Beth sat on the first stair, having marginally cooled off as she reached it. Maybe she was being unfair, she reasoned. Maybe she just got too emotionally invested in this whole endeavour. In her momentary bliss of finding someone who loved her (at least she thought he loved her) she seemed to have a happy ending written out already in her head.
Beth sighed heavily and pulled herself up. She would just have to apologise for her outburst for now, politely tell Thorin it just wasn't working for her later, and get back to her job. But when she found herself at the entrance of the mountain, she could not find any of the others. And being that they couldn't have passed her unseen to go down the mountain…
"Fuck," she snapped. "I leave them alone for five minutes and they decide facing a dragon is their best course of action." She starred into the open door. "I don't want to go in there," she announced to herself. She starred the entrance down before deflating and groaning. She shuffled her way in, cursing in her head the entire time and wondering just how she planned on finding them.
It turned out that whole ordeal wasn't the hardest part at all. As it turned out, all she had to do was just follow the ruckus and noise and dragon roar. Beth picked up her pace as she heard Smaug roar for the second time and hoped that she wasn't too late.
For what? To die with them?
She skidded to a halt upon finding the huge forges and the dwarves scattered, seemingly attempting to play out some insane plan while trying to battle a dragon. And while she was angry at Thorin, there was no reason to not help her other companions. Especially since Bilbo was up on a ledge, laid out in plain view like a snack.
"HEY!" she shouted. Smaug immediately turned to spot her on the other side of the forge and she ducked behind a pillar, running as fast as she could away from the huge lizard.
"Little treasure!" Smaug called out to her. "You can't hide from me forever! And as soon as I take care of all your little friends you and the rest of the jewels in this mountain will be mine forever."
"You've gotta catch me first!" she declared and kept running and darting about the vast room, keeping the dragon well occupied until she heard Thorin shout at Bilbo.
"Keep going, Bilbo! Run!"
She switched direction and found herself high-tailing it after her brother into another vast room with tapestries all over the walls. They were not fast enough to get rid of Smaug.
"You think you can deceive me, barrel rider?" roared Smaug. "You and the treasure have come from Lake-town. This is some sordid scheme hatched between these filthy dwarves and those miserable trading Lake men. Those sniveling cowards with their long bows and black arrows. Perhaps it is time I paid them a visit."
"No!" Beth gasped.
Bilbo cried out, "This isn't their fault! Wait! You cannot go to Lake Town!"
Beth looked horrified at Bilbo, knowing he just unwittingly signed the entire town's death warrant. "You care about them, do you?" the dragon asked. "Good. You can watch them die."
Smaug turned to leave when Thorin called up from atop a huge column of rock, "Here! You witless worm!"
Smaug whipped around and growled out, "You."
"I am taking back what you stole," declared Thorin.
"You will take nothing from me, Dwarf," the dragon sneered. "I laid low your warriors of old. I instill terror in the hearts of men. I am King Under the Mountain."
Thorin puffed out his chest. "This is not your kingdom. These are Dwarf lands. This is Dwarf gold. And we will have our revenge."
Beth watched stunned with Bilbo as the column was pulled apart to reveal the great solid gold statue of a dwarf king. Smaug was hypnotized by the glittering statue until it seemed to warp slightly. Then without warning the cooled outer layer of gold melted and the molten gold washed over him, seemingly drowning the great lizard. But just as Beth was about to whoop with joy the fire drake emerged from the lake of gold, struggling out of the pool of molten mineral.
"Revenge!" he roared. "I will show you revenge!"
Smaug took off flying out of the open window-like fixtures, the gold cooling instantly and falling off him in glittering dust that speckled both Bilbo and Beth on his way out. From beside her, Bilbo asked under his breath, "What have we done?"
The same worry reflected in Beth's eyes. She assumed that the dwarves behind them had also felt the sinking sensation in themselves because she could hear nothing from them. Her eyes were trained on the sky until she could no longer see the dragon and then wandered to the pool of gold a few yards from where they were standing. She wondered briefly if they knew that the molten gold would not reach them on their raised platform, or if it was simply a risk they were willing to take. Bitterly she thought it was probably the second one.
Their first course of action was to (surprise, surprise) make their way back to the treasure room to look for the Arkenstone. Beth refused to even look at Thorin, opting to stay with her brother on their perusal. Though she did note that Thorin did look quite sullen.
Beth was not as taken with the great room of jewels as she was the first time. The whole incident with the dragon left a bitter taste in her mouth. The group split up, each heading in their own direction. As Beth continued to follow Bilbo, she noticed he was heading in the same direction they were in before.
