Title: Little Hobbit
Summary: When Bilbo falls ill, he sends away the only child he's ever had to Erebor, knowing they will be safe, but how will Thorin, the new King, deal with a tiny child running around and a girl no less?
Disclaimer: I do not own. Never will only the DVD.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted.
Elanor sat on the back of her pony, the reigns held tightly in her hands, the light was fading but they didn't have much farther to ride. They'd make it to Erebor before nightfall. She looked up at the wizard riding beside her as they approached the mountain. She can see her father's face in her mind, pale and sickly, telling her to be good and be brave. That the Dwarves aren't all that bad. They are really all big softies. Especially the King.
"Will he like me, Mister Gandalf?" She asked quietly, Gandalf smiled at her.
"He'll love you, Elanor. As will his Nephews. Both of them will adore you." He assured her and they rode on. They had left Bilbo in the capable hands of his own nephew and Elanor's cousin, Frodo. Elanor hadn't wanted to leave her father but after her mother had died while delivering her, she had no choice but to leave for Erebor. Her father had ordered it. He was sick and she needed to be looked after, he said as soon as he was well enough he'd join her. Gandalf looked down at her again and smiled. She looked just like Bilbo and he wouldn't be surprised if she was mistaken for the Hobbit himself, but then she was a little different. Smaller for a start.
"Here we are Little One. Erebor. The greatest Dwarf stronghold of our age." Gandalf said as they began to climb up the plain toward the city of Dale. The people watched as they passed, wondering who the tiny one was on the pony. Then they were riding up the stone path to the mountain. Elanor was getting nervous, what if the King didn't like her? What if no one did? She only had Frodo and her father…but here…what if she had no one?
"Sire?" Thorin looked up from the maps he was examining in his study. He frowned slightly, his nephews never called him 'sire' ever. Unless.
"Who is it, Fíli?" He asked, Fíli stepped aside and Thorin sighed, "Gandalf. Fíli you had me worried. I thought it was somebody important." He said, giggling sounded from outside along with a chuckle that was undoubtedly Kíli.
"I bring news of Bilbo, Thorin." Thorin paused at Gandalf's tone, it didn't sound good at all.
"What news of our Halfling?" Thorin asked. Gandalf took a deep breath before speaking again.
"He has fallen ill. His nephew is looking after him but he has sent something of his he'd like you to look after until he is well enough to travel again." Gandalf said.
"Something? What is this something?" Thorin asked now a little confused.
"Do you remember Bilbo mentioning someone in the Shire? Someone he had intended to marry?" Gandalf asked, Thorin shook his head.
"I remember him saying something about it, he told Kíli and I around the fire one night." Fíli said.
"Well, he married her – and just 5 year ago she gave birth to a daughter. But her mother died shortly after and Bilbo now being ill – has no means of looking after her and he'd prefer she wasn't looked after by any of his relatives. So he thought of the only people he trusted in all of Middle-Earth to take care of her. His sworn brothers." Thorin's jaw hit the floor. Bilbo had said they were his sworn brothers? Gandalf had turned and called out a name. It sounded Elvish, and in came a tiny child. She was 5 by hobbit standards but if she were human she was barely be 3. She looked up at the wizard before he eyes went to Fíli and finally to Thorin. Thorin found himself looking at a female, child version of Bilbo. Golden curls and blue eyes that looked up at him with trepidation. She was frightened.
"Do not be scared, little one. You are welcome here in Erebor." Thorin said as quietly as he could, the child shrunk back but seemed to be a little less frightened, Thorin knelt down so he wasn't so tall. The child seemed to want to run to him and hug him, like she was scared to be so small in such a big place. It was sudden but as Thorin leant back on his heels, she broke into a sprint and jumped into his arms. Thorin was rather surprised but he held her and slowly stood up.
"Now…what is your name, Little one?" He asked softly. She buried her face in his neck and didn't respond immediately, "Little One? My name is Thorin." He said softly in her ear, Fíli watched this interaction with amusement.
"My name…is Elanor…my Lord." She said quietly, Thorin smiled, little skinny legs with tiny feet with wisps of hair on them hung at his hips and tiny skinny arms wrapped around his neck.
"We must find you a room then, Elanor of the Shire." He said, "but for now, Elanor of Erebor." Elanor giggled and she buried her face into Thorin's shoulder.
