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Welcome back! Now, on to the business at hand...hobbits and elves!

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Chapter 77

~X~

Bergie, knowing nothing about the predicament her husband was soon to be put through, had gone to Marigold's room after she and Dwalin had parted. She was anxious to hear news about the Shire, and to visit with her only living kin. Granted, Menegilda was only her sister by marriage, her mother having wed Holman Goold after her own father had passed away. By that time, Bergie had already reached her majority, and Gilda was married with tweens of her own – namely Saradoc and Marigold. Still, they had accepted her as family, and Bergie had become very close to her step-sister, her husband, and their children. And now she had to go in and explain to Gilda just how she had failed in her one assignment…that of protecting her daughter from any lads who had wished to steal away their little girl.

Yet when the door was opened to her, instead of a scolding, she was surprised to receive only a warm embrace.

"Oh, Bergie, it is so good to see you again," Gilda fussed, pulling her step-sister over to the sofa and sitting down. "I must say, you look simply radiant! Marriage certainly agrees with you!"

"Well…I can't argue with you there," she laughed. "Though I certainly had no intention of finding a husband when I set out on this trip, let alone finding myself in the family way."

"That tends to happen when you get married," Rory laughed, having always liked his wife's sister.

"Yet, I do feel as if I should apologize for not holding fast to my promise," Bergie admitted, looking over at Marigold with a guilty expression. "You two had charged me with keeping the lads at bay where your daughter was concerned…and now here she is, engaged!"

"Now don't go blaming yourself," Gilda insisted. "We had told you to keep any no-account lads away from our little girl…and from what I have seen of this Mister Thorin, he is far from that. One might even say he is rather majestic." At this she turned and gave Marigold a little wink of approval.

"Well, he is certainly handsome, I will give him that," Esmerelda admitted, plopping herself down next to her friend – now sister-in-law – and giving her a teasing nudge with her shoulder. "We were all wondering when you would finally sit up and take notice of a lad, Mari…and now that you have, well, you sure went all out. Engaged to a king no less!"

"Hey," Saradoc protested, folding his arms over his chest and looking rather offended. "And what am I? Orc dung?"

"Of course not, my love," Esme assured him, giving him a smile that could light up a room…and him. "You are the only hobbit in the Shire worth his salt, and every lass is simply green with envy that I got you first."

"Well…that is more like it," Saradoc grinned, easily placated.

"Still, king or not, this Thorin fellow will have to convince me of his worth before I agree to let him take away my little Mari," Rory announced, with a determined glint in his eye.

"Father," Marigold said with an exasperated sigh. "I am a grown hobbit, not a child any more. I can make up my own mind, and I choose Thorin. I love him very much and he loves me in return. He is more than worthy, and just think, he will have no excuse not to treat me like a queen…because I will be one!" she told him with a laugh.

"I know, my little flower…but you will always be my baby, no matter how old you get," Rory told her, stepping forward as he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. "And you can't deny me the right to try and put at least a little fear into the heart of this dwarf. I have been looking forward to doing so since you were old enough to recognize there was a difference between lads and lasses. Now, let me have my fun."

"All right, but promise that you will be nice," she warned him. "I plan on being married to Thorin for a very long time, and I don't wish to deal with threatening stares or cold glowers over the dinner table when we do happen to visit the Shire, do you hear?"

"I will promise nothing," Rory stated firmly. "At least not until this Thorin fellow and I have a long heart to heart talk."

"Well, at least stop calling him 'this Thorin fellow', it sounds so disrespectful," Mari pleaded.

"It is better than what Esme's father still calls me," Saradoc huffed. "I can still hear his words ringing in my ear as we left the shire. 'You be sure and bring my little girl home safe and sound, do you hear me, youngen?' Youngen! As if I were still a tween or something!"

"Don't worry," Esme told her husband reassuringly. "He will warm up to you in time."

"I just hope I live that long," Saradoc said with a skeptical look at his wife.

"So, Bergie," Menegilda said, apparently attempting to change the subject. "How far along are you, for you look ready to give birth at any moment?"

