After Thorin's statement on the gate, he put everyone to work preparing for a battle that he seemed to think was inevitable. He sent Bombur and me to catalog and secure our food stocks and water source, in case of a long siege, while he sent the others to the armory to see if there were weapons and armor that were still usable. It took several hours to catalog our food stock, all the while listening to Bombur grumble and complain about rationing, and make sure that our water source would remain unimpeded. All the while, my mind was on the change in Thorin. He was not the dwarf that I had met in Rivendell. Something had changed in him since we had entered the mountain.
***Thorin POV***
Thorin stood on the high platform next to the king's throne gazing down into the treasury far below. The mountains of coins looking like rolling hills of molten gold from this height. The raven he had sent out that morning should have reached the Iron Hills and his cousin Dain by now. Reinforcements should arrive in time to chase off the elven army currently camped in Dale.
"That will send Thranduil slinking back to that filthy, diseased forest he calls a kingdom," Thorin thought with a smug smirk, "He will get nothing from this mountain."
"Not without paying handsomely for it," The Voice whispered to him again bringing to mind the memory of the jewels that Thranduil was looking for, the white gems of pure starlight, the Jewels of Lasgalen.
An evil smile worked its way onto Thorin's face and stayed there until the door to the throne room was unceremoniously thrown open and his two nephews strode in purposefully.
"Thorin we need to talk to you," Fili stated, the look on his face showing that he was upset.
"What is it?" Thorin asked, "What's the matter?"
"What's the matter?!" Fili parroted back looking irritated, "You! You're what's the matter!"
"Thorin, why are you refusing to help the people of Laketown?" Kili asked, "You gave your word."
"You two should be with the others preparing for the morning," Thorin growled angrily, "Not in here questioning my orders!"
Fili and Kili stared at their uncle aghast.
"Thorin, you can't do this," Fili argued, "Those people need our help! They are starving and homeless thanks to us!"
"Those people have aligned themselves with our enemy," Thorin snarled, "They don't need our help; they are here to steal our treasure."
"Who cares about treasure when there are dozens of innocent people on our doorstep starving and freezing," Fili huffed out angrily, "We should be out there offering our aid."
Thorin turned his back on his nephews and continued to stare down into the treasury, shaking his head.
"We will be doing nothing of the sort," he said, refusing to look back at them.
"Fine!" Fili yelled at him, "If you won't do what is right, then I will!"
"You will do nothing of the sort, Fili! I forbid it! You will not set foot outside this mountain," Thorin ordered, swinging around angrily to face his nephews, "Do you think I don't know what this is all about? Your sudden interest in the affairs of the Lake-men? It's that girl you met. Bard's daughter. Is she interested in the treasure too? Does she want a share as well?"
Fili stared at his uncle as he went on in his insane rambling.
"Well I will tell you this; none of those thieving beggars will get any of my treasure! Not one SINGLE COIN!" Thorin yelled.
Fili and Kili stood there staring at Thorin, hardly able to recognize their beloved uncle, before turning and storming out, nearly slamming into Balin and Dwalin. Thorin watched them go his suspicions, which he had voiced to Bilbo earlier, were heightened at Fili's behavior. Could one of his nephews be hiding the Arkenstone from him?
***Farren POV***
I was walking back toward the gate nursing a bruise on my hip after tripping over some loose stones while checking on the spring that was our water supply when I heard them. Voices, angry, raised voices coming from a small, unused storage room off the main passage. As I drew closer, I recognized who it was.
"Fili, you can't go!" I heard Kili exclaim, "If Thorin catches you, it will be big trouble."
"I mean worse than the time we glued his and Dwalin's swords in their sheaths," I could hear a smile in Kili's voice as he said this.
"Kili now is not the time to joke!" Fili retorted, "I cannot sit here while the people out there starve."
"I can't let that happen to her," Fili said softly.
"You cannot let what happen to whom?" I asked as I entered the room.
Fili and Kili turned and looked at me, Kili looking worried and Fili looking angry.
"What's happened?" I asked worried, as it was rare for these two to fight.
Fili sighed, sat down on the floor and proceeded to tell me about their fight with Thorin. I leaned back against the wall and sighed, running my hand over my face.
"We don't know what is going on with him but this is not our uncle," Kili said sadly, "Not how we know him."
I nodded in understanding. Something had changed in Thorin but I was not ready to give up the hope that he would listen to reason.
"We have to do something," Fili growled, climbing back to his feet and pacing around the room in agitation "I cannot sit here while those people…while she starves."
"I know Fili, but your brother is right," I replied softly, "You can't leave the mountain. If Thorin found out it would cause more trouble than we need to deal with right now."
Fili turned and stared at me in in anger and surprise.
"But I cannot sit here and do nothing!" he exclaimed.
"I know," I said, "Let me go talk to Thorin, maybe I can get him to see reason."
I walked toward the throne room, the conversation with Fili and Kili still fresh in my mind, hoping that Thorin would listen to what I had to say. Stepping up to the large doors, I took a deep, steadying, breath and entered the throne room.
"Thorin," I called out, "I need to…Whoa…"
Upon hearing me, Thorin turned to face me, I felt my jaw drop, and my eyebrows rise at the sight of Thorin in his full armor. The armor was solid gold with intricate designs carved into the breastplate. It fit as if it had been molded right from him and, to be honest, I could not help but think of how good he looked in it.
"Farren," Thorin called, moving to stand in front of the throne, "Is something wrong?"
