The Door Under The Mountain:
"Wake up lass" Bombur's voice whispered above me.
I opened my eyes and found we had reached the edge of the lake. The foothills of the Erebor loomed large in front of us.
"How much can you carry?" Thorin asked as Nori and Bifur sorted out our supplies.
"As much as I can" I said accepting Bilbo's offered hand as I stepped out of the boat.
"Hmm" Thorin looked at the pile of bags and back at me. "Water skins and food".
"Right y'ar" I replied stepping towards Nori.
"Are you sure you'll be able to carry this lass?" Nori asked holding up a large pack.
"What choice do I have?" I replied easing the pack onto my shoulders. "I don't want to burden anyone else with too much and risk loosing the light because we had to wait for someone".
"Fair enough" Nori replied. "Just yell out if you need help".
I smiled at the dwarf and walked over to stand next to Bilbo. He looked up and smiled at me.
"It's almost over isn't it?" he asked indicating the dwarves and the mountain.
"Yes, we'll be able to relax soon" I replied adjusting one of the straps on my pack.
"Let's go" Thorin called.
It took us the better part of the morning to reach the foothills of the mountain. I did my damnedest to keep pace with the others, because I wasn't going to be left behind. Thorin suddenly ran forwards and stopped at the edge of a steep cliff. We joined him and I could see the mighty ruins of my ancestral home on the other side of the valley.
"What is this place?" Bilbo asked standing next to me.
"It was once the city of Dale" Balin replied. "Now it is a ruin. The desolation of Smaug".
"The sun will soon reach midday" Thorin said snapping me out of my daze. "Let's find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way!"
The dwarves and I headed off but Bilbo stayed put.
"Wait...is this the overlook?" he asked as Thorin passed him. "Gandalf said to meet him here. On no account were we-"
"Do you see him?" Thorin asked. "We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own".
A few hours later we were still searching for the door. The pain in my ribs was increasing but with Thorin watching me closely I had to ignore it as best as I could.
"Anything?" Thorin asked Dwalin as the dwarf scouted a ledge above us.
"Nothing!" Dwalin replied.
"If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us" Thorin said running his eyes over the map in his hand.
Bilbo had wandered off and I had to lean against a large rock for a moment.
"Are you alright, lass?" Bombur asked walking over to me.
"I'm a little sore, but apart from that I'm fine" I replied with a tight smile.
"I wonder what my brother is up too?" Bombur said staring up at the mountain.
"Hopefully not teaching Alfrid a lesson" I said remembering Bofur's face when Alfrid abused me.
"Aye, I hope so too" Bombur replied with a small grin. "That reminds me" he said with a twinkle in his eye. "I know my brother very well and I can tell something has happened between the two of you since we arrived in Lake Town".
My face grew very warm suddenly and I looked at the ground. "W-what makes you say that?" I asked.
"That's his belt" Bombur replied; his smile growing larger.
I looked down and saw Bombur was telling the truth. I looked up at him and gave a small shrug. "Oops, I thought we were more careful than that".
"So I take it you will be joining our family soon?" Bombur asked quietly.
"Aye" I replied.
"Up here!" Bilbo shouted suddenly.
Bombur grinned broadly and held his hand out to help me up. "Welcome to the family lass".
"Thank you" I replied.
We followed Thorin to where Bilbo was standing and I could see an enormous statue of a dwarf. It looked like it was carved straight out of the mountain itself!
"You have keen eyes Master Baggins" Thorin said clapping Bilbo on the shoulder.
As we walked closer, I could see a very steep and jagged staircase, winding its way up through the statue.
"Are you going to be able to climb?" Thorin asked as he nudged Bilbo towards the steps.
"Aye" I replied steeling myself for pain I was going to be in.
"I'll be right behind you" Bombur said as the dwarves followed Bilbo.
"Thank you" I replied with a smile.
Traversing the steps was not an easy thing. It took almost two hours to reach the top of the steps and I leant heavily on Bombur's arm to catch my breath.
