Notes: Muhahahaha! Here I am with another update. As I mentioned in my AN in Trying to Make it Right I'm settling into a every couple days posting pattern between my stories. Or at least the ones I'm currently working on. Random updates to others may happen if the mood hits me, or goddess forbid I may get bit by a new bunny... *Shudders* Warnings: There are FEELS in this chapter and the characters decided to get a bit dramatic towards the end. *Winces* Bilbo bites back when certain Dwarrow get over protective... and I so didn't expect what came out to come out this early on. But we should be heading out of the Shire and into a quicker pace... at least until I get to the next FEELS pitstop... or wherever the Characters tell me there should be more story written :P The good news is that this is a LONG chapter.. lol Erm Read and Review to let me know how I've done. Now i'll hush up and let the lot of you read in peace
Now Onto the Story!
Dwalin watched his king and the confusing Hobbit as they separated and moved to the Hobbit's room. He snorted under his breath as he stepped back into the room that his brother and he had taken for the night. It seemed that he had been correct in his assumption that the Royal part of the Durin line was well acquainted with their host, well enough that their King was at ease in randomly pressing the Hobbit against the wall and kissing him like that. The small creature's reactions since his arrival had been too calm, too controlled for any being to have when faced with what their quest entailed, even if those fools he called Princes had the time to explain everything and Mahal knows how calm him down from his initial reaction.
The only way any of it made sense- the Princes running off to warn Baggins of the Companies impending arrival, Thorin not displaying his usually haughtiness when faced with another race and the Hobbit's friendliness and humor- was if the Hobbit was attached to the family in a way that he considered them his own and he had guessed that much as soon as he'd seem their host interact with the Princes. The Hobbit had paid close attentions to their needs and indulged their whims with nothing more than an indulgent smile. That behavior was nothing compared to the respect that Fìli and Kìli showed to the small, frail looking creature though. They hadn't done anything another race would consider rude yet, and they actually listened to Baggins when he spoke to them and followed his directions without protest.
What really got Dwalin thinking was the fact that his Princes did all of that while watching their surroundings for any sort of danger to the Hobbit. The two of them were acting twitchy underneath their calm exteriors, almost as if the second they let their eyes off their 'Boggins' the Hobbit would be snatched away by some unseen thing. He hadn't even seen them act that way to Thorin, and that was saying something considering the level of devotion and loyalty held towards the elder Dwarf. And then there was Thorin to consider in this mess, the odd behavior he had shown since he walked into the Hobbit's home.
Dwalin had been nervous about his arrival since he knew the lad held a deep distrust of other races. Once he had observed the Hobbit making the feast he had provided for the company, and his interactions with the Princes the Guard had been sure that his surly, stubborn King would offend the small creature. Thorin wasn't known for being the most approachable Dwarf after everything he had gone through after all. But then their host had disappeared in the midst of the Ur families upset over losing Thorin somehow and the infuriating creature had returned with their lost King a short time later, joking about having found him even. The most striking thing had been the fact that Thorin hadn't been scowling at the Hobbit's back.
This time it had been their unmovable king had been the one smiling indulgently at Baggins, a smile he normally reserve for his nephews only. It had been then and there that Dwalin had decided that no matter the Hobbit's suitability for this quest he would be coming. Thorin wouldn't concentrate fully on the task at hand if he was sitting around wondering what the Hobbit was doing and if he was safe or not. The King may not think that would be an issue currently, but his opinion was just reaffirmed. Thorin had found his One in this Bilbo Baggins somehow- his change in behavior and that little show in the hallway was undeniably all the proof that the guard needed of that. He snorted, it would figure that his infuriating King would have a One that wasn't even a Dwarf. He looked at his silver hair brother and grunted.
