A/N: The revisions continue! XD
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My Brother's Lullaby
An Unexpected Birthday Party
Morning dawned bright and flooded my room with it's light. I jumped up more than excited. Sixty-four! I laughed to myself. I was older than Bilbo and yet was acting like a hobbit tween. I laughed again before getting dressed. As always on my birthday I dressed in my customary dwarven outfit of a royal blue tunic with a hood, an outer vest of brown with gold embroidery sewn into the edge, with my thick leather coat over top. I quickly tied the shirt laces at my wrists and then pulled my boots on. Finished, I pulled back a portion of my hair with my new hair clasp, but not bothering with it too much. Predictably my bangs slipped from the clasp and fell into my face. I looked myself over in the mirror.
From looking at myself in the mirror, one would never have guessed that I had been raised by a hobbit of the Shire, what with my complete dwarven attire. It was somewhat ironic seeing as Bilbo had been the one to help me make it, as he had for all my other dwarven clothing as I grew throughout the years. He had understood how important it was for me, on my birthday at least, that I dress like a true dwarf. And he never questioned it, which I was grateful for, because I wasn't sure that I would be able to give a satisfactory answer had he asked. It was simply something that I needed to do. I had always done this on my birthday for whatever reason. Even I didn't know why. Perhaps it was the only time I felt like a dwarf, felt whole. I had always felt better in dwarven clothing than I did in Shire fashions, even though I rarely wore them. I wondered if I hadn't worn them to save Bilbo some embarrassment. I shrugged, I had been doing this for over thirty years now, there really was no point speculating now. I was about to leave the room, when as a final thought, I turned back and pulled from beneath my bed the box that I kept everything I had made from the forge and took my vambraces out. Strapping them on I looked at my reflection once again. All I would need was my bow and quiver and my sword strapped to my back and I would be a true dwarf. I smiled and flung my bedroom door open and left as once again, Kili the Dwarf.
I bounced into the kitchen, full of grins. Bilbo, as always the first one to rise, looked up and grinned himself at my sunny attitude. Breakfast had already been made and was waiting for me. I sat down as he slid my plate in front of me. I grinned again and began to shovel my food.
"I feel it is my duty to tell you this Kili...I didn't get you a birthday present." said Bilbo seriously, from the other side of the table as he took his seat.
I quite literally dropped my fork. He couldn't be serious!
"Yes, I didn't get you a birthday this year, I'm afraid, and I hope that you can forgive me for that. I just thought that it would be better this way."
I could only blink at him. No, Bilbo wouldn't do such a thing! He had always gotten me a birthday present, even though hobbit tradition is that you give everyone else presents on your birthday. I began to splutter angrily at him, my words not even comprehensible. Bilbo suddenly snickered and tried to contain his laughter, at which he failed. I was seriously beginning to wonder if my guardian had gone mad. When his laughter quieted to the occasional chuckle, Bilbo finally explained.
"The reason that I didn't buy you a birthday present was because I thought you might like to go pick your own present at the market today after breakfast."
I was filled with both the urge to laugh and to shake Bilbo silly, but settled for a soft smile at Bilbo's joke, admitting that he had had me completely taken in. I had honestly had thought he was serious. I grinned inwardly at myself for being so easily fooled. I had to admit being the one playing the trick was far more fun than being played on. But as Bilbo few chances to do so I didn't begrudge him doing so. Once Bilbo had gotten over his laughter and breakfast had been cleared away, he turned to me with a smile and a gesture towards the front door. I practically danced out the door, becoming once again the small dwarfling that Bilbo had found years ago.
Bilbo carefully locked the front door and looked around suspiciously, clutching the basket he had brought tightly in his fist. I wanted to burst out laughing at his very jumpy behavior as we made our way to the market. It was clear that Bilbo had not forgotten about our visitor from yesterday. He kept looking over his shoulder and peering around the bushes as if expecting Gandalf to suddenly pop out of the hedgerows. Nothing would be gained from calling him out on it though, and he did seem to become more at ease the closer we got to the market. Perhaps that was because there were more places to hide. As the time went by he became more relaxed and seemed to enjoy being dragged by me to whatever vendor caught my eye.
