The next morning there was a ruckus and I saw Thorin and the other run up to the top of the wall. I quickly followed and almost couldn't believe my eyes, or the stupidity of one Elf King. Outside in the ruins of Dale were the survivors of Lake-town and an army of Elves!

Then a lone rider came up and Bard called, "Hail Thorin, son of Thrain. We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." Thorin asked him why he came to his gates armed for war. Bard replied, "Why does the King under the Mountain fence himself in like a robber in his hold?"

"Perhaps I expect to be robbed."

Bard pleaded that he was not there to rob him but to ask for fair settlement and to speak with him. Thorin went below to talk and I quietly followed, not sure what he would do. I jumped when I heard the call of a raven and eyed Thorin, wondering why he was smiling.

We got to the bottom where a small opening was at the wall for them to talk. Bard pleaded the case of the people of Lake-town. Asking for some treasure that Thorin promised so that they could rebuild their lives. Thorin shook his head, "I will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door."

Bard warned that the armed host would attack if they did not come to terms. Thorin was not swayed and Bard asked, "What of your conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is just? My people offered you help." Thorin glared at the hole as Bard continued, "And in return, you brought upon them only ruin and death."

Thorin demanded to know when the men of Lake-town came to their aid except for the promise of treasure. Bard demanded, "We had a bargain!" Desperate for Thorin to see reason. Thorin sneered, "A bargain?" and then went on on how bartering the Dwarves birthright for food and freedom was not a fair trade. My heart sank more then I ever thought it could when I realized that Thorin was breaking his promise to the people of Lake-town and to me. Bard asked him, "Does your word mean nothing?"

Thorin moved away from the hole to find not just me watching but the rest of the Company. He barked at Bard, "Be gone!"

Then everyone went up to the wall to watch Bard ride away. I demanded, "What are you doing!?" Thorin scoffed, "This does not concern you."

I snapped, "Excuse me! But in case you haven't noticed an army of Elves and a couple hundred of angry fisherman are out there! We are outnumbered."

That's when Thorin smiled at me, "Not for much longer."

I froze, "What does that mean?" Thorin moved towards me until he faced me, "That means, Master Burglar, you should never underestimate Dwarves."

And then he turned away, "We reclaimed Erebor, now we must defend it!"

After that it was a flurry as the Dwarves made the head of a nearby statue take out the only bridge to the front gate and then they scrambled to find more armor and weapons. I buried my head in my hands and desperately wished Gandalf was here. I firmly told myself in a last flicker of hope, "There has to be something I can do to turn this around!" Someone calling my name startled me and I looked around and realized I was being called from the armory. Getting up slowly I walked over to it and found Thorin waiting with something like a chain mail shirt, "Try this on."

I shook my head, "Thorin.." He interrupted me, "Are you with us or against us?"

Startled I looked at his face and saw that look. I knew I'd best just go along with it. I said softly, "I'm on your side Thorin, no matter what."

This pleased him and he held up the chain mail shirt, "You'll need this." I took off my coat and he explained, "This vest is made of silver steel. Mithril, it was called by my forebears." He lifted it up and slipped it over my head and I pulled it down, shocked at how light it was. He grinned at me, "no blade can pierce it."

I looked down as it settled over my hips and to the back of my thighs. I sputtered, alarmed by the thought of going to war, "This is absurd. I'm not a soldier, I'm a..."

He interrupted me again as if he didn't hear me, "It is a gift. A token of our friendship."

I looked at him and he glanced at the group back in the armory, "True friends are hard to come by." Then suddenly he grabbed my shoulder and towed me back out of the armory, "I have been blind, but now I begin to see." I let him push me, alarmed but trying to keep a calm face. He stopped at the end and spun me, growling, "I have been betrayed."

My heart pounded and I asked softly, "Betrayed?" He growled, "Thar Arkenstone." My heart nearly stopped when he stepped towards me until he whispered, "One of them has taken it." He glanced back at the others and then growled, the ringing of Smaug's voice in his, "One of them is false."

I tried to soothe him, frantically trying to fix this, "Thorin, we have won back the mountain, is that not enough?"

He shook his head, "Betrayed by my own kin."

I grabbed his shoulder, not doing much through the armor, "You made a promise to the people of Lake-town. Is this treasure worth more than your honor?"

He glared and I pleaded, voice cracking slightly, "Is this treasure worth more than me?"

Coughing I said firmly, "I gave my word as well..."

Thorin smiled, "Which was nobly done, but this treasure does not belong to the people of Lake-town.

Then his eyes glazed more and he growled, "This gold is ours, and ours alone." Then I heard Smaug again as he said, "By my life, I will not part with a single coin."

He backed up and went back to the others, barking for them to get ready for battle. I shook where I stood, alarmed beyond anything else. Thorin was held tight by the dragon sickness and I knew what I must do.

0o0

Mom's words from my dream echoed in my head as I relieved Bombur from watch at the top of the front gate. "Remember Ariana, nothing is without a price. There is a way to save your Dwarf friends and so much more. It all depends on what you are willing to pay." I knew the price of what I was about to do.

Arkenstone secure in my shirt and my weapons secure on my back I glanced around to make sure I was alone before tying the rope off to a boulder and throwing the rest over the side. I quickly made my way down the wall, hoping my plan would work when I sneaked into the Elven army camp.

Once my feet hit the bottom I thrust with as much strength as I could from the wall and swung to the other side where I let go and landed. Standing I froze, my feet all a tingle. I looked to the South and knew something was coming. Something in the ground, and it was big!

Hurrying forward I made sure I was once more using the full ability of my misdirection to avoid the sentries and get to the tent where I was sure Bard was and most likely Thranduil.

