Victoria in Middle Earth

Chapter Three

They open the door, and there stands Thorin. He enters Bag End. 

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." says Thorin.

 "Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" says Bilbo. "There is a mark; I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." says Gandalf introducing Thorin. 

"So, this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin asks Bilbo. "Pardon me?" says Bilbo. "Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin asks. "Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant." says Bilbo. "Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." says Thorin.

The dwarves all laugh, and they walk back to the dining table. As Thorin eats, the rest of them talk to him. "What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Dwalin asks. 

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." says Thorin. 

The Dwarves murmur their joy."What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" asks Dwalin. "They will not come." says Thorin.

The dwarves murmur in disappointment. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." says Thorin. Further disappointed murmurs."You're going on a quest?" asks Bilbo. 

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf tells the Hobbit. Bilbo brings a candle to the table, where Gandalf has spread out a map which was in his pocket. "Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." says Gandalf. 

"The Lonely Mountain." says Bilbo reading the map. "Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." says Gloin. "Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." says Oin. Bilbo, hearing "the beast," looks concerned.

"Uh, What beast?" asks Bilbo. "Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire­breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals­­." says Bofor. 

"Yes, I know what a dragon is." says Bilbo. "I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." says Ori. Several dwarves shout, and, "Sit down!" says Dori. 

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." says Balin. Suddenly the Dwarves start objecting, saying things like, "Hey, who are you calling dim?" and "Watch it!", and "No!"

"What did he say?" Nori asks. "We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" says Fili standing up, "And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." says Kili, as Fili sits back down. 

"Oh, well, now, uh, I­ wouldn't say that, I­..." Gandalf stutters. "How many, then?" Dori asks. "Uh, what?" said Gandalf. "Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!" said Nori. 

"Hm." said Gandalf as he embarrassedly starts coughing on his pipe smoke; the Dwarves jump to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf has killed.

Then Thorin jumps up angrily, "Enough!" he yells and the whole room suddenly very quite.. Everyone is looking at Thorin. 

"If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, 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?" yells Thorin, the Dwarves cheer and so does Victoria.