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Chapter Text

Unknown Date

P.O.V Unknown

As I open my eyes, I’m almost blinded by the fair intensity of the star’s light shining upon me. I’m surrounded by greenery and green pastures dotted with a few trees overlooking hills. Far away, I can see small rounded doors embedded in some hills, perhaps some houses, or bunkers, should I know? This place is so different of my palace, even my world I dare say, nothing alike Zakel. Looking back, this place reminds me slightly of Zakel, when I first came on this world, when they were still primitives. However, I’m not supposed to be here, it wasn’t part of my plan, I should be possessing the body of this Sith who was kneeling in front of me, not here. Hm, I shall try to remember what happened last. I was sitting upon my throne, then my son came back with two prisoners after the complete obliteration of their pitiful fleet with my eternal fleet. Arcann brought me Marr and his so-called hero, a member of the Dark Council whose name I completely forgot. I killed Marr of course, and the other sith kneeled bowed down to me to get a share of my power, and…ah, yes, my son pierced my back with his lightsaber. I do remember, and truth to be told, it’s not one of my finest moment, yet I’m proud of him. Nonetheless, I should be in the body of the sith, not a different world.  Even though I’m using my power to try to probe the galaxy, it’s like there’s no life in the entire universe if this world. Is that possible? Am I in the right world, or in another universe ? If yes, which one? Where?

“Where am I?” I asked myself.

“In the Shire, my good sir.” I heard an unknown voice.

I instantly turned myself toward the voice, slightly shocked that I didn’t felt the possessor of this voice behind me. I decide to carefully observe this creature with a human appearance. She must measure at most 4 feet, and looks like a woman, with golden curly hair reaching the back of her neck, green almost emerald eyes, easily mistaken for a child, yet with my power if feel she’s much more older than a mere child. As I lower my eyes, I am surprised to see that she is barefoot, and her feet are very different from mine. They are slightly thicker, with a tuft of hair on each foot, and they look very tough. What a strange specimen.

“Who are you? And by the same token, what are you? I have never met a species like yours.” I ask then, in an authoritative voice.

"Well, you're not very courteous, it's not a way to address a lady, grand-leg. She replied in the same tone, "But to answer your question, my name is Belladonna Took, daughter of Gerontius Took, the Thain of the County, and I am a Hobbit, though sometimes you refer to my people as Halflings, which is very rude and considered an insult here.”

Fascinating, hobbits, seems that I came upon an interesting universe. Yet, I feel that my time has come, I’m dying, and I have no one left to transfer my powers to. This universe being different from mine, it is obvious that I will not be able to transfer my consciousness, but maybe ... yes, the idea is more than entertaining. I can at least transfer all my powers, maybe even my knowledge or a part of it, but for it to work, I have to have an heir. And lucky I am, right in front of me, is a woman. Nothing will stop me from having an heir, and from transferring my powers, even if I have to lower myself to this vile deed. But before all, let's try to convince her, who knows, maybe she will be sensitive and will agree to help me?

"Tell me, would you help me? I have little time left, very little time. I cannot explain the reason, but just know that I am very powerful, I will say even immensely powerful, and I have little time left. "I ask her.

"Hm, I do not know you, but if it can help you die in peace, then I will do everything in my power to help you.” She replied, a touch of worry in her voice.

"Tell me, do you have people in this world, which are able of fantastic feats? People with powers, able to explode things, create things, control things, and so on?” I asked curiously.

"Yes, yes, absolutely, they are wizards. One of my friends is one, you may know him, Gandalf the Grey, though some say Gandalf Greymantle, or call him Mithrandir among the elves, or even Tharkûn among the dwarves. There are five, Saruman the White, who is the most powerful of his order, there are the two blue magicians, whose names are forgotten, Gandalf, and Radagast the brown, the last of his order. These wizards are called the Istaris, and rumours says they were sent by the Valars to protect us.” She replied, with enthusiasm, "And considering your lack of knowledge, I guess you do not know who the Valars are. For simplicity, the Valars are the creators of our world and of all life. Eru Illuvatar, the creator of all things to breathe life into the song. He created the elves who are immortal, and who are extraordinary healers. The dwarves were created by Aûle, better known as Mahal. Men, I do not know anymore. And finally, we Hobbits were created by Yavanna Kementari, the Green Lady and Valar of Nature, who’s Mahal's wife.” She added.

As I thought about the information, Belladonna approached me.

"Tell me, how can I help you?” She asked.

"I need an heir," I replied, and added at once, seeing her offended look, "Know that I'm like those wizards, I have extraordinary powers. And I wish to transmit my powers, but I can only transmit them to a child of my blood. I do not have any, I have no heirs, and I need one. I will be able to transmit my powers to the child even if he is in the belly of his mother, do you understand? "

“I see, and I guess I'm the only ’candidate’ available, my luck.” She said mockingly.

How interesting, she does not seem more shocked than that. I was expecting a violent reaction, insults, but surely not this.

“Does that mean yes?” I asked.

“Hm, see, I'm already considered one of the least respectable hobbitesses in the county, so having a child out of wedlock with a wizard, that's enough to make the gossipers of the whole county talk. I'm in!” She answered with a cheerful look.

She grabbed my hand immediately and led me into an abandoned corner of the forest, where we surrendered to our primary instincts for several hours.

“And how do I know if I'm pregnant before you die?” She asked me, very worried about me.

“Worry not, I'll know, and I need only two or three hours to know whether or not you will be pregnant," I replied, in a tired voice.

Three hours later, I decided to check her as she slept by my side. I focused my mind and used the force, then I felt another presence, very powerful, in her belly. I had succeeded, I had created an heir. Immediately, I woke her up.

“What ... what ... what's going on?” She asked, completely confused.

“You are pregnant.” I answered in a voice without emotion.

“And now? What will you do?” She asked me.

“Now, I will transfer my powers into this embryo, and once done, I will disappear.”

“I see, so I guess it's a farewell.” She answered, sadly.

I decided not to answer, and I ran the palm of my hand on her belly. A beam of energy connected us, and I transferred all my powers. I felt my end approached, and it is with an evil laugh that I extinguished, adding just before disappearing.

“May my child know my name, let him know that he is the son of Valkorion, Emperor of Zakel.”

Chapter Text

Life was not easy for Belladonna Took. Once Valkorion died, and she pregnant, she had to go back to the Tooks, and had to explain her new condition to her family. Surprisingly, she was accepted by her family without any problem, after all, everyone knows how different the Tooks are from other hobbits families, as well as the Brandybucks.

That’s why many Hobbits were astonished when she was courted by none other than Bungo Baggins, the Baggins family being one of the most respectable families in the whole County. No one ever thought that a Baggins would join a Took, let alone Belladonna Took, the most adventurous of all, pregnant of an outsider.

As a show of good will and sincerity, Bungo built Bad End, a huge Hobbit hole overlooking a large hill. In fact, the whole hill, and even its surroundings belonged to Bungo, and was the courting gift to Belladonna, which she could not help but accept.

No sooner was she married than she had to give birth, for nine months had passed since her adventure with Valkorion, and the pregnancy had come to an end. She gave birth in Bag End, with Bungo near her, yet, that was not the most interesting case. Indeed, during childbirth, an incredible event occurred. After the child, whom she decided together with Bungo to name Bilbo, came out of her belly, an explosion of Force was unleashed, reverberating throughout Middle-earth, and any being capable of magic felt that aura. The Istaris decided to comb through all Middle-Earth to find the source of this power. Of course, they completely bypassed the Shire, as if Halflings could ever produce such power! And this was their mistake.

Bilbo was very different from other hobbits at birth. First of all, his feet were slightly smaller than those of a baby hobbits, but not less resistant. Then he was slightly taller than a baby hobbit (he was about the size of a baby dwarf). But what shocked everyone was his eyes, which were completely silver. When Bungo held Bilbo in his arms, having decided to raise him as his own son, he thought he was hallucinating when for a short moment as he saw Bilbo's eyes light up, turning yellow for few seconds. He attributed this hallucination to fatigue, but from that moment he decided to observe Bilbo more carefully.

The years passed, and Bilbo grew. He was very different from other fauntlings. First, he was taller, at least one head tall. Then he was wearing shoes, although he did not need them because they were resistant, but because he felt naked without them. This earned him a bad reputation among other fauntlings, subject to ridicule. The parents forbade their children to go near him, but Bilbo didn’t care about it, because the only thing he was interested in was books, maps, and surprisingly, he was interested in the politic of the Shire. He was very close to Old Took, constantly trying to get his attention, and wanting to understand Thain's obligations. Often, Bilbo did not hesitate to say that if the Shire was a Kingdom, Thain would be the King. It was in Bilbo's genes to look for more power and hoard it.

Another reason why Hobbits (aside from the Tooks and Surprisingly, the other Baggins) avoided Bilbo, was the strange acts that were taking place around Bilbo. When Bilbo wanted an apple on a branch, he just had to focus on it, then the apple would come to him. When he got angry or stressed, his eyes turned yellow or orange and shone. Sometimes he could force someone to do what he wanted with his voice. But what intrigued most Hobbits, took place during the Fell Winter. That year, winter had come earlier, the Shire was submerged by snow, and the Brandywine River had frozen. Wolves, wargs and even orcs had crossed the river and started plundering the reserves and slaying Hobbits. Belladonna went to fetch wood with Bilbo, and was attacked by orcs. She managed somehow to kill a few, but she was killed by a huge White Warg, mounted by a pale orc who had a blade instead of the left arm.

All this took place in front of Bilbo's eyes, and it was at that moment that something snapped in him. A wave of sheer power overwhelmed him, and he unleashed it against his enemies. Arcs of lightning came out of his hands, his eyes shining in the darkness, and orcs died all around. Some grilled, others smothered, strangled. Several wargs threw themselves on Bilbo, and a wave of Force swept over the beasts, killing them instantly, uprooting and setting all the trees around him. The pale orc fled, swearing that he would one day kill that being who had killed all of his soldiers.

Lobelia Bracegirdle witnessed this act, and hastened to tell it to all the hobbits. She put forth his strength, and the fact that he had killed all the wargs and orcs, saving them all. Some were frightened, but many were relieved. They named Bilbo “Peacekeeper”. Others said he was sent by Yavanna to protect the Shire. During that winter, old Took died, and a new Thain had to be named. Normally, the position was to be inherited by his older son, Isengrim Took. However, many Hobbits claimed Bilbo as Thain. It was with pleasure that Isengrim gave way the title to Bilbo, and so, being only 34, a year after his majority, Bilbo was named Thain of the Shire. (The 27^th)

He did not hesitate to change many things as Thain of the Shire. First, he ordered that each Hobbit was to be trained as a master of a weapon, be it the sword, the spear or the bow. The majority of hobbits chose the bow, and the dagger as it was lighter than a sword. The farmers chose the mastery of the spear, accustomed to the fork, the spear would not change them much.

Then he ordered patrols throughout the Shire, with at least ten hobbits, armed to protect the inhabitants. He asked the rangers protecting the borders of the Shire to train hobbits, which the rangers agreed to. To thank them, houses were built in each village hobbit, able to accommodate at least ten rangers.

Finally, to maximize the protection of the Shire, Bilbo decided to remove as much power as possible from the family council, explaining that for greater safety and greater ease of movement, he had to centralize decisions, and that none other than the Thain was better placed. This allowed him to enter into negotiations with Bree and Rivendell. He negotiated contracts and deals, exchanging food and rare spices, for elven armours suitable for hobbits, bows and spears. At first, the elves were not convinced, but they finally agreed, when Bilbo explained that he only wanted to defend the Shire to avoid a new Fell Winter (He also used the Force to convince). He used as an argument the increase of orcs, and praised the merits of Elven armours, explaining that they were very light compared to dwarf’s, and that Hobbits could not wear heavy armours. Finally, he negotiated with the dwarves of Ered Luin for the import of white stones and iron, in order to build towers for the protection of the bridges leading to the Shire, as well as to change the wooden bridges into stone bridges. His goal was simply to protect the Shire as much as possible, even if it means form a guard or a small army.

However, no one knew outside the Shire who was the Thain, not even the rangers. Each letter was stamped with a seal, representing a strange sword (lightsaber) surrounded by lightning. Hobbits had received orders not to reveal the identity of the Thain, unless otherwise ordered, and his powers became the biggest secret of all the Shire. Even Gandalf knew nothing of Bilbo's powers.

Chapter Text

The years passed, and the Shire continued to change, becoming ineluctably a small kingdom-alike. Whether in Bree, Grey-Havens, Rivendell, or even in the most remote dwarf encampments and kingdoms, there were whispers about this lush, green land. Formerly unknown to the majority of Middle-earth, now known to all, the Shire had become the subject of many gossip and stories. Many did not understand how this invisible and unknown place had become a small kingdom-alike.

The Shire was not known for his prowess in war, but for the richness of the soil, bountiful harvests, and crops throughout the year. Its rich lands, its peaceful people, and its pipe weed (the old toby remaining the best weed possible). Yet, we now spoke of the Shire in other words. People, mostly those of Bree, were curious about the walls that were erected around the Shire, and major villages such as Michel Delving and Hobbiton. The great smials of the Tooks and Brandybuck were also surrounded by large walls. Every three hundred meters, watchtowers were erected on the old Arnor road, constantly watching the comings and goings of the few visitors, merchants and others.

The most astonishing thing was to see armed hobbits guarding the entrance and exit gates of the Shire, fiercely guarding the bridges over the Brandywine River. Constant patrols guarded the Shire, shamelessly expelling the bandits and ruffians who saw the Shire as an easy prey. All these dispositions changed the relations between the Shire, Bree, and even with the Dunedains. Arathorn, the leader of the Dunedains was shocked to see such changes take place in the Shire, hardly understanding the will of hobbits to defend themselves and strengthen themselves, while they were protected by the rangers.

Thus, in the year 1331 of the Reckoning of the Shire (that is to say the year 2931 of the Third Age), Arathorn requested an interview with the Thain of the Shire to better understand the additions and outcomes of the hobbits' actions. Of course, Bilbo gladly agreed to receive him, and even decided to meet him in Bag End.

 Bag End no more was a large family smial. No, Bag End was much more. After his appointment as Thain of the Shire, and after taking almost all powers, Bilbo did not hesitate to designate his smial as the Thainery, or as some had fun saying, The Hobbiton Palace. The hill being quite large, and originally, the smial occupying only a part of the top of the hill, Bilbo decided to enlarge his smial. Several hobbits builders worked tirelessly for months, turning the entire hill into a huge smial, cut into two parts. The bottom part was set with a large door made for large people, humans and elves, so they can be welcomed as they should, and recessed into the front door, another door, smaller for dwarf and hobbits. This part of the smial, took about two thirds of the hill, and was designated to host dignitaries, meals, meetings of hobbit families, but also as a refuge in times of famine or danger. This part of the hill counted no fewer than twenty pantries, never so much pantries were built in a smial. Even the Great Smials of the Tooks and Brandybucks had no more than ten pantries. 

The second part of the hill, at the top, was reserved for the Thain’s family, more precisely the Tooks. Of course, Bilbo lived there alone, or, as lonely as one can be with servants. Indeed, Bilbo had decided to establish a sort of servant quarters, directly in the first part of the Thainery. No less than fifty hobbits lived steadily in the Thainery, servants constantly cleaning the smial, guards directly protecting the Thainery (about thirty), and obviously hobbits dealing with the administration with a certain rigor. Many were surprised to find Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, as treasurer, but some amused themselves saying that if she can steal the silverware without remorse then we should hire her to keep her busy. Some even gave her the nickname Fierce Dragon Lobelia   Known for her fierce temper and legendary greed.

Thus, Arathorn was very surprised when he went not to Tookborough, but to Hobbiton. His shock was even greater when he passed several watchtowers, and even the gate of a fortified wall so he may enter the village, and he quickly realized that there was no more village, but a small town. He saw a kind of a barrack, where some hobbits were training, and wide, in the centre of Hobbiton, he then saw a grand smial, very different, guarded by armed hobbits with spears and elven armours.

When he approached the Thainery, he was immediately halted by the guards:

“What can we do for you, master spear?”   Asked one of the guards.

