Bilbo sat in his armchair, looking in front of him but seeing nothing. Samara sat next to him. Gandalf opposite of him. They had just heard the story of Erebor, the dragon Smaug and the journey the dwarves were set to begin to reclaim their home. With the help of Bilbo, if he agreed.
"Well, what do you think?" Gandalf asked.
"Why Bilbo, there are plenty of other Hobbits, younger ones." Samara said.
"Because he is the only one left with the blood of a Took in his veins." Gandalf said. "They were adventurers and I assure you that there is an adventurer in you Bilbo Baggins."
"I'm not." Bilbo said with a high voice. "I…I'm not an adventurer."
There was panic in his eyes.
"I am a Baggins…I have never left home before." "I don't even dare to try a new flavour of jam."
His voice turned pleading.
Gandalf sighed and stood up, forgot that he was in a Hobbit hole and banged his head tremendously against the ceiling.
"Suit yourself Bilbo, but I am certain that your mother Belladonna Took would be ashamed to see her son sitting here, turning away from an opportunity of a lifetime." "To rather hide away in his hole, then discover the world."
"It's a dragon Gandalf." Bilbo whispered. "I'm just a Hobbit."
The wizard bowed his head and left the room.
"What do you think?" The Hobbit asked as he turned to his friend.
Samara had dread that question.
"I don't know…seems like a long shot." She said. "A group of dwarves and a wizard defeating an ancient dragon…if they get there alive and in time."
Bilbo stared at the fire in the fireplace.
"But…if you chose to go, I would come with you."
Bilbo frowned. "Another reason not to go, no one can find out who you are."
"I'll be the one worrying about that." Samara said strict. "You are one of my closest friends Bilbo, if you go, I follow."
The hobbit nodded but remained silent. A silence filled the home.
"I think our guests have fallen asleep." Samara said.
"How do you even kill a dragon?" Bilbo asked suddenly.
"I could think of a few ways." Samara said.
"Yes of course you can." Bilbo huffed.
"All the more reason to go…" Samara said with a smile. "I'm off to bed."
She stood up, carefull not to bump her head and made her way to the guestroom. After squeezing herself into the bed she fell asleep quite easily.
"HELP!"
She ran through a rough terrain, screams and laughter just behind her.
"There's nowhere to go missy!" One of the foul creatures shouted.
"No one to save you!" Another chuckled.
Her heart bumped loudly in her chest and her lungs tried desperately to suck in some much needed air. She grabbed the edge of a rock and hoisted herself up. A hand grabbed her anckle and pulled her back.
"Got cha!"
Samara turned and looked straight into the hideous face of an Orc. There was no other choice.
"Aaaah!"
The Orc let go. Orange flames made way through the grass, sparing no one. Soon there was silence and Samara was the only one standing. Relief washed over her as she breathed in with her eyes closed. She opened them again and screamed. An elf stood in front of her, trying to say something. Slowly his message came through. "It is not real…it is not real…" Her gaze turned to the ground and she screamed again. The burned bodies of Orcs were gone, replaced by that of the Company, Gandalf and…
"Bilbo!" Samara screamed as she jolted up, banging her head against the ceiling of her room.
Blinded by the pain she slowly made her way to the kitchen. To her surprise everything was clean, spotless even. The dwarves were clearly gone.
"Bilbo?" Samara called again.
She walked into the sitting room and saw a piece of parchment on the side table.
Dear Samara,
I have decided, against better judgement I must say, to join the Dwarves on their mission to reclaim their home. I am sorry to not wake you but I do not want you to put yourself in danger. You can stay in Bag End…
Samara did not read the rest of the letter and quickly gathered her bag and ran through the green round door.
"This was not what I expected when I befriended a clearly introverted Hobbit…" She muttered as she ran through the small paths of the Shire, not paying attention to all the disapproving faces of the passing Hobbits.
She saw the row of ponies and horse in the forest just outside of the Shire. They were talking to Bilbo, who was holding the contract.
"Did you really think you could sneak out without me?" Samara said.
Everyone turned towards her.
"What are you doing here?" Thorin Oakenshield barked.
"Accompany my friend." Samara spat back. "And don't think that any of you Dwarves can stop me."
"And neither can you." She said as Bilbo opened his mouth. "Like I said I will follow."
The Hobbit nodded.
"Very well but do not think we will keep you safe." Thorin said. "This is no place for a house maid."
Several of the dwarves laughed at that remark.
"We only have one horse left." Kili said.
"We can share." Samara said.
Bilbo sighed of relief, he did not like horses at all.
"And don't say it will be too much of a burden, if one pony can support you and that big head of yours, one horse can surely carry me and Bilbo."
Kili and Fili laughed but quickly stopped as their uncle glared at them.
"Very well, let's go!" He barked.
Samara sighed as they closed the row.
"I hate dwarves." She muttered under her breath.
"They're not the most sophisticated are they?" Bilbo said.
"That's an understatement." Samara said as she saw how Bombur ate an entire boiled egg in one bite. She did not want to think how long that had been in his bag.
"Did we do good?" Bilbo asked uncertain. "Going on this journey I mean?"
"We'll find out soon enough." Samara said. "There's no turning back now."
…
"My lord?"
Lord Elrond opened his eyes and rubbed his temples. The book he had been reading had fallen from his desk.
"Yes Lindir?" He answered. "I am sorry, I must have fallen asleep."
"You have been here for quite some time, perhaps it would be wise to stop for today?"
Elrond shook his head. "There is much to do before her arrival."
"How can you be so certain that she will come Lord Elrond?"
The elvenlord could not answer that question. He grabbed the book from the ground.
"When have you last eaten?"
Elrond sighed, he knew Lindir meant well but still he hated being interrupted in his studies.
"I shall bring you some tea and bread." Lindir said before turning and leaving the study.
Elrond opened the book and searched for the page where he had stopped. His fingertops traced the name of the chapter.
The art of Firebending