Hello again my loves! I simply had to post again because we finally hit 50 reviews! I feel like I should probably do a special filler or something as an offshoot of this fic as a thank you…
If you guys have something you want to see, I could probably start another small drabble fic for that.
This is the product of exhaustion and the beginning of a nasty head-cold, so enjoy.
Inspired by a prompt I stumbled upon by lateforerebor on tumblr.
Summary: Bilba "Bell" Baggins decides that she's waited quite long enough to take her mother's advice and old stories and go on an adventure of her own. What she didn't expect was to end up in Ered Luin and be adopted by dwarves! AU, Pre-Quest, Undecided Pairings.
-;-
"I'm going to go down the mountain to trade." Bilba announced one morning as she appeared in the kitchen, startling the trio of dwarves sitting at the table. Dori was just preparing to leave for the Goose, while Ori was free from his studies for the day- Balin was not feeling well thanks to the heatwave that had hit the mountains several days beforehand, and had given the scribe in training the rest of the week to himself and his studies. And as for Nori…
Actually, Bilba didn't know what Nori was planning on getting up to.
Probably for the best.
"You're what?" Dori frowned, his brows furrowing.
"I'm going down the mountain. To trade." Bilba repeated, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at his tone. "With the men and dwarrow who travel here to do such things."
"With what?" Ori inquired. Thankfully, Bilba knew the youngest of the three well enough to know that he was simply curious, and not actually giving her the look of doubt and in Nori's case, smugness.
"Some lace, some other wares. I did bring enough with me to do such things, you know."
The last part of the sentence was directed at the silver-haired dwarf, and the lass quirked a brow at him as he made some sort of noise in the back of his throat before turning to Ori and Nori.
"You two go with her." He said, in such a way that the pair knew it was not a request but an order.
"Yes Dori." Ori sighed as Nori snorted and crossed his arms.
"She's not a dwarfling, you know. She can take care of herself." The redheaded dwarf pointed out. "And for the record, my pride still hasn't recovered from the incident."
"Such a hard life for you, isn't it." Dori huffed back, though Bilba could see the faintest twitch of his lips. "Just go with her and make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble, would you?"
"Now that makes more sense. Why didn't you lead with that?" Nori said, smirk firmly back in place as Bilba stuck her tongue out at him. "I may as well go down and see what I can wrangle from my usual folk."
"I can get more quills!" Ori beamed as the thought struck him. "And more ink, I seem to be running out of that…"
The topic of conversation quickly turned to more domestic matters after that, and following Dori's departure, the three left behind sighed in relief. Bilba in particular couldn't help but roll her eyes and huff at Dori's rather predictable behavior.
"Honestly, in Hobbit years I'm almost the same age as him." She muttered grumpily as she stomped her way back to her room to collect everything she needed, tucking her laces and hand-crafted other objects into her backpack and grabbing her walking staff. "Don't see why I need the two of them to keep me company."
She stomped back out, much to the amusement of the pair, and she pointed at them warningly.
"I don't want to hear it, you two." She threatened. "I have a staff and I know how to use it."
Ori, thankfully, seemed to have more common sense than his brother, for Nori simply smirked at her and gave her a look that told her that she would have to try a lot harder than that to get him to cease and desist his efforts to tease her.
"Oh, for the love of Yavanna, give me strength." She sighed, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. "Come on then, you two. And Nori, I mean it. You behave."
"Don't get your hopes up, Bell." He replied in that same tone he had the last time he'd caught her off guard, nearly causing her to trip and fall flat on her face as he rose from the table and adjusted his tunic. "According to Dori it's a lost cause."
"I got you to stop trying to come into the window, didn't I?" she shot back, causing his jaw to drop for a moment and Ori to snort a laugh that he fought to keep hidden.
Point to Bilba, she thought smugly.
-;-
The weather, predictably, was warm. Bilba had never been so in love with her skirts before in her life, given that this year the heat seemed to be worse. Either that or it was due to her being in the mountains. It had seemed almost this bad the summer prior as well.
Ori and Nori, being dwarves, were externally managing to appear as though the heat wasn't affecting them, but Bilba knew that while their race was known for smithing and tolerating the heat of the forges, they- and they were the only ones she had seen demonstrate this- didn't seem to keep up with the heat of the summer sun. Or rather, Ori wasn't. Nori was as unruffled as always, the smug little cretin.
"So, what kinds of wares should I expect?" Bilba asked, striking up a conversation with Nori.
"With Men, it can be anything. They don't seem particularly inclined to settle toward any one craft." Nori shrugged in reply, hopping down from a small rock ledge in ease. "Though they do seem to enjoy fabrics and trinkets. Now dwarrow, we're more predictable. We usually settle for weapons and jewelry. It's what we're known for."
