Chapter 9: Left in Erebor
As Frodo and Sam watched Thorin ride out with Bilbo, they could no longer hold back the tears. They just cried and cried. Kili and Fili rubbed their backs, rocking them gently in their arms, telling them everything was going to be okay.
They were scared of losing Bilbo. They didn't know it but, without Bilbo they wouldn't really have anyone left. Well, that's not true. They would have Thorin, Fili, Kili, Ori, Bofur, Dwalin, Balin, and every other dwarf. They had no relation to the hobbits but that didn't stop them from being family.
The boys weren't the only ones who were scarred. Bilbo was like an uncle to the princes, they didn't want to lose him.
Especially since he and Thorin haven't told each other their feelings.
If-When- they returned Fili and Kili would make it their life goal to get them together.
~space~
It had been three days since Thorin and the others had left. Frodo and Sam had pulled in to their selves. They would only really play quietly with each other.
Balin had started teaching them Khuzdul. Sam was a natural, Frodo wasn't as good, but Sam helped Frodo.
The boys slept with Kili and Fili, they all shared Fili's bed. Frodo and Sam would cling to each other as if they couldn't breathe when they weren't touching.
Fili, Dwalin, Balin and Kili were at a loss of what to do. They could only wait for Thorin to come back.
~space~
Fili was woken by the sound of sniffling, he looked over to his brother; momentarily forgetting the little hobbits that shared their bed. Kili was sleeping soundly cuddled up with Sam in his arms.
He saw Frodo's little body shaking with quiet sobs. He pulled the little hobbit against his chest.
"What's wrong little one?" he whispered softly into Frodo's curly locks.
"I miss Uncle Bilbo."
"Don't worry he will be back soon, he can't stand to stay away from you and Sam." Fili said rubbing his back.
"I miss Mommy and Daddy too." The Frodo said so quietly Fili almost didn't hear him.
"It's okay to miss them." Frodo looked up with red eyes. "The first time I went with Uncle Thorin on a hunting trip, Kili was too young to come so he had to stay home with our mother. When we returned Kili pleaded, bribed, and begged me to never leave him again. Especially not with our mother."
Frodo smiled a little.
"Said that she put him in dresses, and did his hair up like a fine lady's." Frodo laughed a bit. "She went on and on about how much she's always wanted a daughter. And how she would teach him to be a man every woman from here to Gondor would want."
"Really?" Frodo asked between his laughter,
"Oh yeah! Sometimes she even said that he should've been a girl." Out of the corner of his eye he could see his brother glaring at him. He smiled even wider.
~space~
"When is Thorin going to bring back Uncle Bilbo?" Frodo asked on the eighth day that they had been gone. Every day Frodo or Sam would ask this question to Balin, he being one of Thorin's advisors would surly know.
But alas he didn't. Each day it shattered his heart to tell them "Soon." But he did not know when. They might not even come back at all.
Today was different however, for in the distance they could all see the returning party that had left eight days ago.
The boys were so excited; they rushed down to the gates to meet them.
When the gates opened Frodo and Sam were bouncing on their hairy little feet next to Kili and Fili, they were also eager to see Bilbo.
When the gates revealed Thorin and the others, the princes were confused. Everyone was quiet and looking down, even their uncle. Gandalf was not with them; however Aragorn and an elf were now among their company.
"Uncle?" Fili started stepping in front of the little hobbits, who were scanning all the faces to find Bilbo's. There was a sinking feeling in Fili's gut. "Where's Bilbo?"
Thorin raised this gaze to meet his oldest nephew's, there was sadness and anger in this eyes. The same emotions Fili had seen on those that had lost loved ones in battle.
"He," his uncle swallowed, "he is not with us."
~space~
Thorin was worried. For Bilbo, Frodo and Sam, and for the life of whoever did this to Bilbo once he got his hands on them. For he would not being merciful in his punishment. It maybe be cliché, but they would truly wish they had never been born.
Gandalf had sent word ahead so Aragorn and the elves would know of their arrival in Mirkwood.
