Day Seven
Thorin took Gloin's words as well as could be expected: not well at all. Shrugging Oin's hands off him, he rounded on Gloin, stalking towards the dwarf like a beast on a prowl.
"Say that again," he demanded, his voice was barely more than a growl. "Tell me again what that traitorous king of elflings has done to Dwalin."
Gloin opened his mouth to speak, but before he managed to utter a word, Gandalf spoke.
"Thranduil has done nothing to Dwalin," the wizard claimed, sounding exasperated. "Master Gloin should have chosen his words with more care. Thranduil is not holding Dwalin hostage, Thorin, Dwalin is merely staying in Thranduil's camp for the time being as Thranduil's guest."
Thorin ignored the wizard – it didn't surprise him in the least that Gandalf would choose to be on the elves' side – and turned his gaze in all of its intensity on Balin. Balin was furrowing his brow and stroking his long white beard as he sometimes did when he was feeling anxious. Thorin would have offered his friend some sympathy, but he believed that Balin would appreciate efficient actions – getting his brother back from the elves – rather than any words of comfort Thorin would awkwardly say to him and so Thorin focused on the former rather than the latter.
"Has Thranduil made any demands yet?" he asked Balin.
"No, he has not," said Gandalf, "for Thranduil is not holding Dwalin hostage."
"Gandalf is speaking the truth, laddie," said Balin, looking quite uncomfortable. "Dwalin isn't being held hostage by elves or anyone else. He's quite all right... apart from being in a camp full of elves, of course."
"In a camp full of elves," repeated Thorin. "That doesn't sound 'all right' to me at all. Is Dwalin held hostage there or not?"
"No, laddie, he isn't," Balin cleared his throat. "Dwalin is in the camp of elves, but at least he isn't being held there against his will."
"Not against his will," repeated Thorin, looking from Gandalf to Balin, Bofur, and Gloin incredulously – the idea that Dwalin was in Thranduil's camp, all on his own... Thorin could barely stand the idea, and it was hard for him to digest the fact that Dwalin would have stayed there of his own choosing. "Not against his will."
"Thranduil might as well have taken Dwalin hostage," insisted Gloin. "He told the rest of us to leave the camp. He wouldn't let us stay there with Dwalin but sent us away."
"Thranduil allowed one of you to stay," corrected Gandalf, a note of reproach in his voice. "He was trying to keep the situation as controllable as possible which it might not have been had more than one dwarf stayed in his camp. Thranduil is clearly trying to create a more constructive political situation between your peoples, the fact that he allowed Dwalin, at least, to stay speaks clearly of that. He could have sent you all away, it was quite lenient of him to allow Dwalin to stay."
"Not against his will – allowed Dwalin to stay," repeated Thorin, growing more bewildered, disturbed, and exasperated by the minute. "Why would Dwalin want to stay in Thranduil's camp of his own free will? And why did he go to the elves in the first place? What reason did he have?"
"I suggested it," admitted Balin, once again evading Thorin's gaze, and if Thorin had been in disbelief before, now he could do little else but gape at his oldest friend, lost for words.
"What?" Kili managed on Thorin's behalf. "Why would you get an idea to send Mister Dwalin to the camp of elves?"
"Because Balin wanted to take Bilbo there," explained Bofur. "Bilbo needed medical attention, you see, and so we took him to the elves. Dwalin stayed there with Bilbo, but Thranduil sent the rest of us away, even though I demanded to be let to stay, too. Apparently Thranduil didn't care to play host to a simple toy maker like me and preferred to let 'the nobility stay' if one of us had to."
"The elves wanted to separate Dwalin from his kin, most likely, to make him vulnerable..." grumbled Gloin, shaking his fist. "We will have to pay a ransom to get him back, mark my words."
"Thranduil," spoke Gandalf, "is not holding Dwalin – nor Bilbo – hostage. He allowed the both of them to stay. He is doing you all a kindness, you stubborn dwarf!"
"Mark my words," Gloin said again, folding his arms across his chest, and Gandalf harrumphed.
Even though it did look like – much to Thorin's relief – like Gloin had been exaggerating when he had said that Dwalin had been taken hostage by Thranduil, there were still many things that bothered Thorin about the situation.
"You took Bilbo to the elves," he said as soon as he found his voice again. "You took Bilbo to the elves. Of all the things you could have done, Balin, you took Bilbo to the elves, placed him and Dwalin in Thranduil's mercy! I have never known you of all people to do something this thoughtless, something this- this foolish."
