Warnings: None. None at all.

The day of the Battle of the Five Armies, late in the evening

Thorin

It was long after nightfall when I finally managed to calm the whole Company down a little and get them to sit in a circle. Seventeen stools, each of them occupied by a glad-looking Dwarf, or Man, or Elf, or Hobbit, or Wizard. Tauriel was there, and Bilbo, and Gandalf, and, of course, Sam.

She was laughing, but I knew that she was planning to leave after the feast had ended, and that was why I had brought everyone here for a moment.

I got to my feet, a little shakily, because I was not able to stand on my right foot. Fíli and Kíli immediately rushed towards me, but I calmed them down with a gesture of my hand and a smile.

"Friends," I said loudly, "I have paused the feast for a moment because I want you to hear something, before you are all too drunk to listen."

A chuckle passed through the group.

"I would like to thank all of you, for having faith in me even after I have done such terrible things, and I would like to apologize to Sam, for not listening to her advice."

She grinned at that.

"I would also like to thank her, for saving not only Fíli's life and Kíli's life, but also mine. Perhaps she has not saved me directly, but saving the people that have saved me counts just as well."

I looked her in the eyes. "Thank you."

The Company applauded, and the young girl stood up and bowed.

"Don't make them like me too much," she said, smiling brightly. "They'll be sad when I leave."

"Yes," I replied. "Yes, we will."

I realised that it had gone completely silent.

"Is she?" Kíli asked, suddenly sounding concerned. He turned to Sam. "Are you going to leave?"

She nodded, a little sadly.

"I have to," she replied. "I can't stay much longer. I'd love to, really, but I've done what I've got to do here. Don't worry, though," she continued, "I'll visit sometime. Promise. And I'll stay until dawn, when Bilbo'll leave, too. Then we can say goodbye together. That'll be more practical, I think."

Her voice trailed off surprisedly as she looked up, and when I turned my head, I saw that all the people in the room had stood up and were bowing to her. I followed their lead after a moment.

She frowned, but was obviously trying to stifle a laugh.

"What is..." she began, but I cut her off with the answer.

"This is a sign of respect and gratefulness, Tale-Changer."

Completely unexpectedly – or perhaps not completely – she exploded with laughter.

"Pff," she snorted, "c'mon, guys. I don't deserve that. Seriously, sit back down, you'll hurt yourself."

But nobody did, and she became serious.

"Wow," she said breathlessly, "you're serious. Whoa. Thanks."

I smiled and straightened up, nearly losing my balance, causing my nephews to jump up again. It was almost funny to see how they were literally trying to catch me if I fell, although I had told them many times in the past couple of hours that I was not much more wounded as they were.

Kíli had broken five ribs after being thrown onto a set of stairs, and Fíli had a concussion and he had also bruised his left shoulder, so he had that arm in a sling. They were both just as stubborn as their old uncle, though, and they kept insisting that they were fine, and that they could join the celebration and that they did not need to stay in bed and rest.

It ran in the family, as it seemed; I did not want to, either, and I had never felt more alive, despite nearly being killed. Perhaps I felt like that because I had nearly been killed – I did not know.

I realised that a silence had fallen, and I cleared my throat.

"All right," I said. "That was all I wanted to say. You can go on with what you were doing."

I sat back down. Most of the Dwarves of the Company took the offer happily, and they returned to the barrels with beer to fill up their beakers. Gandalf watched them with a smile on his face and blew a colorful smoke-ring from his pipe. He and the much smaller Hobbit next to him continued to talk, throwing an occasional laugh in.

Tauriel moved over to the seat next to Kíli, and she carefully touched the bandage around his chest. I could not hear what he said in reply, but he seemed to assure her that he was fine.

Perhaps, if today's happenings had not happened, I would not like the fact that an Elf and my nephew started a relationship, and perhaps I would even try to drive them apart, but they had saved my life, together, and the least I could do was to be thankful for that. Maybe, just maybe, I could be happy that they both found love so early in their lives.

My line of thought was interrupted by my Company, who started to hum a quick melody. I knew that they were starting a song, but I had never heard this melody before. Perhaps they had thought up a new one. It would not surprise me.

The persons who started to sing first, were Fíli and Kíli.

We must be grateful for the rest of our lives

For she is the reason that we're still alive

Saving us all from ugly Orcs

With quick thinking and swift footwork

After that line, the other Dwarves started to sing.

I glanced at Sam; she was just sitting there, very still, and with a stunned smile on her face.

Most of the Dwarves were already very drunk, and that was probably where the second line came from.

We know her knowledge comes only from books

But for a student she had really good looks

Saving our King, and saving his kin

And now still exists the line of Durin

I knew the song had probably ended, because everybody stopped singing, but I felt like it was not finished yet, so I quickly stood up and sang two more lines.

Rescuing us from approaching danger

Let us all thank our dear Tale-Changer!

An applause broke loose, and as I clapped along, I finally lost my balance, but I could not help but laugh. My nephews rushed forwards to help me up, and they scolded at me, but to be honest, I could not care less.

It was the best feast I had taken part in in ages.

A/N:

Yes, the song's mine. Let me know what you think!