Note: Bolded words are Khuzdul.
Chapter Thirty: Coats and Songs
It tended to be tricky, preparing rabbit skins for gloves. But thankfully, Fili had learned leather-working and furrier tasks in addition to smithing. While Bella was focused on marking out every inch of available cloth with chalk, Fili was determined to fashion warm, fingerless gloves for both hobbits. Yes, fur-lined mittens would keep out the snow and cold, but they would be useless if called upon to perform some specific task.
"Bilbo, try these on for size quickly, will you?" he said.
The hobbit stepped over and pulled on the cloth prototypes. Since this was the third time, Bilbo flexed his fingers, his wrists, clenched his hands before the dwarf asked. "I believe you got it this time," he said.
"Right," Fili said, taking the prototypes back. "I'll ask you over for a final fitting before they're declared finished."
Bilbo nodded before turning to his sister. "How is it coming, Bella?"
"I've mapped out trousers, coat, belt, and leg wraps," she answered. "I'm just seeing if I can squeeze in a proper hat."
Bilbo suppressed a chuckle. "It won't hurt if the hat is scraps patched together. That was how my housecoat was made, you know."
Bella absently nodded as she fussed over the dark green cloth a moment more. "Alright, I suppose that is how it will have to be. Help me make sure it is folded evenly."
"We have made sure it is folded evenly in half nearly every five minutes," Bilbo said.
Fili barely caught his One's annoyed glare.
"Then help make sure it stays that way while I'm cutting," she said. She rolled her eyes as she picked up a pair of scissors. "A proper sewing kit with sufficient pins for sewing projects. That's what we need to add to our list of traveling essentials."
Fili half-smiled as he traced and cut the rabbit skin. One courtship tradition that hadn't been mentioned, simply because there had been no opportunity, was of the young man's side of the family providing gifts to the young lady and her family. He would let Thorin and Kili know about Bella's comment, and then they could keep an eye out in any markets, the Lonely Mountain, or simply forge a set once in the mountain.
It was several minutes later that both hobbits sat back from their hunched positions on the floor with near identical groans. "Agreement on a proper sewing kit," Bilbo said. He massaged his lower back with a grimace. "Any chance of cutting your coat out on the table?"
"Ask whoever happens to be doing the fur work at the time," Bella said gathering up the pieces for the main body of the coat. "Don't run too far. Once I've baste-stitched this, I'll want you to try it on."
"Why not slip it over the coat that Kili and Thorin prepared?" Bilbo asked.
"Right, I'll need you to put that on first to make sure it properly fits," Bella said absently.
Bilbo threw his hands up in defeat, rolling his eyes. He leaned against the stool/table that Fili was working at. "Take note," he said in a low voice. "Whenever she gets into her seamstress mode, her word is law and you best not have any other plans if she's sewing something for you."
Fili smiled. "At least that isn't necessarily a problem for you today."
"Aside from feeling a bit cooped up in here," the hobbit said.
"Get used to the fresh air on the open road?" Fili asked.
"There are gardens of flowers out there," Bilbo said. "It's been weeks since I've smelled a proper flower."
"I'm not keeping you from the flowers, Bilbo," Bella said, lining the shoulders up. "I just need you within shouting distance."
"Compromise," Fili whispered. "Slip out, pick a few flowers, and bring them in for both of you to enjoy."
"I'll do that," Bilbo whispered back. Straightening, he walked out. "Don't either of you move from your seats while I'm gone."
After Bilbo left the room, Fili exchanged bemused looks with Bella before they both laughed. "What does he expect us to do while we're working?" Bella asked.
"I have no idea," Fili answered. "Most likely it's his Baggins side going on overdrive since we're alone."
"That has to be it," Bella said, shaking her head as she turned back to her brother's coat. A moment later she asked, "Do you know where Beorn is? I haven't seen him since yesterday."
Fili half-chuckled as he returned to his own work. "You must have been half-asleep last night. Beorn said that he was traveling into the Misty Mountains, to check the validity of our story, and if true, claim that white warg pelt for you."
"You dwarves just will not let that idea go, will you?" she said.
"Not planning on it," Fili said. A companionable silence settled around them as they worked.
Then, Bella started humming which slowly changed into soft elvish singing. There was a gentle beauty in the words and tune, maybe even a hint of sorrow.
