"My my! A bow from the great Thorin Oakenshield, I am honoured." Delphina giggled as the dark haired dwarf straightened back up to his full height, a twinkling laughter present in his blue eyes.

He turned back towards the hobbit, his mirthful gaze returning to a steely glare, "Well? Which is it?"

Bilbo's mouth dropped open in shock as he stuttered to find a suitable reply, "Well I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know." he said proudly, puffing his chest out.

Delphina smiled softly at the sight, the half-ling really was quite endearing, but she knew very well that that was not what Thorin wanted to hear.

"Though I don't see how that's relevant!" Bilbo said, his voice trying to stay strong with courage in front of the gathered pack of dwarves.

The dark haired leader smirked over his shoulder at his kin, who were chuckling quietly away, "I thought as much. Looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

Thorin ducked under the arched doorway and into the dining room, quickly being followed by the rest of the dwarves leaving Bilbo shocked and alone in the entry way with Gandalf and Delphina. The petite human female smiled sympathetically and held her hand out to the hobbit, awaiting a handshake, "I do apologise for my abrupt entrance." she started, as he shook her outstretched hand, "So we shall start afresh, Good Evening master hobbit, I am Princess Delphina."

"B...Bilbo Baggins" he returned, finally finding the use his voice box was intended for, "Would you, uh, would you care for some tea?"

Delphina grinned as she allowed him to take her cloak from her and hang it from a peg by the door.

"Tea would be wonderful Mr Baggins, with milk and two sugars if I may?"

The company had grown deadly silent as they crushed themselves back around Bilbo's small dining room table, the only sound being the scraping of Thorin's spoon on the bottom of his broth bowl. Delphina sat cross legged by his feet, having refused the place Bofur had offered to relinquish for her. A cup of tea rested in her small hands, almost untouched from when Bilbo had handed it to her ten minutes before, and a chocolate biscuit, barely nibbled balanced on her leather clad knee. A shiver ran down her spine, whether it was the chill of the wooden doorway she was leaning on against her bare shoulders or the unnerving quiet that had settled over the room's occupants, she did not know.

"What news from the meeting of our kin?" Asked Balin, first to break the silence with his soft, wise voice.

"there was a voice from all seven kingdoms." Thorin murmured as he finished his broth, pushing the bowl away from him with one large hand.

"What did the dwarves from the Iron hills say? Is Dain with us?" Asked Dwalin, eager to continue on his brother's questioning.

Thorin paused, a grave look settling on his handsome features, one Delphina had only seen once before, when Thorin and his dwarf settlement had been attacked by orcs and he had come to her father asking for help, shelter and medical care. She leaned forward and gently squeezed his knee comfortingly. She smiled as he placed one large hand over her small one, returning her squeeze in thanks, but his eyes never left the gathering of men in front of him. A heavy sigh left his lips as he prepared to break the bad news.

"They will not come." a low disheartened rumble went across the table at the words. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone."

"You … You're going on a quest?" Bilbo piped up at the mention of a quest, coming to join the group around the table.

"Ah, Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light on the matter." Asked Gandalf, as he stood as much as he could in the tiny room, still almost bent double over the table. Pushing mugs aside to make room, the aged wizard laid a map out in front of the uncrowned king, a wizened finger pointing to a single mountain point. "Far to the east, over woodlands and wastelands lays a single solitary peak."

"The lonely mountain?" asked Delphina, curious to see the drawing of Erebor, the land she had heard so much about from Thorin, but had never seen any reference to it with her own chocolate colour eyes. "Thorin? Is this Erebor? Your home?" she asked as she peered over the table edge. He smiled at her kindly, his blue eyes burning with some unnamed emotion. Seeing she was struggling to see from her position on the floor, he patted his knee, an invitation which she readily took, so she could get a clearer view of the map, her eyes as wide as saucers.

Thorin wrapped a finger through a belt loop, to stop her from wobbling around, thoroughly unsure as to where he should put his hands. The last time she had sat on his lap was over decade ago, when she was a young girl, but now it was different, she was a stunning young woman with curves in all the right places and long golden brown hair that brushed the base of her back, he did not want to touch her inappropriately, deciding her belt loop was the safest option.

"Aye!" spoke up Gloin as he sucked on the stem of his pipe "Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time."

"Ravens have started returning to the mountain, as it was foretold. It will be soon time for us to return. And the reign of the beast will end." said the grey dwarf, banging his hearing aid against the table for emphasis.

"Uh what beast?" Asked Bilbo, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Ah, now that would be a reference to Smaug the terrible. The greatest calamity of our age. Air born fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks … extremely fond of precious metals."

"Yes, I know what a dragon is thank you" Bilbo snapped cutting Bofur off in his description.

Ori stood from his seat, his youthful face twisted into a determined mask, "I'm not afraid of him! I'll give him a taste of dwarfish iron right up his jaxi." but before he could continue, both Dori and Nori had gripped his elbows pulling their brother back down between them.

Delphina saw the disappointed look on the youngest dwarf's face, and felt her heart tug.

"That's the spirit!" She said, leaning back against Thorin's chest and clapping her hands, while Ori's face turned a shade of scarlet under her attention.

"The pass would be difficult with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen. It is near impossible. We are not thirteen of the best" Balin paused for a minute in his speech, "nor the brightest." a roar of hurt feelings were thrown at the elderly dwarf.

Delphina felt Thorin sigh against her back and turned to look at him, his face was weary and his eyes lined with the tell tale black bags of little sleep. She gave him a reassuring smile, and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Fili, who was leading a strong pep talk, just like his uncle. "We may be few in number, but we are fighters! All of us! To the very last dwarf!"

"And do not forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed many a dragon in his time!" joined in Kili, his voice as eager as his brother's.

"Well no, no … I never said" stuttered the grey wizard, trying to defend himself.

"How many then? How many have you killed?" asked Dori, his usual soft voice cutting through the general noise. The wizard stuttered a while longer, as the volume of the dwarves accusation grew around them. Delphina rolled her eyes, sick of the bickering and stood from Thorin's knee, bringing the palms of her hands flat onto the table with a loud bang,

"Alright! Shut it you lot! Leave Gandalf be!" She shouted loudly, a dark look on her pretty face. The dwarves immediately quietened down and resumed their seats, their eyes fixed on the face of the tiny human princess. "Well, now that's sorted," she said a lot quieter, "Does anyone need any more to drink?" she asked, immediately cutting the tension in the room.

Hello All! I do apologise for the long wait, I have been incredibly busy this week, barely any time to sit down let alone write! anyway, I hope you all like it! please let me know your thoughts! all reviews are much appreciated!

Happy reading!

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