Bilbo sat in front of the secret door, gazing upon a burning Laketown. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he bit his lip. This was his fault, he had not stopped the dragon.

'None if this is your fault, burglar.' a deep voice from behind made him jump. He did not need to turn around to know that it was Thorin.

'Whose is it, then?' Bilbo muttered.

'Smaugs.' Thorin stated and sat down beside his burglar. He reached out and placed a golden object into Bilbos hand. It was the ring.

Bilbo smiled sadly and quickly tucked it away. 'Your wife promised me that you would give it back.'

'Did you doubt it?' Thorin frowned. He was not aware that the hobbit trusted him that little.

'I know that dwarves are drawn to gold, its in their nature. And I am aware of the rings influence on myself.' Bilbo stated. 'It speaks to me, it whispers. I am resisting it, but I do not know for how long.'

Bilbo paused and looked at the leader of the company. 'But I worried about the wrong Durin.'

'Belladonna.' Thorin nodded.

'And Fili and Kili...and of course Oin.' Thorin followed Bilbos gaze to Laketown. 'There are down there.'

Thorin wanted to close his eyes, but he could not. 'Dis will never forgive me.'

'We do not know what happened to them...maybe they could escape the dragonfire.' Bilbo tried to comfort his friend, but Thorin only shook his head sadly.

'Look down there, Bilbo.' Thorin whispered. 'Nobody could have escaped this.'

They sat there for a while until Thorin spoke again. 'My wife told me that you have the arkenstone.'

Bilbo paled and crawled away from Thorin, who looked at him with a shocked expression.

'Why do you recoil? You look at me as if you were afraid of me.' Thorins voice was hoarse and Bilbo stopped backing away.

'I...the arkenstone is precious to you. I thought that maybe...' Bilbo stammered.

'You thought that I might get the arkenstone from you by force?' Thorin lowered his gaze. 'What have I done to deserve this image of a monster?'

Bilbo heard the heartbreak in the kings voice and cursed himself for his reaction. Thorin had never done anything to physically hurt Bilbo and he really did not deserve this treatment.

'I am sorry.' Bilbo sat back beside Thorin. 'I was wrong to doubt you. You have shown nothing but honor and strength during this quest. You have brought us here and you have kept us safe.'

Bilbo winced as Thorin looked down at the burning Laketown and closed his eyes in defeat.

'We have you to thank for our escape out of Mirkwood. And I left my nephews behind and left them to a death in dragonfire.' Thorin stated pained. 'We could have stayed in the Blue Mountains. We could have lived in peace and prosper. But this life was not enough. And now I have brought doom upon my daughter.'

Bilbo looked at Thorin and understood. 'She fell under Durins curse.'

Thorin nodded and sighed. 'I have watched as my grandfather has lost his mind over the gold. And now I have to watch my daughter yield to the goldsickness...unless...you are with me, master burglar.'

'What do you mean? How could I help you?' Bilbo looked at Thorin with big eyes.

'Keep the arkenstone. Keep it safe. At least keep this one worry from me.' Thorin used the same words Brann had used as she had talked to Bilbo. 'And help me to keep my daughter safe. Will you follow me? One last time?'

#

Thorin! Brann rushed through the mountain at her husbands side. Belladonna is in the treasury. She claims to look for the arkenstone, but I do not believe her. The sickness thrives in her. She yelled at Bombur as he wanted to leave to get something to eat! This is not our little gem, Thorin!

Brann was hysterical, but she worried deeply. At first she did not want to tell her husband, for he would go to the treasury and Brann still feared that the goldsickness could claim him. But her daughters eyes haunted her everywhere she went. The golden gleam shone stronger than the warmth which reflected her good heart.

Thorin also worried for his daughter. He had lost his nephews and Oin to Smaug, but he could not forget the rest of the company. They were still alive and they needed a leader. The loss of his nephews pained him greatly and the mere thought of also losing his daughter was driving him mad. As Thorin rushed through the door to the treasury with Bilbo on his heels, panting and with wide eyes, Balin and Dwalin eyes him suspiciously.

'There is no need for you to be here, lad.' Balin told him quietly. He worried about Thorin and he tried to keep him at bay. He had not realised that he tried to protect the wrong Durin.

'I need to see my daughter, Balin.' Thorin growled. He was impatient and he was panicking.

'The lass is around the next pile.' Dwalin informed him. 'She is eager to find the stone...even more eager than...you.'

Dwalin was the first one who realised their mistake. He paled and looked at Thorin and at his older brother. Balins pained expression told him that he also realised that Thorin was fine, but that Belladonna was not.

'The little princess...her mother will have my beard!' Dwalin cursed and ran into the treasury, followed by Balin and Thorin. The rest of the company watched them in surprise.

