A Long Way From Home[Thorin Oakenshield] RE-EDITING! 2/60 DONE

~Chapter Forty Five~

The dwarves had gathered at the gate as their king had ordered. Bilbo followed in after them. Part of him was hoping his friend would remember his promise he made to the people of Lake-town. They would need their help now more than ever. They had lost everything. But as Thorin stood at the entrance, he looked it up and down. His gold was unprotected anyone could enter this mountain at any time. He had to eliminate that access. The sun was just starting to go down. They had to start now, if the wall was to be built by sunup tomorrow.

Ori was looking around, when something crossed his mind, he had to look twice before he was sure before he'd ask. "Where's Honoria?" the young dwarf lad asked the two brother's quietly. Kili and Fili looked around and noticed to, the elf wasn't with them. They looked at their uncle he seemed unaware of her absence, but then again they noticed he seemed to be unaware with a lot of things lately. For instant he failed to notice the young woman hadn't been eating at all, she was growing exhausted with every day that passed; not to mention how pale she seemed to be lately. Oin had been meaning to address this matter with the elf but their king had kept them quite busy since they've come back. Thorin turned around to face his company. "I want this wall built now. All of you to work. Now!" Thorin ordered. The dwarves let out their sighs but got to work right away and began taking the chunks of stone from the ground and moving them to fill the holes in the entrance.

Hours had gone by. It was dark out now. The dwarves had built fires for light. Thorin came over to inspect how the wall was coming along. He noticed the dwarves were growing exhausted and he felt it was his duty to remind his company what was at stake here. " I want this fortress made safe by sunup. This mountain was hard-won. I will not see it taken again."

"The people of Lake-town have nothing." Kili stated, dropping his end of the wheelbarrow, making Bilbo jump back out of the way. " They came to us in need. They have lost everything."

"Do not tell me what they have lost." Thorin growled, at his youngest nephew who felt the need to protest. " I know well enough their hardship." Thorin pressed as he glanced over at the ruin city that was now lit by dozens of fires throughout the buildings. " Those who have lived through dragon fire should rejoice. They have much to be grateful for. More stone!" Thorin demanded as he picked up a chunk of stone and tossed it to Nori. " Bring more stone to the gate!" Bilbo let out a sigh as the king ordered the other dwarves to not stop working until the gate was built. The little hope he saw in his friend was long gone and the dwarf disappeared down the hall.

Thorin made hast down the hall. While his company was working on the gate, he would continue the search for the arkenstone. It had to be here somewhere. He rounded the last corner when he came to stop. His eyes widen to see the elf laying on her side. He slowly approached her, kneeling on the ground and carefully turned her, till she was on her back. His thumb moved across her lips, he could feel her breath on his bare skin, he looked down further till he saw the marks around her wrists. It eventually came back to him, how she had acquired these and it pained him, when he realized it was him that had done this to her. He stroked the side of her cheek, her skin looked much paler than when they first entered the mountain; which made no sense to him, nor why she was now on the ground unconscious. Thorin picked her up and carried the young elf up to his room, he placed her on the bed and covered her up. The king brushed the few strands of her hair that were on her face and leaned down and kissed her forehead and left to go find Oin.

The king found the medic and order him to examine the elf and then he disappeared. Oin was followed by Balin, Fili and Kili. The four of them wandered to the king's chambers. Oin was at the woman's side immediately and began looking her over, while the other three waited patiently. They all had seen for days how bad the elf was getting and didn't have the slightest clue why. Oin muttered to himself he couldn't find any reason why she was so pale and not eating. She seemed perfectly healthy. Only one other possibility occurred to him and he walked over to Balin and whispered something to him.