Sorry for the late update! Am friend and me were in London to see Richard in the Crucible...*swoon*

Thorin spoke to Gandalf all night. The wizard told him all about his fathers plans and that they had a chance of succeeding if the dwarven kingdoms held together. Erebor had to be reclaimed. The wizard gave Thorin a key and a map to a secret entrance at the side of the mountain, Thrain had given it to him before he had died. Thorin was taken back at the fact that his father had kept this vital information from him, but then again, he had never supported his fathers quest. Thrain had no reason to trust him with this information. The map was one of Middle Earth, but neither the wizard, nor Thorin could understand the meaning of it. There was a clue on the map...somewhere. But they did not find it. But Gandalf waved it off. They needed to unite the darves of all seven kingdoms first and then they would go on a quest. United in strength and not alone.

Gandalfs meeting with Thorin was certainly not by chance. The wizard knew that Thorin and his dwarves missed their old home, Erebor, but as long as queen Brann had been alive, Thorins home had been in the Blue Mountains with her. Now the moment had come to awaken Thorins home sickness. And Gandalf was a sneaky old wizard.

He talked to Thorin about Erebor and its treasures. Maybe, the dragon was already dead and the dwarven gold lay unprotected. Elves and men would take what was dwarven property. Gandalf used the dwarven pride and the lust for treasures to lure Thorin to Erebor. But despite of all his wisdom, he had no idea what he had done. Of course the wizard knew of Durins curse, the goldsickness, but Thorin was strong and he had lived without any riches since the fall of Erebor. He would not succumb to the call of the gold. And Gandalf would be there, he would support the exiled king with the power of a grey Istari. Gandalf knew that he had to risk it. More was at stacke than Thorins life.

Thorin found no sleep that night. He paced up and down in his room after the wizard had left. Erebor. He had been dreaming about returning to his old home. He had not realised up until now, how much he had missed the Lonely Mountain. The green walls, the huge halls, the gold...his gold. Thorin shook his head. How could he forget his roots? Erebor was the home of Durins Folk. They had to fight for it.

Since when do you care for gold? You lived without gold in the Blue Mountains. Branns worried voice sounded in his head. This quest will claim your life. I know it.

'I would reclaim our homeland and return to your side.' Thorin whispered. 'If I die, I can proudly show myself in the halls of our fathers.'

Dwarves and their pride! Brann cursed. You have alot to be proud of. You gave your kin a new home in the Blue Mountains, you led them to a new life in peace and prosper. You have been a great king to them and you will continue to be so! You have three wonderful daughters! Three daughters! No dwarf before you was blessed with three female children! And you want to throw it all away!

'I am doing this for them, too!' now Thorin was yelling. 'My daughters shall live in Erebor and relish in the riches and treasure of their kin! It is their home, too!'

Our daughters do not care about riches! Zial married a miner's boy for crying out loud! Gwen is a warrior and Belladonna...Brann paused. We have not heard from our gem in so long...

'Brann, please...' Thorin kneeled down in front of the fire and stared into the flames. 'I need to do this. If I won't do it, who will? Erebor is our home and there are enough dwarves who remember the Lonely Mountain. I have forgotten where my home was for a long time. My home has been at your side...now, I do not have a home anymore.'

You must hate me for doing this to you...you probably regret having met me. I only brought you pain and sadness...Branns voice was bitter and it broke Thorins heart.

'No!' Thorin could not believe what he was hearing. 'I would never trade my life with you against a life in Erebor or with another! You were my life, my love, my other half! You still are. I...I know that I hurt you with my words a few weeks ago. I would do anything to take them back. You gave me so much and you made me so happy...more happy than I have ever been in Erebor. But you were our queen. You knew that we suffered greatly under the loss of the Lonely Mountain. You should know that I have to do this. I have to fight to reclaim our homeland. I have to retrieve the arkenstone and lead the dwarves to newfound strength. Today, we are scatthered through Middle Earth. Weak and on our own. The fall of the Red Mountains was a sign. Evil will strike us hard. When Erebor is strong again, it might be a step against the dark forces.'

In Valinor, Brann sunk to her knees. Thorin was right and she understood. But he would run into his doom, she knew it. And she would be doomed to watch.

Brann...I love you. I am so sorry for having hurt you. I will make up for it when I return to you in the halls of Mandos...you need to be patient. I will come soon.

'I know.' Brann whispered so quietly that Thorin did not hear her. 'You will be here too soon.' And then louder, she said. 'I love you, too.'

Thorin was back in the Blue Mountains one week later and started to plan his quest immediately. His family watched in worry, but that was not the worst. Thorin called out for support of his quest, but only few dwarves answered, two of them being his own nephews. Dis was close to murder her own brother.

