A/N: I just wanted to thank you guys for checking out my story. I think I've said it before, but I didn't think it'd be that successful/great. You guys have been proving me wrong once again. R&R. Enjoy!

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III

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Gandalf and Bilbo followed the Great East Road on their horse and pony. The scenery was quite lovely and remarkable. It was different than any book he read in his hobbit hole and it wasn't like the rolling green hills of the Shire. Unlike the Shire, the Great East Road was wild and unknown to him, with twists and turns that he knew absolutely nothing about. But there was one thing he knew for sure and that was that the road would lead him and Gandalf to the place that Bilbo had always wanted to see in person: Rivendell.

The Last Homely House East of the Sea, Imladris, was a wonder that Bilbo had always been fascinated by. His desire to see it, to step foot in it, increased with every book he read about it and knowing that he would be able to see it first hand was like a dream come true. If he were to take anything good out of this unexpected betrothal and adventure it was that he was going to stop briefly at Rivendell and see elves for the first time in his life. Oh, how such a thought brought back wonderful memories of childhood when he would go searching the woods around the Shire for elves. As he grew older, he realized how silly such a thing was, but he had been a mere child back then. Now, he knew that elves would not pop up in the woods around the Shire.

Now, he was going to see them in their own home, and he was clinging to the excitement and joy that such a thing would bring him.

Bilbo knew, could already feel it, that it was going to be very difficult and unpleasant living in Erebor for the first few months (he refused to acknowledge that part of his brain was saying 'forever' instead of 'a few months'). After all, he knew no one there. He had never seen a dwarf before except for in books and, well, books couldn't compare to the real world outside of the Shire, as much as it pained him to think so. And he did not know Thorin, had never met him, and was more than a little apprehensive thanks to that dream he had. When it came right down to it, he hadn't appreciated being uprooted from him home and basically forced into a betrothal and marriage that he wanted no part of, and that was why he clung to the happiness that the thought of seeing Rivendell brought him.

It may have been a bit pessimistic of him, something that was a bit out of character for him, but Bilbo doubted that he'd find much happiness in Erebor. Oh yes, he was a worrier, but he never flat out dreaded much of anything, unless it involved the Sackville-Baggins of course. Truth be told, before Gandalf showed up, there wasn't much to dread period. Now though, things had changed. Bilbo was moving into a kingdom that he had only read about in books and one that he hadn't really bothered to remember anything about, not when his mind was more preoccupied with elves. And he was getting married to a dwarf prince whom he didn't know or love and was going to be bound to a people who were nothing like hobbits whatsoever.

Needless to say, Bilbo was trying his best, and failing miserably, to push thoughts of Thorin and Erebor out of his mind and think about Rivendell instead.

Surely, it would be beautiful and breathtaking beyond compare. Bilbo knew that his books could never capture the majesty and wonder of Imladris. He knew that it would be a sight to behold and one that he would never, ever forget for the rest of his life. The journey before him would be a difficult one, but being able to see Rivendell and meet and talk to the elves made it bearable.

"How long will we be staying at Rivendell?" Bilbo asked Gandalf as they rode on. The wizard looked down at him briefly, a knowing twinkle in his eyes, before he turned back to the road before them.

"A day or two to gather supplies and to rest. The Misty Mountains that we must brave in order to get to Beorn's are dangerous. The trek will be difficult and we will have to go on foot. However, if we are vigilant and careful, we will be fine," Gandalf replied. Bilbo felt his heart sink when Gandalf said that they'd only be staying at Rivendell for two days at the most. He had hoped to stay longer.

"Autumn is fast approaching and winter will follow soon afterwards. It would be wise to make it to the Lonely Mountain before then," Gandalf said, as though he had just read Bilbo's mind.

"I understand that, Gandalf. I had just hoped that we would be staying longer at Rivendell than a mere day or two," Bilbo told him. "I've always wanted to see the elves. I would go looking for them in the woods as a young hobbit."

"I know, Bilbo. There were a few times that I passed through the Shire and your mother, Belladonna, would tell me that you were off in the woods searching for elves," Gandalf chuckled softly as he spoke, sounding as though he were recalling a fond memory.

"Will I ever be able to go back and see it? You know, after all of…of this?" Bilbo asked hesitantly. Gandalf sighed softly.

"Thorin cares very little for elves, much like his father, Thrain, and his grandfather, Thror. Relations between Thorin and Thranduil, the Elvenking of the Woodland Realm, are tense and strenuous at best. I'm afraid that Thorin's dislike for Thranduil has moved to every elf in Middle Earth," Gandalf answered. Bilbo's heart sank even further.

"So, in other words, this will be the first and last time I will ever see Rivendell." It was both a question and a statement. Bilbo's voice held a heavy weight and resignation to it that made the wizard frown slightly.

"So it seems, my dear Bilbo."

