I apologise if it’s obvious that this was done in a rush. I really did try my best, though; this is only the second time I’ve ever attempted a comic.
On top of that, I’m planning to draw at least a few more pages of this. (Actually, I’d originally intended to draw them all, but I decided I should post at least one so as not to lose my inspiration, and so I wouldn’t get too downhearted if the whole thing didn’t get much of a response.)
Plus, regarding the plot: ever since I first watched The Hobbit, I've wondered why Thorin never sent Bilbo to search for the Arkenstone after Smaug's defeat, even though the rest of the company was searching for it. Wouldn't that have been the logical thing to do? Bilbo was the burglar, after all.
More broadly, Thorin's selective treatment of Bilbo during the Dragon Sickness always stood out to me. Considering that he trusted almost no one during that period, the fact that Bilbo was treated so differently makes it difficult not to read some romantic undertones into their dynamic.