They would have to make sure that the newest member of the royal family was adequately protected, even if he didn't want that protection. If Dwalin had learned one thing about their Hobbit host from watching him it was the fact that he seemed to value the Princes well being over his own- as seen by the fact that when he had come running when the youngest one had called for him carrying only a wooden spoon and didn't like being fussed over himself- Balin mentioning changing his contract being a perfect example of that. He would most likely see any attempt at shielding him from harm as some sort of indication that the Company didn't think he was able to protect himself and the damned little being would most likely throw himself in front of the Princes or Thorin himself should those fools find themselves in danger at any point.
The company could not afford to have Thorin go through the loss of his One should that happen though. That loss changed a Dwarf in unimaginable ways and left them shells of thier former selves and the company would fail in their quest if that ever should happen. Without Thorin, the ties that bound them together would unravel because Thorin was the one that had united them for this quest.
"Did you find Thorin?" Balin asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. "I would like to go over the proposed changes to this damned contract before morning. Half the things we had in here would have chased the Hobbit off in a heartbeat if he's as practical as I think he is. Mahal knows if he's had any training like we provide our royal lines it would have been a political disaster in itself. What that wizard was thinking in bringing us into the home of one of the Hobbits royalty without any warning to said Hobbit I will never know." The adviser grumbled. Dwalin almost blushed as he thought of what his King was most likely doing at this moment in time. There was no way he was going to be knocking on the Hobbit's bedroom door to retrieve him, that much was for sure. Even if the two were not indulging themselves.
"The contract is going to have to wait for the moment brother. The King is... Indisposed at the moment." he grunted out. Balin looked at him sharply, a questioning look in his eyes.
"What could possibly have him indisposed? Is he asleep already? The wake the laddie up! This is more important then a couple hours of sleep." The silver haired man grunted, sounding irate. Dwalin didn't blame his brother for feeling that way, but he still wasn't going to retrieve Thorin. Balin could set a pack of Wargs on him before he would get him to knock on that door. He shivered slightly, thinking of Thorin in that way was not what he wanted at all. He'd been by the younger Dwarf most of his life after all.
"He's with our Hobbit host." He mumbled when the sharp look turned into a glare. Balin looked confused by the statement for a second before nodding to himself almost absentmindedly.
"Of course they would want to speak away from the company, probably discussing terms to add to the contract amongst themselves. Very well I'll go to them and get the rest of this contract hammered out." He declared getting up from the chair at the small desk and reaching to gather the parchments that he had spread out. Dwalin could feel himself pale and he shook his head rapidly. This was not good.
"No! No need for that right now! I think the King would like to er continue his discussion with our host privately and all. You can speak with them in the morning about the contract mind you." He protested, trying to stop his brother from walking in on Thorin and the Hobbit. Balin shot him a confused look.
"The sooner we get this contract altered and signed the better Dwalin. What in Mahal's name is going on here? If the two of them are still up and talking then I see no problem in getting this done now so I can get to sleep." He grumbled, getting angry with his brother for making such a big deal out of this. Dwalin grunted, rubbing a hand over his bald head and wishing there was some hair there for him to tug at. Well if he wanted to start making sure that the smallest royal was looked after then telling Balin what he had happened upon wouldn't hurt, now would it? And a Dwarf finding thier One was a thing to be celebrated.
"The contract can wait Brother. From what I saw in the hallway it wouldn't be wise to interrupt the two of them in the Hobbit's bedroom." He replied tightly, having to force the words out of his mouth even though he had decided to tell Balin. The older Dwarf froze, a look of disturbed understanding forming on his face as he slowly sat down again. He shook his head, looking back over the half reconstructed contract.
"Mahal's Balls. There is no way that this is their first meeting brother because they are far to familer with each other for that, but he gave no hint of having found his One before and no sane Dwarf would leave thier One unprotected with as far we had to travel here. I don't believe the tale about having met the boys in Bree either, those two haven't traveled much without Lady Dis and she would have mentioned something about them adopting a halfling. Something is going on between those four and I don't like not knowing what it is at all." Balin huffed, glaring at the parchment as if it was the cause of all he frustration. Dwalin snorted.
"Those boys think they're being crafty but the Prince's behavior paints a picture of them knowing Master Baggins quite well. I'm not even going to speak of what Thorin's behavior causes me to think." He sighed, sitting on one of the beds in the room. He watched as Balin leaned back in his chair and sighed.
