Wishes of the Heart – chapter 2

Kira looked at the crazy gathering of men. They were all on the smaller side and very rustic looking. They were busy running around grabbing food and drinking what she assumed was beer of some sort. "Excuse me," she said as she saw the one who looked like Santa Claus. "What is going on?"

Balin smiled at the lass. "We are having dinner then a meeting young lady." She seemed like a nice girl but she dressed rather strangely. He could only imagine what Thorin would think of her.

"Kira!

Kira heard her name called and she turned just in time to be hit upside the head with a loaf of bread. "HEY!" she cried out as she held the offending loaf in her hands. She looked at Kili and Fili and they both grinned at her in apology.

"Sorry, we were aiming for Bombur," Fili said with a chuckle.

Kira had no idea who or what a Bombur was but she took the loaf of bread over to the table and set it down. She glanced at Kili again. He was tossing grapes into his brother's open mouth. Surely he could not be the man she had wished for? Yes, he was hott, definitely hott, but he was a tad immature in her opinion.

"Don't mind the lads," Bofur said as he stood next to her. "They are young and they love to play."

Kira looked at the small man with the funny hat. She noticed his eyes first. They were very kind eyes.

"My name is Bofur," he said with a nod of his head. "Are you going to be joining our quest?"

"Umm, I am not sure. I don't know what is going on. I have to talk to the tall guy again," Kira said. She had not seen him since he first arrived. He had been following the hobbit around trying to calm him down.

"You mean Gandalf," Bofur said. "Yeah he is a great wizard and he is very knowledgeable in many things."

"Wizard?"

"Yeah, wizard. He is Gandalf the Grey," Bofur continued. "If you have questions he would be the one with the answers."

"Thank you," Kira said. "I will try to corner him and talk to him if I can.

"If I can ever be of service to you my lady, just call out my name." Kira smiled at Bofur. He was a very warm soul she thought. He didn't seem to be as rough and gruff as some of the others.

Bofur reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden figure. "Here, this might keep a smile on your pretty face lass."

Kira took the toy and indeed it made her smile. The craftsmanship was amazing. It was all hand carved and the details were splendid. "Did you make this?"

"Yes lass," Bofur said proudly. "I am a toy maker by trade."

She couldn't help but chuckle to herself as she glanced at Balin who looked like Santa and then at Bofur who was a toymaker. It just all seemed so surreal. Bofur excused himself and went in search of more ale.

Kira saw Gandalf come into the dining room and was about to talk to him when a loud knock sounded on the door.

The room became quiet and Gandalf announced, "He is here."

When the door opened, Kira saw another man walk into the home. Right away she could tell that he was someone important. He seemed very masculine and she admitted to herself he was pretty handsome as well. He looked older than the two brothers and a lot more mature.

She listened as Gandalf introduced him as Thorin Oakenshield.

Bilbo did not seem happy about yet another person in his home which by now had become pretty crowded.

Gandalf ushered them all into the dining room again. "Now that everyone is here," he began and waited for the room to become silent. Once it did, he continued on. "I have something for you Thorin."

Thorin did not seem to hear the wizard. His eyes had focused on the young woman sitting quietly in the corner of the room. He had not seen her when he first sat down. "Who is this?" he said his voice hard and demanding.

Gandalf followed Thorin's gaze to Kira. "This Thorin, is young Kira. I have brought her here simply because she wished for it."

Kira still did not understand the wizard. "I did not wish to come here," she spoke up. "You keep saying that but I did not want to be dropped into this place surrounded by all of these men."

"Dwarves," Thorin corrected her. "We are dwarves not men."

Kira looked dumbfounded at the 13 dwarves who were staring back at her. "Dwarves? Like in Snow White?"

Kili gave her a puzzled look. "We do not know this Snow White but we are indeed dwarves my lady."

Gandalf cleared his throat to interrupt them. "Now if I may continue," he said as he pulled out a key and presented it to Thorin.

The dwarf seemed very surprised at the gift but Kira was not really listening to what was being said. She wanted to know more about dwarves and why she was here.

"I know what a dragon is," she heard Bilbo say crossly and it brought her out of her own thoughts just in time to see him faint.

"Is he ok?" she asked as she went over to the hobbit.

"He will be fine," Gandalf assured her. "Now young Kira, I know you have some questions for me."

"Yes," she said. "I do have questions. You said I wished to brought here but I do not recall making that wish."

Gandalf pulled her aside so the others would not hear him. "You wished for your hearts desire. You wished with all of yourself body and soul. Wishes are magical young Kira. When they are meant; they are granted. Sometimes."

"I still do not understand," she said. "I wished for someone special in my life. Not thirteen dwarves, a hobbit, and a wizard."

Gandalf smiled and shook his head. "Trust in your heart," he said "It knows what it is doing." With that said he turned and walked away.

Some of the dwarves were sitting by the fire and smoking pipes. Kira went over to Kili and was going to ask him some questions but he motioned for her to be silent. Then she heard Thorin begin to sing….

His voice was very melodic and she found herself lost in the words. When he was finished, Kili pulled Kira aside and asked her if she had listened. "He tells the story of our homeland in his song."

"Is this about the dragon?" she asked. She had not paid complete attention earlier when they had all been talking but she remembered them talking about a dragon taking over their mountain home.

"Yes," Kili said. "We are going to take it back. Gandalf said you were coming with us."

"What?" Kira said with a look of shock on her face. Dragons? Fighting for a mountain home. This is definitely NOT what she had wished for. Somehow the crazy old wizard had gotten her wish mixed up with someone else's. "Is this why everyone has all of these weapons?"

Kili nodded. "One must be armed to survive in this world. It is full of evil things that only wish to harm."

"How can you expect me to go and fight a dragon?" Kira asked with fear in her voice. "I can't even kill a spider or swat a fly."

Kili couldn't keep a straight face at her words. She was clearly panicking. "I do not think you will be expected to fight the dragon. We dwarves will take care of that."

"I need some air," Kira said as she went to the door and opened it. She raced outside into the cool night air. It was very dark but her mind was too consumed with all of the information she had learned to be spooked by it.

She walked trying to make sense of everything in her mind when she felt someone grab her hand. With a shriek she jumped and was about to scream when she saw it was only Kili.

"Sorry to frighten you," he said "I just wanted to make sure that you were safe out here."

"I don't know if I am safe or if I am anything anymore. My entire world has just been erased and left me here in this crazy fantasy world and well, I am afraid." She cried.

Kili felt the pain in her words. "I do not know why you are here," he said "but I will try to make it a pleasant stay for you."

She felt the fluttering in her stomach again. He was so caring and she leaned her head against his chest. She felt his arms pull her close and wrap around her. Perhaps he was the one…. She thought as she closed her eyes and allowed all of her stress and panic wash away.