"Hm." The hobbit hummed thoughtfully. "I may have to look into getting myself something in case I run into trouble during my journey back to the Shire."
"I would advise it." Nori nodded. "Orcs have been seen coming further north than usual. Blasted creatures…"
He went on in Khuzdul for another several moments, leaving Ori thoroughly scandalized at whatever had been said. Bilba couldn't help the short giggle that left her at the horrified look on the scribe's face.
"Sometimes I wish I could learn Khuzdul, if only to know what kind of curses you're saying." She shook her head, stepping over a particularly sharp rock in her path.
"Unfortunately, sweets, you're not a dwarf." Nori said offhandedly, hardly noticing the effect that the term he used had on the hobbit. Bilba skipped a step, her cheeks suddenly heating with a fiery blush she swore went all the way down to her toes. "Otherwise I'm sure Ori would be happy to teach you. Or Balin."
"Balin would love to learn Sindarin." Ori remarked, his nose buried in his journal as he sketched the path in charcoal. "I mentioned that you knew it after I started to translate it."
"I would be happy to put together some notes for him." Bilba smiled, though she was still blushing heavily. Damn Nori and his offhanded comments!
"I'll tell him the next time I see him, then." Ori said, finally glancing and furrowing his brows in confusion at the expression on the hobbit's face. After looking to Nori and back at her, he decided it would probably be for the best not to ask what he'd missed, instead turning back to his sketch.
-;-
Predictably, Ori vanished into the crowd for the stall with the scribing materials, leaving Nori and Bilba together. Something that was most likely not going to end well, given the odd behavior that the pair of them seemed to be displaying to the other.
"Shall we?" she offered, beginning to step toward the nearest stall to examine what sorts of wares were available. Nori followed closely behind her like a personal shadow, and she quickly managed to immerse herself in conversation with the nomadic woman of Men behind the counter about the rugs that she had for trade.
Nori took the time he had to survey the masses of people surrounding them. This market came about only a handful of times during the year, and it often attracted all sorts of folk from all kinds of places. Some even travelled from as far as Bree to see the wares from the nomads and dwarrow who often accompanied them. Most of the dwarves, Nori knew from experience, would likely be in the same region of stalls as the rest of the weapons and jewelry and trinkets were, on the far side of the market, with their backs to the mountains. It was shadier there, too, and made it easier to appreciate the workmanship that they had created without being blinded by the sunlight.
Ori was visible through the crowd- there were several dwarves from the group of scribes that resided in Ered Luin that he was speaking to, and so didn't concern himself with his youngest brother's welfare too considerably. He knew those dwarves and knew that they didn't mean his kin ill will.
Idly, Nori wondered if Dwalin were going to be here on behalf of the smithy from Ered Luin, or if he would be on duty as a guard. It would be interesting, in any case, to see what would happen if the pair managed to meet face to face again. But then Nori remembered that Dwalin had gone with the prince in search of the lost king, and his enthusiasm for antagonizing the old warrior disappeared just as quickly. A faint frown crossed his features at the thought.
"Nori?" Bilba touched his arm a few minutes later, her verbal exchange concluded. "I think I'd like to go see the weapons, if you don't mind directing me in that direction?"
"Of course, Bell." He replied, an easy grin slipping back onto his lips. It seemed to get easier every time, actually, now that he thought about it. He didn't quite know what to make of that realization, instead shoving it to the back of his mind to be thoroughly analyzed later. "Right this way."
They slipped through the crowd with strange ease- Bilba was certain it had to do with Nori's particular skill set, but did nothing more than follow as he directed. Before they knew it, they were standing in a much different area- a sparring ring was set up in the middle area of the stalls displaying the weapons, and there were a handful of dwarves displaying their skill against one another with long blades that gleamed.
"I've got to go take care of some business. Will you be alright for a minute?" Nori asked suddenly, his eyes trained on something over his shoulder.
"Of course. I'll be looking at the stalls." Bilba replied automatically, offering him a smile. "Try not to cause too much trouble- I think Dori would have something to say to both of us if we returned from a scrap."
He grinned at her, winking, before vanishing. Bilba shook her head with a chuckle before curiously wandering towards the stall nearest to her.
The blades that she found displayed before her were truly incredible, she admitted as she drew closer. She couldn't fathom how she was the only one standing before the table. The tent behind the stall was dark blue, and the flap was closed. Perhaps that was the reason why there was no one standing there to greet her. But nonetheless, she continued looking until she came across a pair of narrow daggers that looked as though they could be slipped into boots or sleeves. The craftsmanship, she could see, was incredible- the straightness of the blades was unlike that she had seen before. Then again, Tookish blades were meant for naught but one's own self defense, and only under extreme duress. Not to mention that they had taught themselves how to smith rather than learning from the Dwarves or Men.
