The incident with the wizard was all but forgotten. I told Bilbo of my morning over luncheon, we both laughed at the stories of me and the flaunts played hide and seek in the woods. I helped clean up the kitchen after we were finished eating. Before Bilbo and I sat down in his study and he continued my lessons. We had discovered early in my stay with him that while English and Common were the same spoken, the writing was very different. It had taken him more than half a year for him to teach me to read and write. He was now teaching me all he new of Sindarin. Reading, writing, speaking, he even told me of some stories his mother told him from her travels to Rivendell. I loved the stories of Lord Elrond and his prankster twins. I don't know what it was with twins and practical jokes. Their had been a pair in my math class, that had always played jokes on their fellow classmates and even the teachers. I could read and speak Sindarin pretty well, it was the writing that was tripping me up. Bilbo had me translate sentences from Common to Sindarin then read them outloud to him. After about an hour of language I help Bilbo out in his garden. He and Hamfast have been attempting to teach me to garden. After about a year I'd have to say that I don't think It's going to well. I can plant and weed decently but I just can't seem to keep anything alive by myself.

I kneel over Bilbo's garden, my knees and toes digging into the soft dirt and the sun shining down on my back. Causing sweat to bead on the back on my neck as I weed Bilbo's garden. I finally decide I've bent over long enough, when my back starts cramping and decide to check on the firewood supply. I push myself up to my feet, and wipe my hands on my skirt. Leaving streaks of dirt that I'll have to wash out later. I make my way over to the shed where we keep the excess firewood. Me, Bilbo, Hamfast and his family use this wood shed. I notice that it's getting low, less than half full. I grab a few logs cradling them in my arms I make my was inside the smial. Making sure to wipe my feet. Not only would I have to clean the floors but I would get a long lecture from Bilbo on remembering to wipe my feet. I pushed the cracked door open and walked to the kitchen to stalk up from the last four meals. I had to make another trip to fill the pile by the fire place in the living room. I grabbed the ax by the shead before heading to where we keep our cart. It's wheelbarrow-ish as it has two wheels and I can push and pull heavier loads but it looks like a cart you'd see a donkey pulling. I set the ax down in the car before running back inside to grabbing some pies to trade for wood. Dragging the cart down the path toward the woods. There was actually a hobbit, his name was Clover, who lived near the woods, which was around a half hour walk, where his job was to plant a tree for every one cut for firewood. That was all he did, hobbits would come by cut a tree down for wood give him something, haul the tree back to their smials to cut it to the desired size. Then Clover dug the trunk and roots out and used it for his own wood. He traded off the excess. He would then plant a sapling grown in a pot into the hole from the trunk. His wife Marigold helped in a large wheat field, that feeds all the families who worked on it and gave them something to trade at the markets. I saw Clover cutting a trunk with his ax on another trunk.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Clover," I greeted, waving holding the cart with one hand.

"Ah, good afternoon Miss Ryan, lovely to see you," He paused his chopping to greet me, leaning on his ax and smiling.

"Have you planted the replacement yet?" I asked gesturing to the stump.

"Oh no, not quite yet, I've yet to finish removing the roots."

"Oh would you like some help, I'd be happy to finish chopping that for you," I offered, smiling at him.

"Thank you, Miss Ryan," he smiled gratefully. "I could really use the help today."

"Oh? Busier than normal?" I asked walking up to him. Pies in hand.

His face turned pink in embarrassment. "Well no… just got a little distracted earlier is all." He handed me the ax, I handed him the pies. They were his flaunts favorites.

"Distracted? That's unlike you Mr. Clover," I lifted the ax over my head.

"Well you see, my Marigold was off visiting relations a little ways off from here, when she came nearly running back." I brought the ax down on the trunk and listened to him interested. "She says there's Dwarfs in the Shire. Big, tuff looking ones armed to the teeth." I brought the ax down again. "She dragged me inside, to tell me all the details. She was so very excited about the whole thing. I'm not sure what to think about it. As long as they don't disturb anything I can't see the harm in them."

