Emrys Dragonborne [Merlin/The Hobbit Crossover Fanfic]

Chapter 1: Good Morning

"Are we almost there yet?" Merlin complained behind Gandalf. They've been walking for more than a couple hours and the warlock hasn't a clue where Hobbiton actually is. He had jumped off his horse previously in an effort to be able to talk to the old man without it seeming like he was talking down to him. That and he really didn't think it was fair him riding on a horse and the fragile looking wizard walking on foot. Merlin was severely regretting it now though as his feet began to hurt and he began to tire from the long on foot journey.

He had offered earlier for both of them to ride Mitts to wherever they were going but Gandalf refused. It was quite annoying and the young man had pouted at having to walk more. Merlin wasn't a servant anymore he didn't like having to walk.

"Patience is a virtue, Master Emrys, and I'm afraid it seems like you do not have it." Gandalf called back to him, amusement clear in his voice. The old git liked his suffering. He groaned and sped up with Mitts in toe to walk beside Gandalf instead of falling behind like he was before.

"I do too have patience. I just want to know how much further my legs have to waste away in pain."

Shoulders shook slightly as the gray robe wearing man chuckled at the warlock's commentary. "Your legs aren't wasting away, dear boy, it's simply exercise. You'd be best to get some of it before our journey ahead."

"I get plenty of exercise! We've been walking for forever." The raven continued to complain the whole way to the town and only stopped once they got there.

Merlin's eyes widened slightly at the sight before him, stopping in his tracks with Mitts right beside him. The old mare tossed her head in both joy and annoyance at the abrupt stop with no warning after 3 or 4 hours of walking. Whatever he was expecting, it was not this. Lining each path there were luscious green hills and beautiful vibrant arays of flowers, fences, birdhouses, mail boxes, you name it and it was there. It was amazing.

Almost every hill had a door in which he assumed there were houses built into. People were everywhere, as well, smiling brightly and greeting their neighbors as the the afternoon went on. It was quite a sight, Hobbington.

Gandalf stopped in his walking too once he noticed Merlin had stopped to gawk. The old man smiled. "Come along, Emrys, you can stare later. We mustn't dilly dally. We have a hobbit to see!"

Blinking out of his stupor the warlock nodded his head and began to follow along again until they stopped in front of a house. It had a hobbit smoking a pipe with his eyes closed sitting on a bench in front of it behind the fence. This must be the hobbit Gandalf was talking about.

He was correct, because a puff of smoke turned into a butterfly and flew into the person's face. The hobbit sputtered as his face twisted in confusion at the man in a pointy hat standing in front of him along with a younger one and a horse. Merlin didn't blame him. Having smoke fly back at you had to be confusing if you didn't see a magic practioner walk up to you.

"I- uh.. Good Morning!" He said fixing his face into a more polite bewildered expression and took another puff out of the pipe he was smoking. Merlin had no idea why so many people liked to smoke in Middle Earth. It was like everywhere he looked there's at least one person smoking a pipe. It was a gross habit in his opinion and it continued to baffle him as he continued to see it happen.

The gray wizard looked at him under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further from the brim of the hat he was wearing. "What do you mean?" Gandalf said leaning on his large wooden staff that's grain curved and twisted into a crooked tip at the top. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it to or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"