"Only five months," she stated, looking down at her extended stomach with concern. "Prim said the same thing, that I am rather large for still having three months to go. Although, this little one is half dwarf, and I have been warned that they are often born with large heads," she gave a visible shudder at the thought. "Dwarves also carry longer than hobbits, so really, there is no telling how many months I have left to go, or how much larger I will get. Oin, our resident physician, is thinking I might not give birth till my ninth month…maybe more."

"Well, whenever the blessed day arrives, I am sure your little one will be a healthy size and weight," Gilda assured her, gently stroking her sister's stomach in a loving fashion. "I just hope it comes before we all leave for home in the fall."

"Oh, don't even speak of such things," Marigold said, her face turning sad. "I know you just got here, but already I am dreading the day when we must part. And with the current danger to Thorin, I do not know when it will be safe for us to visit the Shire."

"We will simply have to keep in touch by letters then until you can make the journey," Saradoc said, trying to ease the sadness in his sister's eyes. "And before you know it, we will all be together again under the party tree, celebrating the birth of me and Esme's many children."

"Saradoc!" Esmerelda blushed. "We just got married, and I would like to have you all to myself for at least a little while before we start thinking about children."

"What about you, Marigold?" Gilda asked, eyeing her daughter hopefully. "Have you and Thorin discussed the idea of having children?"

"As a matter of fact, we have," Mari said with a chuckle. "And you will be happy to know that we are both in full agreement…we hope to have several."

"Excellent!" Menegilda said with a happy squeal. "Just what every mother wants to hear when her babies get married."

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Their conversation continued on for several hours, during which time Dis, Fili and Sier stopped by to welcome them and see if they were in need of anything. They all claimed that everything had been seen to, since Balin had made sure both a large tray of food, and the small amount of luggage they brought with them, had been delivered right to their door.

"I do hope you realize what an unexpected pleasure it is to have the four of you here in Erebor," Dis told them. "My brother is very anxious to get to know you better over dinner tonight, and is looking forward to you remaining with us through the summer. You will all be very impressed with the progress that Marigold and the other hobbits have made on the planting project."

"Yes, we are very proud of our little Mari," Rory said with a gleam of fatherly pride in his eyes. "Both of our children have had an affinity for growing things, ever since they were knee-high to a grasshopper."

"Well, all of Erebor knows that Marigold will be a wonderful addition to our mountain kingdom, both as our chief agriculturist, as well as our future queen," Fili told them, giving the now blushing hobbit lass a quick wink.

"We will expect you to take very good care of her," Gilda insisted, placing her hand protectively over her daughter's. "Erebor is a long distance from the Shire, and I doubt that we will be able to call upon the eagles every time we find ourselves missing our little girl."

"Yes, the distance is a concern," Dis nodded. Knowing exactly how it felt to be parted from her children for a long period of time. The months before she was able to journey to Erebor after the destruction of Smaug, seemed like a lifetime. Especially after hearing how close her brother and sons had come to facing death at the hands of Azog the Defiler. "Yet as soon as the journey proves a bit safer, I am certain that Thorin will be more than happy to see that he and your daughter make regular visits."

"I am glad," Gilda nodded, finding that she liked Thorin's sister very much. She then glanced up at her husband, whose face was still a bit troubled. Now if only Rory would reconcile himself to the idea that his daughter was marrying a dwarf…and a king!

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When Bergie, Marigold and her family arrived at the dining hall, Thorin and Dwalin were already present. Glorfindel and the sons of Elrond were currently sitting at the left of the king at the royal table, leaving the right hand side for the new hobbit guests. Bergie gave her husband a curious look as she noticed the bruise on his cheek, but he waved her off, effectively telling her that they would discuss it later. Marigold took her place next to Thorin giving his hand a reassuring squeeze as he stood out of respect.

"Welcome," he greeted them. "Please, take a seat. I asked the kitchen to prepare a few dishes tonight that Marigold said are favorites of most hobbits. I figured after your long journey, you could do with a little bit of home cooking."

