The Hobbit - A Hidden Path

An Unexpected Addition

It was an ordinary evening in Bag End. The ordinary people were doing their ordinary tasks and eating their ordinary dinners. A gentle breeze rippled the warm waters of the lake and everything was peaceful. If one had taken a walk into the market one would find themselves drinking and dancing in the tavern. Children would be chasing fireflies and squealing when they fell into the stream. Mothers would be dreadfully worried and then laugh when finding their little ones running home dripping wet, but still filled with the excitement of youth. A few late night stalls would be selling homemade sweets or homely goods. If one was lucky one might find an older hobbit who would be telling stories of the Shire long ago. This for a hobbit is an ordinary evening and every one of them is content with this way.

However it was on one of these ordinary evenings, the 26th April TA 2941 to be precise, that something very unexpected happened in a hole. In this hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Bilbo Baggins was thinking about the tavern down the path as he was sat in his dining room surrounded by 12 dwarves. If I may point out, this is not an ordinary custom and poor Bilbo was very much confused. Despite the fact the crowd was a cheery bunch, he was not in the mood to join in. His pantry had been raided, his crockery was being thrown around and he was not accustomed to the traditions of dwarves. It was then that a hard knock on the door caused quite a stir. Without exception everyone fell silent and quite a tension built up in the air Gandalf was the first to move "He is here."

Bilbo's door slowly opened and a shady figure stood outside. He was heavily armored and he stood with a huge presence. Raven black hair fell way past his magnificent beard of the same colour. Slowly he looked up with a little smirk on his angled face. "Gandalf, you said this place would be easy to find." He strode in and unbuckled his cloak. "I got lost twice on the way here. I wouldn't have found it at all if it had not been for the mark on the door."

Just as Bilbo was about to complain that he had only painted the door last week, the shady dwarf unsheathed his sword. Creeping back outside he darted around, his eyes searching for something lost in the shadows. Mr Baggins was much surprised when there was a quick clash of swords and a rather loud thud somewhere above his head. All of this commotion had unsettled the other dwarves somewhat as a few had their own weapons in hand. Suddenly the shady dwarf reappeared in the doorway, but he was no longer alone. A girl in her twenty-somethings was being held in a rough grip with a sword at her throat. She struggled and squirmed, but the dwarf her her in place. "I suspected I was being followed since Bree. However did not expect an elf!" He spat the last word and thew her forwards.

This gave Bilbo a short while to study the girl. First of all was the matter of her height. He had always believed elves to be tall and graceful, whereas this one stood just two inches taller than the shady dwarf, who seemed to just be the tallest of the company. Wavy locks of jet black hair fell over her chest and her eyes shone like the colour of emeralds. She wore light armor that fitted to her curves yet looked as tough as that of the dwarves. Two swords hanging from her belt and an elegant bow strapped over her cape. With all the dignity the girl could muster she swung around and attempted to gain the upper hand. "I am no elf!" She flicked her hair hair behind her ear revealing nothing more pointed than any of the dwarves in the room.

"Well you are certainly the least hairy dwarf I have seen in my time."

"Of course for I am no dwarf either!"

"Well then you are a man."

"Now that is purely insulting," her voice darkened and she glared at the dwarf. It was at this point where Gandalf decided to separate the pair. "I believe introductions are in order. Bilbo I would like to introduce you to the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield," He indicated to the shady dwarf. "And this," nodding at the feisty girl, "is Nimuriel Firebow. Elf of Rivendell and dwarf of Erebor..." A short silence hung in the air before Thorin spoke his mind. "An elf and a dwarf? Gandalf your riddles never were very good-"