"We'll keep an eye on them and confront them when the time is right. I suppose the Hobbit was being serious when he said he would sign the contract as it was. The foolish little one would have probably signed anything we put in front of him at this point. What Thorin was thinking in leaving his One unattended after finding him I will never know." The adviser mumbled to himself, tugging at his own hair. He grumbled to himself as he sat up and grabbed a quill up from the table in a rough glanced at Dwalin.
"Go to bed if you want to, now that I know of our host's status within our people and his own I will not be made a fool of by handing him the trash we had prepared for an actual burglar to sign. Even if he never actually looks it over before he puts his name to it." The silver haired Dwarf threw out, already getting back to dissecting the contract, obviously not waiting for his answer. Dwalin sighed, kicking off his boots and getting ready for bed. There was no use trying to get his brother to go to sleep himself right now, given the newest part in the puzzle the Royal Durins had become in the past day.
"Don't stay up too late. We are scheduled to leave tomorrow morning and I won't be dragging your sleeping ass onto a pony if you can't wake up." He warned his brother, only getting a grunt in reply. He snorted, laying down on the surprisingly comfortable bed, falling asleep soon after.
Bilbo woke up to the feeling of strong arms wrapped tightly around him and a beard scratching the back of his neck. He stiffened for a moment, wondering who in Yavanna's name was in bed with him, only to remember the rather shocking events of the day before. Thorin, Fìli and Kìli remembered the life he had lived before, the same as him. He curled further into Thorin's arms, smiling to himself as he remembered leading the King Under the Mountain into his bedroom. If he was truthful he had expected to be waking with a sore bum, but Thorin had been traveling a long time to reach the Shire and he was far more tired then he let on. In fact Bilbo had excused himself to get ready for bed and returned to find his King sleeping.
Waking up this way was far more preferable given the day of traveling they had ahead of them though. He had, in the past three weeks, taken to riding ponies when he had to go into Bree for supplies in an attempt to get used to traveling that way but not with an already sore bum. That could wait until later on in their journey, once they decided to come out to the company about their relationship. A kiss on his neck broke him out of his thoughts, as the arms around him tightened slightly, pulling him even closer still.
"You still think too loudly Hobbit." Thorin grumbled, sleep still heavy in his voice, his breath hot on the Hobbits sensitive ear. Biblo squirmed slightly, feeling himself heat up as arousal shot through him. That damned Dwarf knew what he was doing to him and that wasn't fair. He felt Thorin's chest rumble with laughter seconds before he captured the lobe that he had breath on in his lips, nibbling on it gently as his hips flexed forward, pressing a hardness into the Hobbit's bum. Bilbo bit his lip to stop from moaning.
"And you still get entirely too aroused this early in the morning Dwarf. I'm not going to get on that pony with a freshly abused bum Thorin Oakenshield." He grumbled, failing to keep an aroused tone from his voice as he tried to pull away. Thorin held him tightly though and he failed in his escape as his Heart-Song laughed, nuzzling his neck. It was in all honesty the most perfect morning Bilbo had experienced since before they had arrived at Erebor the first time around. He sighed relaxing back into the strong body. This time would be different, and they would have many more mornings like this.
"With a tempting treasure like you pressed willingly against my body who could blame me for wishing to enjoy it? But fear not, I won't be abusing yer ass this morning. I had planned to last night, but I fear the journey to the Shire finally took it's toll. I haven't slept as well as I did last night in far too long though." Thorin hummed, sounding entirely too pleased with himself. Bilbo grinned to himself, feeling more than a little smug that his presence had helped Thorin get a good nights sleep.
