Disclaimer: I don't own anything - Tolkien gets all the credit.

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this chapter! Work has been ridiculous over the past two weeks and it left little room for writing – Hopefully this chapter makes up for it! :) There's a lot of dialogue in this one – I hope you enjoy it!


Chapter Four

"I'll be alright, just let me sit quietly for a moment." Bilbo's wavering voice made Posey frown as she handed her older brother a mug of peppermint tea. Poor Bilbo! He was still pale and the look in his eyes left her feeling quite unsettled. What had caused her dear, gentle brother to faint in the middle of their hallway?

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long!" Gandalf didn't seem to share in Posey's sympathy. "Tell me, Bilbo, when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you?" Posey could see by Bilbo's face that he honestly didn't know what was wrong about worrying for such things. "I remember a young hobbit that was always in search of elves in the woods! You'd stay out late and return after dark trailing in mud and twigs and fireflies. You were a young hobbit who would have loved to know what lay beyond the borders of the Shire!"

Ah, yes – beyond the borders of the Shire. Clearly Bilbo's sudden impairment was due to some unknown detail of the quest of the Dwarves. Feeling slightly out of place in the conversation, Posey walked out of the drawing room to give Gandalf a little space to speak with her brother. It was as she entered the kitchen to see Dwalin smoking a pipe that she recalled everything else that has gone on this very evening. Oh dear.

The dwarf in question looked up at her from his seat by the window. A few of the other dwarves – She'd quite given up trying to name them – sat near him, also smoking. Dwalin winked and, from his smirk, Posey knew her blush had returned. Thinking it best to avoid another conversation with her… intended? Posey decided to prepare beds of their guests – though there weren't enough, if her calculations were correct – to accommodate them all. Perhaps some of them would be willing to share? Or sleep on the floor?

Her musings were interrupted as she stepped out into the hall and found Balin – Ah! Got it on the first try! – and the dwarf king speaking quietly. Upon noticing her, they both had their eyes trained on the braid the Dwalin had made with her hair - as well as the metal bead that rested at its end. Balin seemed confused, while the king looked suspiciously entertained. "Pardon me, sirs! I hadn't seen you there." Thorin – that was his name, right? – nodded at her and gave the slightest of smiles. He was rather handsome, though in an unsettling sort of way.

Posey rushed past, not wishing to be forced into an awkward exchange with yet another dwarf, and began to gather as many blankets and pillows as she could find. As she was working on making up the beds in the largest of Bag End's guest rooms, she saw her brother walk into his chambers and shut the door. That can't be good.

Several moments later, as she readied the last of the seven beds available for the dwarves to rest in, Posey heard singing coming from the drawing room at the front of the house. The song was sad. The dwarves had all raised their voices to sing about the loss of their homeland and Posey could feel goose bumps on her arms as the song reached its climax. For as jolly and boisterous as the company of dwarves seemed, they were clearly hiding a great deal of sorrow.

Feeling a bit like an intruder in her own home, Posey went to the kitchen to wait for the singing to end. Gandalf was seated by the fire, staring into the flames - He motioned for her to sit with him. "My dear, Posey, I must say you've grown even lovelier than when I last visited! The young men of the Shire will be devastated to learn that you've wed."

Posey giggled softly and touched a small hand to Dwalin's braid. "It's not as though I've wed yet, Gandalf. I'm sure that a braid in my hair won't mean a great deal to anyone living here once the Dwaves have left for their quest." Gandalf's eyebrows had risen quite high as Posey spoke. "What is it, Gandalf?"

"Surely he told you?" Gandalf's eyebrows seemed to be dancing on his face – where they had just been nearly to his hair, they now were brought low in an almost grimace.

"Told me what?" Posey was thoroughly confused.

"Dwalin surely told you about dwarven marriage?" Posey thought back to the brief conversation she'd had with the warrior-dwarf only a short while before. He'd mentioned claiming her, returning to her… nothing about marriage specifically.

"No, he didn't. Is there something I should know, Gandalf?"

"A braid in one's hair is a very important thing to a dwarf." Posey nodded – Dwalin had told her that it would be a sign of his claim to her. Gandalf continued, "Dwarves take no action without absolute certainty, and once they've made up their mind, it's nearly impossible to change it." Posey nodded again – Dwalin did seem quite stubborn. "So when a dwarf puts a braid such as yours into another's hair, it's a sign that they are claimed – that they are one."