The day had gone by pleasantly enough. I was allowed to choose three things for my birthday. Almost immediately I came away with a new pipe and a fiddle. We spent the whole morning searching through the stalls for my last present but I couldn't find anything that struck my fancy. Finally, after eating a lunch given to us by old Gamma, an elderly relative of Bilbo's gardener, we found it. Or rather Bilbo did.
Among the stalls there were a few traveling merchants that had set out their wares. There was one that sold strange spices and other such foods and a cluster of hobbits had gathered around to peek at them. There were several similar traders around peddling their goods to the somewhat wary hobbits. I chatted with a few of them and listened to their stories. Bilbo had gone off to fetch something that he said we needed 'most desperately', so there was no one to hinder me from learning all the news I could from the outside world. And it was Bilbo's rather untimely return that brought one man's interesting tale of one of his journey's, to an end. Bilbo appeared to be flustered about something and when I asked, he shrugged me off saying that it was nothing and silly. After inquiring if I had found my third present, Bilbo started to look around the shoppe's to see if there was anything I might be interested in. I turned back to the merchant I had previously been having a conversation with and was about to continue it when Bilbo's called after me.
"Kian! Come here a moment. I think I may have found something."
I sighed, thanked the man for sharing his stories with me, and made my way to where Bilbo stood grinning, carefully blocking what it was he want me to see. I tried to peek around him but he was having none of that, so I finally gave of the attempt, and demanded cheekily that he show me at once. He willingly obliged and I gasped in wonder at what he had found.
It was the most beautiful bow I had ever seen. It was of the recurve style though considerably shorter. It was rather squarish and had dwarven carvings along the hand rest. I picked it up and ran my hands down it. It was perfect, from the wood to the metal nocks. It had been carefully crafted and almost if especially for me, fitting nicely in my hand. I drew the string back to test how it felt. It was taut and strong, easy enough to draw, yet having enough power behind it to make it deadly. I stopped my ridiculous drooling over it when I saw the tradesman grinning at me. I was startled to find a dwarf staring me in the eye, though I suppose I shouldn't have been, as I was holding a true dwarven made weapon.
"Ye like that do ye, laddie?"
I nodded wordlessly, still admiring the beauty of it.
"Well then let me tell ye a little story, lad."
I looked at him, intrigued and wondering what this might have to do with him making a sale.
"As ye can see, I'm a traveler. I hop from place to place to get the best gold for me wares. I live up in the Blue Mountains most of the time so most of me merchandise is sold in Ered Luin. Well I got an order from a customer in Bree, so it were, for a few bows. I was on me way back home when the sudden thought hit me that it was market day here and that I should open shop here for the day. Silly thought I know, how many of the likes of these parts would be wantin' dwarven weapons, eh? I've got no idea where the idea came from but I heeded it anyway. And now look where we are. Me amongst hobbits and I find the one dwarf that lives in these lands!" He laughed at my confused look. I hadn't understood what this tale had to do with me. "What I'm sayin' is I think that bow was meant for you laddie." Bilbo coughed loudly at this point, clearly thinking that the dwarf was simply playing up the item. The dwarf took no notice however. "You'll probably be needin' it soon, I warrant, for one thing or another."
"How do you know that I'll be needing it?" I asked
"I can just feel it." he answered with a wink.
I nodded. It did feel right, more so than my other home-made bow that I had at home. The dwarf's words made me think of Gandalf and his request to take Bilbo on an adventure. Was this why it felt so good? My thought was interrupted by Bilbo asking rather peevishly,
"And just how much for this fantastic bow that Kian will be needing so badly?"
I could tell he didn't believe a word that the merchant had said and though it had struck a chord with me, I too was wondering the price.
"Eh? Oh, there's no charge. As I said, this bow was meant for the lad. You keep that now, you hear?"
Both Bilbo and I were astonished and it must have clearly shown on our faces as the dwarf laughed heartily.
"I made enough coin down in Bree. This just feels right. And here, much good a bow'll do ye if you've no arrows to use with it. Ye can have this too." he said, as he passed me a leather quiver brimming with nearly twenty-five arrows.
"T-thank you!" I managed to stammer out. "You are very generous and kind. Is there nothing I can do to pay you?"
The dwarf got a devilish grin on his face.
