A mysterious young girl joins the company of Thorin Oakenshield, she comes with an unexplained scar over her eye and a journal holding many secrets. Who is she and what is she hiding ?..
I ride to the walls of Erabor as the elves like our new walls ready to fire at will. Yet I know there are good souls left in the mountain, so I have forbidden it for now. I rideup the path to the gate on a horse gifted by the elves, and stop in front it.
I see the dwarves looking down at me. And I see the elfling.. ash I believe was her name. She looked different form the last time I saw her.. she looked tired, a weak smile on her face as if she hadn't seen me in years but was too tired to Greet she.. she was Very pale.. paler then an elf should naturally be.. she was even still wearing my Daughter's shirt, which almost made me smile but I suppressed it.
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"Hail Thorin, son of Thrain! We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." I yelled up respectfully. "Why do come to the gates of the king under the mountain armed for war?" Thorin yelled back. "Why does the king under the mountain fence himself in? Like a robber in his hole." I asked in reply. "Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed." Thorin replied, glaring daggers at me. "My lord - We have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?" I asked. Thorin nods, and steps away from the platform. I dismounted my horse and crossed the bridge in front of the gate. As i approaches the blockade, a raven flies out of the opening above the gate and wings away rapidly, cawing loudly. I see a hole built into the blockade, and Thorin strides up to the other end of it.
"I'm listening." He said in a low polite tone. I spotted ash sitting patiently behind him in silence, gripping a sword. "On behalf of the people of Laketown, I ask that you honor your pledge. A share of the treasure so that they might rebuild their lives." I say. "I will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door." Thorin replied. "But thorin you-" ash began but was silenced when thorin whisper yelled with deadly venom lacing his tone "silence elf.". I room a deep breath. "That armed host will attack this mountain, if we do not come to terms." I said. "Your threats do not sway me." Thorin told me confidently. "What of your conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is just?! My people offered you help. And in return you brought upon them only ruin and death!" I yelled at him.
"When did the men of Laketown come to our aid, but for the promise of rich reward?!" Thorin screamed back. I gritted my teeth. "A bargain was struck!" I replied. "A bargain? What choice did we have but to barter our birthright for blankets and food? To ransom our future in exchange for our freedom? You call that a fair trade? Tell me, Bard the Dragonslayer..." thorin began. I look up at him in surprise. "...Why should I honor such terms?" He asks me. "Because you gave us your word. Does that mean nothing?" I asked, I heard a chocked sob from behind him.
Thorin turns away from the hole, disappearing from my view. He was silent for a moment and all I saw through the small hole was 2 dwarves hugging someone.. "Be gone, ere arrow fly!" He screamed. My concern was boiled over with rage. I slapped the rock angrily, then mount my horse and rides back to Dale.
Bilbo's pov
I watched as bard rode away, ash's sobs were being muffled by kili and folk who were comforting her.. she kept having these dogs of fear and tears.. this will break her if we do not end this. "What are you doing?! You cannot go to war." I scream at thorin. "This does not concern you." He told me. "Excuse me?! But just in case you haven't noticed, there is an army of elves out there and we have their princess who is in the middle of a mental breakdown. And not to mention several hundred angry fishermen. We-We are in fact outnumbered."I screamed at him. He turned to me and smiled. "Not for much longer." He told me. My nerves were now on edge. "What does that mean?" I asked. "It means Master Baggins, you should never underestimate dwarves." He told me, for a second I saw the thorin I knew as my friend.. then he disappeared once again as he turned to our group. "We have reclaimed Erebor - Now we defend it!" He yelled, then he strode down the steps and away from us...
Thranduil's pov
I stared at the piece of black stained cloak that I knew belonged to my daughter. They had found it in the ruins of the new "King" 's house. When bard appears to have returned I hid the cloth and went I'd go him on my elk. "He will give us nothing." He said hopelessly. "Such a pity. Still, you tried." I told him, I knew he'd fail. "I do not understand - Why? Why would he risk war?" Bard asked me. We look back toward the Mountain in time to see the dwarves dislodge the head of one of the massive stone statues, causing it to fall and break the raised bridge to the gate, thus disabling any attackers from approaching.
"It is fruitless to reason with them; they understand only one thing." I say as I pull out my sword and gaze at it. "We attack at dawn! Are you with us?" I ask as I ride back to the city. "She's sick thranduil" i heat him say. "She? Whatever are you talking about?" I asked, stopping my elk. "Ash.. she looks almost like a walking corpse.. and thorin doesn't seem to be helping." He told me. I suppressed my anger and simply nodded. I will have that dwarf's head on a stick by noon.
Ash's POV
I wiped away my tears with my sleeve and I tightend the belt for my swords sheets around my waist. I put on the tallest yet smaller armour I could find so it would fit me. As I tightened the chestplate and attached the vambraces I heard thorin and Bilbo. As I occupied myself making sure the armour was perfect I heard thorin say, "Master Baggins, come here!". Bilbo obeyed and I saw thorin holding up a tunic of white chainmail. "You are going to need this. Put it on." He said bluntly. Bilbo started to remove his jacket as thorin explained "This vest is made of silver steel - "Mithril" it was called by my forebears.". Thorin holds it up so that Bilbo can slide into it. A small wave of jealousy washed over me but I was happy to see him normal.. my friend..
"No blade can pierce it." Thorin told him. Bilbo finishes putting it on, then looks at himself; the other dwarves watch too. "I look absurd. I'm not a warrior; I'm a Hobbit." Bilbo said, making me laugh slightly. "It is a gift. A token of our friendship. True friends are hard to come by." Thorin commented. Although he had started off smiling at Bilbo, he looks toward the other dwarves and frowns, thorin then grabs Bilbo by the shoulder and pulls him away where the other dwarves can't hear him, but I can.
"I have been blind. Now I begin to see. I am betrayed!" Thorin said. "Betrayed?" Bilbo asked. "The Arkenstone." He replied. As Thorin moves closer to him, Bilbo looks extremely uncomfortable and worried. Thorin whispers to Bilbo "One of them has taken it.". I felt my heart sink. Bilbo almost sighs audibly in relief. "One of them is false." Thorin growled. "Thorin...the quest is fulfilled. You've won the mountain. Is that not enough?" Bilbo asked. Thorin was obviously not listening as he said "Betrayed by my own kin."
"No eh...You...You made a promise...to the people of Laketown. Is-Is this treasure truly worth more than your honor? Our honor, Thorin. I was also there, I gave my word." Blink said. He did.. he can't deny it. "For that I'm grateful. It was nobly done. But the treasure in this mountain does not belong to the people of Laketown! This gold...is ours...and ours alone. By my life I will not part with a single coin! Not...one...piece of it!"As Thorin speaks, his voice grows deeper and more and more like Smaug's, until the very last line, which was exactly a repeat of what Smaug had said previously to Bilbo and I. I cover my mouth to hide a gasp of fear and shock.. he's gone..
Hope you enjoyed ! Long chapter to make up for the long wait time >~<
