The company stood silently in the hallway, staring at this mysterious man. Thorin took several steps forward so that he was standing directly in front of the man, and unconsciously positioned himself between the President and the Company.
"What sort of proposition?" He warily asked after a moment.
President Snow inhaled deeply, taking a moment to decipher this odd little man in front of him, and then spoke.
"That I would like to discuss in private, if you do not mind."
Thorin smiled grimly. He knew that if he agreed, they would most likely be led into a trap. On the other hand, did not have many options open to him. In a desolate hall in this unknown land, they were trapped, not to mention outnumbered by the strangely-garbed guards. He was thinking carefully. 'Their weapons look inferior to ours. We are warriors, and surely we could overpower these weak Men if the need arose.' He thought.
"Where would you deem private? These halls seem fitting enough. We've walked for miles and have seen neither hide nor hair of any other."
President Snow bore an annoyed look on his face. It was apparent that he was unused to someone questioning him.
"I would host you in my private study, so that we are not interrupted."
Seeing that Thorin was still doubtful, he added, "It would be more comfortable."
Thorin merely scoffed.
"I am not looking for comfort, I am looking for a way out of this forsaken place."
He had made up his mind that while the information they sought was being withheld from them, he would not bother with polite speech, no matter the station of this Man.
The President's face hardened, obviously frustrated with their lack of cooperation.
"I will answer all of your questions and more. But here-" He gestured around them. "-we run the risk of being overheard. The plans of which I would speak to you are not yet common knowledge, and it would not do for them to get out now. If you will come with me, you alone, I will have your friends made comfortable while we hold our discussion."
At this, the rest of the company burst into outrage, and Thorin was none too happy himself.
"No. We stick together." He would never willfully allow himself to become separated from the company, especially in a place such as this.
"I assure you, they will be completely safe." The President went on.
"It is simply that the matter of which I would tell you must be kept between a select number-"
"Each one of these dwarves I would trust with my life." Thorin interrupted, indignant at the man's insinuation that one of his own would betray him.
Snow held up a placating hand.
"Be that as it may, I will not tell you of these matters in front of just anyone."
He stood like a stone statue, unbending. Balin then offered a compromise.
"What if he were to take only a small number of us, then?"
Several of the dwarves began to protest, not liking the idea of being split up. Dwarves do not trust lightly in any situation, and given their circumstances they were not about to make an exception, but Thorin held his hand up to silence them. He was silent for a beat, appraising Balin's suggestion, and then gave in. He knew that it was hardly any use losing what little good will they had with these people, in any case.
"Balin, Dwalin, and Fili. With me." He looked back to Snow, challenging him to refuse. Snow looked displeased with the arrangement, but nodded nonetheless. He turned to the men surrounding him and made a sweeping motion with his hand to the left, indicating the ones to whom he was speaking.
"Take the others to the prepared rooms."
The word 'prepared' stuck in the dwarves' heads. Had they somehow been expecting them?
The men he had commanded stepped forward, gesturing for the dwarves to follow them. The company grudgingly did so, some of them still kicking up a fuss over being divided. Fili, who was more than a bit upset that his brother was among those being taken away, watched them retreat down the dazzlingly white passageway. The others were already walking at a swift pace down the adjoining hallway. One of the guards that was accompanying them made to nudge him on, but Fili merely slapped his hand away and jogged to catch up with his Uncle.
They strode down another long hallway much like the one they had started in, except this one seemed narrower somehow and had multiple passages branching off from it. Several tense minutes passed, neither party breaking the heavy silence that blanketed the air.
At last they arrived at the end of the passageway. They stood in front of a set of grand-looking double doors, made of a darker marble than the rest of the place. Snow placed his palm onto a small rectangle that rested in the wall beside the doors, and the dwarves were startled to see a flash of light run the length of his hand. As soon as this happened, the rectangle glowed green for a fraction of a second, and the heavy doors swung inward.
A surprisingly normal-looking study greeted their eyes. It was furnished with a dark wooden desk and several leather chairs, as well as having bookshelves lining the walls. The most glorious sight for them, however, were the windows that peered out into the clear blue sky. Having just gone through a terrible thunderstorm the previous day and then the ordeal of being trapped in the Goblin tunnels, they each felt as if it had been a lifetime since they had last seen such a beautiful sight. Dwarves were accustomed to spending weeks on end under their mountain without a glimpse of the sun, but that did not mean they did not appreciate the sight when it was available. They hoped that their friends were able to enjoy such a view, as well.
The President's poisonous voice cut through the silence.
"Now, then. I believe we're ready to start. Please have a seat." He walked around behind the desk and sat in the high-backed chair (which, Thorin couldn't help but notice, looked regal enough to be a throne), facing them.
