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 Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:15 pm
 Bilbo frowned at the plant sitting between his hooves. "I just don't know, Rosemary." He addressed his familiar here, the rabbit standing on the other side of the plant and tapping her foot impatiently. "I'm telling you, that doesn't look or smell like the mint I had in my old garden. Are you quite certain that's what it is?" In response to his query, Rosemary just shook her head.
"If I wasn't certain, I wouldn't have said it. If you don't like this variety of mint, we can find another. But I promise you, this is mint."
Bilbo's frown deepened with uncertainty. He loved and trusted Rosemary deeply, but she had been wrong before. She came at things from a rabbit's knowledge and perspective, which was sometimes quite different from that of something with hooves. There were some plants that she found delicious that were disgusting or even dangerous for an usdia like him to eat. He really did want a new mint plant, but he didn't want to risk minor poisoning to get one. All of this business of restarting his garden was a bother, but it was a necessity after the destruction of his old summer home.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:20 pm
Bored, Rallie wandered about. He'd been given permission to go off duty by Daenerys, but he didn't know what to do with himself while he was. The whole khalasar was camped out on the border of the territory held by the dwarves. They'd been there for several days already and would have to wait several more. The forging of armor didn't come quickly, after all.
He didn't think the dwarves were overly fond of strangers, so tried to keep himself outside of their herdlands. What that sadly meant was that he couldn't actually interact with them, and was left feeling somewhat lonesome and bored. He was reflecting on this when he heard something, voices! They were somewhat lighter in tenor than the often gruff voices of the dwarves. Curious, he approached with a friendly demeanor. Soon he saw the source of the sounds, an usdia and what Rallie assumed was his familiar, a plump little rabbit.
"Hello," he greeted them amiably. "Nice mint you have there," he gestured to the plant between the usdia's small hooves. Was this one considered a "dwarf" too? He didn't have their characteristic stocky appearance.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:24 pm
"Mint," said Bilbo flatly. Though he wasn't looking at her, he could just feel the smugness radiating off Rosemary. So fine, it was mint apparently. That was a conversation he felt she would bring back up after whatever this encounter was wrapped up.
"Are you from the herd with the mare with the dragons?" he asked, changing the subject. He assumed that was the case. Bilbo had yet to actually meet any of the members of that herd personally, but he'd heard mutterings about a dragon-like mare leading a group of warriors or something like that. At any rate, this large fellow didn't seem dangerous.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:26 pm
"I'm from Alpha Daenerys' herd," agreed Rallie. "I'm Rallie." He nodded his head in greeting. "Are you one of the dwarves that live nearby?" He had only seen a small fraction of the population, so for all he knew, "dwarf" might encompass a very large range of body types. It was probably best to get that clarified now with just one soquili alone rather than potentially embarrass himself in front of the alpha and other dignitaries.
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 6:17 pm
"Yes," said Bilbo. He paused for a moment, adding, "Well, no. I mean, it's a little difficult to define at the moment." Knowing that he couldn't stop there, he had to press on with his explanation. "My real home is away from the mountains in the hills, in a place called Hobbiton. Those of us who live there call ourselves hobbits, though we're all usdia." Just as those who lived around here were called dwarves, they all had their special names for themselves.
"I usually spent the summer over in this area, but I didn't realize the dwarves lived so close until recently." He chuckled a bit at his error in that assumption. "So that's new. And then a skinwalker destroyed my hole, so I've had to move further into their territory, so I don't get eaten alive one of these days." He was still more than a little spooked about that, but forced himself to take a deliberately cheerful tone when speaking about it. There was no real use in dwelling on the past.
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 6:23 pm
That answered that question. So this little one was an outsider as well, it seemed. "I've never heard of a place called Hobbiton," Rallie ventured. "Do you also specialize in crafts and trades like the dwarves do?" Rallie had come from a herd of warriors, but hadn't realized that some soquili might specialize in crafts and professions that he considered more human-ish activities. He was awed by the industry of the dwarves, and wondered if other soquili groups out there might do the same. These hobbits could also potentially make valuable trade partners for the khalasar if they had something to offer.
He had a hard time imagining such small little usdia making anything large and significant, but the dwarves were small as well, and full of usefulness.
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 6:28 pm
Bilbo smiled, remembering his home nostalgically. He had already stayed in the mountains for longer than he usually did in summer. He had been enjoying it so far, but now he began to wonder if it wasn't almost time to go back to Hobbiton. He definitely wanted to be back in time for the fall harvest, for the festivals and pumpkin rollings.
"We don't do anything like the smithing, if that's what you mean." He continued to have a distant appearance, remembering places and people far off. "We specialize more in food. We are very skilled at farming, and some of our orchards are hundreds of years old." He was the proud owner of a rather stately old apple tree himself, planted on the property by his great-grandfather.
