To make up for last chapter's unoriginalness, here's... a much better chapter. Better as in not expected.
Enjoy to the best of your ability...
The silent horror of the burning of Laketown sat heavy upon the hearts of the company. The company, excluding Thorin. Emi observed quietly as the dwarf lord left first back to the halls of Erebor. Eventually, everyone else followed. Bombur and Bifur had the heaviest hearts.
Thorin headed directly back to the treasure hoard. The sea stretched before him, but he saw none of it.
"Find it!" He barked at the others. "Find the Arkenstone!" Emi waited by the door as the others combed through the gold. "You as well." Thorin commanded to the hobbit. But when she flinched at his tone, Thorin's face softened momentarily. "…No. Get some rest. You've earned it for today. Join us when you've regained your wits." He would not admit however, that he was hurt at how quickly she fled.
Emi was trembling as she dashed through the stone halls. That was the only thing good she could find about this mountain. It was big. She lost herself in the mountain, safe from any gold crazed dwarf. Slipping on her ring for good measure, she found a dark corner and fell into a fitful slumber.
She woke to the cold gray haze of the ring's shadow world. A shiver ran down her spine as Emi curled further into herself. She didn't want to move. She wanted to hide unseen in the depths of the mountain until she withered away and died. That wouldn't be so bad. Just her and her ring…
But, no. She couldn't do that. She'd never again see her home, her garden, her books. She had to see those one last time. Emi slowly stood, shivering in the stone halls. Once she had returned home, then she could disappear. And she couldn't go home until this business had been sorted out. The quest was not yet over.
Thorin sat, brooding on his throne. Balin watched silently from nearby.
"Why hasn't it been found yet?" Thorin demanded.
"We're searching." Balin replied impatiently.
"Well search faster! I need the Arkenstone."
"Thorin…"
"It should have been found by now. Why is it still missing?" Thorin hissed as Dwalin joined his brother's side.
"Are you suggesting that… one of us, have taken it?" Balin asked, innocently. Thorin scowled and looked away.
"Let it be known, that if I find that any one has found," Thorin growled "and withheld, the Arkenstone from me, they will be sorry."
"And here I was about to go and give it to you!"
All three dwarves turned to see Emi standing at the other end of the long stone walkway, looking weary and thin.
"What?" Thorin snarled in disbelief. Emi looked at him for a moment before slowly reaching into her coat pocket and pulling out a huge, gleaming gem. It shone with it's own light in the dark, lighting up the hobbit's face. Her eyes were set solely on Thorin.
"This is what you're looking for, isn't it?" She asked confidently. Thorin took a hasty step forward and the Arkenstone disappeared back into the hobbit's coat. The room crackled with tension.
"You did find it…" Thorin said deep in his throat. "Give it to me."
"No." Emi set her jaw.
Thorin's nostrils flared as he rushed forward. "It is mine! GIVE IT TO ME!" Emi took a step back before reaching into another of her pockets and promptly vanishing. Thorin spun madly in circles, looking for where she had gone. There was no sign of her. Thorin collapsed to his knees. "I have gone mad." He cried, looking desperately at Balin and Dwalin. "These horrible visions plague me as I wake now too!" Balin and Dwalin shared a glance.
"Was it Emi, lad?" Balin asked hesitantly.
"Yes." Thorin buried his head in his hands.
"With the Arkenstone?"
Slowly, Thorin looked up at the old dwarf, wide eyed. "You saw it too?" He whispered.
"Aye." Balin nodded slowly.
"I think we all did." Dwalin agreed.
"That's because it wasn't a vision." Everyone turned again to see Emi perched casually on the throne of Erebor, flipping over the Arkenstone in her hands. Again Thorin sprung to his feet. Emi stood up as well, the height of the throne allowing her too look down on Thorin from a few feet away. Both were tense as a bowstring, waiting for the other to make a move.
"Where did you get that?" Thorin demanded slowly, his rage barely contained in his breath.
"I nabbed it right out from under Smaug's nose while you were hiding above." Emi hissed.
"You were supposed to return it to me." Thorin barked. "That was your job!"
"I could have died!" Emi snapped back. Balin and Dwalin looked back and forth between them, unsure which to support. "And for what?" Emi laughed hollowly. "A fourteenth share of the treasure? What would I do with it? Buy out the shire?"
"You signed the contract-"
"You are a coward!"
"I went in to save you!"
"Good! Now do that three more times and we'll be even!" Their heavy breaths came in time with each other as they glared daggers. "So…" Emi straightened herself up again. "I'm on the throne. I have the Arkenstone. That would make me king, right?"
"I AM KING!"
"YOU ARE NOT… you are not my king." Emi finished, pocketing the Arkenstone again. Thorin rushed forward once more, but this time Sting was drawn and pointed down at him. Emi held it at arms length, using all her force to keep it stead. To keep it from trembling. "Don't you dare take another step." She swallowed. "Or I swear I will disappear and you will never see your precious Arkenstone ever again."
