.

Posting early tonight, because I won't be able to later on.

.

Ok, Thorin...time to do some major sucking up to your future father-in-law! And what ever happened with Fili, Kili, Elladan and Elrohir? Inquiring minds want to know.

.

.

Chapter 78

~X~

In compliance with Rory's request, Thorin led the hobbit to his council chambers, where they could speak in private. As they entered, Marigold's father gestured that Thorin take a seat, while Rory remained standing. It was a bit irritating to have the hobbit ordering him around in his own chambers, but Thorin bit his lip and said nothing, sitting in the chair as directed. He remained silent, waiting for Master Brandybuck to speak first, since this had been his idea, watching as his fur covered feet paced back and forth on the floor.

"Tell me, lad," the hobbit began at last, turning his eyes towards Thorin. "Did anyone tell you about the night that my Marigold was born?"

"No," he had to admit. "No one has mentioned that tale to me." Though now that it had been brought up, that was all he wanted to hear!

"It was during winter, which is not the best time for babes to be born," Rory began, getting a faraway look in his eyes. "There are many dangers associated with that season, the fear of sickness, lack of food, and of course the concern that one might not be able to fetch the doctor when needed. I worried over all these things…but it was the final one that came true."

"Oh?" was all Thorin could think to say.

"Aye, for my little Marigold chose to be born right in the middle of the worst storm to hit the Shire in half a century. The snow was piled up three feet thick in places, and while that might not seem like a lot to dwarves…to a hobbit, it is a considerable amount."

Thorin nodded in understanding, realizing that most inhabitants of the Shire didn't stand any higher than that, with four feet being rather tall for a hobbit.

"So there we were, me, Menegilda and little Saradoc - who was no bigger than Frodo is now – all stuck inside on a stormy night," Rory continued, still standing a few feet away and staring at Thorin. "And that is when our little lass decided it was time for her to make an entrance. At first everything seemed to be normal, and my Gilda did not appear worried at all. But as the night wore on, so did her labor pains…and they were coming on much stronger than they had when Saradoc had been born. By the wee hours of the morning, with no sign of let up from the storm – both inside and out - I knew my wife and child were in danger. Needless to say, I was left with two choices. Stay and be with my wife, who was in great distress and no small amount of pain…or leave and go for help. I obviously could not send Saradoc, for he would have been blown into a snowdrift and lost forever had he set one foot out the door. So it was left to me…I had to leave and find the doctor. The trouble was, with the winter having been so bad, there were many throughout the Shire who were sick or ailing, and when I arrived at the home of Doctor Whitefoot…he was nowhere to be found."

Thorin was becoming very nervous now, even though he obviously knew that the story had a happy ending.

"I ran from home to home, asking if anyone knew where the doctor had gone, but no one could help me," Rory lamented, his tone making it obvious that he was reliving that stressful night in his mind. "I had just about given up hope, and was about to return to Menegilda's side, when I found him. He had been called away to tend to a broken leg, the result of a rather severe fall on slippery ice. You cannot imagine my relief when I at last had the older hobbit in tow, leading him back to my home and pregnant wife. When we arrived, she was still in the midst of her pains, with our little girl still struggling to position herself in preparation for birth. I had full confidence in Doctor Whitefoot, yet as the hours ticked by, I became more and more worried that something must be wrong. Why was it taking so long? Why did my wife seem to be laboring so? Had I not gotten the doctor there soon enough? So many thoughts were running through my mind, so much worry and fear. I remember telling myself then and there, that if our baby would only be born healthy, I would never let anything happen to it…never! That I would protect this child with the last ounce of my strength and dying breath. And not five minutes after I made this promise, I was holding Marigold in my arms. And she was perfect!"

"She still is," Thorin could not help but adding, causing Rory to pause in his story and give him an odd look.

"Yes…yes she is," he nodded, returning to his story. "As I held her, looking into her beautiful grass green eyes, I knew without a doubt that I would love her forever, and never let anything or anyone cause her a moment of sadness. And while I would slay dragons to protect both of my children, there is a special feeling a father gets when he is blessed with a daughter. Marigold looked so little, so helpless, and I knew it was now my duty to protect her. And I assure you, Thorin Oakenshield, that feeling has never faded. So…I hope you will not begrudge me, or think me mad, that I stand here before you, a king in his own kingdom, and demand to know exactly what your intentions are towards my daughter."

