Chapter 02

Preparations for a Party and Its Rough Start

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Bilba spent most of the rest of the day trying to decide what to pack. What would she need on an adventure? She didn't know where they were going or how long it would take. Would she need her heavy winter cloak or were they going somewhere warm? There was also the fact that anything she left behind she may never see again. Not that much beyond her clothes would be considered hers. It was all part of the estate.

In the end, she decided to take three extra dresses (two sturdy enough for travel and her best party dress, because you never knew if you might need to look nice), an extra pair of the trousers she wore under her skirts when taking a walking holiday, and underclothes. To that she added a comb, some ribbons, a bar of soap, monthly rags, and a mending kit. She would just have to wait until Gandalf and his dwarves arrived to pack anything more.

The remainder of the day was spent cleaning her home making sure there would be enough clean space for her guests to rest in.

She slept soundly that night.

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Bilba spent hours the next day cooking. She laden her dining room table with brandy braised roast beef with mushrooms, brown sugar bourbon glazed ham and carrots, roasted salmon and asparagus in white wine and lemon butter sauce, rosemary red wine braised chicken and potatoes, and spicy stewed sausages with peppers and onions. There were roasted tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, a platter of cold meat and cheese, and even a salad. She baked loaves of fresh bread, a butter cake with mascarpone cream and fresh berries, a chocolate whiskey cake with fluthered cream, a cinnamon walnut bundt cake, a bacon bourbon pecan pie, a butterscotch pumpkin pie, cranberry and orange scones, and the Baggins family's secret recipe lemon-blackberry tarts.

She wondered for a moment if she was going a bit overboard, but she would be making this much if she was having a party of fourteen of her relatives over. So she didn't worry about it too much. No one left Bilba Baggins' table hungry. No one.

Gandalf had said the dwarves would clean out her pantry. She didn't know if he was speaking literally, so just in case she hid enough sausage, bacon, eggs, milk, and bread for a decent breakfast.

After she had afternoon tea, Bilba bathed and put on her second best party dress. It was a pale green blouse with a lavender skirt and plum colored bodice. She did her best to tame her brown curls with the matching ribbons, but eventually she had to concede that she could do no more and moved back to making her preparations.

As Bilba was putting the finishing touches on one of the cakes there was a knock on the door.

'They're here!' she thought, but when she opened the door, it wasn't Gandalf or any dwarves.

"Er, Mr. Willoughby. Good evening. May I ask what has you calling by so late?"

"I've just heard you had a guest yesterday. One of the Tall Folk," he scowled.

"Yes, I did. What of it?"

He forced himself inside and closed the door. Bilba was so shocked at his actions she didn't even try to stop him.

"It is not respectable to keep such company!" shouted Willoughby.

"It was-"

"No!" he said grabbing one of her wrist tightly. "This stops right now. I have put up with this wild behavior long enough. You are to be my wife and you will act accordingly!"

"Now wait a moment! That has not yet been decided," Bilba protested as she struggled to free her captive wrist. It was starting to hurt.

"It has been decided. Perhaps I've been too considerate with you for you to doubt that YOU. ARE. MINE!" Grabbing her other wrist, he shoved her against the wall and smashed his lips against hers.

Willoughby didn't see anything wrong with his actions. He had loved Bilba for years. So much so, that he had started trying to mold her into the bride she would need to be for him. The combination of her father's fine estate, her excellent cooking, and her beauty were unmatched by any other lass in the Shire. She belonged to him and she would be his wife. He was entitled to this. Entitled to touch her as he pleased. He had been looking forward to having her in his bed, at his mercy. She would give him many beautiful children. She just had to stop this unruly behavior and learn her place. Then, she would be perfect!

Bilba struggled to push him off but his flabby bulk pinned her in place. She was only able to turn her head away from his harsh kiss.

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Dwalin could see the green door with the wizard's mark on it at the end of the lane. He hoped Tharkun was right about this Bilba Baggins fellow and there would be plenty of food. He was looking forward to a break from cram.

He stomped his way up to the door and knocked. Well, knocked for a dwarf, which meant it was actually pounding.

"HELP!"

Alarmed at the shout that obviously came from a lass, Dwalin did what any dwarf would do when hearing a female in trouble. He drew an axe, threw open the door and rushed inside. Not far from the door a fat halfling had a lass pinned against a wall. She was hitting and kicking his bulk but that didn't seem to deter him from letting his hands roam her body. With one hand the tall dwarf pulled the fat little thing towards him by his collar and lifted him up so they were face to face. The halfling's feet dangled more than a foot off the ground.

"I donna think the lass likes yur attentions, ye beardless whelp," he growled bringing his ax up towards the shorter male's throat. There was a soft splattering sound and he glanced down briefly. There was a small puddle on the floor below the halfling. Dwalin's scowl turned to disgust.

"Now, I'm lookin' fer Bilba Baggins. Is that ye?" he said shaking the sputtering halfling in his grip.

