Chapter 4 – The calm before the storm

"So, what part of Erebor would you like to see first?" Fíli asked him at breakfast the next morning.

"The library," Bilbo replied without missing a beat, causing Ori to grin widely. "But I would prefer to unpack my things first before I go carousing around the mountain. Ori, can you stop by my quarters after breakfast? I have something that might interest you."

The others looked curious, but nobody asked. They were sitting in the same hall where they had had their dinner the previous evening. Bilbo started calling it the Company Hall in his head. Thorin was conspicuously absent at breakfast, which Bilbo didn't mind in the slightest. The less he saw of the king, the better.

Bilbo spent the morning in his quarters, sorting through his bags. He put away his clothes into his new wardrobe, admiring the nicely carved wood. Now that he had proper light in his rooms, he was able to explore his new dwelling in more detail. The new furniture that had been brought the evening before was all made of beautiful polished wood that gleamed in the morning sun.

The empty room had remained empty, but a look into the small bedroom revealed a new table standing by the far wall. Bilbo was just trying to move the table from the bedroom to the study when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Bilbo called, putting the table down with a thud.

"Bilbo? Are you there?" Ori's voice came from the sitting room.

"In here," Bilbo informed him. The brown haired dwarf peeked into the room.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to move this table to the study," Bilbo said, glaring at said piece of furniture. "It's proving to be most uncooperative."

"Here, let me help." Ori lifted the table with ease and carried it back to the sitting room. "Where do you want it?"

"Put it in here, please." Bilbo led the way, pointing at the desired spot. "Thank you for doing this."

"I was happy to help," Ori said. "You mentioned at breakfast that you wanted to talk to me."

"Ah, yes," Bilbo remembered. "Come, I have something for you." He led the dwarf back to the sitting room where his book bag still sat unpacked. He dug into the bag, pulling out several volumes.

"Here, you can borrow these. I translated some of the old elvish tales and poems into the Common tongue and was loath to leave them behind."

Ori took them with a reverent expression, running a careful hand over the cover of the topmost book.

"These must have taken ages to write," he said.

Bilbo shrugged.

"I had plenty of free time over the years and I enjoy the work. If you come by some other time, I can show you the maps I have drawn. They are still somewhere in my bag, but I should have them unpacked by tomorrow."

"I would love to see them," Ori told him. "Would you like to see the library now? Or do you still need to unpack?"

"We can go to the library after lunch. I would hate to leave the things just lying around haphazardly. You can stay here and read, if you wish."

"May I?" Ori was already on his way to the nearest armchair, books in hand.

Bilbo gave the bookish dwarf a fond look and went to put away the rest of the books.

°O°O°O°

"I think I'm in love," Ori announced when he wandered into the dining hall with a dreamy expression, clutching a stack of books to his chest.

"What happened?" Dori asked, instantly suspicious.

"Bilbo gave me books," Ori said with the same far-away expression.

"You're in love with Bilbo?" Fíli asked loudly. Everyone's heads turned in their direction.

"Oh no," Ori looked highly embarrassed, "I meant with the books. Oh bother, that came out all wrong. No offence," he added in Bilbo's direction.

"None taken," Bilbo assured him. "Though if I were you, I would put the books away before I went to eat. I would hate to see them smeared with gravy."

"Right," Ori hugged the books protectively.

"Did you write all that, Bilbo?" Balin asked him, eyeing the books.

"Yes." Bilbo saw no reason for false modesty. "Most of it are translations of elvish, or stories of local Shire lore. I though Ori might like to read them."

He watched the young dwarf shuffle into a corner to store the books away. Remembering the bag he had in his hand, he took a few steps forward. Kíli immediately took notice of his duffel.

"What's that?"

Bilbo smiled.

"That's a present. Since I couldn't bring gifts for each of you separately, I decided to bring something all of you can enjoy." He placed the bag on the table. "Shire sends its greetings."

Glóin was the first one to grab the bag, untying the strings.

