Chapter 8 The Caravans Are Here

As it turned out, there was no need for a bolt or lock of any sort in his home other than the front door. Over the next few weeks, it was like watching any other hobbit courtship. And being the middle of spring, the timing couldn't have been better. From his spot on his favorite bench in the garden, he could hear Frodo teaching Maliah about the different floral and vegetation growing around their home. After the first two day when the youngsters had finally moved passed only staring at each other, Bilbo had a sit down with Maliah and taught her the basics of hobbit courtship. A well-timed conversation however, Frodo intruding upon them from his errands at the market and had stuttered out for Bilbo to excuse them. Since the old hobbit only rounded the corner, he could hear Frodo giving Maliah her first gift to initiate the courtship; ribbons and baubles for her hair.

Bilbo blew out the smoke from his pipe and watched the rings dance through the air. Frodo was a good lad, something he hoped he wouldn't have to convince Râlia about, and was already starting his next step of the courtship. He had found many drafts of poems for their guest in the bin of Frodo's room while cleaning. Looking to the right when their voices grew louder, Bilbo watched as the couple rounded the tall plants. There was a definite difference in them both since the presentation of her hair decorations, both seemed to glow with happiness even more.

With Maliah, her hair style took a drastic turn. Gone were the braids of childhood, as Bilbo had been informed of later, and she started teaching Frodo the braids of her people. Since he wasn't a dwarf and had no family crest or braid of his own, Frodo twist her hair into three simple braids; one at each of her temple looping below her ears and folding into the large braid holding the rest of her hair. The green and white ribbons were wrapped in her hair with the jewelry Frodo had bought in the small braids next to her family beads. In addition, she was now dressed only in hobbit clothes and her boots she had arrived in; something Bilbo knew Frodo was planning to fix soon.

Observing the bouquet Maliah was carrying, Bilbo noticed a lot of the flowers held specific meaning and ones he saw aligning with her. He gave Frodo a look before returning his gaze to the horizon and the pipe to his mouth. Maliah joined him on the bench while his nephew entered the smial, leaving the door slightly ajar. Bilbo looked to his female companion who was currently burying her face in the mass of flowers in her arms.

"You act as though you've never seen flowers before, my dear girl."

Maliah turned so she could see Bilbo. "Not like this. Dale used their land to grow vegetable and fruits, only small gardens of flowers and bushes were in the City. Certainty nothing in Erebor, except for Mama's garden."

"I do suppose the mountains aren't the most fertile growing lands." Her eyes were closed now, still breathing in the aromas. The door was shut to Bag end and Frodo made his reappearance with a try of food and water, a small plate of meat on the side for Maliah. He plopped down at their feet, setting the try between them and taking an apple for himself before turning his attention to the sky.

The three sat in comfortable silence for a time before the trill of a bird grabbed their attention. Frodo was the first to see Daemyn swooping down, landing gracefully on Maliah's lap with a small scroll attached to his leg. Which he was offering up to her with a chirp. No one moved.

"Take it lass, you know he isn't going anywhere now."

With a trembling hand, Maliah relieved the robin of his message and he hopped to the tray, picking at the crumbs laying there. When she unrolled the scrap of parchment, Bilbo saw it was in Khuzdul and looked away; from politeness and the inability to read the dwarf language. A sharp exhale of breath had him looking back at her and saw surprise on her face.

"What did your mother say?"

"She's coming here."

It came out as a whisper but both heard her. "The Queen of Erebor is coming to the Shire?" Frodo asked, just a hint of fear in his voice. Not that Bilbo could fault him, since it was his stories that has him on edge now.

"It doesn't say when, just that she was coming."

Bilbo hummed and thought of the date. "The caravans should be arriving within the next week or two, depending on their speed. If she were to leave now, she would arrive in the winter time." He put his pipe back in his mouth and hand into his vest pocket. Should he stick to his plans? Frodo wouldn't be alone now, but the chance of running into the little Queen where he planned to go was high. There was only about a month until the party for him and Frodo, after that… well who knew.

