Disclaimer: The Hobbit, all characters, places, and related terms are the sole property of J. R. R. Tolkien's estate, and Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and WingNut Films.
Dedicated: To JoeyBear1424 and SapphireShelle91.
Stand Behind Me
"You are improving," Thorin conceded, surprise clear in his voice.
Bilbo felt his ears turn red at the rare praise; the corners of his mouth curved up in a faint smile. "I have a good teacher," he acknowledged, nodding to Dwalin seated next to his cousin across the table. Nursing a large drink, the warrior grunted noncommittally.
"But remember what Dwalin said regarding your feet yesterday. You did that wrong again—"
This time flushing with embarrassment, the hobbit took a long drink from his mug.
While the others had gradually lost interest in teaching-the-burglar-to-be-a-fighter, Thorin had closely observed every training Bilbo had with Dwalin. And each day after the session ended, the king shared a drink with the two, critiquing Bilbo's performance.
Truly, Bilbo was grateful for the corrections, he needed them. But between Thorin and Dwalin there was so much being thrown at him, and what little improvement he was making at times felt irrelevant compared to how much he was doing wrong. More than once he wondered if he could learn to amply use his weapon…
Suddenly realizing it had grown quiet, the Halfling glanced up to discover both dwarves looking at him intently, waiting.
He stammered nervously, "I'm sorry, w-w-what did you say?"
Thorin sighed. "If, when you are faced with an enemy, what is the first thing you are to do?"
Frowning slightly, Bilbo answered slowly, "I should yell and run away?"
"That is the next best thing you can do," the dwarven king replied.
Well, that was up way higher than the hobbit had anticipated! Frown deepening, he attempted to come up with the correct response. He drew a blank. "What?" he asked.
"Stand behind me."
"Oh," Bilbo said abruptly, eyes dropping to his lap, startled and bewildered. He sensed more than saw the king lift his eyebrows, and shifted in his seat, growing more perplexed. The small creature struggled to verbalize his disordered thoughts.
"You make it…sound as if it were obvious," he murmured quietly.
"It is, Master Baggins. It is not a little thing to save a king's life."
Daringly looking up, Bilbo encountered Thorin's blue eyes boring into him. "Oh, I see," he whispered, his throat dry, cheeks growing hot. The dwarven lord simply nodded, apparently mollified. For the hobbit, he found the explanation did not clear up his confusion, merely increased it. But he lacked the courage to question Thorin about it.
Only later, when the company prepared to leave Beorn's house, and a wide-eyed Bilbo was peeking out from under the hood of his new royal blue cloak, confronted with Fili's and Kili's enthusiastic delight and Thorin silent majestic satisfaction, did the Halfling think he finally understood.
THE END