Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings Imagines 2

Dwalin ~ Awkward Greetings

I'd never seen poor Bilbo like this, the wizard's visit really having shaken his nerves, and while he was definitely trying to put on a brave face as we made dinner together, it was clear that he thought something was still going to go awry.

"Cousin, you really do worry too much." I said as I caught him with his brow furrowed once again. "The wizard was a good friend to your mother, you know that, but he was always harmless. We used to spend hours watching his fireworks."

"Harmless?" Bilbo blinks and stares a little at me. "He's a wizard, that should be warning enough alone."

I chuckle, setting the table. "Come no Bilbo, relax, how bad can it be?"

He doesn't answer, instead bringing our meals to the table and we quickly sit, ready to eat.

That was when the bell rang.

"Oh blast." Bilbo grumbles, going to stand and go to the door, but I rest my hand in his.

"I'll get it," I said with a smile. "You start eating, okay?"

Bilbo sighs. "I'm sorry. Thank you for being here Prisca."'

Shaking my head, I went an answered the door, not entirely what to expect at this time of night as it wasn't normal to receive uninvited guests.

I definitely didn't expect to open the door to a dwarf, who's words seemed to stop on his lips as his eyes landed on me.

"Hello," I said cheerfully. "May I help you?"

The dwarf just stared at me and I felt heat rise in my cheeks, a little unsure of how to take this reaction. "Err...I'm Prisca Baggins, at your service."

Something seemed to click for him then and I had just enough time to watch tips of his ears turn red before he bowed. "Dwalin, at yours, my lady."

I smiled at him, holding back a small giggle. "How can I assist you on this wonderful evening?"

Dwalin's mouth opened and then closed and there was no mistaking the redness creeping into his cheeks now before he shook his head. "Apologies my lady, I believe I may have the wrong home, I was after Bilbo Baggins."

"No, you're not in the wrong place," I said and then step aside. "This is Bilbo's home, why don't you come in?"

I watched as he seemed to think for a moment before following me inside, his large frame seeming odd in Bilbo's home.

Bilbo himself then came to see what was taking so long. "Prisca, who is-" He freezes in the doorway as he stares at Dwalin.

"Bilbo, this is Dwalin," I said, ignoring his stunned look, having a pretty good idea of what was going on. "He has requested for you."

Dwalin bowed again, greeting Bilbo, who quickly flushed and returned the response. "Are the others here yet?"

Bilbo frowns in confusion. "Others? What others?"

I just knew that Bilbo spent the next few hours cursing the wizard as more dwarves turned up and then Gandalf himself, disrupting the quiet of his home and leaving me laughing at some of the antics he tried to put a stop to. It wasn't intentional of course, I felt sorry for him, but there was no denying the thrill outside the normal life of being a hobbit.

As the night wore on though and discussions turned to the journey ahead, there was one thing that didn't seem to change and hadn't changed since he walked in the door.

Dwalin couldn't stop looking at me.

I caught him a couple of times, each occasion causing him to go a deeper and deeper shade of red and quickly force his gaze away, but even when I was in the middle of helping Bilbo, or ducking around other dwarves, I could feel it and I couldn't deny the draw that it had on me, not bothering to contain a smile, although it could've just been from the excitement.