So at NYCC, Radio and I had a chance to talk at length with the Weta people. Some stuff was about the BotFA EE and out of deference to their concerns about leaking stuff ahead of the release I won’t bring up too much, but I will mention some interesting anecdotes about behind the scenes Bagginshield stuff (though not posed as such to them, of course, just asked questions around stuff that we as fans find to be related).
I love watching all the homosexuals re-enter the Middle Earth fandom around the same time of year. We’re back bitches, lets get these two hitched already
“there was something vaguely alluring about him, an animal magnetism of sorts" Oh this brought all kinds of delightful images to mind. And the ending perfected that.
I’m very glad it did! The poor hobbit princess won’t know what hit her ;)
Sometimes I think about how the Mithril shirt Thorin gave to Bilbo was described as something a ‘young elven prince’ would wear
And I just can’t get this image out of my head of Frodo rocking up to Rivendell in that same shirt and Legolas just looking at him like blink blink “why is this small one wearing my bar mitzvah tunic as armor”
So, I’m still thinking about Aulë and the creation of the Dwarves, and how this makes them such softer creatures in my eyes.
When the Dwarves sing the Song of the Lonely Mountain to Bilbo in The Hobbit, their voices are described as “deep-throated singing of the dwarves in the deep places of their ancient homes,” and furthermore Tolkien adds the addendum, “this is like a fragment of their song, if it can be like their song without the music.”
In this instance, we see an initial, subtle example of the immense power Music and Song has over Middle Earth (as at the time of publication, of course, The Silmarillion had not been published and the audience did not know of Eru’s composition, nor the great Music).
I absolutely adore this description of the Dwarves’ voices though, as it ultimately reflects the feeling behind their music and also their origin being made after Aulë’s own passion and hands.
Despite the song being so hardy, devoted and most of all mourning,the Dwarves play gentle instruments like harps and flutes. Despite how they work with their hands and are often those to cut down trees and - in Yavanna’s sentiment - have no disregard for the living things of nature, Aulë’s influence of being beautifulabove even a craftsman is very much present. The Dwarves value precious jewels and heirlooms and crafts, and treat their heritage as such.
The following piece of ficcery was unashamedly inspired by Certain Incidents Involving Dwalin The Cookie Monster from keelywolf’s Most Excellent Bagginshield Fic The Road Delivered Us Home
The Rise of the Cookie Bandit Commander
It was a common misconception held by Certain Dwarves (read: Thror, who was proud of his grandson and Thrain, who was utterly mortified) that the Infamous Cookie Bandit Commander of Erebor was none other than young Prince Thorin. It was known, of course, that Thorin loved Chunky Chocolate Chip cookies and the chunkier the chips, the better!
They couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact, it was Balin who discovered that the said Cookie Bandit Commander was none other than his own younger brother Dwalin. Dwalin was the one who inducted Thorin in the fine art of Cookie Banditry. One had to stage a Cookie Raid with all the cunning, stealth and skill of a general preparing to go to war.
And as for Cookies, Dwalin had no special preference because he loved all types of Cookies and was always ready to try new kinds. Though he did have a weakness for classics such as Oatmeal Raisin.
Balin, it must be said, kept his silence, after being suitably bribed with a Fudge Bar Cookie.
There were many successful raids taken on by Prince Thorin and Dwalin, though they never forgot the number one rule which was Always return the jar. Obviously, returning the jar meant more cookies and a raid to be planned for another day. And a broken jar meant disgrace and dishonor indeed!
Later on, Dwalin would induct Fili and Kili in the fine art of Cookie Banditry. Like his Uncle, Fili loved Chunky Chocolate Chip. However, young Kili would inherit the Durin Chocolate Madness, which was, if one thought about it, a much saner alternative to Gold Sickness and easily remedied. It was pure Chocolate Dipped for Kili and he would take Daring but Especially Clever Risks for the sake of these cookies, so much so that Dwalin had contemplated that perhaps Kili would be his successor after Mahal had recalled the older warrior to his Halls.
These days, with the dwobbits of Thorin and Bilbo running loose in Erebor, Dwalin would have Frerin (the Child of Man’s height was especially useful for tall shelves), Bella and wee Frodo, to plan Cookie Raids with. And recently, with the pending arrival of Frodo’s Took and Brandybuck cousins, plus young Samwise Gamgee, the ranks of Dwalin’s recruits would be swelling indeed.
Let Bilbo Baggins and Bombur beware and guard their kitchens well. The Cookie Bandit Commander of Erebor was on the move!
He is aware of the jests being made at his expense, that out of a mountain, Thorin Oakenshield has the poorest sense of direction of any Dwarf ever born. It’s a Durin trait that has thankfully passed over his sister-sons and most of his cousins but then there are, indeed, Certain Circumstances as to why Thorin was still blessed or cursed with this specific family trait.
It doesn’t matter right now, anyway.
It had taken him weeks of getting lost in his own bloody mountain to admit the truth that he’s tried to bury down deep, ever since a Certain Moment upon the battlements of Erebor - a moment that involved rage and betrayal and the look on a Certain Hobbit’s face. It is a grief and pain he sees mirrored in his own face when Thorin allows himself the space to be alone, away from duty and responsibility and the rebuilding of a kingdom.
There are also, of course, other memories that bring just as much pain. Stolen kisses, an embrace, the warm weight of one’s beloved in his arms, soft laughter and gentle jests, the scent of curly auburn hair, the smoothness of skin against his rough hands. It is worse when he dreams of these, because it will always end to him waking up in a cold bed and an empty room and two simple words.
I wish.
