A/N Threw my back our wickedly bad on Thursday and didn't know if I'd be able to sit at my desk to write this weekend, but while I still can't really twist my torso like...at all, it is getting better and I am WRITING BABBYYYYY
I can't believe how close we are to the battle. I can't even. I'm like excited...but also I don't want dwarf time to end cause I'm fond of these little shits god dammit!
But as Hozier said, and all things end. Although, not necessarily anywhere near when battles happen.
Wink wink.
Nudge nudge.
No there's not a sequel to this but the battle isn't the end. We're not that close to the ending.
Thank god. Cause I'm SO not ready.
After two long hours of giving Gandalf the entirety of the tea since he left them at the edge of Mirkwood, Josephine was found and quickly dragged away by Tilda and Sigrid. One bowl of meager fare, some fresh water, and the two girls were fussing, making Josephine smile.
"Here, Tilda, ice from one of the buckets." Sigrid said, handing her a bundle of cloth.
Tilda gently pressed it against her nose and cheek while Sigrid moved on.
"These rope burns will scab over by tomorrow, and they're not bad." She said, turning Josephine's hands palm up and tilting them towards the firelight to see. "Bain always comes home with his hands like this when he's out on the barge with Da. Goes away quick."
"What happened?" Tilda asked.
"Slipped." Josephine lied with a bright tone. "Fell right on my face. Scared you dad half to death when he saw me coming up the road. You should've seen his face!"
Tilda giggled and Sigrid smiled as she wrapped some bandages around her palms. Their mirth was short lived as Josephine caught sight of Tauriel coming straight towards them, a serious look on her face.
"Lady Josephine, my lord Legolas sent me to find you."
Sigrid quickly finished up on her hands and Tilda handed Josephine the ice filled cloth. "I'll be back later." She promised, falling into step with Tauriel.
"For someone who doesn't seem to like me, he sure does find ways to be around me a lot." She muttered.
"He has not spoken of you greatly, but he seems to find you-"
"Annoyingly confusing?"
Tauriel hid a smirk and kept her eyes pointed ahead of them. "In a way, perhaps."
"Can I ask you something?" Now could be her only chance, things were all out of wack now.
"If you like."
"Are you and Legolas like…involved? Or is Thranduil all…my son will not pledge himself to a silvan elf grumble grumble and Legolas is showing his affections by being mad and overly protective?"
Tauriel froze mid step and turned to her. "He said you were a Seer but I did not think I was among your sight."
"So I'm right? You're both interested in each other but because Thranduil is the way that he is you can't pursue it?" She paused for a second and shook her head. "Ignore me, it's none of my business." It didn't have extensive ramifications on the future as far as she could guess. Legolas almost certainly didn't have a secret lover in Mirkwood, hell if he had any secret lover it would've probably been Gimli but that was beside the point. She'd never heard Tauriel mentioned by him, but was it because nothing had happened, or because Josephine herself had forbidden any of them to speak about what was happening around her now.
Tauriel took a few seconds for herself before setting off again. "It is as you say. I fear it will always be so."
As they reached Thranduil's tent, several shadows moved inside and Tauriel waited as Josephine entered. The gang was all there, Thranduil, Gandalf, Bard, Bilbo, which was unsurprising, and-
"Fili?" Her eyes widened. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the mountain!" Having been caught off guard her mind spun into panic mode.
Thranduil, sitting in his chair, looked at them all in a fair share of boredom. "He says he wishes to broker peace in his uncle's stead."
Bilbo cleared his throat. "He and I ran into each other trying to slip away from Erebor. He came to negotiate for peace, and I came to bring this."
He set a brown cloth on the table and unwrapped the Arkenstone. The movie hadn't done it justice and Josephine found herself staring longer than she meant to. It practically shone with its own light, and looking into it felt like she was seeing an entire galaxy reflected back to her. It was no wonder people debated its potential as a Simaril.
Even Thranduil was taken by it, and rose from his chair. "The heart of the mountain. The King's jewel."
Fili looked back at Bilbo, wide eyed. "You had it this whole time?"
"I…found it the day we fought Smaug, took it as my share of the treasure. I would've given it back to Thorin but he was so…" his eyes flicked up to Josephine. "I was given the impression I should keep it from him for his own safety."
Fili reached across the table and reverently picked it up, gazing at the stone in awe. "You did the right thing, Bilbo." He set it back down and flicked the cloth back over it. "It would have only made things worse."
"I almost revealed it." Bilbo admitted. "Back when…well. But I made a promise."
Josephine had a feeling. She'd been glad to have had a moment to discuss the Arkenstone with him before it happened. "Your timing was perfect, you were supposed to bring it here."
"Yes, it seems you are very particular about timing." Thranduil said, returning to his chair.
"Not without reason." Gandalf reminded him. "It seems a great many things may not have happened if she were not. Such as the dragon's demise." He finished pointedly.
"So then what is her suggestion on how we proceed?" Thranduil feigned interest and came across only as condescending. "If she is so wise in such things."
Fili had come, Thorin had shown violence well before the battle, Legolas and Tauriel were present, and they had the Arkenstone a good week before the orcs would come. Maybe…just maybe they could swing him back from the precipice a few days sooner…
"I have an idea, but you all have to play along and be patient or it's not going to work."
Details hashed out, the group separated again and Josephine headed back to the fire where she'd left Tilda and Sigrid. Bilbo and Fili went with her, looking forward to some time under the stars instead of hunting through piles of gold. But when they got a moment, the two pulled her into the shadows of an alley. Now fairly used to the shenanigans she just looked between the two in the dim light and waited for an explanation.
Fili reached into his coat and took out a bundle of cloth much like Bilbo had earlier. He grabbed her hand and set the bundle in her palm. It fell open to the bright shine of the necklace she'd earned her broken nose for.
