Hey guys! Quicker update for you all! Hope you enjoy this chapter! And please don't be mad at the end.

Review responses;

Guest – You're welcome, I'm glad to have been of some help xx

CrystalVixen93 – I'm glad you love it so! Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy xx

Dinosaur Imperial Soldier – Yup, it is nice. As for Violet, obviously she'll be going to the armoury since Kili will as well, as for after. . .you'll see.


Preparations for Departure

Just before the sun sets that night, after Bard disappears for whatever reason, Thorin decides it's time for us to leave, break into the armoury and gather what weapons we can before making a break for the mountain.

Once we manage to leave the house, even with Bain trying to stop us, we make our way along the paths, keeping to the shadows so we are not seen. We finally find the armoury hid behind an upside down boat while half of the dwarves make a stairway with their bodies to an open window on a higher level.

"Shh! Keep it down!" Dwalin hisses to some others who start talking.

"As soon as we have the weapons, we make straight for the mountain." Thorin informs us before looking around and nudging Nori on. "Go, go, go!"

Nori runs along the path and climbs over the dwarf staircase and climbs into the window.

"Next."

Bilbo runs along and does the same thing. Bofur, Kili and I are the next ones through with Thorin being the last, the rest of the dwarves waiting outside. As Bilbo and the dwarves are upstairs gathering weapons, I wait downstairs by the door, keeping a look out for any guards and keeping watch of the other dwarves. I whip around at the sound of Kili's cry and the clanging noise of weapons.

"Kili!" I run over to him as he's laid out on the stairs.

I look up at the sound of the guards coming closer.

"Run!" I hear Dori yell out from outside.

Moments later, the doors burst open and I am grabbed and pulled away from Kili a knife pressed to my throat as a sword is at Kili's stopping him as he was about to come to me.


We are pushed and pulled as the guards leads us along the streets, people gathering to find out what is going on.

"Get off of me!" I hear Dwalin growl at the guard holding him.

We are lead to some sort of square outside of a large house. I stand close to Fili and Kili, shoving off the hands of the guards as I do so. The doors to the house opens and a large man walks out, putting on his coat. Alfrid walking out behind him.

"What is the meaning of this?" the man, who I am now assuming is the Master, grumbles in agitation at being disturbed.

"We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire." Braga informs him.

"Ah. Enemies of the state, then."

"This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire." Alfrid sneers, causing me to glare at the man.

Dwalin steps forward. "Hold your tongue. You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!"

Dwalin gestures at Thorin, who also steps forward, placing a hand on his friends shoulder as he stand in the middle. The crowd murmurs in amazement.

"We are the dwarves of Erebor."

The crowd whispers in shock and recognition, and people crane their heads to see better.

"We have come to reclaim our homeland. I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbour, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the centre of all trade in the North."

Thorin is speaking earnestly to the crowd, and the people nod in agreement.

"I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!"

The people cheer and clap, and the Master looks on, calculating. Suddenly, a voice calls out over the crowd, and Bard strides forward.

"Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all."

The people whisper anxiously.

"You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!"

The people shout in excitement and they applaud. I notice the Master looking on, smiling and nodding at this turn of events. His smile unnerves me slightly. I can tell this is a man who doesn't care about his people. As long as he has wealth and food, his people can starve.

"Why should we take you at your word, eh? We don't know nothing about you. Who here can vouch for your character?"

No one says anything for quite some time, and for a moment, I fear no one will, before Bilbo, standing in the crowd, raises his hand.

"Me. I'll vouch for him. Now, I have travelled far with these dwarves through great danger, and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word, then he will keep it."

I just smile at the hobbit. When I first met him at Trollshaw, he was a small, scared thing, so nervous around the dwarves and skittish about everything. But now, he, like myself, have developed a close bond with the dwarves.

"All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!"

The people quiet down and shake their heads sadly.

"Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!"

"No!" the people shout.

"And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a mountain-king so riven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!"

As Bard and Thorin stare at each other angrily, the crowd gets louder, but then the Master steps forth.

"Now, now, we must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!"

The Master points accusingly at Bard, and the crowd begins to clamour. As Bard looks away, Thorin looks at him in shock and anger.

"It's true, sire. We all know the story: arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark."

Bard looks around as the crowd yells angrily at him, which I do not think is fair. How can anyone judge a man from missing the aim of a FLYING dragon? Even the most skilled elf would miss the shot. Bard then strides forward and speaks to Thorin earnestly.

"You have no right, no right to enter that mountain!"

"I have the only right."

Thorin turns and faces the Master.

"I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?"

The people quietly watch in anticipation.

"What say you?"

The Master thinks for several seconds, then smiles and points his finger at Thorin.

"I say unto you. . .welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!"

The Master opens his arms in welcome, and the crowd erupts in cheers. Bard looks on silently. Thorin climbs up a few steps and turns to face the audience; the people hug each other in excitement and joy. Thorin and Bard stare at each other before the man turns and leaves.

