THE DOOR INTO THE MOUNTAIN
Jeanne's head was spiraling out of control, sending her into this overwhelming state of disorientation. Because of the excessive cheering from the townspeople and praises of the Master, it took more than just a little willpower to try and not throw up right there and then, or even pass out. It was harder than she anticipated though while crossing over onto the barge they were given. Her stomach was crawling and slithering around like something was moving inside her, and her skin had shifted to this ugly pasty-green shade that went unnoticed by most people. Jeanne had a very natural fair complexion so no one noticed how bothered she was.
Thorin and Bilbo had taken notice of Jeanne's unusual state, maybe even Dwalin and Balin too since they kept casting glances to her.
Jeanne's uneasiness may have surfaced for a couple of reasons: She didn't like all the cheering or she probably was just nervous because they were so close to the mountain that held a fire-breathing dragon.
Bilbo wanted to ask her what was wrong but Thorin stopped him, placing his hand up and shaking his head. "Don't. Wait till we're far away from the crowd," he said low enough for only him to hear. "I'll ask her myself." He knew Jeanne was a special case. She saw and felt things differently from anyone else, an example being that she knew Azog was close. He was hoping she was just uneasy about the crowd and their excessive cheering...but if it's something more than he'll like to know what it was. "Just watch over her." He patted Bilbo on the back and watched him climb into the barge beside Jeanne, rubbing her back and trying to console her.
Despite the obnoxious cheering they were given, the townspeople were helpful enough to give them new clothes, better weapons, and a barge to cross the lake with. Thorin noticed that Jeanne refused their offerings though and kept her usual chainmail and sword, as well as her normal gray and red hooded dress. The rip that was at the hem of her dress was already repaired by Sigrid. Thorin didn't mind her wearing the clothes she already had with her. They suited her more since they covered her skin and hair, in which she still didn't feel comfortable showing to anyone, not even to her own company.
Bilbo counted everyone as they boarded the Barge. "You do know we're one short? Where's Bofur?" he called to Thorin.
"If he's not here, we leave him behind."
"We'll have to," reminded Balin, "if we're to find the door before nightfall. We can risk no more delays."
They continued to pack everything into the barge when Thorin noticed Kili walking past him. He promptly halted him. "Not you," he said.
This startled Kili. "What are you talking about? I'm coming with you," he said with as much hope as he could but it was fading fast, just as much as his skin color was. His complexion was paler than Jeanne and he honestly looked worse than her.
"No, no."
"I'm going to be there when that door opens. When we first look upon the halls of our father, Thorin." He began to feel his heart swaying with impending dread.
"Kili, stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed." Thorin said earnestly and patted him on the shoulder. Kili only looked disheartened by this sudden act that knocked all the air from his lungs. He could even feel Jeanne's eyes burning a hole in his back when she overheard him.
Thorin had to purposely avoid eye contact from Jeanne when he turned away from Kili to board the barge. Oin suddenly got up though from his spot and got off.
"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded." he proclaimed and bowed his head to Jeanne. "Sorry, Miss Jeanne."
Jeanne's eyes became saddened as a frowned fell to her already pale lips. She couldn't say anything and only patted him on the arm while he went over to Kili.
Fili immediately marched over to Thorin, obviously upset and frustrated. "Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You cannot take that away from him! I will carry him if I must!"
Thorin stays his ground and didn't go back on his word. "One day you will be King and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one dwarf. Not even my own kin."
Fili turns to his wounded and pale brother before suddenly getting off the barge too. Thorin stopped and grabbed him though.
"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the company." Thorin said but Fili yanked his arm off.
"I belong with my brother," he said through his teeth and stomped off towards Kili and Oin.
Jeanne frowned even more and dropped her head, staring down into her lap as Bilbo continually ran his hand up and down her back. She sighed deeply, and inside her heart, she felt a spark of anxiety beginning to boil like water.
The trumpets went off as the barge set off from the dock and down the lake, leaving behind at least half of the company and the rest alone to face down a dragon.
Jeanne's own worries grew worse and worse by the minute.
The air was misty and the snow caps upon the surrounding yet distant mountains became more noticeable the closer they got to their destination. Its large and brilliant figure loomed over them, completely still with not so much as a rumble below their feet: The Lonely Mountain was finally within reach.
Jeanne stood at the very edge of the cliff that overlooks an abandoned city that once held life and pleasures of all kind, but now it harbored no such things left in it, nothing but cobwebs and cracked pottery. The city was a ghost, a shell of its former glorious self. The beauty was not lost on Jeanne though and she truly could visualize such happiness running through the veins of the city...and just the imagination of it made her heart throb with immense excitement.
"Thorin!" Jeanne looked over her shoulder for him to witness the sight with his own two eyes.
