Chapter Text
“No!” Bilbo snapped, slamming his hands on the table and standing. The silence that fell over the group around the table was instantaneous. “There will be no attempts at reclaiming Moria. Did you so easily forget why the dwarfs left in the first place?” He snapped, looking across the aged faces. No. They couldn't have. Even at their oldest, the dwarfs weren't old enough to have been there. “The remnants of Morgoth are still there, sleeping in the mines your people had created. Your ancestors dug too deeply and awoken it! Any attempt to live there will simply end in death.”
“Surely the beast is killable, if not already dead.” Came the dry tone of a dwarf Bilbo did not recognize. The glare they received had the few whispers fall into silence.
“Do you know what dwells in the mines your ancestors built? A Balrog, the essence of fire and death. None fight a balrog and survive. Ask Glorfindel, for his is the only opinion other than mine that should truly matter here!”
“Calm, my child.” Yavanna whispered into Bilbo's pointed ear, though it did not calm the Hobbit.
The silence hung in the air as Bilbo seemed to puff up slightly, that was, until the sound of Thorin clearing his throat echoed off the walls. “The matter of Khazad-dûm is simple. It remains a strong hold of orcs and goblins. Something must be done to drive them out.”
“As is Mordor. But you see none brash enough to march to the Black Gates and try to drive them out.” Bilbo pointed out bitterly. “There is something else at work here, and if you are all so confident in discovering that, then you must be smart enough to cut it at the source. Come now, even Mirkwood is still sick from an unknown source, we've even been getting attacks every once in a while for our position. You can't tell me that something isn't going on.”
The two simply glared at each other for a long moment before the large doors opened and a dwarf panted, leaning over slightly. “A ranger... from the north...” The dwarf said between heavy breaths.
“A ranger?”
“What does this ranger want?”
Bilbo quickly made his way toward the dwarf. “Show me to him.”
“Bilbo! What is this about?” Thorin asked, still irritable from the previous conversation. What business did some ranger have with his husband?
Bilbo looked back to Thorin for a moment before he simply turned and continued after the dwarf. “Could it be the ranger from Imladris?” Yavanna baited Thorin who simply stood there scowling. “The future king of men...” She said after a moment, looking down to Thorin who's scowl turned to a look of realization. “Oh go after him you idiot.” She scolded, smiling when Thorin did just that.
“Aragorn.” Bilbo said with a sigh once he saw the ranger, ignoring the way the man bowed to him and hugged him instead. “Please bare no ill news.”
“I fear I'm about to disappoint you. It is about the quest for Smeagol.”
“Smeagol? Has he been found?” Yavanna asked, floating toward the pair, watching them intently, worry etched onto her dark face.
Bilbo stared at the man for a moment before glancing around the dwarfs who mulled around them. “Come... let us speak of this privately.”
“I do hope I will be included in this.” Thorin said almost sourly, looking at the ranger and his husband.
Aragorn simply nodded. “Yes, The King Under the Mountain should be aware of this as well. In fact... a council needs to be called with the news I come to bring you Master Prophet...”
Bilbo frowned and nodded, leading them toward one of the meeting rooms, being sure the door was sealed before turning to the man and his husband. “What is this news?”
“Smeagol has been tracked to Mordor.” Yavanna sobbed at the words, a hand covering her mouth. The wave of sick from her fell into Bilbo's stomach, the hobbit covering his own mouth from the bile. “The eye is seeking out a ring that was once in it's possession. He was killed, but not before saying one thing...”
Bilbo shook his head, already knowing what Aragorn was about to say. “It was my name, wasn't it?”
Aragorn nodded solemnly. “So it is true then... the ring you found is indeed the one ring... A counsel must be called. It must be destroyed.”
The room fell with a heavy silence, Bilbo looking to the ground. There was a noise that only Thorin and Bilbo seemed to hear, but Yavanna and the pair turned to see a tall man with white hair and equally as snow clear skin. Dark blue eyes peered through silver lashes at the dark skinned woman. “You must return to Varda.” His voice was gentle, but rumbled through the room with the power of an oncoming storm. Two mighty white wings stretched from the sides of his head, the soft feathers brushing the floor as they extended.
“Manwe... Arda is in danger...” Yavanna protested weakly.
“We must not intervene Yavanna. You and your husband have done enough. The three in this room have already been changed by your presence here. The king under the mountain was never meant to live through the battle. Your hobbit was never meant to stay east of the mountains. The Ranger was to be in Imladris now. Come. You must return home. The events on Arda must unfold from here alone.”
Yavanna turned to Bilbo, green eyes watering. “I will watch over your journey, my child. Never believe I have forsaken you.” She whispered, cupping his cheeks and kissing his forehead. “Take care of my child, Thorin. Do not let him do this alone.”
“I won't.” Thorin croaked out, humbled by the presence of the King of the Valar. Even Aragorn was silenced despite not seeing any of the interactions in front of him. He could feel the immense presence of Manwe, silenced and humbled by it.
Just as suddenly as Manwe appeared, both the King of the Valar and the Valar of all that was green were both gone. Thorin felt jarred, like something had been pulled from his chest, but it obviously affected Bilbo more, the Hobbit stumbling and gripping to Thorin's arm. Clutching his chest, Bilbo choked out a sob. “Are you okay, Bilbo?” Aragorn asked, looking over the hobbit with worry.
Bilbo was silent for a moment before sighing. “Call a counsel... send a messenger to Gondor, Lorien, Imladris... We need to address this...” He said breathlessly.
“We'll need to dig up the ring...” Thorin said, wrapping his arms around the hobbit.
“That won't be necessary...” Bilbo said quietly. “It's not in the ground anymore anyway... I'll have someone find Aragorn a room and send the message out to the cities of elves and men...” He said, trying to pull from the dwarf's arms.
Thorin gripped his husband's arms and frowned down to him. “It seems we have much to talk about, Bilbo.” The dwarf said tensely.
“It seems we do.” Bilbo simply echoed, unable to meet Thorin's gaze.