Author's Note: Yay! Next chapter! I hope I didn't keep you guys waiting to long. I haven't really had much inspiration lately. And so I hope this isn't as confusing as my friend thought it was. Anyhoo, please vote in the poll that's on my page because it will be closing soon and I really want you guys' opinion. Now on with the show!


"Who is that?" Azaelia said, miffed that the mysterious hobbit was dancing with her prince and stealing all the attention off of her. Her grip on her delicate lace fan that Bilbo had painstakingly sewn freshwater pearls onto last week was so tight it was crushed under the pressure. She dropped it from her gloved hands with a frustrated huff.

"I have never seen her before either!" Tigerlily griped as she glared enviously at the beautiful silk dress of the black-haired hobbit that Prince Fili was talking to. She had had her eyes set on him, hoping to wed him and make his life miserable after he had put her in a barrel on a river as a prank.

"There is something vaguely familiar about those three," Primula mused, orange eyes narrowing suspiciously. She moved through the crowd, unaware of the ten pair of eyes on her.


On the dance floor, Bilbo smiled and replied simply, "You didn't tell me you were a prince."

"It didn't seem important at the time," Thorin said honestly, ignoring Bilbo's scoff. The masked hobbit glanced around, drinking in the sight of the room that he had been too occupied -frightened- earlier to notice.

The enormous room boasted five candlelit chandelier laden with rose quartz crystals and amethyst rock crystal that cast a soft glow upon the richly dressed hobbits and dwarves. The floor was made of a strikingly beautiful dark marble that was accented with white veining that held the emblem of the Durin line in the center, a large image gilded out of precious metals and jewels. Against the back wall, three large semicircular steps of pure black marble led to the pure white marble throne of Queen Belna.

The throne was gilded in mithril and gold, symbols in Khuzdul etched along the sides, high-backed in dark velvet. Along the walls were statues of the great dwarf kings before, created of granite, marble, and some of precious metals that glistened under the candle light. They stood as a sharp contrast to the tapestries that hung on the wall. Many were scenes of battle and coronations of kings and queens, aged so their once bright threads were dulled yet no less enthralling.

It dawned on Bilbo that Thorin, the dwarf that saved him from certain death, who had shyly invited him to the ball, was truly a prince. His clothing showed it as well. Thorin wore robes of blue and silver -the colors of the Durin line, the halfling's mind supplied- with silver thread embroidered along the edging of his sleeves and neckline n a thin border. His armor was a shiny silver, polished recently to give a good contrast to his tanned skin and dark coloring. His hair was braided with precious jewel clasps of sapphire, opal, and mithril. The clasps stood out against Thorin's midnight hair and caught the light of the chandeliers. His hands were scarred and worn from years of sword training and smithing, feeling rough against Bilbo's soft slender white ones.

"Is everything alright?" Thorin asked, his voice relaxng the stiff hobbit who was inwardly freaking out.

"Er, everything's fine it's just all this-" Bilbo waved his hand around, signifying the room and the guests- "attention and the likes of it. Everyone's watching us, my lord."

"Funny. I forgot there was anyone else but you," Thorin said honestly, surprising himself with his honesty.

Bilbo blushed and he was glad for his ornate mask for once, even if he wouldn't say out loud around a certain wizard anytime soon. After several minutes of blissful dancing, Thorin led Bilbo towards the dais at the other side of the room, enjoying the attention that everyone gave the handsome masked hobbit at his side. There were a line of dwarves on either side of Queen Belna, all of whom were eager to meet the mysterious hobbit on the dwarf prince's arm and made Bilbo immediately wary.

At the front of the room, Mirabella pulled out a fan from her sleeve and opened it in front of her face as Prince Fili was approaching her. Keep calm, keep calm. It's just to the stroke of midnight. Oh, why do I have to be such a good friend?

"May I have this dance, my lady?"

"Oh, I don't know can you?" Mira said before she thought about what she said and she mentally cursed as Hannai discretely shoved an elbow in her side. "I-I mean, of course your Majesty."

Fili shared a look with his brother before they shrugged in unison -to their snooping mother's amusement- before dragging the girls onto the dance floor against their half-hearted protests. Hannai struggled to maintain her composure and sense as Kili spun wild stories about the guests in attendance and joked about Mrs. Applebottom's smock poking out under her petticoat.

"Stop that! It's not proper to say such things about Mrs. Applebottom's petticoat," Hannai scolded, though her giggles took away much of the harshness of the reprimand.