"Well, now that ye ask, yes I suppose that there is. Ye see that there apple over yonder? Well that youngling there has been trying to get it for about an hour. Amazingly persistent creatures, hobbits are, when there's food about. If you could shoot it down to the boy without damagin' the fruit, I'll consider you a worthy owner of that weapon."
I shared his mischievous look and quickly notched an arrow. The apple was high up and there were several branches in the way, not to mention all the hobbits that stood between my arrow and my target. I only had a slim chance of hitting it without damaging it or missing and hurting someone. It would be a difficult shot, but I felt that I could make it. I had to, my reputation was at stake. I quickly aimed, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. My eyes snapped open and I let loose the arrow. A childish squeal of delight told me that I had been successful. I saw the hobbit child grinning wildly, as he told his mother what had happened. She cast a frown at us as did many others. My only response to their glares was an over flourished bow. I turned back to Bilbo, whom looked completely horrified that I had actually done such a thing, and the dwarf.
"I knew ye could do it!" he banged his fist against the counter and regarded me fondly. "Ye can keep that with me compliments! What's yer name laddie?
I turned to see where Bilbo was, he had apparently gone to apologize to the boy's mother.
"Kili, at your service! " I said with a bow.
"Kili, I'll remember the name. Ye have made old Master Brokk's day, so you have."
We clasped hands together and I thanked Brokk once again. He waved them off stating once again that it had felt right to him. I was about to ask him why it had felt right to him, when Bilbo came back.
"We thank you Master Dwarf, for the gift, but really need to go now." said Bilbo shortly.
I suspect the hobbit mother had given him quite an earful and it was due to that Bilbo had been a little rude. I should have been sorry for causing trouble, but I couldn't find it in me to be so. It was such a perfect shot. No one had been hurt and I hadn't missed either. I had neatly cut the stem of the fruit, causing it to fall into a ready hobbit hand. No, I wasn't sorry at all, I was proud!
"Good day, Master Brokk. Thank you so much for the bow! You take care of yourself." I said to Brokk, clasping hands with him again.
"Make sure ye do the same."
After a final wave, I joined Bilbo. Walking through the market square I realized by the sun that it was well past teatime. I hadn't thought we had been out that long. I wondered if Gandalf was awaiting us at Bag-End's doorstep, waiting to let in. Though being a wizard, I was sure he could get in if he wished. I had a sudden thought of Gandalf sitting quietly in the parlor, helping himself to Bilbo's Old Winyard. It was a funny thought, however unlikely it was. I turned to Bilbo and asked,
"When do you suppose Gandalf will arrive, Bilbo?"
"Hmm? What Kian?"
After I had repeated the question, Bilbo turned white and became quite flustered. I could tell he had hoped that I had forgotten about Gandalf.
"O-oh, well, it's past tea-time now. I-I suppose we should be heading home, yes..."
"You were hoping that I would forget and your hoping he will forget as well, aren't you, Bilbo?" I asked shrewdly.
Bilbo sighed and said.
"It will be easier, so that I won't have to explain to him that we don't want any adventures and waste another day of his time."
"But why would an adventure be a bad thing, Bilbo? See the world, meet it's people! One can't live from books and maps alone! There was a time when an adventure would have suited you just fine!"
"Kian, my boy." Bilbo began, with the air of indulging a small child. "I was a young hobbit back then. I know better now. There is no self respecting hobbit that would go running off into the blue for an adventure."
"But I'm not a self respecting hobbit, am I?" I snapped back angrily. "You had better hope that Gandalf doesn't arrive! Because if he does, I'm going with him, with or without you."
I spun on my heel and stormed of`f towards Bag-End. I could picture Bilbo's face in my minds eye. The complete surprise, fear, and hurt that would be written across his features. I almost considered apologizing. Almost. I was still too angry to actually do so yet. I sighed and didn't stop and listened to the slow dejected patter of Bilbo behind me. Surely he hadn't actually believed what I had said, it's not as though I would actually leave him, would I? I now began to question myself. Could I honestly leave Bilbo for something as ridiculous as a little excitement? Could I just abandon my guardian, whom I had loved all these years with all my heart, simply because I was bored? Was my strength and fortitude that little? I thought of Bilbo plodding behind me, and his face came to my mind again, hurt that I would say such a thing to him, and afraid that I might actually do it. I couldn't do that to him, not after he had sacrificed so much for me. I stopped and turned to face Bilbo.
