The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey Edition (IN EDITING)

2. The Uninvited

Edited

Things got perfectly peaceful as the night sky covered Hobbiton such as a blanket, however making the atmosphere colder and with occasional purrs of the crickets singing their usual song on the lonely straws of grass over the plains – the sound being mute and soothing, very comfortable indeed.

Bilbo did no longer let his thoughts travel to the very strange event which took place that morning. Him? Bilbo Baggins off on an adventure? Nonsense. No, he had forgotten all about it by now and was instead preparing a lovely supper for himself.

He carefully looked on as it was vaguely spurting in the frying pan on the heated plate above the oven. The fully cooked fish was carefully plucked up from the bottom of the pan by Bilbo’s small spade, to then be place on his almost fully stuffed plate. The tea pot on the stove gave out a high pitched whistle and was thereafter lifted to fill Bilbo’s mug, the young Hobbit sighing complacently to the lovely sight before him on his dinner table – there were freshly cooked and steaming potatoes, carrots and other sorts of vegetables, and then there was also the fish. Bilbo’s stomach growled and he sat down eagerly, tucking his napkin down underneath his shirt, letting it fall over his chest. He took his time to improve the flavour of the food, using spices and the juice of a lemon. His big robe hung open with the strings of cloth falling to the floor, as he did not bother to tie them around his abdomen. He certainly wasn’t expecting anyone so why would he bother?

As Bilbo continued his seasoning of the food, squeezing the piece of lemon in his hand, letting the juice drip over his food, he was suddenly interrupted by three heavy thuds on his front door, and the thuds echoed throughout his house. Bilbo’s gaze anxiously flew up from his beloved food, and his smile immediately vanished from his face.

Bilbo’s rounded front door squeaked as he opened it up, and there standing before him was a quite strange-looking creature – not much taller than a Hobbit, but short enough to fit into Bilbo’s very low-roofed house. The man standing outside the entrance of Bilbo’s house had his back turned towards it but turned around swiftly once the door was opened. Bilbo’s eyes grew to the sight of him. The man’s head was bald at the very top, but which was instead covered by odd-looking tattoos. The rest of the man’s facial hair was growing in large amounts, with big bushy eyebrows, long dark brown hair at the sides of head, a long moustache and a thick beard which reached over his chest. He had a very large nose and scars replacing some hair on his right eyebrow, his eyes dark brown and murderous. He was wearing a dark green hood and a golden belt and a thick cape running down his back from his shoulders. He bowed down deeply before the Hobbit, keeping full eye contact as he went, and with Bilbo eyeing him up and down.

“Dwalin”, he growled, with a voice so deep and mysterious and with an accent hardly recognizable. Of course, it struck Bilbo suddenly. He’s a Dwarf. “At your service”, Dwalin – apparently – spoke again, this time more kindly, and stood upright.

Without thinking, Bilbo gave out a high pitched squeal, his big eyes growing larger by the second. Swiftly, he started tying his robe around his waist, desperately searching for the right words.

“Bilbo Baggins – at yours”, Bilbo strained his voice to sound as confident as possible, but as he heard himself mumble the words he realised that he had failed. Dwalin, however, did not seem interested in anything the young Hobbit had to say, but instead, without the slightest hesitation nor invitation, entered Bilbo’s house, his footsteps echoing soundly against the wooden floor.

“But do we know each other?” Bilbo asked hastily in confusion, stopping the Dwarf abruptly in his tracks. As far as Bilbo was concerned, he had no business with any Dwarf in his entire lifetime. It was so very strange – the way Dwalin looked upon Bilbo, making him feel so much smaller than what he really was.