Bag End and Raven Tree
The three dwarrow and Tauriel left The Great Smials of Tuckborough just before sunset. Of course if was Highday and many Market stall-holders called a greeting to the Bag End group. It had been a long day negotiating with Fortimbras and Thorin was grateful he had brought the letters from Erebor and The Blue Hills with him. Having to explain to Fortimbras that he had Elrond doctor the contract he had with Bilbo was hard, even harder was telling him why.
Fortimbras was justifiably angry with him. Reparation had to be made and eventually it was decided that Thorin would personally front the cost of having a smial built for the Ereborean Envoy. Thorin agreed on the condition that the title be Dwarrow Envoy, his sister would speak for all dwarrow, not just Erebor. Thorin was not terribly happy that the smial would be next door to Bag End, but the ravens had already claimed the cedar tree in the vacant plot. They could start construction any time on what Fortimbras' paperwork labelled the Raven Tree Smial, Fíli thought that a better title than The Dwarf Smial. They all agreed.
After luncheon outside under a willow tree, the younger members of the group started work on a floor plan, they wanted a large parlour and kitchen with a number of bedrooms. A master (or in this case mistress) suite including bedroom, bathroom and dressing room. At least 3 dwarrow/hobbit sized rooms, two Men-sized rooms to accommodate Gandalf and any Men or rangers that come to visit. Tauriel suggested two bathrooms, one for dwarrow and hobbits and the other Men-sized. Fíli obviously missed his mother as he suggested a suite of rooms that he, Kíli and Tauriel could share if they wanted to visit, with a parlour, two bedrooms and a bathroom.
While they planned all this Thorin and Fortimbras braved the market place so Thorin could order some furniture suitably sized for dwarrow and some for Men, too. He also spotted some fabric that he knew Dís would like and arranged for a set of curtains and a duvet to match. Some plates and a delicate Tea service were a must have for any Envoy and he approached the stall-holder matron, after being shown many different patterns, he decided on a simple design, white with Durin blue trim and gold edging. By that time his patience was running low, so he and Fortimbras set off back to The Great Smials. Dís could choose anything else she wanted when she got here, he'd done the basics.
Many hours after arriving, they were finally heading for Bag End, their pack pony well laden.
It was well after Tea and darkness was close when Master Bilbo Baggins, also known as The Burglar Baggins, finally rounded the last bend and Bag End came into sight.
Too many hobbits had spoken to him on his way home and while that wasn't unusual, it seemed they had him mixed up with someone else. Questions about Courting, Weddings, Gifts, intended's, husbands, nephews, brides, Woods… he had no idea what was going on. He wasn't getting married and he had no siblings to give him nephews. It was all too much. He just thanked everyone for the greeting and kept Dove headed for home.
He nudged Dove into the vacant plot next to Bag End and he heard a bird screech for a moment or two, but was just too tired to care. He stripped the saddle and gear off his little mare and gave her a cursory rub down, all he wanted was to fall into his own bed. No more strange beds, no more bed rolls, no more questions, no more not being home.
The little hobbit pulled a plank across the hole in the hedge as he made his way to his smial. Up the steps and in the door. He dropped his pack on the entrance floor and hung his cloak on the pegs with the others. He pushed boots aside to stand Sting in the corner with his shield. A few more steps had him in the kitchen, noting that the stove was lit he turned the tap for hot water to the bathroom and while he ran a bath he raided the pantry for a snack. A scone, a sausage or two and some cold roast potatoes were washed down with a large mug of fresh milk. By that point the tub was filled and Bilbo quickly stripped himself of his dirty travel clothes, kicking them into the corner of the room to deal with later, he sunk into the hot water. It took a while but eventually he was warm throughout and began to scrub. Once clean he pulled the plug from the tub and heaved himself to his feet. He wrapped a towel around his waist and stumbled in the direction of his room.
Pulling the great black fur coat off the bed, he slid under the covers and was asleep in seconds.
Less than an hour later Thorin, his nephews and Tauriel, reached Bag End as twilight was giving way to darkness. Fíli stopped at the gate and held up a fist. The two other dwarrow came to a halt. All of them looked at Bag End, the door was wide open and was a light in the kitchen.
Had one of the dwarrow from Bindbole come to visit?
They made their way cautiously to the door. Thorin entered first, Kíli close behind him. It was Fíli who came last and he bumped something with a boot. Looking down he saw a familiar travel pack.
"Thorin. Look." He said pointing to the pack.
"Here, look, here. This must be Bilbo's cloak." Kíli ran his fingers over the fur pelmet.
Thorin held up Sting.
"He is home."
"Then where is he?" Asked Kíli.
"We'll spread out and look." Said Thorin.
"Quietly." Said Tauriel, "He could be asleep."
With that Kíli and Fíli went to the kitchen and pantry, Thorin figured that his fastidious little burglar would want to be clean, so he went looking in the bathroom. Tauriel however, remembered what Thorin had told her about how home was so important and she went straight to the master bedroom.
Fíli found a empty bowl that had held cold roasted potatoes that morning.
Kíli found a plate with crumbs on it and empty mug on the kitchen table.
Thorin found a pile of dirty clothes in the corner of the bathroom.
Tauriel found Bilbo.
Peeking around the edge of the doorframe, Tauriel saw that Bilbo was facedown on the bed, the covers pulled nearly to his bare shoulders. His riotous mass of curls spread across the pillow like a wave of ruffled silk. She made her way back to the parlour, meeting Thorin as he came down the hall from the bathroom.