Mira watched Hannai as Fili spun her around the room. "So are you going to tell me who you are? Cause I'm pretty sure that there aren't many hobbit goddesses attending here today."

"Sweet talker," she admonished as she grinned slyly. "And that's much too easy."


As they reached the dais, Bilbo bowed lowly to the seated queen. Queen Belna wore a gown of dark purple that was made of silk and lavender lace. Pearls were sewn along the sleeve edges ad square neckline of the gown. The petticoat was edged in gold and tiny swirls of lavender, pink, and dark purple. There was a see-through netting that hung from the delicate gold amethyst clasps at her shoulders in a semicircular collar before flairing out in a floor length cape that gave her the effect of a silver glittery glow around her that made her appear otherworldly. The large mithril crown studded with diamonds and other precious jewels made her appear like she belonged in one of the tapestries hanging on the stone walls behind her. Thorin nodded deeply to the grinning queen, who winked at her son and gave the hobbit a bemused smile. " I am Queen Belna, daughter of Barir, wife of Thrain and current ruler of Erebor. And who is this young hobbit? I do not believe I have ever met you before."

"Well, the Shire has many hobbits, your Majesty," Bilbo said.

Surprised with the response, Queen Belna nodded in slight confusion. All at once, the dwarves on either side of her began to shout questions to the hobbit before Thorin intervened, "Mother, I do believe that the feast is about to begin."

"Of course. I shall go find Balin. It was nice to meet you, Master Hobbit," the queen said warmly, watching her son gaze at the masked halfling.

Bilbo nodded as the queen reluctantly left to find the older advisor, the line of dwarves at her side finally dispersing (but not without gaping at the hobbit first). He took in a deep breath as the queen's figure gracefullly moved into the parting crowd. He was more nervous than he cared to admit about making a good impression with Thorin's mother. Would Thorin feel the same thing if he ever met my Mother? Well, if I'll ever see him after tonight.

Ignoring the slight ache of his heart at that thought, Bilbo smiled as Thorin lead him through a doorway to a large feasting hall that was made of stone tiles that felt rough against Bilbo's hairy feet. The hobbit was so enthralled by the enormity of the room -you could fit three Brandybuck Halls in there!- that he didn't notice when Thorin lead him to the table on the raised dais at the back of the hall. He didn't have time to protest the dwarf prince's actions until he was already sitting on Thorin's right beside Fili. He recognized Fili as the golden-haired boy from the riverside the day of Tigerlily's prank. Beside him was Mirabella, with Kili and Hannai next to them respectively. And sitting across from them were the dwarves from the ballroom.

"Thorin, this is too much," Bilbo hissed to the dwarf.

"Nothing is too much for my Azyunghal," Thorin said immediately, holding Bilbo's hand on the table, to the excited whispers of the gathered hobbits and dwarves.

Realizing that arguing with the dwarf was futile, he turned to look at the meal that was presented in front of him. All along the oak table were silver platters filled with boar, ram, sheep, and deer, all flavored with delicious herbs from the Shire. There were also Hobbitish foods amongst the dishes, such as pork pies and mince pies. Several desserts such as raspberry jam biscuits, buttered scones, and apple tarts that seemed to be Queen Belna's favorite.

In front of Bilbo was a delicious plate filled with samples of all of the food on the table and he delightfully tucked in. He ate in peace as Thorin was speaking to a white-haired dwarf that had been introduced to him as Master Balin. Apparently the bald bearded muscular dwarf was his sibling, Master Dwalin, the Head of Guards. Then there were Masters Bombur, Bifur, and Bofur, cousins who were the Guildmasters of the Kitchen and Mines respectively. Gloin, brother of the Head Healer Oin, was the Guildmaster of the Treasury an the father of a fiery son named Gimli (apparently from his loud boasts). Dori, Nori and Ori -more brothers, Mira bemoaned quietly- asked the most questions as they sat in front of Bilbo. Dori was a Council member, Nori the spymaster -Bilbo noted he was eying his initialized buttons suspiciosly- and Ori was the Royal Scribe. And who apparently had caught the eye of a certain guard, Bilbo noted. He watched the bashful yet enamored stares of the young scribe and the returning glances from the rough-tongued warrior. He would later discover and be explained that sweet Ori was the One of the gruff Dwalin, feeling Thorin's heavy gaze on him the entire time.