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 6:36 pm
"That's impressive," Rallie readily admitted. "A lot of herds don't even last that long, let alone stay in one place and maintain it like that." He didn't know if he'd ever heard of a soquili group established in one place for so long before. It made him a little envious, the idea of a home with that much history. The khalasar moved around so much that they never really were able to think of anywhere as their homeland. He had gotten used to it, but it made him sore at times like this.
"I'd like to taste some of the apples from those trees someday," he said, giving Bilbo a smile. Would they taste more fine than other apples, he wondered? It seemed like they'd have to, coming from a place like that.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 5:52 pm
"I don't suppose I'd mind visitors next time I'm back home again," mused Bilbo, seemingly more thoughtful than the statement warranted. "Many of us hobbits don't mix too often with outsiders, you know. Associating with others can lead to danger and disruptions." He saw Rosemary giving him a wry look, but didn't care to analyze her feelings on the matter for the moment.
"What I'm saying," he said, getting back to his train of thought. "Is that you might get some queer looks from my neighbors, but you'd be welcome in Bag End anytime you might wish." Bag End was the name of his grand hole back in Hobbiton. Generations of his family had spent time painstakingly hollowing it out with tough little hooves and the assistance of familiars. He was very proud of the place, and knew it to be one of the finest holes in that area. Belatedly, he wondered if it was a good idea to leave it empty for so long. Would his pushy relatives try to move in if they sensed an opening?
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 5:58 pm
Rallie chuckled genially. He'd been through enough danger in his life that getting strange looks from usdia seemed just amusing. "Don't worry," he said. "As long as there is one friendly face, I imagine that I'll feel right at home." He wished there was some sort of counteroffer he could make to the little stallion, but he had no permanent home to invite him to. All there was for him was the khalasar, and that made no place its permanent home. Though... it was enough to make him think.
"Would you like to come and meet the rest of the herd?" he asked, curious. "Your dwarf friends seemed happy to stay distant, but you seem like you might be more adventurous?" It might help diffuse some of the tension between the two groups if there was a little more interaction between them, he thought. Perhaps the usdia could come back and tell his friends that they weren't bad people.
"Though of course, I would have to know your name first," he added.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:03 pm
Bilbo coughed a bit, feeling caught in a moment of social faux pas. He'd been inviting a fellow to his home, and he hadn't even properly introduced himself yet! He scuffed at the ground with his hoof in embarrassment, though managed to catch himself quickly.
"Bilbo Baggins, at your service!" he said, bending his forelegs for a bow. He started to mouth an apology, but decided that cutting the awkwardness short was the better option. "I wouldn't mind meeting your group," he said. Belatedly, he realized that Rallie had called him 'adventurous.' Now there was a word that no self-respecting Baggins would be caught with. Did this make him some sort of rogue for accepting? He certainly hoped not.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:11 pm
"Bilbo," Rallie repeated, enjoying the sound of it. It was a round little name for a round little usdia. The fellow had a lot of weight on him for a small thing. "Did you have time to do that now?" he asked. "Or should I come back some time later?" Of course, he hadn't discussed any of this with Queen Daenerys. He hesitated, wondering if she might object. She certainly never had before, but then again, they weren't often in this sort of situation.
His ears flicked about uncertainly, but he waited for Bilbo's answer. Perhaps the hobbit would be busy, and save him a decision himself.
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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2015 1:28 pm
"Er... well... actually..." Bilbo glanced uncertainly back to where Rosemary was, still standing over the mint plant with a mildly impatient look on her face. He had come out here for a reason and it would be unkind to the people he had inconvenienced if he forgot that.
"Perhaps another time?" he asked, smiling sheepishly. "I have plants that I need to get planted, and they won't do well out of the ground for so long. It would be a real pity to waste that mint that we found." Rosemary seemed relieved at that response. He wondered if Rallie would be affronted.
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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2015 1:32 pm
There it was. Rallie felt the warmth of relief fill him at Bilbo's answer. Now he wouldn't have to rescind the invitation himself. He really did need to get the queen's permission before he brought strangers of this nature around their herd. "Another time would be fine," he said quickly, maybe a little too much so.
"Tomorrow?" He thought briefly, then added: "I can come and find you near here again tomorrow, and then see if our schedules allow for a longer sort of visit." And of course, he'd make certain that it was allowed then too.
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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2015 1:46 pm
"Tomorrow would be lovely!" agreed Bilbo. He started moving back to Rosemary's side then, nodding a farewell to Rallie. "Good day, then!" Rallie began to move off and Bilbo turned, finding himself once more faced with the little plant that had started this whole encounter. He sighed a little, resigned that he had been in the wrong.
"All right, Rosemary. It's mint. So let's get it out of the ground and into the garden, shall we?"
Hobbits could use their hooves much better for digging than other breeds of soquili, but Rosemary's paws were still far superior. She had enough practice that she was able to remove the plant with hardly so much as a bent leaf. It was Bilbo's job to carry it back after that, his larger size making him more suited to the task. Back together they went, working on the garden that Bilbo wanted so badly to restore.
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