Homeward Bound Part One: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Seven

They left before the sun was up.

Bilba barely slept. She spent the night cleaning and organizing her house. It just wouldn't do for Fram to move in and see how cluttered everything was. The more she cleaned the more knotted her stomach became at the thought of him in her house, seeing everything so messy and out of place.

If she'd had a month she didn't think the house would look good enough. Finally, after the others had already gotten up and began to get ready she admitted it was as good as it was going to get and got packed. For the trip to Bree she'd only put together a small overnight bag and was at something of a loss as to how to pack for an extended trip to Rivendell.

Eventually she gave in and asked Fili, who was more than happy to show her how to consolidate items and only what was absolutely necessary. On Fili's advice she set aside her dresses and settled on trousers, several shirts of varying weights to contend with weather, and a coat. As Fili pointed out if she actually ended up in trouble she didn't want a heavy skirt tangling around her legs as she tried to wield her sword. He also steered her away from her brighter clothes and toward the ones of a brown or beige color. In the Wild the last thing you wanted was to stand out.

It was as he pointed the last out, moving aside a bright red shirt in favor of a simpler, darker one that the memory came.

"What do you think?" Belladonna twirled in place, the heavy wool skirt swirling in folds around her ankles. The deep russet contrasted well with her fair skin and dark hair. "I was so embarrassed the last time I was at Rivendell. Gandalf hadn't let me bring anything but drab clothes. This time I'm sure I'll make a much better impression!"

"Bilba?"

Bilba set the shirt down quietly and shot a grin at Fili. "I'm fine. Thank you for your help. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave now so I can pack some...more....."

She trailed off, but he got it, his face flushing. "Of course." He bowed and all but ran out of the room. Bilba snickered at the sight of the armed Dwarf running from the thought of a female Hobbit's unmentionables, then sighed as melancholy returned.

The last time she'd set out for Rivendell came flooding back again. She still remembered nothing of the actual trip. She could recall everything up to leaving Bree. After that it was all a haze, the next clear recollection being of standing on the Thain's doorstep in the pouring rain, covered in blood.

Alone.

She remembered her mother had packed all dresses, bright, beautiful clothes. She'd done the same for all of them, wanting to make an impression when she arrived at Rivendell.

Would things have gone different if Gandalf had ever explained to her why wearing them might be a bad idea?

No, she doubted it. Belladonna had loved to dress up and also possessed a startling lack of self-preservation coupled with an intense belief in her own immortality.

Thus her decision, after having gone on a few adventures with a wizard for guard, to drag her entire family into the Wild, supremely confident of her own ability to guide, and protect, her family as well as Gandalf.

And look where that had gotten her, where it had gotten them all.

She sighed and focused on getting finished. Allowing her thoughts to go in that vein never solved anything.

Once done she sat down and wrote letters to the Thain and Priscilla letting them know where she'd gone and about when she expected to be back. She almost wrote to Fram as well, but ended up staring at the blank page for nearly a half hour without the slightest idea of what to write. Did she express happiness at his promise to wait for her? Gratitude over his agreeing to look after her home?