A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

4. Adventure Begins

I called Fairfin down from the beam he was sitting on, preening his feathers, and stood as he landed on my shoulder. I walked through the hallways back towards the dining room, only to run into Bilbo.

"Mister Baggins, do you perhaps have a guest room I can borrow for the night?" I asked kindly, not wishing to stay out here with these dwarves for a least one night, as it will be inevitable come tomorrow when this adventure begins.

"Yes, just down the hall, door to the left." He said, pointing in the direction. Poor hobbit looked worn out, probably from so many rowdy house guests. I guess he is just glad I am not as bad as the dwarves.

Thought I did join in on the burping contest and eat his food without asking, so only a bit better.

"Thank you." I said. I walked to the entryway, picking up my bag and weapons from the floor, leaving my cloak hanging by the door. I plan to stay up late sharpening my knives and sword in preparation. I never slept well, plagued by dreams that could be real or could not be, phantom and murky they are but they leave me with all the feelings I felt in the dream. They have haunted me all my life and I have never been able to escape them, not even as a child.

I stopped where I stood in the hallway, looking forward and not at the dwarves as I heard the dwarves begin to sing a sad song. One that made me think of what my home, where ever it is, might have been like. Filled me with a feeling I have always felt, always hated and despised, home sickness. I felt it everywhere I look.

"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."

Tears sprung to my eyes and I suddenly could not listen to any more as I quietly walked away. I hurried to my guest room for the night, sat on the bed, and pulled my sword from its scabbard. I kept my sword's make hidden because it was a gift from the elves when I left. The scabbard was actually covered in cloth so the dwarves wouldn't recognise it.

Calcatius, The Frostbite of The North, lifted and used by a female elf in a battle far to the north against goblins many years ago. They gave it to me in hopes that it would keep me safe, the sword hasn't failed me yet. It was very kind of them, but I never saw them, fully, as family, always feeling out of place. Yet, they were as close as anyone has ever gotten to that point, friends I would call the elves of Rivendell.

The blade was a little over the length of my arm whole arm, double sided yet able to be held in one hand. The blade had a faint elvish curvature to the ends, tapering off to a sharp point. Elvish runes carved into the blade said 'I bite the Air, I bite the Cold Wind, Frost Bite be my name'. The edges of the blade on either side had a faint blue coloration about them, having been put there after the blades naming to fit with its name of Calcatius. Perfectly balanced and the perfect weapon for my style of fighting, I think that is why the Elves gave me this short sword.

I sighed and put it back in its scabbard before pulling out knives from their assorted hiding places in my coat and my whetstone, beginning to sharpen them so I am prepared for anything that may come from creatures in the wild. I smiled a little as Fairfin tried to copy the sound of the whetstone, perched on a post to the bed, bobbing his head to my movements. He liked to copy funny noises.

I heard a knock on the door and looked to see the door open to show Gandalf, hunched so that he can see through the door. I nodded and he entered, closing the door behind him but still hunched over due to the height of the room. I watched him, wondering as to why he came to visit me.