a/n: Thank you and welcome to the new story favoriters and followers. Prost, flute1021, Leafpool16985
Thank you Prost and Katherine Sparrow for the nice reviews on the last chapter.
The trail out of Rivendell was narrow and winding. There were many forks in the road and Holly hoped Thorin's map showed the way out. They would stop for a few minutes and Thorin, Dwalin and Balin would talk. Gandalf would just sit on his horse and look around, completely lost, occasionally he would say something to the others in the lead.
Gandalf wasn't the best spokesperson for the Maiar. Mostly he seemed to be an absentee wizard, as far as Holly was concerned. And she was, very. He needed to stay in one spot and tell her some things. But she could never manage to get him alone.
'Soon,' she promised herself as she yawned.
"Why don't you nap?" Fili asked. It was afternoon and they had been going for a while.
"Okay," she said and snuggled down into him. Fili could feel Holly re-sizing herself slowly to fit his back. He pulled her arms a little tighter around his middle.
Soon he could feel her rhythmic breathing.
A while later, just before the sun dropped below the mountain, Thorin called a halt for the day. Fili had not been paying attention, off in his own thoughts, when an exclamation went up. He blinked and looked around. More than one person was looking at him and his rider.
He blinked, realizing what exactly they were seeing.
"Holly," he said and nudged her with his elbow. "Holly, wake now."
"Ah, wha?" she asked and raised her head from his back. She blinked and looked around.
"Wake now, please," Fili said softly.
"Oh... shit..." she said and looked around at the dwarves looking at her, mouths agape.
They were exchanging glances, puzzled. Whispers.
No one said anything. Thorin came through on his pony, parting the onlookers. Gandalf in his wake, to see what was going on. Thorin sat there, silent and stony.
Gandalf cleared his throat. "I am to suspect you knew nothing of this?" he asked Thorin.
"Would someone tell me about it now?" Thorin looked at Gandalf then to Holly and finally to Fili.
Fili frowned. "How-"
"I can change sizes," Holly said sheepishly and gave a slight smile.
"It is part of her," Gandalf said. Not really explaining all that well.
"My father was..."
"An emissary," Gandalf supplied. "A missionary to help against Sauron."
Thorin nodded and considered that information. But his frown never left his face.
"He used his power," Gandalf said and motioned to Holly, indicating her current size. "As a way to ease the races into accepting him. Pallando also had this gift."
"Gift," Thorin said and the line between his eyes deepened as did the creases on his forehead as he eyed her. He turned his pony and left them all standing there.
Holly looked around at the others. They too moved on, casting glances back at her over their shoulders.
"They hate me now," Holly said softly behind Fili and gripped him tightly about his middle. He patted her hand. He couldn't deny it, nor would he accept it.
He frowned and guided the pony in line with the others.
It was Kili who held back until Fili came up alongside his pony. He smiled at them both. "Why didn't you say anything?" he asked Holly.
"I was afraid," she said and peered over Fili's shoulder to the others that had gone ahead now. "And for good reason, I think."
"No," Kili said. "They're just... a little surprised, that's all. They'll get over it."
"But your Uncle won't," she said.
"He... he doesn't get over a lot of things," Kili said and looked around.
They were silent until they dismounted the ponies and led them to the little paddock area that had been quickly constructed with branches intertwined with each other to fence in the ponies while they grazed for the night.
"Are you going to... change?" Fili asked her softly when he thought they were alone. She was still dwarrow-sized. They were standing close with the ponies around them. Fili pressed his forehead to hers.
"I probably should," she said and bit her lip. "But I don't want to. I like it like this."
"Like what?" he asked and looked down into her eyes.
"I like us," she said. "I like looking up at you instead of down."
"Aye... I like it too," he said and smiled faintly.
Thorin frowned as he listened to the low conversation on the other side of his pony. He didn't think he could trust Holly, even though everyone else thought she was trustworthy. She still had not done anything to prove herself.
He waited until the pair walked away. He peered over the back of the pony to see Fili help Holly over the branch fencing. And they walked away from the group.
"Something amiss?" Dwalin asked behind him.
"Of course," Thorin grumped, his scowl growing blacker.
"Probably shouldn't think too much about that," Dwalin said. "Gandalf said it was something they can do."
Thorin replied with a huff. "She's mocking us," he said.
Dwalin chuckled humorlessly. "I see no reason why she should," he said. "She's shown no disdain towards us. Only like and even fondness in some cases."
Thorin glared at his man-at-arms.
"Don't think that her only friends are Fili and Kili," Dwalin replied. "She's well liked by a good many of the company."