"This must be it" Thorin breathed, looking around the clearing we were in. "The hidden door". He dug in his pocket for the key and held it aloft. "Let all those who doubted us, rue this day!"
"Right. We have our key" Dwalin said once our cheers had faded. "Which means that somewhere, there is a keyhole". He moved to the rock wall and stated prodding and poking various cracks and fissures.
Thorin looked over the ledge at the setting sun. "The last light of Durin's day will shine upon the keyhole" he said looking back at the wall.
We all waited for the keyhole to appear and when one didn't, Thorin started to get frantic.
"Nori" Thorin indicated the wall with his head.
Nori pulled a cup and spoon out of his coat and started tapping the wall. Dwalin, meanwhile had started thumping his hands against the wall and occasionally his shoulder.
"We're losing the light" Thorin said anxiously.
"Come on!" Dwalin growled, kicking the wall.
"Be quiet!" Nori demanded. "I can't hear when you're thumping".
"I can't find it!" Dwalin said. "It's not here! It's not here!"
I looked back at the setting sun and my hope was sinking with it.
"Break it down!" Thorin ordered.
Dwalin, Gloin and Bifur started smashing their weapons against the wall; to no avail.
"It's no good!" Balin said. "The door's sealed. It can't be opened by force. Powerful magic lies upon it".
With a sense of crushing disappointment, we all watched the sun set behind the distant mountains. Thorin looked at the map in his hand.
"The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole" he said thickly. "That's what it says". Thorin walked up to Balin and held the map up "what did we miss?"
"We've lost the light" Balin replied sadly. "There's no more to be done. We had but one chance". Balin looked up at the mountain and shook his head "come away; it's over".
I took my pack off and sat on it; not caring if I squashed the food inside. The quest was over; the dragon would stay alive, and my family was living on borrowed time. My throat closed up and I failed to stop the tears from falling.
"Wait a minute!" Bilbo cried, looking at Thorin. "Where are they going? You can't give up now!"
Thorin turned away and held up the key. He looked at it for a moment before letting it fall from his hand with a clatter.
"Thorin...you can't give up now!" Bilbo said as Thorin walked past him, pushing the map against his chest.
Bombur and Bifur placed a comforting hand on my shoulder as they passed me. They seemed to know that I was unable to descend the steps right now. Once the dwarves had descended, Bilbo started reciting the message in the map.
"Stand by the grey stone..." he said moving to stand in front of said stone.
"It's useless, Bilbo" I said wiping my eyes on my sleeve.
"When the thrush knocks..." Bilbo appeared to look for the bird.
I touched a hand to my ribs and decided another dose of elvish medicine was needed.
"The setting sun...and the last light of Durin's day will shine" Bilbo mumbled to himself as though I wasn't there. "Hmm, the last light. The last light".
The clearing was suddenly illuminated by moonlight. A tapping sound rang out and Bilbo and I turned our heads to see a thrush bashing a snail against the wall. As it flew away, the moonlight appeared to focus on one spot on the wall.
"The last light!" Bilbo exclaimed. "Anduin, the last light will shine upon the keyhole!"
Bilbo laughed and peered over the edge of the clearing, to the steps. I wiped the last tears from my face and made my way to the wall. I ran my fingers over the illuminated spot and felt a definite hole in the hard surface.
"The keyhole!" Bilbo yelled down the steps. "Come back! Come back! It's the light of the moon, the last moon of autumn!" Bilbo looked at the ground "where's the key? It was here!"
As Bilbo shuffled about looking for the key, I made sure to remember where the keyhole was in case a cloud obstructed the moon again. A small clatter rang out and I looked around in time to see Thorin's boot stomp on the leather strap attached to the key. Thorin bent down and picked it up. He looked at the key for a moment and I heard the rest of the dwarves return. With a determined expression, Thorin walked over to me and inserted the key into the illuminated hole in the rock. With bated breath, we watched as Thorin turned the key and leant against the wall. The rock gave way and a passageway carved from the mountain came into view. Thorin moved to stand on the threshold, and breathed in the stale air.
