Chapter 11: Surprise Kisses

To keep up the guise of Bilbo's death, Sam, Frodo, and the princes very rarely left the royal wing. But they mostly wanted to keep Bilbo company. Thorin had to act extremely irritable (which wasn't hard) and enraged. There was still an attempted killer in Erebor. And the others acted as if Bilbo had truly died. And it was hard, for everyone; for there had been a chance that they would not be acting if not for Aragorn and the elves.

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Thorin would not eat dinner in the hall with the others; he would eat in his room with the hobbits and his nephews.

~space~

Aragorn and Legolas did not stay long, soon returning to Mirkwood. Aragorn promised to visit before he returned to Rivendell.

~space~

Most days Bilbo would play with Frodo, Sam, Fili and Kili; then he sent them to lessons with Balin. Then Ori, Bofur, or one of the others would come and sit with him, even if nothing was said, Bilbo enjoyed his friends presence.

But what Bilbo enjoyed the most was when Thorin could manage to slip away from his duties, even if only for a few minutes, to see him.

He would complain to Bilbo of the annoying council meetings, Azelon who kept pushing his daughter on Thorin, and about the girl herself; apparently she was relentless with trying to get Thorin to court her. She wasn't getting the message that he wasn't interested.

Bilbo would offer his ideas and advice. Bilbo didn't like this woman. From the way Thorin described her, the king didn't like her either. However being the king, Thorin couldn't out right turn her down, as the rules of Erebor said.

~space~

Bilbo had a nightmare. It was of the Hobbiton. Gandalf had said that the rest of the Shire was untouched by the attack, but he couldn't help but picture all of the rolling hills and grassy fields of the Shire alight with flame.

He had probably scarred Frodo and Sam with his tossing and turning. His eyes fluttered open to not find the faces of his nephew and Sam, but to find himself pressed against the strong chest of the King Under the Mountain. He looked up to Thorin's face helplessly confused and embarrassed.

"You had a nightmare. Sam and Frodo awoke me demanding I scare away the nightmare." The king explained, watching Bilbo's blushed face with a soft smile.

"I'm sorry."

"It is nothing to apologize for. It is common for those who have seen great battles to have these night terrors." Bilbo suddenly realized how close he and Thorin were to each other. It became a semi-awkward silence. Bilbo spoke up again.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything. Letting us come here, saving my life again, caring for Frodo and Sam." Bilbo curled slightly closer to Thorin.

"I am glad to help you in any way possible. I feel that I have not made up for my actions before the battle."

Bilbo looked Thorin right in the eye. "As I told you before, as I'm telling you now, and as I will always tell you, I forgive you." Bilbo knew Thorin could see nothing but truth and trust in his eyes, because he meant Thorin could do nothing that he would never forgive eventually.

"Bilbo I-" Thorin was cut off when his lips were pressed against Bilbo's. Bilbo was in just as much shock as the king. He could feel two little hands on the back of his head.

Frodo and Sam scampered off the bed before they could be caught.

"Frodo! Sam!" Bilbo cried out, his face was now a lovely shade of red from the tips of his pointed ears, all the way down his neck. He sat up to chase them.

"Fili and Kili told us to do it!" Sam said happily, ratting out the princes before running out of the room with Frodo.

"I'm sorry for them." Bilbo said to Thorin who still seemed to be in shock. His words woke the king from his state.

"No, it is okay." Thorin said kindly, sitting up as well. "It was an enjoyable experience." Bilbo's lips were soft, and Thorin would be lying if he said he hadn't thought of kissing the hobbit before.

"Really?" Bilbo asked disbelievingly.

"Yes. I liked it very much, so much so I would very much like to try it again…" Thorin trailed off leaning closer to Bilbo slowly, giving the hobbit time to pull away.

Bilbo only found him self leaning in as well, watching Thorin's lips. Their lips were only centimeters apart.

"Unlce Thorin!" Frodo's voiced call from the door. He and Sam had both started to call the king Uncle Thorin after Bilbo had gotten better. Fili and Kili probably influenced them. "There's a lady at the door asking to speak to you."

"We said you were busy, but she won't go away." Sam said from next to Frodo.

Thorin rested his forehead against Bilbo's.

"We will finish this later, and away from interruptions." He said with a small smile. Bilbo smiled back and nodded.

As Thorin got up from the bed he couldn't stop smiling. He hoped that the hobbit would always have this effect on him.

