Happy Weekend! Thank you very much for your reviews on the last chapter to Xoxo (also, you did call it) and Faron Oakenshield! I hope you all enjoy this one, let me know your thoughts.


Arinna and Fili only returned to the others in the early hours of the morning, when everybody was still asleep.

"Wait," Fili muttered, when they had almost reached the hall, pulling the druid back by her hand and making her stumble slightly into his chest. He smiled down at her as she sent him a questioning, yet slightly amused look. He pulled her into a kiss then, one arm wrapping around her waist as the other buried itself in her hair. She practically melted against him, sighing against his lips as her arms wound around his neck. His kiss left the druid slightly breathless as he pulled back and she put both hands on his broad chest to steady herself.

"Alright," he grinned, squeezing her middle slightly, and Arinna smacked his chest when he gave her a small wink. "I'm ready to go back now."

"You're impossible," she answered, suppressing a chuckle as he merely shrugged, grabbing her hand once more as he moved ahead. They entered the hall as quietly as they could, their hands still entwined as they made their way through the sleeping forms of their companions.

Even though she was tired, the druid felt lighter than she had the day before, a small smile playing on her lips. She let go of Fili's hand, who looked at her in question, though he gave her an understanding nod when she told him quietly that she wanted to go up onto the battlements for a few moments to catch some fresh air. She moved into him for a moment, bringing both hands up to cup his cheeks as she pressed a small, loving kiss to his lips and another to his bearded cheek before she turned and left him to his devices, quickly making her way to the entrance hall and up the stairs. Fili watched her go until she disappeared from his sight, a happy smile playing on his lips.

A small breeze was coming down the staircase and Arinna took a deep breath, letting the cold autumn air fill her lungs as she stepped outside. It was there that she noticed Bombur sat against the edge of the wall by the doorway, fast asleep. She couldn't help a small chuckle, knowing that the red-haired dwarf had been on last watch during the night. It was only when she looked up, rubbing her arms slightly against the cold, that she saw another figure standing a bit further away.

"Bilbo?" Arinna asked in surprise, visibly startling the hobbit. He jumped and turned around to her, his eyes wide, though he seemed to calm slightly when he realised that it was her. She frowned at the nervous look on his face. "Is everything alright? What are you doing out here?"

Bilbo's gaze darted from her to the distant city of Dale, then back to her. Arinna took a few slow steps toward him before he finally spoke, his voice quiet and agitated. "I might have done something stupid," he said to her, meeting her eyes for a second before he looked away again. Arinna's frown deepened, worry beginning to fill her at her friend's odd behaviour. The hobbit shook his head to himself. "But what was I supposed to do?"

"What have you done, Bilbo?" the druid asked in confusion, jumping in surprise when a loud horn suddenly sounded from below, and she looked up to see several riders making their way to the mountain, no doubt hailing from the camp in Dale.

As they approached, she looked back at the hobbit, who returned her gaze with an almost sad one of his own, letting out a small sigh. "You mustn't hold it against me," he said quietly.

Arinna looked at her friend with another confused frown, not understanding what he meant. But she had no time to ask him, as Bombur had jerked awake at the sound of the horn and jumped to his feet, sounding his own horn and alerting the others to the approaching riders.

It wasn't long before everyone had gathered on the wall, peering through the battlements as the riders arrived before the gate. It was Bard again, though with him were several others, as well. Arinna could see a tall blond Elf with a silver crown riding alongside him, coming to the conclusion that this must be King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm. Several Elves and Lakemen were gathered on horses behind the two, while another figure was next to them. This person was wearing a hood that was pulled down low over their face, hiding it from view. Arinna frowned slightly as she peered down at the stranger, her eyes focusing on the wooden staff that was attached to the person's back.

Meanwhile, Thorin, who was stood at the front of them, motioned for Kili to shoot a warning arrow. The brunet dwarf hesitated only for a second before he did as he was told, using a bow and arrows that he had found in the treasury the day before to aim an arrow between the hooves of King Thranduil's horse. The animal neighed agitatedly and bucked slightly, though it calmed quickly again as the Elf muttered something under his breath to it.

"The next one will be between your eyes!" Thorin called out darkly, eyeing them suspiciously.

The Elf seemed entirely unimpressed by the threat. Thranduil merely smiled and it was him who addressed Thorin now, instead of Bard. "We have come to tell you payment of your debt has been offered and accepted."

"What payment?" Thorin growled in response. "I gave you nothing. You have nothing."

This time it was Bard who answered, reaching into the inside of his coat and pulling out something round and shiny. Arinna leaned forward slightly to get a better view, seeing that the Lakeman was holding a beautiful large gem in his hand, a white jewel in which the light of the sun reflected, letting an iridescent glow shine from it. The druid didn't need Kili's next words to know what it was, and at once she understood what Bilbo had been trying to talk about before.

"They have the Arkenstone!" Kili cried out in shock. "Thieves! How came you by the heirloom of our house?!"

