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     Later that night, the dwarves and Bilbo were eating and drinking in the Master's house, to which they had all been invited. The man had been hesitant to invite Valadhiel into his home, but Thorin persuaded him to allow her to stay with them, assuring him that though she had a sharp tongue, she meant no harm unless you gave her a good reason.

     While the others enjoyed themselves, Valadhiel stayed in another room. She had eaten a little, drank some water, and then kept pretty silent and distant from the others. There was plenty to celebrate, yes, but the reality of being near that mountain was weighing down on her. The closer she got, the more dread she felt. She knew that the old dragon was still lying beneath piles of gold.

     Thorin walked into the room after a moment. He had noticed that the female dragon had been unusually quiet, as well as distant. It wasn't at all like the Valadhiel he knew. "Vala, are you okay?"

     Valadhiel looked up at him, then she gave a small smile and nodded before she looked away. "Yes, I'm fine."

     Thorin raised an eyebrow at her before he sat down next to her and gently took one of her hands into his. "I know that you're not fine. Is it because of y- because of Smaug?"

     Valadhiel let out a shaky breath before nodding, looking over at Thorin again. "Yes. Last time I saw him, he wasn't anything like this. Seeing him after all these years... it's going to be difficult."

     "I can only imagine." Thorin murmured in response, gently rubbing his thumb across her delicate little hand. "I don't know how much this helps, but you do have us. After all of this time, you have become family."

     Valadhiel smiled at Thorin when he spoke. "I know. You all have become family to me, too." She then sighed softly again. "After all of this, though... what happens?"

     Thorin furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

     "After we reclaim the mountain, what will I do? Go back to Rivendell, or back to Bree Town, taking on quests for others like I always used to?" Valadhiel shook her head. "I love to travel, but I have been traveling for so long. I am ready to settle down, but I don't belong anywhere."

     "Well, you could always stay with m- with us. In the mountain." Thorin told her, glancing away when she looked at him before he looked her in the eye. "You are more than welcome among us."

     Valadhiel looked into the dwarf king's eyes, a light blush coloring her cheeks. "You really mean that?"

     "Of course I do." Thorin told her, glancing at her lips as he spoke before looking into her eyes again. He reached a hand up and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before brushing his thumb against her cheek, and he leaned closer to her until their lips were inches apart.

     "Hey, Thorin!"

     Both elf and dwarf quickly jerked back from each other and turned their attention to the doorway to see Balin, Gloin, Fili, and Bifur walk into the room they were in.

     "Have you decided when we..." Bifur trailed off, noticing a bright red blush on the faces of both Valadhiel and Thorin.

     Fili smirked before he began laughing softly, and Gloin began to chuckle as well, both of them looking at each other before raising their brow at the couple.

     "Are we interrupting something?" Balin asked with a knowing smile.

     "Uh, no... no, nothing at all." Thorin replied, clearing his throat after he spoke.

     The four dwarves began laughing even more when Thorin blushed harder, making some of the others come over to see what was going on.

     "What's so funny?" Kili called from where he sat, looking at Fili.

     "Oh, nothing lad, it's nothing." Bofur replied between laughs.

     "It sure doesn't sound like nothing." Ori said, walking into the doorway.

     "Hey, did they kiss?" Kili called over with a smirk.

     Valadhiel blushed even more and twirled a strand of hair around her finger. Oh, would they just shut up already?

     "Nothing happened." Thorin replied quickly, getting to his feet. "She was sitting in here alone, so I came to make sure she was all right."

     "Right." Fili said, stretching the word out with a mischievous smile as he slowly nodded.

     "Love is nothing to be embarrassed about." Bofur said with casual shrug. "And with you being the King of Erebor, you're going to need someone to produce heirs to the throne."

     "Dwarven heirs, I'm sure, not mixed breeds." Valadhiel murmured quietly, looking away from all of the dwarves. "As Thorin mentioned before, nothing happened. I was alone, so he came to make sure I was okay."

     Balin looked at the others. "All right, lads, let's let up with the teasing." He told them with a chuckle, then he looked at Valadhiel. "You have been rather quiet today. Are you doing okay?"

     Bilbo, who had quietly stole into the room earlier, looked at Valadhiel knowingly. He knew that it had to do with Smaug, as she had told him about her previous relationship with the dragon before he'd become evil.

     "Yes, I'm just nervous, I guess." Valadhiel replied, smiling over at Balin, then she looked at Bifur. "What was it you were going to ask when you walked into the room?"

     "Ah, right." Bifur said before he looked at Thorin. "When are we setting off for the mountain?"

     "Two hours after sunrise." Thorin replied. "Meaning we had best get some rest now."

     Upon hearing this, the dwarves all got themselves settled down for the night, as did Bilbo. Bilbo was pretty sure he had caught somewhat of a cold coming up through Bard's toilet, so he would gladly get to sleep now in hopes that the cold wasn't long lasting.

     Thorin looked back at Valadhiel once everyone else had bedded down for the night. "You'd best get some sleep, too, if you're able."

     Valadhiel nodded softly before lying down on the couch. "I'll do my best. Goodnight, Thorin."

     "Goodnight, Vala."

~<3~<3~<3~

     The next morning, Valadhiel was the first one awake. Despite the fact they weren't leaving until two hours after sunrise, she ended up waking about an hour before sunrise, unable to fall back to sleep after waking from a dream.

     Valadhiel walked out into the living room of the house and started a fire in the fireplace, since it was slightly chilly. Once she had started the fire, she decided to look around and see what kind of foods were there, that way she could have a breakfast prepared for the dwarves and Bilbo.

