That's Another Story For Later

An Adventure?

*Hey guys! I'm back! I will be updating more frequently hopefully, and I will be updating Escape and Who I Am as well as this one. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading! The picture above is mostly what Iridian looks like.*

A knock resounded through the small home. A gruff voice shouted through the home. "I got it." I scampered to the door to see who the visitor was. We didn't get visitors often.

"Dwalin, were you expecting someone?" I tilted my head in curiosity. He looked at me, and his eyes softened.

"Believe it or not. I was." He replied, swinging the door open. Standing there, was a familiar dwarf. Long curly black hair with streaks of grey cascaded down his shoulders, his beard short and the same salt and pepper as his hair. He wore a regal fur coat, trousers, and a navy almost black undershirt. Large rings adorned his fingers. He wore a silver vest and gauntlets over his forearms, and huge boots. Weapons were strapped to his back, and a blue hood covered his face. He pulled it back, revealing the regal as ever, Thorin Oakenshield. What was he doing here? He rarely stopped by. "Thorin." Dwalin snapped me from my thoughts upon saying the displaced king's name.

"Dwalin. I came here to ask you something." The tall dwarf gestured the other in. I stood there, a pace behind Dwalin, hiding behind his figure. "Hello there Iridian. Nice to see you again." The corners of his lips turned up upon recognizing me. I shuffled out, smiling slightly as well.

"Hello there, Thorin." I said in a small yet strong voice. His presence unnerved me. He was so commanding. It was hard to speak without feeling meek sometimes.

"Now what brings you here?" Dwalin interrupted, sitting down at the small table in the kitchen. I sat to the left of Dwalin, and Thorin went to the other side.

"It's time. We need to start gathering the company. To take back Erebor. To kill the dragon Smaug. Gandalf spoke with the Hobbit." He said. I watched with wide eyes.

"A company of how many, might I ask?" I queried, not wanting to seem rude. His eyes fixed on mine.

"Fourteen. Maybe fifteen."

"Fourteen." Dwalin said immediately. I frowned at the bald dwarf.

"Anyway, head to the Shire in three days. We will be meeting the burglar in his home. There will be supper provided according to Gandalf. I hope to see you there."

"We will take back Erebor." Dwalin said solemnly. Thorin nodded, standing up.

"I must be going. I have a meeting with our kin in the north. I will see you soon, Dwalin." Thorin turned to me, his clear blue eyes boring into mine. "I'll be seeing you soon as well Iridian." A smirk adorned his lips, and he winked slightly, before putting his cloak on, taking his leave from the home.

"Can I go, Dwalin? Please? I want to take back Erebor with you." I said the moment the door closed. Before I even finished the phrase, his head shook. My shoulders straightened, squaring up to him. I was two inches taller than him, short for an elf, but tall for a dwarf, and kind of short for a human. You see, I'm ¾ elf, ⅛ human, and ⅛ dwarf.

"Iridian. You can't go. This will be a long and treacherous journey. There will be dragons, and beasts, Orcs. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. You've trained me to fight my entire life. I can take care of myself just fine."

"I still don't want you to go. You've never fought like this before."

"So? It doesn't mean I can't. You'll never know until you try."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to let you go."

"Come on! Nothing will happen! There will be fourteen other people!"

"They're all trained dwarves. They've fought battles. Plus, you're a girl. Usually beasts and creatures go for the odd one out."

"Then I have to prove to you that I can take care of myself."

"It's not that I don't think you can't, Dia. It's that I just don't want to lose you. You came to me as a wee lass, only ten, and I have a responsibility to keep you safe."

"For who?" I tilted my head.

"For whoever dropped you off with your ring at three in the morning. I have a responsibility to whoever that is to make sure that I keep you safe, and by letting you go, you won't be as safe as you would be here."

"But you'll be leaving me alone. I don't want to be alone forever. Would you come back?" His eyes softened, and I knew the answer before he said anything

"I don't know. As I said, this will be dangerous, and I don't know if we'll even make it to Erebor." I grimaced. Of course.

"You've kept me safe for 65 years. You've trained me as well as any other young dwarf. I am more than capable of being safe. So, let me have the responsibility of keeping you safe. For all you've done for me."

He paused for a moment, and I watched his eyes debating the options. "Dwalin." His eyes met mine, only looking up slightly. "Come on. Don't you trust me? Besides. As I said, you can't leave me alone here, can you? The only way to keep an eye on me, is to take me with you. Plus, Thorin is expecting me"

His eyes hardened, knowing I made the argument. Any other one he had would be invalid. "Damn you and your logic. Alright. You can come with. Let's get packing. We leave in a half hour." I nodded, and I hugged the dwarf.

"Thank you. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't. Come on. Get packing. I'll pack the food. Just grab everything you can fit into your own pack." I nodded, running off. I grabbed the pack from my closet and proceeded to pack any clothes that I thought I'd need. For rain, sun, winter, snow, anything. Most of my clothes were grey and black, and that suited me fine. The heat was no problem. I packed my hairbrush and such in a pocket. I grabbed the weapons and gauntlets leaning against the wall.

I packed my small axe, throwing knives, my dual swords, my bow and quiver of arrows, as well as a hammer. I was ready for anything. I picked up the bag and it was kind of heavy. Don't get me wrong, I packed a lot, but I was strong. Dwalin trained me as any dwarf male. I had a lot of muscle. I wasn't buff, but I was lean. Outlines of my muscles shown through my fitted clothes, black trousers and a black shirt.

I looked into the mirror. My long white blonde hair flowed down my back, to my hips, in waves. Two braids connected at the back of my head to keep my bangs out of the way. The ears I had were pointed like an elf's. My muscles looked toned and lean. My high cheeks and bone structure was one of a regal look. My grey eyes stared at me with a hardness. I had a small nose, that was slightly pointed. My hands were not large, but they were not small. My clothes were fit to my body, but not to loose, or to tight. My abs were outlined through my clothes. My medium sized feet adorned boots that were simple black leather. I didn't know when I was going to see myself again, so I memorized every curve, while not that large or small, and every detail about myself.

Satisfied, I hauled the bag onto my shoulders, and walked to the living room. I set the bag down, and saw Dwalin doing the same. "We'll put these on ponies, we'll tether them outside the Shire when we get there. Are you sure you're ready for this?" He said. I nodded in earnest.

"Of course. I'm 75 now. I'm old enough to start having an adventure. Gaining life experience." He chuckled lowly.

"Alright. Let us go." I smiled. The door closed with an almost ominus finality. The odds of us coming back were slim. We headed to the small stable around the back of the house. We loaded up the ponies, piling up the gear. I mounted the pony, Dwalin not far behind.

"Lead the way." I held out my hand in front of me, bowing mockingly, and Dwalin smiled. He clapped my shoulder in passing.

"What did I do to deserve you?" He said in a fatherly way. I shrugged.

"Guess things just turned out right." I answered, as I always did. About three hundred feet out, I glanced back at the home I'd been dropped off at as in infant, and I'd probably never come back to this. I shook my head, relieving myself of my thoughts, and pushed on. Dwalin gave me a look and I smiled in return. I glanced down, seeing the ring that I had on my left thumb. It was a small band, with an ovular emerald in the center, little intricate triangles on either side.

Let the adventure begin, I suppose.