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A Hobbit's Rescue	By : LadyLaran Category: Lord of the Rings Movies > Hobbit, The Views: 5698 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own "The Hobbit" nor do I make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Author’s Note – I want to thank everyone for their patience. I was finally able to get my meds and had to allow my body to adjust to them again. I spent a lot of times bouncing between groggy and foggy, and I couldn’t focus on much until after the side effects wore off as the meds built in my bloodstream. Good news is that my emotional state is much more stable than it has been, and I’m feeling motivated to work on my stories again.
Disclaimer – I do not own “the Hobbit” or the characters of said book and movie series. I don’t make money from this story either.
Chapter Seven – Late Night Conversations
The night before the map was ready to be read, Thorin found himself back on the balcony where he had joked with his older nephew about Kili’s actions regarding a certain hobbit. He had gotten quite a bit of amusement from watching the lad, and he wished his sister could see this so she could share in the fun. The king had written his sibling a lengthy missive, sending it off earlier today, and had included the fact that her youngest son had found his One but hadn’t realized it yet. He had ensured to include his thoughts on Miss Baggins and his opinion on the future relationship between the two. Dis would be pleased with the news, he knew, and would be eager to meet the lass once Erebor was reclaimed.
A soft sound pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned to find the hobbit he had been thinking about standing not too far from where he was. The dwarf had not expected to see his ward wandering at this time of night, and it worried him.
“Miss Baggins, are you all right?”
Adamanta jumped in surprise and turned, and Thorin immediately noticed the signs of her distress. There were tear tracks on her cheeks, and her eyes were slightly swollen from crying. Concern filled him at the sight of the proof of her distress.
“I had a dream about Papa,” she admitted in a soft tone of voice, moving towards him. “I was surrounded by members of both sides of the family; all of them were trying to force me back to the Shire. He was trying to help me and couldn’t, and I couldn’t get to him. It didn’t matter what I tried, I couldn’t move past the danger around me to reach him. I could barely hear him calling for me over the crowd around me.”
“Sometimes our minds will tell us things while we are dreaming,” he replied, gesturing for her to take a seat. “It can be as simple as giving us a message in regards to something we are overlooking or even telling us that we need to stop holding things back inside.”
“I miss him,” she shared with her guardian, sinking onto the chair next to him. “I don’t miss the Shire at all, but I miss him so much. He never made me feel like I was a disappointment to him because I’m female. Papa tried his best to teach me everything I wanted to learn, and he got me out of there before my relatives could send me to my marriage bed or have me work for my family. He was the only male in the Shire who would do such a thing for their daughters.”
“He was a good soul and an excellent father for seeing to your needs as he did. I was proud to have met him and that he trusted me to take care of you,” Thorin told her. “It’s all right to miss him, Miss Baggins. He was someone who loved you and you loved in return. It takes time for the heart to heal from those kinds of losses.”
“I really didn’t get a chance to say goodbye,” she admitted, tugging her knees to her chest in spite of the dull ache of her ribs. “He rushed me to get packed, and I wasn’t there when he passed on to Mandos’s Halls. It feels like I failed him by not being at his side when he passed away.”
“He knew that you loved him, Miss Baggins, and I know he loved you deeply. He wasn’t alone in the end. Gandalf and I stayed with him until his spirit left this plain,” Thorin reassured her.
“That helps a little,” she said to him, still holding onto her knees as tears slid down her cheeks. “I’m glad to know that he loved me enough to hold onto life until he had a way to get me to freedom. I always thought Mama was the strongest one of the two, but I realize now that he was the strongest because of what he did. I don’t know who could’ve held out as he did in order to keep me safe as well as remain true to Mama’s memory.”
“It sounds as if he loved her a great deal,” the king said softly. He was both heartened and sad at the sight of her tears. This was a chance for her to start healing through the loss of her parent, but he hated seeing others unhappy like this.
