For the past two days, all we heard was songs outside the walls. They were merry songs of men and elves. The boys longed to partake of the party, but Thorin's orders were specific. He retired to his bed chambers ever so often to play the harp and ease with it his tension. The decision lied upon his shoulders and he was running out of time. Yet no troops from the Iron Hills showed. The rest of the company improvised their own party, playing their tunes with instruments that Bilbo found every time he returned from the gold hoards. This day he found another one...
"Just look at this, a lovely mandolin. Which one of you is prominent at playing it?" Said Bilbo with a smile.
Bombur approached to take it, when the sharing got abruptly interrupted by Thorin, who grabbed Bilbo by the wrist...
"And the Arkenstone? Where is the Arkenstone?" Said Thorin, growing impatient with his eyes fixed on Bilbo, piercing his very soul.
"I.. I have not.. found it. I need more time..." Bilbo smiled sheepishly.
"How much time do you think we dispose of? You have been going down those hoards every day since we arrived and all you bring is useless instruments. Finding the Arkenstone was commended to you. Where is it?" His tone was menacing.
"Please Thorin, the hoards are immense. I do not mean to.. to anger you. I will find it, but it will take longer" Bilbo gulped, looking at me briefly, and back at Thorin.
He released Bilbo's wrist carelessly, sighing with exasperation...
"If I want things done right, I have to do them myself. All of you, come with me! We will search every corner of that hoard until the Arkenstone appears..." Ordered Thorin, "... and if by chance I get anyone hiding it from me, my wrath will come down upon the traitor."
That was the end of my peaceful days for sure, there was no way I could stop Thorin now from returning with that foul mood that scared me. In fact, my best bet was silence. The last thing I needed was to be accused of compliance, as it was me who insisted for Bilbo to go in his stead. It has been a few days now since we ran out of cram. And with the existing besiege, there was no way to get food. Dwarves had more resistance to hunger than humans. Starvation was starting to take a toll on me.
Thorin began to count the members of his company, while they were busy separating coins from gems, realizing one was missing.
"Kili... Has any of you seen Kili today?" Asked Thorin.
"Um... uncle, this is my fault. He insisted that he could fool the besiege to get us food. I helped him leave through the hidden door." Responded Fili shrugging his shoulders with an apologetic expression.
"What?! How long has he been gone?" demanded Thorin.
"Since last night." Admitted Fili, lowering his head.
"How comes I was not informed of this?!" Asked Thorin between anger and worry.
"Because you were locked in your room all night. You just came out!" Said Fili.
"Foolish boy! He will get himself killed!" The greed abandoned Thorin's eyes to be replaced with fear. Thorin began to pace the hoard like a caged animal, rising his hands to his hair and grabbing it in a desperate gesture.
"I.. I can go find him, if.. if you allow me!" responded Bilbo.
"You?! Just like you have failed miserably to find the Arkenstone? Pardon me, Master Baggins, but I would not trust my kin to you!" Responded Thorin with cynicism.
The mood he could acquire from the gold fever scared me, no doubt about it. But the thought of losing him scared me more. Just like he ventured out of the mountain to find me in Esgaroth, I suspected he would do the same to find Kili. Desperate situations required desperate measures.
"Love please, I think it's an excellent idea. Let the halfling go find your nephew. He is remarkably light on his feet and can pass the besiege unnoticed, better than any of us. I will help you find that Arkenstone meanwhile." I said with my heart in my hand, staring into my lover's eyes with fear of losing him.
His glare softened with my eye contact. He sighed, walking away from me.
"Very well. Master Baggins, you have five hours from now, after which I am not responsible for your fate. Go!" He said, "Fili, show him the way out and then return"
"Yes uncle. Come with me, Bilbo." Fili beckoned for him to follow as they climbed the stairs, away from the hoard.
I began to separate coins from gems, just like the rest. At a given moment, I felt like my air was wearing thin. A similar sensation to the one in the Mirkwood forest. Only difference is that there was no hallucinations. The lack of air, combined with my hunger, made me dizzy. I took a deep breath, releasing it slowly in hopes to ease that horrid sensation. But it only made me nauseated. I covered my mouth for a moment, resuming my search afterwards.
Gloin seemed to be quite skilled at organizing coins. Nori on the other hand, was stuffing his pockets. Typical thief. However, watching my companions would not get any job done. Those coins still had the stench of dragon about them. A stench I knew all too well, for it was what some of us breathed for days at the shores of Esgaroth, as that humongous reptile carcass began to decompose. The horrid smell was unbearable to me while no one else seemed to perceive it. Again I covered my mouth and nose with my hand, hyperventilating and sweating cold. It did me no good. Finally I gave in, fading to black and falling flat on my back in that pile of coins as I passed out...