Chapter Text
The first indication that any of the original Company had that Bella Baggins was still alive came by way of a trade caravan that arrived from Ered Luin during a terrible rainstorm.
The travelers, soaked to the bone and road weary, had made an offhand comment about how they had stopped in the Shire a few days into their journey. One of their number, it seemed, had chanced upon some mushrooms whilst traveling, eaten them, and then gotten terribly sick as a result. The dwarrow who told this to the guard (who then relayed it to another guard and then another guard and finally this tale found its way to the head of the King’s Guard and his most trusted advisor) said they had stopped in a place in a place in this Shire called Hobbiton and looked for aid.
The people seemed both used to them and a little wary of them, an odd experience, to be sure. The caravan leader explained their trouble to the first hobbit he saw, a young lass with black curls cascading down her back.
“Excuse me, miss, could you perhaps tell me where I could find an apothecary hereabouts?”
“Are you sick?” The hobbit girl asked, peering up into the bearded face.
“Er… no. But one of my companions ate some mushrooms he found and he has a… a tummy ache.” The dwarrow decided to go with that. No need to give the child the gory details and traumatize her.
“Uhmmmm….” The little girl chewed on the tip of her finger as she looked up and down the market space.
“Thora Baggins!” The little girl, apparently named ‘Thora,’ bites down on her finger in surprise at the sudden yell as a woman with russet curls spilling over her shoulders came rushing over, a little girl with curls the same color following in her wake carrying a small basket. “What have I told you about wandering off, young lady?”
“That I have the worst sense of direction of any hobbit ever including the Took side of the family?” The little girl replied, getting a snort from the other young girl bringing up the rear.
“I’m sorry if my daughter troubled you, sirs—“
“Brandr, son of Bramr, at your service,” the Dwarf interrupted with a sweeping bow. “And worry not; the little one wasn’t bothering us. We were just asking the little miss if she knew where the apothecary was – one of my men has taken ill after eating some wild mushrooms.”
“It’s just up the street that way, but I’m afraid that Missus Bracegirdle who runs it has closed for the afternoon. But I am not unskilled with certain matters of healing; perhaps I could be of assistance? Maybe you could start by telling me what the mushrooms your friend ate looked like?”
If anyone noticed the flash in the hobbit woman’s eyes they neglected to mention it or question it.
“It was… uh… small. And… it was orange and it had a funny shape to it.”
“Ah.” The hobbit woman said, nodding. “I see. I think I know what particular mushroom your friend partook of, but may I see him? And any of these mushrooms if they remain?”
“Of course. He’s not dying, mind you. He’s just… quite uncomfortable, if you understand my meaning.”
“Mister Dwarf, I have two children and have travelled quite extensively – there is not much that will offend whatever delicate sensibilities you seem to think I have. Please, lead the way.”
The dwarf blinked a moment, both his companions did as well. “R-right then. Follow me, miss.”
“Thora, Eglantine, come along,” Bella called, falling in with the dwarves.
A look back over her shoulder showed her children dawdling, and Bella knew well what the looks on their faces meant. So she calls back in Hobbitish: “Thora Sefa and Eglantine Aesa, let’s go.”
The Dwarrow who had approached Thora looked at Bella and smiled as if to say ‘Kids, right?’ Bella returns his smile and realizes, on the edge of Hobbiton, that she has neglected to introduce herself; an inexcusable lapse in manners for a hobbit.
“I beg your pardon, but I forgot to introduce myself. Adonna Baggins, at your service.”
“Pleasure. Any relation to the Baggins that went on the quest to reclaim Erebor with King Thorin a few years back?”
“A cousin.” Bella lies, hoping and praying to Yavanna that her children will keep their mouths shut for once in their lives at an inconvenient moment. And they did, a small mercy. “It’s not a problem, is it?”
“Nah, no skin off my nose even if you were her; I was just curious.”
“Are you coming from or going to the Lonely Mountain?”
“Going to it. M’caravan’s not long set out from Ered Luin on a trade run to Erebor; these happen a couple times a year. One of the lad’s had a craving for mushrooms, found some growing after we stopped t’other night and… well… you’ll be seeing for yourself in a bit.”
Bella periodically checked behind her to make sure the children were still at least in her line of sight. After nearing the caravan’s camp, Bella looked behind her and found no children.
