Note: Italics is thoughts, unless specified otherwise i.e flashbacks or visions. / is timeskip
"And where have you been, my Queen?"
Alexas's eyes closed as she heard Thorin's footsteps approach her, his Queen? What is even... What?! The pounding of her heart grew louder as she sensed him come to stand behind her.
Flexing her fingers, she glanced down at the bread in her hands and put on a smile before turning to face the Dwarf. "Thorin, hey! What brings you here?" she asked, her cheerful tone hiding just how nervous she was.
"This was my old room," he told her offhandedly before his eyes fell upon her hands. "What is that?" he asked, his tone now dark and suspicious as he pointed at the Lembas bread in her hands.
His old room? Of course, Alexa sighed, will of the force aye? Wow. Gritting her teeth, Alexa willed herself to remain calm. Never losing eye contact with the stoic Dwarf, a dumbfounded expression fell upon her face. "Oh, this? It's just a traditional bread of my people. Though not exactly, as Middle-earth does not have all of the ingredients." She rambled, "But it's all about sentiment, right? With the Elves out front with their army it's like a last meal thing ya know? Not that we are going to lose or anyt-"
Alexa paused suddenly, a nervous laugh leaving her, "Eh, Thorin?" she asked timidly. Why she was acting like this? Well, the once suspicious and stoic Dwarf in front of her was now smiling. SMILING!
"You carried it all this way?" he asked, his gruff tone replaced with a soft one as he looked at her.
"Oh, uh yeah. Yeah, I did. Do you want some?" Alexa replied sheepishly, holding the ELVISH bread up to Thorin.
She watched as Thorin glanced down at the bread, his sweet smile never faltering. "If you would allow me."
- Time Skip -
THIRD POV
Alexa now stood on the far left of the ramparts amongst the company, who were all dressed for battle. At every exhale, a barely visible white vapour escaped from her lips. It was warmer than last night, with most of the frost having melted, however, it was still cold.
Dressed in her Jedi outfit, her hands rested on the railing of the rampart. Alexa looked out at the golden Elven army that now stood before the gates of Erebor. Worry struck her as Bard and the Elf prick Thranduil made their way through the Elf ranks and approached the newly constructed wall that the company had built and were currently standing on.
From what she had seen in her most recent vision, she knew that Bilbo had left to give Bard and therefore Thranduil the Arkenstone. Alexa had hoped that once Bilbo had given them the stone, he would stay away, but he hadn't. He now stood next to her, overlooking the army before them. Alexa knew she would have to be ready to protect him from Thorin's fury when they showed the Arkenstone to the company as it wouldn't be long before they told them that Bilbo had given it to them.
Speaking of Thorin, he was looking far stronger and healthier than earlier; the colour had returned to his face, and the bags under his eyes were steadily fading. So, that answered the question as to whether or not Alexa had prepared the Lembas bread correctly. Thorin had eaten most of it too. The thought brought a smile to her lips, but he was still under the sickness. Not that she was too worried as Master Qui-Gon had told her that Thorin would escape the sickness in time, though that didn't mean she wouldn't try to push the process along. Now she could only wait for the opportunity for phase two to present itself.
A twang sounded in her ears as Thorin shot an arrow towards Bard and Thranduil, breaking her from her thoughts. The arrow struck the ground just before the Elf King's Elk; causing the creature to stop abruptly.
"I will put the next one between your eyes." the raven-haired King threatened, his fingers notching another arrow to shoot at Thranduil. The Dwarves cheered at his words, but Alexa only clenched her jaw. Did they not understand that it was fifteen against thousands? Or did they just not care anymore? Probably the latter, she mused, huffing a laugh.
With a subtle tilt of Thranduil's head, the first few rows of Elves notched their own arrows and aimed them towards the company. Expecting this, Alexa merely rolled her eyes and remained standing despite Bilbo pulling at her tunic.
The rest of the company quickly followed Bilbo and ducked behind the ramparts until only Alexa and Thorin remained standing. The Dwarf King's stance only briefly faltered before he lined the arrow with Thranduil's head once more.
Alexa watched as Thorin's stature remained still, though she did notice the slight waver of his expression. The brief moment that the Dwarf looked hesitant gave Alexa hope that Thorin was still in there underneath the sickness that had consumed him. He was not lost. Not yet.
Peeling her eyes away from Thorin, she watched as the Elves simultaneously put their arrows back in their quivers after Thranduil had raised his hand. The action silently commanding his troops to stand down; though the threat remained. She then looked at the blonde Elf astride his Elk. No sooner had she the Elf King's eyes flashed over her; a look of utter arrogance on his face.
"We have come to tell you," his honeyed voice sounded, "Payment of your debt has been offered... And accepted." he finished, a cocky grin on his face.
