*Author's Note: I am taking a few liberties with some of the events that happened in the movie; (such as fanfiction should be) so please don't get mad! Hopefully, it will be very subtle. Thanks!*

~Chapter Nine~

A Gilded Sickness

"You saw something out there." Tauriel said, walking alongside Legolas as they rushed past the townsfolk, who were hurriedly collecting their salvaged belongings.

"The orc who pursued us at Laketown, I know who he is." Legolas replied. "Bolg, spawn of Azog the Defiler. A warg pack was waiting for him on the outskirts of Esgaroth. He fled into the North." he paused, thinking for a moment. "These orcs were different from the others….they bore a mark I have not seen in a long time…." he stopped his brisk pace. "The mark of Gundabad." Tauriel felt shock fill her.

"Gundabad?" she said, breathlessly. Legolas stared at her.

"An orc stronghold in the far north of the misty mountains." Legolas explained. Before Tauriel could react, a voice broke out from behind Legolas.

"My lord, Legolas." It was a messenger sent from the woodland realm. "I bring word from your father. You are to return to him immediately." The elf relayed in their native language. Legolas nodded and motioned towards Tauriel.

"Come, Tauriel." Legolas ordered as he walked away, but Tauriel remained where she stood.

"My Lord….Tauriel is banished." the messenger replied.

"Banished?" Legolas said, the words somehow not registering with him. Tauriel had suspected this would happen, but nevertheless felt her heart sink. Suddenly, a slight wave of aggression set upon Legolas's expression.

"You may tell my father, if there is no place for Tauriel, there is no place for me." he said bitterly.

"Legolas….it is your king's command." Tauriel found herself saying suddenly. Legolas turned around.

"Yes, he is my king…." he paused and looked at the ground. "But he does not command my heart." He hurried past Tauriel, making his way to his horse. "I ride North, will you come with me?" he asked after her. She followed, confused.

"To where?"

"To Gundabad."

Legolas leapt upon his horse and Tauriel followed, wrapping her arms around his waist as they began to ride off. Tauriel tried to focus on the mission ahead of her; regardless of whatever Legolas may have had in mind, she even felt the words he had just said to her buzz around her head, trying to get in, but all she could find herself thinking about was Kili. She did not want to leave him; she wanted to be at his side, making absolute sure he was safe, that he didn't do anything reckless. She thought about their nights together, the way he held her, the feel of his lips on hers and all at once guilt flooded through her as she felt her arms around Legolas's waist, wishing desperately that they were around Kili's instead. Please, let him be safe. Let Kili be safe, she wished and prayed to anyone or anything that might be listening. As they rode, she wondered if Legolas suspected anything.

oOo

Bilbo sat in his usual place, at the top of the stairs that led down into the treasure room. The same treasure room that Thorin had not left in days, the same treasure room that was slowly devouring him. Bilbo's head was buried in his knees, his hands clutching chunks of his own hair, frustrated. He rocked himself against the steps. All at once, he heard noises coming from the great hall and into the lower chambers.

"I cannot believe my eyes! It's truly Erebor! Kili, can you believe it?" he heard a voice say excitedly and suddenly he knew who it was. He stood up quickly to run and welcome in Kili, Fili, Bofur and Oin; overjoyed that they were alive and well. As he ran past pillars and hallways a thought dawned on him, and he stopped suddenly. They were headed down to the treasure and when they got there they would see Thorin, in all his madness. Bilbo did not want them to see Thorin like this, especially Kili and Fili. He heard their approaching footsteps getting louder and louder, closer and closer and he broke back into his run towards them.

"Wait! Wait!" Bilbo's yell echoed through the halls.

"It's Bilbo! He's alive!" he heard Bofur announce.

"Stop! Stop!" he said, holding his hand up. "You need to leave….we all need to leave." Bilbo said, not really knowing what he was saying. Bofur gave him a stunned look.

"We only just got here." he replied. Bilbo shook his head.

"I've tried talking to him, but he won't listen."

"What do you mean, laddie?" Oin inquired.

