Home ↠ The Hobbit

I. Baggins

They barely heard Bilbo's surprise when he realised that Balin's words meant more would be arriving as they were too busy trying to rearrange the dining room in order to accommodate the others that planned to arrive. As she aided in moving the table she heard the distant ramblings of Bilbo, sharing an amused look with Kili at the Hobbit's outburst.

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The pantry was being emptied by the twelve Dwarves and one woman in Bilbo's home, ignoring each and every protest that he threw their way as he desperately attempted to save the food that he had. They meandered between one another as they went backwards and forwards to and from the pantry, Athena only raising an eyebrow and continuing on her way when he instructed her to return the jams that she had gathered in her arms. As she placed the jams on the table she sent a pointed look Gandalf's way.

"Contrary to what you have led us to believe, Mr Baggins doesn't seem all that welcoming. It's almost as if he had no idea we would be here," Gandalf only returned her amused expression with a somewhat guilty smile before they turned to see Dori offering chamomile tea to the Grey Wizard.

Upon seeing Dori's disappointed face at his rejection Athena sent him a smile before taking the cup and sipping at the liquid. As soon as her tastebuds received the drink her face contorted into one of disgust however, she saw Dori's face waver and instead replaced the disgust with a pained smile, sending him a nod before excusing herself and searching for anything to erase the lingering taste.

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The Dwarves and woman dug into the feast laid out before them, paying little mind to the others as their hands greedily dug into the food, a cheer escaping all of them at Bombur catching a thrown egg in his mouth. Athena at least made sure that her food had been swallowed before she opened her mouth to laugh unlike Kili, who was seated beside her. Even Gandalf joined in on the merriment that took place around the table.

She took the ale that was offered from Fili, helping move the food out of the way of his feet as he stomped across the table with little care. The only time that silence took place among them was when they all placed their mugs to their lips, downing the drinks they had been handed without taking a breath of air. The burping that ensued afterwards caused a laugh to escape her throat while she used the sleeve of her tunic to wipe away the remnants of ale that clung to her chin and cheeks.

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"A doily?" Athena asked in bewilderment to Nori as Bilbo snatched the cloth out of his hands, the two continued their way until they reached the sausages, it was only when Bofur and Nori began to play tug-a-war with them did she step back and internally admit that she wouldn't be able to have a share of them. She knew better than to get between a Dwarf and meat. Instead she opted on walking past Gandalf and Bilbo, who were engaged in conversation, and approached Fili.

"This was merrier than I had expected," Fili broke the comfortable silence that had encompassed them.

"That's because the real reason we're here has not yet been divulged," she responded, a sadness briefly overcoming them as silence was again ensued.

It was broken by Fili once more as he watched Ori approach Bilbo with a dirty plate and mug, "it seems only fair that we help clean up the mess we made," the comment was directed at Athena before he made his way to Ori and offered his assistance. She could already imagine the panicked state Bilbo would be in in only a moment's time.

He threw the plate to Kili who caught it expertly before throwing it into the kitchen with barely even a glance towards who he was throwing it to. One of the plates from the dining room was flung towards Athena and she reacted quickly by catching it in her hands and flinging it towards Fili, who in turn threw it to Kili and the chain continued like that with each plate and bowl that was thrown their way.

"Excuse me! That's my mother's Westfarthing pottery, it's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo exclaimed as he watched the scene unfolding with horror in his eyes. Unlike the Dwarves she didn't attempt to show off with the cutlery out of fear that she would actually break one of the pieces, amusement crossing her features while she watched Gandalf avoid the flying saucers. "And... and, can you not do that, you'll blunt them!"

"Ooh, d'you hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives!" Bofur responded as the Dwarves that remained at the table continued to fill the rooms with the sound of metal banging against the wood, a tune forming from their in sync movements as their feet stomped against the floor beneath them.

"Blunt the knives and bend the forks," Kili sang, gesturing for Fili to continue throwing the plates towards him.

"Smash the bottles and burn the corks," Fili continued the song that Kili had started, his lyrics bouncing off his brother's former ones.

"Chip the glasses and crack the plates," Athena added on, bending down slightly in order to catch the bowl that was thrown her way before she sent it towards Fili, the rest of the Dwarves joining in on the merry tune as the dishes continued on their perilous journey to the kitchen.

"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" They all yelled as the banging briefly stopped before it continued as well as the lyrics, but instead the Dwarves were using various other items that they gathered in their hands as they all came together to help the trio in delivering the dishes.

"Cut the cloth and tread on the fat. Leave the bones on the bedroom mat, pour the milk on the pantry floor, splash the wine on every door!" They all ignored and avoided Bilbo as he weaved his way through the controlled chaos, a gobsmacked expression on his face as he feared for all of his belongings that were being thrown and kicked through the air. "Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl, pound them up with a thumping pole. When you've finished, if any are whole, send them down the hall to roll! That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"

The song ended with the Dwarves laughter, Bilbo rushing into the kitchen only to see his dishes neatly piled up on the table, not a scratch on them as the people around him laughed at the fun they had been having, Athena laughing at Bilbo's surprised expression. Despite their hardy appearance, they were not ones to needlessly break another's possessions.

The laughter came to an abrupt halt when a knock resounded throughout the house, causing everybody's eyes to shift to the door that the sound came from, a tense atmosphere becoming apparent amongst them.

"He is here," Gandalf announced quietly, the silence allowing everybody to hear his words though they did not need them to already know who stood on the other side of the wooden panels.