"It's pipe weed!" He announced loudly, causing the others to huddle around him.

"Longbottom Leaf, if I'm not mistaken," said Balin, looking at Bilbo for confirmation. Bilbo nodded.

"We had an exceptionally good harvest last year, so I decided to invest a bit. It would be a shame to just leave it lying around at Bag-End."

"Shame indeed," Bofur agreed, stuffing his pouch.

"There he is!" called a new voice from the opposite doorway. All heads turned to watch as a buxom dwarf lady strode into the room, heading straight for Bilbo. Her fiery red hair streaked with grey was arranged carefully into a thick braid around her head and she moved in a very purposeful manner. She stopped before Bilbo, eyeing him with surprisingly sharp eyes.

"So, this is him."

Bilbo did his best not to take a step back from her. Even in her bright yellow dress, she looked rather intimidating.

Bofur stepped forward to stand at Bilbo's side.

"Bilbo, allow me to introduce our mother. Mother, this is Bilbo Baggins."

"At your service, ma'm." Bilbo bowed, fervently hoping he wasn't breaking some dwarvish etiquette. She gave him a nod in return.

"Bombur told me that you're the halfling who took care of my boys when they went to visit you. Thank you for that."

"It was my pleasure, Mrs...?"

"Call me Bona," she said briskly. "Everyone around here does." She gave him a once-over. "But his won't do," she declared suddenly, making Bilbo jump. "You're skin and bones! The travelling didn't do you any good. We'll have to fatten you up." She quelled Bilbo's protests with a look. "It's the least I can do for you in repayment for putting up with my sons. I know how much it takes to feed them, trust me. I've been doing it for the last hundred and thirty years."

The rest of the company watched with amusement as she stepped forward and took Bilbo's arm in an iron grip, steering him in the direction of the kitchen. Since she was twice his size, there was no way Bilbo could escape from her clutches. Kíli even had the audacity to laugh at his predicament, the traitor. Bilbo shot him one last dirty look before the door closed behind them, revealing an enormous kitchen.

Bona led him to a chair, ordering him to sit. Guessing rightly that any resistance would be futile with this lady, Bilbo did as he was told. He used his state of temporary imprisonment to study his surroundings. The kitchen didn't look much different from the one he had at home, except for the size. There were copper pans on the pegs around the walls and herbs and vegetables hanging in bundles from the ceiling.

While he was looking around, Bombur appeared in one of the doors, looking apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Bilbo. I tried to stop her, but she was determined to feed you."

Bilbo shook his head with a smile.

"Do not worry about it, Bombur. I was a bit taken aback at first, but now I am finding this to be an interesting experience." Something occurred to him. "Could I come to the kitchen sometimes and help you cook? I haven't had an apple pie in ages and I bet the others would enjoy some, too."

"You can come here anytime you wish," Bombur said. "This is the royal kitchen, which only serves the king and his family, so it's mostly just me and my mother working here. I bet mother would love to trade some recipes with you."

"Did you say recipes?" Bona came into the room, carrying an enormous plate filled with little meat pasties. "There you go, dear," she told Bilbo, placing the plate in front of him, "eat as much as you like." And with that she strode away, leaving Bilbo to gape at the pile of food before him.

"What she means is 'eat it all, or else'," Bombur told Bilbo in a conspiratorial whisper.

"I heard that!" she yelled from the other room, making Bombur shrink to half his size.

"I think I'd better go," the rotund dwarf informed Bilbo, making a tactical retreat to the door.

Bilbo reached for the first pasty, finding the meat filling pleasantly spicy. He managed to eat six more before Bona reappeared, coming to sit down on the bench opposite him.

"So, Bombur mentioned you can cook..."

°O°O°O°

When Bilbo finally managed to escape from the kitchen the lunch time was long over and the dining room was empty. To his surprise, he found Ori waiting for him in the hallway.

"Good, you're alone," Ori said as a greeting, rising up from his position on the floor. "I thought she would hold you there forever."

