It was the scent of flowers, sunlight and happy lazy days that awoke Thorin Oakenshield from his slumber. As he slowly opened his eyes he quickly closed them again as he realised he was snuggled up to that hobbit Baggins his face pressed against Bilbo's hair, hair that smelled far too good.
He opened his eyes again slowly, this time one at a time and sure enough the sleeping form of the hobbit was resting close against him, far closer than was comfortable using one of his strong arms as a pillow.
"Ah" Thorin thought to himself "He must have come over to me during the night, silly little hobbit still missing the Shire and worried about me"
But then it struck him, it was he that had moved not the hobbit, lifting his head slightly he could make out his bed roll in the darkness in amongst the other dwarves.
Why had he moved?
What had possessed him to curl up with the hobbit, sure he felt a debt of gratitude to Bilbo Baggins but nothing else, perhaps it was the growing sense of friendship he felt for the hobbit.
Nothing more.
Surely.
Bilbo Baggins turned over so he was facing Thorin and in his sleep smiled before nuzzling against the dwarf, his face pressed deep into his beard.
Thorin felt a strange twinge within him, then a sense of panic started to fill his very being.
No, not this and definitely not now when so much is at stake.
"Good mornin' Thorin" Bilbo whispered sleepily as he playfully nibbled at the dwarf's chin hidden deep beneath that opulent mass of facial hair.
"Mr Baggins" Thorin gulped, frozen to the spot where he lay half entwined with the hobbit.
"Oh, it's Mister Baggins now is it" Bilbo gave a chuckle and looked into the face of the panic stricken dwarven leader.
"Bilbo…I….do not understand" Thorin stammered. "What is the meaning of this"
Bilbo Baggins sat up and gave a wide smile
"You were having a nightmare, reliving past horrors so I somehow managed to coax you over here so you wouldn't be disturbed by the others or disturb them"
"Nightmares, me how ridiculous!" Thorin blustered.
"He's telling the truth Thorin" Gandalf replied from his vantage point.
Thorin Oakenshield blushed from the tips of his toes all the way up to the top of his head.
"Are the others?" he dreaded to think what the other dwarves would say should they find out.
"'Fraid so, my dear boy" Gandalf chuckled. "The only way Bilbo could soothe your dreams was by stroking your hair"
The wizard looked up at the lightening sky as he added
"Amongst other things"
"Oth-Other things?" Thorin jumped to his feet full of panic and fear, fear that the bond he felt was more than just friendship but he had vowed never to allow himself any kind of closeness, not until he was home and Erebor was still not his.
Bilbo chuckled "Your face and hands you stupid dwarf, oh and your back…you seemed to like that why what else did you think Gandalf meant?"
Gandalf held Thorin's gaze and the dwarven king melted under it and slumped to the ground.
"I have no idea what I thought…I must still be half asleep"
"Then sleep on Thorin II Oakenshield, son of Thráin" Gandalf commanded and Thorin's eyes grew heavy and he fell into a deep sleep.
It was the scent of flowers, sunlight and happy lazy days that awoke Thorin Oakenshield from his slumber that and the barely muffled sniggering coming from 12 other dwarves.
Growling he opened his eyes slowly and saw that the company of dwarves were stood staring at him, each and everyone of them trying and failing to conceal their obvious amusement.
"What is wrong with you all?" he demanded.
"Nothing at all" Bifor chuckled.
"Bit cold is it this fine morning" asked another.
Thorin Oakenshield sprang to his feet furious and intent on teaching the others a lesson or two when he noticed that certain parts of him at least did indeed feel the chill of the morning air.
His face aghast Thorin looked down to see that he was missing his britches.
"By the hallowed halls, where are my.." his voice trailed off as Bilbo Baggins came wandering into view, grinning like a loon holding Thorin's britches in his hands.
"Here you go, good as new" the hobbit smiled as he handed them over
The dwarven leader went to say something but the words died in his throat.
"You ripped your trousers during the the battle so while you were sleeping I mended them"
"You undressed me?" Thorin asked, totally bemused and wishing he was still asleep.
"Yes, and I see the rumours about you dwarves aren't false after all" Bilbo smirked as his eyes fell to the lower hemline of Thorin's tunic and then he gave a conspiratorial wink.
Blushing once more Thorin's eyes rolled to the back of his head as for the first and only time in his life, he fainted clean away.
It was the scent of flowers, sunlight and happy lazy days that awoke Thorin Oakenshield from his slumber. He laid still for several heartbeat's listening out for the slightest sound of talking, mumbling or laughter.
There was nothing, apart from the usual noises you get when sleeping amongst kinfolk.
Opening his eyes he sighed with relief as he noticed he was laid not with the hobbit, entwined or even half naked..no he laid by himself resting upon his bedroll.
"So it was all a dream, a damn stupid dream" he mumbled.
Sitting up slowly, Thorin stretched and then ran his fingers through his mane of hair, only to stop as they touched something other than hair.
He tugged gently on what was tangled in his flowing locks and gave a gasp of shock and horror as he noticed it was a flower. Grabbing his sword he freed it from it's sheath and using it like a mirror he gazed at his reflection.
Sure enough someone had braided his hair during the night, weaving flowers and leaves through it, even his beard had been re-platted and flowers interwoven through the neatly braided strands.
He blinked hard.
"No, this cannot be…I must be dreaming"