The Lonely Mountain [1]

Peace or War

Amara woke to an army of elves all clad in their golden amour stood outside the gates. She alerted the others and they all gathered at the battlements. She watched as Thranduil and Bard rode through the ranks to the front of the army. Thorin fired a warning shot at the feet of Thranduil's elk and they came to a stop.

"I will put the next one between your eyes." Thorin called and all the dwarves cheered.

Amara readied her own bow. No matter how much she disliked Thranduil, she would not let Thorin kill him or Bard.

Thranduil locked his eyes onto Amara as the elves behind him all raised and loaded their own bows. They aimed them at the dwarves who immediately stopped cheering and ducked behind the battlements. All but Thorin, who stood steady with his bow still raised, and Amara, who had no reason to fear her own people. Thranduil raised his hands and the elves lowered their bows.

"We have come to tell you; payment of your debt has been offered and accepted."

Amara looked at him with the same confusion the dwarves were all displaying.

"What payment? I gave you nothing." Thorin called. "You have Nothing."

Thranduil looked across at Bard who reached a hand into his old battered coat. He pulled out the last thing any of them expected to see; the Arkenstone. Amara took a steady breath as she readied her bow.

Bard held up the stone for them all to see. "We have this."

Thorin lowered his bow and looked on with his mouth agape.

Kili was the first to speak. "They have the Arkenstone." He muttered as if to reassure himself they really did. "Thieves! How come you by the heirloom of our house! That stone belongs to the king." Kili yelled.

"The king may have it, with our good will." Bard replied as he slipped the stone back into his pocket. "But first, he must honour his word."

Thorin shook his head. "They are taking us for fools." He muttered to the other dwarves. "This is a ruse." Balin looked at him as though he had gone mad. "A filthy lie. The Arkenstone is in this mountain! It's a trick!"

"It's no trick." Bilbo said. "The stone is real; I gave it to them."

Thorin turned around. "You?"

"I took it as my fifteenth share." Bilbo said.

All the dwarves were looking at him now.

"You would steel from me?" Thorin asked.

"Steal from you? No, no." Bilbo said smiling slightly. "I may be a burglar, but I like to think I'm an honest one. I am willing to let it stand against my claim."

"Against your claim?" Thorin said taking a step forward. Amara prepared to move. "Your claim. You have no claim over me you ungrateful, little rat." Thorin threw his bow on the ground.

"I was going to give it to you. Many times, I wanted to but..." Bilbo trailed off.

"But what, thief." Thorin snarled.

"You are changed, Thorin. The dwarf I met in bag end would never have gone back on his word. Would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin."

"Do not speak to me of loyalty." Thorin said before turning to the other dwarves. "Throw him from the ramparts." When none of the others moved, Thorin grabbed Fili. "Do you not hear me." Fili pulled his arm back and stepped away from his uncle. "Then I will do it myself." Thorin said.

He went to grab Bilbo but Amara placed herself between them and aimed her bow at Thorin's head.

"Bilbo, go." She said as Thorin looked up at her with a murderous glare.

Gandalf walked out of the crowd as Bilbo climbed down using a rope. "Amara!" Gandalf called. "My dear, now may be a good time to return to your own kin." She nodded and lowered her bow. She jumped the wall and slid down the rope. She walked towards them and stood between Thranduil and Bilbo, who looked at her gratefully.

Gandalf once again turned his attention to Thorin. "You're not making a very splendid figure as king under the mountain, are you Thorin son of Thrain?"

Thorin leaned across the battlements. "Never again will I have dealings with wizards, elves or Shire rats."

Bard took his chance to cut in before anyone else caused any drama. "Are we resolved? The Arkenstone for what was promised."

Thorin's eyes swept the hills and Amara knew he was stalling.

"Give us your answer. Will you have peace or war?" Bard asked.

A raven flew and sat upon the battlements and Thorin got what he was looking for. "I will have war."