Chapter Text
To Balin, son of Fundin, and the Former Company,
By the time you receive this letter, I will have been traveling for about thirty days and nights. I am on the path back to Erebor, and intend to arrive in the last days of autumn, before Erebor’s first winter snow.
Bilbo Baggins is accompanying me. He will take residence in Erebor.
Your letters were all very enlightening, though I had realized the nature of my affections for Bilbo some time before the letters arrived. Dís mentioned the option of consorthood, and I wish to know whether this is a viable option for a hobbit, though if it is not, I expect Bilbo won’t mind either way.
Bilbo has been nothing but kind and caring. He is generous beyond reason, and anticipates you all with excitement. I hope you will treat him with the same respect with which he treated me.
The following part of this letter is from Bilbo, written in Common because he does not have a full grasp on dwarvish runes yet. I am currently teaching him.
Hello Balin and Former Company!
As you’re aware, I am Bilbo and I’m coming to Erebor, with a permanent stay in mind. I’m excited to see you all again, as it’s been quite some time since we saw one another, but ideally, we won’t be parting ways again for a very long time.
Now, Thorin tells me you all made fun of him the last time he sent you a letter. If it happens again, I’ll be the first to know, and you will all be pelted with your own crumpled-up papers upon my return as a discipline. While I love poking fun at Thorin as much as anyone, I’m still allowed to scold anyone else who pokes fun at him, and scold I will.
In any case, it’ll be a pleasure to see you all again. I plan to make some Took eclairs once we arrive, and I’m certain you’ll all enjoy them, as Thorin nearly ate himself sick the first time I baked some for him.
Cheers, salutations, and love,
Bilbo Baggins
Thorin II Oakenshield.
Dear Thorin (and Master Burglar Baggins),
Erebor is alight with anticipation of your arrival. Preparations for your feast are already underway, and the reconstruction of Erebor continues smoothly. A shipment of ale was purchased from Esgaroth (I will admit to paying generously as a token of good will) and all will be able to drink themselves under the table, in proper dwarf fashion.
A small incident, which I thought you would find value in hearing; there was a disturbance in the treasure halls not long ago, before the doors were fully sealed. One of the masons entered the halls and wandered for several days, descending further into them before attempting to lock himself inside.
He was apprehended and resides currently in the dungeon - I thought it best that you deal with the mason at your own discretion. It was not a severe problem, and dealt with swiftly, but as you’re aware, dragon sickness is a dangerous affliction and not every dwarf has the constitution to overcome it. We will need to consider the possibility of others being affected by the dragon’s hoard in the future.
I wish not to trouble you with this news, Thorin. You’ll be able to deal with it upon your arrival, but not a second sooner. For now, I think it best that you focus on traveling safely and swiftly with Bilbo. We are eager to see you again, just as I am sure you’re eager to be home.
With loyalty and love,
Balin, son of Fundin.
Dear Thorin,
It brings me great joy to know you will once again be at my side soon, brother. Since I have settled fully into Erebor, Fíli and Kíli have regaled me with the story of your quest with the company - a most delightful tale! Never have I been so charmed hearing the stories of your perils, particularly having to hide in a Man’s toilet in Lake Town. Your sister-sons will tell you exactly how long I laughed at that.
Word travels fast here. Erebor titters with stories of you falling in love with various things, each more ridiculous than the last. A man, an orc, an elf - though I’m familiar with Kíli’s elf-dam partner, I would find myself utterly surprised to see you come home hand-in-hand with an elf. I suspect not a single dwarf (discounting your former company) knows the true nature of your strange affair with your hobbit. Whether this is good or bad news, I leave you to decide.
Constructed from Bilbo’s half of the letter you sent some weeks ago, I believe we will get along. I find myself ruminating on “Took eclairs” in quiet moments. Just as well, he mentioned enjoying “poking fun” at you, which is one of my favorite pastimes.
I hope you will read him this letter. You picked a good hobbit.
With the utmost love for my eldest brother,
Dís, daughter of Thráin.
To Dís, daughter of Thráin,
I will freely admit to being relieved that you approve of Bilbo’s personality. He can be tightly-laced, a quality which many dwarves do not quickly endear to. Though I would have stayed by his side regardless of your opinion, you are both very dear to me, and it brings me joy to think of you two being friends.
Bilbo’s recipe for eclairs is an heirloom of his mother’s, Belladonna. He says he has refined it many times, and claims to have the process “down to a science.” They are chocolate pastries with cream filling. I told him with certainty that you would enjoy them, and I’m pleased to know I was right.
Bilbo says he is curious as to the phenomenon of dwarrowdams, as no hobbit, man or woman, grows facial hair in the Shire. I’ve assured him you are as womanly as any hobbit-dam, but he matches a dwarf’s steadfastness, and likely will pester you with questions upon your meeting. Humor him.
I know you are cross with me for leaving before you could arrive. I ask kindly for your forgiveness, and that your anger will be short-lived by the time Bilbo and I return. I love you, sister, and I would not slight you purposefully. There will be a feast and a party once we return; I ask you to enjoy the festivities as they were intended to be enjoyed.
With the utmost love for my little sister,
Thorin II Oakenshield.
Some time later, in the early morning, Thorin and Bilbo arrived in Erebor. Bilbo was snatched up and paraded around the entry hall by the former company, and Thorin was barreled into the ground by an equal-parts-furious-and-overjoyed Lady Dís. They spent the day moving all of Bilbo’s things to Thorin’s quarters, and the night feasting and partying and recounting tales both old and new. A redheaded she-elf was present, and stuck at Kíli’s side for much of the night. She and Bilbo chatted about being the outsiders of the occasion, and had a good laugh about it.
More time later, in the privacy of their shared quarters, Thorin gave Bilbo a different ring. It was a golden ring with a massive wine-dark stone set upon it that fit upon Bilbo’s middle finger as Thorin had very carefully measured it before hand-crafting the ring himself. He asked Bilbo to be his consort, and Bilbo said yes. There was an utterly massive wedding a week later, during which Thorin whispered something into Bilbo’s ear which would not be repeated to anyone ever again.
Even more time later, Bilbo received word by letter that his nephew, Frodo, was undertaking a most peculiar quest involving a golden ring he and Gandalf had found by the gate of Bag End. Bilbo worried himself out of eating for two days, until Thorin finally managed to draw the truth of the ring from him, and they stayed together quietly for many days until Bilbo recovered from the loss of the precious ring. I hadn’t even noticed I lost it, he had mumbled at some point.
A very long time later, Thorin’s health began to fail. He needed spectacles to read political documents, and a brace was created for his ailing knee, the dwarven craftsmanship still elegant despite its purpose as a bodily aid. At night and during storms, Bilbo massaged Thorin’s knee for him and put a topical ointment on it, and Thorin kissed him after, because even many years later, Bilbo was still taking care of him.
Nearly a century and a half later, when Bilbo was invited to sail west to Valinor, he proceeded to gripe and bitch at Círdan the Shipwright, Gandalf, and vaguely towards the western continent until Thorin was permitted to join him.