Chapter 9
Bilbo huffed and glared at Gandalf. "I hate him. I hate him. What did my mother see in that…MONSTER?!"
Dwalin almost gave himself away. Mother? Thorin and Bilbo's mother…oh Valar!
Gandalf sighed and shook his head. "He does not know that you are his son, Bilbo. How could he know? Lord Elrond and the Thain told him that both Belladonna and her child died."
"It's not only that, Gandalf. If I wasn't his son, there would be no difference. He's done nothing except treat me with sneering words and glares. He doesn't make himself out to be a very good King! I pity his future subjects!"
"And yet, you haven't thrown in the towel and gone back?" Gandalf's voice was mild.
Bilbo sighed. "I haven't, because I still want to know him. Him, Gandalf. Not the king, not the leader of the company. I want to know my father. I've gotten to know Kíli and Fíli very well. We're close now. Thick as thieves, one would say, but their uncle, my father… Do I even want to know him? What use would it be?"
Bilbo huffed. "Fíli's already the heir. Thorin's got his family. What use would I be? I'm not really a Dwarf. I would never want to be."
Dwalin wanted to strangle Thorin. He had been ostracizing his own fucking son!
Suddenly, Dwalin's coat was grabbed and he was thrown onto the table. "Dwalin son of Fundin! What did you hear?!" Gandalf glowered at the Dwarf.
Dwalin got up and straightened his coat. "Bilbo is Thorin's son." He turned to Bilbo and bowed deeply. "I am sorry for any slights that I may have said, Bilbo, son of Thorin."
Bilbo stared at Dwalin dully. "You didn't know."
"True, I didn't know, but I still shouldn't have treated someone of my own kin like an outsider."
Bilbo hopped off his chair. "You shouldn't treat any outsider like an outsider, Dwalin!"
Dwalin sighed and nodded. "Aye, you're right." He looked at his king's son. "I think you should tell Thorin."
Bilbo glared at Dwalin in exactly the same way Thorin would. Dwalin wondered how they all had missed it for so long. "And why should I?"
"Because you are his son. He deserves to know." Bilbo laughed scathingly.
"Right…" He turned away. "He lost that right when he forced my mother away from him. She fled and took me with her because of her just fear of me being killed." He glared at Dwalin. "I'm a Dwobbit. Unwanted. Not fitting in anywhere! I have no place amongst you! My father has made that very clear!"
Dwalin shook his head. "No! You do! Please, just tell him. He will apologize. I know he will. He will learn from his mistakes!"
Bilbo smirked bitterly. "No. He won't. He won't learn from his mistakes. He'll apologize to me, maybe. But in reality, he will be furious for my lies against him. He will be in a rage against Gandalf and Lord Elrond and the Thain for lying to him. Do you see the pattern? He only notices what hurts him. Thorin has a Victim's Syndrome. He desires to be the victim and never truly acknowledges that he is the one hurting others!" He huffed. "I do not want my father. And he does not want me. End of story." Bilbo turned away from Dwalin.
Dwalin, knowing he had been dismissed, only left the room because of decades of training. He slumped against the wall and thrice damned Thorin for his stupidity.
~morning~
Bilbo was shaken awake by Balin. "Come on, Prince, it's time we left. Gandalf is holding the White Council off."
Bilbo nodded and then froze. He stared at Balin. "What?"
"Dwalin is my brother, laddie."
Bilbo groaned. "That gossiping magpie!"
Balin chuckled at the mental image. "Never mind that, laddie. Come on, let's go. Can't keep the company waiting."
Bilbo snorted. "Oh yes, mustn't keep his Majesty, King Thorin waiting." He jumped out of bed and started getting dressed, packing up all the things that the Elves gave him to replenish what he used up or had forgotten to pack. Except razors.
Bilbo growled at the image. "I hate beards!"
Balin chuckled. "They do itch when you're not use to them. Here are some clasps that I have."
Bilbo looked at the beads and scoffed. "Line of Durin. Do not think that I haven't learned Khuzdul, Councilor." Bilbo gave Balin the evil eye. "Thorin would have my head at the impudence of wearing his family beads." He handed the beads back to the sighing Dwarf.
"I have my own, thanks." Bilbo started tying his hair back and looking over his beard. It was now as bad as Fíli's! "My beard didn't use to grow this fast. It was a spell that Gandalf accidentally casted on me. At least, he says it's accidental."
Balin chuckled and shook his head. His face grew somber. "I knew your mother, lad. Wonderful woman. Every good Dwarf loved her. She was good for Thorin. He was happy."
Bilbo nodded. "And then she left. Because of the dangers that were posed at me. No one wanted to be ruled over by a half-cast." His voice was bitter.
Balin sighed. "Bilbo, times have changed. Everyone is far more willing to be led by a Dwobbit."
"Fíli is the heir. I won't steal his throne from him."
"Fíli doesn't want the throne."
Bilbo stared at Balin. "What?"
