Summary: Kori, sister of Dori, Nori, and Ori never expected to meet her One in the form of a Hobbit. The Master of Bag End.
A/N: Different Bilbo Baggins with a new name. Borfik Metalforge.
Chapter 1: The Master of Bag End
Borfik Baggins Took could not believe the nerve of Gandalf. He had responsibilities. He couldn't just leave without making arrangements for his business. The only highlight was Gandalf giving him two weeks' notice before the quest in helping the Dwarrow of Durin reclaim their rightful home.
You see, Borfik was a very different hobbit. In his bloodline, there were two Dwarrow ancestors. Their names had been Durin Deathless, who had been carved from Aulë's hand. Durin had been the only Dwarrow who had been carved without a wife. He had later found his One in a Hobbit lass of the Brandybuck bloodline. Her name had been Sage Brandybuck. The other Dwarrow Borfik was descent from was Brandobras. He had married into the Took family after he had found his One in Mirabelle Took. Now and then, the blood of Durin and Bandobras would emerge. Borfik was the first of the Took bloodline that had gained the Dwarrow bloodline and gifts in more than two thousand years.
Borfik was more Dwarrow than Holbytla, better known as Hobbit. Unlike other Hobbits, he could grow a beard, and he had to wear boots seeing as his feet aren't as tuff as a hobbits. He kept his hair long, down to the middle of his back. Many of the hobbits tried to get him to be more like them, but Borfik was never going to fit in their way of life, and he didn't try. He was proud of his ancestor and he wasn't going to hide that fact.
Needing to get everything in order, Borfik started making arrangements, seeing as he knew he wasn't coming back to the Shire. He has been wanting to leave since his parents passed into Yavanna's Gardens. The Shire and Bag End held too many memories for him to be able to move on.
First things first, Borfik needed to gather supplies, he was grossly under-prepared for what occurred (thanks to Gandalf), goodness that man had no idea the trouble he was putting Biorfik through. He had everything that had belonged to Durin and Bandobras, but he would need to make adjustments to the armor, and he would need a better sword seeing as Durin and Bandobras were a few centuries old. Borfik wouldn't be able to get what he needed from any of the Hobbit merchants, he would have to travel to Bree, something he didn't want to have to do. Or he could purchase the leather himself and make the armor, and go without the weapon until he arrived in Bree.
He would need enough leather for a rain-hood, he could still use his mother's traveling pack as it was still in great shape. Belladonna Took Baggins had been a remarkable Hobbit. She traveled for years before she married his father, Bungo Baggins. She had a bow and arrow that he could use, but it would be no good in his hands, not having shot an arrow since he was small and his mother arrive. He was more geared towards the sword, but with enough training, Borfik could use the bow if needed. He would need a cloak lined in leather and fur with some more pockets, maybe, to keep the necessities in, seeing as Borfik didn't want to chance losing more than half their supplies. He would need a warmer bedroll, enough dried foods to last the journey. Borfik knew he would need as much as he could carry. He would also need a new and bigger water skin.
Borfik's thoughts went about that manner for the better part of the night, whilst he stayed awake making lists and planning and drawing maps. He wrote a letter for his grandfather, the Thain, to explain how he would be leaving for quite a while, and instructions to NOT, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, allow anyone to think he was dead and to auction off his effects. He would not be coming back, so he also wrote that he would be sending for his belongings that he didn't want to part with.
Borfik left Bag End to Drogo when he came of age. Borfik did not want those Sackville-Baggins to get their money-grabbing hands on his family home. Borfik also left arrangements for his accounts, so he could send for it when he settled. He made arrangements for those he collected rent from and to manage his estates. If he hadn't, it would have been in absolute chaos, and his grandfather would have had to send one of Borfik's relations from Tuckborough who were known to be hostile or take advantage of Borfik's residents.
During the week, Borfik trained and packed, learning he had a knack for throwing knives, it comes naturally to him as stone-throwing did. He continued to stock up on all types of food, planning on throwing a feast for his guests and aired out the bedrooms, that would fit up to three comfortably seeing as Bag End had been built for a large family of twelve, but his mother hadn't been able to have more children after catching an infection a year after Borfik's birth.
He packed up everything he hadn't wanted to part with. The portraits of his parents and the portraits of Bandobras with a pint and his wedding portrait with his One, Mirabelle. He also packed the Portraits of Durin, along with the portrait of Durin with his One, Sage. He made sure to pack the family tapestry that shows all of his bloodlines. Borfik was proud of where he came from. He packed his mother's china set that has been handed down from mother to daughter of the Took bloodline. His mother's glory box and hope chest along his father's chair were packed into the wagon. Borfik made sure he had the letters and photo albums stored in a truck. His books, maps, his lamp that had belonged to his father who had been a scholar.