"Is there something you needed?" a low voice asked suddenly, breaking Bilba from her thoughts and startling her to jump slightly. The tone used was similar to the one she could recall her mother using on her when she had been caught doing something she quite possibly shouldn't have been doing.
"Sorry, I didn't mean-" Bilba started, glancing up, only to freeze.
Standing in front of her was the dwarrowdam from her dream.
Her vision jerked and blurred, and suddenly, she was no longer in the present.
"Bring them back to me." The dam said, her eyes boring into her own. "All of them."
They were standing in a great hall that Bilba could not identify, and the dam was clad in blue and silver, a fur lined cloak clasped tightly about her throat. Her dark curls fell around her cheeks, and there was a pain within the way she held herself that Bilba couldn't understand-
A flash of grey and feathers, and she was on a battlefield- one that was unfamiliar to her. The dam stood beside her, her features set in a stony mask of fury as the wave of wargs and orcs charged them-
A knife sliding across her palm, and then across the dam's-
Bilba returned to the present with a shuddering gasp, finding herself looking into the concerned gaze of the dwarrowdam. She had somehow gotten into the tent, the light from the doorway illuminating the walls of fabric around her.
"I've seen you before." She whispered, staring into the dam's eyes. "But I don't know how it's possible-"
"What was that." The dam returned, her tone firm. "Something happened."
"I saw things. Something. You were there." Bilba couldn't help but say, unable to help but feel embarrassed at her shaky voice. "I don't know how- there was a battle, and I saw you. I thought it was just a dream before but you're real."
"Hush. Come and sit, and tell me everything. My name is Dis." The dam said, her tone softening as she took in how shaken the hobbit was. "How did you see me."
"You told me to bring them back to you." Bilba said faintly, blinking owlishly as she slowly took in her surroundings. Everything seemed slightly blurred, unreal as she reached out to touch the chair that she was seated on. "You were standing in a great hall of stone, and you were wearing blue and silver and a fur lined cloak."
Her hands went to her hair, grabbing for the trio of beads there and absently toying with them in an attempt to soothe herself. Dis' gaze followed her, and she took note of the beads with concealed surprise. Someone had adopted the halfling before her into their house, though in the dim lighting she was unable to tell which insignia adorned the beads.
"What is your name."
"Bilba Baggins, of the Shire." She replied, her gaze still unfocused.
"Did you come to the market with someone, Bilba? Someone who might be looking for you?"
"Nori, son of Ri." She replied automatically. "Oh dear, he's probably wondering where I've gone to. I should go-"
"You stay here. I know of the dwarf you speak." Dis soothed, standing and straightening. She would send one of her errant sons to tell the son of Ri that the lass was safe with her.
Returning to the front of the stall, Dis let out a sharp whistle that she knew Kili would hear- the lad had ears like a hawk, she swore. He was somewhere across the ring, bartering with the archer who came every time the market came to Ered Luin.
A moment and Kili's familiar mop of dark hair appeared, closely followed by Fili as the pair loped over, looking vaguely concerned.
"Is something wrong, Amad?" Kili asked, looking her over as he said it, as if expecting to see some sort of wound that he didn't know of.
"No, nothing to me." She replied, waving him off. "I need you two to find Nori, son of Ri and tell him that a Bilba Baggins is here with me. She had a bit of a spell from the heat and needs a moment to recover."
"Baggins?" Kili perked up. "The same that worked at the Grey Goose?"
Dis frowned, puzzled. Her sons knew this halfling?
"I don't know. Halfling, wearing skirts and beads of dwarves in her hair?" she inquired.
"Everything other than the beads sound right." Fili nodded. "Though it wouldn't surprise me if they had decided to adopt her into their house. She seemed close with the eldest."
"Is she okay?" Kili asked.
"She will be." Dis replied, smiling gently at the amount of concern he was showing. Her motherly instincts were preening at the results. The rest of her was extremely cautious. After all, there was still the matter of whatever had just transpired. "Just inform the son of Ri that she will be returned to him shortly, after she has had a moment to herself."
"Of course, Amad." Fili nodded. "C'mon, Kee."
And with that, the pair were off. Dis glanced around warily, noting that nothing on the table appeared to be out of place, before retreating back into the tent.
-;-
Nori was, in fact, wondering where in Mahal's name Bilba had managed to wander off to when the heirs of Durin found him. That alone had his hackles bristling. Anything to do with the prince and the guards was best to be avoided- little good had come of his socializing before.
"Nori, son of Ri?" the blond prince- Fili, Nori recalled- inquired.
He nodded warily.
"Oh, thank Mahal. I could hardly remember your appearance. Kili tried three others before we found you." The blond dwarf breathed a sigh of relief. "Amad is looking after Miss Baggins. She had a spell thanks to the heat and is currently resting behind our stall. She says she'll be sent back out when Amad is certain she's alright."