"She almost did. Bombur's mother is truly a force to behold." Bilbo lowered his voice. "I'm surprised she doesn't rule Erebor instead of Thorin."

Ori started giggling.

"I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if she did. Even Dwalin is cowed by her."

"I can believe that."

They walked to the library in a cheerful mood, chatting about Bilbo's translations.

"Thorin named me Head Librarian," Ori said as they passed through the enormous doors of Erebor's library, "but to tell the truth, I'm the only librarian here. Since the rebuilding is still going on, everyone else preferred to focus on other things."

Bilbo stood for several minutes, just taking in the sheer size of the place. The bookshelves were at least fifteen feet tall and seemed to go on forever. Looking up at the ceiling, Bilbo realized that there was another floor above them with balconies running along the edge of the walls. When he squinted into the gloom, he thought that he could see a staircase leading to the upper floor.

The entire room had a slightly dreamlike quality, the light coming through the skylights above muted and distorted. There were piles of dust lying on the shelves and more of it could be seen dancing in the rays of light coming from above.

Ori followed his gaze.

"I have been trying to clean away all the dust, but this place is enormous and it has stood empty for over hundred and fifty years. The stone-workers still haven't found time to clear out the rubble from the skylights, so the light is pretty crappy for most of the day. But dust or not, I still love it here."

"I think this will be my favourite place in all of Erebor," Bilbo told him.

"But you haven't even seen the rest!" Ori protested.

"I don't need to," Bilbo said confidently, which made Ori grin. "I could come and help you with the library, if you wish."

"Aren't you supposed to be a guest here?" Ori asked. "We shouldn't be using you as cheap labour."

"Ori," Bilbo looked at him seriously, "I may be a guest here, but if I just sat on a couch in my quarters eating sweetmeats all day, I would be bored to tears within a week. True, I will use my first days here to look around and admire the place, but I would like to have something to keep myself busy after that. Bombur has already allowed me to putter around in his kitchen, so I thought I might come and help you here when I'm not busy cooking."

Ori fidgeted a bit.

"I could use the help, but it still feels like I'm taking advantage of your kindness. You already gave me the books and now you're doing this."

"Oh for Valar's sake, you can pay me for the work, if it bothers you so much," Bilbo burst, feeling at the end of his wit. Ori's eyes lit up.

"I could do that. I still have most of my dragon gold, because I didn't know what to do with it."

Bilbo fought the urge to run a hand over his face in exasperation.

"Very well, you can pay me. May I help you in the library, then?"

"I would be happy to have your help," Ori told him brightly. "Come, I'll show you around."

°O°O°O°

The dinner was a merry affair, with plenty of food and laughter. Bilbo got wildly praised for his gift of pipe weed. Thorin was still conspicuously absent.

Bilbo shot the empty chair at the head of the table a look, leaning closer to Kíli to be able to talk with him privately.

"I hope Thorin is not staying away because I am here."

"What? No, no. His absence has nothing to do with you," Kíli assured him. "He eats most of his meals alone. He sat with us yesterday to welcome us, but he rarely comes here otherwise."

"Is that so?" Bilbo felt relief. Uncomfortable though he may feel in Thorin's presence, it wouldn't be fair to the king if he was separated from his friends just because Bilbo was in Erebor.

After dinner the dwarves showed Bilbo their common room, where they tended to spend most of their evenings. It was a comfortable room not far from the kitchens, bathed in light from a large fireplace and furnished with more than a dozen armchairs and piles of pillows. As Fíli explained to him, they had all fallen into the habit of gathering there after dinner and spending the evenings together if they had nothing better to do.

Bilbo watched them disperse around the room, taking their usual spots. Fíli and Kíli sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, playing some game with square runic stones. Ori had gone to hide in the corner with one of Bilbo's books, oblivious to the world. Dori sat in a large armchair, arguing with Óin. The rest sat down in various places, chatting and smoking. Only Glóin had left them right after dinner, going back to his wife.