     The elvish dragon ended up finding some eggs, as well as ham, bacon, and she also found ingredients to make biscuits. Since she had plenty of time and nothing else to do, she got right to work on making a big breakfast, being as quiet as she could. She was pretty sure the only light sleeper in the room was Bilbo, however.

     "Vala?"

     Valadhiel turned her head toward the voice and smiled. "Good morning, Bilbo. I didn't wake you, did I?" She furrowed her brow a little.

     Bilbo shook his head. "No, not at all. I just can't sleep." He replied after having smiled in return. "I think I'm coming down with a cold."

     "After having to swim in that cold water to get into Bard's house, I'm surprised that everyone doesn't have a cold." Valadhiel commented with a chuckle. She turned and got back to fixing breakfast, still working on the biscuits.

     "May I help?" Bilbo asked, stepping further into the kitchen as he looked over the foodstuffs that Valadhiel had set out.

     "If you want to, sure." Valadhiel replied, smiling at the hobbit as she began mixing the biscuit dough. "Could you find out where the flour is, and where a dough cutter might be?"

     Bilbo nodded and set off to finding the things Valadhiel would need. He managed to find the dough cutter in a low cabinet, then he found the floor in the pantry. He couldn't reach it, however, as it was on the third shelf up from the floor.

     Once the biscuits were baking, Valadhiel and Bilbo sat down at the small table in the kitchen. The eggs, bacon, and ham would be done far before the biscuits if they started on them now, so they decided to wait until the biscuits were almost done.

     "What had you up so early, Vala?" Bilbo asked curiously after a pause had ensued.

     "I woke up after a bad dream." Valadhiel replied, giving a soft sigh. She then smiled a little and chuckled. "It's a good thing I'm part elf, or I would be tired all the time."

     "Would I be correct in assuming the dream was about your father?" Bilbo asked curiously, watching Valadhiel.

     The she-elf nodded. "Aye, it was about him. I dream about the incident a lot. It keeps me awake." After speaking, she looked away from Bilbo, sadness washing over her countenance.

     Bilbo reached over and placed a hand over top of hers. "It isn't your fault, you know. All that happened. Your ancestors don't define who you are. You are the only one who can define you."

     Valadhiel looked at Bilbo after he placed his hand over top hers, and she smiled softly after listening to what he had to say. "Those are some wise words, Bilbo Baggins."

     "You two are up early."

     Valadhiel and Bilbo both flinched, the voice having startled them, and turned to look toward the voice. Upon seeing that it was Thorin, Vala smiled. "I thought that I would prepare breakfast for everyone."

     "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to help." Bilbo added nonchalantly, slipping his hand away from Valadhiel's. He realized that it might look suspicious, even though he'd only wanted to comfort Valadhiel as a friend would. The last thing he wanted was Thorin to see him as competition.

     Valadhiel got to her feet after a moment, put a glove on, then took the biscuits out of the oven. She then placed the ham in the oven before she started on the eggs and bacon. "Any particular way you like your eggs, Master Thorin?"

     Thorin had eyed Bilbo briefly, then he turned his attention to Valadhiel when she spoke. "Scrambled. To make things simple, and to save on time, go ahead and make them all that way."

     "That works for me, as making them several different ways would be a lot of work." Valadhiel said with a laugh.

     Bilbo got to his feet and set the biscuits in a bowl. He then proceeded to set the biscuits on the table, then he got out butter and jams.

     "While you're out there, Master Baggins, would you mind waking the others?" Thorin asked, though it sounded more like a command rather than a question.

     "Uh, sure." Bilbo replied, giving a nod before he walked out of the kitchen.

     Once Thorin knew Bilbo was out of earshot, he looked at Valadhiel. "So, what were you and Master Baggins talking about?"

     Valadhiel raised an eyebrow, hiding an amused smirk. She couldn't hide the amusement in her eyes, however. "He asked me what I was doing up so early, and I told him it was because of a bad dream."

     "What was he doing holding your hand?"

     "Why do you care?"

     Thorin shrugged. "I'm simply curious. I don't really care."

     Valadhiel raised an eyebrow again, then she put the eggs that were done in a bowl before she flipped the bacon. "Ouch!" She exclaimed, placing a hand over her neck.

     "Bacon grease?" Thorin asked.

     "Aye, bacon grease. I'm not so fond of food that attacks you." Valadhiel said, feigning a frown. "Ugh, this stings."

     Thorin raised his brow, then he smirked before he gently removed her hand from her neck and pressed his lips to where she'd been popped. After hearing a small giggle escape her lips, he stepped back from her. "Better?"

     Valadhiel looked back at him, her cheeks rosy. "Better." She replied softly, smiling at the dwarf, her reptilian eyes sparkling. She then finished up with the eggs and bacon before, with help from Thorin, taking them out into the dining room.

     "Good morning, lass." Balin greeted upon seeing her. "Anything we can help with?"

     "Thank you for the offer, but I believe we have everything now." Valadhiel replied with a cheery smile. She scanned the table once more to be sure, though. She snapped her fingers after a moment. "Ah, we don't have any drinks yet."

     "I'll get them." Thorin said, and before anyone could say a word, he had turned and walked back into the kitchen.

     "Well, what's got him in such a cheery and helpful mood, I wonder?" Dwalin questioned, having noticed that their king had been smiling, and a sparkle had been in his eye.

     Valadhiel stifled a giggle and smiled, glancing back at the open door that Thorin had walked through. "I don't know."

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