Friends Reunited
Thorin stared at the crying face of Bilbo Baggins as he lay on the ice overlooking the Battle for Erebor. It was his fault, everything, the war, the deaths of his nephews, the last of his line, and now the tears that fell down what should have been his most trusted friends face. The hobbit should not make such a face, should not have to face such loss, he should have been left in his home with his pocket handkerchief and his armchair and his garden. All his fault, the madness had taken him, so many bad decisions. His pride was his downfall, as Gandalf once said. It seemed so long ago now, that their only worries were making it to the mountain in time.
"Farewell master burglar, go back to your books, and your armchair, plant your trees, watch them grow, if more people valued home above gold, this world would be a merrier place."
And with that, Thorin II, Son of Thrain II, Son of Thror finally let go. He didn't see the way his Hobbit friend broke down in sadness, the keening wails he let out over his friend's body. Nor the way his shoulders sagged as he left the mountain. Nor the way that the small man sat in his homely hole alone and in sadness until he took in young Frodo Baggins.
It was an old man who finally went on to another adventure, who was finally ready to see the reminder of his most beloved friend. However, he was old now, and his weary bones couldn't travel further than the lost lonely house. At least he got to see his elven friends once again, watch the young Estel become king, listen to the tales his friends told him of the world. Even Thranduil took his time to visit every now and then, sharing his worries about his son, and this quest for the free peoples of middle Earth. Thorin never got see Bilbo reunited with his Son that reminded him so strongly of the stubborn dwarf of his memories.
When the once young Hobbit finally left middle earth, sailing to the undying lands, he never saw the tears Bilbo shed in the knowledge that they would never be reunited, even in death. Bilbo would be reborn as a flower in Yavanna's garden whilst Mahal would never let a hobbit into his stone halls.
Mandos, he saw. He found the old soul of Bilbo Baggins as he came with those of the elves, this was not a soul he could claim. The lord of the dead saw the grief and the loneliness of the poor hobbits life that never really continued after the death of his friend. Yavanna wept as she watched him play merrily, it seemed, with the immortal elves, forever stuck in his aged form, and knew that he would never be happy in death either. Hobbits are meant to be happy. She made them to know almost no different, to be able to take pleasure in the little things in life, so that all grievances could be momentary and their simple lives would continue. Even Lobelia Sackville-Baggins lived a happy life, in her own way, taking pleasure in the little squabbles over hereditary property.
Mahal noticed his wife's discomfort and gazed upon his Dwarven Kings. Thorin II lived in happiness here, reunited with his dead father, and grandfather, and nephews and brother Frerin while the rest of the company joined him one by one. His sister Dis had yet to pass on, remaining a strong –if aged- figure in Erebor. However there was always a shadow about him, a sort of restfulness, as if he was waiting for a person that was not sure to come. A constant life of sadness this dwarf had led, cut short before he could enjoy any happiness or peace.
The couple planned, out of sight and out of mid until they took their thoughts to Manwë, the King of them all. He stayed his mind for eons, until eventually he came to his friends with a reply.
"This will change everything"
And Thorin Oakenshield awoke.