Chapter 5 - A long-awaited conversation
Bilbo knocked on the door of Thorin's chamber, nervousness squirming in his stomach like a cluster of snakes. Thorin opened the door almost immediately, as if he had been waiting by the door. A quick look revealed that Thorin was the only person in the room - a fact that Bilbo had mixed feelings about. On the one hand, it was good that their conversation would stay private. On the other hand, there would be nobody to stop them from coming to blows if their argument got out of hand.
Since Thorin was holding the door open to him, Bilbo had no other choice but to enter. Running away now would be the height of cowardice. He might feel many things in Thorin's presence, but fear wasn't one of them. Squaring his shoulders, Bilbo crossed the threshold. The dwarf stepped back to let Bilbo through, shutting the door behind him. Bilbo spent a moment just looking around the room, using it as an excuse to avoid talking for as long as possible.
The room was spacious and richly furnished, with thick carpets on the floor and a large fireplace that crackled merrily. There was a tall bookcase full of volumes standing by the opposite wall, several armchairs and a massive desk in the corner. The walls were bare, since the old mouldy tapestries had been torn down and Thorin hadn't managed to replace them yet.
Finally, when it became obvious that he couldn't delay the conversation anymore, Bilbo turned back towards Thorin, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"You wanted to talk to me. So. Talk."
Thorin looked a bit taken aback, but recovered quickly.
"It has been brought to my attention," he began, "that I might not have treated you with the respect you deserved."
"You said that already in the card you sent me," Bilbo couldn't help but point out. A shadow of frustration ran over Thorin's face, but he smoothed it out again with some effort.
"You must understand," he said slowly, "that it is not easy for someone in my position to admit to my faults."
He took a deep breath, visibly bracing himself.
"I apologise for my actions regarding the Arkenstone. I was not in my right state of mind at the time and took your attempt at peacekeeping as a personal offense. I understand now that you were merely trying to prevent bloodshed between my kin and the elves, but at that time my mind was clouded by gold fever and my reaction to your methods was highly excessive."
Bilbo realised he was gaping at the dwarf and quickly shut his mouth. That had been certainly unexpected. He had thought that getting an apology from the king would be like drawing blood from a stone – long, arduous and near impossible – but Thorin had taken all his expectations and turned them upside down.
If Bilbo were a more petty-minded hobbit, he would have been irritated that the dwarf had prevented him from exercising his position of righteous anger as the injured party, but as it was, he was just immensely relieved.
He'd had a lot of time to think during his journey to Erebor and those long months had done much to calm down his ire at the king. It had been many weeks since he had last felt anything like the burning anger that had eaten away at his heart in the Shire. Thorin's behaviour indicated that the dwarf was willing to cooperate with him and reach a truce. It gave him hope that maybe reconciliation with Thorin wouldn't be as hard as he had feared.
The apology had been a good start, but Bilbo still wasn't quite satisfied. He decided to let the dwarf stew a little longer before he forgave him.
"Is this your way of saying sorry for trying to kill me at the wall?"
A flash of shame briefly appeared on Thorin's face.
"Yes," he said, looking Bilbo straight in the eyes. "I am sorry for threatening to kill you. That was completely unacceptable behaviour, fever or not. I should never have done that."
Bilbo deflated a bit, letting his face relax from the stern mask he had worn ever since he'd stepped into Thorin's quarters.
"Thank you," he told the dwarf. "I spent five years waiting for that apology. It is nice to finally get it."
"It was long overdue," Thorin admitted. Before Bilbo could point out the other issue, Thorin mentioned it himself: "I also apologise for banishing you from Erebor. That was not one of my finer moments. It may help to know that I kept your reason for leaving to myself because I had assumed that it would be easier for you to return to Erebor if you did not have the sentence hanging publicly over your head."
Bilbo's tongue was burning with the urge to tell Thorin that he knew the dwarf had only done it to prevent having to explain to the others why he had thrown Bilbo out (and that keeping silent about the banishment was the equivalent of not kicking Bilbo in the rear when he had already shoved him out and opened the door for him), but since Thorin was making an awful lot of effort and appeared sincere in his apologies, Bilbo settled for:
"I appreciate that."
