Note: yes I know Bilbo doesn't really have a sister but this is au so he does now. Also, I wanted to mention that Asphodel is a character from my original novel series which I self-published in 1015. I kind of adapted her for the Tolkien universe. She and my other OC Brenna have been my signature OCs for years now and tend to appear in all my Hobbit fics at one point or another. Also, I mentioned this before, but I wanted to remind everyone that the dwarf scenes in my story are actually a fic I wrote many years ago that I'm 'recycling' for this fic.
Bilbo Baggins was a very respectable hobbit, despite what his Took heritage may imply. It's true that in his youth, he had exhibited a somewhat adventurous spirit and indeed it wasn't something he could completely deny. But ever since he had inherited Bag End, several years ago following his mother's death, he had gained a reputation for respectability and reliance. He was always on time for any proper event, always well dressed and well mannered. His prize winning vegetable garden was the envy of his neighbors and he always kept Bag End in perfect order.
That is until the heat spell brought three unsavory characters to his door. The hobbits, who relied on their farming and agriculture, were not too adversely affected by the heat. They were experts in the arts of growing things, after all. With much effort, they had managed to save their crops from the worst of the heat and Bilbo's tomatoes still took first place at the fair. His pantry was still well stocked, and the shire was still a land of plenty.
On that mid august eve, as Bilbo had just sat down to enjoy a meal of fresh fish when he heard a loud thump against his door. Not quite a knock, as if something had hit it. Curious, he glanced in that direction and listened. Another thump, louder this time. Who could be at his door at this hour?
Hurrying over, Bilbo yanked open the door and frowned. There stood the most homely looking dwarf he had ever seen. Staring at Bilbo with dark, empty eyes, he staggered into the house before Bilbo could say anything. His clothes were in rags, his hair hung in knots from his head, and Bilbo could clearly see the outline of all the bones in his face. A large gash lined his face. He looked as if his legs would give out at any moment.
But that wasn't all. Draped over his shoulders were two more dwarves. Both seemed to be asleep- or possibly dead, Bilbo wasn't too sure.
"Uh, can I help you?" he asked as the dwarf shoved his way into his house.
"We need food," the dwarf mumbled weakly, "And shelter. Where can I put them?"
"Them? oh uh… here in the parlour, I suppose," Bilbo followed behind as the dwarf carefully deposited the other two onto the long sofa under the parlour window. Bilbo got a better look at them now as the dwarf arranged them on the sofa with the blonde on the left end, the dark-haired dwarf on the right, their heads resting against one another. They were both very young, he noted. The brunette's face was covered with the short stubble of a beginning beard.
"Are they alive?" Bilbo asked with concern as he glanced at the two younger dwarves. They were both seriously emaciated, and the blonde one seemed to have a strange yellow tint to his skin.
"Yes…" the older dwarf said wearily as he kneeled weakly beside the sofa and put his hand against each of their necks. "They are ill and they need food. Do you have a master of apothecary in your community, Master Hobbit?"
"Ah yes…" Bilbo said, "My sister Azalea is the herbalist. She's quite good… ah, they don't have anything contagious, do they?"
"No," the dwarf said hesitantly, "... I'm not sure."
Bilbo didn't like the hesitance in his voice, "They're fine, I'm sure," he said, "uh well let me go get her then… ah, who are you, again? I didn't quite catch your name."
"Thorin…" the dwarf said weakly. Bilbo noted that he didn't look much better than his two younger kin. "Please hurry."
Bilbo hurried out the door, sensing the urgency in his voice. He felt confused and not sure of this situation. Where did these dwarves come from? He knew dwarves lived in the mountains, but they rarely came this far east. Where were they going?
Bilbo hurried past the other hobbit holes, hoping the neighbors wouldn't notice him. Why did they have to come to his door? Why did it have to be his, of all places?
He rushed up and rang the bell on the small yellow doored hobbit hole and waited until his lovely dark-haired older sister appeared at the door.