“I heard that the Thain now resides here, and I’d like to talk with him, master hobbit.”   He replied.

“Ha! No problem, and who should I announce to the Thain?”

“Arathorn, chief of the Dunedains.”

“No problem.”   He turns to one of the other guards “Tobold, go tell the Thain.”

“Yes, sir!”   Answered Tobold.

Meanwhile, Arathorn decided to watch the hobbit in front of him. This Hobbit was dressed in a mesh weave elfique, protecting his torso and arms, while its legs were protected by leather pants covered in slight Elvish steel plates. He had on his head a splendid diadem without gem. He noticed that his shoulders were covered by shoulder pads, and that there was on each shoulder the seal of the Thain. This seal was not present on the guards he met during his trip, yet here at the Thainery, this seal was present on each guard, probably meaning that they were the personal guards of the Thain.

A few minutes later, Tobold returned, inviting Arathorn to enter the Thainery, and immediately led him to the courtroom (which some called the Throne Room, with the splendid marble throne in the centre of the room.), where Bilbo was waiting. Along the way, the ranger took the opportunity to admire the beauty of the place, watching the cherry wood walls, engraved with expertise flowers and animals. The ceiling was exceptional, carved to look like a starry sky, set with small gems carved to represent the stars. Paintings of famous hobbits along the corridor, as Bandobras Took, Gerontius Took, and many others. At last, when he reached the end of this long corridor in which there were many closed doors, he arrived at a large door guarded by two hobbits. On the walls were portraits of the same hobbit, one representing him victorious on the body of a Warg, the other representing him kneeling in front what appeared to be the representation of Yavanna.

Finally, when he entered the courtroom, he saw in the centre of the room, on a throne made of white marble, the same hobbit he had observed on these paintings. This hobbit was quite large, easily reaching a dwarf, with long hair with curly ends, completely blond, and his silver eyes with golden reflects wore such power that Arathorn shuddered. The closer he got to the hobbit, the more he took into account every detail about the being in front of him. The first thing he noticed was his armour, made of platinum or at least a similar metal, protecting the whole of his torso, as well as his shoulders. The armour was complete, with gloves, leggings and boots, each part being made of this shining metal, filigree with gold as well as a black cloth like the night. A belt was also present, made of a darker metal, circled with gold.

(here's the armour, and that's Bilbo's father!"

Finally, the hobbit spoke to him.

“I understand, Master Arathorn, that you wanted to talk to me?”   Bilbo asked wearily.

“Indeed, master hobbit. I do not know your name, would you be so kind as to let me know?” Replied the ranger.

“Ah, I see that my guard did not tell you, that's good, it proves that they take their work seriously. My name is Bilbo Baggins, Thain of the Shire.”

“I'm delighted to meet you, Master Baggins.”   He bowed respectfully then asked directly,   “I came here to learn more about the changes being made in the Shire. I thought I noticed armed hobbits, guards, walls, towers, and many things that were not present before, and I would like to know why that is.”

“Ha!”   Bilbon observed Arathorn with a smile on the corner, “I thought that at one time or another, the rangers would wonder about our behaviour. I thought that this moment would never come, master ranger.”

“Well, since you knew I was coming, I guess you can answer me?”   Asked Arathorn,   “In addition, I would like to know where Gerontius is, it's been a few years.”

At the mention of Gerontius, Bilbo's eyes flashed brilliant yellow, becoming silver again.

“My grandfather, Gerontius, died during the Fell Winter, and I was then named Thain. Moreover, it was after the Fell Winter that I decided to take things into my own hands. Noticing the ineffectiveness of rangers to protect us from Wargs, orcs and big white wolves, I decided to create an army to protect us, and sign some treaties so we no more have to count on some invisible guardians.”   The words being pronounced with a certain dose of venom.

“I'm really sorry for your loss, but I assure you we did our best, but other orcs came from the north and we were busy repelling them, so we did not notice that some came from the south.”   He replied, looking sad and said, “I dared to hope that the river would not freeze, but it seemed that this hope was in vain.”

“Indeed, and as you can see, we no longer need your protection, ranger.”

“Our mission has always been to protect the Shire in respect of the Kingdom of Arnor. We will continue to defend you, even if you think you do not need us anymore.”   He said, looking solemn.

“Hm, interesting.”   Replied Bilbo, then thoughtfully, he went on, “And tell me, are you comfortable in your camps?”

Arathorn watched Bilbo before answering, trying to figure out where he was going.

“We are used to living in our camps, but to answer your question, no, it's not very comfortable.”

Bilbo seemed to consider his answer, an intelligent gleam shining in his eyes, then he spoke up.

“I have a proposal for you, Master Arathorn, a proposal that you will greatly benefit from.”

Arathorn was taken aback by this change of conversation.

“And what is this proposal?”

At that moment, Bilbo smiled and decided to subtly use force to guide Arathorn's choice.

“My proposal is simple. I propose that you and your rangers install yourself in the Shire. You will then enjoy neighbourhoods, a barracks built especially for you, in which you can sit comfortably, train, and even found families, if it is not already the case. You will be allowed to build houses around this barrack, for your families, we will help you with the construction, and will provide you with constant food. What's more, you will have access to the market, merchants, and if necessary, to our armoury.”

Each spoken word was covered with a thin shroud of Force, as sweet as honey, loudly resonating in Arathorn's mind.

“And in exchange? What are you asking for so much generosity?” Asked Arathorn, interested in this proposal, but remaining suspicious.

“It's very simple, Arathorn, in return, I ask that your prowlers become apparent members of the Army of the Shire, and they train the hobbits to the best of their competence. Furthermore, they would have to sworn allegiance to the Thainery. I'm not stupid, I learned, and I know exactly who you are, Arathorn, son of Arador, descendant of Aranarth and the Kings of Arnor. And I know you are the legitimate prince of Arnor. Thus, I want the total independence of the Shire, so we are no more part of the old Kingdom of Arnor.”

Arathorn was shocked by Bilbo's demands.

“In short, you demand that the oath of the Shire to Arnor is broken, and that my men and I swear you loyalty, thus becoming slaves?!”   He shouted almost outraged.

“Did I say slaves? No, I do not think so. I would rather say citizens, full members of the Shire. In any case, there is no more Arnor, no kingdom, and you have spent your whole life defending the Shire for generations. It is quite normal to propose to join us, and not to have to live in the woods. Obviously, that would mean giving up any possible governance of Arnor, which would be sad, but do not worry, it is with great pleasure that I will deliver you from this heavy burden.”   While uttering these words, Bilbo used all his powers to convince Arathorn.   “My dear Arathorn, you have everything to gain. So give up that crown you will never wear, and leave it to me, after all, if the hobbits have survived and not the rest of Arnor, it proves that we are best suited to lead, isn’t that true?”

Arathorn's eyes became dull, and he answered mechanically,

“Yes, you are right, Master Baggins. I do not need this burden, and it is with pleasure that I leave it to you.”

Bilbo could not help but smile at this easy victory. The mind is so weak, malleable, and easy to control. With just a few words and a little Force, he had just made the heir of Isildur renounce the crown of Arnor, now his own, although there is no kingdom.

Arathorn's eyes finally caught their glow.

Well, what a funny feeling He thought, without paying any attention to this strange feeling, then exclaimed, “I shall inform my people.”

As he made his way to the exit, he turned around and asked,

“If the Shire is now independent, and you have claimed a fallen kingdom, how am I supposed to call you?”

At this question, the few guards in the room listened, eagerly awaiting the answer of their Thain.

Bilbo stood up in all his splendour, a jet-black cape, filigree gold wrapped around his back, and began to smile.

“I think Your Majesty will do the trick from now on, after all, I'm soon-to-be King now.”

Arathorn nodded, and bowed respectfully, as all the hobbits bowed and shouted with joy.

The message was quickly dispersed throughout the Shire, and proclamations were made in the four quarters.

Very quickly, in the west of Hobbiton, still inside the ramparts, houses were built, and a barrack was erected to accommodate the Dunedains. It took less than three months to build everything, and one month after the construction, more than a hundred Dunedains came with their families to settle. Arathorn had the honour of settling in the now Royal Palace, as a guest of honour, with his wife, Gilraen, who was pregnant at the time. Three weeks after their settlement, she gave birth to young Aragorn, then putting end to the long tradition of childbirth usually held in Rivendell. Arathorn was also appointed Commander of the Armies of the Shire, and received the honorary title of Lord of Arnor.

 Thus in the year 1332 of the Shire Reckoning, the Hobbits decided to temporarily close the borders of the Shire, to the shock of the foreigners. Elves were sighted heading towards the Shire, headed by Elrond Peredhel, and his three children, Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen. They were followed closely by an escort, including Glorfindel, Lindir, Erestor and many other elves.

They were later joined on the road by Lady Galadriel of Lorien, as well as her husband, Lord Celeborn, and a complete guard of the Golden Woods, composed only of Galadhrim, with Captain Haldir, sentinel of Lorien, and his brothers, Rumil and Orophin.

These groups came from the east.

From the west, two other elf groups arrived. One was led by Cirdan, Lord of Grey-Havens, accompanied by some scholars who decided to live in the white towers of Mithlond, and a guard of pike men. The other group was led by Thranduil, the Elven-King of the forest kingdom of Greenwood the Great, accompanied by his son Legolas, as well as some royal guards. They were on a diplomatic visit to Mithlond, and left some time after Cirdan’s group.

Whispers were then heard on the road, among the merchants, as well as in villages such as Bree where a certain dwarf was working so he can send some money to his family in Ered Luin. He did not fail to show all the disdain he felt at the passage of the Elves of Rivendell and Lorien. The gossip said that the elves were headed to the Shire to bless their lands, which would explain the abundance of the Shire. No one suspected that all the Elven kingdoms were invited to the Shire to attend the coronation of Bilbo Baggins, in exchange for an oath of silence about the event, agreeing never to disclose the information they were going to learn.

The groups met at Hobbiton, at the palace where they were welcomed and lodged. On occasion, the Palace had changed, sporting tapestries of great beauty, blue pennants with the symbol of the Thain embroidered on them, and banners spread on each wall surrounding Hobbiton, and even the whole Shire. The Palace had also changed its appearance, and in just one year it had grown larger, extending beyond the hill, looking more and more like an Arnorian palace. Huge tables and large tents were deployed under the party tree, able to accommodate the whole Shire and the elven guests.

At 12:00 on the dot, all residents of the Shire headed for the palace, entering the new throne room, large enough to accommodate at least twice the total population of the Shire. In its centre, a huge throne made of white marble, filigree with gold, surrounded by two smaller thrones, made of black marble. A long royal blue carpet, connecting the entrance of the room to the thrones. The ceiling decorated with midnight blue banner, each embroidered with a sword (lightsaber), surrounded by lightning, with a crown on top, and a large tree surrounded by stars, representing the kingdom of Arnor in the back.

All guests remained standing on either side of the carpet, with front seats for the elves. Elrond was standing near the throne, with Arathorn holding in his hand a cushion on which lay a splendid crown of Mithril, more like a dwarf crown than a crown made for a hobbit. The crown was filigreed with gold and silver, representing lightning on the sides and at centre of the crown, a beautiful sapphire cut in the form of a tree, surrounded by small emeralds representing plants.

 (just replace the raven by the Sapphire)

At 12:30, a music was slowly started by the hobbits, who began to sing with force. Slowly, Bilbo appeared while wearing his splendid armour and a midnight blue cape, with the royal symbol. He then began walking slowly and decisively along the room, watching every citizen and elves, offering a happy smile to Galadriel and Celeborn, and a charming smile to Legolas (as well as Thranduil, being next to Legolas).

When he arrived in front of the throne, Elrond bowed slightly, then pronounced himself.

“Today we are gathered to witness the coronation of Bilbo Baggins Took, the first to be crowned as King of the Shire, and Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Arnor.”   He turns to Bilbo, “Do you swear to defend the Shire and its inhabitants?”

“I swear!”

“Do you swear to protect the values of the Hobbits and the inhabitants of Arnor?”

“I swear!”

“Do you swear to rebuild the Kingdom of Arnor and restore its former glory?”

“I swear!”

Elrond then motioned for his children to come nearer, each bearing in his hand a cushion on which rested, in the case of Elladan, the ring of Barahir, and in the case of Elrohir, the Sceptre of Annúminas. As for Arwen, she had in hand a cushion on which rested a necklace, set with the Elendilmir (the copied Star of Elendil made for the descendants of Isildur, the original being * spoiler if you have not read the books * in the Tower of Orthanc, jealously guarded by Saruman).

Slowly, Elrond took the ring and put it on the ring finger of Bilbo's right hand. Then he took the necklace he pulled it gently around Bilbo's neck, while pronouncing blessings of long life and prosperity in Sindarin. Slowly, and with reverence, he ordered Elrohir to give the sceptre to Bilbo, who gladly accepted it, holding it with both his hands. At last Arathorn advanced with the crown, and Elrond seized it.

“I hereby declare on this day, by the will of the people, and under the blessing of the Valars, Bilbo Baggins Took, first King of the Kingdom of the Shire, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Arnor, and I am pleased to name him Elf-friend.”   He said as he gently deposited the crown on Bilbo's head, then he drew back.

Slowly, Bilbo turned to Arathorn.

“Arathorn, advance please.”

The general, surprised by this request, advanced.

“Arathorn, I take this solemn occasion to appoint you Lord of Dunedains, Lord of the Shire and Arnor. Do you accept these titles?”

Moved, the ranger replied vigorously, “I accept.”

Bilbo then smiled and exclaimed.

“So take place on the throne to my right.”   And Arathorn sat on the black marble throne to his right.

To everyone's astonishment, Bilbo had not finished, so he asked   :

“Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, come here!”

Slowly, and confused, Lobelia stepped forward. For the occasion, she was dressed in a dress made of silk with golden highlights, having for once no hat on her head, but a silver diadem with a small sapphire signifying her belonging to the same family.

“For years, you have proven that you were an excellent treasurer and an effective counsellor. On this occasion, I appoint you Royal Advisor, Royal Treasurer, as well as Countess of Hardbottle. Do you accept?”

With tears in her eyes, and a smug smile on her face, she nodded fervently and answered without hesitation,

“Yes, I accept, your majesty.”

“So Lobelia, take your place on my left, because this throne is yours.”

Lobelia, still shocked, slowly walked to the throne, and sat down gracefully, an ever-present smile on her lips. In the crowd, Otho and their young son Lotho could be seen smiling at her, as happy as she was.

Thus, slowly and with imposing presence, Bilbo sat down on his throne. So all the hobbits and Dunedains screamed with joy, yelling,

“Long live the King!”

While the elves were applauding, and bowed gracefully to the young King.

Immediately after, everyone went to the party tree to celebrate the occasion with great fanfare. The tables were covered with the most delicate dishes, beer and wine flowed freely.

Music was heard throughout the Shire, hobbits danced and sang with the Dunedains, while elves actively argued among themselves. At the main table, Bilbo sat with the five elf lords, Lobelia and Arathorn.

“Allow me to be the first to congratulate you, Lord Bilbo.”   Exclaimed Thranduil, ordering his son to come forward, a chest in his hands, “I am pleased to offer you this present in honour of your coronation, and I hope to solidify our relationship in the future. I dare to see a prosperous future between our two kingdoms.”

Legolas then opened the wooden chest, revealing two silver daggers with ivory knobs. Both blades were engraved, bearing the symbols of Greenwood.

Bilbo smiled and accepted the present.

“I thank you King Thranduil, and it is with pleasure that I accept this sumptuous present. I hope I do not have to use them in the near future.”   He joked.

In agreement, everyone smiled, some letting out a laugh, such as Lobelia and Arathorn.

Cirdan cleared his throat, and spoke up.

“I’ve been wandering for many ages, and I no longer thought I could be surprised. Yet you managed to surprise me, young King, and it's a feat. I wish you a long reign, and I have the impression that yours will be much longer than we think.”  Slowly, he motioned for one of his guards to advance several books in his hand.   “My present for you is knowledge. I offer you these books, dating from the first age, full of our history and the history of the Age of Trees.”