"How many did she say there were?" I turned the smaller pieces of wood over and brought the ax down again.

"She says she saw six, she rarely ever sees dwarfs as they only come in spring to trade, to see some now is rather odd."

"It is," I agreed finishing up the trunk. I put them on his pile, for him to use or trade later.

"There's a decently sized tree near the back of my shed if you like that one, Miss Ryan," He offered taking his ax back.

"That would be great, thanks Mr. Clover!" I smiled brightly at him moving to grab my cart-barrow thingy. I pulled it up the hill towards his shed. He was right it was a nice size. Not to large that it wouldn't fit in the cart but not too small either. I set to work cutting it down.

An hour and a half later I drag the chopped up tree back to Bag End. I'm covered in sweat and thirsty by the time I get back. I drop the cart by a stump near the woodshed and go inside to get something to drink.

It's around afternoon tea, I hope Bilbo still has something out.

In the kitchen, Bilbo's just finishing up his meal and gestures for me to sit. In front of my chair is a glass of water and a cookie. I fall into the chair and gulp down the water. I don't mention the dwarves to Bilbo, who's still upset about the conversation with Gandalf.

"Once you finish with the wood, could you make the trip to the market, for me?" Bilbo askes. "I'd go myself, but I have a some business to sort out with one of the farms contracts."

"Sure, I'll go. What do you need?"

"Some fish for supper tonight, and some more milk and eggs for biscuits," He paused. "I believe we still have some some old toby, you can exchange."

"The one you said was really good but wouldn't let me try?" I tease

"When you're an adult you can smoke," he pursed his lips. "But until then I'll not have you doing it."

"I'm messin' with you, I don't actually want to smoke."


I finished my food quickly, before heading down to the market. I liked that I could walk down sweaty and almost no one would care. I saw one of the dwarves. He was taller than I expected a dwarf to be. Balding, he was wearing armor and furs. He had brass knuckles attached to his gloves and two giant axs strapped to his back. He looked like he was prepared to take on a dragon, he gave off this warrior vibe. The hobbits were avoiding him like he actually had a personal space bubble. He had stopped at a fruit stand but the hobbit running it seemed to be to scared to move.

Well, we could use some apples

I walked over to the stand. Standing next to home I was maybe 8 inches taller.

I'd guess he's around 4'11'

"Hello Mr. Yarrow," I greeted. He relaxed a little.

"Miss-Miss Ryan, Good Afternoon" he stuttered. "What can I do for you?"

"Mr." I looked over to the dwarf. His eyebrows raised.

"Dwalin." He grunts

"Mr. Dwalin was here first, Mr. Yarrow." I reminded him. He crossed his arms across himself and looked everywhere except us.

"Ye-yes, right-right forgive me, what can I get you?"

Mr. Dwalin grunts out an order for peaches and scurries away to fill it.

"Sorry about him," turned to Dwalin. "I'm Razena. Nice to me you."

"Dwalin, at your service," he bows his head a bit.

"Good choice with the peaches by the way, I may be a bit biased though as they are my favorite fruit. And I've really got to apologize again, Mr. Yarrow isn't usually like that," I leaned down and jokingly whispered, "I think it's your boots, Hobbits are terrified of 'em." I wiggled my bare toes.

He grunts, I can't tell if he's amused or annoyed but I don't let it affect me. I'll probably never see him again. Mr. Yarrow comes back with his order. Dwalin pays and I wave to him as he walks off.

"Bye, Mr. Dwalin. I hope you enjoy your peaches." I grin loopyly at him.

The corners of his lips turn up. "Bye, lassie."

The rest of the market trip is uneventful. I buy two fishes. I wrinkle my nose at Bilbo's dinner choice but don't complain, remembering I could be eating canned food.


