The quiet one (Thorin Oakenshield love story)

Chapter 23: Dragons Sickness

Violet PoV

I felt an uneasy feeling flow through my body. Bofur placed a hand on my shoulder, "come...let's find the others." He said. I watched Thorin look away and back to his gold. I nodded and followed Bofur, not being able to take my eyes off Thorin until he was out of sight. We entered a dusty looking room and smiled. "Balin!!" Bofur said. Dwalin came running and hugged Bofur. "Kili!!" Nori yelled as he jumped and hugged the prince. "Fili!!" Ori yelled excited. "Violet!" I was suddenly pulled into a tight hug by Bombur. I laughed and hugged the large lovable dwarf. "Hey Bombur!" I laughed. After a long while of yelling each others names and hugging we where all called to the large treasure room to search for the Arkenstone. "Violet," Thorin called out. "Y-yes?" I asked before stepping onto the pile of gold. "Come, stand by me." He said. I looked to the others who said nothing before I sighed and made my way up to where Thorin was. He seemed different...darker. He didn't say a word to me, I only sat and watched the others search. "Any sign of it?" Thorin asked. "No, nothing yet." Nori replied. "Nothing here!" I heard Bofur call out from afar. "Keep searching! No one rests until it is found." Thorin yelled. I looked up at him, he glanced down at me then back out to the treasure. "The Arkenstone is in these halls! Find it!" He yelled. "You heard him, keep looking." Dwalin said. "All of you!" He yelled. I looked to my right and saw Bilbo standing looking right at Thorin. I stood up beside him and looked at him concerned. Bilbo then wandered away...I wanted to go with him but I was afraid Thorin would yell at me, so I stayed where I was. Though an undeniable feeling crossed over me, "uh...Thorin?" I squeaked. "What?" He asked calmly. "Uh...can I go..." I asked. "What? Why." He asked. "I need to go to the bathroom." I said. "I'll show you where it i-" "no!" I said holding my hands up to him. "I can find it. Stay here." I said before running off. I made my way around Erebor, it was positive I would not be finding a bathroom any time soon. I passed an open area and saw Bilbos back. I walked quietly up behind him and peaked over his shoulder. "B-bilbo!" I whispered panicked. He swung around and covered my mouth. "Violet! Please do not say I have this." He said. "Why would you hide it from Thorin?" I asked confused. "Because...I'm worried it would make him worse. I don't know what to do, just please keep quiet about it alright?" He begged. I took a deep breath and nodded. I held out my hand, "I wanna see it." I said. He handed it too me, it was smooth...and beautiful. It's colors where almost hypnotizing. I quickly handed it back to Bilbo. "Thorin will kill you if he finds out your hiding that." I said. "And he'll kill you for not telling him right away." He retorted. "True...very true." I said. "Alright...I'm really scared for Thorin. And I don't want to find out what happens if he gets ahold of this." I said. Bilbo smiled at me sadly and nodded. "I am worried...he's not himself." Bilbo said. "I know, he has a dark vibe now. Almost sickly." I said. Bilbo nodded agreeing with me. I looked back into the mountain and sighed.

Bilbo and I walked back in together, we walked to where the great throne was to see Thorin, Balin and Dwalin. "It is here...I know it." Thorin said. His back was turned to us. "We have searched and searched," Dwalin said. "Not well enough." Thorin said. I looked at Dwalin who sighed. "Thorin, we all would see the stone returned," Dwalin said. "And yet," Thorin said. "It's still not FOUND!" He yelled. I flinched at his harsh tone....it reminded me of the way my father spoke to me. "Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here?" Balin asked. Thorin turned and walked down a small flight of stairs, past Bilbo and I, towards Balin and Dwalin. "The Arkenstone, is the birth right of our people." Balin said. "It is the Kings jewel..." Thorin said lowly, we all stayed quiet. "AM I NOT THE KING!" He yelled. I flinched again and covered my ears, clamping my eyes shut. Bilbo placed a hand on my back, Thorin seemed to notice none of this...Balin and Dwalin however did. Thorin turned back to the throne. "Know this," he said looking back. "If anyone should find it, and withhold it from me...I will be avenged." Thorin said leaving. I sniffed and opened my eyes, allowing tears to flow down my cheeks, I saw Balin leave. I sniffed and looked at Bilbo. "Are you alright?" Bilbo asked calmly. I sniffed and shook my head. "Come on." I choked out, wanting to leave that throne room as fast as possible. I had never been more terrified of Thorin than I was right now...I had also never wanted to run faster to Bofur.

