Chapter Three
When Bilbo awoke it was to four little feet, tangled against his thighs and the sound of childish snores. He smiled and opened his eyes, shifting his head carefully to look at his sleeping daughter and son. Frerin hadn't slept with them, but then again Frerin was most likely too old to cuddle against his crafter. Bilbo decided that he'd hug Frerin once he saw the dwarf again, but for now he was perfectly content to lie in bed and hold his other children close, watching them sleep.
He smiled softly and traced a finger across Brando's forehead, the little one didn't stir as Bilbo gently moved his hair back from his face and then did the same for Tris. Sleeping they both resembled both Bilbo and Thorin then they did awake. There were some features that were similar to their fathers, while others must have come from other ancestors. Still with their eyes closed, Bilbo couldn't help but notice how much Tris looked like Thorin and how much Brando looked like him. He frowned as his stomach growled and he gently moved his children off of him. Tris muttered a slight protest, but Brando didn't even stir as Bilbo left the bed. The first few days it was normal for those that just came out of stone to need to sleep a lot and deeply when they did. Bilbo smiled fondly at the children as they nestled against each other, cuddling one another and taking over the spot in the bed Bilbo had just left.
He went to the door and was greeted by a two who stared at him for a moment. "Hello I was wondering if I might get something to eat? Both my children are still sleeping and I'd like to watch over them and ensure that when they wake, they won't be alone, but I am also very hungry. How long have I been asleep?"
"You've slept for nearly two days Milord Bilbo, Frerin has been keeping the children busy during the day and letting them sleep and nap with you when they feel tired. Still everyone has been very worried about your health. Oin said you were likely fine and you were just exhausted from pulling three from the stone in quick succession." The guard said and Bilbo nodded as the guard on the left spoke, the guard on the right simply continued to stare at him.
"Could you inform the council that I'm awake now and get me something to eat?"
"Aye I'll send for a runner to go to the council and tell the kitchens you'll be wanting some food." The guard said and rang a bell that was attached to the wall outside the bedroom. "You also have a bell inside your bedroom, ring it anytime you need anything."
"Thank you, I was wondering where was the closet kitchen I might use and where could I get supplies."
"There should be a kitchen in your rooms, just open the door to the left of your bed. As for supplies, I'll tell the runner to knock when he comes and he can get you what you need. Though there is a fully stocked kitchen and you don't need to cook if you don't want to."
"I enjoy cooking and I have two young children who I think will like it too."
"You're going to be cooking with the Prince and Princess?"
"Yes, I am going to cook with my children, all hobbits learn to cook regardless of station. Though my people govern things slightly differently from yours, my Grandfather is the Thrain and I'm as close to hobbit nobility as my people tend to get. I grew up learning much the same things as Thorin did I imagined and it was always expected that I would serve my people as best as I was able. It just so happened that along the way, my people became the dwarves of Erebor. Tris and Brando are perfectly able to learn cooking as well as governance and I thank you not to be questioning how I decide to raise my children. I am their guardian first and foremost, I am the reason that they are alive and I will allow input on how to raise my children, but not from complete strangers who think they know better than me what's best for my family. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes your Grace." Both guards said and Bilbo nodded.
"I'll be waiting in my chambers." Bilbo said and closed the door firmly, but quietly. He then walked through the door the guard had indicated and was surprised to discover that these quarters were just as large as the ones he'd had in Bag End. There were five bedrooms, a nursery filled with toys, games and children's book, a study, an empty room, a dining room, a bathroom, complete with a bath that was nearly as big as a small pound and a spacious kitchen. He opened the cupboards and found that the kitchen had been well stocked with new cooking tools, pantry and a cold box that had been filled with ice, but lacked any food. He went back to his bedroom, found a small desk with paper and ink upon it and wrote out a list of the supplies he wanted. Just as he was finishing, there came a soft knock at the door and Bilbo smiled as he opened it. "Hello, could you inform the council that I'm awake and fine, get me and the children something to eat and get these ingredients from the kitchen?"
"Yes Your Grace." The runner said and Bilbo sighed, he knew it was normal to afford him respect as the mother of the royal heirs if nothing else and he didn't wish to upset the dwarves. Still he didn't like being called Your Grace, or Milord instead of his own name.
"Thank you." Bilbo said and shut the door behind him. He then walked over to where his children were sleeping and pulled up a chair, watching them as they rested, they would be awake soon he knew. Hobbit children never stayed asleep when there was food to be had in the mornings and he suspected that his children would be much the same way. He simply watched their little chests rise and fall, as they slept, wondering at how beautiful they both were. A few minutes later another knock came at the door and Bilbo opened it, smiling at the four dwarves, who had his supplies and three plates of food with them. "Set the food on the table and the supplies in the kitchen."
"Aye Your Grace." One of the dwarves said and Bilbo smiled.
"Thank you." Bilbo said and smiled as the dwarves set down the food and helped the others with the supplies.
"Daddy, what's going on?" Tris asked sleepily.
"I'm sleepy, don't wanna wake up." Brando said and Bilbo smiled.
"Are you certain Brando, because if you rather Tris and I eat your share of the food..." Bilbo laughed as his two children raced out of bed and to the table. "Now its polite to thank the mother for this meal, before we enjoy it."
"Why?" Tris asked and Bilbo chuckled at her favorite word, before he ruffled her hair.
"Because the Green Mother grows all green things and the animals we eat, eat the plants and grow big and strong as you will my children." Bilbo said and they both smiled.
"But how do we thank the Green Mother?"
"Simple, just repeat after me. Thank you Mother for this blessing, for this day and the food on our table. May your blessings be many and your kindnesses continue. Thank you for giving of yourself so that we may live." Bilbo said and then started eating as his children started to eat as well. "Did your Uncles and Daddy Thorin teach you about how to cut with a knife and eat with a fork?" Bilbo asked as Brando picked up an egg and shoveled it into his mouth. Both children shook their heads and Bilbo sighed. "Well watch me, hold the knife in your left hand and the fork in your right. Watch as I cut into my egg." Bilbo said and neatly cut into his egg, the children both copied him and Bilbo smiled. "Very good, the potatoes you can stab with your fork and it is fine to simply pick up the toast with your hands."
Bilbo said and smiled, watching his children learn how to use their knives and forks, soon they were done with breakfast and Bilbo stacked the plates, before carrying them into the kitchen and rolling up his sleeves. "This is how to wash dishes, first you take a plate and scrub it with the sponge, until it is clean of food. Once all dishes are washed, you drain the dirty water and rinse the plates, before putting them on the drying rack, you can try with some of the dishes that we make as we make the cookies if you like."
"We're gonna make cookies? Like Uncle Dwalin snuck us from his pockets, when the others weren't looking and we were hungry in the council?" Brando asked and Bilbo laughed.
"Yes, Uncle Dwalin must love you both very much to share his cookies with you, why he ate a whole jar of cookies I baked when I met him at my house."
"How did you and Daddy Thorin meet?"
"We met on the quest to Erebor, that's a story that I'll tell you when we aren't busy baking." Bilbo said and lit the oven, settling the flame to cook at the temperature he wanted, by twisting the damper, before he started gathering together a bowl and spices, as well as sugar and chocolate. "We are going to make three different kinds of cookies and several batches of each kind, to share with your Uncles and Brother at the council."
"Yay cookies!" Brando said and clapped his hands excitedly.
"Yes now you both go wash your hands in the sink." Bilbo said measuring flour into two separate big bowls, before taking out his measuring spoons, the children both came beside him and Bilbo smiled as they used the step stools he'd requested. "Now Tris, will you add the cinnamon to this bowl, we want two spoonfuls of it, but if you spill a bit its alright. Brando you can add the sugar, fill it up to here, that's the sign for one and we need one cup."
"How much is two?" Tris asked and Bilbo smiled.
"One is one, there can be one of anything. On your face there is one nose, you are one person, this is one finger. You are going to be filling that spoon two times, one and one make two."