And seeing as he was the first Took descendant to have inherited the blood of Durin and Bandobras, Borfik packed up priceless jewelry, books, and weapons that had once belonged to them. The books were written in the language of the Dwarrow race. Khuzdul.
Borfik took one last look around before he knew that he hadn't forgotten to pack up anything else of value to him.
"This is as ready as I will ever be," he muttered, wondering when his guests would be arriving.
Chapter 2: The Company
As it turned out, Borfik had been right to have prepared as it was just a week later when the first of his guests arrived. He had been walking to Bag End with a small wagon full of food and ale when he saw someone stop just outside of the gate, no doubt reading the sign on the gate.
"You are the first to arrive. May I know your name?" he asked causing the dwarrow to startle and turn around holding his daggers out as if to defend himself.
"I thought you were a hobbit," Dwalin said, stunned. From what little he knew of Hobbits, they weren't able to grow beards.
"I am. When the rest of you arrive, I will explain why I am so different. Now, may I know your name? Come on in and please, leave the door open," he instructed as he wheeled the wagon inside into the kitchen to prepare the main course. He had already made desserts, and others for the company.
"Dwalin," he said. "At your service," he continued as he stared at all of the food on the table. Borfik could see he was hungry and he was glad that he prepared enough food for three dozen guests.
"My name is Borfik Baggins Took. Help yourself to anything you want. Bless the Green Lady, I prepared more than enough," he said before starting dinner. "I have to start the roaster outback. The weather cleared up, so we can have ourselves a party outside," Borfik said as he brought out his father's party table that told the story of the Green Lady and the Stone Father's courtship and marriage rites. It was in the languages of both hobbits and dwarrows. He made a note to himself to place the table in the wagon seeing as Lord Elrond would be arriving soon for his belongings.
Lord Elrond has been a friend of the Shire since he and his kin from Rivendell came and saved more than half of the Shire during the Fell Winter. It had been too late to help Borfik's parents, but thankfully, the elves and rangers saved the children and more than half of the elders and parents. They had been a blessing.
Borfik was brought out of his thoughts and focused on setting everything up. It took well up to an hour for everything to be ready for the company. Lanterns, tables for the food, ale barrels, anything, and everything. Dwalin was stunned. He and his kin haven't been treated well since the fall of Erebor.
"I see my brother. Will it be alright if I brought him back here?" Dwalin asked.
"Of course," Borfik said as he brought out the last of the chairs.
"Master Baggins. I am Balin, at your service," a dwarrow with silver hair and kind eyes introduced himself.
"You may call me Borfik, Master Balin," he said handing him a mug of ale.
"If I may say, that is a very dwarfish-sounding name," Balin said as they sat at the party table.
"That will be explained. I have the proof to back it up with my family trees that have been recorded from the time my people were sung into existence by the Green Lady," he said stunning Dwalin and Balin into silence.
"Your maker is the wife of our maker?" Dwalin asked. "Of course," Borfik said just as two other dwarrow stepped into the backyard.
"We are Fili and Kili," they said bowing. "At your service," they continued standing straight with mischievous grins on their faces. Borfik was reminded strongly of his kin in the Took and Brandybuck families. These boys had a wild side.
"Have a seat. I am Borfik," he introduced himself smiling as they looked at him in shocked disbelief.
"Are you a dwarrow?" they asked stunned. "That is a story for when the rest of the company to arrive," he said smiling as they tried to pout. "That will not work boys. You have never seen a faunt pout. They have the sweetest expressions around," he said chuckling as they pouted more.
Before too long, Gandalf arrived with many others behind them. "Borfik, my boy. These fine Dwarrow are Óin and Glóin, sons of Gróin. Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, next to them are Dori, Nori, Ori, and Kori," he introduced everyone as they seemed to be travel-weary from their journey.
Beautiful, Borfik thought looking at the beautiful Dam. She was perfect. She was the most gorgeous Dam he had ever seen. Borfik knew Kori was his One. The children of the Green Lady were gifted with dreams of their Ones when they came of age. He wasn't going to court her until he got to know her as a friend beforehand, and then ask her eldest brother for permission to court his One. In the place of the father, the eldest brother stepped up and made sure that nothing untoward happened outside of marriage.
"We seem to be missing one," he said finally drawing his eyes away from the Dam looking towards Gandalf.