Fili allowed himself to get lost in the beauty of his One's voice. Finally, his curiosity got the best of him. "What song do you sing, Amralime?" he asked quietly.
"'The Song of Beren and Luthien,'" she answered. "A young man and elf-maid who lived during the First Age. To my knowledge they were the first man and elf union in Arda's history. Elrond and his brother are actually their descendants."
"Elrond has a brother?" Fili asked, quirking an eyebrow up.
"Twin actually," Bella answered, focused on her work. "But because of their unique lineage, each member of the family is given the choice to keep their elven immortality or receive man's mortality. Elros chose to be human. Isildur is actually descended from him."
"Making Isildur Elrond's nephew several times removed, or with an insane number of 'greats,'" Fili mused. "So, will you teach me the song of these ancient lovers?"
Bella jerked her head up to look at him. "You honestly want to learn a love song?"
"I'll have you know that we dwarves have our fair share of love songs," Fili said. "We even have a special song that is occasionally used to propose marriage."
Bella smiled a bit mischievously then. "A trade," she said. "I'll teach you 'The Song of Beren and Luthien,' and you'll teach me this proposal song."
"Agreed," Fili said. "Westron, Khuzdul, and Iglishmek."
"Westron and Sindarin," she returned.
"Done. Amralime."
"I'll teach the Westron first so that you understand what you're singing," Bella said. "I'll go line by line." She then mellowly sang, "The leaves were long, the grass was green."
"The leaves were long, the grass was green," Fili sang back.
The rest of the morning was spent this way. After Bilbo returned with a mug of flowers, he would occasionally give tips on tone and note. Lessons would pause while one or the other checked how their projects fit Bilbo.
After lunch while Bella was putting the finishing touches to Bilbo's now fur-lined coat and patching an outer cover for his hat, Fili taught her the Westron words to "The Dancing and the Dreaming." She picked it up fairly quickly, even if she was half-distracted by her work.
As they finished for the evening, Fili started to teach her the Iglishmek signs. They had settled on the edge of the main room where the rest of the Company was gathered. Bilbo sat on Bella's other side, learning the words with her. Fili honestly didn't think anything of it until–
"What are you doing?" Balin cried, rushing toward them.
Fili and Bella jumped. "I'm teaching her Iglishmek. She has the right as my One," he said.
"Iglishmek for 'The Dancing and the Dreaming'?" Balin asked, flabbergasted.
"I've only taught her the whole in Westron," Fili said. "She doesn't yet know the Khuzdul."
"Iglishmek is just as binding when communicated between courtship couples," Balin scolded.
"Um, I'm currently in the dark," Bella said. "What cultural fumble has occurred?"
Balin sighed, pinching the bridge of his bulbous nose. "No one who has entered into courtship is allowed to participate in 'The Dancing and the Dreaming' song or dance with each other until it is time for them to move on to engagement. Fili was toeing the line teaching you the words in Westron."
"But Iglishmek or Khuzdul makes it binding in the eyes of dwarven culture," Bella guessed.
"Precisely," Balin said.
"So, if it is so important to the courting and engagement customs, how should I learn it?" she asked.
"I'll teach you," Balin answered. "And you."
Fili cringed when his tutor's hard eyes landed on him.
"You will go, tell your brother and uncle to come over here as soon as possible, and stay with the rest of the Company until we are finished," Balin said. "Understood?"
"Yes, Mr. Balin," Fili answered, looking down.
"Good, now go."
Fili scrambled to his feet and hurried off, vaguely hearing Balin ask Bella how much she had learned. He had never thought that he would be the one to make a dwarven culture stumble. How could he have known that teaching his One wasn't allowed?
"Was it really that bad?" Bella asked as Balin adjusted her hand and arm position.
"It could be debated," Balin answered. "All dwarves are taught the song in Khuzdul, Iglishmek, and Westron at a young age. Your situation is unique."
"So he won't get in too much trouble, will he?" she asked, practicing the transition from one word to the next.
"I'm sure the most he'll get is another scolding, similar to mine, from Thorin," the white-haired dwarf said. "Nothing anymore drastic."
"I'd just hate for him to get into trouble for trying to teach me a new song," she said. "Especially when I started it when I taught him the Westron for 'Beren and Luthien.'"