Thorin felt like he was dreaming and the dream was not good at all. Surely it couldn't be that Balin – Balin – had removed Bilbo from his tent, surely it couldn't be that Balin had taken Bilbo away from the safety of their camp after all the trouble the dwarves had been through to get him back in the first place. Surely it couldn't be that Balin had removed Bilbo from Oin's care in order to trust him to elves' care. Balin had more sense than that.
And yet, there Balin stood, looking determined if also anxious and apologetic, claiming that it had been his idea to send Dwalin – and Bilbo in the addition – to Thranduil's camp.
"Did you know about this?" Thorin demanded of Oin, gesturing towards Balin as he turned to face the healer. "Did you know that Balin was going to take Bilbo to the elves? Surely you wouldn't have agreed with it – you would have been more than capable of looking after Bilbo without any elvish help."
"Of course I would have been," agreed Oin matter-of-factly, "but... circumstances change."
"You shouldn't have even removed Bilbo from his tent," Thorin said to Balin, "let alone to- to take him to elves. Oin would have looked after Bilbo, you didn't need to consult elves on his behalf, and if you did, you could have invited them to our camp instead of taking Bilbo to them!"
"I didn't 'remove Bilbo from his tent', laddie," sighed Balin, rubbing his temples as if he had a headache. "He left it on his own. He woke up while Oin was tending to you. Bilbo was by himself for only a few short moments, but during that time he managed to cut the back of his tent open and leave through that hole. No-one had had the chance to explain the... misunderstanding to him and so he still believed that we wanted to harm him – he apparently thought it best to escape, and escape he did. We didn't tell you because you would have gone after him which, considering your condition at the time, might have well been fatal to you."
It took several long moments of explaining before Balin – with the more or less helpful aid of Gloin and Bofur – managed to explain to Thorin – and a carefully listening Kili – how Oin had noticed that Bilbo had escaped from his tent, how the dwarves had begun to look for him, how they had realized that Dain's disappearance must have had something to do with Bilbo's escape, how they had caught up with Dain's wagon and found out that Bilbo had taken Dain hostage, not the other way around, how Bilbo had then collapsed, how the elves had agreed to let the dwarves take Bilbo to the camp of elves at Balin's request. Balin then proceeded to describe how Gandalf had happened to come by and how he had immediately began to heal Bilbo.
"Bilbo's condition was critical," said Balin. "Had Gandalf not been there, I could well be here with even graver news."
The implications of that were clear
Bilbo might have died.
and Thorin felt himself blanch. He staggered backwards, groping his way to the vacant chair between his nephews' beds and dropped into it as all strength left his legs. Oin hurried to arrange the pillows and blankets around him with Dori's aid, while Thorin covered his face with a hand, trying not to think how close to death Bilbo had once again been because Thorin hadn't made sure that Dain would understand him clearly enough.
When it came down to it, Thorin thought, it was all his fault, as were so many other things. Yes, Dain should have asked to have the order in writing, but Thorin shouldn't have left any room for misunderstandings in the first place.
"Will Bilbo survive?" he forced himself to ask and the resulting silence felt to him like hours.
Eventually Gandalf answered, "I believe so," and something painful unclenched in Thorin's heart upon hearing those three words.
It turned out that Thranduil had given Bilbo a tent of his own and had allowed Gandalf to accompany Bilbo there. The dwarves had been left standing outside in the cold for hours while Gandalf and Thranduil had done what they could for Bilbo. By the time they were finished, Bilbo's fever had come down and he was sleeping peacefully.
And that had been when Gandalf had begun to demand answers of the dwarves.
"We told him everything," Balin continued. "We began by telling him how Dain had taken your words as an order to execute Bilbo and how-"
"Execute Bilbo," Kili cut in in a sharp voice. "Did I hear that right, Mister Balin? Did you just say that Dain tried to 'execute Bilbo'? By order of Thorin's?"
"Yes, that's what he said," said Bombur, apparently thinking he was being helpful, and Kili gave Thorin a look so wary that Thorin could feel his heart breaking from the impact of it.
"Kili-" Thorin began, but Kili was already trying to get up from the bed. His attempts were in vain since both Bombur and Dori pushed him insistently back down, and soon Kili gave up on trying to leave bed in order to look at Thorin.
