There were many ways to describe Thorin Oakenshield, but there was one word only those closest to the king would use to describe him. One word that summed up the pain in his eyes and the slump of his shoulders. "Lonely." And how could he not be when his heart was all the way across Middle Earth, carried by a simple hobbit from the rolling hills of the Shire?

Thorin had his throne, his nephews, his honour, and wealth beyond belief. Yet, there Thorin sat, his mouth a thin line, his cold glare steady and unwavering, on the day he should be celebrating his victories. What no one knew, however, was that one year ago that day, Bilbo Baggins, a simple hobbit from the Shire, left Erebor with Thorin's heart. On Hiatus