Author's Note: Here's the next chapter. Been awhile I know but certain things going on prevented me from working on this for awhile so I had to do so whenever I found time. To all those who have reviewed so far then thank you. If there's anything I'm doing wrong or you think could be improved upon please let me know. Anyway if you're still reading or are reading for the first time then I hope you enjoy.
It was now night time in Lake-Town as everyone in town was gathered in a large house celebrating the Company before they departed tomorrow morning. For Sousa it felt like the many parties he had gone to both during the war not knowing whether or not they'd come back alive. Sousa wondered would the Dwarves get a coming home party in the same way as the possible feeling of someone not coming back crept up in his mind. Sousa lost in his thoughts was interrupted as Jarvis came over to him. Both were now wearing clothes similar to Bard's to replace their dirtied suits.
"So how are you enjoying the festivities Chief Sousa?" Jarvis asked
"Well the Master is a dick but he sure knows how to throw a going away party" Sousa said as he drank from his mug.
"Yes. In a way I don't feel I earn this luxury as I am not going to the Lonely Mountain I'm afraid." Jarvis said feeling saddened.
"You're not going either?" Sousa asked surprised.
"Why are you not going?" Jarvis asked equally as surprised.
"I've talked about it with Thorin and he feels I'd be better off staying here for now. I'd only slow down the team with this." Sousa said as he moved his crutch around. "As much as I would have liked to have gone realistically speaking he's sort of right. Besides if things go wrong the people are going to need someone to help them get out of here."
"Well I guess you're right. I also am going to stay and protect people. I hope Ms. Carter will understand." Jarvis said feeling a disappointed in leaving Peggy go with the Company without them.
"Peggy will understand." Sousa said as he continued to drink from his mug.
Dori, Nori, Bofur and Dwalin suddenly came over to them mugs in hand.
"Stop standing around lads! This is a celebration of feast and song! Come with us!" Bofur yelled uproariously
"I'm sorry Master Dwarf but I'm afraid I will have to decline." Jarvis said turning him down.
"So where is Peggy?" Dori asked noticing her absence.
"She's arriving with Bard." Sousa said answering his question.
"He is coming here? After what happened it was my belief he would not want to show his face here again?" Dwalin asked somewhat surprised.
"He's a citizen of Dale. People are forced to come to these celebrations whether they wish to or not." Thorin said as he walked over trying to bring his kin back to his table.
Suddenly the loud noises and talk of the crowd seemed to silence as everyone looked over at Peggy who had entered the room with Bard following behind her. She was dressed in a purple dress with a flower pattern on both the front and the long sleeves. Her hair was tied up in a pony tail as it was now resting on her left side along with a purple flower put in her hair. She was wearing a beautiful ring embedded with sapphires. Peggy became somewhat nervous as she remembered the last time this amount of attention was focused on her was when she entered the bar where Steve was first forming the Howling Commandos. That memory still gave her smiles regardless of how things turned out. She smiled as she looked over at the various Dwarves who were somewhat mesmerized by her even Thorin. She then stepped up to Sousa and Jarvis as Bard followed behind her.
"Ms. Carter you look stunning." Jarvis said somewhat taken aback by her appearance but still happy to see her.
"Thank you Mr. Jarvis." Peggy said
"How could you afford such silk?" Thorin asked Bard skeptical as he examined the dress.
"And such sapphires?" Dwalin asked adding to Thorin's point.
"I know an Elf craftsman who I've done a few favors for. It was my first gift to my wife Sigried after we were married. I paid many coins but the smile on her face when she saw it was priceless." Bard said smiling at the memory but feeling somewhat saddened.
"You named one of your daughters after your wife?" Jarvis asked
"Yes. She is like her in many ways." Bard answered.
"Peg can Jarvis and I talk to you for a sec?" Sousa asked
"Alright" Peggy replied as she, Sousa and Jarvis walked over to a table and sat down as Sousa went over and then grabbed a mug for Peggy which she took from him.
Peggy listened as Sousa and Jarvis explained their stories of why they wouldn't be going to the Lonely Mountain. While she was initially upset at first as she listened to what they said she eventually began to understand their reasons and agreed with them. The town would need to be protected if things with Smaug went south. She knew the Master wouldn't care and Bard was still feeling reluctant to step up over what had happened. In a way she was reminded of Steve and what she said to him before he went to go rescue Bucky and the Howling Commandos. Both Bard and he were meant for more then what history had wanted from them. Hopefully he would realize this sooner rather then later. She also felt sympathy for Jarvis over how he wanted to stay and help look after Bard's children. While he told her that he and Ana had gotten over their inability to have children she had the feeling he truly wasn't over it.
"So are you alright Ms. Carter?" Jarvis asked concerned wondering how she was taking this in.
"I respect your decisions. Just do me a favor." Peggy said as the two looked at her.
"What might that be Ms. Carter?" Jarvis asked
"Don't die before we come back having saved the Lonely Mountain." Peggy said
"We won't as long as you won't." Sousa said
"Well danger is part of my name but I'll try and do my best." Peggy said smiling understanding what Sousa meant.
The trio then sat in silence for what felt like an eternity. Throughout this journey the trio had never been separated. While each knew they could look after themselves there was still a possibility of death. As Sousa reminded himself earlier this felt like a going away party chances are if there was a celebration of their return not all of them may make it back alive.
"So if when we all make it back say we meet back for a couple of drinks?" Sousa asked to lighten the mood.
"I would be honored to Chief Sousa." Jarvis said smiling
"As would I Daniel." Peggy said agreeing with him.