An uncomfortable feeling pervaded the dwarves' minds. They knew instinctively that this man was no friend of theirs, nor would he ever be. He was a snake. Sneaky and conniving, he was the sort of person who would just as soon kill them as befriend them. They read this in every part of him. His face, the way he stood, the tone in which he spoke. You could practically feel the waves of deception rolling off of him, endeavoring to knock them under the surface and drown them.
"Now that we are comfortable, will you answer our questions?" Dwalin asked in his usual blunt manner.
"Of course, of course. Though perhaps you'll allow me a moment to explain myself. I think my little speech will inform you on many of the subjects you would inquire about."
When Thorin inclined his head in agreement, Snow began.
"Long ago, our world was thrown into chaos. Due to various natural disasters, many of our largest countries were destroyed. Billions of people were killed, and there was very little land left on which we could live. Our ancestors struggled to survive on what few resources were left. Many died, but some, the strong, persevering ones, lived. And from the hard work of these people was born the great nation of Panem.
"By working together, they soon had a system of government, with the Capitol as the head. They divided themselves into 13 districts, each with a separate purpose in mind. One for clothing, one for mining coal, one for agriculture, etcetera. Our people lived in peace for nigh on a century before tragedy struck. This tragedy was born from the ill desires of men. Greed, discontent, and bitterness were the seeds which, when left to grow, led to betrayal. The districts turned on the Capitol, the very city that had fairly distributed food, clothing, medicine, and justice to them over the years. They blamed us for their unhappiness, and thus tried to destroy us.
"There were many casualties in that war, but for every Capitol citizen that died, two rebels were killed. They soon learned that we would not be so easily defeated. We fought them back into submission, and one district was completely annihilated. Since then, we live in a hard-won peace. We have certain ways of keeping them in order, as occasionally a trouble-maker will rear his ugly head and try to lead another rebellion. These never last long, however. A problem we have recently been faced with is a lack of Peacekeepers to help contain these unfortunate outbreaks."
They got the feeling that he was not yet finished with his lengthy speech, but Fili broke in before he could continue.
"What is a 'peace keeper'?" He had the feeling that it was not exactly what the title implied.
"That, young man, is precisely why you're here." When Fili raised an eyebrow in question, Snow elaborated.
"Not you specifically, of course. But You." He turned to Thorin.
"A Peacekeeper is a soldier, of sorts. One who upholds and enforces the law, when necessary. My proposal to you-"
He was cut off by Thorin.
"We are in no position or mood to barter with you, not when we still have not been given the opportunity to have our questions answered."
President Snow sighed, but then resigned himself to Thorin's statement and nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
Balin spoke first.
"How did we get here?"
Snow took a moment to think about this.
"Here in Panem we have very advanced scientific knowledge. I was able to summon you."
"How, exactly?"
"By opening a portal and pulling you through it."
Each of them opened their mouths with fresh questions on their tongues, but Dwalin voiced his first.
"'Scientific knowledge' or no, how did you know about us at all?"
Again, the President took his time in answering. When he spoke again, there was an underlying hint of caution in his tone.
"Let us just say that a trusted friend informed me of you and your whereabouts."
"And who is this friend that knows so much about our business?"
"That is not important."
They were all beginning to anger at the curtness of Snow, so Thorin stood and stared down at him.
"We will not have dealings with a man who knows much and reveals so little. Tell me who your informant is."
President Snow stood as well, and they noticed that a Peacekeeper had stepped forward a pace or two from the door.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. Now, did you have any other questions, or shall we move on to my idea?"
Thorin shook his head, angry over the President's blatant refusal. Before he could decide on a course of action, Fili spoke.
"Are we in another, unknown realm of Middle-earth? Or have we somehow travelled to a completely different world?"
Snow answered immediately.
"You are on Earth. Middle-earth is similar, but, as you said, a different world."
The dwarves marveled at this for a moment, amazed at the happenings. It was scarcely imaginable that they were no longer standing on their own planet.
Thorin then asked the question that had weighed heavily on his mind from the start.
"You knew where to find is. If this.. 'friend' of yours knew our location, what else did they know of us?"
Snow considered this for a moment, and then replied.
"I know that you were on a quest, in an attempt to take back your kingdom. You were exiled from said kingdom by a fire-breathing dragon, and your people have endured great suffering as a result. That, it seems, is something we have in common."
Thorin's eyebrows drew together in confusion, and annoyance at being compared to this man and his people.
Snow went on, regardless.
"Our peoples have both endured great hardships. Once you reclaim your mountain kingdom, you will be a very powerful dwarf. If the information I have acquired is indeed correct, you will have seven armies at your disposal."
