Chapter 24
To the Mountain
Thorin woke me up and I got dressed as he went to get Stacia up. I was putting on my boots when Thorin entered with Stacia. Stacia walked ahead of Thorin and I as we head down the stairs. Anna slipped over as Thorin went to get his armor.
"Kili looks horrible." Anna whispered. I looked at Kili. He was pale.
"Yeah. Its getting to him and fast." I whisper. Thorin came up to me and pulled me to him. "You look like a king in that armor, my king." I smile up at him. He returned the smile and nodded.
"Let's go." Thorin said. We headed down to the pier that we would get in the boat to head to the Mountain.
"You do know we're one short. Where's Bofur?" Bilbo asked.
"If he's not here, we leave him behind." Thorin said.
"We have to, if we're to find the door before nightfall. We can risk no more delays." Balin said. We come to the boat. I help Stacia get in and got in with some of the others. Anna stood on the pier and helped hand stuff. Kili is stopped by Thorin.
"Not you. We must travel with speed, you will slow us down." Thorin said, grabbing more stuff and handing it to Dwalin. Kili smiles, thinking Thorin is joking.
"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you." Kili said.
"No." Thorin said. Fili turns and looks at Fili and Kili.
"I'm going to be there when the door is opened when we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin." Kili said.
"Kili, stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed." Thorin said. Thorin lays a hand on Kili's shoulder. Kili looks shocked and hurt at his words. Thorin turns to get in the boat. Oin gets out as Kili turns away.
"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded." Oin said.
"Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You can't take that away from him!" Fili said. Oin examines Kili, but Kili was pulling away from him.
"Fili." Thorin said.
"I will carry him, if I must." Fili said.
"One day you will be king, and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one dwarf, not even my own kin." Thorin said. Fili looks at Kili and then at Anna, who was still standing on the pier. He got out of the boat. Thorin tries to stop him.
"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the Company." Thorin said, as Fili takes Anna's arm, gently.
"I belong with my brother. And Anna is staying with." Fili said. Anna and Fili go to Kili as the Master steps on the podium to speak. Thorin gets in the boat towards the front. Stacia, who was sitting in my lap, and I sat near him.
"Bring good fortune to all!" The Master finishes. The dwarves get the boat moving. They wave at the people.
"Goodbye!" Dori said. I looked at Anna to see her watching. She smiled and waved and I returned it.
Anna's POV. As the boat disappears as Fili held his brother. Bofur appears in the crowd and he turns to see us.
"Ah! So you missed the boat as well?" Bofur asked.
"Well. Not exactly." I said. Kili moans in pain and begins to fall over. Fili and I quickly catch him.
"Kili? Kili!" Fili asked.
"His leg. The bandage is turning black." I cry out.
"We need more help." Bofur said. We try to get help but no one would help us, not even the Master would help.
"Bard. He will help." I said. Fili and Oin carried Kili and we head for Bard's House. Bofur knocks and Bard opens the door.
"No. I'm done with dwarves. Go away." Bard said. He goes to slam the door, but Bofur stops him.
"No, no, no! No one will help us. Kili's sick. He's very sick." Bofur said. Bard looks at Kili and then lets us in.
Mariah's POV. We were getting close to the Mountain. Throin was standing at the bow of the boat, looking at the Mountain as we got close. We came to land and the dwarves got out of their armor. Thorin helped me get Stacia on my back so she could ride on my back as we walked. We climb the foothills. Thorin runs to the top of the embankment and overlooks a valley. We came up and looked across the ruins that lay before the Mountain. I came and stood at Thorin's side. Stacia peered over my shoulder to look.
"What is this place?" Bilbo asked.
"It was once the city of Dale. Now it is a ruin. The desolation of Smaug." Balin said.
"I bet it was beautiful before Smaug." I said.
"It was." Thorin said.
"The sun will soon reach midday, let's find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way!" Balin said.
"Wait is this the overlook? Gandalf said to meet him here. On no account were we-" Bilbo was interrupted by Thorin.
"Do you see him? We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own." Thorin said. He turns and walks away. I sigh and shake my head. "Come." We follow him towards where he was leading us. We came near the Mountain and we looked around, looking for a pathway or something. "Anything?"
"Nothing." Dwalin said.
"If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us." Thorin said.
"UP HERE!" Bilbo yelled. We came over to one of the dwarven statues and see that a set of stairs was carved into it.
"You have keen eyes, Master Baggins." Thorin said.
"I hate stairs." I groan. We had a lot of stairs to climb and I wasn't looking forward to climbing them.