Hi guys! I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but had to make sure that this was as perfect as I could get it before I uploaded it. I hope you all enjoy it xx
Chapter 35
For the next few days, the dwarves and I travel towards the Lonely Mountain, having reached land the day before yesterday. Fili leads us across the land and is doing a wonderful job at that, I can tell Thorin has certainly taught him well, with him being next in line for the throne. He's always making sure that we're all alright, that there's no trouble and when we've made camp during the night, he does a quick parameter check to make sure we're safe. I can tell he will be a great King one day.
On the third day, we walk across the lands, going past the once glorious city of Dale, but now it is in ruins. The desolation of Smaug. As we're walking, I stop and stare at the city, remembering the last time I was here, on the day it all happened, riding through the city on Melda as I stared in horror at all the bodies, fire and smoke that ravaged the vulnerable city.
"Cal?" I hear Bofur's voice call.
Looking ahead, I see he and the others have stopped and are looking back at me. Fili steps forward, looking at me in concern.
"Are you alright? You're crying."
I quickly wipe away the tears I had not noticed had fallen before clearing my throat before joining them.
"I'm fine. Don't worry. . .just memories."
He nods as he turns and continues leading the way, the rest of us following.
After about an hour, we climb up the steps to the gates where we stop in shock and fear as we see the destruction Smaug must have caused as he smashed through the front gate when he flew to Laketown. We all look to each other before we run into the halls of Erebor.
"Hello! Bombur? Bifur? Anybody?" Bofur calls out before hurrying on as we follow.
I lead the way as we clamber through the halls, knowing which way to go as we look for the others. As we run down a staircase, Bilbo runs up towards us from another part of the city, calling out.
"WAIT! WAIT!"
I breathe a sigh of relief as I see him. Thank the Valar! They're alive!
"It's Bilbo! He's alive!" Oin exclaims.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!"
Bilbo runs up to us as we stop on a stairwell.
"You need to leave. We all need to leave."
"We only just got here?!" Bofur protests.
"I have tried talking to him, but he won't listen."
"What do you mean, laddie?" Oin asks.
"THORIN!" His raises voice makes us all jump and my attention is instantly on him. "Thorin. Thorin. He's been down there for days. He doesn't sleep. He barely eats. He's not been himself - not at all. It's this - It's this place. I think a sickness lies on it."
I stopped listening when Bilbo said he's been down there for days, knowing exactly where 'there' is. Throin had spoke to me his concerns about his grandfather before Smaug first attacked, how he would lock himself in the treasure hall. . .he swore to me he wouldn't let it take him. . .
"Sickness? What kind of sickness?" Kili asks.
Before anyone can say anything, I run past the group, running further down into Erebor, Fili right behind me. Bilbo and the others run after us, trying to stop us.
"Caladwen! Fili! Wait!"
As we continue heading down, a golden light begins to be visible on the walls. We round a corner, and the others stop short at the sight of Smaug's treasure, heaped so high over the floor of the cavern that the ground is barely visible.
I stop at the end with the others, looking around the hall, remembering the last time I was in here. Thorin had brought me down here to show me around. I was in awe then, having never seen anything like it in my life. Piles and piles of gold, jewels and other trinkets lying about neatly. But now. . .it makes me feel ill and angry at how it can affect dwarves, especially Thror and Thorin.
My hearing suddenly picks up movement, turning my head I freeze and stare as Thorin slowly strides out of a doorway, dressed in ornate robes and covered in jewelry. He looks more like Thror in this moment than any other time before. Thror in his madness that is. Thorin begins speaking softly, apparently to himself. He looks strange, almost possessed, and the others look at him in surprise, myself in sadness and disappointment.
"Gold - Gold beyond measure. Beyond sorrow and grief."
Thorin looks up and finally notices the rest of us standing here.
"Behold - the great treasure hoard of Thror."
He suddenly flings something high into the air to where we're standing, and Fili catches it. It is a giant bloodred jewel.
"Welcome, my sister's sons, to the kingdom of Erebor."
I just watch as Thorin turns and walks away, feeling the sadness really hit. There was nothing from him, no relief or happiness at seeing us, at seeing that we survived the dragon attack on Lake Town. That his nephews were alive. . .that I was alive.
I then feel Kili take my hand, but I don't take my eyes from where Thorin was standing as he leads me away until we leave the treasure hall.
After walking around for a while, Bilbo leads us to a room and I smile as I see Balin and Dwalin at a table.
"Balin!" Bofur exclaims.
