Hi everybody! I GOT REVIEWS! YAY MORE PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASSSSSSSSSSEEE! You know what I realised...that I passed the amount of writing I did for the 50 chapters of Shifting Wings with 27 chapters of this...weird ain't it? Oh thanks to all who liked the previous chapter, my friend said it'd be cool if I predicted how it would happen in the next movie...if that actually does happen I'll be worried!

DISCLAIMR-...MEH...

Chapter 27 – Siege of the Lonely Mountain

People stood at the edge of the lake, waiting, watching, hoping that they were alive. The large body of the dragon floated on the surface and Fili stared angrily into Smaug's unseeing eyes. The black arrow stuck proudly into the air, gleaming in the sunlight. The dwarf's shoulder's stiffened as he heard talk of them being dead, killed by the beast, or by the crumbling tower, perhaps the fire had swallowed them leaving no trace...if he'd lost her... Then the crowds began to cheer as a splash could be heard from the water. Fili couldn't see as people ran past him to crowd round Bard as he re-emerged, he was soaked and shivering, but alive, he called out as his children ran to him. Each one he hugged fiercely. Fili saw Oin and Bofur looking too for their friend. Then he saw her running towards him, her hair was matted against her face, plastered by the water, she was drenched, but she was there; breathing. Fili ran up to Anne and kissed her deeply. He didn't care that her soaked form started to get his clothes covered in water, so long as she was in his arms. He spun her around as the others ran to them.

"Ye lass are the most reckless, most crazy, most amazing lass we've ever met!"

Anne laughed.

"Daisy was more reckless than me, but thank you Bofur."

The others hugged the wet girl. Anne turned when she felt Bard's hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you...all of you. You saved my children and I'm eternally in your debt."

Fili shook his head and wrapped an arm round Anne.

"No. You saved my most precious treasure. There is no debts to be paid."

He held out his hand and smiled. Bard nodded, also smiling, and grasped Fili's hand tightly. They shook before Bard turned to his children again. All three of them hugged him and Tilda wept joyously at her father being alive. The people of Esgaroth began to chant.

"King Bard! King Bard! Bard the Slayer of the Great Wyrm! King Bard!"

Anne looked round at them and smiled. Bofur and Oin had joined the voices and the girl could see that the Master and his skulking servant looked wary. The fat man stepped forward and called for silence.

"Now now let's not be hasty. The town of the lake ha never had a King. Let this "King" go back to his own land to rule as he pleases."

Anne huffed.

"And what did you do hmm? Don't deny it! You saved yourself whilst others burned. Call yourself a Master, the people's man?!"

Alfrid rounded on the dwarven group.

"And who was it that woke the beast ai?! Wasn't you dwarves who went to claim the mountain?"

People began to murmur. They began to whisper and glare at the small group. The Master saw what his man servant was doing- deflecting the attention and hatred onto them.

"Well said Alfrid. If it wasn't for your lot..."

"OUR LOT?!"

"OY!"

"Yes...your rabble then perhaps this town wouldn't be in ashes! Perhaps we'd still have homes and beds to be safe in? And I wonder if your "King Under the Mountain" is still willing to share his treasure hmmm? Do you know if he will, oh what was it that he said, ah yes "Send wealth flowing from the mountain" so that we could "rebuild Esgaroth ten times over"?"

Fili stepped forward, ready to smack the teeth from the man, but Anne held him back. Her glare was focused on the Master. The crowds had begun to yell and protest at the group. Bofur and Oin looked around wildly as abuse and insults were thrown at them. Bard held up his arm and everyone silenced quickly.

"Do not insult these people. These few helped us whilst our town burned! They saved your families, helped you from your firey homes, pushed you from the fire as the dragon drew nearer! And yet here you are calling them traitors and liars! That bears your names a shame! They have no idea as to whether or not THEIR kinsman are still alive or whether they've perished under the beast's wrath...do not be so quick as to judge them!"

Some murmured, some looked down shame-faced and others muttered apologies. The Master however didn't back down.

"So KING Bard are you willing to see if the Mountain King will share his wealth?! Are you going to be the one who will approach his abandoned door?!"

Bard stood in front of the group, his face determined.

"I will, Master of the Laketown. And I will go back to Dale and rebuild the great trade city of old."

