Chapter Thirty-one: Court Me Like a Hobbit
Bella lay among the swaying flowers, watching the clouds float by. Somewhere in a more remote area, the dwarves were curing the warg skin. Thankfully, Bella had been allowed to sit out this preparation.
A familiar head, half-framed with blossoms entered her line of sight. "Rested, sister mine?" Bilbo teased.
Bella smiled, propping herself on her elbows. "Very well, thank you," she answered. "What's the occasion?" she asked, touching the flowers Bilbo wore. He had been wavering between the courting-age practice of flowers tucked behind his right ear and wearing them as a confirmed bachelor style of a scarf for the past few years. Apparently he was feeling young today.
"We missed the Midsummer celebrations," he said, "and I've been wanting you to show your courtship in the hobbit fashion for some weeks now."
She laughed. "Alright. Let me find my flowers. I don't suppose there's any edelweiss."
"None that I have seen," Bilbo said. He chuckled. "With what Gandalf shared with me, it makes so much sense now."
"And what would that be?" Bella asked.
"Flowers mark our Ones," Bilbo answered. "More often than not, a hobbit's favorite flower somehow describes their One to a t."
Bella's eyes flew open. "Edelweiss mean courage and devotion, two of Fili's best traits."
"Not to mention how they thrive on mountains," Bilbo pointed out.
Bella laughed. "Oh, how did we not suspect before now?"
"Apparently what little is known about Hobbit Ones is passed down from parents to children once they're either ready for courting or come of age," Bilbo said with a shrug. "You and I weren't anywhere near ready to settle down, at least that's what we thought before Mama and Papa died. And after they were gone, no one thought to tell us about it."
"Probably assuming Mama and Papa had already told us once we hit our mid-tweens," Bella figured. "So, any particular flower you favor?"
Bilbo shrugged. "I guess I'm destined to be a bachelor. I can't really say I have a definite favorite flower. Which may be for the best if I'm going to be making regular trips from the Shire to Erebor to see you and my nieces and nephews."
"Or, maybe you'll just find love like those without Ones do," Bella said. "Now, I'll use some asters and borage as replacement for edelweiss. Some ambrosia, arbutus, and ferns will fill it in a bit."
"I'll leave you to it then," Bilbo said. "I'll go speak to Fili as well. Wouldn't do to have you without a sprig behind your ear while your One wears his."
Bella laughed as she headed off for her search. Oh, yes, she'd dreamed of doing this as a child when she wasn't dreaming of grand adventures. Now, she would see about fulfilling that little dream.
Bilbo headed towards where he'd last seen Fili. He briefly touched the ring in his pocket as a small part of him winced. How could he tell his sister that he found himself favoring oleander and monkshood, flowers of warning and danger? Was the little ring he found in the goblin tunnels more than an invisibility trinket? Would it take over his life? He was already aware of his near constant need to be assured that it hadn't escaped him.
Since Gandalf shared what he knew of Hobbit Ones the morning after their rest at the Carrock, Bilbo couldn't recall what blooms he had favored in the Shire. All he knew was that now, he was drawn to the two flowers all hobbits avoided with a passion.
His fingers went to the delicate petals behind his ears. Violets, cornflowers, crocus, dandelion, and fern. Blossoms associated with happiness, things that were safe. Maybe he should have found a white feather lying about or some tansy. He was starting to get a nagging feeling that something wasn't right about this ring, but he couldn't bring himself to mention it to anyone.
Bilbo shook himself out of his dark thoughts as he caught sight of Fili. The blond dwarf was sitting in the grass, his fingers lightly brushing over a cluster of blue and white violets. The hobbit smirked. His sister could be modest when she wished, definitely faithful and forever true to those she'd pledged her word, not to mention eager to take a chance.
"Discover a favorite flower?" he guessed.
Fili jerked in surprise before pink dusted his cheeks. "I'd never really given flowers much thought," he admitted. "But since we've been here, these little flowers have fascinated me."
"How us hobbits find our Ones," Bilbo said. "Though Bella and I didn't know until recently about it."