Thorin looked down for a moment, keeping careful control of his temper. Who in this strange land could have had access to such knowledge? Looking back up at the President, he supposed that now was as good a time as any to find out what it was, exactly, he wanted.
"What is your proposition, then?" He asked tersely.
Snow smiled, obviously pleased that the conversation was finally getting back to his original subject.
"I would propose an alliance, between the Dwarves of Middle-earth and the nation of Panem."
Balin answered the President first, his role as advisor to the king coming into play. His mind quickly worked through the information that Snow had given them, sorting the things that they were certain he already knew from that which could possibly be kept secret.
"We are in no position at the moment to form alliances. We were, as you said, on a quest. Our journey was nowhere near completion when you… 'summoned' us. There is simply no way we could forge a partnership at this point in time, as we currently have nothing to offer."
Snow raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"But we both know that's not true. Once your trek is finished, you will have more power than you'll know what to do with. You will have money, armies, everything you could possibly need."
Dwalin intervened.
"You just said yourself, we'll have everything we need. Why would we want to make an alliance with one who isn't even a part of our world?"
Snow spoke with a disturbing conviction in his voice.
"Because in Middle-earth you would be a King of Dwarves. But if we allied ourselves, you would have access to our weapons technology. With our superior weaponry you could take over the entirety of your world. You could rule over all of the races, instead of just one. You would be a deity in Middle-earth."
Thorin frowned at this, not liking the man's crazed ideas.
"And what, pray tell, would you have to gain from this venture?"
Snow waved a hand dismissively. 'Probably to make whatever he is about to demand seem like very little.' He thought bitterly.
"I have heard that dwarves are excellent craftsmen. We would commission armor, and the like." A suspiciously small price to ask for what he was offering. They thought he was finished, but almost as an afterthought he added:
"And if we were ever in need of reinforcements, say in some battle or war, you would send a few of your armies to lend us their help."
Thorin sighed through his nose. Of course, the man merely wanted this as an extension of his own power.
"I have no desire to rule over all of Middle-earth, I much prefer my own race." Still shaking his head, he added, "I decline your offer of an alliance."
Balin thought perhaps that was rushed. He didn't like the man any more than Thorin did, but he still thought that such a powerful ally could not go amiss. Terms and conditions could be negotiated once Erebor was reclaimed, they needn't agree to anything right away. But his king was his king, and he would go along with his decision.
Snow smiled, seeming to convey patience, though his eyes gleamed with a sort of maniacal anger.
He spoke slowly.
"I would urge you to reconsider."
"No. I have made my decision." Thorin's tone brooked no refusal.
The President's hands clenched the arms of his chair, deep in thought.
"Very well." He spoke at last. "Guards!" He called past their shoulders. They jumped up and drew their weapons, preparing for a fight. Snow held up his hand, and the Peacekeepers stopped in their tracks.
"Perhaps before we begin exchanging blows, we should show our friends here just what our weapons can do?"
He looked down at the dwarves.
"These are called guns, for future reference."
One of the Peacekeepers aimed his gun at a picture on the wall and his finger pulled the trigger. A bang resounded in the room, and a projectile flew across the room, hitting the center of the painting. It was impossibly fast, more swift even than an arrow. It left a large, gaping hole, and the canvas was blackened around the edges.
They rapidly looked back and forth between the hole and the weapon in shock. Such a weapon would surely cause an uproar if brought to Middle-earth.
They quickly regained their wits. Thorin spoke aloud: "I care not what you offer us. I have no need of an alliance with the likes of you."
Resentfully putting their weapons down, they allowed themselves to be taken by the Peacekeepers and dragged out of the room. At least this way, they thought, they had a chance of being reunited with the rest of the company, and they could proceed to find a way out of this nightmarish place.
Snow, meanwhile, sunk back into his chair with a frustrated sigh. He knew that the dwarves were a stubborn folk, but he certainly hadn't anticipated this much trouble.
He sat there a long while, contemplating the various means by which he could get them to agree to his 'alliance'. Torture was always one of his first choices, but they struck him as the sort that would hold out for a long while, and time was no longer a thing to be discounted for him. No, he needed something that would gain him quick, easy access to the Kingdom. He wasn't getting any younger, and he wished to see this plan carried through. After all, if he died before his schemes were fulfilled, what was the point in any of it?
For a time nothing came to him. He rehashed the same useless thoughts over and over, until…
Like a flash of lightning, a plan emerged from the recesses of his mind. It would take much careful plotting, but if executed correctly it could work for him in more ways than one. 'Like killing two birds with one stone.' Snow thought with a rare moment of glee. Smirking to himself, he removed a pen from his desk and went to work.
