Young William breathed in, two-three-four and out, two-three-four, just like Daddy had showed him, he sat in the back yard the sun shining down on his head, "Feel the sunlight," his Daddy had said, "Feel the warmth and the life and draw it into yourself, hold it and shape it." That was what he was doing, he had been practicing for an hour before he felt the sparking, burning light enter him, it didn't really hurt but felt like it could if it wanted, if he misused it. He felt the light flow down his arms into his hands; William watched the light jump about and spark off his fingers. He tried to shape it like his Daddy had shown him but it was difficult he managed to make a small sun, a moon and then a river before the light fell apart. "Well done son," Daddy said from the back door, "That's enough for today."

The next morning Bilbo woke slowly clinging to the pleasant memories his dream had awakened. Bilbo looked out the window and saw that it was just before first light, he rolled out of bed, as was his custom and started his morning exercises by running 3 miles around the hills of Hobbiton. He wore the exercise shirt he'd had specially made with two slits down the back that let his wings out, Grandmother Fedlimid showed him how all Fae managed to wear clothes with their wings. By the time he got back to Bag-End the sun had started to rise properly, Bilbo stood under the Party Tree on the top of the Hill and stretched out his muscles. After a ten minute cool down, he entered his smial once again and headed to the bathroom for a shower, but first he stuck his head into the kitchen, to see that Madam Cotton had left the leftover food from last night for breakfasts. None of the Dwarves seemed to have risen quite yet so Bilbo continued with his normal morning routine.

Bilbo pulled out his biggest traveling pack, the one he got when he attended the Bounder Academy, it was made of thick brown leather and had many straps and buckles and two detachable compartments. It didn't take long to double check the preparations he'd made the night before, the spare traveling clothes and blankets he'd folded and place at the end of his bed. Once satisfied that everything was packed into the main part of the pack correctly, Bilbo took the two detachable compartments into the Kitchen to pack them with the essentials, one he filled with necessary toiletries and medications, like his pads and pills and basic medical supplies in case the company was ever separated. The other he filled with dried fruit and nuts, herbs, many small bottles of water and ten packs of water purification tablets. "I hope you plan to bring more than that laddie, you'll need it."

Bilbo smiled and turned to Balin, "Oh this is just the little things."

"You all packed then?" Balin asked.

"Just about, just need to get my weapons," Bilbo replied as he headed to his room, "Oh," he said turning back, "Help yourself to breakfast."

Bilbo attached the two compartments to his pack and then headed into his training room, two of his Reathaithe were sparing on the central mats they both nodded in recognition and continued their match. Bilbo headed to the wall of weapons, he grabbed two whetstones and a pack of sleeved arrows for his Stave. He strapped six small throwing knives onto his person, strapped his two Katanas to his back, one either side of his wings. Bilbo then deliberated on whether or not to take his long bow but he decided that Kíli's bow and his Stave would be sufficient in that department.

After retrieving his pack Bilbo headed into the Kitchen once again to see if the Dwarves and Wizard were ready to leave yet. The chaos he walked in on very nearly left him speechless, food was flying everywhere, everyone was talking and no one appeared to be listening. Even King Thorin appeared to be joining in, Bilbo shook his head and left them to it. Bilbo knew that Gandalf had seen him leave so he decided to head down and see Holman, who should still be at home at this hour, but should be up and about. When he reached the round, red door he knocked gently, trying not to wake the children. Holman answered the door promptly, "Uasal Bilbo! Tá mé déanach?" he asked.

Bilbo laughed good-naturedly, "Uimh mo Holman a stór, theastaigh uaim díreach tar éis roinnt cuideachta roimh dul amach, an Áit Fosta atá ag déanamh faoi láthair ina praiseach i mo chistin."

"Bhuel teacht i ansin! An raibh tú ag ithe?"

"Is ea. Le feiceáil I a ghabhann le bheith níos eagraithe ná mo chompánaigh." Bilbo replied.

Twenty minutes later Holman and Bilbo walked back to Bag-End together. The Dwarves and Gandalf were waiting on the front step with Bilbo's younger Brother-Cousin Drogo, "Bilbo!" he called, "Bilbo, I made you this for your journey," Drogo said when they had reached the door. He handed Bilbo a small paper box and leaned into Bilbo's side with and arm around Bilbo's waist. Bilbo was used to Drogo's many physical displays of affection and automatically shifted his wait to keep himself and Drogo upright. Bilbo noticed that King Thorin was quite peeved at having to wait, or perhaps at the familiarity with which Drogo draped himself over Bilbo. This required further investigation.