"You would threaten me?" Thorin growled.
"Oh I am definitely threatening you." Emi scoffed.
Thorin took a step back. "So you… of all people, you have betrayed me. I thought you were trust worthy… You told me… You told me that you would never lie to me!"
"And that is why I am the burglar, Thorin, and you are not." The hobbit smiled, a tear running down her cheek as she stared into Thorin's hurt eyes. Betrayed eyes… Sting continued to tremble.
"It wasn't supposed to go like this." Emi croaked, more tears following. Thorin watched as the sword point continued to dance without pattern. "It was supposed to be easy. I was supposed to give you that godforsaken gem and go home! You were supposed to be the king I had met in Hobbiton. The king who proved himself time and time again to save those you cared about. The king I came to trust and follow." Thorin stared at her in confusion.
"Am I not king?" the words ghosted out. He turned to the other two. "Am I not king?"
Dwalin shook his head. "It is true… You cannot see what you have become." Balin just looked away. Thorin stumbled backward, his crown feeling suddenly heavy.
"Treason…" the voice escaped his lips. "TREASON! BEGONE FROM ME! ALL OF YOU BEGONE!"
"Thorin…" Emi inhaled.
"NO! Leave me to my misery!" the king stumbled away. "Leave me to my grief…"
"Thorin, Thorin, Thorin, Thorin!" The hobbit leapt off the throne, tossing Sting to the side as she hurried towards the bewildered King.
"I said AWAY!" the dwarf struck out knocking the hobbit to the ground. Emi hit the smooth floor, the Arkenstone clattering to the ground beside her. Thorin's eye was drawn to the gem like a moth to flame.
"He was right." Emi mumbled.
"What?" Thorin demanded.
"Smaug was right." Emi laughed, look up at Thorin, one eye blinking out blood that poured down from the cut on her forehead. "It's driven you mad." Her body went lax against the stone. "Take it then. It yours. Take it." Thorin did not move. "Why do you hesitate? I won't be able to stop you. No tricks. I won't even be able to get up."
"What do you mean lass?" Balin voiced from the side.
"I heard a horrible crack… somewhere by my neck I think." The hobbit sighed. "It's not a good thing I suppose. Can't really move much anyway." She started laughing again. "What a mess I've gotten myself into. I should have just stayed home… never walked out my front door." She looked out of the corner of her eye at Thorin. "Well? What are you waiting for? Go pick it up! Isn't it what you've been wanting all this time?"
Everyone watched Thorin as the king stared longingly at the Arkenstone. The internal conflict waged beneath the weight of a heavy crown.
"No." He spoke. "It is not all I've wanted." A weary hand reached up to the crown atop his head and cast it aside. "I did not start this quest to become king." Thorin whispered deliberately. "Nor to slay the dragon. I wanted to regain the halls of my father and grandfather." His eyes rose to Balin and Dwalin. His subjects. His advisors. His friends. "Our people." The brothers smiled back gently. "I have failed you." Thorin frowned. "You put your trust in me and I succumbed to greed."
"But you overcame it." Balin replied. "You've returned to us!"
"I could not have done it alone." Thorin turned fondly to Emi. But his smile disappeared as he saw her lying motionless on the stone floor. "Emilie? Emilie!" The dwarves rushed to her side in a suppressed state of panic. "Speak to me!"
"It feels cold Balin." The hobbit spoke, her voice quiet and scared. "Is it supposed to feel cold?"
"No!" Thorin's eyes widened further. "Balin, what's wrong with her? What's the matter?"
"I can't… feel my body." Emi continued, unaware of those around her as she stared unblinkingly forward.
"Emi, listen to me." Balin looked down at her face. "Focus on me, alright lass? Focus on my face. Dwalin, get Oin. Emi, you need to focus."
"Everything looks so dark…" she whispered. "Thorin? Thorin, what's going on? I'm scared. I can't feel anything. I can't see anything-"
"Shh." Thorin quieted her, putting a hesitant hand to her hair and stroking it reassuringly. "Everything will be alright." His words felt hollow, even to him. "It will be okay. Oin is on his way. You'll be fine."
"But I can't see you. Thorin. It's cold."
"She's going into some sort of shock!" Balin informed Oin as the dwarf hurried over.
"Thorin. I don't want to go home. Not yet. I don't want to leave."
"You aren't going to." Thorin nodded. "You'll be fine."
"Am… I?" The last word slipped out and she said nothing more.
"Emi…" Thorin searched her face frantically. "EMI!"
THAT DID NOT GO AT ALL AS PLANNED! WHAT YOU YOU DOING YOU STUPID CHARACTERS? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WRITE MYSELF OUT OF THIS ONE?
*Emi lies on the ground unresponsive*
... I hate you so much right now.