Ch Four

Bilbo adored Dis! He enjoyed spending as much time with her as he could when they both weren't busy. Bilbo and Dis would immediately go and find one another after they finished their daily tasks; always eager and excited to see the other. Bilbo felt his heart flutter in his chest every time he saw the princess and he found himself holding her hand or wrap and arm around her waist whenever he could.

Dis was always beautiful in the gowns she wore each day; simple or elegant, it didn't matter. Bilbo just couldn't take his eyes off of her whenever he saw her.

One day, Bilbo was just wrapping up his duties in the library, when Dis waltzed in. Bilbo almost dropped the pile of books he was holding when his eyes locked onto Thorin's little sister wearing a simple green skirt and matching bodice. Her long dark hair braided down her back that ended at her waist. Her dark blue durin eyes sparkling with joy when they too, locked with his brown ones. Bilbo set the pile of books down and walked up to give Dis a proper greeting.

"Good afternoon, darling." He planted a kiss to Dis' forehead and then flashed her a smile. "You look beautiful as ever."

"Thank you, darling." Dis' smile faltered when she remembered why she had come to find Bilbo.

"What's wrong?" Bilbo took Dis' hands in his and brought them up to his lips.

Dis sighed angrily. "The council has been mercilessly disapproving toward the idea of us courting one another."

"Oh?"

Dis nodded. "I have spent hours trying to get them to see reason - pointing out that they should be more concerned about who my brother is courting. Not that it matters, since Thorin has made it quite clear to the council that Mahal chose Aria as his One, just as I have pointed out that Mahal has graciously chosen you as my second One."

Bilbo swore he saw angry flames light up Dis' dark durin eyes. Her beautiful face equally painted by that same anger.

"Stifling old windbags!" Dis hissed. "So I came to ask if you would come join me at the next meeting with the council. I also asked Thorin, and he was all but eager to agree to my request, since he knows how much you and I mean to one another."

Bilbo pressed his lips to the backs of Dis' hands while she took a deep breath to calm herself. "I would do anything to make you happy, darling. Stifling old windbags indeed."

Dis barked out a laugh. "Thank you." She beamed at the hobbit that had captured her heart. She dearly loved the hobbit who stood before her. Dis took in Bilbo's curly brown locks, his long slender nose, warm brown eyes, framed by brown eyelashes and matching eyebrows. The smile that pulled at his mouth had Dis' heart fluttering in his chest on top of the warmth and tenderness that filled his eyes.

Dis' dark durin eyes traveled downward to take in the loose white shirt tucked into his coveralls; part of his chest showed, which caused Dis to mentally suck in a deep breath - especially when she saw some of his chest hair; sleeves rolled up to the crooks of his arms. And his big hairy feet! This hobbit was a one of a kind, and Dis loved him with her whole heart!

"When is the meeting with the council?" Bilbo asked, pulling Dis from her mental drooling thoughts.

"In an hour. Which is why you'll need to change into something more appropriate for the meeting."

Bilbo allowed Dis to lead him back to his quarters so she could help him change his attire. Apparently, the proper clothing helps speak volumes as well; making for a good impression.

"I take it the council will have a problem with what I'm wearing?" Bilbo asked while he kept up with Dis' brisk walking; struggling just a tad, but kept himself matched with her, nonetheless.

Dis snorted. "'Problem' is an understatement, my dear Bilbo. The council has a very high standard for good impressions, and they will eat you up and spit you out if you show up in the clothes you're wearing. "'He looks like a gardener, not someone befitting to court Durin's Princess,' they will say."

Dis pushed Bilbo's chamber door open and drug him across the room to sit him down on the bed; using her foot to kick shut the door behind her upon entry.

Dis immediately went to Bilbo's wardrobe and pulled out a royal blue vest with a royal green tunic to wear underneath and black pants. She handed the clothes to the hobbit so he could dress.

Bilbo began unbuckling his coveralls, when he noticed Dis was still watching him.

"Are you going to watch me?" Bilbo asked and watched color paint Dis' face.

"Sorry." Dis turned her back so Bilbo could dress. "Continue." She heard the hobbit chuckle behind her while she faced the opposite direction.

"If I didn't know any better, darling, I'd say you have a hint of a naughty streak in you." Bilbo glanced at Dis' back and watched her body tense up. He smiled. "And by the way you tensed, I'm guessing I'm right with my thought."

"Oh, quiet you." Dis smiled and she could feel Bilbo's smile against her back.

"Okay." Bilbo informed, "I'm descent."

Dis turned but stopped suddenly at the sight of Bilbo. The royal green tunic popped against his fair skin underneath the royal blue vest; the brown hue of his eyes seemed to light up at the color of the green tunic. The tunic and vest molded against Bilbo's lanky body; every curve popping out against the material that had been tucked into the black pants the cuffed against his waist.

"Oh, my..." Dis had to catch herself against the bed just as she stumbled forward. There was no right word to choose for the sight her dark durin eyes took in before her; only the willpower to keep herself from drooling mentally and physically.

"I take it you approve?" Bilbo asked, flashing the princess a smile.

"Indeed." Dis stopped before Bilbo once she was able to snap out of her shocked and admiring stares and helped adjust both the tunic and vest so they fit more properly.

"And here I was thinking you couldn't get anymore handsome." Dis smiled. "I should have known better than to think that."

