Daughter Of Dragons: A Hobbit Fanfiction

Here's To Our King

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"Where is that ring?" Bilbo muttered as he searched his room. Where could it have gone to?

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked when the halfling muttered that phrase. "I gave it to you for safe keeping— don't tell me you lost it!"

Kili and Fili, who were walking nearby, froze when they heard the conversation. "But I put it back... you were there!" Kili said.

"Yeah, I was, and I watched you put it back. So how is it not there?" Fili asked. "It isn't like Bilbo to lose anything."

"No, but it is like us to lose things, yet I know I put it back." Kili murmured. "Do you think Ori or Bofur would know where it is?"

"One way to find out." Fili replied before he walked off to find the two, Kili following after him. Once they found them in the dining hall, they went up to them and spoke in hushed tones. "Do you happen to know where the ring that Bilbo was keeping for Thorin for Vala went?"

"No, the last time we saw it was when Kili showed us." Bofur replied. "Why?"

Ori's eyes widened. "Did you lose it?"

Kili shook his head. "No! I put it back where I found it. But we overheard Bilbo and Uncle talking,"

"And Bilbo said he couldn't find it," Fili added.

"And we heard Uncle getting pretty mad about it." Kili finished.

"Well, if you put it back where you found it, it isn't any doing of yours." Bofur said with a shrug.

"Well, that's true." Kili said, sitting down with Fili so they could eat. But if that was the case, then why did he feel so guilty about it?

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     Valadhiel was outside at the moment, enjoying the warm air and sunshine. She hadn't been in the mountain very much since everything had happened, and she hadn't really been talking with the others very often. She had become pretty quiet.

     "Since you have some time, Thorin, why don't you go spend some with her?" Balin asked, standing next to Thorin as he watched her from a little distance. "Something is clearly bothering her."

     "I know." Thorin replied. "I've just been trying to figure out what the best approach is."

     "Just be yourself, let your heart guide you. You were her greatest comfort after the eagles saved us, remember? Just go over there. Nothing good will come out of not going over to her. Women sometimes want their men to show they care by approaching them and asking what's wrong, rather than them just having to go to them and tell them."

     "Women are so complicated." Thorin murmured.

     "They can be, but men have their challenges, too, don't forget." Balin chuckled. "Go on, go talk to her."

     Thorin nodded his head before he went over to Valadhiel, standing next to her. He was quiet a moment before he spoke. "What's wrong, Vala?"

     "What do you mean?" Vala asked, not even glancing at him, trying to hide her face.

     Thorin gently grabbed her chin, turned her head, and made her look him in the eyes. "Angel, what is wrong? Something has been up ever since we moved into this mountain."

     Valadhiel looked at Thorin, her eyes very sad. "Has it been that obvious?"

     "It... did take me a moment to realize fully, but yes." Thorin replied, stroking her cheek with his thumb.