"Have you relapsed?" demanded Kili, perhaps more desperately than he had meant to. "Has the madness taken a hold of you again, Uncle? Is that why you ordered Bilbo's execution?"
"I have not relapsed," Thorin did his best to assure Kili, meeting the gaze of the brown eyes as steadily as he was able to in his current condition. "I give you my word, Kili, the madness has left me."
"Then why did you order Bilbo to get executed?"
"He didn't, lad," Balin hurried to say. "It was a misunderstanding. Thorin asked Dain to 'take care of Bilbo', and Dain intepretted Thorin's words in a different way than Thorin had meant them."
There seemed to be some kind of an internal turmoil going on in Kili's mind as he studied his uncle cautiously, in a searching manner. Thorin sat still, never looking away, and slowly, gradually, Kili's wary expression cleared and he gave Thorin a nod.
"I believe you," he said to Thorin's great relief. "I believe you're you again and that it was all a misunderstanding."
"I'm glad to hear that," admitted Thorin.
Kili's eyes were then so full of trust, love, and silent admiration that Thorin had to turn his face away, for he had never felt he deserved such things from his nephews who should have had so much more in their life than an uncle as difficult and poor – in more ways than one – as him.
(Though now he did have gold, more than he would ever need.)
"But this misunderstanding," Kili continued, turning his gaze on Balin, "I wonder if it is the same misunderstanding that Ori mentioned earlier."
"Whether it was or not," sighed Thorin, rubbing his face wearily, "you can find that out later, Kili. Now our focus should be on Dwalin and Bilbo's immediate return. The sooner we can get them back here where we can protect them, the better. Balin, your decision was an uncharacteristically foolish one. You shouldn't have taken anyone to the camp of elves, especially not Bilbo in his grave condition. Instead, you should have brought Bilbo here to Oin's care and send someone to fetch Gandalf. You know that elves can't be trusted."
"And you know me, Thorin," said Balin, "and you know that I can be trusted. For over a century we have called each other friends. I wouldn't have taken Bilbo to the camp of elves if I didn't deem it the best possible choise under the circumstances. I did think it the best option, under the circumstances: Bilbo was in need of medical help and I thought that we could ask Gandalf to clear this whole matter up since he's impartial and since Bilbo trusts him, probably more so than he currently trusts us. Do trust my judgement now, laddie, as you have done in the past."
They gazed each other in the eye for long moments, until Thorin sighed and looked away.
"How was Dwalin when you left him?"
Three different voices answered his question at once.
"As fine as can be expected," said Balin just as Bofur muttered, "Grumpy," and Gloin said, "Hungry – he hadn't even eaten a proper breakfast yet!"
"Well," Thorin grunted, "he better be fine – and unharmed – when he gets back here."
"I'm sure he will be, Thorin," said Gandalf in his slightly gravelly voice. Then he turned to Balin, "Your decision was a wise one, Master Balin, in particular under the circumstances. It is thanks to you that Bilbo is now recovering, as is the fact that I am now here on his behalf to find out the truth. Once I have my answers, I shall go to him and tell him whether or not you dwarrows pose a danger to him, whether or not he has reason to feel threatened by you."
"Good," said Bofur emphatically. "I want my friend back, and even more than that, I want my friend to know that I still am his friend, that I never wished him harm in the first place."
"I'm sure we all want Bilbo to know that we still count him among our friends," agreed Bombur.
"Wait," said Kili, startled. "Does Bilbo think that I'm not his friend anymore? Does he think that Fili's not his friend either? Surely not? Does he think that we were involved in this whole misunderstanding in some way?"
"Who knows, laddie," said Balin, "but now is not the time for dilemmas like that. We have more urgent things to deal with: now we must convince Gandalf for the fact that Thorin doesn't wish to see Bilbo executed."
With that, all the pairs of eyes turned to stare at Thorin, and Thorin straightened his back despite of the pain the movement caused in his shoulder.
"In the presence of these witnesses," he spoke, meeting Gandalf's gaze, "I swear to you on my life, Gandalf the Grey, that it is not my intention to have Bilbo Baggins to come to harm. I never gave the order to have him executed, all that happened after the battle was a misunderstanding of the worst kind. Bilbo shouldn't have experienced the things he did – I should have made sure that my kin understood my order clearly when I asked them to look after Bilbo, I shouldn't have left any room for misunderstandings."
