Emerge the Dragonborn | The Hobbit

Chapter 2 - A Choice

The evening came quickly. Anaynah spent the remainder of the day doing simple chores, mainly caring for her stallion.

She swept the floors, dusted the furniture, and washed the dishes. She thought it the least she could do since Jahan had been taking on more responsibilities with the Rangers.
After she finished her chores, she went outside to tend to Haldor. She brushed its coat, fed him some hay, and gave it a fresh bucket of water.

She breathed in the fresh air and listened to the sounds of the forest. As the sun began to set, Anaynah made her way back to her cottage. She then sat on the porch of her house and watched as the sun sank below the trees. The sky turned from orange to pink, purple, and red. The forest grew quiet as the animals settled in for the night. Still gazing out to the skyline, she observed the colours of the sky. The fiery clouds. Fire. A grim look replaced the one of tranquillity. It brought up a memory. She shut her eyes trying to block out the memory, but it only made it that much more real. The flames, the ash rising from the ground.

Snap!

Anaynah stood up upon hearing the sound and was pulled right out of her thoughts. With a shaky breath, she walked down the steps of her porch. Another snap sounded. She wasn't expecting Jahan back so early, it would not have been him. Her hand sat upon her dagger as she made her way down to the forest path. It could be an animal, but that would mean it was a big animal for no squirrel could make a sound so loud.

As it was not fully dark and the sun only had just begun to disappear behind the trees, Anaynah was able to catch a glimpse of a silhouette through the trees of the forest path. A tall figure, a man for sure. He continued to come closer, leaves crunching with every step.

"Who goes there?" Anaynah called out. Though her mind told her to be alert, a strange sensation of calm surrounded her like an invisible aura. She knew this man was not here to harm her.

"Now, is that the best greeting I am going to get?" A deep voice spoke, with a warmth in it that could only belong to one. As he stepped into the clearing, his grey pointed hat came into view, cloaked with matching robes and his long wooden staff gripped in his hand. Anaynah couldn't help but grin widely as the familiar face returned it.

"Gandalf!"

Anaynah ran up and tossed her arms around the Wizard's neck, causing him to take a step back to support himself from falling eight over. A hearty laugh sounded from him as he too wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, Gandalf it has been so long!" She pulled away still beaming from ear to ear.

"Indeed it has, dear Anaynah. My, have you grown into a beautiful young woman!" Gandalf smiled sweetly, his heart warm with looking upon her once more.

"Oh, how rude of me! Would you like to come inside, Gandalf? I was just about to prepare some dinner!" She asked as she gestured to her home, eager to catch up on the long years she had missed the Wizard.

"My dear, I would be delighted!"

______

     In the warmth of her cabin, Anaynah had kindled a fire that illuminated the dining room, casting a gentle glow on their supper. Two bowls of soup sat before them, steadily diminishing as they conversed and indulged.

Anaynah shared tales of her experiences in Ithilien and her journeys, while Gandalf recounted his legendary adventures across Middle Earth. The mutual exchange of stories painted a vivid picture of their shared world, filled with wonder and magic.

"You ventured to the Blue Mountains, did you not, Anaynah?" Gandalf inquired, recalling their previous conversations about her interactions with the Dwarvish civilization. Anaynah reached for a bottle of red wine, pouring a generous amount into Gandalf's glass as he nodded in appreciation.