After Brann and Bilbo had nearly yelled him deaf, Thorin had his next near heart attack as Bilbo had nearly kicked the key down the mountain. In the last moment, Thorin had stepped on the key to prevent it from falling down. There was complete silence as he bend down to pick up the key. Neither Bilbo, nor Brann, nor Thorin dared to breathe as he grabbed the key. As Thorin stood up straight and held up the key, the company stood ready behind him. They were eager for him to open the door.

Belladonna stood behind the company, suddenly full of doubt. She was born in the Blue Mountains and she had never known another home. This was her father's home and the dwarves of the Blue Mountains would follow him back. What would become of the Blue Mountains? Would the dishonorable dwarves of Ered Luin take over control? The dwarves who had intrigued against her family? Those who had challenged her father because he had loved her mother? If they reclaimed Erebor, what would become of their family? Would her father become the king he always wished to be? Could she be the daughter he would want her to be? Would she be an honorable princess of Erebor? Belladonna was pulled back to reality as the door opened with a loud rumbling. Her father pushed up the heavy door and stood in the doorway for a moment before entering.

Thorin and Balin, who had witnessed the fall of Erebor with their own eyes and had felt the dragonfire on their own skin, had tears in their eyes as they entered the halls of their ancestors. Balin sobbed as he set foot into Erebor and Thorin moved his hands over the green stone. The company followed reluctantly, for they did not want to disturb the moment. Bilbo was the last one who entered Erebor and he looked upon the gleaming stone in awe. There was an engraving in the stone above the door, it showed a throne and a...what was it?

'What is that? Above the throne?' the hobbit asked Balin.

But it was Thorin who answered. 'This, master burglar, is why you are here.'

'It is the arkenstone. The only reason why the other dwarven kingdoms would follow my father into battle.' Belladonna remarked bitterly. In her heart, she had never forgiven Dain for turning his back on her father as he had needed him the most. 'It is your resonsibility to find it and steal it from Smaugs grasp. With this stone my father will secure his rightful rule.'

Thorin nodded at his daughters words, but he did not miss her bitter tone. Belladonna had grown silent the nearer they had come to the mountain. Even Brann was silent. Thorin had to admit that he liked it better when his two ladies spoke the sense out of him. Not hearing them talk was scaring him.

'Balin. Show Bilbo to the treasury.' Thorin asked his old advisor. He had not told the company about the ring, yet, but the hobbit would know best what to do. He nodded at Bilbo who answered with a nod himself. Thorin did not miss the hobbit's last glance towards his daughter and clenched his teeth. Oh no, you won't.

Thorin, do not be a dwarfling. This hobbit risks his life to get a rock. You could at least grant him the honor to look at our daughter without wanting to kick him right down to the dragon.

'He can have the arkenstone, but he will not have my daughter.' Thorin grumbled and guided the company out again. If the dragon awoke, they would be safer outside of the mountain. Thorin looked towards the horizon and his eyes fell on Laketown. Fili, Kili, Oin...he only hoped that they were well. He hope that the blasted elves had for once come in time.

They are alive, Thorin. I am sure of it. Branns soft voice warmed Thorins heart. How are you feeling?

'I am...home. It is not really a home, yet, but we will make it our home again.' Thorin told Brann and felt a familiar stinging in his heart. Brann had always been his home, but now he felt at ease for the first time since her death. He could understand Thrain now. After the death of Thorins mother, Thrain had desperately searched for something to fill the aching gap in his heart. Erebor.

'Adad...' Thorin turned as his daughter appeared at his side. 'Do you think that the hobbit...Bilbo will make it?'

'Gandalf has faith in him.' Thorin answered reluctantly.

'Do you?' Belladonna asked timidly.

'Do I what?' Thorin knew what his daughter asked, but he did not like the direction of their conversation.

'Do you have faith in him?' Belladonna frowned. She knew when her father did not want to talk, but at the moment she needed someone to talk to while waiting for Bilbo to return. She needed distraction.

'Is it even important what I think?' Thorin asked warily and turned away as he heard Balin return. The old dwarf was silent and nodded towards Thorin. Their burglar was on his way.

'It is.' Belladonna insisted. 'You are our leader, you are our king. We can only give our best when we know that you have faith in us.'

Thorin looked at his daughter in awe. When had she grown up and how could he have missed this? She was a dwarf, but she was also her mother's child. She was an adult. He hated it.

'Master Bilbo is a hobbit. I am not his king, he is bound to me only by contract.' Thorin sighed as Belladonna cocked an eyebrow at him. 'I have faith in him. I have to have faith in him. There is no choice for me.'

