Interlude

Bilbo was in a sea of blackness, it was darker than he had ever experienced before. Suddenly the place he was in brightened and he saw stars all around him, it took him a moment for him to realize that they were not stars at all, but rather shining silver rocks. "These are the souls of my children, those who have lived their lives and those that have not yet lived. Your son has one, as does your daughter, as does your husband and so do you. You are my child as much as anyone, long has your family served as my warriors, so I decided to give a gift to both my weakest son and my strongest."

"You consider me to be weak?" Bilbo demanded.

"My wife blessed some males with the ability to give birth, but she also made them submissive by nature for the most part. However dwarves don't easily submit to anyone and so the Shire never knew quite what to do with you. Now that you have accepted your dwarven ancestry, I offer you both boon and curse."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You can pick up to seven dwarven skills, but loose a hobbit skill in return." He stated and Bilbo stared at him in shock. "I'll teach you those skills myself." He added and Bilbo frowned. "Its not an offer I give just anyone."

"I understand that, can I be given a moment to think?" Bilbo asked and Aule nodded, he thought about his skills and the skills he had wished that he had. "Would I actually be able to use these skills, but not be as skilled at them as I once was, or would I never be able to do them again."

"You would loose all skill in them, but still be able to do them."

"Then I can afford to loose pumpkin tossing, my skill at conkers, my skill at maypole dancing, my skill at weed plucking, my skill at making invitations to gathering, my skill at butterfly catching and finally my skill at catching tadpoles."

"Very smart young Bilbo, now what do you wish to learn?"

"The stone arts, wielding axes, wielding knives, dwarven royal comportment, dwarven dancing, healing and...and...

"Are you sure that you want only to be skilled at two weapons?" Mahuel asked Bilbo and Bilbo frowned. "You could also learn the sword."

"Axes have always seemed more versatile than swords to me, I've heard dwarves talk about stone speakers in the past."

"That's a skill that's both a blessing and a curse, the dwarves who have it take years to understand what it all means."

"Can I give my last skill to my children and their children after them?"

"What would you have of me, there are some things even I cannot grant."

"I do not want my children to fall victim to gold sickness." Bilbo said.

"That is not a skill, unfortunately I cannot help you ensure that they do not fall victim."

"Then can you reverse their gold sense, so they won't crave it?" Bilbo asked.

"You are indeed one of my cleaver sons, I will allow them that choice when they come of age. However you have a skill to choose still."

"Stone speech." Bilbo said finally and the valar nodded.

"So we begin." He said and begin they did, the training was brutal and exhausting, certainly the hardest thing Bilbo had ever done. To his surprise Mahuel actually taught him how to understand what the stones were saying and what imprints were left. He got Bilbo used to hearing the constant chattering in his head and taught him how to quiet it.

The skill Bilbo liked learning best was dwarven dancing, particularly bedroom dancing, where he would drape himself in chains and elegantly remove each one, one after another, putting them on his partner instead. There was also the dance of gold, which required a lot of hip shaking and made Bilbo feel a bit foolish, other than the dance of chains, he also liked the dance of scrolls, where a woman would cover herself in inked scarves and dance with them, shedding them slowly one by one, until she was barely clad. The formal dancing was fun as well, Bilbo was very used to learning the woman's part, but Mahuel also taught him the mans. Dwarven dancing required a lot of stomping, clapping and spinning, it was hard but it was also very fun.

He did not enjoy his weapons lessons as much, knowing what such things were used for, but he was a dutiful student and learned all that Mahuel could teach him. Of the weapons he chose, he found that throwing axes and knives were his favorites.

