Pardon the long bit here at the beginning. I was heartbroken to hear of the passing of Alan Rickman Thursday. I first saw him in Robin Hood as the Sheriff of Nottingham and fell in love with his voice (I still use "I'm going to cut your heart out with a spoon" to this day in conversation lol). Then there was his wonderful performance as Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility ("The air is full of spices."). While he brought to life numerous other roles (some very well known) those are the two roles that I will always remember him by. I had always secretly hoped to see him and Richard Armitage in a movie together; can you IMAGINE those two voices in a scene together? Such a great actor that will be dearly missed.
A/N: Wow! Over 10,000 views of my story since I started it. I'm really flabbergasted and I can't thank all of you enough. So we are almost to the battle. As I stated before, I'm trying to stick closer to the timeline in the book in regards to how much time is passing while they're in the mountain. The movie almost makes it seem like they arrived and then within only a day or two they fought the battle. That span of time doesn't seem realistic to me and so that's why these chapters have included much more than just what's in the book or movie. You're getting this a day early because I'm going out of town with my BFF's for the weekend (no kids, no husbands, yay!); I hope you enjoy! I've also been listening to music by Brunuhville on YouTube to help "set my mood" while I write. Check it out; its amazing! This chapter, along with the last few that have dealt with Thorin's descent, I've been listening to "Allure of Darkness."
A/N2: I've also started going back and doing some editing/revising on previous chapters. So far I've gone through the first three chapters. There will be a few additions as I move through them (I'm more confident in my writing now). :) Let me know what you think.
My Petal Heart: I'm glad you liked the addition of the ravens. Since the crown of Erebor IS a raven and their returning was part of the prophecy I felt we should see more of them. And I thought a talking bird was pretty cool. :)
Just4Me: Rhae isn't too happy with him either but she's also very worried about what could be keeping him.
Dare Queen: I'm so sorry. These are rough chapters.
ro781727: That will be a bit of a relief for her. Can anyone really reason with Thorin? ;-)
As always, I'm just trying to live in Tolkien and PJ's fabulous world.
"Come on!"
Thorin's stern voice jerked Rhae from sleep. She was momentarily disoriented, confused as to where she was laying. The stone beneath her recalled the previous evening and she came to her feet groggily. Apparently, as she'd been told she absolutely was not allowed to lift anything, she'd fallen asleep watching the dwarves work. Her mouth dropped open as she gaped at the wall that now blocked the Front Gate. There were steps built in that rose to a platform they'd constructed at the top, giving them a vantage point over the plain in front of the mountain. The members of the company were quickly filing up the stairs, weapons in hand, and Rhae hurried after them. What met her eyes when she reached the top caused the Ranger to blanch, irritation flaring in her gut.
The walls of Dale were lined with elves armed for battle. She knew exactly where they had come from though why was a mystery. Her hands clinched into fists. That pointy-eared bastard ... She must have muttered something out loud because there was a guffaw from beside her. Turning she saw Dwalin struggling to keep a straight face. She merely grinned wickedly at him and he just grinned back, still trying to rein in his laughter. The sound of hoof beats reached them, the dwarves instantly tightening their grip on their weapons.
"Hail, Thorin, son of Thrain! We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." She stared, relief flooding through her. Bard had indeed survived as the old raven had mentioned. Sigrid and Tilda were safe now. While she had no qualms with bringing the girls into the mountain, she knew Thorin, especially in his present state of mind, would have had immense issue with it. That was a row she was glad to have avoided.
"Why do you come to the gates of the King Under the Mountain armed for war?" Thorin called back, ignoring the man's greeting. She caught the small frown on Bard's face.
"Why does the King Under the Mountain fence himself in like a robber in his hole?"
"Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed."
"My lord, we have not come to rob you but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?" Thorin actually glanced at Rhae as if to get her counsel in the matter. She nodded. A fight was the last thing the wearied Lake-Town survivors would be after. Thorin headed down the stairs, pausing to nod at Balin before he dipped out of sight. It was then that Rhae noticed the raven on the wall next to the elderly dwarf and she caught his gaze, questions clear in her eyes. Balin simply seemed to sigh, shaking his head slightly before saying something to the raven. She watched it quickly gain altitude as it winged eastward. Pressing her lips together in frustration she followed after her husband; she did not trust him not to make a mess of this negotiation. As she reached the bottom she saw Thorin stride up to a small hole in the wall.
