Chapter 7

~From Forges to Fields~


"Rina!"

The white haired woman's eyes slowly open. It had been a lazy morning waiting for Lana to finish picking herbs, based on the sun's position it must be after noon already.

'I guess I must have fallen asleep.' She stretches out across the soft grass, humming with happiness. Soon she feels Lana's presence next to her.

"Hey sleepy head, ready to head back home?"

"That depends, do you think Astrid will have a list of chores for us?"

Both of them laugh at the thought as Rina stands and dusts herself off. Small yellow flowers blanket the hills and the birds fly in the cloudless blue sky.

Lana tucks her basket into her side, "It's hard to believe it's been ten years since you came into our lives." She links her free arm with Rina's, slowly starting to walk home.

Rina nods, "I know. It still feels crazy that I wake up every morning in a world I once could only dream of."

They stop and sit on the bank of a clear pond to enjoy the view. Spring was in full bloom; fragrant flowers of every color painted the hills as small songbirds chirped merrily in the trees. A few small fish rippled the smooth surface of the water.

Rina smirked mischievously and slaps her hand in the water, splashing herself and Lana, before jumping away to avoid her flailing friend.

"Oh! You are going to pay for that Rina!"

Soon a splashing war had begun, full of shrieks of laughter and soaked clothing. Too soon, they realize how late it was getting. Astrid will be furious at them. Turning back to the road they walk in silence for a while, at least until the brunette starts to give her friend quick side glances.

Tired of being stared at, Rina elbows the girl, "Spit it out, I can tell there's something on your mind."

Lana timidly looks at her friend for a minute before mustering her courage, "Do you ever think about before all this? Of the life you had in your old world?"

Rina's steps falter. She thinks hard for a moment before righting her stride. "Well, I think of my mom often, but as far as other people and places, not really. It's actually funny, I'm turning thirty five this year yet I've never had this much fun or felt this happy. Why so curious?"

Lana just shrugs, "Your anniversary with us just got me thinking about the past, and you never really talk about it so I thought I'd ask."

"I appreciate the thought." She evasively answered. While she fully trusts her friends, there are still some things she would rather forget.

After walking for a while, the shop was finally in sight, as well as a horse tied to the hitching post. Rina looked at her companion, she was unaware they were expecting a visitor today. Based on the confused look on Lana's face, she didn't know who it could be either. Quickening their steps, they hurried into the house.

'No signs of a scuffle, must be one of Astrid's customers.'

Rina cups her hand around her mouth and whispers to Lana, "If we are quiet we may be able to go get changed before Astrid sees us." Lana nods and they quietly sneak toward the bedrooms.

'Almost there…' Rina's hand hovers over her bedroom doorknob when she hears the heavy clink of boots right behind her.

"And where exactly have you two been?"

Rina winces at the smith's tone, 'So close, yet so far…'

She turns to see Astrid leaning against the wall, arms crossed and obviously not pleased, "Hey Astrid, did you sell anything today?"

Lana caught on to Rina's plan, "Is that person in the kitchen wanting a custom piece? I know you have been getting a lot more requests for that kind of stuff."

Quickly both girls were conked on the head by Astrid's fists, "OW!"

"Stop trying to distract me. You'd think after the thousandth time you tried and failed you would've learned that doesn't work on me." Astrid speaks in a very serious voice, but she can't help the small smile trying to crack her stern face.

After rubbing the spot on the back of her head, Rina finally looks back up at the woman, "We're sorry, today was just so pretty! And it's one of the few days that it hasn't been raining constantly."

"Yeah, pretty soon it will be Summer and it will be too hot to enjoy the sunshine. Think of it as an late birthday present to me!" Lana pleads with her best puppy dog eyes.

Astrid shakes her head at her friends, "Your birthday was a month ago Lana. Or did you get hit on the head and forget you were born in March and not April?"

"Since we are on the subject of time," a deep voice echoed from the kitchen, "Why don't we all come sit for a bit and chat."

Astrid smirks and heads back to where the voice came from, followed by a dejected Lana and a curious Rina. They couldn't help their squeals of delight when they saw Gandalf sitting at their table. Soon he was tackled with hugs from the two new comers.

"Hello my dears, you must have had an interesting day judging by your clothes." His eyes glimmer with mirth.

While their clothes had dried on the walk home, they were stained with mud from the bottom of the pond. Realizing the state of their wardrobe, both of their faces flush with embarrassment.

Astrid starts to laugh at their expense but is gently cut off by Gandalf, "It's good you enjoyed today. After the next few days it will be a while before you'll have time for such things again."

The room fills with a chilling seriousness.

"What do you mean Gandalf? You said nothing about this earlier." Astrid gazes at him with a critical eye.

The wizard huffs at the smith, "I thought it would be best for everyone to be present."

