Who should Bilba meet next, I wonder? Hmmmm….
This is also the longest chapter so far! Please leave me your thoughts- I love seeing what you all think of Bilba's interactions with the dwarves and how you think the story flows.
ALSO! I love how many of you suddenly want a Bilba/Nori pairing. As I have not actually made a decision on pairings, feel free to suggest any that you might like to see in the future!
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.
-;-
Bilba hummed a tune to herself as she walked along the bustling street, the snow level decreasing to a much more manageable level over the last couple of days. She had decided that morning that since she had the day to herself that she was going to officially explore Ered Luin, not just wander around on errands for Dori.
She'd already gone by a couple of other taverns, though they were a bit rougher around the edges than the Goose, a brewery, three different market circles, and part of a residential area, and was heading further and further up the mountain. And, she admitted with slight amusement, she was beginning to think she had gotten lost.
However, her curiosity wasn't quite sated yet, and so she continued on, her wonder growing as she took a turn and found herself in the middle of a large stone courtyard, with a large smithy on the far side and what appeared to be a pathway leading to the forest to the left. There were only a handful of dwarves here, and most of them were huddled over anvils, hammers glinting in the light.
"What business do you have here." A low, growled voice said from behind her.
Bilba squeaked, whirling to see one of the most intimidating dwarves she had ever encountered standing before her. His forehead and top of head were bald, perhaps shaved, with blocky tattoos covering most of the skin she could see. One eyebrow was sliced through with a white scar, and it appeared as though part of one of his ears had been chewed off by something. Not to mention he had the broadest shoulders that she had ever seen.
"Er, terribly sorry. I was exploring the city and got a bit lost." She replied, trying not to stutter. "Bilba Baggins, at your service."
"Dwalin, son of Fundin at yours." The dwarf rumbled back in his gravelly voice. "What landmark do you use to return to?"
"The Grey Goose." Bilba said.
There was a pause, followed by a thoughtful frown from Dwalin, before the larger dwarf huffed and turned to walk towards the smithy.
"Follow me."
Bilba didn't dare argue, and she followed the bulky dwarf as he loped over to a blond dwarf who looked about the same age as Ori.
"Fili!"
The blond dwarf paused, glanced up from his work, before setting aside the piece of metal he was shaping and straightening. Handsome would be a good work to describe him- a short blond beard, striking eyes and a lean body underneath his work clothes.
"Yes Dwalin?" he inquired, his gaze flicking to Bilba and showing nothing but open curiosity. "Who's this?"
"Lass came from down the mountain. Got lost. Take her home, will you?"
"Sure thing. Do you want me to take Kili off your hands too?" the blond- Fili- said, wiping his hands on a cloth and swinging it over his shoulder.
"May as well." Dwalin grunted. "Stay out of trouble, or your mother will have both of our heads."
With that, he lumbered off, leaving Bilba's mind in a whirl as she attempted to digest the last minute of activity. Fili gave a bark of laughter and nodded, a bright grin lighting up his face before he wandered towards Bilba, offering a quick bow and a, "Fili, son of Vili at your service."
"Bilba Baggins at yours." The Hobbit replied, rocking back on her feet and offering a tentative smile.
"I hope you don't mind, Miss Baggins, but I'll have to make a quick stop to collect my wayward brother before we head back down the mountain." Fili chuckled before taking notice of her bare feet. "By Mahal, you're not wearing any boots!"
"Ah, no, I'm not." She grinned with a bright laugh. "I'm a Hobbit, you see. We have no need of shoes as you do."
"A Hobbit, you say?" Fili asked. "So you're not from Ered Luin?"
"No, no. I come from the Shire, in the east." Bilba shook her head, suddenly feeling as though she were dealing with Ori all over again. "I've been staying here in the Blue Mountains for the last couple of seasons on a vacation of sorts."
"Odd place to come." Fili commented.
"I didn't think so." She replied.
