Gundabad, a few days before…
Legolas and Tauriel had arrived at the gate, and seeing a little movement, were waiting for night to fall to investigate more. Tauriel had not been much for conversation since they left their companions with the refugees. Even now, they sat in in silence. Legolas had mentioned his mother a few moments before. Everyone in the Kingdom knew Thranduil had loved his wife dearly. He had forbidden talk of her after her passing, but his people enjoyed remembering their King before he became cold.
Though she knew she should be solely focused on their mission, Tauriel found herself trying to sort her emotions. She didn't know what to label her feelings for the elf lord. She had not known him long, at all, especially by her people's standards. All she knew for sure was that there was a connection and attraction, and she wanted to pursue the possibilities.
She turned her attentions to her oldest and dearest friend. Everyone seemed to think that he was in love with her, himself included. She knew her feelings for him; she would laugh with him, she would cry with him. She would die with and for him, but she had never had one inkling of romantic feeling for him. His presence did not set her heart to fluttering, she had no desire to be held in his arms, to taste his lips. She actually grimaced a bit at the thought. He was her brother in all but blood. She felt the above when she thought of Glorfindel. She kept her thoughts from traveling further down that path, for the moment at least.
She thought of how he always behaved around her. Until recently, he had never acted in a way that would give her any indication that he had those feelings towards her. Rumors had been growing around the kingdom, that they were a pair, that they were planning to wed, with or without the kings approval. Tauriel and Legolas had once laughed at the rumors. Tauriel thought over the last decade. Legolas had rebelled against her spending more time with anyone other than himself, male or female, but especially males. She remembers a comment he made, pouting, about an elf visiting from Lothlorien. Legolas grumbled that he wanted to take her away to his home.
More and more memories came to the forefront of her mind. It suddenly all clicked into place.
"You do not love me, Legolas."
Legolas looked at her, startled. "What?"
"You do not love me."
"Of course I love you. I care more for you than anyone else."
"As a friend and as a sister, not as a lover. Legolas…."
"Do not tell me what I feel! I know what I feel!"
"You are so sure? What is it you feel when you think about me? Do you think about how it would feel to hold me in your arms? Do you long to steal a kiss, or spend hours contemplating our future? Do you dream of taking me into your bed?"
She watched his grimace at her last question, she, herself, squelching down a giggle.
"Legolas, my dearest friend, you do not want me for your lover, you fear that I shall leave you."
Legolas looked away from her, back towards the gate. She knew he was trying to deny it, but she saw that he was thinking on what she had revealed. She too turned her attention to the task at hand. It was not long before the gates began to open and a foul army spilled forth. They made their way to their mount, hoping against hope that they would make it in time to warn the others.
Meanwhile, in the Mountain…
Glorfindel watched Thorin. After his nephews had left with the twins, Thorin saw to it that the company was outfitted for war, even the hobbit. Now, they were in the throne room. Glorfindel had been here only a few times, but even as a ruin, it had hardly lost its magnificence. Most elves did not understand why the dwarves could dwell underground as they do. But Glorfindel did. He understood that this was how Aule had designed them; to mine the beautiful things from the earth and shape them into treasures. Looking around Erebor, or any dwarven dwelling, showed that they used their craft to shape the very mountains they dwelled in as well. It was simply breathtaking.
Glorfindel also found himself watching the hobbit. He looked nervous and was constantly checking something in his coat. The elf had a feeling the Halfling was going to do something desperate. There was something dark about the hobbit that had not been there when he last saw him in Rivendell. Seeing an opportunity to stay within sight of Thorin, and talk to Bilbo, he took it. Facing Thorin, putting Bilbo's back to the dwarf, he started the conversation.
"Master Baggins, is there something on your mind? You look nervous."
"Hmm, what? No! No, no, no, no. Well, I mean, there is the whole war thing, but I am fine. I'm fine."
"Master Baggins, I have a feeling you are about to do something you shouldn't. Now, are you going to tell me what it is you have in your jacket, or am I going to have to fish it out myself?"
Bilbo went pale. "I don't know what you are talking about."
"You and I both know that is not true. I have watched you. Now, let me help you before you do something you will regret."
Bilbo turned to look at Thorin. He was bellowing about the stone to Balin and Dwalin. Everyone else was resting for tomorrow, by the wall. He turned back to Glorfindel.
