Reverie - 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓷 𝓞𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓮𝓵𝓭 𝔁 𝓞𝓒

Chapter 4 - Beginnings

"Gandalf," the dwarf said. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." He took off his fur coat and Blair couldn't help but watch him.

"There is no mark, I painted that door a week ago," Bilbo piped up.

"There is a mark, I put it there," Gandalf answered. Blair noticed as the new dwarf smiled specifically at Fili and Kili. Then he stepped right up to Bilbo.

"So, this is the hobbit," he said, watching him. "Tell me, have you done much fighting?"

"I beg your pardon?" Bilbo asked, confused.
"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" He continued, folding his arms.

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know," he stated, proudly but quickly said, "but I fail to see why that's relevant." A collective sigh could be heard across the room. Blair gave Bilbo a questioning look, which he returned.

"Thought as much," the dwarf said. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." He smirked and was about to turn away, when Gandalf said something else.

"Bilbo is not the only hobbit I have chosen for this adventure. Thorin, if we are to outwit Smaug and be as efficient as possible, two burglars will be needed," Gandalf said, gesturing towards Blair. Blair's mouth quickly fell open and she whipped her head towards Gandalf.

"I'm sorry?" She said before Thorin spoke.
"I'm already not convinced we need one burglar, nevermind two. They'd be more of a bother than help." With that, he walked into the dining room, the other dwarves following behind. Blair quickly went up to Gandalf before he could follow him.

"Gandalf, what are you saying? My brother and I are simple hobbits! Not burglars! The most we've travelled is the borders of Buckland!" Blair whispered. Bilbo was right behind her. Gandalf gave them both a warm smile.

"Do not let the doubts of others make decisions for you," he advised before going into the dining room.

"Blair, pay no heed to any of this. We just have to give the dwarves what they want, and they will be gone by morning, mark my words!" Bilbo said before following Gandalf's lead. Blair leaned against the wall, laying her head back. An adventure was something she had dreamed about her whole life. Why now was she suddenly so against it? She ran her hand through her hair and walked into the dining room.

"They will not come," Thorin was saying as Blair went to stand near the corner by the exit, where Thorin and Balin were sitting. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." Everyone collectively sighed and murmured random things to one another.

"You're going on a quest?" Blair couldn't help but ask. Thorin glanced at her but then looked back down.

"Bilbo, let us have a little more light," Gandalf asked. He nodded in response and went to get a candle. "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak," Gandalf spoke, getting out what appeared to be an old map, and laying it on the table.

"The Lonely Mountain," Bilbo read, carrying the candle he had just brought.

"Aye!" A red head dwarf with a thick accent blurted out. "Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time!" A few dwarves groaned at this.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold!" Another dwarf with an intricate design in his grey beard added. Blair listened in with keen interest.

"When the birds of Yore return to the mountain, the reign of the beast will end!"
Blair furrowed her brow. "What beast?" Bilbo asked quickly.

"That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible," Bofur, the one with the floppy hat, replied, "the Chiefest and Greatest Calamity of our age." Blair stood up straighter, and folded her arms. It would be a lie to say she didn't want to ask more questions. "Air-borne fire breather. Teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks! Extremely fond of precious metals," he continued, holding a long wooden pipe.