I'm Going On An Adventure! (A Bilbo Baggins Love Story)

Chapter 5

  "Gandalf.... I thought you said this place would be easy to find... I lost my way. Twice. I'd have not found it at all if it weren't for that mark on the door." I smiled softly and Gandalf shut the door, before Bilbo protested "There's no mark on that door, it was painted a week ago." Gandalf turned "There is a mark. I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." I stood beside Bilbo and looked to Thorin as he spoke, the others slowly pooling in the halls to see Thorin. "So... This is the hobbit. Tell me mister Baggins, have you done much fighting?" he asked as eh walked around Bilbo, looking him over "Axe or sword, what is your weapon of choice?" Bilbo looked a little confused "Well, I do have some skill at knockers, if you must know. But I fail to see... why that's relevant." Thorin replied "Thought as much." he turned his head to the dwarves "he looks more like a grocer than a burglar." which earned snickers from the rest. I sighed "Do not speak about Bilbo in such a way, Thorin." I grumbled, and Thorin finally laid eyes on me. "Abigail?" I nodded and smiled a little "Aye, that's me Thorin. It's nice to see you again.. It's been many years." Thorin nodded and approached me "Indeed it has... You've not grown much since I saw you last~" he teased and hugged me. I rolled my eyes and hugged him back. We parted from the hug, and everyone gathered back into the dining room. I sat between Dwalin and Balin, and looked to Balin as he spoke to Thorin, "What news from the meeting in Ereduilwuin? Will they all come?" Thorin nodded, swallowing his food "Aye. And the ones form all seven kingdoms." There was laugher and cheers for a moment, I clapped a little, smiling, before Dwalin spoke "And what did the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Thorin paused before speaking "They will not come. They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." there were groans and sighs about that matter, and my smile faded a little at their disappointment "You are... going on a quest?" Asked Bilbo from beside Gandalf, everyone turned to face the hobbit "Bilbo, my dear fellow." Gandalf started "Let us have... a little more light." Bilbo went off to get a lamp as Gandalf brought out a map "Far to the East. Over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and west lands..." he laid down the map, I recognized as Thorin's map to Erebor. "Lies a single solitary peak..." Bilbo came back with the lamp and glanced at the map, "The lonely mountain.' "Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time!" Gloin replied "Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold." There was a slight cheer from the dwarves and my smile began to return "When the raves of Erebor return, the reign of the beast will end." Bilbo looked at us curiously "Ugh... what... beast?" Bofur then replied "Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, cheifest the greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals." "Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo interrupted. Ori suddenly stood up "Im not afraid, I'm up for it. I'll give 'im the taste of dwarvish iron right up his jacksie!" Some cheered, others told Ori to sit down and Dori pulled Ori down. "The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but were numbered just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." Balin spoke "Hey! Who you calling dim?" one dwarf called, and everyone broke out into murmurs "We may be few in number. But were fighters. All of us! To the last dwarf!" Fili spoke "And do you forget we have a wizard in our company? Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!" Kili spoke next, there was more murmuring "Oh well... I-I-I wouldn't say-" he was cut off by Dori asking, "How many then?" "What?" "Well, how many dragons have you killed?' Gandalf didn't answer, merely coughed a bit, "Go on, give us a number!" then fighting broke out among the dwarves. I stood and tried to calm everyone down, as well as Bilbo did. Suddenly, Thorin called out in dwarvish, and everyone sat down, immediately shutting up. "If we have read these signs, do you not think other will have read them too?" there was silence for a moment before Thorin continued "Rumors have begun to spread.. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years.... Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, weighing the risk, perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back, while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?!" There were many cheers, even from me. "Do you forget the front gate is sealed? There is no way into the mountain." Balin said "That my dear Balin... is not entirely true..." Gandalf exclaimed, before her produced a key from out of thin air.