The three raised their mugs and clinked them together as they then drank. Jarvis then excused himself as he walked away to where Bard was sitting alone. Realizing they were now alone the remaining duo sat together somewhat awkwardly before Sousa broke the ice.
"When you signed up for enlistment did you ever think it would be this weird?" Sousa asked
"No. It wasn't exactly my choice to enlist though. I started out as a codebreaker and that's all I thought I would be for awhile until a change happened in my life." Peggy said somewhat timid as she slowly began to break the truth of herself to Sousa.
"What kind of change?" Sousa asked
Before she could continue further, Peggy overheard the music stop as she heard people preparing a song that would require them to dance together if they so wished. Many couples found themselves getting together in a waltz as Peggy found herself asking a question that she hadn't been the first to ask before. When it came to dancing she had been asked by Steve and danced with Jason after he asked her. Somewhere Steve was probably looking at this ironically. When he met her he was a shy timid guy from Brooklyn who was still a little bit confident in his own way because he never gave up but it's what she admired about him. While she had toughened herself up over the years she only started to truly feel like she could be herself when she met him. Now she was like him when he met her standing in front of someone who she cared for unsure how to go about something she wasn't an expert in.
"Would you like to dance?" Peggy asked a little nervously
"I'd be delighted." Sousa said as he put his crutch down and got up and held out his hand to hers as she grabbed it and the two began to dance in a waltz.
"Are you alright?" Sousa asked
"Yes. It's just. I wouldn't want to step on your toes." Peggy said as she looked at his feet and then at his face as she chuckled and smiled, Sousa smiling back at her.
"You look great tonight by the way." Sousa said
"You too" Peggy answered
Not too far away Jarvis was watching the happy couple. He was glad the two had finally embraced their relationship and a part of him hoped that they will have many happy years together.
"They look to be a happy couple. How long have they been married?" Bard asked as Jarvis looked at him somewhat surprised.
"Oh no Ms. Carter and Chief Sousa are not married. Yet. They might be. In the future. I shall get back to you on an invitation." Jarvis said stumbling through his words.
"This is the song of the town. Much like Agent Carter and Chief Sousa are right now my wife and I danced to this song the first time I went out with her. We knew from then we were in love." Bard said smiling at the happy memory as he then turned to Jarvis. "So how did you meet your wife? How did you meet Ana?"
Jarvis smiled as he thought back to his beloved wife back home. While their lives weren't exactly perfect do to where Ana was when they first met and what had befallen them recently he still loved her no matter what and nothing would ever change that. "It was just before the Second World War. A terrible conflict that thankfully is now over back where I, Chief Sousa and Ms. Carter are from. I was working as a general's aide across the country in Europe. One day I arrived in a hotel tailor shop and I became entranced by this lovely girl. She had this bright smile beautiful red hair. She sold me this equally beautiful tie I was buying. I thought that would be the last I would see of her. But it wasn't and I am forever grateful for that."
"She sounds like a charming woman. One you would do anything for?" Bard asked
"Yes. Even forge documents so that she could be saved." Jarvis said as Bard looked him confused. "People with Ana's beliefs were persecuted, captured, tortured and eventually killed during the war. I fought valiantly to make sure she could be saved and thankfully she was."
"You are a brave man Mr. Jarvis. And no doubt an even greater friend to those who care for you. Your family and friends are lucky to have you." Bard said feeling glad that there was a sense of honor in these new visitors.
"Yes family." Jarvis said somewhat saddened as he looked down and then up again the dancing couple. "I must go."
Jarvis got up and walked away as Bard looked at him somewhat confused. While he couldn't figure out what something was off whenever the subject of family was brought up to Jarvis. The poor man seemed to carry a heavy burden one Bard felt like he could relate to in trying to protect his own family. How can he protect his family when none of the town is listening to him about the Dwarves and what they will bring though? Bard gazed at the couple as they leaned in to kiss each other. He had to trust Peggy. Agent Carter would not allow something like this to happen and if it did she would no doubt own up to that fact and try to help rebuild the town. Hopefully things would never come to that point.
Unaware that they were being watched Peggy and Sousa finished their dance and were about to kiss before the sound of Bofur falling over under a table and the loud uproarious laughter of the Dwarves echoed throughout the room, distracting them.
"He's going to feel that one in the morning." Sousa said as he looked over.
"Well as long as he doesn't miss the boat things will be fine." Peggy said as she pulled Sousa's face over and kissed him.
The following morning in Laketown felt very much like a goodbye when sailing on a yacht. The people were all crowded along the sides of the main channel while a boat was loaded with supplies for the dwarves to take to the mountain.
"You do know we're one short; where's Bofur?" Bilbo asked
"If he's not here, we leave him behind." Thorin said somewhat reluctantly.
"We have to, if we're to find the door before nightfall. We can risk no more delays." Balin said agreeing with Throin's reason.
Bilbo looked over as he saw Peggy saying goodbye to Sousa and Jarvis.
"Well I guess this is goodbye for now. Take care of yourselves gentleman." Peggy said as she looked at her two friends.
Sousa kissed Peggy as she then returned it. They then broke away from one another.
"If you encounter Smaug. Give him one for us would ya?" Sousa asked
"I guarantee I will." Peggy said as she smiled at him as she then turned to Jarvis.
"Ms. Carter..." Jarvis began as he was about to hug her but Peggy interrupted him and stuck out her hand for him to shake "Oh right yes no hugging." Jarvis said as he then took her hand and shuck it.
"Take care of yourself Mr. Jarvis." Peggy said
"You too Ms. Carter." Jarvis replied.
Peggy then walked away from her friends up to the remaining members of the Company as Bilbo looked back confused.