He belatedly realized that he looked rather discourteous. It must have cost Thorin a lot of pride to admit to being wrong. Bilbo decided that he might as well return the favour.
"In light of your apology I think it's only fair that I respond in kind and apologise for the words I said to you in the tent. I was angry and hurt and a lot of what I said was extremely rude." He ignored Thorin's surprise and continued. "I won't apologise for refusing your offer, though. I still think I was perfectly within my rights to turn down your proposal, but the hurtful things I said afterwards weren't necessary and I'm sorry for that."
Thorin gave him a gracious nod.
"Your apology is accepted."
Bilbo raised his chin.
"There is one thing I absolutely refuse to apologise for, and that's my stealing of the Arkenstone. The stone wasn't mine to take, true, but I still think it was the best solution I could have used at the time." He looked at Thorin in challenge. The dwarf didn't seem angry with his words.
"I did not expect you to apologise for that."
"Good," Bilbo said. "Does this mean we have a truce, then? It would be unfair to the others if we refused to spend time in the same room because we're both holding a grudge."
"As you wish," Thorin made a small bow. "Thorin Oakenshield at your service."
Bilbo bowed to him as well, inwardly marvelling at the king's show of humility. He had never seen Thorin bow to anyone.
"Bilbo Baggins at yours." He straightened. "Here, let me show you how we resolve arguments in the Shire." He stuck out his hand. "Truce?"
Thorin clasped it in a firm hold. "Truce."
"Then it's settled." Bilbo smiled at him, withdrawing his hand. "I suppose that I can tell Bard that I won't need sanctuary after all."
"You went to Bard..." Thorin looked rather pained by Bilbo's revelation. "Please feel free to stay in Erebor for however long you wish. The mountain will be always open to you."
"Thank you. That means a lot to me."
Bilbo turned to leave, but a thought occurred to him, making him look back at Thorin.
"How long did Balin have to lecture you before you were willing to talk to me at all?"
"A long time," Thorin admitted.
"That must have been quite the lecture," Bilbo smiled at the thought.
"Do not remind me," Thorin actually shuddered a bit.
"You do know that I have kept the whole incident a secret all this time, right?" Bilbo asked. "The only ones who know what happened are Fíli, Kíli and Balin."
"My nephews came to see me yesterday. They defended you most fiercely." Thorin gave him a look.
"They are good boys," Bilbo said with fondness. "I am sure they would defend you just as readily, if someone wronged you."
Before either of them could say anything else, one of the side doors opened and the two young dwarves fell into the room.
"Have you two made up yet?" Kíli asked. They kept looking between Bilbo and their uncle with expectant expressions on their faces.
Bilbo sighed. Thorin pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Yes, we have reconciled our differences," Thorin said finally. "As you no doubt know, since you have spent the last half an hour spying on my business behind that door."
"We had to make sure you did it properly," Fíli said.
"And to prevent you from killing each other," Kíli muttered.
"I heard that!" Bilbo gave him a weak glare. Kíli didn't even have the grace to look ashamed.
"You two have always been a volatile mix together. Who knows what could happen if we left you in a room alone."
"I have fulfilled your demands," Thorin told them. "Are you satisfied now?"
"Almost," Fíli said. "We have one more request to make: eat more meals with the Company. Everyone would like to see you more often."
Thorin appeared hesitant.
"I am not sure if that is a good idea..."
"You travelled with us for a year, sleeping on the ground and starving in the forest, but suddenly we're not good enough for company?" Kíli's voice started to rise dangerously.
"That is not what I-" Thorin began, but seemed to re-think his answer when he saw the dangerous gleam in Kíli's eyes. "Very well," he conceded in the end, "I will spend more time with the Company, if you wish so."
"We do." Fíli confirmed. He gave them both a happy smile. "I'm glad you two have made peace. See you at breakfast, Uncle, Bilbo."
With that they turned around and marched out of Thorin's chambers, both looking very pleased with themselves.
Bilbo watched them go with a mix of exasperation and amusement.
"Oh, those two," he said, shaking his head. "When they join forces, it's impossible to argue with them."
"So now you see that I have been outnumbered." Thorin said with a hint of humour in his voice.
