A/N: After awhile :)

No beta.


When he was in the water Thorin recovered his bearings quickly. He grabbed the walls and stopped all the dwarves from floating away. Dwarves grumbled but Thorin kept his eyes on the ceiling waiting for Bilbo to appear. He didn't listen to dwarves, nor did he thought about leaving without him, it was unimaginable to be without their hobbit on their way.

After, what seemed like an eternity Bilbo splashed into the water and Thorin released them to go on their way. It was a thrill to ride the waves and for a moment Thorin was exhilarated to be alive. Of course, that lasted only a moment because elves, orcs and rocks were upon them.

With all his might Thorin fought them all feeling relief to be free of restraint, to be able to lash out all his inner anger. When the fight was over he felt somehow hollow, empty, the purpose left him as they washed on the shore.

Kili was injured, they were soaked, without means, or weapons, Thorin looked around to find a way and then a man appeared. A tall, distrustful man, the kind which abandoned all, which valued only gold, and not that of their own.

Thorin would spit underneath his boots but they needed a ride. Of course, that human took all of their coins, draining everyone dry. Thorin looked at the dreary prospects of the human town, but Master Baggins was with them shedding light even on humans, shaming them for not asking for the man's name. It was who the hobbit was, it was endearing, but Thorin was there to keep them all safe and alive.

Of course the man, Bard found a way to humiliate them. He covered them with stinky fish and made them go through his toilet. Dwarves grumbled, but Thorin was ready to do anything to survive.

It was hard to stay in Dale and look at the crossbow which let them all down. The bitterness was still fresh as it was yesterday, the smell, the fire and the smoke. Bilbo stood beside him covered in a blanket asking questions as it was just a story and not something beyond pain. Thorin looked at him to steady his inner pain, somehow hobbit always brought him back to the present.

The present in which they had no weapons and the ones Bard brought to them was an insult to all the gold they gave them. It was time to take things into their own hands. A burglary was in order, to get real weapons, but everything went wrong as it does when dwarves are desperate and tired.

They got captured and there was no escape but through a show, a pretend prince, an imaginary king he never became. In the time of their exile when no one knew his name Thorin knew how to put on a show to secure gold coins for his people, and now he did just that a show.

He lied as much and as outrages as he could think of. He claimed that they are going to slay a dragon, to reclaim his throne, return to the old glory. Every word was slain him inside, but his outsides were as bold as he could make them. The truth of their small quest to steal a gem, and maybe wield dwarvish armies, was like a hidden gem which allowed him to lie and promise a lot to these greedy humans. As he would ever grant them even a coin from the piles he and his ancestors gathered, for which they worked until their muscles ached.

But, as in any act, there would always be one man to throw a tomato, to doubt and inquire, to ruin the illusion.

"Who could vouch for you," he said and Thorin stopped alone in the middle of the crowd.

His image faltered into his ordinary exiled self, no one with power or a throne, no one worthy, but then Bilbo stepped out talking on his behalf before all these people, talking as he is all that he claimed to be. Thorin's heart faltered and filled threatening to break once again, but he stood tall keeping his stance, playing his role, looking straight at Bilbo wondering how did they manage to stumble upon him.

What force directed their wizard to his door? For that force, Thorin would like to thank to, for favouring their impossible venture.

Thorin smiled and drank only to cover his act, to appear relaxed and royally, he withstood the feast, gathering the equipment and weapons, waiting for the dawn to exit this damned place before all these people wake up from their greedy dream of taking his gold as their own.

They sailed away leaving Fili and Kili behind. Thorin looked straightforward hoping that if this journey is death to him, they, at least, will be spared to carry on.

He could feel, more than he could see, Bilbo standing by his side and that made him weak and strong at the same time.


The wastelands are upon us.