He was surprised when Mahuel taught him dwarven etiquette before royal Comportment. It had a lot of backwards insults in it as well as a fair amount of shouting at the other party. It was common to challenge someone to some skill or game of chance. When at another's table dwarves were supposed to loudly show their appreciation for the food. Burping was considered to be a high compliment at such a table, as was passing food to your neighbor and down the table. He learned a hundred different ways to praise a dwarf's beard and a hundred ways to insult it. Mahuel had then explained that dwarves weren't much for etiquette anyway, though they did enjoy people not being openly rude to them. Bilbo thought that he had rather wasted this skill and would not have picked it had he known. Dwarves expected their royals to act a certain way. Royal dwarves were expected to be a voice for their creator and a voice of the people. They worked their entire lives to serve the people as best they could, as long as temptation didn't get in the way of their rule. Those with royal blood were expected to advise the king they were related to, to join him in battle and to go on quests with him. They were also expected to take power slowly from that same ruler, if he fell to gold sickness or mental instability of another sort.

He liked healing liked knowing which plants to use, in order to cure a fever or a cough, which ones would numb pain and which ones would bring on sleep. Which plants to use for injuries and which ones to use to cause them. He also liked learning how to fix broken bones, mend torn flesh and organs and stop blood from flowing freely.

He really enjoyed learning how to carve, from his first piece to the time at which Mahuel had said that he couldn't teach Bilbo anymore. Bilbo had looked up at Mahuel surprised that he was finished with his lessons. "But there is more to learn, isn't there?"

"Of course there is, there is always more to learn, but I can't be giving you all my secrets now can I?" Mahuel asked and Bilbo laughed, having gotten to know the valar by now. "Don't stop praying to me and if you could offer me a bit of something every now and again, I'd appreciate it." He said and then Bilbo was engulfed in the blackness once more.

Chapter Eleven

Bilbo heard a voice call him from far away, begging him to come back to himself. To come back to Thorin. Other voices came and went, asking for him to return, begging him to come back to them. Occasionally he'd also hear the cry of a baby, followed closely by another cry. However he couldn't move, he was stuck in the blackness.

Sensation returned more slowly then sound did, Bilbo used his stone sense, when he grew tired of his loved one's pleading voices and strange confessions. Honestly why would Bilbo care if a hungry guard had taken a bit of his baking, if the guard had asked, he'd happily have made some for him. The worst was Thorin, who told him long drawn out stories of his childhood, of how much he loved him, of how beautiful their children were, anything to attempt to draw him into wakefulness. Bilbo knew that whatever had happened to him, it couldn't be rushed like that, with a choice bit of wording. He'd come fully back to himself, once his body recovered fully. He could feel his body, feel when his bladder emptied, or he soiled himself and that was embarrassing, feel the slide of broth down his throat, but he head no control over it.

He continued to play with his stone sense, it was the only thing that tamed the monotony, he could listen throughout the mountain, by exploring the various cave systems and that's how he discovered that the people were terrified and on the brink of revolt. Thorin hadn't been seen in the three months since his husband had fallen ill and neither had the heir apparent or his sister. The people were frightened and soon there would be rebellion, if Bilbo didn't wake. That was what made Bilbo try harder to wake his body from its inert state.

He tried to move his fingers, concentrating on them first, as his tongue felt so very heavy. He managed it at last, when Thorin had fallen into slumber and it was night judging by the light behind his eyelids. He made a fist, curling and uncurling his hands then worked his way up, once he could move his hands fully. He broke away at the spell he was under bit by bit, until finally he was truly free of it. He felt exhausted however and fell back to sleep almost at once.

A hand shaking him was what roused him, Bilbo opened his eyes and stared at Thorin's hopeful gaze, Thorin held Bilbo to him tightly, squeezing tightly. "I hat thought that I had lost you." He told Bilbo. "I never stopped speaking to you, save when I was forced to sleep, these past three months have been horrible, but your awake now and everything can go back to how it was." He said and kissed Bilbo on the cheeks, peppering him with kisses all over his body. "The children woke up after three weeks have passed, but you've been a lazy hobbit worrying me so. Its been three months, since you gave birth to our beautiful son and daughter, they visit sometimes but for now they are being taken care of by some of your kin. The healers were careful to make sure that you could still nurse them, once you woke, I made sure of it." Thorin said and Bilbo could tell that waiting for him to wake up had made poor Thorin slightly unhinged.