"Oh okay." Tris said and put two spoonfuls of cinnamon into the bowl.
"Very good Tris, now Brando, have you filled the sugar up to the one mark?" Bilbo asked and the little boy nodded. "Good now dump it in, I'll add vanilla salt and baking powder to our cookies." Bilbo said and did so, as he explained. "Now I need some strong children to stir this dough, until its mixed."
"I wanna stir."
"No me!"
"Tris start stirring this one and Brando can stir first on the next batch." Bilbo said and smiled as his children stopped arguing as Tris started to stir, Bilbo watched her until the dough was evenly mixed together." Very good Tris, now you want to make small balls like this, roll them between your fingers, until they are nice and round, you want them to be the same size as mine are." Bilbo said and got out two cookie sheets, laying one next to Tris and the other next to Brando. He handed them both a piece of dough and smiled as Tris giggled.
"Its sticky Daddy!" She said and Bilbo laughed.
"Dough can be sticky sometimes, now watch how I roll them and do what I do." Bilbo said and smiled at the children, as they copied his motion. When they finished, their dough was slightly more lopsided but Bilbo smiled. "Very good, help me roll out the rest." Bilbo said and together they finished putting the cookies on the tray, Bilbo wound up rolling more and setting them on each tray to make the cookies faster. He then put the tray into the oven and washed and dried the bowl, measuring cup and tablespoon. "Next we're going to make chocolate chip." Bilbo said and watched as his children measured the ingredients and he got out two more cookie sheets to put the dough on. By that time the first batch was done and so Bilbo pulled them from the oven and set them on the stove to cool. He put the next batch into the oven, before making oatmeal cookies.
"This is fun, but I'm hungry Daddy." Tris said and Bilbo laughed.
"We're almost done, we just need to wait for the chocolate chip ones to come out of the oven and then we can have lunch. You can both have one of the cinnamon cookies, if you promise to be good, until lunchtime."
"We promise!" They both said and Bilbo laughed again, giving them both a cookie and taking one for himself, before putting both kinds of cookies into the basket. A moment later he removed the oatmeal raisin cookies from the oven and put them into the basket as well, before handing a basket to each of his children and taking one himself.
"Can you carry the cookies with me?"
"Yes!" Tris said and Brando nodded, Bilbo smiled and walked with his two children from his chamber.
"Oh there once was a man, a silly old man, who lived in the moon. He liked to play his fiddle, fiddeli ay fiddeli ay oh. As he danced upon the moon, he had a small dog that would bark and try to trip him, fiddeli ay,woof woof, fiddeli ay oh. Oh once there was a man a silly old man, who danced upon the moon, he had a dog, woof woof and a fiddle, fiddeli ay ay fiddleli ay oh. He had a cat that would sing, as he played his fiddle, but the cat couldn't keep the time and would only sing meow meow. Fiddeli ay ay woof woof, meow meow, fiddeli ay oh. There was a now children what do you think there was?"
"A mouse!" Tris said. "I saw one the other day and Frerin told me not to be a scared of it and it wouldn't hurt me."
"Aye, there was a mouse, that was gathering moon cheese, upon the moon as the man danced and the dog tripped him and cat sang out a tune of its own. Squeek squeek, fiddeli ay fiddeli ay oh, woof woof, meow, meow, squeek squeek, fiddeli ay oh. Now there was a ..."
"Dwarf!" Brando said and Bilbo smiled.
"Who was mining rocks upon the moon clink clack went his pick, as it hit the rocks upon the moon. Clink clack fiddeli ay fiddeli ay oh, woof woof, meow, meow, squeek squeek, clink clack, fiddeli ay oh. There was a..."
"Cookie!" Brando said and Bilbo laughed.
"There was a cookie upon the moon, the man and the dwarf ate it for lunch, munch munch. fiddeli ay fiddeli ay oh, woof woof, meow, meow, squeek squeek, clink clack, munch munch fiddeli ay oh. There was a..."
"Child!"
"Upon the moon, who would dance with the man and laugh, ahhaha he ahaaha ho. fiddeli ay fiddeli ay oh, woof woof, meow, meow, squeek squeek, clink clack, munch munch, ahha he ahaha ho , fiddeli ay oh. Now our song is over, fiddeli ay, fiddeli ay oh, oh now our song is over, fiddeli ay, fiddeli oh."
Bilbo said and both children laughed, as they reached the council chamber. Bilbo smiled as he walked up to the head table.
"Bilbo there you are, we were wondering where you and my brother and sister had gotten off to this morning."
"I would have asked you to join us, you're welcome anytime you want Frerin, but I thought that you might like some time with your Uncles and Thorin."
"Aye though not much has been resolved today, I might very well take you up on that offer after lunch, if that would be alright Thorin?"
"I can manage well enough here, go and be with Bilbo and your brother and sister. Father never made us stay past lunch and I won't make you stay either."
"Can we go too, please Uncle?" Kili asked and Bilbo smiled.
"If it is alright with Bilbo."
"Its fine with me, the more the merrier." Bilbo said and smiled at both Fili and Kili. "Princess Tris and Prince Brando baked cookies with me and we would like to share them with you." Bilbo said and set down the basket at the high table.
"You baked cookies little ones?" Thorin asked Tris and Brando and both nodded.
"It was really fun, I learned to count to two and Daddy Bilbo sang with us about the man in the moon when we were coming here."
"Oh a man in the moon, how did it go?"
"It got longer and longer, until we stopped singing it and we made up words as we went along. I got to pick animals and dwarves and cookies." Tris said and Bilbo laughed. "Can I sit on your lap brother?"
"Of course little sister, now tell me how did your baking go?"
Frerin asked and Bilbo smiled as Tris started talking animatedly about how she had baked cookies with Brando. Brando pulled on Bilbo's sleeve and Bilbo smiled at his son.
"What is it Brando, what do you need?"
"I'm hungry, can I sit in your lap?"
"Of course." Bilbo said and picked up his son, depositing him in his lap.
"I am hungry too, we were just about to break for lunch, why don't we have it here, rather than going all the way to the dining hall?" Thorin said and Bilbo smiled. "After all after such an epic quest as cookie making and delivering you must be tired little ones. Such brave young warriors deserve to not have to walk all the way to the dining halls." Bilbo couldn't help his smile as Brando puffed up his tiny chest and Tris looked proudly at him, from her place beside Bilbo.
"We decided to make Frerin and Brando both heir, as they were born at the same time. When the time comes, they will determine how to delegate responsibilities between them. Its not been done before, but we haven't had two be born from stone at the same time, since the first fathers." Thorin said and smiled. "This seemed the best way to resolve the issue of who would lead after I am gone."
"You'll live for years yet, you aren't even as old as Father was, let alone Grandfather." Frerin said and grinned. "Though you do have some grey in your beard Brother...Father...Thorin." He said and to Bilbo's surprise Thorin laughed.
"I do indeed, could you fetch lunch?" Thorin asked a servant who bowed and left the council chamber. "Now lets put aside talk of the mines and talk about other things instead, did you like making cookies Tris?"
"I loved making cookies."
"I got to eat one, but Daddy Bilbo would only let me eat one." Brando said and everyone laughed.
"Sounds like you like cookies as much as Dwalin does little brother, he can never have just one." Frerin teased and Dwalin smiled at the child.
"There's nothing wrong with liking cookies, I eat them whenever I can and look how strong I am, just drink milk as well, soon you'll be a fierce warrior."
"I don't wanna hurt people."
Brando said dismayed and Bilbo gently stroked back his curl.
"I don't like hurting people either, but when something is going to hurt you and the ones you love, you need to hurt it, to defend those you care about and yourself." Bilbo said and Brando started to cry, no doubt afraid of the thought of someone hurting those he cared about.
"Don't worry little brother, I can hurt them for you." Tris said fiercely a gleam in her eye that Bilbo didn't know what to do with, and neither did the rest of the table.
"She should at least try learning basic fighting techniques, if that's something she's interested. Seems like she's your daughter Thorin, too bold by half." Bilbo said and Thorin looked shocked at his daughter and his son.
