A FIERCE AND JEALOUS LOVE
10-chapter fanfic based on The Hobbit trilogy, with some changes.
The characters, the places, the universe, etc. and the elements from the trilogy are the sole property of J.R.R. Tolkien and P. Jackson respectively.
/!\SPOILERS/!\ so if you didn't watch the films but want to read this story... Don't. Unless you don't care being spoiled. Anyway, you're adults. Or almost.
Notes :
This is a Bagginshield-centered short story. Yep, I finally got corrupted by this weird, yet not that weird, trend. Ah, dear Internet !
Sorry for the (numerous) mistakes and clumsy/hideous turns of phrase, English is not my mother language. I'll do my best !
Rainbows, pandas and unicorns x3
Chapter 1 : The only way to cure dragon-sickness
As days went by, Thorin's obsession for the Arkenstone – and all the treasures in the halls of the mountain – grew invasive. It made him withdrawn, agressive, selfish, careless even of his own kin. Yet, they had tried to reason him. So had Bilbo. But it had proved to be pointless. He was even more stubborn than he had ever been, focusing on this cursed jewel that would only worsen his sickness. He doubted them. He had even threatened them.
"If anyone should find it, and withhold it from me... I shall be avenged."
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When the Hobbit entered the isolated room, he saw Balin standing in there, alone... And sobbing. He had become so afraid of Thorin and worried for him that he was purely and solely shedding tears he had held back for quite too long.
"Dragon-sickness", he sighed, as Bilbo came in closer. "I've seen it before. That look. That terrible need."
The halfling came closer, listening carefully.
"It is a fierce and jealous love, Bilbo."
Indeed, it was so strong it made Thorin's honor ripped off him and thrown into the fire.
"It sent his grandfather mad."
"Balin, if... If Thorin... Had the Arkenstone... Or if it was found... Would it help ?"
"That stone crowns all", the Dwarf explained. "It is the summit of this great wealth... Bestowing power upon he who bears it."
Which was the reason why he cherished it that much. Apart from the fact it made him unnaturally obstinate.
"Would it stay his madness ?", he continued. "No, laddie... I fear it would make him worse", he sighed. "Perhaps it is best it remains lost."
The Hobbit's eyes darkened anew, he was gradually losing hope. Still, there was one detail that remained unexplained. If finding the Arkenstone would not make it all better, what about finding something that could cancel its negative effects ?
"Is there no way... The sickness could be cured, then ?"
The old Dwarf stared at him, then shook his head negatively. Unfortunately, it appeared nothing could help anymore.
"There could have been one, but I fear it is too late."
"Wait, what ?", Bilbo hastened to ask with a gleam of hope. "There is one way, you said, it exists. Then... You can't pretend it's too late !"
"I told you..."
"You told me there is a way to make the sickness vanish. What is it ? What can we do ?"
The white-bearded Dwarf sighed in despair, wishing deep inside their burglar was right to still have hope.
"Tell me, Balin", the Hobbit insisted. "Please."
"There is only one thing that can undo such a passion for all these treasures", he paused for a few seconds and sighed deeply, his eyes filled with tears of distress. "The only way to erase it... Is to replace it."
The halfling stared at him in confusion, unsure of what he should understand.
"R-replace it ?", he frowned. "How ? What does that mean ?"
The wise Dwarf looked at him again and shrugged, nodding nervously.
"His passion for the Arkenstone and all the treasures in these halls can only be replaced by love. I mean real love, you see, for a person. And from this person. It is the only way to cure him", he explained. "Well... It was", he ended in another sigh.
Bilbo remained silent, trying to assimilate what he had just heard. Love for a person. Some supernatural true love solution... It seemed quite odd, yet plausible. After all, they were in Middle Earth, and it was not like if Bilbo had never been familiarized with magic, if only thanks to Gandalf's fireworks when he was a kid. And the Grey Wizard himself believed that simple things as friendship or love could surpass even the most powerful sort of magic. After all, if people loved each others, there would be no need for wars, would there ?