Understanding flickered through Fili's eyes. "Ah, time for Hobbit courtships since we're here for a couple more days."
"Exactly," Bilbo said. "I'll help you pick out flowers and weave them into a sprig for Bella to wear."
"Alright, so where do we start?" Fili asked.
"Those violets are a must since they represent Bella," Bilbo said. Roughly an hour passed as he taught the prince about flower meanings and helped him pick out the appropriate blooms from Beorn's selection. Arbutus and fern would echo Bella's with gloxinia and a couple thornless, purple roses. Those last two made Bilbo wish he had been there to see Bella and Fili's first interactions.
As they finished fitting everything together, Bilbo asked, "Do you consider yourself capable in the kitchen?"
"You mean for the courtship meal?" Fili asked. "I guess that would depend on Bella's favorite foods."
"I'll be on hand to help, just as I'll ensure Thorin and Kili are for Bella," he answered. "We just need to ask Beorn for the use of his kitchen."
"So, Fili loves apple tarts," Bella said, setting to work peeling and chopping apples. Her flowers from Fili fluttered a bit at her ear.
"Actually, he likes most anything with apples," Kili said.
"Pies are a rare treat," Thorin added. "Simply because of their size and the amount of sugar needed."
Bella nodded. "Meat dishes won't be an option," she thought aloud. A thought came to her. "What if—" She looked over at the vegetables.
"What are you thinking, sister?" Kili asked.
"Some hobbits refuse to eat meat, but still can't resist the mouthwatering tastes of meat," she answered. "They shared some recipes. Bilbo and I have tried them. We both agreed they don't quite match the real thing, but under the circumstances, they just might do. What meat does he consider a treat?"
"Venison," Thorin answered.
"Alright." She raced over to the heaping piles of vegetables and pulled out the needed vegetables. "Kili, can you mince?"
"Mince?" Kili asked in confusion.
"I help Dis sometimes," Thorin said.
"Alright, Kili, slice and deseed these vegetables. Thorin, start mincing these and then mince Kili's once he's done," she said. As they started, she continued with the apples. "Does he like a particular bread?"
"Soft rolls," Kili said.
"Vegetables?"
"If he had to choose, sweetened carrots," Thorin said.
"How does he like potatoes?"
"Steamed with herbs. Never got the names from Dis," Thorin said.
"That's a start at least," Bella said, finishing the apples. She turned when she felt Kili and Thorin staring at her. "What?"
"You prepped nearly a dozen apples within that many minutes, and took a break in the middle," Thorin said while Kili stood shocked.
"I'm a hobbit," she said. "There are very few exceptions to the rule that all hobbits are expert cooks and bakers. Like some may believe dwarves were born with mining tools or weapons in their hands, they would believe hobbits were born with cooking utensils in theirs. Now, keep chopping while I get started on the rolls and carrots."
Bella mixed water, a drop of vanilla, and brown sugar together before adding a pat of butter to it. Satisfied, she set it over the fire to melt. She started not only the dough for the rolls but also the pastry for the pie. Yes, there was most certainly enough apples for a pie. And it would provide enough slices for the Company, Gandalf, and Beorn to have a slice. Which was only proper, since it was an unspoken tradition that unless the intended wished to hoard the dessert, it was shared with the intended's family.
As the bread dough rose, she put the pie crust into a large pan, pressing the dough into the perfect fit. As she layered the apple slices, she gently spritzed them with lemon juice for flavor and slow the browning. She whipped up a sauce of oil, sugar, and cinnamon which she generously poured into and over the heaping apples. As she coated the upper crust with the remnants of the sauce, she looked over to Thorin and Kili to see the younger near drooling at the pie.
She laughed as Thorin elbowed him, causing Kili to focus on his attempts of mincing once again. She laid the upper crust over the small mountain of apples and carefully trimmed the access off before she pinched the edges into a rough semblance of a rope. Six slashes for venting before she topped the mountain with a delicate edelweiss fashioned from the leftover crust. The rest of the crust, she rolled and sliced in half for misshapen roses before smearing the top of each with the final bits of sauce.
