Carrying the Past - The Hobbit

Chapter 2

"It's fine don't worry yourself" he handed her back the plates he picked up.

"Why you're a dwarf!" she laughed. "I haven't seen many of us... I mean dwarfs for a long time."

"Yes I'm a dwarf, and so are you by the looks of your height... but yet you don't have a beard" he seemed confused by this.

 "Half dwarf, on my father's side." She replied, still bedazzled she had met a dwarf. "Half elf on my mother's side..." The dwarfs face went darker and Freya realized what she had said, of course dwarfs and elves don't get along... "Strange I know but I never knew them..." she recovered trying to move on the conversation. "Freya Elmay, at your service" she spoke.

"Thorin Oakenshield" and the dwarf bowed and walked away and sat down by the table, the other waitress attending to him. Freya stood there cursing at herself for revealing it and also to Thorin Oakenshield... the name was familiar but she couldn't put her finger on it, she assumed he was important. For god's sake Freya!

"Everything alright?" a low, old voice spoke behind her she turned around to see if he was talking to her. He was, a tall man with a long grey beard and a grey cloak was looking at her expecting an answer.

"Oh yes, yes just dropped my plates that's all" she smiled at him. This was definitely turning out to be very strange night indeed.

"I see you've met Thorin Oakenshield" she nodded "Don't be alarmed by his stubbornness he has that effect on everyone..." he chuckled. "Don't take it personally Freya..." he paused Freya looked at him confused.

"How do you know my name?" she asked curiously.

"I know a lot of people and a lot of names, but you Freya... there is something special about you." He grinned "How would you like to come on an adventure?" he locked his gaze on her.

"An, an adventure?" she asked trying to let the information sink in.

"Yes, with me, thirteen dwarves and a hobbit".

"Look mister..." she looked at him trying to get a name.

"Gandalf" he replied.

"Gandalf, I don't know who you are or any of these dwarves and this hobbit you speak of and why I'm special and I need to come on this adventure but I have a father to take care of..."

"Actually, you know me and one dwarf..." he interrupted gesturing towards Thorin.

"But I think he hates me, I told him I was half elf and he walked away, anyway who is he, I've heard the name..."

"He is Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, Kind under the mountain, our quest is to reclaim Erebor and slay a dragon, so are you with us or not?" he asked.

"Smaug..." she paused "I was just a babe, I was there you know, not that I remember it..."

"That's why you have a place among us... and for other reasons, but they have not come..." he looked over her shoulder to Thorin.

"Oh I should go, looks like trouble is brewing..." he went to walk "Come to Hobbiton, in one weeks' time at this exact hour, there is a home in the ground on a hill with a round, green door, with a symbol mark on it, Bag End. Meet me there." And he walked away. Freya stood there plates still in her hand she walked towards the kitchen, confused but unknown to her excited.