Chapter 15

He had them searching for the stone bright and early the next day, and made them look for two more after that. I stayed as far as I could from Thorin, not liking what he had become in such a short amount of time. I watched him approach Bilbo, and I was about to move to defend the hobbit when he showed him what was in his hand. It was an acorn. For a moment as they spoke, I saw the old Thorin shine through as he smiled at something Bilbo said.

"Thorin," Dwalin said breaking through what I was listening to. "We have people from Lake-town streaming in to Dale. There are hundreds of them."

I watched as the smile faded from Thorin's face, and a new darker look replaced it as he glanced around him for a moment and then turned to Dwalin as he approached. Bilbo lowered his head head sadly when he saw he had lost the dwarf.

"Get to the front gate," Thorin growled out.

It was broken so we stood watching from the gap that Smaug had broken when he had left the mountain. Thorin watched them for a moment and then shifted slightly. His body tensed and I watched him from where I sat on one of the large rocks as his gazed darkened again. It made me sigh softly and look out over Dale.

"I want this Fortress made safe by sun-up," Thorin growled. "This mountain was hard-won; I will not see it taken again."

The dwarves got to work quickly after their initial shock at his words, and I couldn't find it in myself to help them. Neither could Bilbo, who stood by me and watched as heavy rock was lifted and fitted together to make steps up to the front wall so we could stand and observe everything.

Kili suddenly dropped the wheelbarrow he was pushing. "The people of Lake-town have nothing," he said loudly. "They came to us in need. They have lost everything."

"Do not tell me what they have lost," Thorin said suddenly, looking up at him. "I know well enough of hardship. Those who've lived through dragon fire should rejoice! They have much to be grateful for."

I crossed my arms next to Bilbo and looked down at my feet as the hobbit shook his head. As the wall was slowly finished, Thorin looked over Dale as the fires were lit for the night.

"More stone! Bring more stone to the gate!" he exclaimed.

The others looked at him for a moment, and then quietly got to work on finishing up clearing things away. At this rate, I knew that we were losing Thorin very quickly to the dragon sickness, or whatever strain of madness one could call it. I honestly did not know what it was and could only guess.

Walking through the halls a while later, I followed Balin's scent and found him alone in a small room. He wiped tears from his eyes, so I couldn't help but go straight to him. That last time I had seen the old dwarf cry had been after the battle of Moria, and I shoved the memory from my mind to focus on the now.

"Balin," I said gently, and hugged him where he sat.

"Oh, Arina," he gave me a weak chuckle. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry," I replied pulling back to look at him. "What is it?"

He wiped a few more tears, "I was just talking to Bilbo. Thorin...it's having the same affect that it had on his family. I don't think I can watch it take him too..."

I laid a hand on his shoulder gently and looked at him. "We'll get him back. Just have a little bit of faith. Come, I brought food for everyone to eat. It was easy to slip out and go hunting. Plus, the boat that you had come down in was still filled with what you left behind. Let's eat."

I had gone out earlier that day to hunt down a deer and bring it back and Dori and Ori were cooking it, though I was sure that Thorin wouldn't be pleased. However, I knew he had to eat as well, so I took Balin with me to where I had gathered the others. Thorin walked in silently in all his glory with his crown and robes on. It didn't suit the warrior I knew him to be. He watched everyone for a moment as I settled them down to eat and I felt my body tense a little when he didn't do anything for a moment.

"Let them eat, Thorin," I said softly. "They are all tired. You should eat something as well."

"The Arkenstone has not been found yet," he replied in a voice that was not his own. "I told them that they cannot rest until it is found."

I watched Balin close his eyes and looked around at the others. They had stood up to him a little bit over the last several days but it was no help. I ran my hand down Kili's hair a moment and patted his shoulder gently and then turned to Thorin. The King glared at me from where he stood, his arms hanging loose at his sides.

"They are exhausted," I said firmly. "You are driving them to the ground making them work so hard. They need to rest for a while and so do you. This has gone to your head."

Thorin looked at me darkly, his expression turning cold and it was a look I had never seen him give me. "Do not talk to me like that. You don't tell me what I need," he said softly. "You are not permitted to do so, shifter."

I glared at him as the insult hit me hard. He never ever would call me that. "Thorin," I said quietly, my bravery gone with just a simple word.

"We have men at our door and you are playing mother to dwarves who do not need it," he snapped at me as he came forward.

I braced myself and took a step back from him when he came too close. I noticed it took everything for several of the dwarves not to stand up to him. Fili and Kili tensed dramatically as Thorin approached so I laid my hand on Fili's shoulder quietly, almost to reassure myself.

"I said that I would not see fit to share the treasure and we will defend this city while you were off exploring," he said with a glare. "No one can have any of the gold in my care."

"Now you sound just like the dragon that lies dead in the lake," I glared at him. "Forgive me, but I will not stand with a King who won't honor his word."

