An Unexpected Addition (Thilbo - Bagginshield)

Dissent

"Spread your feet a lil' bit wider. There, that's it."

The training fields of Erebor were built atop the huge outer walls, small patches of grass and dirt dotting the long fortifications so that the dwarves wouldn't have to step out from the city to practice on something besides hard stone. Bilbo was currently sitting on a bench beside one of those grassy patches, a stack of old blueprints resting to his right side and upon his lap, all of them in desperate need of restoration. The hobbit had restored his fair share of documents back in the Shire, so this was familiar business that could then be used by the reconstruction crews down in the mines. Apparently, these blueprints mapped one of the oldest and most fertile shafts in the Lonely Mountain, so Thorin and Balin had been ecstatic when Bilbo had offered his knowledge on how to restore all of them without any lasting damage.

"If you keep your knees straight, then your enemy can kick them and blow out the bones there," explained Dwalin. He was standing in the middle of the training patch with Frodo. "So always keep them bent, like this."

Bilbo smiled at the pair. "I think Dwalin's actually enjoying this."

"He's always been good with children," said Balin. The older dwarf was sitting to Bilbo's far right, carefully applying the chemicals he'd bought and collected to restore the diamond mine blueprints. "Few people expect it from him because of his appearance and gruff demeanor. He trained Fíli and Kíli, you know."

"Really? Well, that would certainly explain why they look up to him so much," said Bilbo around the new pipe he'd found in his room. It had the loveliest dragon-esque design to it. "It makes sense that he would've been their primary instructor whenever Thorin couldn't be there."

"Aye, and I think Dwalin missed it, after the boys no longer needed daily training sessions," Balin explained. "Guarding a palace in the Blue Mountains can become rather monotonous and tedious after several years. Very little action. And if there's anything my little brother enjoys, it's action."

"Now, if someone ever tries to grab you around the front like this, reach out for an ear and give it a sharp twist. That'll send them screaming."

Bilbo cringed at that statement. "Well, these last few years have been chock-full of action. I personally think the lull is quite nice right now."

"Or jam them in the eyes! Don't matter the species or size, if you stuff your finger or a knife into an eye, they'll topple right off of you."

"I'm honestly hoping Frodo never has to use any of this," sighed Bilbo. "It'd be really nice if he didn't have to fight for his life in his own home. Hobbits aren't made for fighting, as I proved so well on our journey."

"But you are very good at sneaking," Balin reasoned. "And everything my brother is teaching the lad focuses on jab and escape, a fighting style that I personally believe can be quite useful for hobbits like yourselves."

"We can be very quiet when we want to be," admitted Bilbo with a grin. "Frodo's been pilfering Kíli's arrows all week and he still can't seem to find them."

Balin laughed at that. "It's delightful to finally see that rascal getting some of his own medicine for once. A worthy opponent for him, one could say."

"Uncle! Look, look!"

"I'm looking, Frodo. What is it?"

The little hobbit was standing in front of Dwalin, expression focused and hands at the ready for an attack. Bilbo had a difficult time suppressing a smile, thoroughly amused by the way Frodo kept glancing up at Dwalin for confirmation that he was doing the deed or action correctly.

"Five main points of attack," said Frodo, pointing to Dwalin's body parts for each of them. "Twist the ears, jam into the eyes, kick the knees, smash the groin, and break the nose. And if that doesn't work, just bite them."