Down the steps of the dais, rumors of ladies -both Dwarvish and Hobbitish, even Elvish- and mumbles of gentledwarf/hobbit/men spoke of Prince Thorin's wonderous partner. Many of the court members whispered about the three masked hobbits that had the attention of the heirs of Erebor. Some went as far as to say they must be spies from another kingdom. Those mutters were quickly shut down by Princess Dis' sharp tongued ladies-in-waiting and her own tongue if need be. Others questioned whether these hobbits were mortal, as they were too graceful in the eyes of the hobbits and dwarves to be anything but divine children of Yavanna. Even the elves questioned the mortality of the hobbits.


At the table, Bilbo listened with amusement to the wild tales of Thorin's company, th dwarves that Thorin had led against Lord Smaug.

"Aye it was Master Bard of Dale that gave that bloody Smaug the mighty blow," Gloin shouted.

The company cheered boisterously and Bilbo was surprised to see Queen Belna laughing along just as merrily. He watched her tap her silver gilded goblet against Bifur's own tankard. Sipping the strong ale, Bilbo watched Mira laugh along to Fili's tall tales about his training with Dwalin, and his pranks against various members of the company. There was a warm, family-like feeling that made Bilbo feel accepted.

But when Fili began to tell about his prank against Tigerlily Bramble, the masked hobbit paled and set down his goblet, his appetite vanishing. No matter how cruel he was treated, Bilbo's heart was too pure to wish any harm to his stepfamily. While he understood that Fili and Kili did was for his benefit, but it still made him uneasy.

"Are you alright?" Thorin said, lifting the silent hobbit's hand to his lips. He had been watching Bilbo's behavior and his worry was obvious in his ice-like eyes.

Fully aware that his blush could be seen along the uncovered parts of his exposed neck and face, Bilbo nodded and just said, "It is just unpleasant thoughts and faces. Nothing more than I cannot deal with." Even as he assured the dwarf, he glanced away from Thorin's worried yet loving eyes to where his stepmother was furiously questioning a dwarrow servant who had just served the three hobbits about them.

"Tell me who and I shall take care of them. For I shall take care of you, forever if you shall allow me," he said deeply. Bilbo's heart thumped loudly and all that existed in his world for that moment was Thorin's unfathomably deep eyes.


"So where are ye from?" Bofur asked as he took a puff from his pipe and cheerfully dodged the scone Kili threw to Dis and Hannai's horror.

"Oh, here and there," Mira answered, returning the grin that her friends gave her.

"But you are of Erebor?" Dori questioned.

"Once we weren't. We sought safety near and far, homeless and scared. Hurt and dying, we were saved," Hannai replied.

Kili and Fili shared a confused look before the latter said, "I don't get it."

"We never said you were suppose to," the girls chimed.

The table burst into laughter, Dis saying she wasn't surprised her sons didn't. "Are all hobbits this secretive?" asked Ori, who was enthralled by the masked hobbits, to a certain guard's discontentment.

"The ones who keep their masks on are," Bilbo answered.

The confusion on the dwarves' face seemed to have settled in nicely, to Bilbo's amusement. His laughter rang out like chiming bells and Thorin vowed then to make sure to hear that sound everyday. Hannai and Mira joined him in laughter and for several moments their laughter rang through the cavernous room. If the crowd of party-goers hadn't been paying attention before, now they all wanted to be introduced to the crown prince.

Soon, a line formed of impatient officials trying to be introduced by the squire to the royal family. When Queen Belna noticed the crowd, she motioned for Balin to end feasting sooner in order to stop the loudest dwarves from just rudely walking up to the hobbits. She could tell from her son's expression that if any of them came closer to his masked hobbit, it would get very messy very quickly.

"Let us continue the dancing!" she announced, ignoring the glares of her advisors. She would deal with them privately if they had anymore protests.

Bilbo had been growing nervous about the large crowd, but when the queen dismissed them back into the ballroom, he relaxed. "Shall we go dance?"

"Of course, but only if you shall answer a question of mine later on," Thorin replied, enjoying the suspicious look the hobbit gave him. He held his arm out to the richly dressed halfling, feeling a jolt of joy when he accepted his arm and gripped it tightly in his white hands.

As they entered the ballroom once more, Thorin took Bilbo into his arms and danced with him. When others approached him to dance with them, he refused and said, "This is my partner, in dance and more."

Each time the dwarvish prince would say this, Bilbo blushed and felt the guilt of his hidden identity lay heavier on his heart. But when his stepmother approached with his sisters, the guilt became too much and Bilbo stammered out an excuse before he headed towards where Mira and Hannai stood with Fili and Kili by Queen Belna.

