Work Text:
The Singing Songbird, a rather dreary tavern that juxtaposed the sign on the door. Whilst the sign that enticed any traveler inside was coloured with a forest green backdrop, a beautiful hummingbird circling the golden coloured wording made the tavern seem welcoming and full of cheer, the inside was cold and quiet, immediately tampering with the once joyous mood the company had.
Still, the group took a seat at a rounded table, eyes often flitting over to the small stage set up in the corner of the room, the curtains the same forest green as the sign whilst accents and paintings of gold, pink and blue coloured the oak wood. However, nothing happened, and no performers went on stage.
Yet the company decided to not allow the tavern to dampen their spirits, choosing to buy a round of the cheapest beer they had- which was far too watered down and warm for Bilbo’s taste, the rest of the company seemingly agreeing with their looks of mild disgust -and share stories from throughout their lives. As they conversed, the hour went on, and the sky grew darker until an adventurer burst through the door, announcing that there were wolves roaming the path and forest nearby. Normally, this wouldn’t bother the company, but considering the majority was tired and wary of fending themselves from hungry beasts, Thorin made the smart decision and listened to Bilbo when the Hobbit suggested buying a room for the night.
”Excuse me, sir?” Gandalf called out, the wizard actually sticking with the company for this portion of the quest- Kíli made a comment about the wizard only wanting the mead -as a bartender sauntered over to the table rather boringly.
”Yeah?” He asked, having a thick accent that caused for him to heavily pronounce his ‘e’ as ‘eee’.
”Well, we were wondering how much one room would be for the night, given our circumstances.” Gandalf explained, gesturing to the company before gesturing outside. The bartender glanced at the wizard, pulling out a notebook from his back pocket and flipping to a page near the front of the book.
”Uh, yeah, because this is an emergency, that will be. . .” He trailed off as his eyes scanned the page, his tongue running over his front teeth as he read. “Forty silver coins.” He finally spoke after a while, getting Bilbo to splutter into his drink as the company gaped.
”Forty silver coins? In such conditions?” Bofur asked with wide eyes, his mouth forming an ‘o’ as his nose scrunched up when the bartender nodded his head.
”It’s what the boss charges, wolves are a commodity in this town.” The bartender explained, and Bilbo could’ve face planted when Gandalf nodded his head and waved the bartender off, the man sauntering back to sit idly behind the bar.
As soon as he had his back turned the company collectively groaned, trying to think of a way to either barter for the price to be lower, or make some more money.
”Can’t you do some fancy spell, wizard?” Dwalin asked as he glanced at Gandalf, the wizard huffing and shaking his head.
”If I could multiply or manifest money out of nowhere, mister Dwalin, I wouldn’t be a wandering wizard.” Gandalf replied, pulling out his pipe to smoke on it as Fíli leaned in to Kíli.
”So he’s homeless.” The blonde haired Dwarf whispered rather loudly to his brother, getting the majority of the company to chuckle when the wizard glared at them. Bilbo meanwhile wracked his brain for a way to earn a nights rest at the tavern, dreary as it may be, the company had no other option. It was then, his eyes widened as he subtly observed the other patrons of the tavern, noticing their bedraggled clothing and purses that were left empty on the tables they were slumped over.
”Hang on,” He murmured as he leaned in to properly whisper to the company. “Surely not everyone here is able to afford a room either.” He muttered, getting the company to -not so subtly- glance at the drunks and tipsy men and women of the tavern. Sure enough, many of them who had come in after the company and hadn’t booked a room had their purses and wallets on show and empty.
”Hang on.” Bilbo muttered as he got up to go to the bar man, someone muttering something before a chair scraped across the floor and another pair of footsteps were following him. “Thorin.” Bilbo greeted without turning around as the Dwarf now walked beside him.
”Bilbo, what are you doing?” He asked, whispering as the two got closer to the bar.
”Getting answers.” Bilbo replied before he waved to the bartender, catching the man’s attention as he sighed before turning to face the Hobbit and Dwarf. “Excuse me, but are the other patrons paying for a nights stay too?” The Hobbit inquired with a tilt of his head, the bartender raising his own even more as he glanced at the other members of the tavern before opening his mouth.
