It was safe to say that three days passed after Gandalf's visit without any abnormal occurrences. Well, perhaps something was a bit odd, but nothing to the extent of old acquaintances resurfacing from the past. The geranium that Gandalf ordered hadn't moved from its spot outside her store, tucked into the corner where it would get sun and shade at the right moments of the day. What she found strange about the flower was that it had already started to bloom the second day outside. By the third day, majority of the buds had opened to reveal the white and purple petals. Usually, the stage where the plant was at should have taken a week for the first bud to open. If Billa was still a child dreaming of wizards and dragons, she would have sworn it was magic, instead she blamed it on global warming.
It was already eleven o'clock in the morning and she had finally sorted out all the freshly delivered flowers, picking the bad ones out and cutting the stems to be placed in clean water. Nobody had entered her store today, but she wasn't in a hurry. Some days, it was just nice not having to worry about orders from demanding brides or from men trying to worm their way back into their spouses' good graces. Billa decided that it was finally time for her to stop procrastinating and get her lazy butt to the supply closet. If anyone were to ask about her closet, she liked to compare it to a tv show she's seen a couple of times. The show was called Zoboomafoo, a kid's show where a talking lemur puppet and the Kratt brothers teach the audience about animals. When it comes to the point in the show where they go into their magical closet to grab the supplies they need to go to the Arctic or Africa, a mountain of junk falls down on them the minute they open the door.
Yeah, that's the closest analogy she could compare her supply closet to. Billa considered herself to be usually quite organized, but this was the one area where she couldn't bring herself to the door was opened, it would take a bit of pushing and squeezing to shove everything back when she was finished. Clutter went in and most of it never comes out. However facing this unpleasant situation was not out of want, but need. She was mysteriously missing one of her favourite plant clippers, having already searched everywhere but the closet. If it wasn't behind this door, then perhaps Primula had taken them while she worked the other day; but she wasn't here at the moment.
Primula Brandybuck was the sweet girl that was dating her favourite cousin Drogo. They both met during one of their tutorials in marine biology, forced to work in a group to figure out the best way to save some lobster species. Billa wasn't sure of the details as Drogo always spoke too quickly and enthusiastically when the subject was Primula; but something about them going on a field trip on a boat and Primula having a close call of falling over the side. He of course being the hero of the day grabbed a hold of her and saved her from the watery depths of the ocean. It honestly sounded like some cheesy romantic movie, but they both swore by it. Billa guessed that for some people, stories like this could be true. Where else would have these clichés come from if not from a grain of truth? Primula wanted a part time job while going to school, so Billa decided she could work for her. It was a good way to see Drogo too, since Billa rarely catches him outside of family gatherings.
She mentally braced herself as she opened the door and jumped back a step. Just like she thought, the supplies came toppling out like waves onto the floor. She had to be quick with her feet to stop a rolling can from leaving the vicinity. Giving a quiet sigh, Billa scanned the pile before crouching down to start digging through mess.
"Nope. No… Oh that's where my extra bag of ribbons are; I'll have to remember to tell Primula." She mused, picking through the assortment of items. While rummaging around the pile, she heard jingling from the windchime she hung above the doorway, indicating a potential customer had entered the shop.
"Oh bugger… Wait one minute! Make yourself at home, feel free to look around!" she yelled over her shoulder from the back, increasing the rate of chucking random items back into the closet. Guess it wasn't the day she organized this monster, oh well. She made triumphant sound as her fruitless scavenging finally produced the clippers she was looking for. Feeling pleased, she dropped the clippers into the pocket of her apron and started furiously shoving everything back in.
She dusted off her hands, smoothed down her curly hair before stepping out from the back of the store. A little relieved that someone has finally taken interest, she peeked at her new customer to find not one, but two.
First thing she couldn't help but notice was how captivating the girl was. It was almost like she stepped out of a magazine, model like figure with her dark sunglasses and bright red lipstick. Her hair was braided into a fishtail and draped over her shoulder. Her clothes were immaculate and wrinkle free down to her blue strapped heels which clicked slowly as she walked around.
On the other hand, her companion was on the opposite side of the fashion spectrum, although still charming in his own way. He was a young man that looked like he woke up, wiped the drool from the side of his mouth and wore whatever was in arm's reach. His long shaggy brown hair was tied in a messy bun at the nape of his neck and he clearly forgot to shave as his five o'clock shadow was prominent. He wore a wrinkled blue t-shirt with ripped jeans and sneakers. The moment he saw Billa, the grin on his face lit the entire room. He smacked the girl on the arm quite rudely to get her attention, in which the girl immediately furrowed her brow and smacked him back.
