Bagginshield Fanfics

Tricks brandybuckles

Summary:

Trickery, it has to be said, is part and parcel of the role of 'burglar.'

"I would suggest not to fidget, small one. It becomes you not." Lady Rekel's Westron, what little she has of it, is always delivered in liquid and impeccable tones- and in this case, a reproving one.

"Why are you here?" Billa asks, hoping to deflect the dwarrowdam's attention from her fraught state. It is chilly here at the gates to the mountain, and she is beginning to regret insisting upon the loose cream frock she is wearing (it is at least comfortable, and she chose it when she had been under the impression that they would be waiting inside, thank you very much.)

Rekel shrugs as she answers, the jewels through her brows bobbing gracefully. "I know the lady Dis. It is...what is the word..."

"Seemly?" Billa suggests, hugging herself and fighting the urge to crane her neck in search of Freya- Fili has her perched semi-safely on his shoulders several metres away. 'Keep a lookout, pip.' were his exact words as he swung her upwards.

"Hmm." Rekel replies, clearly dubious regarding the hobbit's impromptu translation. Billa suspects her presence has more to do with the fact that she is the highest ranking dwarrowdam here, although Lady Mim, Gloin's charming wife, is surely among the gathered crowd as well.

Most of the new populace of Erebor and quite a few of the Ironfist guests have turned out to welcome Thorin's sister home at last, all of them dressed in finery as befitting the arrival of a princess. For herself, Billa Baggins cannot help but feel a little inadequate, especially since Rekel pulled her over here. "Are you two friends, then?" Billa asks, a little perplexed.

For the first time since they have met, Rekel laughs.

"Never mind." Billa says at length, realising she is unlikely to get a straight answer. "I'm sure I don't want to know."

"I wouldn't worry, milady- I mean, mistress Billa. Lady Dis shan't bite ye." Bessr says from Billa's other side. Billa gives the young dwarrowdam a grateful smile, hoping that she is right and, as with the rest of the line of Durin, Fili and Kili's mother's bark proves worse than her bite.

Still, she cannot help but shiver in the breeze and continues to do so until something heavy and warms lands on her shoulders. At first she mistakes it for someone's cloak, but when it suddenly develops a will of its own and drops its head down on top of hers, she is forced to reconsider.

"Yes, Kili?" she asks, turning her head slightly towards him as he does a fair impression of Freya with her stuffed bear. "What is it?"

"Think Uncle's gonna skin another warg to make you a muffler if you keep on." Kili replies, and though she can't see his face, she can tell he's grinning. She looks over at the King Under the Mountain, who averts his gaze the minute their eyes meet, folding his arms across his chest. Fondness stings at Billa's heart at his posture, straight backed yet defensive, and in spite of the cold she suddenly feels very warm.

"Another?" she prompts, frowning and rubbing her reddened palms together.

"Mmm. He's got the pelt of Azog's beast slung up on his chamber wall, haven't you seen?" Kili asks her.

"I...I haven't been into his chamber." Billa admits, fighting the temptation to look ahead to where Thorin is standing. "Well, not since I came back anyway..."

She remembers Thorin's room though from years before, remembers the great bed carved from stone and the fire he kindled in the grate to keep her warm, remembers the faint pervading smell of dragon and dust. She recalls the muffled clatter of the Arkenstone as it dropped and rolled across the floor, brighter than the sky after snowfall.