"Thorin!" Bilbo found himself yelling. He gave a slight pause to look over his shoulder, fearing Thorin might have heard him. "Thorin...he's been down there for days. He doesn't sleep, he barely eats. He's- not been himself….not at all. It's this place…." he pointed upwards, motioning towards all of Erebor. "I think a sickness lies upon it." he continued. However, he had lost the attention of Fili, whose gaze was now fixated upon the lower halls of the treasure room. He moved past Kili, who threw him a concerned look.

"Sickness?" he asked. "What kind of sickness?" But Fili brushed past him, breaking into a run down the stairs to where Thorin dwelled. Bilbo felt his heart skip a beat.

"Fili...Fili!" he yelled after the young dwarf. Bilbo took off after him, with Kili following close behind, as well as the others. Fili dashed down the steps until Thorin came into view. He stopped and the others did as well, taking in the image that lay before them. Bilbo could see Fili's eyes become glassy as he watched Thorin pace, possessed, over the accursed gold.

"Thorin…" Bilbo heard Fili whisper. He threw a glance at Kili, whose eyes narrowed as he watched his uncle. He saw Kili scan the gold that lay below with a fierce and distasteful gaze, as though he hated the mere thought of it. This confused Bilbo...wasn't this what they all wanted? What they had all traveled and fought for? Suddenly it came back to Bilbo that when the dwarves were singing about their long, lost gold in Bag End, Kili had not being singing along. He wondered why, and now very much wanted to ask him. However, before Bilbo could make up his mind about whether he wanted to confront him about it now or later, Thorin looked up from his sickly trance and glared at the five of them, who lingered over him, watching.

"Behold." he boomed up at them. "The great treasure hoard of Thror." he turned slightly, looking back at the treasure pile. Bilbo could see Fili's expression fill with concern and worry. Suddenly, Thorin made a swift movement and all at once Bilbo could see a huge ruby fly through the air and into Fili's grasp.

"Welcome….my sister-sons…..to the kingdom…" Thorin looked around himself and smiled, raising his arms. "...of Erebor."

oOo

Bilbo decided it was time to take a break from watching Thorin pour over his gold, and so he went to inquire after Kili. He waited until Kili, Fili, Oin, and Bofur had said their hello's to the rest of the company. Bilbo waited outside of Kili's chamber and while he did, he caught sight of Fili, pacing through the grand hall. He could feel his worry and was almost tempted to ask after his troubles. However, before Bilbo could make up his mind, Kili emerged from his chamber dressed in fine dwarven garb, regardless it being a little old for the times.

"Bilbo?" he announced, surprised. Bilbo nodded quickly.

"I've come to ask you about something." he stated. Kili studied his expression, so as to gain a better understanding perhaps of why Bilbo made this unexpected visit.

"Alright." he said, crossing his arms. Bilbo gave him a fleeting grin.

"Well, it's about what took place down in the treasure room….about Thorin." he said, noticing Kili's expression turning somber. "Wh-why did you give him such a look? It was almost as if you hated him…" Bilbo tried explaining. Kili gave him a blank stare for a few seconds, until finally shaking his head.

"I saw the way he looked at it….that gold." he said with disdain. "My mother told me of what happened to my great-grandfather. And it was because of his greed, his sickness, that this kingdom fell to ruin. And after all this, Thorin would let the same happen under his watch?" he lowered his head, shaking it. "That sickness draws evil to this mountain, it is like a beacon. And there is a town out there carrying a promise from my uncle in their hearts, hoping he will keep it, but I know he won't. That cursed treasure won't let him." Bilbo looked at the seriousness of Kili's demeanor and felt genuinely sorry for him. He knew that Kili would follow his uncle to the ends of Middle-Earth and he knew that was why he was filled with so much hate for the gold, and so much conflict within himself.

"Why did you come with your uncle to reclaim the mountain?" Bilbo asked. Kili glanced at Fili, who was still pacing behind Bilbo.

"I was conflicted at first. I wanted to help my uncle, to see and save the great halls of my ancestors, but…." he sighed. "But I didn't want to escort Thorin to his doom, to the same fate as my great-grandfather. But Fili convinced me that it would not happen that way, and now look at him, pacing out there. We didn't plan for any of this."