"I thank you for resisting the urge Thorin, and so does my bum. On that note I should get up and make sure breakfast is ready for the others when they wake to make sure we don't forget our reasons not to resist though. I'm sure the lot of you ate rations on the road last time you left the Shire and that will not do." He replied, not making a move to get up even though he had mentioned it. It would be a while before he got to enjoy the simple pleasure of laying lazily in his lover's arms after waking again and he knew it. Thorin kissed his neck again and chuckled, his arms loosening up just a little bit. The Hobbit couldn't say he was happy about that, because the selfish part of him wanted to indulge in spending the day right here, to forget about the quest and the dangers ahead of them and just enjoy having Thorin back.
"This time we have a chance at having a merrier world little one, for I promise to cherish food, cheer and song above that cursed gold that lies within the mountain and I'm sure that you can teach the company to do the same." Thorin suddenly spoke, his voice low as he made his vow. Bilbo felt his heart speed up and his stomach drop at the reminder of the last words that he had heard Thorin speak before he died. He fought against the tears that came after the feelings, truly he did, but they came stubbornly all the same and he turned himself in Thorin's arms and buried his face in his chest as they fell hard and fast.
Thorin shushed him quietly, holding him with one arm and the other rubbing his back soothingly, but the tears wouldn't stop as he moaned in a way that he hadn't allowed before. He was a foolish Hobbit, morning a loss that he had returned to him in this impossible second chance but he couldn't help himself. Bilbo cried until his eyes felt puffy, his throat sore and his nose was in a state that he didn't want to mention, but when it was over he felt better. Relaxed in a way that he hadn't known he was tense in.
"I'm sorry." He murmured in a cracking voice. Thorin sighed, his hand still moving in a soothing pattern. The taller man kissed Bilbo's hair, before that soothing hand tipped his head up and their eyes connected. The Kings gaze was heavy, his blue eyes solemn and understanding as he stared at the Hobbit.
"You don't have to apologize to me Bilbo. I am here to be your strength to lean on when you find yourself weary, to be the one that comforts you when you are saddened, and that laughs with you when you are merry. You are my One, never forget that." He intoned gently, a smiled twitching on his lips as he spoke. Bilbo smiled, though it was a little watery still. He was truly blessed by Yavanna.
"Thank you. And it's the same you know? I'm not just a pretty decoration either so you better remember that." The Hobbit finally replied when he got himself together, a little bit of sass in his voice. Thorin's smile widened and he chuckled so loudly that Bilbo was sure that any Dwarf listening would know exactly where their King was. Where he had spent his night. Keeping their status to their selves was going to be a feat, especially when he didn't want to. He wanted to stand by Thorin's side proudly.
"I shan't forget that my treasure. You are worth far more to me and my kingdom then your weight in gold, or even the Arkenstone itself. Even when we were at our worst you stood by our side and fought for our survival and that is not something I will ever forget." Thorin responded, before leaning forward and capturing Bilbo's lips in a kiss. The Hobbit whimpered, his hand clutching Thorin's sleeping shirt as he pulled himself closer and kissed back, letting the King taste him as he opened to his questing tongue. The kiss quickly became more heated as Thorin rolled, bringing Bilbo to rest on top of him as his hands dropped to the Hobbit's hips. It would have gone further, the Hobbit was sure, but suddenly a knock on his bedroom door was heard and both men froze. Bilbo immidiatly set upon cursing whoever it was in his head.
"Yes?" He called out, and if his voice was a little more husky and shaking he hoped no one noticed.
"The others are starting to wake up, so if your being naughty you better right yourself." Fìli's voice drifted in through the door, sounding amused and teasing. Thorin growled, and Bilbo sighed, untangeling his self from his bedding and Thorin. While he appreciated the warning he was a little upset at the interruption to be frank. Things were just starting to get good after all, even if he would have ended up with a rather sore bum for his troubles. As Thorin huffed he shot him a look, telling him that there would always be a later with his eyes. The King Under the Mountain smirked at him stretching out on the bed.
"Thank you Fìli. I'll be right out to get breakfast started." Bilbo called, shaking his head as he went to get dressed. There was a laugh from the hall and his bed and he had to smile and shake his head at how similar they were. He had just grabbed his clothes when his eldest nephew decided to speak again.