“I think he did,” she replied, voice hitching slightly as she continued crying while sharing her memories with Thorin. “Most hobbits would have remarried in hopes of having a son to inherit rather than see the estate go to undeserving family members. Papa said to me that no one could ever replace Mama in his heart. I didn’t quite understand it then.”
“Do you think you understand his decision now,” Thorin asked.
“I think so,” she said. “It’s strange considering what the hobbits teach and practice. When he got sick, he tried to find a way to get me to my Took relations but the head of the Baggins family wouldn’t hear of it. He told Papa that if I wasn’t married before he died, then I would either go to my cousin or fall under the care of the Baggins family.”
“Why wouldn’t they let you go to the Took side?”
“My mother was a Took, and she made it all the way out here to Rivendell. For years, she didn’t do her duty and explored Arda to her heart’s content. It ruined her reputation in the Shire, and only my papa was willing to offer for her. My uncle accepted, not wanting Mama to become a servant in her family home.
“When she and Papa married, she told him about her worries for any daughters they might have and he told her that he would ensure any girl children they had would be treated fairly,” Adamanta shared, wiping at her cheeks. “I think that helped her accept the marriage and open her heart to Papa, but it took a long while before she fell in love with him.
“The Baggins side of the family hated her for being so strange and was disappointed in him for marrying an outcast. When I was born, there was a number of suggestions for my name from them and Papa decided to honor my mama’s mother by naming me after her. Even though my grandfather was Thain of the Shire, the Bagginses thought the name wasn’t good enough for someone in their family.”
She sighed, resting her head on her knees. The dwarf stayed quiet, letting her share her thoughts as it was obvious she needed someone to talk to.
“I have been ostracized since I was little, same with Mama, and Papa refused to go to family parties unless we were both invited. They always acted as if it didn’t matter to them and found ways to make each other happy. I wonder sometimes if they would’ve been happier if she would’ve been allowed to choose him instead of uncle putting his foot down about her wandering habits.”
“The important part is that they found each other,” Thorin commented. “They both knew they had been loved by the other, Miss Baggins, and that is what makes life rich. The wealth your father had kept you both comfortable, allowing you two to practice things that were considered wrong by your people. Despite the ostracism, they were both happy because they loved each other and you. Granted, it took time because of the fact your mother wasn’t allowed to choose but they did fall in love. I’d be willing to bet that not many couples in the Shire were as happy as they were.”
“No, they weren’t,” she agreed, wiping her cheeks again. “The women I’ve seen or spoken to always looked and sounded unhappy. As much as they loved their children, they couldn’t take pride in them because daughters would follow their fate and the sons were taught they were above their female relations.”
“It won’t be that way for you now,” he reassured her. “Any male or female that approaches me to ask permission to court you will have to prove to me they are worthy of your love, and I won’t allow it unless you tell me that this person is the one you want to spend your life with.”
“You would do that for me?”
“Even though you are of age, Miss Baggins, your father requested that Gandalf and I watch over you. Your experiences in the Shire have only set you back in knowledge, and I would see to it that you are able to overcome that knowledge gap. We’re working on it now,” he answered softly. “Even when you are ready, I will continue to stand in as your family for as long as you want me to. It’s traditional for the one who wishes to court a family member to approach the head of the family to ask.”
“How does it work for your people,” she asked, watching him curiously. Adamanta wanted to push her pain aside for now and learning about the dwarven culture would be a good way to do so.
Thorin shifted a bit in his seat, getting himself a bit more comfortable while explaining this to her.
“Let’s say you meet someone who you feel drawn to,” he began. “This person feels the same and discovers that he loves you. He would approach me and explain his heart to me, asking me permission to court you. I will listen to his plea, send him away and call for you. We would talk about the one who wishes to court you, and I would see just how you feel about him. If you love him in return and want the courtship, then I would allow him to do so.