"What do you mean?" Bilbo asked, a little worried by his words. Kili's look couldn't have looked more serious.

"I know I am likely to die, I will not deny it to myself. But…." he paused and looked out the mountain's entrance and up into the star-filled night sky. "But I did not think I would be leaving so much behind." Bilbo looked at the company that was scurrying all around and realized that Kili was not speaking about them. He turned back to Kili.

"Who-?" he began, but was cut off.

"Come on, lads. Thorin wants us all in the throne room. Best to see what it is he wants." Balin said to them, briefly poking his head into the hallway. Bilbo nodded and began to follow, motioning for Kili to follow, but he did not move.

"Kili?" Bilbo asked.

"I'll be right there." he said, not looking at Bilbo. Bilbo felt that there was a lot that lay harrowing upon Kili's mind and it troubled him to hear that he didn't believe he would make it through this alive. However, Bilbo knew it wasn't his place, nor within his ability to make Kili feel better; that job lay with either Fili or Thorin, and yet neither were able. Bilbo wrapped his head around trying to speak to Thorin again, maybe actually getting through to him this time. Bilbo took one last glance at Kili. It was decided.

oOo

Thorin didn't have much to say to his company when he summoned them to throne room, except demanding that they find the Arkenstone. Searching ensued for an hour, and then two, and then eventually the search led into the night. Fury poured from Thorin when he realized that the gem still had not been found. Bilbo offered to look for the stone with the rest of them, but Thorin demanded that he stay by his side. This seemed almost laughable to Bilbo, seeing as how the whole reason he had been brought on this journey was to retrieve the Arkenstone in the first place. He figured staying by Thorin's side was in his favor nonetheless, but for some reason, that seemed to make it all the more the difficult to try to talk with him. He even dare not speak when Thorin demanded to Balin and Dwalin why the stone had not been found yet, and even insinuated at the possibility that his kin were set to betray him.

Finally, Bilbo could take no more and snuck away while Thorin was busy demanding where Fili and Kili were. Bilbo did not want anything more to do or hear about the Arkenstone; he was truly beginning to wish he had never found it. He made his way over to a hallway several rooms away from the treasure room, but just outside the throne room. Bilbo figured everyone would be too busy looking for the stone to stumble upon him in here. He sat on a stone bench, his back against the cold wall. He dug his hand into the inside pocket of his coat and felt the tiny acorn within it. He paused before pulling his hand from his coat and glaring at the acorn. He turned it over and sighed.

"Oh, Thorin…" he said, under his breath.

oOo

Thorin could feel the anger, the pure rage boiling deep within his being. Why hadn't the Arkenstone been found yet? Why was this proving to be so difficult? Thorin had felt he had had enough; enough at looking at the company pretend to look for the Arkenstone, enough of Kili and Fili ignoring his direct order to come and look for it, and simply enough of everyone disregarding his command. Surging with anger sapped his energy and he began to feel weary. He felt it best to rid his sight of dwarves scrounging for gems; his gems. He decided to seek the company of that who would not betray him, but Bilbo was nowhere to be found. He searched through the rooms that the company took to bunking in, but no one occupied them. He searched the throne room and upon not seeing anyone, thought he was not there either and made his way towards the nearest great feasting halls, when he heard a noise come from a nearby hallway. It sounded far off and he couldn't distinguish exactly where, so he decided to head down a random hall in the direction of the sound.

He walked and another little sound came from not too far off. He followed and came to a gap in the walls. On the other side of the wall sat Bilbo, and he was looking at something. Thorin didn't truly believe that Bilbo would keep the Arkenstone from him had he found it, but something forceful and fierce deep within himself demanded that he see what Bilbo had in his hand.

"What is that?" he said, his voice already becoming harsh in tone. His paced quickened and he rushed at Bilbo. "In your hand?!" he boomed. Bilbo turned suddenly, his hand gripping the acorn, although Thorin did not know this. Bilbo jolted up.

"It's nothing." he said quickly. Thorin glared at him, the force of his presence could be felt in every corner of the hall.