Thorin stared at Rory Brandybuck for a long moment, and he suddenly knew exactly how the hobbit felt. In his dream, Thorin had held his own daughter, heard her call him Adad, and felt the bond between them as if she were already born. If he was already this in love with his future child…he could only imagine what it would feel like once she had truly arrived. And if that was anywhere near to what Rory was currently feeling, then he sympathized greatly. Oh, what pains this father must be suffering at the thought of losing Marigold to him.

"Rorimac Brandybuck," Thorin began, slowly standing up and facing the solemn hobbit before him. "I know exactly what a precious jewel you possess. Marigold is the sun and moon to me, the air I breathe and the water that sustains all life. I have lived with a hole in my heart for nearly two hundred years, a hole that only she is able to fill. If you would but see your way clear to blessing me with her hand in marriage, I swear on all I hold dear to love, protect, and make her happy to the end of my days. I may be a king, but I place no wealth above her, for she is, and will always be, my greatest treasure."

They were silent for a moment, both doing their best to read each other's minds. In the end, Rory spoke first.

"Marigold has a very strong will," he warned the dwarf. "She does not like being told what to do."

"I am aware of that," Thorin said with a slight grin, recalling how she had informed him that he would need to court her before marriage.

"She can also be rather stubborn too, when she feels strongly about something," Rory continued.

"Again, I have seen her determination on many occasions, but I only love and respect her all the more for it," Thorin assured her father.

"Well…" Rory said, pursing his lips and furrowing his eyebrows in deep thought. "If you are willing to swear your undying love for her…"

"I am," Thorin nodded resolutely.

"Then…I suppose, I have no reason not to give you two my blessing," he said with a heavy sigh. "Though, you should know that I do so with deep regret, for it means that I will be parted from my little girl by time and distance."

"For that fact you have my most sincere regrets," Thorin told him. "Yet, I give you my word, that as soon as things are safer, I will bring your daughter, and your future grandchildren to the Shire as often as possible to visit. My children will know and love their grandparents as they grow, this I swear."

"Well…that is right kind of you," Rory nodded with a catch in his throat. "Marigold tells me that she loves you, Thorin, and I believe her. Now, after what I have heard from your own lips about your feelings for her…you have my permission to wed."

"An event I wish to arrange as soon as possible," Thorin assured him, a weight having been lifted from his chest. He had won his father-in-law's approval, and nothing now stood in the way of his happiness!

"So…do you dwarves keep anything on hand for moments like this? You know, to celebrate with?" Rory asked, crossing his arms over his chest and giving Thorin a questioning look.

Thorin quickly went to a nearby cabinet and took out a clear decanter of well-aged Dorwinion out a couple of crystal goblets, he poured the deep red liquid into the glasses, watching as Rory's eyes lit up in delight.

"Well now," he laughed, as he took hold of his and put it to his nose, breathing deeply as he grinned. "I suppose there are advantages to being a king."

"A few," Thorin nodded, holding up his glass as well, yet waited to take a sip only after his guest. Quickly both goblets were drained and a second helping was poured. "And I hope you realize that you and your family are welcome here in Erebor any time. You will be guests of great renown…being the family of the queen."

"I thank you, lad, for your generous hospitality," he told him, his cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink from the effects of the wine. "Yet, I fear one trip is just about all my old bones are good for. While the journey here was rather quick and not completely unpleasant…I fear the trip back will not be the same. I miss my bed, my chair by the fire at night, and a good book in my hands. We hobbits are not the adventurous type, though Bilbo has put such crazy notions in the minds of several in the Shire. Still, they are few and most of my kind prefer to remain close to our hobbit holes…myself and my wife included."

"I understand," Thorin told him with a smile and a nod. "I have seen the Shire with my own eyes, and I can understand the appeal. We dwarves are very attached to our mountains as well, and I do not begrudge you your comforts, Master Brandybuck."

"Call me Rory…or dad if you prefer," the hobbit offered. Though the moment he had said the word, he could tell how wrong it felt, and he doubted very seriously that Thorin felt any different. "Or just Rory."

"It would be my honor to call you Rory…and a friend," Thorin said, hoping that would suffice.

"Friend for now," the hobbit nodded, holding out his glass in hopes of another helping. "But later…family."

"Aye," Thorin grinned, filling his goblet to the brim. "Family!"

.

.

The rest of the night went well, with Thorin and Rory eventually rejoining the group in the dining hall, much to the relief of Marigold. She had worried from the moment they left till the moment they returned, yet at seeing the smiles on both their faces, her fears were put to rest.

"Rorimac Brandybuck…are you drunk?" Menegilda asked as she watched her husband sway just a bit as he sat down beside her.

