Loyalty, Honor, and a Willing Heart

Chapter 30 - Going Home

Thorin was eager to get to the hoard, but too much worried about the possible return of Smaug to leave the balcony watch post. So it was that he didn’t accompany the ones who went to bring the supplies that were left in the tunnel, and didn’t see when Bilbo stumbled on his own feet and fell hands forward on a gold pile, from where he retreated wide eyed with a huge gem in his hand, immediately and carefully hidden in his cloak.

The ones who had gone to Ravenhill came back in a hurry with their news. The only delay was to jump into the first patch of the river that was reachable to take off the most of the dragon dung they could, even if some outer layer of cloth was simply cast away. The water was icy cold, but anything was better than to smell dragon dung. So it was that Thorin saw his companions come back less stinky and knew there were good news.

Dwalin told him Roäc’s speech, avoiding the embarrassing parts, which Kili would make sure to be known by everyone. The ones who were with Thorin in the balcony were overjoyed, and as soon as there was a sign of the ones bringing back their supplies Fili shouted to them.

“Time to take a bath!”

Iris dropped whatever she was carrying and jumped into River Running springs, completely forgotten that hobbits don’t swim, but was quickly rescued by Glóin, who happened to be close by. She then sat at the bank and washed away every bit of filth she was able to, along with Bilbo, while the dwarves jumped into the running water the way they were. The ones in the balcony joined them soon, but for Kili and Ellen, who had already jumped into the river when coming back from Ravenhill and used the need of someone to be at watch to grant them a bit time alone, albeit in sight of the others.

“I have lots of Lake-Town soap yet, when someone comes to surrender us I’ll find a more secluded branch of the river for me and the girls to take a proper bath and change clothes. I’ll leave some soap bars here for you and the guys, too.”

“Hmm, good smelling elf is my favorite!” Kili teased her, laughingly.

“Anything but dragon dung smelling dwarf is my favorite!”

“Would it be better to have someone to watch over you while you bath, for your own safety, don’t you think so?”

Kili’s cheeky smile was priceless.

“Even if I agree with you, what do you think my brothers would do? First we had your uncle to keep us apart, now we have my brothers concerned with my chastity like if I were a teenager, even if they don’t know it is useless. So now we have two watchdogs instead of one!”

The dwarf eyed her with a sudden worry.

“Keep them believing it is not useless, else they will eat my liver with onions!”

***

A thoroughly clean Company made their first hot meal in days uncounted, and then begun to plan for the rest of the day. To spend another night at that guardhouse was unthinkable, as it got entrenched with dragon dung stench, and they were pondering where it would best to camp.

“Why don’t we go to my house?”

Thorin invited them, a wide grin on his face. As matter of fact, it seemed that the grumpy dwarf face had vanished completely, now that years of worry were lifted from upon his shoulders.

“It is here close by, it has enough room for all of us, and it may be less clogged with dust than in the open halls. Come, let us go to my house!”

Now that he said, it seemed obvious to the women. That had been their house, at least to most of them. Fili, Kili and Ori were born in exile, and Nori and Bofur were kids when the dragon came, but Erebor was the place the dwarves had dwelt, worked, played, lived until a hundred and some years ago. And now they were back home.