"I'm fine beloved." Bilbo croaked and gulped down a glass from the pitcher of water. "It was hard to break away from the blackness, but I heard you speaking to me, every word and they helped so much." Bilbo comforted his husband and yawned. "I'm tired still."

"Please don't rest." Thorin pleaded and Bilbo yawned again and stretched, he climbed out of the bed and went over to where his clothes hung. "What are you doing?"

"If you do not wish me to rest, then I'm going to the kitchens and then to our children, before going to the council." Bilbo replied and got on his warmest clothes that were still rather chilly. "Mind if I borrow one of your fur pelts?"

"No." Thorin said. "Wait a moment and I'll go with you." He added and Bilbo smiled, finishing dressing and waiting for Thorin by the door. They went to the kitchens together, where Bilbo insisted on eating something other than broth and was given some chicken and mashed potatoes. He ate quickly, as he was hungry and asked for a second and a third helping as Thorin looked delighted and the kitchen maid looked astonished. He stopped after the fifth and went next to where his babies were.

"Thank you for taking care of them, but I want my children back now." He told the dwarrowdam who beamed in delight.

"Of course you would, they are so very precious, I have two of my own, but they are both half grown now." She said and Bilbo smiled, picking up both babies and settling them in a sling, along with some toys and finally wrapping a blanket around the bundle. Bilbo then walked with Thorin to the council hall and took his place in the empty consorts seat, the council cheered when he sat down and Thorin followed him. "I know how fond of yelling at one another you all are, but could you keep it down a bit for the babies?" Bilbo asked and the council stared at him a moment, before they all nodded. "Good now first order of business is to assure the people that I am fine and Thorin is well, as are our children. To that end I suggest that Thorin and I go down to the market together, that we are seen together and it is known that Mahuel has given me his blessing."

"How has he blessed you?" A dwarf Bilbo did not know asked him.

"He allowed me to exchange some skills, for some dwarven ones." Bilbo replied. "I also need to pick up some weapons, axes will have to wait until the little ones are older. Or better yet, you wield axes do you not Dwalin?" Bilbo asked the dwarf who nodded dumbly. "How do you keep them out of the reach of grabby little fingers?" He enquired.

"Store them on a axe hook, when you aren't using them." Dwalin told Bilbo and Bilbo grinned.

"I didn't think of that, knives are easy enough to secure, but axes not so much." He said. "Wish I hadn't bothered with dwarven etiquette waste of time and skill, by the way your beard is the most curly and excellently quaffed specimen I have ever seen." He told a dwarf who preened at the compliment.

"We all consider it to be a waste of time too, let elves have their flowery words and dinners, we've always preferred honesty. What else did Mahuel teach you?"

"Stone sense, dancing and stone carving, which extended to inlay and jewelry making, which surprised me." Bilbo admitted with a chuckle.

"You could have learned anything from our creator and you chose dancing?"

"Yes I did, I don't like forges, they are much too hot for me and I hate being all sweaty. As for dancing it is actually a very useful skill to have." Bilbo winked at Thorin. "I'll show you some of what I learned, if we get supplies at the market." He added and was surprised when Thorin blushed.

"I'd erm like that." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled happily.

"As for the rest, I learned it so I knew what my children would be learning and so I could better serve our kingdom. Except for the stone arts, that was a bit of a selfish whim on my part, I've always wanted to work with stone and never knew how to." Bilbo said.

"This is all very well and good, but until you have your weapons, it's fairly useless." One of the dwarves stated. "If you wish to go down to the markets, that's your business, but Thorin and the babies won't be joining you." The dwarf said, at that Bilbo took an eating knife from the sheath of the dwarf next to him and threw it at the speaker, a few hairs trimmed off his beard.

"If you ever insinuate that I cannot care for my family again, you will loose more than a few hairs." Bilbo glared at the dwarf in question and everyone stared at him, with no slight amount of fear.

"You could have missed." The dwarf in question said.

