MMMG: And here is chapter 6 for everyone to enjoy. Thanks for all the reviews guys, like... 14 of 'em this time.
Okay, sorry if this chapter seems short, because it is. This chapter is mainly a filler, meant to bring Gandalf back in and get our dwarves and hobbit on the road. Next chapter, we'll be out of the Shire and probably talking about Thorin's first battle with Azog.
Azile Signer: By 'abuse' do you mean actual abuse or making the character badass awesome? Bilbo figures it out this chapter, and Thorin slowly warms up to him as the journey goes on. I'm thinking the Carrock will be the absolute latest for a confession.
Beloved Daughter: Gandalf won't be able to think of much, he's in shock.
EdithOfGames: I think I'll have it that Azog won't remember him at first glance, but then recognizes Bilbo's bow and arrows and figures out who he is.
Alaiana Potter: Tacky as Dumbledore? LOL! You've got it!
Nataly S. Potter: Not sure about the Khuzdul, but it is a possibility. Yeah, I like the quill to. The idea just popped into my head and I went with it.
Chapter 6
Bilbo woke the next morning with a yawn as he stretched. This wasn't his bedroom, this was the smoking room. Why was he…? Oh yeah, the dwarves came last night and he was going on the quest.
He was going on the quest!
Bilbo sprang up in excitement, a grin on his face. It was today! Bilbo grinned as he raced to the bedrooms and listened outside the doors. Yep, they were still sleeping. He would have just enough time to make breakfast before they left. Skipping to the pantry, Bilbo pulled out the supplies he had put aside for the meal and got to it.
Scrambled eggs, sausage links and patties, bacon, pancakes, French toast, and several fruit pastries that he had confiscated last night would satisfy their stomachs. Humming as he floated about the kitchen, Bilbo failed to see Thorin watching him from the doorway.
Thorin had felt his interest be perked by the hobbit last night. He had welcomed them and fed them, despite not truly expecting them, and provided a safe and comfortable place to sleep. And now he was preparing to feed them again before they left on their journey.
"What's that smell?" Dwalin asked quietly from behind Thorin.
"It seems our burglar is preparing a morning meal for us." Thorin replied back in the same low tone, not wanting to startle their host as he worked with the hot dishes.
"Do you know if he has any travel worthy items?" Dwalin asked. "A pack, a coat, anything?"
"Not yet." Thorin shook his head. "I'll ask when everyone is eating. He seems to be able to cook and eat at the same time, and is getting his fill of food now."
Dwalin nodded before going back to wake everyone else for the meal. Thorin kept watching Bilbo move about with practiced ease. The halfling was at home in the kitchen, so maybe he could help Bombur with the meals. Sighing, Thorin decided to make himself known and entered the workspace.
"Good morning." Bilbo smiled once he caught sight of the dwarf. "Are you hungry?"
"Yes." Thorin nodded his head once.
No point in denying it. Besides, this was probably going to be their last 'decent' meal for a while. And by decent, Thorin meant warm and filling, and not hurriedly heated over the remains of last night's camp fire and eaten from the saddle.
"Good." Bilbo nodded and pointed to the door leading outside with a pair of tongs. "Food is on the table, help yourself."
"Thank you." Thorin nodded his head again.
Balin, Dori, Nori, and Ori stumbled into the kitchen before Thorin could take a single step. It seemed that Nori was the only one suffering from a hangover since Dori had kept himself and Ori away from the ale, and Balin knew how much ale was too much for him. Bilbo shook his head as Nori clutched his head and squinted at the light.
"The herbs in the red tin will help with the hangover." Bilbo said as he flipped a few more pancakes and bacon.
"Thank you Master Baggins." Dori replied as he located the herbs and set some to seep in a teapot Bilbo had prepared just for that purpose.
Thorin went outside to eat with Ori as Dori prepared the tea. 10 minutes later, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Glóin, and Óin came into the kitchen next, all with different stages of being hung over. Bofur and Glóin were completely smashed like Nori, and maybe Bifur was as well, but it was hard to tell. Óin and Bombur had headaches, but at least they didn't squint at the faint light in the room like the others.
