Still own nothing (very sad really) ;)
Chapter 3
Bilbo's Point of View
Bilbo once again found herself standing in her kitchen, a newly refilled tea pot in hand, pouring the dark steaming liquid into a mug.
She rushed it out to the newest arrival, who thanked her handsomely – although his eyes still looked as though he had had some sort of shock (she hoped he would make liberal use of the sugar to settle him) - before she rushed back into her hole to finally get changed out of her night clothes and into something more respectable for receiving guests.
But really what could they expect? Showing up at her door in such a way, at a time when most Hobbits where sitting down for their suppers if not actually in their beds already.
She dashed into her room and closed the door. After a moment of thought she slid the bolt home – just in case.
Wasting no more time she quickly raided her wardrobe and drawers. Pulling out the clothes she needed and changing into them with a practiced ease. Her fingers flew over the buttons and laces. She tugged on the dull green fabric of her favourite skirt to get it to sit properly; straightening the waist with a slight wriggle and then the sleeves of her shirt received the same treatment. Happy with the outcome she pulled a heavy shawl from her drawer and draped it over her shoulders. Crossing the ends across her front she tied them together at the base of her back. She settled herself with running a hand over her braided hair and pushing stray ends under the twisted strands. It would have to do.
She was now as presentable as she would get for the time being.
Bilbo forced herself out of her bedroom and back into the kitchen when all she wanted to do was bolt her door against the world and forget all about Gandalf and lost dwarves – because there was no other explanation for them being at her door…they had to be lost. But then she remembered that Gandalf had sent them…
She pulled out several plates from one of the many cupboards and began to half and butter the scones that had been cooling by the kitchen window since early morning. She had been planning to snack on them the next day but she had visitors now and couldn't leave them without anything to go with their tea. It wouldn't be proper or very hospitable. But then again keeping them stuck outside wasn't terribly welcoming of her either and that was a situation that wasn't going to change until Gandalf made an appearance.
She stole another longing glance at her rapidly cooling dinner and gave it up as a lost cause, settling for half a scone instead. It would be rude of her to sit down and eat her dinner while she had visitors after all.
Even if they are uninvited.
Once all of the scones were cut in half and buttered on the plate and she had lit a lamp for the garden she once again made the journey to her front door.
What a strange evening this was turning out to be. But then she really should have realised that something would happen, what with Gandalf making a sudden appearance at her garden gate after being gone from the Shire for so long.
She remembered the wizard from years before but the in the vague foggy way that childhood memories have. And that memory was filled with the howling of wolves and the bitter cold of snow. ..
"I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure,"
She shivered at the wizards words that echoed around her mind and gripped the plate tighter in her trembling hands.
"…they make you late for dinner…"
She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head focusing on the here and now. The past could stay where it was for now.
Bilbo opened the door to find Balin and Dwalin speaking to two more arrivals.
She sighed.
I think I am going to need more tea.
Dwalin's Point of View
Dwalin and Balin fell silent for a while after Balin's initial statement. Dwalin knew that Balin was thinking and he would break the silence when he wanted to and that there would be no point in rushing him.
And that just happened to be when the Hobbit came scuttling out the house and all but thrust a mug into Balin's hands before vanishing back inside just as quickly.
The door shut.
And Balin began.
"That was a lass," Dwalin was beginning to think that his brother had lost some of that sharpness he had been boasting of only minutes before.
"Yes, I believe we have settled that Balin," he rumbled.
He was annoyed that his brothers presence had set the lass on her guard again and wished the wizard would get himself to Bag-end before the Hobbit gave up on her bravery and just bared the door against them. At the very least he hoped Gandalf would arrive before Thorin did…
"I do not believe that she was expecting us," Balin finally spoke a full sentence that didn't include a variation of 'she's a lass'.
Dwalin grunted at his brother's words.
"I don't think that we are the only ones that the wizard withheld information from,"
Dwalin sat back down on the step and took the steaming mug of tea from the tray. He gave the sugar a contemplative look, shrugged, and spooned three large tea-spoons full into the mug. He gave the milk the same look but decided against it, instead he took a tentative sip of the almost scolding drink. Dwalin had never been one for drinking tea – unless it was being forced down his throat by a healer – and he was surprised to find the sweet but slightly bitter liquid not altogether unpleasant. Nothing at all like some of the noxious concoctions poured into him after an injury.
Balin joined him at the tray and poured a generous helping of milk into his own mug.
"Well this is a pretty little mess Gandalf has got us into and that is no mistake," Balin announced almost cheerfully, smacking his lips together appreciatively after taking a drink and lowering himself onto the stop beside Dwalin.