On their stroll through the glittering treasure hoard, a specific light caught Beth's eye to her left. Bilbo didn't notice her walk off in a slightly different direction, his goal clearly set in mind. Beth bent to pick up a glittering white necklace made of gems she thought very much resembled starlight. They also very much resembled what Thranduil had described was 'stolen' from him. Debating for a moment, Beth pocketed the jewelry and went to catch up with her brother.
Bilbo was pocketing his own prize when she caught up to him. He turned round to see Beth with a hand on her hip, giving him a very pointed look, but didn't question what it was that Bilbo took. She supposed he was entitled to some of it anyway and if he saw what he wanted, why should she (who did the very same thing moments before) stop him?
"Mr. Baggins!" Thorin called out. "Here is the first payment of your reward! Cast off your old coat and put on this."
Both the hobbits were impressed with the gift. A chain mail shirt accompanied by a jeweled belt fit Bilbo very nicely. "I feel magnificent," confessed Bilbo. "But I expect I look rather absurd."
Beth laughed. "I think you look as magnificent as you feel, Bilbo."
The hobbit beamed at his sister and then to Thorin. "Thank you. But, um, are we arming ourselves? Because it looks like we're arming ourselves."
Thorin nodded. "We must be prepared for when Smaug returns."
Beth snorted, quite un-lady like. "And since when have swords and armour been any good against a dragon?"
"You are correct, I'm afraid," admitted Thorin. "We must make haste to the main gate."
And so the group departed from the treasure chamber and into the direction of the main gates. Balin led the group, and Bilbo and Beth once again took up the rear. Thorin stopped at a conjunction and waited for the hobbits. Beth was about to breeze past him, following the dwarves to the right passage when Thorin stopped her by placing a cautious hand on her shoulder.
"Yes?" she asked, noting her voice to be more snippy than intended.
Thorin frowned and hesitated for a moment. "I would like you to see something before we meet the others at the gate. I—it's important."
Beth stared him down for a minute (in which Bilbo was holding his breath) and finally said, "We'll catch up with you later, Bilbo. Don't get lost."
Bilbo nodded, concerned but took off in the direction the rest of the dwarves went, intent to catch up with them before he lost his way. Beth continued to stare down Thorin until she could no longer hear the patter of Bilbo's footsteps. "Lead the way then," she said.
The walk to wherever Thorin was leading Beth was silent as though all the air and sound had been sucked out of the space. It took them a few scant minutes to arrive at their destination. Beth noted that this must have been a very nice part of the mountain, with veins of gold glowing in the very walls and decorative door frames to every room. Each seemed to be labeled in runes much like the one that had been on Bilbo's door what seemed like ages ago.
Thorin stopped at a particular door and Beth waited for him to open it for her. When he didn't, she turned to see him looking at her with an expression Beth couldn't describe or decode. He simply motioned her to the door and Beth turned to look at it again. There was only a single rune on the frame and the door itself was covered in gold. Beth reached to the knob and twisted, carefully pushing the door in to reveal a pitch black room.
She looked back to Thorin with confusion and instead of answering Thorin took a single step into the threshold and with his torch lit a bowl of flammable material. The fire spread quickly, following the little river of liquid until the whole room was lit and every gold covered surface shone brilliantly. Beth took a tentative step in and her breath caught in her throat.
The entire room seemed to be a shrine, and in the middle stood a display of brilliant armour inlaid with more jewels than she could count. Two small swords stood upright on either side of the armoured statue, the hilts also glittering with the gems in them.
"When the Lady Galadriel looked into the future and saw the coming of the King's Council, my own ancestor also had a vision," Thorin began. Beth looked at him curiously, but did not linger, still trying to take in the impressive room. "He knew that when the King's Council came, it would be a woman. He commissioned his best armourers and craftsmen to make her armour and weapons fit for her status and importance. Two swords: the symbol of equality and fair judgement, and Mithril armour inlaid with hundreds of diamonds so that no weapon could touch her and her opponents would be blinded by her brilliance."
By now Beth had come face to face with the statue display. She swallowed thickly, reaching out to stroke the Mithril shirt and the large diamond that sat in the middle of the chest. Thorin walked up behind her and she turned around.
"Are you saying…this is all for me?"
In a humbling display, Thorin dropped to one knee in front of her and took both her hands in his. "Every Durin king before me has waited for your arrival and has each added their own gift for the King's Council. I…was still a prince when Erebor was taken. I am the only one who does not have anything to give you." His head dropped so it rested on their clasped hands. "I could not even protect you from myself."
Beth felt her heart drop into her stomach. Despite her resolve to leave for home after the quest was done, she couldn't help but feel bad for the crap she gave him. Being a prophesy was hard.