Thorin nodded hesitantly, only agreeing to let the masked hobbit move away from his side because he was heading towards his mother. Hopefully Amad will not question him too much. The last thing I need is for her to scare him off.

"Your Majesty! I would love to introduce my eldest, Tigerlily. Quite talented with a needle and a beauty proclaimed all the way to Bree!"

Tigerlily stepped foward and curtsied, stumbling as she straightened back up. She horribly covered it up by adding a bow at the waist and a high pitched giggle that grated Thorin's ears.

"Err-yes. It is very nice to meet you but I must-"

"And my youngest, Azaelia. Her sweetness would best be matched to honey and her beauty matches none! It would give a simple hobbit lady like me so much joy if you were to dance with either of them."


"Is that-?"

"Yes it is," Bilbo answered curtly at Hannai.

"You know those hobbits?" Belna asked.

Bilbo didn't miss her interest. He couldn't let her make the connection between him and his family. "Nay, your Majesty. But it didn't seem appropriate for me to-"

"Oh, hogwash!" Queen Belna interrupted, waving her hand flippantly. "I may be old, Master Hobbit, but I'm not blind. You would do best to remember that." Her eyes soften as she gazed into the hobbit's doe-like eyes. "Even an old hermit would be able to see what you feel for my son."

Blushing, Bilbo was glad that his friends had moved away to go dance. He stared down at his feet, missing the sympathetic look from the dwarrow queen. "I don't know what you mean, your Majesty."

"Master Hobbit, my son is not great with words. He shows his loyalty and love through what he does. Surely you can see that in the way he has claimed you in front of the whole court of Erebor!"

"Claim? Y-Your Majesty, I am but a hobbit!" Bilbo said nervously. The guilt was growing more and more.

"Oh yes, that won't matter! Of course, we will have to meet your parents and family to arrange everything!"

"M-My parents? Family?" Bilbo repeated, turning to look back at Thorin, who was trying unsuccessfully to get away from his stepfamily.

"Yes. Now, have I heard of your family?"

"I-I" Bilbo didn't know what to say. The guilt of having lied to Thorin weighed heavily on his heart. What if he realizes he doesn't want a lowly hobbit and instead wants a wealthy one?

"Yes?"

"I-I do believe I should get some fresh air! Pardon me!" Bilbo said suddenly, heading out of the ballroom through a hallway to the balcony.


"What did you say to him?" Thorin demanded. He had just gotten away from that crazy hobbit and her daughters, only to see his hobbit head away from his confused looking mother.

"Nothing! I only asked about his family and then he ran off as if he'd seen Dori in his underwear! I haven't seen such a skittish hobbit. More bunny than halfling if you ask me Thorin."

Turning, Thorin headed out of the hall. What if he left? Then you'll never get the chance to ask Bilbo if you can court him!


"Go? Go home now? My dear Bilbo what was all this for then?" Gandalf said, waving his hand at Bilbo's clothing and mask. The hobbit wasn't going to question how the wizard had appeared out of nowhere, smoking his pipe casually against the banister of the balcony.

"I'm not who they think I am. I can't lie to Thorin anymore. How can I be this 'mysterious hobbit who captured the prince's heart'? That's not me!"

"Yet you have not told him who you are out loud," Gandalf mused. "Why is that?"

"Master Hobbit, are you here?" Thorin called, running onto the balcony where Bilbo was. "You haven't left!"

"Yes, I was just speaking with-" Bilbo stopped talking when he saw that the wizard had disappeared.

"Please, whatever my mother said, do not allow it to offend you."

"Oh, no. Your mother was sweet and just. I wish my family was like yours."

Thorin was silent for a moment, looking down at the hobbit beside him. "I would like to meet them."

"No!"

Thorin blinked. "That bad?"

"You have no idea." Bilbo hesitated before he picked up Thorin's hand in his own, smiling back at Thorin's own brilliant smile. "I have to tell you something. It's been weighing heavily upon my heart."

"If you are trying to tell me who you are, then ease your worry. I know who you are Bilbo."

The halfling looked up, surprised. "You do? Why didn't you say anything!"

Thorin shrugged. "I knew there was a reason the minute we greeted each other and you didn't remove it immediately. Conversations at the feast confirmed my thoughts."

"Thorin," Bilbo whispered as the dwarf prince wrapped his arms tightly around his waist, relishing in strength of Thorin's arms. "I am not who you think I am."

"You are Bilbo, a hobbit who foolishly went into the woods to fetch water from a well. Who I saved from Azog and who was kind enough to accept my invitation to the ball. And, who will hopefully accept my offer," Thorin said.