Author's Note: Darn it, Dwalin.

Chapter 32-Travelers Return

Karra sat on the edge of a large chest, her feet dangling just above the ground. They had been at it all day—sorting, exclaiming over old treasures, organizing, cleaning. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Perhaps, like her, they were looking for a distraction. But they seemed to have taken up all of the chests in the room, save for the one she sat on, which was empty. They left her with nothing to do but sit, and watch them—and think.

She dropped to the floor. This was getting boring, and the room was crowded enough. She peeked out into the corridor, closed her eyes, shook her head, and looked again.

No.

She didn't just see that.

Running now, she rounded a corner, ran into something, and looked up to see a pair of brown eyes and a shock of blond hair.

Her shriek echoed down the hallway.

Fili slipped his arms around her waist and swung her around in a circle, lifting her feet from the ground. She couldn't stop laughing, smiling, saying his name as many times as she could. He drew her close, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Oh, Karra," he said. "I've been so worried. You're alive!"

"You're alive! I thought you were…" Her voice trailed off. "I Smaug burn Laketown, and I was sure…" She hugged him again, laughing. "I'm so glad you're back!"

Dwarves emerged into the hallway, running, laughing, calling the others' names. In a whirl of chaotic greetings, they attacked the returning four with hugs and questions and laughter. Fili stood by Karra, his arm still around her waist, never taking his eyes off her for more than a moment.

"Karra," he said again. "I was so worried. I thought you were dead." He cupped her face in his hand and his eyes met hers. "Karra, I…"

"Och, Fili! It's good to see you back, lad!" Dwalin gave Fili a hearty pat on the back and pulled him into a hug, knocking Karra out of the way. She stepped back with a sigh. What had Fili been about to say? She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned.

"I'll have you know," Kili said, "that my brother has done nothing but worry about these last four days."

"Kili!" she cried. "I'm so sorry, I barely noticed you!" She gave him a brief hug and grinned at his teasing. "Why didn't you come back sooner?"

Kili didn't answer.

"He couldn't travel," Fili said, appearing behind his brother. "He was wounded—badly." He patted Kili on the shoulder and grinned. "But that's a story for another time, and it is a story."

"Oh come on, it's not like we have anything better to do! Tell me everything."

Fili grinned. "Oh, fine. But come, sit down." He took her hand and they followed the others back into the little room, which was now overflowing with dwarves. Karra found a place in the corner and sat down, Fili on one side and Kili on the other.

"I don't think you ever knew how badly he was wounded," Fili said. "Why, he nearly died!"

"Oh come on!" Kili raised an eyebrow. "I did not. And I'd rather not—"

"Karra asked," Fili said with a grin. "And I'm going to tell her." Kili looked away, and Karra thought she saw a flush rising in his cheeks.

And as they sat there in the corner, away from the chaos and exuberance of the dwarves' greetings, Karra heard the whole story—or at least most of it. What details were lost in the back-and-forth banter of the brothers, she would pry out of Fili later, or he would tell her, when they were alone, and away from Kili's frequent interruptions. Tauriel was in Laketown? And Kili…? No wonder he didn't want to tell her the whole story. She felt laughter bubbling up at the thought. She could have guessed as much. Soon they were all three laughing, though it seemed Kili's laughter was more reserved than usual. Karra leaned her head on Fili's shoulder, happy beyond anything she ever could have dreamed. Smaug was dead, and everyone was safe.

Everything was going to be fine now.

It was later that day when Thorin finally appeared before them. Standing on a balcony high above them, he swept his eyes over the company. There was no acknowledgment of his nephews, and no joy in his face. Dressed in the royal robes and crown of a king, he spoke to them as if he was high above them, and they were his lowly servants. He spoke to them of treasure, of their newly reclaimed kingdom, and of one other thing. The Arkenstone, he called. Karra didn't know what that Arkenstone was, but it sounded important. He gave orders to search, to sort through the gold and treasure until it was found. And then he was gone.

And so they did—for hours that day, they searched, and sorted, and organized, and hauled piles upon piles of gold and jewels. The work wasn't that boring; these halls held hundreds of beautiful jewels, and more often than not, she worked beside Fili. Or rather, he worked beside her, never letting her strain herself, always helping with the heavy loads, and never missing an opportunity to do something for her. Every time their hands touched or their eyes met, she felt oddly shy, and sometimes he would look over at her, and she could see the worry of these last days echoing in his eyes.

But the day wore on, with no Thorin and no break. The gold was a bit like a sandbox; it got in her shoes and up her dress, and sometimes, even, in her hair. Fili was called away on other tasks, and Karra found herself with no one to work beside. The color of gold began to hurt her eyes.

She ran her fingers through her hair and a coin fell out. "Does he really think we're going to find it in all this?" The words came out louder than she had intended, and she looked around at the others. "I mean, really!" She swept her arm around the room in an all encompassing gesture and rolled her eyes. "You know what, I'm taking a break. This is getting really old." She turned, and walked from the room, realizing just moments later how crabby she had sounded. She looked back. Everyone was still dutifully searching, and not a face turned towards her. She wasn't sure if she was glad or sorry.

Hearing the sound of a footstep behind her, she turned. It was Bilbo.