I bathed when I got home, then changed into tan trousers, and a loose white blouse with a black leather bodice on top. It had a two inch strap over each shoulder and laced up in the front. It ended in a point around my belly button. I thought I looked really cool. I sat in the kitchen with Bilbo, talking and telling jokes till dinner was ready. Bilbo served us a fish, carrots and potatoes. Bilbo had just started squeezing a lemon on his fish, when there was a banging on the door. I glanced over at Bilbo confused.

"Did you invite someone?" I asked. Maybe he forgot to tell me?

"No, did you?"

"No." Bilbo gets up to answer the door. I hear their muffled voices.

"Which way, laddie?" came a familiar voice from the hall. "Is it down here?"

Oh my God, is that Mr. Dwalin?

"Is what down where?" Bilbo asked

"Supper, he said there would be food, and lots of it."

"He said? Who said?" Bilbo questioned. Mr. Dwalin walked into the smial and took off his cloak and then stride towards the kitchen Bilbo trailing behind him. Dwalin paused when he saw me.

"Hiya, Mr. Dwalin." I gave a little wave.

"You know him?" Bilbo asked, surprised.

"I just met him in the market today," I admitted. Bilbo seemed to realize that his guest was still hungry and gave him his dinner. We both watched, amazed as Dwalin scarfed it down.

"Very good, this. Any more?" He asked with his mouth full. I picked up my plate and slid my fish onto his. He seemed ready to refuse.

"I don't like fish too much, anyway." He hesitated for five more seconds before digging in. I looked at the potatoes and carrots still on my plate and handed it to Bilbo.

"I couldn't..." he tried to hand the plate back. I grabbed two biscuits and shoved a third in my mouth, ending his argument. He sighed and accepted the plate. He sat down to eat and had just finished when there was another knock on the door.

"That would be the door," Dwalin said lowly, glaring at Bilbo.

"Nooooo," I said sarcastically under my breath. "I thought something had fallen over." Dwalin got up and walked towards the front door, I followed. The was another dwarf at the door. He was shorter than Dwalin and had white hair and a santa-ish beard. He also carried a weapon, a sword that hung by his hip, he wore furs and less armor than Dwalin. He could have been a trader as he dressed like the dwarven merchants that came earlier in the year. The new dwarf spotted Dwalin.

"Oh, Ha ha, good evening brother." They walked toward each other.

"By my beard," Dwalin laughed. "You're shorter and wider then last we met."

"Shorter," The new dwarf corrected. "Not wider. Sharp enough for the both of us." They smashed their heads together really hard.

That had to have hurt. I winced in sympathy but they were just laughing like they didn't just try to give themselves a concussion.

"Are you alright?" I ask.

"Aye, lass, we're unharmed." Dwalin answered. "This is my brother, Balin."

"At your service." He bows slightly from the waist.

"Hi, Razena, uh, at yours." I awkwardly bow a little, because it seems to be something they do.

Did I do that right? I must have because they went right back to talking with each other.

"Oh, excuse me, I hate to interrupt," Bilbo begins. "But the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house." They both ignore him.

"Have you eaten?" The shorter dwarf askes

"It's not that I don't like visitors," Bilbo continues. "I like visitors as much as the next hobbit. But I do like to know them before the come visiting." The dwarves were still ignoring him, digging threw the pantry.

"I know Mr. Dwalin." I interject unhelpfully. Bilbo glared at me unamused.

"You met him today! Anyway I don't know either of you. Not in the slightest... I don't mean to be blunt, but I had to speak my mind," He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." The dwarves paused.

The shorter one said very seriously, "Apology accepted."

I snorted, not believing that the scene was actually happening in front of me. They went off to do their own thing and Bilbo and I just kinda stood there for a second. Then there was another nock on the door. Bilbo, very warily, went to open the door. I watched over his shoulder. He pulled it open, standing in the door was two dwarves around the same height.

"Fili" The blond dwarf with the braided mustache begin.