"Aye,"
Silence fell again between them as they sat sipping on their tea, staring out into night.
It was a peaceful place this Bag-end.
You could hear the wee creatures rustling in the hedges and the late birds flapping overhead. And the mumbling of voices.
Voices?
"Mr Balin, Mr Dwalin,"
Dwalin looked towards the gate to see two of the youngest members of the company walking along the wall.
Balin sighed as he stood and Dwalin followed suit. The royal youngsters jostled each other to get in the gate – blonde Fili ultimately giving in and letting his younger brother through first. Dwalin was just glad the gate survived.
"Are we late? Has it been cancelled?" Kili asked in a rush. sounding disappointed at the prospect.
"No lad, nothings been cancelled," Balin reassured him and Dwalin very nearly spat out a mouthful of tea at the wide grin that split the youngster's face. Had he been so eager when he had gone on his first quest? If so he had been disillusioned quickly enough.
"That's a relief," Kili sighed, the smile still firmly fixed in place as he glanced eagerly between Balin and Dwalin.
"There is something we must speak of though. It is about the burglar-"
A beam of light fell from the door and Dwalin groaned inwardly. If his relatively sedate brother made the Hobbit nervous he dreaded to think how she would be when Fili and Kili got started. Thorin's nephews weren't best known for their subtlety.
They all turned towards the door and Dwalin froze for a moment.
The lass had changed her clothes and now that she was no longer in the robe he could see how slight she was. The lines of her small body outlines by the gown and even the shawl did nothing to disguise the fact that she was delicately built. More fuel was added to the anger burning within him against the wizard. Would she even survive the journey to Erebor? What was the wizard thinking?
Before either he or Balin could grab the young princes by their scruffs to hold them in place they had dashed towards the small figure and were intruding themselves in that way they had done since they were boys.
"Fili," announced the blonde.
"Kili," announced the brunette.
"At your service," they said in unison, bowing deeply.
Bilbo was looking between the two dwarves with a look of bemusement.
"You must be Mr Boggins!" Kili announced cheerily and Dwalin rolled his eyes. Was the boy blind or just an idiot?
"I'm sorry…who?" Bilbo questioned frowning with confusion and looking past the brothers to…him.
Dwalin felt a thrill go through him as her eyes landed on him. Looking to him. He was so used to having the opposite affect that it was almost heady. With his scars and less than approachable looks he could not remember there ever being a time when someone had looked to him for reassurance.
The brothers turned with almost comical slowness to him, their eyes wide and a blush lighting up Kili's cheeks like a beacon.
The Hobbit wound her way past the shocked brothers and came towards him.
"More of your company Mr Dwalin?" she asked, smiling up at him. The twinkle in her eyes almost back but still guarded.
He smiled down at her, unable to stop himself from feeling proud of her.
"Aye Miss Bilbo,"
She glanced down and he followed her movement, seeing for the first time the plate she was carrying and noticing the burning lamp.
She shrugged and handed him the plate and the lamp. None of them really needed the lamp, coming from a race of miners made for almost perfect eyesight in the darkness – and the added light from the windows was all they really needed –but he smiled thank fully at her.
"I'll be off to make more tea then, help yourself to the scones," she turned about and retraced her route past the boys to her door. He watched her go and looked on with interest as Fili and Kili followed her with their eyes, and then their heads.
She paused at the door and turned.
"And its Miss," she looked at the boys and frowned, but he was sure he caught the corner of her mouth quirking with a suppressed smile, "Baggins,"
The door closed.
Hi everyone.
I hope you are having a good and safe weekend :)
I give you Fili and Kili I will hopefully have lots more of them in the course of the story so fear not!:)
Thank you for the comments - I am so glad you are enjoying this and I hope you will continue too.
Tale care :)
EXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRAEXTRA
This was for Kitrazzle and VerteriLunum on AO3 (figured I might as well pop it in here too) - enjoy -
Fili - ~~Wait, that's a girl!~~
Kili - ~~That's a girl!~~
Both - ~~Ooo a pretty girl~~
Kili - You must be Mr Boggins ~~IDIOT!~~
Fili - *face palm* ~~Smooth Kili~~
Kili - ~~wait, she's looking at me. Did I wash my face this morning?~~
Fili - ~~She's looking at me. Well, my beard is amazing after all.~~
Both - ~~Wait?~~
*turn*
Both - ~~DWALIN!~~
Dwalin - *sips delicately at his mug of tea* ~~Oh yeah! I still got it.~~