There and Back Again

Chapter Three: Bilbo Baggins

Taking a deep breath as she waited for someone to tell her what was going on, Thalia wondered why she had been brought back; it was strange being back in Rivendell after everything that had happened. 

The last time that she had been in the city had been before they had set out for Erebor and had snuck out during the night so that the council could not stop them from completing their quest to take back the mountain. 

"Is someone going to explain to me why we are here?" Thalia asked growing impatient and she wished with everything that she had that the twins had not been dragged into this, she wanted to keep them safe and away from all of this. 

It meant that they were so close to discovering the truth about their heritage when Thalia was not ready to share that with them; she doubted that she would ever be truly ready to tell them what had happened but she wished to do it on her terms. 

Gandalf silently puffed on his pipe and watched the twins who were playing in the gardens below; they had waited until morning before speaking with Thalia about what had happened. 

Giving her time to calm her children and them time to ponder the mess that had been caused, not that Gandalf would regret his actions; it had been for the greater good that Thalia leave Middle Earth. 

It had been a long night and Gandalf was still unsure what to make of the two children that had come with Thalia; they were clearly Thorin's and that meant they had a problem, one that would not go away. 

"We have discovered that the ring of power has been hiding not far from here for the last sixty years," Elrond said when he realised that Gandalf was not going to say a word, his eyes still watching the twins knowing that their existence would certainly change things. 

They could certainly not ask Thalia to undertake such a dangerous mission as they had planned to do, it would not be right to separate her from her children with the chance that she might not return. 

Thalia furrowed her brow, she vaguely remembered the tales that she had heard about the one ring and its master; she did not see why they had brought her back here if there was nothing, she could do about it.

Slowly a figure emerged from the shadows, they were slow to move and Thalia frowned not sure what to expect; the being was no elf that she was certain yet, she doubted many others remained here in Rivendell. 

The figure moved forward, leaning heavily on their walking stick while their eyes stayed locked on Thalia; he could not believe that she was here after all these years, he had never thought that he would see her again.

"Thalia Hunter," the figure breathed in greeting when they were close enough, they watched as the blonde turned to look at them and he hoped that she had not forgotten him after all these years. 

Thalia certainly did not look any older than when he had last seen her, it was hard to believe that it had been sixty years since the Battle of the Five Armies and it had changed things for them all. 

Staring at the complete stranger, it took a while for it to dawn on Thalia who was talking to her; she could feel both Gandalf and Elrond staring at her waiting for her reaction. 

For they could imagine that time moved so differently between their worlds that she would not have thought much of the time that had passed here while she had been gone. 

"Bilbo?" Thalia whispered in shock, she had been told that it had been sixty years since she had last been here however it did not hit her until now; she had not wished to believe it when they had told here. 

Gandalf and Elrond had not seemed to have aged a day and it had left Thalia a little unsure if she should believe them that so much time had passed since then.