ILL OMENS ‒ THE HOBBIT

☁CHAPTER I☁

She danced around the empty Hobbit hole to a silent song but she hummed. Whatever song she was humming was the one she was twirling to as she held up her skirt so that she wouldn't trip.

Her guardian wasn't home, but if he was she knew he wouldn't mind. Bilbo had always said reading was better with light background noise. Inanna danced all over the Hobbit hole, making sure in her stupor that she was avoiding Bilbo's family heirlooms. He would scream at her if she knocked something over.

Inanna jumped a little when the sound of the door opening startled her and she found herself stopping. She looked over with wide eyes to see her guardian having his back to the door as he locked it, pipe in one hand as he looked bewildered.

They made eye contact, and Inanna was about to ask him what was wrong but she stopped and they both made a puzzled face at each other as the sound of scratching could be heard coming from the door.

Inanna skipped towards Bilbo and pressed her ear against it and she heard the sound of something being scratched into the wood. She furrowed her brows. Oh. Bilbo would not be happy... it had just been painted. She saw that Bilbo was having a listen as well and hummed a little as she stood back up again. She walked into the den as Bilbo went for the window. Inanna, given how much taller she was than Bilbo, had to duck her head to enter. But, she found herself the perfect-sized chair in a corner. Bilbo had gotten it for her when he had decided that he would look after her. Even gave her a room with things her size. He had been incredibly generous to her given he had to change a whole area of his house to accommodate her. The dinner table had a chair her size as well.

She looked up and become even more curious when she saw how startled Bilbo looked. Inanna stood up and tried her best not to be defensive as she looked out the same window and saw an old man in grey just as he was shutting their gate. She furrowed her brow again and looked at Bilbo who was breathing deeply.

"Was that... Gandalf the Grey?"
Bilbo took a drag of his pipe out of nerves and nodded, "yes. Had the most absurd proposal for me as well!"

Inanna followed him towards the den, walking at a slower pace to let him freely walk out his worry, "Couldn't be too absurd. You say my riddles are absurd sometimes and they aren't."
Bilbo paused fully and looked up at Inanna, "Your riddles are the most out of the blue things you come up with, Inanna."
She only raised an eyebrow and tried not to be offended. Bilbo sighed and his face twitched. Inanna called that a confused and uncomfortable face.

"Gandalf wanted someone to..." She could see him almost choke on what could be uncomfortable words, "Share an adventure."

Silence reigned and Inanna blinked, taken aback, "oh."

"Oh?"

"That's not absurd at all."

Bilbo made a face and turned around to speed walk to his comfy armchair, "of course, you would say that!"

Inanna could only watch on confused, "what's so wrong about having an adventure?"

Bilbo only shook his head adamantly, "They're nasty. They make you late for everything!"

She was going to open her mouth to argue but sighed instead and walked up to Bilbo, grabbing a book off the shelf as she did. Inanna was, at heart, not an argumentative person, and she knew Bilbo's limits better than her own.

Inanna kissed Bilbo's cheek and handed him the book, "Here, Bilbo. Read your favorite book and I'll make us some mint tea using the herbs from the garden."

Bilbo sighed thankfully and patted her cheek, "thank you, Inanna. Use the mint sparingly please."

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