"Don't worry, Liah, I don't think she will take you away." Frodo's large, innocent eyes looked up at his One who smiled at him.

"Take it one day at a time, dear girl. Besides, she can't be mad at you for finding someone who completes you." Bilbo got to his feet with a groan, hand on his lower back. "I'm too old to be sitting on benches." He walked up to the front path to the door, stopping once to look back and see Frodo taking his spot and picking up Maliah's hand. Yes, Bilbo was sure now Frodo would be fine when the time came.

Sure enough, a week and a half later the caravans arrived and Maliah and Frodo watched them enter the town square from a hilltop with Pippin and Merry. The two younger hobbits had seen them before anyone else and came running to Bag End to grab their new friends. They had come to check on the girl dwarf a few days after her arrival and the four soon became friends, seeing each other almost every day. Propped up on their elbows, they squinted at the wagons unloading next to the Tavern and saw Bilbo come up to the dwarves.

"They know you are here?"

Maliah hummed a yes at Pippin, not taking her attention away from the soldiers. Daemyn had flown back to Erebor the day after he arrived so there was no one to tell where she was now, and having no idea what her Mama might have told the dwarves delivering the party goods, she wasn't about to give herself away. The thought of being taken away from Frodo made her blood run cold. Just a few days ago, he had given her a poem declaring his love and life for her, the first solid step in their courtship after the starting gift. According to Bilbo, now was a time for both of them to make, build, or grow something for the other. A task she still hadn't decided on since her mind was filled with other thoughts.

"So, are we going to lay here and watch or shall we go do something more adventurous?" Merry asked.

Frodo and Maliah looked at the honey haired hobbit. Merry was only 19, barely out of childhood for hobbits, whereas Pippin was only 11, still very much a child, and were first cousins. Probably a heling factor in their friendship despite the age difference.

"What did you want to do?"

Merry shrugged, "Something other than this. Come on, we'll figure it out on the way." He stood and with him, Pippin.

After a few seconds and another glance to the caravans, the other two followed suit; walking away with the town at their backs.

"Welcome, Welcome! I'm glad to see you have all arrive in one piece." Bilbo shook hands with the dwarf at the head of the Caravans barking orders. "Bilbo Baggins, at your service."

The dwarf stopped giving orders and returned the handshake. "The honor is all mine, Bilbo Baggins the Thief. I am Captain Faraim of Erebor, formerly the Iron Hills. I've heard stories of your bravery and battle skills."

All the hobbits within earshot looked and listened on in interest, having little idea of what he was talking about since Bilbo had been very closed mouth about the subject of his disappearance years ago. Bilbo shuffled his feet, taking his hand back and playing with his suspenders.

"Yes, well, that was a long time ago."

"Bravery like that doesn't leave a person." Sensing the unwillingness to talk about the quest, Faraim switched subjects. Although not necessarily a good one. "I received a message from the Queen her daughter had run away with us and arrived here sooner, finding her One in a Hobbit no less. Is she around?"

Bilbo cleared his throat and looked around him. "She in the Shire somewhere, spending time with some new friends."

"I must speak with her."

Squinting his eyes, Bilbo debated about losing politeness and being blunt. "Maliah didn't wish to be nearby, she fears you are here to take her away. Is that an intent of yours?"

"Not necessarily. If the Princess wants to go home, with her One, we are to escort her. The Queen did demand we see to her state of well-being before we left."

"You must wait then, until she comes out of hiding. I will tell her tonight and tomorrow morning I will see her to you for a meeting. Come, I'll buy everyone a drink. I'm sure everyone is parched for a good ale after such a long journey."

Faraim slapped a hand on Bilbo's shoulder, nearly making him crumble to the ground. "To the Tavern then, the others will join us when they are done. Garran! Finish unloading and have everyone join for a drink afterwards." A cheer rang amongst the dwarves and Bilbo beckoned the Dwarf Captain to follow him. The hobbit had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

Bilbo groaned and blinked his eyes open to see brown eyes staring at him. It took him a minute to realize it wasn't his nephew but Maliah. "Young lady, what are you doing in my room?" The sentence meant to come out as a stern question but came out as a raspy whisper.

