Chapter 5: Fortresses

Dwalin and Gailien stand on the small balcony overlooking the entrance to Erebor. She pinches her bottom lip between her thumb and forefinger, eyes planted on the stone in front of her. Originally, she had come out here alone but Dwalin soon joined and she isn't sure if she is pleased to have the company or not.

There are so many things on her mind: Bilbo has the Arkenstone. What are they going to do with it? And what if he gets caught? Gailien knows that is something goes wrong she is going to protect the Hobbit with her life, but it may cost her something more important. She could not bear to lose their trust - their loyalty. Would Kili ad Fili look at her with betrayal or would they understand? But Thorin…unless by some miracle he is saved from the fall into madness than she is running a risk that could cost her everything. But maybe the price is worth it if it helps them. Could she deal with looks of hatred if she knows that what she is doing is right?

Then that brings her worry to the Dwarves themselves. They have been working for days on end with little rest, watching their leader fall into a pit of despair. She is worried for Kili most of all. He clings to people; people he trusts, people he looks up to and now he has to watch the man who helped raise him, become a completely different person. She hopes that Fili holds himself together for all of their sakes.

"You haven't mentioned any of your visions since we reached the mountain," Dwalin notes. He crosses his arms, leaning back against the stone. "Do you not wish to tell us or is it something else?"

Gailien sighs as another thing from the back of her mind is brought forward. "I haven't had any," she admits. The dragon scared her, there's no sugar-coating that. And it wasn't even the dragon itself that scared her but the fact that she is responsible for the people who died in Lake-town. Her decisions cost them their lives and that has loaded her with so much guilt and a fear of the responsibility that a mental block has been built up in her mind.

"That's unusual for you," Dwalin muses with narrowed eyes. Gailien shrugs. Dwalin tilts his head forward. "Do you want to talk about it? I'm not much of a listener myself but Fili's always got an open ear you ya'."

"He's got enough on his mind," she dismisses. "And I don't want to talk about it."

Dwalin sighs, puckering his lips. "We all know what you're feeling, lass. It's not easy on anybody."

"Which is exactly why I don't wish to talk about it right now. It is no use adding my worries onto somebody else who already has a mountain full of them," she snaps. "I'd prefer to help them forget, not make it worse."

"Then go do that," he suggests. "Kili is down in the treasury searching as usual. I'm sure he could use some company. Or even talk with Bofur – you'll lighten each other's moods. Durin's beard, even go try and have a conversation with Bifur if it'll get your mind off everything."

Gailien shakes her head, leaning against the stone wall. "I don't want to be down there. I came up here for the fresh air and sunlight."

Dwalin laughs softly to himself. "How are you going to live in Erebor if you don't like staying inside?" he asks rhetorically.

"I don't plan on staying in Erebor," she replies coolly. "I never did."

Dwalin looks a little put off by this information. Gailien shrugs – she has already told them that she plans on returning to the Shire with Bilbo, at least for some time. She couldn't stay in a Dwarf kingdom, not when her closest friends are the princes and Thorin to be the king. She would never truly belong. Especially if the people she would rely on for company will be busy for the most part of the days. "So, you're just going to leave Thorin behind then? Kili? Fili?" he asks, his tone hinting with accusation. Thorin is his dear friend so of course, he would be defensive.

"I'm not going to be leaving him behind to nothing," she protests in defence. "I'll be leaving him to run a kingdom. And excuse me if I'm not overly fond of the idea of staying in a place occupied completely by Dwarves." Dwalin raises his brow. Gailien shakes her head, sighing audibly. "No- you know what I mean."

"I think you should really think about what you want," he replies stonily. "What you want, not what you think is easiest." He goes to say something more, but his interest is taken by something back out past Erebor's borders. Gailien frowns, walking forward to see what it is.

"The people of Lake-town," she notes. "They are taking refuge in Dale." Just as she thought they would. Dwalin starts marching back inside. "Where are you going?!"

"To inform Thorin." Gailien drags her eyes away from the people to follow him, trying to predict how Thorin will react. He had promised them wealth for their troubles and hardships, but the onset of his sickness may create a new problem. Apparently, the warrior Dwarf knows exactly where Thorin is as he strides a direct path until they find the king talking with Bilbo. "Thorin, the survivors from Lake-town, they're streaming into Dale," Dwalin informs. "There's hundreds of them."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Gailien says huffily. She is glad so many survived.

"It could be," Thorin replies. She watches mournfully as Thorin changes back into his sick self, right in front of her eyes once more. His eyes harden, thoughts of his gold filling his mind. "Call everyone to the gate." He starts marching off back to the front of Erebor. "To the gate. Now!"

Xx

Gailien watches as Thorin starts commanding the company to build a stone door to block the main entrance to Erebor. Half of the company have left to retrieve machinery to lift heavier stones higher and the ones that remain begin to lay the foundations down. What does she do?

"Thorin," she calls quietly as he passes her. Thorin stops, turning his head in acknowledgement. "Is this really necessary? They're villagers, not an army. And they are probably not even well off enough to do anything even if they wished to."

"What happens when they are? When their greed gets to them and they come lurking into our walls searching for riches?" he snarls, pointing a finger out the door. "I'm doing this to protect us. To protect what is rightfully mine."

"What about what the gold they are rightfully owed?" Gailien counters. "You gave them your word."

"My word?" he snarls, his lip curling as he takes a dangerous step towards her. Gailien leans back, her neck stretching. "They will come in greed. They would have us killed if I did not promise them such."

"Thorin," she says slowly. "Just please think about what you're doing." She watches his reaction, hoping that soft guidance may help him to revaluate but to her dismay, his eyes only become harder.

"You're questioning me?" he asks in disbelief. "I would have thought that you of all would stand by me." He snarls, looking around the company that remains. They have paused working, watching the two conversing. "Back to work!" He looks back to Gailien. "You as well, we need every hand."