Belladonna was knee deep in gold as her father and the Fundin brothers came rushing around the pile she was searching for the stone. She did not even hear Thorin call her, she only heard whispers from afar.

'Donna.' it was Bilbos voice which made Belladonna jerk her head around.

'There you are, master burglar.' she exclaimed, almost smiling wholeheartly. For a moment there was the real Belladonna looking at the worried dwarves, but in the blink of an eye she changed. 'Do not stand there! Help me to look for the arkenstone! It has to be here, somewhere!'

Thorin closed his eyes in defeat. He knew not what to do. This was his little gem, his daughter, his blood.

My bear...do something! Say something! Brann urged him and Thorin stepped towards his daughter.

'My gem...' Thorin sighed in relief as Belladonna looked at him questioningly. At least she paid attention. 'We will take a short break to...eat and maybe sleep.'

'I am neither tired nor hungry.' Belladonna shook her head. 'You can go, I will look for the arkenstone over there.'

Belladonna moved to the next pile and Thorin exchanged a look with the Fundin brothers and Bilbo.

'Thorin, what would you do if she was one of us and we would fall under the curse?' Bilbo asked.

'I would give the one a strong punch in the face and lock him into a room.' Thorin shrugged his shoulders. 'But I could not do it with her, she is my little daughter.'

You could refrain from punching her, as for the rest...Brann suggested.

Thorin straightened his shoulders. 'Belladonna, daughter of Brann, you will come with me and you will eat something.'

Smooth...Brann stated dryly.

Many emotions showed in Belladonnas face. Irritation, annoyance, anger and obsession. But also love, fear and irritation.

'Adad...I am fine. I do not need to...Dwalin, let me down!' Belladonna shrieked as Dwalin lifted her up like a sack of potatoes and threw her over his shoulder. 'I am your princess and I order you to...'

Thorins eyes widened in shock as he heard his daughters order. She had never used the princess card in her life, even if it had been necessary. Dwalin froze in his steps and sighed in defeat.

'Forgive me, girl...' he whispered and meant Brann. Then he dropped Belladonna onto her behind. 'As you wish, your highness.'

Belladonna scrambled onto her feet and looked at Dwalin with an unreadable expression. She was torn between rage and guilt. Dwalin had helped to raise her, he had been there when she was born - and he even managed to not faint - and she knew that he would give his life for her. And she had yelled at him for no reason. But before she could apologise, her father grabbed her by the collar and began to walk out of the treasury.

'Since I am the only one here whom you cannot command to let you go...' Thorin stated hoarsely and continued to walk.

Belladonna fought against his iron grip, but her father was much stronger than she was.

'Ada, please, I only want to find the arkenstone...you need it...' she panted, but they were already out of the treasury. The last face Belladonna saw was Bilbos sad face as he watched her being dragged away by her father.

'I need to know that my daughter is safe.' Thorin pushed Belladonna into his old room and locked the door from the outside. He dared not to look into her face, for he knew that she only had to look at him with her puppy eyes and he would do whatever she wished. He grinded his teeth as he heard her yell from the inside and hammering against the door. At first she cursed, then she begged. Thorin had to flee the corridor, for he did not know how long he could stand to hear his daughter like this.

I am so sorry. Brann whispered.

'For what?' Thorin wanted to know. None of this was her fault.

'For leaving you alone to deal with this.' Brann sobbed. I should be there with you.

'You are here with me.' Thorin sighed and leaned against the nearest wall. He was exhausted. But now that he knew that the dragon was dead and the arkenstone found, he could concentrate on his company and his family. Determined, he walked back to the treasury. He patted Dwalin on the shoulder and nodded at Bilbo.

'Make room for the men of Laketown. They will be in need of shelter.' Thorin told his company and watched them hurry to follow his orders. 'Bombur, Bilbo, gather all the supplies we have left. It will not be enough, but maybe the men could bring something.'

'Do you think that there are any survivors?' Bilbo asked in worry.

'I must believe that there are.' Thorin stated more calmly than he felt. 'I must...or else I will lose my mind like my daughter.'

#

Belladonna paced up and down in her father's old rooms. She was furious and restless. How could they turn their backs on her and her father? And he did not even see it! The company had let them down, they did not care about her fathers rule! And her, who cared, was locked into this room! Letting out an anguished cry, Belladonna collapsed in the middle of the room. She cried until she felt as if she could cry no more. When she lifted her gaze it fell onto a painting on the wall. Brushing away her tears, Belladonna walked closer. It was a painting of her fathers family before he had met her mother. It showed Thrain and his wife Zial, Thorin and Dis. And another dwarf who seemed to be her late uncle Frerin. Belladonna looked at the painting and frowned. Frerin was smiling, while her father was frowning, as usual. Their eyes were of the same blue, but while Thorins eyes were more cold, Frerins radiated warmth. Belladonna remembered the few stories about her uncle. He had been a great warrior and he had courted her mother before he died. Belladonna clenched her fists. Frerin would not have deceived her like this, he would have fought for his right to rule, not like her father. Also, Belladonna remembered the stories about her father and Thrors mother, Dara. Frerin would never have betrayed her mother like that. Her father was weak and unfit to rule. Belladonna did not feel the breeze running over her face or the soft whispers in the dark. She only felt the rage in her heart.

