In this, Dis is travelling back to Erebor with other dwarves after the battle. Just very loose idea again when I'm thinking about new fic.
AU
Dis & Mr. Underhill/Bilbo?
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Dis looked the hobbit.
Not young, not old, in his prime. Blond curly hair what was maybe bit longer than what she was used to seeing with hobbits. His smile was polite and warm, but it didn't quite reach the eyes. The clothes were reasonable to travel being good quality but worn, and of course there was no shoes so she could see some old burn marks.
There was hunting knife hanging from his belt and the handle and the holster looked old. The two ponies were lightly packed, but Dis saw the bow and quiver with mixed-looking arrows. And was that sword's handle wrapped in old rags hidden middle of the blankets?
"I heard that you are travelling through the mountains to Erebor. I wish to join your caravan." His voice was little drained. "Been on my road alone over month now, though that some company could do good."
"What business do you have the other side of the Misty Mountains Master Underhill?" She was curious and bit suspicious. The hobbits rarely left the Shire, but sure, over the years she had met some, even so far south as Anfalas. Those were usually part of Took clan and when they left the Shire, they never returned there at whatever reason.
"I promised to meet my friend at Old Ford. Then I travel to Esgaroth where I have some things to deal. I own some good grapevines." The hobbit smirked.
"But you're not coming from the Shire right now."
"Oh, I went to see Lord Elrond when he called me. Somehow he had got to know that I was on the way to the East. So I picked some letters to deliver." the hobbit shrugged.
Dis eyebrow rose a bit when she heard that. The hobbits were peaceful people who rarely did business but some men near the Bree or with some dwarves from Blue Mountains, reason why Dis actually knew about hobbits more than many could say. True that she knew that elves usually went through the Shire on their way to West, but actually know Lord Elrond. Well, she had to admit that she didn't know much about hobbits, just what she had picked up from her travels.
"Well, the East Road is free to travel. You can come along us if you so wish but I if you travel with us, there is some rules and things to do."
The hobbit just nodded.
"I can hunt pretty well. Have to when you live alone in wild and on the roads. I'm quiet on my feet. I tell good tales but I'm poor player. I can cook pretty much anything and I know herbs and healings. And I can fight."
Again Dis' eyes marked the sword. Maybe the hobbit was ex-bounder, could explain a lot.
"Well then. Welcome to our Company."
"Thank you, lady Dis." the hobbit bowed and was fast gone with his ponies.
"Who was that?" young dwarf asked when Dis still looked after the hobbit.
"Master Underhill. He will join us when we cross the mountains. Keep your eyes on him Gimli. I have a feeling that he's not what he says he is."
"Bad or good thing?"
"I do not know, and it worries me." Dis murmured.
"Well, maybe he behaves enough around us. Hobbits generally are good people." the youngling said and Dis smiled.
"True they are. But in every basket are some bad apples."
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Master Underhill truly was a good story teller. He knew lot and lot of stories around elves and dwarfs what surprised them but also delighted the travelers. His hobbit songs were happy and light-weighted.
One evening one of the youngest asked the big question.
"Do you know any stories from Thorin Oakenshield's company?"
The hobbit looked at the child and there was a shadow behind his eyes, but it went over fast and Dis though had she imagined it.
"Yes, I know some stories. Who don't? They are legends!"
"And was that true that there was a hobbit as a fourteenth member of them?"
That stopped Dis. She had forgotten that completely. The hobbit slowly nodded.
"Yes. There was. One of my relative from my Took's side. Mister Bilbo Baggins, Master of Bag End." the hobbit eyes were bit glassy by now.
"Is he there, in Erebor? Are you going to see him?" Gimli who actually truly liked the hobbit, asked.
"Oh, mister Baggins left after the battle, but he never reached his home either."
"What? Why?" were chorus of voices and Dis noticed that not all of them came from the younglings. The hobbit met their gazes steadily, his smile sad.
"He died in Rivendell at the next spring. He never recovered from his wounds."
There was a deep shocked silence over the camp.
"I though that they all survived." Dis said quietly suddenly realizing that did his brother and her sons know?
Master Underhill shook his head sadly.
"I never met him, not after he inherited his father as a young age. Heard about him from Elrond."
"Why did he left if he was so badly wounded?" Dis asked. I though my sons wrote that he was well when he departed. Maybe they didn't knew?
The hobbit looked the curious eyes of younglings and sighed.
"You surely have heard stories about the Arkenstone and what happened when the burglar betrayed your King?"
"Yes?"
"What about that?"
"You have to remember that Mister Baggins was that burglar. King Thorin banished him from Erebor. He still stayed with men and elves and fight against the darkness, but after that he went with the elven king Thranduil who tried to heal him. When it came clear that it was a futile effort Mister Bilbo wanted to see his home once more. Gandalf the Grey took him over these mountains but their journey ended in the Rivendell. Bilbo died. He never saw his home again, what he had left to help Thorin to gain back a home to his people."
Some of the little ones started to cry.
"I didn't know." Dis whispered. "But didn't Thorin apologized from mister Baggins? Or so I heard."
The hobbit shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, but, could you stay after what happened?"
She shook her head. The hobbit smiled and sighed.
"He went with his own free will. Maybe he never actually realized what he signed under but I'm sure that he never near the end actually regretted his decision. He was, like I, half Took. And his mother was legendary Belladonna Took. Oh, what stories that woman created. And what a scandal she was!"
So he told the tale of one Belladonna Baggins nee Took, but Dis only smiled when she half heartily flistened him.
No, she was sure that Thorin didn't know. Or any of them until maybe Balin.
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Let me know if there is some ideas to small one shot...