Chapter 12: On the freakin' doorstep without a paddle.
"Shouldn't we wait for Gandalf? And the Hobbit?" I called to the others as we continued on our way up to Dale, Thorin sighed and turned to me.
"Do you see Gandalf? Do you see-." He stared over my shoulder in disbelief, I turned around, the wind whipping my hair out of my face as I smiled, spitting out a strand of hair. "Bilbo?" The Hobbit smiled as Thorin rushed to embrace him, patting the Dwarf's back with a tight smile.
"Yes thank you, all. For leaving me behind in Thranduil's kingdom." He said, irked.
"If it makes you feel any better, I got abandoned by the lot of you in Mirkwood as well... Except in the forest not the Elven hole." I called, squinting against the sun as Bilbo rolled his eyes.
"Should have followed us then shouldn't you?" He snapped, Kili cleared his throat and cracked his knuckles Intimidatingly, placing a hand on his sword as I rolled my eyes. "Excuse my snapping Miss Reynolds, it's been rather a long journey."
"For all of us as well, Kili is overreacting. I wasn't worried." I answered coolly, mentally wiping a bead of sweat off my forehead dramatically with a sigh of relief.
"I take it the Elf asked for something in return for letting you go?" Thorin asked, the Hobbit shook his head.
"No, is that wrong?" Thorin shrugged and looked over at me with narrowed eyes.
"Genius here, decided to agree to marry him in return for letting us go." Thorin muttered darkly, I rolled my eyes.
"Loophole though. Always remember the loophole." I grunted, shrugging and sitting down on the floor, actually wiping my forehead this time.
"Yes very clever, are we going or not?" Dwalin worried, getting antsy about being stood around talking.
"Master Dwalin is correct, we should keep looking for the secret entrance."
"Over here! Look over here!" Bilbo cried, pointing his finger up at the side of the mountain, showing us a massive statue of King Thròr, a hidden staircase built into the side of it... Very steep.
"You have sharp eyes Master Baggins." Thorin declared, with a groan, I wiped my clammy hands on the backs of my leggings.
We began the climb at almost midday, the stench of sweat strong from the Company from the heat and steep stairs. Half way up, we stopped for a break and some sustenance. I couldn't eat, I drank but I couldn't keep myself focussed on eating. At the back of the pack, I stopped again at three quarters of the way, breathing heavily and feeling just altogether rank.
"Make sure you don't get left behind again Miss Reynolds!" Bombur called, hauling himself up the next step with difficulty. Even the Dwarves were getting tired from climbing all this way, which surprised me since it was Dwarves that built this, Satan's staircase of torture. Once at the top however, the view over the plains and lake were well worth it, I felt peaceful up here, it was quiet and there was a lovely, cool breeze brushing over me, drying the sweat on my skin.
"Come on, we've got to find the door before the last line of Durin's day." I listened to the despair and fury passing around the Company, to me, it was so obvious it hurt, and I could feel that it was like that for Bilbo as well, because he loved a good riddle almost as much as I loved my nice, memory foam mattress at home.
This got me thinking... A dangerous activity.
What did I miss about home? Other than my bed.
My friends? No. Family? God no. So what made me feel so melancholy and miserable? For the love of all good and green, I was about to fight a bloody dragon and I was getting caught up in memories? I'll tell you what, this is all a mess, the plot line I mean, it shouldn't be happening like this. Kili, Fili, Bofur and Oin should be in Lake Town with Tauriel now, not with us on the side of the Mountain. What would happen if Bard didn't get out of the town? If he didn't know about the Windlance and the history behind it?
"I can't find it! It's not here!" Dwalin growled, I nodded.
"Because Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." It hit me then, the answer that they would understand. "Wait, at the mines of Moria, didn't you have to have moonlight before the doors could be opened?" I asked, Thorin nodded and then a look of realisation dawned over his proud features.
"The last light of Durin's day, will shine upon the keyhole!" Balin gasped, getting it as well as I chewed my lip.
"Probably shouldn't have told you that." I muttered, too quiet for the celebrating company to hear.
"So we wait for the moon?" Nori cautiously inquired, I nodded and then frowned, tugging at the skin on my thumb nervously.
