You awoke early the next morning to the sounds of elves and men preparing to leave the city. Looking around, you found that Bilbo had left sometime during the night. You gathered up Thor and made your way out of your sleeping quarters, hoping to find Bilbo, Gandalf, or Thranduil. Instead, Bard was the first person you encountered that you knew well enough to confront.
"We're going with you," you said.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea, my lady."
"Look, I know Thorin is acting crazy right now, but you're a father so you must understand. If there was anything at all that would bring you back from the brink of madness, would it not be your children?"
Smiling at you gently he answered, "Alright, you may ride with me."
Suddenly, Thranduil rode up beside you. "I must have a word," he said as he climbed down off of his massive elk. Taking you by the arm, he lead you several yards away from Bard. "You can not go. I will not allow it."
"You aren't going to stop me. Thorin is my husband. It is my duty to protect him and my friends. I must do everything in my power to keep peace."
You were surprised when Thranduil smiled at you sadly. "As I said before, Thorin chose himself a noble queen. Fine, you may go, but you must ride with me. My elk is far more graceful than these horses and will make for a much easier ride considering you have not yet healed. Also, if things do not go well, you must retreat when I tell you to, for your sake and his," he said, motioning to Thor.
You nodded your agreement and he helped you onto his steed while he held the baby. Then, he climbed on in front of you and the two of you joined Bard and Gandalf at the front of the army.
The ride from Dale to the Lonely Mountain was much shorter than you would have liked. It didn't give you enough time to think up what you were going to say to Thorin.
You didn't really listen to anything that was being said in the exchange between your husband and his "adversaries". You were too busy peeking over Thranduil's shoulder in horror at the sight before you. Thorin and the company were dressed in full battle gear. He didn't look anything like the dwarf you knew and loved. Even at that distance, you could tell how much the dragon sickness had changed him. His face and voice held a coldness and a cruelty that you had never seen before. You were brought back to the moment when Bard pulled out the arkenstone. Without warning, you lept off of the elk and screamed "Stop!"
"Y/n, do not do this," you heard Thranduil whisper to you, but you ignored him as you handed Thor up to him.
Apparently the company had not been able to see you behind the elf's formidable stature, because now they were cheering and calling out to you. All except Thorin and Bilbo. You swallowed and moved closer to the mountain.
"Thorin!" you yelled. "You must stop this madness! You are endangering the lives of our friends and the lives of innocent people who have done you no harm. I have come here to beg you to make peace with them. I have come here to rejoin you, and to introduce you to our child-"
"Do not speak to me of that bastard child, you treacherous wench! I know why you have come! To ridicule me! You have befriended my enemies and made plans with them to steal what is mine! Well I will not be so foolish as to trust you again, traitor!"
The sharp, deep cut of his words coupled with your physical weakness brought you to your knees in tears. You were conscious of someone moving to your side and placing a hand on your back, but before you could turn your attention to them, your focus was on the new words Thorin was now forming.
"You! You stole my wife, my arkenstone, and would try to steal my kingdom! I should have killed you long before now!"
Looking up, you saw Thorin desperately trying to attack Bilbo despite the others' efforts to protect him. The only thing that stopped him was Gandalf's booming voice commanding him to release the hobbit.
"Are you alright?" Your attention was brought back to the elf king crouched beside you. His eyes were full of concern and his hand was still on your back. You managed a weak nod before you were joined by Bilbo asking you the same question.
Before you could regain your composure, he was distracted by the sight of an approaching dwarven army appearing over the hill to the right of the elves. You watched as Thranduil stood and called one of his soldiers to him. He gave the elf a command in his native language and then rushed back over to your side. "You are ill and do not need to be here any longer. This soldier will take you and the child back to Dale."
"I'm going with her," Bilbo said and Thranduil nodded in agreement.
Too weak and heartbroken to argue, you let the soldier scoop you up and take you back to the city.