"The King may have it, with our good will," Bard replied sternly, only shooting Kili a small glance before he returned his gaze to Thorin. The dwarf-king's face was pale with shock, his dark brows furrowed deeply above his eyes, which were still watching them suspiciously. "But first he must honour his word!"

With a growl, Thorin turned away from the battlements, shaking his head with a mad but somewhat uncertain smile. He couldn't believe what was happening. "They're taking us for fools," he hissed to his companions, who were watching him cautiously, not knowing what to say in return. "This is a ruse, and a filthy lie. The Arkenstone is in this mountain, I know it. It is a trick!"

"It's no trick."

Arinna's gaze dropped to the ground in defeat, her stomach twisting with dread, as Bilbo spoke up and Thorin's dark eyes turned to him at once. The hobbit drew his mouth askew, holding the dwarf-king's gaze as he went on, his voice quiet and serious. "The stone is real. I gave it to them."

"You?" Thorin's voice was incredulous, a sharp pang of betrayal swinging with it as he turned to face the hobbit fully. "You would steal from me?"

"Steal from you? No, no," Bilbo uttered, shaking his head quickly. "I may be a burglar, but I like to think that I'm an honest one. I took it as my fifteenth share of the treasure and I'm willing to let it stand against my claim."

Thorin's face darkened at his words, his eyes growing cold as he stared at the small hobbit before him. He took a few slow steps toward him and Bilbo took one step backwards, taken aback by Thorin's menacing stance. "Against your claim? Your claim? You have no claim over me, YOU MISERABLE RAT!"

"You are changed, Thorin," the hobbit tried to reason, though the dwarf's gaze only grew more dangerous as he spoke. "The dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word, would never have doubted the loyalty of his own kin."

"Do not speak to me of loyalty!" Thorin hissed, grabbing Bilbo by his collar and pushing him backwards roughly, so that his back hit the battlement. The hobbit cried out slightly, steadying himself against the cold stone, his eyes widening in horror at Thorin's next words. "Throw him from the rampart!"

Nobody moved, as shocked by the words as Bilbo was. Arinna watched with wide eyes as Thorin looked around the group wildly, a mad glint sparking in his eyes, when still nobody reacted.

"Did you not hear me?!" He shouted at them, growing angrier still when nobody answered, before he turned to the hobbit once more. "I will do it myself!"

"NO!"

Several of them had cried out at once as Thorin had rushed toward Bilbo. Fili and Kili reached out and grabbed their uncle by his coat, holding him back from putting his hands on the hobbit. Thorin struggled against them, so fuelled by his rage that he shook them off, only to be held back again by Bofur and Dwalin. Meanwhile, Arinna had quickly positioned herself in front of Bilbo, trying to shield him from the dwarf-king's grasp.

"I curse you!" Thorin yelled at the hobbit, his face red with fury. "And cursed be the wizard that forced you on this company! May his beard wither!"

It was then that another familiar voice suddenly rang out over them but not from atop the wall but from down below. Thorin halted in slight surprise and they all looked around to see that the hooded figure had finally revealed their face.

"If you don't like my burglar, then please don't damage him!" Gandalf was saying loudly, staring up at them out of tired, disappointed eyes. The dwarves could barely believe their eyes as they stared down at him. "Return him to me."

Thorin glared at the wizard for a long moment, before his gaze finally fell back on Bilbo, who was staring at him out of wide, fearful eyes. The dwarf-king shook off the hands that were holding him back with a growl, his jaw clenching.

"Take him," he yelled down to the wizard then. "If you wish for him to live. No friendship of mine goes with him."

"Get down to your friends now," he then said directly to Bilbo, his voice dangerously low and his eyes sparking with fury. "Or I will make good on my word and throw you."

Bilbo inclined his head, a sad expression on his face as he gave a slow nod. There was nothing more he could say or do to try and convince Thorin that he had acted out of a wish to help and nothing else. The dwarf-king would not understand it. The hobbit took a string of rope that Bofur held out to him, the hatted dwarf looking at him out of doleful brown eyes. There was a heavy silence hanging over them as Bilbo tied the rope around one the battlements, before he let it fall over the edge. It was then that he felt a sudden hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. He turned his head to see Arinna standing beside him, giving him a determined look.

"I will come with you," she said quietly, causing the hobbit's eyes to widen in utter surprise.

Though the offer touched him and gave him some comfort, he was quick to shake his head at her. "N-no, Arinna, you – you must stay here. You've done nothing wrong."

"I won't let you go alone," the druid answered with a sad kind of determination, though she was interrupted by another voice and turned around to find Fili pushing his way through the dwarves, coming to a halt in front of her. He was looking at her with wide eyes, shaking his head in incomprehension.

"What are you doing?" He asked her quietly, though everyone could hear them as there was otherwise a heavy silence hanging over the platform. His voice was filled with worry and fear as he stared at her. "Arinna, you cannot mean it."

The druid let out a deep sigh as he grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly as he held her gaze. Arinna returned the gesture, taking a step toward him as she addressed him in a quiet murmur, feeling the heavy gazes of their companions resting on them.