His expression was exactly like what I had imagined to look like. I felt suddenly ashamed at the apprehensive look Bilbo was giving me. As though he expected me to snarl at him again. I couldn't bear to see that look, so I hurried to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Bilbo! I-I didn't really mean that! Of course I won't leave you, i-i't just that I-I frustrated by everything here, a-a-and I don't even know! I'm really sorry, please don't look at me that way!" I pleaded.
Bilbo nodded graciously and pulled me into a one armed hug, that I reciprocated, though I had to lean down to do so.
"It's alright Kian. I do understand, I do. Though you weren't raised in dwarven culture, that is what you are, you will never be truely happy here." said Bilbo quietly, in a hollow sort of voice. That was almost worse than the look he cast at me and I hastened to assure him that I was indeed happy, but he held up a hand to stop me. "No, no Kian you will never be truely happy here. I've seen the way you look off into the distance wishing yourself far beyond the borders of Shire. If you want to go with Gandalf if he comes, then I won't stop you."
Bilbo embraced me again with a sad little smile and I felt even worse than before, but I tried to smile back for his sake.
"Now let's hear no more of this for the moment! It's your birthday and I have a birthday dinner to prepare! Now once we get back home, why don't you try out that new bow of yours and see how well it shoots?"
I smiled at his attempt at normal conversation and quickly agreed with what Bilbo was suggesting, as ridiculous as that was, seeing as how most of Hobbiton had just witnessed how well my new bow shot. I threw my around around his shoulders and together we made or way home.
oOo
I sat down disappointed. No walking holiday, no Gandalf, no party. Bilbo had cooked my favorite supper: pan fried fish, but that was a poor substitute for the promises that had been made to me. I reprimanded myself silently. I was sixty-four, for lands sake! I should have been beyond such childish wants, but that didn't stop the sting of a broken promise. My earlier displeasure resurfaced and I frowned at Bilbo but he didn't really seem to notice me glaring daggers at him as he sprinkled seasons and squeezed lemon juice onto his fish. We both stopped and turned at the sound of the doorbell ringing. A jolt shot through me. Perhaps Gandalf had come after all! But if it was Gandalf, the wizard clearly had no idea what time tea was usually taken. Bilbo stood to answer the door, but I moved quicker than him and said as I walked out of the kitchen.
"I'll get it Bilbo, you can eat."
I all but raced to the door. I jerked open the door expecting to see the wizened form of Gandalf. I was startled to see the one thing I had never expected to be standing at Bilbo's door: a dwarf.
"Dwalin, at your service." he said, bowing slightly, the small flickering of his eyes the indication that he was surprised to see me.
I stared for a few seconds before I remembering my manners.
"Kian of Bag-End..." I paused taking in his appearance. "...at yours."
He only grunted in reply and stepped over the threshold "D-do we know each other?" I asked uncertainly. Something about this Dwalin looked very familiar to me but I could not place where I had seen him. Perhaps I had seen him simply journeying through the Shire to some other place. I stopped for a moment as he dragged his cloak from his shoulders to look him over . He was obviously much older than myself, having lost a great portion of his hair from the top of his head. Where he had gone bald, he had covered with tattoos that matched those on his hands. He was a gruff sort of person, gruff but with some sort of gentle understanding underneath. A sudden thought struck me, of a pair of strong muscular tattooed arms tossing me in the air only to catch me as I squealed with joy. I was awoken from my memory by him pushing his way through the door and answering me with a short confused,
"No."
I was about to ask him what he was doing here and if perhaps he had come to the wrong house, when I heard Bilbo coming down the hall.
"Kian, who is at the door? Is it Hamfast?" asked Bilbo as he walked into the entry hall. At the sight of Dwalin he stopped dead in tracks. Dwalin turned and eyed him up and down.
"Which way laddie?" he asked throwing his cloak at me while addressing Bilbo. "Is it down here?"
"Is what down where?" Bilbo squeaked.
"Supper. He said there'd be food and lots of it." answered Dwalin walking off in search of the supper he had clearly been promised.
Bilbo and I followed him, bewildered. We both shared a confused look.
"H-he said?" Bilbo called after Dwalin
"Who said?" I muttered to myself.