"She's still hurt, Thorin," Fili argues, coming to stand next to the woman. "We are handling it fine, just let her rest."

"She has been resting long enough!" Thorin exclaims, shocking both Fili and Gailien. They share a fearful glance then she nods silently, walking past Thorin. It seems the choice has been taken from her – unless she would rather be thrown out.

"Help Kee with the cart," Fili says softly. "He'll do the heavy lifting."

"That'll make me feel worse," she counters without any real effort. "He still hurt too."

"But he's healing well thanks to you." Gailien nods again, her eyes cast downwards. Fili sighs, resting his forehead on her unwounded temple. "Hey," he whispers. "We'll get through this." He lifts his head back up, placing a kiss on the spot. "Take care of yourself."

Gailien gives him a small smile in appreciation before walking over to Kili who is further back, loading the cart up with nearby rubble. "I've been assigned to help you," she says, trying to at least put on a smile for him.

Kili gives her a tight smile in greeting. "You shouldn't be," he counters.

"I've already had that conversation," she retorts, bending down to pick up a stone, placing it in the cart.

"I heard," he sighs. He gives a longing glance over at his uncle, sniffing hard but he turns back to his work and together they slowly pile the cart until it is full. They dump their load near the front entrance as the rest of the company return with the machines they need, and heavier work begins.

It feels awful, both physically and mentally to be helping put the stone wall up but she knows that nobody else here also feels right doing so. She can see it in Kili's eyes, the way he glares at each piece of stone. Bofur looks mournfully up at the growing height and Bilbo looks just as distressed as she feels.

The sky begins to change colours as they work hard through much of the day. By now she feels like she could vomit any second from the amount of pain her torso is in right now. It is almost like it is a fresh wound but all she has to do is look at Thorin and any ideas of asking for rest fade away.

She cannot believe that she is afraid of him – it's a horrible concept. Perhaps she isn't afraid of him directly, but more so the idea of becoming outcasted. She doesn't doubt that Thorin will cast out anybody who go against him too firmly.

Each stone feels like three and a little grunt or whimper escapes each time she tries to stand back up, but she keeps it quiet enough so only she can hear her own pain. If Kili doesn't complain about his own, then she won't either.

Lugging a particularly heavy stone, Gailien takes a moment to breathe, resting her arms against the cart but rest is not what comes to her. It is brief but clear. Just outside the entrance to Erebor, both Thranduil and Bard stand before them atop of their mounts.

And that is all she sees before she is brought back into the present. A new shadow looms over her and she jolts in both fear and shock but to her relief, it is only Kili. He is looking over his shoulder, back towards the rest of the company (minus Bilbo who has joined them.) He looks back to Gailien with concern, but it drops slightly as he sees that she is back.

"What's the matter?" she questions.

Kili swallows thickly. "I just don't want Thorin to force anything out of you," he answers quietly. "I want you to be able to choose whether you tell him or not what you see."

"Thank you," she says. "But I think I feel a little better about building this wall now."

Kili frowns. "Are we going to be attacked?"

"I don't know," she answers truthfully. "But I don't think our next few interactions with the outside are going to be entirely peaceful." With nothing more to say, she bends down, picking up another heavier rock. As she stands straight, its weight is off centred, and it falls further into her arms, pressing against her stomach. Gailien can't stop the grunt of pain, but the weight is quickly taken away from her.

"You need to stop," Kili states. "You're going to end up worse than the state you arrived in."

"I'm fine," she counters. "Just wasn't prepared."

"You're doing exactly what I did," Kili notes with displeasure.

"Different circumstances," she shoots back. And they are. Kili hid his injury for the sake of continuing the quest – and she doesn't blame him one bit. She would much rather be resting right now, but she is stuck between a rock and hard place. Kili glares subtly over his shoulder at his uncle. "Hey," she hushes, gently taking his forearm. "He's not well, you can't judge him in this state."

Kili looks back to her, chewing his cheek. "It doesn't matter," he hisses. "You should be resting, and we shouldn't be building a wall against people that need our help. None of this is right."

Gailien shrugs her shoulders softly. "I don't know what to do," she admits, the words barely even coming out as a whisper. Her head drops as she walks past him back to the cart. Kili stands in the same spot for a long moment with a clenched jaw, glaring at an unfortunate rock. Eventually, he huffs, joining Gailien and Bilbo.

The three begin towing the cart back to the fortress of debris.

"I want this Fortress made safe by sun-up," Thorin calls out, marching through the Dwarves, surveying their work. "This Mountain was hard-won, I will not see it taken again."

Kili finally breaks his silence. He drops the front of the cart, letting it crash against the ground. "The people of Lake-town have nothing," he cries. "They came to us in need. They have lost everything." Gailien slowly walks forward – just in case Thorin doesn't take to kindly to the criticism. Her shoulder brushes up against the back of his arm, a gesture to show that she is with him.

But Thorin doesn't take out his anger on Kili, or rather, he doesn't really exude any real sort of anger at anybody. "Do not tell me what they have lost. I know well enough of hardship." Thorin walks to the stop of the stone fortress, looking out over Dale. "Those who've lived through dragon fire should rejoice! They have much to be grateful for."

That's it. Gailien quickly steps aside from the young Dwarf, rushing over to an unoccupied area and lets her stomach come back up through her mouth. The vile taste stays in her mouth as she bends over, cursing at the unpleasantness. Two figures arrive on either side as she straightens.

Bilbo pats her back. "Are you alright?"

She doesn't feel any better but there is no point in saying that she doesn't. It would only add more stress. "I'm fine," she sighs, wiping her mouth.

"Please stop," Kili pleas with her. "I don't like this at all."

"Nobody does."