"No I couldn't have, not at this distance, I was trained by Aule, do not mess with me, do not mess with my husband. I am not one to loose my temper easily, but I assure you sir, that you will not like it when I am angry. Good day sir!" He said and stood from the table, taking the eating knife with him. "I'll return this once I have a set of my own." Bilbo told the dwarf. "You need to come with me Thorin." Bilbo said and Thorin nodded, together they walked down to the market and several people cheered at the sight of them. They wandered the market, as Bilbo bought the supplies that he needed. Thorin was a bit silent, as Bilbo tested the edge of each of the knives and discarded those he found lacking. He also picked up a set of lovely hair pins that could be turned into daggers by pulling them out of the sheath, the sheath was color coded so the wielder would always know which end to pull from.

"I'm going to register myself at several master guilds, you can watch me take the tests if you like." Bilbo offered and Thorin nodded, together they went to the stone arts guild, where Bilbo proved that he had stone sense, as well as master abilities in the arts of stone inlay, stone carving and jewelry making. He then continued onto the warrior craft hall and showed that he had enough proficiency with an axe and knives to be named a master. He found it very satisfying to beat up on the dummies and enquired about if there was a place that he could reduce further dummies to straw and kindling. The Axe master turned slightly white at his display and Thorin was ashen as well. "I learned these arts to defend myself and my family, I don't want to go about lopping off limbs."

"Regardless of whether you want to, the fact remains that you can." The Axe master stated and Bilbo nodded. "Can I buy two of your dummies?" He asked and was given one, he walked with Thorin to the middle of the market and stood tall. "Everyone if I could have your attention please? I have stone sense, I know what some of you have been planning, I know the conspirators by name, if not face. I know that you wish to harm me and my family, but you should know who you are standing against. Mahuel has blessed me, blessed me with abilities beyond your imagination, where he sent me was without time, but three months passed while I learned all he would teach me. I am a warrior of Mahuel, but I am also a child of his wife Yavannah, we do not enjoy the senseless taking of life. So I will not kill those who conspired against the crown, nor will I tell the council who they are, so that they might kill them. I shall give you this one chance to repent, to support your kingdom and country, to be the good dwarrows I know you believe yourself to be. I understand that your scared, but put yourself in Thorin's position, could you concentrate on your people, if it was your beloved wife that wouldn't wake? Your small children that needed their mother? I ask that you look towards your better natures, for I have no desire to harm anyone. That does not mean that I will not if it is required of me, if someone I love is in danger I will not hesitate. Those that would stand against us, this is your final warning." Bilbo said and then threw the daggers, the dummies fingers lopped off first, then its hands, going all the way up to the shoulders, next Bilbo threw at the feet, until the dummy was little more than a stump with a head, finally he beheaded the dummy, with another blade, the blades going no father than he intended them to. Next he threw his axes, performing the same stunt for his now silent audience. "I have no desire to do that to a living being, hobbits unlike dwarves abhor any violence beyond a fist fight, but I will do what I have to, to protect my family." Bilbo said and then secured his weapons to his weapons belt, making sure each of his weapons were carefully covered.

He then went over to Thorin and picked up Thrainen. "This is our son, your Prince presumptive, he has all fingers and toes, he is not misshapen, nor is he stunted. He is a healthy little boy and the right size for a newborn with his mixed blood." He cradled his son for a moment, before taking out his daughter, as more people gathered around. "This is our daughter Thea, princess of Erebor, she too is healthy and unstunted. They do however have my ears and not their father's." Bilbo said displaying his slightly pointed ears. "I will have no more rumors of monstrous children running around Erebor, as you can see both are perfectly healthy, perfectly happy little ones." He said as his daughter started to cry. "Well almost perfectly happy." He then fed his daughter and Thorin passed him his son, letting the boy feed as well, as Bilbo gazed tenderly down at his children. "There's my lass, drink up and grow too, you too little lad." He kissed both of the on the forehead, and watched as they fed. "A mother would do anything for her children, despite being male, I am no different than another bearer in that. I would protect them with my life, with all my being, from this day until my last day. They are mine and I will not let any of you steal them from me. Those who were going to join the rebellion should leave Erebor tonight, I will have no more talk of beheading my husband, or my children. I know where you live, I know where your families live and yes there are more of you then there are of me, but I have Thorin's armies behind me." He stated simply. "Leave, never return to Erebor, we do not want or need anyone here that would have so little faith in their king."