Walking off from him, I headed toward the entrance before stopping short when I remembered what we had spoken about in Mirkwood. I thought mostly about Fili and Kili, and the promise I made of trying to save them as well. Spinning around I looked at Thorin, and he met my gaze with yet another glare.

"Do you remember what we spoke of while we were held in Mirkwood?" I asked him.

"Of course I do," he snapped, obviously insulted.

"I will stay. But I'm not staying for you. I'm staying for your nephews, and for the dwarves who are so loyal to you," I answered swiftly, my voice angry.

"Shouldn't they feel so lucky," he hissed at me.

I gathered myself then suddenly, and walked up to him, taking in his crown and robes he wore. I had to do this before I lost all I had in me, because he needed to hear it. Thorin watched as I approached, and then stilled when I flicked a knuckle against his crown and shook the front of his robe slightly. He was so shocked, he didn't even reach out to stop me.

"You think these, make you King? That all this," I said gesturing to the hall, "makes you a king? You were a warrior first. A warrior would have seen what the gold is doing to you. I will not aid someone who is too blind to see that. Thorin, you are different. You are sick. I will not watch it destroy you, as I saw it destroy your grandfather. It ended with his death."

Storming off, I found a place to rest for the night. I couldn't get past what he had said to me, and how I had actually responded. Blinking back a few tears, I sank down in to a chair. Running my hand through my hair, I shuddered as the tears spilled down my cheeks. We were loosing him. I was ready for the battle, to save his life, but I couldn't battle this.

"Arina?"

Jumping slightly, I looked up after I wiped a few of the tears from my cheeks. "Fili," I gave him a slight smile. "I didn't hear you."

"It's okay," he said quietly as he walked over. "Want company?"

"Why not." I invited him to sit with me.

"Is that the dragon sickness that Balin spoke of?" Fili asked. "What we saw when we first got here?"

"It is..." I nodded my head as I looked down at my hands.

"I figured as much," he admitted. "How does it have such a strong hold on him?"

"This is what Thorin has been fighting for," I replied quietly. "To reclaim this mountain...to have all that he ever wanted back in his possession. The curse that the dragon put on this horde had almost a hundred years to sit. I'm not sure how we get him back from it."

"He shouldn't have said that to you," he murmured as he sat next to me.

"I've had worse said to me, Fili," I chuckled softly. "It's okay."

"But he shouldn't be the one saying it," he said firmly making me look at him for a moment. "He loves you..."

I sighed softly. "He loves all of us. He loves you and your brother as well. But I fear that won't be enough right now."

Another pair of footsteps echoed in the hall, and I looked up to see Kili joining us as well and he leaned against the wall in silence for a moment. We sat there together, and he crossed his arms, obviously distressed about what was happening. I was sure all the dwarves were the same. I glared at the ground for a moment before sighing and leaning back.

"I found a large room and a few things we can sleep on," he finally said. "We mine as well go to bed."

Fili nodded, and reached out to give my hand a squeeze. I took the comfort he provided for a moment, before I got to my feet and turned in to a wolf. I took note of where the room was, before I walked off to go check on everyone else. They were bedding down for the night, so I quietly followed my nose to where Thorin was. He sat on the throne, his head in one of his hands.

Lowering my head quietly, I walked in and gave a low whine to let him know I was there. He looked up without a word and followed me with his eyes. Coming up to him, I rested my head on his leg quietly. I couldn't blame him for what was happening. He wasn't falling to this sickness on purpose. I was half expecting him to tell me to sod off, when suddenly his hand rested on my neck and I saw tears in his eyes.

"I can't do this," he whispered suddenly, laying his head against my fur.

I froze at his words, blinked a few times and then turned human so I could speak to him. He leaned back from me for a moment, and I reached out and grabbed his face, and rubbed my thumbs over his beard. I could see the clear look in his eye fading as I looked at him. I held him there, keeping his attention for as long as I could.

"You are not your grandfather," I whispered. "You are Thorin Oakenshield. You are are a warrior, you must fight this. After all you've been through, don't give in now."

Leaning forward, I kissed him on his forehead and let him grab my wrists for a moment. Backing up from him, I watched him look at me for a moment, and then as he gazed over the gold again, he began to mutter things to himself. It was such a sad sight to see, since Thorin had been such a mighty dwarf. He was like no other I had ever met. He glanced at me again and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Leave me," he muttered.

I tensed suddenly, and then walked off from him. The events of today wore on me, and I was getting angry that in the last week all I was doing was crying. Part of me blamed Thorin, and the other part blamed the confidence and courage I somehow seemed to lack when it came to him. I wasn't used to him speaking to me so harshly, like he didn't even know me. I tried hard to keep the tears from falling but they came anyway, and I brushed them away fiercely as I walked. Dwalin bumped into me when I was heading toward the room that Kili had taken originally. Jumping, I backed up from him and wiped my face to clear the tears from my eyes and cheeks.