"Ah, Azalea, would you please bring your herbs to my house?" He asked.
"Bilbo, it's getting late, Asphodel and I were getting ready for our supper." At that, Bilbo noticed his young niece appear at the door beside her mother.
"What is it, Uncle?" the young red-haired hobbit asked, "Shall I go get the supplies, Mother?"
"It's a matter of urgency," Bilbo responded, watching as Asphodel hurried to retrieve her mother's apothecary kit.
"Very well," Azalea and her daughter hurried out their door and followed Bilbo back to his house. They both stopped short when they found what was in the parlour.
Thorin the dwarf was busy trying to coax the dark-haired dwarf awake in order to finish the rest of Bilbo's fish supper, the empty plate laying on the ground nearby.
"Are those dwarves?" Asphodel asked as Azalea moved towards them cautiously. "Where did they come from?"
"From the mountains, I'd imagine," Bilbo replied, "They just showed up on my doorstep. Looks like they've been out in the heat for quite a while."
"Are they… friendly?" Asphodel asked hesitantly, staying close to Bilbo as her mother approached the trio.
"Yes, I think so," Bilbo said, taking note of the swords and weapons that now lay on his parlour floor.
"No, don't give him that," Azalea instructed, as Thorin continued to get the brunette to eat. "Looks like you haven't had a good meal in a while, best not to eat too much at once."
Thorin stumbled back to give the hobbit some room. "We haven't eaten…" he said weakly as he lowered himself into a chair with a groan, his energy utterly spent. "Please help them. Fili… he's very sick…" he pointed towards the blonde dwarf, who lay motionless. "Orcs…"
"Fili," Azalea responded, as she knelt beside the blonde dwarf and began to remove the shreds of what was left of his tunic. "Strange name, and who is the other one?"
"Kili…" Thorin breathed. The brunette stirred slightly at the sound of his name. He opened his large brown eyes to gaze around at his surroundings before his eyes fell on Thorin.
"Uncle?" he said softly, "Where's Fili?"
"Right behind you," Thorin responded, and as Kili squirmed, he felt the heat of Fili's head against his own and relaxed slightly.
"Ah…" Azalea breathed as she unwrapped the wound to take a look. "It does show signs of infection, but not severely. There is something else causing illness, I think."
"Fili?" Kili moaned, his face scrunched up in emotion when his brother didn't respond to him. Asphodel came forward and sat beside him on the sofa. She watched as Azalea put a hand on Fili's forehead, and then his neck, examining him. She attempted to mimic her mother's actions, trying to get at Kili's tunic, but he swatted her hands away.
"What should I do with this one?" Asphodel asked, as Bilbo brought them rags and buckets of water, "He looks like a skeleton and he's being difficult."
"He's suffering from the heat, you have to cool him down," Azalea responded as she gently washed out Fili's wound and stitched it up.
Thorin scoffed at the comment and Bilbo gave him a grin, "She's young but she's getting to be pretty skilled," he informed the old dwarf, "After years of watching her mother with care for patients, she's developed some skills."
"Kili, stop," Thorin warned as Kili tried to sit up while Asphodel kept pushing him back down, "You are alright."
Kili responded with a grunt and a wince, but finally relaxed enough to allow Asphodel to help him. She removed his tunic and began wetting his skin with the wet rags.
"Brother, why don't you fix them something simple to eat?" Azalea suggested, "They need to get their strength back."
Bilbo nodded and made quick work in the kitchen, whipping up some bowls of porridge and hurrying back to them, shoving a bowl into the older dwarf's arms. He practically inhaled it, didn't even bother to wait for it to cool.
"Oh, dear…" Azalea murmured with concern as she gently pried open Fili's eyelids and peered at the blonde dwarf's unconscious eyes. "You poor thing."
"What is it?" Thorin asked with concern, while Asphodel helped Kili slowly sit up so he could eat his porridge.
