Gollum, who was racing across the wilderness under the scorching sun, had no idea that he had narrowly escaped a disaster without even realizing it.
Compared to him, Gandalf, riding swiftly on horseback, was clearly more concerned with what was happening over at the Lonely Mountain and Dale.
"They really can't sit still for even a moment, can they?"
Garrett personally leading troops to subdue somewhere, that was a rare occurrence.
If a wizard wasn't curious about that, then were they even a wizard?
He couldn't help it. He had to go see what was going on.
Early in the morning, inside the city of Dale, Gandalf tied his horse to the post outside an inn, habitually fed it a handful of oats, patted its head gently, and began making his way to the hall at the highest point of the city.
"It's Gandalf!"
From quite a distance away, the sharp-eyed Fíli spotted the gray-clad old man climbing the steps.
As if hearing the exclamation, Gandalf waved upward.
Fíli waved back enthusiastically.
Gandalf strolled up leisurely and smiled as he asked, "Been well lately?"
"Couldn't be better. By my beard, Gandalf, you have no idea what you missed, a battle that could be called perfect, and a lively feast!"
"Well, that's truly a shame. I've been traveling around lately, seeking what fortune may come."
"Seeking fortune?"
"Yes, seeking fortune."
Gandalf chuckled. "Countless chances are happening in this world every moment. Who knows, perhaps one day I'll just stumble upon one. Don't you think that's fascinating?"
Fíli listened seriously but ended up a bit confused. He shook his head and said, "Then you must also be missing out on many chances. Anyway, enough with all that roundabout talk. Garrett and Bard are inside, and Thorin will be joining soon. Tonight we're having one last celebratory dinner, Garrett's cooking personally. You'd better not miss this opportunity."
Gandalf raised an eyebrow and replied, "That sounds wonderful. But I must say, Fíli, I don't quite agree with what you said earlier. What matters isn't chance or certainty, but the process of being involved and exploring."
"Like eating, you're certainly not just doing it to fill your stomach, right?"
This time, Fíli understood.
"Of course! It's rare to catch Garrett in the kitchen."
"With cooking skills like his, and yet he still enjoys eating trail rations, it's beyond me. If it were Bombur, he'd bury himself in the kitchen and never come out."
"Who knows," Gandalf replied casually, walking into the main hall alongside Fíli.
Soon, he saw two people seated at a conference table.
Garrett and Bard, they seemed to be discussing something.
"I agree with this."
Garrett spoke, "Since the roads are already built and there's no threat nearby, why not build more houses and expand the city outward?"
"Then let's proceed with that."
With that, the short meeting concluded just as Gandalf and Fíli arrived.
Gandalf smiled and was about to greet them, but when he met Garrett's meaningful gaze, almost as if he'd suddenly remembered something, he immediately closed his mouth.
Garrett didn't say anything either.
For a moment, the room fell silent.
"Ahem."
"On such a bright and sunny morning, is no one going to say anything to an old man who's come all this way? Like a greeting, perhaps?"
Such a petty old man.
Garrett smiled and said, "Yes, the weather is indeed fine. Have you eaten?"
Using "Have you eaten?" as a greeting really caught Gandalf off guard.
He suspected Garrett might have picked it up from the Hobbits. He had no choice but to swallow the words he had originally prepared.
"I have eaten."
"Then remember not to eat too much at lunch, we've got a little banquet tonight."
"Of course not. I'm not the type who cannot control his appetite."
"I heard you launched an expedition against Goblin-town."
Still holding a bit of a grudge over the failed "Good morning" comeback, Gandalf went straight to the point: "As a lord, you really don't seem to get any breather."
"It's only been a year since we last parted, and that Goblin-town has already been wiped out. I imagine the people still living in that region, especially Beorn's folk, will be quite grateful to you."
"They were in my way, that's all."
Garrett shrugged.
And he wasn't wrong, the goblins had been blocking the road in a very literal sense.
After some brief catching up, he asked, "Any news lately?"
A wizard never pays a visit without a reason. Unless he really is here for sightseeing.
"Nothing major."
After saying that, Gandalf thought for a moment, then added, "Although, if you insist, I do have something worth mentioning."
"On the way here, I saw a strange creature. It came out of the Misty Mountains. It crawled on all fours, like some degenerated goblin."
"Perhaps it was just a runaway goblin?" Bard offered his opinion.
"No. It may be small and similarly built, but it certainly isn't a goblin. I can tell the difference."
Gandalf shook his head.
"Could be Gollum," Garrett immediately thought of that creature.
"Gollum?"
Gandalf furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
After a moment, he suddenly said, "Oh, oh yes! I do vaguely recall that name. A strange and wretched creature. He used to cause trouble everywhere until people drove him out of their settlements."
"He carries many secrets, and he seems to have lived far too long..."
Shaking his head, Gandalf continued, "Perhaps it's a curse. Or dark magic. Either way, it's nothing good."
"Still, a pitiable creature in some ways."
"Perhaps," Garrett didn't dwell on the topic.
Gandalf also chose to move on. "Not long ago, I paid a visit to Gondor."
"Things in Gondor are actually going quite well lately. The pressure from Mordor has suddenly eased. They've even managed to reclaim some territories, and one of their companies got all the way to the gates of Minas Morgul."
"But they didn't go inside."
Gandalf added with intent, "The land around Minas Morgul is shrouded in a deadly poisonous mist and curses. For mortals, even breathing there is torment. Even covering your mouth and nose won't save you, just staying on that land for too long will bring on a serious illness."
"That place is filled with despair. Even ten thousand well-armed soldiers would be marching to their deaths."
"Don't worry. I wouldn't send my people to attack that place."
At most, I'll go take a look myself.
"But you mentioned Gondor is facing less pressure now?" Garrett picked up the earlier thread.
"Yes. The Haradrim in the south suddenly stopped their offensives, and a large part of Mordor's army pulled back. I suspect something's gone wrong on their end."
"Something has gone wrong."
"You know?"
"I do."
Garrett nodded and said, "The Easterlings and Mordor formed a joint army to strike against Khand and the rebels who had sided with them. The Haradrim also joined the campaign, and even deployed their mûmakil."
Gandalf's expression turned to understanding, then he narrowed his eyes at Garrett.
"How do you know that?"
"I just got back from there."