"You never stood a chance," Bilbo agreed.
"Indeed." There was something warm in Thorin's eyes when he looked at Bilbo now that hadn't been there when he'd first come into the room.
"You should come to the common room more often," Bilbo said when he reached the door, turning back to look at Thorin. "I'm sure the others would enjoy your company."
Thorin hesitated for a moment before he answered. When he did, the words were slow and hesitant, like he was confessing something private and embarrassing.
"I am not certain if my presence would be welcome."
Oh, Bilbo thought, a light turning on in his head. So that was the problem. He almost laughed with relief, but managed to keep his face perfectly neutral, because he knew that Thorin would take his laughter the wrong way. It seemed that the solution to Fíli's problem would be easier than either of them had expected.
"Thorin," he said gently, "I am sure they will welcome your presence." Before the dwarf could say anything in protest, he continued in a firmer voice. "You may be a king now, but they still consider you their friend and they are sad when you keep avoiding them." He made his voice softer again, pleading. "Come to the common room tomorrow evening. Everyone will be happy to see you."
Thorin still looked a bit unsure, but no longer tried to protest. Bilbo considered that a victory. He turned to the door, reaching for the handle, when Thorin spoke behind his back, his voice suddenly much closer than before.
"Do you need any assistance getting back to your rooms?"
"No, thank you." Bilbo gave him a small smile. "I am almost certain that I will be ambushed by your nephews the very moment I step out of here, so I have no need for additional escort."
"As you wish," Thorin said. "Good night then, Master Baggins."
"Good night."
He barely shut the door behind him when the two descended upon him, just as he had predicted.
"How did it go?" They started their way back to Bilbo's quarters. Bilbo looked around at the empty corridor to make sure they weren't being overheard.
"A lot better than I had expected. You must have given your uncle quite the earful yesterday." He gave them a look.
"We simply wanted to make sure he won't throw you out again," Kíli said. Bilbo promptly shushed him.
"Not so loud! It wouldn't do for me and Thorin to have kept this whole business a secret for five years only to have people find out about it now, when we have already made peace with it."
"I think I managed to convince him to come to the common room tomorrow night," Bilbo told them quietly when they arrived to his door.
"That should be an interesting experience," Fíli said. "I could count on my fingers the number of times he has joined us in the evenings since we got back the mountain." He gave Bilbo a searching gaze. "How did you manage that?"
Bilbo shrugged.
"I simply asked. We will see if it really worked tomorrow evening. Maybe he just agreed to get me off his back."
"Maybe not." Fíli gave him an indecipherable look. "See you at breakfast."
They walked away, whispering together. Bilbo walked into his rooms to prepare for bed. It was only when he was putting on his nightshirt that he fully realized what had just happened. He and Thorin had really reconciled. He didn't have to spend his days in Erebor waiting nervously for the king to throw him out. He was finally able to live in the mountain, just like he had dreamt about for years.
Something light and happy bubbled out of his chest, making him laugh in sheer joy. He could really stay in Erebor. He spent several moments just standing in his quarters, savouring the thought. Oh, the possibilities!
It took a long time before he fell asleep that night, his head full of ideas and excitement, but when he finally did, he slept better than he had in years.
°O°O°O°
There was a knock on his door the next morning, not long after he got up. Bilbo put on his dressing gown and went to answer the door. A tall, dark haired dwarf lady dressed in light mail and riding breeches stood behind the door.
"I hear that you have talked to my idiot brother at last."
Bilbo blinked.
"I beg you pardon?"
"Mother! Don't go around scaring Bilbo like that!" Fíli and Kíli appeared behind her, looking strangely apologetic. Without as much as "by your leave", all three invited themselves into Bilbo's quarters. Bilbo watched them enter with resignation. He had long proved himself to be incapable of keeping out determined visitors.
"Can I offer you some tea?" he asked in an attempt to hold onto some manners.
"That won't be necessary," the lady said. She gave Fíli a pointed look. "Will you introduce us?"
"Right." Fíli stepped forward. "Mother, allow me to introduce our good friend Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo, this is our mother, Dís."
"It's a pleasure to meet you at last, my lady." Bilbo bowed deeply.
