The ashen tone to his skin didn't disappear as we prepared for dinner later that evening. His hands shook as he prepared the potatoes. I grilled the fish, sprinkling both lemon and herbs on it. My hair was pulled up into a bun and I wore a simple blue dress.

Father quickly took over, handing me two plates. They both had cheese, broccoli and potatoes piled on them. Father gestured for me to place the plates on the table, which I did. When he finished grilling the fish, I brought the plates forward and he placed the fish on the plates before turning towards me.

"Isadora, could you be a dear and retrieve some ale for me?" I nodded quickly, hurrying towards the pantry. I filled a mug with some ale, grabbing a mug and filling it with water before reporting back to my father.

He was patiently waiting for me and I quickly handed him the mug, sitting down. I had just sat down on my chair when a ringing sound traveled through the house.

"I'll get it" father said. I could hear the sound of my fathers feet on the hardwood floor before the sound of the door opening made its way known.

"Dwalin at your service" the voice was gruff and I stood up.

"Bilbo...at yours" my father said. I could faintly see him tying his robe.

"Nice home you have here" the man said, pushing past him. When he saw me, she smiled. He had a spot of baldness on his head but other than that, had black aging hair in curly ringlets. He wore a type of armor and his boots were slightly muddy.

"I'm Isadora Baggins" I said, introducing myself.

"Nice name you have there, Isadora" Dwalin replied.

"Thank you" I replied.

"Do you go by Isadora, Isa...Dora..."

"Just Isadora, please" I kindly replied.

Dwalin looked to my father.

"Do you have any food?"

My father clearly looked surprised. A quiet knock on the door startled him out of his stupor.

"I'll get it" I reassured him.

He half-smiled before rushing out to get the dwarf some food. The man standing at the door had a long white beard. He smiled at me as I opened it.

"Balin...at your service" I ducked my head.

"Good evening, I'm Isadora"

"Yes, it is. Although, I think it might rain later" Balin stated. I smiled before tilting my head to the side.

"Do I know you?"

"No" the man stated before pushing past me. I blinked in shock before closing the door, as to not let any moths into the house. My father returned with an armload of food which he placed on the table.

"How many more do you think there will be?" he questioned while the two men talked. I opened my mouth to respond but the knocking on the door interrupted me.

"A lot, I presume" I said while I went to answer the door. This time it was two men who stood at the door. They looked to be twins but had totally opposite hair colors.

The dark-haired man spoke, "I'm Kili"

"And I'm Fili" the blonde said.

I smiled brightly at them.

"You must be Miss. Boggins"

"Baggins" I corrected Kili, "But yes, my father is busy but I will ask you to leave your shoes near the doormat"

The two twins appeared sheppish as they removed their shoes.

"Thank you" I said. Father appeared next to me, just in time to take Fili's swords.

"Careful with these, I just had them sharpened" I snickered quietly when father just dropped them on the floor after Fili and Kili had left for the dining room.

The bell rung once again but this time father answered the door. I pulled my hair from its bun, letting it fall in loose curls around my face.

"Gandalf" my fathers voice drifted over to me as did nearly 8 dwarves. Each of them introduced themselves to me as they gathered food.

I smiled at Gandalf who approached me.

"This is about the adventure, isnt it?" I questioned him.

"Indeed, , it is" he answered me.

"Why do you need him so bad?" I asked.

"I need both him and you, Miss. Baggins"

"Isadora" I said.

"Alright, Isadora"

"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf?"

Gandalf turned to look at Dori, a rather old dwarf with braided gray hair.

"Can I tempt you with a drink of chamomile tea?" he questioned. I rubbed my eyes, already getting tired. Father usually made me go to bed at 9 saying that young hobbits had to grow. Hopefully, with all the excitement of tonight, I could actually stay up.

"Tired, Isa?" Father questioned before running off after Bofur who was trying to touch his maps.

I rolled my eyes, grabbing a slab of meat and a piece of bread to make a sandwich. When the dwarves finish their meal, they wander around the house. I make sure the one place they dont go in is my room.

Father darts around the room, snatching things back from dwarves and yelling. He spots Bofur using a doily as a dishcloth. I slowly approach them, a smile on my face.

"Excuse me, that is a doily, not a dishcloth!" Father says as he puts it back in its rightful place.

"But it's full of holes." Bofur protests.

"It's supposed to look like that, it's crochet." He replied, irritably.

"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you got the balls for it."

"Bebother and confusticate these dwarves!" Father says to himself as he stalks away.

" Bilbo, what on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asks. Father turned on him.

"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?" Father demands, unable to contain his anger.

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

Nori appears with a chain of sausages over his shoulder, and Bofur grabs at them. They begin play tug-of-war with the sausages. Gandalf smiles.

"I don't want to get used to them. The state of my kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!" he yelled. He stomped his feet on the ground like a five year old. I burst into laughter.

"Enough of you, Isadora!" Father hisses. My eyes tear up and instantly fathers face softens.

"I'm sorry" he replies.

"Excuse me, I dont mean to interrupt..." Ori says. I-knowing what the dwarf was going to say by the way he held out his plate-took his plate from him.I took the plate into the kitchen where I found Nori washing dishes.

He turned when he heard my boots on the hardwood and smiled.

"Thank you, I was going to do the dishes but..."

"Nonsense, Lass"

He slid a mug of coffee over to me which I gratefully accepted. Breathing in the tart smell, I slowly drank the drink father rarely let me have.

"Isadora?" my fathers voice drifted closer and I quickly slid the mug towards Nori, who winked.

"Yes?" I called.

"Bedtime" he declared. The clock read exactly nine o'clock.

"But father" I complained.

I could sense my father was going to go into a speel about it but a loud knock on the door interrupted him. The entire house went silent. Nori's eyes widened and he whispered, "Just great" before going back to washing dishes.

Gandalf followed father to answer the door while I once again took a sip of coffee. A man entered into the house and I looked to Nori for explanations.

"His name is Thorin Oakenshield, he is our king, our fallen king and the leader of this quest" Nori said.

Father looked confused and a single sentence drifted over to me.

"He looks more like a grocer than a burglar"

I slid the coffee once again towards Nori and stormed over to Thorin.

"I'm a hobbit too, Gandalf wants me also" I hissed.

Thorin scrutinized me for a few minutes.

"You look more like a housewife who should be having kids than a burglar" he stated. My eyes locked with Gandalfs.

"You didnt ask what my weapon of choice was" I said, looking back at Thorin.

"A hobbit, skilled at anything? Very well, Miss. Baggins"

"The knives...throwing knives, if I must elaborate" I said, shifting my weight to the other knee. Thorin rolled his eyes.

This was going to be a long night.