She presented the treats to Thorin and Kili. "Some of the spoils," she said. "I'll take over the mincing for a bit."
"Thank you," Thorin said, gingerly accepting the sticky treat.
"Yes, thank you," Kili said, eagerly biting into it. His eyes widened. "Fili is going to love this! I'm not crazy about apples, but this tastes divine."
Bella laughed, wiping her hands on a damp cloth. "Happy that you approve." She looked over the dwarves' work. Not quite as fine as a hobbit would mince, but well enough to start off. She minced the last of the vegetables, keenly aware of her future-in-laws' wide-eyed stare as her knife flew. She then put it all in a pot, filled it with just enough water, and hung it over the fire to simmer.
Seeing that her carrot sauce was nearly ready, she chopped up a fine collection of carrots and tossed them into the pot to soften and candy. She checked her bread dough. Deciding it could rise a little more, she turned to the oven that Thorin and Kili had started up after finishing their treats. Opening the door, she held her hand inside to test it. "Just a little more wood to help it heat properly," she said.
She turned to rummage through the spices. She found some of the most common seasonings for venison. After careful deliberation, she mixed some of the spices into the vegetable mix. She then mixed those spices and a few others into a bowl of oil.
She tested the oven again, satisfied with the heat, she slid the pie in to slowly bake. She chopped some potatoes and popped them into water filled with herbs. Setting them aside to soak, she tested her bread dough again. Satisfied, she pulled the dough out and kneaded it once again before cutting out her rolls. Placing the rolls on trays, she brushed a thin layer of honey over top each lump before sliding them into the oven beside the pie.
She checked her carrots before turning to her vegetable venison. She drained the water off, having Thorin tip the pot while she pressed all the water out with a spoon. She then took the entire, discolored mixture and shaped it into several "cuts," mixing it with the seasoned oil to bind it together. Even as she finished with a final bit of salt and pepper as she cooked and seared it, she winced. As humiliating as it was, she would have to ask Fili not to judge her venison preparation skills on what she served tonight. She would not blame him if he tossed it out, even if most hobbits would view it as bad luck for their future. But . . . if he were to hoard another of the dishes she offered, it would balance out. Not that she really put much stock in the old wives' tales she heard. But it still made her nervous.
Carrots finished, she moved them to the side, but still close enough to the fire to stay hot. She then put the potatoes on to steam.
"Most impressive, sister."
She turned to smile at Bilbo. "Have you and Fili started on the other end?"
"I am not answering that," Bilbo answered. He took a deep breath through his nose before breathing it out his mouth. "A scrumptious feast if I ever smelled it."
"I'm almost surprised," Kili said.
"Oh, no," Bella said, waving a wooden spoon at the dwarf. "None of you baker's dozen are allowed to base your opinions on my cooking based on the night you all invaded Bag End. Gandalf didn't see fit to give us all proper warning so we didn't have opportunity to prepare a feast worthy of guests."
"Gandalf didn't give you any warning at all?" Thorin asked.
"Aside from dropping by to say he was looking for someone to share in an adventure just hours before he sent you to wreck my sister's evening?" Bilbo answered. "No. Believe me, if I had known that a troop of dwarves would come calling, I would have been at home. Even if I would have been more flustered than Bella about the whole affair."
Thorin scowled. "I may have to have word with our wizard."
"And you, brother," Bella said, "should probably get back to Fili."
Bilbo sighed with what could only be resignation. "I am off then."
Bella bit back the questions she wanted to ask. Traditionally it was bad form to ask about another's courtship meal. But she still wondered what was happening on the other end of Beorn's large kitchen.
Fili knew he was doing horribly. The fact his future brother-in-law had retreated to "check on" Bella was a barely disguised escape. He couldn't even properly cut tomatoes or cheese for Bella's favorite appetizer. Forget the raisin and cinnamon bread, steamed vegetables, creamy potatoes, and the chicken dish. They were in the home of a skin-changer. He couldn't even attempt a meat dish, possibly the only thing that he could do well.