"What payment? I gave you nothing. You have nothing!" Thorin muttered angrily,
Alexa watched as Thranduil glanced at Bard, who was astride his own horse. The man who had helped them across the lake reached into his tunic. Here it comes, she thought. "We have this," Bard said, the Arkenstone glowing in his hand.
A gasp left Kili as he stared at the stone in Bard's hand, "They have the Arkenstone," he whispered, his voice growing in volume the longer he spoke, "Thieves! How came you by the heirloom of our house? That stone belongs to the King!"
"And the King may have it will our goodwill," Bard replied calmly, tossing the stone in his hand before placing it back inside his jacket, "But first he must honour his word."
A heavy silence fell upon the company, and Alexa dared look at Thorin whose eyes never left Bard, "They are taking us for fools," he muttered, "This is a ruse. A filthy lie." he spat, a growl leaving his throat.
At his words, Alexa's breathing quickened slightly as her worry for Bilbo grew. She had a very bad feeling about this. She watched as Balin tried to reason with the sick Dwarf King. "Thorin, there is no stone like it-" he began before he was cut off by his King.
"The Arkenstone is in this Mountain! It is a trick!" Thorin roared a madness in his eyes; the sickness preventing him from seeing sense.
"It-It's no trick," the soft voice of Bilbo piped up from beside Alexa, "The stone is real. I gave it to them," he told Thorin, making Alexa momentarily close her eyes. No, Bilbo.
"You?" Thorin spat, a growl leaving him as he turned to look at the Hobbit.
Bilbo exhaled deeply and cast his eyes down to his feet, Gandalf's words from last night echoing in his head, "I took it as my fourteenth share." he continued,
"You would steal from me?" Thorin muttered, a dangerous look in his eyes.
As the two talked, Alexa moved to stand protectively next to Bilbo; her fingers hovering over her lightsaber. Not that Thorin noticed as his eyes remained on the Hobbit.
Bilbo shook his head at Thorin's words, "Steal from you, no. No, I may be a burglar, but I like to think I'm an honest one. I am willing to let it stand against my claim." Bilbo said, his tone remaining light and happy; as if not quite understanding just how much danger he was in.
"Against your claim?" Thorin scoffed, "Your claim. You have no claim over me, you miserable rat!" he spat, hurling his bow and arrow to the side in his rage.
A disappointed look fell upon Bilbo's face as he stared at the Dwarf he had grown to see as a dear friend, "I was going to give it to you. Many times, I wanted to, but-" he faltered, now seeing how Alexa stood protectively beside him; her eyes on Thorin.
"But what thief?" Thorin growled, his eyes never leaving Bilbo.
"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!" Bilbo stated firmly, standing up to Thorin for the first time.
At his words, Alexa's eyebrows crinkled in confusion and from a quick look she knew the Dwarves were just as dumbfounded, all wondering what Bilbo had meant. This must have been what Thorin had said to Bilbo in the armoury, she thought, remembering how troubled Bilbo had been that day.
"Do not speak to me of loyalty. Throw him from the rampart!" Thorin commanded, though no one moved to fulfil his order; all stunned at his words.
When he saw no one was moving, Thorin glowered at the company, "Did you not hear me?" he shouted, grabbing Fili roughly as he tried to make him carry out his command.
Alexa watched as Fili broke from his uncle's hold and shoved him away. The action caused Thorin to look back at his nephew, betrayal clear on his face. The Dwarf King's hair flicked across his cheeks as he snapped his head suddenly to face the rest of the company, who remained still as stone. At their lack of action, rage overcame Thorin's features, and he stormed towards Bilbo.
"I will do it myself," he growled, causing noises of disagreement to erupt from the surrounding company.
Alexa quickly moved in front of Bilbo and stood in Thorin's path; making the Dwarf pause, the anger dying in his eyes. "Don't you dare touch him Thorin." she hissed, her lightsaber hanging from her hip; deactivated.
I mean she wasn't going to use it on him, obviously. She just hoped that he would understand just how serious she was. And normal, healthy Thorin would, but this one? Yeah, not so much. The Lembas bread could only do so much physically, but mentally? Yeah, she was on her own.
From her peripherals, she could see Dwalin looking worriedly at her, and so she sent a quick, hopefully, reassuring glance towards the Dwarf. Alexa then shifted her gaze back to Thorin and watched as the fury from before reignited within his eyes. Well, it's now, or never, she thought. Oh, force let this work!
Knowing what she had to do, she bit the inside of her cheek. Breathing deeply, she willed the force to create a barrier around her and Thorin so the others could not intervene; just like she had practised with her Master and Qui-Gon. No later had she, Thorin's hands grasped the collar of her tunic.