"They're not coming with us?" Bilbo asked confused.
"They have their own path to follow just as we do ours." Peggy said as she walked up to the boat with Bilbo following closely behind as he waved to the duo as they waved back to him.
With everything in place the remaining members of the company then marched along the pier as the dwarves began to board the boat. They were now fully decked out in armor and regal clothing. Thorin noticing Kili however stopped him before he can get into the boat.
"Not you. We must travel with speed, you will slow us down." Thorin said again feeling reluctant that he had to leave him behind.
Kili smiled at this thinking Thorin was joking. "What are you talking about? I'm coming with you."
"No." Thorin said repeating his order with a more final tone.
Fili, already in the boat, turned and looked at Thorin and Kili.
"I'm going to be there when that door is opened, when we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin." Kili said trying to reason with his uncle
"Kili, stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed." Thorin ordered again making his point clear and final.
Thorin laid his hand on Kili's shoulder and smiled at him, while Kili felt shocked and betrayed. Thorin then turned to board the boat to the boat while Kili turned away as Oin then got out of the boat.
"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded." Oin said reassuringly
"Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You can't take that away from him!" Fili cried out feeling saddened that their Uncle would do this to them even though they are so close to the Mountain.
On the shore, Oin was examining Kili, who was trying to pull away from himself away from Oin.
"Fili." Thorin began
"I will carry him, if I must!" Fili cried out as tears began to form.
"One day you will be king, and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one dwarf, not even my own kin." Thorin said reluctantly as he tried to make his nephew see logical reason.
Fili looked at Kili as he then stepped out of the boat with Thorin trying to stop him.
"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the Company." Thorin called out
"I belong with my brother." Fili replied as he pulled away from Thorin as he then went to join Kili and Oin. Peggy got out of the boat for a moment as she then walked over to the three Dwarves and looked down upon Kili. He then looked up at Peggy who smiled down on him sympathetically.
"You remember of the man I told you about? The one who couldn't fight because he was ill but was determined to help?" Peggy asked as Kili nodded.
"What I wouldn't give for whatever that super soldier thing was. Then I wouldn't feel so useless." Kili said bitterly as Peggy moved closer to him and held his chin up.
"Sometimes the real heroes are the ones who stay and protect their friends no matter the cost. If you can't be a soldier Kili then be like Steve and be a good man." Peggy said remembering the words of Erskine that Steve told her about not long after Erskine's death.
Kili smiled at these words now feeling a bit of pride return as Peggy then returned to the boat.
The musicians of Laketown played their instruments as the Master climbed up to a raised platform. He then gave a wave, as the people cheered and clapped.
"Not even King George would were something like that" Peggy thought to herself as she observed the Master's outfit.
Further away in a house in the town, a sleeping Bofur suddenly was being woken up by the sound of the music still asleep from under the table he fell under the night before. He then jolted upright, smacking his head on the bottom of the table.
"By my beard, is that the time? Oh, ugh." Bofur said groaning as he scrambled up unsteadily and ran out the door, grabbing a glass of drink on his way. Bofur ran as fast as he can toward the crowd, ignoring the Master's address to the people.
"Go now and bring good fortune to all!" The Master yelled as he smiled and waved to the dwarves in the boat as they then pulled into the canal and began to paddle away. Kili looked on miserably from the dock his sickness becoming worse and worse as the dwarves in the boat smiled, waved, and bowed at the cheering people.
"Goodbye!" Dori called out
Bofur pushed his way through the townspeople and finally reached the water, only to find the boat of dwarves far off down the canal. He then turned to his side finding Kili, Fili, and Oin as well as Jarvis and Sousa.
"Ah! So you missed the boat as well?" Bofur asked in a confused happy mood not understanding why they weren't going.
"Not exactly Master Dwarf.
Suddenly, Kili moaned in pain and began to fall over, Fili managing to catch him.
"Kili? Kili!" Fili asked alarmed and concerned.
Oin quickly began to try examining him, Jarvis bending down also to help out.
With their goodbye to the Dwarves done the Master and Alfrid began walking back to the Masters home surrounding themselves with guards who walked in front of them, pushing townsfolk out of the way unsympathetically.
"Masterfully handled, sire. Your popularity has never been so high. The entire town twittering your name." Alfrid said complimenting the Master in how easily they fooled the town.
"Yes, it was rather clever. Either our little friends return triumphant, in which case I stand to make a pretty penny. Or old Smaug dines on dwarf for a day or two. The important thing is they're off our hands. Not to mention those outsiders that Bard brought in are gone too." The Master said feeling proud of himself.
"Do they really expect us to believe such rubbish stories of coming from another world?" Alfrid asked as he remembered the trio in annoyance.
"Quite right. What was that girl's name? Maggie? Betty?" The Master asked trying to remember Peggy's name.
"Betty Carver I think it was sire" Alfrid answered not realizing he had gotten the name wrong as well as the fact that "Betty Carver" was Peggy's damsel in distress equivalent from the Captain America radio show Peggy wasn't very fond of. Such a mistake probably would have gotten him a punch in the face.
Just as the Master and Alfried were about the enter the Master's home, they were quickly stopped by Fili.
"Please, wait! Please! We need your help, my brother is sick!" Fili asked pleading to them.
"Sick? is it infectious? Get back! Alfrid, don't let them come any closer!" The Master cried as he put a handkerchief up to his face, shooing them away.
"Please, we need medicine." Oin asked trying to make them understand their plight.
