Chapter 6

~three months later~

Bilbo stared down at the repaired road that led into Erebor. The other Dwarves- Bilbo shook his head and corrected himself. Dwarrows! That was the proper, politically correct, term. He sighed and leaned his elbows on the parapet.

"Nervous?"

He turned his head to see Balin smiling at him. "Not really. If Dis doesn't like me, then it gives me another reason to leave." He shrugged. "I need to meet Father down there to greet them." Bilbo smiled at Balin and then sighed. "Do you remember what race my mother was?"

Balin frowned in confusion. "Of course. She was a Hobbit."

A bitter smile crept along Bilbo's face. "Exactly. Now all you need to do is alert my father that my mother was a Hobbit. That I and half Hobbit. Hmm? Can you do that Balin? Can you tell my father that I am not wholly Dwarf?" The prince raised an eyebrow.

Balin sighed. "I will try and get it into his skull, my prince."

"You'll need an axe larger than Grasper."

Balin's lips twitched in an effort to keep the smile off his face. Bilbo kept walking. He looked around the enormous halls and then at his bare feet. "Dwarrows wear boots. I don't. Dwarrows don't do well with nature. I do. Dwarrows can't be quiet for the life of them. I can." He glared at Balin over his shoulder. "Keep this in mind, Balin. I may be a gentle Hobbit. I may be flexible, but someday soon, I will snap." He walked on, quicker. "And though the mountain may crumble around me, if it does, I will take you all down with me."

Balin sighed and then shook his head. He saw his brother and hurried over to him. "Dwalin, is it possible to gag both Dis and Thorin for these few days?"

Dwalin gave him a weird look. "No. Dis would never stand for such treatment."

Giving a dismal sigh, Balin leaned against a stone pillar. "The prince is growing sick of being treated as only Dwarf. He uses a slang term from the Shire; I correct him, because Princes do not use slang. He uses an Elvish fighting form; you correct him, because it is not presentable for a Dwarf to speak or utilize anything Elvish. He references a Hobbit dish, Bombur chuckles and says that no Dwarf would ever make something like that. He reads a piece of literature from the Shire and Ori gently corrects him, saying that he should be practicing his kin's language."

Dwalin's eyes grew bigger and bigger. "Shit."

Balin nodded. He hurried down the hall and down the stairs to greet the other Dwarrows.

Bilbo was being embraced by his aunt.

"Thorin! I'm ashamed of you! This boy's skin and bones! You should feed him more!"

Thorin sighed. "I'm trying, Dis. Bilbo refuses to eat more than three meals."

Dis paused. "More than?"

"Hobbits need to eat seven meals to keep up with their metabolism. Bilbo needs roughly four or five rich meals a day, but he refuses."

Bilbo had his eyes closed and then he sighed. "Others need the food more than I. Even if I do eat, I won't be able to grow as much muscle as a Dwarf, Father."

"Nonsense. You have my blood in your veins, Bilbo."

Bilbo's jaw clenched. "No matter how much blood I have of yours in my veins, I will forever be part Hobbit!"

Dis jerked slightly and stared at the Dwobbit in front of her. His blue eyes were flashing a fire of rebellion. She could tell. The lad looked just like Belladonna. "Thorin, a word."

Thorin motioned Bilbo to stay where he was and then went off a ways with his sister.

"What is it?"

"You must be more careful with your son. I see Belladonna in him."

"Of course you do, she is his mother."

Dis sighed and stared at her brother. "Bella fled, Thorin."

His eyes widened in shock. "He wouldn't…"

"Actually, he would." Balin moved silently forward. "He is growing frustrated that we are ignoring his other half. He is a Prince of Two Lands, Thorin. We need to speak to the Thain as soon as possible. It is only right."

Thorin shook his head, trying to make sense of his emotions. Leaning against a pillar, he sighed. "We will speak first to Bilbo. He is used to being treated as an adult. I have made many mistakes with my son." Thorin's blue eyes snapped open. "I will not continue." Dis nodded.

"That is wise, Brother."

Little did they know that Hobbits had excellent hearing. Bilbo smiled and nodded. "That is wise, Father." It was spoken softly. He moved away from the debating Dwarrows and walked over to a stone window. Winter was finally coming. Bilbo shivered and turned his head. He didn't want to stay in a stone mountain during this time. He need fresh air, he needed to see nature, no matter how white it was. An idea came to him in a gasp. He glanced at his father and then down at his feet.

Thorin would despise it. Bilbo scowled. "I am not a Dwarf. If they cannot stand me, then they must get over it. I will not bend for them anymore!" He nodded and then moved quietly to Balin. "I am going to my room. The caravan is fully introduced to the mountain. My own duty is done." Balin nodded and smiled.

"Aye, thank you, lad." Bilbo smiled at the elderly dwarf and nodded.

Quickly walking away, Bilbo hurried to his room. He procured a quill and parchment and wrote a letter to Thranduil in Sindarin.

King Thranduil,

I hope this letter finds you well. I must thank you again for pardoning my father and my kin of trespassing. The treaties are also going very well.

It is about the treaties that I am writing you. I think it would be wise if I spoke to you about specific trade requests that Erebor needs and that you could provide.

If this is amenable to you, then I am grateful. I only wish the best for all three races that live in this area of land.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter,

Bilbo Baggins, son of Thorin, Prince of Erebor

He nodded and quickly sent it off via a messenger hawk that Beorn gave him. He smiled as it soared into the sky and off to Greenwood. It truly was becoming a green wood again. Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond had been helping Thranduil push the spiders from the woods once and for all.

Sighing, Bilbo thought about Legolas. He had left only two weeks ago. Bilbo shook his head and frowned. "Thranduil will most likely desire company, even if he does not want to admit it." Bilbo smirked and began to look forward to the king's response.