We found him sitting at the kitchen table helping himself to both Bilbo and my own supper, eating in the most appalling manner that it shocked even me. Sure, I'd be the first person to tell you that I'm not overly concerned about proper table manners, but even I wouldn't do something like this, well at least not in Bilbo's presence. I sat down quietly and watched him curiously while Bilbo sat in the corner, offended and apprehensive.
You would have thought from seeing the way he ate, that Dwalin hadn't had a proper meal for a week. And if he had journeyed from Ered Luin, that could very well be the case. I watched absently as Bilbo offered Dwalin to his seed cakes my mind drifting.
I could not shake the feeling that I had seen this Dwalin before. I stared down at my hands as little fragments came to mind: Me playing with a beautiful sword as long as myself and nearly skewering my foot with it when a harsh voice called out. The sound of a deep merry laughter in the firelight. Golden hair and golden smiles. Clinging to the back of a pony as it raced away frightened and an equally frightened high pitched voice screaming for me to stop...
I jumped when I heard the doorbell ring again. I looked at Bilbo, I stood to answer it again. Surely it was Gandalf for certain this time!
"No, no, Kian... I'll get it." said Bilbo, stumping off to see who it was this time.
I turned back to Dwalin and found him looking at me strangely.
I wanted to ask him a hundred questions. But I settled for just one, if for nothing else to break the silence.
"H-have, have you passed through the Shire before?"
"No. This would be the first time." he answered, his eyes never losing their strange glint.
He didn't say anymore, he just stood, having eaten all the food he could see near the table, and made his way through to the parlor where he spied a cookie jar on the mantle and proceeded to assault it, which resulted in him getting his hand stuck. I chuckled at the sight. He looked like a giant bear with it's paw in honey jar. I heard laughter from the front hall and turned to see a white haired dwarf in red tunic come striding into the parlor.
"Evening Brother!"
I did a double take. Brother? But our newest guest looked so much older than Dwalin. My eyes flicked between them as they exchanged some manner of ritual headbutt, a few smiles and laughs, with many a shoulder clap. I had to smile as well, their good humor was infectious. I was just contemplating if a headbutt was the typical form of greeting in dwarven culture, when the new comer seemed to notice me standing confused and smiling at the pair of them.
"Hello there, laddie. Balin, at your service!"
I bowed and actually managed to reply back respectfully, something I had failed at with Dwalin, not that he had cared a bit, but this Balin just might.
"Kian, at yours and your families!"
Balin looked me up and down for moment before asking.
"Do you live here laddie?"
"I do, I believe you have just had the pleasure of meeting my guardian." I said, gesturing to Bilbo.
Balin only nodded and exchanged a glance with his brother. His brother, I still couldn't wrap my head around that one.
"How can you two be brothers? You're just so old!"
It was out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I bit my lip apprehensively but Dwalin apparently found it humorous, as he laughed and clapped me one the shoulder.
"I told you, I wasn't the only one who thought you were too old to be my brother!"
Balin grinned good naturedly and I found myself joining them. This felt so right! Not that being with Bilbo didn't feel right too, but it was a different kind of feeling. The feeling was short lived as Bilbo chose to interrupt it.
"Uh...excuse me. Sorry. I hate to interrupt. B-but the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house."
Neither dwarf paid any attention to him as Dwalin lead him through the kitchen to the larder, where he filled his elder brother a pint from the beer barrel. The pair of them began inspecting the food for apparently Balin hadn't eaten no more than his brother had. I had stopped listening to Bilbo's protests at our guests awhile ago. Even if I didn't want them here, which I found that I did, they certainly weren't going anywhere, so I began to wonder why Bilbo was still trying to make them leave. I was about to say as much to Bilbo when I saw a piece of blue cheese be thrown in my general direction, by Dwalin. I narrowly avoided it and it landed with a satisfying squish. Bilbo appeared to be trying once again to remove the dwarves but I missed what he had said as I was distracted by the doorbell ringing a third time.
"Do you want me to get that, Bilbo? Bilbo?" I sighed and turned to the door. This had to have been the strangest birthday I had ever had. I opened the door and flung it wide and stared.
Golden haired dwarf with a golden smile greeted me with a,
"Fili at your service!" as he bowed low.