"Apparently."
"Clary? Come and sleep." Fili whispered, his hands clasping my shoulders from behind. I shook my head and chewed the inside of my cheek, pulling a piece of skin away, nibbling and then swallowing just to repeat the process.
"Too worried to sleep... Bilbo's been down there a while." I replied anxiously, he nodded and massaged my shoulders.
"That climb was a killer." He tried again, I nodded.
"Yeah."
"You okay?"
"Fine." I heard Fili sigh and step away from me.
"Is this as good as I'm going to get Clary? Talk to me, you've been distance since we got here, and then freaked out when Bilbo went into the Mountain." He observed, I ignored him.
"The Lass is stressed Lad, this venture is wearing all of us down." Oin commented from his seat by the fire, quiet so he didn't wake the others.
"Aye, it's a big thing for a woman." Bofur agreed, fist bumping Kili who was smoking his pipe silently, watching everything with sharp eyes.
"So you're saying that any other woman could have done it?" I asked, he nodded and grinned as the Mountain quaked, scaring the sleeping company awake. Thorin shouted for us all to get into the Mountain, I felt a jolt in my stomach, slowly following. In his haste, Bombur knocked into the rock keeping the door open, Oin reacted quickly and pulled Bofur back, avoiding a Dwarf pancake.
"Watch out lad." He exclaimed, both of them breath heavily as their hearts slowed again.
"Well, I guess we'll have to stay here for the time being. Too dangerous going back down, besides, Uncle's probably trying to get back to us right now." Kili said, optimism appreciated.
"Of course he is... He wouldn't abandon us, not now." Fili reassured him, patting his brother's back warmly. Oin looked over at me as I stared off into space, trying to keep my mind off the nausea I felt growing.
"You look worried Lass." He noted as I snapped my gaze to him and confused myself.
"What?" Oin chuckled and rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the same time.
"I said, you look worried." He repeated, I shrugged.
"Why wouldn't I be? There is a dragon in there." I reported as the elderly Dwarf locked gazes with me.
"We have to go in there! We have to find a way." Fili said, chomping at the bit as Kili nodded in agreement.
"They'll be killed!" He added, pacing back and forth in anticipation, I sighed and stood up.
"They'll be fine, I promise." I said quietly, Fili drawing away from my hand as I reached to him.
"What would you know!?" Kili snapped, I sighed and turned away from them all, hearing the two Prince's bouncing ideas off each other.
"Lads, let's just sit down and think about this logically." Oin said calmly, watching as he knew I was close to exploding. Being a Healer, Oin had probably delivered a fair few children, even Fili and Kili if I thought hard enough about it, he knew that stress wasn't good for You, neither was anger or fear actually.
"Just stick to healing Old man." Fili sneered, I snapped, turning around and storming over, shoving Kili down to a sitting position and grabbing Fili by his ear.
"Both of you sit down and shut up!" I hissed, hands on my hips as the pair sulked like babies. "Kili, I know this part of your story back to front, do not doubt me when I say the others are fine." He nodded and mumbled an apology, turning his gaze to his boots as I glared at his brother, his blue eyes equally as angry. "And you... Your blatant lack of respect for your elders is disgusting. Oin knows a hell of a lot more about logic and strategy since on any battlefield the oldest are the most experienced, do you know why?" He shook his head, the tips of his ears and nose burning red. "Because they've fought many battles and they haven't been killed." I snarled, he nodded once and stared at his feet. "Apologise to Oin right now."
"You're not the boss of me." He argued petulantly, I growled angrily, scaring him into doing it. "Fine, fine... I apologise for my words Master Oin." He mumbled, the elderly Dwarf nodded and frowned at me.
"Shouldn't have done that Lassie, we Dwarves have thick skin, and they're Prince's Lass, that's an offense worth jailing." He said, I shook my head.
"Just because they're Prince's doesn't mean you should let them talk to you like that. Anyway, no one should have their knowledge questioned." I replied, he nodded and kept looking at me as I breathed deeply, bending slightly.
"You alright Lass?" He asked as I nodded and straightened up.
"I'm fine."
Believe me, the last thing I wanted was to hurt You.