"Do I look like an apothecary? Haven't we given you enough? The Master's a busy man. He hasn't got time to worry about sick dwarves. Be gone. Will you go on? Clear off!" Alfirid said remaining unsympathetic.
"You do have no sympathy do you sir?" Jarvis asked appalled as Alfrid looked at Jarvis and Sousa confused as to why they were still here.
"Shouldn't you two be out of here?" Alfrid asked annoyed that the two could potentially still cause disruption for them.
"We elected to stay behind in case your people needed help." Sousa answered.
"We didn't ask for your help Mr. Peg Leg." Alfrid replied.
"We're not asking for your permission. We're volunteering ourselves. You can try and stop us but we won't be afraid to go down easily." Sousa said as he then walked away with, Jarvis, Oin, Bofur and Fili who was carrying Kili.
Alfrid glared at the leaving visitors as he and the Master returned to reentering the Masters home. "What this town needs, Alfrid, is a good purge. Starting with a certain troublemaker who saw fit to question my authority." The Master said making a decision.
"A certain bargeman sire?" Alfrid asked even though he knew the answer already.
"Precisely." The Master answered.
Hearing a knock Bard opened his door to find Jarvis, Sousa, Bofur, Fili, Kili, and Oin on his doorstep.
"No. I'm done with dwarves. Go away." Bard said as tried to slam the door shut, Bofur stopping it with his foot.
"No, no, no! No one will help us; Kili's sick. He's very sick." Bofur said pleading with him.
"Come on Bard. Have a heart" Sousa said twisting the words Bard previously used on Alfrid against him.
Bard noting the irony of Sousa's words looked over as Kili who was now looking extremely sick being supported by Oin and Fili as he then began to hesitate.
Meanwhile, Bilbo and the rest of the Company were in their boat, heading across the lake toward the Lonely Mountain. While the other dwarves were rowing, Thorin was standing at the bow of the boat, facing ahead. Now they werere all decked out in regal clothes and armor from Laketown. Bilbo looked over at Peggy inspecting the armor she was wearing.
"What's wrong Bilbo?" Peggy asked
"Nothing. It's just. I've never seen a lady decked for war before." Bilbo said somewhat giving a smile.
"It's not the first uniform I've worn and this won't be my first battle either." Peggy said as she began fiddling with certain pieces.
"Your army must have been lucky to have you my lady." Balin said as he put his shoulder on Peggy's.
"It wasn't that way in the beginning but by the end they were lucky to have had everyone who volunteered." Peggy answered as she then walked over to Bilbo who was looking into the water.
"Well there's no turning back now. Are you ready to follow Agent Carter into the jaws of death?" Peggy asked remembering that she overheard Steve ask Barnes the same thing the night she met them in the bar when he first began recruiting the Howling Commandos.
"No. I'm following the little girl who had a thirst for adventure that her big brother inspired her to continue pursuing. It's how I got into this mess in the first place. But I wouldn't have it any other way." Bilbo said smiling as she smiled back at him as they looked out into the water, Thorin overhearing their conversation as he continued to look out.
Time passed as they eventually arrived at their destination. They then began to climb the foothills of the mountain. Bilbo stopped for a moment to observe and summed up the feeling of their current situation.
"So quiet." Bilbo commented feeling the calm air brush against him.
"Wasn't always like this. Once, these slopes were lined with woodlands. The trees were filled with birdsong." Balin commented pointing out the landscape.
"Before everything was ravaged by war. I've seen it countless times sadly." Peggy said remembering similar situations of various places she, Steve and the Howling Commandos raided during the war when trying to find Hydra forces that decimated those areas.
"Relax Master Baggins, Agent Carter. We have food, we have tools and we're making good time." Thorin said as he quickly stopped, recognizing the landscape they were on as he then ran atop an embankment overlooking a valley. Peggy, Bilbo and the other dwarves quickly ran to join him, looking at the other end of the valley and seeing the ruins of Dale. Peggy was about to ask what they were looking at even though she had a idea of what it was but Bilbo beat her to it.
"What is this place?" Bilbo asked
"It was once the city of Dale. Now it is a ruin. The desolation of Smaug." Balin answered with sadness over what had become of the great city.
"In other words a place for Smaug to snug up to his gold and not have to face the consequences of his atrocities. I wish I hadn't seen that before too but I have. Let's just hope we can get there without him having caught onto us." Peggy said feeling determined now more then ever.
"Agreed. The sun will soon reach midday; let's find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way!" Thorin ordered signaling the others to follow him.
"Wait...is this the overlook? Gandalf said to meet him here. On no account were we-" Bilbo began before Thorin interrupted him abruptly.
"Do you see him? We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own." Thorin said as he turned and walked away "Come."
The other dwarves followed him while Bilbo looked back at the city, conflicted. Peggy then bent down to him putting her hands on his shoulders.
"I would have wanted to wait for Gandalf too. But there's only so much waiting we can do. You said you were willing to follow me into the jaws of potential death?" Peggy asked as Bilbo nodded in understanding. "Whatever happens. Stay with me."
Peggy and Bilbo then quickly began to walk away as they headed to catch up with the Company.
Meanwhile in Dol Guldur Gandalf was continuing his walk, Dell Rusk walking ahead of him. It seemed abandoned; even the rocks looking weathered and broken. Still, there is an air of menace about the place. There are many pieces of sharp metal forged to look like vines of thorns.
"How much further to our destination?" Gandalf asked his mysterious guide
"Patience Master Wizard. The answers you seek are not in front of you. But beyond you." Dell Rusk answered
"Perhaps you are right." Gandalf said as he walked into a large open area and began to recite a spell, Dell Rusk stepping away slightly but watching with keen interest.
