Embracing the Shadows

Chapter Two - Blooming wizards

"What for" I spat I had hated wizards since my encounter with Saruman the White.

"Reclaiming a homeland" I winced at his powerful voice. I turned my head away thinking slightly.

"I will help" I said begrudgingly.

That is how I find myself walking up a steep path in the shire to the top of Bag end. I can hear hearty singing, my enhanced ears picking the faint cheer up, and then it goes eerily quiet. I look around and see a green door closing and a faintly glowing symbol on the door. I sigh and walk a bit faster, it sounded like the actual meeting was about to start.

I ring the door bell and wait patiently while a grumbling voice comes closer to the door. I smile at the Halfling who opened the door.

"Hello" I say politely "I'm not late am I?"

"No" He sighs in defeat "We were just about to start. Come in." I smile and walk in unbuttoning my cloak.

"Is there a place I can hang this?" I questioned holding the cloak out.

"Just put it over there" He huffs and waddles over to the hushed conversation. I pad after him slowly leaving my tattered cloak behind. I walk into a room filled with dwarves peering at a map. Bilbo grabs a candle and peers past the tall grey fellow who I guessed was Gandalf.

"The lonely mountain" he said intrigued

"Aye" a red headed dwarf said "Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time"

A greying dwarf with an intricate pattern in his beard spoke up "Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold. When the birds of yore return to Erebor the reign of the beast will end" Bilbo came back from his pantry.

"Um. What beast?" I sighed

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the terrible. Chiefest and greatest calamity of our age" I turned and walked out, this was not what I agreed to deal with.

"Elbereth?" I heard as I walked down the hill "Where are you going?" I turned to see Gandalf.

"Home. I agreed to reclaim a homeland not slaughter a dragon" I hissed "I refuse to die because some dwarf decides to wake him up from his nap and attempt to kill him. And plus its past Green – Mirkwood and I can't go through there can I? Not without losing my life" he sighed

"They just need protection getting to Mirkwood, I have another task for you before we go through"

I turned and walked past him back into Bilbo's house. Gandalf walks past me "Come" he says pulling me after him, as the dwarves begin to argue amongst themselves, Gandalf stands a shadow growing "Enough, if I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar. Than a burglar he is" I jump in front of the dwarves crouched on the table growling at him and he goes back to normal, ignoring the fact I had jumped over an important dark haired dwarf. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth and fifteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins and Elbereth. There's a lot more to Mr Baggins than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this." He pushes me aside as he sits back down.

The dark haired dwarf watches me "Very well" he turns to his fellow dwarves "We will do it your way" Bilbo begins to object but the dwarf talking ignores him "Give them the contract" I pluck one of the contract and scamper to the kitchen to read it in silence as the others bicker.

Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present Company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations. I paused reading hearing Bilbo mutter "Nope" and collapse

I rush to him and prop his head up with a cushion as in check that he's okay. I tuck my hair behind my ear so I can see.

"An elf!" The dark haired dwarf cry's "Gandalf when I asked for two more members I did not mean an elf, and by the look of it, it's a mirk wood elf" I stood, head cocked.

"It has a name. It is Elbereth." I move closer pulling a dagger from my belt "And you would do well to remember it" I hissed pressing the knife into his throat gently before dropping him and disabling the dwarves that attempted to attack me with a simple quick push into the junction between the neck and the shoulder.

I picked up Bilbo and placed him in a chair and then stormed outside and trailed up to the tree that sat above his hole.

After a while of sitting and thinking I heard voices rise hauntingly into the air

"Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To find our long­-forgotten gold

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light"