Little emerald drops glimmered down at the Halfling. The fire behind them had been snuffed out (with the help of Dwalin), almost immediately after he'd been given his room. It was nice. It had forest green, swirling marble walls, a white, soft carpet covering the floors, feeling heavenly underneath his feet. The bed he lay in was huge to say the least, but was beautiful with its light brown wood frame, the emerald green sheets and its intricate design picked out in silver thread. He wondered how long he'd been asleep and he was answered by Balin's resonating call.

"Come on boys, it's past eight already!"

'Good Lord,' Bilbo thought. 'I've been asleep for nearly nine hours!'

Quickly leaping out of bed and onto the beautifully comfortable floor, Bilbo looked around for his trousers. Finding them,( fortunately he'd cleaned his clothes yesterday) he was just about to place them on, when there was suddenly a knock at the door. He pulled his shirt over his head and opened the door. Deep blue eyes gazed down at him.

"Thorin." Bilbo greeted, painfully aware that he'd not yet brushed his hair. Curls were everywhere.

"I'm glad to see you're up and dressed. My nephews are stubbornly clinging to their beds." For some reason he couldn't pinpoint, Thorin was inexplicably glad to see Bilbo in general. The curls, a beautiful metallic colour were hugely endearing. He gifted Bilbo a smile which slowly drooped as he saw a flash of silver and red on the little table near the large bed in the Green Room. "You are not wearing it?"

"It's too grand. I don't want to lose something as precious as that." Bilbo explained, fearing that he'd hurt the Dwarf's feelings.

To his surprise, Thorin let out a short laugh. "That isn't what I would call 'grand', Master Baggins. Please wear it."

Slightly curious as to what Thorin would call grand, Bilbo went back to get the piece of jewellery. Slipping it over his finger, he was surprised, yet glad, to see a small smile creep onto Thorin's face.

"Would you mind accompanying me to get those holy terrors out of their pit?" Thorin asked gravely.

Biting back a smile, Bilbo solemnly replied, "it would be my honour, Master Oakenshield."

Both had their heads under their pillows. Neither looked up to greet the king and his burglar.

"We're staying here." Kili's voice, slightly muffled, told them.

"We're tired, Uncle!" Fili whined.

Thorin crossed his arms and glared, though neither prince could see him. "Come now, we have a big day ahead of us. Dain is coming."

"Ohh." Kili groaned dramatically. "Dain's a bastard."

"Kili!" Thorin thundered.

"He has a point." Fili muttered.

"That was no excuse for such language." Thorin retorted.

"I'm very sorry." Kili mumbled, to which his uncle snorted in disbelief.

"Well, I suppose you'll have to miss breakfast, then." Bilbo told them in all-too-cheerful a way.

Both heads shot up. "You never mentioned breakfast."

"We didn't think we'd have to." Thorin told him. "Some day you will have to wake up whether you wish to ot not."

"We're young, handsome Dwarves. We should be living for the moment, now, before one of us takes the throne."

Thorin ignored this, though Bilbo distinctly saw his eyebrow twitch. "Nonetheless, you had better rise soon. The last thing we need is for Dain to believe we are incapable of behaving like the dignified sons of Durin that we are."

"Alright, uncle." Fili yawned, propping himself up. "We were getting hungry anyway. Come on, Kili."

Leaving the two princes to get themselves dressed and washed, Bilbo looked up at the Dwarf king. "Is Dain...nice?"

"He's greedy, loud and knows no boundaries. However he is intensely loyal to his people and I know in his heart he loves his family. He is my second cousin and while we grew up together we were never particularly close. I hope to change that."

"Fili and Kili don't seem to like him."

"They don't. Dain has never been...pleasant about their father. He wasn't of royalty and Dain has always disliked that my sister married a Dwarf who was neither wealthy or of royal blood. He was, however, a good man and a good father."

"Do you like Dain?"

"Not very much. But, as I told you, I hope to change that."

"When does he arrive?"

"Before midnight I should think. He always wished to see Erebor again."

"Why did he not come with us when we set out to deafeat Smaug?"

"Because he cares for his people. He didn't wish to set them against what seemed an impossible foe."

"The Elvenking..."

"..is more powerful than my cousin. Elves have magic, Dwarves have weapons and skills. Together we could have all defeated Smaug. It is why I dislike Elves. They are heartless."

Thorin was silent, brooding for a short while until something seemed to soothe. "We are home now." he announced. "Erebor will be thriving once again." Without warning he pushed open a door and ushered the Halfling into a room.

No, a hall. A large, beautiful hall, creamy white marble walls, large diamond chandeliers, windows open, showing the lovely sky. Diamond chandeliers dotted the vast ceiling and in this room was a table filled with various dishes and seating the Company.