"Here." Dori pressed the mugs of tea into their hands. "Master Baggins said it will help."
"Thanks." Bofur sighed as he drank the mug down and refilled it, nursing that one a bit more slowly.
"Breakfast is outside if you're hungry." Bilbo said as he walked by with a tall stack of pancakes and a plate full of bacon and sausage.
"Oh, that smells good." Óin sighed as they followed Bilbo out.
Thorin had sat down and was eating as quickly as possible. He knew that once Fíli and Kíli got out there, breakfast was pretty much a food fight, and he wanted to eat, not pick eggs and sausage out of his hair and clothes. Dwalin came out into the yard, growling and cursing under his breath.
"What is it?" Thorin asked.
"Those boys locked the door, that's what!" Dwalin growled.
"Oh they did, did they?" Bilbo asked as he exited the house with some more eggs and French toast.
"I'm so sorry." Thorin tried to apologize.
"Just as long as they clean up when they're done." Bilbo shrugged his shoulders, talking a tad bit loud. "They'll have a lot of dishes to wash since the last one done is the one who cleans up."
A thud was heard, and Thorin looked to see a window was open. If the thud was anything to go by, it was the window to Bilbo's bedroom, and Fíli and Kíli had heard him. Thorin couldn't stop the smile as he heard the boys asking the other where their socks and shirts were. Those two…
"Master Baggins, do you have anything that you can use while you're traveling?" Thorin asked, having finished his food.
"My mother had some traveling things." Bilbo replied with a nod. "I'll go get them."
Bilbo quickly went back inside as Fíli and Kíli raced past him to the backyard, and the food, with the intention of not being the last one done eating. Bilbo went to his mother's Glory Box, and opened it up. Inside were the bow and quiver of arrows, the traveling coat, and the pack that wasn't packed yet, but would be very quickly. Gathering the items in his arms, Bilbo went back outside and to Thorin's side as he watched his nephews inhale their food.
"I'm back." Bilbo said, and Thorin turned his head to look and him and the items in his arms.
"What do you have?" Thorin asked.
"My mother's bow and arrows." Bilbo replied as he set them down on a flat stretch of ground. "What looks to be a traveling coat, and a back pack that has several tins. One for medicine, one for food, and one for papers or a journal."
"Good." Thorin nodded as he held up the traveling coat before handing it back to Bilbo. "Looks like it's been treated to keep out water, so you'll want that. Try it on."
Bilbo pulled the tan coat on and buttoned it up before checking the flexibility, finding it to be perfect since he had made all necessary adjustments weeks ago. Thorin nodded his approval and checked the pack over, finding it to be in good condition.
"You'll need a bedroll and a blanket, a set of spare clothing, and perhaps an oilskin cloak as well." Thorin said, seeing what Bilbo didn't have. "The rest of the pack will be filled with food and water."
"Very well." Bilbo nodded his head as he regathred everything. "I'll go pack up."
Bilbo went back inside, knowing that Thorin's eyes were on him. Oh sweet Mahal, why did that dwarf have to stare at him? It made him nervous and giddy at that same time. Wait, nervous and giddy? The only times Bilbo heard those two words in a sentence was when…
Oh Eru Ilúvatar! He had a crush on Thorin Oakenshield!
The realization made Bilbo stop in the doorway of his bedroom. Oh, by the Valar, this was not good! Bilbo knew he had always admired Thorin from a distance on the first journey, and then had 90 years to hate and cry for the dead dwarf. Now that it was out of his system, the only feelings that remained were the ones of loyalty, honor, and a willing heart. Hopefully he would be able to keep his feelings in check. He couldn't afford to be a distraction to Thorin during his quest… could he?