'My sons have barely reached maturity and you take them on this suicide quest! You will take my sons from me and do not even think of the consequences!' Dis was furious.

'Fili and Kili are adults now.' Thorin tried to stay calm. 'I would never take them from you, but they volunteered.'

'Gimli is barely ten years younger and his father did not allow him to go! And as for your daughters...' Dis watched Thorin pale. 'Zial, Gwen and Belladonna would go on this quest wether you allow them or not.'

'Zial and Thror will stay at your side.' Thorin stated firmly. 'Zial is my oldest daughter and knows her duty. Gwen will also stay, if Gimli will not be allowed to go, I will order Gwen to stay as well.'

'What about my sons, Thorin?' Dis whispered. 'You and my sons are the only males left of the Durin line. And you are my world. Without you there will he nothing left for me in this world anymore.'

'I will bring your sons back to you.' Thorin tried to sound firm, but he knew that he promised something that he could impossibly promise.

'I will come back to you.' Kili took his mother into his arms. After almost three weeks of fighting, Dis had finally given in and had allowed him and Fili to accompany their uncle on the quest for Erebor.

'This will remind you of your promise.' Dis gave her younger son a black stone with dwarven runes. The word 'promise' was carved into it.

'I will take care, amad.' Kili promised her, but his mother shook her head.

'You are reckless.' Dis smiled sadly. Then she turned to Fili, who was sitting at the table with them. 'And you, my golden boy, you take care of your uncle and your brother for me. You have always been the most responsible Durin under this mountain.'

'Uncle Thorin has told us so many stories of Erebor. I can see the Lonely Mountain before my eyes as if I had been there with you and uncle. Kili and I will reclaim our home at uncles side. And we will see to it that all of us will set foot into our home.'

Dis nodded and took her sons into her arms, never wanting to let them go. The next morning, they had left before sunrise.

Thorin was on his way to Ered Luin to the meeting of the dwarves. He had received a letter from Gandalf who had asked Thorin to meet with him in the Shire. The Shire. Thorin had not heard of this place for so long.

Maybe you will meet the hobbit who helped me all those years ago. Belladonna. And her friends name was...Bingo...Bongo? No, Bungo!

Thorin had objected to Gandalfs plan in including a hobbit in their quest. This was a matter of dwarves. No hobbit should be part of this, this was not the fight of a creature as small and weak as a halfling.

They are not half of anything, Thorin. Brann scolded him. The hobbit lady was strong and fierce. Strength should not be measured from the outter appearance.

'If I gain the support of all the seven dwarven kingdoms, I will not be in need of a hobbit burglar.' Thorin mused. 'I will not risk anyones life other than mine and the lives of my kin to reclaim our own home.'

Thorin took a deep breath as he reached Ered Luin and saw the banners of all seven kingdoms gathered around the gates. The banner of the Iron Hills was there, too. At least Dain would support him and his quest, of this Thorin was sure.

'You will not support Durins Folk?' Thorins voice shivered with rage and disappointment.

'We have supported Durins Folk in the past.' the old lord of the Ered Luin muttered. 'We allowed Durins prince to take a human wife and to break the pure blood line. Durins Folk will grow weak with time.'

'You insult the memory of my queen and my daughters!' Thorin growled and towered over the lord of Ered Luin. He could not believe what he heard. Because of his love to Brann, the other dwarven lords had lost faith on his whole kin. Even Dain looked down and refused to meet his eyes.

'Cousin?' Thorin prayed to Mahal that at least Dain would not disappoint him.

'The Iron Hills will not support any quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain.' Dain told him after a long pause. 'The mountain is lost, Thorin. Nobody can defeat the dragon.'

'Smaug was not seen in the last sixty years!' Thorin informed the lords. 'What if he is dead and our gold lies unprotected? Do we get back what is ours? Or will we let the elves and men take what is rightfully ours?'

'I am sorry, cousin.' Dain still did not look at Thorin. 'You know that the Iron Hills are threatened by evil forces from the north as well as from the east. I can not risk to send any of my dwarves to a suicide mission against a living dragon. Your daughter lives in the Iron Hills, Thorin. How can I guarantee her safety when I lose my military power?'

Thorin sat back on his chair in despair. He looked into the faces of the assembled dwarven lords. Half of them did not meet his gaze and the other half looked back at him, either with sorrow or with ignorance in their eyes.

'The Lonely Mountain is lost.' the lord of Ered Luin spoke again. 'No sacrifice will ever change that. The sooner you realise this the better, king Thorin.'

'Envoys of all seven kingdoms...' Thorin muttered. 'Seven cowards.'

The room errupted into yelling and bashing and Thorin turned his back to the lords who had let him down. Only Dain watched his cousin leave in silence and closed his eyes in defeat.

