The day Lobelia realizes she is like like others around her is the day her parents take her to the seer for her Mark to be read and for snippets of her future to be foretold. Upon arriving her father demands that the seer read her Mark and discover the name of the Hobbit that is the heartmate of his daughter. However the seer, with her snarled hands and sharp eyes, merely ignores the fat and pompous hobbit to stare at the young girl sitting in from of her. With her sharp green eyes and auburn locks the girl in from of her is the picture of innocence and what a good little hobbit lass should be. But the seer, for all her hundred and fifty years, sees what others do not.
She sees the steel in her spine and the ice in her eyes. Yes, this little lasso is not what one would expect for the daughter of Silas Underhill. This girl would not break in the wind of the upcoming storms in her life. She will be bent yes but she will not break. And that is good. She will need to be strong for what is coming. She then asks for the Mark to be presented to her.
For all the races of Middle Earth all Marks were different. The name of their One, Heartmate, Soulmate, Companion, whatever it was called by all races were located on different parts of the body. For Man it was mostly on the back of the neck. For Dwarves it was on the hand. For Hobbits it could vary but the wrists were the location for the most part. All marks were covered upon birth until the Hobbit boys and lasses reached the age of fifteen. They were then brought to the seer for the name to be revealed and their life foretold.
As the young lass raised her right hand the seers eyes sharpened as she saw the clothed wrapped around her hand. Yes, this was rather unique. The Mark on her hand was located on part of her wrist and half of her palm, right over the Heartlines; the lines on the palm that spoke of the heart and desires and life. As the cloth was unwrapped gasps were heard from her parents but the seer and the girl remained silent. And as Lia saw the script on her hand she realized that she was very different.
Unlike the faint and flowery script of her parents and the Marks of others she had seen this black as night, harsh and strong letters that she could not read. This was not the language of the Hobbits. This was something else. Something foreign and something that would tarnish the Underhill name.
As the sounds of the demand for answers from her father and the tears of distress from her mother eventually faded as the seer continued to ignore them and instead fixed her gaze upon Lia. This continued but Lia stared right back refusing to cower before this crone.
The seer then smiled and in her hand she held the bone dice and then let them fly upon the table in front of her. Upon landing the seer continued to look upon them and then after what seemed like an eternity she landed that harsh and unyielding gaze upon the young girl.
"Lobelia Underhill," She began her old voice carrying strong yet soft throughout her hovel, "The Mark upon your hand is something I am unable to read. The reason for this is simple. You Heartmate is not a Hobbit. However despite this I am able to read and tell you what the bones say. Will you hear it?"
"Yes seer. I will hear what the bones say." Repeating the traditional words Lia gave no hint of the uneasy feelings that were growing in her gut.
"Very well. You will not have and easy life. A hard road lies in front of you and you will have to travel long and hard, both in mind and body, before you find what you seek. What lies ahead is dark and weary and deadly but it if you are careful it will be nothing compared to what lies within." She paused then and sighed closing her eyes. " I cannot say more than that child. But remember this, follow your Heartlines and your gut. You are strong. You are smart. And you are have more resting on you than you will ever know. Be strong. If there is one thing you take from this; one lesson that you will use to guide you throughout your Road it is this. Have steel in your spine, iron in your eyes, and mithril in your soul. It will serve you well in what is to come."
And what that the seer waved her hand and the Underhill family was forced to depart. The foretelling was done and nothing more could be demanded as the bone dice were swept away and the future locked away once more. And as she father pulled her away by the hand and he muttered about the fall of the Underhill line Lia allowed herself to be led as she silently forged the words into her heart, mind, and soul.
As the years passed Lobelia Underhill was thought of to look like a slightly strange Hobbit lass. While others her age were pleasantly plump and merry Lobelia was thin of face, had a particularly pointed set of years, a riot of curls that seemed much even for a Hobbit, a pale face full of freckles, and green eyes that were as bright as the grass that covered the Shire. She was taller than other lasses and light of foot. She had hardly any hair on her feet and looked rather delicate overall. While she had curves she never did fill out like other lasses and instead was called skinny.
