Chapter 28

I smiled as Bofur sat across from me with Bifur at his side, and Kili dropped in the bench beside me. I looked at Thorin who sat at the head of the table and he gave me a narrowed look. Blinking at him, I gave him my best hopeful look that he'd give in and tell the story I had been so eager to hear.

"No," he said flatly.

"Oh, come on," I grinned. "Please? I need something to cheer me up further."

He sighed in irritation as he handed me a bowl of potatoes, and we all filled our plates with fish, deer, fruit and other things. When we were done with that, I gave him another pleading look.

"Fine, all right fine," he said giving in, and glancing at Bofur.

"Oh, yes this was by far my favorite," Bofur laughed as we ate. "See, we had just camped for the night after Thorin and Gandalf had got into a huge fight. No offense, stubborn as Thorin was, he didn't want to go to Rivendell."

"That doesn't surprise me," I said simply, but grinned.

"Get past that," Thorin grunted, as he took a bite of bread.

"So I gave Bilbo some bowls of food and he went to give them to Fili and Kili when I guess they encountered a problem, and didn't want to tell their uncle," Bofur grinned between bites.

"We had lost a few horses to Trolls and we didn't even know it," Kili said gravely. "So we sent Bilbo to investigate. Which went sour real fast because he ended up getting caught. I didn't listen to Fili and charged in to save him. They dropped him...like I asked...and then everyone else showed up."

"We battled them for ten minutes," Fili chimed in.

"Didn't even put a mark on them," Bofur laughed. "We had to give up when they caught Bilbo and threatened to rip him apart and well...soon we found ourselves in sacks or being roasted on the fire. Dwalin was not happy."

"Oh aye, I was seeing red after what had happened," Dwalin agreed from down the table.

I grinned, "Go on."

"So, here we are, Dwalin, Ori, Nori, Dori, Bifur and myself being roasted while Oin, Fili, Gloin, Kili, Balin, Thorin, Bombur and Bilbo were in sacks. I have to say watching them trying to get out was quite amusing. They were wiggling around and Thorin was biting at his ties trying to get out," Bofur laughed, as Thorin looked up at the hall ceiling.

I laughed a little and took a bite of my fish and urged him to continue on with the story, despite Thorin's obvious annoyance about it.

"So, Bilbo...wonderful fellow that he is got up and proclaimed that they were cooking us wrong," Bofur laughed and the whole table erupted. "He said that the key to cooking dwarves was to skin us! Crazy hobbit, oh aye it pissed everyone off a good lot when he had said that and even Thorin and Balin were yelling at him."

"So...one of the trolls said they didn't have to and went to eat Bombur when Bilbo said he...he was infested with worms," Kili laughed stabbing a potato. "He said...in fact they all are riddled with parasites. We were so offended by it that we were shouting at him and cursing him for it."

"It was at that point that I realized what Bilbo was doing," Thorin said, a very slight smile on his face. "It all worked out because I at least got to kick my nephew in the head."

"Oh aye, it was great," Bofur laughed. "He held them off just long enough to have Gandalf save us and then...rub it in Thorin's face a little more."

"Yes," Thorin finally said. "He made it a point to make sure I knew none of us thought about biding our time."

I snorted a little at that and took a drink of the wine that was in my cup. "That would have been extremely amusing to have witnessed for myself."

"We caught ourselves in lots of trouble before you found us at the Carrock," Bofur laughed.

"Beside the Goblin King singing, I think the trolls were the best," I said, hiding behind my cup as Thorin gave me a look.

"Ya know, we didn't tell you about the time Bilbo fainted," Bofur grinned again, and even Balin laughed at that.

"Aye, after torturing the poor lad in his home, Thorin told me to give him the contract and he read through all the wounds that might be included," Balin laughed. "He was quite petrified of incineration."

"I told him how it goes...searing pain and then puff..." Bofur snorted into his cup of ale. "Poor fellow tried so hard not to, but he went down like a load of bricks."

"Even when Thorin met Bilbo, the poor hobbit looked like he was going to cry," Fili laughed across the table.

"Well, first impressions of Thorin can be rather scary," I mused. "I'm sure all he did was look on with such disapproval."

"I did," Thorin said evenly. "Which...obviously I had been wrong to do."

"Keep it for the books," I laughed. "You just said you were wrong."

Thorin glanced at me in amusement and took another drink of his ale. After dinner ended, he ordered someone to quietly draw a hot bath up in the room and have it ready in fifteen minutes. I finished my plate and leaned back quietly having been hard at work most of the day. My only moment of real peace had been right before Bard had ridden up the path. My back was hurting, and for some reason my shoulder where my wound had been was throbbing just a little.