"If she wishes to learn, she may do so, you said that you had first right to their education and I'll respect that. If you respect my wish to have more children in time." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded.
"That sounds fair, perhaps we should have a dinner to ourselves, to discuss how they are to be raised." Bilbo said though he felt slightly afraid of being in the same room with Thorin, by themselves.
"Are you sure you want it to just be us, the others should have some say as well." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded.
"Of course, perhaps the company could join us for dinner and once the children are in bed, we can talk about their education and you can join in too, of course Frerin, if you feel up to it."
"Why does he get to go Daddy and we can't?" Tris asked.
"Because he's lived before and he's older than you, but you can have some say in your lessons as well sweetheart. There's a lot that you haven't learned yet and he has."
"Its not fair!" Tris complained and Brando tugged on Bilbo's sleeve.
"I don't mind Daddy, long as I get to cook some more with you."
"Of course you'll learn how to cook some more, as well as many other things, from your Uncles, Daddy Thorin, me and tutors. Though if you feel uncomfortable in any of your lessons, please talk with me about it, alright my little moss?" Bilbo asked his son and Brando nodded, Brando wasn't at all like Bilbo had been as a child. Bilbo had never been timid, or clung to his parents the way Brando clung to him, but he reminded Bilbo of some children from the Shire and he knew that his little son would find his way eventually. His being timid was most likely because everything was so new to him.
"Alright Daddy Bilbo, if I get scared, or feel bad in my lessons I'll tell you."
"Sometimes you're going to get hurt, that's a part of learning how to fight, bumps and bruises are natural." Dwalin said.
"I don't wanna get hurt!" Brando protested.
"You'll wear padded armor, you're going to be like one big dwarfling pillow with a head on top." Kili assured the child.
"He's not a dwarfling you need to remember that, hobbits tend to be more sensitive about some things. Just take it easy with him and get him used to the idea, that's what Auntie Margarie did with cousin Drogo and he was very timid as a faunt. Some are, there's nothing wrong with someone being hesitant to fight."
"Scardy cat!" Tris interjected.
"Am not, I just don't wanna hurt no one." Brando protested and Bilbo smiled.
"For now you have Daddy Thorin, your Uncles, Bilbo and me to protect you, but what if you get lost and there's no one else around? You can't just not fight Branny, you can't expect others to always be able to do your fighting for you. As a prince it is your duty to protect the people in all ways."
"Why don't you learn how to protect them with fighting and I can learn about really old secrets and stuff." Brando said and everyone looked confused at the child. "That's what Uncle Ori and Uncle Nori do."
"Sweetheart I think your confused, Nori is a spymaster, which requires you to learn how to defend yourself, because people don't like being spied on. Ori is a chronicler and he reads about our history, but there are no ancient dwarven secrets that little dwarflings need to be studying. If there are, you'd find some very scary things along the way." Bilbo said. "Why don't we play fight today after lunch and then you can see it's not scary, but really fun."
"Could someone make some padded practice armor for my children, or have it bought from the market and put in the nursery? I'll add it to their monthly pay, at the normal rate for padded armor." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded to him in thanks. "Frerin could teach them the basics."
"Or they could just rough house, no lessons to begin with, just so Brando realizes that he'll be safe and maybe even have some fun."
"I want to wrestle with our little cousins! That sounds like a lot of fun!" Fili said and Kili nodded.
"But your not to take learning how to fight as an excuse to pick on your little brother Tris." Bilbo told the girl who frowned.
"I wouldn't do that, even if he's a crybaby."
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"And so it begins, maybe I should have stayed in the stone longer, by all the valar were we this annoying Thorin?"
"I wouldn't say annoying, they both seem to have the Durin stubbornness, which is a good thing and a bad thing with children. I remember having to separate you two and Dwalin many times. You can enjoy being the older one now." Balin said and laughed.
"I don't like the sound of that laugh, Balin."
"What are you talking about?"
"Brothers and sisters my dear and friends that are as close as siblings. Thorin constantly was with Dwalin when they were young and Frerin would always be tagging along after them. Your Auntie Dis liked to stay close to her mother when she was small, but soon enough she was chasing after them as well."
"Auntie Dis was like me as a child? Did she not want to fight either?"
"Oh she wanted to fight, she was a right little hellcat, in private. As a young dwarfling however she was a little shy and learned much from our mother about womanly arts."
"What are womanly arts?" Tris asked.
"Well our women will tell you, female dwarrowdam's have their own language, using their clothes and fans, as well as glances and dances to communicate with one another. They also have different customs than we do, though we speak the same language. Womanly arts aren't often explained to men, but men can learn them if a dwarrowdam offers to teach them." Ori said and several of the dwarrowdam's laughed and Ori blushed.
"Well said Ori, I can teach the young Prince and Princess and Consort Presumptive Bilbo if he would be interested in such things." A well-dressed Dwarrowdam said and Bilbo smiled.
"I'd love to learn, maybe I could teach you about flower language in return, its much like stone language where certain stones mean certain things."
"You have stone language?" Thorin demanded shocked and Bilbo nodded.
"Well we are the children of the Father as well you know, of course we would know about stone language. Unlike Khudzul such things are easy to learn and just require memorization."
"Flowers and stone have a language Daddy Bilbo?" Tris asked and Bilbo smiled.
"Its more like what you want to express with the flowers and stone, certain stones mean certain things. Some mean things like being strong, or I love you, or seek to protect you. I always wear the necklace my parents gave to me, shortly after I was molded from clay. As I will make for you once I have a better feel of who you are as individuals. Usually they are given to children between the first month and first year of life. It sometimes takes longer for a parent to understand a child, but I should be able to make them for you sometime soon. Parents and the children can add to them as the years go by and it somewhat helps shape the path a child's life takes, or who they become later on so its not something to take lightly."
"Can I see yours Daddy Bilbo?" Tris asked and Bilbo nodded.
"In private my pebble, it's not something I want to share with everyone and I'll explain what the stones mean."
"Will you make one for me as well?" Frerin asked and Bilbo smiled.
"Of course, you may be reforged, but you are my son Frerin, never feel otherwise. I treat you differently from your siblings because you are older and you have lived before. That does not mean that you are not my child, nor does it mean that you are loved any less than the others." Bilbo said and smiled at Frerin. "You can look at my heart necklace as well if you like, but don't tell anyone about the stones, it's deeply personal."
"We won't, we promise don't we Brando?" Tris asked and Brando nodded.
"Why wear a necklace at all, if no one ever sees it?"
"It is worn for the balancing properties of the stone, the necklace shows the faults of the wearer, would you openly display your faults and shortcomings?" Bilbo demanded and Frerin blushed.
"No, I wouldn't, but why would you wear such a thing?"
"By wearing it, it helps the person to work on their faults and guides their spirit towards contentment." Bilbo replied and Frerin nodded.
"Would you make one for me as well?" Thorin asked and Bilbo frowned.
"I would, but you might not like it at the moment, I feel that we should work on our relationship for the sake of our children. However I find that I can't be alone with you right now."
"Then we can see each other in the company of our friends." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded.
"Though we most likely will have to do so after dinner for a while, since I need to be close to the children."
"I could watch the little ones, if you want to have dinner together some night."
"I would be glad to keep you company." Fili said and Bilbo smiled at the Prince, as their food came from the kitchens. He bent to the task of cutting the meat, handing Brando a fork and smiling as Frerin did the same for Tris. He then started to eat, watching as Brando ate and asking for three more plates, he smiled at Frerin and Tris who asked for just as much food.
"I wasn't able to eat like this before."
"Increased metabolism, you get it from me, hobbits need a lot of food to stay in top form, especially when using our stone sense."
"I haven't been using my stone sense that much, it tires me too much for now." Frerin said and Bilbo nodded.
