbit.

"I…I need air…"

"Flash of light, seering pain and poof! You're no more than a pile of ash!"

There was a little moment of silence.

"Nope", the hobbit said and he collapsed to the ground.


While Gandalf was speaking with Bilbo who was sitting in his armchair with a nice cup of tea to regain himself, the company was getting ready to spend the night.

"We leave at first light", Thorin announced. "Get some rest, all of you."

He didn't do it but it was clear to them that he could have ended his sentence by "while you can" for none of them really knew where their quest to reclaim Erebor would lead them but certainly not to safe places where they would be able to sleep peacefully every night.
Most dwarves were quietly sitting around the house, discussing in low voices or smoking their pipes and Kili went to sit next to Luna who was had quietly sat herself in a corner with Fili.

"So what do you think of him?" he asked her with his usual cheeky grin.

"Bilbo?"

"Yes. He will never sign his contract."

"You don't know that."

"He fainted just by reading it."

"He wasn't expecting anything of what happened tonight. Very few people would have opened their doors to a company of fifteen dwarves carrying weapons and eating all the food. Most would have just kicked us out."

"Who would dare kick Dwalin out of anywhere?" Fili piped in.

That made Kili laugh and Luna chuckle but Fili elbowed them to quiet them when he saw that the warrior had probably heard them and was shooting them a dark look.

"Just give him some time", Luna added. "He needs to sleep on this."

"Still…why do you think Gandalf wants him?"

"I don't know, I had never met this hobbit before tonight but I think we should trust Gandalf."

"Always trust the wizard", Kili smirked, teasing her and she gave him a little kick on the head.

"Are you hitting my baby brother?" Fili asked.

"Will you try to avenge him?"

"I wouldn't dare."

They laughed again.

In the meanwhile, Thorin and Balin had been speaking together a bit apart from the group and the sound of Fili, Kili and Luna laughing caught their attention. Balin couldn't keep himself from smiling when he saw them sitting together and the young girl smiling. The boys were Thorin's nephews, his sister's sons and they really were the only ones who were able to make Luna laugh again.

"Look at them", he told Thorin. "Seeing them like that always reminds me of when they were children."

Thorin nodded.
The old dwarf's smile faded after a little while and he turned to his king and friend again.

"Do you think it was a good idea to take her with us?" he asked in a low voice.

"She deserves her place in this company at least as much as anyone else", Thorin answered. "Not only because it is her duty to be here, but because she is a fiercest fighter than many of us and her heart is willing and loyal."

"But she is so young Thorin…"

"Not much younger than Kili. She is not a child anymore and with…what happened…she needs to take the place that is rightfully hers amongst the dwarves of Erebor. I know what she went through but she survived, you witnessed it as well as me, and she wouldn't have let us go without her. It is proof that she is ready."

Balin sighted.

"I hope you're right, lad…I hope you're right."

He didn't say any more words, he had had this conversation with Thorin already and he knew nothing would change the mind of his king but still, every time he looked at the girl, he always remembered the child she was long ago and how she had come back to them a couple of months back then.

They then slowly made their way to where the others had gathered in front of the fireplace and in low voices, they sang the song of the lonely mountain in memory of Erebor.

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 read, its flaming spread
The trees like torches blazed with light