"You must be Miss Boggins! I'm glad we found the right store. Fili I told you I made the right turn on tenth!" he smugly taunted, dodging the would have been well aimed hit to the head. He smoothly ran up to her side and reached down to grab her hand.
"I can see why the party was brought to you as you are as lovely and beaut-" and he was prompted winded as Fili gave a swift jab to his stomach. He hissed and doubled over while she nudged him out of the way while removing her sunglasses.
"Hello Miss Baggins. Please forgive my brother Kili, he's such a pain sometimes. I hope we're not late to the meeting, I know we shoul-"
"Beautiful," he wheezed, coming back beside Fili while rubbing the elbowed spot. "I was saying you looked beautiful. And look at your amazing shop! It looks like a shop fro-"
"Like ten minutes ago but Kili decided he didn't need any machine to tell him where to go so we tu-" Fili cut in, raising her voice over her brother's.
"You know like Little Red Riding Hood and her grandma's house? Well not saying that you're the grandma-"
"Kili! Are you seriously comparing her to a grandmother?"
"No! Weren't you listening? I said I was not saying she looked like a grandmother. I mean, does she look like anything like how Gram looked?"
Billa looking back and forth between the siblings with her eyes wide, not sure on how to react to their banter. They interrupted and talked over each to a point that everything was just noise to her ears.
"Alright! I get it!" she yelled over their voices, prompting them to shut their mouths immediately. She basked gratefully in the silence while eyeing both of them. Fili had her hand to her mouth, covering a small smile whereas Kili didn't even have the decency and was giggling.
"Right." Billa gave them a tentative smile, deciding to take hold of this conversation. "From what I got from that whole mess, I understand you were saying something about a meeting?" She looked expectantly at the pair. Fili nodded affirmatively while Kili had his eyes fixed on a spot somewhere behind Billa, happy to let his sister do the answering.
"Well to be quite honest, I don't know anything about a meeting."
"Has it been cancelled?" said Kili alarmed, his attention snapped back to her.
"Well I don't know if something can be-"
Billa got distracted by the front door opening and the sound of wind chimes again, this time an elderly man came through the front door. Dressed in a baggy scarlett cardigan, simple button up and slacks, he looked more like her usual customer. But the look of recognition he shot at the trio and the warm smile that followed told Billa that he was part of this whole situation. Two out of the three returned with a giant smile back, the other one had a bewildered look.
"Ah, now a vision of beauty and her sloppy brother. How are ye?" the man exclaimed in a Scottish burr. The siblings left her side to the older man, each giving him a tight embrace. As they parted, the new member turned his attention to Billa, curiously gazing at her from underneath his snowy white eyebrows.
"Where are my manners, I couldna help but greet these rascals first." He liberated his arm from Kili's grip to extend his hand to Billa. "Balin Fundison, at your service. It's quite a pleasure to meet you Miss Baggins."
Billa found herself shaking his hand, still having no idea who these people were and how everybody knew who she was. "Y-Yes, the pleasure is mine." she replied politely, and if she answered with an upward inflection at the end of her reply, he didn't mention it.
He searched her face, humming in agreement as Kili was tugging Fili towards the corner of the room where the refreshments were. Billa decided to venture a guess on why this man was in her store.
"Are you here for some meeting?" she asked, hoping she wasn't right. If she was right, then she guessed for some reason she couldn't fathom, somebody decided her flower shop was a meeting room instead of it's original purpose.
"Right you are lass, Gandalf had kindly offered this shop for all of us to meet. Oh and of course to meet you."
Billa's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Gandalf? Gandalf was the one who offered her shop for a meeting? Oh no, this wouldn't do at all. This was a flower shop, a business. Not some office building where people discuss plans. In fact, she still had no idea what the meeting was about!
"Now I'm sorry if this sounds rude Mr. Fundison, but I didn't approve of any sort of meeting in my shop. Whatever Gandalf said never crossed my attention. Now I can help you with purchasing flowers-"
The front door opened again.
This time a trio entered her shop accompanied with the sound of a scolding woman. The first man that came through the door gave a quick look around the store behind his thick rimmed glasses. He made eye contact with Billa as he pushed his orange fringe from his eyes. With a narrowing of his eyes and a quick look from head to toe, he gave her a curt nod acknowledging her before walking past her towards the refreshments. Billa's attempt to question him was smothered out by the older womannagging at remaining lady, who was ducking into her thin sweater as if she can hide from her words.
