The Lord of the Rings: Lords of Middle-earth.

Chapter 1110 A Destined Separation

“But I don’t know anything…” Bilbo Baggins said with some difficulty.

“It’s alright, you can learn slowly! Don’t be afraid of making mistakes! Thorin will leave you a team of dwarves to help you, so don’t worry about any problems. If they disobey, just suppress them!” Roland’s voice was very cold, but there was still a hint of concern in it.

“No, no, no! That’s too cruel! Don’t we have any peaceful way?” Bilbo Baggins asked curiously.

“Yes, there is, but it’s not really applicable to the Shire. The Shire is too peaceful; the hobbits can’t understand the cruelty of war. We need to get them to take up arms quickly and adapt! Time isn’t on your side, Bilbo! In the coming decades, we will definitely fight an epic battle that will determine the fate of Middle-earth!” Roland said solemnly.

“Don’t lie to me, Roland. I know you mean well, but don’t use stories like this to fool people!” Bilbo Baggins shook his head.

"Do you remember the Battle of the Six Armies?" Roland patted him on the shoulder.

“Of course!” Bilbo Baggins nodded solemnly, his eyes filled with reluctance and pity.

“The battle to come will be against the god behind them! I won’t lie to you! If you don’t want Charles to fall into darkness… you should know what to do!” Roland patted him on the shoulder.

“It’s getting late. Once things have settled down in the next couple of days, we’ll leave. Thorin will leave his people behind to protect and help you. Don’t feel guilty, just use your skills!” Roland smiled.

……

"Aren't you going to stay a few more days?" Bilbo Baggins asked, his eyes filled with sadness and reluctance, as he accompanied his wife.

"Farewell! We will meet again! Bilbo! You are destined to belong to the Shire! This land has nurtured you and made you who you are! Protect him! Prove to us that you are a worthy lord!" Roland smiled warmly.

“Master Thief! Be a good lord, I hope to see the Shire’s castle next time I come! And some strong liquor!” Thorin winked playfully.

"May you be well!" Thranduil said, patting his chest.

"Come visit the North if you have the chance; it's beautiful now!" Bard invited.

"Yes! I will return the visit!" Bilbo bowed deeply.

"I'm off! Bilbo! Take care! See you in the future!" Bard swung his arms cheerfully, his eyes filled with the joy of returning home.

"..." Roland watched this scene with a hint of sadness and pity in his eyes. These people... this was probably the last time they would gather together. By the year 3000 of the Third Era, most of the human kings had passed away, and even Bard's son, Barin, was gone...

"Wait! I have a photo stone here! Let's all take a group photo! Let's record the time when the kings gathered!" Roland slapped his forehead and suddenly remembered that there was a photo stone among the odds and ends given by the system.

……

"Grandma? Who is this?" a crisp voice rang out.

“This is your grandfather! Roland Lagrand!” A beautiful woman picked him up and spoke softly. Time had left almost no trace on Empress Nyx; only a faint sadness and wrinkles at the corners of her brows indicated that she was no longer young…

"What about him?"

"This is Bard, the King of the Valley!"

"How come I've never seen him before?"

“Because he has already gone to find the Dragon God…” Nyx smiled.

"And what about this one?" The boy pointed to the figure manifested by the magic. It was a dashing man riding a horse beside Roland, with a nomadic horn bow at his side. In the image stone, he was smiling brightly.

"This is the White Wing King; he too has gone to serve the Dragon God!"

“And this one?” the boy asked, pointing to the shortest one. “This one… is the protagonist of this funeral…” Nyx gently cradled him in her arms and whispered the story of this most legendary hobbit in Middle-earth.

"Was Grandpa with him back then?" the boy asked innocently, tilting his head up.

Yes! They're together!

As Nyx gazed at the photographic stone once known as the Light of the North and now called Twilight of the Kings, a tear slowly slid down her cheek.

"Many of them are no longer here..." The Queen's whisper dissipated like the wind across the plains of the Shire.

……

"I'll really miss him! He's such a good person!" Thorin muttered.

"Don't be so reluctant! He has his own path to follow!" Roland said, exasperated.

"Shall we go home now?" Thranduil was getting impatient. As a well-known old geezer in Middle-earth, he had only accompanied Roland on his journeys for the past few months because he was the strongest in the North and the trade routes were favorable to the Elves!
"What else? Stay in the Shire and farm?" Roland retorted casually.

"Aragorn! The North is your responsibility! Help the Shire out, but don't be too obvious, unless they can't hold on! Let Bilbo get some experience! A few scattered orcs won't destroy the Shire. If a large-scale orc invasion comes south, remember to go to Elrond! If he doesn't send troops, I'll kill him!" Roland said seriously. If the Valley dared to sit idly by and watch the Shire fall, Roland would really have to fight the elves first!

“Uh, no, no! The elves of the Grey Harbor and the Blue Mountains won’t stand by and watch the Shire fall!” Aragorn shook his head.

"Oh right! I haven't been to Grey Harbor yet! I'll have to wait for another chance!" Roland said regretfully. He had always wanted to visit this port that had witnessed the crossing of the sea by gods and elves.

"If you're not afraid the Queen will come back and behead you, then keep running!" Caslo pouted.

“Nonsense! Nyx loves me so much! How could he possibly cut me down!” Roland rolled his eyes.

“I don’t think so!” Kaslow and Omsk, the two elders, exchanged a glance and said in unison.

"..." Marquis Al-Tegran Franz looked at the three of them with envy. It's so much better to be an original shareholder! The earliest circle of Roland's was something that latercomers desperately tried to integrate into, and only they dared to communicate with Roland so "unrestrainedly".

"By the way, isn't Bahrain in Moria? Shall we take a different route this time?" Bard scratched his head, looking at the map.

"What do you all think?" Roland didn't make a decision but looked at the others.

“Of course I want to see him! It’s been so many years, I want to see how Kazadoom is doing now!” Thorin nodded repeatedly. He had actually wanted to suggest going to Moria for a long time, but he was afraid that everyone would disagree, so he didn’t dare to bring it up. After all, he couldn’t let himself cause everyone to continue to suffer on the road.

“Thranduil, and what about you?” Roland asked, looking at the Elf King.

"...Since you're already here, do as you please..." Thranduil opened his mouth but finally gave up struggling, because he met Thorin's longing eyes, and even he couldn't help but soften his heart.

“Alright! Let’s turn off at the valley and head south directly along the Misty Mountains!” Roland nodded.

“Aragorn, this is your responsibility! The East-West Highway is your responsibility to maintain! As long as this road is running, the north can be connected! Our strategic depth will be much wider! You won’t need to come with us to Moria!” Roland nodded.

“Alright, then I’ll lead my people north!” Aragorn nodded.

"Alright! Take care! If things don't go well, preserve your strength and retreat to the Shire, to the Valley, to King's Landing! We will lead the allied forces to help you fight your way back!" Roland instructed.

"Take care, Your Majesty Roland!" Aragorn nodded.

(End of this chapter)