"Fili, I cannot stay here," she said softly, although the words pained her, bringing her free hand up to his cheek. She brushed her thumb gently over his cheekbone as he shook his head. She could hardly bear the thought of leaving him like this, but there was no choice now. Not for her. "I cannot stay, not like this. This is madness. I… I told you how I felt. If your uncle will not see reason, then I cannot stay here and be under his command any longer."

The blond dwarf shook his head again, unable to digest her words, his pale blue eyes searching her face. She could not mean it, he thought. Even though he remembered well what she had told him in the treasure hall only a few days ago, and even though he could see that she had made her choice already, he could not believe that she would choose to go with Bilbo and leave him behind. Just last night they had vowed to be with each other forever.

"What about us?" He uttered, his voice raspy as he talked. "You would leave me? For what?"

"It has nothing to do with you, Fili," Arinna answered, close to tears herself now. She closed her eyes for a moment, before she looked back up into his, almost feeling her resistance crumble at the way he was looking at her. "I love you and I wish to be with you. Nothing can ever change that. I know in my heart that we will be together again, Fili. But I can't in good conscience stay in these halls and I… I understand that you cannot leave with me."

Fili pulled at her hand, making her stumble another step toward him. He brought his hands up to her face as she bumped into his chest, uncaring of the others who saw, of his uncle's gaze boring into his back. He wanted nothing more than to leave with her at that moment, if she could not stay, but he knew that he could not. She was right. He could not bring himself to leave Thorin, even as hope for the dwarf-king's recovery was beginning to leave him.

"What must I do?" He breathed, letting his forehead drop against hers. The druid closed her eyes. "Please, Arinna. Tell me. Stay with me, I beg of you."

The druid was about to say something, reopening her eyes, when Thorin's voice rang over them, his tone cold and harsh as he spoke.

"Let her go," he said, his words cutting across them like a knife and causing the two of them to break apart slightly, though Fili kept his hands still on her cheeks. Thorin motioned for Dwalin to pull his nephew away, letting out a disappointed and angry huff when the burly dwarf did not comply. He reached out himself then, grabbing Fili roughly by the shoulder and jerked him backwards, the blond dwarf's hands falling from Arinna's face.

"No!" Fili cried out, quickly grabbing her hand as he struggled against his uncle's hold. He watched as Arinna inclined her head, shortly pulling his hand to her face to press a kiss to the back of it before she let go.

"It's best for all of us if this traitorous snake disappears with her despicable little burglar-friend," Thorin growled, keeping a steady hold of Fili now as he glared at the hobbit and the druid. "They are unworthy of our trust! Be off!"

The druid sighed deeply as she glanced at Thorin, dropping her head in defeat, before she finally nodded for the hobbit to go ahead. Bilbo sent her a last uncertain look before he began to climb down the rope and Arinna turned her head again toward Fili as she moved to follow after him.

"I'm sorry. I love you," she told him sadly, feeling her heart weighing heavy in her chest, her voice breaking slightly as she saw him shake his head at her desperately. She dropped her gaze then and quickly climbed atop the battlement and down the other side, feeling her friends' gazes rest heavily on her as she climbed down to the ground.

"Arinna!"

A few tears escaped her as she heard Fili's voice ring out after her and she wiped them from her eyes when she reached the ground. She grabbed Bilbo's shoulder once more as they slowly made their way over to where the riders were still standing, observing the scene with mixed feelings. Arinna looked up at Gandalf as they came to a halt by his side, the old wizard gazing down at them out of kind eyes.

"You've always had a knack for appearing where you're most needed and least expected," the druid muttered tearily, trying to give him a small smile and failing.

"I am glad to see you both in one piece," Gandalf said quietly in return, looking from the hobbit to the druid, giving them both a small nod, before he looked back up to the wall above the gate. Arinna and Bilbo followed his gaze, seeing the company looking down at them. She took a shaky breath as she met Fili's gaze from afar, seeing him standing at the front with a conflicted look on his face, and the druid felt Bilbo put a comforting hand on her shoulder, while Gandalf called up to Thorin once more.

"You are not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain, are you, Thorin, son of Thrain?" Disappointment rang clear in the wizard's voice.

"Begone!" Thorin shouted in return. "Never again shall I have dealings with wizards!"

"Are we resolved then?" Bard called after a moment's hesitation, waving again the shimmering jewel in his hand. "The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised. Give us your answer."

"Aye," Thorin growled, though he was not actually planning on giving them anything. Only a day or two more and Dain would arrive with his army from the Iron Hills, which had been discussed in the letters that their ravens had carried back and forth in the past two days. He would take back the Arkenstone by force, if need be. "The Shire-rat's share for what is mine. You have the hobbit; the gold and silver will follow as can be arranged."

Bard gave a short nod, slightly surprised but nonetheless relieved. He carefully put the jewel back into his pocket. "Until then we will keep the stone!"