"Oh, what song is that?"
"An old elvish song about Elrond's ancestors, the ones that led to his line being half-elven," Bella answered.
"Ah, a romance? An adventure?"
"Romance. It tells of their first meeting."
Thorin and Kili appeared just then. "Fili told me that he made a blunder," Thorin said, slightly amused.
Balin lightly chuckled. "Not necessarily anything we could have avoided since we never considered a possibility."
"Fili was teaching me a dwarven proposal song in exchange for an elvish romance," Bella explained.
Kili chuckled as Thorin's eyes widened. "Westron or Khuzdul?" the dwarf king asked.
"Westron, just started the Iglishmek," Bella answered.
"The lad had barely gotten through the first line," Balin said.
Thorin subtly relaxed. "We're safe from the timetable then."
"Timetable?" Bilbo asked from behind Bella.
"According to dwarven custom, the engagement itself shouldn't exceed two months," Thorin explained.
"And we need those two months to focus on actually getting to the Mountain and making battle plans as opposed to wedding arrangements," Bella said.
"Precisely," Thorin said.
"And Ama would kill us if Fili married on the road without the proper ceremonies," Kili added.
"No, she would scold you soundly, box your brother round the ears, and kill me," Thorin corrected.
Bella chuckled. "Nothing subtle about her is there?"
"When she is displeased, no," Thorin said.
"So, why are you and Kili supposed to be here while Bella learns the Iglishmek and Khuzdul while Fili apparently has to remain out of sight?" Bilbo asked.
"The two of them, and you, Master Baggins, are witnesses that nothing improper takes place and to assure any who ask that I am fulfilling the role of tutor," Balin explained. "And, well it may be more an old wives' tale, but some believe that it is bad luck for Ones to enter into an engagement that will go beyond the two months. It doesn't matter if it is only for practice, if either witness the other performing the song, especially if both families are favorable to the union–"
"Like we are," Bella said.
"Aye, like you are," Balin confirmed, "they are officially engaged."
"Oh," Bella said. She rubbed at her forehead, the light bandage firm beneath her fingers. This new bit of dwarven customs was making her head ache. She already had mild headaches throughout the day because of her intense focus on sewing, then learning this new song, and finally this barely avoided faux pas.
"Rosa?" Bilbo called softly, touching her shoulder.
She lightly waved his concern off. "I'll just have another early night is all. I'm fine."
"Maybe we should be finished for the night," Balin said.
She shook her head. "We have a limited time before we continue on the quest," she said. "This is the only time I can learn that we can ensure Fili not being able to see or hear me learning. I suspect that even once we've reclaimed the Lonely Mountain, things will get to be so busy, we'll forget about this, thus leaving me unprepared once the time comes."
Balin sighed. "Alright. We'll continue and then we'll review in the morning."
Bella nodded as she drew in her focus once again. Off and on, she noticed Thorin and Kili silently speaking with their hands, but she ignored them so as to not be distracted from the signs she needed to learn.
About a couple hours later, several of Beorn's animals served them dinner. Bella ate silently, then once she was done, she slipped away to the sleeping room. She settled into the sweet hay, closing her eyes against the steady throb in her head. But it wasn't until a bit later when a familiar presence settled behind her, upper arm and shoulder touching her upper back, that she finally fell asleep.
"You face each other like so for the first stanza."
Bella nodded as she stood opposite Balin. She had been quizzed on the Iglishmek directly after breakfast, followed quickly by the Khuzdul lesson. Now, Balin was teaching her the dance that accompanied the song. Thorin and Kili were once again watching, but Bilbo requested that Bofur take his place since he had some things to take care of while he had opportunity.
"So, it would go like this," Balin continued.
But instead of him singing, Thorin sang in Khuzdul, "I'll mount and mine on savage heights, with ne'er a fear of falling, and gladly scale the crags of life, if you will marry me. No scorching sun, nor freezing cold will stop me on my journey, if you will promise me your heart and love me for eternity."
"Then you start walking round each other as you sing your first line," Balin said.
"My dearest one, my darling dear, your mighty words astound me," Bella sang, barely stumbling over the dwarvish words.
Balin nodded to indicate the end. "Now, ideally, you should be directly opposite your original position. There should be a hint of stateliness as you walk. One foot forward, bring the second forward half-way, barely pause before finishing. Repeat on the other side."
