Chapter 8
Bilbo made sure his reunion with Elladan and Elrohir and Arwen was quiet and out of the Dwarves' eyes.
Elrohir frowned. "You haven't told him yet. Why?"
"He hates me."
Arwen gave a sigh and held Bilbo close to her. "Dwarves get so preoccupied about brute strength and beards. They forget that is the heart, the mind, and the soul that truly count. What good is a strong man who is a coward and a liar?"
Bilbo huffed. "What good is a weak boy even if he is loyal?"
Elladan chuckled. "You are not weak, Bilbo. Your Dwarvish strength has just not made an appearance yet. Remember, you are still an adolescent in their eyes."
Bilbo sighed and nodded. He rubbed his chin. It was already getting scruffy, covered by dark blond hairs. "Do you have a razor?"
Elladan looked at his brother. "We found some that you left behind, but…" He looked down at his boots in shame.
Elrohir sighed. "Elves are not perfect. We admit that. We also admit that we were angry when you left without saying goodbye."
Arwen bit her lip and looked at Bilbo. "We threw away all the things you left behind that were yours. Belladonna's things are still intact. We daren't touch the things of the dead. We are so sorry, Bilbo! We shouldn't have touched what didn't belong to us! We shouldn't have gotten so angry." There were tears in her eyes.
Bilbo hugged her tightly. "I understand. I forgive you. Don't worry, the only things I left were a couple of dull razors and some spring clothing. Nothing seriously valuable to me." He braved a smile at them.
Elladan and Elrohir were still shuffling their feet like naughty school boys caught by the teacher. "That does not excuse our actions. We did the action out of spite and anger."
Bilbo sighed and walked up to them. Because of his Dwobbit genes, he was a whopping four feet and ten inches. Bilbo hugged the two Elves tightly to him. He spoke quietly in Sindarin, "There is a word in every language, that word is 'mistakes'. It would not be there if only one race made mistakes. I forgive you, Elladan. I forgive you, Elrohir. I forgive you, Arwen." His eyes twinkled. "But, that does not mean I will not prank you badly in revenge. For that is another word that is in every language."
The Twins gulped, knowing that Bilbo would prank them worse than their sister. Bilbo had always had a soft spot for Arwen.
Arwen paled still. Bilbo's pranks were always, always, embarrassing for the victim.
~the next evening~
Bilbo chuckled. Elrond walked up to the Dwobbit, who was smoking on the terrace with Gandalf and the rest of the Dwarves.
"Is there a reason that my children are jumping at their own shadows, Bilbo?"
Bilbo chuckled and re-filled his pipe. "Aye. I told them I'd prank them. Haven't decided what to do yet, or if I'd do anything." His eyes glinted. "It's far too entertaining just watching them move around cautiously waiting for a prank that will never come. Nerve-wracking, eh?" Bilbo chuckled.
Balin was staring at Bilbo. "That is diabolically clever, lad."
Bilbo blinked and then smiled slightly. "Just good pranking strategy."
Thorin snorted. "Now, all you need is good battle strategy, but I fear, that is not going to happen. Your head is full of flowers, Master Hobbit."
Bilbo felt, knew he looked, like he'd been sucker punched. In just one sentence, Thorin stripped Bilbo of his Dwarf blood. Tears filled up and were blinked away. Bilbo growled lowly.
He glared at Thorin. "Ever since the first day we left the Shire, you have belittled me, sneered at me, and mocked me! Why?! What have I ever done to you?! Why do you hate me?! TELL ME!" Bilbo roared.
All the Dwarves were shocked. They had never heard Bilbo shout, or even slightly raise his voice. Bilbo's eyes crackled with blue flame. Dwalin gasped a little.
Elrond saw him glancing back at Thorin's face and then at Bilbo's rapidly. Balin was stunned. He had thought he saw Thorin in the way Bilbo moved and spoke and used his hands, but it was never so clear as now. That beard helped a lot. It was at the same length as Thorin's.
Thorin's eyes flashed. "Why do I hate you? Because you slow us down. I'm tired of you constantly looking back towards the direction of the Shire. You are weak, unwilling to fight! I don't trust you!"
Bilbo blinked rapidly. "Fine. I was thinking…no. I would not want that. I do not want it anymore." Bilbo glared at Thorin. "You're just like my father. Harsh, cruel, and disgusting." He turned and left. "I'm finished with you."
Balin blinked in surprise and stared at Dwalin. They had both suspected…but it seemed that Bilbo already knew his father. This was getting confusing.
Gandalf looked at Elrond, both felt as old as they actually were. "Thorin Oakenshield, you have just done, what I fear is, irreparable damage to your relationship with your burglar." Gandalf glared at the unrepentant Dwarf. He stepped closer. "And you will regret it…eventually." With that, he left the terrace with Lord Elrond, who was seething in anger.
Balin had never seen an angry Elf before, and he was glad that Lord Elrond had a lot of self-control, because he was pretty sure, that Dwalin, Mahal bless him, would not have been able to defeat the Lord of Imladris.
He shook his head. "I am growing weary. Goodnight brother, goodnight Thorin." He nodded to both and left. Dwalin walked with Thorin to the King's rooms and then left for his own. He couldn't shake that something was wrong with the whole situation.
He shook off the feelings of sleepiness and went to stalk Bilbo. Maybe eavesdropping would answer some questions.
