04

When Orion heard the small green door crack open, he moved his body closer. There, he saw Gandalf walking around the ring with a frown on his face, both wizards looking at the ring strangely. The old wizard decided to move the ring and slowly bend down reaching for it, to which, it was a bad idea to Orion.

"Gandalf, i don't think you should touch it"

The old wizard didn't listen and he almost took the ring, but at the last second his hand snapped back.

"Gandalf?" Orion asked in concern, he can feel the dark energy coming from the object. The ring gives a dreadful feeling, and he doesn't like it one bit.

Gandalf didn't listen, he moved his body towards the fireplace leaving the ring where it was, on the cold floor. Orion was beside him, seeing him taking a seat close to the fire he moved his but to sit on the table where papers are scattered. If he rips or smudges something he will tell it was Bilbo's fault for leaving it like that.

Silence filled the room. Outside, some hobbit's were singing, or trying to sing, but their slurred words didn't form actual words. Meaning, that had just come from the party drunk. That brought him a smile, remembering the fun that they had a few minutes ago, but now was gone when he heard Gandalf chant the same sentence Bilbo did.

"My precious…. Precious"

"Gandalf?"

"Precious… my precious"

Orion signed and shocked his head looking back, he saw Gandalf having his pipe, Orion always questioned himself: where does his old friend take his pipe out from? Magic?

"My precious"

"Gand-CRACK"

"Bilbo!" The door swung open and Orion's head snapped in the direction of breathless Frodo. Frodo looked around, but something of gold caught his eyes. Glancing down, he was met with a ring, picking it up he moved towards the two wizards, "He's gone, hasn't he?".

Gandalf said nothing and the black wizard only shook his head to the question, letting Frodo move closer to them. Orion's eyes widened when he saw what his young hobbit had in his hand.

"He talked for so long about it… i didn't think he will really do it"

"Gandalf?" Frodo watched his wizard's odd behavior, he peered back at Orion sitting on a pile of papers. The black wizard only smiled at him and waved too which, Frodo did also but in a more cranky manner.

"Huh?"

Gandalf moved his stiff body to look at the young hobbit until his eyes met the ring on his palm, his eyes widened. Glancing up and down from the object to the fine hobbit he snapped back to reality.

"Bilbo's ring" he smiled "He's gone to stay with the elf"

He took an envelope and reached out for Frodo to put the ring inside.

"He left you begat"

The young hobbit put the ring inside and Gandalf sealed it and gave it back to him.

"The ring is yours… keep it somewhere out of sight" he mumbled the last sentence.

Just like that, the old wizard moved very quickly, taking his hat and placing it on his head, his staff that was placed on the wall. Orion quickly moved as well, he tried to tell the old wizard something but was constantly interrupted.

"Where are you going?"

"There are some things i must see to"

"What things?"

"Questions… questions that need answering!"

"Huh? But you only just arrived… I don't understand?"

Gandalf halted before the front door letting the moon light in, he quickly placed his hand on the young hobbit's shoulder and confess "Nighter do i… keep it a secret and keep it safe"

The old wizard closed the door behind him leaving irritated Orion. Orion snapped, stopped taping his foot on the wooden floor, he harshly opened the circle window and shouted.

"Hey! Why can't you ask me! Maybe I have some answers!" but his friend didn't hear him, seeing him riding the galloping horse consumed by the shadow of the forest he gave up.

"So you're staying Orion?" Frodo called out for him, fidgeting his legs. Orion only signed and replayed.

"Yes it seems so"

Frodo beamed at the statement, he quickly placed the envelope somewhere no one would find it before bringing his friend a strong drink. Orion smile went from one ear to another, he plopped himself on the small couch and took his drink.

"Is everything alright?... Gandalf looked out of it" the young hobbit's voice was small, clearly confused by what just happened. Orion poured himself another drink and brought it up over his head, shoving his cheeky grin.

"Ah, don't worry about it! It's just Gandalf, and besides, he said he needs answer so he will get them when he returns"

"Will it be soon?"

"Who knows… who knows. But who cares! That old geezer left me!"

Frodo laughed at his friends' dramatic acts. Orion may be annoying, not following rules and his voice can make you want to plug your ears out, but he is also a good friend. The hobbit only smiled and laughed at the bad jokes, it wasn't a bad day after all.