"Cé ná ulco sís nurtaina…I ettuluvas caninye! Cánin i sá tanuvaxe!" ("The evil that is hidden here...I command it come forth! I command it reveal itself!") Gandalf proclaimed he strook his staff on the ground. From the jewel at the top of the staff, an orb of light/energy emanated and moved like a shockwave away, passing through all the matter around Gandalf and Dell Rusk who hobbled a bit on his cane but was taken aback by the sheer display of power as he gave a smirk under his hood that Gandalf didn't notice. This seems to have been a spell that revealed a hidden evil though it seemingly didn't reveal nothing yet. Dell Rusk signaled Gandalf to follow him.
"Come walk this way." Dell Rusk said as he walked up ahead Gandalf who still cautiously followed his guide. "You worry about your friends. You worry this place may contain an evil that will hurt them. They cannot be harmed by things that they do not know. Worry not for them wizard."
"It is not this place I am worried that will hurt them. I am worried by what they are about to enter themselves." Gandalf replied with a grave tone trying not to alert too much attention in case people were observing them while still not trusting his guide.
As the two's words echoed Azog listened to them.
"Zidgu." ("The Wizard has come.") Azog spoke to his followers
"Obtoragish gulum-nu. Gimyashim!" ("He is lifting the spell. He will find us!)" An Orc cried out in alarm.
"Hurnash." ("Yes…he will.") Azog answered
Many Orcs gathered with Azog as they awaited further orders.
"He is leading him to us. The Red Commander may prove his place yet." Azog said speaking of Dell Rusk further hinting he is not who he seemed to be.
As Gandalf and Dell Rusk continued their walk another unknown person began to observe them, holding a dagger and hiding behind a corner wall.
Back with the Company Thorin stood his sword in the ground and panted trying to catch his breath after endless searching. He then called up to the other dwarves, who were all scouring the sides of the Mountain, trying to find the secret entrance.
"Anything?" Thorin called out
"Nothing!" Dwalin hollered back.
"If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us." Thorin said with determination.
"If the door is invisible then the answer won't be directly in front of us. Wherever it is we might have too look beyond what we see on a surface level." Peggy said feeling a little philosophical. Maybe Gandalf was rubbing off on her too much.
Bilbo, walking around, as if to demonstrate Peggy's point suddenly noticed a massive statue of a dwarf carved into the side of the mountain. Looking closely at it reveals a set of stairs built into the statue.
"Up here!" Bilbo yelled pointing at the statue.
"You have keen eyes, Master Baggins." Thorin said complimenting him as he then looked at Peggy realizing it was her words that inspired this in Bilbo "And you have a keen mind Agent Carter."
With their target found they all painstakingly made their way up the steep and treacherous steps, finding a little rock-walled clearing in the side of the mountain.
"This must be it. The hidden door." Thorin said running to the clearing as the remaining dwarves, Peggy and Bilbo came into the clearing as well.
"Let all those who doubted us rue this day!" Thorin yelled triumphantly holding up his key, the others cheering.
"Right. We have our key, which means that somewhere, there is a keyhole." Dwalin commented as he began to explore the walls of the clearing with his fingers, looking for a keyhole. Thorin walked to the edge of the clearing, looking out at the setting sun.
"The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." Thorin said relaying the prophecy.
"Where there's a riddle there's an answer. Question is trying to find it. You have any ideas Bilbo?" Peggy asked as Bilbo shook his head.
"I'm not much into riddles I'm afraid." Bilbo said obviously lying. While he trusted Peggy telling her of what he went through with Gollum and the Ring would not be a good thing to do if he wanted to keep the Ring. But why did he want to keep it? It's just a Ring after all. Wasn't it? Something about it made him not want to inform anyone of it so he could have it as his own.
Thorin not paying much attention kept looking at the wall and tries to figure out what the light hitting the wall meant. As the sun became lower and lower on the horizon and nothing seemed to be changing on the wal as Thorin suddenly began to get frantic.
"Nori." Thorin called out
Nori, being a known thief, ran to the wall and began to tap it in different places with a spoon while holding his ear to a cup held against the wall. Meanwhile, Dwalin strained as he began to push against the wall. The sun all the while getting lower.
"We're losing the light." Thorin commented with a sense of urgency.
"Come on!" Dwalin yelled as he began kicking at the wall.
"Be quiet! I can't hear when you're thumping." Nori yelled back.
"I can't find it...it's not here! It's not here." Dwalin said feeling defeated.
"Well kicking and hurting your foot definitely won't bring it out faster." Peggy said as she moved her hands around the wall trying to feel some kind of pattern possibly emerge.
With the sun becoming closer to disappearing, Thorin frantically gestured to the other dwarves to do something drastic.
"Break it down!" Thorin ordered
"What?!" Peggy yelled back.
Dwalin, Gloin, and Bifur heading the order smashed at the wall with their weapons, to no avail.
"Come on!" Thorin ordered trying to push them further.
"I think the first thing Smaug will hear and notice is probably the door being broken. And if not that your yelling and screaming." Peggy called back trying to stop them from attacking the door.
"She's right. It's no good! The door's sealed. It can't be opened by force. Powerful magic on it." Balin commented agreeing with Peggy while at the same time feeling defeated.
The dwarves hitting the door dropped their weapons in tiredness and disapointedness. The sun then disappeared behind distant mountains.
"No!" Thorin yelled out in disbelief as he stumbled forward, re-examining the old map and then reading it aloud. "The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole. That's what it says."
Thorin could only hold his arms open in disbelief as the other dwarves began to mutter in disappointment and anger.