He knew that the word would spread and so gave the children back to Thorin, as he turned on his stone sense and made his way back up to the royal chambers. The people were more afraid then ever, but they respected him for defending his family. In addition they hoped he was being truthful about not striking out in violence unless he was threatened. Those that had plotted against Thorin were terrified and quickly packed their things, however others planned to kill them before they could leave the city. Bilbo had wanted them gone, not dead, so he made Thorin a tea, using a mild sleeping herb. "You need to relax, I know how stressful that was for you." He stated and Thorin nodded, as Bilbo drank his own tea without the herb in it, Thorin was so tired that he quickly fell asleep at the table and Bilbo quietly went to where his relative was staying and put the babies by the door. He then walked managing to stifle the sound of his weapons back down to the main hall. "You can't plot to kill those that wished to kill my husband and my family, then you would be just as bad as they are. These dwarves are being banished."

"If you banish them, what's to stop them from returning?" Someone demanded and Bilbo considered, he had no idea, what should he do and suddenly without realizing it, he called upon Mahuel.

"By threatening the line of one of my sons, those that would have harmed his family shall wear my mark until their last days." Bilbo felt his feet move of his own accord, 'Do you have too do this again?' He asked Mahuel.

'If you continue to be so lenient that you would allow your enemies to escape, yes I will do this again.' Bilbo's feet continued to walk to the closest house, he was allowed entry and a proud old dwarf glared at him, he was sufficiently cowed when Bilbo brought down his knife on his beard and carved the axes of Durin upon his flesh. He then twisted the beard into rope.

"If you ever again seek to harm another of my direct dependence you will know, your beard will be scraggly from now on, but your children and grandchildren will not suffer as you do, as you were the only one that conspired against me. They have the choice to leave with you of course, but I doubt that they would wish to accompany such a traitor." It continued in this manner, as Bilbo went to each of the houses and to the council chamber itself, holding the beard and hair of those that would harm him. It was more than distressing to him, it was horrible, but Aule would not give over control, he was powerless to stop what was happening. He watched as he took the beard from the council member and branded him a traitor, watched as the council stared at him with fear, a fear he felt himself. "Bilbo is not responsible for the events of today, he is too kind to do what needed to be done, so called upon me to give him the strength to do it. He however did not like what I was doing and has been fighting me since I took the first beard, however none of my warriors can stop me from getting into their heads and protecting the people how I see fit. Watch yourself my sons, do not become to bloated on ego and power, because this mountain now has ears." Then Bilbo was forced to walk down to the market, the hair of his enemies made into ropes that he wore around himself. "I have made a traitor's knot and now I put this knot in the flames." He told the people of Erebor who stared terrified at Bilbo, as Bilbo screamed and beat against his own head, until he was forced to sleep inside his own mind. Later he would learn of how Mahuel had forged an axe out of the hair, an axe that would glow red if the royal line was again threatened and had given the axe to Bilbo. Bilbo had no wish for any more of Mahuel's gifts, after what Mahuel had done. He had been sick after coming to himself, repeatedly and forcefully ill, Thorin had to hold back his hair as he vomited into the privy pot. When he was done he wiped his mouth and got out a piece of ginger.

"It was me, yet it wasn't me." Bilbo said and Thorin nodded.

"To be a warrior of Mahuel is both burden and blessing, he does not come unless called however, so if you do not call upon him, unless in great need, you will not worry about this happening again." Thorin assured him. Yet that did not stop others from fearing him now, he hated the fear and respect he got for that fear. Hated it! But there was nothing he could do about it, he had taken Mahuel's offer not fully understanding what it meant and he couldn't go back to who he used to be.