The Hobbit | Kili (ENG)

Chapter 22

After meeting Thorin, we went to say hello to the others from our Company. After all, Thorin told us to look for the Arkenstone. He kept insisting that it was out there somewhere. But it really couldn't be found anywhere, even though we'd been looking for it for a good few hours.

When Oakenshield gave us a break, I decided to look around Erebor a little. It was really huge and beautiful. I just wanted to enter another of the chambers, but suddenly I saw someone in the distance. I went that way and saw Bilbo. He went back and forth and you could see that he was very nervous. After a while, he sat down on a stone and began to think. I quietly approached him and scared him.

"Hey! " I called, to which hobbit jumped up in fear.

"On the beard of the old Tuk! " He looked at me shocked. "Malia! You scared me. " Put his hand on his heart.

"I can see that. " I laughed.

Baggins just shook his head and smiled hesitantly.

"Something happened? " I asked worriedly.

"N-no. " He stuttered. "Why do you ask? "

"Because I see that there's something wrong. " I sat down next to him.

We sat for a moment in silence. Maybe it was about Thorin, about how he changed? Bilbo is his friend, so it certainly torments him as much as it does us. I wanted to ask him about it, but he was ahead of me with another question.

"Did you find the Arkenstone? "

"No. " I replied after a while and looked at hobbit with surprise. Something didn't suit me here. "We've been looking for it for a long time, but it's as if it's sunk underground. Or rather under gold. " I sighed. "Unless someone has already found it and taken it. "

Bilbo looked at me quickly in horror.

"Don't worry. " I said seeing Baggins' face. "I'm just kidding. " I laughed.

Balin told us that Bilbo went in search of the gem and talked to the dragon for a long time, but they don't know what exactly.

"Bilbo..." I began. "Do you want to tell me something? "

"No, what would I say? " He glanced at me.

"You seem to know a lot more than we do. " I noticed.

"You think..." Began, but when he looked at me, he broke off. "Okay... I trusted you in case of the ring so I can do this too... Just please don't tell anyone, especially Thorin. "

I nodded as a sign that I understood.

Hobbit pulled a jewel out of his pockets after a while, but not just any gem. That was it, the Arkenstone.

"How... " I started.

"I found it during my conversation with Smaug. I managed to take it and run away, but I didn't tell anyone about it. What do you think...?" Hobbit looked at me. "If I give the Arkenstone to Thorin... Will this help something? "

I looked at the jewel and pondered Baggins' words. I wasn't tempted by the propo of gold, nor the propo of power or this jewel. Will giveing it in Thorin's hands help anything?

"No. " I replied. "This gem is the source of all this disease. " I said. "Instead of helping Thorin, it would only make the whole situation worse. It would destroy him... It's already destroying him, the very thoughts of it poison his heart and drive him crazy. "

***

Thorin called Bilbo, Balin, Dwalin, brothers and me to himself.

"We have searched and searched. " Dwalin said right away.

"Not well enough. " Oakenshield repiled.

He stood with his back to us and stared at his throne, or rather at the place above the throne. Where the Arkenstone should be.

"Thorin..." Dwalin interjected. "We all would see the stone returned."

"And yet, it's still not found! "

"Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here? " Balin asked, to which Thorin turned towards us.

His eyesight was completely different. It was empty, and it was clear that he no longer cared about anything but power and wealth. It's all because this sickness.

I wanted to say something, but Kili wouldn't let me.

"Better not. " He whispered.

"But... "

"Believe me..." He said, and glanced at his brother. "Not now. "

"It's The King's Jewel. " Thorin said slowly, distinguishing every word. "Am I not the king?! " He shouted, and his voice echoed throughout the chamber.

Kili and I exchanged glances.

"Know this..." Thorin continued. "If anyone should find it... And withhold it from me... I'll be avenged. " Added and left the chamber, and hobbit and I exchanged glances.

*BILBO*

I didn't know what to do. Malia was right about the stone. Balin only confirmed this. I didn't tell Balin that I had it, but I just asked if, if Thorin had recovered the jewel, would it have helped. He said the same thing as Malia.

I was sitting in the hallway and thinking for a moment and then reached into my pocket with my hand.

"What is that?! " I suddenly heard Thorin's voice behind me. "In your hand?! "

"It's nothing. " I said and stood up.

"Show me." Dwarf said sharply.

"It... " I began, but I didn't know what to say, so I reached out and showed him the acorn. "I picked it up in Beorn's garden. "

"You've carried it all this way?" Thorin asked, much milder now.

"I'm gonna plant it in my garden. " I said. "In Bag End. "

Oakenshield smiled for the first time since we came to the mountain.

"It's a poor prize to take back to the Shire. " He said.

"One day it'll grow." I shrugged and smiled. "And every time I look at it, I'll remember. Remember everything that happened, the good, the bad... And how lucky I am that I made it home. "

Thorin listened to what I was saying and kept smiling. At that moment, the good old Thorin returned, to whom I wanted to tell everything, but the spell broke when Dwalin came. He announced that the people of the lake, the survivors, were coming to Dale. He said there were hundreds of them.

"Call everyone to the gate. " - said Dębowa Tarcza back cloudy. "To the gate! Now!"

For a moment I hoped that the good old Thorin was back for good, but I was wrong. And very much so. I didn't know what we could do to finally come to his senses, not listen to anyone and do everything his own way. Who could he listen to? Since he didn't even listen to his own nephews...

Although... Maybe there is one person who could reach him...

Malia.