Chapter X: Malta Caila

A/N: Apologies for the long wait. There were some difficulties. Anything that is recognize belongs to the Professor and Peter Jackson. I hope the chapter is worth the wait. There is one use of a choice word that begins with the sixth letter of the alphabet. Enjoy! SSD

This is a mess of unforeseen proportions. Then again haru thought it might happen. Why didn't Gandalf stick around?

At the moment, Ashara wasn't quite sure what she'd do the next time she saw the wizard. Yes, the Mountain had been taken. Yes, Smaug was now dead, via a Black Arrow that someone (likely Bard, given what she suspected about his lineage) must have hidden for all this time. Was it worth it, with Laketown destroyed, and an inconveniently timed bout of malta caila from Thorin.

Gandalf should have listened to her grandfather, who likely wanted to be wrong about his fears. But the Istar usually did what he wanted.

Shouts interrupted her dark thoughts. They were four very familiar voices that Ashara was ecstatic to hear: Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Oin were alive and well.

Perhaps the presence of his nephews would snap Thorin back to his usual self.

Several hours later (at least that was what she thought, it was hard for her to tell the time without the sun) Ashara found herself in Erebor's library. The rest of the Company was searching the horde for the Arkenstone. It seemed that Thorin did not want her near the horde, so he had her looking for information about the Arkenstone itself.

Though it took some time, Ashara found some relevant books that were also in Common Tongue. She also found a book she wasn't expecting to find: A romance novel.

Against her better judgement, she removed the book from the shelf.

I could use some mindless entertainment.

The Arkenstone still had not been found, despite near constant searching.

After being badgered by Balin into taking some rest, Thorin found himself walking towards a place he should have spent more time in before Smaug took Erebor: the library.

He was surprised to see Ashara there. There were some rather large books that she'd obviously finished reading. Thorin then remembered that he'd ordered her there to search for information.

The she-elf was completely absorbed in whatever she was reading.

"Enjoying the book?"

He got some amusement when Ashara about jumped out of her skin, moved faster than he'd ever seen her move, and put the book back on the shelf, well out of his reach. The tips of her ears were pinker than normal.

"Is there anything you need," she asked.

"Did you find out any new information?"

"Nothing beyond what you all have told me about, I was taking a break before looking for more books," Ashara replied.

The meeting with Bard had *not* gone well. Thorin was not his usual self.

Bilbo had gone for a walk on the ramparts. As he sat down, something Smaug said flashed through his mind.

"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!"

He reached into his inside coat pocket and took out the Arkenstone that he'd managed to grab when Smaug had tried to roast him.

It's hard to believe the fuss over so small a thing.

Bilbo was so focused on the Arkenstone, he jumped when he heard Ashara hiss "Are you mad? Put that thing away before someone sees it!"

Shoving it back into his pocket, he turned around to face the elf, who's eyes were the size of serving plates.

"Ashara, I can explain everything..." he started before she cut him off.

"I'm sure you can Bilbo. But it could have been Thorin, not me right now. And in his present state of mind, do you think he would bother listening to you trying to explain?!" Ashara's voice was low and almost sounded panicked to Bilbo's ears.

"What is going on with Thorin?"

"Gold sickness. What he's always feared." She then whispered, "Does anyone else know or suspect you have it?"

"Balin. I didn't directly say I had it. He suggested that perhaps it was best it remained lost," Bilbo explained.

"With that as his opinion, he will keep his mouth shut. Now we need a plan. And a heavy dose of luck from the Valar."

With that, Ashara took Bilbo and scurried off to her quarters, where they could talk in private about the plan.

They needed to hurry, as there was an army of Woodland elves outside.

Ashara's heart was in her throat as Bilbo put aside his jacket (with the Arkenstone in a pocket) to put on Thorin's gift of a mithril shirt.

Hopefully no one tells Bilbo of the fact the armored shirt he's wearing is worth more than the Shire!

She did her able best to tune out Thorin's conversation with Bilbo concerning the potential disloyalty of the other dwarves. While doing that, Ashara looked over the armor they were all wearing. It made her own armor look flimsy by comparison.

I rely on speed to fight. My armor is best for my method of fighting. So my armor would be lighter.

It didn't mean her armor couldn't take a hit. Her adar was understandably worried about that, as it had been a lucky hit that had gotten her mother into the river.

Ashara ran her hand across Lightbringer's hilt. The sword seemed to be humming with unspent energy, as if was coming alive for the fight that was to come.

"Lady Ashara, a word," Thorin barked out.

Not wasting any time, Ashara nimble moved through the armory. She doubted that Thorin was in the mood to waste any time.

When she got up to him, he began with, "I know you lost a few of your daggers during the... delay in the Woodland Realm. Here is a suitable replacement."

Ashara took a look at her new dagger after she took it out of its sheath. It was a bit heavier than what she was used to. It also had a wider blade of darkened steel with Khuzdul runes etched onto it. There was also a yellow gemstone set into the pommel.

Reasonably well balanced. I could throw it if I had to.

"Thank you, mellon."

"What does that mean," Thorin asked.

"It means friend."

Thorin didn't seem to know what to do with her statement, but gruffly said, "Stay safe" as he left the armory.

Where in Aulë's name did that come from? Why would he be concerned for my safety?

Unknown to both Thorin and Ashara, they had not been alone in armory.

Bofur had gone back to get an axe for Bifur. He had not expected to see Thorin and Ashara interacting. The two of them had been behaving oddly around each other since the escape from Mirkwood. He had an inkling of what it might be leading to.

It was the little things. Their mannerisms (especially Thorin's, he had a lot of trouble reading the elf's expressions) were telling.