"I am listening."
"On behalf of the people of Lake-Town, I ask that you honor your pledge. A share of the treasure so that they may rebuild their lives." Rhae sighed, rolling her eyes. That was not the way to word the request if the man hoped for success.
"I will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door."
"That armed host will attack this mountain if we do not come to terms."
Rhae's lips dipped in a frown at Bard's words. This was something between the dwarves and the people of Lake-Town, it was for the two concerned parties to work it out between them. So why were Thranduil's soldiers ready to attack the mountain? Something just didn't make sense to her. There was no reason for them to even be there.
"Your threats do not sway me."
"What of your conscience? Does it not tell you that our cause is just?! My people offered you help. And in return you brought upon them only ruin and death."
"When did the men of Lake-Town come to our aid but for the promise of rich reward?"
"A bargain was struck!" Frustration was clear in the man's voice.
"A bargain? What choice did we have but to barter our birthright for blankets and food? To ransom our future in exchange for our freedom? You call that a fair trade? Tell me, Bard the Dragon-Slayer, why should I honor such terms?"
There was a slight pause from the other side of the stone. "Because you gave us your word. Does that mean nothing?" Thorin turned from the hole he was speaking through, leaning against the stone blockade, weariness clear on his features. He lifted his eyes to see the entire company standing behind him, watching with concerned expressions on every face. Rhae was looking at him with desperate pleading in her eyes. He seemed to be conflicted for several tense moments and she was almost holding her breath while waiting for him to speak.
"Be gone! Ere our arrows fly!" he suddenly yelled back at Bard.
Before Rhae could open her mouth, frustration and anger flowing through her, Bilbo spoke up. "What are you doing? You cannot go to war!"
"This does not concern you," Thorin snapped with a growl.
"Excuse me?! But in case you haven't noticed there is an army of elves out there. And not to mention several hundred angry fishermen. We ... we are in fact outnumbered."
Thorin turned to the hobbit with a hard smile. "Not for much longer."
"What does that mean?"
"That means, Master Baggins, you should never underestimate dwarves." Bilbo's face showed his confusion but he didn't get a chance to say anything further as Thorin turned to the rest of the company. "We have reclaimed Erebor - now we defend it." As he stomped away Rhae again met Balin's eyes, her own despair mirrored in the elderly dwarf's face.
The door to the King's Residence opened and closed much later that evening. Rhae knew without looking who it was and so didn't move from her place before the fire in their bedchamber, wrapping the blanket more securely around her shoulders. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall and then she could feel his presence in the room.
"Why did you not join the company at dinner?"
"I wasn't feeling very hungry."
"You can't let yourself grow ill, Rhae." She didn't have to see his face to know he was scowling but she refused to turn around, not wanting to see that madness in his eyes. It just hurt too much. His voice didn't have that serpent like quality to it at the moment, though, and she relaxed slightly. He sat down next to her, toying with the buckles on his boots. The voice in his head had quieted and he had become aware of his wife's absence at dinner. By the set of her shoulders he could tell something was bothering her but he wasn't sure how to address it.
"Are you feeling alright?" he finally asked.
"Yes, I am feeling fine. Oin has been keeping a good eye on me."
"Everything is well with the baby?" She nodded, still refusing to look at him. He was at a bit of a loss. Rhae hadn't acted this way towards him since the early stages of their quest. He wanted to pull her into his arms, it seemed like forever since he had held her, but knew she would not welcome the embrace at the moment. With a sigh he decided to just meet it head on. "What is wrong? Something is bothering you."
She debated what to say to him. A lie simply to keep the peace wouldn't achieve anything but speaking the truth would most likely would send him into a fury. A sigh escaped her lips; she had never been good at dancing and this was certainly going to be a delicate and intricate one.
"I am worried."
A pause. "Worried about the elves in Dale or those Lake-men? Don't concern yourself over them. If they dare come near the mountain they will quickly learn the foolishness of their mistake."
