An Unexpected Addition (Thilbo - Bagginshield)

Disagreements

"Absolutely not."

Bilbo sat at the royal dining hall table, his fork stabbing at a big potato while he glared at the Dwarf-King directly to his right side. His nephew sat upon his lap, happily nibbling on a strip of bacon that Bombur had insisted was the finest meat Erebor had to offer a growing hobbit like Frodo. The rest of the Dwarf Company was gathered around them as well, each of them stuffing their faces before a long day of work in the mines or negotiating reconstruction plans. Bilbo had personally planned to spend his day down in Erebor's old library, which was currently under Ori's jurisdiction to restore. The thought of so many ancient books and tomes was far too tempting for Bilbo to pass up, especially since Thorin had already given him permission to assist as much as he wanted with Ori's new cataloging system.

"The matter has been settled," said the King, fingers picking apart a large piece of meat in his hands. Much to Bilbo's annoyance, it seemed that not even dwarven royals used forks at mealtime. "Many parts of Erebor still remain hazardous and unstable due to Smaug's rampage. It will take at least another year to clean up and rebuild the most basic junctions of the middle city."

"Not to mention all the poo piles we had to wash up," Fíli grumbled. "Some were as high as the bloody ceilings."

"Still smelled awful, too," added Nori.

Bilbo remembered seeing those dragon poo piles. It seemed that going back to the Shire to sort things out with Bag End and his auction-hungry family had saved Bilbo from participation in that messy affair.

"That doesn't answer my question, Thorin," said Bilbo, a touch of annoyance starting to color his usually unruffled voice. "I can understand perfectly why Frodo would need a protector when one of the Company or myself are not present, but I see no logic or reason behind her having to guard me as well."

A stocky, red-haired dwarf stood behind the King. Her resemblance to Glóin was uncanny, especially in the face and her overall coloring; she'd even headbutted the other dwarf when she'd entered the room. Bilbo would not have had a problem with her watching Frodo in his absence, but an adult hobbit like Bilbo himself?

No.

"The rebuilding of Erebor is going to be a long and arduous process," said Thorin, impatience clear in the tone of his voice. "However, dwarves are accustomed to living in such perilous conditions, especially those born in Erebor prior to the dragon attack. But a hobbit like yourself, who has neither lived underground nor in unsafe settings before, will be in a great deal more danger than my other subjects. Glóril will be able to ensure safety to both Frodo and yourself in our absence."

Bilbo could feel his own temper flaring, but the blond hobbit did his best to force it down. Dwarves always took shouting as a challenge and Bilbo knew that Thorin was perhaps the worst of them all.

"Perhaps you have forgotten, but it was a puny hobbit who snuck into a perilous, unpopulated Erebor and lured the dragon from its hoard of gold. I had no need of a bodyguard then, so why would I have need of one now?"

"That was under different circumstances, and you were almost—"

"And who was it that snuck into the Elven king's halls, hid for weeks on end in plain sight, pilfered food from the royal kitchens, and then shoved thirteen dwarves into the smelliest barrels this side of Arda?" asked Bilbo with a scowl. "Oh yes, that would be me. The hobbit who outwitted the most paranoid elf since Fëanor himself."

"I would not endanger a hobbit like—"

"Since when has my being a hobbit affected my ability to defend myself? This was never a concern three years ago."

"Times have changed."

"Not so much that I can't take care of myself."

The hobbit was less than amused by Thorin's obstinacy on the subject. He had saved the Dwarf-King's life more times than he could count and Thorin had rarely shown concern for his safety then. All anyone ever did was dismiss and underestimate him.