"Lass?" Dwalin asked. "Are you all right?"

"Yes...I'm fine," I murmured, not looking at him. "Sorry."

The old warrior stepped forward and forced my chin up so that I would look at him. His expression melted when he saw the tears still in my eyes and he hugged me tightly. It was a rare gesture from Dwalin, but I took it and hugged him back. He wasn't exactly the comforting type.

"You didn't deserve any of the words he said tonight," he said softly. "Even I know that. He isn't the dwarf I knew..."

"We can't abandon him now, Dwalin," I murmured. "No matter how many of us want to..."

"Aye," he sighed, backing up to see me. "But maybe you should stay away from him. He doesn't need to be lashing out at you like this."

"I'll be fine," I shook my head. "I'll stop crying soon. It's just...all of this has finally taken a toll on me. I'm still so tired."

"Where are you sleeping tonight?" Dwalin asked.

"Um...with Fili and Kili tonight," I nodded down the hall.

"Come on then," he rumbled offering his arm. "I'll take you there."

I sighed softly in defeat, and took his arm and let him escort me down the few doors and to the room where the boys were staying. Kili was laying there when we walked in, and Fili glanced up from tending to the wound on his brother's leg. Dwalin patted my hand gently and then let go of me to walk out. I closed my eyes and sighed quietly when Kili propped himself up to see me.

"Arina?" he asked quietly.

"I'm...fine," I managed and laid down on the spot that Fili pointed to.

"But..."

"Shhh," I muttered turning my back to them. "Get some sleep."

I heard Kili grunt loudly at me, obviously not pleased with my answer but they said nothing to me. Fili walked over and blew out a few candles and only left a small one on the wall lit. The room was mostly dark when he did that and I heard them both settle for bed. I pulled my blanket up to my chin and felt my shoulders tremble again as more tears threatened to fall.

Unable to help it, I let them fall in silence or at least I tried to. Sniffling, I wiped my eyes again when my vision became blurry. There was a sudden noise, and Fili suddenly came into my line of sight as he hopped on to the bed. He put himself between me and the wall, and laid down with a thump. Taking a breath, I moved back a little to give him room, and he looked at me with the light provided. Kili suddenly pushed Fili's bed back, so that his head would be by ours and he laid down to.

"Nothing wrong?" he mused softly. "You're a bad liar."

"Shut up," I croaked through my tears and Fili suddenly drew me to him in a tight hug.

I couldn't help it, and pressed my face against his chest. He held me tightly and I listened as Kili began to hum something and I reached out to take his hand from where I laid crushed against Fili. We laid like that for a few hours, and I could slowly feel myself fall asleep. The young dwarves were suddenly not so young anymore. I had forgotten their ages until now. For a moment, they seemed even older than I was.

As my tears stopped, I felt my body stiffen when I heard a familiar pair of footsteps wandering down the hall. The brothers heard it as well, and Fili pulled me tighter to him. Kili squeezed my hand when I heard the footsteps stop in our door. I knew Thorin stood there, and I didn't turn around. I couldn't face him, and I didn't want to either. I didn't want to look at him and not see him for who he really was. This curse was changing him, and it wasn't for the better.

"Go away, uncle," Fili whispered harshly.

"Is she all right?" Thorin muttered.

Fili glanced down at me for a moment and I pursed my lips tightly not wanting to speak. "We were trying to get her to sleep," he replied coldly. "Before you interrupted."

Thorin walked forward and came to the bedside and his hand fell on to my arm. Fili tensed slightly, and his brother slowly sat up after he let go of my hand. Thorin's fingers tightened on my arm briefly before he ran them down to my hand. My fingers twitched at the contact, and it took all I had not to turn and throw myself at him.

"Arina," Thorin murmured.

Bracing myself, I turned to my other side to face him and Fili let me go so that I could. Lifting my gaze, I saw Thorin had knelt so that our faces were level with each other. He looked at me, taking in my expression. I was sure my eyes were red from crying, and my cheeks were still flushed. Reaching out, Thorin touched my cheek and ran his fingers over my hair for a moment and to the braid again. His face fell as his expression turned sad and he pursed his lips quietly.

"Stay with them," he said suddenly, his hand still on my face. "They will keep you safe."

"Thorin..." I trailed off when he shook his head.

"Just listen to me this time," he whispered, almost begging.

I stared at him for a long moment, and his fingers whispered down my cheek gently. Leaning down, he laid his forehead against mine briefly before he pulled back. His eyes finally left me and he looked at his nephews firmly before he got up and walked out of the room. Inhaling a shuddering breath, I turned myself back around and let Fili and Kili sing me to sleep.

Well there we go!

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