"Show me." he demanded. At first it seemed like Bilbo might protest; he gave a chuckled that half revealed he was nervous and half showed that he felt this all to be nonsense. However, he opened his hand to reveal the acorn to Thorin. Upon seeing it, Thorin could feel his expression grow less tense and his overwhelming anger seem to slowly dissipate.

"I picked it up in Beorn's garden." Bilbo said, looking, almost sadly, at his palm. Thorin study Bilbo, his eyes now gently gazing over him.

"You carried it all this way…" his voice drifted, no longer harsh, but rather beginning to fill with admiration. Bilbo nodded and gave a grin.

"I'm going to plant it in my garden...in Bag End." Bilbo said, closing his palm, his eyes turning toward the ground. Thorin's gaze did not break from Bilbo and he grinned, letting out a slight chuckle.

"It's a poor prize to take back to the Shire." he replied. Bilbo grinned, tilting his head in slanted disagreement.

"One day it'll grow…." he paused and his grin faded. "And every time 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." he finished, his gaze now meeting Thorin's. Thorin was almost helpless now against Bilbo's admiring gaze. He looked deeply into his eyes, seeing all the love Bilbo had for his home and the appreciation he contained for this journey that he had been able to be a part of. Perhaps there was something else there too; a sort of longing, sad and tender. Thorin let his eyes become forever entwined with Bilbo's as he grinned at him with an almost more-than-friendly smile. Thorin could feel his legs pulling him closer to Bilbo, but Bilbo stayed still. Thorin hands reached out and Bilbo lifted up his hand to once again show Thorin the acorn, but this was not what Thorin sought. Thorin closed Bilbo's open hand and held it fast in his. He felt Bilbo give a little tremble and look down surprised at his enclosed hand. He looked back up at Thorin.

"Thorin?" Bilbo asked hesitantly. For Bilbo's plea, Thorin had no answer. He knew not what this was either, yet it felt like it had always been. The gap between Thorin and Bilbo began to close, and both could feel the breath of the other coming upon them in fast puffs. Their faces became feet, inches, and finally centimeters apart. All that was allowed now was a whisper.

"Thorin…"

Lids lowered and lips contained very little space between them. Suddenly, they heard movement from the other side of the hallway. Bilbo gave a startled jerk and Thorin dropped his hand from Bilbo's face, to which he just now realized he had placed upon his cheek. They put some distance between them, but Thorin's admiring grin did not fade. Not until, however, Dwalin came from behind the wall, and suddenly a gold gilded Thorin slowly began to return. Thorin had lost his moment, and he very much knew it.

oOo

Kili stared blankly at the parchment that lay before him, but his mind was anything but blank. It was riddled with thoughts, theories, and questions he knew he would never see answered. Fili could see Kili's deepening anguish, as he retreated further and further into his mind.

"Kili, this is…" Fili began.

"It needs to be done, Fili. How else are they to know?" he said, sadly. Fili shook his head.

"You are taking this out of any realm of possibility. You….you are thinking too much about it." he insisted. Kili lowered his head and sighed.

"This is something I feel very certain about, Fili. Please, be on my side with this." he said. "I need you." Kili didn't look to see the look of sadness now spreading across Fili's face. Kili picked up a nearby quill and began to write upon the parchment. Fili sighed.

"I hope you realize there are so many things that can go wrong with this. You could be doing this for no reason and then Thorin could find it, and just think what he'd say!" Fili offered. Kili shook his head.

"Him finding out is not an issue I need to worry about...because I am going to tell him. I have nothing to hide. I have nothing that needs hiding." Kili said sternly. Fili opened his mouth to protest, but then quickly closed it when he caught glimpse of exactly what it was Kili was writing and who it was he was writing to. He sighed again.

"Well...you seem sure. And even if it never happens, I will go with how you feel right now." he smiled and place a hand upon Kili's shoulder. Kili grasped his brother's hand in his for a moment, and then continued with his writing. Fili watched as he did. As Kili finished, Fili frowned.

"That is….how could that...er, idea, possibly have…"

"I just know. Now, who can I give this to so as to be sure it will get to him?"