”They certainly are not!” A gruff voice interrupts, and a man from a room in the back approaches the three of them with a sour look on his face. Bilbo makes a small noise when Thorin tugs him back, glancing at the Dwarf in confusion before looking back up at the man. “And I assume you also can’t afford the room? Well, get in line! We’ve had to up the prices and we aren’t bartering.” The man who Bilbo assumed to be the owner of the tavern nodded as he crossed his arms in finality, getting Thorin to scowl up at the man as the bartender sigh.
”Well, is there anything we can do in place of payment?” Bilbo inquired, cutting off Thorin’s rant or snarky remark as he waved a hand forward, watching as the man hummed in consideration.
”Well, I suppose there is.” He leaned down, resting his forearms on the bar. “If you can get any of these sods cheerful then I’ll give you a room.” He explained, gesturing with his thumb to the patrons of the tavern. “No doubt they’ve been driving off customers with their brooding.” He grumbled as a sort of afterthought, and Bilbo couldn’t help but glance at Thorin at the mention of brooding, the Dwarf turning his head slightly more to the side as he huffed.
”Well. . .” Bilbo mumbled in thought before nodding his head. “Do you have a lute?” He asked as he looked up at the man, the human nodding his head before he disappeared into the back and handed Bilbo a small lute that had perhaps been made for a Hobbit or Dwarf. Thorin glanced at him curiously as Bilbo thanked the man before turning back to the table.
”Hobbit, are you planning on having the company perform- because we will not do so unless we want to-“ Bilbo cut Thorin off with a sharp ‘shh’ before the Hobbit bounded off to Gandalf, whispering into the man’s ear before the wizard grinned and handed Bilbo a small sack of. . . Something from his belt loop.
”Aye, Bilbo! Wha’s going on?” Bofur called out, watching confusion as Bilbo bounded away from the company, the Dwarf turning to the wizard to answer his question as Gandalf huffed in amusement and lit his pipe.
”I do believe our Hobbit is going to tell us a tale of his people. .” The wizard murmured as he leaned back in his chair with a grin, getting Kíli, Fíli and Ori to ‘ooo’ as they turned to face Bilbo. The Hobbit was seemingly tuning the lute, strumming it a few times until he grinned in satisfaction and trudged onto the stage. “I do hope it’s the one about the bell tower, it is a personal favourite.” The wizard remarked as Thorin took his seat, holding onto his tankard of dreadful beer for the sake of it as he listened to the tune that Bilbo strummed on the lute.
The melody went from being a calming and almost angelic tune, to a more festive and dancing one, grabbing the attention of the tavern as Bilbo stepped forward on the stage.
”Morining in Paris, the city awakes,
To the Bells of Notre Dame.”
The Hobbit began to sing, his voice clear and taking on a tone that seemingly matched the tune of the lute as closed his eyes with a small smile.
”The fisherman fishes, the baker man bakes,
To the bells of Notre Dame. ”
He began to sway to the side in the stage, humming for a small while before opening his eyes again.
”To the big bells as loud as the thunder!”
He puffed his chest out and stood tall, his voice growing stronger and louder as there was a slight vibrato near the end.
”To the little bells soft as a psalm.”
He crouched down, his voice growing quieter before he stretched his leg to the side and easily slid into it as he Bilbo stood back to his regular height.
”And some say the soul of the city’s
The toll of the bells. . .”
The Hobbit tipped his head forward, before rising it again.
“The bells of Notre Dame. . !”
He leaned back and began to sway across the stage, shutting his eyes for a moment before opening them again as he padded his feet on the floor in rhythm with the lute.
”They were beautiful, no?” He asked as he turned to the audience in the tavern, a sort of melancholic smile on his face as he continued to sway. “So many colours of sounds, so many changing moods. .” He spoke blissfully, tilting back as he flung his keg to the side and kneeled down to an audience member.
”Because you know, they do not all ring by themselves?” He inquired, the drunk man tilting his head back before mumbling.
”They don’t?” He asked, his words slurring together as Bilbo fought back a grin.
”No, silly boy.” He retorted, standing back up as he spun on the stage. “Up there, high, high in the dark bell tower,” Bilbo raised a hand to the ceiling, as if visualising the ‘bell tower’ now. Thorin took a moment to glance at Gandalf, the wizard leaning forward in his seat as he grinned. The Dwarf supposes this is the song he liked so much. “Lives a mysterious bell ringer.” The Hobbit began to play the lute again as murmurs filled the tavern.
