Of The Sun (The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings/LOTR)

Pt 1. - Chapter 23 - Erebor

They reached the shore at the other side of the Lake and began to continue on foot. They moved through the ruined once great city of Dale all the way to the base of the mountains entrance. Every step they took felt like it was up hill. Oin was tailing at the back while Fili led. Anariel stayed a little way behind him with Kili after her. He was limping slightly but it wasn't bad and she continued to relieve the pain and heal it a little more every hour or so and slowly the limp was getting better. By morning the next day he wouldn't feel a thing. She had explained to them about what Legolas and Tauriel were doing and why she gave him the opal.

They reached the doorway to the mountain and found that debris had been scattered around from where Smaug had burst through. Fili looked over his shoulder with concern before taking off. The other dwarves ran ahead behind him in search of the others while Ana stopped in the great archway. She stood there a long while looking into the heart of the mountain. This was it. This was journeys end. Her job had been fulfilled and she found herself wishing it hadn't been. Wishing they were still out there. It was over. And just by standing there she could feel that this was no place for her. As much as she liked her company, this was no place for an elf. She took a step through the doorway, a shiver running down her spine.

She kept her distance, half concealed in shadow as a sickening cold slick feeling creeped over her.

"Bomber? Bifur? Anybody?" Bofur called. They pushed on inside. Down and down and around into the great halls and the endless stairways.

"Wait!" A voice sang out to them and Bilbo came into view, skidding around a corner and stopping in front of them. He didn't give them a moment to be glad to see him alive. "Wait, stop. We need to leave. We all need to leave. I've tried talking to him but he won't listen." Bilbo blurted out.

"What do you mean, laddie?" Bofur asked.

"Thorin!" Bilbo said a little too loudly in utter urgency. "Thorin. Thorin. He's been down there for days. He doesn't sleep. He barely eats. He's not himself. Not at all."

Fili looked past Bilbo, searching for his uncle in concern, quite pointlessly over his shoulder.

"It's this place. Ahem." He cleared his throat. "I think a sickness lies on it."

"Sickness?" Kili asked. Ana was beginning to creep back and away as Fili wanted to move forward. Her hand reached out to grab his shoulder, wanting to pull him, pull them all back with her. He looked back at her and she shook her head as a signal of 'please don't'.  His eyebrows stitched together at her reaction. It only made him want to go to Thorin more. "What kind of sickness?" Kili continued.

"Dragon sickness." Anariel whispered, still holding Fili's gaze. Fili pulled back out of her grasp and moved quickly, picking up pace at a jog.

"Fili!" She called after him along with Bilbo. "Fili!" He ignored them, running forward as everyone now ran after.

They ran further and deeper into the mountain, sprinting down now. Erebor was so large Anariel wondered what kept the place together. They came out into the golden hall. Thorin was so small standing in the middle a top a mound of coins and gems.

"Gold." He was muttering. "Gold beyond measure. Beyond sorrow and grief." He looked up. "Behold the great treasure hoard of Thror!" He exclaimed as his arm extended back and he tossed a giant red ruby hard towards the company and Fili caught it. "Welcome, my sister-sons. To the kingdom of Erebor." His arms extended out as if showcasing all about him.

Anariel moved further back. Slinking into the darkness and away.

Anariel had been keeping her distance since they arrived. She felt out of place. Lost. She never exactly felt out place within the company but she felt it now. As strongly as she felt the burning in her arm. The dwarves paid no mind though. They left Thorin to his gold, it was early days and his mind wasn't completely gone from him yet.