The Dragon's Curse

Beauty and Beast

It was early dawn the next day, Artemis woke with a stiff neck as she had fallen asleep against the rock down by the new gate. Rubbing her eyes she was shocked to see the gate was completely blocked with stone and even stairs had been carved to allow climbing easier. Feeling warm and snug she realised a cloak had been placed over her shoulders when she had slept.

Recognising it as Fili's cloak as gave a sad smile and even noticed that Kili's cloak had been folded and placed to be a pillow under her head. Slowly unwrapping them she smoothed them out before silently returning them as they gave her encouraging smiles. The rest of the dwarves were all exhausted from a long nights job as Thorin came storming into the chamber.

"Nice going lads, nice work. Come on!" He encouraged as they all slowly climbed up the steps after him. As they all stood on the stone wall overlooking they saw Thranduil's army of elves in dale as Artemis bit her bottom lip nervous. Watching with hope she beamed when she saw that Bard was riding over towards them. He had survived, that made her lift with hope. Thorin had glanced over towards her and seeing her smile at him made him angrier.

"Hail Thorin, son of Thrain. We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." Bard called out in respect as he glanced and saw Artemis along the wall and let out a relief and almost cried.

"Why do you come to gates of the King under the Mountain armed for war?" He called out angrily down at Bard, his heart hardening to stone.

"Why does the King under the Mountain fence himself in like a robber in his hole?" Bard returned as Artemis pursed her lips to prevent her chuckle from escaping as she knew that Bard was clever in his remarks.

"Perhaps it is because I'm expecting to be robbed." Thorin growled as Artemis gulped and turned to watch him nervous.

"My Lord, we have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?" Bard called out once more as Thorin only scoffed down at him before allowing his request to be allowed and made his way down the steps and met with Bard through a gap in the stone allowing them to see one another.

Waiting patiently beside the others Artemis hoped that a part of Thorin would be true to his word and prevent war that was threatening on his own doorstep. As the argument grew louder and more vicious between the two Artemis almost let a tear stray as she knew now that Thorin's honour and word meant nothing to him anymore. Something that he used to hold like a treasure to his heart was now worth nothing. Watching Thorin steps away from Bard's view behind the stone wall to think a moment and looks at the rest of his company as they all watched him emotionlessly.

"Be gone! Ere our arrows fly!" Thorin shouted as Bard leaves in anger.

"What are you doing? You cannot go to war." Bilbo asked him desperately.

"This does not concern you." Thorin snapped at him as Artemis suddenly bubbled with anger as she could see the threatening look he was bestowing upon Bilbo as she stormed forward and placed herself between the two of them like a shield.

"Excuse me, but just in case you haven't noticed, there is an army of Elves out there. Not to mention several hundred angry fishermen. We are in fact outnumbered!" Artemis snapped back as Thorin and Artemis glared at each other. Neither saying anything as the rest of the company held their breath.

"Not for much longer." Thorin snarled as his eyes flickered down to her lips, he licked his own before brushing past her as she let out a held breath.

"What does that mean?" Bilbo squeaked.

"It means, Master Baggins, you should never underestimate Dwarves. We have reclaimed Erebor. Now we defend it." Thorin declared as they all made their way down towards the armoury.  Artemis watched and followed as the dwarves began to suit up for battle, glancing up Dwalin walked over to her handing her back her armour that had been badly damaged when she fought against her father all mended and fixed.

Weakly smiling in thanks she dismissed herself to a spare room to change before returning and adjusting her wrist guard with the strap. Glancing over she saw that Thorin had given Bilbo a mithril vest, she smiled at the gesture hoping it proved to herself that he could still be good.

"I look absurd. I'm not a warrior, I'm a Hobbit." Hobbit blushed glancing down at himself seeing only a fool unable to bear the thought of war and battle.

"It is a gift, a token of our friendship. True friends are hard to come by. I have been blind, but now I'm beginning to see. I am betrayed!" Thorin hissed as he dragged Bilbo away from the group to ensure they weren't overhead, yet Artemis was well aware of the situation and rested her hand over her sword in case he harmed Bilbo.

"Betrayed?" Bilbo asked nervously as Artemis knew he was concerned for his own safety.

"The Arkenstone...one of them has taken it. One of them is false. Betrayed by my own kin." Thorin darkly hissed as he began to slouch over slightly and tilt his head to the side.

"The treasure in this Mountain does not belong to the people of Lake-town. This gold...is ours, and ours alone. With my life I will not part with a single coin. Not one piece of it " Thorin hissed his words snapping his head to the side as Artemis grew fearful at how similar he was turning into her own father. His snarling voice and face flashed into her mind to haunt her as she gulped and walked over towards Thorin and Bilbo. Thorin went silent and narrowed his eyes at her as she drew closer.

"May I have a word with you" She spoke loud and clearly as he growled and stormed down the hallway for her to follow. Knowing full well that the remaining members of the company were quickly chasing after them, Thorin led her to the throne room where he sat down in his throne glaring down at her with distaste.

"Do you even hear yourself Thorin? You sound just like him with your greed for this treasure!" Artemis whimpered as she knew the company watched behind her as he snarled down at her.

"I am nothing like that serpent!" Thorin shouted at her.

"You sit here in these vast halls with a crown upon your head, and yet you are lesser now than you have ever been." Artemis shouted trying to get him to see reason yet he only pounced to his feet with anger.

"I AM KING!" His voice roared throughout the halls.

"You were always my King. You used to know that once. You were always my King. You used to know that once. You cannot see what you have become." Artemis sadly spoke with a broken heart as pain seemed to flash in Thorin's eyes as her heart swelled.

"Thorin please see reason. Is the beauty of the Arkenstone really worth all our lives!" She begged him as they grew colder once again staring down at her.

"You are no beauty" Thorin snapped as Artemis paused wondering where he had misheard what she had said to him. Yet something as well snapped within her as her hands began to shake with fury.

"Well at least I'm not the beast!" She screamed angrily at him.

"Wrong! You've always been the beast!" Thorin argued back.

"Fine! You want a beast? Well a beast you will get!" Artemis roared, her hands shaking red as her body glowed a wine red. Her hair blew furiously as the others grew nervous behind her as she opened her mouth and let out a terrifying roar of a furious dragon........