"Well, speaking of Bilbo," I said to them. "I'll have you all know that he made it safely home. I was reassured today that he was home."

"Oh good!" Ori smiled from down the table, and everyone else chimed in with happiness.

Thorin nodded his head quietly, and looked down at his plate for a moment as he finished the last of his meal. "So tomorrow, we will be heading down to take care of that dragon," he said quietly to me.

"Yes," I agreed looking at him. "I will take care of that."

"I will go with you, to where you want to drop him," he added.

"No," I protested. "Don't talk about this now. Later."

He gave me a cross look and he sighed and dipped his head slightly. "Fine. Then come, let us retire for the night. I had them draw a hot bath for you." He then raised his voice to the others. "I am sure you know what to do. I will see you all tomorrow."

Everyone nodded to him and said their good nights. Thorin laid a gentle hand on Balin's shoulder and I couldn't help but to laugh when Kili got to his feet in a rush as well. I knew that Tauriel was coming up tonight, and he was excited to see her. He gave me a quick hug and then hurried off. I leaned down since Fili was deep in conversation with Bofur and hugged him around the neck since his back was to me. He laughed, and reached up to hold my wrists before turning his head to give me a kiss on the cheek. I valued him and his brother almost as much as Thorin.

"Good night everyone," I chuckled straightening up again after I pulled Bofur's hat over his eyes.

"Night!"

Letting Thorin take my hand, he drew me away from the hall and up the few flights of stairs that led to our room. He had allowed me to put thick curtains in front of the windows and two doors that opened up to the balcony. The doors were made of gold, at his request.

"Take a bath, I noticed the tension in your shoulder earlier," Thorin sighed. "When you were...as you say having fun and tormenting me, you flinched when you swung the sword."

"So observant," I sighed, and snatched my robe as I went behind my changing curtain and shed my clothes and wrapped up in the robe. "It's just a little sore. It's nothing to worry about. Even with a stiff shoulder, you still couldn't touch me!"

"Woman," Thorin grumbled as I laughed. He sighed and put his hand on the small of my back. "Go, relax. The water should be hot enough, just how you like it."

I didn't fight him, and went into the bathroom and got into the large stone tub that they had made. I didn't want to think about how they managed with plumbing in the mountain, some of that was just best left to the dwarves themselves. I was happy that they had put this first, and had managed to fix many plumbing issues in the mountain. Sighing as I sank down into the hot water I washed myself off quickly and cleaned my hair when I heard a sound out in the main bedroom that had me moving to the edge of the tub so I could see into the room.

Thranduil at my request and obvious payment had sent a harp about a month ago. I had placed it in the room, and Thorin was so surprised he hadn't spoke for a little while when he had first seen it. I had yet to hear him play, so when I heard the first pluck of the string I had moved. Thorin was sitting down on the stool that had been also provided. He had taken his boots off, and had changed into some new black pants. His long hair fell past his shoulders and down his back about three inches. It covered part of the scar that was there, from his fight with Azog, while his foot had healed perfectly. I watched him pluck a few more strings, and his face melted into happiness.

Laying my head on my hands, I listened to him play for a while. His fingers moved so smoothly across the instrument, that one would forget that he had rough hands from working and fighting. He stopped after about ten minutes, and he turned to look at me.

"I've always heard stories that you played," I mused softly, as he got up and came into the room.

"I used to play quite frequently," he admitted, as he grabbed a thick towel that hung on a gold hook. "That was long ago. Back before the dragon. That was my first time I had touched one in...many years."

"I never heard you play, even when I had been there," I mumbled sadly, and he gave me a look as he spread the towel for me.

I sighed softly and moved out of the hot water when he shook the towel for me, the obvious sign to get out. He wrapped it around me, and kissed my shoulder where a scar should have been. I hummed quietly and leaned my head against his cheek gently before walking off and grabbing my robe.

"Can I brush your hair when you get out?" I asked.

"When do you not?" he asked amused, as I walked out to give him some privacy and so I could get into my night dress.

I smiled and grabbed the brush off the table that was next to my bed and ran it through my own hair quietly and then put my robe on so that I could go outside to look at the stars while Thorin took his turn in the hot bath. It was still a little chilly out, but I could smell that spring was near. Leaning against the stone railing, I watched Fili and Bofur do their usual night checks at the front gate. Running a hand through my hair, I messed it up a little to let it dry in the breeze and listened as Thorin came out of the bath fifteen minutes later. Turning around, I watched as he sat down on the bench at the foot of the bed and rested his arm on his leg as he bent over a little. Walking in, I let my fingers drift along his shoulder as I hopped on the bed.

