Dragon Slayer- A Hobbit Fanfiction

Chapter 2: To Plan

TA 2941
Bag-End

     They all file into the dining room, taking their seats while Thorin eats some food that had been left over for him. The night outside has darkened as if in representation of the solemner mood. Nyx remains in her place near Fíli and Kíli, knowing them best. Her eyes have darkened slightly, a foreboding look in them that both princes are confused about.

"What news from the meeting at Ered Luin?" asks a dwarf she now knows as Balin. "Did they all come?"

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms," Thorin answers, getting some quiet cheers out of the company.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?"

     Thorin sighs, "They will not come. They say this quest is ours and ours alone." The dwarves groan at this information, realizing this is going to be even more difficult than they thought.

     Bilbo, who is standing near Gandalf, speaks up, "You're doing a quest?" Nyx suppresses a groan, did Bilbo seriously think they just came here to have a feast?

     "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light," Gandalf says as Bilbo goes to fetch a candle. He pulls a piece of parchment paper out, unrolling it so all can see. "Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak."

     The hobbit comes back just then, a candle with him. "The Lonely Mountain," he reads out.

     Nyx remains where she is, having seen the map before. The map is simple, meant to show that Smaug took the Lonely Mountain and not much else. She has not yet been given the chance to read the runes upon it, meaning she cannot aid them that way. Her ears prick when she hears another voice speak, this belonging to Glóin, "Aye, Óin has read the portents and the portents say it is time."

     "Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold," adds Óin. "When the birds of old return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

     Bilbo, clearly having never heard the story, asks, "Uh.. what beast?"

     "Well, that would a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age," says the dwarf in the three pointed hat who she now knows as Bofur. "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals."

     Nyx chooses not to mention Smaug is considered a small dragon out of those that have lived, though she will not deny he is still extremely dangerous. "I know what a dragon is," Bilbo cuts in, evidently not wishing to keep hearing about the beast.

     Ori shoots to his feet, "I'm not afraid! I'll give him a taste of dwarvish iron right up his jacksie!" His brother pulls him down, grumbling. Though Nyx has to admire the dwarf's bravery.

     "The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen and not thirteen of the best nor brightest," says Balin, earning groans and shouts from the others.

     Fíli bangs his fist on the table, "We may be few in number but we're fighters, all of us! Down to the last dwarf."

     "And you forget we have a wizard in our company, Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time," added Kíli.