Sighing loudly, Beth told him, "No, you couldn't." She could see Thorin wince at her words. "But I don't think it's me who needs protection from you." Thorin lifted his head to meet her eyes and was stunned when she said, "I think the only person who needs to be protected from you is you."
A thick silence washed over the pair before Beth continued. "Look Thorin I…I love you, damnit. And I don't know why, but somehow this place has changed you. So if we make it out of this whole ordeal alive, I'm going home unless I see the Thorin I fell in love with." And with that, she dropped his hands and turned to take the armour off the mannequin to dress herself.
Beth decided that despite Mithril being very light indeed, all the plating was cumbersome. She took the mail shirt along with the forearm braces and shin braces. She also took the jeweled belt and strapped a sword to each side as it was designed. In an afterthought, she also picked up the helm and tucked it under her arm.
Thorin watched amazed as Beth pulled on the garments. When she turned to him at last, he seemed to lose his breath at the vision standing before him.
Smaug was right. She was a treasure.
"Dear me!" grumbled Bilbo. "More walking and more climbing without breakfast! I wonder how many breakfasts, and other meals, we have missed inside this nasty clockless, timeless hole?"
The decision to make it to a watch tower was made before Thorin and Beth even arrived. It would be safer, and a good vantage point for spotting the dragon when he came back. Unfortunately, it was a five hour trek to get there and Bilbo was right: they had not had breakfast yet. Beth's stomach growled in a timely fashion and she blushed despite herself.
"Come, come!" Called Thorin in a cheery voice. He had been awfully cheery since they had met with the group again. In fact, Beth watched Thorin the entire way to them as he grew more and more jovial with each step. It was like watching him being filled with something. A new hope, perhaps. "Don't call my place a nasty hole! You wait till it has been cleaned and redecorated!"
Upon reaching the watch tower (which in Beth's opinion was just a large balcony) Thorin announced that they would be doing no more travelling for that day despite Dori's unease. Beth and Bilbo both flopped where they stood, unable to go anymore without rest or food.
Although none of them could stop wondering…where was the dragon?
Beth learned some very interesting news while they were camped out in the watch tower: apparently here the ravens could speak. And speak they did! Just as the thrush that was bothering them flew off, he came back with a very old (sorry looking) raven.
And the raven spoke. "O Thorin son of Thrain, Balin son of Fundin, and the esteemed King's Council" he croaked. Beth wondered how a bird could have known who she was. "I am Rac son of Carc. Carc is dead, but he was well known to you once. It is a hundred years and three and fifty since I came out of the egg, but I do not forget what my father told me. Now I am the chief of the great ravens of the Mountain. We are few, but we remember still the king that was of old. Most of my people are abroad, for there are great tidings in the South - some are tidings of joy to you, and some you will not think so good. Behold! The birds are gathering back again to the Mountain and to Dale from South and East and West, for word has gone out that Smaug is dead!"
"Dead! Dead?" exclaimed Balin. "Dead! Then we have been in needless fear-and the treasure is ours!"
The raven, however, continued his tale. He told of Bard who had slain the dragon with a black arrow (which seemed to awe Balin). He also told the company that a host of elves and men from the lake were travelling up to the mountain looking for the wealth that lay inside.
Beth offered some crumbs for the birds from the remnants of their breakfast. "Thank you, Rac. You and your people shall not be forgotten."
"None of this treasure shall be stolen while I still draw breath," growled Thorin. "I beg of you, if any of your people are still young and strong send word to our kin in the north and the Iron Hills. Inform them of our plight and make haste!"
The birds flew off and Beth narrowed her eyes at Thorin. She shot Balin a look and the older dwarf seemed to know exactly what to do. He ushered the rest of the company back into the mountain upon Thorin's request to rebuild the gate. As Thorin himself was about to depart Beth grabbed his arm firmly.
"We have to talk," she ground out between her clenched teeth.
"Very well then," he replied. "Talk."
Beth pursed her lips in annoyance. A day ago he was at her feet practically begging for forgiveness and now he acted as though being around her was a chore. "You do realize you promised the people of Lake Town a share of the treasure? And you owe it to them, especially seeing as they took care of our dragon problem for us."
"I will not have them steal—"
"It's not stealing Thorin!" She cried, cutting him off. "It's paying back what you owe. What is wrong with you? I'm getting whiplash trying to keep up with your mood swings!" Thorin glowered at her, but said nothing. Beth sighed in defeat. "Look, my official advice as the King's Council: Don't make undue enemies with your greed. As your lover…get a grip."