After these words were spoken, the other elves held a gasp of astonishment. Never before had such books been offered, and even the Library of Rivendell did not possess such works. An invaluable gift.

Bilbo smiled fully, offering his sincere thanks to Cirdan. Bilbo having always loved reading, and appreciating calligraphy, this gift had in his eyes more value than all the gold of Erebor. He ordered one of his guards to take the books directly to his personal library.

It was then Elrond's turn to speak.

“My dear friend, I am really proud to see what has become of the son of Belladonna Took, a proud king, a most attentive scholar, and a sincere friend. My gift, I already gave you, the title of Elf-friend. From now on, no matter which elven kingdom you go to, you will always be treated with respect, with the utmost consideration, and always be welcome. If your kingdom is threatened, then you can be sure that we will respond present.”   Then Elrond smiled at Bilbo. Arathorn was pleasantly shocked, and Lobelia watched Elrond attentively, measuring his words, before smiling frankly and nodding in his direction, satisfied.

Bilbo thanked Elrond, while enjoying the wine in his cup. One of the presents brought back by Thranduil, Dorwynion wine, of great quality, and fruity to perfection.

It was then that Haldir approached with a beautiful bow made of white wood in his hands.

“Bilbo Baggins.”   Said the Lady of Lorien, “I foresight a great future for you. The road will be full of pitfalls, but it is obvious that your choices will shape the destiny of Middle-earth.”

Bilbo opened his mouth to answer, but closed it immediately, repeating the words in his head. Celeborn then spoke.

“We present you this gift, to congratulate your coronation.”   Haldir then laid the bow before Bilbo, who was enchanted by the beauty of the engravings in the wood. At his side, Arathorn watched the bow with reverence and envy, congratulating Bilbo for such a fine bow, which made Bilbo and Lobelia extremely curious about the bow.   “This bow was cut from a branch of the oldest Malorne of Lorien. May you always aim right and reach your targets before they can even realize it. Do not worry, Master Hobbit, this bow cannot be broken, it will never fail you.”

Although Bilbo was not an archer, he could only appreciate the quality of the crafts presented. Slowly, he traced the curves of the bow with his fingertips, watching attentively the runes engraved on the bow that meant Life, Abundance and Resistance.

After a long discussion with the elves, Bilbon congratulated Lobelia on her new title, expressing all the confidence he had in her. Finally, he gladly accepted the title of godfather for Aragorn as their gift. 

The party continued all afternoon and evening, and for more than a week, the Kingdom celebrated the coronation. The elves remained for more than a month, negotiating alliance treaties with the new kingdom. Economic and political treaties were signed then, spice and food exports were put in place between the kingdoms, while the elves promised ongoing military support, mentors and trainers for the Army of the Shire, as well as a supply of armour and weapons. Bilbo asked council about some mines found in the Shire, filled with gold and silver, but the elves could not helped them, explaining that only the dwarves could help. Refusing to disclose to other realms, Bilbo decided to postpone this story of mine, and allowed some Dunedains to collect gold and silver to create coins.

Years passed, the Shire still expanding exponentially, yet no one saw it, because apart from the ramparts and watchtowers and houses of men, the rest was hidden by a powerful magic. The barracks, the palace and each new building were completely hidden to outsiders. Several hobbits knew that magic was due to none other than their king, who used force to conceal everything.

It was in the year 1341 of the Reckoning of the Shire (either 2941 TA) that we saw on old roads an old man dressed in grey, staff in hand, bringing in its wake the winds of change.

Chapter Text

It is on a sunny day that our adventure begins. On the road, an old man dressed in grey, slowly walking upon the path, staff in hand, relying on it like a crutch, even if everybody knows that he’s not crippled. Gandalf the grey, the troubled-peace, the traveling danger, so many titles for one person, yet each of these titles is deserved. Gandalf observed on his way the changes which had benefited the Shire. As he approached Hobbiton, he marvelled at the ramparts. Looking back, he realised he had struggled to get into the Shire. To his great astonishment, he had been greeted by two hobbits armed to the teeth, in armour, each armed with a spear. Even greater was his surprise when he saw on the ramparts hobbits sentinels and Dunedains armed with bows. He had not thought that the Shire would change so much in just forty years. He could still remember young Bilbo Baggins, his always laughing silver eyes, and his thirst for knowledge, always running after him to learn more about the world around him. Now, seeing the changes to the Shire, he wondered if Bilbo was still the same one he had known, especially after the deaths of Belladonna and Bungo, whose burials he could not attend.

As he arrived at Hobbiton, he was once again surprised, as the village itself was surrounded by another rampart, much thicker than the one surrounding the Shire. As he walked towards Bag End, he noticed that the hobbits were still smiling, but their attire had changed. Each hobbit wore black trousers and a light-coloured silk shirt. The women wore splendid dark-coloured robes, from red to purple. Humans were also present, dressed the same way. Everywhere, soldiers, whether hobbits or Dunedains, wearing shining armour, armed for the most part with spears and swords, and each hobbit soldier with a bow and a quiver on his back.

At last he arrived at Bag End, or rather, what he remembered to be Bag End. With great shock, he took in the changes to the once much smaller smial, wondering when it had grown to take up the entire hill. It was then that he saw him, on a bench, smoking a pipe. Bilbo had changed, dressed differently from other hobbits, seeming to wear an armour that had nothing to do with that of the soldiers. He was accompanied by a ranger he knew well, Arathorn; but what was he doing here?

“Is that Gandalf that I see there, your majesty?” Whispered Arathorn in Bilbo's ear.

Bilbo turned to watch Gandalf in the distance. As he stroked absently his light golden beard, he took a deep breath of his pipe, and blew in the direction of Gandalf. The smoke then took the form of a warrior, running towards Gandalf, to crash on his hat.

It was then that Gandalf stopped in front of the two individuals, a smile on his lips.

“Do my eyes falter me? My dear Arathorn, it’s been a long time. Ah, and my dear Bilbo. How you’ve grown!” The old wizard said.

“Gandalf, it's been a long time since I've seen you.” Welcomed Arathorn.

“Indeed, it's been a long time since we've seen you here, Gandalf.” Said Bilbo with smile, “What brings you to the Shire?”

“I am looking for someone to partake in an adventure.” The wizard answered mysteriously, raising his hat slightly to better anchor his eyes Bilbo’s.

“Ha! And I guess if you came to see me, and not elsewhere. Am I wrong?”   Bilbo asked, frowning slightly. Next to him, Arathorn struggled to not laugh.

“Well, I must admit that I immediately thought of you, Bilbo. You kept asking me to tell you more about the world, and I thought an adventure would be perfect for you.”

“All right, I will listen to what you have to say. So, what does this adventure consist of?”

Arathorn was slightly shocked by Bilbo's response, not expecting him to be ready to listen to Gandalf's ranting’s, but he remained silent for his king.

“I must admit I do not have enough time to talk about it, but I will love to discuss it around a good meal. Tonight, would it be possible?” Said Gandalf, an amused gleam in his eyes.

“Well, I suppose so. I'll wait for you tonight. I advise you to go through the bottom door, more suitable for your size.”   Smiled Bilbo.

“Well, it will be very good for you, and most amusing for me. Expect our company tonight.” The magician exclaimed, turning to leave immediately, leaving Arathorn and Bilbo speechless.

Bilbo then turned to Arathorn.

“Is it me, or did he say our company?"

“Uh ... it’s not just you.” Replied the General, a drop of sweat running down his temple.

A short time later, a soldier ran to Arathorn, handing him a parchment then left immediately. Arathorn began to read it, then spoke.

“It seems that thirteen dwarves have arrived in the Kingdom, and that they have settled at the Green Dragon.”

Bilbo looked thoughtful, muttering, “I'm sure they're in cahoots with this crazy old man. At least now we know the identity of ‘our company’.”

Suddenly Bilbo rose and went to his palace, ordering the guards to drive the dwarves straight into the banquet hall, if they came to the palace. He took the opportunity to order the servants to prepare a feast, suspecting that as many dwarves, it must consume large quantities of food.

Then the palace staff was driven to a frenzy, the cooks bending over backwards to prepare a feast worthy of their king. On occasion, Bilbo asked that the best wine and the best beer be brought. Barrels of Dorwynion wine, and casks of the Took's special beer were then brought into the banquet hall. All too soon, the hours had passed, and the dwarves headed one by one to the smial.

Dwalin was the first to arrive at the palace. Since his arrival in the Shire, he hadn’t ceased to be surprised. He could see soldiers, patrols, ramparts, watchtowers ... while it was said that the Hobbits were a peaceful people who knew nothing of war, it certainly didn’t seem so. Slowly, approaching the Palace, he began to doubt what Gandalf had said. Why in Mahal’s name would a burglar live in the biggest smial of the whole city, guarded by soldiers in armour, not only hobbits, but also men. He shook himself from his thoughts when he found himself facing the guards.

“I was told that I am expected. I am sent by Gandalf.” He said with a strong voice.

“I see, you must be one of the dwarf his ma ... Master Bilbo is expecting.” Said the guard.

What did he want to say before Master? Wondered the dwarf.

“Follow me, I will take you to the banquet hall.”   The guard said, motioning for Dwalin to follow him.

Upon entering the Palace, Dwalin was flabbergasted. The place was huge; walls engraved, not in wood, but in stone, covered with tapestries and paintings. The further he went, the more he noticed valuable, luxury items, some, once sold, would undoubtedly feed the entirety of Ered Luin for at least the whole winter.

It was then that he arrived in a large room with a huge table in his centre surrounded by thirty chairs. The table was solid oak, carved with care, representing scenes that he supposed to be in the history of the Shire. At the end of the table, a chair that looked like a throne, probably for the master of the place. He watched carefully, noting the midnight blue tapestries covering every wall, trinkets right and left, seemingly filling the room beyond reason, probably to decorate. The place was beautiful, filled with trinkets, gold candlesticks, and even a chandelier in the centre of the room, lighting up every corner. It was then that Dwalin wondered what mess he had gotten in, and especially who this damn magician had invited with them. In any case, it was certainly not a simple Burglar, or if so, the best there was, to be able to afford such luxury.

Suddenly the doors opened behind him, and he saw Balin come in, accompanied by a guard, who immediately left.

“Brother!”   Balin approached, banging his head with Dwalin's.

“By my beard, you are shorter and wider than last we met.” Dwalin answered teasingly.

“Wider, not shorter! And sharp enough for both of us!” Exclaimed the old dwarf, a smile on his face.

Finally, Balin began to observe the places.

“Are we really in the right place?”   He asked.

“It would seem so, the guard at the entrance told me we were expected.”

Then domestic workers entered the room, laying on the table cups as well as appetizer trays. One of them came forward, dressed entirely in black, with a gold chain on the jacket with the seal of the royal family.

“My master apologizes for being late. He welcomes you, and enjoins you to enjoy the hors d'oeuvres. It is with pleasure that we will fill your cups, be it beer or wine.” Then he snapped his fingers, and a servant came up with a tray filled with beer mugs.

The two brothers did not hesitate to serve themselves, enjoying the beer of good quality served.

“If you need anything else, please do not hesitate to ask.” Exclaimed the servant, then he stepped back to stand near the fireplace, just behind the throne.

Balin still asked a question.

“Excuse me, but I wish to know if we are at Master Baggins house?”

The butler smiled at him then, and he answered.

“Indeed, you are well in the home of his lordship, my master, Bilbo Baggins Took.”

“Thank you, at least we are in the right place.”   Replied Balin.

Dwalin stiffened then said quickly.

“His lordship? Wait, does that mean that this master Baggins is a lord? By Mahal, I do not know what this magician is playing at, but he's going to hear me!”

Balin could only nod. Once again, the main doors opened, and Fili and Kili made their entrance.

“Mr Dwalin! Mr Balin!”   Both exclaimed, almost throwing themselves on the two older dwarves.

“Fili! Kili! It is in your best interest to behave, it seems that the magician did not tell us everything, and that we are in a lord's house! I will not hesitate to charge you during training if you misbehave.” Dwalin almost yelled, distrustful of the two angel-looking demons in front of him.

“He is right. It seems that Master Baggins is someone very important. I hope that my lessons have remained in your minds; we will need them.” Balin added, looking slightly worried by the development of the situation.

“No problem, we will behave.” Fili replied.

“Yeah, he's right, we’ll behave. Promise!” Kili could not help but add.

While they were chatting cheerfully, eating hors-d'oeuvres and drinking beer, the other dwarves of the company arrived. Dwalin quickly got close to Nori, deciding to keep an eye on the thief, before he could create a diplomatic incident. Ori walked near a small shelf near the fireplace which seemed to contain a few books. Dori was pleased to taste the wine offered by the servants, with Gandalf. The magician is still stunned by all the wealth present in the smial, unrecognizable. Bifur and Bofur threw themselves on the beer together, while Bombur and Oin did the same with the hors d'oeuvres. Finally, Gloin enjoyed the surrounding objects, admiring the luxury surrounding him, as a former banker, he knew how to estimate wealth, and he easily guessed that whoever lived here was bound to be someone of great importance.

At the end of thirty minutes, after the hors-d'oeuvres had all been consumed, the servants entered the room again, bringing with them dishes, filled with grilled pork, cheese pies, stew, canapés and many other dishes. The table was then completely covered, and dwarves could only watch this dance servants dropping one after another the more extravagant dishes they ever saw. Gandalf had a smirk all the way, as if he knew what was going to happen. Shortly after, twelve servants went each behind a chair. 

It was then that the doors opened wide, and Bilbo made his entrance. He had traded his armour for a beautiful elven silk robe offered by Elrond. It was midnight blue, a splendid gold dragon embroidered on the back, embroidered runes on the sleeves and the front. The dress was held by a black silk belt and a thin silver rope. For the occasion, Bilbo was completely barefoot, enjoying the feeling of the floor mats. As he advanced slowly, his eyes fixed and decided, the dwarves could not help but gape, being hypnotized by the individual standing before them. 

(The dress is a kimono  )

Bilbo then went to his throne, which was slightly pulled by the butler, then he sat in front of his seat.

“I apologize for being late, important business had held me back.” He exclaimed with a slight smile. In no case could the dwarves know that it was entirely false, and that he was just waiting for all of them to arrive, well, almost all of them. He did not want to wait for the last dwarf.

“Ha! What bad manners, let me introduce myself. I'm Bilbo Baggins Took.”

One by one, the dwarves introduced themselves, from the oldest to the youngest. Following this, Bilbo invited them to sit down. On his right was placed Gandalf, while a free seat remained on his left.

“Do not worry, the food is not poisoned. Eat then, and do not deprive yourself.”   Then, without further ado, Bilbo began to eat, his plate filled up continuously by his butler, while his cup of wine was never empty.

“Master Baggins, may I ask you an indiscreet question?” Balin asked.

Bilbo nodded, then focused on the old dwarf.

“I thought I heard you're a lord, is that true?”

Bilbo smiled, then answered.

“Indeed, you have heard, I am the lord of this place.”   He said enigmatically. Behind him, the butler smiled, as did the servants, as if they had heard the best joke ever.

Of course, the dwarves did not pay attention, except Gandalf, who began to frown, trying to understand the situation.

“I did not know there were lords in the Shire.”   He said.

“There were none, but many things have changed since your last visit, Gandalf.”   Smiled the young King.

The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Lobelia.

“Bilbo! The guards found a dwarf who wandered lost in the streets. Should I bring him to you, or throw him in a cell?” She exclaimed without further delay.

“Bringhim here Lobelia, then you can leave, Otho must be waiting for you.”   Replied Bilbo with a smile.

Lobelia signalled to the guards to bring the wandering dwarf, then left without delay, wishing Bilbo a good evening.

The dwarfs were all flabbergasted by the shattering entrance of this Hobbit wearing a sumptuous dress, and even more so when she mentioned a wandering dwarf. Kili and Fili could not help chuckling, including immediately who was the wandering dwarf.

It was then that two guards approached, with none other than Thorin Oakenshield between them. The dwarf was tall enough, the same size as Bilbo. He had long black hair, sapphire blue eyes, and a trimmed beard. He had square shoulders, standing upright, a scowling on his face. After having brought him, the guards left immediately.