"Ori, haven't you been eating three meals a day? Your face is as pale as a sheet of paper, you know how you get when you're not properly eating" The older woman grabbed Ori's chin from its wooly hiding place and turned her head side to side to look at her face. She was clearly not pleased by what she saw as she tutted loudly, looking disapprovingly at the shorter woman.
"Look at those cheekbones jutting out! No meat at all. No Ori, you're moving back as soon as possible."
Ori sighed and shoved the hand away, ducking back into her grey sweater while tugging the beanie firmly back on her head.
"Dori, I already said I won't go back. I'm doing fine, I'm an adult," she mumbled, noticing for the first time that Billa and Balin was staring at them. A faint blush grew on her cheeks from embarrassment, and she looked down to her feet. Dori seemed to follow her line of gaze to the pair but instead of shying away, she brushed the wrinkles from her purple dress and walked forward towards them.
"Balin, nice to see you. Not looking too shabby!"
"Aye, not looking bad yerself Dori. I like the silver." Balin replied, pointing towards her short hair.
Dori pleasantly smiled back before directing her attention to Billa, who was in the midst of closing her eyes in frustration. "Miss Baggins, very hospitable to offer your place. My name is Doris Ri, but feel free to call me Dori. This is my younger sister Ori." Billa glanced behind her to the younger woman who was waving hesitantly. "And my brother, the man who rudely walked by is Nori Montgomery Ri." Dori called, raising her voice in a stern manner, making sure her voice carried to the corner of the room. From the corner of her eye, Billa saw a raised hand that might have had a certain finger raised and the sound Kili laughing followed.
Billa sighed, her shoulders slumped in defeat. She had a feeling that Gandalf would be coming sooner or later to this "meeting", she might as well make these people comfortable. Maybe she could get some information out of them at the same time.
"Well Dori, Ori, Balin, would you like some refreshments?" She swept her arm towards the sitting area.
"Oh very lovely, I hadn't had my morning tea yet." Dori gleefully said, eyes brightening.
"Well I don't have any tea bags," Billa started saying pausing at the growing expression of horror on Dori's fair face. "But… I will take some out from the back if you like. What's your flavour?"
Dori looked visibly relieved, "Chamomile, if you have it."
Billa nodded, looking at Balin and Ori questionably as she walked with them to the sitting area.
"Coffee would be fine lassie."
"If it's no trouble, some tea as well."
Billa absently bobbed her head as she made a beeline to the back room, trying to find three more cups from her cabinet. It was clear by it's depleting state, she was running low on cups. The largest amount of people she had to welcome in her shop at a time was a family of five.
There's already six.
Billa was nervous to ask, but she had to know how many more were coming. The best outcome would just be Gandalf. "So, how many more will be coming?" She called out in what she thought was a casual tone while rummaging through her drink cabinet. Nobody answered her for a good minute. When she started to think they didn't hear her at all over the chatter, the front door opened.
Billa had to set everything down for a second, frustration getting the best of her. It wasn't like she didn't like visitors or customers, but there's only so much a woman can take after spending a good part of the last seven years alone. There was a loud cheer in response to the new guests and as she poked her head out, she saw an addition of three more people. Feeling a little more than stressed out, she went back in searching for cups. Billa grabbed the last from her cabinet, lamenting that it was her own personal favourite. Hopefully they wouldn't drop any of her cups or plates. With a quick look around, she found some small containers and vases that could barely scrape by as cups. Eyeing them carefully, she saw that they weren't unclean, maybe just a bit dusty. With a quick rinse and a scrub with soap, Billa arranged them along side the tea on a serving tray. She gave her favourite cup another longing look, pausing with conflict. Shaking her head at nobody in particular, she placed it back on her shelf. She wouldn't have known what to do if someone broke it, it was safer to leave it in here. She ventured back out with her new goods.
The newcomers seemed to be settling in quite nicely, slapping the backs of others, wrapping an arm around another's shoulder. One man had a very interesting sense of style. He wore a bright yellow t-shirt with the word "smile" bolded across his chest, some type of russian trapper hat, denim short and some blue crocs for shoes. Living true to the message on his shirt, he had a huge dimpled smile underneath a moustache she had only seen on villains like Captain Hook. Billa wasn't a woman who would actively follow the newest fashion trend, but even she knew this was a very 'unique' style. He had his arm around Nori's shoulder, chatting away while Nori sat there looking like he would rather be somewhere else.
