The Wizard and The Prince

04

Bofur leaned back in his seat and spoke "That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather. Teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals-" "Yes, i know what a dragon is" Bilbo finally cut off Bofur from continuing, fidgeting with his hand's in nervousness. 

Ori lifted himself from his seat and leaned forward "I'm not afraid. I'm up to it. I'll give him a taste of Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!"

Everyone cheered at his words, as Dori pulled him down, telling him to sit down.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us..." Balin started "...but we number just 13. And not 13 of the best...nor brightest"

Just as he finished everyone went into a slight debate, before Fili loudly slapped his hand onto the table "We may be few in number...but we're fighters, all of us, to the last Dwarf"

Kili lightly smiled at his brother's words "And you forget, we have two Wizards in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundred dragons in his time"

Veryan lightly snickered, knowing that Kili's word's were very incorrect, as his mentor tried to get out of the situation "Oh, well, no. I wouldn't say..."

"How many then?" Dori asked, leaning his elbows on the table.

"What?" Gandalf asked back, a bit confused.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Dori re-asked his question to Gandalf.

Thorin glanced at him knowingly, as Gandalf coughed out the smoke still in his mouth. Veryan crossed his arms and leaned back, witnessing as all of the Dwarves went into a loud discussion, that is, before Thorin let out a shout and abruptly stood up, making the Dwarves fall back into their seats, silent.

He looked at each and every one of the Dwarves, before he spoke "If we have read these signs, do you not think the other's will have read them too? Rumors have began to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor!?"

Everyone cheered as his little speech ended, Thorin taking his seat back down. Well, at least most of them cheered:

"You forgot, the Front Gate is sealed" Balin spoke, taking in a quick whiff of smoke from his pipe "There is no way to the mountain" 

Gandalf perked up "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true" he extended his hand, and flipped the key he had in between his fingers.

Thorin's jaw slightly dropped "How come you by this?"

Gandalf looked at him, and lightly smiled "It was given to me by your father. By Thrain. For safekeeping. It is yours now" the Wizard finished, and stuck out the key to Thorin, who slowly but surely took it from the other's hand. 

Thorin clutched the key in his hand "If there is a key..." "...There must be a door" Fili finished Thorin's thought.

Gandalf lightly nodded, and pointed at the red written sentence on the map "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls"

Kili smiled "There's another way in"

Gandalf glanced at him "Well, if we can find it, but Dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map...and neither Veryan nor I have the skill's to find it"

Veryan nodded at the Wizard's words "But there are others in Middle-Earth who can"

Gandalf continued after the boy "The task i have in mind will require a great deal of stealth...and no small amount of courage" he slightly took a glance at Bilbo before continuing "But if we are careful and clever, I believe that it could be done"