Chapter 21: A Broken Word

In the early hours of the morning, elves had surrounded Dale sending Thorin into a rage knowing full well what they were after. Bilbo and I watched helplessly knowing that they were willing to go to war for the treasures that had been taken from them. We were all stationed on the wall overlooking Dale seeing a single man on horseback riding towards us upon closer inspection seeing it was Bard.

"Hail Thorin, son of Thrain, we are glad to find you and your company alive beyond hope." He said respectfully seeing Thorin give him a sour look replying, "Why do you come to the gates of the King under the Mountain armed for war?"

"Why does the King under the Mountain fence himself in like a robber in his hole?" Bard said questioning him back seeing Thorin look towards him replying, "Perhaps I'm expecting to be robbed."

I could see Bard wanting to get upset but he swallowed back his anger saying, "My Lord, we have not come to rob you, but to seek a fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?"

All of our eyes traveled to Thorin who stared at him for a moment before descending down the stairs towards the entrance as we all followed hoping this would end well. I saw him walk towards a raven before it flew off tilting my head curiously, that couldn't have been a good sign.

Thorin peeked his head through a hole in the rock but didn't even bother facing him as he said, "I'm listening."

"On behalf of the people of Lake-town, I ask that you honor your pledge, a share of the treasure so that they might rebuild their lives." Bard said through the rocks seeing Thorin scoff replying, "I will not barter with any man, while an armed host lies before my door."

"That armed host will attack this mountain if we do not come to terms." Bard said pleading with Thorin making me frown knowing all too well the elves would slaughter them.

Thorin turned towards him saying, "Your threats do not sway me."

I closed my eyes silently wishing that this wouldn't be the decision as Bard yelled, "What of your conscience, does it not tell you our cause is just? My people offered you help and in return, you brought upon them only ruin and death."

I winced at his words knowing all too true he was right if we hadn't disturbed Smaug in the first place hundreds of people wouldn't have died. I could tell Bilbo felt the impact too seeing his shoulders begin to slump knowingly.

"When did the men of Lake-town come to our aid but for the promise of rich reward?" Thorin spat out towards him feeling his anger begin to rise again as Bard yelled back, "A bargain was struck!"

Thorin shook his head laughing darkly turning away while saying, "A bargain"? What choice did we have but to barter our birthright for blankets and food, to ransom our future in exchange for our freedom? Do you call that a fair trade? Tell me, Bard the dragon-slayer, why should I honor such terms?"

It was quiet on the other end of the rocks for a moment until Bard's softening voice said, "Because you gave us your word, does that mean nothing?"

Thorin was quiet as he looked around to all of our faces seeing his face look somber for just a moment but it hardened just as quickly yelling, "Begone! Ere our arrows fly!"

Thorin moved away from the rocks hearing a defeated sigh from Bard before he rode off seeing Bilbo walk forward looking sternly at Thorin saying, "What are you doing? You cannot go to war."

Thorin pushed past him saying, "This does not concern you."

I stepped forward saying, "Excuse me, but just in case you haven't noticed, there is an army of elves out there, not to mention several hundred angry fishermen."

My voice softened saying, "We are outnumbered."

Thorin smirked towards me placing a hand on my shoulder saying, "Not for long."

"What… what does that mean?" Bilbo said stepping forward watching Thorin walk away again replying, "It means, Master Baggins, you should never underestimate Dwarves. We have reclaimed Erebor, now, we defend it."

The other dwarves besides a few began rallying behind Thorin watching them make their way to the forges and armory as Bilbo and I stared towards them with uncertainty. Bilbo began walking off as I followed behind him entering our room seeing him take out the Arkenstone glaring at it.

"All this fighting and just for a silly stone." Bilbo said staring at it while I put my hand over his saying, "It's not just a rock to Thorin, it's an obsession something absolute and precious to him, it will be his undoing."

I saw Bilbo's eyes gaze down at his pocket knowing that was where he kept the ring he found in the Goblin cave then back to the stone saying, "We cannot let that happen, we must find another way to stop this."

"We will." I said grasping his hand over the rock hearing him let out a shaky sigh saying, "When night falls I will go to Dale and offer a trade."

"You mean we will go to Dale." I said seeing him look up with a small smile saying, "I cannot ask you to risk yourself like that for me."

"I'm not doing it for you." I said giving him a confident smile with a wink replying, "I'm doing it for us."

Bilbo and I stood awkwardly near the armory watching all the dwarves busy preparing for war putting on armor and sharpening their weapons.

"Master Baggins." We heard seeing Thorin standing in the doorway ushering us to go towards him as he said, "You are going to need this."

Bilbo attentively walked towards him staring at the vest as my eyes widened running my fingers over it saying, "This vest is made of silver steel. Mithril, no blade can pierce it."

I watched Bilbo awkwardly take off his outer clothes and coat before helping him slip it over his head looking between Thorin and me saying with a laugh, "I look absurd, I'm not a warrior, I'm a Hobbit."

I saw a rare smile grace Thorin's lips as he said, "It is a gift, a token of our friendship."

His eyes turned to me looking down at my hands saying, "I see Master Baggins has already gifted you something from the treasure room, it is yours to keep and I trust it will be a token of your time spent with the company as well."

"It shall." I said running my finger over the ring as Thorin looked back at the dwarves saying quietly, "True friends are hard to come by."

He pulled Bilbo and me away from the others saying in a hushed tone, "I have been blind... but now I begin to see. I have been betrayed."

"Betrayed?" Bilbo said nervously while Thorin nodded leaning in replying, "The Arkenstone, one of them has taken it. One of them is false."

Bilbo licked his lips saying hesitantly, "Thorin… the quest is fulfilled and you've won the mountain. Is that not enough?"

"Betrayed by my own kin." Thorin said looking back at the dwarves ignoring Bilbo's words seeing Bilbo give him a stern look saying, "N-no, uh. You made a promise to the people of Lake-town. I-is this treasure truly worth more than your honor? Our honor, Thorin, we also were there and gave our word."

Thorin gave another of his usual smiles looking between us saying, "For that, I am truly grateful of the both of you, it was nobly done."

His eyes suddenly darkened and it was as if Smaug himself was in front of us again hearing him say dangerously, "But the treasure in this mountain does not belong to the people of Lake-town. This gold is ours and ours alone. On my life, I will not part with a single coin, not one piece of it."

Bilbo and I stared at him with slight fear watching the other dwarves marched past him to ready the walls more feeling our worst fears coming true. It was my turn to storm towards the room hearing Bilbo call after me as I reached the room feeling my fists tighten.

"Los…" Bilbo said softly as I said sadly, "I can't let him nor any of the others throw their lives away so carelessly… nor can I allow those poor people of Lake-town to suffer because of Thorin's obsession."

"We will barter the Arkenstone." Bilbo said confidently while I shook my head saying, "And what happens if it is useless…"

"We have to try, so long as we are together it matters not." He said pulling me down to his level kissing me gently on the lips melting away all my worries and doubts.

He pulled away leaning his forehead against mine as I said, "Tonight once they are asleep we will go."

He nodded saying lightly, "Together."