"We could have been played." Peggy commented trying to reason their situation even if she didn't want to believe it.
"No it couldn't. But if someone played this as a practical joke then it was a joke on all of our kind." Dwalin commented with bitterness.
"What did we miss?" Thorin asked as he walked up to Balin, repeating his question, earnestly and tearfully. "What did we miss, Balin?"
"We've lost the light. There's no more to be done. We had but one chance." Balin replied with a sense of disappointment.
The dwarves bowed their heads in despair and began to turn back toward the stairs.
"Come away; it's...it's over." Balin said signaling the others to follow them.
"Wait a minute!" Bilbo called out in disbelief at what he was saying.
"You wait." Gloin replied bitterly.
"Where are they going? You can't give up now!" Bilbo yelled back to them as he looked beseechingly at Thorin, who turned away. Holding up his key he looked at it, then dropping it to the ground, where it clattered.
"Thorin...you can't give up now." Bilbo said trying to appeal to him.
Thorin not listening threw the map at Bilbo's chest walking past him. The dwarves then began to descend down the stairs, while Bilbo stayed in the clearing. Peggy observing all this with a sense of disappointment but determination ran past Bilbo and called out to the leaving Dwarves.
"So this it then? All this for nothing?! All that talk of wanting to bring back your homeland? What happened to that?" Peggy asked her voice breaking. "I came to follow the Dwarves of Erebor into their home and help them take it back. I will see that fulfilled."
Peggy walked down the stairs as she stood face to face with Thorin.
"You've done your duty Agent Carter. You got us to the Mountain. But we failed in securing our home. But there is still time for you to get back to yours." Thorin commented with a sense of regret.
"I can't go home knowing others don't have one to go back too." Peggy commented.
"And I cannot leave this place without feeling all the things you said. All my words unfulfilled. No welcome home for the Mountain King. I am no King." Thorin said as he began to cry a little. "How do you go on living with your mistakes and the faith of your kin that rest upon your shoulders?"
"It's not easy. We rather have mucked things up back home. But nothing truly is perfect and we as people are far from perfect. If there's one thing I learned especially from recent times. It's this. Compromise where you can. Where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say 'No, you move'." Peggy said as she put her hand on Thorin's shoulder signifying their respect has grown for one another since their first encounter.
"I am sorry to have ever doubted you when we first met." Thorin said with a smile.
"And I'm sorry for that punch in the face." Peggy replied.
"You leave quite a mark" Thorin commented gesturing to a scar still present from when Peggy hit him after mistaking him for Kruger.
"So I've been told. When I left a man with a broken nose one time from that moment on he knew never to call me 'Queen Victoria' ever again." Peggy commented remembering back to Gilmore Hodge who she punched in the face "He became a doctor after the war. He still shivers a bit when he sees me."
Peggy noted Thorin chuckling at this. It was probably the second or third time she heard him laugh throughout this journey at something she said. "I don't mean to change your mind. But you can still enter." Peggy said pleading with him.
"But I will not enter as a king." Thorin commented.
"How about we start with the good son your father wanted you to be and then work our way to King?" Peggy asked with a genuine smile.
Thorin looked back at her before he continued his way down the stairs following the other Dwarves leaving Peggy standing there alone.
She then looked back at Bilbo who was reciting the riddle from the map to himself while gesturing with his hands.
"Stand by the grey stone..." Bilbo said as he went stood by the grey wall. "When the thrush knocks..."
Looking around he doesn't see a thrush anywhere. "The setting sun...and the last light of Durin's Day will shine. Hmm. The last light. Last light…" Bilbo said finishing the riddle. He then turned away from the wall, he began to think hard and mutter to himself.
"Perhaps it wasn't the sunlight we were meant to be looking for." Peggy said as she began to think over the riddle.
With that thought planted in his head, Bilbo looked up and noticed the clouds moving aside to reveal the moon. He looked at it wonderingly seeing that it was illuminating the clearing. Hearing a noise, Peggy turned back and saw a thrush hitting a snail against the grey wall.
"Bilbo!" Peggy said as he looked back and saw the moonlight hitting the wall.
As the thrush flew way, Bilbo and Peggy both laughed with relief and delight as Bilbo pointed at the wall.
"The last light!" Bilbo cried with happiness.
"It wasn't the sunlight it was the moonlight. How could we have been so blind?" Peggy asked looking at it.
"What does it matter we found it. We have to call them back." Bilbo said feeling a sense of happiness.
The moonlight suddenly began to illuminate a keyhole in the rock, as both Bilbo and Peggy gasped. Both of them then began to yell for the dwarves, who have already gone, to hear. Bilbo peered over the edge of the clearing at the stairs, seeing no sign of the dwarves.
"The keyhole! Come back! Come back! It's the light of the moon, the last moon of autumn! Ha ha ha!" Bilbo cried out as he then began looking around on the ground.
"What's wrong?" Peggy asked as she turned away from the stairs and looked at Bilbo searching the floor.
"Where's the- Where's the key? Where's the- it was here…but it was here, it was here! It was just…" Bilbo said looking frantically around on the ground in the clearing for the key. Suddenly, his foot hit it sending it flying from the clearing. Just before it could fall off the side of the mountain, a boot stepped on the string and stopped it. Bilbo sighed in relief as he looked over and sees it was Thorin who stopped it. Thorin slowly reached down and picked up the key, examining it. The other dwarves then stepped up beside him as they all smiled in relief at Bilbo and Peggy.
"Go on your majesty." Peggy said as she gestured to Thorin to step forward.