Belladonna winced at her fathers sad tone. All depended on Bilbo now. Thorin was not in control and that was a problem.

Now, the company could do nothing but wait. The hobbit had all their fates in his little hands.

#

Brann paced up and down the narrow passage in front of the secret door. She did not know what to do. Should she stay with her husband, should she help Bilbo? The sooner they found the arkenstone, the better. Brann moved her hands over her husbands cheeks and whispered into his ear, telling him what she planned. But then, Brann paused.

Thorin. I do not know the way.

Thorin smirked and told his wife how to reach the treasury. He felt her lips on his cheek before she left and suddenly felt alone. His gaze landed on his daughter and Thorin could not help but worry. Belladonna was pale and she sat in a corner, her arms wrapped around her legs. She seemed insecure and distracted. Thorin was about to walk to his daughter and comfort her, but Balin and Dwalin involved him into a discussion. Balin worried about Bilbo and Dwalin worried about the protection of their newly reclaimed kingdom.

'We have to give him more time.' Thorin insisted. Bilbo had been gone for ages, but he trusted the hobbit and he would give him time. But Balin did not understand.

'He is all alone down there. Together with a dragon! The Thorin I know would not have abandonned him like this.' Balin muttered.

'I did not abandon him!' Thorin was angry with Balin for the first time in his life. How could his old friend not trust him? Thorin turned away to face his daughter, but the spot where she had sat a few moments ago was empty. Belladonna was gone.

#

Brann cursed as she roamed around in the treasury together with Bilbo. The hobbit was not wearing the ring and he had not noticed her, but it was difficult to see anything in the wast golden hords of the treasury anyway.

'A white jewel. Very helpful.' Bilbo muttered dryly.

Brann smirked and continued to gaze over her husbands treasure. She had never imagined to ever see so much gold. It was more than Erebor, Laketown and Mirkwood could ever spend. Thorin had promised the men of Laketown their share, that she knew. She only hoped that he would stay true to his promise. Thorin had told her about Bilbos ring on their way up to the secret door. Brann did not trust the power of the ring, but she would use it to keep her husband from the sickness of his line. If Bilbo was fine with it. She had it all planned out already, but at first, they would need to find the stone.

Brann froze as she suddenly heard a loud snore and turned around, only to look into a huge dragon eye. The eye gleamed yellow and with such malice that Brann held her breath. She jumped behind a small pile of gold for cover and landed directly beside the small hobbit, who had slipped on his ring. They looked at each other and stayed behind cover. Brann knew that the dragon could not harm her, but she was scared for the hobbit. Even with his ring, he would leave footsteps behind and the dragon would be able to smell him. For the first time, Brann was relieved to be a mere presence.

'Where are you, thief? I can smell you...' Smaug purred and Brann took Bilbos hand. They would have no choice but face the dragon...or run.

'I will distract him. You look for the arkenstone.' Bilbo told Brann.

'Are you mad?' Brann shook her head. 'He will kill you!'

'Your husband had faith in me.' Bilbo smiled. 'Please, have faith in me, too.'

'This has nothing to do with faith, master hobbit. That is a dragon...you are a hobbit.' Brann frowned, but then took a deep breath. They had no choice, really. 'Alright then. Do not disappoint my husbands trust.'

Brann squeezed Bilbos hand for a last time and began to franctically search the piles of gold for the stone. She could hear Bilbo talk to the dragon, his voice shivering with fear, but she did not dare to turn around. Bilbo had taken off his ring and was lost to her. He had a clever mouth and managed to charm the dragon for a while. Brann highly admired the brave little hobbit, she had rarely seen such courage in a person, let alone such a small person. Slowly, she understood why Gandalf had chosen him for this quest.

Dwalin would just have fainted again. Brann smirked and fondly remembered happier times. In this moment, she stumbled over a small rock and cursed. She was about to toss it away with a small breeze of wind as she froze. The small rock was shining warmly. It looked like a small and oval moon and it seemed to have a life of its own. Its light pulsated like a heartbeat and Brann nearly lost herself in its gleam. Bilbo, who was practically flying by, jerked her out of her thoughts. He was on the run, Smaug on his heels. Brann tried to keep an eye on the arkenstone as well as on the hobbit. She concentrated on Bilbo and send a breeze his way as he was hiding below a pillar. Bilbo felt the breeze and looked into the right direction, catching sight of the arkenstone. But Smaug had also noticed the hobbits interest in the stone and sneered.

'I would let you have it. I would watch Oakenshield grow mad, like the old king Thror. I would watch how it poison his mind.' the dragon snarled.