"Figure we can use all the leverage against that pointy eared bastard we can find." He explained. "I'd guess you're the best person to know when to bring it up to him."
Josephine smirked and quickly shoved it into her hauberk. "Thank you. I have a feeling we'll need it.
Bilbo put his hands on his hips and looked at her with his brows drawn together. "Now, are you sure you're alright?"
Josephine looked up at the sky and took a breath. "Ask me next week, I just might be."
"Ahem." Fili gave a nervous glance at their surroundings to make sure no one was nearby. "What you said back in the mountain, about being a…" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Queen and all that. You can't have been serious, right?"
Bilbo scoffed. "Is it really so hard to believe?"
"Not unless you know even the smallest amount of Gondorian history." Fili hissed. "There hasn't been a…one of those in Gondor in over an age."
She clamped her hand over Fili's mouth and raised a finger to her lips. "If all goes right, one day we'll get to sit around my fire and I can explain everything but for now, pretend you never heard it. Understood?" Josephine waited for them both to nod before letting Fili go. "Now can we please go get a few hours of sleep before dawn?"
Did Josephine normally think trying to shock someone out of their mental illness was the best way to go? Not exactly. But it had worked for Boromir and the Ring's influence…eventually. And in the movie it worked for Thorin. Hopefully his blow up at her started the process, so maybe they could finish it before the eleventh hour.
The dwarves lined the gate as the sun rose and glinted off the golden armor of the small elven host that came to guard them.
Josephine rode beside Thranduil, and Fili sat behind her with the Arkenstone safely tucked into his coat. Bard, on the other side of Thranduil, looked solemn and nervous. Finally, behind them Gandalf rode with Bilbo.
As they approached the edge of the broken bridge, Thorin released an arrow at the feet of Thranduil's elk. "I will put the next one between your eyes."
The dwarves gave half hearted cheers of support, but their enthusiasm was hollow. The archers behind Thranduil pulled out their bows and aimed at the dwarves who then all ducked, except for Thorin.
"We have come to tell you that payment of your debt has been offered, and accepted." Thranduil said.
"What payment?" Thorin demanded. "I gave you nothing."
Right on cue, Fili got down from her horse and stepped forward, reaching into his pocket and holding the Arkenstone aloft.
"But I did."
Thorin fell silent, staring at the stone in Fili's hand as he passed it to Bard who tucked it away in his coat.
"With this, I have ensured us peace, uncle. Peace which you refuse to give us, and for what? A mountain of gold that will do naught but sit there while your friends perish for it? While my brother and I die in a battle we could have avoided?"
"That stone is mine!" Thorin roared. "It is the heirloom of my house!"
Bard tipped his head up. "And you shall have it, but first you must honor your word."
Josephine watched Thorin's fury, gripping the reins as an outlet for her nerves. "They'll die, if you don't make peace, Thorin. You know who I speak of."
"And I am supposed to believe your words." He turned to her. "Not a child, but a snake. How foolish I was to trust you. I will not believe your lies of my nephews any more than I believe your claims of nobility."
"Which is it then? You believed me when you thought I wanted the Arkenstone as an heirloom of my house, but now that I never had it, that claim is false? Your mind is sharper than this, Thorin."
"Uncle, we cannot continue this conflict. If we do, many more will die, and the company will likely be among them."
Bilbo hopped off the horse and joined Fili. "You are changed, Thorin. The dwarf I met in Bag-End would never have gone back on his word. Would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin!"
"Do not speak to me of loyalty when you stand there beside the very kin who has betrayed me!" Thorin brought his bow up again and fired, aimed right for Bilbo. Fili pulled him away, just barely missing the tip of it himself.
Josephine's chest clenched as the arrow glanced off the stone and had to take a deep breath to steady herself. Behind them all, Gandalf's voice boomed.
"If you don't like my burglar, then please don't damage him." Gandalf's tone caused Thorin to falter and he lowered his bow. "You're not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain, are you, Thorin son of Thrain?"
"Never again will I have dealings with wizards, or shire rats, or so called seers!"
"Are we resolved?" Bard called out, trying to get them back on track. The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised?"
"Why should I buy back, that which is rightfully mine?"
Thranduil looked bored and turned to Bard. "Keep the stone. Sell it. Ecthelion of Gondor will give you a good price for it."
Thorin screamed out from the mountain, more unhinged than ever. "I will kill you! Upon my oath, I will kill you all!"
"Your oath means nothing!" Thranduil snapped.
"Thorin, lay down your arms." Gandalf pleaded. "Open these doors. This treasure will be your death."
Thorin bowed back behind the stone wall and it was silent for several nerve wracking moments. Bard did not wait much longer before prompting him again.
"Give us your answer. Will you have peace, or war?"
"Uncle! Please!." Fili begged.
With a heavy turn, Thorin disappeared from view and gave one last order. "Keep watch on the wall. Kill anyone who tries to enter!"
The six of them on the ground looked at each other, Thranduil the least worried but most annoyed of them all. For him, if they didn't succeed he could still easily take the mountain, even against Dain so long as he wasn't taken by surprise.
"Yes, I can see just how fruitful this endeavor was."
"Give it time." She reminded him. "Seeing that Fili and Bilbo are also against him as well as Gandalf should get him reeling enough to start spiraling into doubt." Hopefully. She had no guarantee, but she couldn't let Thranduil and Bard know how much of a gamble this was.
"And if he doesn't?" Fili asked worriedly.
"Plan B." And she left it at that. He didn't need to know plan b was letting things go off as written and having the lives of the Dwarves of the Iron Hills on Thorin's shoulders in the midst of the battle.
Silently, they left the gates of Erebor and returned to Dale to wait out her plan.