”Who is this mysterious bell ringer?” Bilbo asked rhetorically, glancing over with a grin when Kíli and Fíli answered at the same time.
”Who?”
”What is he?”
”What?”
“How did he come to be there?”
”How?”
”Hush,” Bilbo cut off the two brothers with a grin, getting them both to huff as he straightened up again. “And Bilbo will tell you.” He added, stepping across the stage as he slowly reached into the sack Gandalf had given him, and Thorin now noticed he tied it around his waist by the long, thin rope the sack was attached to.
”It is a tale, a tale of a man, and a monster!” Bilbo exclaimed, as his hand plunged into the sack and threw what looked to be red powder into the air, however, the powder immediately swirled with the fire torches, lighting the once empty fireplace as the light glowed brighter and images began to dance above the heads of the patrons in front if the stage. The company, aside from Gandalf, openly gawked at the display, and Thorin was quick to snap his jaw shut as he looked back at Bilbo, who began to play a more mysterious and foreboding tune on the lute.
”Dark was the night when our tale was begun,”
”On the docks near Notre Dame.”
The fire on the ceiling shifted into what looked to be a boat with three people on, the image shifting through the air as if it were a real boat moving through water. The man rowing the boat, a round man with big arms and what looked to be a lazy eye snapped to the man and woman on the boat.
"Shut it up, will you?"
He snapped, glaring at the woman and man for but a second before focusing on guiding the boat.
"We'll be spotted!"
The man whispered to- who Thorin assumed to be -his wife, the woman glancing down at her small bundle and gently cradling it
"Hush, little on. ."
She pleaded, her face stricken with worry as she held the baby close.
"Four frightened gypsies, slid silently under the docks near Notre Dame." Bilbo had begun to prowl down from the stage, weaving in between the tables and chairs as he spun to meet the eyes of every patron in the tavern.
"Four guilders for safe passage into Paris."
Thorin glanced over at Bilbo, realising he was changing the pitch and tone of his voice to match the fiery characters dancing across the air of the tavern. The man rowing the boat turned to the couple, hand outstretched as he grinned. Then, his head snapped to the side as multiple horses and guardsmen emerged from a stone wall.
"But a trap had been laid for the gypsies!"
Bilbo continued to dance along the tavern, though it was more jerky, as if he himself was hiding from the guardsmen as he lurked between the tables.
"And they gazed up in fear and alarm,"
The people were hurled off the boat, the guards grabbing the two men and placing their hands behind their backs, a guard held onto the woman's shoulders as she cradled the baby close. The patrons noticed how another horse was trotting out from behind another stone wall, the man riding him seemed to be of some form of higher power, if his long robes, rings and- frankly -ridiculous looking hat were anything to go by.
"At a figure whose clutches,"
"Were iron as much as the bells. ."
"Judge Claude Frollo!"
The man exclaimed, freeing one hand to place it protectively in front of his wife and child, and Thorin found himself leaning forward in interest, Kíli and Fíli leaning their shoulders on one another as the two glanced to the other brother before focusing on the display.
"The bells of Notre Dame."
Bilbo took on a lower tone, nearly hissing the word 'bells' that he not too long ago praised in the earlier verses of the song. Thorin supposes that this was intentional, from comparing the bells to be as harmonic as a choir, to as cruel as a dictators clutches.
"Judge Claude Frodo longed"
"To purge the world"
"Of vice and sin. . ."
"And he saw corruption"
"Everywhere"
"Except within. . ."
Bilbo brought a hand to his heart as he ducked into the shadows, reappearing back to the stage as he strummed the lute again.
"Bring these gypsy vermin to the palace of justice."
"You there, what are you hiding?"
"Stolen goods ,no doubt, take them from her."
"She ran!" Bilbo leered over the edge of the stage before leaning back as the fiery figment of the woman clutched her child to her chest and ran away, Frollo's own figment following her in a mad chase across the tavern as various buildings and stalls formed and disappeared. The lute's tune became more and more intense as the woman banged on the cathedral doors of what Thorin assumed to be the Notre Dame.
"Sanctuary, please give us sanctuary!"
Came a desperate cry, as Bilbo turned on the stage, the woman making a mad dash down the steps of the cathedral as the judge grabbed onto the back of her veil, pulling her backwards.
She lost her balance.