"And Kili" The dark haired on with the stubble added.

"At your service."

They took turn speaking and finished together, and bowed simultaneously. They were dressed much like Balin, in furs and armor. They were a walking armory, they had knives, daggers and short swords on them. Kili had a bow and arrows too. They looked very prepared for any attack on them.

"You must be ." Kili smiled like a puppy

"No! You cannot come in! You've come to the wrong house." Bilbo was getting increasingly frustrated. He tried to close the door but the dwarves stepped in to try and understand what was happening.

"What?"

"Has it been canceled?"

"No one told us."

"What?" Bilbo said confused. "No, nothing's been canceled."

"Well, that's a relief," Kili sighed pushing open the door. Fili struts right in, like he owns the place. He piles knives and daggers into Bilbos arms.

"Careful with these. I just had them sharpened."

"Then why don't you take care of them yourself?" I asked unimpressed, one eyebrow raised.

"I do not know where they should go."

"Then you should ask, and then place them there yourself, if you're so worried," I shot back, he faltered. "Mmhmm, that's what I thought."

Kili laughed. "She has you there Fi," he spun looking around,

"It's a nice place this, do it yourself?" he started wiping his boots on Bilbo's mothers chest.

"No, actually, it's been in the family-" He turned to look at Kili after dumping Filis stuff on a bench. "-that's my mother glory box!" He shouted. "Could you please not do that!"

"Fili, Kili come give us a hand," Dwalin ordered

"Mr. Dwalin," Kili laughed as Dwalin lead him away under one arm. "Shove this in the hallway, or else we'll never get everyone in."

"Everyone?" Bilbo's voice broke. "How many more are there?" He was ignored.

They started to move the table. This is a disaster. I remembered an antique chair Bilbo has and moved to hide it. I came back after staching it in Bilbo's room. There was another knock at the door.

"No. No. There's nobody home!" Bilbo shouted angrily. "Go away and bother somebody else. There's far too many Dwarves in my dining room as it is. If this is some clot-head's idea of a joke…...I can only say it is in very poor taste." He pulled open the door, and a then a pile of dwarves were on the floor. They groaned and elbowed each other. I move to help some of them up while Bilbo stares at the lone standing figure in the door.

"Gandalf," He sighs

The first dwarf I help up had an ax stuck in his head. I jumped upon noticing it.

"Holy!…" A dwarf in an odd flopping hat, laughs at my reaction not at all concerned. "Are-are you alright?" He says something back in a language I can't understand.

"Aye, he's alright, lass. An old injury 'e can't speak common anymore, but understands it just fine." The hatted dwarf tells me.

"Oh, as long as you're alright. I'm Razena, at your service." I bowed and straitened quickly.

"Bifur," the dwarf with the ax in his head introduced himself. Bowing his head.

"Bofur, at yours"

"Are you related?"

"Aye, cousins"

"So Fili and Kili?"

"Brothers."

"Ah okay so if your names rhyme you're related?"

"Not always but most of the time."

"Huh." I say dumbly. Bofur slaps my shoulder and moves on into the smail. There are two other dwarfs who had waited by the entrance.

"Dori, at your service." Dori was an older dwarf with white hair and an elabraitely braided hair do.

"Ori, at your service." Ori was one of the younger one of the dwarves here. He had what looked like a bowl cut and a short beard.

"Razena, at yours" I smiled. "You can come on in I guess, no use staying here, everyone else is already inside, or further inside." I led Dori, Ori and Bifur further into the madhouse.

"Those are my priz- excuse me not my wine!" I could hear Bilbo trying to bring order to his own home. And from the sound of things, it wasn't working. "Put that back! Put that back!" "Not my jam please." "Excuse me. Excuse me." "That's a bit obsessive isn't it? Do you have a cheese knife?"

"Cheese knife? He eats it by the block." I heard Bofur answer, so at least they all weren't ignoring Bilbo.

"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf."

"Yes, Dori?"

