Chapter 20: Good and the Bad

I stood beside Bilbo in the broken thrown room watching Thorin pace back and forth with anger the more he moved. Days he had been searching endlessly for the Arkenstone and only Bilbo and I knew that it was useless but we had hoped after a few days his madness would calm. It, of course, had not and we had begun to feel guilty as the other dwarves searched tirelessly through the treasure room to no avail.

"It is here in these halls, I know it." Thorin said hearing the anger rise in his voice while Dwalin stepped forward saying, "We've searched and searched…"

Thorin turned towards him saying darkly, "Not well enough."

"Thorin we would all see the stone returned." Dwalin said calmly trying to defuse Thorin's anger yet it only fueled his fire saying angrily, "Yet it's still not found!"

"Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here? The Arkenstone is the birthright of our people." Balin said trying to reason with him while Thorin began walking off saying, "It is the King's Jewel... AM I NOT THE KING?!"

He stopped moving slowly turning towards us saying, "Know this, if anyone should find it and withhold it from me... I will be avenged."

I watched Bilbo let out a shaky breath he'd been holding seeing Dwalin go back down to the others to continue the search while Balin walked off clearly upset. I began following him feeling Bilbo by my side until he went into a storage room hearing light sniffs knowing he'd been crying. Bilbo stepped ahead of me going to comfort him while I frowned hating what Thorin was doing to his oldest and dearest friend.

"Dragon sickness, I've seen it before. That look, the terrible need, it is a fierce and jealous love, Bilbo. It sent his grandfather mad." Balin said defeated looking towards Bilbo with sad eyes.

Bilbo looked towards me for a moment then back at him saying, "Balin, if, if Thorin had the Arkenstone... or if, if it was found… would it help?"

Balin looked over at the both of us for a moment as if deep in thought hearing a heavy sigh leave his lips saying, "That stone crowns all, it's the summit of this great wealth, bestowing power upon he who bears it. Would it stifle his madness? No, lad, I fear it would make him worse. Perhaps it is best it remains lost."

Bilbo frowned towards him as I placed a comforting hand on Balin before we decided to leave the room to give him some privacy. Once out of the room I leaned against the wall sliding down it as Bilbo sat down reaching into his pocket making me look over curiously.

"What is that, in your hand?" We heard proclaim angrily behind us as Bilbo leaped from his seat saying, "I…it's nothing."

Thorin's footprints could be heard approaching quickly making me stare towards him fearfully as he said, "Show me."

"I…" Bilbo began looking towards me for a moment sighing as he opened his hand revealing an acorn saying, "I picked it up in Beorn's garden when Los and I were gathering stuff for supper."

I watched Thorin's face suddenly soften like it used to be saying, "You've carried it all this way?"

"I'm going to plant it in my garden in Bag End." Bilbo said proudly making Thorin and I both smile as he said, "It's a poor prize to take back to the Shire."

Bilbo laughed saying, "One day it'll grow, and every time I'll look at it I'll remember. The good, the bad and how lucky I am that I made it home with Los by my side."

I felt Bilbo's hand reach for mine squeezing it comfortingly making my heart swell from his words as Thorin looked between us saying, "I am very happy you both found each other in my company despite me doubting you both at first."

'You needn't apologize Thorin we understand." I said smiling as his smile grew more seeing a glimpse of the old Thorin until heavy footsteps approached us.

"Thorin, survivors from Lake-town are on the horizon. They're streaming into Dale and there are hundreds of them." Dwalin said seeing the glimpse of hope that Thorin was better vanish seeing his eyes darken once more saying, "Call everyone to the gate, now."

We walked off quickly hearing Dwalin yell the order as I walked beside Bilbo happy he had left the Arkenstone safely in our room. Once on top of the gate, we saw people making camp in Dale just as I knew they would seeing Thorin's eyes stare down towards them.

"They wish to rob us while we are defenseless, but we shall show them we are not." Thorin said staring down at them as if in a trance before turning to us all saying, "Those people mean to take from our home so we must raise our defense, by nightfall I want this hole to be filled."

I saw the look of defeat within the eyes of all of the dwarves but they did as they were told gathering boulders to seal up the entrance. Throughout the rest of the day into the early hours of the night, we all tirelessly worked to do as Thorin requested. All the while he stood on top of the gate staring at Dale as if it would attack at any moment.

I collapsed on the bed beside Bilbo both of us tired and sore from the long haul of boulders and rocks as he turned towards me.

"What are we going to do, he wouldn't attack those innocent people would he?" Bilbo asked unsure while I frowned saying, "I would hope not, all they want I'm sure is shelter and for Thorin to uphold his end of the deal they made."

"Do you think he will?" he asked while I looked upwards saying, "I do not know, I only hope he will before it's too late."

We both were quiet for a while until he leaned up on his arm saying, "I just can't wait to be back home… with you."

I turned facing him going to speak when he pressed his lips against my own growing more confident in his advances. His fingers traced along my face feeling how calloused his fingers were from working today but it still sent a pleasant shiver down my spine. My hands went up to his vest tugging at the buttons so they'd pop off feeling him shrug it from his shoulders. He pulled off my overcoat so we were both down to our simple tops and pants breaking apart from our kiss for much-needed air.

I tried to muffle a yawn that was escaping my lips not wanting to stop our moment but he laughed lightly kissing me again saying, "Get some rest, we may both need it in the morning."

I nodded sleepily snuggling into him as he began leaving gentle kisses on my head slowly lulling me into a pleasant night of sleep.