Chapter 2

Bilbo was nearing his forty-third birthday, middle age for a Hobbit; Bilbo was quite aware that he was still a child in the eyes of a Dwarf.

Bilbo huffed and wondered, yet again, who his father was. Belladonna Baggins had made sure that Bilbo was a perfectly even mixture of Dwarf and Hobbit. She had often teased and joked and called him Her Little Dwobbit. Bilbo closed his eyes and exhaled his pipe smoke. Only for it to come back into his face.

"Oh Gandalf…" He moaned. He glared up at the Wizard. "What are you doing here? I already learned Khuzdul."

"What? Not even a good morning? Ah well, it is perhaps for the best. I have never understood that particular greeting. It could mean an innumerable amount of things. That this morning is good, or you are expecting it to be a good morning whether I wish it or not? Or, perhaps, you are claiming that this is a morning to be good on?"

Bilbo sighed. He had long gotten used to Gandalf's antics, being forced to spend time with the senile, old Wizard, who had taught him the secret language of the Dwarves, as well as, their sign language.

"All of them at the same time, I suppose. Now, what can I do for you?" Bilbo looked up at Gandalf silently hoping it was only tea that the old man wanted.

Gandalf chuckled. "You are now forty-three years old." His eyes sparkled. "It is time for you to…go on an adventure."

Bilbo hopped to his feet, coughed multiple times on his smoke, quickly gathered his mail from the box, and rushed up the steps to slam the door in Gandalf's face.

"You're father will be leading the quest."

And just like that, Bilbo froze. "You knew all this time?"

"You did not need to know all this time."

Bilbo sighed and shook his head. "Gandalf, I cannot just leave the Shire. I have duties to my grandfather, to the Thain!"

"I understand. Which is why, I spoke to him first. He thinks it's an excellent idea for you to go on an adventure. Besides, think of it as bonding time with your father."

Bilbo turned slowly, staring at Gandalf. "Bonding time with the Dwarf who never actually married my mother, and yet, got her pregnant anyways and abandoned her?" He raised an eyebrow.

Gandalf frowned. "Belladonna allowed you to think such drivel?!"

Bilbo realized he hadn't invited the Wizard in. "Oh bother this! Come in! Come in!" Once they were seated with tea and small pastries, Bilbo leaned back in Bungo's old chair and listened to Gandalf.

"Your father married Belladonna. However, her grandfather was growing old and she decided to return to the Shire." Gandalf sighed. "I know your father. He thinks that Belladonna, along with the child, died during the birth. The reason why Belladonna left in the first place was because of how she had been treated by his people."

Gandalf sighed heavily. "That is only half right. Belladonna Baggins married your father, Thorin Oakenshield, but, when she found out that she was pregnant, she decided that giving birth to you in the Blue Mountains was far too dangerous for you. She did not want you to grow up among Dwarves who couldn't accept a Hobbit as their Queen."

Bilbo started coughing on his tea. "Queen?!"

Gandalf leveled him with a bushy browed glare. "Yes, Thorin Oakenshield is the King of the Durin Line, of Erebor, and Lord of Thorin's Halls. Stop interrupting." He huffed. "Now, where was I? Oh! Belladonna knew it to be too dangerous, so she moved back silently one night and stayed in Bag End. Thorin tried looking for her, but the Thain refused to cooperate. Thorin didn't know that the Thain was Belladonna's father. He only went to the old Hobbit, because the Thain was the leader of the Shire."

Bilbo rolled his own eyes slightly. "So, my father gave up and went back to his palace?"

"Halls. And no. He went to Rivendell hoping that Lord Elrond would tell him where Belladonna was, which Lord Elrond refused to do. Lord Elrond later informed Thorin that Belladonna had died. And, as per requested by the Thain, Lord Elrond told Thorin that the child, a baby boy, died in childbirth along with Belladonna."

Gandalf frowned slightly in thought. He had, of course, omitted certain things from his story. Little worries that Belladonna told him, about Thorin being overly jealous of anyone she spoke to. Little worries like Thorin might obsess over Bilbo and prevent him from learning anything about Hobbits, keeping him completely Dwarf.

Belladonna had been afraid of loosing her roots and so, she had returned to them. Taking Bilbo with her. It had been the Thain's idea to lie to Thorin. Belladonna hadn't known until it was too late to tell the truth without damaging the political ties between the Shire and the Blue Mountains.

Bilbo sighed. "I suppose we'll be meeting them somewhere?"

"Yes. They are all coming here. Tonight."

Bilbo glared at Gandalf. "If I had refused, you would have still sent them here, wouldn't you?"

Gandalf coughed a little. "I don't know what you mean." Bilbo smirked.

"I bet you don't."

They sat and talked quietly about this and that until it was time for Gandalf to leave. He scratched a rune on the door and left. Bilbo sighed and then turned to the nearest mirror. His mother had always said that he had the Durin eyes, cheek bones, and nose. However, the forehead, and the jaw and the ears were all hers.

His hair was darker blond than it would have been, that was for sure. Belladonna had taught him how to braid his hair. She had made sure he know how to carve, forge, and make anything just as good, as any Dwarf. However, Bilbo couldn't help but feel inadequate for his knew journey.

With his father.

Bilbo sighed and leaned his forehead against a wall. How would Thorin react when he finally discovered the truth?

Bilbo didn't mind admitting that he was scared.

Poor Bilbo…

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Ink…