"Could I interest you in a cup of camomile?"

"Oh, no, thank you Dori, a small glass of red wine for me, I think."

I stood in a doorway and watched the chaos dwarves were moving every which way carrying food, chairs, and mugs of ale. Bilbo trying to stop all of them. Gandalf started naming off dwarfs as they walked by him.

"Uh, Fili, Kili. Uh...Oin, Gloin. Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur...Dori, Nori. Ori!"

Bifur made some wild hand gestures that I thought might be their sign language and grunted something in their language.

"You're quite right Bifur, I believe we're one dwarf short."

"He's late is all," Dwalin informed him, leaning one shoulder on the wall one arm crossed the other holding a pint of ale. "He traveled north to a meeting of our kin, he will come."

"Mister Gandalf, your wine as requested. It's got a fruity bouquet."

"Oh, cheers." Gandalf held the tiny glass, it looked like a shot glass in his hands. I was gone in a single swallow.

He deserved that. It should have spilled down his beard.

All the dwarves were eating at the table now and I checked the state of the pantry. I stood frozen unable to believe it.

"This- that-this was so post last a hobbit- a hobbit- weeks," I stuttered looking at the almost empty pantry. Bilbo had walked up behind me and I turned to face him.

"Do I even want to look?" Bilbo questioned but the look on his face told me he already knew the answer.

"You really don't." He looked anyway, and we both just stood there. I knew I should have protested the dwarven invasion more than I had. I hadn't tried to stop them at all. It amused me, to be honest. I was still kinda angry, their disrespect made my skin crawl. The feeling was just covered up by the tidal waves of amusement.

"Come have a seat, lassie," Dwalin called motioning to the empty seat he made beside him by squishing closer to the dwarf with the hearing trumpet. "Eat."

I gave Bilbo an apologetic look but my stomach was rumbling. I leaned down closer to Bilbo.

"I'll try to rescue some food for you," I straitened then sat at the table.

"Lassie this is, Oin, Gloin, Fili, Kili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, you've met Balin," He pointed everyone out. I got a chorus of 'at your services'

"Razena, at yours." I replied with what I was pretty sure was the polite response. They went right back to what they were doing. I fought to get some food on a somewhat clean plate. I large hand full of food was dropped on my plate. I looked up at the dwarf that the arm belonged to. Dwalin had grabbed some of the harder to reach food and gave it to me.

"Thanks Dwalin," I smiled at him. He grunted what sounded like a 'you're welcome' and looked away. I stuffed all the food that could be put into my pocket, in my pocket and ate what was still on the table. Dwalin proceeded to dump his drink down Oins' ear trumpet, which the dwarf then stuck in his mouth and blew. The drink flew across the table and onto other dwarfs. There was lots of laughter, I am not ashamed to say I joined in.

The dwarves were having some sort of drinking contest they were sloppy with mead running down their beards….nevermind It was a burping contest.

Is this even real? I was included in some of their conversations and we were soon finished eating. They went to wander around the hall and kitchen. I found Bilbo and made him eat the food I had saved. Then he went on fussing over his belongings.

"Excuse me, that's a doily not a dish cloth!" Bilbo scolded the hatted dwarf, Bofur I reminded myself.

"But it's full of holes?" He questioned holding up the doliy.

"It's so post to look like that it's crochet." Bilbo informed him.

"And a wonderful game it is too, if you've got the balls for it," Bofur joked, and out came my inner 12 year old. I giggled at his joke. Bofur grinned wider, Bilbo glared and stalked off. Still giggling I followed.

"Bebother and confusticate these Dwarves!" grumble fists clenched and jaw tight.

"My dear Bilbo, whatever is the matter?" Gandalf asked

"Maybe it has something to do with you inviting people to his house without telling him?" I remarked dryly. "Now I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure that's very rude, and a very fast way to lose friends."

