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When we finally stopped for the night, I was not surprised to see Bilbo fighting to stay awake. He had been awake quite early from nerves and had fretted throughout the sleep that he had managed to take.

I readied his bedding and I would have sworn that he would be asleep before his head touched his pillow. However, as I pressed a kiss to his forehead, Bilbo’s hand came up to rest against my cheek. His eyes were heavy with sleep and his words were not much more than a murmur, but still he smiled and said, "Until the end of our days."

I knew he was speaking to the words I had written in his book, his tale of our adventure. As his hand fell from my cheek, I grabbed hold of it, entwining our fingers together. I placed a kiss to the back of his hand and repeated, "Until the end of our days."

Bilbo smiled softly and at last closed his eyes to let sleep take him.

I set about finishing the last few things I needed to do before giving myself over to sleep. I have fallen into the habit lately of being awake after Bilbo has gone to sleep, more out of a life-long need of late nights. Now, those late nights were worth it so as to indulge in the luxury of sleeping in, another recently picked up habit.

But while it crossed my mind to maybe take some time to smoke my new pipe or even poke through one of the many books that Bilbo had brought, I instead found myself growing tired and decided that late nights could be saved for when we have returned to the Shire.

I returned to Bilbo and gently settled beside him. No matter how deep his sleep, he always seemed to sense when I joined him and as expected, he rolled towards me until his back was secure and snug against my front. I laid an arm over him and held one of his hands, our fingers laced together.

I have called Bilbo many things in our time together. Burglar. Little bunny. My treasure. My love. My One. And now I have the joy of calling him my husband twice over, with the promise to stay beside him for the rest of our days. To watch the trees grow tall alongside him. To travel these many roads before us, knowing that his hand shall always fit with mine.

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Gandalf joined us as we said our final goodbyes, still smelling like the smoke of his fireworks. He is setting out to leave as well, traveling with us as far as Dale before departing for his own ever mysterious journeys.

He wished us luck on the long, familiar road back to the Shire, though urged Bilbo to not be tempted to cause trouble with the hidden treasure that he has tucked away. I knew that he spoke of the magic ring that granted Bilbo his invisibility and saw the brief hint of irritation cross Bilbo’s expression.

Bilbo promised that that piece of treasure is locked tightly away and that Gandalf should not concern himself over it. Gandalf met my gaze over Bilbo's head. He stared for a long moment and eventually inclined his head and turned away, humming softly. Wizards truly make little sense.

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Before I left to ensure that all our things were prepared, Dís had brought me a mug of ale. She had claimed that the current drinking contest was sure to drain every last drop of ale from the Mountain. I had laughed and asked if that meant that she had already been beaten. She had elbowed me in response, which had nearly caused my drink to spill.

"Someone has to be a 'responsible ruler,' as Fíli is currently cheering on whoever is drinking and you are about to sneak away with your newly wedded husband." 

"We are not 'sneaking away'," I insisted.

She raised a brow. "You're not even staying through your whole post-wedding party."

"We just wish to be traveling once again."

Dís had then grown quiet for a few moments and I asked what was bothering her. She admitted that she wished that our kin who have passed were here to join us and to share in the celebration. My throat grew tight with the familiar, thick taste of grief.

I had gently squeezed her shoulder and she had rested her hand on mine. I told her that this shall be one of the many stories we tell them when we one day join them in the Halls of Waiting.

She had smiled at that and had touched her forehead to mine. "Safe travels, Thorin, and many happy adventures."

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I managed to locate Bilbo, though he tells me that he seems to have misplaced his device. I told him that we can check for it first with my nanaddan, as they are the usual culprits behind such things, though Nori was also a likely candidate for such mischief.

I also presented Maethedir’s gift to him. He seemed as taken as I am with the intricate chrysanthemum carving. Bilbo grinned at me after a few moments, asking if he was going to have to compete for my affections. I knew that he was just aiming to tease me but I answered sincerely that none could ever hope to turn my head. He blushed at that, as I had hoped he would. 