"He made a stop on the way here," Gandalf explained. "He went to a meeting of our kin," Dwalin said expecting more of a response from Borfik but all he got was a smile and a nod.
"I can that you are all hungry, and I made more than enough food so help yourselves," Borfik said bringing out his flute playing the melody that has been in his head since he came of age. He had written it when he read how Erebor had been stolen from Durin kin. He called the song I See Fire.
A little over an hour later, Borfik saw someone wandering around aimlessly. "Who is that?" he asked causing everyone to look up seeing the figure walking around and recognized him as Thorin.
"Merciful Mahal. I will get him," Fili said laughing at his uncle's sense of direction.
"Tharkûn, you need a better map. I lost my way," Thorin says as he came into the backyard with his nephew before looking towards the Hobbit and was shocked. "This is the Hobbit? He looks like a Dwarrow," Thorin said trying to figure out which clan the hobbit came from.
"If you all will follow me, I will tell you my story and about two of my ancestors. We have to go inside for that because I know that you will need proof before you are to believe me," Borfik said walking towards the backdoor with the company. "Now, what I am about to tell you, not even Gandalf knows, so please, keep it to yourselves when we're on the road. I don't want anything that could want to harm the hobbits into the Shire," he explained getting their agreements before telling them of Durlin and Brandobras.
The company listened for what seemed like hours, stunned that their ancestors found their Ones in hobbits. They believed Borfik because the history was too detailed to have been made up. That would explain how Durin had thirteen children and more. Hobbits were incredibly fertile.
"I am the first in more than 2000 years to have inherited the Dwarrow bloodline. I am the first to have learned the languages also. I can see that you believe me but I would still like to show you my family tree," Borfik said leading the way to his office. The company was stunned. It was a large tapestry lining the wall. It was amazing. "Can you defend yourself? Can you use a weapon?" Thorin asked.
"Yes. My best are throwing knives and the sword. Granted, I haven't been able to learn a lot without a teacher, but Durin and Brandobras left basic instructions," Borfik explained.
"We will train you as we are traveling," Dwalin decided because there was no way, in Mahal's name would one of their own not know how to defend himself.
"I thank you. You may go back outside to eat, I have to pack the tapestry because I am not leaving it here. I have already decided, I will not return. My parents are no longer here and I have to wish to remain in the Shire without them. Master Oakenshield, a few of the families here wanted to move outside of Erebor and build their own communities because of the overcrowding in the Shire. You see, until a Hobbit lasses body changes after coming of age, she will have child after child. There is no longer any available land to build into or on, so Hobbits are having to move away," Borfik explained.
"They are more than welcome," Thorin said not wanting other people to wander aimlessly looking for a home.
"I thank you," Borfik said as he watched everyone leave the room. He put the tapestry back inside a truck and placed it into the wagon, before writing a letter to the Thain about Thorin's decision to let the hobbits more to Erebor.
"Borfik, what gifts have you inherited from the Dwarven blood?" Balin asked making him beam in pride.
"I will start with gifts from the Green Lady. I have my thick souled feet, though not as tough so I do wear boots. Exceptional hearing, I can hear from a distance of three hundred feet. I have an excellent aim for projectile weapons. I can sense evil, and I can sense life, the song of growing things. From my Dwarrow ancestors, I have the dark vision, stone sense, strength, and I run hot. Normally, Hobbits eat seven meals a day but I normally eat four, though not for the last couple of weeks. I have been conditioning myself for the journey. I'm a better fighter though you already know that I need a proper teacher so I can learn what I need, and I don't have the Durin sense of direction", he explained winking causing everyone to laugh, even Thorin.
"Can you fall under gold sickness?" Thorin asked. "No. I am primarily a child of the Green Lady. Though, I can protect you from it," Borfik said.
"Is the Arkenstone evil?" Dwalin asked causing Borfik to frown. "No. It is the heart of the mountain, where it was supposed to remain inside of the body. The mountain itself. But the dragon would have caused a taint, and I can cure that," Borfik continued. "How did Erebor feel and sound after her heart was removed?" he asked.
"Sick, hollow, and broken," Balin recalled in horror causing everyone to look sick at what their people caused.
"When we reclaim the mountain, this terrible mistake will be righted," Thorin declared before handing Borfik the contract. He made one small change. If he were to die, he would be burned, and his ashes spread to give life to the land outside of Erebor.
"Welcome, Borfik Baggins Took to the company of Thorin Oakensheild," Balin said causing everyone to cheer before going to bed.
"The rooms can fit up to three comfortably," Borfik said before heading to bed. They had an early morning, but he would make sure to get up early so they could have a filling breakfast for the journey.