"You are also sore," I said, picking the brush back up.

"Only a little," he admitted.

"Well, I won't tell anyone," I smiled, moving his hair back over his shoulders and away from his face.

He gave a soft laugh as I leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Settling back on my legs, I ran the brush through his thick hair and sighed in jealousy.

"It never knots, or tangles," I sighed. "I wish mine was as fine as yours. Usually dwarves have such coarse hair. How do you do it?"

"I don't have a secret, I swear," he replied, and I could hear him smile.

I snorted and continued brushing it, before walking back to the bathroom and grabbing the beads he had taken out and set on the table. I would have to braid his hair again every so often, so that they wouldn't knot or become gross. Walking out, I put them in his open hand and started on the first one, easily working my way to the front and down. I had become quite fast at it. Sliding and snapping each bead into place, I stepped back when I was done and made sure they were even.

"There," I said, proud of myself.

"Thank you," he rumbled as he got to his feet.

"I think you secretly enjoy being pampered," I teased, as I walked to my side of the bed and hung my robe up and got under the soft blankets.

"Do you?" he asked, his rumbling voice skeptical.

"I do," I smiled as he got into bed next to me.

"I'm not answering that," Thorin rolled his eyes, lying on his back.

I chuckled and turned my my side so that I was facing him after he reached out and blew out the candle and our room went dark. The moon provided a little light in the room, and I looked at Thorin as he put his hands across his belly.

"Instead of dropping the dragon in the Grey Mountains, I think it'll be better if we move the body to shore," he said suddenly. "We can use his hide for armor if ever we need something light and strong. There is much we can use."

"All right," I nodded my head. "I can easily pull him on to the shore for you. Or put him in the valley close enough while that goes on."

"Bringing his body here would be easier, we have the tools that we need here," Thorin replied.

"As you wish," I sighed, putting my hands under my pillow. "I have some news that I've wanted to tell you. Lady Galadriel had more to tell me than just Bilbo's safe return..."

"Oh?"

I sighed a little, and focused on his chest that was rising and falling with each breath. "The one who had started the whole battle, when we first go to the mountain wasn't a necromancer. It was Sauron."

Thorin tensed, and turned on his side and looked at me as he propped himself up on his elbow. "How do you know?"

"The reason Gandalf did not meet you at the mountain was because he had been captured in Dol Goldur," I replied softly. "Galadriel went to rescue him with Elrond and Saurumon, and she banished him back to Mordor. It was why Gandalf had left us at the Elven Gate, it all led up to Sauron's return. He had been gathering strength for some time I guess. She told me she isn't sure when Sauron will attack, but that he is very much back."

"We had all the signs," he murmured gravely. "All the signs right in bloody front of us and we were too blind to see it."

"Not all of us were blind," I responded gently as I reached out to tug affectionately on his fresh braid. "She said that she doesn't see him attacking again soon. Their fight had weakened him immensely, but the threat is still out there."

"I've only heard stories," Thorin rumbled. "They had defeated this foe more than 2,000 years ago..."

"Sauron was unable to take human form or gain any real power since his defeat, so I was told," I nodded against my pillow. "But he's been sitting...and festering, gaining alliance and I believe he's still able to gain power. They were blind to it because he hid so well. Only Lord Elrond knows more on this matter than I do."

"What makes you say that?"

I smiled at his question. "Because, Lord Elrond fought the battle that destroyed Sauron."

Thorin sighed harshly and lay down on his back again and ran a hand over his face. Scooting over to him, I pressed a kiss to his chest and rested my hands on him so I could see his face.

"If we need to know of it, I would travel to Rivendell and figure out what else there is to know," I said slowly.

"When would you do that?" he asked meeting my gaze.

"Probably never, because you don't seem thrilled that I suggested it," I chuckled with a yawn.

"We will talk about it after we get things done in the next week," Thorin replied shortly, but his voice was gentle.

"My Lord," I sighed making him chuckle, his chest rumbling against my ear.

Thorin rolled on to his side and wrapped me up in his arms quietly. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to my lips and then one on my forehead. "We will take care of everything," he rumbled. "For now, go to sleep."

I snorted at him, but moved so that he could get comfortable and I stayed on my side facing him, and fell asleep once I heard his breath deepen.

The next chapter is honestly great, so hang in there!