"I found it, the Arkenstone. I was going to give it to him, but, I fear it may make him worse. I had thought that maybe I could take the stone to Fili and Kili, and they could use it as a ransom to help the people of Laketown, or to get them back into his good graces. I thought I could also use it against my own claim."
"No, Master Baggins, I am afraid you would make things much worse if you were to go through with your plan."
"Then what can be done? We are all dead in here! There is an army of elves that we are going against tomorrow. There is no guarantee Thorin's cousin will show, and Balin assured me that the stone should stay hidden!"
"Balin knows?"
"No, not really. I asked him some specific questions, and though he may have an inkling, there is no way he could be sure."
Glorfindel thought for a moment, and then proceeded. "I agree with Balin. Now is not the time for him to have the jewel. Take it and put it in a safe place. Until he overcomes the sickness, it will only make it worse."
"Isn't it causing it?"
"No. You do not know much about the history of the rings, do you? Sauron the Deceiver gifted rings to each race. He could not control the dwarves with theirs, but they did bring out the worst characteristics in the bearers. Durin's line is one of the bearers. Thrain is the last known to have had the ring, but I am sure that Thorin, at some point, had contact with it. It awakens something in them. This is why I believe Fili is different. His grandfather was gone before he or his brother were ever born. They do not know the influence of the ring. Thorin, however, must overcome it. Thorin may never be able to handle the stone, since it is the thing he desires most, but I do not believe it is the stone itself."
"What are you discussing over there?!" bellowed Thorin.
Glorfindel, quick as he was, had an immediate answer. "Just a bit of a history lesson. Master Baggins is a lover of literature and history, and I was sharing with him a little bit on the Rings of Power the Deceiver gifted the races."
Thorin stared them both down, but it was too quick an answer to have been made up. "My father was the last of my line to have the ring my family held."
"Yes, Lord Glorfindel was just telling me that," Bilbo said with surprising ease. "He also said that Sauron had not been able to control the dwarves with them. That is very admirable."
"Yes. We dwarves are strong in both mind and body. We are not so easily controlled," he said with arrogance.
Bilbo shifted nervously. "Well, I am going to go get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
"You are welcome to seek asylum elsewhere in the mountain, Master Baggins. Your people are not made for war, and you are not obligated to fight for me."
"Thorin, you are my friend, and friends do not hide away in fear whilst there are trials to face. I will see you in the morning." He made his way out of the throne room, and off to hide the stone.
Glorfindel saw the familiar countenance of the once exiled king. He was still there, and it gave the elf hope. Thorin turned to him, the edges of the madness still holding off.
"And you? What do you plan to do?"
"I made a promise to your forbearer, and I will keep it. I have faith in you. You will overcome this."
He watched as Thorin warred with himself. He saw the madness seeping back in, so he took himself, once more, within sight, yet out of reach.
Back at Dale
"Gandalf!" cried Fili and Kili.
"Where have you been?" asked Fili.
"Why did you abandon the company?" asked Kili.
"Fili. Kili. Elladan and Elrohir were just telling me of your troubles. I am sorry that it has come to this. I did not abandon the company, I merely had to leave to check on something of the utmost importance. I am so very glad I did, else we would all surely perish."
"What has happened?" asked Fili.
"I was just about to explain myself, before you both came running in." Gandalf proceeded to tell them about what had happened, what he had discovered.
"So it is as Glorfindel said; Sauron is not destroyed."
"No, and nor is he likely to be without the ring. Thankfully, it is lost so he is not likely to ever gain full power, but he is still a deadly adversary."
"What proof do you have that such an army is heading this way? Or that they even exist? Where are they?" asked Thranduil.
"Did you not hear what he just said?" asked Elladan in anger. "My father, the Lady, and Saruman all witnessed this. What more proof do you need than to see the army for yourself?!"
"Your father's faith in the wizards has obviously bled down to you and your siblings. Wizards will say and do what they must for the outcome they desire. I will not take this warning to heart until I see more proof that it is an actual threat."
Thranduil dismissed them all from his tent. They walked back to their camps.
"What will you do, Bard? Thranduil has said that you and your people are welcome to join them against the dwarves. Will you do so?" asked Elrohir.
"I will admit, I am angry that our claim was denied, and many of the men want to join, but I am hesitant to do so."
Fili and Kili looked a little relieved. They were not sure, themselves, what they were going to do, as of yet, but they knew they would not fight against their kin.