He sank to the floor, allowing his head to sink into his hands and knees. He couldn't do this. His fingers dusted over the petals of the flowers Bella had given him. He was making an utter mess of this.
"Is the lion cub having trouble?"
Fili looked up to see Beorn crouching beside him. He sighed leaning his head back. "I'm having trouble with the cooking side of hobbit courting traditions," he said. "I had thought that I had passing kitchen skills, but it turns out that I am actually awful at it."
"Is little bunny or rabbit helping?" Beorn asked.
"Bella's not allowed to help since it is for her, not to mention she's working on her selection of food for me," Fili answered. "Bilbo probably didn't realize just how bad I was before we started."
"What are you making?" Beorn asked.
"A steamed vegetables, basically carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and beans," Fili started listing. "Creamy potatoes. Raisin and cinnamon bread. Something that is just a slice of tomato, white cheese, and a leaf stacked together. Oh, and sugared blueberries."
"That is quite a bit for a dwarf," Beorn noted.
Fili sighed. "And unfortunately, I don't know where to start."
"Carrots and potatoes," Beorn said.
"Huh?" Fili stared at him in confusion.
"Carrots and potatoes are the hardest vegetables," Beorn said. "Get the carrots steaming first, skin the potatoes then boil them until they are soft."
Fili blew out a breath. "Alright," he muttered. He pulled himself up and under Beorn's instruction, he got the carrots cleaned and chopped before tossing them into a steamer. The skinchanger than showed him an easy way to peel potatoes by slicing the skin and letting them boil a few minutes before pulling the skins off. While waiting for the potato skins to be ready for peeling, Beorn showed him how to break apart broccoli and cauliflower without a knife.
By the time Fili was peeling the potatoes, Bilbo returned and started gathering the ingredients for the bread. Then at their instruction, Fili chopped the potatoes into chunks before tossing them in the water again for the proper cooking.
Bilbo showed him how to test the carrots and how to sprinkle a pinch of salt over them for richer flavor. They tossed in the broccoli and cauliflower. Then a lesson in snapping beans.
Under careful supervision, Fili slowly mixed the ingredients for the bread as Beorn kept an eye on the carrots and potatoes. As the dough was set aside to rise, Bilbo taught him how to mix thick cream and butter together to make a sauce that he would stir into the potatoes.
Once the potatoes were declared soft enough, Fili learned how to mash them. Salt and more butter was added along with a splash of fresh milk. After Bilbo declared it smooth enough, Fili stirred in the sauce.
Setting the potatoes aside to stay warm, Bilbo taught him how to knead the raisins into the dough before letting it rise again. A couple sprinkles of salt over the vegetables as they added the beans. A second round of trying to chop tomatoes and balls of cheese into slices. (Bilbo munched almost madly on the horribly misshapen tomato slices from earlier.)
Beorn gave them a plate to stack the tomato, cheese, and leaf together ("Fresh basil, Fili. Not just any leaf. Fresh basil," Bilbo said).
Then they flattened the dough to sprinkle a layer of a cinnamon and sugar mix overtop before rolling the dough up. The cylinder was then cut in half to fill two bread pans, after which they were slid into the oven to bake.
Finally, Fili took a bowl of blueberries and liberally covered them in sugar. After tasting the white grains just to make sure it wasn't salt. That was the last thing he needed.
Stepping back during the short time they had before the bread was finished, Fili noted all the clean up he had to do. He caught Bilbo slightly shaking his head in despair. He bit back a sigh. Clearly, a hobbit's kitchen would never look like this.
He pushed it aside, rolled his sleeves up again, and started gathering up the dirty dishes. Assuring himself he had everything, he stacked it all on a tray and took it to the central wash basin. His heart lightened as he saw Bella also coming with a stack of dishes. "About finished?" he asked.
She jumped a little before nodding with a smile. "Just a couple finishing touches. You?"
"Only thanks to Beorn and Bilbo," Fili said setting the dishes in the large basin. He started working the pump so the dishes could start soaking. "Either I'll need lots of lessons or you are the one in the kitchen," he said. He couldn't look at her as he confessed, "About the only thing I tend to be remotely good at apparently is meats and I can't even show off that."