Bilbo pulled me down to attempt to steal a kiss but I wrapped both arms around him, lifting him from the ground. He gave a minor squawk of protest, though it was quickly cut off as I instead was the thief this time, claiming a kiss. 

As I placed him down again, he said that he should have added to the marriage documents that I was not to pick him up like that. I apologized, though with a smile, and said that we could certainly do the entire ceremony over again if he so wished to make the amendment. He reached up to tug on my braid in response and turned, proclaiming that he was off to fetch his device. As he walked away, I could see how he struggled to keep the smile from his face.

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Bard eventually excused himself to try to find his youngest, Tilda, who seemed to have slipped away. Dwalin pointed him towards the library, a common spot for the young princess to retreat to when in Erebor.

Not a moment after Bard gave his farewell, I was greeted by another familiar voice. I turned and found my Elven friend, Maethedir! He laughed at my surprise and asked if I had not expected him to attend. I told him that I was just happy to see him and asked about his travels here.

We talked for some time of what has transpired since our last letter to the other. He told me of the apprentice that he was to be taking on in Rivendell, a young Elf with a keen eye for design and keener desire for metal working. I congratulated him and said that once his apprentice was trained enough, that he should travel more, as he had spoken about in the past. 

Maethedir said that he had more to give than just words and pulled a wrapped gift from his bag. He put a hand up before I could tell him that a gift was unnecessary and said that he had been working on it for quite a while and felt that giving it in person was better than via a letter. He handed the gift to me and I unwrapped it to reveal two handsomely carved smoking pipes. 

Maethedir explained that since I had indicated in a letter that the previous one he had made for me had been tragically broken in an accident, he thought to craft me another along with one for Bilbo. I examined the detail along the sides. Both had the engraved image of a chrysanthemum, the flower that I had fashioned into a bookmark for Bilbo all those years ago.

I expressed my sincere gratitude for the lovely gift, turning one of the pipes over in my hand, looking over the intricate craftsmanship. He said that when Bilbo and I were next in Rivendell, he would be sure to supply us with a good stock of pipeweed so that his gifts may be of good use.

Dwalin, having left before to find Nori, returned to inform me that there is apparently a drinking contest about to begin. He invited me along to it but I said that I would instead try to find Bilbo to pass along Maethedir’s gift. Maethedir gave his farewells, jesting that he would like to have a try at some of Erebor’s ale before he left. 

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Among the many who have come to speak with me, Bard was able to find a moment of my time as well. He and Fíli had just had a meeting several days ago and Fíli had offered beforehand to have Bard and his children stay until the wedding. There was little point in having them travel back to Dale only to turn around again so soon. 

Bard had already given me his congratulations and well wishes before but he gave them again. In the short time since he had been crowned King of Dale, more grey had begun to color his hair. The stresses of a crown do weigh heavily upon those who wear them.

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not one of my fellow hobbit mutuals have informed me that you had a tumblr, mister thorin, and i am SEVERELY disappointed. tell the company i said hello! (aha why yes i am new here-) 👋

I am sorry to hear that your friends in the Shire have caused you such disappointment but I welcome you. This account of my journey is rarely used now, only when Gandalf sees fit to share these strange devices with us. But you are able to read through the events of these last few years here or via Bilbo’s telling here. 

I have passed your greeting along to those in the Company that are nearest me now, mainly Dwalin. He did not have much to say in response, preoccupied as he is with keeping an eye out around me, should any mishaps occur. I believe he is also trying to find Nori, as he has seemingly slipped away again, most likely with some mischief planned.

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Bilbo has again been swept away as there are many who wish to speak with him. I was greeted again by Estel after the ceremony. He had found me this morning to tell me of the new places he has been able to travel to since we last spoke. He has grown again since we last saw one another, now standing at my own height, despite having been shorter than Bilbo when I first met him seven years ago. It always astounds me just how quickly Men are to grow, in much the same speed of a boulder sprinting down the side of the mountain.