"Nay, wife," he protested. "Just a bit into my cups, is all. But I have to admit that my future son-in-law serves the best wine I have ever tasted!"

"Oh, he does, does he?" Marigold asked, looking up at Thorin as he settled in closely to where she sat, taking hold of her hand and giving it a gentle kiss.

"Only the best for my future father-in-law," he insisted, loving the sound of that on his lips. For it meant that soon she would be his wife…that Marigold would be his.

"Then…everything is settled?" Menegilda asked, looking between the two anxiously.

"Aye, it is," Thorin nodded happily. "Rory has given us his blessing, and with everyone's permission…especially yours, my darling Marigold, we will set the date at one month hence. Will that be enough time for you to get ready, my love?" he asked, looking down at his grinning bride to be.

"It might be for her, but what about me?" Dis spoke up, her tone now one of sheer panic. "There is so much to do…so much to think about…so many to invite!" She stood up and gave a few quick bows to the guests around her. "If you will excuse me, I must go start preparing now. Oh, Thorin….so much to do!" And with that she was gone, flying out of the room like the hounds of Mordor were on her tail.

"Should I be worried?" Marigold asked, taking note of how flustered Dis had appeared. "I mean…in the Shire a wedding is rather a simple affair. The party afterwards is always quite big, but that can't be helped with as many family and friends that needs to be invited."

"Nay, you only need tell us your requests and we will see that they are met," Balin insisted, doing his best to calm the lass. "Dis will agree to anything, as long as we pose it as a requirement from the bride."

"Aye, she will be very accommodating to your wishes," Thorin nodded. "She was simply denied the pleasure of throwing a big wedding for Fili…and Dwalin, so she is going to go all out on ours. But in the end, we will be wed and have a party to remember." He then leaned in and kissed her very chastely on the lips, mindful that both her parents were watching. "As if I could ever forget such a day, for that will be the moment I get everything I ever dreamed of."

"Me too," Marigold hummed, grabbing him by the lapels of his coat and kissing him deeply…not caring at all who was watching.

.

.

Meanwhile, Gandalf and Bilbo were sitting comfortably in the wizard's assigned chambers, sharing a glass of wine themselves.

"Do you think Thorin will be upset with us for not joining them tonight?" Bilbo asked, sipping at the fine vintage.

"Oh, I am certain we will hear about it at some point, but I think it is good for him," Gandalf insisted. "Sometimes the best way to teach someone to swim is to simply throw the person into the deep end and see how they fare. Thorin needs to figure out how to get along with Marigold's family…and the elves, all on his own."

"I am very glad that my message reached you in time, and that this whole mess of Thorin going to the Shire could be avoided," Bilbo told his grey bearded friend. "Though I have to say, your idea to involve the eagles was sheer genius. Why did I not think of that?"

"Because, my dear hobbit, you are not a wizard," Gandalf informed him, with no small amount of pride in his voice. "Still, I could not have managed without you first alerting me to the situation, or without the aid of Glorfindel and Elrond's sons. Can you imagine Rory or Menegilda clinging to the back of an eagle for almost a week without some assistance? Saradoc and Esmerelda fared much better, but I think the two older hobbits might have actually pulled out a few pinfeathers on the eagle's necks."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Bilbo laughed. "I can still recall just how scared I was when I took my one and only flight. If it is all the same to you, I will be taking the long way home, and the highest I wish to be is on the back of a pony!"

"I recall a time when even that seemed too daunting for you," Gandalf reminded him. "You have come a long way, Bilbo. And I could not be more proud of you."

"Yes…I dare say that I am even a bit proud of myself," he chuckled, digging out his pipe and filling it full of the bag of Longbottom Leaf that Rory had gifted him. "Care for a pinch?" he offered.

"A pinch?" Gandalf asked with a furrowed brow. "Don't be stingy, now…fill it up." He then held out his own pipe, as the two of them talked, laughed, and smoked the rest of the evening away.

.

.

Later that night, after everyone had headed off to bed, Dwalin and Bergie entered their chambers, both worn out from the day's activities.

"So, are you going to explain those cuts and bruises to me now?" the hobbit lass asked, as soon as the door behind them was shut. "You returned from fighting the orcs without so much as a bump…so where did these come from all of a sudden?" She waved her hand, gesturing towards her husband's knuckles and cheek.

"I…." Dwalin stalled, knowing he had promised Thorin he would not tell his wife about his trip to the dungeons. "It is nothing…really."