"Maybe once we pass through Mirkwood then," Bella suggested, putting her own dishes in. "I was a little creative with the meat dish, but I won't blame you if you don't like it. I'll only ask that you give me another chance when we can actually have meat."
"Agreed," Fili said. "Dare I ask if there are any intricacies to a courtship meal?"
"According to old wives' tales, it is bad luck if the person you made the meal for rejects one of your dishes," Bella said. "But if they decide they like a dish so much they hoard it, that balances it out. I tend not to worry about those old tales too much."
"And we both already established that the meat dish is our current weak link," Fili said.
Bella nodded. "So I believe we should be safe," she said. "Not to mention we have enough old wives' tales in our favor from your people, I think it can balance out anything my hobbit traditions have trouble with. Now, let's get some hot water and soap for these dishes."
The next few minutes were spent scrubbing at the dishes they had dirtied. They talked and laughed about everything and nothing. Bella explained how Bilbo, Thorin, and Kili would be preparing their table for them so that they could properly surprise each other with the dishes they made. Fili blew clouds of bubbles over to her, earning him a smattering of water droplets. Only after they were drying their hands did she explain that she was holding back so he wouldn't need to attend dinner in wet clothes. That led to more laughter.
However that only lasted until they started for the room just off the main room where Beorn had offered them at least a semblance of privacy. Then Fili's stomach started to tie into knots. He hoped that he hadn't completely ruined Bella's favorite dishes.
Bella breathed in the lovely mixture of aromas. She told herself not to try naming the scents because she didn't want to ruin the surprise.
"So, how do we do this?" Fili asked, his palm sweaty in her hand. "Do we sit and then reveal our dishes, or do we reveal what we made and then sit?"
"Reveal then sit," Bella answered. She gently squeezed his hand. "Do you want to go first?"
"Just to get the mortification out of the way," he said.
The table had two separate cloths covering the dishes. Fili peeked under one, blew out a long breath, then lifted the entire cloth away. All of Bella's favorite dishes, save chicken were laid out before her. The broccoli and cauliflower may be a little wilted. The tomato and mozzarella slices uneven. The potatoes a little dry. The bread a bit burnt. The blueberries possibly had a little too much sugar. But it didn't matter. Fili had made it all. He had done his best and made her one of her favorite meals, when he really didn't need to.
Bella hugged him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "It's wonderful, thank you," she said.
He smiled lopsidedly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't know how to do much of it without Beorn or Bilbo telling me what to do," he said. "And I'm pretty sure I at least partially ruined parts of it."
She stopped him, pressing a finger to his lips. "It's all wonderful because you made it, even when your traditions didn't say you had to."
His eyes fell as his smile evened and pink dusted his cheeks. "I at least had to give you some of your hobbit traditions." He looked at her then. "Now, amaze me with your dishes," he said. "For I'm sure your talent will shine where the dwarven traditions don't let you."
Bella smiled as she took hold of the final cloth and threw it off with a flourish. She relished Fili's wide eyes and gaping mouth.
"I knew your dishes had to be the owner of the amazing smells," he said. "But I never imagined . . ."
"Don't speak too soon," she warned, still smiling. "My vegetable venison may have you changing your mind."
His face twisted in confusion. "That's a contradiction, isn't it? Vegetable venison?"
Bella allowed a shiver of distaste travel through her. "Honestly, it should be," she confessed. "But hopefully the seasoning I use will be to your liking."
"Any serving rules?" Fili asked.
"We just help ourselves to the dishes made for us," Bella answered. "If there is something we particularly like, we offer it to the other."
"Alright," Fili said.
Together they filled their plates. As they ate, Bella inwardly acknowledged that her beloved would never stand a chance in any Shire fairs when it came to food. But all of it had that special flavor of love that kept her feasting. She made sure to share the stacked salad with him, cutting one in half and putting it in his mouth herself, and a spoonful of the sugared blueberries.
