All's Far in Love and War

Chapter 19: A Hobbit Going Home

   Bilbo and Balin walk out of the gates of Erebor; Bilbo is wearing his pack and is prepared to leave. Balin tries to persuade him to stay. "There is to be a great feast tonight. Songs will be song, tales will be told and Thorin Oakenshield will pass into legend."

"I know that's how you must honor him, but to me he was never that - he was...to me...he was..." Bilbo is unable to find the words, and Balin smiles fondly at him.

"Well, I think I'll slip quietly away. Will you tell we others I said goodbye?" Bilbo said sadly, "And tell Flora that I love her."

"You can tell' em and her yourself." Balin states. Bilbo looks back and smiles as he sees the other dwarves standing behind him. He speaks to all of them.

"If any of you ever passing Bag End, tea is at four - there's plenty of it. You are welcome anytime." Bilbo smiled faintly.

The dwarves bow to him, and he smiles. He begins to turn away, then turns back.

"Eh, don't bother knocking." Bilbo nodded

The dwarves chuckle, some of them wiping away tears.

"Be safe Flora, you are welcome any time," Bilbo, after waving goodbye, walks toward Gandalf, who is waiting with his horse and a pony for Bilbo.

They ride slowly back toward the Shire, admiring the scenery as they go.

They dismount at the edge of the Shire, and Bilbo begins to walk with all his things in his arms.

"Ah, the borders of the Shire. It is here I must leave you." Gandalf explains.

"That's a shame. I quite liked having a wizard around. Seems they bring good luck." Bilbo laughed.

"You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck?" Gandalf looks knowingly at Bilbo. "Magic rings should not be used lightly, Bilbo." Bilbo begins to protest, but Gandalf interrupts him. "Don't take me for a fool - I know you found one in the Goblin tunnels...and I've kept my eye on you ever since."

"Well, thank goodness." Now that the secret is out, Bilbo smiles "Farewell, Gandalf."

"Farewell." Gandalf bids as they clasp hands and look each other in the eye.

Bilbo turns and walks away; after a few paces, he stops and turns. "You, uh...you needn't worry about that ring. It fell out of my pocket during the battle. I lost it." Bilbo lied.

"You're a very fine person, Mister Baggins. And I'm very fond of you. But you're only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all." Gandalf smiles.

Bilbo continues walking back to the Shire, and Gandalf goes back the way he came.

As Bilbo climbs over the last hill before Hobbiton, he sees a lot of activity near Bag End, across the valley. As he walks up the path toward his house, he sees many hobbits passing in the opposite direction as him carrying various articles of furniture and other household articles.

"Wait a minute...that's my mother's glory box. And that's...my dining chair." He sees a hobbit carrying a pouf (ottoman) on his shoulder. "Ah! Put that pouf down! What is going on?!" Bilbo asked.

A hobbit with a wheelbarrow full of things stops to greet him cheerfully. "Hello, Mister Bilbo!" Suddenly, he realizes who he is talking to and looks surprised. "...You're not supposed to be here." the hobbit huffed.