“Gandalf! You said that this place would be easy to find. I lost my way... twice...”   Exclaimed the royal dwarf.

Gandalf immediately got up to go to Thorin, Bilbo behind him.

“Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce to you the leader of this company, Thorin Oakenshield, King under the Mountain.”   Introduced the old coot.

Thorin turned his gaze to Bilbo, watching him from head to toe. His gaze lingered on Bilbo's beard, as well as his eyes.

“So, this is the hobbit.” Pronouncing the word hobbit as an insult.

“Tell me Master Baggins, do you know how to fight? The axe, or the sword?”

“Well, I'm not bad with conkers.”   Replied Bilbo, then added with a mocking smile, “But to be honest, I have a preference for the sword, the axes being too cumbersome.”

Thorin looked him with a different gaze, then exclaimed.

“Hm, more like grocer than a burglar.”

 At these words, each servant, Balin and Dwalin stiffened.

“And for a King, I find you very rude. Is this a way to address your host? On top of that, a lord? If this is your way of addressing dignitaries, I'm not surprised you have no allies.”   Bilbo replied quickly.

The dwarves held their breath. Thorin seemed to evaluate Bilbo from another angle.

“I beg you for forgiveness, Master Baggins, for my rudeness. Thank you for having welcomed me and my company.” The rough dwarf apologised.

Bilbo nodded, accepting his apology. Finally, he returned to his throne, Thorin behind him, Gandalf having already sat down. The dwarf then took his place at the siege to the left of Bilbo, and began to eat.

“What news from the Iron Mountains? Dain is with us?”   Dwalin asked.

“No, he said that this quest is ours, and only ours. No help will come from our brethren.” Thorin replied.

At this remark, all the dwarves uttered a sigh of despair.

“What quest?” Cannot help but ask Bilbo.

It was then that Gandalf spoke.

“My dear Bilbo, the goal of this company is simply to take back the solitary Mountain.”

Bilbo being a scholar, knew the story perfectly.

“I see ... and what about the dragon?”

“You know about the dragon?” Asked Bofur.

“Of course I know about Smaug. Do you honestly believe that the fall of one of the richest kingdoms of Middle-earth would go unnoticed?”

“Even if we go there, the door is sealed, it is impossible to enter!”   Exclaimed Balin.

“That is not quite true, my dear friend.”   Replied Gandalf, showing in his hands a map and a key.   “There is a door, hidden on the mountainside.”

“Where there is a key, there must be a door.” Fili added.

“Exactly.” Then Gandalf handed Thorin the key.

“Where did you get this?” Asked the dwarf.

“It was given to me by your father, Thrain, for safe keeping.”

“And how does all this concern me?” Bilbo asked, unable to help himself as his curiosity peaked.

At his request, all the servants listened.

“Well, to infiltrate the places, my young friend!” The old man replied cheerfully, “The dragon does not know the smell of a Hobbit!”

“I must admit that it seems interesting to me. And, what do I gain?” The hobbit asked.

“Balin, give him the contract.”   Thorin ordered.

Balin then extended a contract to Bilbo, who immediately read it. After about ten minutes, Bilbo glared at them.

“What is this crap you call contract?” He shouted. “It’s not worth the paper it’s written on!”

At these words, several soldiers entered, alarmed by the roar of their king.

The dwarves were all stunned by the reaction of Bilbo, while Gandalf took his head in his hands, muttering about the stupidity of dwarves.

“I refuse to sign such a contract!”

“What is the problem with the contract? Isn’t it good enough for you?” Thorin asked sharply.

“The problem? You want to know what is the problem? Well, where to start ... Ah, yes! I, the undersigned, [referred to hereinafter as Burglar,] agree to travel to the Lonely Mountain, oath to be determined by Thorin Oakenshield, who has a right to alter the course of the journey at his so choosing, without prior notification and/or liability for accident or injury incurred. So, all in all, I'm going to have to follow a dwarf who is not able to find his way in a village through a mountain, and if he ever decides to change direction, and I'm hurt because of his changes, then it's not his fault!”

All the dwarves were silent, while the servants glared at the contract.

“But this is only the beginning! In role as Burglar for Thorin and Company, or in any other role they see fit, at their sole discretion from time to time. So in short, if Thorin or one of you orders me to get on all fours and do you a blowjob, I am obliged! You can then order me as a prostitute if you wish, and I will have no other choice but to obey!”

At these words, the youngest dwarves blushed fiercely, while the older ones hid their faces in their hands. At the same time, Gandalf choked on his wine and coughed heavily.

Some such as Dori and Bofur noticed the disgusted looks of servants and guards sent in their direction.

“But I have not finished! Oh no! Burglar agrees that any and all information given him by the Company remain Strictly Confidential. So all in all, I cannot mention what will happen during this quest.”   He then turns to Ori,   “I understand that you are a scribe, because yes, I understand the meaning of the beads and breads in your hair, and you are a scribe. Does this mean that you too will not have the right to talk about it? To write anything? Or it only applies to me?”

At these words, Ori blushed and lowered his head, ashamed.

“No recompense for loss of income due to any extended absence applies. Burglar is ‘at the service’ of Thorin and Company until released therefrom. So, even if I survive the dragon, my contract only ends when you decide. All in all, you can make me your slave for life! Or, your prostitute for life, who knows?!”   The Hobbit shouted, his eyes starting to shine yellow.

At this mention, Balin lowered his head.

“Furthermore, the Company shall return any and all Recovered Goods until such a time as a full and final reckoning can be made, from which the Total Profits can then be established. Then, and only then, will the Burglar’s fourteenth share be calculated and divided. I think I remember you have a mountain of gold no? In short, it could take decades even before my part is calculated! Practical, when you know that Hobbits live just over a century. Ah, and more! ‘Travelling Expenses’ shall be understood to mean base fare as seen fit by the Company. ‘Luxury’ catering or accommodation over and above this standard shall be Enjoyed only at Burglar’s… In addition, I must provide you any luxury I deem fit for me. Get your own Pipe weed!”

The dwarves began to struggle on their seats, while the hobbits continued to dart the Company with their eyes.

“Base funeral to ‘commoner’ or peasant standard is allowed for only. Lavish ceremonies and jewelled or gilded coffins not provided. Plain pine box is normal standard. Have you thought even for a second that I could be anything but a peasant? It seems like no, and I refuse to be buried in a vulgar wooden coffin! Transport of any remains, in whole or in part, back to the country of Burglar’s origin is not included. So besides being in a cheap wooden coffin, you will bury me in the place of your choice, without taking into account my culture and the traditions of my people?”

This time it was Oin who looked down.

“Present Company is not obliged to assist Burglar in this so-called ‘pest control’ phase of the Adventure. It's a dragon hunter you want to recruit, not a burglar! In this contract, everything proves that you planned to send me to fight directly against the dragon!   And you're lucky that I stop there, because this contract is a pure cloth!”

That said, Bilbo went to the fireplace and threw in the contract, drawing Thorin's angry look.

“If you want me to come with you, it will be under a contract dispute, drafted by one of my lawyers.   Whereas the contract was signed by Master Balin, I authorize him to discuss it with my lawyer.”   He then motioned to his butler, ordering him to go fetch none other than Lobelia.

Five minutes later, Lobelia arrived, looking angry.

“What's going on Bilbo?”   She asked.

“Lobelia, I wish you to write a contract, Master Balin will explain everything to you.”

“Well, follow me, please.”   Then ordered the young woman, leaving without waiting, Balin right behind her.

Bilbo turned to the Company, glowering at Thorin.

“With that, I shall rest, my servants will show you your quarters for the night. We will see each other again tomorrow morning about this new contract. With that, I bid you a good night.”

Bilbo left then, followed by his butler.

The atmosphere having completely cooled down, Gandalf glared at the Company, then left with one of the servants.

“That could have been worse.”   Added Nori, getting a slap behind the head from Dori.

Chapter Text

Bilbo observed his surroundings with a sceptical and proud eye; Humans, Dwarves, Hobbits and Elves lay prostrate before him, before his throne of white marble, as large and as imposing his power. At his side, Thorin, his own throne almost as awe inspiring as Bilbo’s own, their hands bound between them in a tight and welcomed grip as they observed the people kneeling before them. As he examined all, Bilbo noticed a weight on his head; a crown crafted from of mithril and diamonds. It is a heavy but welcomed heaviness.

A man rises, threatening him with a sword, but Bilbo merely smiled. Without delay, he strangled him with his power, and sent him away with a flick of his hand, his body now limp and lifeless. It is in that moment that his people – his subjects – start to applaud, congratulating him, all the while Bilbo unable to understand what it was that had cause them to admire him so.

Suddenly, a man appeared before him, wearing armour that was almost identical to that of Bilbo’s own, his blazing orange eyes fixed on Bilbo, silver hair and beard neatly trimmed, as he stood before him, a strange grin on his face.

“My son.” He said in a grave, imperial voice, “Your destiny is revealed. For you to prove to me that you are worthy of this power, you must follow your destiny, and put these plebeians on their knees.”

As suddenly as he came, the Man disappeared, and everything started to spin. The colours mingled, the people disappeared, to finally leave room for an immense army of orcs in a desolate land. In that moment, Bilbo reached out for the power inside him and the power in the world around him, and an immense storm appeared, growling and hungry for death. Lightning crashed through the orcs by hundreds as Bilbo unleashed his fury at these monstrosities, burning them, annihilating them without the slightest pause or a single hint of regret.

Bilbo opened his eyes, taking a breath of cool fresh air, his brow dripping with sweat. It had been a long time since he had had such visions, the last coming before the Fell winter, and he could only ponder as to its meaning. It might have reflected his greatest and most secret of plans – to reign over Middle-earth – but what had it to do with Thorin? And who was this strange man whom had called him son? Before he could think more deeply on the matter though, a butler entered his room, breakfast tray in hand.

“Good morning your majesty, I bring you your breakfast.” Said the hobbit.

“Perfect! Summon Lobelia and tell her I would see her here.”

“Yes, my Lord!” The butler answered, before bowing and leaving.

Bilbo began to eat without delay, savouring his meal in solitude before, a few minutes later, Lobelia made her grand entrance, walking with a decided step towards Bilbo, her eyes surrounded by dark circles.

“You asked for me Bilbo?” She said with a bow.

“Indeed. I’d like to know the whereabouts of the contract with the Company of Oakenshield.”

“We finished about an hour ago. I was going to sleep.” She said, then she went on, with a bored look, “I have to admit, it was not an easy task. The dwarf would not stop insisting on including shutters to their advantage, but I didn’t falter. In short, the contract now stipulates that you will simply have to steal an object whose name will be revealed to you before entering the mountain, that the company is not responsible for your belongings, but that they must take care of your needs.”

At these words, Bilbo nodded, a smile on his lips. That was much better than the previous contract.

“You will have for payment one-fourteenth of all the riches of the treasure of Erebor, and the right to choose your share of the treasure. Finally, we agreed that if you died, which I think is highly unlikely, then the Shire will provide the funds to retrieve your body and offer you the burial you deserve, along with your part of the treasure.” She added.

“I see. This contract seems shorter than the previous one, and more precise. That pleases me. I thank you Lobelia.” He then gestured for her to sit down on a chair near the bed, “Lobelia, I'm counting on you to take care of the kingdom when I'm gone, you'll work in tandem with Arathorn, of course. I'm counting on you to continue the recovery of the North. I will find a way to communicate with you should any problems arise.”

“No problem Bilbo. With that I will leave you, I am tired, your Majesty.” She smiled.

Lobelia bowed once more, and left the room.

After finishing his breakfast, Bilbo called for his butler so he could help him put on his favourite armour. Today, he intended to impress the dwarves, especially the badly licked bear who served as their leader. He decided not to wear his crown, but a gold diadem set with a splendid sapphire. He did not intend on telling them he was a king, but he was not going out without at least some kind of ornament. While observing himself in mirror, he noticed that his irises were slightly yellow. Looking back, the more years that passed, the more his eyes changed. If before they were completely silver, now they had yellow reflections, even orange. And when he was angry, his eyes blazed as though the fires of Mordor were held behind them. When he was ready, he left his room and headed for the Banquet Hall, where his butler had informed him that the dwarves were having breakfast.

The dwarves were quietly enjoying their breakfast, provided by the servants. Thorin sat on the throne, to the greatest displeasure of the servants. When Bilbo entered, silence reigned over the room. While the servants continued to go about their business, the dwarves silently watched the newcomer. As for Thorin himself, he greeted Bilbo with his darkest gaze, which was only returned tenfold.

“Tell me, Master Oakenshield, by what right do you sit on my seat?” The hobbit asked.

Thorin arched an eyebrow, then continued eating as though nothing had happened. At his complete lack of interest, Bilbo could not help but use force, his frustration bubbling quickly inside him, and broke the wooden legs of the throne, causing Thorin to fall and his head landed in his bowl, covering him in coffee and pieces of toast. Kili, Fili, and Dwalin laughed loudly while Balin and Gandalf glanced at Bilbo, frowning with sharp eyes. As for himself, Bilbo could not help smiling while adding.

“It was fortunate you had taken my place, Master Oakenshield, or I would surely have been injured.”

Thorin got up quickly, glaring at his nephews, while a servant began to pat him down with a towel.

 “Master Balin, I understand that the contract is written. Can I read it?” The King of the Shire asked the old dwarf, ignoring the supposed Dwarf King for more important matters.

“Of course Master Baggins.” Balin replied, while handing him the contract.

Bilbo reads the contract, making sure it corresponded to what Lobelia said and not been tampered with in the short time since it had been written. Checking foremost that the contract had been approved by Thorin, he motioned to his butler to bring him a pen and an inkwell before finally signing the contract with his initials, then had the royal seal stamped before returning the contract to Balin.

 The old dwarf then took the contract and checked it, noting the seal.

“Is this the seal of your house, Master Baggins?” Asked the king's adviser, the seal not being unfamiliar to him.

At these words, all the dwarves went to Balin to observe the seal.

“Isn’t that the seal of the Thain?” Asked Ori, Balin's apprentice. Being a scribe and priding himself on being a scholar, Ori had learned many things and read many books, and this seal had sometimes appeared on merchant contracts crossing the Blue Mountains and heading for the Elven port.

Bilbo then smiled, one of the phases of his plan in motion.

“Indeed, Master Balin, this is my personal seal.”

At these words, Balin and Ori's jaws fell and their eyes seemed to come out of their sockets. Balin turned pale, while Ori rocked dangerously, caught by Dori, drawing a worried look from Dwalin. The other dwarves did not seem to understand their reaction and so Bifur asked, in Khuzdul, the reason for their reaction.

“This ... this seal is normally that of the Th ... Thain.” The young dwarf stammered.

“Thain? What is a Thain?” Bofur asked.

This time it was Balin who answered, still as white as a cloth.

“Thain is ... the Hobbits leader ... of all hobbits!”

“What?!” Exclaimed Fili and Kili.

“But then ...” Kili started, “He’s like a king?” Fili interrupted.

Bilbo chooses this moment to interrupt to answering their question.

“In fact, the Thain is not a King so to speak, but it is closest to it. Thain is the hereditary title of the chief of the armed forces, responsible for the economy, the protection of all hobbits and foreign relations. This title is transmitted among the Took line, however, this is not the only position of power. There is also the Master of Buckland and the Mayor of Michel Delving. Together, we run the Shire.”

Of course, the dwarves did not know that the political situation had completely changed.

“Humph!” Thorin growled, “You're not even a real King.”

Nobody saw the scandalized looks of the servants around but Gandalf, as always.

“And you, from what I know you are not a real King either! After all, it's hard to be King under the Mountain without a mountain to reign under, is it not?” He could not help but retort sharply. Thorin glared at him, but he did not answer, while Bilbo smirked.

 “I ask you, on behalf of the company, to accept our apologies for our behaviour, as well as that of our leader,” Balin began to say, ignoring Thorin's grumbling behind him, “We do not want to create any diplomatic incident.” He insisted, looking Thorin straight in the eyes.

Bilbo then smiled, a gleam of victory in his eyes.

“I accept your apologies, Master Balin.”

“Well, then we can go!” Exclaims Thorin.