"Nothing?" Bergie repeated, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "Oh, suddenly I think it is very much something." She took a few steps forward, causing the hardened warrior to retreat backwards until he was literally against the wall. "Dwalin…did you not learn anything today? That keeping secrets from your wife is never a wise idea?" She was of course referring to how Marigold called Thorin out on that very point. "Would you like to tell me the truth…or is sleeping on the sofa something you enjoy doing?"

Dwalin's eyes widened in fear…not that! Granted, he had yet to do anything worthy of such a punishment, but the mere thought of not cuddling with his Bergie while they slept was unthinkable. Thorin's wishes be damned, he was not about to lose bedroom privileges!

"Thorin had me thrown in in the dungeons today…by my own guards!" Truly it was the last part that made him grumble.

"He what?" Her husband's confession had her pulling back in shock. "Why on earth would he do such a ridiculous thing?" Her eyebrows furrowed together and she placed her hands on her hips. "Is this some strange male bonding thing between dwarrow that I don't understand?"

"No, he did it to get even with me," Dwalin explained. When that did not seem to satisfy her, he elaborated. "For shooting off my mouth to Marigold about how dangerous it was for Thorin to travel outside Erebor territory…and for all those things you had me tell him when we were trying to get him to say he loved your niece." As he saw his wife's expression turn to one of anger, he quickly added, "but it was all a joke, and he let me out soon after. Besides, he also asked if I would stand up for him at his wedding, which means if you do the same for Marigold, I will get to walk you down the aisle at the wedding!" He hoped knowing this would soften her opinion of his king and kin…apparently he was wrong.

"Why that dirty, low down, rotten excuse for a troll!" Bergie spat, grinding her teeth together. "After everything we did for him! The chaperoning, the ideas we fed him, the manipulation of events, all simply to get those two together! And then he goes and pulls a prank like this, and does not even let me in on it? I will strangle him for sure!"

"What?" Dwalin was not sure he heard correctly. "You…you would have helped him?" Now it was he who felt a bit betrayed.

"Well, maybe not helped," Bergie laughed. "But I can't say I wouldn't have loved to have seen your face after being thrown in prison by your own guards! Oh, Dwalin, can you just imagine the ribbing you would get if everyone found out…or even just a few?" At this she went off into another fit of giggles.

"Oh, I don't have to imagine!" he told her, crossing his arms over his chest as he recalled the way Nori had gloated over his temporary incarceration.

When Bergie saw the disgruntled look on Dwalin's face, she ceased her laughter and walked forward, placing her hand on his cheek in a consoling manner, being careful of his bruise. "I am sorry you got hurt during all this. I do hate to see my husband in pain."

"This little thing?" Dwalin huffed, his male pride causing him to brush off her words of sympathy. "I've gotten worse while teaching first year cadets."

"Well, it still makes me sad to see you all bruised up," she continued, now running her hand down his chest in a suggestive manner. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better…and to make up for laughing at your predicament?"

"Well," Dwalin began, now seeing how he might turn all this to his advantage. "You did hurt my feelings pretty bad with your lack of sympathy."

"And I am more than willing to make up for it," she assured him, getting a little grin on her face.

"If you are truly serious," he drawled, taking her hand and leading her towards the bedroom. "I think I really could use a nice, long, old fashioned…foot rub."

Bergie stopped mid-step and her smile turned to a look of shock. "A foot rub?" When she saw Dwalin fighting to hold back his laughter, she caught on to his little joke. "Oh, I will give you a foot rub all right, husband dear!" she hissed, swatting him on the backside as he let loose a yelp. She then chased him into their bedchambers, the two of them laughing and teasing the whole way.

.

.

The following morning, Thorin and a small group all met at the front gate to see Glorfindel, Elladan and Elrohir off. It still felt odd to the king to have had elves staying inside the mountain, and the only reason he might have lost sleep over it was due to the threat of a prank war between the twins and his nephews. Maybe Gandalf was right…maybe he was growing more tolerant.

"Farewell, my friends," Gandalf said, nodding his head to each elf in turn. "I thank you once again for your kind assistance in getting our hobbit guests safely to Erebor."

"Yes," Thorin added. "I too am in your debt for your service. You have made my Marigold very happy, and for that you have earned my gratitude."

"We were happy to have helped, master dwarf," Glorfindel nodded. "And we do hope to be invited to the wedding…once the lady Dis has managed to get everything in hand."

"Of course, it would be an honor to have you," Thorin nodded, his offer very sincere, though until that moment he had not given the idea any thought. Elves at a dwarf wedding? Well…there were worse things, he supposed.

