Chapter 2: An Encounter With a Wizard

4.4K 119 11
                                        

Once I met Father down on the bench I sat down and opened my book to the page I was last on. "Lovely morning, isn't it Juliette?" He hummed, putting the pipe into his mouth. "Yes it is quite lovely, although," I peered up at the clouds "I think it might rain later."
"We will have fish for tea tonight, is that okay?"
We have fish nearly every night. "If I have fish one more time for supper, when I die, I'm going to be resurrected as a salmon- you do realize that, don't you?" I blatantly glared at him to which he tutted "Do not use that word." Die. Death. Yes, the daunting word terrifies his every decision from my birth to the present.

"You know how much I love a routine, Juliette."He said with his eyes closed. "Then maybe someday, something will break us out of our routines. A change." I could only hope. I rolled my eyes, Father was smoking his pipe making his rings that he always made and I sat cross-legged, reading peacefully with my nose stuck in my book before I perked back up. "Some people would say that I am old enough for a puff of the pipe." His eyes widened as he choked on his smoke that came spitting out his nostrils "Who on earth would say that? They're out of their bloody minds I can tell you that because you will never use any pipe- not ever."

"Only trying to lighten to the mood." I shrugged before I watched when Bilbo blew a ring of smoke and glided up into the air until it split in half and formed two butterflies which landed on both of our noses, I jumped back from the smoke exploding in my face and Bilbos face dropped as he had been disturbed from whatever world he was in yet again.

Standing before us, behind the petite gate, was a tall, ancient man who was wearing a long grey robe with a pointy hat the same colour. His hair was a wise shade of grey which ran down just a bit past his shoulders. His eyes were a piercing blue, almost grey, in his right hand he held a long wooden staff which ran from the level of his eye to the ground. I felt my father shift uncomfortably beside me.

"Good morning." Father greeted the wizard bluntly "What do you mean? Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not?" Both Father and I were stunned by the wizard standing before us asking us if we wish him a good morning whether he wants it or not? I don't know he spoke very quickly. I had barely any time to process what he was saying at such speed. But the wizard wasn't finished just yet.

"Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?" Yep definitely confused now. "All of them at once, I suppose," Bilbo spoke "Can I help you?"
"That remains to be seen. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure." He spoke his words with amusement and added curiosity to his words, nothing like i've heard before.

My eyes sparkled as I leaned forward to show that I was interested in the subject of an adventure. "An adventure?" I echoed with a smile on my face and big eyes. "You are correct, young lady."
"My names Juliette Baggins." I greeted myself as jumped off the bench and reached my hand high above my head to shake the hand of the towering wizard.

"That's a beautiful name. I see you are very interested about an adventure."
"An adventure sounds like a dream. I could finally see what life is like beyond the Shire, I would get to meet new people, I could see new places, new kingdoms. Oh God, it just sounds like so much fun!" I continue to ramble on as Father and the wizard exchange looks. "...and so much more- Oh god, I would do anything to go on an adventure," There was a long silence as I realised what just happened. "I apologize, I do tend to get a bit excited when talking, once I start I don't stop." I try and laugh off the moment but I really just want to face-plant myself.

"No need to worry, I too as a young boy got carried away when talking, no matter how many centuries ago that was." I returned his smile, after that I let my father do the talking. "I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures," Bilbo stood up to collect the daily mail "Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner." Bilbo chuckled whilst skimming through the mail , pipe still remaining in my mouth.

"Well, good morning. Come on Jule." Father used my nickname as he took the pipe out of his mouth and began to practically sprint up the stairs. "To think that I should have lived to be 'good morninged' by Belladonna Took's son as if I were selling buttons at the door." I had trailed behind the Hobbit as the wizard talked.

"Pardon me?" Father stopped in his tracks to face the wizard. "You've changed, and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins." The wizard frowned disappointingly. "I'm sorry do I know you?"
"Well, you know my name, although you don't remember I belong to it. I'm Gandalf. And Gandalf means...me."

Bilbo and Gandalf had their own conversation about fireworks at Midsummers Eve as I was locked on my own thoughts. Why has a wizard shown up on my doorstep? Is this the escape i've been searching for?  "Well, that decided," I snapped away my attention to the wizard "It'll be very good for you, and you Juliette, and most certainly amusing for me. I shall inform the others." Gandalf was about to walk away but Bilbo stopped him.

"Inform the who? What? No! No. No...wait. We do not want any adventures here, thank you! Not today not..." I can certainly see where I inhabited my rambling and raging emotions "I suggest you try over the hill or across the water. Come on Juliette and good morning." Bilbo went ahead so I turned around to the wizard with a more softer and welcoming gait.

"I apologise about him, he doesn't really mean it," I paused "Well, he probably does, we're working on it. But I, on the other hand, dream of it." I checked over my shoulder to check Bilbo had gone inside as I continued talking to the wizard Bilbo regards as mad or deranged. Gandalf looked at me with pondering thoughts and grey eyes before posing "You said you'd like to meet new people?"

"Ive know everyone in the Shire my entire life." Nothing else needed to be said to prove my point. Gandalf nodded with satisfaction, like that was what he wanted to hear "Well I know a certain someone that i'd think you'd get along very well with. You both have a spark for adventures and stories. Do you like to tell stories, young Juliette?"

I lifted my right shoulder in a shrug "I don't have many stories to tell."
"Well he does, he lives to tell stories of his journeys and quests, they're irritable." He? Who's he?
"And for your father," He continued "There is no need to apologise for the behaviour that is not your own. The others will be excited to find out that they will have an eager member to join their company." He smiled.

"One final question." I stopped him before he could turn away from me."Yes?" He leaned on his ancient staff "Who are 'the others?"
"You will found out soon enough." Before I could say anything the wizard walked up to the door and did something with his staff, I could not quite tell what he did but I'm sure Bilbo would go ballistic by the sheepish grin the wizard presented before slowly wondering away; just like that.

"You'll find out soon enough." What did he mean by that? Do I want to find out? I brushed off the questions in my mind and went inside to my father who definitely had no intentions of meeting "the others".

A Journey I'll Always Remember (Kili x Reader) Where stories live. Discover now