The 16th Member (the hobbit fanfic)

The Hidden Door

Chapter 14

The Hidden Door

In silence the Company headed towards Erebor. Some were fearful of the dragon that had once taken their home and some were excited to see the great halls of their forefathers. Kalea, was neither. Constantly, she thought about all of the what-ifs. What if Fili was killed. What if I get killed and never see him again. What if I never get a chance to say goodbye.

Whenthebarges pulled up onto the land that surrounded the mountain, a few of the dwarves hopped out to secure the anchors. The Company made their way up a small hill and realized that they were overlooking a desolated town.

"What is this place?" Asked Bilbo.

"It was once the city of Dale. Now it is a ruin. The Desolation of Smaug." Balin replied sadly.

"The sun will soon reach midday. We must find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way." Thorin commanded, breaking the time of remorse for the once beautiful city. He began to walk off before Bilbo spoke again.

"Wait. Is this the overlook? Gandalf said to meet him here, on no account were we to..."

"Do you see him? We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own. Come." Thorin responded harshly.

While the Company strode off, Kalea got a good look at the destroyed city. The sight of it made her want to cry, but no more tears were aloud to be shed, by her own rule. A swift and cold wind swept over the elf and se shivered as she pulled her shawl tighter around herself. With chills, she followed the dwarves and the hobbit.

They soon came upon the base of the mountain. They were told to look for a hidden door and Kalea had no idea what he was talking about, so...she approached him.

"What hidden door do you speak of?" She asked.

"It's on the map." Thorin replied with an obvious tone of being annoyed.

"If it's hidden...how are we supposed to find it?" Kalea then asked with a cheeky grin.

Thorin ignored her and spoke to everyone else. "Anything?" He called, the mountain air carrying his voice across the land.

"Nothing!" Dwalin replied.

Thorin took a quick look at the map and glanced upwards. "If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above."

Bilbo searched the mountainside and then noticed something peculiar.

"Up here!" Bilbo hollered.

"You have keen eyes, Master Baggins." Thorin said with a grateful smile.

The Company climbed the rugged "stairs" until they reached the top.

"This must be it. The hidden door." Said Thorin as he turned to look at his brethren. "Let all those who doubted us, rue this day!" He held up the key that Kalea assumed would open the hidden door and the dwarves cheered.

"Hey, we have a key." Dwalin stated as he began to feel the rock. "Which means that somewhere there is a keyhole."

Kalea watched as Thorin glanced at the sun and how it began to fall from the night sky. "The last light of Durin's Day...will shine upon the keyhole." He said as he then looked to the rock wall with the light of the sun upon it. "Nori." He commanded.

The dwarf Kalea assumed to be Nori ran to the wall and started knocking on the rock with a utensil.

"We're losing the light. Come on!" Thorin exclaimed.

Dwalin began to pound on the rock wall.

"Be quiet. I can't hear when you're thumping!" Nori yelled.