"Azalea, is he al-" Bilbo was cut off when Fili suddenly jolted awake and gasped. Azalea had to quickly get out of his way as he got sick all over the parlour floor.
"He has a sickness," Azalea explained as she helped settle Fili down. "It's a fever that is common during times like this when there is heat and humidity and the biting insects are plentiful. It's not easy to pass from one to another so you need not worry about that."
"Uncle…" Fili uttered, pain in his voice as he finished vomiting and fell back onto the couch, eyes trying to make sense of his surroundings.
"I'm here," Thorin assured him, trying to get out of the chair and growling in frustration when his exhausted body refused to cooperate. Bilbo watched them with pity as he quietly set about cleaning Fili's mess.
"Fili!" Kili exclaimed, looking down at his brother as Asphodel dutifully tried to spoon porridge into his mouth. He glared and swatted her away again. "I can feed myself," he said sharply, then reluctantly took the bowl when Thorin shot him a warning look.
"What can we do for him, then?" Bilbo asked as he looked from one pained dwarf face to the other. "Surely you can make some herbal concoctions for him?"
"Shh, dear…" Azalea murmured as Fili groaned. Then, turning to Bilbo, she sighed, "They don't usually make it. And this poor dwarf is also suffering from hunger and heat, like his brother. His chances aren't too good, I'm afraid…" and as she saw Thorin and Kili's face, she quickly added, "But this lad is young and I'm sure he's very strong. You mustn't lose hope."
Fili gasped as his head lolled back and forth. He seemed oblivious to those around him. Azalea quickly pulled out a few jars of liquid. "He must be allowed to rest," she began. "There isn't much to be done at this point, except to keep him cool and give him fluids. I'll leave you with some sleeping draughts," she leaned forward, "Do you think you can eat, Dear?"
"Mum?" Fili responded, gazing up at Azalea, his blue eyes glistening with tears. Kili gasped out a sob from beside him. Sighing sadly, Azalea signaled for Bilbo to help and the two sat him up long enough for Azalea to spoon a few mouthfuls of porridge into his mouth. He whimpered as he swallowed and she gave him a few spoonfuls of draught as well before lowering him back down.
"I'll check on him in the morning," Azalea said, as she gave Bilbo a sad look. Bilbo gulped when he read what his sister was saying in her expression. If he lived the night. Bilbo sighed in sympathy as he watched the young dwarf drift off to sleep. He didn't know these strangers, but he hated to see someone so young suffer.
Azalea quickly examined Kili and Thorin, cleaning up Thorin's head wound. "I think the two of you will recover with enough rest and food," she said. She turned to Bilbo. "Will you care for them, then?"
"Yes," Bilbo said. He didn't really want to have overnight guests at the moment, but throwing them out in their condition was unthinkable. The neighbors might talk about him taking in a trio of dwarves, but he didn't much care about that right now.
"Come, Asphodel," Azalea said, packing up her supplies and setting some bandages and medicines on the table, "We'll be back bright and early."
Asphodel nodded, following her mother out of the house. Bilbo set about making his guests more comfortable. He helped Kili to lie back down and draped the two of them with blankets.
"Would you be more comfortable sleeping in one of my guest rooms, Master Dwarf?" he asked, turning to Thorin.
"No, I won't leave them," Thorin said firmly as he scooted his chair closer so that he could reach out and stroke each head.
"Very well then," Bilbo said, frowning as Fili moaned slightly in his sleep and Kili sniffled, "Can I get you anything more?"
"No," Thorin said, looking up at him with gratitude. "Thank you for your hospitality."
"Don't worry about that," Bilbo said with a smile, "Did I hear them call you Uncle?"
"Yes," Thorin responded. "They are my nephews. Their mother, my sister…"
"Ah, I understand…" Bilbo said when Thorin trailed off. He could see the look of loss written clearly upon his face. "Asphodel lost her father recently, I'm afraid. I'll let you get some sleep then."
With that, Bilbo left the dwarves alone in his parlour and headed for his room.