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

[starsandsea]

You may recall a small token that you found deep under the Misty Mountains, which I carried for a time and then gave to you in Khazad-dûm. I must request that when you come to Erebor next, you leave it at Bag End and travel without it. Times are growing darker and the roads more dangerous, and if you travel with such an item I am afraid that harm may come to you, or that it may be taken from you.

Eeeep! And then following line, how Thorin just wants to keep Bilbo safe... *wibbles massively*

It took some fast diplomacy to keep Dain Ironfoot from leaving in a huff after they short-sheeted his bed.

THOSE TWO! :D

Your letter I received this morning, full of gossip and sketches, has brightened my day. I am glad to hear that your new gardener is working out well, and that you were able to keep that unpleasant Gerda Boffin from hiring him away.

And oh, I just love Thorin being so interested in the goings on of the Shire, and just... all the small details of Bilbo's life that he can't be there to share...

Kíli and I didn't eavesdrop,

[mithen]

Eeeep! And then following line, how Thorin just wants to keep Bilbo safe... *wibbles massively*

Oh dear, Thorin has done enough research now that he's starting to get really uneasy for Bilbo!

And oh, I just love Thorin being so interested in the goings on of the Shire, and just... all the small details of Bilbo's life that he can't be there to share...

Oh, that was SO fun to write, imagining the kind of things Bilbo filled his letters full of, and Thorin sitting and poring over them so carefully...

For some reason I'm just in love with the idea of Fili drawing cartoon dragons on his letters! :D

*grin* I can imagine it so easily, it's got goggly eyes and a goofy smile. :)

Also, it's very weird to have "Steward" Ecthelion, when I'm so used to Ecthelion the Elf...

I know, isn't that weird? Ecthelion's father was Turgon, too! @_@ So strange... Denethor's fiancee knows the story of the elvish Finduilas and references it sometimes (like "No way I'm going to end up like her!")

[starsandsea]

Attached to the letter is a detailed, precise drawing of a lily of the valley

And Thorin sketching flowers...! *swoons*

The item is a card of heavy, cream-colored vellum. In ornate letters of gold foil it announces the birth of Fronn, son of Fíli and Lûn

Oh my goodness, Fili as a father-! (I bet Uncle Kili is the Best Uncle Ever! :P)

My soldiers, seeing my humiliating mistake, have taken to calling me "Oakenshield." I attempt to bear it with good humor.

Eeeeee, you found a way to give Thorin the Oakenshield name! :D But eeek about Azog!

You mention something called a "debate" in your last letter. I'm not certain I understood you, but it sounds quite intriguing, and I hope that you will explain this concept further.

Oh my, I would love to see that explained to Thorin!

But then our King defied Azog armed with nothing but a bare branch plucked from the battlefield--no, that is not right, for Thorin Oakenshield is armed always with his mighty heart and valiant soul and the strongest will of us all.Oh, and I love seeing Dwalin's

[ilovetobefree]

The letters excerpted below cover a span of twenty-six years: from Third Age 2942, when Bilbo returned to the Shire from the Lonely Mountain for the first time, to T.A. 2968.]
WOW!

I often find myself remembering the Shire in general, and Bag End in particular. I imagine you there, puttering about and fussing over dust, sweeping the floor while a fire burns on the hearth and the snow outside blows--
Oh yes, sweet memories...

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.
Loved this paragraph.

Forget-me-not.
AWWWW!

Dear [here "Mr. Boggins" is written and dramatically scratched-out; followed by "Mr. Baggins," also scratched-out, and finally] Bilbo:
Kíli is such a sweetheart! :) And his letter is totally awesome! :)

Fíli wishes to know when you will be back again. Hugs

[mithen]

WOW!

So many years! I knew I wanted the continuation to take place in a fairly small window where Frodo wasn't old enough to go on the quest, but many of the characters we know are old enough to be characters (like Aragorn), so that limited me!

Kíli is such a sweetheart! :) And his letter is totally awesome! :)

Kili was such fun to write! He and Fili express themselves in a very modern way, somehow...

AWWW! You write totally amazing letters, do you know it? And it not matters if they are your personal letters (e-mails) or you write them for characters of a story. They are always so lovely and brightenning my day.

Aw, you're so sweet! I really loved writing them as letters in this version, somehow--it's a different way to try and get voices across, and it was a lot of fun! Poor Thorin is so stuffy and formal--well, you know him. :)

[zolac_no_miko]

I DO SO LOVE EPISTOLARY FIC.

This was stunning, excellent work, dear! I'm excited to read the next installment in this 'verse!

IS IT BECAUSE OF THE RING, IS THAT WHY BILBO WON'T TRAVEL??

[mithen]

I love epistolary fic so much! It's this weird sideways way of approaching plot, and there's always something of the character that comes through differently in their way of writing than in their way of speaking, if that makes sense...

IS IT BECAUSE OF THE RING, IS THAT WHY BILBO WON'T TRAVEL??

IT ISSS. *tears hair* And "won't" isn't as apt a word as "can't, even though he wants to"--he just somehow can't quite make it out of the Shire. Stupid, stupid Ring! *glares at it*

OK, I am inspired to get some more written as soon as possible! Classes starting will not slow me down! *cracks knuckles* Thank you for the inspiring comment!

[monkiainen]

Oh, these were lovely. Sniff.

[mithen]

Thank you! *joins in the sniffing* I love writing letters in fic so much, especially rather old-fashioned letters...