Ranger of the South ➵ THE HOBBIT

➵ 21 | E R E B O R

"Hello?" Faelar began. "Anyone there?"

Bilbo came running towards us. "Bilbo!" I exclaimed, happy to see my dear friend still alive.

"We need to get out of here," He said, looking around. I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It's Thorin," Bilbo confessed, "he isn't himself."

I walked past him, trying to find my husband. I found him walking around in piles and piles of gold. He looked different. I mean, yes he wore other clothes, but there was something off.

"Welcome, my wife," he said eying me, "to Erebor!"

I didn't really payed much attention to the gold and walked over to him. "Are you alright, my love?" I asked him.

"Of course I am! I'm home again!" He looked around and for the first time, I saw the sickness in him. The dragonsickness. The same one that got Thor killed. He took my hand and leaded me away. "Wait until you see our room!"

I exchanged a worried glance with Daylor and Faelar. He didn't even asked if we were alright from the dragon attack.

He pulled me deeper into Erebor and stopped at a wooden door. He opened it and let me enter it. The room was big and was decorated by a lot of gold. I knew immediately that this wasn't Thorin's old room but Thor's. "It's... lovely," I managed to say turning to Thorin to look into his eyes.

He cupped and leaned forward, kissing my lips softly. I sighed relieved, this was the Thorin I knew. I slung my arms casually around his neck and his hands went to my waist. His hands tightened and I let him go abruptly. "Thorin," I whispered. "You're hurting me." I tried to take his hands from my waist and he let me go. He took a few steps backwards, shock was all written over his face. "Keira, I'm so sorry." He looked like he was about to cry and I took him in my arms. "Shh," I comforted him, "it's alright."

.

The Company and I looked for days for the Arkenstone and I started the curse the damn jewel. I was busy digging into the piles when a feeling of sickness came over me. I quickly searched for a bucket and threw up in it. I sat next to it, wiping my mouth off with my sleeve.

"Lass?" Oin asked, "you alright?"

I nodded weakly before throwing up again. "Yeah sure, I probably ate something wrong."

He glanced at me. "Do you mind if I do a check up?" I shook my head. "Go ahead."

When he was done, he looked up at me and smiled. "Lass, I have good news." I frowned and raised an eyebrow. "You're with child," Oin continued.

My eyes widened. "Really?" Oin's eyes sparkled when he nodded. "Aye, lass."

I glanced at Thorin who was admiring his gold. "Don't tell Thorin, please." I whispered. "He's not himself lately."

Oin followed my glance and nodded. "You are right about that, lass."

He stood up and walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I'm with child, I thought. I smiled a little, I have to tell someone.

"Carden?"

"Yes," he replied.

"I'm with child," I said bluntly, not really knowing how I could say it best.

"What?! I'm coming. Where is this damn door?"

Not yet five minutes later, Carden came running from around the corner and almost bumped into me.

"Are you really?" He asked, seeing it was me.

I smiled slightly and nodded. He jumped around. "That's great!"

"Shh," I said looking around to see if someone noticed our happiness. "You're the first to know."

"What about Daylor and Faelar?" He asked, eying my two brothers. "Do they know?"

"I'm about to tell them, you're coming?" I asked. He nodded and I walked towards my brothers who were searching with Fili and Kili. I approached them and they looked up. They all smiled as greeting and I smiled back. There was no harm in telling Fili and Kili, right?

"There is something I have to tell you," I started, my hand went to my stomach, not really believing that there was growing a new life inside me. Daylor followed my hand and his eyes widened. "Are you with child?" He said it so loudly that all of the Company heard it, except for Thorin who was in his own world.

I blushed and everyone came closer. "Are you, lass?" Dwalin insisted. I nodded and they cheered. Kili and Fili picked me up and twirled me around.

"What is happening? Why did you stopped looking?" A deep voice behind us asked.

Dwalin happily stepped towards Thorin. "Lad," he started but I interrupted him. "It's nothing." I lied, looking at the others with pleading eyes. Thorin narrowed his eyes and was about to say something when voices were heard. Fili and Kili put me down carefully and everyone ran towards the balcony to see what was the cause of the voices.

The people of Laketown were walking toward Erebor. Thorin ordered to barricade the open gate and I watched with disgust. This confirmed what I already knew; Thorin had changed, and not for the better.

I turned around and gestured Daylor and Faelar to follow me. I had asked to Carden if he wanted to fly over to the people of Laketown to see if they were alright.

"I fear for Thorin," I told them as soon as we walked around the corner. "He has fallen to the dragonsickness."

Daylor and Faelar shared an worried glance. They both knew what this meant.

"So you want us to kick his ass?" Faelar asked jokingly. Daylor looked at him and then to me. "I had the same thought but I'm not sure if we can heal him."

My hand went to my still flat belly. I knew my Thorin was still in there and I was planning on bringing him back.

I only wasn't really sure how.