"What's the matter?" Bilbo asked rhetorically. "Resena's spot on, I'm surrounded by Dwarves! What are they doing here?!" He whispered, quite done with the whole thing.

"Oh, their quite a merry gathering once you get used to them."

"That doesn't answer his question at all." I pointed out. Gandalf shot me a look. I raised a brow unimpressed but shut my mouth, for now.

"I don't want to get used to them!" Bilbo whisper shouted. "Look at the state of my kitchen, there's mud trod on the carpet, they've pillaged the pantry, I'm wont even tell you what they've done in the bathroom. They've all but ruined the plumbing. I don't understand what their doing in my house!" Bilbo ranted slowly getting louder.

"Wait. They did what to the bathroom?"

"If you have to go tonight Razena, go to the Gamgees." Bilbo informed me, lips pressed tightly together.

"Oh wow, that bad?" my eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, Now Gandalf what are they doing in my house?!" Bilbo barked. Before Gandalf had time to answer Ori, walked up.

"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt," he began shyly. "But what should I do with my plate?"

In the background I could hear the pounding of feet, the clashing of metal and what I guessed were fists on the table. The dwarf with the braided mustache, Fili, confidently walked up to Ori.

"Here you go Ori, give it to me." He plucked the plate right out or little Oris' hands and chucked it across the hall to his brother. Who then turned around at threw it behind his back to someone in the kitchen.

I'm assuming someone caught it, there wasn't any shattering

Fili continued to throw plates and Gandalf dogged out of the way.

"Did he really...just.." I wondered at the dwarves' audacity. He'd just thrown Bilbo's nice plate, right in front of Bilbo. Dishes started flying through the air, I dodged flying plates and bowls as best I could. The ones I couldn't, there was a dwarf to pull me away or catch it before it hit me. The flying vessels of food, sent Bilbo into a panic.

"That's my mother's West Farthing pottery, It's over 100 years old!" He shouted alarmed at the dangerous situation his dishes found themselves in. He ran trying to get them to stop throwing them, while doing that he passed the table where dwarves were stomping and rubbing knives together.

"Could- could you please not do that you'll blunt them."

"Ooooo, did you hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives." Bofur mocks. My annoyance rose at the treatment of Bilbo.

"Blunt the knives" Kili started, tossing another plate to his brother.

What is this, a musical?

"Bend the forks." His brother continued singing, catching the plate.

"Smash the bottles and burn the corks." Others joined in. Fili juggled the bowls between his elbows.

"Chip the glasses and crack the plates."

"That's what Bilbo baggins hates!" Was screamed, then all hell broke loose

"Cut the cloth, treat on the fat," Ori was bombarded with plates as the others stacked the plates in his arms, it went above his head. Then Dwalin bounced a mug off his head.

"Leave the bones on the bedroom mat" Bombur was eating the food off the plates handed to him by Dwalin. Balin looked done with all their shit as he tossed the dishes behind them for others to catch.

"Pour the milk on the pantry floor." I watched as Kili threw a knife at Bifur. I was ready to shout a warning but he turned around and at the last second.

"Splash the wine on every door."

"Dump the crooks in a boiling bowl."

"Pound them up with a thumping poll"

"If you're finished if they are whole, send them down the hall to roll."Bofur had pulled me of a flying plate and I danced as he started to play the flute. Suddenly they was instrumental music and everyone was doing something from playing an instrument. Gandalf was laughing at their antics and smoking his pipe. Everyone except Bilbo was having a blast.

"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" Everyone finished, Bilbo pushed his way to see, the clean dishes safely stacked on the table. Everyone merry and laughing around him, his expression was funny.

"Nice dancing, lass," Bofur complimented.

"Thank you Bofur, you play the flute really well."

The laughter dies down completely as there as are three loud thumps on the door.

"He's here." Gandalf says with a heavy tone.

"Wait, who?" I asked confused.


Thank you to everyone who commented

MissCallaLily: She may remember she may not, we haven't decided