The tavern gasped as her head hit the edge of the stone steps at an odd angle, her face contorted in pain as her bundle rolled down, cries filling the air as Frollo marched past the woman's dead body on his horse, leaning down and picking up the bundle.
"A baby?"
The man exclaimed in shock and curiosity as he held the crying bundle, and Thorin gripped the table, glancing over at Kíli and Fíli before focusing back on the imagery.
"A monster!"
He reeled back in disgust, wrapping the child back up into the blanket as he glanced back down at the woman, before over to where a well had formed. From the corner of his eye, Thorin noticed the way Dori leaned closer to Ori, holding onto the edge of his scarf as Nori rested his elbow on Ori's shoulder.
The lute's tune became more intense and rushed as Frollo slowly made his way over to the well, stretching the baby out over it and-
"-Stop!"
"Cried the Archdeacon."
Bilbo exclaimed as he strummed the lute to a slower and more sinister tune. Another fiery man came from the cathedral doors, kneeling down next to the woman's dead body as he tucked a hand underneath her head and muttered a prayer.
"This is an unholy demon,"
"I'm sending it back to hell where it belongs."
Frollo protested, holding the baby by the blanket it was wrapped in as he jerked it forward, making the poor thing cry out as the Archdeacon tutted.
"See there the innocent blood you have split,"
"On the steps of Notre Dame."
The old man pointed to the steps and to the woman's unmoving body, holding her head as he used his other hand to gently massage her temples, her eyebrows slowly relaxing as she went slack-jawed.
"I am guiltless, she ran, I pursued."
Frollo scoffed, and Thorin grit his teeth, the rest of the patrons whispering to one another for a short moment.
"Now you would add this child's blood to your guilt,"
"On the steps of Notre Dame."
The elder man accused, pointing at Frodo accusingly as a group of monks came from the doors of the cathedral, gasping in horror before rushing over to the Archdeacon.
"My conscience is clear!"
Frollo sneered down at the child he was holding, holding his head up high as the Archdeacon picked up the dead woman.
"You can lie to yourself and your minions,"
The Archdeacon handed the woman's dead body to the monks, they bowed in respect with a tilt of their head before carrying the woman inside the cathedral, some muttering prayers whilst others held the doors open.
"You can claim that you haven't a qualm,"
The Archdeacon turned back to Frollo, hands down at his sides and clenched into fists.
"But you never can run, nor hide what you've done from the eyes,"
He gestured with both hands to the cathedral, Frollo's eyes glancing up before his head swivelled around a the various statues who's faces seemed to be gaping in shock and disgust at the man.
"The very eyes of Notre Dame!"
The firey picture spread to reveal the entirety of the cathedral itself, all the statues of saints and holy men sneering down at Frollo as he snatched the baby away from the well.
"And for one time in his life"
"Of power and control"
"Frollo felt a twinge of fear"
"For his immortal soul. ."
Bilbo continued to play the lute as he took slow and jerky steps across the stage, eyeing the figment with the same disgust as the fiery statues.
"What must I do?"
Frollo asked the Archdeacon, who held his hands together in prayer, his eyes fixated on the spilt blood of the woman.
"Care for the child, and raise it as your own."
The Archdeacon responded, glancing up at Frollo as the man reeled his head back, shaking it.
"What? I'm to be settled with this misshapen-"
He trailed of, glancing up at one of the tall towers of the cathedral.
"Very well, let him live with you and your church."
Frollo sighed slightly, holding the baby in one arm as the Archdeacon looked at him in confusion.
"Live here? Where?"
He asked, glancing at his church before his eyes followed Frollo's.
"Anywhere."
"Just so he's kept locked away where no one else can see."
"The bell tower perhaps."
Frollo mused, glancing down at the baby and wrinkling his nose in disgust.
"And who knows, our Lord works in mysterious ways."
"Even this foul creature may"
"Yet prove one day to be"
"Of use to me. . ."
Frollo grinned before chucking the baby down to the Archdeacon, who luckily caught it as he glared up at Frollo, the judge galloping away on his horse.
"And Frollo gave the child a cruel name," Bilbo now began to sway down from the stage, fiery image slowly fading away as he walked. "A name that means half-formed;"
"Quasimodo. . ."
The tune of the lute dipped before taking on the same festive sound as before, Bilbo dancing slight around the tables.
