Queen Under The Mountain

The Halls of Erebor

It was three days after the death of Smaug when Kili, Fili, Oin and Bofur arrived at the mountain.
The four Dwarves stepped through the broken front gate and stared into the empty hall.
"Hello?" Bofur called out. "Bombur? Bifur? Anybody?" No one answered but his own echo.

They went further into the mountain, down staircases and through hallways until they were stopped by a shout.
"Wait! Wait!"
"It's Bilbo!" Oin said.
"He's alive!" Bofur smiled.
"Stop!" Bilbo came running around a corner to them. "You need to leave, we all need to leave."
"We only just got here." Bofur stated.
"I've tried talking to him, but he won't listen. Larewen's tried talking to him and even then he won't listen." Bilbo explained.
"What do you mean laddie?" Oin asked.
"Thorin." Bilbo said louder. "Thorin, he's been down there for days, he doesn't sleep, he barely eats. He's not been himself at all."
Fili turned his attention down the hall as Bilbo continued to speak.
"It's this- it's this place." Bilbo pointed around. "I think a sickness lies on it."
"Sickness? What kind of sickness?" Kili asked.
Fili walked past them and down flights of stairs till he came to the golden halls.

Larewen sat at the steps looking down through the guard rails. She looked up at them, her eyes were red and slightly puffy.
"Oh, thank goodness. You're alive." She smiled up at them.
"Larewen, have you been crying?" Kili kneeled down before her.
"No, the place is so dusty, it's giving me allergies." Larewen replied wiping her eyes.
Kili was about to reply when he was cut off by the sound of footsteps on the gold coins. They looked down to see Thorin, walking among the treasure, wearing a fur coat.
"Gold." He said. "Gold beyond measure. Beyond sorrow, and grief."
Kili and Fili exchanged worried looks before looking back at their uncle.

"Behold, the great treasure hoard of Thror." Thorin picked up a ruby and threw it to Fili who caught it. "Welcome, my sister's sons, to the Kingdom of Erebor."

"Come with me." Larewen stood up and led them down a hallway.
"How long has he been like that?" Fili asked.
"Three days." Larewen answered.

They walked into the dining room where Balin sit at the table and Dwalin stood.
"Balin!" Bofur greeted and Dwalin went running up to them.
Nori appeared and ran to them too. "Kili!"
They all laughed and hugged greeting each other.

Within an hour, Thorin had the company spread throughout the treasure hoard digging through the gold to find the Arkenstone.

"Any sign of it?" Thorin asked.
"Not over here." Nori replied.
"Keep searching." Thorin ordered.
"The jewel could be anywhere." Dwalin said.
"The Arkenstone is in these halls." Thorin said from the balcony he stood at. "Find it."
"You heard him, keep looking." Dwalin said below.
"Come on, all of you." Thorin paced along the guard rail. "No one rests until it is found."

"You can't be serious, Thorin." Larewen sat at a table behind Thorin on the balcony. "Everyone needs their rest, it's been such a long journey."

Thorin turned to look at her. "That jewel is the heart of this mountain, kept sacred to my family for years, I cannot just throw it aside."

"I'm not saying that you should throw it aside, I'm saying that you should let everyone rest, yourself included." Larewen attempted to persuade him.

"No." Thorin shook his head. "No one rests. I will be in the throne room." He left the treasure hoard to Larewen to look after.

  An hour had passed before Dwalin walked up to the balcony to talk to Thorin, but instead was faced by Larewen.
   "Where's Thorin?" He asked.
"Throne room." Larewen answered. "Did you find it?"
  "No." Dwalin replied.
Larewen nodded.
"We're going to have to tell him." Said Dwalin.
  "I know." Larewen breathed out.