Chapter 22

All rights go to Peter Jackson and Tolkien respectively, I only own my OCs.

It was hard for Bilbo, seeing Thorin slowly starting to act more and more desperate to find the Arkenstone. Bilbo had been sent in to the dragon's hoard to find the Arkenstone, the key to uniting the dwarves against Smaug. He thought back to how reluctant Thorin had been to let Bilbo come on the quest as their burglar, and he had to admit he himself was just as reluctant to go.

Where is he? He found himself frantically wondering as he pinned himself against a massive stone pillar as he hid from the dragon's fiery breath. Bilbo had awoken it alright, and it had not taken long for Smaug to see through Bilbo's flattery and gather that the dwarves had come. He forced himself to think of how Thorin had embraced him as a member of the company on the Carrock and not of how eager he had been to send Bilbo into the dragon's lair.

"You have been used, thief in the shadows. You were only ever a means to an end." Smaug taunted. The colossal dragon's voice was just as big as he was, booming and shaking the entire mountain in his rage. Bilbo shook his head vehemently from behind his pillar. Smaug wanted him to come out. "The coward Oakenshield has weighed the value of your life and found it worth nothing."

"No, no, no, you're lying!" Bilbo insisted as tears welled up in his eyes from the dragon's heat and his implications. Where are you Thorin?!

"What did he promise you? A share of the treasure?" Smaug continued mercilessly. "As if it was his to give. I will not part with a single coin," He spat. "Not one piece of it!" Bilbo looked around for an escape as he sensed the dragon's growing impatience. Then he saw it.

The Arkenstone, glittering and magnificent, lay just outside his safe place with an innocent look. It had no idea the trouble it caused. Bilbo huffed in frustration and fear and decided to run. He sprinted out toward the Arkenstone and was so close that his fingers brushed it before Smaug whipped his tail and sent both Bilbo and the King's Jewel flying into the air.

"My teeth are swords! My claws are spears! My wings are a hurricane!" Smaug boasted his victory. He stood as tall as ever, spreading his wings in grandeur before a cowering Bilbo. Bilbo stood bravely as he shook in fear. His keen eyes focused on a missing scale on Smaug's left side in the chest.

"So it is true!" Bilbo whispered in delight to himself. "The black arrow found its mark."

"What did you say?" Smaug snapped dangerously.

"I uh um I was just saying your reputation precedes you, oh Smaug the tyrannical. Truly, you have no equal on this earth." Bilbo recovered. Smaug watched the hobbit skeptically as he crept closer to the Arkenstone. Bilbo stole a glance to it as he went, and Smaug noticed.

"I am almost tempted to let you take it," Smaug growled, startling Bilbo. "If only to see Oakenshield suffer, watch it destroy him, watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad."

"No…"

"But I think not. I think our little game ends here. So tell me, thief, how do you choose to die?"

"I cannot feel her presence anymore." Erich growled to himself, an unfamiliar dread filling him. Azog stood beside him, eyeing the strange man with impatience. Erich noticed and switched to black speech. "The time has come for you to collect your armies from Dol Guldur, we march upon the mountain as soon as they have disposed of the dragon."

"Who is to say that they will kill the beast?" Azog answered in the language. Erich grinned maliciously, thinking of the book in Nina's world. A man of Laketown would slay the beast.

"Have faith in our master, they will kill Smaug." He ordered, sending Azog away with the wave of a hand. Azog growled, looking as if he wanted to take the stupid man's head off right there, but instead he mounted his Warg and set off for Dol Guldur. They would need every Orc in order to take the mountain.

"You lot, wait here for my return," He turned to the few Orcs he had not sent to Laketown. "I have unfinished business here."

He knew that the elves had come and killed every Orc he had sent, but he was not sure if they had killed Nina. He had wanted the dwarves to see who she was now before they died, but now he wondered if his merciless motives had put her in danger. No doubt her powers could protect her, but she hadn't used them at all yet under his influence. He began to make his way across the bridge to Laketown when he stopped in his tracks. A massive wave of blue light emerged from the house where the dwarves had been and it rushed through the area for miles before dissipating. He shielded his eyes from the bright force. Nina.

"That girl…" He growled to himself as he began sprinting across the bridge. He couldn't feel her presence with him anymore, not because she was dead, but because she had fought it off. He needed to get her back and quickly, if his plan was to work.

It had been only minutes after Nina's healing of Kili—and herself—that she had felt panic set in again as the others informed her of Smaug awakening. She wringed her hands nervously as she paced along Kili's bedside.

"Nina, it's alright." Fili said, trying to calm her. Oin was busy discussing elvish medicine with Tauriel, who had made up a poultice for a cut Bain had gotten from the Orcs. Clearly no one planned to do anything about Smaug.

"No it's not, Fili." She met him with an unreadable gaze. The events of the story were racing around in her head. Smaug was awake, and the sooner he woke up the sooner he died, and then the sooner the line of Durin would die in battle. She was starting to realize just how close they were to the deaths that had haunted her the whole journey. How close they were to war. Before anymore could be said by either of them, Kili stirred awake. Both turned to him in concern, but the color had almost completely returned to his face and he sat up on the bed with ease.

"Brother don't you ever scare me like that again!" Fili cried as he rushed to embrace him. Nina smiled at the two. She had not been mind-controlled too terribly long, but it felt like ages when she saw the brothers happy as they were before.

"I'll do my best." Kili chuckled, his signature grin returning. Fili turned to Nina, whose smile was now fading as she thought more of how the battle was fast approaching.

