The smell of burning hair invaded Thorin's senses, he shook it trying to clear it.
The image of Bilbo cowering on the ground invaded his mind. 'He has proven himself over and over during this quest and I'm claiming him as kin to repay him for his sacrifices and so that he will have family and not be alone again," echoed in his head. More images flashed through his head, of sick Bilbo, happy Bilbo, fussy Bilbo, and the images of Bilbo interacting with the Company.
The crown slipped from Thorin's head and fell slowly to the ground with a clang
The sound echoed in the chamber and Thorin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, shuddering as if a bucket of ice water was poured over him. When he opened them, it seemed as if a curtain had been pulled back everything seemed clearer and the gold did not hold the same luster that it once did.
"What have I done?" whispered Thorin breaking the spell of goldsickness from his mind. He scrambled forward and reached inside the burning torch and pulled out the remains of Bilbo's braids. The hair was mostly burned away, what was left turned to ash in his hands leaving the golden beads.
Thorin looked at the beads in his hand, the fire had damaged them slightly. The worst was where the symbols of the dwarrows family lines, the fire had been hot enough that the gold had begun to melt, blurring the names. It was if it was a sign from the Maker, a sign of a broken promise.
Thorin fell to his knees, grasping the hot metal in his hand as he repeated his earlier question. "What have I done?"
"Dragon sickness" spoke up Balin quietly, looking as pale as death, "It affected all of us."
All around the Company were shaking their heads and rubbing their eyes, looking as if they had just awoken from a deep sleep. Except unlike waking up from a nightmare, the horror followed them into the waking world as they realized what they had just done.
Kili seemed to come to his senses first it if could be believed. "Uncle Bilbo!" he yelled and took off towards the secret door. Fili was only steps behind his younger brother.
As they ran down the tunnel, they couldn't believe that they hadn't stopped Thorin from doing what they did to Uncle Bilbo. To have just sit by and watch as Uncle Thorin had cut off Bilbo's braids and thrown them into the fire, disowning him and banishing him all in the same process. Worst was at the time they had approved of their Uncle's actions, worst they had believed Bilbo was getting off easy.
Their sweet little hobbit, the brothers had been so full of hate at the moment when they realized he had bargained with the elves and men. Now all they felt was horror that they had felt that way. Horror that they had allowed a piece of metal to control their actions so that they had turned their back on family! When Thorin had adopted Bilbo, it had been a promise that the hobbit would never be alone again. The dwarrows would never turn their back on him, and he would be welcomed. Yet they had broken all those promise in a matter of minutes.
The boys were suddenly glad their mother was not there, for Dis would be so ashamed of them. Both would shave their beards and present them to Bilbo, if that was what it took to show the hobbit the depth of their shame and guilt. Only then would they beg the hobbit for forgiveness.
The tunnel seemed longer than ever but finally they came to the door. They burst through the door, not stopping or slowing down. They only stopped when their toes dangled into the open air, with their eyes scanning the darkened landscape for any sign of movement. But the land was still, nothing moved and the sound of bugs was absent. Even with his archer eyes Kili could see nothing. Yet it didn't stop Kili from trying something.
"Bilbo!" he yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth so that the sound would carry further. "Cousin Bilbo!"
The sound of his voice echoed in the cool crisp air, but not matter how hard they strained they heard no answering call.
"Where could he have gone Fee?" whispered Kili. Fear had settled into his stomach like a rock. Bilbo should have answered, at least the young dwarf hoped he would answer.
"I don't know Kee, he couldn't have gotten far. Come on," urged Fili starting down the staircase. They ran like Smaug was on their heels down the stairs. Calling for Bilbo with every other breath.
Each step they took, they hoped their hobbit would answer, that Bilbo would be only a few steps ahead of them. But their search was in vain. When they reached the bottom, there was no sign that Bilbo had come that way. The only tracks they could find lead to the mountain, the tracks they made coming from Laketown.
"Where are you Bilbo?" whispered Fili.
There was no answer for his question though. Even though neither Fili and Kili wanted to give up, but there was nothing to be found. Bilbo had just vanished. With a heavy heart they began the journey to up the steps.
Thorin paced back and forth like a caged animal in the area the Company had claimed for sleeping so long ago.
If it wasn't for the steady presence of the Company around him, Thorin would have disappeared into the bowels of the Erebor and never surfaced again. Thorin had sworn to himself that he would never fall prey to the same weakness his Grandfather did. When he had thought of reclaiming Erebor, it was for the safety and the security of the mountain that drove him, not the treasure that lay within it.