Bella fumbled horribly. Hobbits had few dances with actual steps, much less something as stiff as this. It was unnatural to move one's feet this way.
"The pause is too long," Balin said. "Bofur, the words but slow. Bella, we'll do the steps slowly and then we'll pick up the speed gradually once you have it."
After a few minutes, Bella worked out the pattern based on each syllable. The pause really wasn't long at all, just slowed a touch before continuing. Just enough to make one look lordly.
"Then, one step closer together," Balin said. "Raise your right forearm, light fist, and cross between the two of you."
Bella met his forearm with the middle of her own as Kili sang in a high-pitched voice, "But I've no need of mighty deeds–"
"Two steps forward, looser now, not so stately," Balin said. "Turn on your right foot, switch arms, identical to before, and another two steps to finish your first stanza."
This wasn't nearly as difficult as the other steps. But they went over it a few times before Balin had them take it from the top again a couple times.
"Good," Balin said. "Now for Fili's next stanza." He knelt on one knee. "Keep hold of his right hand with your left, dance round, hop over the back, and to the front again."
"He will forge you rings of gold," Kili sang. "He'd even sing you poetry."
"Too stiff," Thorin said. "This is when you can let go a little."
"Kili, show 'er 'ow it's done, lad," Bofur encouraged with a wide grin.
Kili cheekily traded places with her. Then with in an almost perfect impression of a haughty hobbit lass, he fairly skipped around Balin, the "hop" becoming a leap.
Bella laughed at the sight. "Are you sure you've never been to a hobbit dance before?" she teased.
"Perfectly," Kili answered, keeping in character as he repeated the steps again.
Bella chortled. "Well then, I suppose this is when I can let my hobbit heritage shine."
"Indeed, Miss Baggins," Balin said standing a bit stiffly. "Now, Kili or Thorin best take my place before my knees betray me."
Thorin stepped in, kneeling as Balin had done.
Bella took his hand and merrily pranced around him as though she were dancing upon the lawn surrounding the Party Tree. She grasped her skirts, allowing them to flare as though she were in her tweens and not bordering spinster.
"Aye! That's the spirit, lass," Balin said. "Now, once you come back to the front, he'll stand, swing you out and then back in."
"That is when he may sneak a hug in," Bofur added.
"Around again," Thorin said.
Bella danced around her future uncle-in-law, transitioning into the next moves. She was nearly to the front when he stood, sweeping his arm out. She glided, half-spinning with the motion, before a slight tug prompted her to spin back toward him. She almost blushed when her back brushed Thorin's chest. If it had been Fili . . . She would have been redder than Bilbo's prize tomatoes. She could certainly see why this move was used for the line about protection, and how a hug could slip in.
"Excellent," Balin said. "From the top now."
Bofur piped the tune as Kili sang the words horribly off-key. Bella couldn't help but notice how skilled a dancer the dwarf king was. She wondered if Fili was just as skilled. Then it was time to learn the next steps.
"Now, hold hands," Balin said. "Bella, turn your back to him, right hand above your head, left hand at your waist. Good. Now, a half-hop to the left, right foot crossing behind, toe tapping the ground. Then to the right, and repeat with your left foot. Then repeat it all for a second time."
"Like so," Kili said, demonstrating the steps. He didn't settle his toes on the ground, just tapped the tip of his boot before going the other direction.
"Again, we'll go slow until you get the hang of it," Balin said.
"I have no use for rings of gold," Kili sang in a high-pitch, "I care not for your poetry."
Once Bella had the steps down and was actually able to move to the proper tempo, another bit was added.
"Slightly lean in the direction that you hop," Balin said. "Since you should be into the music by this point, it may happen naturally, but just to be sure."
"Don't worry about falling," Thorin said. "I'm not going to let that happen, and neither will Fili."
The first couple tries she leaned a little too far. But, finally, she managed to tilt from her waist just right. It wasn't too unlike the times she used to dance round the Maypole or with the flowered arches during the Shire's Spring and Summer celebrations.
"Excellent," Balin said. "For the next line, spin out from him – still holding his hands. Facing each other again, bring your hands together so that they are almost crossed. He tugs you closer, move so that your toes are nearly touching."