Bofur had never thought that an elf could match a dwarf for stubbornness. Ashara was starting to prove him wrong.

They must not be seen Bilbo repeated in his head as he and Ashara skirted around the patrolling dwarves. If Thorin caught them... Bilbo shuddered and made a gesture against evil.

He figured that Ashara would likely be able to fight her way out of such a situation. But he would likely be a distraction to her.

While on the face of it, her leaving behind the good elven armor may sound like madness, it was a part of the plan. Her part of it to be precise, which he had a great deal of misgivings over the specifics. However it was the only plan they had.

Once they got to the ledge of what had once been Erebor's front gates, Bilbo began tying the rope to the ring. As he finished up, a familiar voice called out, "You two should be inside. Out of the wind.

Thank you Yavanna, it's Bofur, Bilbo thought before stammering, "We, uh.. needed some air. Still stinks of dragon."

Bofur looked like he didn't quite believe them, but did not contradict Bilbo as he looked out over the ramparts. He spoke again, "The elves are moving their archers into position. The battle will be over by tomorrow's eve. Though I doubt we will live to see it."

"If Thranduil has his way, none of us will be shown much mercy," Ashara said.

"These are... dark days," Bilbo couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Dark days indeed. No one could blame a soul for wishing they were somewhere else," Bofur was looking at them with a speculative glint in his eyes. Even a fool would know what he was implying.

But before either of them could speak to contradict him, he said, "It must be near midnight. Bombur's got the next watch. It'll take a bit to wake him" and began to walk down the stairs.

"Bofur, we will see you in the morning," Bilbo replied firmly.

The dwarf nodded, and went on his way.

Once his footsteps had faded, Ashara turned to Bilbo, "Now that we are done with that, come on. We've got a lot to do in not a lot of time. I'll go down first."

She made the climb down look easy to Bilbo. But once he started his way down, he only slipped once.

For the past several months, he'd been feeling the pull North again. However unlike the other times, until he'd actually started back up that way, the Dunedain had been unable to sleep.

Not that Soren slept that much anyways. Nightmares still plagued him of his burned out village, even 15 years later. He'd been to the east of the Misty Mountains before, but not this far north.

It was now, at the end of November, that his final destination came into view. The ruins of Dale seemed to have come alive, mostly due to an army of what appeared to be Woodland elves. He'd heard rumors on the road that Smaug had been killed and that the dwarves had retaken Erebor. Soren didn't put much stock in rumors, but those two seemed to be true at least.

As he made his way into the camp, he heard an only too familiar voice. It was Gandalf.

"You, Bowman. Do you agree with this? Is gold so important to you? Would you buy it with the blood of dwarves?"

The wizard must have seen him out of the corner of his eye when he called out, "Soren son of Conall, where in the blazes have you been?"

"South, as you well know. Do you think I came up this way for the fucking scenery?"

"It will not come to that. This is a fight they cannot win!" The bowman replied.

Before the wizard could reply, an out of breath voice called out, "That won't stop them. You think the dwarves will surrender, they won't they will fight to the death to defend their own." It was a hobbit and with him was...

"Ashara what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, mellon iaur"

"If I am not mistaken this is the Halfling who stole the keys to my dungeon from under the nose of my guards," Thranduil growled.

Bilbo said the only thing he could really say, "Yes... Sorry about that."

Ashara then snickered, "Well your guards were drunk while on duty. Made it much easier."

You're not helping Ashara, Bilbo groaned in his head before saying, "I came to give you this."

The Arkenstone certainly got everyone in the tent's attention. The elf king and Bard came to their feet.

"The Heart of the Mountain" Thranduil breathed "The King's Jewel."

"And worth a King's ransom," Bard added before asking, "How is this yours to give?"

"I took it as my 14th share of the treasure," Bilbo replied.

He noticed that the Man he did not recognize grin at that. Gandalf did as well.

"Why would you do this? You owe us no loyalty," Bard queried.

"I'm not doing it for you. I know the dwarves can be obstinate, pig-headed, difficult, suspicious, secretive, with the worst manners you can possibly imagine, but they are also brave, kind, and loyal to a fault," Bilbo paused to catch his breath before continuing, "I've grown very fond of them, and I would save them if I can. Now Thorin values this stone above all else. In exchange for it's return, I believe he will give you what you are owed. There will be no need for war."

"And what is your part in this plan Lady Ashara," Thranduil asked.

"That's simple really: I am going to be the one taking the fall for the theft of the Arkenstone.

I have their attention now

Ashara continued with "There will need to be an explanation for how the Arkenstone came to me in your hands. It was stolen yes, but we need for Oakenshield to think that it was not Bilbo that did it." Turning towards the hobbit who had become a friend she said, "No offense Bilbo, but if it came to a fight, I would not place any bets on you lasting long at all."

"None taken," the hobbit replied.

"Is he really that far gone," Bard asked.

"Oakenshield is not himself. I would rate that the gold fever has nearly consumed his mind," Ashara replied. She knew she was not looking anyone in the eye at that statement.

"So you are basically using yourself as bait," Soren bit out with narrowed eyes.

"That would be correct," Turning towards Bard, she asked, "I will need to visit the armory to find armor for myself."

"What makes you think we are going along with this," Thranduil asked.

Feeling Soren's eyes boring into her, Ashara replied, "Like I said to Bilbo: It's the best one we've got."

A/N 2: Soren is a character that I have been waiting to introduce for a long time. Picture him as Jerome Flynn in his performance as Bronn in Game of Thrones. Looking forward to hearing what you all think. Oh and Happy Friday the 13th! SSD

Time for translations...

Sindarin/Quenya

malta caila- gold sickness

haru- grandfather

adar- father

mellon- friend

mellon iaur- old friend