Saving Durin {Hobbit/Thorin}

Chapter 50: Home is where the heart is

Chapter 50:

Home is where the heart is

The funeral for all those who lost their life in the Battle of the Five Armies is to be held later today, around the time of sunset. I have had no say in the arrangement of the ceremony, so I am anxious to see whether they follow the dwarven traditions or stick to a more informal route. Thorin seems to know as little as me in this matter, for Balin has taken charge of the funeral preparations.

The flying lessons come to a close with the finality of cleaning up the battlefield. With the promise of practicing more in the future, Fili and Kili run off to gather the company within a sitting room, bordering the throne room of Erebor. There, we will meet with them to offer our tears of eternal life, but before then, I need to speak in private with Bilbo Baggins. Thorin, seeing this desire within my eyes, leaves me at the entrance hall of Erebor where Bilbo sits in recollection of his memories. I fall onto the bench, next to Bilbo's side, as we stare at the walls around us.

"The company is meeting in the sitting room," I tell Bilbo after a moment's silence in each other's company. The hobbit looks up to me with furrowed eyebrows, probably questioning the motives behind the meeting. Nonetheless, he nods his head and stands to make his way there. Before completing his fifth stride away from me, he turns back with a small smirk of laughter.

"You need me to lead you there, don't you?" Bilbo asks, causing me to mirror his grin. I nod my head violently, picking up my body from the seat, and falling to his side as he leads me through the corridors. Though I may not know my way through the kingdom, I have a good idea of how long the journey is from entrance hall to throne room. With only five minutes on my hands, I have to make my proposal to Bilbo with all speed.

"Thorin, the nephews, and I have come to a decision," I begin, question lingering in my tone as to how to start this conversation. Bilbo looks over from watching his feet to gaze into my awaiting eyes. His hand rises to gesture for me to continue in the adorable way he always does. Bilbo Baggins is the cutest creature in all of Middle Earth, this I am sure.

"W-We've come to the decision to offer you all, the company, a tear of eternal life. I cannot live without you, Bilbo Baggins. I-I have no place in eternity without your presence," I say, stuttering uncharacteristically as Bilbo usually does. This hobbit has rubbed off on me as much as I have rubbed off on him: he's taken to my sass as I've fallen into a stuttering mess. Valar, be with us all.

Bilbo's face falls into shock at my proposition and heartfelt comments of adoration. It's a mutual understanding between us that we are best friends, though it is different for him, as he is mortal. After a moment's walking, Bilbo's face falls from shock to deep thought, sighing at decisions and questions made within his own mind.

"You know I have to return to Bag End, Erudian. I have this feeling that I still have duties awaiting me there," Bilbo replies with a sigh. I nod my head in agreement at these words, for I have thought and felt the same. My instincts tell me that Bilbo must return to the Shire in due time, for an issue of great importance awaits him: something to do with family, perhaps a nephew.

"Yes, I know you do Bilbo, but that does not mean you cannot visit here. Let me lay out a proposition to you: spend half your year in Bag-End, and half of it in Erebor," I explain with a confidence that I hope can win him over. A look of deep thought, but hidden joy, falls over his face, replacing that of disagreement. He still looks hesitant to take me up on my offer, though the outright reluctance is gone. There is still hope.

"You forget how long it took us to reach Erebor. There is no physical way to spend half my year here, when the journey takes twelve months," Bilbo relinquishes his problems with my plan. I chuckle a bit at his accusation of being forgetful, for the hobbit fails to remember that I traveled to and from Mordor in a single day.