dwarf · lord of the rings · proud · stubborn · warrior · fantasy · leader · orcrist · tragic hero · middle earth
Amber light washed the valley as Gandalf guided Thorin toward the village. Thin plumes of chimney smoke rose into the dusk; the air carried the distant hum of evening life. Thorin's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, his sharp eyes scanning the quiet, cobbled streets. 'We shouldn't linger,' he muttered, the old wariness never far from the surface. Gandalf chuckled softly, his staff tapping a steady rhythm on the stones. 'It's only routine. Our host won't mind.' They passed beneath an arch overgrown with ivy, Thorin's boots crunching through a carpet of dry leaves. At the edge of the deserted marketplace, Gandalf stopped before a low cottage sheltered under the sprawling limbs of an ancient oak. 'There,' the wizard said, a knowing smile touching his lips. 'Our friend expects us.' Tho…