Bilbo hurried to the door, hurriedly tying up his dressing gown and mumbling about if he would have enough tea. I heard the door open and a surprised squeak from Bilbo.
"Dwalin, at your service," a gruff voice could be heard from the doorway, followed by a rather scared on replying:
"B-Bilbo Baggins, at yours. Say, do I know you?"
"No"
Heavy footsteps could be heard walking down the hall and towards me. Then, standing before me, was Dwalin. He definitely was intimidating. His forearms were huge, and his head was shaven and covered in various tattoos, apart from the back of his head and his chin, which were covered inflowing black hair.
"Ah, excuse me, I did not know a fellow dwarf had arrived. Dwalin, at your service ma'am."
I could get used to this treatment.
"Alayna, at yours."
"Say, I don't remember seeing you in the back in the Blue Mountains..."
"I'm a late arrival."
Dwalin then started to make his way over to the table, and to Bilbo's supper. The hobbit walked in, seemingly rather annoyed and gave me a pleading look. I just shrugged my shoulders. Even if I wanted to, I would not dare cross Dwalin.
I Just continued staring into the fire, playing out the whole evening in my head. I was looking forward to 'Blunt the Knives'... honestly.
I was awoken from my trance by Bilbo shoving a cake under my nose. I graciously accepted it, and there was another ring at the door.
"Gandalf for sure this time..." I heard Bilbo mutter as he stomped of. The hobbit was not going to have a good night thats for sure.
"Balin, at your service."
"Thank you!" Bilbo had resorted to gasping for air. Sure enough Balin walked in, followed by a haughty looking Bilbo. I almost laughed at Balin's matching beard and shoes, but I thought against it.
"Hello, names Balin, pleasure to meet you."
"Alayna, the pleasures all mine." Nerves were now starting to claw their way into my stomach. I was going to spend the next year travelling with these people, and I had never met them before.
"Would you like some tea?" Typical hobbit, always thinking a nice cuppa would make everything better. That was one thing I was beginning to like about Bilbo. He was optimistic without realising it.
"A little beer would suit me better, if it is all the same to you, my good sir."
"Of course, that would be fine...Allie, could I just talk to you for a second."
I sat up and walked over to the hobbit, who promptly dragged me into the hallway and started whispering angrily.
"Do you know anything about the fact that I have dwarves coming into my house uninvited?! Hmm?!"
I held up my hands.
"It's hardly gonna be anyone I know! Probably something Gandalf planned-"
One ring, then another, echoed down the hallway, and I ended up with a hobbit collapsing on me.
"What should I dooooo?!"
I lifted Bilbo up and poked him in the face.
"Answer the door and act like a good host until Gandalf comes. And don't take everything out on me!"
Bilbo glared at me for my poor had he expected?For me to chase the dwarves out of the Shire?
There were two more rings at the door. If my memory served me well that would be-
"Fili,"
"and Kili,"
"At your service!" they said in unison at the end.
Swoon.
"No, no, you can't come in!" Watch your mouth Bilbo, they will come in!
"Why,has it been cancelled?"
Oh god, they looked even better in real life. Kili's hair was of a similar style to mine, except that it was a rich, deep brown in colour, the same colour as his beard, which was just starting to grow. He was mainly wearing clothes teal blue in colour, and a bow was strapped to his back, along with a quiver, and a sword was strapped to his belt.
"We weren't told about anything?"
Fili, the eldest. Blonde hair with braids running throughout was about shoulder length,and moustache was braided into two braids that hung to his chin. He was wearing a tunic of mauve grey in colour, and he was, literally, a walking weapons rack. He had two swords , numerous daggers, and two ankle axes. I don't know how he can carry it all round with him.
"Don't worry, nothing has been cancelled. Bilbo just forgot, that's all. Alayna, at your service." Bilbo sent me daggers with his eyes, but I didn't care. I just gave my sweetest smile.
"Fili and Kili."
"It's a pleasure too meet you Alayna," Fili almost purred. You can tell who got all the girls between those two.
"Come on you two, we need to get everything set up or else we won't fit everyone in."
Kili laughed.
"Mr. Dwalin!" Kili wrapped his arm round the older dwarf and gazed at him in wonder. Fili just smirked and handed his swords and weapons to Bilbo.
"Look after them, just had them sharpened. Come on Allie, lets help the others." He slapped me on the back and guided me towards the dining room, and I just shot Bilbo and apologetic look as the doorbell rang for a fourth time.
"Get a couple of chairs from somewhere Allie, you know this place better than the rest of us.
"We'll help," the brothers followed me out of the room. How do they do that speaking in unison thing?
Before I knew it, I had one dwarf on either side, Fili on my left, and Kili on my right, both a bit too close for comfort.
"So, you're new."
"Thorin didn't tell us about any late arrivals to the company."
"and, we've never seen you 'round before?"
I just awkwardly smiled and picked up a couple of stools.
"Well, I doubt that Thorin doesn't even know about me yet, and even I don't get why I'm here. You want to know the finer details, ask Gandalf. Or, I'll tell you later, if I've got my head around it by then." They both had the sense and courtesy to leave it at that, and Kili patted me on the back in a brotherly way. It was strangely comforting.
We went and sat in the dining room, Bomber, Bifur and Bofur had already laid out food on the extended table, and were tucking in heartily.
"Allie, over here," Kili beckoned me to the corner of the table, in-between him and Fili. Gandalf was across from us, he gave me a quiet nod before engaging in conversation with one of the dwarves, Balin I think.
I do have to admit, that that party was one of the best I have ever been to. More delicious food than you would ever want, more food fights than I ever thought was possible, and more ale and mead than I had ever seen. In fact, the only time the company was quiet was when they were drinking!
"Bet you've never seen a gathering like this before hey?" Fili half-laughed into my ear. I laughed back.
"Nope, and doubt I ever will again!" Kili, for some reason, almost sent ale across the table at my comment.
"This is nothing compared to the feast we will have once we have reclaimed Erebor!" he exclaimed!
"To Erebor!" Bofur exclaimed,raising his mug aloft.
"To Erebor!" we all cried in unison, followed by the clashing of wood on wood, and then silence as we all drank deeply.
Bilbo was out with Gandalf in the corridor as we started to clean up. I was going to enjoy this bit. Before I even knew it plates and cups were flying, along with an angry Bilbo's complaints, as no one seemed to be listening to the poor hobbit. Before I knew it, our favourite set of brothers had started singing.
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates -

Cut the cloth and tread 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;
And when you've finished, if any are whole,
Send them down the hall to roll!

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
So, carefully! Carefully with the plates!
We all burst out laughing, some dwarves were even rolling on the floor at the expression on Bilbo's face, and who they were is obvious. Though, we hadn't broken anything... yet...
However, the joyful mood was disrupted by three heavy knocks on the door of Bag End.
The King Under the Mountain had arrived.