Shaking himself free of the thoughts, Bilbo grabbed the second set of traveling clothes he had made and placed them in the pack, along with two oilskin cloaks for Fíli and Kíli to use when it rained on them later, a bedroll, and a blanket, before he moved to his study. It was in the study that Bilbo found himself staring at three red leather bound journals. One was the medical journal, so that was coming with. One of the other two was the tale from last lifetime, and the other was the same journal with nothing written in it.
Bilbo was trying to decide if he was going to take the two journals with him or not. Ori was the official scrivener, so he really didn't need to bring the blank journal this time, but he wanted to record what happened as it happened this time around. And the other journal, well… Bilbo didn't know if he would survive this quest or not, so he was torn between leaving it home, where it would never get read, and taking it with so the company could warn everyone what was coming if he did perish.
Well, that settled it. He would take all of the journals and a small book on hobbit lore and legends for storytelling around the campfire. Thankfully, the book tin was able to hold all four books and the special quill.
He was officially packed.
"Mr. Baggins, Gandalf is here." Ori said as he tapped on the door.
"About time." Bilbo chuckled. "Do you know what he looks like?"
"Not yet." Ori shook his head. "Dori was the one who answered the door, and he sent me to get you."
"Alright then." Bilbo shouldered his pack. "Lead the way."
Ori nodded and began the walk to the entryway. Bilbo could hear laughing from the study, so that meant that whatever the fauntlings had done to him last night was good. Rounding the corner, Bilbo and Ori stopped and stared.
Oh sweet Eru Ilúvatar.
Gandalf had big pink and yellow bows braided into his hair. Big bows. That sparkled. His hair was also painted with many different colors, one could say it was a random-order rainbow, and his face was painted the same way. His clothes… well, Bilbo wasn't sure what had happened to Gandalf's gray robes, but he now wore a tacky looking maroon robe with orange and bright blue trimming. And all of Gandalf seemed to sparkle with glitter.
"Oh my…" Bilbo said as his eyes widened, finding himself believing that a fauntling had been listening in when he expressed his desire of what he wanted Gandalf to look like last night.
"Bilbo…" Gandalf gave such a pitiful whimper, and Bilbo's heart briefly ached since he had experienced the same one time after he turned 90, no thanks to Frodo.
"Go take a bath." Bilbo sighed, and Gandalf left without a word.
Once the door to the bathroom closed, all the dwarves but Balin and Thorin fell over as they laughed their butts off. Both dwarves were shaking their heads, but Bilbo could see they bother were smiling, glad to see the compensation Gandalf had gotten from Bilbo's kinfolk.
"Are you ready?" Thorin asked Bilbo.
"Yes." Bilbo nodded back.
"Good." Thorin replied and turned to address everyone. "Get ready to go. We leave once the wizard finishes his bath."
An hour and a half later, Gandalf still had some paint on his face and in his hair, and his robes were a cross between the maroon and his normal gray, but he looked a lot calmer.
While they had waited for Gandalf, and as the ponies were gathered and tacked up, Bilbo stopped at the Gamgee's to give Roper his instructions for the garden, and asked Hamfast to run to the inn to fetch the Bracegirdle's after he left. Leaving his friend's home, Bilbo retrieved his bow and arrows from Kíli, who was impressed at the craftsmanship of both items.
By then Gandalf had returned, and they mounted up. The line of ponies traveled east, away from downtown Hobbiton, but there were still farmers up and about who stared at the line of dwarves on ponies before going back to their own work.
"Mr. Bilbo!" Mr. Worrywart called with a grin.
"Good morning Mr. Worrywart." Bilbo replied as he halted Myrtle. "How goes it?"
"Wonderful." Mr. Worrywart replied, still grinning. "The grandkids had a grand time with Mr. Gandalf last night. Now where are you off to?"
"Well Mr. Worrywart…" Bilbo paused and smiled as he saw Thorin turn in the saddle out of the corner of his eye. "I'm going on an adventure."
Again.
MMMG: And that's the end of chapter 6. We have officially left Hobbiton!
Let me know what you thought. I'll read your reviews after I recover from staying up until 2 AM to get his posted.