I passed out after reading through the night. I laid on the couch with the book on my chest. I felt a tickling as a kiss on my check came. I opened my eyes and look up at Dwalin as he stands above me.
"Morning love." Dwalin said. I sit up with his help. I put the book down.
"Is it morning already?" I ask.
"It is. The baricade is all set up." Dwalin said. I sigh as he pulled me to my feet. "We are needed at the front gate." I nod as we head towards the gate. We follow Thorin as he heads up.
"Come on!" Thorin said. Dwarves laid down their tooks and picked up their weapons as we follow him up the stairs, created in the blockage to the platform they built above the baricade. We look out at the walls of Dale that was filled with elves, prepared for battle. I held my breath. Of course the Wood elves would be here after hearing that Thorin took the Mountain. Bard rides towards the Mountain and stops in front of the gate.
"Hail Thorin, son of Thrain! We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." Bard said.
"Why do you come to the gates of the King Under the Mountain armed for war?" Thorin asked.
"Why does the king under the mountain fence himself in? Like a robber in his hole." Bard said.
"Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed." Thorin said.
"My lord. We have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?" Bard asked.
"Thorin. He took down the dragon. Talk with him." I said. Thorin nods and steps away. He spoke to one of the ravens before it flew off. I watched it fly towards the hill. I wondered what was going on that he was sending a raven. We go down below. I stood between Balin and Dwalin. Dwalin had a hand in the middle of my back. Thorin approached the gate to the hole to talk to Bard.
"I'm listening." Thorin said.
"On behalf of the people of Laketown, I ask that you honor your pledge. A share of the treasure so that they might rebuild their lives." Bard said.
"I will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door." Thorin said.
"That armed host will attack this mountain, if we do not come to terms." Bard said.
"Your threats do not sway me." Thorin said.
"What of your conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is just?! My people offered you help. And in return you bought upon them only ruin and death." Bard said.
"When did the men of Laketown come to our aid, but for the promise of rich reward?!" Thorin asked.
"A bargain was struck!" Bard said. I shook my head as Thorin turned to Bard mad.
"A bargain? What choice did we have but to barter our birthright for blankets and food? To ransom our future in exchange for our freedom? You call that a fair trade? Tell me, Bard the Dragonslayer. Why should I honor such terms?"
"Because you gave us your word. Does that mean nothing?" Bard asked. Thorin turns away from the hole. He leans against the blockade. He looked tired and weary. He looks at the other dwarves. We stood waiting to see what he does.
"Be gone, ere arrow fly!" Thorin shouts. I bite my lip as Bard leaves. "To the platform." We head up to the platform. We watch Bard go.
"What are you doing?! You cannot go to war." I said.
"This does not concern you." Thorin said.
"Excuse me?! But just in case you haven't notice, there is an army of elves out there. And not to mention server hundred angry fishermen. We are in fact outnumbered." I said. Thorin turns to me, smiling.
"Not much longer." Thorin said.
"What does that mean?" Bilbo asked.
"It means Master Baggins, you should never underestimate dwarves." Thorin said. He turned to the whole group. "We have reclaimed Erebor. Now we defend it!" Balin looks away distressed and I look towards Dale, worried. Thorin strides down the steps.
"Come." Dwalin said to Gloin and Bifur. They head to a statue and dislodge the head of one of the statues, causing it to fall and break the raised bridge of the gate. I sigh as I head down the steps. I go and change out of my dress into pants and tunic with my corset wrapped around my waiste. I meet with Bilbo as we go to the armory. I kept my weapons on me.
"Master Baggins, come here!" Thorin said. We walk over as Thorin holds up a tunic of white mail. I saw dwarves suited up and talking.
"You are going to need this. Put it on." Thorin said. Bilbo takes off his jacket. "This vest is made of silver steel. Mithril. It was called by my forebears." Thorin holds it up so Bilbo slides it on. "No blade can pierce it." Bilbo finishes putting it on. The dwarves were watching him.
"I look absurd. I am not a warrior. I'm a Hobbit." Bilbo said.
"It's a gift. A token of our friendship. True friends are hard to come by." Thorin said. He was smiling, but it fades when he looks at the other dwarves. He grabs me and Bilbo and pulls us away so the others couldn't hear us. "I have been blind. Now I begin to see. I am betrayed!" I looked at Thorin in shock.
"Betrayed?" Bilbo said.
"Thorin. What are you talking about?" I said.
"The Arkenstone." Thorin said. He moves closer to us. "One of them has taken it." My heart broke. He was questioning the loyalty of the dwarves. "One of them is false."
"Thorin. The quest is fulfilled. You've won the mountain. Is that enough?" I ask.
"Betrayed by my own kin." Thorin said. I looked towards Dwalin who was talking to Balin, smiling.
"No. You... You made a promise to the people of Laketown. Is this treasure truly worth more than your honor? Our honor, Thorin. I was also there, I gave my word." Bilbo said. Thorin nods.
"For that I'm grateful. It was nobly done. But the treasure in this mountain does not belong to the people of Laketown." Thorin said. He steps back and sigh. My eyes widen as his voice sounded more and more like Smaug as he talked. "This gold is ours and ours alone. By my life I will not part with a single coin! Not one piece of it!" Dwalin came forward fully dressed in armor leading the dwarves to the gate. All of them ready for battle. I turn and go exploring to find chambers. I found the royal markings and push the door opened. Furnature was covered in dust and cobwebs. I put wood in the fireplace and raised my hands to light the fire.
I sat near the fire wrapped in a blanket. My weapons laid on the floor. I stared into the fire. The door opened and looked up to see Dwalin.
"Thorin sent us to bed. Bofur has the first watch. I came looking for ya." Dwalin said. He struggled to get the armor off. I stood up and came to help. "What did Thorin want with ye and Bilbo?" We go and sit down near the fire.
"Thorin is questioning already if anyone of you have it. That's what he was talking to us about. He feels like one of you stole it." I said.
"He is getting worse. Balin is worried." Dwalin said. I gently sit in his lap.
"I don't want war and I have a feeling its not the last we saw the orcs. I am worried, Dwalin." I said. Dwalin touched my face.
"I guess we will see what happens." Dwalin said. I lean up and kiss him.
An little while later. We laid under furs as our clothes laid on the ground. Dwalin drifted off to sleep as I stared at the fire. I hoped we would all would survive to see another day whatever tomorrow. I let sleep take me as I laid my head on Dwalin's shoulder and let sleep take me.
AN: On a roll today. Love how this story is turning out. The battle starts next chapter