Chapter 25

I Will Not Leave

Thorin went back to his Throne. The elves still had not moved.

"THRANDUIL! DO SOMETHING! PLEASE!" I screamed.

He looked at me and I locked eyes with him.

"PLEASE!"

He order his army forward and I smiled. The dwarves looked surprised.

"Not all my people are bad. Wood elf or no there are good and bad of all kinds." I said.

Kili smiled at me. I hugged him and Fili.

"We will survive this."

"All of us." Alejandra agreed.

I nodded and then I looked back to the battle. They were dying. There were more orcs than there were men, dwarves and elves. Dwalin walked towards the throne room.

"María tenemos que hacer algo." (Maria we have to do something.) Alejandro said.

I looked in direction of the throne room. I knew what I had to do, and I knew there was a slim chance I could die doing it. I nodded and walked down. I heard Dwalin walking up the steps as I approach so I hid behind the wall.

"Since when do we forsake our own people?! Thorin they are dying out there." Dwalin said.

Thorin slowly looked up.

"There are halls within these halls. Places we can fortify, sure up, make safe, yes. We must move the gold further underground. To safety."

I could not believe what I was hearing.

"Did you not hear me?! Dain is surrounded!"

Thorin slowly looked at him.

"Many die in war. Life is cheap. But a treasure such as this cannot be counted in lives lost. It is worth all the blood we can spend."

I shut my eyes and fought back tears.

"You sit in these vast halls with a crown on your head, and you are lesser now than you have ever been." Dwalin said.

"Do not speak to me, as if I were still some lowly dwarf lord. As if I were still…..Thorin….Oakenshield. I am your king!" he shouted.

He drew his sword and I started to go out. Dwalin stepped forward.

"You were always my king! You used to know that once. And Elena always my queen. At least she has kept her mind and sense of reason. But you cannot see what you have become." he said.

I peered back around the corner.

"Go. Before I kill you."

My eyes went wide. Dwalin was his closest friend. Dwalin walked away and he passed me as he went. He stopped and looked at me.

"I am sorry lass. I tried."

He walked away before I could say anything. I set my face and strode over to Thorin. He stood in the hall where we had tried to drown Smaug in liquid gold.

"Is this really what it has come to?" I asked.

He turned and looked at me.

"You are going to hide in here while your kin and mine and the people of Lake-Town die?! Is this who you have become!?" I shouted.

He held a sword to my chest. I did not flinch and I did not move away. My heart was breaking but I would not let him see that. I stared into those blue eyes I loved so much.

"Go ahead. Run me through." I said.

He gave me a confused look.

"I will never try and fight you Thorin. Because we both know I could kill you. So if you choose to love your treasure more than me, more than your people, do me a favor and end my life." I said.

I would not cry and I would not show any emotion. He pressed the blade into my skin.

"You would not run? You would not defend yourself?" he asked.

"No I would not. Not against you, because I love you."

I heard a few people running towards us.

"Maria!"

I held up my hand to stop them. I walked closer to Thorin, the tip of the blade drawing a bit of blood.

"What are you waiting for? You would have killed Bilbo, he was your friend. Why not try and kill me too? Gandalf is not here to stop you."

"You are the most foolish woman I have ever known."

I stared directly into his eyes.

"One parts brave three parts fool I suppose. But is that not what you said you fell in love with? My courage? My bravery and kind heart? I may be an Assassin, but that does not mean I do not have a heart. And if you kill me then everyone will know…..you have no heart anymore."

He narrowed his eyes.

"And if I told you to leave this mountain and never come back?"

"It would never happen." I said.

Thorin's POV

My mind started to clear. I started to see what I was doing. I was holding a sword to Elena! There was a trickle of blood running down her chest and I felt sick. I dropped the sword and stepped back. I had threatened her! My beloved Assassin! I slowly sat down and looked at my hands.

"What have I done?" I whispered.

Soft, delicate hands took mine. I dared not look up. She knelt down in front of me and then lifted my face. She was smiling.

"I am glad I have you back."

That was all she said before she threw her arms around me. How could she have so easily forgiven me? I had nearly taken her life! I slowly put my arms around her. I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair. Roses. Sweet and intoxicating to me. She slowly pulled away and pressed her lips to mine. Then she stood up and held out her hand. I smiled and took it, stood up and wrapped my arms around her.

"Forgive me?" I asked.

I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Always." she whispered.