“Of course, we can go. My servants have already prepared me a pony, an elven thoroughbred, straight from Rivendell.”

At the mention of the elves, the dwarves could not refrain from showing all the disdain they felt for this race, which caused Bilbo to laugh internally, knowing well the grievance between dwarves and elves. He still remembered the story he had read in the books Cirdan offered at his coronation. In one of them, there was mention of the War of the Jewels, and the assassination of King Thingol of the city of Doriath (an ancestor of Thranduil if he was not mistaken) by dwarven artisans of Nogrod, responsible for the creation of a splendid necklace set with a Silmaril, the Nauglamír. The dwarves, captivated by the beauty of the necklace, demanded it as payment, and murdered the elf king to seize it. It was this event that broke the trust between elves and dwarves. Bilbo had never stopped thinking that he would love to have a Silmaril.

The Silmarils, according to the tales and legends, were gems of great beauty, and even great magic. Supposedly, there were three, forged by Feanor in Valinor, capturing within them the light of the Two Sacred Trees, Laurelin and Telperion. These jewels were said to be full of magic, of great sacred power, attracting the greed of all, especially after the destruction of the Two Trees by Morgoth and Ungolianth. The jewels quickly became greatly sought after by the Valar, as history alleged that, thanks to the Jewels, it would be possible to give life to two new Sacred Treesto chase away the darkness. It was ironic, Bilbo thought, to know that for years these jewels were set in the crown of Morgoth, the Dark Lord, after Feanor's assassination.

A wreath made of Silmarils, thought Bilbo, Here is a crown worthy of a King ... or an Emperor.

 “We'll still be escorted by guards to Bree.” Added the Half hobbit.

Gandalf chose this moment to intervene.

“Is that really necessary, my dear Bilbo?”

“Yes. Not that I do not trust our dear Leader, but I know there are bandits on the road between the boundaries of the Shire and Bree, and I prefer to avoid any problem.”

Gandalf and Balin could only nod. 

Thirty minutes later, they left the Palace and were soon joined by Arathorn and a small squadron of twenty Dunedains.

“My lord, we'll escort you as planned to Bree. The rest of the guard is waiting for us outside the city.” Exclaimed the lord of Arnor.

The dwarves were surprised to see humans refer to Bilbo as Lord. They all went up to their ponies (the latter having been brought back from the Green Dragon inn by some royal guards) and went out of the city, followed closely by Bilbo's escort. When they left the city, they saw a guard composed of another twenty Dunedains, as well as about thirty Hobbits, all having a black cape with the insignia of the royal house. The most surprising thing was to see that everyone was mounted.

“I did not know Hobbits rode.” Nori could not help but say.

“Let's say that now it's an obligation to know how to ride a pony, and even ride a horse.” Arathorn replied, as Gandalf once again frowned, trying to analyse the situation further.

At that moment, Balin brought his pony closer to Arathorn to get more information for himself , Gandalf and the other attentive dwarves.

“Good morning Master Ranger, let me introduce myself. I am Balin, son of Fundin, at your service.”

“Enchanted Master Balin, I am Arathorn, chief of the Dunedains, and," he turned his head to Bilbo, asking a mute question, to which the hobbit answered in the affirmative, "General of the armies of the Shire.”

Balin could not hide his astonishment, nor Gandalf.

“And tell me, how is it that rangers and you are in the service of Master Baggins?”

Arathorn could not help but smile.

“It's a long story, master dwarf. But in short, let's just say that my Lord Baggins offer to all Dunedains to become full members of the Shire, offering food, lodging and anything else we might need, in exchange for our loyalty.”

“I see. Well, good for you.” Replied the dwarf.

Balin then began to think about the possible effects of this action. Dunedains, descendants of the Numenoreans of the former kingdom of Arnor, trained since birth to become warriors and archers of renown, now serving the military chief of the Shire. Not to mention a whole army of hobbits who seemed to know how to handle their weapons with expertise, and dressed in elven chainmail. On closer inspection, this situation did not smell good. Not at all.

As Balin pondered the possibilities revealed by this information, Thorin continued to gloom in front, but not for the reasons most would have thought. He had to admit that the hobbit was quite attractive, with his long golden hair, and his beard! He did not know that Hobbits could grow facial hair, and a beautiful specimen it was for that matter. He wanted to pass his fingers through this beard, and to entangle his fingers in his hair. At this thought, the dwarf blushed slightly, the tips of his ears growing pink. He preferred not to think about it further, and concentrated on the road, but his traitorous mind would not allow his to stop thinking on it, and he continued to stare furtively at the Hobbit.

For his part, Bilbo thought about the same thing about the dwarf. Though he had the character of an orc crossed with a Warg, he could not deny the beauty of the king in exile. Bilbo then imagined caressing Thorin's muscles, which one could easily imagine lay under his tunic. He would not hesitate to explore the body under his fingers, enjoying drawing lines of the dwarf’s abdominals, and would even lick... Bilbo stopped thinking about it, and preferred to discuss with Dori about teas and wines.

Throughout their journey, the dwarves noted with disbelief that each Hobbit and Dunedain bowed to Bilbo as he passed. This little game continued to the village of Stock, which was near the East Gate of the Shire. Then, when they had passed the door and entered Breeland, they could continue without interruption from the inhabitants of the Shire. They continued their way quietly towards the village of Bree, the night having already fallen. They entered without problem, and were left by the guard.

“With that, I wish you a good trip, my lord.” Said Arathorn, before leaving.

During the entire journey, none of the dwarves had paid attention to Bilbo's accoutrement, and it was Dwalin who was the first to notice the Hobbit's armament. He had not noticed the elven sword at his belt. He could only see the silver pommel and the guard set with a small emerald. Looking at the hobbit more closely, he could see two daggers on his sides, with ivory knobs. The sheaths of each blade, whether sword or dagger, were made of high quality Elven leather.

The group finally arrived at the Prancing Pony Inn, where they took the available rooms. Bilbo did not hesitate to buy a Hobbit room when he learned that there were only four rooms for the dwarves, wishing to stay away from the dwarves, but that was not counting on Thorin's temperament. .

“I wish to have my usual room, master innkeeper.” Exclaimed the hobbit, shocking the dwarves.

“What is that, Master Baggins? You do not feel able to stay with us?” We are not good enough for you?” Thorin growled, secretly hoping to share a room with the hobbit.

“By no means, but let's say that I prefer to have my own room rather than to be cloistered with several dwarves in a room too small.” Bilbo replied sharply.

And I do not know if I’ll be able to control myself with you in the same room. He thought.

Thorin then glared at Bilbo. Bilbo then smiled at him, then added.

“However, I can take a dwarf with me. What do you think, Master Balin? Would you like to sleep with me tonight? This will surely relieve one of the rooms for the rest of the company. I assure you, there are three large beds in my room.”

Gandalf could not help smiling as he watched the situation, then asked Bilbo for permission to squat the third bed in his room, the latter agreeing.

“With pleasure Master Baggins.” Balin replied cheerfully.

“Perfect!” Bilbo answered with a broad smile towards Balin, then took his key and headed for his room, accompanied by Balin and Gandalf.

The rest of the company was speechless in front of the innkeeper, Fili and Kili cannot help but laughing at the situation.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

The next day, Bilbo was one of the first to wake, up and about a little after daybreak. he was given little extra in the way of choice in the matter though, as he was awakened by Balin's more than vocal snores. Balin may have been small for a dwarf, but that did not stop him from snoring as loud as a bear. Gandalf, on the other hand, slept with his eyes open, fixed on the ceiling, a very slight snoring escaping from his mouth, though not nearly enough to make a drama of it. When he got up from his bed, Bilbo hastened to wash in the bathroom connected to the room, and then dress in his armour. When he left the bathroom, Gandalf was up, ready to go to breakfast, while Balin was gone. Bilbo scrunched his nose slightly, disgusted by the fact that the dwarf left without even washing. No wonder they smelled so strongly, these dwarfs!

He eventually joined the dwarves for his first breakfast, having planned an apple or two for his second breakfast. It was not because he would travel with dwarves that he was going to deprive himself of his seven daily meals. At most, he wants to remove the eleven o'clock recess, and combine dinner and supper. By cons, no question of removing one of two breakfasts or to dispense with four hours snack! Out of the question! When he arrived at the dwarves' table, he sat down near Gandalf, watching Thorin eat. Hm, this dwarf might be rude, but what could be attractive. Finally, it was enough that he opens his mouth to break this image.

“Did you sleep well, Master Baggins?” Balin asked, drinking his mead.

As he was about to answer, the hobbit was interrupted by Dwalin's roar of war. Soon, they heard footsteps, and Kili and Fili appeared, smiling and giggling together like a couple of fauntlings. It was then that Dwalin came in, shirtless and very angry... with a pink beard?

“I'm going to kill you, you little shits!”  The pink-beard dwarf shouted, all the while the other dwarfs sat laughing at his misfortune. Bilbo could not help but smile, and using the Force, he tripped Kili on Fili, who fell coincidentally on an unhappy Thorin. In no time, they were grabbed by the collar by Dwalin, and taken outside, begging Dwalin to spare them. Bilbo did not fail to notice Ori’s blush. That's interesting, he thought.

Bifur, being the closest to Thorin, helped him up. The dwarf kept muttering about his idiot nuisances of a pair of nephews, while he removed his shirt now stained by his mead. In just two days, he had twice had breakfast in his face...

Bilbo then held his breath, admiring the hairy chest of the dwarf facing him. Before he had even had the chance to fantasise about such a sight, it was presented to him. He took into account each muscle of the dwarf, detailing each parcel of the torso. Scars sliced through the taught flesh, but instead of being ugly, they only made him more attractive. He had two large pectorals, covered with fine hair, down to his six abdominals to join his pubis, where he guessed something much more interesting than hair. Bilbo was removed from his reverie when he noticed Thorin's gaze directed towards him. He blushed and lowered his head, missing the smirk of the dwarf.

Well, I may have some chances after all, thought Thorin.

(Here is an approximate image found on the net that corresponds roughly.)

An hour later, the company was able to leave Bree to continue their journey. Dwalin had returned, looking triumphant, his beard brown again, while Fili and Kili were limping behind him, their faces showing the aches and pains they were feeling. Thorin seemed in a good mood, to the great shock of the company, who thought he would not hesitate to gut his nephews. As for the wizard, Gandalf had a slight smile on his face, and an amused gleam in his eyes. As they left the village, the weather changed for the worse, and it began to rain. The dwarves groaned with one accord, while Bilbo took a leather-clad long cloak out of his bag and wrapped it around him, falling prey to the jealousy of the other members of the company.

“Can’t you do anything about this deluge, Master Gandalf?” Dori exclaimed, raising his hands in the air.

“No I cannot. And if that's what you want, then you'll have to find another wizard, Master Dori.” Replied the amused magician.

“Are there others? Wizards I mean.” Bilbo asked, though he already knew the answer.

Gandalf gave him a curious look, then replied;

“There are five wizards in Middle Earth. First, there is Saruman the White, the greatest of our order. Then there are the two blue mages.. Do you know, I have quite forgotten their names. Finally, there is Radagast the brown!”

Not even able to remember the names of Palando and Alatar ... thought Bilbo.

“And this Radagast, is he a great magician? Or rather someone like you?” Bilbo teased, unable to help himself.

Gandalf glared at him.

“I think he is a great magician, in his own way. He loves nature, and prefers the company of animals to that of men. He watches over the great forests of the East, and he is right to do so, because the evil will always seek to put a foot in those woods.” He finally replied, while Bilbo ate the apples for his second breakfast.

The hours passed, and they finally reached the ancient tower of Amon Sul, weathertop.

“We will camp at night here!” Thorin ordered.

Thus they spent the night in the ruins of the ancient tower of the Kingdom of Arnor. Bilbo took the opportunity to slip away quietly and browse the ruins around them. This place was a key location during the war between the three kingdoms of Arnor and the kingdom of Angmar.

History had told that this tower housed one of the three palantirs of the North, which then allowed the kings and lieutenants of the Kingdom of Arnor to communicate with other palantirs scattered across their lands. One of these palantirs was that of Emyn Beraid, placed by Elendil himself in the great white towers built by Gil-Galad. This land being just west of the Shire, Bilbo had not hesitated to claim it, having belonged to the kingdom of Arnor, making it the new western border of the Shire. He discovered, however, that this stone mostly allowed to see Mithlond, even in the distance, the Tower of Avallónëe in Tol Eressëa in Valinor, in which the master-stone is placed. Having received full control of the stone by Arathorn, and being a master of the force, Bilbo could easily use the stone. He liked to go to Emyn Beraid to use this palantir and observe the beauty of the ocean and Valinor. In addition, it allowed to spy on Mithlond. Unfortunately, the stone was not related to the other Palantirs of Middle-earth, and was therefore not used to communicate with the palantir of Amon Sul.

As Bilbo explored the ruins of Amon Sul, he used the Force to feel what had happened there. A shiver ran through him then, and a vision greeted him. He then saw a great fortress, with a former human king holding in his hands the palantir of Amon Sul. He recognized the king, described in his books; it was Arveleg I, eighth king of Arthedain. Soon, the images passed by, and he witnessed the destruction of the fortress by the army of the Witch-king of Angmar, and the assassination of Arveleg. Bilbo breathed hard, the past events he was witnessing taking a toll on him, as though he had himself participated in the war. He continued to investigate the old tower, while the company remained lower. The Force ended up leading him to a hatch hidden under rubble, a and so he cleared the rubble to open the hatch and find a staircase with careful manipulation of his skills. He went down slowly, after lighting one of the torches on the wall near him, and was nauseated to discover human remains. Surely they had taken refuge during the siege, but with the rubble having blocked the entrance, they could not leave it.

As he advanced, he finally entered a large room. Bilbo gasped as he saw what was in front of him. Gold, gold chests, steel human armour, dating back to the beginning of the third age, and the most important, books. In the distance, he heard the company calling him. He took one of the larger, less crumpled of the books, on which was written The Tale of Elendil, founder of the Realms in Exile, and another, smaller named The tale of Amandil, last lord of Andúnië. Each of these were written in Adûnaic, the language of the Numenoreans spoken during the Second Age. After securing his treasure in his arms, he quickly left the room, closed the hatch and blocked access by putting the rubble back. A few minutes later, he was found by none other than Nori.

“Well, then, Master Bilbo, where have you been?” The thief asked, then he noticed the books in his hands, “Ha, but what have you here?”

Bilbo looked at him carefully, then answered him.

“I was exploring the ruins when I found these two books in a corner. I intend to read them.”

The dwarf shook his head, then went back to the camp. On arriving, Bilbo discovered a most amusing scene. On one side was Gandalf, on the other, all the dwarves screaming at him.

“What are you playing at?!” Thorin shouted, supported by Balin and Ori.

“Yeah, you could have told us we were going to meet someone important!” Dwalin added, red with anger, «”Frankly, I don’t know what’s stopping me from shoving that staff of yours up your ...»

At these words, Dori hastened to put his hands on young Ori's ears, while Kili and Fili encouraged Dwalin to execute his threat.

“A lord! The Thain of the Shire on top of that!” Balin yelled, his face completely red.

“Well, that's ... uh ...” The magician attempted to reply, but the dwarves were not done.

“In addition, it seems that he has not seen you for a long time! You told us that he knew about us and had already accepted!” Added the old dwarf.

“Then, you saw all this wealth? We would have thought we were in Erebor!” Gloin pointed out.

“By Mahal, I do not know what’s keeping me from gutting you, old coot!” Dwalin growled.

The magician seemed completely lost, then he saw Bilbo, giving him a supplicating glance. One could easily read Save me in his eyes. Bilbo then took pity on him.

He decided to clear his throat to signify his presence. Immediately, the dwarves dispersed, and Thorin almost threw himself on the hobbit.

“Where have you been?!” The dwarf inquired.

“For your information, I was exploring the ruins just above.” Replied the hobbit.

“Do not go away from the company, Halfling! I will not be responsible if anything happens to you.” The dwarf almost spat before hurriedly returning to the campfire.

Bilbo pressed the books tightly in his arms, grinding his teeth as he watched the grumpy dwarf.

Who does he think he is? He thought.

