Chapter 13
Ered Luin 1 ½ weeks before the journey
Thorin was making his way home from the town hall where he, Lord Nadlorn of the Blue Mountains and Lord Dain were meeting to discuss the state of affairs among the refugees of Erebor, when he was grabbed and dragged behind a building.
Thorin reached for a dagger but was frozen by a familiar voice, "Thorin!"
"Nori, must you do that!?" Thorin said straightening himself up, "One day you will give me a heart attack!"
"Never mind that, are you mad!? The road to Erebor is dangerous!" Nori ran his fingers through his star shaped hair and sighed, "Why am I the one who always ends up in trouble for your stupidity?"
There was a brief silence in which Nori watched Thorin stare dramatically off into the distance; Nori sighed, "I guess we're going to Erebor," He said resignedly.
Thorin slouched down in the arm chair of his house and tried to pretend that he wasn't being scolded like a small child by his old Tutor and his brother. "I was going to tell you," he mumbled while trying to avoid Balin and Dwailn's stares, his fingers started fiddling with the hem of his tunic. Balin, upon noticing this old comfort technique, softened his demeanour and gentled his voice. "I'm not mad at you Laddie, I just wish that I had heard this news from you, rather than from my apprentice's third hand information, and he wants to join you by the way."
"Will you both follow me?" Thorin asked, looking up at the looming figures.
"Of course Your Highness someone has to watch out for you," Dwalin answered. Balin nodded his head in confirmation.
A few days later Thorin was approached by Dori, "If you insist on allowing my brothers to follow you, then I will follow you also." Nothing more needed to be said.
At dinner that night, in hovel the line Durin called home, Fili and Kili begged their surrogate father to allow them on the quest, it was not the first time. "If you two can act as Princes of our line and attend your lessons with Balin then I will consider it." This was the first time the boys had gotten an answer.
Whispers about the King in Exile taking back Erebor spread quickly through the community of the Blue Mountains and soon there were more volunteers, not many but enough. Thirteen Dwarves in total were set to take back Erebor when the Grey Wizard came to visit.
Lake Town
After spending a two weeks gathering supplies the Company left Lake Town and walked towards the Iron Hills. When they were far enough away to not be seen by the watch towers, they turned and walked toward Erebor, as they walked Bilbo felt the tension growing, the closer they got, the worse it became.
That evening as they settled in to a fire-less camp, Bilbo noticed that Thorin was sitting at the edge of camp with his back to the Company starring at the opposing mountain, though it looked like he was simply brooding, there was something in the set of his shoulders that made Bilbo worry.
Ignoring the Company's curious stares he quietly sat next to his King placed a hand on his shoulder, Thorin buried his head in Bilbo's neck, he could hear and feel Thorin's near silent sobs, worried Bilbo held Thorin closer and petted his hair, while gently humming under his breath.
Soon Thorin calmed but made no move to leave Bilbo's embrace. "What is troubling you, my sweet one?" Bilbo asked softly while continuing to stoke Thorin's hair.
Thorin was silent for the longest time and Bilbo thought he may have fallen asleep, but in barely more than a whisper Thorin began to explain everything that happened to him as baby and child. How his Father demanded excellence in all fields and failure was met with physical and mental abuse. How his Mother ignored him and his siblings in favour of her craft and how had been punished for "childish" acts like wetting the bed and sucking his thumb. Thorin talked until the sun began to rise, Bilbo held him close and whispered, "I love you, you're perfect, you've done nothing wrong," over and over until the others started to rise. Thorin kissed him on the cheek, pulled up the facade of the Company leader and they marched on.
After half a day's walk they passed Dale and the Desolation and after a few more hours they reached Erebor and began to search for the hidden door. Surprisingly it was Oin who spotted it first, they all followed his shouts around to the side of the mountain and after a moment of awe Thorin called for them to climb the side of the mountain. As the Sun was brushing the horizon they reached the ledge that housed the secret door.
After a small crisis of faith the mountain was opened and everyone simply stopped and stared, they'd done it, they'd reached the mountain. Bilbo cleared his throat, "well that's my cue," he said. The dwarves parted and Bilbo headed into the mountain, he cloaked himself and went to find Smaug.
I know that in the movie and book that Bilbo is taken along to steal the Arkenstone, but I have screwed with that a bit to make this story a bit more believable.