"Erebor" he whispered as he took a few steps into the passage.
"Thorin..." Balin said thickly.
Thorin patted Balin's shoulder and walked a little further into the mountain. "I know these walls...this stone" he said running his hands over the wall. "You remember it, Balin? Chambers filled with golden light".
"I remember" Balin said, following Thorin.
The rest of us followed Balin. Nori turned and pointed to a carving above the door.
"Herein lies the seventh kingdom of Durin's folk" Gloin read aloud. "May the heart of the mountain unite all dwarves in defence of this home".
Bilbo and I looked at the carving with great interest, though we didn't understand the symbolism.
"The throne of the king" Balin explained.
"What's that above it?" Bilbo asked, indicating the round object surrounded by rays of light.
"The Arkenstone" Balin replied.
"Arkenstone...and what is that?" Bilbo asked.
"That, Master Burglar, is why you're here" Thorin replied, giving Bilbo a sideways glance.
…
"Is he going to be alright down there?" I asked Balin, after the dwarf had lead Bilbo into the mountain.
"I hope so, lass" Balin replied, patting my arm. "I hope so".
"Um, Balin, could I have a word with you in private?" I asked quietly.
"Of course, lass" Balin replied.
I started down the steps and stopped just around the corner. I turned to face Balin and wondered what the old dwarf's reaction was going to be.
"Now, what can I help you with?" Balin asked.
"Um, well...Bofur and I...in Lake Town...we..." I was stumbling over my words and not making any sense. I took a few slow breaths and tried to calm down. "Bofur and I are betrothed" I finally managed to say.
Balin's eyes widened and a smile crept onto his face. "Well that's quite unheard of, lass" he replied.
"What am I going to do?" I asked. "He told me what the result would be, but I'm worried about what it's going to mean in the long term".
"It's alright, lass" Balin said placing a hand on my arm. "The lad's family are decent folk and wouldn't abandon their son, his wife or potential grandchildren, just because Bofur married a human". "As long as he provides for you the way we dwarves are akin to doing so, you'll have no problems".
"But what about the other dwarf families? Would they want to associate with a dwarf that married a human? And then there's children...if I can have any, how are they going to be seen by others" I paused to breathe. "They won't fit into either race! What am I going to do Balin?" I broke down and Balin stepped closer.
"Hush, lass" he whispered as he held me. "Worrying about it won't do you any good. I'll help you through the problems when we reach them". Balin smiled and touched my face with his hand.
"Thank you" I sniffed.
"I'll always be here if you need to talk" Balin replied before turning around and heading back up the steps.
I followed and ran a hand over my stomach. I wondered if a little dwarf was already growing inside me. Suddenly the mountain shook violently.
"Was that an earthquake?" Dori asked standing up.
Balin turned around with a grim expression. "That, my lad...was a dragon".
We all looked at the entrance to the mountain and my hand flew to my mouth when an orange glow appeared. Fire! Smaug was awake!
"What about Bilbo?" Ori asked nervously.
"Give him more time" Thorin said.
"Time to what?" Balin asked. "To be killed?"
"You're afraid" Thorin said looking Balin square in the eyes.
"Yes, I am afraid" Balin replied stepping closer to Thorin. "I fear for you. A sickness lies upon that treasure hoard, a sickness that drove you grandfather mad!"
"I am not my grandfather" Thorin said turning away.
"You're not yourself!" Balin shot back. "The Thorin I know would not hesitate to go in there-"
"I will not risk this quest for the life of one...burglar" Thorin replied.
"Bilbo" Balin said angrily. "His name is Bilbo".
Thorin ignored him and stared out into the night.
We lapsed into an uneasy silence, and waited. I sat next to Bombur and started praying for Bilbo. I had grown attached to our burglar and I hoped he was still alive down there.
-x-
A/N: second last chapter is done! Just one more and DoS is complete. I would love to hear your thoughts, good, bad or otherwise!
Until next time,
Gaubdukhima gagin yakulib Mahal!
(may we meet again with the grace of Mahal!)