Chapter 7 - Bargain of trust

... I opened my eyes slowly, breathing better. Around me was four of the dwarves; Oin giving me medical attention; Balin with a gloomy face; Dwalin hardened as always; and Thorin with my hand on his. He was the most worried of them all, caressing my face gently with his other hand.
"Wyenne, can you hear me?" Whispered Thorin with an air of guilt.
"It was a bad idea to allow her into the hoards." Said Oin.
"I suggest we postpone the search for the Arkenstone until Dain arrives. Is not doing any of us good, for it clouds our judgement. Yours most of all, laddie!" Said Balin to Thorin.
"Very well, I will take your advice on this." Said Thorin sighing.
"What happened to me?" I whispered.
"You fainted, Wyenne. Don't try to speak, just rest. I am here with you." Said Thorin, kissing my forehead with gentleness. "Friends, allow us a moment please." Pleaded Thorin to the rest, who walked out of the room to allow us some privacy.

Once they were away from hearing distance, Thorin addressed me again,
"I know I have been neglecting you over my obsession with the Arkenstone. I am sorry. By Mahal, please get better." He said, misty eyed and kissing my palm.
"I too have something to tell you, my love. And it is important. I.." My words got interrupted by Ori, who rushed into the room with urgent news for Thorin.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Bard and the Elven King are approaching the entrance with two guards." He said hastily.
"What in Durin's name now?! Didn't they say three days?! It's not even the end of the third!" Thorin stormed out of the room.

On his way to the wall, he ordered Oin to take care of me while he took care of the negotiations. Dwalin escorted him.
"Didn't I say that I want no business with you until you send back your elf scum companions?" Yelled Thorin at the top of his lungs. That's when the two guards brought forth the prisoner.
"Kili!" exclaimed Thorin with his eyes wide open.
"Release me, you rukhsuls! TAURIEL!" screamed Kili.
"We surprised this midget assaulting one of my guards behind the rocks. By elven law, the penalty is death. Is he familiar to you, son of Thrain?" said Thranduil loudly.
"You lie! Bite your tongues! I have not assaulted anyone!" Yelled Kili with anger, as he struggled against the grip of his captors.

From within the campers, came this she elf running to the guards, "This is ridiculous, release him!" yelled Tauriel.
"Are you defying my orders once more?" said Thranduil, turning to her.
"He was not assaulting me, I allowed it! By elven law that makes him my husband!" she yelled, "Neither of you kings would have blessed our union, so we did it this way! Dare deny us now!" she added.
Thranduil parted his lips with astonishment, eyes wide open. He could not believe his ears, for it was the lowest and most disgusting act an elf could steep to, according to him. With a careless wave of his hand, he dismissed the captive and the guards released him. Kili removed himself from them abruptly, walking straight to the elven king and spitting on his direction with hatred in his eyes. Tauriel ran to Kili, taking his face gently between her hands.
"Are you hurt, my love? Did they harm you?" Kili responded with a passionate kiss, devouring her lips shamelessly for all to realize how pointless this whole quarrel was.

"Tauriel, I hereby strip you from your position as captain of the Silvan guard." Said Thranduil coldly.
"Great, because I do not want it! My place is with my husband!" She responded sharply. The elven king slapped her hard across the face with the back of his hand. She felt the insult burning on her face and that was the last straw for her. She turned in the direction of the Dwarf King above, "King Thorin Oakenshield, I am ready to swear allegiance to you if you will have me! What say you?"
Thorin was equally astonished, he could not believe his eyes. It took him a moment to react from the shock and order Dwalin to go down and allow them entrance. Legolas ran to Tauriel, grabbing her arm in an attempt to stop her.
"Tauriel, no!" He said, shaking his head to the sides with impotence.
"Let go of me, only my husband can put his hands on me!" She responded, pulling her arm abruptly from the Elven Prince's grip and following Prince Kili into the stronghold.

"Guess there goes one of our negotiation items..." Responded Bard under his breath, looking away with embarrassment.
"We still have this!" said Thranduil, as he pulled a big white stone with swirls of light inside of it from his sleeve.
Thorin widened his eyes, "My grandfather's Arkenstone! How came you by it?!" The King under the mountain was furious.
"How precious is this stone to you, King under the mountain? You have business with us now, a favor for a favor." said the elven King.
"Will you negotiate with us now?" Asked Bard.

Thorin turned his glare towards Kili, "Did you give it to them?!" Kili widened his eyes with terror, shaking his head in a gesture of no.
"He didn't, I did!" Said Bilbo, "You know, I... believe I misunderstood my part of the treasure in the contract, and took it literally. I was under the impression that I could do with my part as I pleased, so I gave it to them to ease their loss."
A moment of silence took place. Thorin suddenly reacted with extreme and blind anger, carrying Bilbo high in the air and getting ready to toss him down the mountain.
"YOU! Descendant of RATS! You are no friend of mine! TRAITOR! IMRID AMRAD URSUL!" Yelled Thorin totally out of himself, he was enraged.

I heard all the yelling from each of the bargain members, and I arrived just in time to witness the wrath of Thorin, like nothing I have ever seen before.

"Thorin, NO!" I screamed. He turned his head to me.
"King Thorin Oakenshield, let go of Bilbo now!" Yelled Gandalf from within the camping crowd below.

In the middle of the confusion, Thorin turned red with anger, which made his blue eyes more noticeable. He turned and tossed Bilbo violently against one of the walls inside of the stronghold.

"Get out of here! You descendant of RATS! You betrayed me! Get out before I kill you myself!" Yelled Thorin totally irrational.

Bilbo's head hurt when it smashed against the wall, but his fear of Thorin's anger was greater than his pain. He rose from the floor, running away from the King's wrath and out of the stronghold. Bilbo had been banished.

I was crying, "Please Thorin, stop this. I beg of you. Gandalf is with them and he is our friend. No harm will come to us. Please!" My voice was hoarse.
"Wyenne, I do not wish to believe you have something to do with this." He muttered under his breath.
"No, I could never do this to you. But I cannot take one more day of starvation. In fact, I have something important to tell you. It cannot wait much longer and it is for your ears only..." I said in tears, extremely pale and worn out.

I was dragging myself to him, weak and dizzy, until I was next to him. I whispered something into his ear to make sure no one else would know. He turned his head to me slowly. His eyes widened, his lips parted, he was shocked with my news. Then he looked away blank, breathing with difficulty. Tears ran down his face as he looked at me again. It seemed like he was about to collapse. Finally he let out an audible sigh, lowering his head. My secret softened him, leaving him numb.

"Dwalin, give them their part of the bargain and retrieve the Arkenstone. I give up! Let there be peace..." He said, fighting the lump on his throat and carrying me gently in his arms, as he retired to his bed chambers.