"He's got good manners, I have to give you that," she remarked to Fíli. Bilbo suddenly realized that he was only wearing a nightshirt and a dressing gown. He had never been bothered by his casual clothes in the company of the other dwarves, but in the presence of Thorin's sister he felt woefully underdressed. He tried not to squirm under her searching gaze.
He remembered her first sentence.
"As for your inquiry, yes, I spoke to Thorin yesterday. We have reconciled our...differences."
"Finally. He has been insufferable ever since he sent you that invitation."
Bilbo had no idea what to say to that, so he stayed silent. Dís didn't seem to expect an answer.
"I hope you will be staying here for the winter," she said after a while. "Thorin's two-hundredth birthday will be a week after Midwinter. It would be a shame if you missed the celebration."
Bilbo felt himself wither under her gaze. He thought it was a good thing he had planned to stay in Erebor anyway, or he wouldn't stand a chance leaving. This way he was able to give her an honest smile.
"Yes, Ma'm. I'm planning to stay in Erebor at least until spring, possibly longer. I would be happy to help with the preparations for the celebration."
"My sons mentioned that you are a good cook."
"Quite good by hobbit standards, yes." Bilbo had already learned that dwarves didn't understand the hobbitish habit of downplaying one's skills for the sake of modesty. As he looked at the formidable woman before him, he thought that she probably didn't appreciate meekness.
His guess was confirmed when she gave him an approving nod.
"I may learn to like you yet," she told him, turning to leave. "I will see you at breakfast."
Without waiting for a reply, she walked out. Fíli and Kíli remained standing in Bilbo's living room, looking sheepish.
"We're sorry for ambushing you this early in the morning," Fíli said. "Mother has wanted to meet you ever since you came back to Erebor, but we didn't want to frighten you into leaving again." A hint of humour appeared on his face. "We managed to hold her off until yesterday, but once she heard that Uncle isn't going to throw you out again, she got her way."
"I was just a little surprised, is all," Bilbo told them. "I have been also looking forward to meeting your mother. She is quite the woman," he said with admiration.
"She is," Fíli nodded. "She helps uncle rule Erebor and she sat on the throne in Blue Mountains while we went away on our quest. She truly is a queen in all but title."
"Uncle has wanted to name her a queen for years now, but she was still hopeful that he would marry some day," Kíli divulged. "I think she has finally given up."
They left him alone after that to finish his morning routine in peace. Bilbo spent a while looking at the tapestry that stood rolled up in the corner of his bedroom. Maybe he would be able to find a use for it, after all. He chose his clothes with a little more care than usual, because he wanted to make a good impression on Dís. Since he was going to be staying in Erebor for a while, he thought it was only reasonable that he maintain good relations with all members of the royal family.
When he arrived to the dining room, most of the Company was already there, chatting. Thorin hadn't arrived yet and his nephews were nowhere to be seen, either, so Bilbo made a beeline for Ori. The young librarian was standing in a corner with Nori and waved at Bilbo when he saw the hobbit approach.
"Good morning!" Ori told him with enthusiasm when Bilbo joined them.
"Good morning to you as well."
Nori just nodded at him with a small smile, his hands busy with a pipe.
"I was just telling Nori about the new vest I'm knitting for him," the young dwarf told him. "I was trying to get him to tell me which colour he prefers, but he's being as tight lipped as ever." He gave his brother an accusatory look.
"I would make it brown," Bilbo said. "That's what most of his clothes are, anyway."
Ori opened his mouth to say something, looked between Bilbo and his brother and closed it again.
"I won't ask how you came by that knowledge."
Nori just kept standing there, smiling mysteriously.
"I have a question for you in return," Bilbo leaned closer to them to avoid being overheard. "Please excuse my ignorance in this matter, as I am aware that I will probably insult someone just by asking."
"What is it?" Ori asked, just as Thorin and Dís walked into the room with Fíli and Kíli in tow.
"Are all dwarf women so...bossy?"
Nori burst out laughing, causing most of the room's inhabitants to look their way in bewilderment. Ori looked torn between mortification and amusement, his eyes flickering in the direction of Thorin's sister.