"You bored too?"

"Well…" he began, and stopped for a moment. "Not bored, not exactly. But Karra…" He caught up to her, putting a hand on her arm. "I wouldn't say things like that if I were you."

"What do you mean?"

"What you just said. About not being able to find it. You might anger him."

"Him?"

"Thorin."

"Oh." Karra just stood there for a moment. It hadn't just been her imagination, then? If Bilbo was afraid of Thorin, something must be really wrong. "W…what's going on, Bilbo?" she asked, and her voice shook. "I mean, the first thing he does when his nephews come back is order them to find a jewel. What's going on?"

"I don't know." Bilbo lowered his voice, as if he were telling her a secret. "I think it might have something to do with the gold, but I'm not sure. I don't know what to do."

"Just wait, I guess? Maybe he'll snap out of it." Bilbo drew back, and Karra bit her lip. "Well, I mean…"

"No," Bilbo said. "I don't believe he will." He sighed and looked away.

"So as soon as I can stop worrying about one thing, something else comes up," Karra said with a sigh. "Great, just great. Now I have to walk on eggshells around him." She looked at the hobbit. "What's wrong?"

Bilbo jumped. "Nothing, nothing's wrong. It's just…" He stopped, and looked at her for a moment. "Nothing's wrong," he said, turned, and ran down the corridor. Karra stared after him. What was that about?

She didn't stay away from the treasure sorting long. She couldn't bear to be alone in these halls—not with Fili here, and Thorin now a figure to fear. Soon she found herself back in the room full of gold, sorting and piling with the others. And really, there was some fun in it.

"Hey, Karra!" Kili called from across the room. "I dare you to climb to the top of that pile!" Karra stood, her feet buried halfway into a pile of gold. A grin spread across her face.

"Okay, sure!" Managing to extract one foot from the quicksand of gold, she took a step up the pile, and slid backwards. With a giggle, she took another step, and another, and then she began to run up the pile, gold spraying in all directions. She slipped, rolled over, clawed at the gold above her, and then she was sitting on top of the pile, grinning. Kili began to clap, and some of the others joined in. Karra giggled and nodded in acknowledgment of their praise.

"All hail queen Karra!" Fili said, and laughed. The others joined in, and soon their laughter was ringing about the hall. As it died down, Karra began to make her way back down the pile. Her foot slipped, and she slid, and then she rolled, throwing off coins in all directions, unable to stop herself. She shrieked, and felt a thump. She looked up straight into Fili's eyes.

She was sitting in his arms.

"I…I'm sorry," she said, flushing, but making no move to get down. Fili grinned, and made no move to set her down. She giggled, and he laughed, and they both looked up to see Thorin standing above them.

Karra found herself standing now, and Fili's attention was riveted on his uncle.

"The Arkenstone is in these halls," Thorin said. "Find it!" And turning, he swept from the room.

The dwarves stood in silence for a moment, and then, silently still, they turned, and went back to work. Fili stared at the place where Thorin had stood as if stunned, and then turned back, his face turned away, staring blankly ahead of him. Karra resisted the urge to tap him on the shoulder and ask what was wrong. Instead she turned and began to rummage through the nearest pile, not knowing what she was looking for; she had never known what she was looking for. She was simply following Thorin's orders—a Thorin of which she was now afraid.

Karra sat alone in the small room once again. It was evening now—or at least she thought it was. The dwarves had scattered across Erebor, eating dinner and finding some time to themselves. Hearing a step in the doorway, she looked up to see Fili.

"Fili!" A rush of warm happiness spread over her, and she grinned at him.

"I'm worried, Karra," he said, sitting beside her on the empty chest.

"Worried?"

"About Thorin."

"Oh. We all are."

"He was always the one I could talk to, about my problems. And now…" Fili sighed, and looked away. "Now he's my problem."

And so you came to me. Karra smiled, trying to look reassuring. Fili needed her.

She was needed here.

By Fili.

"So, um, what exactly is going on with Thorin?" she asked, toying with the edges of her sleeves and finding herself unable to look him in the eye. "I mean, um, I've noticed something…"

"We've called it…" He paused. "It's been called gold sickness. He saw it consume his grandfather. My mother warned me of it many times. And to think I wasn't the one who needed the warning." He sighed. "No, I'm sorry, Karra. I'm bothering you with my troubles."

"No! No you're not. Please stay." She put a hand on his arm as he began to rise. "Please. What is gold sickness?"

"Just what it sounds. An obsession, a fixation with gold, so strong that everything else disappears." Worry creased his forehead. "I never thought I'd see my uncle…" His voice trailed off to nothing and he gazed at the far wall of the room, his eyes blank. Karra slipped her arm around his waist, wanting more than anything to say something to comfort him, to give him some hope. But the only thought that came to her mind was I thought everything would be fine. And now it's not.

Alright, now that I've posted this chapter, I am officially declaring this story on temporary hiatus. I wanted to leave you on a (somewhat) happy note. I have another writing project (not fanfiction related) that I really want and need to finish, and once I get that done, I'll get back to this one. And besides, I want to get quite a few chapters of this written and polished before I get back onto a regular posting schedule again. So there you go. I promise I'll finish this story someday!