"That is only partially what is bothering me. While I am not surprised or concerned that the survivors of Lake-Town have come to Dale I cannot make out why Thranduil is there as well. It doesn't make sense to me."
"The Elvenking desires something in this mountain." At that she finally turned to him, a look of puzzlement on her face. "There are gems that he feels he has a claim on." A sudden memory, a confrontation in the Woodland Realm, flashed through her mind. The Elvenking had mentioned there being something he desired in the mountain. If that was his only reason for being at their front door then he was more voracious than she had thought. To threaten battle over gems? She shook her head angrily.
"You said you are not concerned with those Lake-men streaming into Dale. How can you not be? They are after the gold; they think they have a claim on it and are willing to fight us for it." She hung her head, the topic she had been apprehensive of mentioning raising its head.
"No, I am not concerned about them. They have lost everything and winter will soon take hold of the land. While it may not offer the best shelter from the coming weather it is at least something. And they do not think they have a claim on the treasure nor do they wish for a battle over it." She saw the spark of anger in his eyes and she readied herself for the argument that was about to break over them. "You gave your word, Thorin, as did I. They sheltered us, supplied us for the completion of our journey, and have lost everything because of it." She held up a hand to stop him from speaking. "Yes, we were in a bad situation and had to do what we must to secure our freedom but we did give our word and that should mean something to you."
"Bard came to our doorstep with an elven host armed behind him, staking a claim on a portion of the treasure of Erebor!"
"He did no such thing and you know it! While the Master of Lake-Town was a greedy, sly, fool Bard is not. The Master might have attempted to swindle as much as possible but Bard is only interested in what was promised. What exactly did you promise the people of Lake-Town during those meetings?"
Thorin glared at her but she didn't look away. "I promised to repay the town for the supplies and shelter they provided us and to begin trading with them as soon as our forges and mines were functioning again."
"And you see that as unreasonable? How much could it possibly be to repay that debt? Shelter and supplies for fifteen for about a week? I also doubt Bard would expect payment right now. He would be very aware of the fact that there is nothing to buy with gold at the moment anyway."
"I will not confer with anyone on this matter while there is an elven army outside the mountain!"
"I do not think they are there by choice of the Lake-men. I also do not think Bard would have mentioned attacking the mountain if it hadn't been prodded out of him, which is why I would bash the Elvenking's head against a rock right now if I could." Rhae firmly believed that without Thranduil's interference and presence, Bard would've left quietly and tried again another day. She wouldn't put it past the elf to have threatened to attack right away and Bard had approached Thorin in the hopes of averting a battle.
"They are still after part of the treasure," he snapped.
"You are just so blinded by your greed that you think everyone is out to take what is yours. They simply want to be repaid for what they gave us, something you promised, and that is not unreasonable."
"You would barter away part of our child's inheritance?"
"I don't see repaying a debt as bartering away an inheritance, especially when that payment would probably only fill your boot. Besides that, it's your word at stake here, Thorin. Your honor. If you want to reestablish trade through Erebor then you are going to have to be on good terms with others and no one is going to want to do business with a king that doesn't keep his word." She had tried to keep her anger under control, knowing that it wasn't Thorin really speaking, it was the sickness in his head, but that control was slipping rapidly.
"My people worked hard to amass the treasure in this mountain, it is their legacy, and I will not squander it away."
"You have also despised the way other races distrusted you and your people, thought you crude, honor-less folk. If you don't honor your word you will prove to all those that thought and said such baseless things that they were correct in their assumptions."
He rose to his feet, towering over her. "I would not expect someone that is not a dwarf to understand the situation." His words cut through her like a hot blade and she was immediately nose to nose with him.
"I know about honor and doing what is right," she seethed, unable to believe what Thorin had just said. "The Thorin I met in Bree would have done anything to prove to the world that dwarves are an honorable race. But you have changed! You have let the sickness that claimed your grandfather into your head and your heart and it is blinding you to everything else."
"How dare you say that? I am not my grandfather!"