Bella's cheeks did dust pink this time. She was certain that no Shire dance brought partners this close. But she had also failed to really join in a vast majority of the couple's dances, aside from playfully dancing with her brother.
"There is no need to do so here," Balin said, "but occasionally, dancers will touch foreheads at the end of those two lines before the final stanzas begin."
Bella definitely wouldn't be doing that with anyone other than Fili. It felt like their own special thing. Even if it felt like a long time since they actually did it.
"Link elbows and twirl round each other," Balin said.
"To have, to kiss, to sweetly hold for the dancing and the dreaming," Bofur chanted. "Through all life's sorrows and delights I'll keep your love inside me."
"Don't hold back," Balin said. "Put all your energy into it."
"Closing lines," Thorin said, "you hold your partner round their waist while still whirling as before."
"And, you just might find yourself soaring through the air in the end, lassie," Bofur said.
Bella fought another blush down. At this rate, it was a blessing that Fili wasn't allowed to be here while she was learning the song and dance.
"Alright," Balin said. "From the top again." It was perhaps another half-hour before Balin declared the lessons finished. "Well done. Once we are in the Lonely Mountain, we'll see about having some review."
"Thank you," Bella said. "Now, I'm going to go see about making my winter coat." She headed over to the opposite side of Beorn's house. To ease the tendency to hum or half sing the dwarvish song, she started singing "Beren and Luthien" again. She was still needing to teach Fili the Sindarin for it anyway. Slipping into the doorway of the room, she paused in surprise.
Bilbo was baste-stitching some Durin blue panels while Bifur appeared to be clamping similar panels of wolf hide.
"Ah, we were wondering when Mister Balin would be done with you," Fili said, getting up from a cross-legged position among some rabbit pelts.
"Just finished," Bella answered. "Though I wouldn't be surprised if he and your uncle will want me to practice with them at least once or twice a day the remainder of our stay here."
Fili chuckled, holding out familiar looking cloth gloves. "Decided to see if your hands were just slightly smaller than your brother's," he said.
Bella slipped the fingerless gloves on and flexed her hands. "A little tight around the thumbs, and a little short at the wrists."
"Right, fix that up then," Fili said. He gave her a conspiratorial smile. "Your brother is planning to pay you back for yesterday."
"Yes, over here, quickly," Bilbo said.
Bella held in a light groan. She was done for. Both Bilbo and Bifur had her bundled into the furs and woolen cover within minutes. It was only once they were on that she noticed a couple odd things. "Bilbo, why are the panels slightly flared with what looks like space for more?"
"You are marrying into royalty and I will not allow my sister to go flouncing around in less than the best," Bilbo answered.
"But there is barely enough cloth for a sensible coat, much less one with frills," she protested.
Bifur chuckled. "Darts of white fur around the bottom, and white fur trim along the collar and cape edge," he said.
Bella whirled on her brother. "How on earth did you manage to squeeze a cape out of it in addition to what is needed?"
"I claimed your spare breeches, because I can't imagine you scrambling about a mountain with only a woolen skirt protecting you," he answered. "Once I had those measured out alongside everything else, I concluded that the merchant had figured you'd want extra 'frills' and cut the cloth accordingly."
She planted her fists on her hips, glaring at him. "I have no need of frills, Bilbo."
"Bella Took."
She jerked straight. It'd been awhile since her brother had played this card.
"By the time we will be needing these coats," Bilbo continued, "we will be at the Lonely Mountain and thus be nearly done with this whole quest business. As such, there is no need to be frugal with fashions, and I am not going to allow my only sister, who is all but officially engaged to Erebor's Crown Prince, to appear as anything less than a noblewoman."
She crossed her arms, sulking a bit. "You never worried about the appearance of my clothes before."
"We've never had anyone aside from nosy neighbors to impress before," Bilbo returned. "Now, it is clear that the sleeves are just fine. Now to see about the body."
Bella surrendered herself to both her brother's and Bifur's tinkering with the furs and cloth. She rolled her eyes as she was finally released. "I'm still not sold on the need for extras," she said, half to herself.
"Just go with it," Fili said. "I wouldn't be surprised if part of it is because he want's revenge for your keeping him on a tight chain yesterday."
"Part at least," she said. "I also suspect that his Baggins side is in full gear at the moment considering his ideas of proper impressions."
