The room was large and full of natural sunlight, which momentarily blinded them after coming from a candle lit hallway.
Thorin and Balin slowly walked across the cream marble floor as they looked around at all the engraved stone pillars, arches over windows but what amazed them was the decorative carved stone friezes showing some kind of battle on one side of the room and what looked to be a journey of some kind on the opposite side. There were vines wrapped around the pillars but not covering any of the carvings, in front of all the friezes there was a small garden, full of colourful flowers. The room looked like a mix of both hobbit and dwarrow culture.
At the end of the room there were a couple of steps that led up to a large wooden chair with a deep blue velvet cushion. The Thain walked up and sat down, waiting for the three to stop looking around and come stand in front of him.
"I don't have all day" He finally said, when they didn't look to be getting ready to start the meeting anytime soon.
"Sorry Thain Took, I am Balin son of Fundin. Advisor to King Thorin Oakenshield." Balin bowed to the Thain.
"Hello Balin, as you know I am Thain Gerontius Took" He nodded his head at Balin and turned to Thorin. " And who are you ?"
"I am King Thorin Oakenshield son of Thrain II" Thorin introduced himself, bowing his head.
"What does a King want my grandson for ? You do know what it means, hiring him?"
"Do you need to know what Bilbo is being hired for? Dwarrows prefer to keep things secret. Bilbo has already explained everything that must be followed, there are two letters written and signed all legal, Balin has them there. Nothing should be out of order."
Balin handed both letters to the Thain, who took them and read over them.,
"They are all in order, yes." he nodded " and no you do not have to tell me what you have hired Bilbo for, but I would like to know at least as his grandfather how safe will he be?"
"I cannot guarantee his safety, I will however do my best to make sure he makes it through this, just like I will for everyone in my company."
"Well that's all I can ask for I suppose. I wish to speak to Bilbo privately, but we will go to the dining room first. You may have some ale while Bilbo and I talk."
Thorin and Balin watched as the Thain stopped acting like a leader and showed who he truly was in relation to Bilbo, a caring grandfather who was concerned for his grandson's well being.
It was nice to see that Bilbo had some family that cared for him, especially after hearing about his father's side.
As they walked to the dining room Bilbo and his grandfather spoke to each other about how things were going in the Shire.
Thorin and Balin walked behind them. Just watching the two talk.
'I wonder why Bilbo chose a life of travelling, of dangerous jobs. He could be living like how the grandson of the Thain should be, what happened.' Thorin was confused.
They came to a stop at a large opening, inside was a basic room, with a large table and long benches.
" Just grab the tankards there for yourselves and fill them from the barrels on the corner. Bilbo and I will be out when we are finished." the Thain turned and walked down the hall to the room next door, he stopped at the oak door and gave Bilbo a look that was very clearly telling him to come along.
Bilbo shrugged to Thorin and Balin before turning and jogging towards his grandfather. They both walked into the room shutting the door behind them.
Thorin and Balin walked further into the dining room. Balin grabbed two tankards and filled with what he realised was the same ale as Bilbo had at his Smial, maybe it's a family recipe.
As he was busy with that Thorin took the time to look around the room. It was not decorated like Bilbo's but there were lots of little portraits in ornate frames all over the wall. They were not just the usual kind you see either, of a person staring straight ahead sitting in a chair or standing next to something important to the family. No, these were paintings of Bilbo's family outside having a picnic or dancing there was one of a woman that looked so much like Bilbo doing archery. The one thing that was common to all though was everyone in all the paintings were smiling.
'I wonder if bilbo is in one of these' he thought as he looked closely at each one.
Balin handed him the ale, not bothering to try and make conversation, he sat down at the table and watched as Thorin drank and slowly made his way around the room.
At around three quarters of the way around the room Thorin stopped.
"Oh" Thorin had not meant to say anything, but he could not help it. There in front of him was Bilbo, the painting was one of the bigger ones. It was Bilbo maybe five or six years ago, standing on a hill, maybe it was his Smial painted from behind. The grass had a layer dew drops making them shine like the brightest emeralds he had seen, all the while dotted with flowers of all different colours.
Bilbo was wearing what he had been wearing when they first met him but it was different. All his clothes seemed new in the painting. His hair was down except for some braids tied at the end with beads.
It must have been windy when it was painted because his hair was blown back, the sun shining through making it look like strands of gold. It also revealed his ears and their multiple piercing. Going down his body, you could see the tattoo on his chest of what looked to be an acorn just peeking out from his shirt, it seemed to be bigger than that though.
Bilbo was smiling so brightly, following where he was looking, there was a smaller figure, they weren't small though, just someone further away. The figure is a male hobbit going towards Bilbo arms open wide, even from the distance in the painting you can tell that the male is bigger than Bilbo.
'Who is he' Thorin frowned. 'Why is Bilbo so happy to see him'
Thorin snapped out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps behind him, he turned around just as the Thain and Bilbo walked in.
"Well everything is all sorted, we are good to go whenever you two have finished your drinks" Bilbo said.
"I will take my leave now, business to attend to" The Thain walked over and shook Thorin and Balin's hands.
He then walked back to Bilbo and pulled him into a hug.
"I will pray to Yavanna and her husband and ask them to watch over you all." and with that he left.
Bilbo walked over to Thorin. As he got closer he saw that he was standing in front of his portrait.
'He must have been looking at it' Bilbo thought. 'I wonder why?'
"Thorin, what are you doing over here?" Bilbo stood next to him and plucked the tankard out of Thorin's hand and took a mouthful. He smiled at him and handed it back. Thorin did nothing to stop Bilbo from taking a drink of his ale, he just stood there blinking, looking at him.
Balin had to stop himself from laughing as this all happened. Thorin, who he grew up with, watched and stood beside as he fought through many battles, was infatuated, enamoured, lovesick, call it what you want, and by the look on his face he didn't even know how far he had fallen.
'If nothing else it would make the journey more interesting.' Balin thought
"Who is he?" Thorin shook himself out of the trance caused by Bilbo.
Bilbo looked around Thorin at the portrait, even though it was of him he had never actually seen it.
"Oh, he's no one. Come on let's go, I have a lot to do"
Thorin frowned at Bilbo's sudden change in mood. Gone was the happy, teasing Bilbo replaced with someone closed off who didn't want to talk.
'Whoever that hobbit is, he caused Bilbo to shut down. He's bad news'
Thorin nodded his head and placed the tankard on the table.
"Come Balin, it's time to leave"
The three all walked out, closing the door to the Great Smial behind them and made their way back to Bilbo's home.