"What…n…no sorry," I stammered, feeling my face heat with a deep blush, "I just needed to talk to you."
Thorin nodded and motioned for me to join him next to the throne as he continued to gaze down into the depths of the mountain.
"Are our food and water supplies secured?" he asked as I stopped next to him.
"Yes, the spring will be safe and, though we may have to ration if there is a long siege, the food should hold just fine," I replied, "I just talked with Fili and Kili. I told them I would come and talk to you."
"Are they prepared for the morning?" He asked without even looking at me.
"You could say that," I hedged, "They are more worried about the people of Laketown than any potential battle."
Thorin growled something and walked away from me a little.
"I have to agree with them," I said, "Thorin; this does not seem wise to me! You are going back on you word to these people."
Thorin turned and looked at me and I was taken aback at the anger in his eyes.
"You will be my queen, Farren," he said lowly, "As such you will learn not to question my orders, just as my sister-son will also learn."
"So you are going to let them think that you a liar and an oath breaker," I replied, shocked, "What about your honor?"
Thorin just snorted at this and shook his head, an eerie look coming over his face as he gazed down into the treasury far below.
"What are a few lies, when I am able to gain all of this?" he asked gesturing to the treasure.
I stared at him, almost unable to believe what I had heard.
"There is a saying among my people," I replied, "Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince."*
"This treasure is everything to me. It means the return of power and privilege to my people, respect to my family and I will not be parted from it!" Thorin shouted angrily at me.
"Thorin," I exclaimed in exasperation, walking up to stand behind him, "It's just a bunch of shiny metal and pretty rocks! You cannot buy respect you have to earn it! I don't understand…"
Thorin turned violently, grabbed me roughly by the upper arms, and gave me a hard shake.
"You are not a dwarf!" He yelled in my face, "You will NEVER understand."
I stared at him wide-eyed and in utter shock, unable to believe his sudden, violent turn. Thorin released me suddenly and I stumbled back a few steps still staring at him.
"Your right Thorin, I don't understand," I said softly, choking back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Leave," he snarled at me, "Go make sure everyone is ready for the morning."
He then turned his back on me and went back to staring at the treasure. I left the throne room at a pace just short of a run. Outside, I leaned back against the closed door with my eyes closed, trying to will back the tears that I felt burning at the back of my eyes.
"Farren?" I heard a tentative voice call and I opened my eyes to see Fili and Kili, standing a short distance away, looking at me expectantly.
I looked back at them, sadly shook my head, then turned, and ran off toward the gate. When I was alone I finally let the tears fall.
Later that night, I volunteered for the night watch knowing that after my confrontation with Thorin I would not find any rest. I sat in the shadows at looking out over the ramparts and hearing Thorin's words echo repeatedly in my mind.
"Is that what he truly thinks of me?" I thought, absentmindedly toying with the braid and bead, "Does my opinion really not matter to him?"
In my mind I could see the look on his face and in his eyes and could no longer deny that there was something terribly wrong with Thorin.
"Could it be the same madness that plagued his father and grandfather?" I thought as fear began to creep into my heart.
As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, a flash of movement caught my attention. I looked up to see Bilbo stealthily approach the gate, tie off a rope and drop it over the ramparts.
"What are you doing?" I asked quietly making him jump guiltily and turn to face me.
"Farren…I…uh nothing," he stammered, fidgeting with his coat, "Just…um…going to get some air."
"Bilbo," I sighed with a roll of my eyes, "Please don't lie to me."
He turned his head, looking out over the ramparts toward Dale and sighed.
"We cannot go to war," he said softly, "not over something so trivial. We are outnumbered. They will kill us."
"I know," I replied, looking at him with sympathy.
He was not meant to be here, not meant to be in such danger. He should be back in the Shire where it was peaceful and the most danger you could be in was being late for a meal.
"What can we do?" I asked sadly, "Thorin has made up his mind and won't listen to anyone."
"I…I may have a way…have something to make him listen," Bilbo replied and I looked at him in slight confusion.
"Bilbo what…" I started when it hit me.
"Oh no Bilbo," I whispered, fear for my friend shooting straight through me, "Tell me you don't have… that you are not planning…"
"Farren it's the only way," Bilbo stated, "He will have to listen."
"The Arkenstone!" I exclaimed softly, "If Thorin finds out he will kill you!"
"Farren please, Thorin will not listen otherwise," Bilbo pleaded, "I am trying to stop this war before it starts."
I stared at him for a moment before having to agree that he was probably right. It was the only way.
"Be careful, my friend," I said, moving away, "And Bilbo, my advice would be to not come back to the mountain. You would be in terrible danger if you did, I would not want anything to happen to you."
"I am not afraid of Thorin," Bilbo scoffed slightly; "Everything will be fine."
With this said Bilbo lowered himself down the rope and I watch him until he reached the plain and then he disappeared from my sight, most likely having put on his ring. As I watched Bilbo leave, I reached up, took my hair down, then gathered it all up into a low ponytail, hiding the braid and bead amongst the rest of my hair. I then sat back down, praying that I had done the right thing and for the safety of my dear friend.
*Proverbs 17:7 KJV
Thank you to ro781727 for the idea for the fight between Fili and Thorin! You sent one little PM and the plot bunnies took off screaming. Thanks also to my little sis Fifekun for helping me iron out the plot details and for letting me bounce ideas off of you! It helps a whole lot! Again I would encourage everyone to check out her stories. Her current one Better than Life is getting really good!