"No, you're not Thror, but you are letting that treasure rule you just as he did! You are stronger than that, Thorin!" He glared at her and she thought for a moment he was going to hit her. Instead he turned on his heel and stomped out of the room. She heard the door slam shut a second later and she sunk back to the floor, resting her head on the cool stone floor. The tears didn't come, only a sickening feeling of defeat. Rising slowly she tossed another log on the fire before climbing wearily into their bed. She was completely numb.
She was back in the ring of trees, soft light filtering through the branches and a gentle mist blanketing the bottom of the trunks. The same log was there and she seated herself, recognizing the scene from her dream all those weeks - months? - ago in Rivendell. The knowledge that she would see her father again pushed the despair she felt over Thorin's condition to the side momentarily.
"Rhaella."
Her name, spoken so gently, caused her to freeze. That was not her father's voice. The faint scent of lavender reached her and she felt tears prick at her eyes. Her heart stuttered in her chest and it was hard to breath for a moment. It couldn't be...
"Mother?" she whispered turning slowly. She came to her feet, her legs slightly wobbly. She hadn't seen her mother in seventy-two years, her face no more than a shadowy memory, but she recognized the figure before her instantly. She approached Cora hesitantly, her eyes dancing over the older woman's face, trying to recollect any memory from those few years of her life before her mother died in childbirth. Another breath of lavender brushed past her and suddenly memories from her very distant girlhood flashed before her eyes, memories that included her mother. Cora opened her arms and Rhae gratefully sank into them, her tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
"My dear girl, my darling little Ella."
Rhae couldn't speak, raising her head to meet her mother's eyes. Cora ran her fingers softly over her cheeks, wiping away the lingering tears, before fingering the braids on either side of her head. Rhae remembered her father saying they were proud of her and had no issue with her feelings for Thorin but she still looked at her mother nervously.
"I do not think there was another being in Middle-Earth more suited to be Thorin Oakenshield's wife than you, dear girl. He is a good man, despite the sickness that now clouds his mind and impairs his judgment." She indicated the fallen log as Rhaethan had all those months ago. "Come, sit. I have things that need to be said."
Once they were settled Cora smiled at her daughter. "I am so proud of you, my dear. When your father died I was very worried that you would soon join us but you did not fail me. You proved your strength and courage. I know how hard it was for you to agree to join Thorin's company but, as your father told you, it was the right decision. However, even we could not have seen what grew between the two of you." Rhae blushed slightly. She recalled her father saying he was always with her and she wondered if both of them had been around every moment of her marriage. "Now you carry his child, the heir to the line of Durin. You have been good for him. I know you feel extreme guilt at the moment but don't. If you had accompanied them to the mountain initially it is quite possible Thorin would have died in an attempt to protect you."
"But I have lost him anyway."
"At the moment it seems that way but do not underestimate the stubbornness of dwarves. He is still fighting it, though that is a battle he is slowly losing. Do not underestimate the pull of gold that a dragon has long lain on. It seeps in, slips in anyway that it can and it will not give up its hold easily. I cannot see if he will conquer it but he will only be able to do it with your help. And best it he must." Rhae shivered a bit as her mother's face and tone suddenly turned deathly serious. "A battle is coming, my daughter, a battle that will only go well for the dwarves, men, and elves if Thorin Oakenshield is there to lead his people."
"A battle? Will Thranduil really throw his army against the mountain?"
"I do not mean the Elvenking, my Ella. Something far worse is headed for Erebor and you must be ready to meet it head on. The only hope for success is for men, dwarves, and elves to work together." She cupped Rhae's face in both hands. "You have never faced such a foe. You will have to be strong, stronger than you've ever been before." Cora met her eyes and Rhae shivered at what she saw there. "The darkness has returned to this world and this is just the beginning."
Rhae sat up from her dream, heart pounding. A glance next to her showed that Thorin had not returned, remaining most likely in the treasure hall. She thought about what she'd just been told, weighing her options. There really wasn't a choice. She slid from under the warm blankets, scurrying around to find her darkest clothes. Once dressed and lightly armed she wrapped a black scarf she'd found in the closet around the lower part of her face and threw her cloak over her head. Rushing out the door she hoped she wouldn't run into any of the dwarves, especially Thorin. Slipping through the darkness reminded her of her days in the wild and if she hadn't been so tense with worry she might have smiled. There was some rope coiled near the newly built barricade and she grabbed it before hurrying up the steps.
