Chapter 15
Thorin walked on. "We are. You will stay with your people where you belong. You will stay in Erebor."
Bilbo marched after Thorin. "I will do nothing of the sort. The Shire is my home! You can't just take that from me!"
Thorin turned to face Bilbo. "How do you know for certain that you will not feel more at home among the Dwarves than the Hobbit if you are not willing to try?"
Bilbo paused. He looked up at Thorin. "Fine! I'll…I'll stay until Erebor is restored and the Dwarves travel back via the caravans, but if I still want to return to the Shire when they've arrived, then I'm gone!"
Thorin nodded. The restoration of Erebor would take at minimum ten years. Besides, Thorin could always slow down the process of restoration. By that time, Bilbo will undoubtedly be permanently by his side. "Agreed." He sat down next to Fíli and Kíli. Bilbo hesitated and then sat next to him.
Fíli looked over at Bilbo and smiled. "Thanks for the rescue, Bilbo."
Bilbo blinked in confusion. "What?"
"I don't have to worry about ruling anymore."
Bilbo snorted. "You might still have to. If Th- er, Father lives on to a ripe old age, then I'll have passed on already."
Thorin shook his head. "I have full intention of retiring from the throne when my beard turns white. And if Kíli continues to act the way he does, that will happen far sooner than anticipated." Ignoring his youngest nephews shout of outrage, Thorin smirked at his nephews and son. "I want to enjoy my grandchildren."
Fíli flushed. Kíli coughed and looked at the fire. Bilbo frowned in thought. He looked at Gandalf in concern. Gandalf shook his head slowly.
Bilbo smiled and nodded. Dwarves didn't do arranged marriages then.
Thorin stood up and plodded over to where Nori was sitting. The thief looked up at his king, startled, and then nodded. They walked away from the camp. Bilbo gritted his teeth.
"Oh no he won't!"
Fíli frowned. "No he won't what?"
"Thorin wants Nori to replace me as burglar."
Kíli nodded. "Makes sense. The heirs of the throne shouldn't get into too much danger. It's for the greater good of the people."
Bilbo stared at Kíli. "When did you get so wise?!"
Fíli snorted with laughter. Kíli just huffed. "I've always been wise! I just don't show it when I don't need to!"
Bilbo stood up and moved over to Gandalf. "Do something! Thorin wants to put Nori in my place as burglar!"
Gandalf sighed. "I wondered as much." He nodded. "I can try to change his mind, Bilbo, but Thorin has never asked for my council, and he has never shown interest in heeding it." Gandalf walked over to where Thorin was now sitting. Nori was talking with his brothers. Dori and Ori were pale and shaking their heads quickly. Nori shrugged.
Bilbo watched as Gandalf quietly argued with Thorin. He plopped down beside Dwalin and Balin. "Tell Thorin to let me continue as burglar!"
Dwalin laughed. "Nay, Little Prince. I shan't do such a thing. I was the Captain of the Guard back in the day. I will continue to be bodyguard to the entire Royal Family. That now includes you. I would sooner attack Smaug myself than let you go into that mountain alone." Balin nodded in agreement.
"I won't be an ally with you on this, Bilbo. This time, I agree with Thorin. You are his son. How can you expect Thorin to send his own son to face a dragon alone."
Bilbo growled. "You were all quite willing when I was just a nobody!"
Balin sighed. "We gave you the choice, and you agreed, knowing the dangers. However, we would never have even offered had we known who you were."
Dwalin glared at Gandalf. "I want to strangle that Wizard with his own beard for misleading us like that!"
Bilbo groaned and shook his head. Gloin sat down beside him. "Just wondering, laddie, how old are you. None of us truly know."
Thorin raised a hand at Gandalf, stopping the Wizard's tirade, and focused on his son. He didn't really know either. He had a rough estimation but was unsure. The estimation made him squirm in subdued panic.
Bilbo coughed. "Ah…forty-three."
Everyone froze. Kíli blinked. "You're…you're still a child!"
Bilbo jumped to his feet and reached for his sword to smack Kíli around. Child indeed!
Dwalin grabbed him and pinned him easily. "He didn't mean anything by it, lad!"
Bilbo huffed and glared at Kíli. "Just because I'm young doesn't mean that I'm unable to fight! As you've clearly bloody seen!" His eyes flashed, showing off his Durin blue eyes.
Gloin swallowed thickly. "My son, Gimli is sixty-four, and I still didn't allow him to come." He looked at Thorin, who jumped up and moved quickly to his son.
"I didn't know how old Bilbo was when he signed! I also didn't know he was my son!" Gloin shrugged and nodded.
Balin sighed. "Even still, Fíli will be Steward until Bilbo is of age."
Bilbo huffed in frustration. "That suits me just fine!"
"It doesn't suit me!" Fíli shouted. He scowled. "I thought I was getting out from sitting on that da- difficult throne." He smiled weakly at Thorin's glare. Kíli snickered only for Fíli to cuff him.
Bilbo ignored his cousins. "I am of age in the Shire!"
Thorin sighed. "You must turn seventy-one to be of age in Dwarf culture, Bilbo."
Bilbo growled and sat down huffily beside Gandalf. Gandalf patted his shoulder consolingly. Then, Bilbo smiled widely. His eyes gleamed like Frerin's did when the Dwarf had an idea. Thorin gulped; the resemblance was spooky.
"If I am too young…then shouldn't I return to immediately to the Shire. Surely Erebor during reconstruction would be dangerous for a youth like me." His eyes were wide and innocent. Kíli made a noise of jealousy at the sheer level of innocence that Bilbo was able to convey. It surpassed his own puppy face three times over, and he couldn't stand that.
Thorin stepped back and swallowed. He knew that he had to put his foot down if he was to survive the Puppy Face. "You…you will stay in Erebor!" Bilbo upped his puppy smolder three notches. "ENOUGH WITH THAT FACE! I am your father, and you will do as I say!"
Bilbo huffed and glared at his father. "Fine!"
Thorin looked around and saw the smirks that the Dwarves were giving him. He glared at them until they cleared their throats and looked away. Nori slowly started collecting bets on how soon Bilbo and Thorin would argue again and what their topic would be.
