Little deeds that matters

Thorin had heard the scream at first, and it was unmistakably a female voice pleading, crying for help. Killing the bandits had been reasonably easily, as Men often forgot that Dwarves were skilled warriors despite their shorter height. Few saw past their legendary reputation as blacksmiths, failing to remember that even a smith could use weapon he had done himself.

He had been more surprised to see that it was a Hobbit he had saved, the rarely seen Children of Yavanna as they were called, for their ability to restore fertility in soil, making them be seen as a kind of nature spirit in flesh. A female Hobbit on top of it, who had not been treated too gently, judging from the injuries on her feet.

"They have kidnapped Hobbits to be sold on the Black Market?" Thorin wondered, as he wrapped her feet into bandages.

"Yes, it s-seem like people are desperate in the south for better soil…my own fault, really, not being on my guard when I would stay only a few days in Bree to meet with distant relatives..."

Of course, the rumours of bad harvests over the past few years, and the growing fear of famine. Erebor and Dale had been lucky to escape, but Thorin knew that the farming were slowly going that way as well, with so many months and animals to feed.

"If you would like to have a safe place to stay while recovering, you can come with me."

~X~X~X~X~X~X

Dis had been delighted to help out when Thorin and Bilbo arrived back to Erebor, giving the Hobbit some rooms closest to the gate of Erebor so she had easily access to the outside. Naturally Bilbo had gotten a shock at first when learning that she had been saved by the King, but her outgoing personality had soon shown itself as she grew used to the Dwarven realm.

"It is good that the King brought me here, for I can sense the soil not being too well!"

And so Bilbo had taken up the task to make herself useful during her stay. As she explained, Hobbits had been created to have bare feet with leathery soles and hair to better stand against shifting temperatures, and being barefooted meant that they had closer contact with the ground all the time. Yavanna was often depicted with bare feet as well, was she not?

Her presence soothed the royal family, its members having been much worried for how things could be if the food production did not go well. A good leader had to think of the people first, after all. Especially Fili and Kili were seen with Bilbo, trying to drag her into some mischief that more often than not ended with the duo being scolded by their mother or uncle.

~X~X~X~X~X~X

When a year had passed, Bilbo came to Thorin one evening as he watched the sunset from a balcony. They needed to speak of something important for her.

"I would not be treated too well if I return to the Shire now, after being gone for so long. Kidnapped Hobbits who manage to return are often seen as tainted, especially after a certain time they have been lost. In fact, many families are told to view them as dead and have a symbolic burial with the date of the disappearance as they day the missing Hobbit died, as it often not very likely that they manage to come home. And with both my parents gone, I would not have a childhood home to return to…."

There was a deep sadness in her voice as she spoke, telling Thorin her feelings without revealing them.

"You have already done so much for Erebor and Dale that many would be sad if you left now. If you can not return to the Shire, why not remain here? Here you will be protected with secret bodyguards from our spymaster if you fear for being kidnapped again, and with the same important rank as a Dwarrowdam, you would no longer be a person who will one day leave."

"That….would please me a lot, Thorin. For more than one reason," she said, with a faint hint of blushing on her cheeks. Behind Thorin's back, her newest friend Ori and the two royal nephews, trying hard to not fall down and ruin the moment, were holding up a longer parchment with the written words:

Kiss him

Alas, they could not keep the awkward position anymore, causing pretty the racket of noises as Fili and Kili had been training with the guard commander Dawlin earlier and Bilbo were treated to the now familiar sense of Thorin trying catch his sister-sons, poor Ori escaping another way.

Yes, life was good for her now. Perhaps one day Thorin would catch the clue Bilbo tried to give to him, though Dis had promised to box the ears of her brother if he did not hurry up soon.