"I believe it would be wise to prepare your people for an attack from orcs. The weapons rooms should still be in good order. Many of their weapons had been forged in the fires of Erebor, and so should still be worthy enough to be wielded," said Gandalf. "I plan to intercede between the two, tomorrow. This may yet be avoided. The orc army, though… No, they are coming."
Gandalf went to prepare himself in whatever way he did. Elladan and Elrohir went with Bard to inspect the weapons and see what tips they could pass to the men. They had been hunting orc for centuries, after all. Fili and Kili went to sharpen and prepare their own weapons. It was going to be a long night.
Dawn came quicker than anyone was truly prepared for. The Elves took their places before the mountain, the men stood ready just inside the walls, and the companions who set out from Rivendell (minus one golden-haired elf) stood upon the walls to watch and wait. Since Bard had decided that the orcs were the bigger problem, and convinced the rest of the men that it was so, Fili and Kili had gladly given their support to him. They would fight to defend the Men of the Lake.
They would normally be too far to see or hear what was transpiring, but their elven friends did not have the same restrictions.
"Your uncle just shot an arrow at the hooves of Thranduil's mount. He said the next would be between his eyes," said Elladan.
"Your kin are cheering…. wait, Thranduil's archers have made themselves ready. Now your kin have calmed themselves," Elrohir shared.
Kili snorted, "You mean they hid themselves behind the wall."
"You wouldn't?" asked Fili.
"Oh no, I would. I just found his use of terms humorous. Thirteen against an entire elven army?"
"I was hoping Glorfindel would be able to make some headway with him. Do you see him anywhere?" asked Fili.
"Yes, he stands just out of sight, behind the hobbit and your uncle. He seems a bit pensive," said Elrohir. "Look! Gandalf has approached the mountain!"
They stood in silence for the next few minutes. Elladan released an Elvish expletive they had taught the dwarrow. "Thorin will not yield."
Bard heard his words as he approached. "So, he has chosen to make war."
"So it would seem," replied the elf.
"Brother, do you hear that?" asked Elrohir.
"What is it?" asked Kili.
"It sounds like an army moving, just over that hill," supplied Elladan.
No sooner than he answered, an army came into view.
"Dain," said Kili.
"What kind of disposition does he have?" asked Bard.
Fili cleared his throat. "It is said that Thorin is the more reasonable of the two."
"Is he astride a pig?" asked Elrohir.
"Yes. Swine are a popular mount in the Iron Hills, though most of our kind prefer the ram."
Elladan laughed out loud. "I like him. He obviously doesn't like elves, but I hope to receive an introduction, anyway."
"What did he say?" asked Kili.
"He 'asked' that everyone sod off. And he just called Thranduil a woodland sprite. However, he, too, is ignoring Gandalf's pleas."
Dread settled in their hearts when they saw both the dwarves and the elves preparing to fight with the other. That dread deepened when they both felt and heard the earth rumble. Elrohir and Elladan looked at each other in horror.
"Wereworms," said Elladan resolutely.
"Were what?" asked Kili.
He never received a verbal answer from either of the twins, but then he didn't need one: monstrous, wormlike creatures burst from the earth, devouring dirt and rock. Behind them, a horn sounded.
"Azog!" growled Fili.
Bard turned around and shouted down to his men. "Ready yourselves!"
He turned and looked with pity at the former Master's deputy. The man looked about ready to wet himself.
"Alfrid, make sure the men, women, and children not fighting are secured in the Town Hall. See that you stay with them."
"Right! Of course, Sire. I'll see that I, I mean, they are locked away, safe. Away from any and all fighting." He then scurried away.
"We'll head to the other side of the city to prepare the men there. I have no doubt that there will be orcs routed that way," said Elladan, his brother following behind him.
Fili, Kili, and Bard met the rest of the men at the gate. It had begun.
I had thought it very ridiculous that people seemed to expect Alfrid to fight. I would have told him to bunker down, and get out of the way. He would only really be capable of getting himself and others killed. A coward will go to many selfish extremes to survive, like throw someone else into the fire. Spoiler alert: Fili and Kili are not leaving Dale. They will not be joining Thorin. They are going to live. However, I will not reveal the fate of Thorin. You will have to wait and see. I debated on whether to throw in the scene with Tauriel and Legolas. I was going to do it as a flashback later, but, obviously, I decided to go ahead and put it in here. Next up, the battle.