As Bilbo stood near the door, deciding what he should do, he was approached by Balin. The old dwarf scanned the room before discreetly leading him into a corner to make sure their conversation wouldn't be overheard.

"Thorin wants to see you."

Bilbo felt his good mood vanish.

"Tell him I'll talk to him tomorrow. I would like to visit Dale first." At Balin's questioning gaze, he elaborated. "I would prefer to have somewhere to stay in case things don't go well with Thorin. I am sure Bard wouldn't deny me accommodations."

Balin opened his mouth to oppose his statement, but in the end just frowned and shook his head, letting the matter be.

"Bard would be a fool to turn you away. After all, Dale was rebuilt almost entirely with your money."

"I didn't mind giving it away," Bilbo said. "What would I do with so much gold anyway? It served a much better purpose in Bard's hands."

"I have to admit that he is proving himself to be a very capable leader," Balin said. "He managed to divide the gold wisely among the people and the newly rebuilt Dale is prospering better than I would have expected."

Balin gave him a speculative look.

"I must say that you are dealing with this whole situation remarkably well, considering."

Bilbo shrugged.

"I had five years to come to terms with everything that happened. I must say that the urge to punch Thorin in the face has lessened considerably with time."

That made Balin chuckle. "I can imagine." His gaze flew to the fireplace, landing on the brothers.

"Fíli and Kíli had a rather loud discussion with Thorin this afternoon. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"

"Ah, that." Bilbo felt comprehension dawn on him. "Back in the Shire, I confessed the whole business with Thorin to Kíli. It appears that he has informed his brother and they went to tell Thorin what they think about it. I won't apologise for telling Kíli." He straightened up, gazing Balin in the eyes. "I have kept the whole business secret for five years and it made me feel miserable."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," Balin said mildly. "I can only imagine how you felt after you left here. I simply felt it prudent to warn you that Thorin may not be in the best of moods after today."

"When is he ever?" Bilbo muttered. Slightly louder, he said: "I am willing to talk to him in a civilised manner and meet him halfway if need be. My stay in Erebor will be so much more pleasant for everyone if we have peace."

"Good luck with that." Balin patted his shoulder.

"Thank you. I think I will need it."

Bilbo walked back into the room, joining Fíli and Kíli on the floor.

"What did Balin want with you?" Fíli asked as soon as he sat down.

"Thorin wants to talk to me."

"That might not be a great idea right now," said Kíli. "We had our chat with him this afternoon. He didn't take it very well."

"Did you get in trouble?" Bilbo asked them, worried.

"I don't think so," Fíli looked a bit confused. "It was hard to tell. I thought he would yell at us for sticking our noses in his business, but he only shouted a bit and then just became sort of gloomy and thoughtful. I don't trust this silence on his. He is probably saving his temper for you."

"Lovely," Bilbo said. "I told Balin that I would see Thorin tomorrow. I would like to enjoy a bit more time in peace before the storm comes. I was thinking of going to Dale."

"I can take you there," Fíli offered. "I would prefer to avoid Uncle completely tomorrow, if possible. He might decide he is angry with me after all and I would rather not be present for that. Will you come with us, Kíli?"

"I can't." Kíli grimaced. "I have guard duty with Dwalin."

"Too bad. I'll just bring you something pretty when I come back," Fíli said with no small amount of gloating. Kíli punched him.

"Would you like to play with us, Bilbo?" Fíli asked, rubbing his shoulder. "I remember you mentioning that you're good at conkers."

"Not bad, by hobbit standards," Bilbo replied. "I'll be happy to join you." And then he spent the next two hours trouncing them at the game, improving his mood considerably.

°O°O°O°

They left for Dale after breakfast the next morning. Bilbo stopped at the main gate of Erebor and spent several moments just taking in the sight before him. What a contrast could five years make! The last time he had stood at this very spot, the ground had been gray with ashes from the dragon's rampage and the fields around the ruins of Dale had been swarming with soldiers preparing for battle.

