The new day dawned cold and clear; and to the sight of Thranduil's army that had marched up in front of Erebor's gates.

The light of the early morning sun reflected by a million shiny armors and helmets made Ella squint her already bleary eyes, as she stood on the parapet next to Thorin and her companions.

She had sneaked out of Dale as soon as grouchy ratface had left her in the tent she was supposed to stay, but climbing back up the fortress wall had proven a good deal more difficult than climbing it down and thus, she had not slept a bit last night.

Her absence had not gone unnoticed.

Earlier this morning, Thorin had taken her aside and asked her why she had not come to his chambers as she usually did.

"I hoped to spend the night with you." he said and there had been a touch of reproach in his voice- probably because he expected it to have been his last.

"I thought you were busy and would stay up late," Ella replied and averted her gaze. She had always found it hard to lie under the inquiring gaze of those penetrating blue eyes. "And I needed some time for myself."

Thorin only nodded, disappointed, and not particularly convinced.

Ella had wanted to pull his head down to her to steal a quick kiss, but he looked too stern and majestic in his armor and with the crown on his head for such an intimate gesture, and so she simply squeezed his hand.

"There's always a next night," she whispered with a promising smile.

And that was true, or at least, if everything went according to plan.

No one would die and there would be many more nights to come for the king under the mountain and his company.

However, if he would still want to spend them with her after today, was an entirely different question...


Wide awake with fearful anticipation despite the sleepless night that lay behind her, Ella watched Thranduil riding towards them on his great elk, with Bard next to him.

The elven king displayed a confident expression- and had every reason to do so- with the huge army behind him and the Arkenstone in his pocket- but it irritated her still, and Thorin was obviously no different. He pulled his bow and a well-aimed arrow in front of the mount's hooves stopped Thranduil's advance.

"I will put the next one between your eyes." Thorin announced to the cheers of the other dwarves. They quickly hid behind the parapet though when the elves raised their bows in reply.

Ella rolled her eyes inwardly. Men and their childish inclination to power play.

And this wasn't even a battle. This was a dozen dwarves and a hobbit against a gigantic army. Absurd.

Let's end this farce now so we can all go home.

But the dwarves were home already. Were hers would be after today remained yet to be seen.

Thranduil kept a straight face. "We've come to tell you," he shouted in a loud, clear voice. "Payment of your debt has been offered, and accepted."

Thorin furrowed his brow beneath the crown on his head. "What payment?" he yelled without lowering his bow. "You have nothing! I gave you nothing!"

At a look of the elven king, Bard produced the Arkenstone from his chest's pocket and held it high over his head for everyone to see it."We have this."

Thorin dropped his bow and his eyes went wide as he recognized the king's jewel.

Shocked outcries rose from the rows of the dwarves.

"Thieves!"

"How came you by the heirloom of our house!"

"This stone belongs to the king!"

"And the king may have it," Bard replied. "and our goodwill. But first, he must honour his word."


So this was it, the crucial moment.

She had put everything on one card-Thorin's desire for the Arkenstone. Would it be strong enough to let him swallow his pride and make a deal with his pointy-eared nemesis?

Ella closed her eyes and sent a quick prayer to Mahal or whatever god was inclined to listen.

However, and probably because she did not really believe in their existence, they all chose to ignore her pleas.

"They are taking us for fools," she heard Thorin's hateful whisper. "This is a ruse. A filthy lie!"

"The Arkenstone is within this mountain!" he yelled at his besiegers. "This is a trick!"

Now, if Thorin had taken a closer look he must have seen that the gem was indeed no other than the Arkenstone.

There was no mistaking this translucent brightness that shone and twinkled in all the colours of the rainbow. Even Ella had recognized it at first sight, and unlike Thorin, she had never seen it before.

Even the best jewelcrafters would not have been able to make such an exact copy of it, and elves weren't even good at this craft.

No, Thorin must know the gem was real. If he didn't believe it then because he didn't want to.

Would have been too good to be true, right?

She should not be so surprised. With Thorin, it was never the easy way. Still, she would have done anything to skip the next part.

"It's no trick," Ella said and stepped towards him. "The stone is real. I-" She swallowed hard. "I gave it to them."

Slowly, the king under the mountain turned his head into her direction.

"You?" he asked incredulously and very quietly.

The sound of his voice and the devastated look on his face threatened to rip her heart in two.