A gasp left her lips as he threw her against the ramparts and pinned her against the rock. Choked gasps escaped Alexa as she struggled against his grip, yet she did nothing to stop him. In her peripherals, she could see Dwalin and the others fight against the force barrier with shouts of Thorin to stop leaving their lips. Catching Nori's eyes, she shook her head as much as she could in Thorin's hold; making the Dwarf's eyes widen.
"Curse you!" Thorin yelled in her face, tightening his hold on her tunic and unknowingly putting pressure on her trachea.
Alexa now fought against his hold, but with most of her focus being on maintaining the barrier, her efforts were for nought. Black spots began to cloud her vision, and her heart pounded loudly in her chest. A numbness overtook her body as the sparks of her panic attack grew. Her glazed eyes stared into Thorin's fury filled ones, his face shifting from his to Anakin's and back again.
Absorbed in her panic attack, she dropped the barrier around her and Thorin. Instantly, Dwalin, Bofur, Fili and a few other Dwarf's she couldn't make out sprang forward to grab their King. Yanking on his arms to make him release his grip around their companion's throat.
"IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY JEDI AND BURGLAR!" Gandalf's voice boomed from below, his voice amplified. At his words, Thorin released his grip on Alexa's throat; though remained tightly pressed against her. Choked gasps left the woman as she sucked in the oxygen around her, the blackspots leaving her vision with every breath.
The Wizard paused before continuing, his voice back to its normal tone, "Then please don't damage them. Return them to me!" he continued,
"You're not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain. Are you? Thorin, son of Thrain?" Gandalf finished, taking Thorin's attention away from Alexa and making the Dwarf release her entirely.
Breathing shakily, Alexa held onto Balin as he helped her up; Thorin's full attention now on Gandalf. She winced as Balin ran his fingers over her throat, there will be bruises that's for sure. As Gandalf talked to Thorin, Alexa focused on Balin's words and tried to calm herself down.
As the sparks of her panic attack ebbed away, Alexa looked to Thorin. With unshed tears in her eyes, she left Balin's arms and stormed towards Thorin and socked him in the jaw. "You are just like Anakin, Thorin. You have succumbed to this gold sickness and therefore the dark side." she croaked; her throat still sore.
Shell shocked and holding his throbbing jaw Thorin did nothing as Alexa glared at him. Turning away from the shocked Dwarf, Alexa glanced at a frightened Bilbo who was being flanked by Bofur and Nori and ushered the trio past her. Despite having a panic attack, she was satisfied, content. Phase two was complete.
"Time to leave Bilbo," she said, dismissing his worried look with a small smile; it was an easy injury to heal anyway, and with a wave of her hand, it had.
Shifting her gaze to the rest of the company, she smiled softly at the Dwarves. "See you out there, I guess." she huffed lightly before following after Bilbo, Bofur and Nori.
As she took the rope Bilbo had used last night from his hands, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Sighing, Alexa turned to look at Dwalin who glanced up at her worriedly; his eyes on her neck.
"I'm fine Dwalin don't worry about me," she murmured, as she shifted her gaze back to the chain link and began tying the rope around it securely.
Throwing the rope over the ramparts, she sent a small, comforting smile to a confused and frightened Bilbo who was still standing beside Bofur. As Bilbo began his descent down the wall, Alexa embraced Bofur and Nori, the latter swiftly coming to her side before she could leave. After releasing Nori, she whispered some words to him before turning to Dwalin.
Shifting towards the burly Dwarf, she stepped closer until there was only a mere centimetre between them. Casting a look over his shoulder, she made sure no one was close enough to hear her before averting her gaze back to Dwalin, who was already looking at her.
"Remember what I told you, only you can help Thorin now," she whispered, her breath fanning over his face as she breathed the words.
At her words, Dwalin huffed and glanced back at his King who was still looking at Gandalf; his face twisting into one of his dark scowls. Alexa sighed at his expression, before hesitantly raising a hand to rest on his bearded cheek; causing him to look at her again. "Don't blame him Dwalin, this was necessary." she told him, "It will all make sense in the end. Trust me," she whispered, not answering the question in his eyes.
Alexa sucked in a breath as the hand on his cheek was covered with his own. Dwalin opened and closed his mouth several times as if debating what to say. As he did this, Alexa held her breath, her heart pounding loudly in her chest; anticipating his next words.
"Be safe out there, lass," he finally whispered,
The breath she was holding finally fell from her lips in a relieved sigh, yet inside she felt almost disappointed. "See you out there Dwalin,"
AN: Exams are now over, so chapters should be uploaded once every one-two weeks for now on. Thank you to all those who have stuck with this story, the fighting is about to begin! I hope you are all enjoying the story and continue to XD