"That is very kind of you, Your Majesty," Menegilda said as she sat down between Marigold and her husband. Saradoc and Esmerelda took the next two seats, followed by Bergie and Dwalin.

"Please, call me Thorin," he offered, hoping to get on good terms with Marigold's parents. "After all, in a very short time, I hope we will all be related."

"That is still to be decided," Rory told Thorin, shooting him his best hobbit glare.

"Father…you promised to be nice!" Marigold hissed, embarrassed by his overprotective attitude.

"I did no such thing," he reminded her. "Heart to heart talk first…and then maybe I will consider being civil." He then gave Thorin a pointed look, letting the dwarf king know he still meant to have words with him.

Thorin nodded in return, understanding the hobbit's meaning perfectly. It would obviously take more than a few gracious words to win over Rory Brandybuck. Soon they were joined by Dis, Kili, Fili and Sier, with little Flinn having chosen to sit with Frodo and his family. Dis and Sier positioned themselves near the hobbits, and were soon embroiled in a fascinating discussion about hobbit customs versus those of the dwarves, pulling Marigold's attention away from Thorin. Fili and Kili chose to sit opposite of Elladan and Elrohir, doing their best to engage the newcomers in polite conversation. This left Thorin with the task of speaking to Glorfindel, for Gandalf and Bilbo – whom he had hoped would be joining them– were nowhere to be seen. Yes, he had been the one to invite the elves to dinner…but now he was quite at a loss for what to talk about!

Glorfindel, however, did not seem to have any problem striking up a conversation with Thorin…or at least attempting to.

"I must say, King Thorin, I am greatly impressed with what I have seen thus far of Erebor," the tall elf began, setting his goblet of wine down and turning his attention to the silent dwarf beside him.

"You would not have been, had you come ten years ago," Thorin found himself confessing. "Smaug had left the place quite a mess. It took a full year to clean out every last bit of his filth and ruin."

"Ah, yes," Glorfindel nodded in understanding, his face growing troubled. "Dragons are not known for their good manners."

"I see from the look in your eye that you have faced such a beast yourself," Thorin surmised. Contact with a dragon changes a person, and for one who had already come in such close proximity to a fire drake, Thorin recognized a kindred spirit.

"There are many agents of darkness still plaguing this world," the elf admitted. "Some I have battled, others I am sure to engage in the future." Yet I was sent back for a reason, and I will not rest until they have all been vanquished."

"Yet to sacrifice your life in defense of your people, battling a balrog no less, one would think you had performed your duty and deserved to remain at peace in the Halls of Mandos," Thorin stated.

"Ahhh, it was one of the choices presented to me," Glorfindel chuckled, nodded his agreement when Thorin picked up the wine bottle and offered him a refill. "Yet would you, Thorin Oakenshield, sit idly by in the halls of your fathers while there was yet an enemy to defeat, and battles to engage in?"

"Nay," Thorin admitted, understanding Glorfindel's choice. "Durin's folk do not flee from a fight, nor do they let others battle for them."

"And neither does Glorfindel, of the House of the Golden Flower," he said with a smile, saluting the king with his wine glass before drinking deeply. "And so I chose to return, to devote myself to the destruction of those who would destroy Middle Earth and all the free people who reside in it, be that elf, man, dwarf…or hobbit." With that he gave a fond look at Marigold and her family. "You have chosen wisely, King Thorin. Hobbits are a remarkable folk, and ones I would see remain happy and free for many ages to come."

"As would I," Thorin nodded, pride rising in his chest over the elf's compliment. He truly was beginning to like this elf…and that was a rather frightening thought. "So, where do you choose to call home, since the fall of Gondolin?"

"Anywhere I can rest my head," Glorfindel laughed. "Mostly I find myself returning to Rivendell, to partake of Lord Elrond's generous hospitality. It is very peaceful there, and I enjoy the company as well." He then turned and looked over at Elladan and Elrohir, who were still deep in conversation with Fili and Kili. "And while my current companions are still young and brash, I have found them to be loyal, of high spirits, and rather entertaining. At least when their mischief making is directed at others, and not me," he laughed.