The salad he shivered at, saying it needed more than rabbit food, but his eyes widened at the blueberries, acknowledging that he might have put a bit too much sugar in.
He took a few bites of the "venison" before discarding it, though he invited her to try it herself, saying he enjoyed the spices and could almost imagine them on a true cut of meat. Everything else he ate with gusto, singing her praises, making her blush with pleasure. He shared a bite of the candied carrots and one of the soft rolls with her. He marveled at the pie crust flower atop the pie before Bella cut him a slice.
She watched as he practically melted as soon as he put a single bite in his mouth.
"That is divine! I am going to be apologizing to Ama," he said. "I'll never be able to eat another of her apple pies again without wishing it was your pie. I am hoarding this. I am not sharing this unless I absolutely have to."
Bella grinned broadly. "I hoped you would like it," she said. "I used an old family recipe." She stopped when she noticed Fili holding a forkful of the pie out to her. Stunned, she allowed her mouth to drop open much like earlier so he could share it with her. Somehow she managed to recover so she didn't look like an idiot as she chewed and Fili returned to his pie.
Yes, it was considered good luck to share the dishes that they favored with each other, expected even. But to be given a bite of the hoarded dish . . . many old gossips claimed that to be the best possible luck, a sign of a connection so deep that none save Eru Himself could break it.
As she helped herself to more sugared blueberries, she felt her face warm to the tips of her ears. She wasn't sure if she could bring herself to share that bit of hobbit tradition. But there was no denying that the pleasure of that surprise was enough to make a new warmth flood her entire being. How was it that she had been so blessed to have this scamp barge through her door and claim her as his? She could only beg Mahal, Yavanna, and Eru that they be allowed a lifetime together.
Author's Note: And, Bella and Fili have just courted in the way's of Hobbits. It was something that I realized just as I was about to send them into Mirkwood, Bella has courted Fili in the dwarven way, but they had yet to court in the hobbit traditions. I hope you had the same fun I had of pulling this together.
I did some serious research into the language of flowers, at least as far as Google would allow me and I fear that I still do not have a Hobbit level of knowledge. Here are the flower translations for Bella and Fili. Edelweiss means courage and devotion (definitely couldn't pass on this blossom, especially since it is a mountain flower). Violets have a couple different meanings based on color, but what I chose translate to modesty, watchfulness, faithfulness, I will ever be true, and let's take a chance. (Wow, so much to say from such a tiny flower.) Ambrosia means your love is given back/returned. Arbutus, thee only do I love. Fern translates to magic, fascination, confidence and shelter. Fili of course had to include gloxinia and a thornless purple rose because both mean love at first sight.
Bilbo's flowers are more disheartening since the Ring has started to slowly lay claim to him. Oleander translates to caution. Monkshood is warning him, beware, a deadly foe is near. And since he can't bring himself to tell even his sister the truth he believes he deserves a white feather which while not a flower indicates cowardice and some tansy that means "You make me sick to my stomach."
If I got anything wrong concerning the baking and cooking, my sincerest apologies. I am somewhere between Fili and Bella when it comes to my being in the kitchen. I am not as clueless as Fili, but I am also not the master chef that Bella is. And I have no idea what goes into making veggie meat, not to mention this is some far back medieval period so I may be wrong altogether. But I tried. I hope you appreciated Fili's, Bella's, and my efforts. And any Middle Earth/Hobbit book fans who wish to protest the apples: shush, please. I am aware and I know what I'm doing.
Next chapter should see at least a wiggle towards further plot within the book and film realms.
In other news, I have now written over 71,000 words on my NaNo project. I am acknowledging that unless I can churn out ten thousand words a day between now and the end of the month, I will not reach my personal goal. But I shall not bemoan lost writing time because I managed to spend a glorious Thanksgiving Day weekend with extended family, including some who are usually on the other side of the continent. So after this, when I am not "adulting" at my paying jobs, I shall be doing my best to set my nose to the grindstone and at least see how close I can get. I'll let you know my results next week.
Looking forward to seeing your reaction to this chapter.