The Last One

Chapter 21

Candle light and fires, emitting from small round windows of glass, were the the only source of light left in the Shire. Night had well and truly fallen and many little hobbits would be sitting down to a quiet supper. Unless of course there were 12 dwarves and a wizard were pillaging their pantry and cramming into the dining room, which is what Bilbo Baggins was currently fretting about. Almost out of nowhere these dwarves where suddenly pouring through his front door. Just when he thought things could not get any worse, three knocks echoed through the hobbit hole. This only added to the poor hobbit's frustration, however all the other dwarves paid no mind to it and no one seemed to notice the wry smile that appeared on a certain wizard's lips.

Ruive walked along the paths of the Shire, headed for Bag End. One of the beauties of elvish blood is the enhanced sight, making Gandalf's mark easier to spot. When she arrived at the gate she could hear the loud, rambunctious noise of the dwarves, she could only imagine what they were up to having witnessed many dwarvish gatherings. She strode up to the round green door, bringing up her fist and knocking three times on the wooden surface. She would not be surprised if no one heard her knocking considering how loud the dwarves were. But after a few moments, the door swung open to reveal an irritated looking hobbit with curly light brown hair. Ruive inwardly laughed, she could tell by his expression that the hobbit was not overly pleased by the dwarves' presence.

"You will have to forgive them. Dwarves are far more loud and lively than other races." 

She watched as the hobbit's face contorted with confusion noticing her voice was noticeably higher than the other dwarfs. Ruive pushed back her hood, long blonde hair tumbling in tangles of curls down her back to her hips. Realizing that she was in fact a woman. Bilbo straighten up and swallowed, in truth he had never seen anything like Ruive before. He wondered how she could be so beautiful, and yet so fierce looking at the same time.

"Hadron, at your service." 

Ruive bowed low bringing her right fist over her heart and keeping eye contact with the hobbit. Bilbo at first was stunned, not just by her manners (which was a nice reprieve), but by how she bowed like any other dwarf. Even Bilbo could tell just be her height and appearance that she was not of dwarf blood, at least not fully.

"B-ah, um, Bilbo Baggins, at yours my lady." 

Bilbo bowed his head and gestured for her to enter, to which she nodded in thanks. 

"Please Master Baggins, I am no lady. Hadron will suffice." 

Ruive gave the hobbit a kind smile, watching a pink dusted his cheeks. He was about to reply when a cheerful old voice drew their attention.

"Ah, Hadron. I am glad you could join us." 

Gandalf walked as best he could due to his height and clasped on of Ruive's gloved hands that only showed her fingers in his own.

"You asked me to come Gandalf, so here I be." 

Ruive gave the wizard a tight smile. If she was completely honest, she was almost nervous at meeting the dwarves especially after the events that occurred 60 years ago. Ruive untied the laces on her cloak and placed it in the waiting hands of the hobbit.

Gandalf patted the woman's shoulder before leading her down the hall to where the other dwarves were already halfway through their meals. As she entered the dining room she noticed 12 dwarves of many different shapes, sizes, and appearances, but could tell which ones were family. In fact she recognized a few from Erebor. The oldest dwarf with a white beard, she remembered as Balin, and another much bigger dwarf covered in tattoos she recalled to be his brother Dwalin. 

Gandalf cleared his throat loudly gathering the attention of the dwarves. Upon seeing Ruive, a mixture of expressions flooded their faces. Many held confusion, probably wondering why a woman was here, some held judgemental looks more likely aimed at her attire, and one she did pick up on was recognition. Though well hidden, the eyes of Balin held a hint of recognition, but for the life of them neither Balin or Dwalin could remember where they had seen her face before. Ruive also noticed that a pair of young brown eyes held a similar look to Balin's, like they knew her face but could not remember where from.