The air was getting heavy, but maybe that was his panic starting to rise. Hobbits were creatures of open meadows not the dark places deep inside mountains. He wanted to yell at Erebor to stop it. But how could he until he explained it to Thorin and how could he do that with Lady Clencia there?.
"Out... I have to get out." Lady Clencia voice was becoming louder as her panic rose.
"Clencia calm down, the worst that will happen is once we are missed the miners will dug through the stone." Thorin reached out to touch her shoulder as he tried to comfort her."
She pushed his hand away and stepped back, then replied with a sneer. "Pick axes...pick axes...it will take hours ...who knows how thick this is and by the time they break through we'll be dead...dead... Oakenshield...dead! Why did I come to this Mahal forsaken mountain. Your whole line is cursed with madness or bad fortune. I could be happy and safe...safe in my Iron Hills!"
"Clencia try to be reasonable." Thorin tone was close to what you would use with a child.
"You try to be reasonable oh great king under the mountain." She replied in a haughty tone. "With your Arkenstone and your...your flirty little hobbit."
"Now wait just a second Lady Clencia I took that from you earlier but I am not going to continue to ..." Bilbo started.
"To do what...listen to the truth. It's oblvious...The two of you want each other." She glared at the hobbit. Then turning to Thorin she hissed. "You Oakenshield, you should have just married the hobbit or declared him your bed warmer instead of having dwarves from all over middle-earth come to Erebor. But that's what you like, isn't it the great Thorin Oakenshield, King under this dragon cursed mountain? Having people bow to you like they did your grandfather."
"ENOUGH!..I've heard all I plan to from you Clencia. No one asked you here or invited you here. You just announced you were coming. There's a word for that..." Thorin glared at the dwarrowdam.
"Say it...go ahead..." she growled
"Wait..wait both of you." Bilbo tried to calm them both.
"Shut up you...you little nothing!" Lady Clencia yelled.
"You dare call him that ..." Thorin was fed up with Clencia.
Gandalf arrived in Erebor shortly after Thorin had left the hall to walk Bilbo to his chambers. Balin and Dis had started to explain the problem while the rest of the Company went to find Thorin. Walking down a familiar hallway they found an enclosure that should not have been there. It hadn't been there before but most disturbing was that they could hear shouting from inside. Thorin and Lady Clencia's voices were obvious and a third quieter one that sounded like it might be Bilbo.
There was no door, no window, no way in...no way out. Part of the Company ran to get tools to break through the rock and get miners to help. The rest ran back to get Gandalf.
When the wizard got to the hallway and touched the enclosure a look of wonder came over his face. "I have not seen this type of construct in many a year. Many a year." He walked next to the structure and raised his staff. A bluish white light issued from the top of the staff and seemed to cover the structure. "Few in middle-earth are capable of this and even then they usually occur in threes. It takes a source, a crafter, and a bridge between the two. I do believe our hobbit could be a bridge, what with him fae blood." That earned shocked looks from the dwarves gathered surround the enclosure. "But," the wizard continued, "who is the crafter and what is the source? Erebor could be a powerful source. Gandalf touched the construct again and closed his eyes. " Tell me, did these happenings began before or after Lady Clencia arrived in Erebor?"
"Before. We believe what happened to Lord Indoin was the beginning." Fili answered.
"And Thorin...you say he has been the target of ... what seemed like a constant harassment from falling rock?"
"Well, pebbles in the beginning but then they started getting larger. A really good sized rock hit his arm earlier today, he has the bandage to show for it." Balin stated as he studied the structure, looking for a seam but finding none. "Wait Gandalf, what did you mean by Erebor being a source?"
"There are souls old as time, Master Balin. Natural entities who have watched as the ages of middle-earth rolled pass. Only making their presence known when they felt the need was great. They are of this world but so different from the younger races that they need a bridge, a being closer to nature than most, in order to communicate. Usually they would use a fae or a wizard."
"You said Bilbo has fairy blood." Bofur stated with a questioning look."
"Yes Master Bofur, on his mother's side."
"The Tooks...Bilbo has mentioned them and how they were always up for an adventure. He said the other hobbits thought them odd...not respectable." Kili offered.
"Very, very true. Bilbo's mother had quite an adventurous streak. But I would not have thought Thorin Oakenshield was a crafter and a powerful one at that." Turning to the startled dwarves, Gandalf announced, "Yes, it would appear that Thorin is behind all these unusual events."
Inside the enclosure Bilbo was trying to calm to situation. "Stop it...If we are trapped in this...whatever it is ...we have to conserve air until we are rescued and we will be rescued. When we are, do either of you think you want to deal with what you may have said while in here?"
Thorn turned to look at Bilbo. "I'm sorry Bilbo...it is just that I can't hold it in any longer. I ...can't stay trapped."
"Thorin they'll get us out, you said so yourself." Bilbo tried to comfort his friend.
"No I don't mean this room, I mean this life. I was born to be a king...I never had a say over it. Then Smaug came and I had to take up arms with my grandfather and father and brother. After they were killed or lost it was up to me to lead. I was not ready Bilbo. I wanted a life...a real life not just what I was trained to do. But with Frerin dead and Dis had the boys to raise ...it fell to me. It has always fallen to me. I was trapped long before this happened. Now. now I am expected to marry and spend my life with someone I don't know and don't love. But it is my duty. I love my people, I love Erebor but I hate this feeling of never being my own dwarf. Always being pushed or pulled." Thorin looked...lost just for a second before regaining his composure.
Save him, save me. Bilbo remembered what Erebor had felt.
"Then don't, Thorin."
"What?"
"Don't Thorin. Yes, you are King and yes you have responsibilities. Have always had them and always will, but you can carve out a space for yourself. Delegate a little, just a little to Fili, he has to learn sometime. Delegate a little to Kili..yes Kili. He can help too. And Dis, she is always there for you. Give her some real responsibility not just planning state functions, but negotiating treaties that your would have to approve of course. You'd still have to approve it all but you can have a life, a ...love. Thorin its not just the time though is it? It's...well...its you. You have reclaimed Erebor, taken back your birthright, you did it. You don't have to keep proving yourself. You are not the young inexperienced prince trying to lead a homeless people. You don't have to earn the respect of your people or the other peoples of middle earth. You are respected Thorin Oakenshield, no one will ever look down on you or the people of Erebor as being less or unworthy in any way. You did it Thorin, you proved yourself to all middle-earth. You are every bit the King Thror was, actually better, much better. You have put your people above all else. Thorin you don't have to continue to prove your worth." This was at least part of what Erebor wanted, Bilbo could feel it.
"Oh how sweet, could we get the violins now, maybe an elf playing a harp." Lady Clencia smirked.
"Clencia if you don't shut up, I swear..."
You'll do what Oakenshield...nothing and you know it!"
"I'll throw your gold digging behind out of my mountain!"
"You wouldn't have to. If we get out of this I am leaving so fast...so...fast...can't breathe...no air...can't..."
