Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.

So I am back with a new chapter. Sorry for the delay but I've just started rehearsing for my next production which is 'Spamalot'. Beyond excited to do this and I got upgraded from chorus girl to Tim the Enchanter :) A little off topic, but all the same enjoy.


Something broke.

It cluttered across stone and had alerted Marie from deep within her sleeping state. There were no other noises that gave cause to worry or to rush so Marie began the task of unwinding herself from her blanket.

"Funny," She grumbled while spitting out a curl she must have chewed in her sleep. When had she gone to bed? She thought back on the last thing she remembered. After Ravenhill they had returned to the mountain, and they were all very tired. They found a small guards room, and some of the stores. Beds were given out but that's all that Marie could recall. One of the dwarves must have led her to her cot and tucked her in.

A kind gesture, but whoever tucked her in did so tightly Marie had to fight her way out. She sat up in the cot and noticed that a garment had been laid across her legs. Marie slipped her leg out and sat at the edge of the cot and rubbed her heavy eyelids. When they focused better Marie saw it was a dress made from thick purple wool and lined with soft leather that looked just about her height but far too wide in the waist.

Through the door to the alcove the beds had been set up in the hobbit caught movement and thought to investigate. Slowly she stood and moved to the doorway into the guard's room. It was empty save Bombur who was busy picking up pieces of a broken bowel off the floor.

So that's what made that noise. "Everything alright?"

The dwarf shot upright with a guilty look and a handful of shattered clay. "I didn't mean to wake you Miss Marie, honestly."

Marie shook her hand, "No point fretting." She fought off a yawn. "I was just about to wake up anyway."

Bombur huffed out a breath and appeared to be more relaxed. He was dressed in a coat more suited to him that the oversized cloths from Lake Town. "Just let m e clean this up and I'll get you some food." For a man, or dwarf, of his size he was quick on his feet. Marie chose a spot at the table where small piles of plates and cups had been left. Before to long a nice hot serving of stew was placed in front of her, the smell caused her stomach to growl.

"Thank you Bombur."

"How are you faring now Miss Marie?"

"Better." She cooled the stew on her spoon then ate it in one go. "Where are the others?

"Down in the hall with the treasure." He sat down beside her.

"What are they doing there?"

"Thorin has got us scouring through the gold for the Arkenstone. I'm actually on a break now." Bombur shook his head, "He is very insistent we find it. Mind you being that it's the King's Jewel he does need it to claim the loyalty of the seven clans."

Bombur failed to see Marie quicken the pace at which she ate the stew. "So … ugh!" She coughed as her food got stuck in her throat. "Excuse me. So there is still no sign of Bofur and the others?"

"No. Nothing." Bumbur clasped his hands together and squeezed. He was clearly worried for his brother. Marie felt terrible for changing the subject. "Not yet." She offered to ease his fears.

"Not yet." He repeated. "Best tuck in while that is still hot Miss Marie." Bombur released his hands and slapped them on the table, sending cumbles up into the air. "I should finish cleaning this without dropping more bowels."

Marie smiled and took his advice. The food wasn't the finest, but it was still good. She finished the whole thing by the time Bombur had cleared the table.

"Oy Bombur."

Marie looked back over her shoulder as Nori sauntered into the room. He too wore new cloths, only he had chainmail over his chest.

"Oh. At last the sleepy beauty rises." He nodded to Marie. "News from Thorin. He wants you back down there."

"Already?"

"Course he does. 'Ever man must keep looking.' His words, not mine." Nori shrugged. "He seems a bit high strung. Has been all day."

"All day." Marie pushed her empty bowel away. "How long have I been asleep?"

Nori hooked his thumbs into his belt. "Sun is 'bout to go down last I checked."

"And you let me sleep all day?!" A mortified Marie stood up and bumped her knees into the table. Nori sniggered at her silly action. "Hey, we all agreed if anyone needed the rest it was you lass. You were up all night being chased by a dragon."

"Oh … I see."

"Anyway, come on Bombur. Work is waiting." Nori spun on his heels and headed back out the way he came.

"Hold on Nori." Marie called after him. "I'll come along."

The two dwarves had no issue with their burglar joining them, in fact they looked pleased to see her up and walking perfectly in the wake of such a dangerous night. The three climbed down the many stairs, some Marie recognized and made note of in case she found herself lost again.

"I take it you are having no luck in the search." She asked as they drew closer to where the treasure hord must have been, or at least where it began.

"Not for the Arkenstone, but the treasures we have found," Nori whistled loudly, "Some of it could very well be forged by craftsmen during the age of the Seven."

"While I was searching I noticed several artifacts that were not dwarven."

"Tributes from other kingdoms maybe." Bombur said.

"And what will you do with these 'tributes'?"

Nori shrugged. "That will be for the king to decide."

'King? Who is …? …Oh.' Maire had all but forgotten that all this time Thorin was indeed a prince, or a king now. A fact that only widened the distance between the two of them.

From bellow the stairs an ire light illuminated the walls and the gentle echoes of voices found their way up to Marie's ears. Down more and more stairs they went until Nori gently tugged Marie through a door and told Bombur to keep heading down. The hobbit was lead across a walkway towards a sort of observational balcony, bellow the walkway was the treasure, or at least a small fraction of it.

"Hey Balin. Brought along a visitor." Nori called to the balcony. Marie saw the elder dwarf poaring over a table. One could only surmise that the dark outline behind him would be Thorin. When Nori called out only Balin took noticed.

"Ah, Miss Marie." He stood upright and rounded the table, "Glad to see you looking a little pinker than when we put you to bed." Nori gave Maire a little push before heading off back across the walkway.