"Come here boys; let's stay out of Uncle Thorin's business." Bilbo called the boys onto the bed.

As Thorin left the room he heard Bilbo say, "Okay, tell me why Fili and Kili told you to do that?" he opened the door with a small smile on his lips

Thorin opened the door. The smile slipped off of his face. The woman waiting for him was the one he had been complaining to Bilbo about, Azelon's daughter. In his throne room wasn't enough for her?

He mentally groaned. Why did she have to bother him in his chambers?

How did she get past Bifur and Nori anyway? They were under orders to let no one past.

"Tazla-" He was cut off when she pressed herself against Thorin, kissing him.

"My King I can wait for you no longer. I want to be your queen." She said feverishly against his lips.

"You are not my queen." Thorin finally snapped out of his surprised stupor, grabbing her wandering hands.

"I got ride of everything in the way of our love. I'm the perfect queen. I would do anything for you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Aren't you proud of me? I got ride of that nasty hobbit for us. He had put you under his spell. You are free of his succubus ways." Thorin's grip on her wrist tightened slightly. How dare she hurt his hobbit! He could not deal with her now while Frodo and Sam were in the other room.

"Frodo, Sam." He called hoping Bilbo would not come. If she was to see the hobbit that she 'saved' Thorin from, she would react in an unpredictable manner.

Shyly the boys peeked out from the other room. "Could you go fetch Bifur and Nori?" he asked calmly. They nodded, staying as far away as possible for the female dwarf in Thorin's hold. She was currently trying to kiss Thorin again.

"Why won't you love me?" She asked still trying to connect their mouths, little tears forming in her eyes.

"My heart belongs to another." Thorin knew Bilbo was listening in. "they've had long before we had reclaimed Erebor. I hope he loved me while I had nothing, and now I can give him the world."

"You must tell me who!" She demanded.

"Thorin!" Nori and Bifur ran into the room with the little Hobbits trailing behind them.

"Take her to the dungeons. We will deal with her later." He said releasing Tazla's arms once Bifur had a controlling grip. They started leading her out, and she started wailing; demanding to know who.

At the door Thorin stopped them only for a moment. He stopped them just long enough to whisper in her ear, "Bilbo Baggins, a Baggins of Bag End." He smirked when he felt her freeze. Nodding to Nori and Bifur he closed the door behind them.

He still had the taste of her on his lips. Thorin grimaced wiping his lips, Bilbo's where much nicer; softer and sweeter too. He would do anything to get the nasty feeling that overpowered the feel of Bilbo's lips on his.

"That woman was outside my room before I got sick." He looked to his hobbit. He was standing in doorway,He was sHhh s Frodo and Sam were peaking out be hind Bilbo's legs.

"She will be dealt with at a later time. I can promise you that she will regret her actions."

"What you said, about loving another before reclaiming Erebor; who were you talking about?" Thorin smiled warmly at him, approaching all three hobbits. He picked Frodo up from Bilbo's side.

"He is strange creature I met at an unexpected party. He is very kind, and brave, though I did not know it when I met him. He was the only one not afraid to disagree with me when I was being a stubborn fool. He even saved my life, at least three times. And he saved my nephews."

"what happened to him?" Sam asked.

"he almost died."

"Is he okay?" Frodo asked worried.

"Yes. He is full of life."

"Is he prettier then Uncle Bilbo?"

Thorin chuckled, looking into Bilbo's eyes with a loving smile. "Yes and no. He is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. He is more precious then all of the gems in Erebor-"

"Even the Arkenstone?" Frodo asked wide eyed in his arms.

"Even the Arkenstone." Thorin agreed with a chuckle. Bilbo wasn't saying anything, just staring at Thorin. "I've almost lost him more times then I can count. But he always comes back to me. And I can not stand to lose him anymore." Bilbo was tearing up; Thorin knew it was because Bilbo's own feelings matched Thorin's perfectly.

"Who is it?" Sam asked excitedly.

"He's just a simple hobbit; who is friends with a deceptive wizard."

"Uncle Bilbo!" Frodo giggle happily.

"Yes." Thorin said, he could not remember a time when he had shared that much emotion with anyone. Bilbo just brings out the best in him.

Bilbo moved to finally give Thorin a kiss of his own free will.

"BILBO!" The door slammed open as Bilbo and Thorin were centimeters away. It startled both, making them both jump back a bit. Thorin turned to glare at whoever interrupted him.