Now the valley was green with grass and the mountain slopes were covered with small trees that were trying their best to reach the sunlight. Bilbo had no idea if the seedlings had been there all along, or if some enterprising elves had planted them, but it was clear that the dragon's death had released the lands around the mountain from their century-long slumber.

Far below them, down in the bend of River Running, stood the newly rebuilt Dale. Most of the newly-built houses were made of wood, but a few stone buildings stood in the centre of the town, their pale yellow walls shining in the distance. Even from so far away, Bilbo could see the shapes of men who were hard at work rebuilding the city walls.

Beyond the city of Dale, Bilbo could see the river flowing far into distance. The Lake-town was too far to see from the gates of Erebor, but the edges of Mirkwood were visible at the east, standing green and forbidding on the horizon.

"When the weather is good you can even see the Iron Hills from the top of the mountain," Fíli told him after they started their descent down the many stairs from Erebor.

"How is Dáin?"

"He helped organize things here while Thorin was recovering, but once the mountain was back in our hands, he was more than happy to go back to his own Hills. Some of his dwarves have decided to stay here and help with the rebuilding, but most of them went back home with Dáin." He turned to Bilbo. "You can see him at the Celebration. He has been invited along with his whole family, so he should probably arrive within a week or so."

"That should be an interesting conversation, considering that the last time I saw him, Gandalf and I spent the better part of an hour trying to convince him not to slaughter the elves." Bilbo made a face.

"Ah, yes, that. I almost forgot about it," Fíli grimaced. "It's true that Dáin's approach to diplomacy can be rather...heavy-handed, but his heart is in the right place. If he tries to give you a hard time, it will be out of loyalty to Thorin."

"That is not terribly reassuring."

"Don't worry about it," Fíli said. "If anyone tries something, Kíli and I will protect you."

Bilbo would have liked to say something joking to that, but Fíli's face was painfully earnest when he said it, so Bilbo just settled for giving him a warm smile.

They arrived at Dale a few moments later, passing through the open gate without a problem.

"Would you like to go to the market first, or do you want to see Bard?" Fíli asked him as they walked through the busy streets.

"Let's pay a visit to Bard and then we can explore to our heart's content. You did promise Kíli that bauble." He gave Fíli a look. The dwarf laughed.

"I did indeed. You can help me pick something appropriate. A dress, perhaps. Do you think he would look good in red?"

"Are you implying that Kíli is a girl?" Bilbo asked incredulously. Fíli grinned.

"It has never failed to get a raise from him. It's almost embarrassing how easy it is to provoke him."

"As the older brother, shouldn't you be the sensible one?"

That made Fíli burst out laughing, causing people to turn their hands.

"Oh, no. I'm having far too much fun ruffling his feathers to give it up for sensibility, of all things. I am willing to be appropriately sober and boring when I ascend to the throne in about fifty years, but until then, I intend to have all the fun I can get." He sobered up a bit, sighing. "I refuse to end up like Uncle, spending all my time bowing under responsibilities, so focused on duty that I forget how to enjoy myself."

"Thorin isn't happy?" That surprised him. Bilbo had always thought that the dwarf would be over the moon when he got his kingdom back, his life's mission fulfilled. It seemed that this was not the case.

"I don't know if he's ever been," Fíli told him quietly. "He has always been rather grim and reserved, but I thought that was only because he was unhappy about the dragon. We've had Erebor back for several years now and he still doesn't smile much. He attends all the celebrations, but never seems to enjoy himself. I feel a bit sorry for him, to be honest," he confessed, leaning close. "Everyone else is happy to have our old home back, only he walks around like a ghost. I'd love to do something about it, but I'm out of ideas."

"Maybe I could help you think of something," Bilbo found himself saying.

"You'd do that for him?" Fíli raised an eyebrow.

"Not for him, but for you, if it makes you happy."

Fíli gave him a wide smile and put an arm around his shoulders, pressing Bilbo briefly against his side in a one-armed hug.

"I'm so glad you're back. Don't you dare leave again."

