Thorin wanted an elite group to go on this journey, so he hand picked Dwalin, Ori, Nori and Dori. Along with his nephews Fili and Kili. Balin, Thorin's most trusted companion, would watch over the kingdom in his absence. Balin was good with managing trades and handling trivial town situations, the king would travel this journey feeling confident in the dwarf he'd left to manage Erebor.
The morning was filled with supplying themselves, double checking packs and weapons before they set out on foot. It'd be a long journey, but hopefully they'd return to their home with a completely heathy Bilbo in tow.
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Tauriel watched silently, hidden from anyone's sight as she followed the troup of dwarfs movement. They were armed and packed as if for a long journey, and her Kili was among those venturing dwarfs!
Her king had ordered her to stay here to watch for an elf sneaking into the mountain, but Tauriel was that elf, so there was really no point in this trivial task. In fact, the she elf had a bad feeling that her master knew that it was her, and was making her do this as a sort of sick joke or possibly a punishment. Either way, she wasn't just going to stick around here forever. The elf was curious as to why the company of dwarfs were journeying, and was determined to abandon her post and follow the company.
With eagle eyes, she watched them reach Dale, and then head towards the ferry that would take them through Lake Town. With cat like reflexes, she jumped nimbly out of the tree she was hiding in, and began to follow at a distance. moving like a shadow, morphing into her surroundings as she discreetly followed after her lover and his traveling companions.
Kili, her secret companion, the dwarf who had won her silly heart over so easily. Why would he leave like this without somehow trying to let her know he'd be gone? That bothered her, but perhaps it was a sudden trip, something that hadn't been planned. She'd give him the benefit of the doubt for now, she was soft and lenient with him unlike so many other males she interacted with. Well, all except Legolas, he was a friend. She had thought that maybe she had loved him, but when she met Kili, every fiber in her being knew that what she had felt for Legolas could not compare to her feelings towards Kili.
Besides, Legolas's father had forbid her to have any kind of romantic relationship with his son. That she wasn't good enough for Legolas, being only a Silven elf. It had hurt her at first, but as time went by, and she spent more time with Kili, it didn't matter as much to her anymore. Legolas would most likely find a more suitable bride anyway, he was a good looking elf with a kingdom to inherit after all. Either way, that topic wasn't important to her, right now all she could think of was Kili, and wondering why he was headed out on a journey.
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Legolas was very confused at the moment, he'd been ordered to watch Tauriel's actions, and right now she was not at all on task. She was moving away from the mountain, following the group of dwarfs that were headed towards Lake Town.
A big part of him wanted to interact and stop her, but he was told to only watch...Reluctantly he followed her, being quiet and staying out of her sight, wondering why the elf was going against his father's orders and leaving her post.
He had noticed Tauriel distancing herself from him, and it had confused Legolas. They had a good relationship, working well together on missions, going into battle knowing they'd have each others back, and now it seemed she didn't even want to talk with him anymore. Avoiding him during meals, having reasons for not joining him on hunts around Mirkwood, it was strange. He hadn't done anything that he knew of to offend her, so why was she behaving this way? Legolas even had asked around if Tauriel was dating some other elf, and no one had seen that going on. Yet she certainly acted like there was possibly someone else, the way he'd find her looking off into the distance, sighing like a love sick youth.
Legolas liked her, a lot, and had thought that maybe one day when he was ready for it, he'd choose her as his bride. No other female matched her ferocity in battle, her stealth in more discreet missions. Her beauty was an obvious trait that caught his attention, yet in all this time together as a team in battle, he'd never once courted her. Perhaps he'd thought that he had all the time in the world, yet that didn't seem the case any longer. He was out of time, she had found someone to treat her as more than just a partner, and Legolas was kicking himself over this fact.
As he trailed her, he gazed again at the distant group of dwarfs, that's when he noticed HIM. That dwarf that barely had a beard, the one who brazenly flirted with Tauriel when he was a prisoner! So, perhaps Tauriel was leaving her post because of that dwarf! Oh Tauriel, how could you abandon your mission for someone like that!
Then again, maybe Legolas was jumping to conclusions. Maybe the dwarfs were up to no good and she was following them to eventually stop them...Sure, that was really believable. Still, he'd try to think positively about this, and not just go off the handle until he understood the true reason behind her actions.
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They had traveled beyond Lake Town, going until nightfall and setting up camp. It had been one long day, and everyone was exhausted. Most the group had already fallen asleep, Thorin was awake, sitting at the camp fire, gazing into the flames, deep in thought.
"Mind if I join you?" Bilbo asked, surprising the zoning out dwarf. Thorin simply nodded his head, feeling Bilbo's body next to his as he sat. The hairy footed companion cuddled against Thorin, warming the dwarfs heart as he took an arm and wrapped it around the hobbit.
"You looked like you could use some company." Bilbo commented, enjoying their peaceful moment together.
"I'm fine, just concerned about our journey. Also, I also keep feeling like we're being followed, but I don't see a damn thing. Maybe I'm just being paranoid." Thorin sighed, leaning his head to rest against Bilbo's.
"It'll be alright, Gandalf's with us, we'll get there before you know it." Bilbo tried being optimistic.
"I want to believe it, but I've a hard time having faith in elves, Bilbo. What if we get there and she refuses to heal you? Or worse, she's unable to help at all..." Thorin spoke his concern, Bilbo was silent for a moment, considering his answer.
"Even if all that happens, I've at least spent my last moments with you, Thorin. Just so we're clear though, if you shack up with anyone else after I go, I will come back and haunt your dwarf ass!" Bilbo ended his words with a joke, making the dwarf chuckle and squeeze the hobbit gently.
"Bilbo, after you, there will be no other. I can promise you that." Thorin smiled sadly, kissing the top of the hobbit's head.
"Well, that's good to know, I was worried I'd be easily replaced."
"Ha! No other hobbit could pull the schemes and mischief you do, or be quite the pain in the ass that you are." Thorin laughed, Bilbo eyed his dwarf sourly.
"You act as if I'm only ever a naughty hobbit, I have nice traits as well! You enjoy my cooking."
"Yes, when you're not adding raspberries to it." Thorin teased, Bilbo stuck his tongue out at the dwarfs words.
"I'm also easy to talk to." Bilbo added to his list of positive traits.
"When you're not hormonal and moody." Thorin mumbled.
"What was that?!" Bilbo eyed his companion warningly.
"You're always such a level headed hobbit, you never get moody or hormonal." Thorin spoke sarcastically, making Bilbo lightly pinch the dwarfs arm.
"Such an arse!" He tisked at Thorin, still smiling though as he said it.
"And you wouldn't want me any other way." He commented, Bilbo only shrugged, cuddling into the dwarf more and stifling a yawn.
"You should rest, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Thorin spoke gently, the hobbit only nodding as he stayed close and comfortable next to his king.
Soon, the tired hobbit was lightly snoring, leaning into Thorins embrace. Thorin carefully stood, holding the hobbit in his arms as he carried him over to his bedroll. Placing Bilbo down gently, the king placed a light blanket over the hobbit's body. Standing back and watching fondly as he companion slept peacefully. After a moment, the king went back to his post by the camp fire, looking off towards the distance and wondering. If they were truly being followed, what was the reason for it? Time would reveal all truths, the king would just have to be patient until then...
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The Hobbit belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien.
A/N: Thanks for all your reviews/favorites and just plain old reading the story! It wasn't an extremely eventful chapter, but that's about to change. Lots of crap is going to hit the fan, keep a look out for another update soon!