"Mischief?" Thorin asked, a bit surprised by the idea. Weren't elves austere creatures? And yet, the blond elf at his side was quickly dispelling such beliefs.

"Oh, yes," Glorfindel nodded. "They are full of youthful exuberance, and often that spills over in the form of pranks and practical jokes. As I said, they are most entertaining, but you must watch your back when in their company."

"Sounds a lot like my two nephews," Thorin chuckled, gesturing to the blond and brunet princes. "I have been living in fear of those two rascals' antics for over half a century!"

"Then you have had it easy," Glorfindel laughed. "Elladan and Elrohir have been tormenting their father, their sister, and all of Rivendell for nearly three thousand years!"

"Their sister?" Thorin questioned. "Elrond has a daughter as well?"

"Yes, the Lady Arwen," he nodded. "She is currently residing in Lothlorien, with her mother's kin. Yet she often returns to Rivendell for visits." Glorfindel let his eyes drift back to the two elves and the pair of dwarves who sat talking a few feet away. Both appeared completely oblivious to the fact that they were currently the topic of conversation. "Perhaps it is a good thing that we will be leaving Erebor on the morrow," he reasoned. "I am not sure your kingdom, or any other for that matter, could stand should those four team up."

"It would probably be the first alliance of the sort…but not a wise one," Thorin agreed, taking his tankard and holding it up in a gesture of respect, as Glorfindel did the same with his wine. "Here is to better relations between our folk…and to keeping our princes far, far away from each other."

"Agreed," the blond elf laughed, taking a drink of his wine as Thorin drained his mug. "I find I like you, Thorin Oakenshield. You are not at all like I was lead to believe."

"Same with you, elf lord," Thorin admitted. "You have far more dwarf qualities in you than any of your kin I have ever met."

"I will take that as a compliment," Glorfindel said with a slight bow of his head.

"Of course you will," Thorin said with a bit of surprise. "It was how I meant it."

"Uncle," Kili's voice broke in, turning both the dwarf and elf lord's attention towards the speaker. "With your permission, Fili and I are going to take Elladan and Elrohir on a tour of the mountain, since they will only be here for the night."

"You have my blessing," Thorin nodded, though he shot Glorfindel a quick look, raising his eyebrow in a questioning manner.

"Might I beg to accompany you, young prince?" the elf asked, having understood Thorin's silent message. "I too would very much like to see more of Erebor before we leave in the morning."

"But of course!" Fili agreed, standing up and giving him a bow of respect. "We would be most pleased to play guide to such distinguished guests."

"Be sure that they are shown the silver fountains," Thorin instructed, wishing he could go himself, but knowing that he needed to attend to his other guests as well…mainly Marigold's parents. "And perhaps leave the stables and the tombs for another time."

"Yes, Uncle," Kili nodded, blushing slightly before eagerly gesturing to the twins to follow him towards the door.

Glorfindel wiped his mouth with his napkin and rose to his feet, preparing to follow, yet a hand on his arm caused him to look down at Thorin.

"Watch yourself," the dwarf king warned, a mixture of humor and sincerity in his tone. "You may have faced a balrog…but I fear those four are far more dangerous."

"Agreed," Glorfindel chuckled. "I hope to see you in the morning, King Thorin…should I survive tonight."

"May the Valar watch over you," Thorin said in parting, watching as Fili and Kili led the three elves out of the dining hall. It was almost hilarious to think of how much his nephews and Elrond's sons had in common…or he and Glorfindel for that matter. While much had been done to mend fences between Erebor and the woodland realm, Thranduil's betrayal had long festered in Thorin's heart…and it was not something quickly rooted out. Yet…Elrond had been both hospitable and honorable, even going so far as to aid them on their quest. And now, after meeting Glorfindel and Elrond's sons, the dwarf king thought he might actually be ready to put past grievances behind him. Like Dwalin had pointed out, things were changing, and mostly for the better.

