Twin Rings

Visitors

My day started as usual. I woke up blinking at the bright harsh sunlight that made its way between my curtains. I sat up and rolled out of bed quickly getting dressed. I quickly strapped my sword and its sheath to my hips. Strapping my quiver full of arrows on my back and adding two daggers to it, I grabbing my bow I slipped out the door. Beside my house a forest lay with a sense of dread starting to seep out of it. The forest was getting sick. Evil things where starting to stir.

I slipped into the forest heading deeper and deeper into the shadows. The silence pressed in on me. I sneaked about the shadows for hours but no other creature was seen. Sighing I gave up and raced back to my house. As I reached the meadow I slid to a stop. A large bear was lumbering away from my house.

Keeping an eye on the bear I raced to my door and quickly slid inside latching the door behind me. I rested my head on the door for a moment before a loud noise had me spinning around notching an arrow as I did so.

Behind me, fifteen people stood watching me. Twelve of them where dwarfs who raised their weapons looking like they were about to fight. One was a little halfling or a hobbit as they were called also. And the last was a familiar face. I unnotched my bow shoving the arrow back into the quiver.

"Gandalf I haven't seen you in forever what brings you here?" I asked the old familiar face.

"Hello Isabelle daughter of Arothan"

"I should smack you Gandalf," I said rolling my eyes.

The old man laughed smiling at me. "We come seeking shelter for the night. Tomorrow we plan to travel through Mirkwood."

"What lays in Mirkwood that you seek in such odd company?" I asked scanning over the dwarfs and hobbit.

One of the Dwarfs stepped forward. His long black hair and beard where in a messy. He has a stout figure most dwarfs had, and in his dark eyes a look of determination sat. "We come to reclaim the lonely mountain."

I watched the rest of them for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough you are all welcome to stay."

Without a backwards glance I headed into the kitchen and began to cook. I used all the meat and anything I had to cook I made. Soon the table was groaning under the weight of the food as I turned toward my guests. They were standing there watching me cautiously.

"Dig in!" I told them smiling.

Not needing to be told again they all snatched a plate and filled it high. While they were eating I got some blankets and pillows and laid they down on the floor. After that was done I sat down next to Gandalf.

"I missed your visits," I told him quietly. "I haven't seen you in almost five years. I miss the firework shows you use to do and the magic tricks."

"I know Bell but you don't look to have aged a day since I last saw you," Gandalf said smiling down at me.

"Don't make fun of me!" I huffed crossing my arms over my chest. "I get I still look like I'm seventeen even though I'm almost thirty seven. I don't age right!"

Gandalf laughed at that with a mysterious twinkle in his eye. All at once the dwarfs got up as dishes began flying around the room..

"Whoa, whoa, whoa hey!" I yelled as a dish almost hit my head.

"It's better not to argue and just let them do it." The hobbit said as he slid along the bench until he was next to me. "They did this at my house also but they clean up nicely. My name is Bilbo Bagans."

"Nice to meet you Bilbo I'm Isabelle Sterling, but I just go by Belle."

"Thank you for letting us stay here and this amazing dinner," Bilbo said while yawning.

"Go to sleep. You night to be rested if you plan to go through Mirkwood tomorrow, all of you." I said looking at the dwarfs also.

They nodded an everyone except one dwarf crawled into bed. The other dwarf continued putting the last of the dishes away. I watched him. He also had long unruly black hair but didn't have a beard which told me he was the younger of the dwarfs here.

"What's your name?" I asked over the loud snores that were already filling the room.

"Kili at your service," The dwarf said giving me a small bow.

"Why did you stay up? You have a long day tomorrow Mirkwood is not an easy forest to get through you will need all your wit."

"Have you been in there before?" Kili asked.

"Many times I know that forest like the back of my hand... Or well I use too..."

"What made it change?"

"Mirkwood has been becoming sick. Evil has been creeping it's way into the forest making it sick. I often go in there to help but the evil always just comes back stronger."

"Will you help us through the forest?" Kili asked hopefully.

"I cannot. There is a red haired elf that does not take to kindly to me being there. I would rather not bring misfortune on you if she was to see me. Now you should go to bed and recover your strength Master Dwarft."

Kili smiled at that and dipped his head down to me before heading to his bed. I quietly slipped out the door and scampered up a tree resting in the book of the branches.

The soft moon light bathed the meadow in a silvery light while the stars twinkled like diamonds. A feeling in my gut told me this would be the last time I looked about this meadow with the little house. My path was to help the fourteen visitors in my cabin.