"I would like to stay for as long as possible," admitted Bilbo. "But if things go badly with your Uncle, I still need an alternative for accommodations."

"That's why you're going to see Bard, right? I was wondering what that was about." Fíli released him and they made their way to the City Hall.

"Bard rules from the Hall," Fíli told him as the building came into view. "The people wanted to rebuild the old royal castle for him, but he refused. Said that he wouldn't live in luxury while his people barely had a roof over their heads."

"Balin told me that Bard used the gold wisely."

"Oh yes, definitely." They stopped in the shadow of the stone steps leading to the main door, the two guards at the sides of the door paying them no attention.

"You know, despite what Thorin might say, I think you did the right thing with the Arkenstone," Fíli told him with a serious expression on his face. "If you hadn't stopped Dáin and the elves from fighting, it would have been a complete disaster and none of us would probably be here today. I know none of us talk about that day because Thorin doesn't like to be reminded, but it still feels wrong that your role in the battle wasn't acknowledged."

He took a deep breath.

"What I am trying to say by all this is – thank you. Thank you for having the courage to do the right thing. I think I speak for all the companions when I say it."

Bilbo felt something warm spread in his chest at the words. He smiled at Fíli, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You are going to be a good king one day, Fíli," Bilbo told him earnestly. Fíli looked a little taken aback, but quickly recovered, a pleased smile spreading on his face.

"I'm glad you think so." They climbed the flight of steps to the Hall, pausing before the heavy wooden door.

"Who are you and what business do you have with Lord Bard?" asked one of the guards, a tall bearded man.

"Tell him Bilbo Baggins has come for a visit. He should know who I am." The guard left, looking puzzled. The other guard started inspecting Bilbo with interest, probably realizing that Bilbo was neither a child nor a dwarf. After a minute or so, he shuffled nervously.

"Excuse me," he said finally, "aren't you the halfling who fought with us in the battle?"

"The very same," Bilbo nodded.

"I heard stories about you."

They didn't manage to find out what those stories were because the door opened, revealing the bearded guard.

"Lord Bard says I'm to let you through. Come in, he's waiting for you." He closed the door behind them, returning to his post outside.

The hall was airy and full of light, the lofty wooden ceiling supported by two rows of pillars. The walls were covered with tapestries and behind the throne hung two banners, one with a sign of a dragon and the other with a bow and arrow. Bard sat on a carved wooden throne at the opposite side of the hall, watching their entrance.

"Hail, Bard, King of Dale," Bilbo said when he arrived to the throne, bowing deeply.

"Bilbo Baggins!" Bard looked pleasantly surprised. "I thought I would never see you again." He stood up from the throne. "Welcome to Dale." His eyes slid to Fíli. "Is this official Erebor business?"

"No," Fíli said, raising hands in disclaimer, "I am only here as Bilbo's escort. Bilbo wanted to visit you, so I offered to be his guide. You are only dealing with him today. As far as I am concerned, I'm not here at all."

"An heir from the line of Durin as a guard," Bard muttered, shaking his head. Louder, he said: "I am pleased to see you, Master Hobbit. Your gift to this city was most generous and much appreciated."

"You needed the gold more than I ever would," Bilbo told him with a smile. "I'm happy to see that you used it well."

"As well as we could," Bard said. "And the least I can offer you in repayment is to ask you to have lunch with me today. I was just about to end the morning audiences, so I would be honoured if the both of you joined me for a meal."

Bilbo gave Fíli a questioning look.

"We won't be missed in Erebor," Fíli assured him.

"Then I accept your invitation for the both of us," Bilbo told Bard.

The food on the table was just as plentiful as it tended to be in Erebor, only here they served more fruits and vegetables.

"See, Fíli?" Bilbo pointed out as he was loading his plate. "Even they have vegetables."

Fíli snickered around his piece of pork.

"What brings you to Dale?" asked Bard. "Surely this isn't just a social call, pleasant though it may be."

"Why do you think so?" Bilbo asked, curious.