Estel has also grown in ways of responsibility. He spoke now with hope for reclaiming the throne for his people and I cannot help but see a younger version of myself in him. There is already a sorrow in his eyes, despite his youth. I told him to focus on spending time with those that he holds dear, as they will be the ones to lean on when he encounters the challenges that his path is sure to have. 

“Do not let the struggles of your future weigh you down too heavily or they will fell you before you even encounter them,” I said to him, placing a hand to his shoulder. “Even those who are crownless are still kings. Your kingdom will surely wait for you, and in that time, gather close the ones who will help you to be a great king.”

He thanked me sincerely and, seeing that there were others vying for my attention, pardoned himself. I could see that there was a sheen to his eyes but his back was straight as he took his leave.

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The official documentation has been signed and we have stood before our family, friends, and guests to speak of our devotion to one another. My eyes were only on Bilbo and I could see the tinge of red dusting his ears. 

I knew that he held no nervousness or hesitation in being wed to me, but the stares of those gathered around had been making his hands fidget. I had taken one of his hands in my own. Then in a whisper, I had reminded him that he has stood before a dragon and slung taunts at the beast, to which he responded in a similar hushed voice that he had been invisible for a good deal of that and had not been in such a restricting state of dress. We had shared a grin to keep ourselves from laughing.

Though I braided it into his curls myself, I can hardly believe the sight of the mithril bead in his hair. There are times, such as now, when these past few years seem more like a dream than reality. I think of myself, my kin, my people just a decade prior and how Mahal has blessed us. 

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Good tidings and a happy Galkhabsatamrâg to you all. It has been an unsurprisingly busy day so far. As our announcements said, and as I’m sure Bilbo has already informed you, it is the day of our wedding. 

We have of course been wed for some time in the Shire and that knowledge still fills my chest with such warmth and happiness that there are times I cannot breathe. But this is to be an Erebor wedding and, as Bilbo had complained this morning, “everyone is here.”

I had laughed at his complaint, reminding him that he had seen a similar crowd when Fíli had been crowned. He insisted that this was to be entirely different as now all eyes would be on us. I could not help but laugh again at the pout that he wore, his nose wrinkled much like a rabbit’s. A look of mischief had crossed his face then and he asked, “Do you think we still have time to elope instead?”

As if they had been waiting, Bofur and Bombur had called out a greeting, entering our rooms to sweep Bilbo away to prepare. 

Gandalf had appeared as they departed, greeting me with words of congratulations and the familiar device that allows me to share my thoughts with all of you. I was not given a chance to write, however, as Dís and Balin swiftly appeared to ready me for the day.

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Bilbo has long since fallen asleep, using one of my arms as his personal pillow. At least he has lost the habit of drooling on me in his sleep. Mostly. I can also feel the pull of sleep but today has reawakened the softer memories of our Quest in my mind. I find myself thinking back to the dance of sunlight in his honey curls after pursuing him through Beorn’s gardens, having gently taken his face in my hands to declare my intentions. The speechless look he gave me after that kiss still brings a smile to my own face, even now.

While I look forward to the day when I can once again see him standing amidst a field of flowers with sunlight above to make his eyes amber and shining, for tonight, I am content to simply take his hand in my own, now certain in my belief that they were in fact meant to hold one another.

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When we at last returned to our room, I gifted Bilbo the small carving I had worked on earlier in the day. It is him, the first day that he joined us on the Quest, running out his door to join us. But I have made his image that of a bunny, with long ears and large feet, posed mid stomp. 

Bilbo lit up when he first saw it, but upon realizing what it was, his face turned to a scowl with his nose scrunched up; an expression so similar to a rabbit’s, I had to laugh. He speaks as if he hates the nickname that Beorn bestowed upon him years ago but I see how the corners of his mouth work to resist a smile. He accused me of purposefully bringing it up just to see him vexed. I told him that I will never bring it up again if he would ask it of me. Instead, he just set the carved rabbit on the table before us and flicked his book open, keeping his face decidedly neutral. 