"Ah, so you've met the Lady Dís, I presume," Nori said knowingly when he finally got his mirth under control.
"And Bombur's mother."
It didn't escape his notice that both dwarves shot the kitchen door a nervous glance at his words.
"In that case I cannot blame you for thinking that," Nori said. "Both of those ladies are well known for their... assertive manner. But to answer your question – no, dwarf women aren't all bossy. Their tempers and characters are generally as varied as those among male dwarfs or any other species."
"Our mother was quite sweet and mild-tempered," Ori said, joining the conversation. "I can tell you about her some time, if you wish."
"I would be happy to hear about her," Bilbo told him with a smile. "Thank you for taking my question seriously," he said to Nori. "I thought it would be wiser to ask someone discreet before I commit a social blunder through my ignorance of your customs."
"You did well," Nori said. "If you want to meet more dwarf women to see for yourself, you can have a family dinner with us some day. Dori's fiancée is a lovely lady. You can also ask Glóin to introduce you to his wife. I'm sure he would be more than happy to."
"Dori is getting married?" Bilbo asked. That was news to him.
"Yes, he is planning to have a ceremony in spring," Ori said. "They've been courting for over three years now, so it's high time they finally tied the knot."
Before they could discuss anything more, they were called to the table to join the rest of the company. Even with Dís present, the mood was still a lot more pleasant than the tense atmosphere that had filled the room on Bilbo's first day there. Bilbo had never given much weight to the saying "clear the air between them", but in the case of him and Thorin, it seemed to have worked.
The king appeared a lot more relaxed than Bilbo had ever seen him. Maybe it was because he was finally home, in his own domain, among people he trusted, but the lines around his eyes were no longer so tense and he even smiled several times during the course of the meal.
Bilbo had originally planned to ask Bombur after breakfast whether he could come to the kitchen to bake some apple pies, but before he could speak with the large dwarf, he was approached by Thorin.
"Have you seen the rest of Erebor yet, Master Baggins?"
"No, not as such. I have only been to the kitchens and the library."
"Shall I give you a tour, then?" The dwarf appeared to be in a strangely good mood. "Who else should be qualified in showing you around the mountain than its king?"
Bilbo was a bit taken aback.
"I would hate to keep you from your duties..."
"Dís can take care of those." Thorin shot his sister a glance. She gave him a small nod. "I have been remiss in welcoming you to Erebor properly. It is the least I can do to compensate for that."
"Well," Bilbo couldn't find any argument against that. "In that case, lead on. I would be happy to see how the restored kingdom compares to the one I saw the last time I was here."
They left the rest of the company in the dining hall and started heading towards the entrance hall.
"How much do you know about the restoration of Erebor?" Thorin asked him as they walked through the long stone corridors.
"I think I have a pretty good idea in theory," Bilbo said. "I questioned Bofur and Kíli quite extensively when they came for a visit, but even with their descriptions, I wasn't quite able to imagine what the mountain looks like now. I would like to see the changes with my own eyes."
"So you shall," Thorin said, leading him through the entrance hall. "I am aware that you have already seen the entrance hall, so I shall take you to the throne room. Did you know it took two years to make the replacement for the main gate?" he asked Bilbo as they passed a small unit of guards that were headed for the gate. The guards all stopped and saluted Thorin before they resumed their activity.
"That must have taken an awful lot of work," Bilbo said, looking up at the giant gate. "I still remember the doors hanging from the hinges from the dragon's passage."
"We could not afford to leave Erebor unprotected for long," Thorin said as they walked deeper into the mountain. "The gate was one of the first things that got replaced." He gave a small sigh. "The mountain may be habitable now, but the work is still far from finished. There are still entire districts in the floors below that remain empty and many of the workers live in conditions that are far from ideal. I am not blind to the fates of my people," he said, as if he wanted to prevent criticism from Bilbo.
"I know you are not," Bilbo told him mildly. "You never had a problem taking care about those under your command."
"Only those not under my direct command," Thorin finished the thought for him. To Bilbo's relief, he didn't appear angry at the subtle insinuation. They fell silent for a while and Bilbo used the opportunity to look around to his heart's content.