The second man had made himself comfortable in an armchair, clutching the plate of cookies. He was a larger man, more hefty compared to his companions. Cookie crumbs littered his pale green button up, making a tiny pile where his stomach extended.
"Bombur, would you please make use of the napkin." Dori handed him another one as she walked by to reach Billa. Bombur looked down noticing the small mess he created, and swept them off in one swoop. Billa couldn't help but cringe as they fell onto her rug, but she already knew that the vacuum would make an appearance after they left.
"Ah thank you dear," said Dori, picking up the tea bags and hovered her hand above the cups. She passed the interesting choices Billa decided to use for cups without a word and picked three of the normal ones. Billa turned to offer the remaining of choices to the man beside Nori.
"Sorry, I'm not used to this many people in my shop at once. You get a lovely selection of the polka dot vase, striped flower pot holder or this small container with a pig on it." She grinned sheepishly at him.
The man raised an eyebrow, "Well with such an amazing selection, I'll have to pick the small container with a pig. Obvious choice." He said it in a way that sounded serious and his straight face gave away nothing. Billa returned the same look, eyebrow and everything. It was the man who broke first, starting with his eyes thawing, then a small twitch at the lips before a full blown grin. He laughed loudly, a laugh that started from the belly up.
"Oh, I like you already." He said still chuckling, "I'm Bofur, pleasure to meet you."
Billa smiled back, turning to the man in the armchair while he grabbed the polka dot vase off the tray.
"Bombur. And might I say, great cookies. Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Could use some more chocolate chips though." he said politely, taking some effort to get out of his chair to pour himself some coffee.
"Bombur should know, he's a great chef. Knows his way around the kitchen as you can see by his stature." Bofur joked, patting Bombur's stomach while he poured some coffee into Bofur's cup. Billa widened her eyes, taken aback by the backhanded compliment, but it seemed like Bombur just chuckled and went along with it.
"Right, well that leaves the stripped holder for your friend." She handed the last beverage holder to the man staring at one of her sunflower plants. It took a bit to get his attention, but he eventually took the cup from her while staring intently at the flower, grunting a response she assumed was thanks.
"This here is Bifur. Doesn't talk much anymore after the accident." Balin said as he stood beside her. He gestured towards Bifur's head where she saw a star-like shaped scar that stretched from the middle of his forehead to the edge of his hair line.
"Car accident, many years ago. Doctors said he has trouble connecting words together, at times even thoughts. But he's not dim-witted, mind you. Most of the time he's as sharp as a knife, also quite artistic. Has a knack of designing anything from large art pieces to the smallest of toys." Billa stared at the Bifur in interest, trying to imagine what his brain was thinking while staring at the sunflower with such concentration.
"So if he can't put words together, then how does he communicate?" She asked curiously. Bifur broke his gaze from the yellow flower and turned to look Billa in the eye. She tensed up under the sudden attention. Bifur moved his hands quickly in different actions, in which she guessed was sign language.
"He says, you don't have to be afraid to talk to him, he can understand you perfectly. Feel free to grab anyone here to translate, however some people are better than others at sign language. " Balin translated fluently pausing as Bifur's hands stopped in the air.
"And… he wanted to let you know yellow is his favourite colour." Balin smiled, shrugging at her. Billa grinned as she turned to Bifur, "Well I'm not afraid to talk to you, I just wanted to know how to properly communicate with you. And yellow is a very nice colour, many associate the colour with happiness." She didn't mention that she already guessed it was his favourite colour as he was dressed from head to toe in yellow.
"Miss Boggins, do you have anymore food?"
"Kee, it's Miss Baggins."
"Oh right, Miss Baggins!"
Billa glanced back at the table to see Killi waving empty plates in the air. It came to her attention that these people are consuming all of her refreshments and aren't even customers. She didn't want to seem rude, but this wasn't exactly her way of business. Any positive feelings from learning about these people quickly turned sour again. However at the end, civility won and she walked back to grab the plates to bring them to the back. She completely ignored Kill's charming smile, not wanting him to get onto her good side. In fact, she really didn't want anyone here to be on her good side. These constant stream of requests kept distracting her from asking the most important question, what in God's name is this meeting about?
She cradled her head in her hands once she set the plates down, feeling a headache creeping up when she heard that blasted wind chimes again. She was going to rip those wind chimes from her doors as soon as they leave. She grabbed a couple rolls of biscuits and a chunk of cheese, determined to get some answers.