Fili lightly chuckled, handing over the prototype gloves again. As she tried them on, he said, "Still need to learn 'Beren and Luthien' in Sindarin."
"I nimwaloth i bain a phant," she sang. She smiled a little, waiting for his try. As she guessed, he stumbled, but not horribly so. They spent the rest of the day this way, much like the day before. Even though it was Bella who was being fitted. Halfway through the afternoon, Fili caught on quickly and even managed to sing the song with the proper tones and inflections. Late afternoon-early evening, her new winter things were finished aside from where Bilbo and the dwarves were hoping to add warg fur.
All thus accomplished, they rejoined everyone in the main room in time for supper. They ate and drank together merrily. Then, once everyone had eaten their fill, Bofur decided to step up.
"Well, lads!" he called. "What say you to a proper round of 'The Old Inn'?"
"You mean that butchery that you called a song at Rivendell?" Bilbo asked, incredulously.
"I thought that you'd appreciate it, seeing as it is a hobbit song," Bofur said.
"Oh, I know it's a hobbit song, a horribly butchered one," Bilbo returned. "Whoever taught it to you wasn't true to the source."
"And how would you know, laddie?" Nori asked.
"I was the one who wrote it," Bilbo answered.
Bella whipped round to look at her brother. "You wrote that? You wrote a silly, nonsense song about the Man in the Moon? I had thought a fellow with a drop too much was behind it."
"I believe it was during one of your longer trips to Bree that I got the inspiration for it and wrote it down," Bilbo said. "I went by the old inn, not really interested in the Green Dragon crowds. A tipsy fellow declared the beer so brown the Moon himself would wish to try it. I brushed it off as nothing, of course. But then, I started to wonder, what would happen if the moon did decide to come down. I do believe I was finishing it up when you finally returned home."
"Why am I even surprised?" she said, shaking her head.
"Well, then, Bilbo," Fili said, "teach us the proper words."
Hardly a minute later, the dwarves had cleared nearly half the table so that Bilbo had a platform. "Thankfully," Bilbo said in opening, "you at least got the first verse right." He then cleared his throat. "There is an inn, a merry old inn
Beneath an old grey hill,
And there they brew a beer so brown
That the Man in the Moon himself came down
One night to drink his fill."
Bofur pulled out his pipe to play along, while Fili's and Kili's fingers twitched as though to fetch their violins before remembering the instruments had been lost to the goblins. Bella smiled, grabbing a couple wooden spoons to clap together as Bilbo started the second verse.
"The ostler has a tipsy cat
That plays a five-stringed fiddle;
And up and down he runs his bow,
Now squeaking high, now purring low,
Now sawing in the middle."
Bilbo sang with the cat's fiddle, drawing out the sawing middle to the amusement of the dwarves.
Gandalf chuckled even as the young princes started to improvise their own instruments alongside Bella.
Still riding on the Company's merriment, Bilbo continued into the third verse. "The landlord keeps a little dog
That is mighty fond of jokes;
When there's good cheer among the guests,
He cocks an ear at all the jests
And laughs until he chokes.
"They also keep a horned cow
As proud as any queen;
But music turns her head like ale,
And makes her wave her tufted tail
And dance upon the green."
Bella was amused to see Thorin getting in on the merriment, joining the dwarves without an improvised instrument in clapping out the rhythm. She was almost certain that his lips were twitching upwards.
"And O! the rows of silver dishes
And the store of silver spoons!
For Sunday there's a special pair,
And these they polish up with care
On Saturday afternoons."
Bilbo started to dance lively as he got into his song and loosened up. Bella laughed in delight as he put his full self into the song now.
"The Man in the Moon was drinking deep,
And the cat began to wail;
A dish and a spoon on the table danced,
The cow in the garden madly pranced,
And the little dog chased his tail.
"The Man in the Moon took another mug,
And rolled beneath his chair;
And there he dozed and dreamed of ale,
Till in the sky the stars were pale,
And dawn was in the air."
Bella nearly dropped her spoons when she saw smokey figures dancing across the table. She then laughed as she realized they were Gandalf's doing as the wizard released a large puff of air that morphed into the horse-drawn moon.
