Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any associated characters or concepts. Consider it disclaimed. Quotes in this chapter taken directly from The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.
Summary: On the way to the Undying Lands, Billa is eaten by a time-traveling sea monster. The elves on board attack the monster in retaliation, and it escapes by swimming into the past: several decades into the past. Billa wakes up in a sweat, gasping and frightened, only to realize that she is back in her thirty-three-year old body. What on earth is she going to do?
Chapter 7
As Billa and the newly-talkative Kili meandered down the rest of the street, Billa managed to learn that Kili was here with Dis, Thorin, Fili, and a small group of others that included Oin. They were staying at the Prancing Pony, had been there for three days and planned to stay until the end of the week while Thorin and Fili talked with envoys and messengers and learned news from other dwarf kingdoms. Kili, despite his still-bleeding nose (which he would mop at every now and then with her handkerchief in his right hand while she held his left arm), was boisterous and playful, and easily told her everything she wanted to know. For example, Thorin would be working in the forge tomorrow and taking commissions.
"Oh, Mister Kili, that's wonderful," she said cheerfully even as her heart skipped with a little bit of dread. "I've been searching for a dwarvish blacksmith. Are you sure he's any good?" she teased him lightly, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep from leaping to Thorin's defense.
Indeed, he spent the next several minutes singing Thorin's praises. She interjected her doubts every minute or so to keep him going.
"Mister Kili, you've convinced me that he has an eye for design, but I hardly think he'd be able to handle the details. That takes a very careful, patient, delicate hand and I can't say I'm convinced he could do it," she said.
Kili scoffed. "Of course he can do it! No one is so careful and patient as Uncle, and he's got calm, steady hands. Nothing phases him at all!" Kili's admiration and hero-worship of his uncle could not be more apparent.
"I suppose he could be careful enough with the little tools to get the detailing right, but I'm not sure he'd be able to forge anything useful, like a plough or an ax, Mister Kili. Those hammers sound too heavy to lift. Are you quite sure he's strong enough?"
"Oh yes Miss Baggins! He's the strongest dwarf I've ever seen, except maybe Dwalin of course, but Dwalin is a full-time warrior whereas Uncle is a k-," Kili caught himself quickly, "Well, Uncle is a warrior and a blacksmith. He takes care of my family, too. He takes care of a lot of dwarves actually, and if I grow up to be half the dwarf he is, I'll be lucky," Kili finished earnestly.
Billa smiled fondly, decided to stop needling him, and moved on to the next step of her plan- ensuring they would meet again. "You know, Mister Kili, I've been traveling all alone with just a walking stick, some trousers, a hat and a male name for protection. I've thought about learning how to wield a weapon, like a bow or a sword. You seem to be acquainted with a great many warriors. You wouldn't know anyone who could teach me, would you?"
Kili's chest puffed out, and he grinned down at her proudly, "Yes, of course I do! In fact, Miss Baggins, I should introdu-"
"KILI!" An almost-familiar voice boomed out like thunder. Beside her, Kili cringed and her bloodied handkerchief was quickly pressed to his face as he tried to hide his bleeding nose. A dark-haired, blue-eyed dwarrowdam stormed towards them with murder in her eyes. She loomed over Kili and glared, silently demanding an explanation.
"Miss Baggins," Kili mumbled as he looked at the ground, thoroughly deflated, "May I present-"
Billa cut him off. "You must be Mister Kili's parent, Dis," she said with a beaming smile. Dwarf women usually traveled as men and it was rude to blow their cover, but they were also a little offended when others automatically assumed they were male. She hoped the verbal ambiguity of the word parent would be enough to meet both requirements. "Let me tell you what a wonderful son you've raised. I was a little lost down the road a ways, and encountered a spot of trouble. Mister Kili here was kind enough to walk me back. He is so chivalrous. You must be very proud," Billa praised. Kili perked up a little. Dis, looking so much like Thorin, raised an eyebrow at Kili and said nothing, ignoring Billa completely. Faced with such a stern display from this unknown prospect, Billa decided to make her escape while she could.
"Ah look," she said gaily, "Here are my lodgings now. Thank you ever so much, Mister Kili, for walking me back. I very much enjoyed our conversation, and hope I will see you around soon. It was a pleasure to meet you, as well," she nodded towards Dis, hoping to avoid having to say her name and attach a Mister or Madam in front of it. "Goodbye!" she said, and she patted Kili's hand and walked inside.
Whew! She thought to herself. That was nerve-wracking. I only hope meeting Thorin tomorrow won't be nearly as bad. She knew she was kidding herself, but she could hope.
AN: I took the dates from the Appendices and did the math. The dragon came in 2770. Thorin was born in 2746, which means Thorin would have been 24 years old when the dragon came. That would be like 11 years old for a hobbit, or 6-7 years old for a human! He was just a kid! Which means he wouldn't really be able to remember Erebor with any accuracy at all.