"Indeed you shouldn't have," agreed Gandalf. "Your order – an intentional one or not – almost caused the death of one innocent being. Although you appear sincere when you claim that you don't wish to harm Bilbo, I am still not convinced enough of your honesty that I would tell Bilbo that you are speaking the truth."
"In that case," said Thorin, tilting his head slightly, "how can I convince you that I speak the truth?"
Gandalf fell silent with a deep frown forming on his forehead as if he was considering the matter carefully. Eventually he gave a barely detectable nod to himself and focused his attention back to Thorin.
"Allow me to see the truth for myself," he suggested. "Allow me to see your memories through your eyes."
That was one suggestion Thorin hadn't been expecting, but he didn't let the surprise of the unexpected suggestion show on his face.
"And how would that be done?"
"I would touch your mind, Thorin, briefly," explained Gandalf. "I would visit the chamber of your memories and see for myself how the events unfolded, how they happened from your point of view. Only if I do this, can I find the truth out for certain."
The dwarves around them murmured with discontent. It was obvious that they didn't like the idea of someone visiting their king's "chamber of memories", although none of them knew for certain what that was, exactly.
Balin noted with healthy amount of suspicion, "I wasn't aware that you can read minds, Gandalf."
"There are many things you aren't aware of, son of Fundin, wise though you are."
"Have you been reading our minds when we've been asleep, Gandalf?" demanded Gloin.
"I can only visit the chamber of memories of those who allow me in," Gandalf assured the dwarves. "And one has to be awake to allow it. I cannot – and wouldn't – touch an unwilling mind."
"And how would you even do that, to touch someone's mind?" asked Bofur. "Would you shrink yourself until you could climb into one of Thorin's nostrils, or how else would you gain access to his mind and to this 'chamber of memories'?"
"Don't be stupid, brother," said Bombur to Bofur, giving him a bit of a nudge. "Gandalf would have to enter through Thorin's ear – everyone knows that the ears are the way to one's mind, not the nostrils."
"I thought it was the nostrils for sure."
"No, it's the ears, brother, I'm sure."
"Those are both such fascinating theories," said Gandalf, "but the process wouldn't be quite so physical that I would need to try and 'shrink myself', although some physical contact would, indeed, be needed in order for me to enter Thorin's chamber of memories. I would simply touch Thorin's forehead with my fingers and allow the energy of my mind to briefly touch the energy of his mind – this would give me all the answers I would require."
Before anyone had the chance to say anything, Kili spoke.
"No," he said, firmly, vehemently, reaching out to grasp Thorin by the bicep as if believing that the physical contact would be enough to prevent his uncle from giving Gandalf his consent. "Thorin's mind has been 'touched' enough as it is. You stay out of his head, Gandalf, and keep your 'mind energy' away from him as well."
"Bilbo Baggins' future depends on what I find out from your uncle, young Kili," said Gandalf gravely. "I cannot go back to Bilbo with answers I'm not completely certain are truthful. If you want me to believe that Thorin doesn't want Bilbo executed – and if you want me to tell Bilbo such a thing as the truth – Thorin will have to allow me to see the truth in his mind."
"No," said Kili again and his grip on Thorin's arm tightened. "Thorin's mind needs time to heal – he's only been back to himself for a few days, and you could cause him to... to relapse, even! I've only just gotten my uncle back and now you might as well be suggesting taking him from me and my brother again. Twice the dragon sickness shall not have my uncle in its grasp, once was more than enough. Our word must be enough for you, Gandalf, like for everyone else, and you can tell Bilbo what we tell you – let us trust him to make his mind up of that – but you cannot touch Thorin's mind. I will not allow it. If you try to touch him, you will have to fight me. I will protect him, even from you, Gandalf."
Kili spoke with passion of youth and familial love, and although his loyalty was touching – and made Thorin even more determined to not fail his nephews again
They deserve better.
– Thorin couldn't help but sigh to himself at the foolishness of his kin: It hadn't been but moments since Kili had apologized to Thorin for not using his better judgement when dealing with Dain and his contracts and now he was already announcing that he would fight one of the Maiar if he deemed it necessary. If Gandalf decided to enter Thorin's mind without consent, there would be nothing any of them could do – Kili wouldn't be much of an opponent to a powerful wizard like Gandalf, a competent warrior nearing his prime though he may have otherwise been.
Thorin ran a hand through his hair. The passion of youth – what else was it but rash, foolish actions that could easily get one killed or wounded? Kili was so full of youthful passion that it seemed to cloud all his judgement, all his reasonability on occasion. Thank Mahal of the level-headed Fili who could balance out his brother, Thorin thought, giving his sleeping nephew a fond look.