With that he turned and marched in the direction of the mountain. Many of the younger men followed after him. Also the group of dwarves trailed near to the end of the group as they approached the distant mountain. They marched along a barren wasteland and saw many of the wood elves, accompanied by King Thranduil, marching out of the borders of the forest. Bard hailed down the woodland king.

"My Lord."

"Son of Girion."

"You knew Girion?"

"I did. Oh look you have my little dwarf prisoners! How quaint!"

Oin glared at Thranduil, whilst Bofur muttered something rude. Fili tightened his hold on Anne's hand.

"We aren't here to quarrel with you Thranduil, we're just trying to get home."

The elf looked at the girl.

"But as I recall, you're not a dwarf. So this can't be your home...that is no matter to me anyway. I've come to attempt to settle this rift between myself and the stubborn king."

"That stubborn king, is my uncle!"

Thranduil smirked, but wisely said nothing so not to rile Fili. Bard nodded to the elf King.

"May my elves and I accompany you?"

"We'd be delighted."

No more words were said until the mountain came into view. Men, who were carrying trumpets, began to play a fanfare. Bard rolled his eyes at them and folded his arms when they saw the heads of the company on a balcony of the mountain. The dwarves visibly brightened when they saw their four companions amongst the men. Dwalin yelled loudly to Anne and the girl laughed. Bard spoke loudly.

"Thorin, it's I Bard. Slayer of the Dragon...I've come to claim our promised share of the wealth of Dale. Let us be hasty for Esgaroth still burns and it will take time to rebuild both the Laketown and the city of my ancestors."

Thorin stood majestically in front of the mountain. It was impossible NOT to feel envious of him.

"Why should I send you this mountain's riches when you come so armed, with our men captive, and alongside our enemy?"

Thranduil bristled as did his elves. Fili huffed at his uncle and Anne's heart sank. Even now the gold sickness had quickly begun to work on their leader.

"Your friends are our friends. They come freely of their own will, there is no captivity here Thorin. As for Thranduil, he has ever been a friend and ally of the men of the Lake and I will not ask him to leave...I would find it highly disrespectful to him and his people. Also you promised our people our share of Erebor's wealth! Are you not an honest King who holds true to his word?"

Thorin visibly bristled.

"I promised you no such thing."

Anne stepped forward.

"Thorin use your head! You're not thinking straight! You did promise these people their share...they helped save our lives!"

"Anne do not speak to me as if you're one of us! You are not a part of these proceedings so I advise you to hold your tongue."

Anne flinched and felt tears spring into her eyes. She heard Dwalin and Balin yell loudly, the burly dwarf even made to hit the King. Fili stared widely at his uncle, who was this dwarf? It wasn't the dwarf he'd grown up admiring...he turned to look at Anne. The girl looked as if someone had just slapped her...fighting the urge to cry. He stepped forward and hugged her tightly, feeling her begin to sob against him. Bard looked desperately up at Thorin.

"So you will not aid us?"

"Come to me when there are no elves tailing after you."

Thranduil barked something in elvish and Fili assumed it was something insulting. This time he couldn't blame the elf for shouting. Thorin too yelled something back, but in Khuzd Dhul. Bard sighed and put a hand on the elf-king's shoulder. The graceful being immediately regained his composure and steered an icy gaze on the dwarf.

"Then I declare your mountain besieged until you agree to our terms or die in your halls...I am very sorry to do this."

The man turned and walked away, his group following him, as did the elves. The small dwarven group stood unsure what to do.

"Fili, Bofur, Oin come back to the mountain!"

"What about the lass?"

Thorin glared at Anne.

"She doesn't belong alongside us. She will not enter our halls, therefore she is an enemy to the mountain."

Anne gasped, tears rolling down her face. This time Dwalin did hit him, but by the time they called back to the girl, she'd run after Bard. Fili yelled to her, but she didn't stop.

"Uncle what have you become?!"

Thorin flinched and then his own nephew turned his back on him, following after the girl. Bofur and Oin sighed and followed after the couple. Bifur shouted in Khuzd Dhul and his cousin turned to him.

"Don't worry Bif. We'll be back as soon as this mess clears itsel up."

Then the dwarves walked away after the men. Thorin glared and then slunk back into his treasure, like Smaug had done many years previous. Bilbo looked to his pack, then to where the large group were vanishing out of view, then to the dunk-minded dwarf...he had made up his mind.

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