Bilbo's health was declining fast; they couldn't ride very fast. On the first night his health took a turn for the worse, his fever was burning hotter, his coughing had worsened, and he was constantly shivering. They decided to continue riding through the next two nights.
Gandalf would lean over from his horse to check on Bilbo every five minutes or so. Thorin could also feel the worry from his men.
~space~
The hobbit did not deserve this.
Bilbo was constantly muttering to Thorin, trapped in a feverish haze, about Hobbiton, and how he had to get Frodo and Sam to safety.
~space~
About noon on the second day of riding through the night Mirkwood came into view, as well as five riders galloping towards them. When they were about forty feet away Thorin recognized the man that traveled with them through Mirkwood.
"Gandalf!" the man called out quick dismounting his horse.
"He has inhaled this powder," The wizard said, wasting no time. He handed the pouch to the ranger.
Oin and Gloin helped Bilbo off Thorin's horse, laying him on a blanket(laid out by Ori) gently.
One elf sat at the top of the blanket putting Bilbo's head in his lap. The elf who had Bilbo's head in his lap sat still like a statue, watching Bilbo like a hawk. He said something elfish to Aragorn, who nodded kneeling next to them, and started opening Bilbo's shirt. The ranger said something to the other elves; they then started mixing herbs and other things.
"Start a fire, make camp." Thorin told his men, who busied themselves to take their minds off the sick hobbit lying only a few feet away from them.
The camp was finished as the sun started going down. All the dwarrows sat around the fire, watching the elves and man work.
~space~
Movement caught Thorin's eye when the blonde elf who had Bilbo's head in his lap, suddenly bent over the hobbit pressing his ears to Bilbo's chest.
"Aragorn!" he called out to the ranger; Aragorn looked up from where he was adding something to the brown mixture the other elves were working on. Gandalf and the ranger ran over to Bilbo.
Thorin realized that Bilbo had stopped coughing and wheezing a while ago. He started panicking slightly. Bilbo's chest wasn't moving. He could feel Bifur and Nori holding him back.
Aragorn reached in to a pouch attached to his belt, pulling out three small red berries crushing them against the hobbits slightly blue lips.
After a few breathless seconds, the hobbit took a deep breath and brook into a coughing fit.
"Coughing means breathing." Oin stood between him and the healers, pushing slightly on Thorin's shoulders.
Thorin relented and sat down. There was nothing he could do. Bilbo's life was in the hands of these people.
They better save his hobbit.
~space~
One horrible day a letter arrived message arrived for Thorin. A small bird had come to Thorin with a note tied around its leg. It was chirping furiously.
It had landed in front of him in the middle of a meeting with his council. Thorin had sent Fili with the bird to his room; he could not be bothered with a message right now.
"Ow!" Fili cried out more in shock than in pain, when the little brown bird bit him. It flew out of his nephew's hands back to Thorin, sticking out its leg. Thorin sighed removing the message.
Thorin couldn't understand a word of it. It was written in a language foreign to him. This time he sent Fili with the note to Ori and Balin. They would have the best chance at decrypting it.
"Thorin!" Balin burst into his chambers, later that evening. "The Shire! It's been attacked by Orcs!"
"WHAT?" Thorin pushed his chair back so hard that it fell over. "The note, it said that the Shire had been attacked by Orcs! It was from Radagast the Brown."
"Bilbo! What of Bilbo?! What did it say about Bilbo?!" The fear that ran through him was overwhelming.
"Nothing. It only said that the Shire was attacked."
"Balin ready the company, do not tell any others." Hid oldest advisor nodded before leaving. Thorin took a deep breath, staggering Thorin fell back onto a random chair. He took a few shaky breathes. Thorin couldn't calm the rising fear in his chest.
Oh Mahal please let Bilbo be okay.
(A/N: Sorry i keep changing messing with the style, It's my first time posting on ff, i'm still trying to get the hang of it :) Originally i didn't write the part about Thorin hearing of the attack.)