"Kìli's already getting started with that so you might want to hurry." The oldest Prince warned. Bilbo felt himself blanch at the same time Thorin groaned and sat up. The youngest Prince was not known for his prowess in the kitchen, in fact his cooking skills could bring down a Warg and that was a proven fact. The Hobbit hurried into the bathroom to dress, hearing his heart song doing the same in the bedroom.
Bilbo smacked Kìli's hands away from the frying pan with his wooden spoon, ignoring how the prince pouted and his brother laughed. When he had gotten out of his room the youngest prince had already burnt three eggs and four slices of the bread he had held back the previous night. And he was still trying to help the harried Hobbit cook, even after he had been chased out of the kitchen twice. Bilbo shot his lover a look when the Dwarf joined thier oldest nephew in laughing, demanding he control both of the boy with his eyes. Thorin arched an eye brow before sighing and straightening up from where he was leaning against the wall.
"Come on you two, if you want to help start setting the table while the Hobbit finishes his cooking. If this keeps up you'll have lumps on your head and swollen hands and won't be in the mood to ride when we leave." Thorin announced. Both younger Dwarrow pouted, but grabbed up pitchers of juice and plates of food to being into the dining room. Bilbo huffed, turning back to the cooking food.
"You could have stepped in sooner you know." He groused half heartedly, for he wasn't really upset by the boy's attempts at helping. It was rather soothing, working together in his childhood kitchen together with his family. This was a memory that he would hold close and treasure for years to come that much was for sure. Thorin smirked, coming over and wrapping his arms around him before kissing an ear.
"If you truly had a problem with the two of them interrupting your cooking they would be nursing more than half hearted hits to their thick heads and barely red knuckles little one. I know how fierce you can be when riled, remember?" Thorin murmured into the ear his mouth was on. Bilbo shivered, fighting a grin as he smacked the hands on his waist and shooed his heart song to the door.
"Don't go telling all my secrets Thorin. Now go before the rest of the company decides to show their faces. Seeing their king hanging off me will cause more than a few questions among them and those questions will surely delay our departure." He scolded playfully. Thorin chuckled as he left the room, and the Hobbit within it cooking. As soon as he was gone Bilbo let himself grin and began humming happily.
Dwalin paused in the dining room door as soon as he entered it. The Royal Durins were all up, and there was yet another feast waiting on the table, marking the smallest Royal's wakefulness. But that wasn't what made him pause. It was the ease all three Royal Durins were showing, and the cheer in their behavior. They acted as if left here they would all be truly happy, surrounded by the cheer and comfort that seems to radiate from thier Hobbit host. There was no sign of the tense, brooding king that Dwalin had known for so long. He was amazed by the effect Thorin's One not only had on him, but the two too old for their age Dwarrow. Bilbo Baggins surely had some sort of magic to be able to achieve this.
"Ah Dwalin! The Hobbit's finishing up his cooking madness, sit and eat! We won't have a chance for a meal like this for a while to come." Thorin greeted him with a smile. Dwalin eyes him, and then the Princes, before coming to a decision as he stepped into the room. He wasn't going to pretend that he didn't know what he did know about the Hobbit's importance to his King like he had been going to before. Thorin's mood would rapidly decline if he had to hide his relationship with Baggins until they decided to reveal it and he was in no hurry to deal with that on top of the coming stressors of the quest.
"Your One is quite the cook, which is a stroke of luck considering your own lack of skills in that area." He drawled, laying his cards on the table in a simple sentence. The three present Royals stiffened, but he paid them no mind, seating himself and filling a plate that had been set out at the table with food.
Thorin shifted after a few moments, his face carefully blank as he looked at Dwalin closely. It was an interesting reaction to say the least. Dwalin could almost hear the gears turning in his head as he tried to decide what to say to him. Out of the corner of his eye the older Dwarf notice the two princes dart into the kitchen and supressed a grin at that move. Those boys valued the Hobbit, that much was for sure.