It was far too similar for my taste. His name...It was just like my real name. But no, Fili was most likely a common dwarf name. I shook myself a little and he quirked a brow at me.
"Are you someone Thorin recruited on his travels to the north?"
I had no idea who this Thorin was but it was clear that he had arranged or had help arrange this meeting of dwarves in Bilbo's home. I realized that our newest guest was still waiting for an answer.
"No, no I am not a new recruit. I have no idea what you're talking about, actually, but since there's no reason for you to just stand on the doorstep come on in." I smiled, trying to banish the flutter in my stomach. "I thought that you would just waltz in like Dwalin did."
Fili grinned.
"Then I am in the right place. Good. I got lost, all these houses look the same!"
I grinned again, a genuine one this time.
"You just have to get used to it is all. I know these lands like the back of my hand! I'm Kil...Kian at your service."
"Kian?" Fili nodded and asked "You live here?"
"I do. I've lived here most of my life. This is my guardian's, Bilbo Baggins' home. No doubt he would try to welcome you properly if he wasn't currently trying to eradicate Balin and Dwalin from his pantry."
"I wish him luck with that one!" Fili laughed, "Though he may wish that it was just them when Bombur shows."
"Are there more dwarves coming?"
"Oh yes, there's twelve us coming." Fili answered absently minded, as he looked around. "It's nice this place. Did you do it yourself? And where are the weapon racks?" he asked, as he began removing numerous knives and axes and loaded my arms full of them.
"Uhhhh, No, it's been in the family for years...And there isn't any need for weapons in the Shire, but I have a weapons holder in my room that you can keep these on."
"Much appreciated." Fili said as he put his duel swords in the pile. "Careful with these, I just had them sharpened."
"I know how to handle a blade!" I said testily.
"In the kitchen perhaps." Fili laughed.
I glared and threw his weapons to the floor, save for one small knife. Ignoring his cry of protest, I swept his legs out from under him, throwing him to the ground. I was on top of him before he could blink and held his own knife at his throat. I was careful that the edge wasn't actually touching him. I growled in mock anger and was highly satisfied when Fili looked slightly intimidated. I burst out laughing at the look on his face and stood up helping him to stand as well.
"Perhaps I was mistaken." Fili grinned sheepishly. "Remind me to never again judge by appearances and assumptions alone!"
"That wouldn't have been nearly as easy if you were ready for me." I said modestly. "I have taught myself how to fight as much as I can. I'm decent in a fist fight, far better than any hobbit! I'm not excellent with a sword but I can hold my own. I'm best with a bow."
"Useful skills. I'm surprised that you did teach yourself. You said that there is no need for weapons here. These hobbits don't seem to need them."
"Well, like you said, they are useful skills to know. And I'm not a hobbit, am I?"
"I'm pretty sure that you would be the strangest hobbit I would have ever seen if you were indeed one! You said that you are good with a bow?" Fili sighed dramatically "Now see what you have done to your poor guest? Wounded my pride and made me jealous! How inhospitable of you!"
Now it was my turn to raise a brow at him and look questioningly at his words. With a smile he explained,
"I'm not very good with a bow myself. I tried to learn I just don't have the eye and aim for it. Two swords in my hands have always felt best to me."
I let my grin be my reply as I bent down to retrieve the scattered weapons and was surprised when Fili also stooped to gather them up.
"You don't have to do that. I am the one that threw them to the ground."
"I provoked you into it. It's only fair."
I shrugged and allowed him to scoop up half of the pile, snickering when he nicked his finger on one of his knives.
"Oh, now who is it that can't handle a blade?"
"Hush up!" Fili snapped, but the muffled chuckle said that he had not taken offense.
As I lead the way to my room, I found that it was so easy to talk to Fili. Almost as easy as talking to one's own brother. Brother. I silently reprimanded myself for the thought that had come to mind. It was clear that this Fili was not the brother that had pushed my little boat into the river. That was just my own wishful thinking. I shrugged my shoulders and opened the door to my room. After Fili and I had set his weapons on the rack and put the rest in one of my boxes, he turned and looked around.
"Is this your bow?" said Fili as he spotted it hanging on the wall.
"I just got it today, it was my birthday present."
"It's beautiful! It's-wait...Today's your birthday? How old are you?" Fili asked.
