Daughter of The Darkness

Chapter 2

Bilbo sat in his lounge, his head between his knees. 12 dwarves and 1 wizard sat in his hallway, scoffing all his food and drinking all his wine, all was unexpected. The noise was horrible as was the huge amount of mess- the mud which was trod into the carpet would never come out again. The pantry could take years to refill.
Why should dwarves want dealings with a hobbit?
Bilbo Baggins sighed.
"Bomber, catch!" shouted one. A huge roar of laughter erupted and Bilbo closed his eyes in shame, he would never hear the end of it. A dwarf named Fili walked over the table, handing out ales to each of his comrades. Bilbo felt faint. He loved visitors, but not too many all at the same time and especially not dwarves.

Gandalf stood up from his place at the table and went to check on his dear friend. On his way he poured the young hobbit a glass of wine, which finished the bottle. He chuckled to himself, but he too was worrying. Elfreda had not given any sign that she had turned up, and he knew she knew gave up on her promises. Gandalf still had high hopes- Thorin had still not turned up yet either, so the contract would not be signed yet. The Company would not leave without their leader and besides they were all so drunk that they didn't seen to notice. He sat down next to Bilbo and handed him the wine. Bilbo looked surprised, perhaps because he thought it had all gone down the throats of the dwarves sat in his hallway. Bilbo wrapped his hands around the small glass and took a small sip.

"Please say this is a dream, Gandalf," complained Bilbo "because if it is I want to wake up right now, to find my house back to the way it was!" Gandalf laughed.

"This is no dream my friend, this is real and soon it will become clear to you why." the wizard stated. With this new information, Bilbo rubbed his face in the palm of his hand and Gandalf could have sworn the hobbit let out a small scream of horror. Gandalf took out his pipe and puffed on it gently.

"I just don't understand what they're doing in my house!" Bilbo exploded.

A knock came from the window and both wizard and hobbit turned round to look. There was a small acorn on the open windowsill. Gandalf stood up from the armchair and walked over to the open window. He studied the acorn. Engraved on the seed was a small but evident 'E'. Gandalf faked a cough as from inside his grey cloak, he dropped a small ham sandwich wrapped in a cloth. From the bushes underneath a gloved hand grabbed the parcel.

"Thank you" came a familiar whisper "I'll be watching from the windows," Gandalf acknowledged this and closed the window. Bilbo looked confused, he was going to tell Gandalf he had dropped his handkerchief but he knew that Gandalf does everything for some odd reason, so he decided to let it go.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interupt, but what shall I do with my plate?" asked a rather young dwarf, in his mothers knitted jumper and mittens. Bilbo took in a deep breath and exhaled forcefully- attempting to calm himself. Then another young dwarf, younger than the other came out and met them- it was Fili.

"Here you go Ori, give it to me," he said in a friendly voice. Ori handed in the porcline plate, which he then tossed to his brother, Kili, who happened to be stood, smoking behind Gandalf. Bilbo gasped in shock, his face turning green. Kili then through one plate after another in the direction of a dwarf who had an axe embedded in his head called Bifur.

"Excuse me... that my mothers west farthing bottle!" screamed Bilbo as Kili kicked it high into the air "That's over 100 yers old! And... and can you not to that you'll blunt them!"

The dwarves has started to sing a song, "Ooh, you hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives!" mocked one in a funny hat- Bofur. Then all the dwarves burst into song.

Blunt the knives,

Bend the forks,

Smash the bottle and burn the corks

Chip the glasses and crack the plates...

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!

Elfreda could do nothing but smile as she watched 12 dwarves lob and pile up paltes, cups and mugs. She tapped her foot along with the beat and hummed the tune to herself. Bilbo on the other hand was fumming. He ran about his home trying to put things back into order whilst the dwarves ruined it again. Bilbo looked on in horror as the dwarves carried piles of up to 20 plates, which were all wobbling and brushing the top of the hobbit hole, through his home. Gandalf laughed.

"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" They shouted as a angry Bilbo pushed and shoved his way through them to get into his kitchen. He then looked up with surprise to see all the plates, cups and mugs, piled neatly in front of a smiling Gandalf. All the dwarves and Gandalf laughed.

A knock came from the front door of Bilbo's house. Gandalf stood up and all the dwarves went quiet. "He's here" Bilbo and Gandalf went to open the door. Bilbo thought Gandalf had tripped as he saw the old man knock the window with his elbow.

"Are you alright, Gandalf, you don't seem yourself?" Bilbo inquired. The grey wizard nodded.

"I am perfectly fine my dear hobbit, just a little too much wine I think," he replied. In fact Gandalf was not drunk at all; he was notifying Elfreda the leader of the Company had arrived and the context of the mission would be revealed to her. All would become clear very soon.

Elfreda heard the knock from where she was hiding inside the bushes. She wrapped up the sandwich again and placed it into the satchel of resources that she might need for the night; a quill, two rolls of parchment, a slice of apple pie and a small dagger- she could never be too careful.

Bilbo opened the door. Another dwarf. This one had long black hair and a smaller beard than most of the others- he looked far more majestic than the rest of the Company.

"Gandalf" he said, walking in the door, "You said this place would be easy to find, I lost my way- twice"

The door closed again. Elfreda let out a long breath. All was going to be revealed shortly.