The door slowly creaked open to reveal two men –if they could be called that. They looked as if they were in their late teens to Bilbo.
"Fili and Kili" they said in unison, "At your service"
Bilbo let them finish their little bow before attempting to shut the door.
"Mr. Boggins," said Kili "Please tell us we're not late."
Bilbo refused to look at the boy, still putting his full weight on the door. Once both the brothers worked together, he was overpowered, and the two stepped in.
"Nice little hole you have here." Remarked the blond one –Fili, Bilbo reminded himself.
"Thank you" Bilbo responded, his attention now on the mark that had been drawn on his door, "How many of you are coming?"
"Thirteen" said Kili, scraping the mud off his boots and onto a chest.
"Here" Fili handed him an armful of what looked like two swords and around a dozen or so knives. "Careful, they're sharp."
Two more knocks on the door occurred and Bilbo realised he was drowning in visitors. The names all rhymed with each other, not aiding Bilbo in the fact that he had met all of them at once. Was it Bombur and Bofur that were brothers and Bifur their cousin, or was it the other way around? Was it Nori or Dori that he caught nicking his mother's silverware?
The only one that was easy to differentiate was Kili, and that was due to his lack of beard –a characteristic that everyone else seemed to take immense pride in. Fili reminded Bilbo of a proud lion, all golden hair, head held high. Bofur –if he had indeed remembered the correct name- was kind and funny, in his bizarre fur hat. Bombur –or was that Bifur?- was vast in size, and whoever the other was had an axe stuck in his forehead, which was very odd.
After the entire company had eaten they set a joly atmosphere around themselves, and a bewildered Bilbo, by throwing the plates amongst themselves and singing at the same time.
The cobbler wasn't paying much attention to the words, occasionally catching the odd 'that's what Bilbo Baggins hates!'
Where had all these people come from, and most importantly why where they here?
The dining room had become asphyxiating for the cobbler, so he got up and walked to his favourite window, overlooking the entire of Hobbiton bay and the ocean beyond. He wasn't alone.
"Gandalf?" Bilbo blinked a couple of times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "I never saw you come in!"
"I came with Gloin, Oin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur. I think you are excused to have not noticed me."
"I don't believe you have anything to do with this business" Bilbo gestured towards the dining room, where shouts and laughter echoed from.
"My dear fellow, would I ever?" the old man smiled kindly, then took to the table.
"We're short one, aren't we? Where is your captain?"
"I'm sorry did you just say captain?" Bilbo frowned.
"Of course we have a captain" retorted Nori "What sort of pirates do you think we are?"
"P-pirates?" Bilbo turned to Gandalf "There are pirates in my house?' his last word resulting in a minor squeak.
"Aye, laddie. We're not going to harm you though, mind." Balin reassured.
"Excuse me, I think I need some air."
Bilbo went as far away from the pirates as he possibly could in his house. He was a respected member of Hobbiton's society. He couldn't be seen in this sort of company, the talking would never stop. The cobbler paced around the room a couple of times.
Then a final soft knock came on the door. Bilbo went to answer it, but was intercepted by Gandalf, who opened the green door to reveal a tall man, with wild black hair, some of it starting to dreadlock, and a blue coat that could easily pass for one of the Navy's had it not been so worn out and disheveled. His piercing blue eyes scanned the entrance, before he walked in nodding at Gandalf.
"Bilbo Baggins, may I introduce you to the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield"