.

IMPORTANT:

You might have noticed I changed the icon picture for my story once again. This is so I can show you all the really sweet picture that was drawn by a reader named Yellowcardgirl13. It is of Little Flinn climbing up on Fili's lap and placing his forehead to his father's for the first time, right after they met. Remember THAT scene...I know it was like over 144 chapters ago, but think hard. ha ha. She was kind enough to send me the picture, and I wanted to share it with all of you as well. I will replace my original hand picture once you've all had enough time to see it. Thanks Yellowcardgirl13, it was quite an honor to have someone do fan art for my story!

.

.

Chapter 154

~X~

Kili had been true to his word, and by the next morning, all traces of Tauriel's lovely beard were gone…as was his humiliating shade of purple. However, the dwarf knew it would take many years before his family and friends would stop calling him the Purple Prince. Still, his wife was all smiles once again, and that at least brightened his mood. As they rode on, Kili did notice that Tauriel's hand often drifted to her chin, more than likely making sure the troublesome growth was truly gone for good.

By midafternoon on the second day out, they came to the Trollshaws, and Thorin led the company right to where they had encountered the three hungry trolls on their journey to Erebor. The children were amazed to see the creatures they had heard stories about so many times were actually real. Scampering out of the wagon, they stared up at them in awe.

"They're so big!" Torin stated, nearly falling over backwards as he craned his neck to take them all in.

"And ugly!" Rose said with a scrunched up face and her tongue sticking out.

"Did they really try and eat you, Adad?" Talin asked, looking at her father in amazement and awe.

"Aye, las…that they did," Dwalin nodded, his face turning a mite grumpy. "Stripped us down to our long underwear and tied a handful of us to a spit, fixin' to roast us over the fire there," he told them, pointing at the round pile of rocks the three trolls were gathered around. The wooden spit however had long since deteriorated, or been used as firewood by other travelers. "The others, including Thorin and Kili, they had trussed up in sacks, saving them for later eating I suppose."

"And we would have been devoured too, if it had not been for Bilbo Baggins and his wise idea to stall for time," Kili told the children in a very animated voice. "Granted, he chose a very odd way of doing so, going on and on about the best way to cook dwarves!"

"He was telling them how to cook you?" Frerin gasped, his eyes wide with fear. "How would he know? He's never eaten a dwarf before…has he?"

"Do not worry, young Frerin," Gandalf laughed, noting the child's fright at the notion. "Bilbo was only making up stories in order to stall for time."

"Are you sure?" Frerin asked, never having met the hobbit in question.

"Of course," Flinn insisted, putting his arm around his brother reassuringly. "Mister Bilbo is very nice, he would never eat a dwarf! Or anyone else for that matter."

"Although…hobbits do tend to eat a lot," Kili mused, stroking his chin in thought.

"KILI!" Marigold scolded, looking at her nephew by marriage with a stern glare. "Are you insinuating that Bergie or I would ever dine upon…well, you?"

"Oh, no, not me," Kili said with a shake of his head. "I'm far too good looking to be chopped up for stew. Now, Dwalin, on the other hand." Here he stopped and jumped out of striking range of the bald warrior, laughing as he did so.

"The point is," Thorin broke in, stepping between his war chief and his foolish nephew. "The trolls wanted to eat us, whether it be by skinning us, roasting us, devouring us whole, or sitting on us and squishing the lot into jelly. Despite the fact that Bilbo so cleverly told them we all had parasites in our tubes."

"What are p-par-parsites?" Frerin asked, stumbling over the word as he tugged on Thorin's tunic questioningly.

"Ask, Kili," Dwalin teased. "Since apparently he had the biggest ones of us all…huge ones in fact."

"Can I see your parsites, Uncle Kili?" Flinn begged, not quite sure what one was either, but truly wished to see one now.

"How about we postpone the inspection of any parasites for now," Gandalf cut in, chuckling over the oddity of the conversation. "And instead, we go investigate the nearby troll cave and see if there might be anything left inside."

"Hey, didn't Gloin, Nori, and Bofur bury some treasure the last time we were here?" Kili asked, having heard them brag on the subject.

"Aye, that they did," Dwalin nodded. "At the time I thought them foolish, but now, seeing as we are here and all."

"You can put that thought out of your minds," Gandalf broke in. "For that chest was dug up and taken home by Bilbo himself. Though I had to practically force the treasure upon him, so adamant he was that he needed no such thing for himself. And while the rest of the cave had appeared to have been picked through, and anything of immediate value already pilfered, there still might be a few items that could prove interesting. I recall it being this way," he muttered, heading off in a southerly direction, with five very eager dwarflings on his heels.

"Get ready to gag," Dwalin huffed, trailing along as well. "I remember it being mighty ripe in that hole."

"It's been over fifteen years," Kili countered. "Could it truly still stink after all that time?"

Kili's question was answered as they neared the cave entrance, which by now was overgrown with vines and tall weeds, nearly blocking it from view. Yet the smell alone was enough to let them know exactly where to go.

"Eeewww! I'm not going in there!" Rose stated, turning up her nose and stomping back to where her mother and sister waited with the regiment of guards.

"Me either!" Torin agreed, waving his hand in front of his face before following his cousin back to the stone trolls.

"Well, I'm going in," Flinn said bravely, pinching his nose as he kept pace with Gandalf.

In the end, Thorin, Dwalin, Kili, Tauriel, and three of the children, braved the smell and followed the wizard inside. There was not much left, as it appeared even the horrendous stench had not kept all of the robbers away. Still, after picking through much of the refuse and half buried items, they came out with quite a little haul.

"Look!" Flinn crowed with pride. "I found a sword!" He held up a fine leather sheath, drawing forth a shiny, silver weapon.

"In truth…you found a dagger," Thorin corrected. "Yet, for one your size, it might as well be a sword. And for all we know, it might be spelled with the same elf magic as Orcrist, and glow blue when the enemy is about." He reached down and ruffled his nephew's hair affectionately. He then looked over at Dwalin, the two conversing silently, with the war chief giving his king a nod of agreement. Thorin then gave a heavy sigh, one born slightly from the reluctance to admit his nephew was growing up. "You have been doing well with the wooden practice swords, and have proven yourself responsible during training. Still, this is a true weapon, one that has the potential to harm…or kill. It is not a toy and I expect you to take its use seriously." He paused once more, giving the eager lad a warm smile. "Thus…I suppose you are old enough for your first real sword. Just don't you dare let me catch you playing with it…ever! For I don't want to be the one to explain to your parents how you lost a finger."

Flinn nodded solemnly, taking to heart every word his uncle and king had just said. He then sheathed the weapon, and held it close to his body as he walked carefully back to the stone trolls.

Unfortunately, there had been no more fancy swords from Gondolin, like Orcrist, Glamdring…or even Bilbo's little letter opener, Sting. Yet Dwalin found a rather fancy ax that he thought might come in handy, and Kili discovered a bow that was still in good condition. The string had rotted away, but the wood was sound, and there was a fine quiver of arrows to go with it.

However, it was Tauriel who came out with the most coveted prize. It had obviously been overlooked since it appeared to be a simple roll of leather, but upon further inspection, the thick hide hid a magnificent collection of throwing knives.

"My compliments, Lady Tauriel," Gandalf said as he appraised her find. "Those are impressive weapons, and your kin from long ago will be pleased to know they will once more be in the hands of an elf."

"Some of them, at least," she nodded, letting her fingers glide over the glimmering steel and finely carved grips. "There are far too many here for me alone. I think Fili would enjoy stashing one or two of these on his person… assuming he has any more room." Her joke garnished a few chuckles, as everyone was fully aware that the blond prince was a walking arsenal.

"Fili will be honored by such a gift," Kili assured his wife, touched that she would think of his brother's affinity for knives and be willing to share such a prize.

"That he will," Thorin nodded, also impressed by Tauriel's generosity. "Yet I think I have taken just about as much of this troll stink as I'm able. How about we head back and eat lunch before moving on?"

"Aye, if I can even look at food after breathing in all this rotten stench," Kili agreed, placing his hand over his stomach and making a face as if he were about to wretch.

"And when have you ever passed up a meal?" Dwalin asked, slapping the lad on the back. "You and Bombur could always go toe to toe when it came to eating."

Kili only grumbled at his cousin's teasing words, and after everyone had a hearty meal, as well as allowing time for the children to climb all over the stone trolls, they packed up and moved on, knowing they still had a long ways to go.

.

.

Each evening, Thorin and Dwalin took turns coaching Flinn in the use of his new weapon. The lad took the training seriously, never treating his sword like a toy, or allowing any of the other young ones to touch it without adult supervision. It pleased Thorin to see that Flinn was a solemn student, and not the flighty sort…like another nephew he could recall.

The dwarf king looked over at Kili, who was also practicing with his new Gondolin bow, as Tauriel stood near, offering tips on the best way to shoot the elvish weapon. Thorin couldn't help but laugh at how accepting he and his company had become to all things elvish. Had it not been so very long ago that he had nearly handed Orcrist back in disgust upon learning of its origins? Yet now, he treasured his weapon above even the many he himself had forged over the years…and could not imagine using anything else.

.

.

The days and nights passed, as did many more, before they finally reached the boarders of the Shire. The beautiful green hills and shady trees brought a feeling of peace to everyone in the party.

"I can't believe we are finally here," Marigold sighed, reaching out and taking Thorin's hand in hers, a great deal of love and admiration in her eyes. "You are a dwarf of your word, my love."

"I do try to be," he chuckled, recalling the promise he had made to Rory and Menegilda about how he would make sure they knew their grandchildren. And here they were, about to step over into the land of the hobbits once more.

He then turned and looked at the battalion of soldiers who had accompanied them from Erebor. Each had proven loyal and true, offering protection to all his company on the long journey.

"You are all to be commended for your service," he told the dwarrow, smiling at each one with pride. "Yet you are hereby temporarily released from your duty, and free to head on to Ered Luin to visit with family and friends for the remainder of the summer." Thorin had purposefully chosen those who had relatives in the Blue Mountains to accompany them, knowing that a nice reunion would be a fine way for them to bide their time before they meant to head home. After all, hobbits were not known for being overly welcoming to strangers, and having a full battalion of soldiers descend upon the Shire would not be the wisest thing to do.

"I will be taking on the duty of protecting the king and his family from here on out," Dwalin assured his troops. "You are all considered on leave until we are scheduled to meet here at summer's end. Spend your time wisely…yet remember, you are still soldiers of Erebor, and I expect you to comport yourselves appropriately. Understood?"

The dwarves all nodded in agreement, obviously anxious to take their leave. So with one final nod, Thorin effectively released them, smiling a bit as they hooped and hollered while riding off in the direction of the Blue Mountains.

"I hope we are doing the right thing by dismissing them all," Dwalin grumbled, not having liked the idea of Thorin now being so exposed. "Keeping a guard or two around would not have gone amiss."

"This is the Shire, Dwalin," Thorin chuckled, waving his hand out over the rolling hills. "What dangers do you imagine lie in wait? A mad cow run amuck?"

"Cows still have horns, and they can gore you just as easily as an orc with a sword," Dwalin pointed out, though even he could see the humor in such an idea.

"I will endeavor to stay away from all farm animals, then, if that will set your mind at ease," Thorin laughed, helping Marigold back onto the wagon before remounting his pony, leading them down into the quiet little valley below.

"Thorin…wait!" Gandalf called out suddenly, causing the king to turn and look at him in alarm.

"Why?" he asked, scanning the area for potential danger.

"Do you see a cow?" Dwalin asked, still riding high on his bovine joke.

"No," Gandalf responded. "However…do you truly think it wise that you be the one to lead us through the Shire?"

"Why shouldn't I be?" Thorin questioned, a scowl coming to his face.

"Well, the last time you were here, you did say you got lost trying to find Bilbo's house. Twice…if I recall correctly." And while Gandalf had attempted to keep his face serious, the old wizard couldn't help the small grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Oh, you're a riot, Gandalf. A true riot," Thorin stated sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he heard the snickers and laughter that erupted behind him. "Now stow your sass, and let's get moving."

And so they did, yet not without a great deal of chuckling going on at Thorin's expense.

.

.

The Shire was not a small place, and it took the group most of the day to plod along the Great East Road, through Whitefurrows, past Frogmorton, and up into the West Farthing where Hobbiton lay. All the way, the children had been hanging their heads out of the wagon, while Flinn and Frerin sat atop Storm, each one unable to take in enough of the interesting scenery. They had all heard many tales of this land, from Marigold, Bergie, and all of the original company who had traveled with Bilbo. But none of that had prepared them for the sights that lay before them. Everywhere they looked it was green, with adorable little houses built into the ground, and each round door that opened revealed yet another peaceful looking hobbit.

For Rose, Torin, and Talin, it was a bit of a culture shock, realizing that they shared a heritage with these fascinating folk. They had gone all their lives knowing only two hobbits, but now, to see so many of them…it was truly awe-inspiring.

Just as the sun was beginning to set, Bag End came into view, the comfortable little hobbit hole hard to miss with its freshly painted green door. Thorin took note that the mark that Gandalf had once scratched in it was now nowhere to be seen. Probably got tired of strange dwarves showing up out of the blue due to it, he thought to himself with a smile.

"I know you wish to visit with your family, my love," Thorin told Marigold as they halted. "And I promise we will very soon, but I feel honor bound to visit with our esteemed burglar first. Then we will be off to see your parents."

"I understand," his hobbit wife nodded with a knowing smile. "I can wait a bit longer. Now go, for I can see you are anxious to see Bilbo once again."

Leaving the majority of their party on the road by the gate, Gandalf, Thorin, Kili, and Dwalin made their way up towards the brightly lit little home, eager to see their friend. Once they all stood before the door, Kili reached up and rang the little bell, announcing their arrival. There was a pause in the sound of pots and pans being clanked about, and a kindly feminine voice called out.

"Bilbo, will you be a dear and see who's at the door?"

"Of course, my love," came the distinctive voice of Bilbo Baggins, followed by bare-feet padding along the hardwood floors. When the lock turned and the door opened, there stood their famous burglar, wearing a patchwork house coat.

"Thorin…"

"Dwalin…"

"And Kili…"

"At your service," they all finished, bowing in unison.

"And Gandalf," the wizard added, leaning on his staff behind them with a grin.

"You're…you're finally here!" Bilbo sputtered, a smile nearly splitting his face. "I can't believe you've arrived at last!" He stumbled forward, hugging each one in turn as they slapped his back in greeting. "Oh, do come in, please. I can't allow you to remain on the doorstep like this."

"We would be happy to, but I fear we left the rest of our group on the road below, and I know there are a lot there who wish to greet you as well," Thorin laughed, stepping back and gesturing to the many eager faces peering up towards the door.

"Then bring them up!" Bilbo insisted, waving his arm in a 'come hither' motion. "We have room for all!"

The party below needed no more urging than that, and after Dwalin had gone down and led the wagon and ponies to a small clearing nearby, where they could rest a bit and nibble on grass, they all filed into the hobbit hole.

"Bilbo!" Bergie cried, pulling her distant relative into a big hug. "So good to see you again."

"You as well, Bergamot!" he assured her. "And Marigold, too! I swear, you both have grown even lovelier since I saw you last. Marriage appears to agree with you."

"I could say the same for you, Cousin," Marigold laughed, reaching out to pat Bilbo's stomach, finding that it seemed to pooch out just a bit more."

"Yes, well, one does tend to put on weight when there is good cooking to be had," he agreed. "Speaking of that," Bilbo turned and called out over his shoulder. "Daisy…Daisy, my dear, do come and see who has arrived at last!"

At this, the dwarves, hobbits, children, and elf, all turned to see a pleasing looking hobbit lass make her way into the drawing room, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She had a mop of curly brown hair, and wide expressive green eyes with little crinkles at the corners, showing that she laughed often.

"Oh! I take it that your friends and relatives have come from Erebor at last," she grinned, stepping up to stand beside her husband. "The name's Daisy Baggins, and I'm beyond pleased to make your acquaintance."

"As are we to make yours," Thorin assured her, bowing respectfully.

"Oh, none of that now," Daisy scolded. "We are but humble hobbits, no need to stand on formality. Although, should I ever forget my manners when dealing with you, Your Majesty, please be sure to school me on the proper protocol."

"How about we all set such titles aside during our stay, and just be friends?" he laughed, already liking this lass a great deal. She was down to earth, and exactly the type that he envisioned Bilbo choosing as a wife.

"Sounds good to me," Bilbo agreed. "Now, let me see if I can get through all these introductions without stumbling over my own tongue," he mused, looking over the small mob in his entryway. "Gandalf you already know," he began, with the wizard bowing his head in acknowledgement. "However, this is Thorin Oakenshield, King under the Mountain, and the leader of our intrepid company on the quest to kill a dragon and retake Erebor. And as you might guess, this is Marigold - Rory and Menegilda's daughter - and Thorin's wife."

"I have heard so much about both of you," Daisy informed them with a delighted smile. "From Bilbo, of course, as well as many of the other hobbits in the Shire." She looked directly at Marigold when she spoke next. "You will find you're a bit of a legend around these parts, my dear. There aren't many lasses who go off on a journey, and then snag a king to wed. Yes indeed, you are quite famous!"

"Oh, dear," Marigold said, blushing slightly. "I had no idea!"

"I'm Rose!" the dark haired dwarfling broke in, stepping forward with her little hand extended. "And that is my little sister, Raina." She informed them, pointing at the bright eyed lass resting on her mother's hip, her thumb stuck contentedly in her mouth.

"And what a pretty little lass you are, too," Bilbo exclaimed, kneeling down so that he could get a better look at the child. "I can see quite a bit of both your parents in you, but in looks, you certainly take after your father."

This made Rose beam with pride, as she shook hands with their hobbit hosts.

"Next, there is Mister Dwalin," Bilbo said, continuing on with the introductions. "Best fighter in Erebor…and anywhere else, I imagine. He is married to Bergie, here. And I'm going to go out on a limb and say these are the twins I have heard so much about? Torin and Talin, isn't it?"

"Indeed they are," Bergie proudly stated, resting her hands on either child's shoulder. "And quite the surprise they were, let me tell you. Especially to a lass who never thought to have one, let alone two at the same time!"

This caused all to laugh along, as Bilbo and Daisy shook hands with each of Dwalin's family.

"I'm Kili," the dark haired dwarf said, stepping forward with an engaging smile. "And no matter what Bilbo has told you about me, don't believe a word. They're all lies."

"Oh?' Daisy questioned, raising an eyebrow at his cheeky introduction. "I can tell that you and I will be getting along splendidly."

This made everyone laugh once more, but when Tauriel moved to his side, and Kili took her hand in his, everyone grew quite silent.

"Oh, and guess what, Bilbo," Kili stated, his smile now even wider. "I went and got myself married too! I believe you might recall my bride, Tauriel."

At first the hobbit said nothing, too stunned to speak.

"Was it worth keeping the secret all this time, just to see his face?" Gandalf whispered to Thorin.

"Worth all the trouble and more," the dwarf king chuckled, immensely pleased to have been present when the news was told.

"You…you got married?" Bilbo stammered at last, looking from Kili to the elf and back again in shock. Still, in seconds he had managed to recover and reaching out, he took the elleth's free hand in his, pumping it up and down in a joyous manner. "Oh, my dear, I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear such a thing. Though, I must confess I don't know if I should congratulate you…or take pity on you."

"Pity her?" Kili huffed. "Whatever for?"

"Well…she has to put up with you for a husband, does she not?" Bilbo teased. He then looked back at Tauriel, giving her a saucy wink. "Tell me, My Lady, did you lose some bet with Nori, and this is your punishment?"

"Nay, Master Hobbit," Tauriel giggled, amused by her husband's now grumpy face. "I married Kili of my own volition, and I assure you, I have never been happier."

"Not even when you were tossing us all into Thranduil's prisons?" Dwalin asked with a smile.