As he headed for his sleeping bag, he was accosted by Balin, Ori and Gandalf, the old man thanking the hobbit.

“Tell me, Master Baggins, where did you get these books?” Balin asked.

All the dwarves of the company, save Nori, surreptitious started to listen,  though Bilbo noticed immediately.

“I found these books hidden in a corner in the ruins of the tower.” The Hobbit replied.

At these words Gandalf raised his eyebrows and read the titles of the two books. His eyes widened.

“Astonishing. My dear Bilbo, you have found real relics.” Complimented the magician, “May I?”

Bilbo looked coldly at the magician and growled. Gandalf then drew back his hand.

“If you want to read them, you will have to wait for your turn!” Bilbo replied dryly.

The dwarves of the company watched the scene, amused, experiencing a vindictive enjoyment to the detriment of the magician.

Balin then spoke.

“Master Baggins, I pride myself on being a scholar. Yet I cannot read what's written on those books.”

Ori nodded in agreement with his master.

“I suppose not. You see, these books are written in Adûnaic, the ancient language of Numenor's men straight from Tol Eressëa, beyond the Western Sea, during the Second Age. This language is still spoken by the Dunedains and the Elves of the Grey-Havens.”

“Uh ... You know this language, Master Baggins?” Asked Ori shyly.

Once again, the dwarves turned their attention to Bilbo.

“I learned this language with the Dunedains, and then I learned more about it in Emyn Beraid with the elves.” Replied the hobbit laconically.

At the mention of the elves, the dwarves coughed.

“Could you, perhaps, teach me?” Ori asked, assisted by Balin.

“Yes, I suppose. It is not very complicated, since Adûnaic is the origin of Westron.”

With these words, Bilbo immediately began the lesson for Balin and Ori, sometimes being helped by Gandalf.

Two or three hours passed, and it was late. Then they heard yells of wargs in the distance. Ori seemed worried, and Kili and Fili decided to frighten him.

“They are orcs. They come silently in the night ...” Started Kili

“And they cut your throat while you sleep, never seen or heard. A real bloodbath.” Finished Fili.

While Bilbo was about to reassure Ori, he was interrupted by Thorin.

“You think an orc raid is a joke?”

“We didn’t mean anything by it,” he two nephews answered lamely.

“No, you did not think. You do know nothing of the world!” Thorin spat.

Balin then approached the two young dwarves.

“Do not blame him, my boys. Thorin has more reason than most to hate the orcs.”

At that moment, each dwarf turned to Balin, listening to what he had to say.

“It was 142 years ago, at the great battle of Azanulbizar. After being exiled from Erebor, our king, Thror, led us to the ancient kingdom of Khazad-Dum, but the place was already inhabited by hordes of orcs, led by the most infamous being, Azog the defiler, a pale orc who had sworn to exterminate Durin's lineage.” Balin swallowed a sob, “He began by decapitating the king. We were lost and scattered. That's when I saw him.”

At that moment everyone looked at Thorin, who was standing near the cliff.

“A young dwarf prince fighting the pale orc. He fought valiantly, and was disarmed. He then recovered an oak branch to continue his fight. He ends up cutting the left arm of the orc. Azog was defeated, and his armies dispersed. But that night, there were no songs, nor feast. We were tired and saddened by the death of so many of us. Then I saw Thorin, standing proud. That's when I knew. There was one that I will follow. There was one, which I will call King.”

At that moment, Thorin turned around, a halo of lunar light around him. For a few seconds, Bilbo was strongly attracted by the chimerical appearance of the dwarf.

“And what happened to the orc?” Ori asked.

“He crawled back to die in his filthy hole!” Thorin replied.

It was then that Bilbo thought back to the pale orc of the Fell Winter, the one whose left arm was replaced by a sword.

“No, he is not.” He said quietly, but he was heard by each of the dwarves.

“What do you say?” Thorin said sharply.

“I say that Azog is not dead!’ Replied Bilbo.

“And what do you know about it? You who have never known war, protected in your corner of paradise, how could you know if the orc is dead or not?” Thorin said harshly and with disdain.

Bilbo's eyes flashed completely orange, and Thorin stepped back, thinking he was hallucinating. Gandalf also saw Bilbo's eyes, but said nothing.

“I know it because sixteen years ago ...” The hobbit then clenched his fists, “Sixteen years ago, during the Fell Winter, the Brandywine River froze. White wolves, wargs and orcs then crossed the river to attack us and loot our reserves.”

At these words, the dwarves held their breath while Gandalf lowered his head shamefully.

“Several hobbits were killed, including my mother. She was shredded, while the orcs laughed. They were led by a pale orc whose left arm had been cut off, replaced with a sword from his elbos.”

“And your father?” Gandalf asked gently.

“My father died before I was born. » Exclaimed the hobbit, not noticing the shocked look of Gandalf and the other dwarves. Bilbo had not even paid attention to this slip, too moved by the memories of his mother.

“What do you mean? Yet when I saw you forty years ago, your father was still alive. Unless I'm going mad, Bungo was not dead.” The wizard said, frowning, worriedly looking towards Bilbo.

“Gandalf ... Bungo was my adoptive father.” Bilbo revealed, shocking the old magician.

“Wh  ...What? But who is your real father?” The old man stammered, completely surprised.

The dwarves continued to listen to the conversation, some looking at the young hobbit with pain and pity. As for Thorin, he cast a surprised look towards Bilbo, which quickly turned into one of understanding. All in all, this hobbit was not so different from himself.

Bilbo then took a deep breath of fresh air, and began to reveal the little he knew, omitting some information and altering the truth. His father was a human lord, named Valkorion, who died before the birth of Bilbo. Bungo then decided to adopt him by marrying Belladonna, and so was born Bilbo Baggins Took. Gandalf was utterly flabbergasted, while the dwarves looked at Bilbo with another eye. From what they had understood, Bilbo was therefore of the ruling family of the Shire, in addition to a noble human family.

“That does not answer my question, Bilbo. What happened to Bungo?”

Bilbo closed his eyes for a few seconds, then answered.

“Bungo disappeared shortly after my mother's funeral. We suppose that he was mad with grief, and that he could not bear to see me, whereas I look so much like her. I guess he would have stayed, if I was his real son. Rumours say he'd gone to the old forest, and never came back.” Then sadly finishes Bilbo.

On these last words, the dwarves dispersed to go to bed, while Gandalf smoked his pipe, still in shock. For his part, Thorin approached Bilbo.

“Master Baggins, may I speak to you privately?”

Bilbo nodded and followed the dwarf a little further. Thorin looked Bilbo straight in the eye.

“I would like to apologize for my behaviour. It seems that I misjudged you, and for that I am sorry.”

Bilbo looked at Thorin, slightly shocked by the dwarf's words. Finally, he smiled at him and answered.

“I accept your apologies. And my friends call me Bilbo.”

Thorin smiled back.

“In this case, you may call me Thorin.”

They smiled, each looking straight at each other. Thorin was the first to look away, blushing slightly. They ended up returning to their respective berths, while Gandalf stood guard for the night.

The next day they resumed their journey. Bilbo took the opportunity to start reading the book on Amandil. He learned the importance of this illustrious person. Amandil was the last lord of Andúnië and chief of the loyals, the Numenoreans who continued to pray the Valars. He was also the only important figure in Numenor who refused to bow to Sauron's will. He then organized a battle with those remaining loyal to the Valar and towards Middle-earth, while his cousin, Ar-Pharazôn, King of Númenor, declared war on the Valar by sending his fleet to conquer Valinor. The folly of Ar-Pharazôn led to the fall of Númenor and its destruction, having drawn the wrath of the Valar and Eru himself. However, the book ended with a touch of sadness. It seems that Amandil did not go to Middle-earth, and that he and three faithful men went west and not east, like his son Elendil and the rest of his people. As Bilbo finished the book, he decided to look at the name of the author. What was his astonishment when he read Elendil's name on the book. He held in his hands a book written by Elendil himself.

Bilbo was so distracted that he did not notice Gandalf approaching with his horse.

“I see that this book was written by Elendil. I did not know he had written more than a few scrolls.”

Bilbo turned his gaze to Gandalf.

“Neither did I. In any case, the story is very interesting. Would you like to read it?”

Gandalf then smiled at the young hobbit, and nodded. Bilbo handed him the book in question, then took out of his bag the second book, the one about Elendil. Immediately, he red the name of the author. The book was written by a man named Malbeth.

“Gandalf, do you know the name of this author? Malbeth?” Bilbo asked the old magician.

At these words, Gandalf turned abruptly.

“Malbeth, you say? Hm ...” He pretended to think. “I knew Malbeth. He was a seer. Never before had a seer been able to predict with such precision. He predicted the fall of Arnor, the death of Arvedui and many things. He was a wise man, always telling the truth. Looking back, his name suits him well.”

Bofur and Nori, who listened, could not help but wonder what the wizard meant.

“It is very simple. Malbeth in Sindarin means Word of Gold. Moreover, he gave his name to Arvedui, which means Last King in Sindarin.”

The dwarves were speechless. Others, who had heard Gandalf's answer, commented that men were named in the language of the elves. For its part, Bilbo knew what their names meant. He also knew that Arathorn meant Golden Eagle, and Aragorn meant Royal Value. He began to think of all the other books currently in the room he had discovered. Obviously, gold was taken into account, because after all, we must feed the royal treasury, and Lobelia would be more than happy to be able to count all that. He decided to inform his advisers as soon as possible so that they could get this treasure.

Slowly, the sun began its descent, and the members of the company saw a farm ahead.

Chapter Text

So, do you want a Smutt scene or not in Rivendell between Thorin and Bilbo? 

Chapter Text

“We will camp here.” Thorin ordered.

The Company had just arrived at an abandoned farmhouse, whose structure was completely damaged, blackened and broken, as if it had been swept away by something of great size. Gandalf and Bilbo eyes it warily, but it was the wizard who decided to talk to Thorin, while Bilbo decided to spy on the two men.

“We should not stay here. A family of farmers once lived here. Something happened; I do not like it.” The magician said.

“We are tired, Gandalf. As long as we stay together, we are not risking anything. We will camp here.” Replied the dwarf, his tone dismissing and final.

The old man frowned, then he said with a mysterious smile.

“We could continue to the Hidden Valley. There, we can rest and restock ourselves. We can even ask Lord Elrond for advice.”

Thorin sent the magician a dark look, a grimace of disgust on his face.

“You want us to take refuge with the elves? Never, I refuse to approach the elves, and I would not trust them with my life, or those of any in my company. I would rather die!” Thorin replied sharply.

“Your pride will lead you to your ruin!” Then the magician exclaimed, and then took a step toward his horse, looking discontented.

Bilbo, who had hidden and reduced his presence by the Force, followed him.

“Gandalf, where are you going?” The hobbit asked.

“Looking for the company of the only sensible person, Master Baggins!” The wizard shouted as he climbed onto his mount.

“Who?” Then the burglar.

“Myself!” Replied the old man, as he rode off

Bilbo watched him leave, eyes narrowed. He then spoke aloud.

“I feel insulted! The nerve of him.”

Bofur, who had arrived behind him, spoke up.

“Do not worry, Master Baggins. Wizards are strange; they often disappear to come back when they feel needed.”

Bilbo sent an amused glance at the dwarf with his hat. In the distance, Thorin ordered Bombur to prepare the meal.

Night fell, and the dwarves were gathered around the fire, all except for Kili and Fili who were watching the ponies. As Bombur continued to stir the stew he had prepared, Bilbo continued to watch Thorin out of the corner of his eye. All day he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the muscular body of the Dwarf he had seen at the inn. He had to admit that his libido was very active, and having never spent his sexual frustration, he was almost at his limit. He kept thinking of the dwarf, but each time he was holding back, remembering the character of this badly licked bear. Bilbo decided to continue Balin and Ori's Adûnaic lesson, and, to his amazement, was joined by Dori, who probably wanted to keep an eye on his youngest brother. It was then that he was interrupted by Bombur.

“Master Baggins, could you take these bowls to Kili and Fili?”

“With pleasure, Master Bombur.” The hobbit answered, taking the two bowls in his hands and heading for the ponies. He did not notice Thorin's gaze on his ass.

When Bilbo arrived at Kili and Fili’s side, he immediately noticed that something was wrong. The two dwarfs looked like stone, frozen, and staring at the Ponies.

“Here are your meals.” Said the King, “What is going on? Did something happened?”

“There were 16 ponies.” Fili started.

“And now, there are only 14.” Kili finished.

Bilbo stiffened instantly, trying to understand the situation. How did two ponies disappear? Thought he, and more importantly, how it that these two idiots did not see anything.

“How did you lose two ponies?” The hobbit asked, his tone full of reproach.

At these words, the two dwarves blushed shamefully. Kili spoke quickly.

“We were very tired, and we thought nothing would happen if we slept a little.” He stammered.

Bilbo easily spotted the lie, so he arched an eyebrow at the two dwarves.

“Really? Strangely enough, I don’t believe you.” Replied the hobbit, “Now, what really happened?”

The two dwarfs blushed even more. Bilbo decided to observe them more carefully. Then he noticed the crumpled top of Kili, loosened his belt and leaves in her hair. For its part, Fili hair had completely messy, red cheeks, short of breath and a slight bruise on her face

“Tell me Kili”   He began,   “do you often fight with your brother. It is obvious that by your outfits more than scruffy, and your nervousness that you did not slept.”

The two dwarfs blushed even more.

“I ... It's not what you believe, it was just to train.”   Fili said.

“Yes that's it.”   Kili added, “We wanted to know who was ...”

Bilbo interrupted him then,

“Whatever your reasons. By cons, will have to quickly find these ponies, otherwise, I'll let you manage to explain everything to your uncle.”

Immediately after, the two brothers stiffened, frightened by the possible reaction of their uncle. A few seconds later, heavy footsteps were heard. The three individuals hid behind a tree trunk. It was then that they saw a mountain troll with two ponies.

“You missed a two-ton troll? Frankly, you’d had to have been greatly distracted not to have noticed a troll of three meters that makes the very ground tremble where it walks!” Whispered Bilbo, an angry look on his face.

Once again, the two dwarfs blushed, then blanched understanding the implications. Mountain trolls were near their camp. The three followed the foul creature discreetly, eventually following it into a small clearing where there were two other trolls, one with a doily, and another leaning over a cooking pot.

“What do we do now?” Kili asked.

 “Master Bilbo, since you are our burglar, I think it would be a great training for you to steal the ponies.” Fili said.

Immediately after, Kili nodded vigorously. Bilbo shot a surprised look at Fili.

“Well, good. I'll take care of it. In the meantime, go and tell your uncle!”

At these words, the two dwarves departed. Once gone, Bilbo entered the clearing.

“Mutton yesterday, mutton today and blimey, if it don’t look like mutton again tomorrow!” Said one of the trolls.

“It's not mutton, its chicken!” Replied the one holding the two ponies.

He secured his booty in an enclosure built quickly. Just after, Bilbo entered the clearing.

“Good evening!” He greeted.

The three trolls stared at him open-mouthed.

“Uh, good evening... you're who?” Replied the cook troll.

“My name is Bilbo Baggins, and I am a hobbit. And you, what's your name?”

One of the trolls, who had a blind eye, answered him then.

“I'm Tom, the cook is William, and the snotty one is Bert.”

“Nice to meet you!” Bilbo said. Inwardly, the Hobbit was amused to see the stupidity of the trolls.

Bilbo handled the spirit of the trolls with care so that no one could attack him. A few seconds later, to his dismay, the dwarves smashed into the clearing, waving their arms and shouting war. The trolls reacted immediately and a fight ensued. After two or three minutes, the trolls captured Ori, and threatened to pull him apart if the dwarves did not lower their weapons. Meanwhile, Bilbo had watched the scene, completely amused. Thorin and the dwarves threw their weapons to the ground, and they were undressed by the trolls and then put in sacks. The dwarves quickly noticed that the trolls had carefully avoided Bilbo.

“Why didn’t you catch him?” Cried an indignant Fili, while the dwarves shouted together.

“Yeah! Why didn’t you catch the hobbit?” Kili shouted in turn.