We entered what seemed like a library, inside we saw Balin, sniffing as though he was trying not to cry. "B-Balin..." I said. "Y-yes dear?" He asked. "What's wrong with Thorin?" I said, hardly able to say his name. Balin sighed, "Dragon's sickness," he said turning to us. My eyes where still red and sore from crying on the way over here. "I've seen it before, that look, a terrible need. It is a fierce and jealous love, Violet." He said. "It sent his grandfather mad." He said. Bilbo stepped forward. "Balin, if-if Thorin had the Arkenstone, if...if it was found. Would it help?" Bilbo asked. Balin looked at him, "that stone crowns all, it is the summit of this great wealth. The stone brings power upon he who wears it. Would it distay his madness?" Balin said. He shook his head, "no laddie...I fear it would make him worse." He said. I choked back tears and said nothing. "Perhaps it is best that it remains lost." Balin said.

Bilbo and I walked to an abandoned dirty hallway. Bilbo sat on a bench, and I sat behind a pillar, out of sight in the darkness. I looked back at bilbo out of the corner of my eyes and saw him looking at something in his hand. "What is that?" I heard Thorins venom voice. I froze and pulled my knees to my chest, hiding my face in them. I heard his footsteps come closer, "in your hand!" He yelled. "It's-it's nothing." Bilbo said. "Show me." Thorin said. "I picked it up...in Beorns garden." Bilbo said. "You've carried it all this way?" Thorin asked softly. "I'm going to plant it in my garden...in Bag End." Bilbo said shyly. I looked around the pillar to see a grin on his face. "That's a poor prize...to take back to the Shire." Thorin said. "One day it will grow...and every time I look at it I'll remember. I'll remember everything that happened, the good the bad, and how lucky I am that I made it home." He said. I grinned at the thought of seeing a large tree above Bilbo's house. I looked again and saw a smile spread across Thorin's face. I felt my heart warm to see his smile. I began to think that this dragons sickness would not last for very long...he already seemed to go back to normal. "Thorin..." Bilbo began to speak. "Thorin." Dwalin however spoke up. He looked at me as he walked closer and offered me a hand, pulling me off the ground. I looked back at Thorin who looked at me, he must have assumed I came with Dwalin since I was lifted up when his back was turned. "Survivors, from Laketown, their streaming into Dale." He said. I suddenly saw an extremly displeased look on Thorins face. "There's hundreds of them." Dwalin said. Thorin looked at me then turned away and began to walk. "Call everyone to the gate." Thorin said in that Los venomous voice that made me cry earlier. "TO THE GATE!" He yelled. I flinched and grabbed Dwalins arm before following him, with Bilbo close behind. "NOW!" Thorin yelled. My grip tightened on Dwalins arm.

As soon as we got to the gate Thorin began to order everyone except Bilbo and I to start building a barrier with the broken stone. I was astonished by their strength. Thorin kept me at his side with his hand on my arm. "I want this fortress made safe by sunrise! This mountain is ours, I will not see it taken again." He said. I wanted to go help Bofur push one of the barrels full of stone but I was too afraid to move. "The people of lake town have nothing." Kili said dropping the barrel, "They came to us in need, they have lost everything." Kili said. I looked at Thorin. "Do not tell me, what they have lost." Thorin said. "I know well enough their hardship." Thorin said. "B-but what if they need our help?" I asked quietly earning looks from the dwarves. "That is not our problem." He said. "Thorin...we where the ones who caused that dragon to attack them! It is our problem!" I said. "VIOLET!" He barked. I threw myself back against Fili in fear. "I will hear no more of this from you!" He yelled. I felt my eyes water. Fili pulled me back behind him and petted my hair. "Shh, just leave him be for now." Fili said calmly before pushing me off to sneak to Bofur. I hid behind him and looked at Thorin. "Those who have lived through dragon fire should rejoice!" Thorin said looking out at Dale, they have much to be grateful for." He said looking at the town, I looked and saw multiple fires lit. I looked at Thorin's back who swung back around. "MORE STONE!" He bellowed. I flinched and began helping Bofur carry stone up to the gate. I felt a lump in my throat as I kept my mouth shut. "More stone to the gate!" Thorin yelled as he began lifting stone angrily. Bofur saw me hiccup and breath uneasily, "don't worry lass..." He said rubbing my back. "I won't let him hurt you." He said lovingly. I looked at Bofur through watery eyes and nodded, blinking causing tears to flow down my cheeks as we once again began lifting stone and carrying it to Dwalin who lifted them into place. All the while I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact with Thorin.