Thorin felt ridiculous. Here she was, former queen under the mountain of Erebor, dressed in an old, mud stained cotton shirt and brown pants. She could've been dressed in silks at this very moment! There were no shoes on her feet because Bilbo asked her not to wear any.

"Shoes just aren't a Shire thing," she commented. "Don't worry, soon your feet will have many calluses as mine do."

Thorin looked down at her feet and groaned. She'd scratched them up again. Later that night they were going to hurt.

Her mind wondered back to why she'd moved to the Shire. The battle had finished, Thorin and her nieces just barely able to keep their lives. Bilbo had been wounded, and had to stay in Erebor to be nursed back to health. Once Thorin had been able to walk again, she went and visited her. They managed to patch their relationship up. Once Bilbo had recovered, Thorin had almost asked her to become her consort. She knew that Bilbo would have accepted without hesitation. Thorin, however, couldn't stand the idea of Bilbo tied to the throne. She really did miss her home, and after everything that happened, Thorin decided she would be the one to make the sacrifice. Bilbo was surprised that Thorin wanted to leave her throne, but accepted her offer. Fili was crowned queen of Erebor. Bilbo and Thorin had raised their swords and driven the Sackville-Bagginses out of Bag End, and they had started over their life. They were quite happy with their lives.

Then Bilbo's cousin Drogo and her husband Primula drowned, leaving behind an orphaned infant named Frodo. Bilbo had declared it high time that the two became parents and the two decided they would raise the girl as their own.

"Where are you, you little rascals?" Thorin called out.

She heard a small giggle from some nearby bushes. Thorin snuck over and grabbed a young hobbit lass.

"Aha!" Thorin said. "I've found you, Merry!"

The young girl giggled again, then pointed at a nearby tree.

"Ah," Thorin said, then walked over and began to shake it.

Pippin fell from the tree and landed straight in her arms. The girl seemed angry that she'd been discovered.

"You were supposed to keep my spot a secret." Pippin said.

"What's it matter, Pip?" Merry replied.

"Girls," Thorin said.

They stopped their argument.

"Now do you two know where Sam and Frodo are?"

Merry pointed left. "Sam went that way!"

Pippin pointed in the opposite direction. "I think Frodo went that way!"

Thorin placed them down. "Then why don't you two split up and I'll wait here? Let's see who can help me find Frodo."

Thorin already knew where Sam was "hiding". She was in the garden of Bag End, probably looking at some flowers, the fact that a game was being played likely forgotten.

The two seemed happy to have a competition and ran off. Thorin sighed happily, then sat down and relaxed.

This certainly was a far easier life than ruling Erebor would be.

Thorin was awoken by a familiar voice.

"Amad!"

Thorin looked around. Where was she? Why was her daughter shaking her awake?

"Amad, Momma wants you to come inside for dinner."

Everything came back to Thorin.

"Fine, fine," Thorin said. She wiped herself off.

The two little girls from earlier ran up to her.

"We're so sorry that we took so long!" Pippin said.

"We didn't think that you'd be gone so long that you'd fall asleep!" Merry added. "Frodo is just so good at hiding! We thought we'd never find her!"

Thorin laughed. She hadn't laughed like that in a long time. "It's alright! Let's just all go in for dinner. Frodo, I'm sure your friend's would love to come in for dinner."

Her friend's beamed and agreed. When they found Sam, looking at roses in Bilbo's garden, she agreed to stay and eat as well.

Needless to say, everyone tracked mud into the house. Bilbo had a fit.

"Don't worry," Thorin said, then picked her wife up and pulled her in for a kiss.

Her wife returned the kiss, but she pouted when it was done. "And don't think that you can get away with this that easily!"

"Fine," Thorin said, then placed her down. "Children, go get the mop."

They all groaned.

"If you hurry then I'll give you all a coin!" Thorin knew they all wanted money to buy toys.

They all scampered away, racing to see who could get the mop faster.