❝ ADVENTURE ❞ ── Thorin Oakenshield ¹

❝ CHAPTER 2 ❞

▌Chapter 2 ─ Hope ▌

      ━━━━━ ELIRIEN STOOD NEXT to Thessalia as Gandalf opened the door to reveal Thorin Oakenshield. The elf placed a serious look on her face, and made sure that her hair was still covering her ears.

"Gandalf." Thorin spoke, as he pushed forward walking into the Hobbit house. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." Thorin said, his eyes scanning everyone in the area.

He briefly stopped on Elirien, he had known that she was coming along with Thessalia. But he had more of an interest in Elirien. He heard about her stories, and that was why his eyes lingered on her for what seemed like forever.

"Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago." Bilbo announced walking into the room and into the conversation. Elirien placed a smirk on her face watching how quickly Gandalf had closed the door.

"There is a mark. I put it there myself." Gandalf informed the Hobbit, looking down at him. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf said, pointing towards the dwarf.

"So... this is the Hobbit." Thorin said, looking at the Hobbit. "Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin asked, walking around him.

"Pardon me?" Bilbo questioned, confused by what he was being asked.

"Ax or sword? What's your choice?" Thorin proceeded to ask him. Elirien looked over at the Hobbit, lifting a brow waiting for his answer.

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know... but I fail to see why that's relevant." Bilbo replied.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin said, earning a laugh from the other dwarves.

Elirien placed her eyes back on Thorin as he walked past her and Thessalia. Soon enough the two women followed behind the dwarves, Elirien walked over to the chair sitting down while Thessalia sat on the other side of her, with Gandalf sitting in the other chair on her other side.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked Thorin.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin informed everyone. Elirien looked around the tables as the dwarves grew excited over the news they were receiving from Thorin.

"And what did the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked him.

Thorin placed the spoon back in the bowl as the sad look fell onto his face. "They will not come. They say this quest is ours and ours alone." Thorin informed them, some seeming to be excited about it while others weren't.

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo questioned popping into the conversation.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf ordered as he stood up from his chair. Bilbo walked out of the room, gathering a candle. "Far to the east over ranges and rivers beyond woodlands and wastelands lies a single, solitary peak." Gandalf explained to the newcomers.

"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo spoke looking upon the map that Gandalf had pulled out.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents and the portents say it is time." Gloin told them. Elirien placed her eyes on Gandalf watching as he shook his hand. A small spark of fire appeared on his finger allowing him to light his pipe.

"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.'" Oin spoke, looking around at everyone. Both Elirien and Thessalia exchanged looks with each other.

"Uh, what beast?" Bilbo questioned coming back into the conversation, and looking at Gandalf.

"That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible chiefest and greatest calamity of our age." Bofur went on to explain to Bilbo. "Airborne fire-breather. Teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals." Bofur added, still looking at Bilbo.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is," Bilbo remarked looking over at the dwarf. Ori stood up from his chair looking around those who sat at the table.

"I'm not afraid. I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of Dwarvish iron right up his jacksie!" Ori announced to them, showing his courage.

Elirien couldn't help but smile at the courage the dwarf was showing. She knew at that point that they would do anything to get their home back.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us but we number just 13. And not 13 of the best... nor brightest." Balin said, looking over at Thorin, who stared back at him.

Elirien still wondered why she was needed for this quest, this had been more than what Gandalf had told her. Not once did he mention the dragon that stayed in Erebor.

"We may be few in numbers but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf." Fili announced, looking around at the dwarves, as well as Elirien and Thessalia.

"And you forget, we have a Wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Kili informed them, causing them to cheer.

"Oh, well, no. I wouldn't say..." Gandalf went to speak only to be cut off by one of the dwarves.

He looked over at Elirien and Thessalia for some kind of help but neither of them seemed like they wanted to join in on the little argument that was brewing. Clearly the dwarves were prone to fight with each other even if it were a small argument. Thorin stood up from the table shouting something in his language, something that neither Elirien or Thessalia understood that well.

"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?" Thorin shouted as the dwarves began to cheer, shouting words in the dwarvish language.

Elirien couldn't help but smile, hoping that this quest would allow them to get back what was lost.