Yet in a matter of days he had forgotten all of that. He had let his eyes cloud over with the beauty of the gold.
In his madness he would have killed the member of the Company and left Dain's men to suffer. For a battle was coming to the doors of Erebor herself, and in that state of mind Thorin would not have opened the doors to even let his kin take refuge. Erebor would have become a tomb once more. For the Company would not have lasted many more days. All their food was gone and very little water remained in their packs. Any food that had been left in Erebor the day the dragon came would have gone bad long ago and Thorin did not know if the natural springs were contaminated from Smaug or not. And he had not cared to find out. So many days he had wasted just staring at the treasure. Counting it and even sleeping on it.
The only person in the Company who was concern had been Bilbo. Bilbo who had never really ever recovered from Goblin Town. Bilbo who had begged each and every one of them to snap out of the dragon sickness only to be ignored and pushed to the side.
Oh Thorin could see now what finally drove Bilbo to climb over the wall and go to the men and elves. He could see it all so clearly.
Kili and Fili had ran after Bilbo so long ago, too long. Thorin knew he was not the only one thinking that it had been too long. Bifur had left not to long after them, signing that he would be waiting at the door to let them back in.
No one objected, they could see the strain on Bifur's face. The dwarf was taking it badly. Bifur had been Bilbo's protector since Goblin town and the failure today was too much for him. Silence had descended once the hurt dwarf left. Most of the Company were still trying to comprehend what they had done while under the gold sickness.
"The Lads are probably trying to smooth things over," assured Balian after a while. Even though he felt the same uneasy feeling the rest of the Company did. Fili and Kili had been gone for too long.
What if Bilbo wanted nothing to do with them? What if he never forgave them for their actions?
Unknown to Bilbo, a plan had been hatched among the Company to build Bilbo his own hobbit hole in the mountain, as close as they could remember of Bag End. The idea had come around in Laketown, and Ori had been asked to draw some sketches out. Fili had mentioned sending a letter to Dis to pick up Bilbo belongings when the caravans started to come from the Blue Mountains.
But now the dwarrows feared that it might never happen.
Finally the sounds of footsteps could be heard, and even Thorin stopped his mad pacing to watch the doorway with rising hope. Hopes that was dashed at the sight of Fili's grieved face coming through the doorway followed by Kili and Bifur. The dearly missed hobbit was not with them.
"We tried Uncle, but we could find no trace of Bilbo anywhere," whispered Fili, though the whole Company could hear him in the silence. "We went to the very bottom of the stairs and found only the tracks we made coming to the mountain."
Shock ran through the Company, "Where could he be?" asked Ori softly, fingers twisting in his sweater.
But none could provide an answer to the young dwarf. However that didn't stop Bofur, Nori, and Bifur from standing up and heading down the direction that the young Princes had just returned from.
Nori hoped that perhaps he could find the spot where Bilbo might be hiding. As a seasoned thief he was an expert at finding places to hide from those who wanted to harm him. It could be possible that Bilbo had been hiding from the Princes because he thought he was still in danger. The thief was grateful for the presence of Bofur and Bifur. The two dwarrows had experience in finding seams in rocks with their skills as miners. It was possible that Bilbo slipped down a seam instead of actually going out the secret door.
Thorin didn't try to call the three back, as he rubbed a hand over his face suddenly feeling his age.
"Balin, Dwalin," he said quietly, "We are going to go over the wall. Perhaps Gandalf spirited Bilbo away, perhaps we can still make an alliance with the men and elves so we can survive this orc invasion. We owe Bilbo that much."
"What do you want us to do Uncle while you are gone?" asked Fili.
Thorin sighed, "Gather all the chainmail and armor you can find to fit everyone in the Company, and any we can spare for the men. Mahal knows they probably have nothing to protect themselves with. Try…try to stay out of the treasury."
"Oh you don't have to worry about us going into the treasury," Kili said immediately.
"I will make sure the young ones stay out of the treasury," assured Dori. "All fo-three of them."
Dori winced at his mistake. These past few months Bilbo had been included in that number of the young members of the Company.
"I'll see about getting one of the forges running, if the lads would bring any weapons you find I'll see about getting a decent edge on them," Gloin muttered.
"I'll see if I can get to the old Halls of Healing. The medicine might be outdated, but there should be a supply of bandages and things," said Oin.
Bombur spoke up last, "I will see if there is anything to forage around here."
