In the Ruins//Legolas

Chapter 12; Robbing Thorin Blind

"Rest up tonight. You must leave tomorrow." Gandalf tells Bilbo as he and Durion lead the hobbit towards an empty tent.

"What?"

"Get as far away from here as possible."

"I'm-I'm not leaving. You picked me as the fourteenth man. I'm not about to leave the company now." Durion hides a smile.

"There is no company, not any more. And I don't like to think what Thorin will do when he finds out what you've done."

"I'm not afraid of Thorin." Bulbo huffs and Gandalf turns to face him fully.

"But you should be! Don't underestimate the evil of gold. Gold over which a serpent has long brooded. Dragon-sickness seeps into the hearts of all who come near this mountain." He pauses, then smiles. "Almost all."

"Now here's your fine accommodation for this evening, master hobbit." Durion playfully bows and Bilbo chuckles and steps inside.

"Hey. Keep an eye on him. Stop him if he tries to leave." Gandalf whispers to Durion and then rushes off, not waiting for the elf's reply. Durion watches him go and sees Thranduil step out of his tent a couple dozens meters away. The king's eyes stare into the distance and Durion turns to look in the same direction as the king. The entrance to Erebor can be seen only thanks to the torches the dwarves have lit. The black eyed elf turns back to look at the king. Huh... he did see correctly. There was a certain type of longing in that icy blue gaze after all.

***

It didn't take long at all. Just as the murmur of dinner time swapped for the steady breathing and snoring of sleep did the hobbit move. Durion wouldn't hear it unless he was specifically listening to the blanket and almost undetectable footsteps of hairy feet. For the hobbit's sake he pretended he was asleep as Bilbo exited the tent. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, staring at Durion, but then moved on. And the elf followed. Durion waited until they were out of the town of Dale to alert the hobbit of his presence. And that was a good thing, considering the loud gasp that escaped Bilbo's throat when Durion placed his hand on his shoulder.

"By the Old Forest's Roots!" Whisper-yelled Bilbo at the smirking elf. "Do you want to give me a bloody heart-attack, Durion?!"

"I'm pretty sure you're gonna give Gandalf one."

"...Don't tell him?"

"He's gonna know!"

"I have to go back, Durion. I can't just... pack my things and leave. I can't. Not now." The hobbit's shoulders shook and Durion smiled.

"Hey, I know. I know, okay? I won't tell the wizard. But I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"I need you to get me into the mountain. Undetected." Bilbo frowned in confusion.

"Why?"

"There's something that needs to be done."

***

Thirteen dwarves for the whole of Erebor was not enough to spot Durion sneaking from room to room. The whole of Erebor was, however, enough to make Durion's search last hours. The elf just had to hope he would find what he came for before dawn. He tried to avoid the large hall which floor was covered with gold coins, gems and other trinkets that would make too much noise if he stepped on them. His fingers itched when he remembered the poor people of Laketown, and had to remind himself that they were going to try to reason with the dwarves in just a couple of hours. But he knew Thorin and heard him talk to Thranduil when they were captured in Mirkwood. Durion knew that the dwarf would not give the elven king what was rightfully his. A white glow reminding him of his runes caught his eyes. There they were. Spilled on the table like common peas. White gems glowing so brightly they made Durion's eyes gain a previously unseen shade of brown. The thief pulled a leather pouch from his pocket and began filling it.