They walked down the path that Bilba had seen before, Fili snagging a heavier shirt off of another anvil as they went, pulling his hair back into a tail which really wasn't helping because dear Yavanna he was attractive.
"So, I don't think I've ever met a Hobbit before. Do your people often wander away from the Shire?" he asked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his tunic and glancing at her curiously.
"Hardly." Bilba laughed. "No, Hobbits very rarely leave the Shire, lest they happen to be Tooks. In fact, it's considered quite odd if a Hobbit goes wandering like I have."
"You are a very odd lass indeed then." Fili chuckled, a deep, throaty sound as they trekked down, pausing to help Bilba down a couple of steeper places.
"I've been called stranger things." She replied before stopping as Fili raised a hand.
"Hold on." He said softly before letting out a high pitched whistle, followed by two lower.
The Hobbit quirked a brow but did so, adjusting her shawl as she waited to see what would happen next. There were just too many strange things that the Hobbit managed to get herself into, and strange encounters with dwarves seemed to be one of them lately.
Oh well. At least Ori knew she had been out and about today.
In the distance, an answering call replied, and Fili snorted, shaking his head and nodding as he started off again.
"What was that, if you don't mind me asking?" she asked.
"Kili's an archer- he has a range somewhere out this way. I usually try to make myself known so I don't accidentally get shot. It happened once when I was younger- just a graze, but stung like you wouldn't believe. Since then, we have a signal to let one another know that we're on our way."
"That's-"
"Comforting?" Fili finished dryly. "It works, if nothing else."
Another few minutes passed, and then there was a dark haired dwarf that was- if it were even possible- the most fair-featured she had seen yet. He appeared between the trees, an ink blot in the snow, and his lips were turned in a warm smile that turned only slightly into a quizzical one.
"And who's this, Fee?"
"Miss Boggins." Fili replied with a wink to the lass in question. "She wandered into the smithy and we're to take her back down to the Grey Goose."
"The Grey Goose? Isn't that down the mountain?" Kili asked as he slung his bow over his shoulder. "Aren't we supposed to be helping Dwalin with that project later?"
"He's already given us his blessing to get out of his hair and escort this lovely lass home." Fili rolled his eyes. "I don't know if I want to ask what you've done this time."
"Nothing I haven't done before. Besides, mother thought it was hilarious." The darker haired replied loftily- an imp if Bilba had ever seen one. "Now, Miss Boggins, I am Kili son of Vili at your service."
"And I at yours." The Hobbit replied as she realized that Fili had intentionally pronounced her surname incorrectly. It almost made her wonder what the blond dwarf was up to. Almost, but she wasn't about to say anything. She had learned her lesson in the past with asking these sorts of questions.
As it turned out, the trip back down the mountain took just short of an hour, though she certainly didn't go without entertainment. Kili and Fili were both lively and youthful, full of jokes and playful shoves that almost resulted in a wrestling match until she had cleared her throat and quirked a brow. Apparently the look didn't just work on faunts as it had in the Shire, but younger dwarves as well, for the pair had separated with sheepish grins and Kili had momentarily ducked his head.
When the buildings began to become more familiar and the Grey Goose finally came into view, Bilba breathed out a sigh of relief she hadn't known she'd been holding.
"Hey, I think I know who owns this place. Dori, right?" Fili commented as he took in the exterior. "Heard he goes through kitchen staff like crazy."
"You're not wrong." Bilba sighed, shaking her head.
"Also heard he's got some of the best cooks in Ered Luin working for him. Their desserts are supposed to be amazing." The blond dwarf continued, not noticing the Hobbit's flush until Kili nudged him.
"Wait, you mean that you work here?"
"Well… yes?" Bilba replied, feeling a little uncomfortable. "Would you like to come in? I'm sure I could get you something warm to drink for bringing me home."
"We would be honored, Miss Boggins." Kili bowed, perhaps a little more dramatically than was needed, before chuckling and grinning brightly as he bounced back upright. He reminded her a bit of the collies back in the Shire- full of energy and always getting into mischief.
