Hello! And welcome back to Middle Earth! A quick thanks to everyone who read For the Young and said they would enjoy reading this story. This one's for you.

Side note, in the summary it says this story takes place post BoFA, but this prologue (and only the prologue) takes place directly following The Desolation of Smaug. Happy Reading!

"What have we done?" Bilbo asked no one in a half whisper as he watched the dragon fly off towards Lake-town. He hung onto the rock, his heart pounding intensely and breaking at the same time. He could hear the dwarfs running up to him. Bilbo didn't glance back, but instead watched as Smaug flew out of sight towards the town disappearing into the distance and darkness of night.

Gloin was suddenly next to Bilbo. "Oin," he mouthed. The ginger dwarf scanned the darkness with scared eyes.

Bilbo stood up from the rock and turned to the group. Everyone was looking out into the darkness in the direction Smaug was headed, except for Thorin who was facing the opposite way towards the mountain.

Bifur and Bombur seemed as though they were about to cry. Bilbo had not heard the fat dwarf speak the whole trip, but Bombur's lower lip quivered and he whispered, "Bofur…" Bilbo lowered his head; he forgot they were brothers. He completely forgot how the whole company seemed to be related to one another.

"We have to get done there!" Gloin's angry voice called out. He shook his axe in the air.

"Agreed," said Balin. "Gather some weapons from the hall."

At Balin's words the group headed back for the, now smashed wide open, front door with Dwalin in the led, for he knew where he was going. Only Thorin, Balin, and Bilbo stayed back. Balin walked up to Thorin. The king kept staring at the mountain as the others ran by to gather weapons to defend their kin.

"Come on, Thorin," Balin said.

"Why?" Thorin asked not straying for his gaze.

Balin shook his head, "all hope is not lost Thorin. There is chance we can get to Lake-Town in time. We can help them fight off the dragon and get the company out before the whole town is lost."

"It's already lost."

"Perhaps, but the others are down there Thorin, we need to-"

"To what?" Thorin cut Balin off with a louder than normal booming voice. "The dragon will soon return. We need to get ready for that. We must protect the gold in Erebor."

Balin shook his head, but Bilbo spoke first, "we can't leave them there!"

"I will not leave Erebor unprotected or the wealth of my people unguarded!" Thorin yelled. Bilbo stepped back; the look in Thorin's eyes reminded him of when he asked him if he found the Arkenstone.

"You care nothing about our kin!?" Gloin was standing with the rest of the group not far from Thorin. They stopped running to the mountain when they thought it would be smarter to go to Lake-Town as is, to get as many people out as possible before it was all burnt to the ground.

"This quest is more important than four dwarfs!" Thorin barked back. Everyone gasped at Thorin's harsh words, even Dwalin seemed taken back. "I care little if you go to Lake-Town or not. Go ahead and try to save the company. I will remain here and search for the Arkenstone." Thorin pushed by the group headed back to the mountain.

No one spoke for a moment. Balin finally said to the group, "go, try to get the others back. Thorin is just…this is a hard time for everyone." Balin shook his head," hurry now, you may not have much time."

The group started down the mountain towards Lake-Town, Bilbo with them. Balin stayed and then walked to Thorin. Balin ran up and stood in front of his king, blocking the path to the mountain.

Thorin stop and glared at the elder dwarf. "What are you doing Balin?"

"I could ask you the same thing! The Thorin I knew would not hesitant to go down there and protect his people!"

"I am protecting my mountain, my home and my family's right," Thorin pushed by his old friend and kept walking.

Balin yelled about how Thorin wasn't acting right, but Thorin kept walking. "You are going to do nothing? You are going to let the town burn? Let everyone down there die?" Thorin continued walking, never breaking stride. Balin gripped a fist. "Thorin!" he yelled. The king kept walking. "Thorin, Fili and Kili are down there!"

Thorin stopped in his tracks.

"Have you forgotten so easily Thorin? Your nephews are down in that town and you will do nothing, nothing to try and save them?" As Balin spoke Thorin turned around, taking his eyes off the mountain for the first time.

"What would you have me do Balin, race down there to find a burnt down pathetic town? There is nothing that can stop Smaug, that town is good as gone. Going down there will do nothing."

"But Thorin,"

"No, that town only supported us when they thought they would get some of my people's treasure. They can burn for all care," Thorin yelled.

"Fili and Kili too? And Oin and Bofur, you don't care if they burn too?" Balin asked.

Thorin took a moment to answer, "If they burn so be it."

"Thorin, listen to yourself!"

"No, you listen to me!" Thorin was yelling louder than ever. "Their lives mean nothing compared to this quest, compared to what lies under the mountain! So let them die; it is one less cut of my treasure!"

"Thorin, but Fili and Kili!" Balin pleaded to any hope that Thorin still cared about them.

"Let them die!" Thorin yelled then suddenly gasped loudly. He took in a few more shaky deep breaths. Thorin glanced down at his feet with wide eyes, his breathing heavy. Balin could see his hands were shaking slightly as well.

Thorin looked up at Balin, he looked sacred. "What is happening to me Balin…?" Thorin quietly asked. He sounded like he could cry.

"It's this mountain Thorin; the gold is affecting you, like it did with your grandfather," Balin said and put a hand on Thorin's shoulder.

The two stood in silence for the longest time. Blain wondered what was going on in Thorin's head. "What are you going to do Thorin?" Balin finally asked. Thorin shook his head, not knowing the answer.

"They did it!" a voice called out loudly. "They did it!" the voice echoed around the dwarfs. "They killed the dragon!"

There is a little preview of the angst that is to come! Basically the Battle of the Five Armies happens after this and the next chapter will take place right after that. I'm kind off skipping the battle, because reasons.

Hope you enjoyed it. More is to come, much more! Please review and tell me what you think!