Thorin considered his options. There was truth in Kili's words: If he were to allow Gandalf to touch his mind, there was a real possibility that his mind wouldn't be strong enough to take the impact, that the dragon sickness could find a way to take a hold of his mind again. On the other hand, if he didn't let Gandalf have the answers in a way the wizard deemed necessary, Bilbo might never believe the dwarves, he might continue living in fear of dwarves and Thorin.
Did he not owe Bilbo his life, Thorin reminded himself, did he not owe Bilbo the lives of his nephews, his kin, and his friends? Did his people not owe Bilbo a debt higher than Thorin's mind would ever be worth and was it not Thorin's duty as their king to pay that dept on their behalf?
Thorin sighed, knowing well what needed to be done.
"I acknowledge what my people and I have done and caused to Bilbo," he said and became immediately the centre of attention. "If by clearing this matter up I can repay even some of what we – I – have done to Bilbo, I shall do all I can to do so. Do to me what you must, Tharkûn. Touch my mind and search this chamber of memories you speak of. Find the answers you need, but I ask that you will tell Bilbo the truth once you are done."
"That I can promise you," Gandalf's voice was low and – Thorin noted on some level – fitted thus the anxious atmosphere of the tent quite well.
"There is," continued Thorin, swallowing hard, "there is one other thing I would request of you before you touch my mind, Gandalf. A personal favour, if you like."
Gandalf gave him an inscrutable look.
"And what might that be?"
"If it were to happen," said Thorin, "that you touching my mind would result in dragon sickness taking a hold of me again, I would request that you would take it upon yourself to end my life, one way or another."
Complete silence resulted in the tent from these words. Kili's grasp on Thorin's arm was now painfully hard, but Thorin still continued,
"It is not an easy thing to ask, Gandalf, nor would it be a pleasant thing for you to do, but that is what I request since I cannot take the risk that I would bring doom over my people again, over my recently reclaimed kingdom; I would rather die than become mad again. If you wish to touch my mind, you have to first promise me to kill me if I become mad due to your touch."
"It would be unlikely that I would cause such harm to you, Thorin," said Gandalf gently. "I can promise you that I would be as careful as is possible."
"I would rather die than become mad again," Thorin repeated. "If you wish to touch my mind, you have to give me your word that you would kill me if golden fog filled my mind again due to your touch."
Gandalf bowed his head. Suddenly he looked to Thorin even older than usually, like he now felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"Thorin Oakenshield," said Gandalf gravely, "I promise to you that I would personally make sure that you would cause harm to neither your people nor your kingdom if you were to fall victim to dragon sickness due to my touch."
"That is good enough of an answer to me," sighed Thorin, even though Gandalf hadn't promised to kill him – if it became necessary – per se.
"Perhaps we could talk about this later," suggested Oin who was holding his ear trumpet in a white-knuckled grip. "Perhaps... perhaps when Thorin has had more time to heal, when his mind has had more time to heal."
"No," said Thorin. "We must do this now. I'm not letting Dwalin and Bilbo spend a moment longer among elves than is absolutely necessary."
"I must agree that we should hurry the proceedings," said Balin with audible reluctance. "The elves were already preparing to take down their camp and the majority of them – including the young prince – had already been sent back to Mirkwood on the order of Thranduil by the time we left their camp. While Thranduil was kind enough to allow my brother and Bilbo to remain in one of his tents, I don't think he would have his warriors linger in such an open area for Dwalin and Bilbo for any longer than was necessary for the wounded elves' sake – that is why I considered this matter so urgent: if we don't act now, Thranduil will either take Bilbo and Dwalin with him to Mirkwood, leave them in the snow, or have some of his warriors bring them here which might cause further trauma to Bilbo, mentally even more so than physically."
Thorin liked none of the options.
"Do to me what you must, Tharkûn," he said with determination. "Touch my mind and search my chamber of memories. Find the answers you need and then hurry to Bilbo and let him know that I want him no harm."
"No, Thorin," Kili said, the desperation in his voice audible. When Thorin turned to look, he met the gaze of two pleading eyes that were filled with trepidation and fear and worry and so, so many other feelings that Thorin wondered how he ever could have been as unfair as to ask Kili if there was nothing else in his mind but "pretty lasses, merrymaking, and food".
