Part 2

Even if you think everything is desperate, there is always a way because hope dies last.

A couple of decades later

"Now tell" Fíli asked for the umpteenth time "what does he write?"

"Just let me finish reading then I can tell you, curious and impatient Dwarf that you are" but he still didn't let up and wrapped his arms around Lhindril, nuzzling her neck while he tried to read the letter himself. Shaking her head because it was distracting, she pushed him away by the forehead "Will you stop this? You know you can be quite annoying, right?"

"No more than you are. All you need to do is to tell me what he writes and you can have your peace"

"No" she insisted "I told you that I first want to finish the letter. Is it that difficult to be patient for a minute?"

"Something you should have learnt in all those years is that we Dwarves can be very impatient and stubborn"

"Unfortunately" she sighed and focused on the letter again but Fíli began tickling her sides "Oh, if you had let me read in peace you would already know it! I should have never told you who it's from" while she was speaking the door opened and Kíli entered, asking what was wrong "Dwarfish stubbornness that's what's wrong"

"What's he done now?" she explained why Fíli was annoying her and it made his brother grin "Looks like your wife teaches you the ins and outs, your majesty? Right so, Linnie" at first she had protested against the nickname but then even Fíli started using it and she just let it happen and didn't even mind it too much anymore. At least Fíli left her alone now and instead tackled the other Dwarf and a playfight ensued. Shaking her head she turned back to the letter but then Fíli cried out

"Ah! Kíli are you mad?!" with a sigh she looked up, just wanting to ask what they had when Fíli explained "He bit me" she rolled her eyes while Fíli tried to remove his brother's mouth from his arm.

"Oh for Durin's sake, you're worse than Dwarflings!" she finished that last line of the letter and then folded "Alright I'm done reading but it would seem you two are too busy to care what Bilbo wrote"

"Bilbo? The letter's from him?" Kíli asked and finally let go of Fíli's arm and the two of them parted. Lhindril didn't pay any attention to them and put the letter away, wanting to leave when Kíli asked what he was writing. With an exaggerated sigh she stopped

"He invited us to his birthday party. And I'll go, no matter what you're doing. Now please excuse me, I am already late" with these words she left Fíli's study and wanted to go visit her best friend Dalía. Every time when she remembered who they met she had to grin or laugh. After about four months had passed since the Dwarves' arrival to Erebor, some sort of routine had formed in Erebor. And soon Lhindril's and Fíli's wedding was planned, the coronation for the day after. So she needed to see the tailor for her dresses. On her way she bumped into a She-Dwarf who wasn't pleased at all and snapped at her if she couldn't watch out. Then she seemed to realise that Lhindril was no Dwarf.

"What are you doing here, Man? Are you lost? You don't belong here, Man" with a smile, Lhindril only told her to think twice before talking to other races like this, of course not revealing who she was. Her collocutor seemed even angrier "If I were you I'd be silent and get lost right now. Don't you know my brother is member of the Royal Guard? He could just lock you up"

"Pity" Lhindril continued "That your brother needs permission from a captain of the guard to keep me locked up for a longer time if they can't prove I committed a crime. And it's my fiancé's brother who is said captain, Dwarf"

"Pshaw!" the Dwarf crossed her arms. "My uncle is on the council. I bet he could do something because captains of the guard are subject to them." At this Lhindril would have had two choices. Either mentioning Dwalin who held the highest position of the Royal guard but she chose the second way

"Well then it's a coincidence that my fiancé is part of the council too. Well not really part of the council itself because it is subject to him"

"You're lying. There is only one person above the council"

"The future king, I know" she replied matter-of-factly "And if you'd excuse me know, I need to see the tailor to try on my dress for my wedding and my future husband's coronation. Which also makes it my coronation in a way. Have a good day" with that she seemed to have managed to leave her speechless.

"Wait… Fí-fí and you? You're…"

"Yes we are gonna get married. And his name is Fíli, by the way. Just in case you should ever meet him" wit that she simply left her and continued her way to the tailor. But she hadn't expected to see her again so soon because that was where Dalía worked too.

By now she had also reached her friend's place and Dalía opened before she could even finish knocking

"What's the matter?" she asked, nodding at her grin

"Oh, I just remembered how we first met. And I got an invitation from an old friend"

"Well, do come on in and tell me all about it, Man" she replied laughing.

-oOo-

After a cosy and funny afternoon with her friend she returned to hers and Fíli's bedroom to write a reply for Bilbo. Somehow she felt bad that she had always promised to visit him soon in their many letters they exchanged but had never done so. And now the Hobbit already celebrated his hundred and eleventh birthday. Before she could finish the letter Fíli entered the room, declaring he was done for the day and she asked if he would be coming to the feast.