"Not just as a king. But a good son. One my father would be proud of." Thorin said remembering her words as inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it; Everyone looked as they began to hear mechanisms turning behind the rock. Thorin then pushed the wall, revealing a previously unseen door that opens into the mountain, the seams of the door being completely invisible earlier. The door opened into a tunnel going into the mountain, the dwarves look on it awe as Thorin stood back on the threshold.
"Erebor." Thorin breathed with awe
"Thorin…" Balin said as he began to choke up, Thorin putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I know these walls…these walls, this stone. You remember it, Balin. Chambers filled with golden light." Thorin asked as he stepped into the mountain
Thorin running his hands over the walls, suddenly became lost in memory as Balin stepped into the tunnel.
"I remember." Balin replied.
The rest of the Company slowly and reverently entered the mountain.
"Well I can certainly say this gives Buckingham Palace a run for her money" Peggy commented in awe as she began putting her hands on the walls looking at various markings.
She then looked over at Nori who was pointing at a carving in the wall above the door; it being of the throne of Erebor, with the Arkenstone above it, sending out rays of light in all directions.
Gloin walked over to it as he read aloud the inscription on the carving. "Herein lies the seventh kingdom of Durin's Folk. May the heart of the mountain unite all dwarves in defense of this home."
Naturally both Bilbo and Peggy were looking at the carving in interest and curiosity.
"The throne of the king." Balin said explaining it to them
"Oh. And what's that above it?" Bilbo asked again.
"The Arkenstone." Balin answered
"Arkenstone….And what's that?" Bilbo asked
"The king's jewel I assume?" Peggy asked as Balin nodded a yes.
"That, Master Burglar, is why you are here." Thorin said with a warning tone as all the dwarves began to look at Bilbo who could only looks bewildered at this, but still resolute.
"Well then. Let's not waste any time. Let's go to work." Peggy said as she put her hands together and then walked forward.
Meanwhile back in Dol Guldur Gandalf and Dell Rusk both looked around as they walked into a courtyard. Dell Rusk walked over to one of the broken cages as he began to tap it with his cane.
"These are the cages for prisoners. I spent a time in one. I was tortured for days. They thought I was a spy. But my will was stronger then theirs. I showed them I was not a force to be reckoned with." Dell Rusk commented as he noticed Gandalf standing there in quietness. "Grey wizard? Are you there? Come we need to keep moving."
Dell Rusk sighed as he then walked ahead leaving Gandalf alone. Gandalf turned around as he suddenly began to hear something. Up above him a figure high up, on a ledge pounced down onto Gandalf. After a scuffle, Gandalf managed to push the figure off him, and off of a ledge with the figure escaping his grasp. Gandalf quickly ran down and chased after him. Gandalf paced quickly as he ran through corridors, hearing growls around him, the figure continuing chasing him. Suddenly the figure leaped out and attacked Gandalf again as Gandalf found the figure being pulled off of him by Dell Rusk who slammed the figure down on the ground as he then began to beat him to death with his cane. Gandalf confused by this sudden burst of strength tackled Dell Rusk to the ground as he then ran over to the figure, putting his hand on the figure's head, as he began to chant a spell. Dell Rusk groaned as he got up and observed this display.
"What are you doing?! Leave him or we'll never make it through." Dell Rusk said with an angry tone
Gandalf didn't listen however as he continued his spell which seemed to calm the figure down.
"Thrain, son of Thror. My old friend." Gandalf said with a hint of happiness as he began to see his friend returning to him.
"Gandalf?" Thrain asked confused
Gandalf smiled with relief seeing that a hint of recognition was beginning to form in his friend's eyes.
"A lifetime. I've been here a lifetime." Thrain said as he began to recall his old memories return to him.
"I'm so sorry I gave you up for dead." Gandalf said with a sense of regret.
"I had a son. Thorin!" Thrain said remembering back to the Battle of Moria.
"And you will see him again. Come, we must leave." Gandalf commented.
"Leave? But you wanted answers?" Dell Rusk asked confused with a hint of annoyance.
"The Orcs had Moria. War…we were at war. I was surrounded. The Defiler. Azog the Defiler had come." Thrain said as he began to recall the Battle of Moria where Azog had knocked him down.
Gandalf lifted Thrain's hand as he noticed that his ring the Dwarven Ring of Power was missing, along with his ringfinger.
"They took it." Thrain said looking at his hand.
"The last of the Seven. Come, let's get you out of here." Gandalf said as guided his friend along through the area, Dell Rusk following behind.
"There is no way out! They will stop you! The serpents will stop you!" Thrain yelled with a sense of hopelessness.
"The old man speaks some truth. But we can leave if we get the enemy to reveal itself. We must come to him and draw him out." Dell Rusk said looking around seeing nothing emerge.
Gandalf looked over as he noticed some of the vines starting to move.
"It's an illusion." Gandalf said tapping the vine as it went back to normal. "Just an illusion."
"What have they done to you?" Gandalf asked his friend confused by his state of mind.
"We are wasting time trying to get answers out of this foolish old man. He won't lead us anywhere. I shall continue ahead myself." Dell Rusk said as he walked away from the two.
"I never told them anything. They tried to make me but I never said a word. They even brought in another commander. He had Red skin almost like an Orc but he wasn't. But he was as ruthless as Azog." Thrain said as he looked around to see if Dell Rusk was out of earshot not trusting the man Gandalf had with him.
Gandalf suddenly became confused by what Thrain had referred to as "The Red Orc" as he began to think back and look around to see if Dell Rusk could still hear them and felt relieved that he had already gone far away from them.
"Have you kept them safe, Gandalf? The map and the key?" Thrain asked with a sense of alarm.