But despite this Lobelia was often the talk of the town and of the Shire parties. This young lass never once mentioned the name of her Heartmate and always fashioned all of the dresses and shirts that she worse to have an slit that she could use to insert her middle finger in and then wrap her palm and wrist with thick lace. At parties that Underhill youth was frosty and always held herself aloof from others. She was polite but was gifted with a sharp tongue that cut down anyone that got in her way. She eyes were as cold as ice. Aloof, headstrong, and proud were words used to describe her.
She was always walking straight as possible with head held high as she devoured as many books as she could and often took to walking around Hobbiton late at night with nothing to light the way. She dressed impeccable and had manners that would make any parent happy. But it was well known Lobelia Underhill was the bane of her proud father's existence. There was not Heartmate in sight and the whispers only continued to grow as she reached her twentieth year. But then one day something happened that would change her life forever.
Otho Sackville-Baggins came knocking on the door of her father one day and a proposal was laid out. Otho was an older Hobbit whose Heartmate has passed one year prior of the sweating sickness. It was simple; he wanted a wife to keep his family off of his back and someone from a worthy bloodline to produce heirs. While he haggled out the details with her father Lia simply sat staring at this round and arrogant Hobbit.
He had obviously heard the rumors and the whispers about her. Abruptly Lia demanded to speak to him alone and forced her father and meek mother out of the room. Never giving him a chance to speak Lia laid out the terms of the contract and their partnership. She would give him children and run his house but he would never seek to control her or make her into a sniveling Hobbit lass. And if he ever went into the bed of another she would geld him. In public they would be a loving couple but in private each would live their own lives. Simply put this was to be a marriage in name only.
The Hobbit in front of her smiled and said his heart died when his Petunia passed. He had nothing left to give but his name and maybe one day friendship. Lia held out her hand and demanded they shake on it. The hobbit stared at it in shock, laughed softly, and then said, "Lobelia Underhill you are something else."
Courting began and soon after the traditional six months they were married and the marriage consummated. And as she moved into the home of this quiet and proud man Lia gained something for the first time in her life; a friend.
While Otho simply had nothing left to give but friendship Lia simply chose to give nothing. Her foretelling had simply told her one thing; she would forever be alone in life. The seer had told her to be strong so that was what Lia had spent her life doing. She let nothing in and nothing out.
She read as much as she could about healing and farming and watched everything and everyone around her. Knowledge was power. The more she knew the more she could prepare for what was to come. She spent all of her time and energy crafting herself into someone that could weather any storm, brave any disaster or event that was to come. She would never bend nor break. She built impenetrable walls and vowed to never let anyone change her or shatter the calm she portrayed. She made herself cold and ignored anything that would jeopardize her plans. One day her father would pass and she, as his only child and heir, would inherit Under the Hill. And then she would have power and security. She would not require the protection of a man.
Despite her cold and aloof manner Otho would often eat with her at meals and inquire her thoughts on certain manner like finances and other such things women were never to touch. He would let her take her nightly walks and never demand anything of her. He listened when she spoke and smiled at her. He asked nothing of her aside from their agreement and despite their efforts when it became apparent there would be no child he simply smiled and told her that they would keep trying.
This was the thing that softened him to her. She had failed in the most womanly thing possible and yet this man still held her in public and smiled in private. He never raised his voice or berated her life her father did her mother. So Lobelia did what she never did and began to let him in a little. And like all things she considered hers Lia became fiercely protective and possessive.
Her home became immaculate and her manner abrasive to anyone who said a word about her husband or his family name. She could not give him an heir but she could protect what he did have. And this was house Lobelia Underhill Sackville-Baggins came into conflict with Billanna Baggins.
Billanna Baggins with older than Lia by about a decade and had been infamous in her youth for her wanderings and wild streak. Upon the death of her mother these wanderings had stopped and she had isolated herself in Bag End with her father but upon his death she became even more of a solitary creature. And this was not Lia could not abide. Billa ignored every offered hand from Otho and every invitation that was extended. It offended her husband to no end. And that was when Lia labeled Billanna Baggins the enemy.
Every encounter after that Lia brought out her sharp tongue and most gritting sneer as she did everything to remind the older woman that she was nothing but a shame to their Baggins name. While Lia may not have been much better she at least had a husband and a good reputation. She held impeccable parties and was building a wealth of knowledge and allies to prepare for the day she and her husband would not only possess Under the Hill but possibly Bag End as well. With both of these homes in their possession Lia felt she and Otho would be set. But then like everything in her life Lia seemed to have the Powers That be laughing at her.