Not even Dain...Brann sounded sad and she repeated the words which ghosted around in Thorins head.

'Not even Dain.' Thorin repeated and grinded his teeth. 'It would be easier to accept if I did not know that he is right.'

I know. He must keep his people safe. Even if it means to disappoint you. Brann sighed. But I am sorry that the other lords refused to help you because...because of me...

'Our love was the best thing that ever happened to me. I will never regret it and neither will I forget.' Thorin stated more calm than he was feeling. 'The other lords are cowards. They only needed a reason to not support me.'

I am the reason. Me and our daughters.

'The dwarven lords are ignorant and they forget that none of their lines is pure anymore. Durin himself married dwarves out of all seven kingdoms. Durins Folk has stopped to be pure hundreds of years ago. And since Fili and Kili are my heirs, our bloodline will remain dwarvish.' Thorin shook his head. 'You and our daughters brought light into all our lives. A light that will lead us to a better time.'

Thorin could practically see Branns smile. What will happen if Fili and Kili also fall in love with non dwarven females?

'As long as it is no elf...' Thorin smirked and began to pack for his journey.

Fili, Kili, Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Bofur, Bifur, Bombur, Dori, Nori and Ori. The crown prince, a dwarven archer, your old advisor, the captain of your guard, a healer, a treasure master, a toymaker, a dwarf with an axe in his head, a cook, a mother hen, a spy and a scribe. And a grumpy leader...now how could we fail? Brann sounded amused and Thorin cocked an eyebrow.

'I thought that you were against this quest?' Thorin asked her quietly. He was walking down the road leading from Ered Luin to the Shire, the big East Road.

I am. But you are my husband and if I remember correctly I have sworn to support you in good as well as in bad times the day we married. These are definetly bad times.

Thorin had to smirk despite the hard times. 'What would I do without you?'

The same you do now. Reclaim your homeland for your kin. It is the right thing.

Thorin smiled sadly as he walked down the path. He was not sure if he did the right thing. But he knew that he had to try. Thorin was lost in his thoughts as he wandered to the Shire. He turned his back on his kin and looked ahead. He did not see who was following behind his back.

Thorin cursed as he walked down the road of the peaceful and quiet Shire. He was sure that he had passed this road several times already. Stupid green roads, with stupid soft hills and stupid round doors.

I love these doors...Brann sighed and Thorin rolled his eyes in annoyance. Are you lost?

Thorin could hear her chuckle and growled a no. But he was lost. Completely lost. It was already dark and he sat down on a wooden bench, looking down into the valley. He would rip one of the hobbits out of this beautiful and peaceful life. Maybe he would say no.

What if the burglar is a she? Brann asked and made Thorin frown. Would that be so terrible? Although I believe that the hobbit lady who helped me all these years ago may be too old for such an adventure. She did seem to be very adventurous, though.

Thorin was about to answer as he heard singing from afar. Dwarvish singing. It sounded like his nephews. He stood up and followed the noise. Further down the road he stopped in front of a round green door and listened to the cheerful singing coming out from the inside. A blue sign carved into the door gleamed in the moonlight.

This must be it. Don't you want to join them? It seems like a merry gathering.

Thorin was not in the mood for merry gatherings, but he knocked on the door nevertheless. The cheering stopped abruptly and he heard Brann sigh. Already ruining the mood, you grumpy old...Gandalf!

The wizard opened the door, a fact Thorin found to be annoyingly impolite, since this was the hobbits home. But speaking about impolite...where was the host?

'Gandalf.' Thorin greeted the wizard and walked into the hobbit hole. It was a nice and neat home and it was very welcoming. 'I lost my way, twice. I would not have found it at all, if not for the mark on the door.'

'There is no mark at the door, it was painted a week ago!' a small hobbit fought his way through the thirteen dwarves in his home and stared at his door before he turned to face Thorin. Gandalf introduced them, but Thorin did not really listen.

Brann was about to say something, but Thorin was faster. 'So, this is the hobbit?'

The king of the Blue Mountains looked the hobbit up and down before he continued. 'Tell me, hobbit, is it axe or sword? What is your weapons of choice?'

The hobbit looked at Thorin and cocked his eyebrows. He did not understand why his choice of weapon was relevant. Great. A pacifist.

'Thought as much, he looks more like a grocer than a burglar.' Thorin smirked and tried to ignore Branns loud scolding in his head. Impolite, arrogant, uncalled for were some of the words he could make out in Branns rambling. He looked at his kin, who had gathered on the small dining room and sat down at the table. Bombur brought him soup and the hobbit brought some candles to lighten the room. He looked at Thorin curiously and Thorin frowned at the soft and gentle character. This hobbit would never survive on the wild. He would not take him with him.