Leona Baggins lives with her older brother Bilbo in the peaceful rolling hills of the Shire - that peace is short-lived when a wizard and a group of chaotic dwarves seek them out for an adventure of a lifetime.
- #2 in 'hobbit' [1/10/21]
- #1 in 'To...
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Leo's POV:
Bilbo and I walked side by side up a marble staircase. There was an awkward silence between us. I saw Bilbo occasionally glancing at me. "Are you ok? You seem a bit off? Did something happen?" he questioned.
"No! No. Everything's great." Leo's cheeks continued to blush.
"Well, you seem -"
"Oh look! We're here." I shuffled quickly into a dimly lit room where I saw Gandalf, Elrond, Balin, and Thorin standing in a circle. The blue light of the moon shone through the balcony, giving the room an eery feel.
I saw Elrond holding Thorin's map, analyzing it. Thorin and Balin looking very displeased.
Gandalf silently urged us to come closer. I made my way next to Thorin and Bilbo made his way next to me.
"Erebor. What is your interest in this map?" Elrond questioned suspiciously.
"It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text. And our young miss Baggins does enjoy a good map." I smiled and nodded at Elrond who seemed surprised that we had snuck in. Thorin looked at Gandalf gratefully for not disclosing their true intent with the map. "You still read ancient dwarvish, do you not?"
"Cirth ithil'." Elrond read.
"Moon runes. Of course. An easy thing to miss."
"Well, in this case, that is true. Moon runes can only be read by the light of the moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written."
"Can you read them?" Thorin spoke hopefully.
Elrond strode out of the hall and onto a beautiful, cliff-like balcony that overlooked a roaring waterfall. Elrond makes his way to a stone table that sat directly under the moonlight. We huddled around to see that words of another language were suddenly revealed.
"These runes were written on a mid-summer's eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield. The same moon shines upon us tonight."
"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." Elrond translated effortlessly.
"Durin's Day?" Bilbo finally spoke up.
Gandalf glanced at him, "It is the start of the dwarves new year, when the last moon of Autumn and the first sun of Winter appear in the sky together."
"This is ill news. Summer is passing, Durin's Day will soon be upon us."
"We still have time," Balin stated hopefully.
"Time, for what?" I asked and stepped a bit closer to look at the map.
"To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot, at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened."
