Hi everyone! I hope that you're all well as can be in these strange times! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I really appreciate it! There's a short, sweet one for you today, so I hope that you like it and forgive any mistakes I've made.

Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen: Letters from Erebor

Our Bróin,

We love you, baby, we love you so, so much – before I write anything else you must know that, you must know that your father and I love you more than anything, and our greatest fear over the past few months has been that we would never get to write this letter. That you –

A messenger from Saruman came to the gates, a few weeks ago. We have your beads and your rings now, Bróin, they're safe now, but we – well, you can imagine what we thought. What we were willing to try, to pay – but you didn't need us. You got out on your own and I am so proud, Bróin, we're so proud.

When your father left for Erebor all those years ago, I prayed, Bróin. I prayed that none of my children would ever seek to outdo his deeds, that they would never feel the need to prove themselves to his measure. I was so afraid that you would try – you in particular, my little warrior – and that I would lose you. I prayed that none of you would ever have the need to go on such a quest, that your father's sacrifice would be enough to win you safety…

But somehow, you found a quest even greater, more urgent, more dangerous, and you did it, and for that I am proud beyond words – as is your father – but my pride is nothing compared to how grateful I am that at least one part of my prayer came true. That you will be coming home. That I won't lose you. I don't know if I could survive losing you, Bróin. I'm not nearly so strong as Dís.

I must wrap this up now, my darling – I don't want to miss the raven – but we are so proud of you, baby, so proud, and we love you so much – and your father wants me to add that the reason none of this is in his hand is for the sole reason that his hands have not stopped shaking since we got the news you are alright. And there is one more thing – just one more – I am with child again, my darling. But with all this I can't help but – this baby could never replace you, my Bróin, I hope you know that. I hope that's not why – In any case, you must come home and meet them.

Your Amad, and your Adad

My dear Gimli,

I'm sure Thorin's already thanked you for your letter – the news is much relief to us all. I thank Mahal every day that you are safe, and well, and my pride has no limits. You have officially outdone me, my boy, in deeds and in heroics – and I could not be prouder.

Now, I'm sure I'll write more soon, but in the time being you look after Bróin and those hobbits of ours. After all that's happened, I'm not sure it's a possible task, but you continue to do your best my lad. If anyone can, it will be you.

All my love,

Your Father

…

Dearest Gimli,

I am so, so proud of you, my darling, and I love you more than life. Come home soon.

Amad.

My dear Merry,

I'm so glad to hear that you're in one piece, that you're all in one piece. I'm not sure whether or not the others will be back with you by the time you get this – except that I suppose they will be, since we're only sending one raven. Either way, I've heard that you sat out the last battle – and I'm both sorry and glad for it. I'm sorry, because I know how hard it is to sit wounded on the side-lines, how hard it is to watch your family march away. I've been much the same myself recently, but I don't want you to worry – I'm fine. I'm sorry that you're wounded too – I pray that by the time this letter reaches you you'll be well again.

I'm so glad that you're safe, Merry. So glad that you're safe – I love you so much, my little Merry, so much, and I'm just so glad that you're safe. We're all doing alright here, and as soon as this raven's flown, I'll send another to your parents, so don't worry about them. Don't you worry about anything, Merry. Just get well, and I will see you soon.

All my love,

Your Guardian,

Kíli

Dearest, darling, Nelly,

Oh, I'm so glad that you're alright – I've been told I don't have long to write, but oh, I can't say how relieved I am that you're alive, I – I thought you were dead, Nell, and I – I was so afraid that I could hardly breathe, and – oh, there'll never a big enough page to say how pleased I am!

I – we – Oh, goodness, for all the hours Mama taught us the art of letter-writing I can barely remember any of it. Nothing I can think of to say seems sufficient, nothing seems to –

I miss you, Nelly, I miss you so much, and I am so glad that you're alive. I must go, because I need to write to Pip, too, but I'll write soon, and properly, I promise. Oh, and I shall write to Mama and Papa and let them know that you're alright. I love you so much, my darling Nelly, I really do!