“Wonderful.” Bella declared to the air. “Eglantine, make sure your sister doesn’t get lost and I want you both back by tea time!” She yells to the empty path.
“If you need to search for you children—“
“It’s perfectly alright Master Brandr. They either heard me or not, but either way they shall be home by tea time. Or when they get hungry.”
In the end, it turned out that the man had ingested a few mushrooms that looked similar to chanterelles, but were in fact slightly toxic. A tea of red raspberry leaves and peppermint leaves and a promise to not eat any more mushrooms unless he was really sure what they were, was enough to set right the in pain dwarf.
And this is the story that gets off-handedly mentioned to one of Erebor’s guards – who happened to be a close friend of Prince Kili’s. The very moment the end of his shift came, Afi was off like a rocket and looking for Kili. He had heard enough stories of hobbits in the last five years, enough stories about one hobbit in particular.
He finally found Kili sitting at a table on a balcony that overlooked Dale and the Long Lake. He was with Bofur and Nori and Ori and Bifur and they appeared to be playing some sort of card game.
“What’s up with you, Afi? You look like you’ve run from the base of the mountain without stopping.”
“Well, I have been looking for you all over the bloody mountain. There’s a trade caravan that’s just arrived today from Ered Luin.”
“Is something amiss there?”
“No. But I was there when it came in. The caravan leader tells me this story about how one of his men got sick when they were passing through the Shire; just barely started on their journey. Fool ate mushrooms he shouldn’t have. The leader goes into Hobbiton to get some medicine for the dumb sod and meets a hobbit woman who comes back to the camp and makes a tea that gets the dumb sod, who apparently was having unspeakable bowel movements to stop doing… that.”
“Please tell me you did not interrupt this card game, that I was winning, to tell me this, Afi.”
“No. He said he ran into a little girl, last name of Baggins.” You would have had to been blind to miss the quick intake of breath from all five dwarves and Afi was not blind. “Her mother comes up, situation gets explained and she introduces herself as Adonna Baggins and says she’s cousin to the hobbit who went on the quest—“
“Holy shit, she’s alive. Bella’s alive!” Kili shouted, getting so excited that he grabbed Bifur up in a big hug, making the other dwarf squirm and swear at him in Khuzdul.
“But… we sent her letters.” Ori said softly.
“Afi, I love you and thank you for bringing me this tale. Is Uncle in, do you know?”
Afi shook his head. “He and the others are still attending that thing with the tree-shaggers in Mirkwood.”
“Perfect. It’ll be like a reunion!”
“What?”
“Kili, m’boy, in case you haven’t noticed – we sent Bella letters for three whole years and we never got a response. If we can make it to the Shire without your uncle and Dwalin and Balin finding out what we’re doing… The point is, we don’t know if Bella will want to see us.” Nori gently pointed out.
“Of course she will! Maybe not straightaway, but I was her favorite.” And Kili’s more excited than a puppy demeanor dropped for a moment. “Plus, I miss Bella.”
“We miss her too, Kili.” Bofur said, gently bopping his head against Kili’s.
“Your uncle and his advisors are not due back for another week.” Afi volunteered. “That means you have time to pack provisions and such and get far enough away before it’s discovered the lot of you are gone.”
“Hnnn, and we’ll have to find someone to leave in charge; Fili will want to come the second he learns about this. What about Bombur? His wife’s with child.”
“We’ll ask him, but he doesn’t have to come – and I wouldn’t want him to miss his first child’s entrance into the world.”
In the end it was nine of the original Company (Bifur, Bofur, Ori, Nori, Dori, Fili, Kili, Oin and Gloin) who snuck out of Erebor before dawn three days after receiving the merest rumor and hope that Bella Baggins, a hobbit and dear friend thought dead, may still be alive. They (and ‘they’ meant just Kili) left a note for their mother on her clothing chest explaining that they’ve gone off and that she’s in charge while Uncle is gone.
Or, as it was read out later, the note is rather less eloquent in explanation then the two princes would have their friends believe. It was essentially: ‘Mum, you’re in charge while we’re gone. Gone on adventure with the lads. We’re going to the Shire – Uncle never said we couldn’t. We’ll be back. Don’t worry about Fili, we’re doing nothing that stupid so no need to worry. Love Kili. P.S. Mum, feel free not tell Uncle anything at all about where we’ve gone. And please feed my raven for me. Jinivere likes grapes and grain.’