I made it without incident and was surprised to see Gandalf there, pleading with Bard, "Is gold so important to you? Would you buy it with the blood of Dwarves?" Bard insisted, "It will not come to that."

I snapped, showing myself and how displeased with all this I was, "You think Dwarves will surrender? Not likely! They will fight to the death to defend their own."

Gandalf gasped and came towards me, looking ragged and beat up, "Ariana! You are a sight for sore eyes."

I smiled at him for a moment and then glared as Thranduil came in through the other side and said lightly, "If I'm not mistaken this is the thief who stole the keys to my dungeon from under the nose of my guard."

He sat elegantly in a chair and I shrugged, "Wasn't hard considering the guard were drunk." Seeing Gandalf's reproachful look I quickly said, "Sorry about that."

Thranduil sniffed and I barely withheld rolling my eyes as I reached into my shirt and put something wrapped in brown cloth on the table in the middle of the tent, "I didn't come for that. I came to give you this."

Thranduil stood in shock as I revealed the Arkenstone, "The Kings Jewel."

Bard stood as well, "And worth a kings ransom." He looked at me in shock, "How is this yours to give?"

I shrugged, "I took it as my 14th share of the treasure."

Bard looked confused as he said, "Why would you do this? You owe us no loyalty."

I straightened and gave him a look that showed I meant business, "I'm not doing this for you." Then I grimaced, hearing how that sounded, "Not just for you. I am doing this for my friends." I looked between Thranduil and Bard, "I know Dwarves can be obstinate, secretive, pigheaded, difficult, suspicious and have the worst manners you have ever seen. But they are also kind, brave and loyal to a fault." I said that last part with a bit of a fond smile. "I've grown very fond of them and I will save them if I can."

Tapping the stone with my finger I said in my best negotiating voice, "Now, Thorin values this stone above all else. In exchange for it's return I believe he will give you what you are owed. There will be no need for war."

I looked pleadingly at them, praying they would agree. Thranduil looked me with blue eyes like a glacier, "Tell me, what would you do if we said no?"

I stared at him in disbelief, as did Bard and Gandalf. I blurted, "Are you stupid?" He seemed greatly offended and that just pissed me off. I glared at him and furiously said, "You need to take this prejudice crap you have going on with Dwarves and shove it where the sun don't shine!"

All three men stared at me now and I kept going, letting all my frustrations out at once, "I know you don't give a rat's ass about anyone outside your borders and frankly I'm shocked you are here. Except I know for a fact you want something from that mountain! Now you listen to me, your highness! I don't care who you are! I don't care what happened between you and the Dwarves, you are both at fault in that! But right here, right now, you are bringing war down onto my friends and there is a way for us all to get what we want without bloodshed! Lives matter, not just the lives of your own people. EVERYONE'S lives matter, get that through your head!"

Panting from my rant I huffed and grabbed the stone and tossed it up and down in my hand, watching Thranduil's eyes watch the movement, "Now do we have a deal or do I just give the stone to Bard and let him have what he wants and give you naught?"

Thranduil daintily coughed into his hand and then straightened like he hadn't just gotten a dressing down by a small woman, "Thank you for your help Ariana. I do believe we have a deal."

He held out a hand and I was tempted to throw the stone at his pretty face. Strangling that urge I gently set the stone in his hand and Bard shook off his shock and said, "We go at dawn."

Still hot and bothered I gave them a curt nod and stormed out of the tent. I went the opposite way I had come in and nearly ran into this huge elk. Softening in the presence of an animal I gave the elk a scratch under the chin and Gandalf followed me out, looking greatly amused for a second before becoming all business, "Get some rest tonight. You should leave on the morrow. Get as far away from here as possible."

I started back for the mountain with one more scratch for the elk, "Why do you say that Gandalf? I need to stay with the Company."

He glared at me, "There is no Company, not anymore. I can't imagine what Thorin will do once he finds out what you've done."

I shook my head, "I can handle Thorin."

He stopped and faced me, "Can you? Don't underestimate the evil of gold. Gold over which a serpent has long brooded over. Dragon sickness seeps into the hearts of all who come near this Mountain." I snapped, everything that has happened making my temper short, "Don't you think I know that? I've been in there, watching Thorin go mad! The others, nearly as mad! I have to do something before they all die over something so stupid as gold!"

Gandalf looked at me and slowly a smile lifted in his beard, "Well, not all is affected by the gold."

Blushing I apologized and he waved it off. I sighed heavily and said, "Gandalf, I have to go back. I have to make sure Thorin knows it was me who took the jewel and not someone else in the group." Gandalf eyed me and I glanced at the South, "Also, I think something's coming from the South. I've never felt anything like it, like huge things digging under the ground toward us."

Gandalf's eyebrows disappeared into his hat and he said, "Orcs are leading an army here, from the South. You just gave me confirmation. I must speak again with Thranduil. Please, stay here tonight at least."

I looked at him and knew I had to say, "Alright." he nodded and waved over a man, none other than the sniveling weasel Alfrid, "You, find this woman a warm bed and hot food."

Alfrid grimaced and came over, only for Gandalf to stop him and whisper, "Keep an eye on her. If she tries to leave, tell me."

I rolled my eyes but let Alfrid lead me. But when he kicked at me to get me to go faster, he suddenly found himself on the ground with my boot at his throat, "Don't tempt me to cut out your tongue."

He groveled and I let him up and he showed me a nice bed in a single room and gt me some hot soup, and bread. I shooed him out and closed the door. Listening carefully I ate the food and as soon as I heard the snores I was out the window in an instant, heading back to where I had to be.