Bilbo opened the gift and smiled it was a warm yellow cord tied into a knot of the Green Lady with a small pendant with the rune of protection carved onto it, "Thank you," Bilbo said hugging Drogo, "Tie it on for me?" Bilbo asked, placing the pendant over the dip in his collar bones. Bilbo stared at the Dwarven King while Drogo tied the cord around his neck, the King's eyes followed Drogo's movements closely and a tiny tint of jealousy entered his eyes. Bilbo smiled if he was right then this journey was going to be even more fun than he originally thought. Bilbo hugged Drogo good bye and turned to the Dwarves, "All ready then?" Bilbo asked pleasantly. A few of the Darrows nodded at his question as they all headed out the gate.

Soon Bilbo found himself walking between the Dwarven Princes at the very back of the Company.

"Prince Bilbo?" Kíli asked.

"Just Bilbo dear, I'm just Bilbo, no formalities." Bilbo replied with a smile.

"Well Bilbo, I was wondering how old you are? You look young and old and different so I can't tell."

"Kíli! Don't you know it's rude to ask someone their age?" Bilbo chastised.

Kíli ducked his head, "Sorry. You sound how Mama used to," the tween muttered.

"It's alright, you didn't know that it is offensive to us." After a moment's pause Bilbo said softly, "I'm sorry your Mama died."

Kíli and Fíli both stared at him, "How did you know?" Fíli whispered.

Bilbo smiled sadly, "I recognised the look in your eyes, both of you, because I see it every day in the mirror."

"You lost your Mama?" Kíli asked.

Bilbo nodded, "And my Dad. But," Bilbo continued, "to answer your question, I'm fifty."

"Fifty!" Kíli exclaimed, "You're so young!"

"Not really," Bilbo said calmly, "Dwarves age much slower than Hobbits, I'm the Hobbit equivalent of approximately two hundred."

"Really?" Fíli asked fascinated, "You're older that Uncle!"

Bilbo laughed, "Only developmentally and not by much I'm sure," He reminded the over enthusiastic Darrows.

"Keep up you three!" King Thorin growled from the front of the Company.

Over the next few weeks Bilbo got to know Fíli and Kíli quite well, though Fíli was more reserved than his brother and Kíli kept sending Bilbo strange searching looks, Bilbo found he really enjoyed their company, they were like a breath of fresh air. One evening the dwarves stopped to set up camp and as usual Bilbo was left to be the errand boy, running hither and tither, doing all the little jobs until he found a place amongst their routine.

Finally he was allowed to sit down and rest his sore legs, it had been many years since Bilbo had ridden a pony, not since his days training as a Mounted Warrior, but still at least he knew how to ride, it would take a few more days to get fully used to it again.

Bilbo sat and contemplated the enormity of the task he was asked to undertake. While he was thinking he felt eyes on him, Bilbo looked up and caught young Kíli watching him, the tween blush at being caught, he seemed to be contemplating coming over and talking to Bilbo, but ultimately decided to stay put next to his brother.

Once dinner, a lovely meaty stew, was served Kíli came and sat next to Bilbo, he seemed reluctant to talk and kept opening him mouth to speak and then he would shake his head and shovel more food in instead. "Bilbo," Kíli finally said. He spoke softly so no one but Bilbo could hear him, "Wh-what happened when you're Mama died?"

Bilbo look at the young one next to him, Kíli looked like he need to talk about something but Bilbo wasn't sure what, so he answered Kíli's question, "She took her own life, I couldn't stop her, I came home one day and there she was standing on a stool under one of the rafters with a rope around her neck." Bilbo smiled sadly at Kíli, "A Hobbit rarely survives the death of their Kindred-Spirit when they do, they just waste away. Dad had died nearly eight years before that."

"That's sad," Kíli said, "I'm sorry I brought it up, but I wanted to be sure you would understand."

"Understand what Kíli?" Bilbo asked after the young-one had been silent for a few minutes.

Kíli sniffed, "No one understands," Kíli looked slightly haunted, "I found her, I was only twelve," Bilbo quickly translated that to mean that Kíli was the equivalent of three years old when found his mother's body.

"Oh Kíli," Bilbo said putting an arm around the Dwarf, "You've never really spoken about this have you?"

Kíli shook his head, "Sometimes I talk to Fee, but he didn't see her, Ad-I mean Uncle didn't let him see, so he doesn't understand and U-Uncle Thorin doesn't know how to talk about it, I tried to talk to him about it once when I was little and no one else I know has seen their parent dead, not when they were young enough for to really affect them."

"Kíli, look at me," Kíli looked up at Bilbo from where he was leaning against Bilbo's shoulder, "You have to remember the good things about her, and accept the bad, don't push her memory away completely, it'll only hurt more." Kíli nodded against Bilbo's shoulder, "And Kíli, remember that you can always talk to me about her if you need to."

The young Dwarf nodded before falling into a doze, Bilbo too felt the exhaustion that comes from great amounts of raw emotion, but managed to stay awake until everyone was read to sleep, he gently shook Kíli awake and sent him to his bed roll. He didn't notice the way King Thorin looked between the two of them with jealousy and anger in his eyes and soon Bilbo drifted off to sleep, unfortunately his dreams were not pleasant.