The sun shining down upon them seemed to dim. The occasional wind that would brush past his face and twine through his curls seemed cooler and indifferent. And the thought of seeing Rivendell now left a bittersweet taste in Bilbo's mouth that he could've lived without.

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Fili hated having to accompany his uncle on his rounds throughout Erebor. He knew that, as the next in line for the throne, he had to know what he was doing and how to be a great ruler. But, honestly, he knew that he wasn't serious enough yet to even think about ruling a kingdom, let alone actually ruling one. Thorin was in his prime; he still had many, many years left to rule as King Under the Mountain, so why did Fili have to tag along with him whenever he did his rounds?

Ever since Kili had pointed out how troubled their uncle had become, Fili himself had kept a close watch on him. At first, he thought that Uncle looked resigned, and he did, but the more he watched, the more he saw the troubled look in Thorin's eyes and how he seemed to brood far more than was the norm for him. Oh, his uncle was a natural brooder, but it had gotten far worse. His entire body seemed to be constantly tense and his shoulders were tight. Every time he went to pick up a sword, axe, or even a pen, his movements were automatic and stiff. And more often than not, he had a look in his eyes that told Fili that his thoughts were far off into the distance instead of on the dealings inside and around Erebor. It was obvious that he was troubled and worried and Fili couldn't really blame Kili for being slightly alarmed over it.

"Fili! Pay attention," his uncle's voice, sharp and commanding, cut through the many thoughts swirling about in his head. His blue eyes met Thorin's much icier ones and he wanted more than anything to be off doing something stupid as was expected of him.

And the only way to do that was to whine.

"But Uncle, I've accompanied you on many a round and every single one of them has bored me to death," Fili said, a whine in his voice and an almost pout on his face. Kili was the successful pouter, not him. When he saw the way Thorin's eye twitch and his brow furrowed in slight irritation, Fili knew that his whiny tone had worked.

"Regardless of whether these rounds bore you or not, someday you will be the King of Erebor and, as such, you will need to know and understand what to do," Thorin stated firmly, his frown obvious in his voice. Fili was used to hearing it.

"You're about to take on a consort, Uncle. Surely, I won't be your heir for much longer," Fili retorted, his voice still holding a sliver of a whiny tone in it. At the mention of the consort business, Thorin tensed and his icy blue eyes darkened and turned hard.

"I believe that I've made no mention of the hobbit to you."

"Gandalf wasn't exactly quiet about it when he arrived and told you about it," Fili said. "Hobbits have a small amount of elvish blood in their veins, so maybe you'll be able to have your own heir and won't have any need of me."

"What transpired between Gandalf and me is none of your business. And do not mention that hobbits have such filth in their blood," Thorin said, his voice low, telling Fili just how angry he was becoming.

"Do you not want to take on a consort then, Uncle? I thought that you believed it was the most convenient way to go about things?" Fili asked. Thorin ran a hand over his face and Fili thought he heard him mutter something about 'annoying nephews', but he wasn't sure.

"What I want does not matter, Fili. A king, a good king, must always put his kingdom and his people before his own wants and desires," Thorin answered him, his voice soft and sounding tired and drained. "The life debt that has been passed down our bloodline has existed for far too long. It is a burden, one that I wouldn't wish upon anyone, especially you and Kili. Taking the hobbit as my consort was only logical."

Fili almost rolled his eyes. He desperately wanted to. Since when was his uncle logical? Before anything else, he was hot headed and prideful. Whatever logic there was in Thorin deciding to pay the life debt and take the hobbit as his consort, to rule by his side, it was probably pointed out by Gandalf. Although Fili didn't know the wizard personally, he knew that he had vast knowledge and was keen and clever. Thorin would not have decided to go through with this if Gandalf hadn't intervened.

"Would you have taken the hobbit as your consort had Gandalf not shown up?" he asked his uncle. Thorin's sigh was barely audible.

"The life debt that has haunted Durin's Folk has been on my mind for a while now," Thorin admitted to him.

"Why is that? There have been many others before your time, before Grandfather's time even. So why does it bother you so much?"

"Because it was something that should have been dealt with long ago. It has been nothing but a burden, left to thicken and stew with time. The life debt would forever tie our people to the Halflings who inhabit the Shire. And as I said before, a king puts his people before himself." Thorin turned to Fili and added, "It would serve you well to remember that, Fili."

They continued through the various levels of the mountain, observing the work that was being done and commenting and commanding when need be. All the while, Fili couldn't help but think that Kili was right: that this thing between Thorin and the hobbit wasn't the best thing to happen to Erebor. And although he could see the wisdom and logic in his uncle's decisions and words, Fili couldn't say that he exactly agreed with them. But then again, he was still a young dwarf who was more focused on pulling pranks and getting into trouble more than learning how to rule a kingdom.