"I would love to come but time will be a problem. I bet we would need to leave soon"

"Yes, we should depart within the next week but I planned to leave the day after tomorrow so I can stop in Rivendell or spend some more time with Bilbo. Because he probably won't have much time for us during the feast" Fíli sighed and gave nod and said that if he and Kíli came they would leave in a week. His gaze fell to the unfinished letter "I just don't know what else I should write. Or if I even should."

"Let it be. Surprise him" Fíli suggested, pulling her up and pecking her cheek. "And let's spend some more time together while we can"

The following day she spent packing and after breakfast the day after she got ready to leave for the Shire. Although he tried to hide it she knew that Fíli was quite worried about her. After all the journey to Erebor was anything but pleasant and if Fíli hadn't been… but also Lhindril was anxious but also because this would be the longest the two of them ever were apart since they met. Then finally the time of saying goodbye had come. She hugged her husband tightly and he asked if she had everything and was ready.

"And you're sure I shan't send someone with you to accompany you? A guard or two?" he asked for about the fifth time and she replied, as the previous times that either someone from the original company came or she'd go alone. With a sigh, Fíli let go of her "Alright. Take care and have a save and good journey. Give Bilbo our regards" nodding she stepped outside and breathed in the fresh air. It had been weeks since she had last left the mountain. At first it had been a problem and she needed to go out every few days now she had gotten used to it. She patted her pony's neck and then rode on. But in Dale she already made the first stop to visit Brand, Bard's grandson and king of Dale. She was especially happy to see Tilda again, who was the only one of Bard's children who still was alive at that time.

After they had invited her for a small meal she continued her way westwards, avoiding Mirkwood because she didn't fancy getting lost again and also didn't think it was a good idea to take her pony there. Near Carrock she met Grimbeorn, son of Beorn who offered to bring her past the Misty Mountains safely. Gladly she agreed even though she had planned to go through Moria, where Balin, Ori and Bifur were living now and Balin even was Lord of Moria. But she didn't want to lose even more time and could still visit them on her way home. Her companion wanted to stay away from Rivendell so they took another route and going to Rivendell would have been a detour, so she scheduled that for her way home as well. Soon she bid Grimbeorn goodbye and continued on her own for some weeks. She considered spending a night in Bree because when she arrived there many, many years ago she had nothing. And now she ruled the mightiest and richest kingdom at the side of her husband.

-oOo-

But then she met Gandalf a short while before Bree and decided to travel the rest of the way with him because of course he wanted to attend Bilbo's party too. So she spent the rest of her way next to or on his cart, singing songs with him or talking. And she had to admit that this journey was a lot more enjoyable than the quest. Not once had she been attacked or held back against her will.

"You're late" she heard a voice a little above them and almost jumped in surprise. Then she saw a young Hobbit with dark hair standing there with his arms crossed. Gandalf replied that wizards weren't late and just arrived exactly when they intended to. They all laughed and the Hobbit jumped onto the cart and hugged Gandalf before his glance fell to her

"Lhindril, this is Frodo Baggins. Frodo, this is Lhindril" with a happy smile she held out her hand.

"You must be Bilbo's nephew then. He told me about you"

"And you're the woman who accompanied uncle on the quest to Erebor"

"Exactly" she smiled "seems like you heard of me too"

"I did. Nice to meet you" she nodded and asked how Bilbo was doing.

"Oh you know Bilbo he's got the whole place in an uproar about the party. He invited half the shire and the rest of them are turning up anyways" they laughed and were silent for a while then Frodo admitted that apparently Bilbo had been behaving odd lately.

"How so?"

"He's taken to locking himself in his study. He spends hours and hours poring over old maps when he thinks I'm not looking. He's up to something, Gandalf" apparently it seemed like Gandalf knew something about it but didn't want to say it. So Frodo mentioned that also other Hobbits were not so fond of Bilbo's latest musings and behaviour. Somehow Lhindril couldn't quite believe it but then again she didn't know what he was like to other Hobbits and maybe age had changed him.

"If you're referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved. All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door."

"And if you're referring to the quest of Erebor… you send him flying out his home. And you barely were involved because you always disappeared"

"But I always came back" that hit home because he had saved them from the trolls, in the Goblin tunnels and later from the Wargs and when Thorin tried to throw Bilbo over the ramparts before the battle. They would be dead without him.

"Whatever you did, you've been officially labelled as a disturber of the peace" Lhindril chuckled and shortly after Frodo left the cart after telling them he was happy to see them. Now she realised that she didn't even have something to give Bilbo and told Gandalf she'd make a short stop at the market and then join them later. She got some meat, vegetables and cheese and then went on to search his Smial and all she knew was that it was on a little hill and had a green door. The sign Gandalf had made surely wasn't there anymore. When she rang the doorbell and heard angry shouts from inside she was reminded of their arrival sixty years ago. But finally Bilbo opened the door and she was almost shocked because she had always remembered him as he looked all those years ago and not white haired and wrinkly as he was now. Oh well that was what age did to mortal beings. For a moment she almost forgot that she wanted to greet him but then caught herself.