Ella had seen this expression before, twice actually. First in Rivendell, when Thorin had heard Gandalf and Lord Elrond speak about the dragon sickness, and then when it had looked like the chance to enter the Erebor was forever lost.

But now it was a million times worse, because all the defeat and disappointment and despair in his eyes were for her.

Worse even, it was only at this moment that she knew without a doubt that he must have really loved her, too.

He would not look so aghast and shaken if he didn't.

He had loved and trusted her more than anyone and thus, her treason cut deeper than anyone else's.

Ella had been prepared for his anger, his hatred even, but not for this, and it was more than she could take.

Part of her wished he would grab her and just throw her from the ramparts. She had half a mind to jump herself, if only to escape that haunted look in his eyes.

Instead, she tried to explain.

"I took it as my fourteenth share," she began. "And I'm willing to let it stand against my claim-"

"Against your claim? You claim." Thorin spat with a mirthless laugh and his gaze hardened and froze into ice.

"You have no claim over me."

Ella hung her head."I guess not," she replied quietly. "Not any more."

She looked up at him again. "I have wanted to give it to you. Many times. But-"

"But what, thief?" Thorin hissed.

She nodded. He was right, she was a thief. She had stolen his heart. Did it count as extenuating circumstances that he had stolen hers first?

"You are changed, Thorin!" she exclaimed. "The dwarf I met in Bag End, the dwarf I fell in love with, would never have broken his word! Never doubted the loyalty of his kin! I did what I did to avert a war, to save your life because I love you and I'm not sorry for that. I would do it all over again and if you hate me for it now, it's only a small price and one I will gladly pay."

Brave words. If only they were true.

For a second, some of the ice seemed to melt in Thorin's eyes and she thought she had gotten through to him, but the moment passed as quickly as it had appeared.

Perhaps, if she had disclosed all this to him in private he might have listened, but here and now, it was a hobbit making a fool of the king under the mountain in the face of his people, and his enemies.

He could not let her get away with this without losing his face.

Thorin walked towards her and grabbed her by the collar of her jacket.

"Why have you come back?" he asked and he suddenly he sounded very tired. "You should have stayed with Thranduil since you have obviously made common cause with him."

From below, before the gate, an agitated voice called out to them. "If you have no longer use of my burglar then please don't damage her. Return her to me!"

Gandalf.

He came riding through the rows of the elven archers and raised his wand at Thorin. "You're not making a very splendid figure as king under the mountain are you," he said dryly. "Thorin, son of Thrain."

The target monarch looked down at the wizard.

He let go off Ella's jacket. "You think I would hurt her?" he shouted back. "I will not sink so low. But never again will I deal with wizards or Shire rats."

He looked back at Ella who winced at hearing him talk like that.

"Leave," he growled. "Now. Before I make up my mind."

"Do as he says. Hurry!"

Quickly, Bofur was at her side and shoved her across the parapet and out of the reach of his king." You still have your rope I hope?"

"Are we resolved?" sounded Bard's voice as Ella began to once more rappel from Erebor's walls towards the castle moat."The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised."

She looked up and saw Thorin's gaze fly to the horizon as if expecting answers from the skys.

"Why should I buy back what is rightfully mine!" he thundered.

Thranduil sighed and turned to Bard. "I've heard enough," he said in a bored tone. "Keep the stone, sell it. I know people in Gondor who'd give you a good price for it."

"I will kill you!" Thorin raged on the ramparts. "On my oath, I will kill you all!"

"Thorin!" Gandalf implored. "Lay down your arms! Open these doors. This treasure will be your death."

"Give us your answer," Bard demanded. "Will you have peace- or war?"


Ella had reached the ground. She looked up once more and saw how Balin talked insistently to Thorin, telling him what had been clear from the start, that they could not win this fight.

He had to see reason. Surrender was the only way out of this.

He had to give up now, or else her sacrifice would have been for naught. She would have lost him for nothing.

Thorin closed his eyes and bowed his head in defeat. It broke her heart to see the proud dwarf king like this but still her heart leapt with wild hope. She may have lost him, but at least she would not have to see him die.

But then, suddenly and as if on cue, a raven came flying towards the Erebor and landed on the parapet in front of the king under the mountain.

Thorin looked from the bird back to the horizon where a mighty dust cloud announced the arrival of the reinforcements he had been waiting for, and slowly, he curled his lips into a grim smile.

"I will have war."