"And do keep in touch," Bilbo added. "For we hobbits are greatly looking forward to your company on our return trip to the Shire."

"As are we," Elladan assured him with a pleased smile.

"The stories you tell, and the food you cook, will make the miles pass much faster," Elrohir told him with a laugh.

"We will see you again soon, Bilbo Baggins," Elladan promised. He then turned to Fili and Kili, the twins giving a bow in unison to the two dwarrow. "We thank you for the fine tour and entertaining evening, master dwarves."

"You are most welcome," Fili told them, a sincere grin on his face. "We enjoyed the company very much."

"It is a shame that we were not in Rivendell the last time you and your kin passed through, we would have enjoyed showing you around our home as well," Elladan insisted.

"Next time," Kili laughed, having no idea when that might be, but liking the idea very much. "But only if you stock up on something more substantial than leafy greens to eat."

"Agreed," Elrohir nodded, joining in the laughter with his new dwarrow friend. "You are welcome any time, young princes. We look forward to getting to know you better."

"As do we," Fili nodded.

"Unfortunately, now we must go," Elrohir said rather sadly. "And yet, the roads before us are many, and we are certain to meet again. Until then, may the Valar protect and guide you all." And with that, the twins simultaneously mounted their newly acquired horses, and with a final bow of their heads to Thorin, Gandalf and Bilbo…they headed out.

"They are up to something," Glorfindel whispered, keeping his voice low so that only Thorin could hear him, all the while eyeing his retreating comrades with a look of suspicion.

"How do you know?" Thorin asked, suddenly on high alert. He knew that the blond elf was not referring to anything in a harmful or dangerous way…but after years of living in fear of Fili and Kili's pranks, he realized the need to be concerned.

"I recognize that glint in their eye," Glorfindel mused. But before he could ponder the reason for it, there came an odd squeal from the direction of Kili. Everyone turned to see that the dwarrow was squirming and fidgeting as his hands were frantically digging into the pockets of his newly acquired coat.

"Mahal's balls!" the dark haired prince yelped as he pulled a fistful of worms out of his pocket. "What the….!"

"How did they get in there?" Fili gasped, eyeing the wiggling things in his brother's hand.

"Well I certainly didn't put them there!" Kili assured him, his tone one of shock and horror. "My new coat! This is disgusting!" He then looked over at Fili. "Check yours!"

Fili did indeed stick a hand into his own pocket, and the look on his face said it all.

"Worms?" Kili asked, knowing that his brother had encountered something equally disturbing.

"No…" Fili moaned, pulling his hand out and watching the golden substance ooze between his now sticky fingers. "Honey!"

"How on earth did such things get into your pockets?" Bilbo asked, eyeing both princes with pure amazement.

"I think I have an idea," Glorfindel spoke up, jerking his head towards the retreating backs of Elladan and Elrohir. They were now quite a fair distance away, yet the ears of the elves were legendary, and from the way their shoulders were shaking, it was obvious they had heard Fili and Kili's distress. "Please forgive them, young princes…they did not do this out of malice. Simply as a bit of fun…sadly at your expense."

Yet if Glorfindel had expected the two dwarrow to be angry, he quickly saw the error in his thinking. For after giving each other a quick look, the two brothers broke out in merry laughter. Neither one acting at all upset by the little prank that had been played upon them.

"You…you are not offended?" the blond elf asked, looking rather perplexed.

"Not at all," Kili laughed, working at getting the last of the slimy worms out of his precious coat. "In fact…now I don't feel even a bit guilty over what we did."

"What you did?" Thorin asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at his nephews suspiciously. "What did you do?"

"Nothing horrible," Fili was quick to assure them. "We just thought as a joke, we would kind of…spice up their meals a bit."

"Spice them up?" Glorfindel asked, a little grin spreading across his face. "How so?"

"Well," Kili spoke up, looking rather pleased with himself. "When the kitchen was fixing the provisions you requested for them to take on their way to Mirkwood, we…well…"

"We slipped in and filled both Elladan and Elrohir's pastries with hot spices," Fili said with a wide smile. "As in fire hot spices…dragon hot, if you will." However, when the older prince saw the look of shock in his uncle's eyes, his humor quickly faded. "You…you are not upset with us…are you, Uncle? It was all done in good fun, and they pranked us as well."

Thorin just shut his eyes and shook his head, wondering if he would now be going to war with the elves of Rivendell. Yet the loud and joyous laughter that came from the elf still at his side set his fears to rest.

