Day 69: Dereliction of Duty

[tanaquiljall]

telperion1 asked for something Hobbit-centric. Specifically about the resettling of Dale/Laketown/Erebor after the big battle.

as part of the Building The Future series

Dereliction of Duty

For months, it was a camp more than a town. Of men under canvas who daily toiled to clear rubble, rebuild walls, fix roofs, and till fields that had seen no crops but weeds for many a year.

But slowly the women returned. Wives, mothers, daughters: turning houses into homes, planting gardens in the garths, keeping chickens, gathering and gleaning after the reapers.

After a while, seeing how his people and their families flourished, Bard realised he had put in train all that mattered for the rebuilding of the Kingdom of Dale – save perhaps the most important task of all.

Comments

[phyloxena.livejournal.com]

This is good! Erebor and Dale don't get much publicity. Will you write another one, about Bard wedding, or something?

[tanaquiljall]

Glad you enjoyed it.

And yes, I'm toying with the idea of writing some more about Erebor and Dale - maybe not Bard's wedding, but definitely more about life there after the end of The Hobbit.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I was just reading the Hobbit today, so this fleshed out the ending nicely !

[tanaquiljall]

Excellent timing! Glad you enjoyed it.

[(Anonymous)]

Very good! The normal order of things: men bring basic survival, women bring civilization. And I could totally see Bard so caught up in the rebuilding that he almost forgets he'll need an heir. If not a Bard wedding, how about a Bard courtship?

Denise

[tanaquiljall]

men bring basic survival, women bring civilization

Exactly! Glad that came across so strongly.

If not a Bard wedding, how about a Bard courtship?

I see you already found the follow up. *g*