"Nina," He sighed, moving to her. "My brother is alive, and you are back to us. I do not know what will happen with that dragon, so for the few moments we have now can you just focus on the good that has happened?" Kili watched her carefully, wondering what was wrong. She nodded reluctantly. She wouldn't stop being worried about what was happening, but she would put on a good face for them.

"You're right." She sighed with a tight smile. Fili nodded and moved to check on Bard's children, leaving her alone with Kili. She gulped nervously as he slid over to give her room to sit. Not that she needed much room, she had lost quite a bit of weight from the sporadic diet of going on a quest with dwarves.

"Thank you." Kili peeped from beside her. Nina felt a twinge in her heart at hearing his gentle voice again after hearing nothing but his screams not long ago. Kili was safe.

"Don't mention it, that's what friends are for." She replied sarcastically. She glanced up at him to see that he was completely serious. She suddenly felt self-aware and awkward.

"Nina."

"What?"

"Tell me what happened to you." He stared at her expectantly. "In Mirkwood that man took you away, and then the next thing I know you're trying to kill me at the elven gate. And now you've saved my life and you're my Nina again?"

"Your Nina?" Nina replied, giving him a warning glance even though her voice was shaking noticeably. Kili bowed his head.

"I suppose not," He mumbled. "Please tell me."

"He, Erich is his name, took me back to his evil lair I guess and he did something to me to control my mind." Nina tried to explain. "Kili if I did anything to hurt you I'm so sorry it wasn't me—"

"Nina, I knew that it was not you. I just didn't know why." He stopped her. He noticed her worried expression and gave her a smile. "I am very glad you are back with us now, though."

"I don't know how I did it. And I don't know if Erich will let me go." She looked around nervously. Admittedly, she hadn't thought of Erich at all since she had freed herself from him, but now that she had a moment to process all that had happened, she wondered if he would just let her go.

"He will not have a choice in the matter, not while I am alive." She heard Kili growl quietly from beside her. She decided not to comment on it. Instead, she looked at him, and it dawned on her that she hadn't really had the chance to register what he looked like yet. She didn't remember anything she had experienced while under Erich's influence, but even after healing Kili she hadn't really gotten to see him and focus on him.

"I guess I already knew what you looked like." She said quietly, not sure if she should refer to the night he had kissed her or not. He looked back at her and smiled.

"Sorry if I'm disappointing at all." He smirked. Nina rolled her eyes at the dwarf.

"Shut up."

"I miss this."

"What?"

"Me teasing you and you pretending to take offense."

"Who's to say I'm not offended?" Nina gave him a pointed glare. He looked a little cautious, but soon realized she was joking again. They both gave a small laugh, before lapsing into silence as their thoughts wandered to what was coming ahead.

"The others are in the mountain by now." Kili informed her after a moment. She looked surprised.

"They left you in that condition?"

"It was important to Thorin that they reach the mountain in time, he couldn't afford another delay." Kili spat, sounding like he was almost mocking his uncle. Nina decided not to pry on the subject, though obviously there had been a disagreement.

"Well I'm sure—"

"There you are." Nina's blood ran cold as the familiar voice of Erich cut through the room. Everyone had frozen—Bard's children, Tauriel, the dwarves and Nina. She swallowed hard and forced herself to stand up, meeting his dark gaze. He sneered. "I've been looking for you."

"I want you to leave." Nina replied, albeit shakily.

"Come, sadril." He scoffed. Nina did not move, even when he began to approach. "Or have you forgotten who it is you are to be loyal to?"

"You lied to me, a lot." She spat. "So answer this: why should I be loyal to you in any way?"

"I took you in, I gave you sight!"

"I didn't ask for it!" Nina screamed, fighting back tears as she imagined having to go back with him. "You took me against my will!"

"And what about the girl that was with you when you took her? Where is she?" Oin piped up, shooting Erich an accusing look. Who knew what this man was doing to the poor girls he took.

"She is where she belongs." Erich spat.

"Who?" Nina cut in. She struggled to remember anything after being taken by Erich. He fixed her with an unreadable yet fearful look. Her tone quieted. "Who did you take?"

"Madison." Her heart leapt into her throat as Nina thought of Erich killing her sister, which no doubt he had. She couldn't breathe, her big sister, her only sister, how could she be gone?

"No…no…no…" She gasped falling back in shock. Kili quickly stood up and pushed her upright again.

"Have you no heart at all?" He glared daggers at the man before them all. Erich glared back, not missing how protective Kili was over Nina.

"She is safe. A little heartbroken, perhaps, but I sent her home to her world and her father." He replied, mostly to Nina. She met his eyes.

"You didn't…kill her?"

"You are my servant, sadril. I extended some mercy."

"She is not your servant!" Fili stepped in at Nina's other side. "She is part of the company of Thorin Oakenshield and you have no further purpose here." The dwarves made it a point to brandish their weapons, and Tauriel approached with her daggers in hand.

Erich looked around. Clearly, sword or not he would not be able to take three armed dwarves and an elf captain all at once, not to mention any skills Nina might remember from him. He had no doubt lost her, and he knew challenging them now would only get him killed. If he wanted the girl's power on his side in the future, he would have to be patient now. Patience, he thought, would make the dwarves' deaths sweeter.

"Well I see that I've been beaten."

Author's Note:

I'm sorry this one is a bit of a short filler, but important stuff happened so it was needed. I promise more action next chapter, especially as we get closer to the big battle!

As always, let me know what you think of this one and until next chapter!