Dwarves rushed ahead to greet a newcomer. Bilbo fell behind. He felt a weight in his feet. With all dwarves and a wizard he didn't need any new calamities. But with the way the loud bunch of dwarves went still waiting at the door leaving a big space between them and a new visitor Bilbo gathered that this one had greater weigh on the scale of things. He wasn't eager to get closer to the trouble they brought with them in his home.

Gandalf opened up Bilbo's door and greeted a new dwarf judging by top of his head that he was able to see in his position behind a wall of dwarves. His voice spilled around Bilbo filling Bag End with something new. It wasn't loud and intrusive, you could say that it had a gentle ring to it, but nevertheless it had raw quality of strength.

"I lost my way" said that new voice without shame in wandering "twice. I wouldn't find it at all if it wasn't the mark on the door."

That made Bilbo move before he managed to think.

"Mark?" annoyance came back although in smaller proportion. "There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago."

Gandalf had a courtesy to look ashamed as he admitted he left a mark last time he visited.

"Bilbo Baggins" he said Bilbo's name with certain dignity "meet the leader of our company Thorin Oakenshield."

With that Bilbo turned and faced tall dark stranger that went by the name Thorin Oakenshield. He was taken aback by intensive blue, opal eyes that studied him. It wasn't a crude stare, nor was it anger there, but humour that was there wasn't kind towards Bilbo. Thorin smiled as he spoke and Bilbo felt strange desire to be taller, stronger, more dangerous, and more masculine. He never had a problem with that before, he was just fine with a way that he was built but as Thorin talked and approached him he found himself stretching upwards not knowing what exactly to do with his hands.

"Axe or sword" he asked with that sharp voice of his as he circled around Bilbo and Bilbo tried to held his ground and hide discomfort he felt when Thorin went behind him "what's your weapon of choice?"

It was a silly question, he was a Hobbit what would he need weapon for but he didn't pointed that out. Just as he didn't continue to object on dwarves and what they did there in the first place. Instead of that he found himself offering a weak joke of being skilled at conkers. Of course it wasn't met by any acknowledgment but flout.

"Thought as much" Thorin said with his deep voice and turned around for one last look at Bilbo. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar" he concluded his assessment and got round of laughter. With that they all turned and went towards Bilbo's dining room.

Bilbo left where he stood and felt confused. Was he just insulted badly? It sounded as insult, it felt like an insult, but why would Bilbo felt offended. Even if for dwarves being a grocer was something not worth any respect, for a Hobbit was a respectable business. On contrary for a Hobbit there was much shame in being a burglar; that was something awful. So why Bilbo felt like he was inadequate in some way?

As he thought about it dwarves surrounded Thorin and listened to him with respect. Someone brought him a stew which he ate slowly and quietly, not making noise and spectacle of eating other dwarves did. Bilbo came in closer still feeling clumsy in his own skin. He listened to that deep voice trying to decipher meaning, for the first time interested in business of dwarves.

As Thorin talked all Bilbo could see was a cascade of his dark hair that covered his broad shoulders, and flash of his profile as he turned towards Gandalf. That's why Bilbo went closer to Gandalf to get a better view. He wanted to see and discovered what was so different on this dwarf, what made him so capturing.

Word quest was spoken so Bilbo spoke up suddenly realizing his curiosity won't be met if he doesn't ask, they talked in riddles "You're going on a quest?"

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