Homeward Bound Part One: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Four

Bilba drifted slowly to consciousness, feeling the warmth of the just rising sun beating through her window.

She stretched languidly, relaxing into her bed. She'd had the STRANGEST dream the night before, of Dwarves and exiled Kings and reckless quests -–

A clatter sounded from her kitchen, followed by a shushing sound, and reality crashed back in.

It hadn't been a dream.

It all happened and, even at that moment, there were Dwarves in her house.

Bilba groaned and ran her hands over her face. She'd rather spend the day with Lobelia than face them but, with a sigh, she forced herself up and began to get ready. She had never been a morning person so there was only so much she could do to make herself presentable. Eventually she looked in the mirror, noted the frizzy hair, the still sleep heavy eyes, and the blotchy spot on one side of her head where she'd slept on it, and shrugged. Close enough and, besides, she doubted the lot of them would look much better after a night sleeping in someone else's home.

Squaring her shoulders, and leaving her sword in her hope chest this time, she opened her door, and immediately smelled the wonderful aroma of eggs and bacon wafting in from the kitchen.

She walked out slowly, arms wrapped around her chest, bracing to have to face a litany of Dwarves and general awkwardness.

To her surprise, she didn't see any. She also didn't hear the amount of noise she'd expect from that many Dwarves, and a Wizard.

Another clatter sounded from the kitchen and she heard the low murmur of voices. SOMEONE was there.

She glanced down the hall and into the living room and saw it was empty and perfectly clean. Another look in the dining room also showed it was empty.

Finally, the only room left was the kitchen.

Bilba took a deep breath and steeled herself. She uncrossed her arms, then re-crossed them, then finally settled for keeping her arms down with her hands clasped.

Then she strode into the kitchen.

The first thing she saw was a large, red headed Dwarf, with a thick braided beard, humming away at her stove. She vaguely remembered him from the night before; he'd been in the group that nearly fell on her.

Fili and Kili were seated at one end of the small kitchen table, their heads close together, speaking in quick hushed whispers.

She didn't see Gandalf anywhere, lucky for him, as she had more than a few choice words for the wizard. That is if she ever decided to speak to him again.

For a second Bilba relaxed, then her eyes caught the flicker of motion from her right. She turned to look and immediately froze.

Because there, sitting in the shadows with a cup in front of him, was none other than His Royal Exiled Highness Himself and he was EVEN MORE BREATHTAKING IN SPITE OF IT BEING MORNING AND HE HAD TO HAVE JUST GOTTEN UP AND HAD NO RIGHT TO LOOK THAT GOOD.

He made eye contact, and yes, his eyes really WERE that blue and not just a trick of the light the night before. He opened his mouth to speak.

Bilba spun away and stepped toward the stove managing to somehow trip on the way and nearly kill herself in the process.

"Hi," she said, speaking just a little too loud and a little too fast to the Dwarf at her stove. "I'm sorry; you don't need to do that. I'm more than happy to prepare breakfast. You're my guests!"

"Oh, it's no problem at all," came the soft spoken response, "I rather like cooking myself. I saved some for you if you like."

He indicated a large serving of bacon, eggs, sausage and biscuits set aside on a warming plate.