Totally Normal (A Hobbit story)

Unless Life Also Gives You Sugar And Water, Your Lemonade Is Going To Suck

I shook my head, deciding not to be the stalking creep the whole way.

"Gandalf, no offense, but half the time I don't even believe you know what you're doing." I said.

Both men turned around in surprise at my sudden appearance.

"Ah, Pyria, I had hoped you would join us." Elrond greeted me with a smile.

I think he was just happy for an advocate on his side.

As I kept walking with them, their hushery conversation kept going.

"And yes, like Pyria says, you don't always know what you are walking into. That dragon has slept for sixty years. What will happen if your plan should fail... If you wake the beast?" Elrond asked.

"But what if we succeed?" Gandalf replied. "If the dwarves take back the mountain, our defense in the East will be strengthened." He pointed out.

Is that really what this is all about? I don't believe it for a second.

"It is a dangerous move, Gandalf." Elrond stated.

"It is also dangerous if we do nothing." Gandalf insisted. "Oh come now. Oh come, the throne of Erebor is Thorin's birthright. What is it you fear?"

"Have you forgotten?" Elrond asked, "A strain of madness runs deep in that family. His grandfather lost his mind. His father succumbed to the same sickness. Can you swear Thorin Oakenshield will not also fall?"

I looked up to the second floor, and like I suspected, Thorin and Bilbo were following and silently listening to every word.

"Gandalf, these decisions do not rest with us alone. It is not up to you or me to redraw the map of Middle-Earth." Elrond said. He was scared, that much was obvious. But I think it went deeper than just one dragon and one dwarf crown.

Having been around the world, it seemed so silly, them bickering about a tiny rock on a slightly bigger rock in the whole world.

"You say that until the rest of the world will come crashing in to do just that." I said. "The people of the world in other lands are not so passive aggressive. One day, the Skrælings and Örlendrs may find their way here to redraw the maps themselves." I knew they didn't understand the language of the Ostmen, but they understood my general message.

Elrond though, ignored my message entirely. "The rest of the world is not here. Going to war with the rest of the world is not our way." He pointed out. "We must deal with the problems of Middle Earth, not twist with outsiders." He arrogated.

Outsiders didn't come to Middle Earth, this was true. The location itself made it hard for foreign ships to reach as far out as we were, but he was wrong in ignoring the fact that one day, the rest of the world would advance enough to find us.

At this point, we had reached the end of the flat ground, as it winded up to a long set of spiraled stairs.

"With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain." Gandalf stated.

Okay, he had a solid point. First time for everything, I guess.

I pattered up the windy stairs behind them, looking completely down to make sure I didn't dip, slip or trip while I skip, and made sure I had a good grip on the handrail that I worship.

"They are determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe Thorin Oakenshield feels that he's answerable to anyone."

Just as the steps finished, I noticed we were walking into a sort of gazebo-like room. But being that I was behind the men, I could not see past either of them, which annoyed me.