Thorin wanted to say something encouraging, then, but as tended to happen when he needed his words the most, he couldn't now come up with anything to say.
"Let go off my arm, Kili," he eventually settled with. "You probably shouldn't be in contact with me when Gandalf touches my mind."
"Please, don't do this, Uncle," whispered Kili and that was almost enough for Thorin to change his mind just for his sister-son's sake.
"Let go off my arm, Kili," he nevertheless repeated. His voice came out softer than he had intended. "If your uncle's request isn't enough, must your king order you?"
Reluctantly, Kili released him and withdrew his hand.
Thorin offered Kili a bit of a smile and looked then at Gandalf.
"I am ready."
"Very well then."
Gandalf stepped closer, right in front of Thorin, raised his left hand and touched Thorin's forehead, the spot between his eyes.
"Try not to think of anything," Gandalf advised. "If you must think of something, think of doors and opening them; think of opening a door for me."
"Very well," said Thorin. "I'll think of doors, and you'll remember the promise you gave me."
"If this will be the doom of my uncle," Thorin heard Kili saying, "I will blame you for it, Gandalf."
"If you must," sighed Gandalf, and then he didn't say anything for a while.
It was difficult for Thorin not to think of something – the more he tried, the more he thought – and so he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts on doors. He would have thought of the door of Bilbo's smial – that would have suited the situation – but he could scarcely remember it, so little mind he had paid to the architecture of hobbit smials when visiting one. Thus, instead, he now thought of all the doors he had ever made himself and he imagined opening them to Gandalf.
Gandalf's fingers felt cool against Thorin's forehead, but gradually they became warmer, all the more warmer, until they felt almost hot against Thorin's skin.
After a while, Thorin felt as if some kind of internal wind was forcing its way into his mind, rummaging around his thoughts. It hurt, but he didn't move away, enduring the pain rather than preventing Gandalf from searching his chamber of memories. After only a few moments, Gandalf withdrew his hand and the wind instantly disappeared from Thorin's mind. Thorin slumped instantly forward in his chair, letting out an involuntary gasp of pain. He held his suddenly aching head with both of his hands, while Oin's familiar hands appeared on him, prodding and offering comfort. Gloin and Bofur were swearing somewhere in the background, Bombur and Dori's murmurs were worried.
"You didn't say it would hurt him so!" Kili's accusing voice felt piercing in Thorin's ear and he hushed his sister-son in Iglishmek.
"I assure you that no lasting damage was done to your uncle, young Kili," Gandalf said quietly, probably keeping his voice down for Thorin's sake. "The effects will soon wear off. If I could have been given the answers without causing Thorin some pain, I would have done so."
"You could have just asked him whatever it was that you wanted to know," Kili argued, though he now kept his voice down as well. "You know, with words like everyone else does instead of your fancy magic. Like I suggested! Why do you and Thorin always have to be so frustratingly histrionic!"
Oin's hands disappeared then, but Thorin kept his head in his hands, eyes firmly closed against the pain, and so he couldn't tell where the healer had gone off to. Everyone had fallen silent, but Thorin could hear rustling sounds of moving clothes and thus he knew that the people around him were discussing something in Iglishmek – and apparently quite furiously. He could only assume that Kili was letting Gandalf have a piece of his mind, while the other dwarves – and the wizard – were chiming in on the conversation.
Eventually Oin came back – judging from the strengthened scent of potions – and a cool, mint-scented towel was placed onto Thorin's neck. The coolness of the fabric soothed the pain in Thorin's head and he let out a sigh of relief.
Once he was able to raise his head again, he met Gandalf's gaze. The wizard look
sad, sympathetic, regretful, apologetic
much kinder than before, and Thorin took this to mean that Gandalf was now certain that Thorin didn't wish to get Bilbo executed.
"Did you get your answers?" he nevertheless asked in an unexpectedly raspy voice. "Do you now know that we have been speaking the truth?"
"Yes, I do, Thorin Oakenshield," murmured Gandalf. "Yes, I now know that you have been speaking the truth. I am sorry I caused you pain when getting this information."
"No need for apologies," grumbled Thorin, rubbing his temples. "It will be a great relief to me when you tell Bilbo the truth and we can finally have this matter cleared."
"Indeed," said Gandalf softly.
A/N: I'll need to take my laptop for repair so I can't write for a few days, but you'll get the next chapter next week - that's a promise.
Thank you all your feedback, reviews as well as private messages!