That night, we spend it in the Masters house as he puts on a celebration with drink, food and music. I sit back alone, not in any mood to celebrate. Thinking about this task at first is such an honourable task, to be able to reclaim a lost homeland, and give the dwarves back the place they belong, but now I think more about it, I cannot help but think is there a point to it? I will always agree and be on the same side as the dwarves, but I also cannot stop thinking about what Bard had said. He is right that if we awaken the beast, he could easily crash through the walls of Erebor and turn his anger onto the people of Laketown, burning it and the people into the ground.

So deep into my thoughts I am, I don't notice Bilbo sitting next to me until he speaks.

"Are you alright, Violet?"

I look to him for a moment before nodding. "I'm fine. Just thinking about the quest."

He nods. "Is what Bard said getting to you also?"

"Aye. I feel so torn. I'm with Thorin, and will stop at nothing to help him reclaim his home, but. . ."

"There's the worry for the people here."

At my agreement of his statement, he sighs.

"We just have to hope that we can stop the dragon before anything like that happens."

I nod, praying to Yavanna that we can keep this town safe.


The next morning comes, and once we have donned the armour we have been given by the Master, we leave the house and make our way to the docks.

"You do know we're one short; where's Bofur?" Bilbo asks.

Looking around, I also notice that the hatted dwarf is missing.

"If he's not here, we leave him behind." Thorin informs us.

Balin nods. "We have to, if we're to find the door before nightfall. We can risk no more delays."

Arriving at the boat, we all begin to board. However, Thorin stops Kili before he can get in the boat.

"Not you. We must travel with speed, you will slow us down."

I look up to see Kili smiling, thinking Thorin is joking.

"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you."

"No."

Fili, who is standing next to me, turns and looks at Thorin and Kili.

"I'm going to be there when that door is opened, when we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin."

"Kili, stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed."

Thorin lays his hand on Kili's shoulder and smiles at him, but Kili looks shocked and betrayed. Thorin turns to board the boat. Kili turns away. Oin gets out of the boat.

"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded."

I just look to Kili, a look of hurt of sadness on my face as I watch him pulling away from Oin as the dwarf is trying to examine him.

Fili stands up to Thorin. "Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You can't take that away from him!"

"Fili."

"I will carry him, if I must!"

"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 looks at Kili, then steps out of the boat. Thorin tries to stop him.

"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the Company."

"I belong with my brother."

Fili pulls away from Thorin and goes to join Kili and Oin. Looking over to Kili, I know there is no way I can leave him. The dwarf I love is seriously injured and ill, how can I just turn away now? Getting out of the boat, I begin to make my way over before Thorin grabs my arm.

"No. You will stay with us. I need everyone I can to finish this. I cannot afford to lose anyone else. You will come with us."

"But, Thorin, I-"

"You have no duty or obligation to stay with him, unlike Oin and Fili. Give me one reason why I should let you stay."

Remembering our promise to say nothing of our secret courtship to anyone, especially Thorin, I don't say anything. I can't say anything.

Thorin nods. "Come."

As he gets in the boat, I turn to Kili to see him looking to me. He gives me a slight nod as I give him a small, apologetic smile before going back in the boat. Music plays as the Master stands and addresses the people, but I don't pay attention as I keep my gaze on Kili, asking the Valar to protect him, help him and let him return to us soon.

I hold onto the side of the boat as the others use the oars to sail out of town. I turn away as I soon lose sight of Kili and the others. Reaching into my pocket, I feel the stone Kili gave me in the dungeons and think of his promise to me.

"Return to me soon, my love. . ." I think to myself as we get further away from Laketown.


Hunched over in pain, Kili sits on the crate and watches as Violet drifts further and further away from her. He wishes beyond anything that he could be there with her, to protect her as she goes into the mountain to face the dragon. But, what can he do? He can barely stand as it is. . .why she chose to fall in love with such a weak and helpless dwarf is beyond him. . .

Bofur suddenly pushed his way through the crowd, watching as the others are far off down the canal. He then turns and notices the three dwarves.

"Ah! So you missed the boat as well?"

Before anything more can be said, Kili suddenly moans in pain and begins to fall over, but Fili catches him.

"Kili? Kili!"

Oin tries to examine him.

"Oin! What's wrong!?" Fili asks worriedly.

"I don't know lad! But we need to get him some help, and fast!"

"Maybe the Master can help us." Bofur suggests.

Fili and Bofur hold Kili up between them and the five of us rush off to the Masters house. They reach the house to see the Master and Alfrid striding up the stairs. They push past the guards lined up outside, making room for the dwarves.

"Please, wait!" Fili shouts out.

The Master and Alfrid turns to the four of them.

"Please, we need your help. My brother is sick." Fili begs.

"Sick? Is it infectious?" The Master asks as he covers his mouth with a cloth. "Get back. Alfrid, Alfrid, don't let them come any closer!"

Fili's heart drops as he realises they won't help them. Oin steps up to try to convince them.

"Please. We need medicine."

"Do I look like an apothecary?" Alfrid asks. "Haven't we given you enough? The Master's a busy man. He hasn't got time to worry about sick Dwarves. Be gone with you, clear off."

The guards push the dwarves away, Fili and Bofur trying to keep Kili from falling out of their grasps.

"What do we do know?" Fili asks, sounding desperate.


Well, there we have it. Violet and Kili are separated for a time. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please stay tuned for the next one. Keep your lovely reviews coming xx