All my love,

Vinca.

…

Dear Nelly,

Kid, I'm so damn proud of you. You know well as any that I'm near enough useless writing things down, but I am so proud of you. What you did in Rivendell was stupid – beyond stupid – but it reminded me that however much I try to teach you, you'll always be a much better person than I ever could.

Just make sure you rest up, kid, rest up and get well, and then you come home. I'm sorry, Nell, that I can't come and get you. I would – I hope you know I would – but I have a slight injury of my own at the moment. It's nothing you need to worry about, kid, and I'll be fine, but it means I can't come and get you, and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry I

I wanted to

I should have

I'm sorry, Nelly. And I love you, kid.

Your Nori

Dear Pippin,

I am so proud of you, lad, so, so proud of you – Gimli says you fought in the final battle, and I've no doubt you've fought in many more, too. The thought scares me more than anything, but it also makes me so proud. I always, always knew you had it in you, Pip.

And I know you're strong enough not to let this change you too much, Pippin. You should know that we love you as you are, as you always have been – cheerful and playful and foolish. It might seem hard to be light-hearted for a while, but I hope not for long. I hope too that you're not much hurt, and that if you are you recover soon.

Stay safe, and listen to Gimli and the others, and we will see you before too long.

Lots of love,

Fíli

…

My sweet, darling Pippin,

I'm sorry not to have sent a raven to you sooner – I meant to, I really did, but I've been so afraid for Nelly and the others that I just – I couldn't bear to write without knowing if – Well. I'm suppose the wait was just as bad for you. I expect many things were just as bad for you, if not worse. And I'm sorry for that, Pippin. I'm sorry that I didn't come with you, to look after you, that I wasn't – but then you don't need me to look after you, did you? You did it all by yourself. I don't mean to sound patronising, Pip, really I don't, I just – I'm proud. I'm very proud. I should've written sooner, and I'm sorry I didn't. But I'm proud, and – well, frankly all over the place, I'm trying very hard not to cry all over this ink, but – but I'm glad you're safe, Pippin. I'm glad you're safe, and I'm so proud of you, and I can't wait to see you.

I'll write more, soon. I promise. Take care of yourself, nadadith, please.

All my love,

Vinca

Dear Sam,

Well, my lad, I'm not sure how legible my writing is going to be in this letter – I don't know whether to laugh or cry, and I'm so full up with emotions that I can barely hold this pen. I want to scold you for being so foolish and thoughtless in your running off, and I want to praise you for being so loyal and brave in your – well, in your running off. You've done as I taught you and stuck by your friends – except no. No, that's something no one could've taught you, my Sam. That loyalty you have – you've always had it. You've had it longer than I've known you. It's what made me so fond of you so quickly, what made me so keen to take you in when we reached Erebor. You were such a sweet little boy – such a sweet, loyal, goodhearted little boy – and you still are, though you're not a little boy anymore. But you're my boy, still, my boy – and I am so proud of you. You're my boy, and I love you with all my heart.

And I must tell you, Sam, I've been so afraid that you were going to make yourself into a martyr – so afraid you'd – that I'd lose you, and never be able to remind you that you are worth just as much as any of the others. And oh, my boy, I feel wretched that I have to remind you. That I've told you so many times, and yet somehow I've never been convinced you believe me. But maybe now you know – maybe now you can see what we all see when we look at you.

Now I know you're alright, my Sam, I can wait to see you. Not patiently, I hope you know, but I can wait. Don't you let any of the other fools you like move before they're well, and don't you move before you're well, either. But by the Valar, I hope you're well now. I hope you aren't hurt, my Sam, I hope you're well. And if you are hurt, I hope you heal before this letter can even reach you.

Now I must go, before Bilbo tugs this pen out of my hands.

Love,

Your Bofur

Well, I hope you enjoyed that chapter! I know it's a little different, but with any luck next week we're back to Erebor! Please do let me know what you think, and until next time, take care!