Chapter Text
Use Well the Days
By: Lalaith Quetzalli
Bilba ‘Adamantine’ Baggins is a hobbit unlike any other. The Baggins of Bag-End, she isn’t just the Head of the Bagginses, but also in charge of her own business, which she’s made grow since the passing of her parents, and wife of the King-in-Exile Thorin Oakenshield… When Gandalf goes looking for someone to share in an adventure she clearly isn’t what he was expecting!
Prologue.
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit… that’s how most would expect the story of one such hobbit to begin, and maybe somewhere, there’s a story that begins like that. This is not that story.
Bilba Baggins is a hobbit, like many, like few, and like none at all. The only daughter (and only child) of Bungo Baggins, the Baggins of Bag-End, and Belladonna Baggins nee Took, second (and arguably favorite) daughter of Gerontius ‘the Old’ Took, Thain of the Shire. While her parents are far from the only Baggins-Took match (one of Belladonna’s older brothers: Hildigrim, married Rosa Baggins); it was still noteworthy in that Bella was quite adventurous, seen by some as wild even, never caring for the opinions others might have of her, while Bungo was said to be the most Baggins of all Bagginses, that is to say, he was polite, formal, and always content to stay in his own home over going places. Not many could ever understand how the two of them even worked, they only knew they did. Bungo would later say that Bella brought joy into his life, she made him brave; while he in turn gave her stability, security, and a home that was more than just their little hobbit-hole (which was, in fact, not little at all, one of the most luxurious smials to ever exist, built by Bungo just for her). Bilba was said to have inherited the level headedness, politeness and business acumen of the Bagginses; yet she also had the cleverness, wit and thirst for adventure that so characterized many a Took. Such a mix of characteristics has led Bilba to live a life the likes of which no hobbit before her has, a life she’s proud of, and her life isn’t over just yet! In fact, some might say that, at 50, the biggest part of her life is about to begin…
“Share in an adventure…” Bilba mutters, not at all quietly, as she steps into her smial, closing the door behind her, none-too-gently. “Old wizard has gone a little barmy, I say. Expecting a hobbit to agree to go with him! On an adventure!”
Her speech devolves as she starts muttering in a mix of languages.
“ Marlel ?”
The single word seems to be enough to take the wind out of the lady-hobbit’s sails, or at least enough to make pull her attention away from her muttering and to man calling to her.
“Thorin!” She cries out as she raises her head and sees him standing there. “You’re back already! Yavanna! How late is it? Lunch is not quite ready just yet.”
“It is quite alright, Bilba, I can wait.” Thorin assures her. “I just got back, left the pony with Holman’s apprentice… Is everything quite alright?”
“Yes I…” She begins, then exhales and shakes her head. “No? I… I don’t actually know.”
It’s the truth, her own annoyance at Gandalf’s words and his belief that she ought to be jumping for joy and following his plans just because they are his aside, she doesn’t actually know that it’s a problem.
“Who has vexed you so, yasthûna ?” Thorin asks, a hint of amusement in his tone (though that might be mostly because he’s not the one she’s annoyed with, this time).
“Gandalf.” Bilba mutters, a hint of annoyance slipping back into her voice.
“ Tharkûn ?” Thorin arcs a brow, not expecting that.
“Yes, the old wizard came, apparently to invite me on an ‘adventure’!” Thorin can easily make out the quotation marks through his hobbit’s sarcasm.
“On an…” Thorin trails off. “You?!”
“Me what…?” Bilba begins, though there is something in Thorin’s expression, in his eyes, that makes her realize where his thoughts have gone. “What?!”
“That must be it.” Thorin nods, having no doubt that they have both reached the same conclusion. “When I met with Tharkûn last in Bree he told me he’d found our final member, our Burglar.” Thorin points out, slowly, knowing his wife isn’t gonna like that.
He’s right, of course.
“What… Burglar?!” Bilba’s voice rises as she gets into her stride. “Me?! But I’m a respectable lady-hobbit!!!” She exhales loudly before revising. “Well, as respectable as one can possibly be with a dwarf king-in-exile for a husband.”