Dread. It was a feeling Posey wasn't very used to. Hobbits are simple creatures with simple pleasures. Conflict and surprise aren't often a part of their lives. So, as Gandalf continued to speak, the feeling of coming dread was extremely disconcerting. "What exactly are you trying to tell me, Gandalf?"

"Well, my dear, I'm afraid that you're wrong in saying that you aren't already wed."

Oh. Dear.

"Pardon me?"

"You're already wed, my dear. At least by dwarven standards. Any dwarf that sees you will know that Dwalin is your husband."

"Oh dear." Posey's voice was of such a high pitch that she didn't' recognize the sound. Surely Gandalf was wrong! How could someone be married without even knowing it?

"Would you like some tea, my dear?" Posey knew Gandalf had spoken but she couldn't find it in herself to respond. The world around her seemed to pause. Married? … Married?! "I think I need to sit down."

"You are already sitting down." Gandalf had reached toward her a placed a gentle hand to her shoulder, "Perhaps it would be best to speak with Dwalin about this?"

"Speak to me about what?" The deep rumble of Dwalin's voice came from behind her. Clearly the singing had come to an end. Posey wanted to stand, but she found herself rather stuck. It was as if her body was no longer under her control.

"I'll leave you to it, then." Gandalf moved much quicker than Posey had thought he could and vacated the room. The sound of Gandalf directing the other dwarves toward the guest rooms could be heard from the hallway, but Posey's concentration was stuck on the metal bead dangling from the braid in her hair.

"Gandalf tells me that this means I'm wed to you." Her voice didn't wavier and she sounded calm – Perfect!

"Aye, I already told ye that."

"No, you didn't." Oh dear – the calmness was gone already. Posey was standing now, though she didn't recall leaving the chair. Dwalin's arms were crossed – this seemed to be his natural stance – and he had one eyebrow raised. His amusement was infuriating.

"I told ye that the braid would claim ye as mine. What did ye think that meant?"

"I thought… well, I'm not exactly sure what I thought." Dwalin laughed – This wasn't funny! "What I do know is that you can't just go around marrying girls without telling them! It's not polite."

"I don't 'go around marrying girls.' I claimed you and you consented. Ye're a grown lass and ye could have refused me." Posey supposed that made sense… sort of.

"But I didn't realize that this braid meant marriage! I deserve a wedding! With a fancy dress and music!" Goodness, he was laughing again.

"All this fuss over a ceremony? If ye'd like, we could have Thorin bless the union, but normally that sort of formality is reserved for royalty."

"That's not the point! These sort of things should be planned! You should have asked my brother's permission!" Posey gasped, "Oh dear! Bilbo doesn't even know!" Posey was about to rush to find her brother when Dwalin grabbed her by the shoulders, lifted her up, and planted a firm, warm, wet kiss on her mouth.

Oh. Dear.

She couldn't speak again.

"Is that the trick to gettin' ye quiet, lass?" His smirk – once again infuriating – was highlighting his surprisingly white teeth. Up this close, wrapped in his massive embrace, Posey suddenly didn't mind that he'd married her without telling her first. He was just so… big. His tattooed head, misshapen nose, overly broad shoulders, metal-clad hands – all of it. BIG.

"You don't even know my full name."

"Ye don't know mine either, lass."

Posey frowned. "Well then, what is it?"

"Dwalin, son of Fundin."

"That's it? No middle name?"

"No, lass. No middle name."

"No surname either?"

"Balin and I are of the line of Durin, cousins of Thorin."

"So you're all related?" Posey would find this hard to believe. They all looked so different!

"Aye, most of us. Bofur, Bombor and Bifur aren't of Durin's line, but the rest are in one way or another."

"Do you want to know my full name?" Dwalin smirked and gave her a quick nod. "It's Posey Belladonna Baggins, named after my mother, Belladonna Took. My father was Bungo Baggins. We Bagginses are very well thought of in the Shire."

"Aye? That's good to know."

Posey could tell he was humoring her – he probably didn't really care if the Bagginses were important folk. "I don't understand why you would have married me without even knowing who I am. Doesn't that bother you?"

"I told ye already – ye're the first that's ever tempted me. I didn't see the point in waiting to think it over. 169 years is a long time to wait and I wouldn't likely ever return to this place to work it out later."

"I can't believe you're 169 years-old! I'm only thirty-five!"

Dwalin's eyes went wide, "Ye're a grown lassie, right? I thought ye'd be 80 or 90."