"Then the ostler said to his tipsy cat:
'The white horses of the Moon,
They neigh and champ their silver bits;
But their master's been and drowned his wits,
And the Sun'll be rising soon!'
"So the cat on his fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,
A jig that would wake the dead:
He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,
While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:
'It's after three!' he said."
Bella thought she heard something outside, but didn't think anything of it. They were safe here, so long as they stayed inside after dark. There was no need to worry.
"They rolled the Man slowly up the hill
And bundled him into the Moon,
While his horses galloped up in rear,
And the cow came capering like a deer,
And a dish ran up with the spoon.
"Now quicker the fiddle went deedle-dum-diddle;
The dog began to roar,
The cow and the horses stood on their heads;
The guests all bounded from their beds
And danced upon the floor."
Bella was vaguely aware of the door opening as Bilbo sang the last two verses. But for once, she was so caught up in the frolic, that she didn't pay it a second thought.
"With a ping and a pang the fiddle-strings broke!
The cow jumped over the Moon,
And the little dog laughed to see such fun,
And the Saturday dish went off at a run
With the silver Sunday spoon.
"The round Moon rolled behind the hill,
As the Sun raised up her head.
She hardly believed her fiery eyes;
For though it was day, to her surprise
They all went back to bed." Bilbo swept a bow with Gandalf's orange-tinted smoke-sun softly glowing behind him.
Above the applause and cheers of the dwarves, Bella heard a half-familiar laugh. She turned to see Beorn standing before the closed door, a bundle under his one arm.
"You dance and sing well, little rabbit," Beorn said.
Bilbo shrugged, hopping down to his bit of bench. "I personally think Bella's better, but everyone else says that we're evenly matched."
"I just know that I so want to play out that cat's fiddle," Kili said, pantomiming how he'd play his fiddle for the parts.
"Then we'll just have to find you and your brother some replacement fiddles," Bella said.
"At least until Amad is able to bring our other ones with her from Ered Luin," Fili agreed.
"What have you recovered, Master Beorn?" Gandalf asked.
"The only skin I will ever claim and cure," Beorn answered. "The White Warg who underestimated a bunny's claws." He nodded to Bella. "Your dwarves shall prepare this fur for you as they see fit. I started the process on my return."
"We shall see to the rest if you show us where you wish us to do so," Thorin said.
As Beorn and Thorin spoke for a moment, Kili huffed a little crossing his arms.
"Something wrong, Kili?" Bella asked.
"He gave you and Bilbo nicknames," Kili said. "But he hasn't anyone else."
Beorn's laughter made the four jump a little. "Oh, but I have," the skin-changer told him. "You're a pup while your brother is a lion cub."
"And the other eleven?" Gandalf asked, his eyes twinkling as he continued to puff his pipe.
Beorn shrugged. "Unneeded." He then turned back to Thorin.
Bella exchanged looks with her brother and two dwarven princes.
"I guess that means we're his favorites?" Fili said with a shrug.
"Or we're the ones he tolerates most," Bilbo said.
Plans were laid for the next day, namely treating the warg skin and resting. Afterward a couple more songs were shared before everyone headed for bed. Bella once again settled into the sweet-smelling hay, Fili behind her. She decided that she was going to enjoy these carefree, safe moments for as long as she could.
Author's Note: Wow. I'd forgotten I'd made this chapter. Hopefully you enjoyed exploring some of the songs of Middle Earth. Though I will confess, the proposal song is actually borrowed from How to Train Your Dragon 2. I just fell in love with that song and decided to tweak some of the lyrics to fit dwarven culture and there you have it. I fully intend to have the full version of the song and dance written out for Part 3 of this story, but until then, if you want to have a better idea of what the song sounds like, and what heavily inspired the dance, just search the song on YouTube.
And while I didn't actually spell it out, the dwarves were actually being crazy with the song on purpose, just to ensure that any magic that may or may not be linked to the song and ritual would not be enacted.
I also had fun with Bilbo singing the song that he wrote and exploring a possible inspiration as to why he would write something so silly. And we learned a couple more nicknames that Beorn has made.
We'll be staying with Beorn for a couple more chapters. Any theories or thoughts? I would love to hear them.
PS: Oh, as of this posting I have written over 56,000 words for my NaNo project. Officially won the original challenge, and now just having to see if I can beat my own. Later, gators.