"Uncle Bilbo, you are in the garden."

Looking passed Maliah's head, sure enough vibrant colors filled his vision. He groaned and covered his eyes. "What happened?"

"I think the soldiers took advantage of your free drinks I heard about and celebrated with the Hero of Erebor. If the Shire didn't think you odd enough before, they do now. I can only imagine the trouble you might have gotten into."

The sun was too bright and his mouth a barren desert. His nose picked up a hint of herbs before steam caressed his cheek, Bilbo rolled away onto his stomach and into to shade of his tall bushes. Through a crack eye, he saw a cup of tea sitting innocently on the ground and Maliah crouched behind. He then remembered his promise to the Dwarf Captain about the Princess.

"Maliah," he dragged the tea over to the shade. "Captain Faraim wishes to speak with you. He is under orders that if you would like to return home with Frodo, they will take you."

"Is that all?"

He didn't answer, only drank his tea until it was half gone. Part of his headache ebbed and his mouth less dry. "Your mother is worried about you Maliah, she wishes for someone other than her bird to check on you. But I believe that is all they will do, once they see you are happy and healthy they will leave with little qualm."

"Do you truly believe so?"

"Yes. Now, help me to bed and let this be a lesson to me about drinking with your race."

Her soft laughter filled the garden as she helped him stand and walk into the smial. Frodo helped her once inside and together they got Bilbo tucked into bed and he was back to sleep within minutes.

"I don't believe I've ever seen Uncle in this state." Frodo said once he shut the door to the room after they exited.

"You've never celebrated with dwarves before then." Maliah bit her lip and looked up at Frodo. He was a bit tall for a hobbit, something she liked. "One of the soldiers needs to talk to me before they leave. Will you come with me?"

Frodo picked up her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Of course, let's go now."

She gave a smile. "Better make it lunch, if Uncle Bilbo drank enough to wake up like this, then I can only imagine how my people are doing. I wonder if the Tavern has any ale left?"

"Do you think Uncle paid for all the drinks."

"I hope not, he might not have any money left."

Frodo laughed and together they went back to the garden for another lesson about florals.

Four hours later, the two went into the little town square to find out where the dwarves had slept last night. One of the farmer's daughters nearby, Rosie, pointed to the barn behind the build where the wagons were lined up. Outside the barn door was a red head dwarf smoking a pipe and sharpening his sword. Upon their approach, he noticed them and stood up; bowing in greeting to Maliah.

"Your Highness."

She grabbed Frodo's hand and leaned into his side. Her mind couldn't help but race with the worst of thoughts. "Captain Faraim?"

"Correct." He ran his eyes over the two, not changing his expression. "Are you well?'

"More than I ever have been in my life."

"I am under orders to ask if you would like to come home, with your One, or if you would prefer to stay here."

"This is my home now." She could see the sadness enter Faraim's eyes at her words and tried not to feel guilty. "Erebor will always be my home, but the Shire is where I belong. Will you tell Mama?"

"My word, your Highness. Is there a message you would like to pass to the Queen?"

Maliah hesitated, thinking about what she should say. "When are you leaving? Is there time for me to write a letter?"

"We depart tomorrow morning."

"Then I will have it to you by then. Thank you."

"Not a problem at all Princess."

With a smile, Maliah turned and tugged Frodo away. He remained silent for most of the walk back to Bag End. It was when they were at the gate did he say something.

"Are all dwarves so large?"

"Most of them, why?"

"Should I fear for your father and brothers to hurt me?"

Maliah laughed, "Don't worry about them. Mama will control them."

For some reason, this didn't appease him and only made him more weary of the Dwarf Queen.

I know, a large part of this is focused on Maliah but she does have something to do with the story other than causing trouble. probably only another chapter or two until we get to the start of Fellowship of the Ring.