"Lhindril..."

"At your service. I thought I said you didn't need to knock" he finished for her "My, I'm so happy to see you. Come here" he cried and then they embraced.

"I'm happy too. It's really good to see you"

"Well do come in. You won't believe who's here too"

"Oh, I know. I met Gandalf on the way here. And that's for you by the way" she gave him the food and entered the house. "Where can I put my stuff?" she asked while looking around. Somehow she found nothing had changed that much in the decades and was filled with memories.

"Of course, of course" he showed her a hook and she deposited her cloak as well as her weapons "Oh it's obvious you belong with Fíli"

"Why do you say so?"

"Do you remember when you first came here? He put all his weapons in my arms. However, he didn't ask as friendly like you just did" she burst out laughing

"Really? I don't even remember that. But I usually take a couple of weapons with me when I leave Erebor. The times where I'm going out with only one dagger are over. But I'd have never noticed that Fíli carries that many"

"Really?"

"No because we rarely leave Erebor together and inside the mountain he only has one or two with him. Unless I didn't see the others"

"Well perhaps you need to search him then. I bet he still has that many. Can I offer you some food?" he asked as they walked to the dining room. "I'm currently writing about the journey to Erebor. You can read it when I'm finished"

"Yes, I'd love to have something to eat. And also to read your story when you're done"

"Alright then. Just serve yourself, I bet you learned that by now" she shook her head with a smile.

"Even though I spent so many years among Dwarves I still have better manners. Well, maybe not at the table all the time" she admitted. She joined Gandalf who was drinking some tea and then gladly took the food Bilbo offered her and also couldn't say no to tea.

"Are the others coming too?"

"I'm not sure. Fíli and Kíli might come but I doubt it. And I don't know about the others. And three of them, Balin, Ori and Bifur are living in Moria now anyways"

"Right. They visited me before they went there. Quite the detour. That was a couple of years ago, wasn't it?"

"It was. They volunteered for the expedition and I'm sure Balin does great work there. At first there was a lot of correspondence and reports about what was going on but we didn't hear from them these past years so all must be going well I assume"

After the meal they went outside where the other two smoked their pipes and talked about old times together. Especially what happened after their quest to Erebor. Shortly before they went to the party, Frodo joined them too and Lhindril spent most of the evening with him, who was very curious and wanted to know everything about the quest. Mainly things about which his uncle didn't talk or where Bilbo wasn't present. For example what had happened during the battle, if the Dwarves and Bilbo really entered Bard's house through the toilet and if he could meet the Dwarves. She replied that maybe some of them would be coming here she felt joy at the thought of maybe seeing Fíli again. After all she had been missing him quite a lot in the past weeks, especially now where everyone was so happy and among their families. After she was done with her tales she wanted to hear more about Frodo and heard that Bilbo had adopted him after his parents drowned.

As the party went on and most people were already a bit tipsy or more, Bilbo went to the front to give a speech like everybody wanted. But during it, after a short goodbye he suddenly just disappeared. Everyone was shocked but Lhindril remembered that he told her about a ring he'd found in the Goblin tunnels. Seemed like he still had it. Both Gandalf and Lhindril hurried to his house where they found Bilbo packing. He wanted to go to Rivendell to spend the rest of his life there. Of course they knew there was no stopping him and when he said that he'd leave everything to Frodo Gandalf insisted he also left his ring which he only did very reluctantly. In a way it reminded her of Thorin with his dragon sickness and wondered if it had anything to do with it. After Bilbo had left, Gandalf sat in front of the fire with his pipe while she stood around not sure what to do. Finally, Frodo came in too and was calling for Bilbo but then found the ring. He approached the others and Gandalf put it in an envelope while telling the Hobbit that everything in Bag End belonged to him now that Bilbo had left. Shortly after Gandalf packed his belongings too and said he needed to leave urgently and then was gone. Lhindril, however decided to stay a while with Frodo because she had come to like the Hobbit and didn't want to leave him all alone right now that both Bilbo and Gandalf had left.

"Is no one gonna worry about you?" Frodo asked two days later when she told him about her plans to stay a while because she had also noticed how nice it was to be away from Erebor and among other people for a while. That was when she realized she had forgotten to let Fíli know that she would stay and knew she needed to do it as soon as possible because otherwise he'd go to look for her himself, no matter what he'd need to drop to do so. Therefore, she sat down to write a letter and hoped it would reach Erebor before Fíli left.