Barely noticing the food, Bilbo went to the Company, greeting his friends, looking at them, enjoying their presence. Finally Thorin called their attention.

"My friends, we are all excited to be with each other once more, I know. But we all have a lot of work to do today so we can show that Dwarf just how well we are caring for Erebor! Let us be hasty so we can rest together before he comes."

This was met with many shouts of agreement and Thorin saw Bilbo looking for a place to sit. "Halfling, sit with me."

He did and started spreading butter over a hunk of soft, white bread and nibbled before realising that Thorin had yet to eat anything. "Thorin?"

"I cannot eat, I am nervous."

Bilbo rolled his eyes. "You'll keel over if you're not careful."

Thorin snorted but reached for a piece of the bread. Instead of picking up a knife and spreading, he instead dunked the thing in a nearby pot of honey. Bilbo wondered if he knew what he was doing. Still, the King was nervous, and quite right to be, - Bilbo remembered those dreaded visits from Lobelia Sackville-Baggins!- so he didn't mention it and continued munching.

It was a hectic day. Dwarves and Dwarrowdams were rushing around, tidying this, cleaning that, decorating things, positioning ornaments, paintings and flowers. Luckily, Bilbo knew a lot about this sort of thing, Bungo Baggins had made sure to teach his son about the importance of a nice home, so he was able to be of service much to the gratefulness of Bifur who had difficulty getting a flower arrangement to stay still.

Finally the whole palace was gleaming and to Thorin's satisafction. Exhausted, the Men who had helped went back to their tents, muttering they were sick and tired of the palace. Bilbo found himself hunted down by Fili and Kili before being dragged off to a room he'd never been in before. It was black marble and little chrystal lights were picked out in the ceiling and shining on the grey stone floor, the centre of which had a black, fur rug holding a table and a number of comfortable, black chairs, all except one of which were occupied by a member of the Company.

"Never," he heard Nori mutter, as if in shock, "never have I had to clean and tidy and make such a fuss over things before. Never!"

"I am very grateful to you all." Thorin murmured. "Never has a king had so many loyal and brave Dwarves to fight dragons and clean palaces with him."

"Well, at least it's more like it was now." Balin said, cheerfully. "How long until Dain arrives?"

"Not long enough." Fili said.

"Shh." Thorin said, almost gently. "You promised you'd behave. Now, what is the time?"

"Half six." Kili groaned.

Thorin sighed. "Our time together will be long enough then."

Their time together was concocted of chatting about the various problems they'd had with the palace. Thorin occasionally laughed at them, especially Ori's description of how he'd started sketching a lovely-looking Dwarrowdam...who'd then turned out to be married and to a particularly strong and angry Dwarf.

"It's not that funny, King Oakenshield." Ori said, chastisingly. "I nearly got skinned alive!"

"Master Ri, you do not have to call me 'King' Oaskenshield. None of you do. For without you I would never have regained my Kingdom."

There was silence, broken by Ori saying, "yes, ."

Thorin put his head back, a smile gracing his lips. He looked back at them all, still smiling and then felt a yawn rack his body. The thought of having to enertain Dain seemed like a very daunting one at that moment and he suddenly wished that he didn't have to.

"Why don't you go and get some rest, Thorin?" Balin asked.

"No, I'm staying here with you." he replied. He didn't care if he did keel over, he was spending time with his thirteen warriors and that was that.

Every bedroom in Erebor had a bathroom attached. There were little hot springs that could be diverted to the palace and it's town, so all it took was a little flick of a switch and instantly steaming water would come out of a faucet. Soaps had been gifted to them by Men. Large blocks in different colours with different scents. He had a blue one that smelt strongly of pine. He sank into his tub with a contented sigh as the water began soothing his aching body. Oh, to spend all day in this tub. What wouldn't he give!

Picking up the soap and liberally scrubbing his arms he started to feel more relaxed about Dain's arrival. It wasn't for a few hours yet, leaving him time to rest and dress. Maybe seeing his second cousin again wouldn't be that bad. Hopefully they could become allies with the Iron Hills easily enough.

However, there was a problem and that problem was Dain and certain someone who barely nudged three feet in height. Dain had always been fascinated by what Thorin had. The kingdom he should be alright with, Dain had left that alone since they had turned forty. No, it was Bilbo he worried for. Why? Because Dain was greedy, as he'd told Bilbo. Not just for gold, just everything. Anything Thorin deemed precious, Dain had always wanted too. His Hobbit, he was fiercely protective of, and Dain would soon pick up on this and feel curiosity as to why the Halfling was so special.

Why was he so special? Thorin did not know. He wasn't going to push him away again, he promised himself as he began rubbing a lemon-scented hair oil into his mane of dark locks. No, that wouldn't do. Instead, he supposed, he'd just have to keep Bilbo close.