"Bilbo?" she called quietly, wanting to make sure the hobbit was on watch already.
"Rhae? What are you doing up here?" He rose from the rock he had been sitting on, his small blade strapped to his side. She didn't answer right away. Instead she dropped the rope over the edge of the wall, tying it tightly to a broken piece of masonry.
"Are you the last watch of the night?" He nodded. "Good. I should be back before the sun rises."
"What do you mean you'll be back? Where are you going?"
"I cannot let this foolishness escalate into war," she told him, yanking on the rope to double check that it was secure.
"You're going into Dale?" he squeaked.
"Aye. I don't know what I can do but I must talk with Bard. There's no way he wants a battle and I highly doubt there would even be the mention of a fight if he hadn't been forced into it by someone else."
"Thranduil."
She nodded as she stood on the edge of the wall. "If someone notices my absence or I'm not back by the time the sun is rising you can tell them I went for a walk." Without another word she dropped from sight. Bilbo ran to the edge, peering over, astounded to see her easily climbing down and already almost to the ground. When her boots hit the dirt she took off towards the campfires in Dale, hoping she'd be able to find the bargeman.
She covered the three miles between the gate and the destroyed walls of Dale in about an hour. She'd kept to a careful jog not wanting to risk tripping and falling on her stomach. She easily slipped by the two men left on guard and began working her way towards the center of town, keeping to the shadows. She didn't want to be spotted if at all possible. Luck was on her side and she made it to the town square without incident. There was a large tent erected a few yards away and she crept closer hoping to hear who was inside. The voices of Bard and the Elvenking carried through the fabric and she sighed in relief.
"Bard." She stepped into the tent, lowering her hood and scarf as she did so. The two occupants whipped around, the elf reaching for a weapon.
"Stryker! You are safe," the man breathed, hurrying to her side.
"Aye, I am perfectly fine. Sigrid and Tilda?"
"They are fine. They are with Bain." Her shoulders slumped briefly in relief to hear the boy was alive as well.
"You will have to tell me how the two of you survived the dragon but that's a tale for another day." She glowered at Thranduil. "I would speak with Bard alone." Her request was met with silence then Bard nodded and looked pointedly at the elf. He sighed dramatically before slipping through the tent flap.
"What do you think you're doing?" Rhae hissed in a low voice once the Elvenking left.
"Excuse me?"
"Why in Arda would you threaten Thorin with a fight? I know that is not what you wish. I also know that you are aware that your people would not be successful going up against the dwarves, especially since they are ensconced inside a mountain you cannot penetrate."
A flicker of doubt crossed Bard's face as he answered. "Your husband promised us repayment once the mountain was reclaimed and he now seems to be refusing to do so."
"Do you honestly think telling him elves are going to attack if he doesn't pay up will sway him?" she snorted incredulously.
"The elves arrived to offer us food -"
"Which is fine but that doesn't explain why they would pit themselves against a mountain. Even elves can't break through rock. Have you considered why Thranduil is apparently so eager to attack the mountain?"
Bard paused. "He mentioned there was something he wanted that was inside."
"Gems," she spat. "He is after gems. Did he tell you that?" The man looked at her in surprise. "Are you honestly going to start a battle over gem stones?"
"I would not fight over something so materialistic but my people were promised recompense for what they did for your company. They have lost everything to the wrath of a dragon."
"Yes, and I think with some time and careful negotiation Thorin may be brought round but not with armed elves at his doorstep. That has done nothing but draw him deeper into -" She stopped abruptly, unwilling to reveal her husband's descent into dragon sickness.
"Draw him into what?"
"Never mind that. I am here to plead with you to stop with this foolish idea of attacking the mountain. You must see that you will not be successful, even with the elves at your side. There is plenty of food inside Erebor to sustain the company for years."
He looked at her skeptically for a moment and then sighed, running a hand over his face. "I can try to persuade Thranduil to halt this action or to delay as long as possible but he is set on attacking the mountain."