Now that the enormous halls were restored and properly lit, the view was breathtaking. The lofty architecture was a complete opposite from the tiny, cosy hobbit-holes he was used to at home, but he found the sight awe-inspiring and strangely soothing at the same time.
The angular pillars and decorations had a different kind of beauty than the airy arcs of the elven homes, but he found them compelling nonetheless. While the elven architecture had been almost ethereal in its beauty, the dwarven palace was hewn from the very bones of the earth, the halls as much a part of the mountain as the dwarves that lived in them.
He told Thorin as much and watched the dwarf's eyes light up with something like delight.
"You approve of Erebor, then?" Thorin asked him as they entered the mostly empty throne room.
"Approve..." Bilbo's breath left him in a little chuckle of disbelief. He shook his head and looked at the dwarf who was watching his reaction. "Are you seriously asking me, hobbit from a hole in the Shire, if I like one of the most magnificent places I have ever set my eyes on?"
"Yes."
"Well, then." Bilbo took a breath. "I can tell you that it's very grand and much improved from the last time I have seen it. The presence of light certainly helps a lot. Some of the walkways still make me a little dizzy, but the view more than makes up for that. I think I could spend months just exploring all the corridors and hidden rooms."
"Are you planning to stay here, then?" Thorin's eyes had a strange intensity when he asked that.
"For as long as I can," Bilbo replied honestly. "Until spring at the very least. I just learned this morning that Dori is planning to get married next spring and I don't want to miss it. I may make a prolonged trip to see the elves and maybe even Beorn after that, but I doubt I will be returning to the Shire for a long time."
"Are your relatives aware of that?"
"Yes," Bilbo admitted. "Even when I left home, unsure of my reception here, I wasn't planning to return. I thought that I could always go live in Dale or Rivendell if you turned me away."
"You would not miss the Shire?" Thorin asked with genuine curiosity. "I distinctly remember you mentioning your homesickness for Shire several times during our journey."
"People change." Bilbo shrugged. "I thought that I would be happy going back home, but I wasn't. The Shire I came to stayed the same as when I had left it, but I was different. I don't belong there anymore." He realized suddenly that the thought didn't even make him sad.
"You can find your place here," Thorin told him. Bilbo found that he wanted to believe him.
"I think I would like that," he smiled at Thorin. "But I cannot guarantee that I will stay here permanently." He felt it was only fair to warn the dwarf to prevent future quarrels. "It is possible that my wanderlust hasn't been sated yet and I will go travelling again in spring, but for now, I am content to stay here."
Thorin nodded, accepting that.
"What would you like to see next? The treasury or the marketplace?" Thorin changed topics, leading him away from the throne room. From the doorway, Bilbo saw that Dís had taken her place on the marble throne and began the morning audiences.
"I have already seen the treasure room," Bilbo told Thorin. "I think I saw enough gold to last me a lifetime the last time I was here. Show me the marketplace instead, please. I would like to see what they have to offer."
"As you wish."
°O°O°O°
When they came back in time for a late lunch, the dining hall was nearly empty. Only Bofur and Bombur sat at one end of the table, talking in hushed voiced. Both greeted Bilbo warmly when they saw him and gave a polite nod to Thorin.
"Can I come to the kitchen this afternoon, Bombur?" Bilbo asked the rotund dwarf as he started piling what remained of the food on his plate.
"Of course," Bombur said. "Did you have anything particular in mind?"
"I thought about making a batch of apple pies. I haven't had a good apple pie for ages and today saw some nice apples in the market, so I thought I could make enough for everyone. Fíli has already ordered four of them."
"You'll have to make plenty, then." Bofur told him. "You know how much the lot of us can eat."
"Don't remind me," Bilbo said with a grin. "I think that with Bombur's help I should be able to make enough pies for everyone. I can help with the dinner in return."
"Sure," said Bombur. "I'll have some apples delivered, so that you don't have to waste time running to the market and back." He got up from the table and went to the kitchen, his brother trailing after him.
"You do a lot for them," Thorin remarked in between bites of pork.
Bilbo shrugged.