"According to my information, you arrived to Erebor two days ago," Bard said. "I would hazard a guess that you haven't even seen the mountain properly yet. If this were just a friendly visit, you would have come here a week from now, after you have seen all that Erebor can offer. Since that is not the case, there must be something here that interests you."

"You are not far from the mark," Bilbo admitted slowly. "It's all a rather delicate business. I would hate to cause you any trouble with Erebor because you helped me."

"What happened?" Bard asked calmly.

"King Thorin and I did not part on the best of terms five years ago. I have been invited back for the celebrations, but things between us are still rather...precarious."

"And you would like to have a place to stay in case Thorin gets a fit of temper and evicts you from Erebor?" Bard guessed with scary accuracy.

Bilbo sighed.

"Pretty much. It feels terribly embarrassing to barely come somewhere and already ask for a favour-"

"Then I will save you from the burden of asking me for a favour and offer it freely myself," Bard told him. "You will always be welcome in Dale. You did more for this city than anyone else. We didn't forget that. If you ever have the need, you can stay here for as long as you like. Men of Dale honour their debts."

Bilbo smiled, more relieved than he could put into words.

"Thank you. That means a lot to me."

The talk turned to much lighter topics after that and they spent a pleasant hour discussing the Shire and Bilbo's journey to Erebor. Bilbo left Bard's hall with a smile on his face, feeling more hopeful than he had in weeks.

"Let's buy something pretty for Kíli before we go back," he told Fíli, following his lead to the marketplace.

°O°O°O°

They returned back to Erebor in the late afternoon, feeling tired but happy. Fíli had bought his brother a nice pair of leather fingerless gloves for archery and Bilbo himself was carrying a bag with new embroidery threads. Kíli was waiting for them in the entrance hall, vibrating with impatience.

"There you are!" he exclaimed when he spotted them. "You've been gone for ages. Do you have any idea how bored I was? My watch ended two hours ago."

"We are here now," Fíli told him, "and if you don't stop whining, I won't give you these nice gloves I bought you."

"You brought me a present!" Kíli grabbed the bag eagerly, peeking inside. "Oh, these are beautiful." He hung an arm around Fíli's neck. "You really are my favourite brother."

"I am your only brother," Fíli pointed out, but looked very pleased with the reception of his gift nonetheless.

"He wanted to buy you a butterfly hair clip," Bilbo informed him helpfully, "but I was able to convince him to get you something better." Kíli retracted his arm.

"You wouldn't!" he turned an accusing gaze on Fíli.

"Oh, I would" the blond dwarf said. "You would make such a pretty princess." He danced away from the punch Kíli threw after him.

"Take it back!"

"Make me." Fíli threw him a cheeky grin and started running away, Kíli hot on his heels.

Bilbo remained behind, utterly forgotten. He shook his head in fond exasperation, watching the young dwarves disappear around a corner. He picked up Fíli's forgotten shopping bag, deciding to return it later. He was just trying to figure out which one of the ways led back to his quarters when a familiar voice sounded behind him, making him freeze on the spot.

"Master Baggins."

Bilbo turned around slowly. Thorin stood ten feet away from him, his face unreadable.

"If you are not otherwise occupied, could you come to my quarters after dinner? I believe there are some matters we should discuss."

"Yes, I believe there are," Bilbo said slowly. "I don't have any engagements scheduled after dinner."

"Then it is settled," Thorin said. He didn't wait for Bilbo's answer, instead he spun on his heal and strode away.

Bilbo watched his retreating figure with a growing sense of unease. He had no idea what to expect from Thorin. With the exception of the evening of Bilbo's arrival, the dwarf had made himself scarce, avoiding Bilbo completely. Bilbo didn't know if that was a good sign or not. If nothing else, Thorin didn't seem angry with his presence in Erebor, but that could be just a facade. Only Valar knew what the dwarf was really thinking.

Gathering his courage, Bilbo sighed. There was only one way to find that out.

To be continued...