With a sense of new determination, she marched out from the back to face the poor unfortunate souls that would now have to deal her angry side. She saw the three new people, two who were currently greeting the rest, one standing on the outside of the group chuckling. Billa dropped the plates onto the table with a loud thump, interrupting the merry greetings.
The two newcomers, stepped forward to introduce themselves but Billa held her arm straight out, index finger pointed up to indicate them to wait one minute. Their greetings fell silent in their mouths as she moved her hand through the air to eventually point at the third person.
"Gandalf." She stated, a very strained smile on her face. "Can I please talk to you privately?" Gandalf blinked at her innocently, eyebrows raised in question.
"Now please." she gritted out. Gandalf tapped his walking stick a couple of times contemplatively before stepping forward towards her. Billa looked around to see everyone darting their eyes back and forth between the pair. "Oh don't stop on our behalf. I brought out some more snacks."
She hooked her hand into the crook of his elbow and dragged him to the other side of the room among the plants. When she deemed that they could talk without being overheard, she glared up at Gandalf.
"What-" she paused, clenching her jaw, "What in bloody hell are these people doing here? Who are they and what is this goddamn meeting! I've waited and entertained them long enough and I demand an answer now!" She had absolutely no patience anymore.
"They're quite a lively bunch aren't they? You'll get used to them very quickly." Gandalf winked down at her.
"Get use- I don't want to get used to them! And don't you think you can avoid answering my questions." Billa felt like she wanted to punch the twinkle from his eyes. "From what I gathered, this was your idea? I never agreed to hosting a meeting in my workplace." She poked him hard on the chest in hopes to get her words through his thick head.
"Excuse me," a voice seemingly came out from a large potted plant. Billa had to fight hard to keep an irritated sigh from escaping. Ori ducked her head out from behind the plant looking sheepishly at them.
"Mr. Gandalf, my sister is asking if you would like some chamomile tea. And Miss. Baggins, what shall I do with my plate?"
"Give it here Ori, I can take care of that." Fili whispered into her ear as she successfully stalked her from behind, watching gleefully as Ori flinched. She dropped the plate she was holding in fright, but luckily Fili was ready to snatch it from her before it fell to the floor. Ori quickly took a step back from Fili, flushing a deep red from embarrassment.
"Always red aren't you' she teased, winking at Ori when she gaped at her wordlessly. "Kee, get your lazy ass up and help me with the dishes," she called out to her brother who was sitting on the arm of the couch, whispering and laughing with Bofur.
"No tea for me Ori, maybe something more potent. Any wine?" Gandalf asked, looking at Ori who shrugged before looking at Billa. She shot Gandalf an unimpressed look, a look that very much said it's not even the afternoon and you want alcohol?
"Luckily I do have some pinot noir tucked in the back of my fridge somewhere, I'll go-" Billa got interrupted by Dori's voice from the back room of her shop.
"No need Miss Baggins, I found it!" Billa blanched when she saw that Dori had found her mug along with other vases and such for the newcomers. Dori had almost bumped into Fili and Kili as they bustled passed her juggling their own plates and cups. Billa almost had a heart attack, watching her favourite mug teeter on the edge of the tray before settling on the right side. If that wasn't bad enough, Billa heard a loud sound from the back of something falling accompanied by bickering.
"Were those my plates? Don't you break them! Those were my mothers thank you very much!" She left Gandalf who looked far too amused, forgetting that she wanted answers from the man to rush towards the back. The whole throng of people appeared to be all doing something that could result in damaged goods. She stopped to scold one of the new men to keep his shoes off her coffee table, caught Bifur from ripping one of the flower heads from her golden-yellow lilies, yelled in alarm at the way Nori was pouring coffee over her white pillows. Bofur was throwing cheese pieces at Bombur, shouting in delight whenever he caught them in his mouth and booing whenever he missed. The noise level increased as people tried to talk over one another.
Billa stood in the middle of all the commotion, turning in circles, trying to stop whatever chaos was happening. All of a sudden, everyone stopped; the room was silent besides the heavy and distressed breathing from Billa. She looked around, very aware of the stillness until she noticed what everyone was staring at- the front door.
The woman who walked in was probably one of the most intimidating people she had seen in her life. She was dressed in a black button up with pushed up sleeves, revealing tattoos that started at her hands and ended up at the elbow. Her head sheared at the sides leaving a green mohawk. Her ears had multiple piercings and a septum ring hung on her nose. She stood at the entrance, scanning around the room as if she was checking for any possible danger. She looked over her shoulder behind her shades and said,
"It's clear Thorin. You can come in now."