"They are my friends. I like doing things for them that make them happy. I know that Fíli will be over the moon when I save him a few of those pies. I'll have to make a batch of scones next so that Kíli doesn't feel left out." He smiled. "I suppose that before long, I will be flooded in requests from everyone." He gave Thorin a look. "You wouldn't happen to know what Dwalin likes? I'm pretty sure his pride won't allow him to ask me for anything openly."
"He is fond of pumpkin pasties and meat pies," Thorin said. "He eats most food, but those are his favourites."
"And what about you? What do you like?" It seemed only logical to finish that line of questioning.
Thorin looked a little taken aback by the question, but a pleased nonetheless.
"I am partial to poppy seed cakes," he admitted with a small smile. "Nobody ever makes them, however, because Dís cannot stand them."
"Well, that won't do," Bilbo declared. "It wouldn't be fair if everyone got their favourite baked goods and you were forced to sit in a corner, nibbling at a leftover scone. I will make you some poppy seed cakes, if you agree to protect me from your sister." He could hardly believe his bravery in saying that, but Thorin didn't look insulted. If anything, he seemed rather amused.
"You have met Dís already, then?
"Oh yes," Bilbo said. "She introduced herself to me in a manner that much resembled your first entrance to Bag-End. Coincidentally, I was also in my dressing gown."
Thorin looked like he desperately wanted to run a hand over his face, but refrained at the last second.
"I think her plan was to frighten you into compliance."
"I have no idea if it worked," Bilbo said. "I was mostly confused when she left and she hasn't spoken to me since."
"She is just bidding her time. She will spend some time observing you before she comes to talk to you again."
"Why are you doing this?" At Thorin's questioning look, he elaborated. "Warning me against her, I mean. Isn't she your sister?"
"She is, therefore I know her very well. You have become a close friend of her sons, which is why she has taken a personal interest in you. She will never leave you alone now."
Bilbo shrugged.
"I don't mind. In the Shire, there was always someone trying to pry into my personal business." He stabbed a potato with his fork, inspecting it thoughtfully. "With time, I may even welcome the challenge. Everyone here seems scared of her to some degree. I wonder if I could get her to like me, for a change."
Thorin actually laughed at that, a short deep laugh that lit up his whole face.
"That would indeed be a sight to behold," he said finally. "I suppose I should not be so surprised. After all, you were bold enough to challenge a dragon twice. Winning my sister's affection should be nothing compared to that."
Only later Bilbo realized that this was the most he had ever talked to Thorin in all the time he had known him. Even more surprising was the realization that he had enjoyed the time they had spent together. Indeed, once the king had removed the gigantic steel rod from his backside and relaxed a bit, Bilbo had found his company quite pleasant.
Bilbo had come to Erebor prepared to treat Thorin with cold politeness, but the king's cordial manner had made it impossible to keep that up for long. It was clear that Thorin was making a lot of effort to be friendly towards him, so Bilbo found it only fair that he respond in kind.
He had no idea if the shift in Thorin's mood had been caused by the reminder that the dwarf still had friends, or if the reconciliation with Bilbo had removed some of the pressure the others had been putting on him (Bilbo wasn't so self-centred that he would think his presence was the sole reason for Thorin's more relaxed manner), but he seemed a lot happier than he had been when Bilbo had first seen him upon his return to Erebor.
Maybe Bilbo's return to Erebor wasn't just for his benefit alone, he thought at dinner as he watched Thorin admonish Kíli for stealing food from his brother while Fíli munched happily at his apple pie.
Maybe he wasn't the only one who had been lonely.
To be continued...
AN: I won't lie – the reconciliation scene was the hardest to write in the entire fic and even after countless rewrites, I'm still not quite happy with it. I hope the talk wasn't too anticlimactic for those who expected a huge scene with lots of shouting. In my mind, Bilbo is simply not vindictive by nature. He can be angry and hurt and feel slighted, but when he sees a gesture of good will made with honest intentions in mind, I think he wouldn't continue to hold his ground just for the sake of having a grudge.
They may have called a truce, but their issues are far from resolved. Don't worry, I won't throw away several chapters of character building to the wind just to have a romance. The problems will be addressed and dealt with eventually.
Also, I imagine Thorin as someone who is a natural leader, confident in his ability to command others, but utterly hopeless when it comes to more personal everyday interaction.