The brothers rode their ponies in silence. Saying good bye had been devastatingly hard to do. There had been no dry eyes among them. Kili thought about suggesting Fili stay behind. That way he could be with Mailli and protect her and their mother, but he knew Fili would be insulted at the suggestion. Fili was going because he was the crown prince and by reclaiming Erebor, he could provide a real home for his wife and family.
Kili offered to stay and he was sure they would take him up on that. He wasn't really needed on this quest. They had a good company and if Uncle Thorin was successful, Dain and his army would join them. And it was no secret that Dis did not want her baby going off on this venture. As much as it would hurt his pride, Kili could stay behind and protect the women-folk. It was Mailli that came to Kili's rescue. She insisted he go and keep an eye on Fili for her and make sure he stayed out of trouble. Fili acted insulted. After all, he was the older brother and there to keep Kili out of trouble, but secretly he was grateful to his wife for giving Kili the permission to go. Fili did not want to go on this journey without his brother.
It didn't make saying good bye any easier, though.
After the third day on the road and the Blue Mountains were out of sight, the brothers began to enjoy their journey more. The Shire wasn't too far and the roads were relatively safe. It was the first time the brothers had been on their own for so long and it felt good. They had no doubt that their quest would be a success. Erebor and all of its splendor would be theirs.