In the Halls of Waiting, Brann tore at her hair in despair. It drove her mad to see her daughter like this. Her gentle and beautiful daughter. It was her doom to let her join the quest, Thorin had been right to want to leave her behind.

You were right, husband. Brann murmured as she rejoined with Thorin. The king was in the kitchen with his company and chewed on a slice of bread. They did not dare to eat more than necessary, for the men of Laketown would also need food and water. Water would not be a problem, the mountain had his own fountains and thermal caves. At least they would not run out of water.

Thorin continued chewing and mentally answered his wife. 'Now thats a sentence I never heard in all our years of marriage.'

Despite the situation Brann had to smirk. She sat down at her husband side and leaned against his shoulder. You were right in wanting Belladonna to stay behind. I had hoped that she would keep you from falling under the curse.

'Then you were the one who was right.' Thorin answered. 'She did keep me from falling under Durins curse. I have never hated this gold and this cursed stone before it did this to my little gem. I would trade all of it against her mind being freed from this curse.'

'Thorin!' Bilbo came running into the room. 'There are men on the move. Thousands of them! They will be here at nightfall.'

Thorin was about to stand up and leave the warmth of his wife's presence as he saw the hobbit smile. 'And look who I found.'

'Uncle!' Fili and Kili came storming into the kitchen and threw their arms around their uncles neck.

Thorin let out a surprised - and of course manly - squeak as they cut off his oxygen, but he wrapped his arms around them in return. Mahal had saved his nephews and Thorin would thank him on his knees when he would stand before him after death. Maybe this day would come sooner than he expected if his nephews continued to squeeze him like this.

'Boys, let go of your uncle, he is already turning blue.' Oin scolded and smiled at the company as he enterd the kitchen. Fili and Kili let go of Thorin, who took in a deep breath.

'Fili...Kili...Oin!' Thorin whispered hoarsely. 'How did you...thank Mahal!'

'Bard killed the dragon, uncle!' Kili told him excitedly. 'You know, the man with the pessimistic attitude who let us stay in his house. Tauriel and Legolas showed up and...'

Thorin and the company sat down and listened to Kilis chaotic describtion of the events, while Fili and Oin used the opportunity to rest and eat.

'She is so beautiful...' Kili ended his story and made Thorins head jerk upwards.

'Please tell me that you are talking about Tilda?' Thorin sighed, but Kili shook his head. 'Are you at least sure that she is a female this time?'

Kili looked at his uncle with big eyes as the company roared with laughter.

#

The men, women and children of Laketown made camp in front of the mountain. The weak, old and wounded were treated by Oin and some human healers inside of the mountain. But the men of Laketown respectfully declined Thorins invitation to seek shelter inside of Erebor. They still feared the presence of the dragon although they knew that the beast was dead. Fili, Kili and Bilbo made sure that the men had enough water and the rest of the company tried to restore Erebors basic defenses.

Bard met with Thorin and Balin as soon as he was sure that his people were safe.

'The blasted lizard destroyed our city, like I have foretold!' he snarled at Thorin. 'You brought this upon us!'

'Please, master Bard.' Balin tried to reason, but Thorin held up his hand.

'None of this is my fault, master Bard. And I will not let you bully me into a bad conscience. This dragon has taken our home from us and he slaughtered our kin. Do not tell me that I had no right to get our home back from Smaug!' Thorin tried to stay calm, though he was not. 'Smaug destroyed your city, not me. Do you really think that I should have let the dragon in peace? Would this threat before your doorstep make you sleep in peace at night? One day, the dragon would have emerged from the mountain and then your city would have turned to ashes either way.'

Bard swallowed heavily and frowned. He hated to admit it, but the arrogant king was right. Bard himself would probably had done the same if the positions had been switched.

'You promised us a share from the treasure.' he stated and looked upon the dwarven king.

Thorin frowned and sneered at the bowman. 'And I always thought that my people were greedy.'

Bard was about to snap, but then he shook his head and sighed sadly.

'Laketown was but a filthy remainder of Dale. The port was the only advantage. Now we have to rethink our existence and rebuild Dale, a city of stone, with a chance of defense. But we cannot do it without proper finance.'

'I promised you my support.' Thorin looked Bard in the eye. 'And you will have it.'