-General-
Barrels of ale were being carried from Bag End to the Party Field, a place near the Hobbit's mansion. With the help of the Dwarves and many enthusiastic Hobbits, the hundreds of barrels were transported with great speed.
In the shade of the great oak in the center of the field—a tree of immense antiquity that the Hobbits held in such affection they called it the Party Tree—birthday celebrations, events, and traditions were held. Right in the shade, two Dwarves atop stools were giving orders.
"Great care with those small barrels! One of them is worth more than your house," said Kíli, who, alongside his brother, was inspecting to ensure everything proceeded in order. The ale was a gift for Bilbo and, why not, they had also brought it to share a little with the small Hobbits who always welcomed them gladly, or at least the few who got to see them.
"Sir, sir, what is in those barrels?"
A small Hobbit of no less than nine years approached the Dwarves with curiosity; upon seeing him, they smiled sympathetically. Fíli leaned down and ruffled his hair.
"It is a drink that will make a man of you," he said, raising a finger and looking at the little Hobbit with feigned seriousness. "But you are still too small to drink it; at least wait until you grow to my waist before you can taste it."
Kíli, being understanding of the child's curiosity, reached to his waist and pulled out a sweet made by Helga.
"For the moment, enjoy these sweets, little one. Do not rush to grow up."
The child accepted the sweet and, skipping happily, joined other little Hobbits passing by. He completely forgot his curiosity about the barrels. Such were children: curious by nature, but willing to leave if their question was answered or if something else caught their attention.
"Why were my children never like this?" sighed Kíli. He remembered how his little ones, from their very first days, had been restless. The only time he had seen them with the same smile as that Hobbit was when they pulled their first prank.
Fíli, to the side, shrugged his shoulders.
"Mother said that when we had children we would suffer what she suffered, so don't dwell on it too much."
Meanwhile, many other Hobbits were beginning to arrive. It was still hours before Mr. Baggins's celebration, but, being good lovers of parties, they arrived well in advance.
The men did not take long to lend a hand with the barrels and other preparations, while the women began peeling potatoes and roasting the meat. There was no need to tell them what to do, though, of course, they were closely watched by Helga.
Her imposing presence and furrowed brow made the hearts of those who did not know her tremble. However, that was not the case for the women present, who greeted her warmly upon seeing her. On the outside she might seem rough, but her friends knew she was a sweetheart.
Furthermore, she was very affectionate; not a single day passed without her showing off her love for Bilbo. Although, to be honest, this last part was more to mark her territory against those harpies who wanted to devour her small and handsome Hobbit.
"You have a good wife," Aldril told Bilbo.
Both were watching from a distance. Tauriel and the children were having breakfast, although the little ones would soon be leaving with Frodo and Sam, who would take them for a walk around Hobbiton.
Bilbo puffed out his chest with pride.
"Helga is perfect. I never expected to find the love of my life in someone of another kind."
Our dear Half-elf smiled and turned his gaze toward his wife.
"You can say that again."
...
"I'm telling you, Dwarven ale involves a very meticulous brewing process. Not just anyone can drink it," Kíli was saying to a drunk Hobbit.
The Halfling burped from time to time, but, to be fair, paid close attention to the Dwarf's words.
In the distance, Bilbo and Helga listened to Kíli's chatter, laughing and enjoying the moment. The hours had passed and with them the sun had hidden like an embarrassed lady, allowing the moon, like a true gentleman, to cover the sky with his cloak, thus preventing mortals from seeing the day's blush.
The aroma of cooked meat and spices intertwined with that of the night grass. Laughter dominated every other sound; the clanking of mugs and the telling of jokes accompanied it. That atmosphere could not be better... unless, out of nowhere, a Grey Wizard appeared and made it rain fireworks in the sky.
But ill fortune meant that the wizard most beloved by all Hobbits did not appear. It was a very rare occurrence, in fact; Gandalf never missed his little friend's birthday.
The wizard's absence caused a lurch in Aldril's chest, but he quickly calmed down. To his knowledge, Gandalf would appear when Bilbo decided to leave the Shire, and for that, there were at least two years left, if his calculations did not fail him.
But what our esteemed Half-elf did not know was that Mr. Baggins planned to say goodbye to everyone tonight and depart for Rivendell the following day.
"It feels a bit empty without Gandalf's magic," whispered Bilbo.
Helga, like a good wife, hugged him with undisguised affection and planted a thunderous kiss on him.
"Surely something crossed his path, my dear. If we find him on our journey, you can ask him."
"Oh, Helga, you always find a way to cheer me up."
The lovey-dovey couple attracted several glances, among them those of many Hobbit women who desired Mr. Baggins's wealth. And why not? They also wanted a taste of whatever the Hobbit had to charm a Dwarf-woman, and even more so one of strong character, yet noble and tender with her beloved.
"Did you ever imagine Bilbo like this?"
In the distance, Aldril and Tauriel, sitting beside Kíli and Fíli, watched the intimate scene of the Hobbit and the Dwarf-woman with radiant smiles.
At first, that would have surprised the Half-elf due to the great change in Bilbo's history, but, remembering that his own intervention had caused many changes, he let it pass. Besides, was it a grave matter that Bilbo had a partner? Would it alter history? No. Otherwise, the intervention of the Valar would not have been delayed.
Though, since his blessing fully awakened, he felt they would not intervene even if Aldril strayed from Eru's stanza. For some reason, after his fight with the nameless creatures.
"No, truth be told, I did not," replied Aldril, cutting his own thought short as he intertwined his hand with Tauriel's. "Just as I never imagined having such a beautiful wife."
"Aldril..." whispered Tauriel, her gaze lost in her husband's overflowing love.
She loved that. Whenever he could, her beloved reminded her of how much he loved her and how beautiful she was. Unlike mortal women, who would surely grow tired of it, she appreciated it deeply. Her Elven nature to love only one person for all eternity played an important role, filling her completely in the face of her husband's reciprocated love. It was not for nothing that she was willing to give him all the children Aldril might desire.
In their intimate moment, they did not catch the small figure of Bilbo moving among the guests. He was heading, specifically, toward the large platform built beneath the great oak.
**
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