"Sixty-four."
"Five years younger than me then!" Fili laughed. "Who made your bow, if I might ask? It's clearly dwarven made."
I told Fili of Brokk. He knew the dwarf and said that he was a good friend of his uncle. I then told him the story of my 'payment'.
"I bet the old dwarf got quite the laugh out of that one!" Fili laughed.
"Oh, he did!" I smiled.
"Did he make your vambraces for you, as well? They don't look to be his craftsmanship to me."
"No, he didn't, I made them. I also made this."
I reached under the bed and pulled my sword from it's box and showed him. I could tell from the look on his face that he was impressed.
"You made this?"
I nodded and toed the floor.
"I know the local blacksmith, Regrin. After he saw my ability he allowed me full reign of the forge." I paused when I heard Bilbo's angry voice ringing against the walls,
"No, no! There's nobody home! Go away and bother somebody else! There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is. If this is some clot-heads idea of a joke, I can only say that it is in very poor taste!"
"I think it's probably time to head back."
"I do believe you are right!" agreed Fili.
When Fili and I returned to the parlor, I found that Bag-End had gotten considerably smaller. There were eight more dwarves accosting Bilbo's pantries instead of just two, as well as Gandalf. He had indeed shown up as he had said he would, bringing the party with him apparently. I easily spotted the Bombur that Fili had spoken of earlier. He was a massive dwarf and round with three chins that wobbled when he ate, which it seemed he was already. He had a chicken leg hanging out of his mouth as he carried platters of food to the dining room table. I laughed at Bilbo who stood turning around in a circle trying to catch each dwarf that took something from the larder. I could barely hear his protests over the noise from everyone else, though occasionally I caught a "Excuse me...t-that's my chicken... Put that back! Put that back! Excuse me! Not my wine!" or a "That is a book, not a coaster! Put that down, thank you! Excuse me!" My attention was commandeered by Fili who nudged me in the ribs.
"Those over there are my cousins, Oin and Gloin!" said Fili, pointing them out, as he lead me to the beer barrels. "And over there is Bombur's brother and cousin, Bofur and Bifur."
I stared at Bifur for a moment he had an axe head sticking out of his skull just above his left eye. He was babbling in some form of gibberish, but when I stopped and actually listened to him, I discovered that he was speaking Khuzdul, and I thanked my lucky stars that I had at least learned a little of it. Bofur was just as equally strange with his funny looking hat, though at least he didn't have weaponry coming out of his head.
"And this is Nori...and Ori, who is Nori's younger brother. Ah! And Dori, elder brother to both Nori and Ori! There you go! That's everyone here, except Balin and Dwalin and you know them already. Now come on lend a hand with this beer barrel!" Fili said with a wink.
I grinned, and helped him lift it to a more easily accessible location. Then I turned and began to help lay out the food for supper. I passed Gandalf who was counting the dwarves on his fingers when the one with an axe in his head said something in Khuzdul that I couldn't catch, though apparently Gandalf had because he answered the dwarf with a,
"You're quite right, Bifur...We appear to be one dwarf short..."
"He travelled north to a meeting of our kin, he will come." said Dwalin gruffly taking a swig from his beer.
I assumed that they spoke of the Thorin that Fili had mentioned, but before I could ask who they meant, I felt Fili grab me by the arm and lead me back to the table.
"Come on, the others want to meet you."
He dragged me into the dining room and having being introduced officially to everyone and a few awkward moments, Bofur finally laughed and said,
"It doesn't matter where ye were raised, yer still a dwarf! Come on lads let's get a drink!"
Everyone laughed and seemed to accept me into their group as they thrust a beer into my hand and pulled me to the table, where I ended up sitting beside the starfish headed Nori.