Balin spins around as Dwalin looks up and big smiles appear on their faces as they see us. Dwalin instantly embraces Bofur as Nori runs down some stairs and hugs Kili. Everyone is laughing and cheering as we reunite with one another.
As the other dwarves appear, Balin and I embrace, both of us wearing wide smiles on our faces.
"I'm so happy to see you, Caladwen. To see you all safe."
"As am I to see you all safe, Balin."
We pull away and although I can see the happiness at seeing us all, I can tell it isn't true happiness. I see worry in his eyes.
"It's taken him, hasn't it?"
He sighs, knowing exactly who I mean without having to say his name.
"I'm afraid so lass. He's been in the treasure hall ever since Smaug's defeat. He doesn't eat or sleep unless we force him to. He spends all his time trying to find the Arkenstone. I had hoped that he wouldn't succumb to the illness."
I nod. "So had I. But, we can't give up. Maybe we can get him out of it."
"I hope you are right, lass. I really do."
Later on that day, Thorin has everyone in the treasure hall to look for the Arkenstone. I am standing in the doorway of the treasury as I watch the dwarves combing through the piles of treasure.
"Any sign of it!?" Thorin calls out from a walkway above.
"Nothing yet!" Dwalin replies.
"Nothing here." Ori confirms.
"Keep searching!" Thorin orders.
"That jewel could be anywhere!" Gloin complains.
"The Arkenstone is in these halls - find it!"
"You heard him - Keep looking!" Dwalin shouts out.
"All of you - No one rests until it is found!"
I leave the room, not able to witness this any longer. I know that the Arkenstone is important to Thorin and to Erebor, but thanks to the sickness, he has become obsessed with it. Ever since Fili, Kili, Bofur, Oin and I came from Laketown, I haven't had a single with him, and it hurts me, as I'm sure it does Fili and Kili, who also haven't had any time with him. I love Thorin dearly, but I don't know how long I can go on with him being this way. I only hope there was a way to bring back the Throin we all know and love.
My walk takes me to the battlements where I see Bilbo sitting on a rock staring at the Arkenstone! I'm not at all surprised to see he has it, and not that much in a hurry to run and tell Thorin, in fact, I don't want him to know at all. Maybe if he didn't have it, he could get better, we could snap him out of it.
I stand against a stone pillar next to him, leaning back onto it with my arms across my chest and my right foot against the pillar as I stare out at Dale. Bilbo has yet to notice my presence.
"I did not imagine this to be this way." I speak after a few moments, causing Bilbo to jump out of his skin and almost drop the gem.
"C-Caladwen!" Bilbo exclaims as he stands and pockets the gem. "I-I can explain!"
I just continue to stare out, not at all bothered about hearing an explanation. "I imagined that once we had retaken Erebor and Smaug was defeated, everything would go back to how it was decades ago. Thorin would go back to how he was when I first met him and together we'd rebuild this city to it's former glory. . .I did not foresee this happening. . .I did not foresee him falling like his grandfather. . ."
Bilbo stays silent as I talk, not wanting to interrupt me from vocalling my thoughts. I push myself from the pillar and turn to him.
"Can I see it?"
He looks to me in hesitation, and I know why.
"I'm not going to tell him, I promise. I just want a closer look at it."
He gives me another look before he reaches into his pocket, once making sure we're alone, and holds it out to me. I kneel in front of him and gently take the gem from him. The last time I saw this stone was over sixty years ago, clipped into Thror's throne for all to see. To see it close up, I can see why he claimed this as the King's Jewel. It is truly a remarkable and beautiful thing to lay eyes on. Just watching the colours swirl together and how it glows. . .it is truly beautiful.
"It's hard to imagine that we have come all this way for this little thing." I look to him. "I am surprised you have not given this to him."
He looks down. "I was going to give it to him, but I remembered something Smaug said to me."
"What did he say?"
"He said; 'I am almost tempted to let you take it, if only to see Oakenshield suffer, watch it destroy him, watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad.' I'm beginning to see that he was right."
I look down to the gem. "Unfortunately, the dragon is right. I fear that madness has already taken Thorin from us." turning back to Bilbo, I give him the gem to put back in his pocket, which he does. "Bilbo, promise me, that under no circumstances that you will give this to Thorin and as soon as you are able, get rid of it."
He looks to me for a moment before he nods. "I promise."
I smile. "Good. And it will be our little secret, alright? No one else must know about this."
He nods as we both go back inside. Maybe now things will continue for the better. . .little did I realise how wrong I will be.
Uh-oh, now the trouble really begins. Hope you all enjoyed this and hope to have the next one up soon xx