The three trolls then turned towards Bilbo. Bilbo rolled his eyes, and decided, hoping not to regret it later, to reveal some of his powers. He then raised by Force William and strangled him in less than three seconds. Suddenly, a cold fell on the clearing. The dwarves had their eyes out of their sockets, their jaws drooping, watching Bilbo in amazement. For their part, the trolls were completely terrified. It was then that Bert shouted, pointing at Bilbo.

“A sorcerer! It's a sorcerer!”

Suddenly, Tom rushed to Bilbo to avenge his dead brother. Bilbo did not lose a moment; he threw a lightning bolt in the direction of the troll, instantly frying his brain, small as it was. The troll fell limply to the floor, dead. Bert ran toward the forest, but Bilbo easily lifted him with the Force, bringing the troll closer to him.

“Frankly, it is a lack of courtesy to point out a person with your big, ugly finger!” The hobbit said, in a dark and disturbing tone.

At these words, the dwarves stiffened, worried. Never before had they heard the hobbit speak like that. He seemed evil, dangerous. They all got goose bumps, and some like Ori were slightly scared. The hobbit waved his hand and broke the neck of the troll. Then he sent the body of the troll into the forest, destroying some trees in the process. He then turned to the bagged dwarves.

“I guess you have questions.” Bilbo said.

The dwarves looked at him, eyes wide. It was Thorin who spoke first.

“What was that, Bilbo?”

“Hm. I did not tell you everything about my father.” Began the hobbit. He then used his power to bring a tree trunk close to him and sit on it.

“See, I told you that my father was human. To tell the truth, he was more than human.”

“What was it then? A sorcerer? A necromancer? Something more?” Balin asked.

“I do not really know. All my mother told me was that he was very powerful. So I think he was a wizard, and a very powerful wizard.”

The dwarves nodded. Nori was the first to answer.

“Why not tell us?”

Bilbo looked at him, then he answered.

“Let's just say it's a big secret. Understand that Gandalf does not know anything about this, and I would prefer that he continued not to until afterward.”

The dwarves observed each other, then Dwalin spoke.

“And how can we know that you are going to do nothing to us? You could very well kill us!” Said the dwarf, suspicious.

Other dwarves nodded, in agreement with Dwalin.

“That's right, I could have. Yet, I just saved you, it should count, no?” Replied the Hobbit.

At these words, Thorin watched more carefully. He could have killed us, but he did not. Maybe we are more likely to defeat the beast now. Thought the dwarf.

“And what are your powers?” Dori said, interrupting Thorin's thoughts.

Bilbo then smiled, then decided to give a demonstration. Suddenly he lifted the dwarves, making some scream, then he lowered the bags, freeing the poor dwarrow.

“This is one of my powers. I can control objects by thought. And as you can see, I can also control the lightning. I am sure that with time, I will be able to do much more. It must be admitted that the Shire lacks dangers, and that I have not had to resort to my powers very often.”

The dwarves now on the ground and released consulted each other while getting dressed. After a few minutes, they turned to Bilbo with a smile.

“You are forgiven, Master Baggins. We understand the importance of your secret, and we swear not to reveal anything.” Thorin said, a charming smile on his face.

Bilbo blushed slightly, then nodded. He had to use a thin layer of Force to influence their decision.

“Thank you. With that, I think that...” Bilbo stopped then, thinking back to a book he had read about the trolls. If his memory was good, the trolls could not travel during the day under penalty of being transformed into stones. They had to have a landmark not far away. He saw a key right next to William's corpse. Using the Force, he made the key fly to him.

The dwarves watched the carousel, trying to understand why Bilbo had stopped. They then saw a key fly to the hand of the hobbit wizard.

“A key! But of course!” Said the hobbit, “The trolls could not travel by day, so they had to have had a cave!”

Bilbo then used the Force to scan the surroundings. He felt Gandalf far away, approaching quickly from the East, and the dwarrow around him, but soon enough he felt the echoes of a sort of a cellar with a door. He immediately took the direction of the cave, followed closely by the dwarves. They finally arrived at a door as Bilbo opened is with the key, just in time to be hit with a putrid odour that wafer out from within.

“Ugh! It stinks!” Dori cried as Bifur yelled in Khuzdul.

The Company then entered the trolls' lair, and then saw the spoils they had amassed. There were two chests filled with gold and a weapons rack on the side, not to mention the bones of sheep that were scattered everywhere. The dwarves immediately headed for the treasure, while Bilbo rushed to the rack. He could feel powerful blades, and he intended to seize them. Thorin followed him, having also noticed the weapons, and retrieved grabbed a sword from its scabbard. At first, he was intrigued, fascinated by the design and weight, the craftsmanship in the blade, but he soon came to realise their elvish origin, and grew disgusted at the thought of wielding it. As for Bilbo, he had caught sight of another sword, one just as big as Thorin's. He recognized it immediately, the blade being in many books.

“How lucky!” He exclaimed.

“Lucky? Bah, you talk about luck! Elven Blades!” Thorin replied sharply, starting to put the weapon back on the rack.

“Of course it's lucky! You do not recognize these blades?” Bilbo then said, stopping Thorin, “The blade you hold, Thorin, is none other than Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver! It is a blade dating from the first age, made by the Noldors of Gondolin! It is able to slay a Balrog, and even a dragon!”

At these words Thorin pulled the blade out of its sheath entirely, and examined it closely. He decided to tie it to his back; even if it was an elven blade, he was not going to spit on a blade that could pierce Smaug’s hide.

“And what about yours?” The dwarf asked.

“Mine? It's Glamdring, the hammerhead. It belonged to Turgon, the king of Gondolin! It is as famous as yours, and it has the same peculiarities. They are enchanted blades that glow when orcs and goblins are close.” Replied the hobbit with enthusiasm.

As he prepared to leave, after the dwarves had finished burying their treasure, he stomped on a blade hidden on the ground. He caught it, and immediately noticed that it was made of the same metal as the others. However, it was smaller, being either a short sword or a dagger. He had already seen this kind of daggers in a book about the goblin war. They were very common, and often went hand in hand with a sword. He then scanned the dagger's pommel, and remarked with dismay that it looked a lot like Orcrist. He hesitated giving it to Thorin, much preferring to keep it, and so he tucked it into his belt instead. In a way, he felt that by keeping this dagger, he would be closer to Thorin.

When they left the cave, they were greeted by Gandalf, who wondered where they had gone. Bilbo noticed the wary look of the magician, who must have found the bodies of the trolls. Bofur hastened to tell Gandalf how they managed to kill the trolls by poisoning them with Bilbo’s help, much to the hobbit’s relief. Gandalf sent a curious glance in his direction, but he decided to accept the explanation. Bilbo heaved a sigh of relief, glad to know that Gandalf had found only the first two bodies, and not the third that Bilbo had thrown away. It was then that they were interrupted by cries.

“Murder! Thieves! Assassins!”

Suddenly, a magician in brown dress arrived in front of the Company on a sledge pulled by, surprisingly enough, rabbits. The dwarves pulled out their weapons, but Gandalf exclaimed;

“All is well, it's Radagast the brown!”

At these words, the dwarves dropped their weapons, while the two magicians went away to discuss. Bilbo, meanwhile, went to Bofur speak to.

“Thank you, Master Bofur, for covering for me.” The hobbit said, then turned to the other dwarves, “In fact, thank you all for not saying anything.”

At these words, the dwarves smiled and some nodded. Thorin looked at Bilbo, a slight touch of affection in his eyes, which disappeared very quickly when they heard a roar.

“Was that a wolf?” Well, then, Ori.

“Not a wolf!” Shouted Dwalin.

Suddenly, a warg appeared on the hill overlooking them and threw himself on the dwarves. He then took an arrow in his head, courtesy of Kili. Gandalf hurried to Thorin.

“Who did you talk to of our quest?” Gandalf asked.

“To no one! Why?” Thorin replied.

“We are hunted!” The magician then said.

The dwarves regrouped very quickly, forming a pack. It was then that Radagast spoke.

“I will lead them away!” He shouted.

“You will never be able to outrun them; these are Gundabad wargs!” Replied Gandalf, alarmed.

The magician covered with bird droppings smiled.

“These are Rhosgobel rabbits! I’d like to see them try!”

With these words, the demented magician climbed on his sledge and left, leading the wargs and orcs who were riding them on a merry chase away from them. The Company did not waste time and went quickly to the ponies and rode hard, following Gandalf on his horse. Soon, they reached a plain, and saw the brown magician riding off, pursued by a pack of warg riders. The Company continued to follow Gandalf to a crevasse, barely wide enough to let the ponies through, as they heard an elven horn sound in the distance. None saw the wizard's smile. Slowly, the company followed the old man through the maze, finally coming out, and were greeted by a most formidable sight.

Bilbo knew this view well, having been here many times before.

“Here we are in the Valley of Imladris, which you may know by another name.” Said Gandalf pompously.

Bilbo could not help but answer.

“Rivendell.”

Chapter Text

« Hey ! »  (Sindarin)

« Hey ! » (Khuzdul)

The Company had entered the Hidden Valley of Imladris. The dwarves were obviously unhappy, but Bilbo was delighted, and Gandalf was smug, his eyes bright. His plan had worked perfectly, no matter the obstinacy of a certain dwarf. After all, it is not a thousand-year-old Maïar who was going to be dictated by a petulant king.

Thorin kept glaring at Gandalf; the members of the Company were almost expecting Thorin to turn into Smaug to make a mouthful of the old man, and they moved away very quickly from the angry dwarf as he cried out breathlessly at the magician.

“This was your plan from the beginning! You have led us into a trap! I should have known you would not be put off by my refusal!” Thorin yelled at the wizard.

Bilbo gritted his teeth slightly as Thorin's voice was so loud that his ears ached. However, the hobbit could not help but smile maliciously at the old man's misfortune. Frankly, given the irritable nature of the dwarves, he should have known that he was not going to be spared by the fury that barely reached his chest. As for Gandalf, he seemed satisfied, despite the screaming whine of the choleric dwarf.

“You led us to our enemies!” Thorin added.

“The only enmity here is the one you brought with you, Thorin Oakenshield!” Then the Magician shouted, staring down at the dwarf.

At these words, the dwarf closed his mouth quickly instead, sending only a gloomy glance at the old wizard. Shortly after, the Company began to descend the path carved into the cliff to reach a bridge leading directly to one of the entrances to Rivendell. All along the way, the dwarves were constantly criticizing the place, mocking the architecture, or the lack of fortifications.

“You know, unlike dwarves, elves do not need fortifications.” Bilbo could not help but add.

The dwarves laughed, except for Ori, who then asked why Bilbo had said that.

“It's very simple, Ori. The elves of Rivendell are, above all, scholars and loremasters. As a result, they are highly versed in magic, and it is this magic that protects their borders. How do you think the elves spotted the orcs so far from their valley? The magic of the elves allows them to know who enters their territory. Moreover, it is powerful enough to repel their enemies, should they decide.” Bilbo replied, amused at seeing the dwarves open their mouths to close it immediately. Gandalf smirked at the happy result.

They ended up crossing the bridge and arriving in front of a staircase on a stone patio, guarded by sentinels in armour. It was then that an elf made his appearance, descending the stairs gracefully. He was dressed in a splendid dark blue robes, with long sleeves, and wore a diadem. He noticed Gandalf immediately.

“Gandalf!” The elf expressed, pleasantly surprised.

“Lindir! I am glad to see you!” Replied the magician, exceedingly pleased.

As they began to speak, Bilbo emerged from a group of dwarves to approach Lindir. Seeing him, Lindir could not help but immediately kneel and prostrate.

“My greetings, your majesty. We were not aware of your visit.” Said the elf solemnly, still smiling to the hobbit.

At these words, Gandalf's eyes widened, stupefied. Now the pieces were coming together, and the wizard finally understood the reaction of hobbits, Dunedains, and now elves. From the beginning, Bilbo was a King, and he did not tell him anything! Bilbo, meanwhile, was happy to know that the dwarves did not speak Elvish, he certainly did not want to deal with the petulant behaviour of Thorin in the near future. He would rather wait a little before unveiling the pot to the roses. Surely in Greenwood, because knowing Thranduil, he would not hesitate to reveal everything, just to annoy the dwarves and make fun of them.

“Good day Lindir. I beg you to keep my titles secret, the dwarves accompanying me knowing absolutely nothing of them. They simply think that I am a rich hobbit lord.” Bilbo replied, smiling slightly.

The dwarves reacted immediately when they heard their hobbit speak Sindarin. Some had their jaws unhooked, but most seemed suspicious. Their hatred of the elves made them wary of any who spoke Elvish. Thorin was obviously the most suspicious of all, but he could not help being all the more drawn to the hobbit, and then imagined Bilbo speaking in Khuzdul. The mere thought that he could speak in Khuzdul, or even one day pronounced his real name made him shudder, and all his blood went by mutual agreement to a single area, below his belt. Immediately after, he began to whiten, remembering where he was, and then thought of Thranduil to instantly lose any sexual urge. At least that elf was useful for something!

“Lord Elrond is not here.” Said Lindir to Gandalf, and then he turned to Bilbo, “However, you can wait indoors. Your room is always ready, my lord.” 

Bilbo could not help but smile. One thing he particularly liked about the elves was their thoughtfulness. They were always ready, and Bilbo, loving his visits to Rivendell to enjoy the Library, or to chat with Elrond, Lindir, or even Erestor, had a definitive room.

“And where is Lord Elrond?” Answered then the magician.

As if by chance, an elf horn sounded, and horsemen arrived. The dwarves, still wary, prepared themselves.

“On guard!” Shouted Thorin then, while the dwarves were grouped in a tight pack. They had grabbed Bilbo to put him in the centre, while Gandalf was sitting on the side, completely amused, while the horsemen surrounded the Company, led by Lord Elrond. Bilbo, however, was not happy at all. 

"Gandalf!” The elf lord called.

“Lord Elrond!” Replied the old man, “Where have you been?” 

“We were hunting a group of orcs from the south.” Said the elf as he descended from his horse, “We killed a few near the Secret entrance.” He then pressed his cheek to Gandalfs’ while hugging him.

“It is strange that orcs approach so close to our borders.” The elf then said in Westeron, “Something, or someone has drawn them here.”

Gandalf could not help but smile, while Bilbo struggled out of the flock of dwarves.

“It may have been us.” Replied Gandalf.

At that moment, Thorin advanced.

“Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain.” Elrond then solemnly asked.

“I do not believe that we have met.” Replied the dwarf, somewhat coarse.

“You have your grandfather’s bearing. I knew Thror when he was King under the Mountain.” 

“Indeed? He never made mention of you.” Answered the dwarf disdainfully.

Bilbo was fed up with it, and managed to get away from the other dwarves, and he hurried off to Elrond.

“Elrond, my friend, how are you?” Exclaimed then the hobbit in a playful tone.

Elrond was pleasantly surprised to see Bilbo among the dwarves, and he understood immediately that it must have been Gandalf’s doing.

“Bilbo, I'm glad to see you again. We were not expecting you so soon!” The elf replied with a smile as he knelt before the hobbit to hold his face and gently rub their noses together, in true hobbit style. “I hope to learn more about your strange company.” 

Bilbo could not help but smile. He really liked Lord Elrond, and the Elves of Rivendell in general. In a way, he appreciated all the elves, although he was quite neutral about those of the Lorien, especially because of Galadriel. He heard grunts behind him; the dwarrow were tired of not understanding, and Thorin was jealous of the closeness between the elf and his hobbit.

“Why not speak a language that we can all understand?! We do not know what you're plotting!” Gloin said suspiciously.

At these words, Bilbo could not help but laugh, while Elrond approached the dwarves, and stood tall and proud.

“Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests.” 

Bilbo could not stop laughing again, while Elrond gave him a small smile. The elf could not help inviting them into Elvish just to annoy them.

“What did he say? Did he offered us insults?” Growled Gloin.

Bilbo and Gandalf replied at the same time.

“No, Master Gloin, he has offered you food.” Gandalf explained.

“Never. He invites us cordially to join him for dinner, and if possible, to lodge us.”Bilbo said.

 The dwarves concerted together, then Gloin stepped forward.

