Chapter 2!

Thank you...

TheNightGirl - Thank you! We do try to keep it interesting!

It has been a while. Sorry about that, my partner and I were temporarily our of contact with each other. But we're back and getting more ideas! And I absolutely love how Cereza ended this chapter! XD

P.S. - We do not own The Hobbit, only our OC


"Almost everyone will make a good first impression,
but only a few will make a good lasting impression."

"Put that back. Put that back!" Bilbo insisted at his earlier confusion turned to frustration at all the intruders in his home. He spotted Bombur carrying three cheese wheels out of his food cellar. "A bit excessive, isn't it? Do you have a cheese knife?" he asked the round dwarf as he walked past.

"Cheese knife? He eats it by the block." Bofur told him while walking past. Bilbo let out an annoyed sigh and continued to tell all of them to put thing back.

Alys couldn't help but smile and hold back a laugh at Bilbo's reaction. She had been helping the other dwarves get chairs ready at the table and was happy to help. They certainty were a lively bunch, but it only added to her amusement. It had been a long time since she had been in the company of others beside Gandalf and Radagast.

"Excuse me, Master Gandalf, Miss Alys. May I tempt either of you with a cup of Camoimile?" he asked while pouring a cup. Alys believed his name was Dori. The dwarves had all introduced themselves to her and told them all their names, and she gave hers in return. Learning all twelve names at once was a little overwhelming, but she tried her best to remember them all.

"Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me. I think." Gandalf told him.

"I'll take a cup." Alys said with a smile and Dori nodded and gave a smile in return. Alys had a feeling not many people here would have tea, so she would take a cup. Besides, she enjoyed tea. It was what she usually drank when living with Radagast. Dori handed her a cup and she nodded her thanks as he turned to walk away. To get Gandalf his wine most likely.

She followed Gandalf out of the small room and sat on the window ledge watching the dwarves scurry about as they had before. She covered her mouth to muffle a laugh when Gandalf almost knocked down a chandelier. "Fili, Kili. Oin, Gloin. Dwalin, Balin. Bifur, Bofur, Bombur. Dori, Nori. Ori!" Gandalf counted as they walked past him minding their own business. He saw Bilbo trying to get a bowl of tomatoes out of Ori's hands. When he lost the battle Bilbo turned and walked away back to the cellar. Bifur came from the other room and spoke in a language Alys guessed was of the Dwarves. Gandalf appeared to know what he said. "You're quite right, Bifur." Bifur walked away and said absentmindedly,

"We appear to be one dwarf short."

"He is late is all." Gandalf and Alys looked over to see Dwalin leaning against a wall with a cup of ale. "He travelled north to a meeting of our kin. He will come."

Gandalf looked away a little troubled at the fact he was late.. whom ever he was. "Gandalf? Mister Gandalf?" The wizard turned to see Dori holding a small glass of wine. "A little red wine. As requested. It's got a fruity bouquet."

Gandalf took the glass, "Ah, cheers." He studied the glass and Alys was now wondering what the wine tasted like. She couldn't tell if he liked it or disliked it.

Her tea was the right temperature now and she downed it in one gulp. It tasted good. She would need to get more of that tea later. She made her way back to the table and took a seat between Ori and Kili. The food was amazing and the liveliness of the dwarves was amazing. She even joined in on the cheering when Bombur caught a piece of food in his mouth. Flyn was perched on a shelf behind her because of the constant yelling and the flying food, the dwarves were too loud and rambunctious for him to handle. Alys was one thing, a room full of dwarves and Alys? Might as well stuff him and hang him on a wall.

Kili sat next to her and watched her like many of the others at the table. She was by far the most beautiful person he had seen. She could be compared to the beauty of elves. Not that he found them beautiful. The fact that she fit in so well with everyone here amazed him and he was sure so did the other members of his kin. She even took a mug of ale that Fili offered her when he was walking on the table. When Kili said "Up." she downed her ale with the others, drinking it all in one setting.

The dwarves were having a wonderful time as they devoured the food on the table. They still had no idea why the woman was there with them, but at the moment they didn't mind at all. She fit in quite nicely. She laughed and cheered with them all when they did, and she didn't mind when they began a burping contest. She just laughed even more, patting Ori on the back after his turn in fact. Causing the young dwarf to blush.

After the meal Alys followed Gandalf out of the room while Flyn returned to her shoulder like the loyal companion he was. She was actually searching for Bilbo. During the meal she had noticed him looking into his now empty cellar and couldn't help but feel bad, so she saved an apple for him.

"My dear Bilbo. What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf said walking past the hobbit she was seeking.

"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?" Bilbo whispered harshly to him. He was fed up with all these dwarves. He wanted them out of his house and never to show up like this again.

"Oh, they're quite a merry gathering. Once you get used to them." Gandalf finished.

"I don't want to get used to them!" Bilbo said harshly up to him. "They ruined my kitchen! There's mud tracking the carpet! They've pillaged the pantry! I'm not even going to tell you what they've done to the bathroom. They've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!"

Alys put an arm around his shoulder. She felt him stiffen under the action and smiled at him. "What's done is done Bilbo. Might as well stop worrying and enjoy the moment." She put the apple in his hand, "Here, thought I should save you this since we "pillaged the pantry"."

Bilbo was about to say it was the dwarves and not her but was interrupted when Ori walked up to them, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?"

Fili walked by just then and took the plate from Ori's hands, "Here Ori, give it to me." He then threw it down the hall toward where Kili caught it and threw it in the kitchen where it was caught by Bifur who looked to be washing the dishes.