"Then they've been lied to," Thorin said and stalked away. Dwalin shook his head at Thorin's back.
"Not everyone hates us, Thorin," he said. Thorin stopped but he didn't turn. Then he left.
"Where are we going?" Holly asked. Fili was looking around the group, searching for someone.
"To find Gandalf," he replied. "We need to speak to him."
"About what?" she asked. There were a lot of things she needed to say to the old wizard, but she wondered what Fili thought they needed to talk about.
"Getting you a staff," Fili replied. "Surely these trees are as good as any."
"So why not here?" she asked.
"Aye, exactly my thought," he replied and squeezed her hand.
"Just don't do anything foolish, Fili," she said.
Fili chuckled. "Why would you think that?" he asked.
"I know how you can be when you're angry," she said and bit her lip.
"Have I mentioned that I am sorry for that?" he asked.
"Aye, you said," Holly replied and squeezed his hand. "I just... I don't want there to be any anger over this. Over Gandalf and me. He's... odd. Maybe that is his way." She shrugged.
"Aye," Fili said and sighed as he nodded. "I'll just ask. Okay?"
"Okay," she said.
Night was falling fast and three hunters went out to bring back dinner. Being an archer, Kili was among them. Bilbo volunteered to forage and Holly went too since no one else really wanted to do that.
"Oh!" Bilbo exclaimed from behind a bush.
"What?" Holly asked, peering over the bush to look at the fuzzy little Hobbit.
"Look! Tomatoes!" he said and beamed, holding up two prime specimins larger than what his hands could hold.
"Oh, lovely," Holly grinned.
Bilbo nodded and put them in his foraging sack and gathered four more of a similar size.
"Any green ones?" she asked.
"Oh, aye!" Bilbo replied. "We'll have a few for the days ahead. Good thinking."
"With salt!" Holly said and sighed.
"Haven't had a good tomato since..." Bilbo stood up and blinked. "Since home."
"Yeah," Holly said and sighed.
"Maybe we can find some carrots," Bilbo said after pulling himself out of his momentary reverie.
"Good idea," Holly said and followed him through the mountainous landscape to gather carrots and a few onions.
Fili had conveniently disappeared when everyone was getting their jobs for dinner. He wanted to speak to Gandalf before he could be cornered by someone else.
And that's what he did. When Gandalf would have disappeared into the thick forest off the path, Fili stepped out and stopped the old wizard.
"Ah, young Fili," Gandalf said and smiled.
"I need to speak to you," Fili said.
"Of course you do," Gandalf said and nodded. "Come, we'll walk."
Fili waited until Gandalf passed him before he turned and joined the wizard on his path away from camp.
"What is it you wish to speak to me about?" Gandalf said, though Fili had a feeling he knew already. Or at least had some idea.
"A staff for Holly," Fili said. "How is she to go about it?"
"Isn't that something she should be asking me?"
"Well, yes, but she is busy," Fili replied.
"And you are not," the wizard mentioned.
"On purpose, I can assure you," Fili answered. "But to my question."
"Ah, yes, a staff," Gandalf said. "She should be of a mind to have one, of course. If she doesn't think she can do it, she won't be able to do it, mind."
"Mmmm," Fili said and nodded.
"She should know it in her hand, how it feels, looks, the length," the old wizard said and it felt to Fili that the wizard was trying to cast a spell over him. He could feel the staff in his own hand. "Of course, she doesn't really need a staff." And the feeling abruptly disappeared.
"Oh?" Fili asked looking up at the wizard from his hand.
"No," Gandalf replied and shook his head. "But I've found it's a useful weapon. And it keeps my pipe." He reached up into the top and withdrew his long pipe. He smiled and Fili shook his head.
"Ah, a seat," Gandalf said and took a seat on a large rock. "Care to join me?"
Fili frowned. "Maybe another time," he said. "I should get back to camp."
"Yes," Gandalf replied absently as he fished through his bag for his tobacco pouch.
Fili watched half a moment more before he left the old wizard to his pipe. Fili thought that if he lingered too long, he'd want to smoke too. It was something he hadn't done since before Rivendell.
And the more he thought about it, the more he wanted dinner to hurry up and be over so he could sit around the fire with everyone else and smoke. Like before.
When he arrived back at camp, he saw that the hunters and foragers had gotten back and all were bustling about. They'd found a small clearing in the trees. Enough to have a fire and lay down their beds, but not much else. So everyone sat where they would sleep.
Bombur and Nori tended the food. Fili immediately set eyes on Holly. She and Master Baggins were huddled together near Bombur and Nori. Knives in their hands and cutting something.