"Oh, this is truly perfect," Glorfindel insisted, doing his best to catch his breath. "I will be counting the minutes until we all stop for a bite to eat!"

"You…you mean you won't tell them?" Kili asked, his eyes full of hope and excitement.

"And be denied the look on their faces when they must quickly down the contents of their water skins just to put out the fire upon their lips?" Glorfindel asked, finding much more humor in all this than Thorin thought possible for an elf. "Not on your life, young prince!" Yet suddenly he sobered, and eyed the two of them with mistrust. "Unless you also put these spices in my food as well."

"Oh, no!" Fili assured him, looking almost aghast at the idea. "We only tampered with their provisions…not yours!"

"Very well then," the elf nodded, his smile returning to his face. "Then I shall keep your secret. Yet, I had best go, just in case they choose to start snacking long before we stop to rest." He then turned and looked at Thorin. "Farewell, King Under the Mountain. I look forward to our next meeting, but until then, you have my sympathies." He said this with a little wink and a nod of his head towards Fili and Kili.

"As you have mine," Thorin said with a roll of his eyes, gesturing towards the twin elves in turn. "Go in peace and return in the same fashion. For you are always welcome in my kingdom, Lord Glorfindel."

"And if I still had a kingdom, you would be welcome there as well," he nodded, bowing in respect. He then turned and looked at Gandalf and Bilbo. "We will look for word of your journey as the summer wanes."

"We will send a raven to let you know of our departure," Gandalf assured him.

"Then I bid you all farewell," the golden elf said, leaping onto the back of his horse with unequaled grace. "I wish you all sweet water and merry laughter until next we meet." And with that he was off, urging his horse onward until he caught up with his two companions.

"It appears that you have gained a very valuable ally, Thorin Oakenshield," Gandalf said, coming to stand next to the king.

"Nay," Thorin argued, looking after the three elves with an almost pleasant expression on his face. "I believe I have gained a friend."

LOOK...Thorin made a friend! Two friends, if he counts Rory!

Did you like the pranks? It is very hard to come up with new stuff for them to pull after reading so many awesome ones in other stories about Fili and Kili. Or that Elladan and Elrohir have played on others as well. I hope mine measure up, and made you laugh.

At least we know where Bilbo and Gandalf were...HIDING!

Well, Bergie found out...but she did not react exactly like Dwalin had anticipated. ha ha.

Did everyone like Rory trying to stare down Thorin? As one reader so beautifully put it..."It is like a rolly polly Basset Hound trying to intimidate a German Shepherd." And yet, just as another reader pointed out, until Thorin and Mari says "I do"...Rory owns his backside! ha ha

Well, wedding bells should be ringing soon...or soonish. ha ha. Plans need to be made after all, Dis can't throw this together in a day!

Guest Reviews:

Emrfangirl: I love your fatalistic reasoning...that Thorin has nothing to fear from Rory since Fili, Kili, Elladan and Elrohir will bring the mountain down around their ears and kill them all. ha ha. Problem solved. ha ha. But as you can see, Rory went easy on Thorin, I think they now see eye to eye...figuratively. ha ha.

sorrellkaren: Yes indeed, 77 chapters is some HEAVY reading...but I am so glad you caught up. Yes, Dwalin's incarseration was only temporary...but if not, Nori was there to spring him. ha ha. I will do my best to have some cute daddy Dwalin moments after the birth. Thorin is strong, wise and brave...but when it comes to love, he is a lost little kitten. ha ha. And of course he will be an extraordinary daddy...just look how Fili and Kili turned out. Hmmm, wait...are they really the best examples? As for how fast I should be posting chapters...how about "Warp Speed, Mr. Sulu"? And yes, Thorin now sees that Elves and Dwarves are not that different. Shocker, right? I think Marigold will keep Thorin on his toes for the rest of their lives, but it is good that he humors Rory and lets him push him around a little bit, don't ya think? I too am very excited to get to working on part three...the KILI saga! I have a LOT of fun ideas for that little adventure. Thanks and good to have you on board.

Aranel Mereneth: Only ONE prank? Oh, wait, you said "magnificent prank"...hmmm, well you will have to be the judge of that then. ha ha. Was THIS one magnificent? If not, maybe next time. hee hee

abc: Cave troll...no problem! Rabbid wargs...easy peasey. Fire breathing draggon...eats them for breakfast. Rory Brandybuck...RUN FOR THE HILLS! ha ha. Yep, the last chapter was a bit shocking, for Thorin and the elves. ha ha. But as you can see, I think good relations have been established all around.