Chapter 5: An Unexpected Party
The Dwarves started grabbing food from the pantry. Bilbo and Belinda, having gotten dressed, came out and saw one of the Dwarves with their chicken. "Excuse me? That's our chicken!" Bilbo said. "Hey! That's my zucchini!" Belinda exclaimed. "If you don't- That's our wine! Excuse us!" Bilbo said. The Dwarf who had the wine, named Bifur, who had a little axe in his head, said something Dwarvish. "What did he say?" Belinda asked. "He's got an injury." Another Dwarf, named Oin, said. "What? With the axe in his head?" Bilbo asked. "Dead?" Oin asked, putting a trumpet to his ear, showing that he was deaf. "No, only between his ears. His legs work fine." "Excuse my brother. He's a bit hard of hearing." Another female Dwarf, Moin, said.
The Dwarves continued to grab food from the pantry. "Put those back. Put that back. Put that back!" Bilbo said, unsuccessfully. "Not the jam please. Excuse me!" A rather big Dwarf, Bombur, came out with 3 big rolls of cheese. "Tad adessive, isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?" Bilbo asked. "Cheese knife? He eats it by the block." A Dwarf with a hat, Bofur, said. Belinda then noticed the Dwarves bringing in chairs. "No, no, no, that's Grandpa Mungo's chair!" She called. "Ah, so is that. Take it back please." She said, pushing the one Oin was carrying back. "I can't hear what you're saying, lass." Oin said. "It's an antique. Not for sitting on." Belinda said.
Meanwhile, Gandalf and Selindra were helping set up the table in the dining room. "That's a book, not a coaster." Bilbo said. "No, put that map down!" Belinda exclaimed. A Dwarf, named Dori, walked up to Gandalf and Selindra. "Excuse me? Mr. Gandalf? Miss Selindra? May I tempt you with a cup of chamomile?" Dori asked, pouring a cup of tea. "Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think." Gandalf said. "One for me too, please." Selindra said.
Gandalf and Selindra walked out into the hall. Just then, Dori's brother, Nori, bumped into Gandalf. "Oh, mind out." Nori said as Gandalf knocked his head on the chandelier and managed to steady it. "So, is everyone here, Gandalf?" Selindra asked. Gandalf did a head count on all the Dwarves. "Fili, Kili, Qili. Oin, Moin, Gloin. Dwalin, Balin, Gwelin. Bifur, Bofur, Bimur, Bombur. Dori, Nori, Mori-" "Not our prize winners, thank you!" Bilbo said, wrestling a bowl of tomatoes from the youngest Dwarf, Ori. "Ori!" Gandalf called with pleasure. Bifur said something Dwarvish. "Yes, you're quite right, Bifur. We appear to be 2 Dwarves short." Gandalf said. "Where are they anyway?" Selindra asked. "They're late 'tis all. They traveled North to a meeting of our kin. They will come." Dwalin assured. "Yes, we're sure they will be here." Gwelin said. "Let's hope so." Selindra said.
"Mr. Gandalf? Miss Selindra?" Dori called, holding 2 little glasses of red wine. "A little glass of red wine as requested. It's got a fruity bouquet." Gandalf and Selindra each took their glass and clinked them together. "Cheers." Gandalf said, sipping down his wine as Selindra sipped hers. "Bombur's on his second leg of lamb already." Gloin said. "I swear, he's a mean eating machine!" Mori said. Gandalf and Selindra looked at their glasses, savoring the taste of the wine. "Those Hobbits have good taste in wine, don't they?" Selindra asked. "Mmm." Gandalf simply replied.
Later, all the Dwarves, Gandalf and Selindra all settled down for a large supper. "No, no! Not from that distance!" Gloin said. "Wanna bet?" Bofur asked. "Do it, Bofur." Bimur said. "Bombur, catch!" Bofur called, tossing a dumpling at his brother. Bombur caught the dumpling in his mouth, earning cheers from the other Dwarves.
As the Dwarves dined and played with their food, Bilbo and Belinda looked at their pantry in disbelief. Those Dwarves had completely cleaned it out.
Fili walked on the table, handing out mugs of ale. "Who wants an ale? There you go." "Watch the food, Fili!" Bimur exclaimed. "I said have another drink! Here you go." Dwalin said, pouring ale into Oin's trumpet. Oin felt the ale fill his trumpet as Dwalin laughed at his own prank. Oin then blew the ale out of his trumpet, making the other Dwarves laugh. "Ale on the count of 3!" Bofur called. The Dwarves clinked their mugs together. "1! 2!" "Up!" Kili called. The Dwarves started chugging down their ale. Nori started burping. Moin burped like she was singing. But then, Ori gave a big loud burp, earning cheers from the others. "I knew you had it in you!" Bofur said. Now Bilbo and Belinda were getting frustrated.