"And they say dwarves are stubborn," she grumbled. She looked up at him, doubt clear in her eyes. "There is more, Bard. Something is coming, a battle is coming, and we are all going to need to join together to defeat it. These petty squabbles are going to have to be set aside for the good of all."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you remember me telling you that if Smaug wasn't defeated it would be best to die right then than to face what was coming?"
"Yes..." his voice trailed off.
"This will be just the beginning." Confusion and a small amount of fear clouded his features. "I can tell you no more than that. Just believe me when I say, if you and Thranduil insist on besieging the mountain, it could doom us all." He watched her thoughtfully for a bit, clearly worried. When it appeared that he wasn't going to say anything more she pulled her scarf and hood back over her face.
"I must return to the mountain before I am missed."
"Will you try and reason with Thorin?"
"I am always trying to reason with Thorin but ... things have changed and I do not think I have any sway over him now." Bard could see the pain in her eyes and wondered what had happened inside the mountain. It had obviously hurt her deeply. Thranduil chose that moment to reenter the tent and Bard saw the fire spark inside her.
"I hope you will try and persuade that dwarf of yours to see what is before his face. I'm sure you do not wish for a fight." She rounded on the elf and Bard was secretly amused at the fact that this small woman had no problem facing down and arguing with the Elvenking, something which, he was sure, not many would do.
"If you truly would attack an impregnable mountain over mere gemstones, then you are no better than the dwarves you belittle. To risk life, or more, over something so petty is nothing but greed." There was iron in her words as she glared defiantly at Thranduil. Bard caught a glimpse of her hand resting on her sword hilt and stepped forward to avoid something very unpleasant.
"The girls told me of your offer to take them with you if the worst had happened to me and my son. I would thank you for thinking of them and your willingness to help."
"I couldn't leave them to starve and suffer without anyone to protect them." She gave the man a last look before slipping out the door.
As she made her way back across the plain to Erebor, she could only hope that her words would have some affect. Even if it only bought them more time to reason with Thorin an unnecessary battle might be avoided. She kicked at a stone in her path, uttering a small curse. If only Gandalf was here! Why wasn't he here? Where was he? She was torn between annoyance at his continued absence and fear at what he might have found that had kept him from returning. Her mother's words came floating back to her.
The darkness has returned to this world and this is just the beginning.
She knew what that darkness was though she was loath to name it. There had to be a connection between what she had feared for several months and Gandalf's leaving them. She slowed her steps as she thought through all that she knew, trying to fit all the pieces together. There had been a feeling in the air long before she had joined Thorin's company that had worried her. Radagast had brought Gandalf something, something that had disturbed the Grey Wizard greatly. He had met with the White Council. Then there was Beorn's question about the tombs in the High Fells. Gandalf had then left them after seeing something at the elven gate to Mirkwood. Now her mother's own words from beyond the veil. Her head snapped up. He had gone to the High Fells to see if Beorn's words were true; if they had risen. If they had...
Rhae suddenly felt as if a dark shadow had passed over her, enveloping her in an icy cold. She sprinted the remaining way to the Front Gate and hauled herself quickly up the rope. She did not want to be out on that open plain again; for once she wanted to feel the security of the mountain around her.
"Oh thank goodness you're back!" she heard the hobbit whisper as she lifted herself onto the platform. He watched as she untied the rope and kicked it into a corner. "Did - did you find Bard?"
"Aye, I found him and Thranduil, too."
"And?"
"I don't know, Bilbo. Bard, I think, will be reasonable, but the Elvenking will not. He is as set on getting those gemstones he covets as Thorin is to find the Arkenstone." She sighed. "There is so much at stake, so much working in the shadows. I can't see or understand it all." He looked at the woman before him in sympathy. She had been through so much, had done so much for the company, and now she had to watch Thorin lose himself in the dragon sickness.
"Go on back to bed, Rhae. You need your rest more than anyone," he said gently.
She nodded weakly. "I will though I don't know how much sleep I'm likely to get right now." The hobbit watched as she disappeared down the stairs, her usually light, energetic steps heavy and dragging. Bilbo hoped that she would find some relief before the stress of everything broke her.
Revised/Edited April 2016