Thorin was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of Rory Brandybuck clearing his throat and looking directly at him. It was strange to think of him as his prospective father-in-law, the hobbit not even being half his own age, yet Thorin knew he owed Rory his respect, if for no other reason than he was Marigold's father.

"If you could spare a bit of your time, and direct us to a place that is a bit more private, I would like to have a few words with you, lad," Rory announced, standing up from his seat and looking at Thorin pointedly.

"Of course," the now nervous king agreed, looking over at Marigold for direction. When she only smiled sympathetically at him, he knew exactly what he was in for. This was not going to be easy…but for Mari, he would endure. It was a small price to pay to gain the lass of his dreams, and Thorin knew in the long run it would be worth it.

Suddenly, he realized that perhaps he had misinformed Glorfindel. Fili, Kili and the sons of Elrond were not the potential threat here in Erebor…it was Rory Brandybuck, out to protect his daughter.

Thorin hoped the Valar would now have mercy on him.

Well, it looks like Elf/Dwarf relations are going well! Not as good as Dwarf/Hobbit relations, but it is a step in the right direction.

I really do worry about Fili and Kili getting to be so chummy with Elladan and Elrohir...or maybe I don't, muwaahhhaaaa

So, Rory wants to give Thorin a piece of his mind? Watch out oh mighty king under the mountain, you might just be taken down by a little hobbit! Just remember, if he can't catch you, he can't kill you!

More on Wednesday!

Guest Reviews:

sorrellkaren: I am tickled that you were not able to wait any longer and posted a review! Now I know you are out there reading! I would have responded to you personally, but it says you have your 'response to PM capability' turned off. Is that on purpose? You know...I don't think I have ever read a story where Dwalin has a kid either...hmmm, that can't be right? Can it? As for your little 'hint, hint' I am afraid I already have things set in stone where the kiddos are concerned, but thanks for your request. ha ha. I am glad you like Marigold, I worried that some might not, since Thorin is kind of a hard dwarf to pair up. And oh yes, Thorin never had to worry about courting and stuff, until that feisty little lass came and woke him up! Thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you again when you catch up to where we are now.

abc: Ha ha, you have apparently not see Balin in action in the deleted scenes as he is manning that gattling-spike-shooter. ha ha. I would not want to tangle with him in a dark alley. ha ha. Yep, Dwalin got the full gambit of emotions, from mad as heck to deeply moved by Thorin's words. More on Bergie and if she will, or will not, find out later. ha ha. Thanks

Feu d'Argent: You are welcome, just remember, if you ever do sign up for an account, I want to read them! I do like writing strong female characters, and yes, Sier did a great job raising her little Flinn all alone for four years. Bergie just makes me laugh and Marigold is more half and half, strong but gentle at the same time. Well, I saw Fili as the 'duck on the lake' kind of guy. Calm on the surface but paddling like heck underneath. He had such weight on his shoulders, yet stood tall and was loyal through it all. THAT is why he is my favorite! Thanks again for all the kind words.

dojoson41: Playing catch up I see! Glad you enjoyed the prank. I have not seen Brave in so long, I forgot all about the three little boys in it. ha ha. I think Kili would love to babysit a puppy...they both have those sad little eyes. ha ha. I liked your guesses for the babies. We will see. You did a good job there, guessing the Eagles too! And again, as you just read, everyone is now worried about Fili, Kili, Elladan and Elrohir being in the same place at the same time. Will the mountain stand? As for Thorin and Glorfindel...I think our stubborn king might walk away from this with a whole new perspective. ha ha.

Emrfangirl: so glad you liked it. And yes, you were SUPPOSED to wonder why the guard was shocked at Thorin's orders. That poor guy was not looking forward to the beating he knew he would get trying to subdue Dwalin. ha ha. Nori loves his little key...and I love Nori. ha ha. No, sorry, they will only stay the one nice (this time), and as you saw, Flinn did not get to talk to any of them. (this time).