"Its alright to be tired, its common for stone born to be tired for their first few weeks, to first few months, you'll have your energy back soon. Tapping into your stone sense is mentally draining, I'd wait for a week or so and try it again. Of course you can maintain a low level sense of the mountain around you, but I wouldn't suggest sending your spirit out past four corridors from the one you are in."
"Four corridors?" Thorin demanded and Bilbo nodded.
"It depends upon when you eat, because food helps burn the energy needed for stone sense, as does sleep. I would try in the early morning or after you take a nap."
"Some of our more powerful stone sensors say the same, but how far can you reach Bilbo?" Thorin asked
"To Dale if I really stretch myself, but I wouldn't suggest that you do that any time soon Fre. Its just like your muscles, Dwalin didn't get that burly overnight and your stone sense needs to be strengthened in the same way, or else you could loose yourself in the tunnels or exhaust yourself."
"We were just discussing where to put a mine..." One of the councilors said and Bilbo frowned.
"Shouldn't we use the gold we have first, rather than acquiring more. I love rock just as much as anyone, but I don't see the point in tempting disaster again."
"Our treasury has been sufficiently depleted and half the mountain gold has been distributed to other dwarven kingdoms in exchange for ongoing weapons, armor, tools, food deliveries and craft apprenticeships. Once you train your own children could you possibly take on some apprentices yourself?"
"They would have to have an aptitude for stone sense and be rather young, I wouldn't take any younger than Ori, but since I am going to be teaching my children, I don't see the harm in teaching others as well. I could take about a hundred at a time, by myself, but if another with the stone sense would be willing to function as guide, I could take more." Bilbo said and smiled at several of the dwarves shocked looks. "I had a powerful green sense and that transferred over to stone, with my transformation. Stone sense and green sense are similar to one another and our children are trained in both, as I'll be training mine." Bilbo said and Thorin nodded.
"Of course the children should learn the ways of your people, especially if your stone sense is so strong."
"The quarters you prepared for me are acceptable, as long as no one enters unannounced I could live there and allow others to use the rooms I have been using, though I would like some of the stone transferred, as it is a good size to shape."
"Do you ever shape stone for the joy of it?" Frerin asked suddenly and Bilbo smiled.
"I did with gardening and I suspect I'll do the same with stone now, I was always in my flowerbeds weeding before and enjoying the song of the flowers. I also was taught how to carve and I enjoy doing so, so it might be a hobby for when I have some time to myself. I could teach you some carving techniques if you like, while Brando and Tris play, they are a bit young to learn how to carve yet." Bilbo said and smiled at his sons and daughter. "Carving helps center me I suppose, I haven't really had enough time to explore my new gifts to be sure of how it really feels without trying to make a child, or being guided by the Father's hand." Bilbo said and Frerin nodded.
"I was always better with metalwork than carving before and my education was focused towards that. I would like to try carving with you sometime." Frerin said and Bilbo smiled.
"Can I have a cookie now?" Tris asked suddenly. "This is boring I wanna play." Bilbo laughed and handed both her and Brando an oatmeal cookie, taking one for himself.
"You can each have one, you don't want to get a tummy ache. I suppose that's my cue to leave the council hall, I'll see you later tonight Thorin." Bilbo said and strolled from the council hall with Ori, Fili, Kili and his children. "So lets head up to the nursery, I feel like telling tales after lunch, it helps the digestion." Bilbo said and walked back to the rooms he had been given and to his children's nursery. "Now how about a story about the quest I went on with Thorin and the Company?" Bilbo asked.
"Yes tell us a story about how you met Daddy Thorin!" Brando said and Bilbo smiled.
"I'm glad you are feeling more comfortable now my boy, was it the people that made you quiet or do you just feel like being quiet normally."
"They talk really loud in their heads and I'm having trouble drowning it all out." Brando said and Bilbo frowned, some faunts had an innate ability with being able to touch the minds of others. "They say some not very nice things and I don't like talking in front of them."
"Who does?" Bilbo asked.
"Lots of dwarves in the council hall, they all want to be close to Daddy Thorin, but they don't like me because I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Lad it seems as though you have a strong sense for other people's thoughts, that can sometimes be a gift of those with stone sense. Sometimes someone can just sense the thoughts of others and doesn't have much stone sense, others can do both, but I think you're stronger with the mental arts."
"So you can read my mind?" Fili demanded and Bilbo smiled.
"Its considered rude to mind read if one can help it, so I don't."
"Then why don't you read Uncle's mind, you'll know then that he's really sorry and he won't hurt you again."
"Because Thorin is entitled to his privacy, as is everyone else. I'll teach Brando how to control his ability, it makes sense now why he doesn't want to hurt anyone, with his being able to read the feelings and thoughts of others, he must feel it when someone else gets hurt."
"I do and it hurts too, Dwalin split his knuckles sparring yesterday, it was hurting him, but he didn't really think about it. Others were hurt too, just scrapes and stuff, but I felt it and it hurt."
"You should have told me, tell me if you are ever in pain, now we'll work together on blocking your sense of other's thoughts."
"Alright Daddy Bilbo." Brando said and Bilbo smiled at his child.
"Can you watch Tris for a time after their N-A-P?" Bilbo asked and Brando frowned before he nodded.
"I'm ready for the story now, but can I cuddle with you?"
"I wanna cuddle Daddy Bilbo!"
Tris said and Bilbo smiled, he took one of the cushions as a pillow and lay down on the floor of the playroom. "You can join us if you wish, or go to the market for a bit, its a story you were a part of anyway."
"I think I will go to the market, there are more booths by the day and maybe I can find something interesting to craft."
"I'll go with you brother." Kili said.
"If it's alright I'd like to stay here and read, the room is comfortable enough." Ori said and Bilbo nodded.
"You are welcome to stay, but I'm only going to be telling a story."
"That's alright, I like how you tell your tales."
"In the hole in the ground there lived a hobbit..." Bilbo launched into how his life had been before he had met the dwarves, explaining a bit about his people's customs and was just about to start the actual story, when he noticed that all three of his children were asleep. He smiled softly brushing back an errant curl from Tris and gently removing one of his arms. "Could you pass me a book?" Bilbo asked, wanting to speak common for once.
"Of course, it was interesting listening to you explain about life in the Shire, I could help you up if you wanted."
"Actually on second thought I think I'll carve some, if its not too much trouble..."
"I'll gladly watch over them." Ori said and Bilbo nodded.
"Thank you Ori, I appreciate it." Bilbo said and gently moved his other arm free from his son's head, allowing both his children's head to rest upon the pillow instead of on him. He then slowly moved away from them and stood, smiling at how Frerin had fallen asleep sitting up, his head bent down to his chest. He gently moved Frerin, so he was lying down and his head was on a pillow. "They'll sleep for several hours yet." Bilbo said and took two blankets from a trunk that stood in the corner, covering both Frerin and the children with them. "I'll be back long before then."
"Go Bilbo, I'll be fine here, I've taught rune signs to small children before, its something every apprentice has to do before they are considered a journeyman." Ori said and Bilbo nodded, leaving the nursery behind him. He walked back to where his tools were and picked them up, before going to a rich deposit of diamonds and removing them from the rock with his pickaxe. He had a good sized pile within an hour, so he went to the market and to a jeweler's stand, he said it often took a month, but he already knew what stones he would use for his children's necklaces. He picked out the stones and instead of paying took out two of the diamonds. "I thought we could trade for the gems, the diamonds are uncut but with a bit of shaping, they should serve as payment."
"You mined these?" The merchant asked his voice going up an octave. "How many do you have? I'll buy the lot!"
"I have about twenty five or so." Bilbo said.
"Twenty five?" The merchant demanded. "Let me see them."
"Alright." Bilbo said. "But first we should discuss payment."
"I'll give you market value for uncut stones, double for those with good clarity."
"Deal." Bilbo said and smiled, he took out the sack and handed it over to the merchant who stared at the stones in awe.
"The quality of these are all excellent, no ones been able to get as good of quality so far."
"Just haven't been looking in the right place I suppose, I just looked for safe tunnels and rich deposits. Diamonds were the easiest to find, but I have sensed other deposits as well." Bilbo said.