"No, I'm Bilba Baggins, Master Dwarf, at your service," the lass pushed herself off the wall and curtsied a little shakily. There was no doubt in her mind that this intimidating dwarf with tattoos on his head was a warrior experienced in battle.

"Dwalin at yurs," he said giving her a small bow. "And who's this fat lump?" he asked her shaking Willoughby again.

The filth finally found his tongue, "I am her betrothed! Now put me down this instant!"

Dwalin look questioningly from the chubby male to the pretty little lass in front of him. Curly brown locks framed a round face with rosy cheeks and big blue-green eyes and her body was curvy in all the right places. Oh, aye! She was a bonny lass. He understood why the chunk of lard wanted her, but that is no excuse to try to take such a thing by force!

"No, he isn't, Master Dwalin. He is no one of import," she glared at the back of the other halfling.

"Would ye like me ta take out the trash then?"

That drew the first smile Dwalin had seen on her face. It seemed to brighten the room just a bit, even with the bruise he could see forming on one of her cheeks.

'The beardless whelp must have struck her, too,' Dwalin growled mentally.

"That would be much appreciated, Master Dwalin. Do try not to hurt him though. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble on his account!"

Willoughby squawked as he realized he was the trash they were referring to.

"He deserves more than a li'l pain fer what he did ta ye. Were he a dwarf he'd be shaved and cast out ta roam the Wilds on 'is own. If the kin o' the lass didna get ta him first anyways," Dwalin said as he pulled the door open.

There on the step stood a white haired dwarf preparing to knock.

"Stand aside, Brother. I've trash ta throw out," Dwalin told him.

Bilba saw the the elderly dwarf raise his eyebrows, but he stepped out of Dwalin's way. The intimidating dwarf carried the hobbit a few steps down into her garden then threw him over the gate!

Willoughby rolled for several feet before struggling upright. "I'm going to tell the Thain about this!"

"It will be near midnight by the time you make it to the Great Smials. I'm sure my grandfather will be thrilled to be woken up so late for you to tell him I had dinner with his wizard friend, Gandalf the Grey, and his traveling companions," Bilba said sweetly.

Even in the darkness he seemed to pale at the wizard's name. "I-I..." he stammered.

"Oh, and you might want to change clothes first. I think you soiled yourself while in Master Dwalin's tender care," she smirked.

Turning to the two dwarves, she smiled apologetically, "Let me clean up the mess in the entry way, then you can come inside and rest. It won't take but a few moments," and rushed inside to do just that.

Willoughby Boffin took off down Bagshot Row as fast as his round body could manage. He kept glancing behind to make sure Dwalin wasn't following him.

Dwalin kept watching him to make sure he didn't come back.

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Due to their duties sometimes taking them beyond the Blue Mountains it had been nearly a year since Balin had last seen his brother. He'd not expected his first sight of Dwalin in such a long span of time to include him carting a fat halfling out of a hobbit hole by the back of his collar and speaking of shaving and banishment. He stepped aside when he was bid to do so, he just hoped it wasn't their host being tossed over the gate.

The night became more interesting when a hobbit lass stepped out the door after his brother to respond to the words shouted by the now dusty hobbit lad.

When the verbal altercation between the hobbits brought up the Thain of the Shire, Balin sighed and hoped he wasn't going to have to smooth the incident over with him. He'd never met the Thain himself, but dealing with a ruler was still dealing with a ruler no matter how amiable they supposedly were. It could strain relationships between the two peoples, and Balin knew for a fact some of the dwarven trading caravans visited the Shire regularly.

With the hobbits gone their own directions Balin turned a smirk to his brother. "Master Dwalin?" he laughingly questioned.

"Shut yer gob," the burly dwarf cuffed his brother's shoulder. "I didna have the time ta tell her no' ta call me that."

"Mind explaining?" Balin inquired.

Dwalin told him what he'd witnessed.

"You let him off too lightly. Are you going soft?"

"Naw, the lass asked me no' ta hurt him. She didna' want me ta get in trouble."

"So," Balin said slowly, "our burglar is a lass. A caring and too forgiving one at that."

Dwalin nodded.

"Let us hope Tharkun arrives before Thorin does so the wizard can explain this to him instead of us."

"Mahal save us," Dwalin sighed. Looking down the lane he spotted two familiar figures headed their way. "Here come the lads."

"Mister Dwalin! Mister Balin!" Kili called bounding up to them. "What are we standing outside for?"

Fili followed behind his brother. "Has it been canceled?"

Just then the door opened again. "Alright, that's all taken care of. You can come in now. Oh!" Bilba said noticing the additional dwarves in her front garden.

Dwalin moved inside, but the other three stopped at the door.

"Balin at your service," the white haired dwarf introduced himself.

"Fili," said a blond dwarf with braided mustache.

"And Kili," said a brunette dwarf with a beard that wasn't much more than scruff.

"At your service," they bowed together with big smiles.

"Bilba Baggins at yours," she curtsied. She had no idea dwarves could be so... cute! She blushed and their smiles grew even bigger, bother them! Not wanting to give them a chance to make her blush more, she waved them inside.

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