Nori's first thought was fear for Bilba- any sort of spell due to heat was nothing to be laughed at, but he ensured that nothing showed on his features other than a neutral relieved smile.
"Excellent. I'll return to the stall and wait for her." He nodded, his tone a firm statement that he meant exactly what he said.
"Of course."
-;-
"Visions are rare, even in this world." Dis said carefully as she brought a mug of cool water to Bilba. "These days only the elves are known to see glimpses of what could be."
"I didn't know that it was such until I saw you." Bilba replied quietly, pondering what this could possibly mean. If the initial dreams weren't just dreams…
She shuddered.
"What else did you see. You claimed I was present, though I know not how you and I could possibly be tied to the other in any future." Dis frowned.
"You and I stood next to one another against an army of-" Bilba began, only to realize what exactly she had seen.
"Oh Yavanna." She whispered before covering her mouth as bile rose to the back of her throat.
Dis could feel sympathy, and perhaps some pity for the creature before her. The poor thing looked about right to faint. She reached for the nearest object that could work in case the lass vomited and placed it in front of the curly haired female, offering a gentle touch to the shoulder.
"Anything else?" she prodded gently.
"A knife. Across both of our palms." Came the small voice. "Here."
She mimed the motion before shaking her head. "There was nothing after that."
Oh, there were quite a few things that Dis could say to that, but she wasn't quite sure where to start or even who to ask about such matters. After all, with so few able to See what could come, the gift could just as easily be seen as a curse. And, as much as it pained her to think of, she might have to take the matter to the elves of Rivendell.
While she held no love for elves, particularly Thranduil's folk, she had had several encounters with those of Lord Elrond's council and had found little fault with them. Other than their strange love of green food, but that was their own decision, and not one she could argue.
"Thank you for sharing this with me. I know it must be quite a shock, realizing that it was not all just a dream." Dis shook her head. "But you should not speak of this to anyone. Perhaps you should seek the council from the elves, but do not speak of it to anyone else. There is something stirring within the lands, and I fear of the interest it could take in you."
Bilba paled, nodding as she realized the truth of the words. She herself did not understand the images that she had seen, but she held some sort of thread to fate in her hands.
"What should I do."
"I told my sons that you had fallen to a heat spell. They will have passed it to your escort, so there should be little to concern yourself in that matter." Dis replied. "But, I ask that should you see anything else pertaining to myself, I would be grateful if it were passed to myself somehow."
"I will do my best." Bilba nodded, standing.
"Thank you."
The hobbit said nothing, but the pair of females exited the tent to the brighter light of day. Bilba could see Nori standing nearby, his arms crossed over his chest and looking worried.
"You are welcome to those daggers, by the way."
"Pardon?"
There was a faint smile tugging at the edge of the dam's lips.
"I saw you looking at them earlier. You are welcome to them if you desire. It is the least I can do."
"Oh, I couldn't possibly." Bilba shook her head. "I brought wares to trade, and I would really feel much better if you chose something in payment."
Dis cocked her head slightly to take in the odd little thing. Most would be greedy in their want for dwarven crafted materials, and yet this lass showed none of that. Perhaps it was a trait of her people, though if it were she would be surprised. There were few of such caliber in the world these days.
"Very well then." She nodded.
Bilba shrugged her significantly lighter bag off of her shoulders, pulling out some of her lacework that she had gotten finished post her return to the Shire.
Despite herself, Dis couldn't help but feel impressed by some of the lace that the halfling was revealing. The delicacy of one such circular piece caught her eye, and Bilba smiled knowingly before holding it out to her.
"I would feel honored if you would accept this for your work."
"You have a deal, Miss Baggins." Dis agreed, accepting the lace and handing the pair of thin daggers over. "Please, enjoy the rest of your day."
"Oh, I have a feeling it will be interesting." She replied dryly, glancing over to her dwarf.
-;-
"You do realize that that was the princess, right?" Nori said to her as he took Bilba's arm, tucking it against his side and leading her back towards the last stall he had seen Ori.
"What?" she squeaked.
Nori laughed, a loud sound that rumbled through his chest.
"Only you, Bell, could meet a princess and not have a clue." He shook his head, chuckling. "Just wait until Dori hears about the day you've had."
"Don't you dare. I don't need him fussing over me any more than he already does!" Bilba shot back, slapping his shoulder. "I will tell him about what really happened to his teapot if you do."
"That, sweets, is blackmail."
"And I'll use it if I have to." She muttered darkly, her mood already lifting since returning to the company of her dwarf.
Oh dear Yavanna, since when is he my dwarf? She internally realized, feeling her cheeks heat up again.
Nori took that as a sign that she was feeling faint again, and immediately flew into a protective panic, ushering her into the shade as he went to collect Ori. Bilba just simply couldn't believe the way that her day had so drastically gone, and wondered what she was going to do now.