"What gave it away?" Thorin finally rumbled, not denying a thing which was good. If the lad had tried to deny the Hobbit being his one Dwalin would have had to give him a good crack on the skull to see if it knocked some sense into him. After the display in the hallway and spending the night with their host denying it was moot. Even if the impulsive King didn't know that he had been seen last night. He snorted.
"You're not as discreet as you my think Laddie, and I know the signs of a Dwarf who's found his One. I trust you had a good night?" He replied, not going into any of his other thoughts or suspicions because those could wait for now- at least until he had more information. Dwalin looked at him impishly before taking a bite of the bacon that he had grabbed. Thorin sputtered before sighed, a smile playing on his lips as he looked towards the kitchen, then back at the older Dwarf with a resigned but amused look.
"I couldn't resist, but I do apologize for whatever you had to endure seeing. My little One will go red with embarrassment once he finds out you were watching though." Thorin offered, completely unapologetic in looks. In fact he looked positively smug and Dwalin couldn't resist a snicker. This was a more carefree version of the King that he followed and gave his loyalty to, a version he didn't mind.
"I'm sure that he will. If he doesn't come charging out here with his wooden spoon once those boys of yours tell him of my greeting." The older Dwarf grunted, enjoying the conversation and the food the newest Royal had provided for the company. Thorin started laughing, looking at the kitchen door again and Dwalin looked up to find that he had predicted the Hobbit's reaction correctly. Baggins was standing there with his wooden spoon, looking from Thorin to Dwalin with an half amused, half looked upon expression.
"I don't want to know. I really don't. Master Dwalin if you could refrain from exciting the boys I would be grateful. They were looking for a reason to invade my kitchen once again and you happily provided it. Unless you want more burnt then edible food on the table I wouldn't suggest you do it again." The Hobbit said primly, before turning on his heel and retreating. Dwalin snorted, feeling amused as he looked over to his King and saw a sort of adoring pride on his face. That was one lovesick fool. But lovesick fools were the fiercest when protecting their loves, which gave Dwalin a new hope for this fools quest. Thorin had all the more reason to reclaim thier home now that he had someone to live his life with.
"Balin is quite upset with you, just so you know laddie. Not only was he faced with the Hobbit's status in his race, but then I had ta tell him the laddie was your One. He passed out at the desk working on rewriting that contract just so you know." He informed his King off handedly. Thorin groaned.
"That was not my intent Dwalin, I assure you. When I found out about the Wizard intentions of recruiting him I debated with myself over telling Gandalf no and leaving Bilbo safe within the Shire. But the Wizard is right, the Dragon doesn't know the scent of a Hobbit and this quest cannot suceed without him. So I agreed to have him with us and I'm already regretting it." He grumbled, sitting and serving himself. Dwalin snorted, spearing a sausage before looking at the younger Dwarf.
"I won't pretend I don't think you are insane for having left him here in the first place and telling no one of his existence, but your Hobbit is needed for more than his usefulness for the dragon. Being separated from your One at a time like this would have grated on your very being with your souls demand to be with him. And those boys would have probably ran off in the middle of the trip to get him." Dwalin muttered in response to the foolish statement to his King had uttered, before taking a bite of the plump meat on his fork. Thorin didn't answer him and soon the dining room was filled hungry Dwarrow drawn by the scent of food. Balin was the last Dwarf up, and as he stomped into the room Baggins came in with the last plate of food that he had cooked. Dwalin watched as Thorin tugged him into his lap and the Hobbit allowed it with an indulgent smile and a mock put upon huff. It silenced the room for a moment to be honest.
"Your food is getting cold." The Hobbit reminded them all primly as he filled his own plate and Thorin laughed in amusement, holding the Hobbit's waist tightly. The Company started eating again at that, and even Balin settled at the table, with the contract in his hands. He looked at the strange couple, before shaking his head and serving himself food, obviously deciding the contract could wait a bit longer.
After all the food was eaten, minus some biscuits that were packed away for their trip, Balin got down to business though. When the contract hit the table in front of Thorin and Bilbo, once the Ur family had taken charge of clean up, both of the men jumped in surprised. Balin smirked at them, before bringing out an inkpot and a quill ans setting them down next to the contract and looking at the Hobbit hard when he went to grab the Quill to sign without even reading it.