"Wait. If this is a way to cure the sickness...", he began. "Did it not happen before ? Did Thorin's father and grandfather not have wives ?"
"Both were married, indeed. Sadly, Thror's wife died years before the tragedy", Balin recounted, not even having the strength to talk about the dragon, though Bilbo knew what he was talking about. "Thrain's spouse passed away some months before."*
"Oh...", he whispered, unable to help feeling sorry for these people who had lost the women they loved, married, had children with and might have shared so much with.
"They had no one left to love. Female Dwarves are quite uncommon, you see, and Dwarves do not get easily attached this way. Anyhow, genuine love is rare. So, there was no remedy to the sickness. It drove them mad, as it is driving Thorin mad now."
He lowered his eyes, remaining silent for a while.
"Which means, I'm afraid... Nothing more can be done", the Dwarf ended.
The Hobbit cogitated for a while. Love for a person, and from this person. It had to go both ways. Quite complicated. Well... Maybe not. What if it were not that complicated ?
Thorin was a friend to him, he had always been, at least since he knew he had his full trust. Though, every so often, it occurred to the halfling that it might be more than friendship, somehow. Until then, he had never been focusing on it, first because of everything that happened to them since the beginning of their adventure, second because when they had time to rest, he fell asleep quickly and did not ponder about anything before. But sometimes, there could be a tiny little detail that made him confused about their friendship.
Thorin cared so much about him, of course he cared about everyone in the Company, but there seemed to be something more. He saved him so many times, of course everyone in the Company saved at one another when they had to, but again there was a bit more. And, above all, the Hobbit could not help feeling the leader considered him quite differently from his other companions. He knew he could be wrong, misled by his own feelings. Because, indeed, he knew he had some.
There was a chance for him to save Thorin. He did not really like the idea, actually. He wished there would have been another way to cure the sickness, so that he would not have to feel responsible for it. Of course, he could not know whether it would work or not, as he did not really know about how Thorin considered him. But this option put a burden on his shoulders he would have never expected. Being something as a hero or the one and only solution to a problem did not suit him, it was not what he wanted. He was much too modest.
Anyhow, despite what the Dwarf King had become because of the dragon-sickness, he kept caring about him – and for him – so he was ready to try. After all, if he did not, Thorin would not be the only one in real danger. His thoughts and words were biased by the malady, Bilbo knew it, so he could not start hating him and letting him whereas he could help. Even though he did not truly appreciate the idea.
In the end, he had never been thinking about what he felt, at least maybe not enough. And now, it appeared it was time to admit it.
"I am sure there's still something that can be done."
And then, even before Balin could retort, the halfling was going out of the room.
"I do hope you are right, laddie", he sighed.
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Bilbo was sitting in one of the numerous halls of the underground kingdom, observing the beautiful little thing he was holding in his palm.
"What is that ?", Thorin asked accusingly. "In your hand !".
"I-it's nothing", Bilbo answered, getting up as the Dwarf came closer.
"Show me", the leader ordered him authoritatively.
After a few seconds of hesitation, the Hobbit smiled and opened his hand. It was just an acorn. Nothing more.
"I picked it up... In Beorn's garden."
"You've carried it all this way ?"
"I'm gonna plant it in my garden... In Bag-End."
"It's a poor prize to take back to the Shire", Thorin smiled slightly.
"One day it will grow. And everytime I look at it I'll remember. Remember everything that happened, the good, the bad... And how lucky I am that I made it home."
Thorin smiled at him widely, moved by his words. His Hobbit would always surprise him. He became an adventurer, he was loyal to the Company, he had saved them many times, he had risked his life more than once for their cause. But he would always keep this love for simple things. And he remained quite optimistic, he always thought of when he would be back home.
The Dwarf King could not help but finding that touching, sweet and also somehow fascinating. Maybe even more fascinating than the treasures of Erebor.
*Of course, I invented all this, I think it is not what happened in the original story.
Hehe, yes it ends here 8D What ? You're saying I'm cruel ? Come on, it could have been worse ^^ See ya next chapter !