Elanor grew more and more confident the more time she spent in the mountain – but the person she spent most of her time with, was Thorin. He was like a father to her. Her father back in Hobbiton was slowly recovering and he wrote to her often and Fíli would write her words and they would send word back to Bilbo so he knew she was happy, safe and well looked after. Fíli often added a 'P.S.' on the first letter he told Bilbo in his P.S. that Bombur loved Elanor's enthusiasm and often gave her extra small helpings of food. A hobbit's appetite was healthy if not large and often. The amount of meals they ate out-numbered humans, elves and dwarves by two.
"Papa! Papa!" Thorin looked up, he had been given this name by the tiny Hobbit child; she had told him he was like another father so he was 'Papa' because Bilbo was 'Dad'. Elanor came skidding into the council room which thankfully was mostly empty apart from Thorin, Balin, Dwalin and two dignitaries that Thorin didn't particularly like.
"Elanor…did I not say that I was not to be disturbed?" Thorin said, his voice firm but not harsh.
"I'm sorry, Papa. It's just…I wanted to say I was sorry before you found out…" Elanor began, Thorin stopped her.
"Found out what?" her asked.
"It wasn't my fault, Kíli was chasing me! I didn't mean to!" Elanor rambled.
"Elanor," Thorin knelt down in front of her now, "what happened…and don't ramble."
"I broke Grand mama's vase." Of course the one she spoke of was not her grandmother, she meant Thorin's mother. She'd broken a vase, now if it was the one he thought it was, she'd be in a bit of trouble – but Kíli would get punished severely as he had been chasing her, but when Elanor held out her hand with a shattered piece of the clay in her hand Thorin realized that it wasn't his mother's favourite after all. He gathered the shaky teary child up into his arms and stood announcing the meeting would resume tomorrow afternoon and for now they were dismissed. Thorin carried Elanor up to his rooms and set her down on his bed.
"Now, you are not in trouble. It was not my mother's favourite. But Kíli might get a talking to for chasing you when he knows not to." Thorin said, Elanor giggled, they had been told not to chase her because the tunnels below them went for miles and she'd fall most surely to her death if she slipped off the edge of the paths. However the boys only chased her around the Royal Wing which had railings to stop such things from happening. Thorin gave her a small smile and picked her back up. She was so small, so tiny that he couldn't believe he'd get to hold her for much longer than he did with his nephews. She'd stay tiny. He'd still be able to hold her off the ground when she was the same age as Bilbo had been – although Thorin wouldn't live that long.
The next morning when Thorin went down to the council rooms he found Balin an Dwalin waiting for him and Náin and Grór also there waiting.
"I'm sorry I'm late, I was making sure that my nephews knew they are not to chase my daughter around the halls again."
"You call the Melekûn, your daughter?" Grór spat at Thorin, "she'd not fit to live here! Hobbits live in rolling hills and green pastures don't they? Isn't that where the other one came from?"
"That 'other one' you speak of Grór, helped us win back Erebor. So if you are going to be so ignorant and rude about it, this discussion is over before it's begun." Thorin said. Náin gave Thorin a sympathetic look.
"I think you and the Halfling make a good match, Thorin. She seems to think of you as another father. And one I'm sure she'll love her whole life." Náin said before ragging Grór out of the door with him.
"You need to learn when to speak about such things! That Halfling is his daughter for all intents and purposes and you just had to insult him! Do you not understand the concept of speak when you're spoken to…" Náin voice trailed off as he began to berate Grór. Balin laid a hand on Thorin's shoulder, giggling reached their ears and in skidding Elanor followed very closely by Kíli and Fíli, Thorin only had enough time to swing her up into his arms before his nephews skidded to a halt.
"Boys? What did I say?" Thorin said holding Elanor closed.
"We weren't chasing her around the halls, Uncle. Honest." Fíli said. Kíli nodded in agreement.
"I ran off on them, I could hear shouting and Kíli said that the funny word I heard was a bad word."
"Melekûn." Kíli said in explanation. They hardly used Khuzdul around Elanor as she didn't understand it and had no reason to learn it most people she'd meet would speak Westren anyway. She didn't need Khuzdul.
"Ghivashel, it is not a bad word, it simply is the word in our language for your people. It means Hobbit." Thorin said holding her a little closer. Elanor nuzzled his neck softly.
"You always call me give-a-shell, but you've never told me what it means, Papa." Elanor said.
"That was a good try, El. Ghivashel means – literally – treasure of all treasures. And you are. To everyone, you are a treasure to behold." Thorin told her, Elanor giggle and buried her face back in his neck.