"I expect you to read it through before you sign your name to it Master Hobbit." The Adviser grunted irately, ignoring Thorin's rumbling laugh. The Hobbit cautiously unfolded the contract and the present Dwarrow watched as the Hobbit paled and his eyes went wide as he flipped through it. He shook his head rapidly before he was done, looking at Balin with narrowed eyes as he finished.
"This is too much. I'm sure your original contract was just fine, give me that to sign because I will not sign this one. It's ridicolus! Madness! 'If at any time the King or Company determines the danger present to the affirmentioned Burglar is too great he shall be escorted to the nearest, safest settlement by the Princes and two Dwarrow of choice without protest.' I'm going against a dragon! There is no way in Yavanna's name I will sign this!" The Hobbit blustered, sounding outraged by what he had read in the contract. Balin snorted, shaking his head and glaring harder at him, trying to bend him to his will by a look alone.
"You will, and if that clause is needed to be put in effect you will follow it to the letter. My brother tells me that you are Thorin's One. When a Dwarrow's One dies the damage it causes is unspeakable, so if you do not sign you will stay here, in your little hobbit hole with a guard to keep you here while we continue with this quest. There is no debate in this situation." The adviser growled back, ignoring the reaction his words caused with the rest of the company as the Hobbit reddened in embarrassment and anger.
"Dwarrow! Stubborn, overprotective idiots! Keeping me here will not change a thing if Thorin is killed on this quest, nor will sprinting me to safety! When a Hobbit's Heart-Song, thier One so to speak, dies the Hobbit follows soon after because they Fade. The fading can be resisted only by attachments to the living world and a will to live, but even then they are less then half of what they were." Their host spat at the Adviser, ignoring the stiffening of the Dwarf holding him and the Dwarrow who were all watching him in horror as he glared back down at the contract. Balin looked at his brother, wondering what to do now.
"Sign the contract Laddie. If, and it's a slim chance we'll decide to enact that clause, but if we do then Thorin will be one of the two Dwarrow accompanying you and the Princes. I promise you that because you are right, saving you from a battle that claims him will only be dooming you." Dwalin suggested, trying to be a voice of reason since his brother was getting no where with thier King's One. "But my brother is indeed stubborn and we won't be leaving until that is signed." he added in a grunt. Baggins shot him a look before huffing and shaking his head, looking at the contract mournfully.
"I still say it's too much." He protested weakly, already reaching for the quill and inking it. Balin snorted, amusement taking over the anger as the Hobbit signed the contract. He shook his head,
"I am well aware that you think so, but given the information we now know of you the terms I set are fair. As soon as the Ur's are done tidying up we shall leave and begin the quest. Thank you for being reasonable Master Hobbit." Balin hummed, taking the contract the moment that the Hobbit signed the last letter of his name and hiding it away in his coat. He ignored the Hobbit's glare that was his response, watching his King instead as the Dwarf held the smaller being, looking disturbed by what he had heard, and a dark look in his blue eyes.
The Adviser couldn't blame Thorin for feeling uneasy about what his One had revealed. He had thought that what became of a Dwarf who lost his one was bad, but dying because your One had? While some might see it as a small mercy, to not have to live without your One, it was a horrible fate. At least a Dwarf still lived, still was able to continue on their legacy. No one present had failed to noticed the Hobbit's condition on resisting the fading, the pain in his voice. A Dwarf living after their One died was a blessing for any children they may have, but Hobbits? If the affected Hobbit didn't have the will to live their children would be left behind in the Fading's wake. In Baggins and Thorin's case, if Thorin died and the Hobbit didn't have the will to live Thorin's nephew would be left to morn them both. This quest now had steeper prices than ever to be paid if their King fell along the lines. They couldn't fail. Silence engulfed the room as they waited for the Ur's to finish their cleaning so they could leave the Shire.