Her father and mother were killed in Bree by a flood and in their will left her childhood home, the place where he father would berate and belittle her while her mother would stand by and watch, the place where she would hold and triumph upon their deaths; was left to her sniveling cousin Cornelius and his whore of a wife Wisteria.
Then late one night Lia left to do her nightly stroll. At age forty Lia had began them the night after her foretelling. She was told to be strong and she had always feared the dark. So late one night she snuck out of her house and with only the light of the moon and the stars to guard her she proceeded out into the cold foggy night. She had only made it to the next house before she fled home. But every night after Lia would walk farther and farther until she no longer felt like the dark would swallow her whole and eat her alive. And it was upon these nightly jaunts that she discovered something that she held precious.
When Lia was barely twenty she had heard a slight whimpering deep in the woods and had come across a strange and downright ugly creature that reminded her of the wolves seen during the Fell Winter that had taken her uncle Svetlius. It was a foot tall covered with gray fur and had yellow eyes that stared at her helplessly. It was such an ugly thing and immediately Lia felt pity and sympathy enter her chest. She tried to squash it and continue on her way but to her shock and horror it began to follow her. And when its whimpers began to grow louder and more annoying Lia snapped.
Picking up the ugly runt Lia shook it and yelled, "Cease this at once you ugly mutt!"
Immediately it stared at her and then opened its mouth, cocked its head to stare at her, and then proceeded to attack her face with slobber and lord knows what else. That night Lia snuck into the basement of her house, opened the ice box, and gave the creature she named Lady, after the ugly lady slipped flower, as much raw meat as she could carry.
Months passed and the creature made its home in the wood that surrounded Under the Hill. And to Lia's shock Lady continued to grow until she stood five feet tall at the head and almost seven feet long. As Lady grew larger and more menacing Lia knew that this was not a wolf. According to the books she read she suspected this was a warg, an evil creature from Mordor of all places. But no matter, Lady was Lia's.
So as the years passed the warg would often wander away for months but she always came back to the woods of the Shire. And despite the sheer size of the creature Lady was never caught.
It was on one of the nights stroll that Lia returned home to find Otho asleep already. Yet as her husband sat slumped on the table the candles were still burning causing Lia to frown. It was not like her husband to do something so foolish. She moved forward to berate him until she noticed something that caused her to shake in horror. He was no longer breathing. It was her yells that awoke the neighbors and caused them to come running. It took three men to drag her from his body and none of them could calm the woman whose armor had broke.
One week later her husband was returned to the Earth and at the age of forty one Lobelia was a widow whose husband's heart had simply failed to keep beating. And for the first time in her life Lia felt the crushing weight of simply being alone. She returned home and proceeded to return home for the wake. She acted the part and smiled but inside she was numbed. Her only friend, the first person to truly care for her was gone.
And yet as his relatives began to clamor for control of the estate there was only one who left her alone. Her nemesis of all people Billanna Baggins came over one day and simply said she was sorry. It was awkward and quiet but as she read and Billa smoked her pipe Lia felt no so alone for the first time since Otho left her.
It began a routine that they followed every night. Lia would read and Billa would smoke. This continued until one night Billa did not come. Lia sat and waited until she was filled with anger and proceeded to lock her door and stew in her empty large bed. The next morning she went to give the little wench a piece of her mind until the Gamgee who cared for Billa's garden let her know that Billa had left mere hours earlier on an ADVENTURE after a pack of unruly dwarves. It apparently was the talk of the town. And Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, who always had an answer and reply and retort to anything, simply felt her jaw hang open.
As she got home Lia fumed and began preparing her tea slamming her cup down and her spoon angrily against its sides and she prepared her bitter tea. How dare that little hussy go and do something so stupid. How dare she belittle the Baggins name, the only thing Lia had left of Otho, and drag it even more into the mud than it already was? How dare she leave without consulting Lia first? How dare she make Lia wait for her last night? How dare she? HOW DARE SHE?
After about a week of righteous fury and indignation Lia finally made up her mind and formulated a plan. Since Billanna seemed to have lost all of her senses it would be up to Lia to correct the situation. She would simply half to retrieve the foolhardy Hobbit Lass and bring her home.
