Rereading "The Hobbit," gained an unlikely muse

[oakenshield]

"Pompous?"

[ The foul look upon the Dwarf King's face says it all. Taken by a fell mood today, one sparked by this woman's bantering, Thorin glares hotly at his "mun" with great contempt. ]

You would dare describe me, King of Erebor, as "pompous"?

[ If he could only spit fire right now---]

You're a rude one, aren't you? I've been described by historians and scribes alike as "brave" and "powerful", but never "pompous". I'm almost quite incline to take your comment as a direct insult made on faceless lie for I know I'm hardly as pompous as the Elvenking. He is the kind to bray needlessly like a mere donkey, not I. Mayhap it would be for the best if you finished your research first before damning my name and legacy with your idle comments.

[ Feeling quite vindicated now, Thorin picks up his pipe and smokes in peace. ]

Comments

[keeps_count]

I would advise that you dull your tongue when speaking of a fellow king. Perhaps your mundane is accurate in her claim that you are pompous, King Under the Mountain.

[oakenshield]

[ Just when he thought he would get some peace long enough to finish his pipe, that blasted word is said again and this time spewed from elven lips. Turning around to cast a shadowy glare on the young Prince of Mirkwood, Thorin almost snarls at him in rage. ]

Quite a greeting to receive from Thranduil's "spawn" but I wouldn't have expected anything less.

[ He puffs out some smoke in Legolas' direction before turning away. ]

[keeps_count]

[The elf simply waves the smoke away without looking too irritated.]

It is advise from an heir to a king. Especially considering the honor my father gave you by placing Orcrist on your place of burial himself.

[smileandasong]

I'm sure your mundane meant no harm by it.

OMG~!!!! SNOW WHITE!

[oakenshield]

Hmph. So you claim.

[ That's all you're going to get out of this grumpy Dwarf King. He's quite livid with his mun but in all truth, he's actually more embarrassed than livid. ]

<3

[smileandasong]

Well, why would she?

[feministe]

If the comment is not true, why do you take such offense?

[oakenshield]

It's an unwarranted slander against my good name! Why shouldn't I take offense to such?

[ No, deep down inside he knows he's quite "pompous" at times. ]

[feministe]

If your name is as good as you claim, you should not feel the need to defend it so fiercely, monsieur.

[ It's okay. She likes pompous people. As the embodiment of France, pompous is sort of what she does. ]

[squeak_squeaker]

[What a tiny little man! Kronk had never seen anyone so short before... and that included Emperor Kuzco.]

Your beard's great, Your Highness! [Fancy people liked compliments, even a simple young man like Kronk knew that.]

[oakenshield]

[ MIND YOURSELF, CHURL! This "tiny little man" happens to be son of Thráin II and the grandson of King Thrór. He is both the King under the Mountain and the King of Durian's Folk.

In sort, he's a very important dwarf. Very. ]

...[ He offers this giant of a man a wary glance. ] You have my thanks, I suppose.

[squeak_squeaker]

[Kronk was probably Kronk son of Kronk son of Kronk son of Kronk, all the way back to the stone age. You know it's true! But he was definitely not a King... just Yzma's side of beefcake loyal manservant.]

You're welcome! Gee... and your clothes are all fuzzy looking too. [Could he hug this little King guy? He looked very huggable! But everything looked huggable to Kronk, it wasn't personal.]

[theburglar]

You? Pompous? Such a ridiculous idea. [Bilbo smirks a little.]

[oakenshield]

[ Thorin sees that smirk and instantly frowns. ]

Ah, Biblo Baggins! My esteemed colleague, how good of you to make your presence known. I had thought you've fled by now but of course Hobbits are men of their word and would never turn their backs on their comrades.

[theburglar]

[He frowns and shakes his head.] I was only trying to set things right. I meant no harm.

[alioness]

Feel better?

[oakenshield]

...No.

[ He huffs softly and gives the child a tired glance. ]

Tell me, what do you make of all this?

[alioness]

Of this whole place, or of your mun describing you as 'pompous'?

[elvenking]

[Okay, that wasn't really even that offensive. The Elvenking's look definitely qualifies as a glare, but even more, it's a look of exasperation. Asking sensible questions of suspicious dwarven trespassers...

Know what? He's totally better than this. He has a truce with Dain's folk right now, and that is not going to change. He even gave Thorin back his sword. Posthumously on Thorin's part (when it might have been helpful during the battle that killed him), but what matters is the symbolism of it.]

It is rare that a single loose tongue damns one's legacy, unless it is one's own.

[...Okay, so he feels entitled to some passive-aggressive talk. Because you are a dwarf. And you deserve it. Because you are a particularly taxing dwarf. It's still spoken in utter calm, which, to some, may come across as just plain smug. Which it kind of is, a bit. Yeah.]

[oakenshield]

[ Shut up and go away, elf! Don't let his earlier words come back to haunt him as he thinks of what the Elvenking done to honor his death. While the Orcrist certainly would've been helpful if he still possessed it during Battle of Five Armies, but Thorin can hardly complain much. Instead, a deep sigh escapes the weary dwarf rather than more scorn. ]

You still cease to mind yourself, Elvenking Thranduil, a truth that seemed to have remained the same even after my passing.

[ Okay, now THAT was slightly passive-aggressive on Thorin's part but he'll get better. Promise! ]

...The years have been kind to you.

[elvenking]

[Oh, the Elvenking minds himself. He never insults anyone unintentionally. He has all the patience in the world. He's had to, to be a successful ruler in Mirkwood in the last age, with all that's happened. He really would have waited a hundred years, Thorin.]

The new spring has not yet come since your passing. Dain is King under the Mountain.

Early!Bilbo

[barrelrider]

["Pompous" was one of the words he could think of, although of course Bilbo was a Hobbit and not given to gossip and exaggeration (all right, so maybe a little) and he certainly thinks it too early to call Thorin "King of Erebor" at this point in time.

...Also probably something he hasn't worked up the nerve to say, because the thing is Thorin right now looks very, very fierce and his beard is bristling in that special way that only irritated dwarves can master. Right now that beard bristles at Bilbo, who is politely trying -- and failing - not to stare at its general impressiveness.]

Perhaps "pompous" is too strong a word.

[Why yes, Bilbo is the master of diplomacy.]

Why hello there!

[oakenshield]

[ Honestly quite livid with his mundane's escapades today, Thorin was just about to smoke another batch of pipeweed until the hobbit appeared. Offering the halfling a heated glare, one that doesn't hold the same height of malice as earlier, Thorin grunted at him for the sake of acknowledgement. The Dwarven King was more than content to leave such greeting as that until Biblo decided to speak, an affair that rarely goes well. ]

Too strong of a word, he says.

[ Thorin grumbled in prime annoyance. ]

As boorish and rustic as hobbits are known to be, I'm quite curious as of what one such as yourself would have to say regarding someone of regal standing. I certainly do hope that your opinion shan't be an offensive one, Biblo Baggins.

[ There's a threat hidden somewhere in those formal words. A cleverly hidden threat. ]

[luthien_tinuviel]

Erebor? You speak the tongue of my people, yet no realm is there in Beleriand, nor in all of Arda, that bears such a name.

[oakenshield]

[ He couldn't help but arch his bushy brow up once she spoke. ]

What sort of madness would compel you to state such? Not once have you heard of the Lonely Mountain of Erebor or of the Great Kings that once ruled under it? Quite shocking, I had never known anyone not to be familiar with its name other than mere hobbits.