𝓐𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓐𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓼 - on hold

~ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔒𝔫𝔢~

"Good morning," made my ears perk up as I whipped around, my hand falling to my side from reaching to grab the door handle only moments before. It was odd; I hadn't heard him approach, and I never would have missed a sound like what a tall man such as this would have made approaching my door. "Afternoon, actually," I replied warily, glancing at my small wristwatch, which read that the time was just after one in the afternoon.

"Why, you're right. You must forgive me, Miss Silverpike. My age allows simple things such as the time to slip my mind," he said, a twinkle in his eye as he said my name. I paused. "How... how do you know my name?" I asked, now on high alert. The man chuckled, taking a step forward. "Do you mean to say you don't recognize me? I'm Gandalf," he paused, and my eyes widened.

"Gandalf the Grey? What on earth are you doing all the way out here?" I asked. I'd made my home away from all large civilizations, knowing that most had shunned me anyways. I liked my little cottage in the forest, I never got visitors, and it was very quiet. Until now, that was.

Gandalf cleared his throat, clearly content that I'd recognized his name. "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure." He spoke slowly, thinking as he did. My mouth fell open, and I quickly shut it. "An adventure? What sort of adventure?" I asked, my interest piqued. He seemed to know that I'd be fascinated as he began to explain.

"There's a group of thirteen dwarves. You might know of them, their leader is Thorin Oakenshield. He plans to lead them on a quest to reclaim their lost kingdom of Erebor, and I fear they may need all the help they can get." This sounds dangerous, was my first instinctual thought, but I pushed it down. I hesitated before I answered, making sure that I phrased what I wanted to say correctly.

"Dwarves, you said? Of course, I'm interested, but I don't think they'd like you inviting me along very much. Since you know of me, you must know of my status among them as well as the elves. They'd never accept me." I lowered my gaze to the ground as I spoke, remembering all too well the day I'd gone to the dwarves, asking them for shelter, for anything, since my only home had branded me an outcast. They'd turned me away quicker than I could blink. That had been some years ago, though. Maybe, just maybe, they'd changed. Maybe, their leader could see past my elf-half and accept that I was more than just that stupid half-breed status.

Gandalf mumbled to himself before handing me a map. "I shall take care of that. Make your way to the Shire in three days' time, if you'd like to accompany us on this quest. There will be a round, green door with a mark on it. Find it. You will not regret it." He turned away, but I called out my last question.

"Why me?" I asked. He stopped and looked at me over his shoulder. "They could use your skill in medicine, and you could use the excuse to get out of your corner of the land," he muttered. My face flushed as I tried to argue, but I couldn't. I hardly left unless I had to, and being alone had given me plenty of time to learn as much as I could in many areas, namely medicine and combat. Knowing that he was right, he was walking down the path before I could ask anything else.

I unrolled the map, glancing over it until I found the small half-circles labeled "The Shire" in large, cursive lettering. I turned back towards my door, my eyes never leaving the map as I walked inside and shut it behind me, sitting in the living room. I shared at those little curved lines that were probably supposed to be hills as I thought through what I should do. There was no way. The leader, that "Thorin" would hate me from the start. I couldn't travel with a company that hated me and wished only ill upon me for what I could not control.

But maybe... maybe it was worth a try. It was only a two-day ride from my home. If things went badly, I could be back home quickly. What was the harm in at least trying... right?

I rolled the map back up, taking one last peek at the letters before I stashed it into the side of my bag, beginning to pack before I could talk myself back out of it. I threw in spare clothes, plenty of snacks, anything I could think of that I could need for a long trip away from home. I set the pack next to my door, leaving my bow and quivers as well as my belt of daggers and my longsword beside it. If I was really going, there was no way I would be going unarmed.

I finally made my way to the bedroom, collapsing on my bed and trying to get some sleep before I would rise early in the morning. I sighed before I shut my eyes, hoping and praying o whatever god was out there that it would go well, that I would finally be accepted and be able to leave my little home.

Ahh, the first chapter of my first actual fanfic! I haven't written an actual long story before, so I really hope that everyone enjoys it! Please leave a vote and comment on what you'd like to see happen next!

Do you think that Thorin will accept Cassie? Will she meet anyone she gets along with? Will she have to go back home, or will she actually get to go somewhere?

I love you all!

~Jackie