"He's in bed. Asleep."
Thorin turned on his heel and headed for the bedroom, Kíli and Fíli had heard Tauriel speak and were only feet behind him. Thorin moved across the room, his fingers finding flesh and silken hair. The young dwarrow stood in the doorway and watched.
"Hmmf. Sleepin'. Go 'way." Bilbo groaned.
Thorin stroked Bilbo's hair once more before leaving him to sleep. He ushered his nephews out and pulled the door almost closed behind him.
Sunlight bathed Bilbo's face with warmth. He scrunched his nose and tried to bury his face in the fluffy pillow.
"Too early. Go back to sleep." The pillow rumbled.
Bilbo drifted for a bit, something nagged him, but he couldn't figure it out. He climbed out of bed and dressed quietly, once in the kitchen he made a pot of tea. When he'd had one cup he thought about reading over the notes he'd made while in Rivendell and deciding to do just that, he got to his feet and crossed into the parlour and through to the entrance hall. He reached for his pack and turned back to the parlour, something nagging. A bow leaning against the wall made him freeze. He knew that bow and he knew the quiver of arrows beside it. He spun back to the entrance hall. Finally he realised what was nagging him. Boots. Dwarrow boots in his hallway.
Why were there dwarrow boots in his hallway?
Why were there dwarrow cloaks hanging on pegs in his hallway?
Why was there a dwarrow bow and quiver in his parlour?
Now he began to think more clearly.
Where did the food in his pantry come from?
How was the kitchen stove lit last night?
Why was the kitchen lamp lit last night?
Why wasn't his front door locked when he arrived?
Why were there DWARROW BOOTS IN HIS HALLWAY?
His eyes widened comically and he dropping his pack, he practically ran to the guest bedrooms. The first had a blonde dwarf sleeping, almost falling off the bed. The second had a red-headed elf curled around a raven-haired dwarf, both holding each other's hands.
Bilbo trembled as he approached his own bedroom, scared at what he might find. The covers of Bilbo's bed had slipped down when he climbed out of it earlier and now barely covered the dignity of the dwarf in it. Mussed dark hair shot with silver fanned across a pillow as the dwarf slept. Bilbo crept closer, wondering if he had finally lost his mind. The dwarf on his bed rolled to his back and stretched his arms out. Bilbo's eyes followed the movement and catalogued the scars visible. The largest was up high on the left side of the chest, it was a still healing but healthy pink of fresh scar tissue. As his eyes climbed higher they saw a vicious but well healed slice to the top of the shoulder, before reaching the dwarf's face.
Thorin.
Bilbo turned and went back to the kitchen for another cup of tea, he needed it. Going into the parlour to get his pack he noticed a pile of open letters on the table under the window. Curiosity got the better of him and he picked them up.
10 minutes later he had found the letter from Gandalf and now stood in the door to his room and looked at the not-so-dead dwarf in his bed.
Alive. All three of them were alive.
All three of them were in Bag End.
Hmf.
Time for breakfast.
If he could face wrath of a Dragon for the Line of Durin, then the Line of Durin could face the peculiarity of Bag End for him. A Wicked smile grew on Bilbo's face as he remembered that peculiarity.
When Bungo Baggins built the smial for Belladonna Took as a Courting Gift, he'd employed the very best of Hobbit craftsmen, as a result Bag End was a smial second only to The Great Smials of Tuckborough. When Bilbo was just a wee fauntling Belladonna discovered that there was just one spot on the wall in the kitchen, that if you hit it just right, it echoed in all the rooms like a crash of a great drum.
Bilbo planned to use it.
He raided the pantry and set about preparing a breakfast fit for not-dead dwarrow former-royalty.
Sausages, bacon, scones, tea and lastly potato omelettes. Sliding the last omelette onto the platter, Bilbo reached out a hand and smacked it against the kitchen in the exact spot that his mother had used. Bag End literally shook, the crash echoing around the rooms and hallways.
Screams and cries sounded in four very different voice and beings came running from different directions. Kíli and Tauriel from the East wing. Fíli came from the West wing and Thorin ran through Bilbo's study instead of going out the door to back hall and through the west hall.
Tauriel and Kíli both had knives drawn, while Fíli had both his short swords. Thorin had Orcrist drawn.
"No weapons in the kitchen, please." Bilbo said as they clustered at the door.
"Bilbo? Bilbo!" Fíli dropped his swords and ran to hug Bilbo, Kíli only a step behind him, heedless of the knives still in his hands. Tauriel came in and after relieving Kíli of both knives, she too, gathered the hobbit and the dwarrow still holding him, into her arms. Thorin stood at the door and looked on.
After a minute or so, Bilbo reminded them that there was food on the table. Fíli and Kíli quickly sat down and started filling their plates, they knew what Bilbo's food was like and encouraged Tauriel to join them.
When the others sat Thorin entered the kitchen and stopped an arms length from Bilbo. He didn't know what to say now.
Bilbo took that one more step and reaching up, took hold of Thorin's braids and pulled him down, he pressed his cheek to Thorin's and wrapped his arms around the dwarf's neck. Slowly Thorin's arms rose to encircle Bilbo's waist.
He held Bilbo in his arms.
His burglar.
His One.
Thorin shuddered and held on tight.
A gurgle sounded as Bilbo's stomach reminded him that it was empty and there was food to be had.
He could yell at Thorin later. Food first.