"How can you be so uncaring of wealth, because you have almost made a fortune off of me."
"I've always been one that's valued the wealth of companionship, over material wealth." Bilbo said and smiled. "If something were to help a friend and it was within my power to do so, I'd do it gladly." Bilbo shrugged. "In the Shire my gardening ability was prized and needed, here it's much the same, but I have so little time with looking after my children."
"Have some others look after it and show the King where to dig. Its said you found some old houses as well, useable old houses, I'd gladly pay to buy two from you, as you have finders rights."
"As my friends are staying in the royal quarters, I don't see a problem with you purchasing the right to build. Still isn't it Thorin's mountain and doesn't he have final say about living quarters?"
"That's not how dwarven law works, you have finders rights, or builders rights if it was a tunnel. Those tunnels are yours because you found them first, you can do whatever you want with them."
"There's about thirty small houses or so and I should offer the rights to the council first."
"They will find good quarters easily, those on the council always do. I want a place for me and my family to live, once they arrive with the next caravan, but I could just as easily sell the place for triple whatever you ask, unless you write the contract properly, stating that it can only be exchanged between kin."
"Why are you telling me all this?" Bilbo asked and frowned. "You've never seen the tunnels, why would you offer so much for them?"
"Simply because its better than sleeping in my wagon, or building a house out of stone which could take upwards of six months to a year according to the builder's estimates as they are building houses for the council members who are staying first and making new tunnels and homes will take twice as long. Space is at a premium and frankly you could ask any price for those tunnels and the homes inside them, but I'm hoping that you'll agree to paying the price I offer you. I'm a wealthy merchant, but I'm not as wealthy as some of the old families."
"May I sense your thoughts?"
"My thoughts?" The merchant asked slightly alarmed. "You can read minds?"
"Only the minds of those that are related to Father Mahal, as we share a creator, the stone in me calls to the stone in you." Bilbo said and the merchant stared at him in shock.
"Yes, if that is what it takes for you to give me a home, you may read my mind." He said and Bilbo focused on the merchant and on his thoughts, centering his focus on him I could build a life here and a home for my family, to know that no one would ever take it from me would be wonderful.
"Why have you been so honest with me, about the tunnels and about the gems and diamonds I brought you?" Need to make a life here, build a reputation so maybe they will let me on the council and I could help other people, so I could help my family and leave behind a legacy for my children. So that I could ask a good bride price for my daughters and pay it easily for my sons. I could build a home here, a place for my family and I could grow wealthy, be able to buy anything and share that wealth with my family and friends.
How do I answer him though, an answer that someone with his power will accept, I must not think of anything inappropriate lest he read it in my thoughts, but what would he consider to be inappropriate? I don't want to kill or harm anyone, I'm a peaceful man by nature, but how can I convince this powerful stranger of that. Bilbo sensed the man's fear, as well as his desire, love and longing. "I was honest with you, so that you might see me as a fair man and perhaps tell others that I'm a fair merchant. Merchants live by their reputation and I try to build mine as best I can." If this works out, I'll never go hungry again, my children will be full for the rest of their lives, the bad times will be behind us.
"Are you from Erebor originally?" Bilbo asked and the dwarf smiled, before he nodded.
"I was born and raised here, my father was a gem cutter, but after the fall we became merchants."
"I would like to be your friend, your a good man, I'm not reading your thoughts any longer. I had to be sure before I agreed to something of this magnitude, give me a list of the people you wouldn't mind having as your neighbors, more good men like yourself who only want to make an honest living."
"And can pay the three thousand gold necessary for two of those small houses." The merchant said and Bilbo stared wide-eyed at him
"It was in a poorer neighborhood and it's not in the best repair, but other than the royal quarters it's the best in the mountain."
"Your certain?"
"If you don't want to wait a while, I'm unsure of how fast dwarves dig out tunnels, but I sense more rooms like the ones I found, they are larger, but ten of the tunnels collapsed around the easiest access point. I also sense other tunnels, that could have been homes at one point, but they are even harder to reach, or caved in entirely."
"You should tell others where to dig and hire a crew to do so, with the gold I give you, with the understanding that if you find larger quarters, I'll have the option to move."
"That sounds fair, but I don't want people to risk their lives for a venture I created."
"It's nothing more than what you did on the quest to get back this mountain and you could direct the digging, feel where the tunnels are safe. Some miners would give anything for the chance to be under a good contract. I'd sell the tunnels, buy a crew of miners and claim the right to the tunnel passage, that is of course if your still at odds with your One."
"Yes, we're trying to work through things, but we both made mistakes that we regret."
"A messy business that, but it gives me an opportunity. As your other friends would have a vested interest in the crown receiving the bulk of the profits, would you agree to partner with me? You would maintain ownership and full claim, just give me 5% of your total earnings for the two tunnels and I'll help you to understand dwarven law and assist in paying for the miners though the bulk of the cost would be yours."
"That sounds like a fair deal." Bilbo said and the merchant smiled.
"Excellent, I'll draw up a contract." He said and Bilbo nodded, gesturing a runner over.
"Could you go to the royal quarters and tell Ori that I have some business to attend to?" Bilbo asked and the dwarf nodded, as the merchant wrote furiously on a piece of paper.
"These are standard house deed contracts, it pretty much states that if the owner attempts to sell it to anyone other than kin, it reverts back to the original seller, a copy will be sent to the crown and be kept on file in the library."
"That sounds simple enough." Bilbo said and read over the contract, he nodded in agreement and signed his name, as the merchant did the same.
"I am Ogdin Ogdor's son." The merchant said and turned to a dwarf in a grey uniform. "I'll pay you to look after my shop." He said and the dwarf nodded. "You can wait in the Starlight Tavern, I'll be back soon, how many homes are available.
"Thirty or so, some are in better repair than others." Bilbo stated and the dwarf nodded, Bilbo went to the tavern and ordered a meat pie, sensing the thoughts of those around him, he found that he was in a place where traders gathered and there was nothing malicious about their thoughts. He ate his meat pie and soon the merchant came back with twenty other dwarves, Bilbo read their thoughts and found them to be much the same as Ogdin's. These were men who were looking to make an honest living and although about a third of them were related to Ogdin somehow and Ogdin had a large family, Bilbo didn't see a problem with giving the tunnels he'd found to those dwarrows.
Soon the contracts were signed and Bilbo led them down to the tunnels when the last one had been. They stared at the tunnels in wonder. "This is better than I imagined!" Ogdin said and there were several murmurs of agreement. "The best ones will go to the highest bidder."
"I didn't clear anything out of the house I was using, would you like me to clear it out?"
"No, we can always use the furniture." Ogdin said and Bilbo nodded.
"Its a fairly simple bed though."
"Did you sleep in it?"
"I never did, was too busy carving, I might want to keep that room, to bring the children back to, so they could grow up knowing where they were carved and be able to visit it, if they liked."
"Whatever you wish to do, these are your tunnels Bilbo, you've agreed to sell them to us, but if you wish to keep that room for yourself, that's your affair." Ogdin said and Bilbo nodded.
"I'll be in my house then." Bilbo said and walked to where his house was, opening the door and going inside, he sat on his chair and started carving one of the stones he bought. He smiled as the head of a small wolf came to life under his fingers, he finished carving the bead and carved two more, before Ogdin came back. "We settled on a fair amount, expect 78,590 to be delivered to your quarters."
"Does that include your fee?" Bilbo asked and Ogdin nodded.
"I made enough to buy my own house, I'm four houses down from you, I hope you will feel secure enough to sell soon as a friend. I know how it hurts to be at odds with your One." Ogdin said and Bilbo smiled holding out his hand.
"Thank you Ogdin." He said as the dwarf clasped elbows with him.
"No thank you, thank you for selling this to the merchants guild, what are you going to do with the other tunnels?"
"I'll inform the guardsmen that I'm looking to sell, I could use your help to write out the contracts again."
"Why the guardsmen, you'll get less."