He stands and makes his way over to the window, "I believe I have found the journey the Valar wish for you to be a part of. As you all know, I have traveled across Middle Earth to safeguard the Free Peoples and help put an end to any nefarious plots. A few years ago I came across someone who's personal quest aligns with mine and whom I think you are meant to accompany."

As the man turns around to gauge the women's reactions, Rina can't decide if she is excited or anxious. She feels the two sides of her emotions waging an internal battle.

'Come on, get a grip! We've had ten years of sword training as well as our knowledge of the story, why can't we just get over this fear that something is going to go wrong?'

'Considering that we hold the fate of not only who we will travel with on the quest, but also the fate of Middle Earth all together. People could die if we slip up even once, if we weren't a bit afraid I would think there was something wrong with us.'

Rina shakes her head to clear away the two voices, earning a curious looks from everyone, "So what is the plan then?"

Gandalf walks over to the counter to pour himself a glass of wine before resting agains the windowsill.

"The plan is for me to escort you to the home of one of our company's members. Everyone embarking on this journey has been instructed to meet there before setting out on our quest. It will very likely be a long one." He sips his drink as the ladies process his words.

Lana's curious nature for new people and places flares up, "So how long until we travel to this person's house? Is it very far from here?"

The wizard chokes on his wine. Clearing his throat he pointedly looks back out the window, "It is not terribly far from here, but it is farther than you have traveled in a while."

Astrid places her hands on her hips in a grim fashion, "You are avoiding the question Gandalf. When are we leaving?"

He reluctantly sighs, "The day the leader of our company wants to depart is in two days time."

"WHAT?! That is no where near enough time to—"

Astrid's voice fades into the background as Rina's mind works in over drive, 'It starts in two days… two days… today is April 24th so that would mean—' Her eyes widen as her fears are realized, 'The Company of Thorin Oakenshield… Thorin—FIli and Kili, they—'

To slow her rapid heartbeat she slowly breathes through her nose. She watches the scene before her without truly hearing it.

Astrid shakes in fury as she passes back and forth, no doubt telling Gandalf just how much of an annoyance his surprise is to her. Gandalf deeply drinks from his cup, though wether it is from a feeling of shame at his actions or of displeasure at Astrid's she couldn't tell. As for sweet little Lana, she quietly gazes at the two in front of her with an amused look on her face before hopping out of her chair.

"I guess we better get packing then. I'm assuming that since it's well into the evening we will be leaving tomorrow morning?"

Astrid, seemingly finished with her tirade, sighs and crosses her arms, "I still think this could've been something you could've told us sooner old man, but might as well make due with what we have. You say it's a long journey, how long do you expect us to be on the road?"

"The journey itself will most likely take around a year, but you won't need to worry about packing all of it tonight. We will be passing through Bree after meeting everyone. My advice would be to get as much ready as you can tonight, but pack light for our trip tomorrow. And also wear something nice, our host tomorrow is a gentlemanly fellow so I'm sure he would appreciate it."

Lana squeals happily before chirping little commands to everyone, "Wonderful! Now Astrid you can get all our weapons together. I'll work on getting some light traveling clothes mended and ready. Gandalf, if you could be so kind as to go and buy us some ponies for our trip that would be very helpful. And Rina, there is some food around here that would do well on a journey. Please pull together enough for two days of travel."

Everyone, including Rina, looks at her amazed by her suddenly powerful presence. When no one moves she claps loudly and yells, "Come on! Get moving!", before heading to the bedrooms to gather their wardrobe.

Astrid shakes her head before finally making her way to the front shop, where all their weapons sat on display. Gandalf moves towards the doorway of the kitchen but Rina blocks his path quickly.

Checking to make sure the other women weren't in ear shot before she confirms her thoughts, "Thorin Oakenshield?"

The wizard seems startled before chuckling to himself, "I almost forget you come from another world sometimes Rhiannon, I must say it still is a bit unnerving. Yes, the leader of our quest is Thorin Oakenshield, though given Astrid's thoughts on most dwarves from Erebor, I think it would be wise to not inform her of the thirteen that will be traveling with us, don't you?"

"You mean to avoid the fall out that would happen like if you had told Thorin the "final" member of the company was in fact a very homebody hobbit like Mr. Bilbo Baggins? Or perhaps that you have not yet even informed Bilbo that he has been promised to come on this quest?"

Scoffing, Gandalf looks at the woman before him, "Just as Bilbo needs a… nudge in the right direction, I believe that this surprise will help Thorin to be more open to the other races. A necessary trait if we are successful. Now if that is all, I must get to the Prancing Pony to see what ponies will be available for us tomorrow. Good evening Rhiannon."

He quickly made is way out of the house, all while Rina chuckles to herself, 'That may be true, but you also don't want to get in trouble Gandalf.'

She quickly scavenges the cupboards in search of their traveling rations.