A Dwarf will never get lost if he’s finding he’s way home. And this is what Thorin Oakenshield is doing now, step by step, his own stone-sense unerringly steering him in the direction of the Shire, to the Hobbit that he now knows will mean home for him from now on. The King Under the Mountain again sleeps on hard ground under the stars and the Moon and still he dreams and the dreams, while they bring back cherished memories, are all the worse upon his waking. But this time, things are different. He wakes to his companions, his sister-sons, who for once, have the kindness not to tease him. And he wakes with two simple words etched in his heart.
I hope.
****
I FICCED. AGAIN. BEAUTIFUL ARTPROMPT IS BEAUTIFUL. PLS TO BLAME WANDERINGQUILL FOR INFLICTING HER PLOT BUNNIES ON ME. ALSO ON KILI BECAUSE HE CAN’T RESIST THE CUTE AND THE FUZZY…..
The first rule anyone learns about babies - whether Elfling, Dwarfling Badger, Hobbit Fauntling or a Human Child - is that they are rather fond of pulling one’s hair.
Bilbo had done his share of babysitting duties for tiny cousins and said tiny cousins adored Big Cousin Bilbo who could tell the best stories and make the best sweets. So he thought he was fairly prepared for Frodo… except that he really, really should have counted on Frodo inheriting those remarkable Durin blue eyes and the adorable puppy expression that went with them. So poor Bilbo could only wince and coax Frodo not to pull too hard on his marriage braid, which the little dwobbit was inexplicably fascinated with.
Frodo was a remarkably good-tempered dwobbit baby and generally well-behaved and quiet, content with observing anything and everything with those wide blue eyes, unless one tried to pry chubby dwobbit fingers off one’s braid and then Mahal help you. EvenGandalfhad to resign himself to letting part of his beard be enfolded in one tiny fist when he carried around the tiniest Prince of Erebor.
And Thorin had to hide his smile when Frodo managed to bend ThranduilElven-king, of all people to his will, snuggled against the Elf’s shoulder holding contentedly on to a lock of long golden hair.
Eventually Balin had to admit to Bilbo that this was a Durin trait through and through. Thorin was much the same as a babe, content to sit quietly in the company of the adults - especially King Thror - happy as long as he was holding on to one of Grandda’s braids. So Bilbo shook his head and smiled as his ridiculously adorable husband and son wreaked havoc upon the hearts and sensibilities of the free folk of Middle-earth, with some additional help from their equally ridiculously adorable nephews.
***
I FICCED AND I AM NOT SORRY.
BLAME WANDERINGQUILL FOR BRINGING ME STUFF TO SQUEE OVER OKAY.
THIS MAY BE A RESULT OF THAT PLOT BUNNY THAT WENT MISSING A FEW POSTS BACK SINCE IT WAS A FRODO AS THORIN AND BILBO’S ACTUAL DWOBBIT BABY BUNNY….
#fili and kili (JUST AS BROS, OKAY, GEEZAS YOU GUISE I SWEAR….LOL)
(darthstitch is not a fan of durincest, btw so her muses are strictly bros but she does not run a hate blog so she will not harsh anyone’s fili/kili otp squee or argue about durincest because she believes in a free ocean of shipping and she is happy to sit in her happy corner of shipdom and squee okay? OK.)
Thorin: Mahal, I am not that grumpy. And sometimes places get switched around.
Bilbo: Although I must say it’s adorable when Thorin is the one being a Happy Duckling of Fluffy Yellow Sunshine.
Thorin: *facepalm* Beloved!
Bilbo: Okay, let me amend that to Happy MAJESTIC Duckling of Fluffy Yellow Sunshine. Oi!
*Thorin has drawn an arm around Bilbo’s waist, pulled him close and has buried his face in Bilbo’s neck and NO HE IS NOT BLUSHING*
Bilbo: *blushes too* Um. We both get like that sometimes but today it’s his turn. *sneaks kiss into Thorin’s hair*
Thorin: You are going to get me in so much trouble with my hobbit on this.
Bilbo: He laughed. Fell off the throne laughing his confounded Dwarrow butt off. *sulks*
Thorin: Only because this … um…. picture…. reminded me of how adorable you are, beloved.
Bilbo: Adorable like a rodent you mean. *more sulking*
Thorin: Adorable because you are…. er…. short…. er… your height is pleasing to me because you are just the right size for me to do this…. *nuzzles one Very Disgruntled Hobbit* and this …. *drops a kiss into Bilbo’s neck right where it tickles, making Bilbo giggle*
Bilbo: Stop! Stop! *more giggles* Thorin, you are not kissing your way out of this – eep!
We interrupt this post as His Majesty, Thorin II, has currently carried off his loudly protesting (and giggling) Consort for an Important Discussion. Sorry we’re not sorry?
happybirthday uh new years? my sweet sweet best friend @technicalthinker whom i love so so much. i meant to give u this on ur birthday but i think it fits better today❤️❤️❤️ love u!!!!
![lordoftherazzles:Endless Thorin Oakenshield [138/???] & Endless Bilbo Baggins [39/???]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/e218072e4bf6f177fedcb96184cb529c/a3f1732a6cec05a7-ef/s540x810/5342bd4fb14b865967e4cda879b0c2aa7e108ff0.gif "lordoftherazzles:Endless Thorin Oakenshield [138/???] & Endless Bilbo Baggins [39/???]")
![lordoftherazzles:Endless Thorin Oakenshield [138/???] & Endless Bilbo Baggins [39/???]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/0baa761eb5a83122b3d6a14a5161c74d/a3f1732a6cec05a7-bb/s540x810/8e9c2f76692314fb3ad116cdfa83bfda8710a158.gif "lordoftherazzles:Endless Thorin Oakenshield [138/???] & Endless Bilbo Baggins [39/???]")
