Chapter Text
It happened every 300 years or so in the shire, each child was checked for the Mark of Yavanna on the bottom of the left foot. On the heel would be a dark green mark of a tree and they knew they had been found. The prophet of Yavanna was always marked in the womb by the goddess and she would spend the years of the Prophet's life by their side, blessing their life with companionship. Years ago, the mark was found on the foot of the son of Belladonna and Bungo Baggins, who grew up in Bag End with two mothers. Belladonna and Yavanna were both like mothers to the growing fauntling, but upon the death of both of his parents, Bilbo only had Yavanna to guide him.
Bilbo's life was nowhere near normal, he was adored within the shire due to his status, and often even others from outside of the shire would visit to have his blessing on their adventures. Bilbo hated it. Sitting in his garden on an early spring morning, the green around him blooming like it were mid summer as he smoked his pipe contently, Bilbo felt another content day begin around him. “It's good to see you relaxing, my child.” A soft voice filled his pointed ears, to the eyes of anyone passing him it was simply the breeze ruffling his curls rather than the dark fingers of Yavanna.
A content hum slid from Bilbo's throat as he let out a perfect ring of smoke. “You have truly blessed this day, Yavanna. Let all who take your gifts to us for granted suffer the lack of a blooming day.” He said with a smile, looking up into the radiant face of the goddess who stood tall and beautiful. Her hair was adorned with flowers and fruits, the dark curls cascading down her back and shoulders. Brown skin radiant in the sunlight around her and eyes turned down at Bilbo, a smile on her lips.
Birds sang around them, Bilbo not moving as Yavanna strolled in front of him then sat beside him on the bench, leaning back and basking in the day “You will soon have company, Bilbo. I don't wish to dampen your spirits with the news but I hope you do not cause any hard feelings with the wizard who comes. He is more than you know.” She warned, reaching up and putting a hand on his already tense shoulder.
Only short moments passed before the wizard appeared, long grey beard and tall hat, brows that reached out to the brim of his hat, the wizard was quite the thing to look at. Yavanna whispered the Wizard's name into Bilbo's ear like the wind, and Bilbo looked to him. “Welcome, Olorin.” Bilbo said, using the name the Wizard was called in Vilinor, the name Yavanna would only ever call him, the only name Yavanna would wish for Bilbo to use. “How may I assist you?”
Gandalf looked at the hobbit with a smile, hands grasping his staff with both of his hands. “I come to ask of your willingness to bless the Heir to the Line of Durin, child of Yavanna's husband.” The wizard said looking to Bilbo who simply sighed.
“You know well that the blessings mean nothing, Olorin. Speak the truths of your presence.” Bilbo said, echoing Yavanna's wind whispering. “The Heir of Durin, he goes to reclaim his home? Slay a dragon and fall into the gold sickness that infects the minds of Aule's children so severely.”
Gandalf simply sighed and nodded. Yavanna stood and passed between the Wizard and hobbit, trailing a warm breeze and the smell of blooming flowers and fruits. Gandalf smiled knowingly as Yavanna stood behind Bilbo, a few flowers sprouting where she stood. “I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure. In all honesty if you had simply been born without the status as prophet I would still come to the son of Belladonna Took.”
“You know very well that even had I not been born marked by Yavanna I would not follow you on your quest.”
“If you would not bring the wrath of Yavanna upon me I would give you no other choice.”
This made Bilbo smile. “I will join your company under certain conditions. No blessings, the dwarfs at to know nothing of my status, and only rarely are you to ask me for Yavanna's assistance.”
Gandalf stared at Bilbo as if startled before he smiled. “I will never cease to be surprised by hobbits.” His voice said fondly. “May I mark your door for them, Master Baggins?”
Bilbo simply nodded with a smile, standing and moving to pull the mail from his box and sit back down. Gandalf moved to his door and marked it with magic as Bilbo sorted through his mail with a hum, the hand of Yavanna on his shoulder looking like nothing more than the lines in his waistcoat. “I shall see you tonight, Olorin.” Bilbo said without looking up as Gandalf left with a content smile.