The Half Breed Ranger

Chapter 29: Gold

"I hope you don't plan on leaving me?" Amanda asked as she stood cross-armed, looking at Fili, Kili, Oin and Bofur as they tried to launch a boat from the shore. Kili turned around so fast his hair flew through the air. He didn't say anything, he just ran right up to Amanda and wrapped his arms tightly around her frame. 

"Don't ever do that again," Kili whispered in her ear and Amanda embraced him back. "Come on, we have to get to the mountain," Kili said as they pulled apart and began to walk over to the boat.

"Gwathel," Legolas called out from behind them. Amanda turned around to see her brother walking over to them. Amanda looked back to Kili who nodded and continued to the boat leaving her with Legolas. "Are you well?" 

"Yes, thankfully," Amanda told him with a smile. "I am heading over to the mountain. I have a bad feeling something has gone wrong." 

"Then why are you going," Legolas asked quietly. "Do not put yourself in any more danger than you already have." 

"Legolas, I am not a child to be mollycoddled by you," Amanda told him firmly as Legolas sighed and smiled softly. His eyes dropped for a moment before looking up slightly at Amanda.

"Stubborn as always," Legolas chuckled, "I ride North, the Orc I pursued out of Lake-town. I know who he is. Bolg, the spawn of Azog the Defiler. A Wargpack was waiting for him on the outskirts of Esgorath. They fled into the north." Legolas explained to Amanda who listened closely to his words.

 "North?" Amanda asked. 

"Yes, but these Orcs were different from the others, they bore a mark I had not seen for a long time. The mark of Gundabad." Legolas finished. 

"An Orc stronghold in the far north of the Misty Mountains? They have not made noise in so long. Why now?" Amanda asked him but Legolas just shook his head.

"That is why I intend to ride north. I need to find out what is going on." Legolas told her as Amanda nodded.

"Be safe, ride hard," Amanda told him,

"And you, Gwathel." He told her before Amanda turned and walked to the boat. She jumped in with the others and settled down. She looked over to her brother who watched as the boat was pushed off and into the body of water. She smiled and nodded to him, and Legolas sent her a nod back. 

"Is everything okay?" Fili asked Amanda as she tore her gaze from her brother. 

"Nothing is alright. I fear we have only just scraped the top." Amanda spoke softly as they turned to look at the lonely mountain. It was about half an hour before they hit the shore and jumped out of the boat. Now they had a long uphill walk to reach the gates of Erebor. The group walked in complete silence up the mountainside in a single line. To their left appeared the ruined City of Dale and in front of them, the gates to Erebor. 

Finally, they made it to Erebor and they stood admiring the view. But the deathly silence sent a chill down their spins. They took to their feet and ran the last part until they were inside the gates. All five of them looked around trying to see any signs of life.

"Hello!" Bofur yelled only for it to echo, "Bombur? Bifur? Anybody?" He continued to call but it just bounced off the walls around them. They decided to move further into the mountain in hopes of finding anyone. They ran down numerous flights of stairs into the never-ending mountain. 

"Wait!" A familiar voice echoed up to the group.

"That's Bilbo," Amanda called happy to know Bilbo was alive and well. 

"He's alive!" Bofur called happily. 

"Stop! Stop! Stop! You need to leave. We all need to leave." Bilbo told them, he was huffing out of breath as he spoke with a fearful expression. 

" We only just got here," Bofur asked him confused as to why Bilbo was saying such things. 

"I tried talking to him, but he won't listen," Bilbo told him.

" Wh...what do you mean, laddie?" Oin asked confused.

"Thorin!" Bilbo cringed as he shouted before lowering his voice. "Thorin. Thorin, he's been down there for days. He doesn't sleep, he barely eats. He's not been himself, not at all. It's this...it's this place. I think a sickness lies upon it." 

" A sickness? What kind of sickness?" Kili asked as Amanda watches Fili notice something and moved towards it. They all follow behind to stop when they see a sea of gold as far as the eye could see. The gold with filled with colourful gems mixed in and Thorin standing on top of it all.

"Gold. Gold beyond measure, beyond sorrow and grieve." Thorin spoke in a deep voice. It was then he noticed the group staring down at him.

"Behold, the great treasure hoard of Thrór." Thorin introduced them all before he bends back and launched a gem through the air with a grunt. Fili caught the gem easily and looks at it with awe.  

"Welcome, my sister's sons, to the Kingdom of Erebor." Thorin's voice was so deep, it echoed through the chamber of gold. Thorin then went back to look down at the gold under his feet completely ignoring the group. Bilbo tapped Bofur shoulder. "I'll take you to the other." Everyone turned away and followed Bilbo. Amanda was the last one to leave while looking at Thorin closely. She knew what has happened. Thorin has fallen for the same sickness that took his grandfather. She needed to be careful as he would no longer think rationally. 

The group walked into a room where the rest of the company were waiting on them, it was a merry moment of reunion and dwarves hugged each other with smiles worth more than gold. But it wasn't long before Thorin had them called out into the chamber of gold hunting for the lost Arkenstone. 

"Any sign of it?" He asked loudly,

"Nothing yet." Dwalin.

"Keep searching!" Thorin ordered them loudly.

"That jewel could be anywhere," Dwalin called out to Thorin who was looking down from a balcony.

"The Arkenstone is in these halls. Find it!" 

"You heard him, keep looking," Dwalin called following his King's orders.

"All of you! No one rests until it is found!" Thorin yelled while Amanda and Bilbo watched him pace. Bilbo turned and left, leaving both Thorin and Amanda alone.

"Thorin, when did you last eat?" Amanda asked crossing her arms while watching him pace.

"I don't know," Thorin answered her.

"Or sleep for that matter." She asked him 

"I don't know," Thorin growled back in answer to her question. 

"You should go and rest." 

"I will not rest until the stone is found." 

"But as a King, you need to keep your strength," Amanda told him uncrossing her arms and letting her right hand down her side while her left rested on the hilt of her sword.

"I do not remember asking for your input Half breed." Thorin spat at her viciously. 

"At least get something to eat," Amanda asked him.

"And what value could a half breed wonderer have instructing a King about?" Thorin growled at her with a snarl,  "You word hold no value in my halls. Why don't you go back to the hills of the North? At least you were wanted and welcome there." 

"The Dragon sickness has its claws in you so deep already." Amanda looked at him with disappointment in her expression. "Who would have thought you would be so weak to let such a thing as dragon sickness take over your mind." 

"Careful, half breed," Thorin warned her.

"The great Thorin Oakenshield, now nothing more than a sick-minded dwarf," Amanda yelled out. "I thought more of you." 

"You dare speak ill of your King!" Thorin yelled as he lunged for Amanda. Amanda grabbed his hand and twisted her body to move him with her. She then flipped him over the edge of the balcony and down onto a pile of gold about 10 meters below. He landed with a heavy grunt and the gold coins clattering around him. 

"You are no King of mine." Amanda spat at him as now all eyes fell into the pair. Amanda simple rolled her shoulders and turned away to walk away from the edge of the balcony. "I answer to no one." She muttered to herself.