"Sire! Horses approach the gates!" Thorin glanced at Elanor and smiled, it must be time.
"Perhaps it is time you went home, Ghivashel." He said, Elanor had grown more confident and stronger but she was still a hobbit and she didn't belong in the mountain. She belonged among the rolling hills and deep greens of Hobbiton. Of Bag End. Of the Shire. Of Home. Elanor went up to her room with Fíli and Kíli to pack what she had accumulated during her 18 month stay in Erebor. When she returned downstairs with her bag she spotted a familiar figure standing with Thorin and Balin at the bottom of the stairs.
"Dad!" She called quickening her pace, only to be lifted off her feet and carried down the stairs by Fíli. Kíli trailed behind a little slower, out of the two boys he was the most upset by Elanor's departure. He hadn't shown it as they packed but his body language was read by Fíli and Fíli knew he was upset, he adored Elanor like a little sister, both boys did, but Kíli had loved having her around more than he should have. Fíli put her down as they reached the bottom of the stairs and she ran to Bilbo's arms.
"Oh I missed you Ellie." He whispered holding her close.
"I missed you too, Dad. But staying with Pa- I mean Thorin and Kíli and Fíli was so much fun! I have to come back and visit!" Elanor said, correcting herself half way through.
"We will I promise and even if my age doesn't allow it I'm sure you will coerce me into letting you go by yourself." Bilbo said with a smile.
"She has been calling me 'Papa' while here. Saying I was her father for all intents and purposes while she was here. Grór, from a neighbouring kingdom, doesn't like her much but I think Náin had put him in his place." Thorin said. Bilbo knew Thorin would miss Elanor almost as much as Bilbo had. Glancing at the Princes he saw that at least one was going to cry. Bilbo smiled at them before whispering something in Elanor's war. She nodded and turned to them both.
Surprise flashed across their faces as she dropped into a low curtsey and with that disarming smile said in her best grown-up voice.
"I thank-you for looking after me these past 18 months my Princes." Fíli and Kíli smiled and bowed in return.
"It was our pleasure, Little one." Fíli said with a smile of his own. Kíli nodded unable to talk as tears filled his eyes, seeing this Elanor walked up to him and held her arms up, silently asking for him to hold her. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her pulling her up into his arms and he held her tight to his chest.
"I'll miss you the most." She whispered. She hugged Thorin and Fíli as well, but only Kíli was told he'd be missed.
Several Years Later
Elanor looked up at the mountain in front of her. She was home. The Shire would always be her birth place but she had never fitted in with the other Hobbit children they had teased her and excluded her from their games. They told her she was strange and that she must be as mad as a hatter – just like her father. She told them off but they just laughed. So she had told her father that she was going back to Erebor. Bilbo wanted to go with her, but if he did he'd have to bring Frodo too. And Frodo was still in love with the Shire. Even if he and Elanor had played and pretended they were off on one of her father's adventures. Erebor was home for Elanor. She urged her pony on, she was stopped at the gate by a dwarf who asked her name and what her business was in Erebor.
"My name is Elanor Baggins. I wish to have an audience with the Royal Family." The Dwarf looked up at her and gave her a small smile.
"Alert the King! He has a visitor!" The dwarf ordered and helped Elanor down from her pony getting a stable hand to lead the beast away. Elanor was carrying one large bag and she followed the dwarf – who she learned was named Rurin – into the mountain and she was led to the Thorne room. He left her in the hall telling her the King would be with her soon. She took a moment to look around the hall she'd seen many times during the 18 months she'd stayed there when she was little. It was the very same and she loved it.
She turned hearing footsteps and felt a smile fall across her face when she saw Thorin – a little greyer than years before – come into view. Behind him two slightly older Dwarves walked too. They looked terribly uncomfortable and as all three saw her they stopped.
"It's been a long time, Papa. You promised to write." Elanor said crossing her arms over her chest. She was now an adult by Hobbit standards but a child if a human were to look upon her.
"Elanor?" Thorin whispered as if not quite believing she was there.
"I told you I'd come back. Although I must confess the Shire never really felt like home it was missing something."
"Like what?" Fíli asked, pushing stray blonde hairs back over his shoulder.
"My Papa and my brothers." Elanor said with a smile.
"Brothers?" Kili asked a little surpised.
"You are like the siblings I never had, Kili. And I'm sure you felt I was like a little sister." Elanor said. Kíli came forward and scooped her up.
He gave her a kiss on the cheek and laughed at her blush, "Well then…welcome home…Little Hobbit."