~Seventeen~
~War Comes to the Mountain~
"Dahlia, Thorin wishes to see you," Dwalin told her. "In the throne room."
She wondered if he had somehow caught the knowledge of her sneaking out and helping the townspeople against his wishes.
But when she arrived in the great hall and stood before the throne, Thorin gave her a smile, a warm smile. She hadn't seen him smile, and certainly not like that, since their return to Erebor.
"Dahlia." He reached out and took both of her hands in his own. "I know that this will come as no surprise for we have been betrothed since we were both young. The Arkenstone still has yet to be found, but now, now that we are finally home, and now that the Mountain has finally been reclaimed, I am officially asking you, Lady Dahlia Ironfoot, to be my wife and to rule at my side as Queen of Erebor."
She blinked back at him. "Are you proposing to me?"
"Yes, is it not obvious?"
She scoffed. "Yes. But I am amazed that you have the audacity to ask me such a question when you do not deserve such an answer." She pulled away from him.
"You dishonour our marriage arrangement?"
"Yes, yes in fact I do. Because the Dwarf standing before me now is nothing like the one I pledged myself to those years ago. I would marry that Thorin, yes, but you, never. And as for the Stone, I hope you never find it!"
"The Arkenstone is within these halls - no one rests until it is found!"
Their shouts echoed back to each other across the vast hall, bouncing off the stone walls and ringing long afterwards within their ears.
War was coming. That morning, Bard and King Thranduil would present Thorin with the Arkenstone in exchange for what they were owed. At first she had had full faith in Bilbo's plan of getting Thorin to give over what was owed by finally receiving the Stone, but now Dahlia was growing more and more uncertain. She didn't know for certain what would happen, no one did, but a storm was definitely brewing, that much was for sure.
She prayed to their ancestors and fallen kin that all would go well, that all would work out.
"Please don't do anything rash," she requested of Thorin, who was still bitter for her turning him down.
Thranduil and Bard, each leading their respective armies of Elves and Men, arrived before the gates of Erebor. The warm welcome they received was Thorin shooting an arrow down at them, the arrow striking the ground before them.
"I will put the next one between your eyes!" Thorin promised.
The Dwarves hooted and hollered in mocking - that was until with one simple gesture, Thranduil's entire army raised their own bows up at them. With another similar gesture, the army stood down.
"We have come to tell you that payment for your debt has been offered. And accepted."
"What payment? I gave you noting. You have nothing."
"We have this-" Bard produced the Arkenstone from his pocket.
"They have the Arkenstone!" Kili was the first to break the shocked silence that had settled over the Dwarves at this reveal. "Thieves! How came you by our birthright?"
"That stone belongs to the king!" roared Dwalin.
"And the king may have it, with our good will. So long as he honours his word."
"They are taking us for fools - this is a ruse. A filthy lie," Thorin said. "The Arkenstone is in this mountain - it is a trick!"
"I-it's no trick," piped up Bilbo. "The stone is real, I gave it to them, I took it as my fifteenth share."
Thorin turned t him. "You would steal from me?"
"Steal from you? No, no, I may be a burglar but I'd like to think I'm an honest one. I'm willing to let it stand against my claim."
"Your claim?" scoffed Thorin. "You have no claim here you miserable rat!"
"I was going to give it to you. I was. Many times I wanted to, but-"
"But what, thief?"
"You are changed Thorin. The Dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word. Would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin."
"Do not speak to me of loyalty, traitor. Throw him from the rampart!"
No one moved at his order, just stood in shocked silence.
"Did you not here me? I'll do it my self." Thorin grabbed Bilbo.
"No, Thorin no!" Dahlia jumped between them. "We will not allow this."
"If you don't like my burglar, then please don't damage him!" came Gandalf's holler from below. "Return him to me. You're not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain are you, Thorin, son of Thrain."
"Never again will I have dealings with wizards or shire rats!" Thorin shouted back.
"Go!" Bofur helped Bilbo as he scrambled down the side of the wall with the help of a rope. Dahlia was quick to follow him.
"We do not ask much, just what we were owed," Bard called. "Please, King Thorin. Will you have peace or war?"
"I will have war!"
Suddenly, a looming shadow appeared over the hills. The Dwarves bean to cheer as it turned out that shadow was an army.
"By my beard!" cried Dahlia, recognizing them right away.
"Who is that? He doesn't look very happy," said Bilbo.
"Dain Ironfoot, Lord of the Iron Hills," Gandalf told him. "Thorin's cousin."
"Are they alike?" asked Bilbo.
"I've always found Thorin the more reasonable of the two."
"I won't tell my father you said that," said Dahlia.
"Good morning, how are we all?" called Dain. "I have a wee proposition if you wouldn't mind giving me a few moments of your time. Would you consider - JUST SODDING OFF! ALL OF YOU! RIGHT NOW!"
"That's Adad alright. Adad!" Dahlia stepped forward.
"Dahlia! My wee lass! Come here will ye-" Dain leapt off his boar's back and gave his daughter a crushing hug. "How are ye?"
"Eh, fairly well, all things considered. You?"
"Good, good."
"Fergie's looking great." Dahlia scratched her father's prized boar under the chin, receiving a snort of approval. "Adad, Thorin's gone mad, mad with Dragon-Sickness. This war is brewing because of it. But we can still stop it."
"If I may, My Lady-" Gandalf stepped forward.
"Ah, Gandalf the Grey. Tell this rubble to stand down or I'll water the ground with their blood!" Dain yelled.
"Lord Dain." Gandalf bowed his head. "There is no need for war between Dwarves, Men, and Elves. A legion of Orcs marches upon the Mountain. Stand your army down."
"If he stands between me and my kin, I'll split his pretty head open! See if he's still smirking then!" The smirk continued to crawl up King Thanduil's face at Dain's threat.
Suddenly, the ground shook beneath them, with such force it nearly knocked everyone off balance.
Giant worm-like creatures sprouted from the ground, leaving massive holes - tunnels from which a flood of Orcs were marching through towards them. A blast of a horn signaled their approach.
"You said legion of Orcs?" cried Dahlia.
"Oh come on!" cried Dain. "Let's give these bastards a good hammering!" He raised his own hammer as though for emphasis.
"By my beard!" cried Dahlia as her father and his army charged towards the rapidly approaching enemy.
"The hordes of hell are upon us! To battle! To battle Sons of Durin!"
"And daughters," muttered Dhalia.
And they charged.
Took me longer than I'd hoped, but here it finally is, another chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)
