Endotherm {Thorin/Hobbit}

||Chapter 17||

"Very true," Endor says, looking back at the staring king.  "Now, why is it that we are eating here?"

"Is it not enough to have this silence?" Thorin asks rhetorically, believing that Endor thinks differently of this request of his.  And indeed she does, as Endor can arguably be considered the sharper of the two creatures in the garden at that moment.

"If you wanted silence, you would have come by yourself," Endor logically replies, knowing that if Thorin wants silence, she will have to leave.  Even Endor will admit that she blabbers too much when in the company of someone she adores.

"We must speak on our plans for the journey.  Preparations must be made here and abroad," Thorin says, turning to the business side of his choice in bringing her out here.  By saying he is simply greedy for her company would be fairly anticlimactic and embarrassing in large sort for the king.  And thus, it's always back to business for Thorin Oakenshield.

"I forgot about that," Endor huffs, rubbing her forehead with the base of her palms.  Thorin shocks them both as he reaches out as pulls her hand from her forehead, leaning closer to give her a look of care and concern.

"Do not stress.  I have everything handled," Thorin says, knowing he just went back on his whole reasoning for coming outside alone with Endor.  But at the same time, he'd rather do this than see the girl upset.

"Thank you.  As experienced as I am with travelling, I am not accustomed to the preparations of a king travelling," Endor remarks, acknowledging the fact that when she travels, she only brings a change of clothes, a knife, and a book to read.  Surely, the king is used to more than these mere necessities.  He probably has a furry bed roll.

However, Thorin is far too lost in the prospect of travelling with this women not only this time, but again in the future.  With her great knowledge of the lands in the West and desire to travel, Thorin cannot help seeing himself there with her in the future.  "You'll come into it eventually."

"Will I?" Endor asks, surprised due to Thorin's implication that they will travel again in the future.  But furthermore, his words seem to be a promise for her greater understanding and knowing of him in due time.

"It's just a hint more than a normal person's duty.  That's what I meant," Thorin catches himself, prompting Endor to hum in acknowledgement.  Of course, the king desires to spend an irrational amount of time in the future with the hobbit, but to what extent, he fails to recognize.  

"Shall we be bringing anyone with us?" Endor asks, her blue eyes meeting those of Thorin with curiosity.  She does hope that others will come with them in order to avoid any awkward encounters with the king due to her brazen tendencies.  The last thing she needs is to be alone with Thorin for a long period of time.

"Kili will not allow us to go without him, and that means Fili must come along as well," the King Under the Mountain replies without a second of hesitation.  Even though they will pass through Mirkwood, Thorin knows Kili will come in his sheer desire for adventure and trouble.  It only helps their cause that Kili and Tauriel still have ties to one another and seem to get along as well as ever.

"You will then need someone to watch the throne," Endor remarks.

"Balin is more than capable.  But I assume that Dwalin will like to come along as well," Thorin says, considering what extent he wants to issue an invite to others.  He does not need thirteen dwarves, surely, for this adventure, but only a few and close companions.

"Very much so, especially where you are involved," Endor remarks, knowing that Dwalin is as protective over Thorin as Dori is over Ori.  Just the mental image of the bald dwarf coddling Thorin makes Endor want to relapse into laughter.