Brann saw Bilbo pale. She knew that he knew of Thorins weakness. But they needed the stone. Brann concentrated on the huge pile of gold in front of her and exhaled sharply. A sudden rain of gold washed over the surprised dragon and gave Bilbo the chance to flee. In the chaos, Brann lost the arkenstone, but she did not care. She heard Smaugs roar in her back as she ran up the stairs behind Bilbo. After a while, when the dragon's roar diminished, Bilbo and Brann scrambled down below a broken pillar. Bilbo slipped on his ring and looked at Brann, who was siting down beside him.

'Thank you. That was close.' Bilbo panted.

'You are welcome, master hobbit.' Brann leaned back against the cold stone and sighed. It would be difficult to go back and retrieve the arkenstone.

'I have it.' Bilbo told her.

'You have what?' Brann needed a moment. 'Wait, you have the arkenstone?'

Bilbo nodded and pulled out the shining stone from his pocket.

'You are incredible, master hobbit!' Brann gasped and smiled at the hobbit, who blushed.

'Do you think that Smaug was right?' Bilbo asked Brann. 'About Thorin?'

Brann bit her lip. She had asked herself that already. 'The goldsickness destroyed Thrors life. It also made Thrains life miserable. Sometimes, the gold was all he could think about.'

Bilbo shook his head. 'Maybe it would be better if we threw the stone back into the piles of gold. Better for Thorin.'

'Wait.' Brann shook her head. She knew that her husband's rule would only be accepted with the arkenstone within his grasp. He would need it to successfully reclaim his mountain. 'Keep it. Keep it safe. I want to see what happens first. Maybe we worry for nothing.'

'You want me to hide the stone from Thorin?' Bilbo shivered at the though of keeping the stone secret from his friend and the leader of the company.

'Yes.' Brann nodded firmly. 'Do not worry, master hobbit. I will take full responsibility.'

Slowly, Bilbo nodded. But he jumped as he felt Branns cold hand on his.

'I need you to do me a favor, Bilbo.' Brann asked him softly.

'Anything.' Bilbo answered without thinking. Brann fascinated him and he liked Belladonnas mother.

'Please, first hear me out.' Brann held up her hand. 'You will not be so eager when you hear my plea.'

Bilbo frowned and sat up. He already knew what she would ask. 'You want my ring.'

'I do not want it. It is yours.' Brann saw him pale and back away. He acted like an obsessed person, she had seen this behaviour before. And it scared her. 'I swear, nobody will take the ring away from you, Bilbo! I ask you to lend it to Thorin. There is only one way I can keep him from falling under Durins curse, but for that he needs to see me. I have to try...I have to try to keep him from losing his mind over this!'

Brann made a wide gesture and pointed to the gold. She hated the shining metal. It threatened to destroy her family.

'When we have defeated Smaug we will be safe.' Brann promised Bilbo. 'Please help me. Help us!'

Brann could not hold back the tears which had formed in her eyes. Bilbo was about to turn away from the former queen as he saw her tears fall down her beautiful face. In this moment, Brann reminded him so much of Belladonna, that his heart clenched painfull in his chest. This was Belladonnas mother and she asked him to rescue her family. Belladonnas family. Bilbo felt a sudden relief and shook his head. He would lend the ring to Thorin. He would lend it to the king. Lend.

'I will lend you the ring.' Bilbo told Brann and smiled as the queens eyes widened in gratitude. 'But I need your oath that I will get it back. It has become very dear to me.'

Brann felt a cold shiver run down her spine at his words, but she nodded gratefully. 'Thank you, master hobbit.'

Bilbo nodded and remembered his former task. 'We need to get out of here. I will tell Thorin that I was unable to find the arkenstone. Smaug is awake, he will not press me to return down here as long as the dragon is awake. At least I hope so.'

'He will not. He is no monster.' Brann assured him and pulled him up. 'I think we must go this way.'

Brann was happy that she had not lived in Erebor. She had the feeling that every corridor looked the same. She would never have found her way through the mighty dwarven city on her own. But now, Brann led the way and heard Bilbos quiet foot steps behind her. As they took the last stairway before the corridor leading to the secret door, they ran into Belladonna. Brann stopped in her tracks and frowned as she laid eyes on her daughter. Something was not right.

Belladonna was just standing there, staring at the gold. Her eyes were wide and she did not even blink. Her gaze moved over the endless piles of gold and her breath was shallow. For the first time in her life Belladonna did not notice the faint breeze that moved over her cheek as her mother tried to call her.

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