"Glad to be … pinker." The hobbit sheepishly grinned as Balin took took her hand. "I wanted to see if I could be of use, rather that sleep my life away."

"You want to help?" Thorin turned to face them, but the ferocity at which he did made both Marie and Balin flinch. "You can start by telling us where you already looked for Arkenstone." He took a step towards the table and moved a small block across a yellow parchment held down at its four corners. On closer inspection Marie saw it was a type of floor plan for this part of the city no doubt. Thorin pointed to a spot on the map, "Here is where the secret door led to. How far in did you get to?"

Marie sucked in a sharp breath and stared at the paper. "Best guess …." She indicated with her own finger, "Somewhere around here is where I encountered Smaug, but I'm sure I …."

"I'll have the area checked again." Thorin grumbled.

Marie stepped back from the table, keeping an eye on the new King. He was leaning over the map, a curtain of black and silver hair hid his face from the world. "Do you … want me to help look?"

He said nothing in response

She heard Balin clear his throat behind her. "The rest of the men are already in search, perhaps Miss Marie could take this time to fully recover."

Thorin stood up and went back to the balcony rail. "Do what you wish." He said.

"Alright." Marie muttered, feeling dejected. There was more she wanted to say. Are you alright? How are the men? Have you slept? But somehow none of this made it to her lips.

"Perhaps I can show you the gem stores. Gloin is hard at work sorting through the mess and putting everything to rights." Balin said. "Then we will see about getting you cleaned up." The two of them made it to the other side before Marie stopped him.

"Balin? Is …?" The hobbit glance back nervously, "Is everything … alright?"

"Lass, if I am honest I really can not say. He can be stubborn when he sets his mind to something but this …" Balin gave a little headshake, his curled white beard moving as he did. "This meticulous streak is not in his nature."

He was worried, Marie could see it written all over his face. "I can make my own way about, if you would rather stay here with him."

The elder dwarf didn't say anything, but Marie understood him through his relieved expression. He was grateful and gave her a respectful nodded before heading back to the observational balcony. Marie took one last glance past Balin at Thorin before slipping into the passage way.

"Anything!?" He called down to the small figures of the dwarves continued to move across the piles of gold calling back, 'Nothing here!' and 'Not yet!' "Keep looking! No one rests until it is found!"

Marie sped up her pace as if to escape the sound of Thorin's voice. A difficult task since his voice echoed off the walls. She walked, and walked, and walked. Her direction was aimless as she gathered her thoughts. Thorin was not himself, not since they entered the mountain. But she had heard him, his gentle words with Balin as they remembered their home. He only changed when …. he saw the gold. Marie's shoulders shuddered and she grabbed her arms to steady herself.

'Don't think of that. Focus on something else.'

So she instead looked at the walls as she passed them. There were lines upon lines of runes etched into the designs, something Marie hadn't quite noticed were first she walked the passages. She wondered perhaps if they told stories of ancient heroes and reached out to touch the cool stone. Fingertips glided over the letters, gently nicking the skin as she walked.

Marie mused if in the past a young dwarf maiden walked the same path she did. Such thoughts quickly faded when her fingers came across something slick on the wall. She pulled her hand back sharply and examined it. Her fingers were black.

Soot.

It covered the wall, like black paint taken and splashed across green stone. This place was vaguely familiar now that she looked more closely. Chills crawled across her skin as she came to a corner. She half expected a dragon to be waiting with open jaws for her.

Marie peeked around the wall only to find more gold and no dragon. She breathed a sigh of relief and cleaned her fingers on her jacket. Now she was certain of this place. This was where Smaug had chased her to before she gave him the slip. But that also meant ….

None of the dwarves were in sight but within earshot. Marie hurried along and kept her eyes to the ground. It had to be around here still, hidden under the coins the dragon had kicked up. She passed a chest, one she remembered.

"Right, so if I hit the chest." She muttered to herself, "I stood up here and …"She looked down to her right. Little more than five feet from her there was a large pile of coins that wasn't there before. Marie knelt next to it and parted the coins and there, nestled in the gold was the Arkenstone. Marie let out a breathless laugh.

Finally.

She picked it up with both hands like it was a newborn child.

Thorin would be ….

He would be thrilled yes, thrilled was the word.

It was so beautiful. Smooth to the touch and glowing brightly against her skin. Marie swore she could hear it singing to her. A hundred tiny glass bells chiming together as they called out, the light within dancing with it. It was lovely to hear, until the hissing began.

Hisses … and growls.

'I am almost tempted to let you take it,'

The little hobbit's hands trembled as memories flooded her body. She looked over her shoulder and a vision of Smaug hovered in the same place between the stairs, his golden gaze pinning her as if he were real.

'If only to see Oakenshield suffer. Yes, a delightful sight for you to witness once you'd given to him.'

Marie's heart sped up, thrashing against her ribs.

'Watch it destroy him.'

"No I will not ..."

'Watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad.'

"Stop it!" Marie hissed between her teeth and practical threw the jewel back into the gold pile before her. The vision disappeared and the sound of the bells faded. She clasped her hands across her eyes. "I will not believe your lies you big old furnace with wings. That's all they are lies."

Lies, or perhaps warnings.

Would giving this to Thorin return him to normal? Or make him worse? Marie had no idea what was happening to him and that frightened her. She looted through the chest and found an old flag which she promptly tore in two. If it would keep her from having another flashback it would do. Using the square piece of fabric she picked up the Arkenstone, wrapped it up tightly and placed it safely in her jacket's inside pocket.

She would wait, for the time to be right that is to return it. Or at least think on it.