Fili walked over, stepping over sleeping mats and finally arriving by Holly. He peered around. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Oh! Fili!" Holly said and grinned. "Bilbo found tomatoes."
Fili frowned. "What... what are you going to do with them?" he asked.
"We're slicing them," she said and Bilbo nodded and smiled.
"And then what are you going to do with them?" Fili asked.
"Why, we're going to eat them, of course," Bilbo said. "Do you want some?"
"Ah... no," Fili said and shook his head.
Holly thought Fili looked repulsed by the tomatoes. He grabbed Holly's arm and tugged her away from Bilbo's side.
"What?" Holly asked.
"What are you doing?" he hissed up at her. She had changed sizes again. But he couldn't blame her for that.
"What do you mean?" she asked. "I'm helping with dinner."
"No, with the tomatoes, don't eat them," he said, looking a little pained.
"Why not?" she asked and frowned. She'd already eaten a small one on the way back to camp and even without salt it had been delicious. Something to be said for organically grown food.
"They're... poisonous," Fili said softly and looked up at her.
"What?" she asked and chuckled. "They're fine."
"No, Love, they're deadly things," he said.
Holly shook her head. "I'm sure Bilbo knows what he's doing," she said. He had identified the tomatoes first, and they were certainly the tomatoes Holly knew from home.
Fili sighed and followed the few steps back to Bilbo's side. "Bilbo," she said. "Fili says these are poisonous." And that got the attention of Bombur and Nori by the fire.
Bilbo chuckled. "No, far from it," he said and grinned. "They're fine." He popped a wedge into his mouth and chewed as he nodded. He held the plate out to Fili, offering him a wedge and smiled.
"Ah, no thanks," Fili said and frowned as he watched in horror as Bilbo chewed and swallowed. Holly picked up a wedge and raised it to her lips but Fili couldn't watch. He slapped it out of her hand. "NO!"
"Fili!" Holly said. "What is wrong with you?" She carefully said each word.
"They're poisonous!" Fili said loudly. "You shouldn't!"
Bilbo blinked, his jaw dropped. He looked from Fili to Holly and then back to Fili. He cleared his throat. Bombur and Nori joined them.
"Bombur, tell them," Fili said. He had a pained look on his face.
"Fili," Holly said. "They're fine, honest. I eat them all the time at home."
"So do I," Bilbo said.
"But..."
"No buts," Holly said and sighed. "It's because they're related to the nightshade, isn't it?"
Bombur and Nori looked at her and then exchanged glances. Frowning.
"It's a bush, that produces little black berries," Holly said. "Some birds can eat them. But they are poisonous to us."
"Aye," Bombur said and nodded. Bilbo nodded too.
"Potatoes are also related to that bush," Holly said. "But you eat them."
"Aye," Bombur said and nodded.
"And eggplant, too," Holly supplied, but everyone frowned. "Hmmm... it's long and purple with white inside."
"Oh yes," Bilbo said and nodded. Bombur also nodded and considered.
Tentatively, Bombur stuck out his hand to the plate Bilbo still held. He picked up a small wedge of juicy red tomato and took a small bite. He winced as he chewed. Then swallowed.
"Well?" Holly asked.
"It was... good," Bombur said. "But we'll have to wait and see if I die."
"If you die, I'll fix it," Holly said and grinned. Bombur chuckled and shook his head, his chins wagging, braid swaying.
Fili was quiet as they ate dinner. He watched as Holly and Bilbo finished off the tomatoes they had cut, eating their fill and ignoring most of the other food.
"I sure hope you know what you're doing," Fili said and looked at her.
"I do," she said and smiled. "You'll see."
She didn't have the heart to tell him that he'd had tomato sauce in the lasagna he'd had at her grandmother's house all those weeks ago. And he'd survived.
Fili nodded. "Oh, I spoke with Gandalf earlier," he said. "About a staff."
"Oh, what did he say?" she asked and turned to look at him now.
"He said a lot of things," Fili replied. "But the interesting thing... is that you don't actually need a staff."
"Oh?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
Fili shrugged. "He said it's a useful weapon, and it holds his pipe, but you don't really need one," he said and shrugged again.
"So what would I use?" she asked and frowned.
"Maybe... put it in something?" he asked. "Gandalf carries that bag with him over his shoulder."
"Yes, I've seen it," Holly nodded.
"He keeps his tobacco in it," Fili said and grinned.
Holly made a face and wrinkled her nose. Fili chuckled. "I might have a pipe later," he said.
"Ugh," she said and made a face. "You men and your pipes." She chuckled and kissed him lightly. Fili chuffed.