"That's alright, they can pay me what they can afford, I don't believe in class systems, odd because I know my children are royalty, but in addition to having a education suitable for the Line of Durin, they will also be fully aware of the people around them. I grew up playing with the son of the farmer who worked for my family, we're still fine friends and I hire him to help with my gardening. In the Shire we realize that we need each other, more than we need wealth, or power, we need friends and family, good food and good cheer. I want my children to grow up value life and those living it, more than gold, or power. They have that anyway, but you cannot buy good will, nor can you buy friendship, not truly." Bilbo said.
"You are very wise."
"My parents chose well when choosing my stones and I have been sure to choose well as well."
"Stones?"
"A hobbit custom, we're strongly attuned to the stone, if we decide to ask the Father for his blessing, even without the blessing, we have some small stone sense. It's become a tradition to give our children stones, to help shape them into who they wish to be. We choose stones that have qualities a child is lacking, in the hopes that the stones will somehow influence them and more often than not they do. Its important to choose wisely when choosing the first stones."
"Then I am honored, did you come to the shop for your children?"
"And for myself." Bilbo said and smiled. "I need to change as well and be ready for that change. Already my life has changed much since I first met Thorin, but life is constantly changing and the road goes ever on." He said and Ogdin stared at him.
"Your different from the rest of your kind, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am, most would have never left the Shire, but I have always been one for adventure and my soul was drawn to Thorin's, though we both fought it for a time. Though I continue to fight it, a part of me will always love him, even if we aren't together."
"Why wouldn't you be with your One?" Ogdin demanded. "Surely you find the most peace in his arms, surely his spirit eases your own."
"We don't always stay with our soul bounds, sometimes we remain friends and there are even those soul bounds that can't stand one another. Sometimes its better for everyone to remain apart, as for the pain, it hurts for a while, but with time you can recover from it." Bilbo said and Ogdin looked shocked. "Mahal took more time in teaching us, he and Yavannah lived with us for the first three generations, ensuring that we would survive on our own as a people and thrive. They wanted us to be a symbol of their love, to help others in Middle Earth and to be true to ourselves. We wound up doing something different than they intended, but we know that they respected our choices, as a child becomes their own person, so too, our society grew and changed over the years. We found the best way to help the other races was by farming the land and supplying food to many tables, we grew rich with the bounty of the land and content in the tending of it. Though some of us did ultimately move to dwarven kingdoms and dwarves have intermarried with hobbits over the years, those that live in the valley are the children of the Mother." Bilbo said and smiled softly thinking of his home.
"Your part dwarf?" Ogdin demanded and Bilbo smiled.
"Yes on my Mother's side, adventurous bunch the Tooks, My Great Great Grandfather was a Longbeard and my Great Great Great Great Grandfather was a Broadbeam, both of them were merchants who fell in love with the land and with the hobbit lasses they found there." Bilbo said and smiled, he had met his Great Great Grandfather, the dwarrow had been very old and Bilbo had been very young, but he used to love to sit on his Grandpappy Ogdrin's knee and hear tales of the far off places the dwarf had seen. Then again as a child, Bilbo loved to listen to any tales of travel and had spent many a night in the woods. "My Great Great Grandfather was the one who first took me for a traveler, he gave me a bedroll on my tenth birthday and a notebook to fill with my adventures, I haven't stopped writing since."
"What was his name?"
"Ogdrin son of Ogdric." Bilbo said and the merchant's eyes widened. "You have his eyes, that's why I went to your booth."
"Ogdrin was my Uncle, he said he found some place to settle down, but would never tell us where. He said it's the sort of place you have to find for yourself, if you wanted to look for it. You are my cousin!" He said and Bilbo smiled softly.
"Distant cousin, time is not as easy on my people as it is on yours."
"It doesn't matter your family and you sought me out because you recognized the color of my eyes?" He asked and Bilbo nodded.
"Your eyes are the same color as my mother's, I got my father's eyes, but my mother's hair. Its so curly that I've kept it short most of my life, it wasn't until I become blessed by the Father that I decided not to cut it. Who am I to dispute the Father's will and if he wants my hair long, long it will be." Bilbo said and Ogdin stared at him.
"I have other relatives with your hair, come and meet my family, have dinner with us, though it's only the men right now."
"I'd be glad to, but I have children of my own I should be getting back to. Thank you for speaking with me in common, I wanted to hear the tongue I was raised with. Once a child learns to speak common, that's all we speak in the Shire, save for children too young to know common and festival days." Bilbo smiled. "I didn't want to presume, but could I braid the braid of our lineage?"
"Of course, that is your right by birth." Ogdin said and Bilbo smiled softly.
"Grandpappy Ogdrin taught me how to braid, he'd laugh at my grandfather scolding, telling him it's not a proper braid unless it has flowers in it." Bilbo said and Ogdin laughed.
"Is he still alive, your grandfather?"
"Yes he is, though my mother past a while ago, they call Grandfather the old Took, he's as close to a king as there is in Hobbition."
"He rules the Shire?"
"If it could be called that, my family on my Great Grandmother's side are the Tooks, who for as long as we can record have been the ruling family of the Shire, but we dismissed the whole notion of passing rule from father to son ages ago. We decided that our leader should be elected through the wishes of the people and so when the old Thrain dies, we choose the new one. We have a council as well and all the families are involved in some capacity, but mostly everyone just obeys the agreed upon social niceties and rules that we agree to follow."
"Something like that would never work."
"You'll be surprised at what a little Topaz can accomplish, that and the desire to value friends and family above gold and instill those values in your children." Bilbo said and Ogdin's eyes widened.
"So you have no desire for gold, because you've been wearing topaz since you were a boy?" Ogdin asked and Bilbo nodded.
"Yes gold has great power, you can feel it in the earth, but whether that power is good or not depends upon what it's used for." Bilbo said and smiled. "I like being comfortable and having a life where I can afford to keep myself comfortable, but other than that, I share freely with my friends, neighbors and business partners. Before I joined the quest, I owned several farms and vineyards, I passed over stewardship to my cousin Drogo and several of my other cousins. I know when I return that my lands will be as I left them, if I decide to return, more likely I'll have to ask some merchant to distribute the wine and ale for me and have my cousins take over the distribution and making of our wine, ale and I believe its called miner's friend here, but we call it moonshine."
"What's your label?" Ogdin asked and Bilbo smiled.
"Opendur." Bilbo said and Ogdin laughed.
"I have some of your miner's friend, it's the best I've ever had."
"Just like Grandpappy used to make."
"And you own it?"
"Well I'm going to transfer over the rights to my family who's living in the Shire. I can't run that business while in Erebor after all."
"Then will you make me some of your miner's friend?"
"Sure though I wouldn't know where to get together everything I would need." Bilbo said.
"My cousin has a still, but he can't for the life of him figure out Ogdrin's recipe, we haven't had any of it since he passed away. More than the personal meaning of it, its popular throughout the dwarven kingdoms."
"Really we always sold to Rhovanion, my family aren't exactly big on traveling."
"And they can afford not to be, would it be alright if we bought your next seven batches."
"For that much it would be about ten thousand or so, or that's how much I would charge if selling in Rhovanion."
"Then you have been vastly underpaid for it, I'll give you or whoever you wish to sell or give the label to forty thousand gold and I'll easily triple my money."
"Its that much?"
"Your miner's friend is some of the best ever made and we can't seem to find any of it. It's served in king's courts on festival days, it's so expensive." He said and Bilbo laughed, slapping his knees as he did so and throwing back his head and shaking his hair back.
"Everyone drinks it in the Shire and it costs less than a ale at the alehouse, we were surprised when they accepted our offer in Rhovanion." Bilbo said and Ogdin laughed as well. "Well then lets make up a batch of it, the process itself doesn't take too long, but to get the oaky flavor takes longer, do you have any oak casks?" Bilbo asked and Ogdin smiled.
"I'll call my cousin and we'll draw up a contract, how about thirty percent for the recipe and we'll make our own label."