They end the day without much trouble, aside from Gandalf only being able to find one pony for sale. They got everything ready, deciding that Rina would ride with the wizard and that Astrid and Lana would share the other horse, and laid out their clothing before getting to bed.

The night quickly passed and the morning sun seeped into their little house, forcing the people inside to start the long day. Gandalf, not having much to pack, readied the horses outside while waiting on the girls. Just as he finished strapping the last of their supplies onto his horse he heard a strong voice ring out from the house.

"Come on, we don't have time for you two to dawdle." Astrid is the first out the door, strapping her heavy steel hammers to her back.

While her regular smith clothes were red and brown leathers, her current clothing had a more feminine look. She has on a lace up white shirt with sleeves that reach her elbows. Her white skirt was tucked under a leather corset and on top of that was a thick belt. A rough brown skirt was sown onto the belt, wrapping around her waist like a cloak and allowing the plain cotton skirt to be seen from the front. Rather than having her hair slung over her shoulder, she had the top pulled into a messy faux hawk that went down to her shoulder blades, resting on the loose hair she left underneath it.

Quickly another voice responded, "In case you forgot, you're the old spinster here, so while you might not have time, Rina and I have plenty."

Lana burst from the door, her skirt flying around her. She was dressed in a rough cotton dress dyed a soft lavender. There is a detailed metalwork belt around her waist that had a single strand hanging down to her knees. The only other feature on the dress was the stitched purple and gold flowers and vines bordering the scoop neckline that traveled down to where her navel was located. Her hair was braided above her ears before being pulled back into one loose braid that landed at her hips.

"Well we are all here now so quit jabbering on about waisting time and lock up the shop." The final woman appeared with a knowing smirk.

Rina, knowing where they were heading, decided to try on the clothing that Belladonna Baggins had given her during her last visit. Surprisingly it still fit. She joined the other women outside in a blue plaid skirt, white undershirt, and the blue velvet top with straps that she had left the Shire in. The only addition was a cream colored apron wrapped around the skirt and tucked under the bodice. Her hair was weaved into a side braid and then pulled with the rest of her hair into a messy bun.

Astrid double checks that they had everything before closing the shop. She locks the door and makes her way to the horses. Soon all of them were saddled up and heading for Bag End.


Once they got to Hobbiton and housed the ponies at the stables, Gandalf abruptly said he would have to leave them in the market for a while. He quickly draws up a map to Bag End before grabbing his belongings.

"I must be off to make sure part of our company makes it in time. Follow the map later this afternoon, that will give me plenty of time to go and make sure our host is… ready for company. While here, you may as well browse around the stalls, perhaps even pick up some foods you like for dinner tonight. I will see you all in a while." He walks down the path heading toward their destination.

Rina tucks the map into her satchel, "Well I guess we have some time to kill, lets see what's here."

They meander around, looking at the produce and small trinkets around the faire. After a while they buy some food for their lunch. Seeing no good place to sit and eat, they cross the stone bridge above the small river and sit on the hillside.

As the three of them enjoy their meal, looking across the water, Rina noticed a fellow standing at the fish monger's stall. He was dressed in what looked like a blue velvet coat, a vest embroidered with gold flowers, and some dark green trousers. His slightly curly hair sways back and forth as he constantly checked over his shoulder. She can barely keep her jaw from dropping in awe, 'I can't believe it, Bilbo Baggins in the flesh…'

Rina tapped on the other women's shoulders before pointing to the hobbit she was watching, "That, girls, is our humble host."

Astrid looks at the hobbit unconvinced, "You sure? He looks a bit skittish to me… even by hobbit standards."

"Trust me, he may not look like much now, but he will prove himself in due time." Rina proudly looks at Bilbo.

When the hobbit was handed his fish wrapped in paper, she looks back at the other women, "Let's go introduce ourselves."

Rina quickly makes her way to the bridge separating them from the main market. Lana and Astrid share a humored look before following their adventurous friend. As they catch up to her they hear the end of Bilbo's conversation.

The plump farmer standing next to Bilbo crosses his arms, "Tall fellow, long grey beard, pointy hat…" their unknowing host darts behind the farmer as if to hide from something, "Can't say I have."

Bilbo starts to scurry across the bridge and looks back over his shoulder. Rina follows his gaze and sees a couple of hobbits put a stack of baskets down next to their stand; the grey cloth on top of the pile looks almost identical to Gandalf's hat. The hobbit visibly relaxes, realizing that their wizard friend was not there.

Based on the other girls' chuckles, they must have realized what spooked poor Bilbo. He quickly straightens his jacket and quickly turns to cross the bridge, almost colliding with Rina.

"Pardon me madam, I—" he suddenly notices the lady in front of him is much too tall to be a hobbit.

Rina smiles down at him with a knowing look, "Hello, my name is Rina. These are my friends Astrid and Lana. Would you happen to be Mr. Bilbo Baggins?"