He ran up beside her and gazed upon the city of old, one that he hasn't seen in such a long time.
"What is this place?" Bilbo asked and looked at the city with the rest of the company.
"It was once the city of Dale. Now it is a ruin," Balin said grimly with disdain in his voice. "The Desolation of Smaug."
The sheer mention of that name made all the excitement flush out of Jeanne's body, and gradually, she slowly started to shake. Completely frozen in her spot, she fought the ever-growing desire to just break down and cry out of despair and fear, the same fear that been eating at her heart since the beginning of this long journey. It was always there, in the back of her head and under her heart, but now that they came this close...it was that same fear that finally made its presence known.
She didn't want to face the dragon.
The task was far too big and bold for such a small thing, like herself.
"The sun will soon reach midday. We must find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets." Thorin announced. "This way." He turned to move but noticed that Jeanne hasn't made so much as a twitch from her spot, so very close to the edge. "Jeanne," he called her name gently. Thorin placed one hand on her shoulder and finally noticed her excessive shaking. "Jeanne," he spoke more forcefully, not to scare her, but grab her attention.
Jeanne's lips parted very slightly and a weak gasp escaped. She flinched and finally shifted her eyes over to stare at him. "Thorin?" She wished her voice wasn't so weak sounding.
Thorin was taken aback when he looked at her. She was trembling and obviously frightened, so he knew at that moment that he had to talk to her. They didn't have the time but he absolutely felt like the quest will be at a standstill if he didn't listen to her words right there and then. "Jeanne. You're quiet more than usual. Everyone's worried," he told her and guided her away from the edge.
Jeanne blinked before her face twisted to shame, lowering her head to the ground to shrink away from his deep eyes that burned into her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trouble anyone."
He shook his head and squeezed her thin shoulders tightly in his hands. "Don't ever apologize. You've done nothing wrong. We just want to make sure you are alright with this. I want you to be honest with me. If something's bothering you then let me know right away."
Jeanne looked to hesitate for a minute and consider his words. She even noticed that the grip he had on her shoulders was getting excessively tighter by the second. It didn't hurt but it told her that he was very serious about her concerns. "Well...there is a couple...concerns I might have."
"What are they?" Thorin finally released her shoulders, sliding his hands down her arms until dropping them back down to his side. Jeanne felt a volt of electricity run under her skin when he did that, making her heart hurt all at the same time.
"Gandalf," she began. "He's not here yet, right? This is the overlook, the place he said he'll meet us but...he's not here. And you still intend to enter the mountain?"
Thorin bit down on his lips and looked away from her. "You know we don't have the luxury to wait for the wizard anymore. We simply...don't have the time."
"Then what about the dragon? The beast that lies within those halls. Do you honestly expect me to defeat such a creature by myself? You have too much confidence in me if you do."
That made Thorin snap back to attention. "I have nothing but confidence and trust in you."
Jeanne's eyes went wide and she sucked in a deep breath, feeling a fever of warmness throughout her body, as well as a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. Speechless and somewhat out of breath, her mind raced over his words a thousand times a second to try and decipher where she heard those words before and why they sounded so familiar.
"Jeanne..." He spoke her name, only her name..and saw those eyes began to spark once more with a chance...a small chance of 'something', 'anything'. "Do not say those words to me...when I have never been so wrong." Thorin's words held a great deal of pressure but what really broke this 'void', was when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her thin body and pulled her close, crushing her in this warmth that smelled of iron and mountain musk.
Jeanne took in a deep breath and her body began to tremble just as much as her heart shook with it. "I don't get it." Her voice cracked.
"You are my responsibility..." He pulled away and looked at her in the eyes. "And I shall see to it that you survive."
"Do you understand now? You are so worried about being trusted when...I've already done that a long time ago." Never in Jeanne's whole time traveling with him had she heard such honest and soft-spoken words uttered from his deep voice that sent shivers down her spine.
This whole time, she was severely worried about him accepting her than the actual quest itself. Jeanne just felt silly now knowing that he trusted her long before she even realized it.
She opened her mouth but Balin called out to them.
"What are you two doing. Come on! We're going to lose the light."
Still breathless and confused. Jeanne could only watch as Thorin tore his gaze away from her and continued to catch up with the rest of the company. Only then did a small, gasping word escape her quivering lips. "Thorin..." Jeanne said with eyes as glassy as blue gems.
The hidden passageway was in the shape of the stone carvings of the old kings, tucked away in the side of the mountain. After climbing the stairs they came to a simple stone wall that they assumed was the hidden door. It was a bit hard to grasp and understand...that this was the only thing blocking their quest from moving forwards now. The light was fading from the sky and Durin's day will soon be over. If they didn't find a way inside...then it would all be over and the quest and anguish would have been for nothing.
