Bilbo's mischievous streak gets him into trouble.

Chapter 10: Taken

Eight years later.

The Durins have become used to living in the peaceful land of the Shire. Thorin continued to train his heirs and soon enough he would also start to train Bilbo as well. Not that he was looking forward to it. He knew that Hobbits were by far weaker, physically, than any other Dwarrow. He played the Battle of Moria with his Dwarven brothers however such rough housing was banned when Bilbo almost broke his arm. That's when Thorin truly worried about how fragile his youngest nephew was.

Bilbo took joy in running around in the fields. He was a bundle of endless of energy, managing to keep up with both Fíli and Kíli and even somehow manage to wear them out. Dís could not help but express her pride and say that Bilbo is finally managing to instill some responsibility in her sons, especially since they had to make sure that Bilbo did not stray of wonder too far away.

The Hobbits have gotten used to having a Dwarven smith, not that they were very welcoming to them. Most Hobbits still opposed change and they warned their children to stay away from them. Only the Tooks were welcoming to them, not that they saw them very often, since Tuckborough was so far away from Hobbiton.

Unfortunately Dís' prediction did not come true. Bilbo was not an obedient student and seemed to prefer skipping lessons. Belladonna used to say in amusement that she blamed her Dwarven nephews for his troublesome nature.

Bilbo adored Thorin's stories and he once even tried to impersonate his heroic uncle, though Dís remarked on a number of occasions that when he scowled he looked more like an angry kitten than his uncle.

Years have passed and with each letter that arrived to the Shire there was no mention of Durur and they were no closer to catching him. They did not know that he was closer than they thought.

"Bilbo, slow down," panted Fíli, but his only answer was more laughter.

"For such a small guy he is really fast," gasped out his brother.

The blond Dwarf cursed when he saw the Hobbit approaching the river,

"Bilbo, wait!"

But it was too late, child slipped and splashed in the water causing the Dwarrow to shout in concern and almost jump head first into the river. Thankfully the waters were quite calm and all they had to do was fish their troublesome brother from the water.

"Do you want our mother or our uncle to murder us if something happened to you while you were under our watch," said Fíli as he wrapped Bilbo in his arms, knowing that there was no way he was going to end up dry by the time it was to get back home.

"Sorry..."

"Running around like that, you brother soaked to the bone, you two are suppose to be the mature, responsible one."

They were right when they said that they would be in trouble, Dís and Thorin were literally furious with them. When they arrived home Belladonna wrapped her son in a blanket and after giving him a warm bath took him to bed. In the mean time they were being scolded by their mother, while their uncle frowned at them.

"I'm sure that Bilbo was as much to blame, if not more," said Bungo, he had been quiet up to that moment.

"They're older than him, I would have expected them to be more careful," snapped the Dwarrowdam, "you're both excused."

The young Dwarrow did not need to be told twice to leave the room and out of range of their mother's anger.

"I think that you're much too hard on them," said Bungo.

"They should have known better than to leave Bilbo running off. And we all know who is behind Bilbo getting into trouble," muttered Thorin. Though he left the scolding to his sister, who could even order Smaug into submission if she wished, he was by no means less than annoyed by the turn of events.

"Even so, they are just children," Bella said from the doorway, given them a tired smile.

"Is he...?" started Dís.

"He is fine and will be suitable punished for his misbehavior tomorrow," said Bella firmly.

Needless to say they had a grumpy faunt of their hands when he was told that he was under house arrest for three days after his little stunt.

Bilbo was not going to stay inside, the sun was bright and it called to him, to go out there and explore and go and look for Elves in the forest. Though he was not going to tell his Dwarven aunt and uncle about that last part, for some reason they have no love for Elves.

He opened his window, jumped out of it and landed in the garden. Keeping himself as low as possible so that no one will spot him he opened the gate and ran outside. He was not going to stay outside for long; he would be in deep trouble if he was caught. He did not notice that someone was watching him from among the trees. The fauntling could not help but feel proud at his little escapade.

He came to an abrupt halt all of a sudden, his sensitive ears picking up movement. He turned round just in time to see a big burly dwarf reaching out to him and grapping him. His shout was cut short as the dwarf covered his mouth with his large hands. The fauntling tried to kick him, but he was too weak and the Dwarf was just too strong for him. He did not look as friendly as his uncle Thorin.

"You're coming with me you brat," hissed his captor.

His face was covered by a piece of cloth and Bilbo had no idea where he was taking him and at that moment he just wanted to be home. He wanted his mother's warm embrace, and to see his father's smile. He wanted to hear his Dwarven uncle's and aunt's stories or play with his brothers. Tears went down his cheeks can he started sobbing but no one could hear him. This was his entire fault, if he listened to his parents, for once, than none of this would have happened, but he was not expecting this. He had to brave, brave like his uncle Thorin would be in this situation.

"I'm going to slap him so hard when I see him." Belladonna was furious.

Bilbo was not in his room, he was not anywhere in his smial.

"And he is going to get grounded for the next few years," said Bungo, who was as angry as his wife.

Dís was pouring some tea to try and ease the nerves of the worried parents. Her brother and sons were out looking for the wayward Fauntling. When Bilbo did not come out of his room they did not give it much thought, thinking that the youngling was just in an awful mood after being stuck in the house for a day already. But as time passed and they could not find him anywhere, then the worry set in. The front door opened and her kin walked in, but when she saw the expression of their faces she knew that the news was not good and her heart sank.

"Didn't you find him?" Bella's voice was hoarse with all of the crying and her husband wrapped his arms around her.

"We were hoping that he returned," said Thorin, looking worn out.

"But he couldn't have gotten so far," protested her eldest son.

"I'm going out to look for him again," said Thorin, looking even more determined than before.

Thorin was close to throwing a fit, that young Fauntling was missing and he could not find him anywhere.

"BILBO!" he shouted, over and over.

He went to the forest, knowing that his youngest nephew had some abnormal affection towards Elves and he frequently went there to see them as they made their way to the Grey Havens, but there was no sign of him. His biggest fear was that he fell again in the river and drowned. But he looked and he was not there. To try and ease his troubled mind he looked there again and with some relief he saw that his little body was not there.

Trudging back again, he went back to the smial, since it was getting dark and before opening the door, his sharp eye caught sight of a small piece of paper. He grabbed it and entered the smial for better lighting to read what was written. Ignoring the questioning look on his kin's faces he read what was written. He felt faint. Thorin was not able to breathe, let alone speak and so he was not able to answer his sister's questioning gaze. Thorin Oakenshield felt ice cold fear, a fear that he did not feel again since the Battle of Azanulbizar.

"Thorin what is it?" asked Bella in concern.

The Dwarf handed her the paper to read what was written.

To The King Under The Mountain,

We have the Hobbit brat; he's safe, for now.

If you want to see him alive and well meet me at the Bywater Bridge at midnight 3 days from now, don't be late.

The time to get my revenge on your family is close Durin, hand yourself over, along with your heirs or this child dies.

Time is pressing Thorin Oakenshield.

Choose well.

Durur.