"I gave them to Thorin. You'd be proud of him. He's taken up the Quest to reclaim Erebor." Gandalf said as he tried to touch Thrain who stepped away frightened by this revelation.
"Erebor." Thrain said feeling worried.
"He will retrieve the Arkenstone. The seven armies of the Dwarves will answer to a new king." Gandalf said trying to calm Thrain who remained unfazed.
"No. No. Thorin must not go near Erebor. No one must enter that Mountain." Thrain said with a hint of finality in his voice.
"What do you know of this Red Orc?" Gandalf asked changing the subject.
"He was ruthless. He tortured me for days. He applied ruthless tactics I had never seen before. He was skilled in deception and combat and also alchemy." Thrain said trying to remember.
"Do you know the prisoner 'Dell Rusk'?" Gandalf asked trying to get an answer on the truth of the man who may have been leading him into a trap all along.
"His name... The Red..." Thrain began before he was suddenly hit by Dell Rusk's cane again as Rusk suddenly pulled a gun from out of his pocket and tried to shoot at Thrain. Gandalf however managed to deflect it away as he began to shun the light of his staff into Rusk's face blinding him momentarily.
"Who are you really?! What convinced you to try and trick me?! Clearly you don't know this world that well if you want to try and fool a member of the Ishtari." Gandalf yelled as Rusk held his hand up to his face. "Speak!"
Rusk pulled his hand away from his face as Gandalf became shocked and noticed the red face as Thrain described. It looked as if the man's flesh had been burnt off from his face leaving only a skull covered in red. Strangely though the face structure almost reminded him of Elrond minus his skin.
"I was the leader of the most feared force in the world once. I was destined to become so much more. But I was robbed of that destiny by my enemies. By Captain America. By the one you've allied yourself with called Margaret Carter." Dell Rusk said with anger and bitterness.
Gandalf suddenly became alarmed as he began to think back to the various stories Peggy had told him and the Company during their adventure. One was about a feared commander who led an army with an iron fist similar to that of Azog. Though he was claimed dead they remained unsure of it as the last known sight of him was seemingly vanishing from their world. It couldn't be.
"You asked me for my name when we first met. I was once a man named Johann. But during the war they gave me another name. One I originally hated. But I have since grown to accept now that he has shown me what I have missed. That the name inspired fear in the hearts of men and women everywhere. You may call me. The Red Skull." The Red Skull said pulling down his hood and revealing his full head as he then discarded the cloak revealing his black Hydra uniform underneath which he was still wearing after his final encounter with Captain America.
"Come Gandalf we must move" Thrain said as he signaled Gandalf to follow him as they ran away from the Red Skull.
"You cannot escape grey wizard? Where do you think I was truly leading you? What lies ahead will mean only your end" The Red Skull called out as he then gave a smirk. " "Sie wollen das Licht zu finden, aber Sie laufen in die Dunkelheit. Es gibt nirgendwo mehr, um grauen Assistenten laufen." ("You wish to find the light yet you are running into darkness. There is nowhere left to run grey wizard.")
Author's Note: So yeah that's that chapter finally done. I don't want to try and leave any long gaps in the future since we're getting near the end of the Desolation of Smaug portion. I want to try and finish this story during the early months of 2017 at the least. But regardless I'm looking forward to writing more now that the story is starting to form twists and turns from the film.
The decision to split up the trio when it came to going to the Mountain stems from the fact that I wanted things to change. Peggy and her friends up to now have been a tight group but I wanted to show how even alone they as characters can still be effective and also not to mention how certain stories set up for different characters such as Jarvis I needed them to remain separated for awhile so that when they reunited it would feel more rewarding. The opening party scene which wasn't part of the movie was my own edition to establish the closeness between the trio and show how far they've come and how things have changed since the beginning of the story. This is the calm before the storm pretty much and I hope I did that.
Peggy's conversation with Thorin was another attempt to show how far the relationship between the characters has come not to mention is probably the last time Thorin feels moved by someone's words and feels inspired before he inevitably will be overcome with Dragon Sickness in BOTFA. I felt that the "You Move" speech which originated in the Civil War comic that they gave part of to Peggy in the Civil War movie as something she told Sharon I thought would demonstrate the point she was trying to make well. That doesn't mean though Peggy and Thorin's conversations are done. We still have another movie filled with more emotional moments yet to come. So I hope I did justice to this conversation and if I did can keep up the idea with those future conversations.
I was debating on whether to hold back the reveal of Red Skull until next chapter but considering how much I was telegraphing it in scenes as well as Thrain and Gandalf's conversations I figured better reveal it now rather then screw with the audience who would have guessed the answer regardless and already were so to those who guessed right than congrats. How the Red Skull got to Middle Earth I've pretty much said already but how he arrived in Dol Guldur and became an ally of the Necromancer will be explained soon. Like I said while Peggy and company will have their hands full as it is what with a dragon and an orc army the edition of Red Skull challenges them on a more personal level because he is from their world.
Like I said when I first introduced Skull in a previous chapter albeit unrevealed writing ideas like this keeps the story interesting I feel. Otherwise it's just the characters hanging around in the story with no real consequences or impact or need to be there. If someone unexpected arrives from another world naturally something should come of it both good and bad and again I hope you enjoy what I have planned because I'm looking forward to writing it.
Anyway I think that's everything for now. Naturally there's probably some mistakes here and there that if I didn't notice them I'll fix them later (bigger revisions will come once the story is completed overall. Nothing major though just stuff I felt I could have done better but didn't at the time.) This is your friend Steve993 signing off and I'll see you next time.