Curious, Jeanne placed her hand against the chilling and cold surface and ran her fingertips across the smooth stone. She placed the side of her face against the wall and closed her eyes for a moment to see if she could hear anything, but of course, it was as silent as Valnora Forest. A frown pressed to her lips and she pulled back, stepping alongside the company to listen to Thorin.
"This must be the hidden door," Thorin said while inspecting the stone slab. His lips turned up into a proud smile when he shifted to face the group that had followed so far. "Let all those who doubted us, rue this day!" he announced while holding the key.
The company cheered in response to his powerful and true words, feeling just as proud of Thorin was. Jeanne was the only one who looked somewhat uneasy, but also a bit happy, gesturing to the small smile she had on her lips.
"Then where's the keyhole?" Jeanne spoke up and grabbed everyone's attention since she spoke the truth.
They had a key so there just had to be a keyhole.
Thorin looked back to the sun that was just about set, exploding in an array of colors. Orange, pink and red. A red the closely resembled Jeanne's hair. "The last light of Durin's day...will shine upon the keyhole," he remembered what the map said.
The company soon got to work to try and find the keyhole with what little light they had left. They moved their hands all over the stone wall to see if they could locate it. The minutes were rolling by quicker then they could search.
"We're losing the light. Come on!" Thorin said, becoming a bit panicked and impatient.
Mumbling under her breath, Jeanne repeated the riddle while glancing up at the orange glowing sun that was just about gone, only a couple seconds left until the light was gone. "Last light...last light...of Durin's day?"
It was beyond vague with little to no explanation.
Suddenly, Bilbo stopped what he was doing and looked over to Jeanne. "Could you repeat that again?" he said like something just suddenly clicked for him.
Jeanne blinked. "The last light of Durin's day will shine upon the keyhole," she repeated as ordered when it clicked for her too. "Shine? If it will shine then...why isn't it doing it right now?" she muttered as Bilbo and herself watched the company began smacking the wall with their weapons since they couldn't find it.
"I don't know... Isn't sunset the last light?" Bilbo frowned.
"That's what I assume." Jeanne's face began to contort with worry. "Is it not?"
They both stayed quiet for at least another five seconds while glancing up at the fading sun. They muttered under their breath while staring up at the sky, the last glow of the sun beginning to burn their eyes.
"The words were written under the moonlight," Jeanne spoke and her eyes became wide. She gently brushed beside Bilbo and went up to Thorin, grabbing him by his shoulder. "Thorin, wait." He sharply turned his head to look at her and Jeanne immediately felt her heart flutter in response. "I believe we're doing it all wrong."
Needless to say, Thorin was a bit startled when Jeanne grabbed him. He also felt a bit irritated that she would stop him when they had such little time left. "What are you talking about. We're about to lose the light." He made sure not to raise his voice but made it firm.
Jeanne swallowed hard and used every ounce of her courage. "You said you trusted me." She felt the muscles on his shoulder tense when she said them, obviously stunning him into muteness. "Please," she said, going as far as to plead with him.
He wanted to keep trying, break down the wall if he had to, but something must've compelled Jeanne to speak up. Only when she did that did he knew she was serious.
Thorin did say he trusted her... and he did...with all his heart.
Slowly, he reached his hand up and grasp her small one tightly. "Alright. We'll do it your way." His voice was soft but vibrated through her whole body, holding her hand and having no intention of letting it go until all the light faded from the sky.
This was it.
He was putting all his fate into her now.
Balin's weak body forced him to sit down. "Thorin...are we really doing this?" He stared at him, bewildered and out of breath.
"Yes."
Spellbounding silence rolled over and everyone stared intensely at the stone wall. Thorin's face was firm while he continued to hold Jeanne's hand. Jeanne though was far too nervous and unsure of herself to even look, resorting to closing her eyes and facing the consequences afterwards if she was wrong.
The light of the sun crept on by...and that was it. The sun had disappeared behind the mountains and nothing but the chilling silence remained. No one said anything though since Thorin was still confident in Jeanne's words. He did nothing but stare at the wall as the minutes rolled by...and rolled by...until-
The clouds in the sky parted and the glassy moon finally appeared. Shinning bright moonlight down upon the stone wall and...right over the keyhole.
Jeanne slowly cracked open one eye and a breath of air escaped her parted lips. "Moonlight..." She glanced over to Thorin and saw the biggest smile climb to his lips. "Thorin?"
He had never once lost confidence in her.
Thorin held the key up but clenched Jeanne's hand tighter while he pulled her over to the keyhole. He placed it inside and was able to turn it all the way around until there was a distinct unlocking noise coming from within. They put one hand each against the wall and gave it a slight push...and the door finally opened. It leads them into the unknown, surrounded by darkness, excitement, and awe.