“Very well, lead the way.” 

Elrond then motioned them to follow them, heading inland, followed closely by Gandalf, Bilbo and Thorin. Behind them, the other members of the Company followed, while the elves watched the scene amused. Elrond apologized then, and asked the Company to follow Lindir, while Bilbo slipped away with the elf-lord and the magician, unbeknownst to Thorin, who did not like being separated from his burglar.

The trio then went to the study of Elrond to speak in private. When they arrived, Bilbo went mechanically to a very comfortable chair made for him, while Gandalf sat opposite. Meanwhile, Elrond sat in his usual chair, and asked a servant to bring some wine glasses.

“So, my dear Bilbo, you are more than just a lord?” The wizard began, his expression hurt, trying to make the hobbit feel guilty.

“Indeed.” The hobbit replied, arching an eyebrow in his direction.

A silence fell on the room until the arrival of the servant with cups of wine, which he placed on a pedestal table next to Elrond before leaving. Elrond then served three cups, and distributed them.

“And how am I only learning this now?” Gandalf asked.

“It was my choice. I decided to keep my title secret. Save for the inhabitants of my kingdom, and the elves, no one knows that I am King.” 

“So, the elves knew perfectly well that you were King, which I had understood with the reaction of poor Lindir”, Gandalf then turned his gaze to Elrond “And you have not seen fit to warn your old friend? I am hurt.” The magician said theatrically.

Elrond smiled.

“While attending the coronation of Bilbo, all the elves vowed not to mention this event. I only respected my word to a King, an ally, and what is more, a friend.” Answered Elrond.

“I see.” The wizard grumbled, displeased, then resumed, “So, Bilbo, or should I say your majesty, you are the King of the Shire? Congratulations.” 

Bilbo graciously nodded, but he corrected the magician.

“I am indeed King of the Shire, but I am also the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Arnor, and therefore its future King.” 

At these words, Gandalf froze, shocked by the news.

“Crown Prince of Arnor? How is it possible? This title is not supposed to be yours!” The old man said, his eyes wide open.

“In fact, yes. Arathorn and all his lineage abdicated and gave me full power. Officially, the line of Isildur dropped all rights to the throne, and the Took line took the right. If all goes well, I'll be the first King of the Took Dynasty, and I hope not the last.” Bilbo replied, with a bewildering smile.

It was then that an immense series of questions were asked, and their discussion lasted until nightfall. During this time, the dwarves were taken to their quarters, which they obviously refused, and preferred to settle on a terrace. The elves were not very happy, which delighted the dwarves even more. Lindir humbly offered them baths, and the dwarves refused. They then prepared their berths for the night. A few hours later, on the edge of Twilight, Bilbo then made his appearance, and he was immediately surrounded by the dwarves.

“What did he want?” Dwalin said.

“How do you know him?” Thorin asked.

Bilbo raised his arms in surrender, then answered their questions.

“First of all, I want to know what you are doing here. Why are you not in your rooms?” Asked the hobbit.

The dwarves began to talk at the same time, and Bilbo could understand in all this mishmash that the dwarves just did not trust the elves.

“I see. In any case, to answer your questions.” Began Bilbo, the dwarves then stretching their ears, “I was discussing with Lord Elrond trade agreements between the Shire and Rivendell. Finally, I have known Lord Elrond since my childhood, my mother being one of his friends, and being the Thain of the Shire, the negotiations with the other races come back to me, and we maintain a military and commercial alliance with the elves of Imladris.” 

At these words, the dwarves were silent, and Ori, still holding a notebook, asked if he could know more about the terms of their agreement. Bilbo seeing no harm, answered him.

“It is very simple. We provide elves with very rare spices that only grow in the Shire, our land is very fertile, and so we can grow almost anything. In addition, we offer them a free passage to the Grey Havens, which saves them a lot of time. In return, they provide us with weapons, and must help us in war.” 

Ori nodded while writing, while Thorin snorted with disdain.

“You cannot trust the elves. They will never help you.” 

Bilbo turned to Thorin.

“I know very well what your problem is with the elves, but understand that the Elves of Rivendell and those of the Sylvester Kingdom are nothing alike. Elrond is someone very warm and welcoming, who does not hesitate to help others. And if it reassures you, the Elves of Rivendell are mostly half-elves anyway.”

At these words, most of the dwarfs laughed heartily, and Thorin's gaze softened. Without realizing it, Thorin had moved closer to Bilbo, standing only inches away from the hobbit. He pulled away quickly after Dwalin cleared his throat.

“In any case, I intend to sleep well in my quartiers, I have a usual room here. I sincerely hope that some of you,” Bilbo then looked down at Thorin, making him a slight nod, “will change their minds and decide to settle in their rooms. I will gladly accept a dwarf with me, if you are so suspicious of elves.” 

“I will be with you then.” Thorin said, not even thinking about it, but blushed deeply afterwards.

At these words, the dwarves were shocked, some unable to help opening their mouths in shock, only to close them immediately. For their part, Kili and Fili could not help giggling, while Balin and Dwalin had in their eyes a knowing gleam. Bilbo smiles then.

“With pleasure.” Then he continued, “In any case, I hope that you will take the opportunity to bath, because that's what I'm going to do.” 

Bilbo then headed for the communal baths, followed closely by an enthusiastic Thorin who was eager to see what was hidden under the hobbit’s armour. The Company stared at the scene, and some could not help but laugh.

“I open the bets on when Thorin will shag the Burglar!” Exclaimed while Nori, opening his notebook.

Immediately after, the dwarves rushed to place their bets. Some bet that Thorin would take the hobbit in Rivendell, other than it would be in Erebor in the treasure room. Just after, a second bet was launched, this time around who would be the first of the two to woo the other, and especially, when! Of course, most of them bet on Thorin, but they hesitated on the date. None of them saw Gandalf smile, hiding behind a column.

“I tell you! Thorin will court the hobbit before we enter the elf forest, and he will surely shag him on the body of the beast!” Laughed Dwalin.

Chapter Text

Bilbo went very quickly to the Public Baths to be able to clean himself and get rid of the lingering stench. Frankly, the nauseating smell of the troll cave had become attached to his skin and clothes, and he was quite through with having to deal with it all the time. When he finally approached the baths, he saw Lindir waiting patiently with clothes in his hands.

“Your Majesty, Lord Elrond has ordered me to give you some clothes which, I hope, will be your size. We made them especially for you during your last visit.” Then said Lindir, holding hands with the said garments.

Bilbo then took the clothes and thanked Lindir, dismissing him before entering the baths. Only a minute later, Thorin arrived, heading quickly into the Baths to be able, he hoped, to catch a glimpse of the delicious hobbit. When he entered the baths, his jaw dropped when he saw the hobbit undressing. Blessed be Mahal! He thought.

The Hobbit's body was exactly as he had imagined, if not even greater. His skin was slightly tanned, probably due to the sun, the Shire being a very sunny place. He finished removing his underwear, his armour already at his side. Thorin could only appreciate the voluptuous curves of the untouchable being before him, his gaze sliding back down to the hobbit’s feet which, probably due to his half-blood, were still covered with a slight tuft of hair, up to his slightly muscular calves. As he continued to admire the fatal beauty in front of him, he did not hear the rest of the company entering the Baths. He could not help but observe the thighs more than tantalizing of the being almost divine, and he blushed at the sight of the buttocks well bounced, firm and certainly pleasant to the touch. His skin looked so soft. He thought.

The Company's dwarves who had stayed behind looked at the scene with amusement, although some, such as Kili, Fili, Nori and Bofur, also looked at the hobbit in an enraptured manner. Bilbo, meanwhile, knew perfectly well that he was being watched, and willingly put on a show. He had finished pulling off his boxer shorts, and slightly shook his curly hair, swaying his body sensually, not hesitating to roll his hips as he walked to a shelf where he saw several soaps. Most had smells of flowers and fruit, but some were still quite neutral, like the Sandalwood or Aloe Vera. He took the blueberry one, not forgetting how Thorin had adored some of the blueberry pies served during the meal in his palace, and went into the bath to clean himself.

Thorin had lost no time, and had quickly undressed, almost tearing his clothes as he was in a hurry to join the hobbit, not noticing behind him that the other members of the Company were doing the same. He then took the soap that he felt was the least flourished, Aloe Vera, and went immediately into the bath, near the Hobbit. Arriving so close to the Hobbit, he noticed that the latter was soaping lasciviously, gently. The water being lukewarm, Bilbo enjoyed the bath with delight, not being able to stop small groans as he rubbed his skin with the soap and a sponge he had recovered. He glanced at Thorin from time to time, who was looking at him without the slightest bit of shame. Bilbo then smiles mischievously.

“Thorin, could you rub my back? I can’t reach it properly.”  He asked, a small innocent smile on his lips that did not deceive anyone while handing him his sponge.

(smutt! You are warned!)

Thorin was pleasantly surprised by the request, and accepted the sponge. He then got behind the hobbit, and slowly rubbed the sponge along Bilbo's back, from shoulder to the lower back. Bilbo then uttered little more than suggestive groans, converging Thorin's blood to a certain part of his anatomy. The dwarf blushed at first, but he quickly realized the hobbit game. A naughty smile formed on his face, and he decided to lower his hands, rubbing the two globes of the hobbit’s rear, catching them, kneading them while bringing his body to Bilbo's. The latter could not help pushing a little hiccup of surprise by feeling the rough and vigorous hands of the dwarf catch his buttocks. Surprised, but not disappointed. He felt the dwarf moving behind him, approaching inexorably near him. Thorin thought for a moment, wondering if it was a good idea to keep up the momentum, but decided to continue the game, and then pressed his dwarfhood against the buttocks of the hobbit, then attracting a slight gasp of the hobbit. The dwarf could be proud of the size of his dwarfhood, being quite impressive, even compared to other dwarves. Meanwhile, Bilbo felt the excitement of the Adonis behind him, and had to admit that he did not need to see the object of his fantasies to know that he was more than high expectations.

Bilbo began thinking about a few years ago instead. He had already received, as surprising as it may be, a proposal to discover the carnal pleasures that the world had to offer, and from none other than Legolas Greenleaf. However, although he took pleasure in sending him more than positive signals, Bilbo did not wish to go further. He had enjoyed male beings, be they human, dwarf, hobbits or elves, and could not help but seduce those who were interesting, without having the least physical contact. Everything rested on words, voices and all other senses except touch. Thorin was the first person he let touch him in such a way, and he could not help but want more. Never before had he thought so.

Bilbo quickly returned to his mind feeling Thorin rubbing lightly against him, more than sensual and lascivious. Fortunately, they were quite far from the rest of the Company, who could not hear the slight moans of their burglar. Bilbo had an erection worthy of the Valar, and found himself in some pain because of it. Each touch of Thorin made him shudder, and his breathing quickened as he went. Meanwhile, Thorin began to blow forcefully against the neck of his hobbit, having placed his dwarfhood between his two globes. He was slowly thrusting, gently rubbing his body against the hobbit. It had been a few minutes now that he had let go of soap and sponges, focusing only on the being caught in front of him. He ran his hands around the hobbit waist, and then met his erection. Slowly, he rubbed the palm of his right hand along the rod of the latter while he lifted his left hand to slightly pinch the left nipple of Bilbo, thus winning a moan that wanted to beg for the young King. At this level, Bilbo was nothing but a mass of flesh and moans. He tilted his head back slightly, his legs barely holding, when Thorin decided to nibble his ear. Bilbo's reaction surprised Thorin to the highest degree. The Hobbit moaned with such force that he was convinced that all the inhabitants of the Hidden Valley had heard it.

The ears are very sensitive. Interesting… Thorin thought with astonishment.

More, I want more. Bilbo lamented internally, and he began to wiggle against his dwarf.

It was then that Thorin tensed slightly, then he quickened his thrusts, being then shorter, less precise. His breath was even stronger, faster now, and the dwarf grabbed the erection of the hobbit and began to jerk off without waiting, adopting the same pace as his sway, which attracting loud moans from his burglar. He then pulled up his left hand to place it on his mouth so that the rest of the company could hear nothing, while with his right hand he continued to administer his hand movement with the cock of the hobbit, massaging the head with his thumb as he squeezed Bilbo’s cock more firmly. Bilbo could not take it anymore, and pulled back with force, drawing a guttural grunt from the dwarf, his voice so deep that he shuddered at it. It was then that stars began to appear in his vision, everything becoming white, and finally reached his peak, releasing himself with force, his seed freeing itself in the water. Thorin finished right after, grunting, and to keep from screaming, he bit the soft skin of the hobbit's neck to the right, marking him as his.

(END SMUTT)

They both recovered their breath. Bilbo was more than satisfied, and he had to confess that they had not gone too far for the moment. Looking back, he had invited the dwarf into his room, and suspected there would be a sequel, something that did not seem to trouble him. Thorin finally parted with Bilbo, and again grabbed the sponge to quickly finish Bilbo's back, and then cleaned himself up in no time. They came out of the bath together, grabbing towels that had been left for their disposal by the elves to dry themselves, and dressed. The elves had provided Bilbo with a beautiful long-sleeved robe in dark blue, made of silk with embroidery and gold buttons, as well as a silk underwear. The Hobbit dressed in front of the dwarf, now having nothing to hide, while Thorin retrieved his clothes, which had been folded from where he’d left them in piles. Noticing their cleanliness, he suspected their hosts. Once dressed, he redid his braids and put his beads back, then he accompanied Bilbo out.

(The dress mentioned above)

Neither of them had noticed the rest of the company, who were all stunned, even Oin had heard. They looked at each other, looking lost, then burst out laughing.

“That counts, right?”  Bofur asked seriously.

“No! Thorin did not shag the hobbit, so that does not count!”  Dwalin shouted, still laughing.

Everyone who had bet on the shagging part in Rivendell grumbled, but there was still hope, they thought, for the hobbit had invited their leader to his bed. As for them, Ori, Kili and Fili were red-cheeked, having not expected to hear the burglars' moans, let alone Thorin's grunts. One thing is certain, the two nephews thought, they were not going to let their uncle forget this event.

Bilbo and Thorin had come out of the public baths, and were going to the terrace to eat. Thorin then grabbed Bilbo by the hand, bringing him straight back against his chest and hugging him. Bilbo held his breath, waiting for the dwarf's next step.

“So, Bilbo ...”  Thorin started.

Bilbo listened attentively to what his dwarf was saying. Meanwhile, Thorin was thinking about what to say. He really wanted to woo the hobbit, and did not know how to ask him.

“... Are we ... uh”  He stammered, “What I mean is that I would like to know if you would do me the honour of allowing me to court you.”  He finally said, holding his breath and his heart beating fiercely.

Bilbo could not help smiling, and he turned in Thorin's arms to look him straight in the eyes.

“It would be with pleasure, Thorin.”  Bilbo answered, then grabbed Thorin's braids to bring his face closer and kissed his lips softly.

Thorin smiled against Bilbo's lips, then removed one of his beads from his hair and presented it to Bilbo.

“Can I braid your hair, Azyungal? This is a courting bead. With it and the braid, everyone will know that I am courting you.” The dwarf explained.

Bilbo nodded, and turned again, letting his lover weave a long braid with his gold curls while incorporating his courting bead. Bilbo appreciated the feeling of Thorin's hands in his hair and on his head. When Thorin had finished, he returned Bilbo to kiss him again, and the two lovebirds headed for the terrace, where Elrond, his children and Gandalf were waiting for them. Seeing them, and especially seeing the braid of Bilbo, Elrond and Gandalf looked at each other and then they smiled with one accord. Together, they went to the tables, where the other members of the Company had already settled, as well as elf musicians playing the harp while singing. The dwarves immediately noticed Bilbo's braid, and the majority could not help grumbling, while Balin and Ori smiled. The two dwarves being the ones having spent the most time with the hobbit, they knew that Bilbo would be courted in Rivendell.

“Well, this bet is closed.”  Exclaimed Nori, while he threw full golden purses towards Balin and Ori, while keeping his share, as he also bet that Thorin would woo Bilbo in Rivendell, being a professional gambler.

“You could not have waited until we left the place?!”  Dwalin shouted as the rest of the company burst out laughing.