FIC: Letters from Erebor [Clarity of Vision]

[mithen]

Title: Letters from Erebor
Relationship: Thorin/Bilbo
Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Thorin, Kili, Fili, Balin, Dwalin, Dís
Fandom: Hobbit
Continuity: A continuation of "Clarity of Vision."
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1700
Summary: Selected and edited by Mr. Frodo Baggins from a trunk full of letters and documents bequeathed to him

Comments

[ranger_girl0301]

These were lovely, beautiful, and I'm not ashamed to admit that the last made me a little misty-eyed.

[mithen]

Mmm, that last one has hard to write, so I'm really happy it worked for you! Epistolary fiction always makes me happy to write, so I was happy to have a chance to indulge myself a bit... Thank you for the lovely comment!

[queen0fcups]

OH BABIES. I knew there would be trouble the minute Thorin asked him to leave the ring at home, and the payoff of all that pain and transparent avoidance in the last letter makes my heart ache. Watching Thorin slowly strip away layers of formality as the letters went on until his soul was completely bared - oh my heart.

I'd be intrigued to see which letters Frodo may or may not have left out of his historically relevant compilation :P

(also, OMG FRODO IS STILL GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS AU YAY)

The hint of oncoming Gamgee, the name drops of Denethor and Theoden's parents, and the birth of Fili's child (and his slowly adopting the formal stylings of royalty in his letters!) were delightful teases of things to come that fill me with joy.

And Kili opening a letter with 'Mr. Boggins' = the best thing ever. As was Balin's mention of Bilbo's aunt and Dwalin managing to write in the first place!

Also, hooray for Dis keeping everybody in line :P

[queen0fcups]

Also, I must say I can't shake the image now of Bilbo's aunt as queen of Khazad-Dum XD That's assuming the relationship between her and Balin had any permanence of course

[mithen]

I knew there would be trouble the minute Thorin asked him to leave the ring at home, and the payoff of all that pain and transparent avoidance in the last letter makes my heart ache.

Urrrgh, ugh, it was like this trap springing shut, curse that Ring.

(also, OMG FRODO IS STILL GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS AU YAY)

*grin* I had a feeling you'd notice the implications of that! And that you'd notice his hiring of the Gaffer (the Gaffer actually gets married shortly after Bilbo hires him, and his first son is born near the end of the letters here--no Sam yet, he's a much younger son...)

It was one of those shocking reminders about the scale of time in LoTR when I looked and realized that Theoden and Denethor's grandfathers are in charge during the Hobbit. And they both die in the same year, which I must assume was Tolkien deciding he couldn't be bothered to pick two different years. :)

Also, I must say I can't shake the image now of Bilbo's aunt as queen of Khazad-DumBELBA BOLGER, QUEEN OF KHAZAD-DUM is an awesome image! Sadly, she

[navaan]

Oh, that is so heartbreaking! It all starts so hopefully, but of course the one ring is still the one ring and will influence Bilbo. *sigh* Poor, poor Thorin for missing him and poor, poor bilbo for missing him too, but not being able to fight the influence of the ring completely.

I love how you deal with all the changed history and all the foreshadowing. :)

I am not certain Gimli would approve of your use of his gift--a guard-shield of Erebor is not to be used as a fruit bowl!-- but I shall not tell him.

This cracked me up completely. ;)

[mithen]

I have to say, figuring out how much influence the Ring should be able to have even in a hopeful AU is a tough one! I can't bear to put Bilbo through the wringer Frodo goes through, but on the other hand it doesn't seem fair if he can bear it more lightly than Frodo in some ways...

And I can't help but imagine that NO ONE in the Shire realizes that Bilbo's lovely bronze fruit bowl used to have different duties... :)

[shirebound]

This is a very beautiful, love-filled series of letters.

[mithen]

Aw, thank you! It was a real pleasure and challenge to figure out how to show Thorin's affection--he's not, um, terribly demonstrative and is usually awfully formal, so there's a lot of reading between the lines there (which I love writing!)

[starsandsea]

AHHHHHHHH! *flails* I loved this SO MUCH.

Dís hopes that you will send more peppermint tea, and I will confess I find the camomile quite soothing on evenings after poring over endless paperwork. Most of my people appear to prefer it mixed liberally with dwarven spirits; I hope you do not find this a blasphemous use of your herbs.

Eeee! Just... the image of Dwarves so happily drinking tea from the Shire!

I am not certain Gimli would approve of your use of his gift--a guard-shield of Erebor is not to be used as a fruit bowl!-- but I shall not tell him.

I find the image rather charming, myself.

*falls over giggling* BILBO. But Thorin, oh! *hearts him*

But then I must remember that is spring there now, and I have never seen your home in spring. I do not know how the spring sunlight looks as it slants across your kitchen table, or what birds sing outside your window, or how the air smells when scented with all those flowers whose names I cannot remember.

Oh! *wibbles*

I hope that you will do me the honor of walking out with me to

[mithen]

Eeee! Just... the image of Dwarves so happily drinking tea from the Shire!

You just know it became a craze! Young rebellious dwarves drinking tea while their elders mutter direly about kids today and their new-fangled drinks...

Ahhh, I had to quote all of that, because just KILI. Mr Boggins! And your nephew-by-proxy! And of course Thorin driving everyone completely mad by ensuring that everything is perfect for Bilbo's visit...

OMG, Kili is like "PLEASE COME SAVE US BILBO." I'm imagining Thorin striding around and overseeing every single bit of it!

Oh, and I just love that, that glimpse of what we don't get to see...

*grin* What I love about letter-fic is those gaps and spaces (I'm thinking of your modern story with Laurefindil now!)