Thorin nodded, before leading Dwalin and Balian to the wall and found a rope that Bilbo most likely used to make his escape the night before. The crowd that had been there before had dissipated during the hours they spent inside the mountain.
But it was not difficult to see that had retreated back to Dale. The sun was beginning to set and the fires could be seen scattered around the town. Thorin took off in a light jog heading towards Dale.
They slowed when they reached the outskirts and were surprised to find Gandalf standing in the middle of the main road leading to Dale. Thorin had never seen the old man look so intimidating. He towered over the dwarrows, the shadows bending and twisting around them. And his eyes, his eyes were as cold as the coldest Northern wind.
"Your Majesty," he said. His voice as soft as a dagger as it plunges into a person's back. "What a surprise."
"Gandalf," Thorin said quietly not looking the wizard in the eyes. "I have come to see if the chance of alliance was still possible for I am willing to listen."
"Thorin Oakenshield," sighed Gandalf seeming to shrink before their eyes into the old man he appeared to be. "It is good to see you as yourself again Old Friend."
Thorin bowed his head, "I fear I was not strong enough to fight the curse that plagued my family. For now my sanity has returned and I wish to make amends," murmured Thorin, before raising his head to finally meet Gandalf's eyes. "But I first must now, is Bilbo here with you?"
Gandalf looked at Thorin in shock, "You mean he is not with you?"
Thorin shook his head, a hot flame of fear rising within him. "I…I banished him and disowned him on pain of death if he would ever return. He left by the way of the hidden door. It was the act that finally drew me and the rest of the Company out of the gold sickness. My nephews immediately went out after him, but they could find no trace of him."
Gandalf seemed to crumple more, leaning his weight on his staff. "This is grave news. I have not seen Bilbo since you dragged him into the mountain."
"This is bad tidings," said Balian. "Bilbo is smart, he would have made his way here after he was banished."
"He didn't even have a weapon," murmured Dwalin.
"Come, we must discuss this with Bard and Thranduil. Be warned Thorin, they most likely will not welcome your presence."
That was an understatement…
Meanwhile miles and miles away
Bilbo was thrown down on his knees in front of the whole camp, the Orcs and Goblins crying out for blood of the victim.
Bilbo was terrified as he shuddered to regain his breath. His whole frame was shaking from exhaustion and shivers from fear as from out of the shadows Azog the Defiler appeared.
The whole camp fell silent as the pale Orc strode over to where Bilbo had been forced to kneel, his hands still bound tightly behind him. Bilbo hunched into himself, trying to make himself smaller than his small stature was. But he could not escape the cold pale eyes that gazed down at him.
One of his Generals took the opportunity to yank the creature's head up and recognition lit up Azog's eyes as his he gazed on the face of the one that had stolen his prey away at the Misty Mountains.
"The dwarrow's pet" he murmured, bringing his hand to rest on the copper curls relishing how the creature trembled with fear beneath him. The goblins in his rank hissed and surged forward catching sight of the brand before they were pushed back by the Orc Generals.
"The Took belongs to us" they cried.
"He killed our King!" yelled a goblin. Azog dropped his hand off of the pet's head and turned to face the troops. He couldn't afford to fail his Master by having his Army fighting each other instead of the dwarf scum. As much as he would love to play with the Oakenshield's pet he would give it up to appease his troops.
"And you may do with him as you wish, but not until Oakenshield's head is mounted on a pike and his sister-sons are made game for my Generals desires. The dwarfs pet will be your reward" assured Azog. "But until that time he is not to be touched!" He said growling, sending chills down those who heard him.
Bilbo watched the whole exchange with fear in his heart, he knew that at any second that he was going to be thrown to the goblins for them to finish what they had started down in Goblin Town. But he was surprised instead when instead of being thrown to the Goblins the Orcs dragged him to a nearby tree. A rope was thrown over a tree branch. For a brief moment, Bilbo thought they were going to hang him.
But instead the rope tying his hands together was cut and his hand yanked forward. Understanding grew into horror as the new rope was tied securely around his wrists before being hauled up. Bilbo couldn't help the small sound cry of pain that escaped him as his shoulders were wretched upwards.
The orcs and goblins jeered at him for the sound as they watched in delight as Bilbo was left hanging in the air, his tips of his toes barely able to brush the ground. The goblins nearest to him spat at him, but came no closer to him.
In fact Bilbo was largely ignored as the Army prepared for war.
Bilbo was left to suffer in silence.