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As we returned to our chambers, a voice called out a greeting and we turned to see Gandalf. He had been in Dale for the day, poking around as is his habit. He also pointed out how long we had been in Erebor, clearly worried in a similar vein as myself about Bilbo’s continued time here. Bilbo told him as he had told me that circumstances were different this time and I watched him bury his hands in his pockets. I believe he was thinking of his magic ring, hidden away in Bag End.

Gandalf also confirmed what I had guessed this morning - that our devices were to be returned when he departed tomorrow. I told him that if he told us how to create such devices for ourselves, he would not need to gift them only for these short updates. He laughed at that and said that even with all the knowledge in Erebor, these two devices were as unique as they come and could not be replicated. I would have challenged that but I have already asked quite a number of people if they had the skill, to no avail.

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After supper, Bilbo and I took a walk together. Our days in Erebor are usually quite busy and our daily tasks tend to have us in different places, only crossing paths on rare occasions until supper. We have developed a habit of walking together after our meal, to discuss our day with each other and smoke our pipes. We do not always walk in the same place, but lately we have been walking along the ramparts.

Before this most recent return to Erebor, the ramparts had become a place to avoid in my mind. There were several layers of troubling memories here, and I am hesitant to purposefully bring my thoughts back to my times of sickness. But Erebor is my home, as much as the Shire now is, and I do not wish to avoid parts of it.

At first, they did nothing but make me think of the past. But together, Bilbo and I have changed the feeling of the ramparts. Now, after so many walks and conversations, I can recall those lighter times first when stepping out onto them.

We spoke of our day and I told him of Bard’s decision to adopt a similar meal programme that Erebor currently has. I know that the Bombur has been the true mastermind behind the idea and that he and his teams have worked wonders to make it possible, and I am quick to remind others of this. But so many enjoy having their meals delivered by Bilbo that he has become the face of the programme in a way. I know that this additional adoration that is directed at him is enough to make him blush when it is spoken of, so I enjoy bringing it up from time to time.

With his face still red, he changed the subject back to our discussion from supper, of our eventual wedding here. Its potential date gets pushed out a little farther each time we speak of it and I cannot help but worry that his thoughts will turn too dark if we stay too long. I know that we have only gotten better at communicating in these recent years and he would surely tell me, but even mild worries have a tendency to make themselves quite insistent.

Bilbo was quick to reassure me and help to set my worry aside. He is a balm to my mind, a light in my heart. Remembering all that we have faced together in these six years, I am still struck by how lucky I am to have him here with me.

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#speak with your local bees <-- A very charming notion, I shall be sure to do so when I see them visiting my garden :)

It is an excellent past time. I find that there is something in the way of their buzzing and honeycomb patterns that is quite calming. I would recommend leaving out a shallow dish with water for them. If you place rocks within the dish that sit above the water line, the bees will have a safe place to land while they drink.

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During supper, we spoke of plans after this pox has been driven out. At the start of it, speaking of a time after had felt far off and vague. But now, with more and more people being inoculated each day and the pox’s spread feeling more contained, we can begin talk of the future with more definition and clarity. 

Bilbo and I are still set to married here in Erebor, though that date will depend on when it is safe for all to attend. Though the crown is being passed to Fíli, Bilbo will still officially be a Royal Consort once we are married. The first time that I had asked for his hand for him to accept the role as Consort, he had returned the diadem saying that he had not wanted it. I admit that even with our relationship restored, when I asked him again, my heart shook with a nervous fear of the same response. But we have both changed so much since we were last in Erebor and he happily said yes.

The conversation turned from wedding plans to travel. Bilbo and I intend to travel and meet with the other Dwarven Houses. My nananddan have not had the opportunity to travel to the other Houses, having only known Ered Luin before coming to Erebor. I have distant memories of visiting when I was young, before we were driven out. I described to them what I remembered, faint recollections of different foods, braids, and accents. Kíli wondered aloud if Tauriel would agree to travel with them one day for their own tour.