The Hobbit | The Lost Bender {Book 1}

5 | Mark on the door

{Myrna POV}

"I swear, Gandalf said to the right after the bridge!" Kili barked at his brother, gazing at the map in his hands with narrowed eyes. "Fili, where is your lantern?! Please shed me some light, will you?" 

The older Dwarf pushed his oily lamp in his brothers face.
"Oi, watch it!"
"Sorry, I was distracted by the beauty next to me."
The blonde winked at me from his pony and I shivered, though not in a good way.
The two disgusted me if I was completely honest. They acted as if we were prizes to earn.

"Yeah, to the right!" Kili said.
I rolled my eyes.
"He said left!" Rigmor insisted again. "Didn't you two listen or something?" 

I steered my horse next to Rigmor's and looked at the siblings in front of us.
"She's right. Gandalf said to the left. We should look for a mark on the door." 

"But you're holding it upside down!" Fili tried to turn his head upside down as well when he failed to make Kili turn the map, who kept saying that it was right this way. 

"This isn't leading us anywhere." I snapped. Kili locked eyes with me and raised an eyebrow. 

"You know what, lass, I have an idea. You two go to the left. We go to the right. The first one at Mr. Boggins' house wins." 

I smirked.
"Deal."
"If we win, we get to take the two of you on a double date!" I looked at Rigmor, who had a frown on her face. 

"What's in it for us?"
"If you win, you get to go on a double date with us!" 

I scoffed. "Not gonna happen, I'm sorry. But alright, you go that way, we go this way." 

Fili had already pressed his heels into the sides of his horse to make him trot to the right.
"See you at Mr Boggins house. We will leave a seat for you!"

Rigmor shook her head. "Oh, please. I think you should hurry, by the way. It looks like it is going to rain soon." 

I stared at the sky and noticed the small signs that were already evident in the air that a drizzle wasn't able to be excluded tonight.
"Stupid Dwarfs." I huffed as we let our horses trot down the path.
My friends eyes were focused on the distance, a small smile on her face. 

"Look at how beautiful it is around here!" I followed her gaze and saw a cozy market circle with dancing, singing and drinking hobbits, all of them quite small in length with large, hairy feet. 

The tents were decorated with lanterns. Music was carried through the air as light as the wind and a homely feeling wafted towards us.
"That's amazing!" We dismounted our horses and decided to continue on foot, leading our mounts by hand. 

As soon as people noticed us, their faces enlightened.
"Visitors!"
"Are you looking for an inn? There is no need for that anymore, since I have a spare bedroom!" "What brings you to The Shire, milady?" 

Hobbit voices fought over our ears as everyone started chattering excitedly about the newcomers. "Excuse me, mister, but could you tell me where Mr Baggins lives?" 

"Huh?" Wrong hobbit. This one was terribly drunk and started laughing loudly, a slur clearly audible in his voice as he answered me. 

"Which one?" I rolled my eyes. 

"Oh great! There are several people named Mr Baggins." 

"Bilbo." Rigmor spoke softly.
"Beg your pardon?"
"His name is Bilbo. Excuse me, sir! Do you know where one Bilbo Baggins might live?" 

The horses started to grow restless, and them towering out over the Hobbits which were dancing around them made it even more dangerous. 

"Of course, just over there!" A female Hobbit with red curls pointed in the distance.
"Alright, thank you ma'am!"