Fili too, looked eager at the prospect of a warm drink, and he nodded gratefully as the Hobbit opened the door and led the way into the Goose, taking note of the handful of dwarves scattered throughout and Dori, who was just vanishing through the kitchen door.
Kili's bow garnered a few odd looks from a few, but a firm look from Bilba had the dwarves in question clearing their throats and looking back to their meals as she seated the pair in the corner table.
"Anything in particular you'd like? We have warm ciders, ale, and tea." Bilba asked, tossing her curls out of her eyes and propping her hands on her hips. "I believe the special is a spiced apple ale, and our tea of the day is a walnut black tea."
"Two spiced apple ales then, my lady." Fili nodded, Kili echoing his brother's choice.
"I'll have those for you in just a moment."
"Bilba! What are you doing here today? I thought you said you were going to go and explore the mountain?" Dori inquired as the Hobbit entered the kitchen. "Gracious, you look chilled to the bone! Bombur- mint tea for Bilba, please!"
"I was out exploring." She said, accepting the mug of tea from Bombur as he passed by. "But I'm afraid I got a little turned about and ended up lost. Thankfully, I wandered into a smithy and a couple of younger dwarrow brought me back down the mountain. I was hoping to pay for their drinks in thanks."
"Nonsense. They brought you home safe and sound. It's on the house." Dori nodded before shooing the resident Hobbit from the kitchen. "Go offer them my thanks while I get their drinks."
"Two of the spiced apple ales, please!" Bilba called as she went, balancing her mug of tea with practiced ease and dodging the well-aimed swat from a cloth that the silver haired dwarf had gotten his hands on.
"Remind me why I put up with that lass again?" Dori muttered with a fond shake of his head.
"Likely 'cause she's one of the finest the Goose's had in a long while." Rorin replied, ducking when Dori went to swat him too.
"It was a rhetorical question, you fool!"
-;-
Just when everyone thought that the snows had paused for the winter, Ered Luin got another solid foot or so of the white fluff, completely covering the streets and driving everyone indoors.
Almost.
"Dori, look out!"
The silver haired dwarf was a half second too slow to dodge, and a rather solid snowball hit him square between the shoulders.
Bilba's hands covered her mouth in horror, though her lips twisted into a laugh at the utterly baffled expression that crossed Dori's face. Ori too, looked appropriately shocked before the pair of them dissolved into hysterical laughter.
Nori, who was sitting on the stair in front of the door smoking his pipe, looked amused as he surveyed the damage. Bilba had insisted that they all get out and enjoy the fresh air, considering that she had no need or want to deal with dwarves after they had gotten a hint of cabin-fever. Ori had hardly been a challenge, considering how young he was, and Nori certainly had no problems with the snow- not unless he was attempting to avoid the cursed stuff. But Dori… well, Dori preferred not to venture outdoors in this sort of weather unless it was imperative.
"Sorry!" the Hobbit squeaked. "I didn't mean to-"
Bilba was cut off by a snowball straight to the face, sending her flying back onto her rear with a completely dumbfounded expression on her features.
Dori brushed off the remaining snow from his hands, a positively devilish grin spreading on his features as Ori suddenly squawked and dove for cover behind a snow bank.
"Now you've done it!" Ori's voice accused.
Bilba made a noise that may have been agreement before her features settled into a determined expression that could only mean trouble.
"This means war!" she called, rolling up her sleeves and racing to join Ori behind the snow bank.
"Is that so?" Dori asked pleasantly, stooping to scoop snow into his hands, a dark grin on his lips. Nori couldn't help the snort that escaped him, though he at least was able to dodge the packed snow that his eldest brother lobbed at him, making a noise of protest as he adjusted himself.
"Leave me out of it!" he protested.
"I think not, troll!" Dori barked out a laugh before lumbering towards him.
Nori did what any dwarf would do in such a situation- beat a hasty retreat to safety whilst planning the best course of action to retaliate.