"It takes a good five years to age a batch properly." Bilbo warned and Ogdin grinned.
"If hobbits can wait five years to crack open a cask, we'll wait ten. I saw a hundred year old bottle once, someone paid half a million gold for it at auction." Ogdin said and Bilbo smiled softly.
"Well then I suppose I'll be hiring you to transport my wine and moonshine cellar."
"You have a cellar?"
"I was Grandpappy's favorite, so he left his cellars, farms and vineyards to me." Bilbo said. "I have an extensive wine cellar, some of which I was surprised that my Grandfather had acquired over the years. I think Grandfather knew that I was going to be with a dwarf, because he told me to share a bottle with my kin if I ever found them. He wouldn't tell us about you either, said that it was best if the two halves of his family didn't meet, as they'd be at loggerheads. Never quite understood why, but I suppose its how different our cultures are and the stubbornness of both Tooks and dwarves."
"Does King Thorin know that you're related to a merchant dwarven family?"
"It never came up, though its why I wanted to go on the quest, I must have been a dragon slayer a hundred times with my Took cousins and Grandpappy would always laugh so hard when we brought him back the head."
"A blood thirsty bunch, why didn't Gandalf have more of you come?"
"Because it was a childhood game, none of the others dreamed of Erebor the way I did and when I heard that some dwarves were actually going to do it, I was terrified but I had to join them. My Grandpappy would never have let me hear the end of it, when I met him again in the Halls."
"You go to Mahal's halls as well?"
"We're allowed to pass freely between Mahal's halls and the fields of the Green Lady after we die." Bilbo said and smiled. "Mahal would never separate his children from the ones they love, nor keep them from the one he loves. Now we have other things to talk of than the halls, I'll send a raven tomorrow and it should get there before winter, your shipment should be ready when the caravans come from the Blue Mountains in spring. Could I also pay you to transport my things?"
"Of course, we'd be glad to." Ogdin said. "Now I'll get everyone together and you can meet them all properly."
"It wouldn't be a proper gathering without some miner's friend, lead me to your cousin's still and we'll have a batch by nightfall."
"You can make it that quick?"
"Yes I can, it won't be as fine as the kind we ship out, but it should be good enough." Bilbo said and Ogdin practically dragged Bilbo to the still as Bilbo laughed. He loved the still at first sight, it was well made and well looked after. Bilbo rented a cart to get what he needed, going from stall to stall in the marketplace and adding exact measurements of each ingredient to the still, soon he was distilling the liquor into large jugs. He realized that he'd made too much and after the next five jugs the still would overflow. "Ogdin you still there?" He asked.
"I'm here didn't want you to give away the secret of how its made, before you agreed to a contract, what do you need?"
"More bottles." Bilbo said and frowned. "I underestimated how much this would make and I'm used to following the recipe this way." Bilbo explained and Ogdin came in with a flat of bottles.
"How many do you need?" He asked and Bilbo looked at the bottom of the still.
"I'd say twenty more, give or take?"
"That many and its that fast?"
"I've been making this since I was a tween and I've always been good in the kitchen." Bilbo replied and uncorked the bottle, filling each of the bottles. "Could you also set aside the full bottles, so they aren't under my feet?"
"Of course." Ogdin said and Bilbo smiled remembering the song his Grandpappy would always sing, when making miners friend.
"For it's the friend of miners, drink up friends old and new, for you've never met a finer brew. Soon my miner's friend will be having you dance around the floor, so drink one more. Still don't drink too many, or you'll be found in a lasses bed, having made of yourself a fool. Bilbo frowned and then laughed. "He'd repeat that song over and over and never tell us what he was singing about and a fair few hobbits did make fools of themselves in drinking his brew." Bilbo said and Ogdin laughed. "It looses something once you know what he was singing, but the words sound mysterious and the way he'd stir the brew!" Bilbo laughed again and hunched his shoulders repeating the song, as he stirred the still, soon he had Ogdin gasping for breath, as he continued to distill the miner's brew. He finished the batch and frowned at the bottles. "We won't drink all this tonight."
"What we won't drink you can take home." Ogdin said and Bilbo nodded. "I'll just send a runner for my cousins and brothers to come to the still." Ogdin said and Bilbo nodded.
"Do you need help with the cooking?"
"It should be done by the time we get there, my cousin Ogvrin does the cooking for our family, we like to eat meals together, even when we aren't on the road, though we'll take it in turns to travel, now we can afford to." He said and Bilbo nodded, he walked with Ogdin back to his camp, where a messenger caught him.
"King Thorin wants to see you." The messenger said.
"Well I'm not at King Thorin's beck and call, I'll see him in the morning."
"You're spending the night?" The messenger demanded and looked startled by the sight of the merchants and the camp
"Yes I found some relatives and I'm spending the night with them, I also gave the tunnels I found to them and their family as is my right and its also my right to dig where I see fit, from what I can gather about dwarven law. Tell Thorin that I'm going to be spending the night with my kin and if he or the company want to come down they are welcome to, but I'm not coming up. I told him this afternoon where I was going to be tonight and I am perfectly able to make my own decisions thank you very much. Now have a good evening, would you like a swig of some of the miner's friend I brewed before you go?" Bilbo asked and the messenger blinked at him in shock.
"I can't I'm on duty."
"A dram never hurt no one and you can run well enough with a sip in you. It will warm you and stave off the chill." Bilbo said and the messenger nodded, Bilbo uncorked the flask and handed it over. The messenger took a swallow and grinned, wiping his lips and passing the bottle back.
"That's mighty fine, its got a good kick." The messenger said and Bilbo smiled.
"Thank you, it's my Great Grandpappy's recipe." Bilbo said and smiled at the messenger. "Now you have a message to deliver."
"He'll be angry!"
"I find that I don't care, I'm tired of worrying about Thorin Oakenshield and his anger and his brooding and oh by Father's hammer that dwarf will either drive me crazy, or to drink." Bilbo said and took a long sip off the bottle. "You know where I am, but I plan on getting thoroughly drunk so don't expect a better response later." Bilbo said and walked to by the fire, he settled himself down, crossing his legs and putting his hands against the flames.
"No one has ever talked to the King like that ever."
"He's a dwarf like any other, a thoroughly vexing, frightening and broody dwarf, but a dwarf none the less." Bilbo said and took another gulp of ale. "More fool me for loving that man, but you can't choose who your heart will sing for can you."
"That you can't, that's my cousin Ogrin, big burly warrior type, you wouldn't guess who his wife is. She's this pretty dwarrowdam who's half his size and likes to sing drinking songs and bang pots and pans together after everyone's been out drinking." Ogdin said and Bilbo laughed.
"Sounds a lot like my Mum, she'd always been right impossibly cheery in the mornings. Luckily I got my tolerance from her, I seldom get hangovers but my poor Da." Bilbo laughed again and several of the others joined him. He was surprised by how many had his curly blond hair and some had an unfortunate cousin's nose, oh how his Grandpappy had laughed when Flambard was born, his nose didn't fit his face at all, he had eventually grown into it, but it had taken a great deal of growing to do so. He was one of the tallest hobbits in Hobbition and would break your nose if anyone commented about his. Bilbo laughed remembering when he'd gotten into a bar fight one night.
"What's so funny?" Ogdin asked and Bilbo smiled.
"Well have you ever seen a hobbit who's a child of the mother?"
"We always drive past the Shire." Ogdin said and Bilbo smiled.
"Well some of us were luckier than others in what we inherited from Grandpappy."
"One of your relatives has my honker then?" The dwarf in question asked. "Ain't it a beaut? I can smell if a cave in's coming or wild mushrooms from ten paces, of course I can smell less pleasant things as well." He said and Bilbo laughed again, taking a swig of his ale.
"Oh my cousin was most touchy about his nose, he took to fighting anyone who commented on it and most who didn't know him would comment on it, thinking it was out of his hearing, but this cousin the poor sod also had Grandpappy's ears and was known for getting into brawls up and down the Shire in his tweens and early twenties. So far none of my children have inherited Grandpappy's ears, or nose, which frankly look ridiculous on a hobbit, actually I think I could draw a picture of Flambard if any of you have some charcoal and paper."
