The Fae and the Dwarf King

Chapter One: The Visit from the Wizard

The sun rises over the village of The Shire, in Hobbiton. A dense, orange glow is cast against the little rivers and rolling hills. Bilbo Baggins a 50 year old Hobbit sits on his bench outside of his home in Bag-End, smoking his pipe with a small content look on his face as he blew smoke rings into the morning sky. 

Soon a tall figure stands at the fence of Bag-End, making the smoke ring collapse with a pop and transformed it into a smoke moth. The moth flutters into Bilbo's face, waking him from his reverie.

Bilbo looks surprised seeing a tall figure dressed in grey robes, a pointy hat and a staff standing not too far away from him.

"Good morning." Bilbo said.

"What do you mean? Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or, perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning, or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?" Gandalf said confusing the poor Hobbit.

"All of them at once, I suppose?" Bilbo said confusedly.

Gandalf gives Bilbo a disapproving look. Bilbo looks simply bewildered.

"I'm sorry, can I help you?" Bilbo asked confused.

"That remains to be seen. I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure." Gandalf said looking at the Hobbit.

Bilbo took his pipe out of his mouth with confusion. "An adventure? Now I don't imagine anyone West of Bree would have much interest in adventures." Bilbo said putting his pipe back into his mouth and getting up from his bench. "Nasty,disturbing, uncomfortable things." Bilbo goes over towards his mailbox. "Make you late for dinner!" Bilbo said grabbing some envelopes and started sorting through it, chuckling to himself.

After Bilbo finished sorting out his mail, he spared Gandalf a brief glance to see that Gandalf has been watching him, causing Bilbo to stop shuffling through his mail and took a puff from his pipe, clearing his throat as he turned to leave back inside his house.

"Good morning." Bilbo said tipping his pipe towards Gandalf and walked up his path towards his house.

"To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took's son as if I were selling buttons at the door." Gandalf said causing Bilbo to whip around, startled at the mention of his mother. 

"Beg your pardon?" Bilbo asked shocked.

"You've changed, and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf said.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Bilbo asked with confusion.

"Well, you know my name, although you don't remember I belong to it.I'm Gandalf and Gandalf means..... me!" Gandalf said. 

A look of recognition flashes across Bilbo's face. His lips curl into a smile.

"Not Gandalf, the wandering wizard,who made such excellent fireworks!Old Took used to have them on Mid-Summer's Eve!" Bilbo exclaimed with a wide smile giving out a little chuckle before clearing his throat. "I had no idea you were still in business." Bilbo said seriously.

Gandalf gives Bilbo a scathing look. " And where else should I be?" Gandalf demanded with a frown.

"Where else should..." Bilbo's voice awkwardly trails off as Bilbo took another drag from his pipe.

"Well, I'm pleased to find you remember something about me, even if it's only my fireworks." Gandalf said before an amused smile appeared on his face. "Well then, that's decided. It will be very good for you and most amusing for me. I shall inform the others." Gandalf said pointing towards Bilbo.

"Inform the who?" Bilbo asked shocked taking a step down. "What? No, no, no!We do not want any adventures here,thank you! Not today!" Bilbo said scurrying up towards his green door before turning around to look back at Gandalf. "I suggest you try somewhere over the hill or across the water! Good morning!"

In frustration, Bilbo storms into his home. Shutting the door behind him, he started to lock his door. Relieved, he leans against the door, catching his breath. Suddenly, he hears a mysterious scrapping noise against his door. Curiously, Bilbo puts his ear close to the door and listened in closely, wondering what the noise is. The noise is Gandalf, drawing a glowing symbol on Bilbo's door with the edge of his staff.

Alarmed, Bilbo rushes to his side window. He peers outside and sees nothing but the blue sky and his front garden. Suddenly, Gandalf's face appears on the other of the window. Bilbo jumps back in fright and hides behind the wall to his hallway out of sight. 

Gandalf lingers outside the window for a little bit longer, before turning around and leaving. Going to the next room window, Bilbo see's Gandalf leaving Bag-End, closing the gate behind him, humming a small tune to himself.

"I wonder what Rowena would of said, if she was here." Bilbo said to himself but remembered that his slightly taller friend isn't home with him. But soon remembered that she would be coming home later that day, so he decided he would go to the market to get some food for her return.