The Hobbit Imagines

The Prancing Pony (Thorin)

June 19, 2015: This imagine was requested by @EmilyMaurer. Thank you! In this imagine, you will find that I included a name (as it was requested). You will also find that some aspects do not correlate with true fact, but rather for illustrative purposes. But read along anyways!

You, Elenwen, find yourself at The Prancing Pony and meet a stranger that's a lot closer to you than expected.

Stepping over dried leaves, Elenwen heard the individual crunch every single one made. This made her even more tense as she roamed the streets of a foreign city, Bree, to search for The Inn of the Prancing Pony.

Elenwen knew that her short dwarven stature was attracting the attention of shady strangers lurking around corners, in between dark allies, and almost every open place imaginable. Shuddering at the thought that anything should happen to her, Elenwen quickened her stride underneath the dark, starless sky.

Seeing the Prancing Pony sign dancing in the wind, Elenwen stepped toward the scratched, old wooden door and slowly opened it to reveal an innkeeper wiping down the counter in front of him and men laughing with merriment inside.

Elenwen walked inside and shut the door abruptly behind her.

Strolling toward the front counter where the innkeeper was at, the innkeeper noticed her and said, "My name's Barliman Butterbur. What can I do for you, sir?"

Elenwen removed her cloak's hood from her head to reveal her feminine face. Barliman quickly apologized. "Miss, I'm sorry. I didn't know-"

"It's fine." Elenwen interrupted the friendly innkeeper, who nodded, waiting for her to speak. "I'm here to meet my brother Bofur. Do you know where I might find him?"

Barliman scratched his beard. "I'm afraid I don't know any dwarf by the name of Bofur. I'll check the registry." he said as he left to go find the book of people who had stayed at the inn on the other side of the counter.

While waiting, Elenwen turned to face the people inside of the dining room part of the inn.

Elenwen saw the usual - drunk men, loud friends, and a few quiet individuals who just wanted to get away.

However, in the right-hand corner of the room, Elenwen caught the dark eyes of a hooded stranger gazing at her. They stared at each other for a few mere seconds until Barliman appeared with a frown on his face, his voice causing her to turn her attention to him and rip her eyes away from the stranger. "I don't have any Bofur in the book of registry." Barliman spoke. "But you can stay here or get a room, and I'll let you know when he arrives." Barliman smiled as he told Elenwen with kindness.

Elenwen returned his smile. "I'll just take an ale, if that's alright."

"Certainly." Barliman left to go fill a mug with ale.

Searching for a spot to sit, Elenwen avoided all people - to make herself distinctively known when Bofur would arrive.

The only available spot that didn't have a hoard of people gathered around was the corner. Elenwen made her way over to the isolated corner, stepping over passed out men and squeezing through crowds.

Once she reached the spot, she pulled out a chair, winced at the loud sound it made when it was dragged across the wooden floor, and plopped herself down.

Barliman appeared with her ale moments later and informed her that a dwarf had came to him, saying that he knew another dwarf by the name of Bofur.

Elenwen scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, "I don't know many other dwarves, even though I am one." Bofur had made sure that she grew up isolated from other dwarves, or any other people for that matter. The only person Elenwen could vividly recall from her childhood was her caretaker, an old maiden. All acquaintances from meeting new people she had now was a result of her adulthood, and Bofur not being able to contain her in a small cottage in the woods. "Who is he?" she asked.