"As I have said before, I didn't toss you…I placed you there very politely," she corrected. "But yes, even happier than that."

"And who might these two be?" Bilbo asked, turning now to the final dwarflings that stood to the right of Kili. "Don't tell me this is little Flinn? It can't be, you've grown so big, lad!"

"Yes, Mister Bilbo, it's me," Flinn assured him, standing up as tall as he could manage. "I've gotten bigger since you saw me last."

"I should say so," Bilbo said with a disbelieving shake of his head. "Though I'm willing to bet you will find that Frodo has grown as well. You're still a mite taller than him, but not by much. Oh, he is so looking forward to seeing you, lad!"

"And I can't wait to see him either!" Flinn told him, excitement showing on his face. He then turned and gestured to his brother. "This is Frerin, he's my naddith."

"Ah, is that so?" Bilbo nodded, turning his attention to the little dwarfling. "Welcome, little Frerin. It appears that you take after your mother's side of the family…or perhaps Thorin's. But I can see you inherited Fili's Durin Blue eyes."

However, when Bilbo went to greet him, Frerin pulled back and hid behind his brother, peeking out with only one eye.

"You…you don't really eat dwarves…do you, Mister Bilbo?" he asked in a worried tone.

"Eat dwarves?" Bilbo asked in shock, looking up at the now amused faces of his dwarf friends. "Where on earth did he get a crazy idea like that?"

"It is a long story, old friend," Gandalf laughed. "One best told in front of a roaring fire, with full bellies and a good smoke."

"Well, I can take care of filling your bellies," Daisy offered, heading towards the kitchen. "And I'm certain my Bilbo can handle the rest. Now, everyone come in and take a load off. You've had a long journey and it's high time you enjoyed some good old fashion hobbit hospitality."

"I think I like her just fine," Bergie whispered to Marigold, as everyone made to follow Bilbo to the parlor.

"Me too," Marigold nodded. "But I think we still need to grill her a bit more."

"Right," the older hobbit nodded with a sly wink. "We must be thorough, or Dis will have our hides! I say we start by sampling her cooking, and go from there."

"Sounds good to me!" Marigold nodded firmly, her stomach speaking up just then, announcing its desire to taste Daisy Baggins' baked goods as well.

This caused both to giggle with laughter, each of them pleased as punch to be home. They just knew they were going to have a wonderful summer back in the Shire.

And so they arrived! With a beardless Tauriel and Kili just the right color for a dwarf. ha ha.

Did you enjoy the Trolls and their stinky cave?

Now Flinn has his first sword!

Sooooo, what do you all think of Daisy? Is she a keeper? Or will you reserve your judgement until Marigold and Bergie grill her more?

And I fear that little Frerin might never fully believe that Bilbo does not eat dwarves for dinner. ha ha.

Speaking of that...it is MY theory that the best way to prepare a dwarf is to soak them first. Like beans...they are too hard to eat, so you have to soak them overnight and then cook them slow with a nice ham-hock. That way you wash them at the same time...they can become rather smelly while on long journeys. ha ha. Your thoughts?

Guest Reviews:

abc: Yes, Kili should have got a lookout...but he didn't, thus he is now purple and his wife has a beard. That'll teach him. Oh, I would love to give them six babies at once, but I already gave Dwalin twins and too many would be unrealistic. I mean, I am already over the baby quota for dwarves as it is. ha ha. Thanks!

Emrfangirl: No, Kili will NEVER learn. ha ha. And of course he got turned on by more of her beautiful red hair. It is his 'thing' you know. ha ha. Yes, Elladan does not seem like the grape juice type, does he, ha ha. Oh, I am sure that the twins had those berries picked and ready days ago...just waiting for the perfect moment to give them to Kili...who ate them with no idea he was being pranked. Silly dwarf. Tell your husband I forgive him for bumping you and making you hit send. ha ha. Thanks.

darkone7142: Ha ha, yes, you do need to let me know who is reviewing. ha ha. And poor Kili, he will never learn, will he. But I am happy you enjoyed the pranks...I wanted them to go out with a bang! Thanks.