Supper was a merry messy affair, what with twelve dwarves and and wizard, there was food flying and being tossed to whichever person needed whatever at the time. Bilbo did not see fit to join us and glared at the party from his ransacked pantry. I cast him an apologetic glance, seeing as how he did have a right to complain about the amount of unwelcome guests currently sitting at his dining room table, eating him out of house and home. Not that there was much either he nor I could have done to remove these guests, so I went with the course of things. My attention was distracted from Bilbo by Bofur throwing an egg at Bombur and Bombur spectacularly catching it in his mouth. I cheered as hard as everyone else and I began to enjoy myself. The dwarves bantered back and forth cheerily and even Gandalf joined in with their antics. I relaxed and laughed at everything. I laughed more than I could ever remember laughing. I laughed when Fili slipped on something on the floor as he left the dining room for something, I laughed when somebody threw a piece of bread and it knocked the tomatoes off of Gandalf's plate, I laughed when Dwalin poured beer down Oin's hearing trumpet, I laughed as Fili came back, walking on the table, bringing more beer with him.
"Who wants an ale? There you go!"
"Over here brother!"
I stopped and almost choked on the food that I had in my mouth. Had I actually just called Fili my brother? I turned bright red and was about to apologize to Fili but before I could speak a mug was handed to me. I was shaking so bad that I accidentally dropped it, but no one seemed to notice, so I picked it up from where it had fallen. It was nearly empty now that most of it contents had been spilled on the dining room floor. I sighed and shrugged and was about to refill it when Bofur shouted,
"Ale on the count of three!" Bofur lifted his tankard. "One, Two, Three!"
All the dwarves gulped their beers down quickly in record time and I finished off the little bit that was left in the bottom of my own tankard. From beside me Nori let out the loudest belch ever to have graced Bag-End, that is until his younger brother Ori outdid him! I could see Bilbo cringe from where I was before I turned back to the group, and once again became lost in the ongoings of this company of dwaves that made me feel so much at home.
Despite the amount of food that was consumed, supper was over fairly quickly, though a few remained to finish off the last bits, or rather one did. Bombur it seemed liked to circle the table and pick up any scrapes that the others might have left on their plates. Well at least I knew now why he was so fat. He was a danger to any pantry that he came near, and there would be no doubt in anyone's mind, when the skirmish began the pantry would most certainly lose the battle. I smiled at the thought of an armored Bombur assaulting an unsuspecting larder as I walked to me room to fetch my pipe. When I came back I saw Ori come up to a very aggravated Bilbo.
"Excuse me...I'm sorry to interrupt...But what should I do with my plate?" asked Ori, a little timidly.
"Here you go, Ori, give it to me." said Fili taking it from the dwarf.
I looked on slightly puzzled, Fili didn't know where to put the dishes anymore than his friend did. I looked up at Gandalf and almost laughed. I was surprised when Gandalf dodged out of the way and a plate be thrown my way and was even more surprised when I caught it one handedly. Without thinking I threw it into the kitchen, there was no sound of shattering so I assumed that one of the dwarves had caught the flying crockery. I felt a little bad that I had just thrown Bilbo's mother's West Farthing pottery, after all it was over a hundred years old, but this was simply too fun to stop so I threw another, actually looking this time to see if someone had caught it. The strange one with the axe in his head, Bifur, had caught it and washed it before throwing it to the next dwarf, who placed it on a neat stack on the table. I turned back as Fili threw a bowl at me. I caught it with my foot and kicked it skyward, catching it and sending that one to Bifur as well. I heard Bilbo ask that the dwarves not blunt the knives. I let out a laugh and for whatever reason a silly little song came to my head and I started to sing:
Blunt the knives, bend the forks!
Fili caught on immediately and continued with his own line:
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
The dwarves were on a roll now and everyone joined in with a glorious:
Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
Cut the cloth, tread on the fat,
leave the bones on the bedroom mat!
Pour the milk on the pantry floor,
splash the wine on every door!
Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl,
pound them up with a thumping pole,
when you're finished, if they are whole,
Send them down the hall to roll!
Bofur played a little on his fiddle before the company ended the song with a raucous shout:
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
I burst out laughing at the look on Bilbo's face as he came bursting into the kitchen. He was completely astonished at all the clean dishes stacked on the end of the table. I couldn't help my breathless laughter or my exclamation of,
"Look at his face!"
The dwarves burst into fresh laughter at Bilbo who grinned sheepishly. He tucked his thumbs into braces and gave us all a look that clearly said,
"Thank you! For a moment there, I thought you were breaking my dishes instead of cleaning them!"
Our laughter was cut short by the sound of someone banging on the door. I turned bewildered and only became more so by Gandalf's somewhat foreboding words.
"He is here."
A/N: Please review!