It was then Lia began to formulate a plan. That night on her stroll she left a large amount of raw meet for Lady praying she would come home. Then she returned home and began to pack. In a small bag she could carry on her bag made of the hardiest material she had made in case of an emergency Lia packed clothes and money and everything she could think of and had read would be useful. Armed with her steel point umbrella Otho had made for their first anniversary Lia set out the next morning on the road to Bree. About half way through Lady appeared in the trees beside her. With her warg at her side Lia went over her plan. Hire a Ranger to track the company of dwarves led by a man named Oakenshield according to the Gamgee in the letter Billa left behind. Find Billa. Kill the dwarves who dare endanger the Baggins name. Drag Billa home. Take over Bag end so this would never happen again.
Making a tense Lady wait in the forest surrounding the town Lia's first stop was a blacksmith to have the entire set of silver cutlery she had taken from Bag End melted down so she would have something to pay her guide with. Ha that would teach the little rat to mess with Lia! Then she proceeded to ask every unruly looking character where she might find a guide. After whacking only three with her umbrella she was given one common answer; Strider at the inn of the Prancing Pony.
Upon arriving she found the man, whacked him with the umbrella to get his attention, hired him, and dumped the sum of silver on the table. He looked at her with shock and then laughed. After a few minutes of this Lia whacked him with the leg once more and asked if they had an accord. The man looked at her as he smoked those dreaded pipes she hated so much and said in a soft voice, "Agreed."
Demanding to leave then and there Lia introduced him to Lady, which involved her warg jumping on her, a drawn sword, and looking implying she was crazy. Strider accepted the warg uneasily when it became apparent that Lady was as grumpy and ornery as his mistress but was tame enough. And so proceeded their company tracking the company of dwarves and one hobbit
Strider often wondered how he got himself into these situations. His present situation involving a hobbit cold and fierce enough he doubted even a pack of orcs could stand against her umbrella. The hobbit insisted in wearing dresses despite their hard journey and kept her right hand wrapped in lace at all time. With the warg that trailed after them just as fierce and growly as her mistress Strider knew he must have been insane at the moment this woman caught him off guard and whacked him with her umbrella. But something in the moment had whispered for him to take her offer and to help her. Something in his gut told him something much more was at stake here than the reputation of her husband's name.
As they travelled they often clashed and would yell. But slowly Lia began to respect the Man while the man himself began to grow fond of the prickly hobbit who knew much more than she let on and was able to even light a fire on her own soon enough. Once they reached the edges of Mirkwood and followed the elf road he assured Lia they would reach Laketown soon enough. After hearing the name Oakenshield Strider deduced easily enough the goal of the company. And it was then he knew that he had to try and stop them from awakening the dragon.
And as they reached the edge of the forest it was then yelling was heard and it was then that Lady began to growl and it was then that he drew his sword and gestured for the Hobbit to stay behind him. Only when he looked did he see she was nowhere to be seen. He then cursed himself as he saw the edge of her green cloak in the corner of his eye ahead of him. The large gray warg then proceed to run after her mistress with himself lagging behind.
Billa Baggins never thought the day would come when trying to bargain with the Bowman that their surly leader would offend the man to the point of weapons being drawn. She never thought that she would hear her name being screeched by a familiar voice that shocked her and sent shivers down her spine. She never thought she would see Lobelia come barreling out of the forest followed by a large gray warg. She never thought a man dressed as a Ranger with his sword raised would follow.
As Lobelia exited the forest the dwarves tried to draw her to them and the bowman released an arrow at the warg. It proceeded to jump between Billa and the group of dwarves tackling Thorin and holding him down on the ground with one large paw pressed on his windpipe its large mouth open. The dwarves dared not move for fear of angering it even farther. All were shocked when Lobelia snapped out, "Lady heel. " The warg obeyed and sat all the while keeping Thorin under its hold.
Lobelia came panting facing Billa. And then anger and promise of a screaming match held in those cold eyes which then turned around and glared at the dwarves. When the ranger approached with his sword drawn Billa opened her mouth ready to say something until Lobelia beat her to it and snapped, "Ranger we have found her. Now you can escort us home."
Dwalin never thought he would see a Hobbit lass commanding a Warg with a man trailing behind them apparently come to kidnap their burglar away from them. But when his eyes met those of sharp and fierce bright green eyes something in his world shifted and for a moment he swore the Mark on his right hand began to burn.