"Ah, Nori, how nice of you to join us." Bilba said pleasantly, handing the dwarf a snowball as he tried to tuck away his pipe without damaging it. "I have a plan, but we're going to need a distraction."
Ori nodded, his cheeks a bright red as he beamed at his older brother, his fledgling beard full of snow and his hair sticking in all directions. He was fairly certain that his own finely groomed hair would no doubt look the same soon enough, if it didn't already, and Bilba's curls were only going to get worse now that moisture had been added to the mix.
That was an interesting thing that they had all realized the first time she had come in from playing in the snow, her curls matted and even more curled than usual.
"What kind of distraction." He asked suspiciously.
She beamed at him.
-;-
"For the record, it was all her idea." Nori said as the four of them stomped their way into the house, Bera still slung over Dori's shoulder and giggling madly as snow continued falling from the pair of them. "Ori and I were just the distraction."
Bilba shrieked in laughter as Dori swung her down onto the couch, bouncing back and continuing her mad laughter. She would never forget the look of utter shock that had crossed Dori's face as he realized that he had been positioned just so under the roof and that their Hobbit had knocked all of the snow off with a perfectly aimed snowball. Never, as long as she lived.
"I can believe it." Dori muttered dryly, shooting the Hobbit a look as he began peeling layers of clothing off, prompting the other two males in the room to do the same. "Bilba, when you've quite finished your moment of lunacy, go get changed into something dry."
Dwarves certainly had little sense of modesty- few thought twice about changing clothes in front of others, and while Bilba had been staying with them she had somehow been included into the extremely limited group that they were comfortable with outside of their own people. Not that Bilba knew that, of course.
"Of course, Dori." She finally wheezed, taking a couple of long breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. "Of course. I'll be back in a moment to hang my wet things up."
She hauled herself up, ignoring the chill that ran down her spine as some remaining snow worked its way through the fabric, and went to her room. It had somehow become hers now, in most sense of the word- though now that she and Nori seemed to have an understanding she had repeatedly offered it back to him, to no avail.
They had taken a shine to the Hobbit lass, despite most stigma and their general mistrust of others. Certainly, Dori had been hasty in offering lodging so easily to a Halfling who was not of their kind, but he could not say that it had not turned out for the better.
"Bilba, are you coming?" Ori called down the hall as she finished pulling on her skirts, skillfully lacing them and choosing to not wear the small corset. Not that she wore them often, now.
Since travelling to the Blue Mountains, she had slowly been wearing such things less and less, and now she only wore her dwarven tunic that cut neatly across her collarbone and settled on her shoulders over her skirts, a belt holding it close to her waist.
"Hold on a moment!" she called back.
"And bring your comb!"
Now that one brought her up short. She could not recall ever being told that before.
However, she grabbed it from the small table next to the bed and wandered back down the hall to the main room, where a hearty fire had been stoked and was blazing merrily as the trio of dwarves worked at pulling their braids from their matted hair.
She couldn't help the small noise that escaped her at that one. Never had she seen any of them without their familiar styles- Ori with his rather endearing bowl cut and braids, Nori with his tri-pointed star and beard braids, and particularly Dori, who always had his beard and hair tightly braided up and pulled to the back of his head. All three of them worked with a warmth and familiarity that had her pausing until Dori cleared his throat and patted the furred rug on the floor next to him.
"Come on now, we certainly don't bite." The silver haired dwarf rolled his eyes as he worked at pulling Ori's braids loose, Nori working on Dori's, his own half down. "Help Nori with the mess he calls hair and then we'll see if we can't figure out something for you."
Nori made a noise that may have been the start of an argument- his fingers flicked at the edge of Dori's peripheral before the older dwarf growled something back in their tongue, silencing the ginger haired dwarf firmly.
Bilba suddenly felt quite insecure as she sat down in the group and very tentatively reached out to Nori's hair- her own was getting long, now falling well past her shoulders- but as she carefully carded her fingers through the strands and gently pulled out the clasps, she realized that hers was certainly not as long as theirs.