Alys let go of the hobbit as he began to fidget and tell the dwarves to stop it. "Would you not do that? you'll blunt them!" Bilbo told the dwarves as they hit them against the table to make a beat.

"Oh, ya hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives." Bofur told his companions.

Then to Alys and Flyns surprise, they began to sing while cleaning.

Blunt the knives 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 trail the fat
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat
pour the milk on the pantry floor
Splash the wine on every floor

Dump the corks and in a boiling bowl
Pound them up with a thumping pole
And if you're finished, if they're whole
Send them down the hall to roll

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!

Alys clapped along while watching in amazement at them all. Dwarves were not only fun to be around, they were also great musicians! At the end of the song everyone was laughing and having fun but a loud knock on the front door silenced everyone.

"He's here." Gandalf said with an emotion Alys could not place.

Everyone moved to the front of the house as Gandalf opened the door. Opening the door revealed another handsome dwarf. "Gandalf." A smile came to his lips upon seeing the Grey wizard. Alys could practically feel the aura of authority radiating off of him as he walked inside. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost me way. Twice. Wouldn't have found it at all if not for that mark on the door."

"Mark? There is no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" Bilbo exclaimed to no one in particular as the wizard shut the door.

"There is a mark. I put it there my self. Bilbo Baggins," He motioned me over and I went to stand next to him. "Alys. Allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakensheild."

Alys bowed to him. No wonder he had an aura of authority about him. He was royalty! Thorin spared the girl a glance and walked up to the hobbit, "So. This is the hobbit." Thorin began to walk around him. "Tell me, Mr. Baggins. Have you done much fighting? Axe or sword? What is your weapon of choice?" When Bilbo told him he had skills at a game and not a weapon Thorin smirked. "Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer then a burglar." The dwarves behind him laughed a little before Thorin turned to Alys. He then looked at Gandalf, "You never told me the extra help you would bring was but a mere girl."

"Well I'm above average if that helps... sir." She started with confidence but added the last part when he looked back at her with a cold stare.

"Really? What is your favored weapon? Do you have any battle experience?" Alys was a little lost for words under his hard gaze. Thorin reached out to put a hand on her shoulder and tell her she had no place in this quest when the raven on her other shoulder snapped at his hand. Causing Thorin to retract his hand at an inhuman speed in surprise, and everyone else to jump.

"Hands off, pal!" Flyn said to the dwarven king.

The room was dead silent as everyone but Gandalf and Alys looked at the raven in shock and disbelief.

"Did that bird just speak?" Ori said quietly, still in shock.

"Yes is did. Very peculiar." Balin said looking at it in wonder.

"Yes I can speak. I'm no ordinary raven if you haven't noticed already." said Flyn to the dwarves behind Thorin. His attention snapped back to Thorin, "And you. Mister King under the Mountain, no one touches Alys. If they do- they get to deal with me. So if you want me to pec-"

Alys's hand shot out and clamped Flyn's beak shut as he began to lash out with his wings to get lose. "Sorry about that." Alys said to Thorin with a nervous smile. "Flyn can be very stubborn and protective, and he doesn't know when to stop once he starts rambling." She looked to each other their faces. "But I assure you, he only means well."

Thorin said nothing to her as he walked into the other room with the dwarves following behind him. 'Why did you do that, Flyn?'

'You saw what he was going to do! What if he had succeeded?'

'But he didn't'

'He was going to and you know it. If it hadn't been for me, who knows what would be happening right now!?'

Bilbo stared at the bird atop her shoulder as her and Gandalf walked away into the other room for their meeting. Thorin sat at the head of the table with Gandalf and Balin at his side. Alys took a seat next to Gandalf and Dwalin.

Balin was the first to speak, "What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Do they all come?"

Thorin answered, "Aye, envoys from all seven kingdoms."

The dwarves all murmured in approval before Dwalin asked, "What do the dwarves of the Iron hills say? Is Dain with us?"

Thorin took a deep breath to steady himself before answering, "They will not come." Alys could see he was angered and upset by the disapproval of his fellow kin. "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?"

Everyone in the room turned to the hobbit. Gandalf was the first to speak to him, "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." He looked from the hobbit to the girl next to him and saw both of them giving him questioning glances. Alys knew about there being a quest, but a quest for what? She didn't know. And Bilbo was far more lost then she was. Gandalf began to unfold a piece of paper, "Far to the east," he began spreading the parchment out on the table, "over ranges and rivers. Beyond woodlands and wastelands. Lies a single solitary peek."

Alys and Bilbo looked at the map on the table and Bilbo read, "The Lonely Mountain?"

"Aye. Oin has read the portents. And the portents say, it's time." Gloin informed them all.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold." Oin told them all.

'Well I'm still here.'

Alys ignored Flyns comment and listened to the dwarves. "When the birds of yore return to Erabor, the rain of the beast will end."

Both Bilbo and Alys exchanged a glance at the word, 'beast'.

"What beast?" Bilbo asked.

"That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible. Chiefest and greatest calamity of our age." Bofur began, "Air born fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metal."

"Yes, I know what a dragon is."

Alys was wide eyed as her head slowly turned to the wizard. He brought her along to defeat a dragon?! She winced as flashes or her past flooded her mind, fire, screaming.. death.

'Alys,'

The searing heat that surrounded her intensified, the brightness of the house above her almost blinding her sight. The sound of her mothers echoing screams-

'Alys!' A peck of Flyn's beak on her cheek snapped Alys back into reality. She calmed her breathing down and scanned her surroundings, sighing in relief to find it was nothing but a daydream. She noticed how none of the others seemed to have noticed her mild panic and looked at Flyn apologetically.


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