Dis took Bilbo by the hand and led him out of his chambers and to the council room, which wasn't far from the royal suites.

Thorin gave them both a warm smile when they arrived; standing near a table facing a very long table.

"You look beautiful, nadad." Thorin planted a kiss to his sister's forehead.

"Always the charmer, dear brother."

"It's not really charm if it's the truth."

"I agree with Thorin." Bilbo piped up, "you are very beautiful, darling." Dis gave the hobbit a warm smile as he kissed her cheek.

Bilbo could feel Thorin's smile grow even wider when the dwarf king looked him over.

"You look nice as well, Bilbo. Very royal like."

"Thank you, my friend."

At that moment, the council members walked in through the door and after they took their seats, Thorin, Dis and Bilbo sat down opposite them. Bilbo was pleased to find Balin amongst the council members. Maybe things won't turn out so bad.

Thorin stood and his facial features became stone hard as he gave the council a very pointed, stern look as he spoke. "You all know why we're here. There has been disapproval towards my sister being courted by none other than Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit from the Shire who, not once, not twice, but multiple times, saved me and the rest of the Company from various perils during our long trek of a quest to reclaim Erebor; facing down many of our foes up to and including Smaug and even Azog.

"Bilbo has a courageous heart and quick wit, but he's also kind and loyal to a fault. I, for one, can't think of someone better than Bilbo to court my sister - especially since Mahal ever graciously chose the hobbit to be my sister's second One."

"I agree with our king on this matter." Balin stood as every head in the room turned towards the elder white haired dwarf. "Aside from Thorin, I have also known Bilbo the longest. He courageously saved the entire Company from being eaten by three trolls, he protected Thorin when Azog's right hand Orc was about to behead him after our run in with goblins; knocking the orc to the ground and plunging his sword into the orc's heart to kill him. When the Company traveled through Mirkwood, we were caught up by giant spiders; wrapped in their web and set aside as their food for later. Bilbo was the only one who hadn't got caught up by the spiders, and he used his sword to cut us free.

"While dwarves and elves have been at odds with one another, some of Thranduil's elves took us as prisoners and we were imprisoned in the dungeons of the halls of the woodland realm - except for Bilbo. Bilbo kept himself out of the elves' sight while he figured out a way to free all of us. Evidently, Bilbo found empty barrels in the cellars of Thranduil's palace and after snatching the key ring for the cell doors, Bilbo led us down to the cellars and after all of us climbed into the barrels, Bilbo opened up the trap door that allowed the barrels to plummet into the water below."

"If I may be so bold." A dwarf with short frizzy black hair and beard; earth-tone brown eyes growing speculative as he spoke. "How is it that a hobbit such as Bilbo Baggins was able to keep himself from being captured by spiders and elves, all the while keeping out of sight and being undetected while looking for a way to free you, Thorin and the rest of the dwarves from Thranduil, and then steal the arkenstone from Smaug while keeping out of sight?"

Bilbo watched every head in the room turn his way and he mentally grimaced. While he shouldn't, Bilbo knew that the dwarves would have a hard time believing he found Sauron's ring - the one ring, as Gandalf had informed him, that was in fact, a magical ring that allowed him to turn invisible when put on.

"Does that really matter?" Dis inquired before Bilbo could answer. He shot the princess a smile as she informed, "Balin and Thorin already gave you guys proof of just who Bilbo is and why they both agree there is no one better than him to court me." Dis' durin blue eyes hardened when a few of the council members were about to speak, but the look on her face shut them up.

"The same kind of care Balin and my brother both saw in Bilbo throughout the journey back home, is the same kind of care that drew my attention to Bilbo the day I met him when I came back home. Honestly, Bilbo is more royalty than any of the previous kings of Erebor have ever been. And as my brother put it: Mahal has ever so graciously chosen Bilbo to be my second One, and from the stories my sons Fili and Kili have told me, they adore Bilbo just as much as Thorin and Balin; among the others."

"I don't need permission to court Bilbo because Mahal himself already chose Bilbo as my One. And as I already questioned my brother: who are you to tell me otherwise."

"Speaking of courting." The dwarf with the frizzy hair and beard commented, "I don't see a braid with a courting bead at the end."

Thorin informed, "Dis and Bilbo are courting the hobbit way before they make things official. Bilbo will put the braid in her hair later on down the road."

"As great as that sounds." The dwarf sitting next to the dwarf with the frizzy hair and beard pointed out, "I don't think hobbits know how to rule a kingdom."

"I have no interest of taking over the throne." Dis kept her face neutral as all eyes turned to her in shock. "Ruling a kingdom is more headache than it's worth. No, my eldest son will take over the throne after Thorin steps down."

"What if Thorin and his betrothed have a child at some point down the line?" asked the frizzy-haired dwarf, his eyes turning thoughtful.

"My child will rule after Fili," replied Thorin automatically.

Balin pulled the council back to the matter at hand when a murmur broke out among the other members.

"I think it's perfectly decided that Dis and Bilbo are each others One, just as Thorin as made clear that Aria is his."

Dis and Bilbo smiled in satisfaction when the other members murmured their agreement; two of them not looking at all impressed, but not having the ability to do anything about it since the favor had been ruled out to Bilbo and Dis courting one another.

Dis turned to Bilbo, and right in front of the entire council - including Thorin, Dis grabbed Bilbo's face with her hands and kissed him full on the mouth; feeling his arms circle around her to pull her into a hug.