"Of course I'm grown! I've been an adult for several years now, thank you very much! I'd be an old spinster if I was 80 years-old and still unmarried!" The warrior shook his head and set Posey back down on her feet.

"Aye, we'll have a lot to figure out once I'm back. For now, though, it's time for bed. We're making an early start in the morning."

Bed?! "Umm," Posey's blush was surely the deepest crimson of the evening at this point. "I'm not certain I'm quite ready for 'bed' yet."

Dwalin's bark of laughter was loud and came out with such force that he had to tip his head back. His shoulders were shaking even after he seemed to collect himself, "Aye, lassie. We're wed, but I know it's been quick for ye. I meant to say that it's time for sleep – I'll join my brother in one of the guest rooms."

"Oh. Well, that's good."

Posey couldn't quite recall walking to her room or even what was said in parting between she and her… husband?! The shock of the evening, mixed with the unbelievability of it all had finally resulted in a breakdown of her mental capacities. Surely the hobbit mind wasn't constructed to handle this much in such a short time?

Bilbo hadn't emerged from his room since he escaped earlier in the evening, and when Posey woke before dawn the next morning, she was sure that he had still had yet to come out. Several of the dwarves were in the kitchen when Posey rushed in to make breakfast – Though there wasn't much left but a bit of bread and jam, the lively group was appreciative none the less.

Bombor, the largest of the company, had graciously helped her to locate the last bit of cheese and he was almost in tears when he realized that she'd packed it especially for him to take as an extra snack. As the dwarves prepared to leave, Posey noticed that Dwalin had yet to eat – in fact, she hadn't seen him at all.

"Bombor, have you seen Dwalin?"

The rounded dwarf gave her a wink and said something about Dwalin preparing her for his absence. Grabbing the bread and jam she'd readied for Dwalin, Posey walked back down the hall toward the guest rooms. Not seeing him in any of those rooms, Posey continued down the hall toward her bedroom, feeling oddly certain that she'd find him there.

Upon opening the door, Posey found herself face to face with axes, knives, clubs and short swords. "Goodness gracious! What is all that doing on my quilt?!"

"Ye have no way to protect yourself," Dwalin said without looking up. He was strapping his large axes to his back and muttering under his breath as he fastened the ties together. "Pick a few to keep here with ye."

Glancing back to her bed, Posey was certain that there was nothing she'd wish to keep. How would she even use an axe? The most aggressive thing she'd ever held was a garden hoe! "I think I'll do without. Please, eat some breakfast before you go." Dwalin snatched the bread from her hands before she'd even finished, shoveling it into his mouth in two massive bites.

"I think the throwing awes would be best for ye. I hardly ever use them and they're small enough that ye wouldna' have trouble with them."

"Throwing axes?!"

"Aye, those there." He pointed at the smallest of the weapons on the bed, resting heavily on her lace pillow. They had intricate cravings and looked very impressive, despite their small size.

"If you insist, I'll keep them." The large dwarf nodded with a grunt and continued to strap various weapons to his back and waist, even placing small daggers to his thighs. This man was a warrior, no doubt about it, and suddenly it occurred to Posey that this quest would certainly be a dangerous one.

"Wait, Dwalin, what happens if you don't come back?"

He finally locked eyes with her and sighed. Walking the short distance to stand directly in front of her, Dwalin tugged lightly on the braid she wore. "I plan on coming back. But, if the worst should happen, another from the company will come back to tell ye of my fate. Ye're one of our people now, lassie, so they'll take care of ye."

The kiss that followed was so sudden and so passionate that Posey was certain she'd never forget it. In fact, she was fairly positive that the noises she'd made during the embrace would mortify her for years to come – Goodness! Dwalin's hands had wandered places… her hands had wandered places… In fact, if it hadn't been for Balin walking down the hall calling out for his brother, Posey knew that she'd likely not have been able to control herself.

Oh dear!

"Time to go, lass." Dwalin winked, grabbed the last of his knives from the bed, and walked away. No words of lasting devotion, no kiss goodbye… nothing. Before Posey had a chance to collect herself, they were already gone. From the steps outside of the front door of Bag End, the same exact spot that she'd become Dwalin's wife the night before, Posey watched as the dwarves trailed quickly away.

Posey couldn't help but cry when she realized that she'd likely never see that ridiculous brute again. The tears only got worse, though, when her dearest brother ran off less than two hours later to follow them to doom and glory.