"Now here is a riddle to guess if you can"
"Sing the bells of Notre Dame."
Bilbo gestured to the entirety of the tavern with his head as he swivelled and danced back to the stage.
"Who is the monster and who is the man?"
He tilted his head back before dancing across the stage.
"Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells,"
The rest of the tavern slowly began to join in, raising their tankards and standing up, some even dancing with a partner in a drunk manner.
"Bells,"
Bells,"
Bells,"
Bells,"
Bilbo swivelled on stage, slowly bringing his hand up as the fiery image formed all around the tavern, and everyone found themselves inside of a cathedral.
"Bells of Notre Dame!"
His voice hit a high note, vibrating over the noise of the drunken patrons as he grinned, coming to an end with a final bow as the fiery imagery disappeared.
Immediately, everyone was cheering and clapping, clanking tankards with other patrons as they grinned and began to share tales and stories of their own. Bilbo hopped off the stage, handing the lute back to the bartender as he walked back to the table that the company was sat at, handing Gandalf back his sack of red powder.
"That was amazing lad!" Bofur exclaimed as he swung his arm over Bilbo's shoulders and yanked him closer, the two grinning as Kíli and Fíli cheered in agreement. Dori made a comment about it being a rather dark tale, but Ori seemed just as intrigued by it as the rest of the table was, asking Gandalf what was in the sack he gave Bilbo.
"A gun powder of my own design." Gandalf grinned down at the eager Dwarf.
"He uses it for his fireworks." Bilbo added with a smug look when the wizard sighed as Kíli and Fíli leaned closer to him.
"The might Gandalf the Grey, making fireworks?" Fíli asked with an eager smile.
"Yeah, the faunts of the Shire do love it when they-
"-Don't you think it's time for the company to rest now?" Gandalf cut Bilbo off, giving the Hobbit a withering look as he snickered behind his hand. Thorin raised an amused eyebrow, before downing the rest of his drink, trying not to gag on the watery taste of the beer before he stood up.
"I do believe Gandalf is correct, finish your drinks and head upstairs." He ordered for the company, getting the younger ones to groan as Balin muttered a 'thank Mahal' before gulping down the rest of his drink and standing up to go upstairs.
Dwalin followed suite, though he chose to go with Thorin and Bilbo to the bar as the owner called the Hobbit and Dwarves over whilst the bartender was busy serving more tankards to the now joyous patrons- at least to those who still had some money -.
"I must thank you, mister Hobbit, that was quite the show." The man exclaimed with a grin as he chucked a silver key towards the Hobbit, who caught it with a yelp. "Though I do ave to say, it will be quite a trouble fitting in thirteen Dwarves, a Hobbit and a Human in one room. ." The man mused, tapping his finger to his chin in fake contemplation as Dwalin glanced at Thorin before staring back at the Human.
"Then we can have another room." The Dwarf suggested- or commanded, depending on how you look at it -as the Human nodded his head.
"Oh! Of course!" The owner nodded his head in agreement, twirling another key in between his fingers. "But the agreement was one song for one room." He added, a small grin on his face as both Dwalin and Thorin silently fumed. Bilbo shrugged his shoulders, seemingly not caring as he nodded his head.
"Alright then, I'll do another song for a room, how about that?" He asked, folding his arms idly, only to jump a second later when Dwalin protested.
"I don't think so. I won't have you working our Hobbit for the sake of some extra comforts." The Dwarf exclaimed, banging his hand on the bar as the owner flinched back. "You said it was a squeeze, we can fit." He added firmly before turning away, him and Thorin tugging a surprised Bilbo with them. Dwalin took the key from Bilbo, nodding to the Hobbit before walking up the stairs as Bilbo turned to Thorin in confusion.
"I don't mind doing another song." Bilbo muttered, looking at the Dwarf in confusion as he continued to glare at the owner before turning to face Bilbo.
"No, you may not, but we need rest." Thorin explained, glancing down for a moment before muttering. "And I fear he would make you work for every little thing." He mumbled, getting Bilbo's eyes to widen slightly before his lips twitched into a soft smile.
"Well, thank you, Thorin." He finished with a small bow, grinning up at the Dwarf before walking up the stairs to the room. Thorin watched as he went up the stairs, ignoring the soft blush that coloured his cheeks as he slowly walked up after him, desperately ignoring the heavy beating in his chest.
Mahal he was in love.