Dori's was to his ribs, once it was all said and done, with his beard hanging to the middle of his chest. Ori's hair was just shorter than her own, to which she felt slightly better, but Nori's was the longest by far. His beard was cropped to his chest, but the rest of his hair fell to mid-back in a thick mass. It was softer than she imagined it would have felt, though.
When Bilba removed her hands from Nori's hair, the dwarf made a discontented sound in the back of his throat, but made no further movement. Dori and Ori were watching her with thinly veiled amusement, to which she looked at them in confusion. Had she done something wrong?
"Nori rather enjoys his hair being played with." Ori stage-whispered to her as Nori finally straightened and pulled his hair over his shoulder, a leather band quickly looping around the locks and tied off. "Dori thinks he's part cat sometimes."
Nori made another negative noise before sighing and rolling his shoulders, turning to look at the Hobbit with dark eyes.
"Your turn." He said, his accent slightly thicker than usual, motioning for her to turn so he could get at her tangled locks.
Dori shook his head before corralling Ori into position so that he could work his braids back into his shorter hair, his fingers moving surprisingly nimbly as he separated the locks into sections. A comfortable silence fell as Nori carefully worked out the tangles in Bilba's copper curls and Dori hummed a soft tune.
She'd forgotten the sensation of someone else running their hands through her hair- the last time she could recall had been when both of her parents had been among the living. Her mother had often pulled her hair back so that she wouldn't catch it on anything while she was out and about wandering the Shire and the forests that surrounded it on her quest for elves.
She tilted her head back as calloused fingers worked their way closer to her scalp, her eyes closing as she sighed quietly.
Ori nudged Dori and gestured at the lass, and Dori smiled affectionately at their Hobbit. Nori, too, had a faintly amused smirk on his features as he carefully carded his fingers through the lass' thick curls, finally pulling back several strands and loosely plaiting them on each side of her temples, joining them into a single loose plait at the back of her head before tying it off with another leather tie.
"Seems you and Nori both seem to enjoy having your hair played with." Dori chuckled as he finished with Ori's braids, turning to allow the youngest of the dwarves access to his fine silver strands. "Can't say I'm too surprised."
"It's a very soothing sensation." Bilba hummed lowly in her throat, blinking open her eyes again and turning to Nori. "May I braid your hair, Nori?"
The ginger haired dwarf paused, his gaze flicking to Dori, who signed something that the Hobbit didn't see as she searched for her comb. He signed back, the pair quickly flying through a silent conversation, before Nori finally shrugged and nodded once.
"Would you like me to do a simple plait for now? I'm afraid I don't have quite the same attention to detail that you all do with your lovely beards and other braids." The Hobbit further inquired as she worked the leather tie from Nori's hair.
Like this, she mused, they were all rather attractive to her- another oddity that she had seemed to pick up since arriving in the Blue Mountains. The same things that were considered attractive in the Shire certainly didn't appeal to her as much as what did now- namely, long manes of hair, beards, and far too many muscles to count. And broad shoulders.
So pretty much every dwarf that she saw.
Bombur was really the only one who appealed to her Hobbit sensibilities, being large (a sign of wealth in the Shire), able to cook (very important to be able to provide for your family), and having a quieter personality than say… Rorin. Or Bofur. Who were both very charming in their own rights, mind.
"That would be fine." The middle Ri replied quietly, and Bilba nodded and got to work, pulling his hair into a loose four strand plait and swiftly weaving it together with a practiced ease that she hadn't fully demonstrated for the dwarves previously.
Of course, Bilba didn't know that braiding one's hair in such a manner, with the group, often signified acceptance of someone into the family group, sometimes even signifying an adoption into a particular family depending on setting and situation. Nor did she know that Dori and Nori had had a rather thorough argument about the Hobbit braiding his hair in Iglishmek only moments before.
What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her… right?