kilitheyoungest:

Kili had to give it to Bard. He was clearly a respected and loved King, and no wonder with the way he knew his people by their names and knew their families. Talking with them that way, no wonder they all liked their new King. Kili smiled softly at the sight, still finding it hard to believe this was the same man who had tried to stop them from entering the Mountain, had seemed so cold back then before he got really hurt from the poison.

As they started their descend in the dark, Kili looked around in approval of the tunnels and their width as well as the safety, seeing the thick wooden pillars keeping the roof up above their head. “How far do they reach?” Kili asked curiously, stopping by an intersection and when Bard didn’t choose a way to go, he did and turned them to the left.

And so left they went, Bard one step behind Kili, deeper and further into the mines of Dale. “I do not know,” Bard replied truthfully, followed by a wry smile. “Though I am certain I ought to.” The sheer amount of information and knowledge the new king was presented with every day had been overwhelming, to say the least. “I shall be sure to ask Peder when we return above ground. He and his men take great pride in these tunnels. And I do not seem to find a trace of your disapproval in your eyes, either. Are you pleased?" 

It was then Bard heard it; a low rumbling in the deep, faraway, but seeming to increase in intensity as the moments passed. He paused, hand involuntarily gripping the lantern’s handle a little tighter. "Do you–?” he whispered, realizing he had held his breath for a moment.