“Over the course of the courtship, you two would spend time together with a chosen chaperone. Gifts would be exchanged to prove that the heart is true. Each gift is to represent how the giver views the person he is giving the gift to or expresses how much he loves the person he is courting. There has to be a lot of thought into each gift given on both sides.”
He drew in a breath to continue, noticing the look of fascination and interest on her face.
“There are family meals, of course, and that gives them a chance to see how their loved one interacts with their family. This also gives the family a chance to get to know the one that is courting a member of their family. If there are concerns, the time to address them happens during the courtship. The one who petitioned for courtship must also prove he has the means to provide comfort and a warm hearth for his beloved.
“Once the couple feel ready, the one who originally asked for courtship will approach her head of family once again and ask for her hand in marriage. If agreed, he then has the right to ask his beloved for her permission. If she agrees, they become betrothed and the families start to meet to plan the wedding rites.”
“It sounds wonderful,” the lass replied, head on her knees as she watched him. “I never knew things like that existed.”
“They do,” he commented. “Elves and humans have their own traditions regarding courting and marriage, but they are a bit similar to what we have. This is something you now get a chance to take part in.”
“I do, don’t I? Thanks to Papa, you, and Gandalf,” Adamanta said quietly. “I don’t know if anyone will ever want to court me, but I have the chance to choose.”
“Yes, you do,” the dwarf lord assured her. “Don’t be so quick to think that you won’t have your share of suitors. You are intelligent, strong, and beautiful. That’s enough to turn the head of anyone, Miss Baggins. You’ll find your One, and it may be someone you do not expect it to be.”
Seeing the questioning expression on her face, Thorin continued.
“For my sister and my sister-son, their Ones wound up being someone they held a deep friendship with. Dis spotted it fairly quickly, but Fili was a bit dense about it for a while. He had no idea why he was feeling as he did about Ori and kept telling us it was because they were good friends. Kili was the one who finally drove it through his thick skull and pushed him into courting his One.
“In truth, I think it worked out better for them that way. Friends have a deeper level of trust and understanding that helps pave the way for the heart once the souls realize they’ve met the match Mahal has created for them. Even when they fall in love, that friendship remains and allows their relationship to work much more smoothly.”
He gave her a small smile, knowing he’d given her a lot to think about. Adamanta would be all right once things calmed down and was able to learn more about life and relationships.
“You have time, Miss Baggins, and I know you’ll make the most of it.”
“I do,” she replied, rubbing at her eyes for a moment. The crying and emotional upset earlier had tired her out, and the lass was ready to attempt to sleep gain.
“Get some rest, Miss Baggins, and may Mahal guard your dreams tonight,” he said to her, making her smile.
“Good night, Master Thorin,” Adamanta replied, getting up and padding back indoors to find her bed.
Once alone, Thorin tilted his head back to look up at the stars. With a soft sigh, he spoke aloud to give voice to his thoughts and hope that the pair he was speaking to could hear him.
“I will watch over her, and I know her One will do the same once he realizes what she is to him. Mahal only knows how long that will take. I am glad Gandalf and I were able to get her out of the Shire so she could grow and have the choices you two wanted her to have. I just wish I knew what to do to help her along this path.”
The monarch felt a gentle breeze caress his face and shook his head, getting up to find his own bed. There was a lot to be done over the next few days, and he would need to rest to make sure he was clear minded enough to keep a restraint over his temper. He and his company owed the elves of Rivendell a great deal, and Thorin had no wish to allow things to fall apart because he couldn’t keep himself and his dislike for elves under control. Truth was, the actions of Lord Elrond were helping him work through his issues but it would take time before he was able to accept any elf that came from places other than Mirkwood.
With a sigh, the dwarf lord pushed away those thoughts and sought his rest.
Author’s End Note - Another chapter done! I hope you all enjoyed it; please let me know what you thought of it. A quick reminder, I have a yahoo group where I post update alerts so if you read my stories on a site where update alerts aren’t given, then join up! See everyone next time! ~ Laran
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A Hobbit's Rescue