"We've got to see this now, of course we have charcoal and paper."
"I might not do it justice mind." Bilbo said and started drawing, when he finished the picture was passed around and everyone laughed.
"He looks like a baby troll, the poor blighter. I'm Ogrog by the by."
"Nice meet you." Bilbo said and Ogrog grinned.
"If I ever go to the Shire, I'll be sure not to mention his nose or ears." Ogrog said and Bilbo smiled and took another sip.
"See that you don't because he'll either fight you or share a pint in sympathy." Bilbo said and shrugged. "We don't really care much about looks in the Shire, but for an ugly fellow Flambard is one of the vainest hobbits I've ever met. Think he decided to overuse the stones, or had the wrong ones chosen for him. He's a nice enough fellow but never comment about his looks, he's very sensitive about it. Most of my relatives are far better looking then that."
"Most look like you?" Ogdin asked and Bilbo nodded.
"Most were lucky and didn't Grandpappy's nose, or ears, just his eyes or his hair. Hobbit genes are stronger with each generation, but I should live slightly longer than most hobbits still."
"Because you're related to us and the Broadbeams, are you going to track down your Broadbeam clan?"
"I wouldn't know where to begin, it was years ago, we still have the family names of course, but you'd have to look it up in a genealogy or something."
"All it would take would be looking in the archives here in Erebor, dwarves are fond of their records. We keep lists of every dwarf ever born to the seven clans and the library luckily survived unscathed."
"Says the chronicler in the family, say Oghir, will you look it up for him?"
"Of course." Oghir said.
"Bofrin son of Bofar, son of Bohrim." Bilbo said and took another drink. "I was named like my father before me, its rare in the Shire, growing up there were whispers of me being more of a Father's son than the Green Mother's child." Bilbo said and shrugged. "Da tried to change me, to be more like him, didn't work out in the end. You can't change a child to be what you want." Bilbo said and Ogdin nodded as others drank as well.
"That's true enough, he just wanted the best for you."
"Yes and I wanted to honor his memory, things were different before he died, but afterward I had so many responsibilities, I couldn't just up and leave to go camp in the woods for a few days, or go on a walking holiday."
"You like to camp?"
"There's nothing like spending a night under the stars, though before I left with Thorin, I'd never been more than forty miles from home." Bilbo said and smiled, as he was handed a plate filled with Sheppard's pie. "This smells good, thank you."
"Thank you for making the miner's friend." Ogdin returned and Bilbo smiled, waiting as everyone got some of the Sheppard's pie from the pot, he then took a bite and chewed thoughtfully.
"Carrots, potato, thyme, celery, mushrooms, beef and peas. It's very good, but next time try adding a dash of powdered garlic and salt." Bilbo said and smiled softly. "I have some old campfire recipes if you'd be interested."
"I'd love to try something new, I'm Ogvrin by the way."
"Sensible of you, I tried offering on the quest, but Bombur insisted that he was in charge of the food supplies and what's with you dwarves and your distrust of mushrooms, or anything green."
"You can get very sick from mushrooms, or some plants can even kill you."
"Edible plants never hurt no one, you should have seen their faces when I had a mushroom fry up when we stopped in a lovely patch of Forester's friend." Bilbo laughed at the memory. "They refused to eat it, even when I was perfectly fine the next morning and there was plenty left over for several days afterward." Bilbo said and laughed again.
"We tend to like bland food, mostly meat and potatoes."
"Oh I like that too, but vegetables are tasty as well. You should have seen them trying to eat a salad." Bilbo laughed.
"A what?" Ogvrin said and Bilbo chortled.
"That was clearly what they were thinking, its lettuce, carrots, celery and a bunch of other ingredients as well." Bilbo said and Ogvrin frowned.
"That doesn't sound like a proper meal."
"I've eaten salad for lunch loads of times, its good if you put in bits of dried bread and chicken." Bilbo said.
"Still I don't think I'll be trying it any time soon." Ogvrin said and Bilbo laughed again, returning to eating his meal, when others got seconds, he ate as well. "So what's your favorite thing to make?"
"Cream of mushroom soup, but there aren't any good mushrooms growing around here, wrong climate for it." Bilbo said and smiled. "I also like a nice thick pot roast, or bit of fish and potatoes." Bilbo said and continued to eat. "What do you like to cook?'
"Simple meals, I do soups sometimes."
"And what's your favorite thing to bake?" Bilbo asked and Ogvrin frowned.
"Don't do a lot of baking, do you like baking?"
"I love it, fresh bread is amazing, but so are scones and cookies, don't get me started on apple pie, or crumb cake." Bilbo said.
"Crumb cake, I've never heard of it."
"My Great Grandmother made it for my Grandpappy when they were courting, she asked him what he wanted her to bake and he gave the vaguest reply of any in the Shire before or sense. Is it common custom when courting to challenge your loved one constantly?"
"Aye because how else would you know their love is true." Ogdin said and Bilbo smiled.
"Well he said he wanted something sweet and spicy and fruity all at once. My Great Grandmother came up with a cake with cinnamon, sugar and apples in it and brown sugar crumbled on top. Its been a favorite of my family ever since."
"Will you make it for us sometime?"
"Sure, are you spending the winter here, or leaving soon?"
"Some of us will be leaving in spring, to help guide the caravans from the Blue Mountains."
"Try to avoid the mountain pass between Rivendell and Mirkwood, if you must go through it, go under it instead of trying to climb it."
"That's what we were going to do, why?"
"On the quest over, we went over the mountain pass and we had to escape both a thunder battle and a goblin town." Bilbo said.
"Oh that sounds like a story."
"It is, once I'm not so drunk I'll tell you the tale." Bilbo said and took another gulp off the bottle. He finished his plate and when several people went for thirds, he did as well. "I could make some stewed apples easily enough." Bilbo said and stood wobbling slightly.
"Your drunk." Ogdin protested.
"Been drunker than this and I've cooked before, I still got all me fingers." Bilbo said.
"Well I've got the apples and I haven't been drinking as much as you." Ogvrin said. "Tell me how to make it and I'll make it."
"You just need cinnamon, sugar and apples. Its about a third of a cup of sugar, to a cup of apples and two tablespoons of cinnamon, but mostly you just eyeball it, you cut I'll add the cinnamon and sugar." Bilbo said and Ogvrin nodded, Bilbo smiled as several people cut the apples and added them to a clean pot, Bilbo added the sugar and cinnamon when they were done and started to stir it. "Coat it evenly and check them starting in ten minutes or so." Mostly to remember himself, as his thoughts wouldn't stay in his head. He smelled the apples cooking in the cinnamon and saw as they changed color, he pulled one out with the stirring stick and ate it with a clean fork. "They are done." Bilbo said and moved away from the pot, several took some and smiled at their first bite.
"Its good." Ogvrin said. "Would you like some?"
"In a minute." Bilbo said and frowned, realizing that he'd never gotten around to buying a new pipe, or old toby for it after his was lost. "Do you know if they sell old toby in the markets?"
"Old toby?" Ogvrin asked.
"Its a plant that's good to smoke, makes you feel good and clears your head, though my head couldn't get much clearer, I miss the taste." Bilbo said and Ogvrin frowned.
"I've never heard of old toby, but they sell pipe tobacco in the market."
" 's naught the same." Bilbo muttered. "Why he'd do that to me, I'd never hurt him, I was tryin ta help da fool." Bilbo said.
"I don't know Bilbo, but from the stories he wasn't in his right mind when he did it." Ogdin said.
"I love him, buh I can' stoahp tinkin of it, efen when I'm a drunk as drunk can be, tinkin of it and him."
"Because you love it and it hurt you, come you can use my spare bedroll, you aren't going anywhere tonight.' Ogdin said and Bilbo nodded following him and curling up in the bedroll, he was snoring within moments.