The hobbit warily looks at the foreigners, "Yes… But how do you know my name?" Suddenly he notices Rina's clothing, "Wait just a moment! Are those my mother's clothes?!"

She nervously giggles, "Soooo it's kind of a funny story…" Noticing Bilbo's impatient face, she hurriedly tells him about the time she spent with his mother.

After listening to the full story, he gazes at the women critically, "So you're the odd person she wouldn't stop talking about. Well, it was wonderful meeting you and your friends but I really must get home. Goodbye."

He starts to speed past them when Lana steps in front of him, "Wait wait wait! We don't really have anywhere to stay, is there anyway we could tag along with you until our guide returns? I'm sure Astrid would be more than happy to help with dinner."

Bilbo raises an eyebrow in speculation.

Rina quickly thought of the one thing that just might convince the hobbit, "I could even makes some blackberry lemon tarts."

At the mention of the tarts Bilbo's face lights up, "Do you mean my mother's tarts? I haven't had them since she passed away. Would you care to write down the recipe for me? She didn't keep a physical copy in case my Sackville-Baggins cousins got a hold of it."

Rina couldn't help but smile at the hobbit's enthusiasm, "Absolutely! Just lead the way to your home and I'll have those whipped up in no time."

Bilbo was practically humming in excitement as he guided them out of the market. Walking through the Shire was better than anything Rina could've imagined. The four of them chit chatted as they weaved through the rolling green hills of Hobbiton, making their way to the larger smials. Following the cobblestone path, they reached Bag End in all it's splendor.

"Watch your step," Bilbo holds open the small gate to let them through the fence before making his way to the round door. "Welcome to Bag End, please make yourselves at home."

"This looks so inviting! You're home is lovely Bilbo!" Lana happily strolls through the doorway, looking excitedly around.

Astrid looks down at the hobbit, "If you could show me where the kitchen is I can get started cooking dinner."

"That will be perfect, if you want to handle dinner, I'll cook us some supper. I meant for the fish I bought in the market to be my supper but I'm sure I could find something around for all of us." Bilbo happily showed the smith into the house.

Rina felt overcome with a feeling of wonder. She rests her hand agains the iconic green door, noticing the small rune Gandalf carved on it.

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit…" She reverently whispers.

After finally stepping into Bag End, she takes a deep breath, "Now all we have to do is convince a grumpy dwarf king we need to join the company… totally easy."

Slowly she closes the large door knowing that within the next few hours the house would be stuffed to the brim.


Finally we meet Bilbo Baggins! And we are one chapter away from meeting the company! I wonder how they will react to the unexpected additions. (hehehe)

Now after having one of my friends read the story so far, they seemed a bit confused with Astrid and her story. Astrid is very closed off emotionally, even to Lana and Rina, and doesn't like to talk about herself. It's just the way she deals with her more negative emotions.

And I'm so sorry for this chapter being late, with everything in my life happening all at once, I couldn't find time to finish this chapter until now. Please forgive me! To make amends, I'm going to try my hardest to get another chapter out on Wednesday of this week.

Reviews:

MissCallaLilly: I love the female heroines… As for Rina's fear about the others not being in the book version of the story, maybe the author didn't put them in for a reason…

I'm glad you like my OCs so much! I hope they remain some of your favorites. As for Astrid's story, lets just say her family was some high ups in the nobility in Erebor and we may be running into them later… Don't want to ruin the surprise when we run into them and you already know their names.

Guest: Just found your story and love it. The fact that she has 10 years to prepare instead of just knowing how to fight with a sword is great. Sad that her first Dwarves Male run ins had to be so prickly, (Nori?) But I'm wondering who walked out... Thorin? Looking forward to more clues and preparations.

I'm so glad to hear that you liked it! Now this will be a bit of a lengthy reply, but it may give some people clarity.

Whenever I read fanfics of OCs falling into Middle Earth (all of which I love) one of the hardest things for me to grasp is how they can go from 0 to 60 in 2 seconds when it comes to fighting and growing attached to people. I know that with a 10 year time skip it may feel like we are missing out on some stuff between the three OCs specifically, but it gives a more realistic timeframe for them to grow close as friends and for Rina to actually become a competent fighter.

As for the dwarves, here's a little head cannon; they are a group of dwarves who lived in the area around Dunland/Rohan. Their lives there are really harsh and the towns they live had a lot of humans who looked down on them. Being cruel right back was their self defense mechanism, thus why when they realize that Rina was being honest and kind they truly did feel bad, but didn't know how to express it.

As for who walked out, it could be Thorin, it could be a human they encounter later, or it could be someone under Sauron trying to spy on them. I doubt that he wouldn't know of 3 Blessed Beings being in Middle Earth by the time the Prancing Pony scene happens.