his exception

chapter twenty-one: goodbyes

"What is the meaning of this?" The Master grumbled once he was standing in front of the dwarves.   "We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire." Braga replied standing proud. "Ah. Enemies of the state, then." Alfrid then appeared from behind the Master. "This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire."

 "Hold your tongue. You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!" Dwalin shouted with pure venom in his voice. He gestured at Thorin, and Thorin stepped forward. The crowd murmured in amazement. "We are the dwarves of Erebor." Thorin spoke calmly. The crowd whispered in shock and recognition, and people craned their heads to see better.  "We have come to reclaim our homeland. I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the centre of all trade in the North." Thorin was speaking earnestly to the crowd, and the people nodded in agreement.  "I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!" The people cheered and clapped, and the Master looked on, calculating. Suddenly, a voice called out over the crowd, and Bard strode forward, soon followed by Maethel holding Tilda's hand and Sigrid and Bain by her side.

"Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all." Bard shouted and Maethel looked too Thorin. The people whisper anxiously. "You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" The people shouted in excitement and they applauded the soon to be King under the mountain. The Master looked on, smiling and nodding at this turn of events. "All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!" Bard pleaded and the people quiet down and shake their heads sadly. "Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!" The people shouted, "No!"

"And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a mountain-king so riven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!" As Bard and Thorin stared at each other angrily, the crowd got louder, but then the Master stepped forth. "Now, now, we must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!" The Master pointed accusingly at Bard, and the crowd began to clamour. As Bard looked away, Thorin looked at him in shock and anger. "It's true, sire. We all know the story: arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark."  Bard looked around as the crowd yelled angrily at him. He then strode forward and spoke to Thorin earnestly. "You have no right, no right to enter that mountain!"

"I have the only right." Thorin spat back. Thorin turned and faced the Master. "I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?" The people quietly watched in anticipation. "What say you?" The Master thought for several seconds, then smiled and pointed his finger at Thorin. "I say unto you...welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!" The Master opened his arms in welcome, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Bard looked on silently. Thorin climbed up a few steps and turned to face the audience; the people hugged each other in excitement and joy. Thorin and Bard stared at each other. Then Thorin looked at Maethel and they both smiled as she made her way up towards him, until he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer and placed a gentle kiss to her lips.

...

The people crowd along the sides of the main channel as a boat is loaded with supplies for the dwarves to take to the mountain.  "You do know we're one short; where's Bofur?" Bilbo asked as he looked around. "If he's not here, we leave him behind." Thorin grumbled as he was eager to arrive at the mountain.  "We have to, if we're to find the door before nightfall. We can risk no more delays." Balin patted the hobbits shoulder. They marched along the pier and the dwarves began to board the boat. They were fully decked out in armour and regal clothing. Thorin stopped Kili before he can get in the boat. "Not you. We must travel with speed, you will slow us down." 

Kili smiled, thinking Thorin was joking.  "What are you talking about? I'm coming with you." Maethel looked sad as she looked at the young hobbits face, his dreams of being one of the dwarves reclaiming the mountain crushed. "No." Thorin ordered. Fili,  who was already in the boat, turned and looked at Thorin and Kili.  "I'm going to be there when that door is opened, when we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin." Kili continued to look at his uncle. "Kili, stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed." Thorin laid his hand on Kili's shoulder and smiled at him, but Kili looked shocked and betrayed. Thorin turned to board the boat. Kili turned away. Oin got out of the boat. "I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded." He gave a weak smile to Thorin before he placed his hand of Kili's shoulder.  "Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You can't take that away from him!" Fili persisted. On the shore, Oin was examining Kili, but Kili is trying to pull away from him.  "Fili." Thorin started.   "I will carry him, if I must!"

"One day you will be king, and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one dwarf, not even my own kin." Fili looked at Kili, then stepped out of the boat. Thorin tried to stop him,  "Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the Company." Fili shot his head back around.  "I belong with my brother." He pulled away from Thorin and went to join Kili and Oin. Maethel slowly made her way of the boat. "M-Maethel?" Thorin questioned. "Meleth nín... I need to help them...Kili needs healing.." Thorin looked down before he looked back up at Maethel. "I was never meant to visit the lonely mountain.." She saw the sadness in his eyes as he knew it was true.

 The musicians of Laketown played their instruments as the Master climbed up to a raised platform. He waved, and the people cheered and clap. Further away in a house in the town, a sleeping Bofur was awoken up by the sound of the music. He was asleep under a table, and as he jolted upright, he smacked his head on the bottom of the table."By my beard, is that the time? Oh, ugh."  Bofur scrambled up unsteadily and ran out the door, grabbing a glass of drink on his way. In the background, the Master was addressing the people. Bofur ran as fast as he can towards the crowd. "...Bring good fortune to all!" The Master smiled and waved to the dwarves in the boat as they pulled into the canal and began to paddle away. Kili looked on miserably from the dock. The dwarves in the boat smiled, waved, and bowed at the cheering people. 

"Goodbye!" Dori shouted as Bofur pushed his way through the townspeople and reached the water, only to find the boat of dwarves far off down the canal. He turned and found Maethel, Kili, Fili, and Oin. "Ah! So you missed the boat as well?" Suddenly, Kili moaned in pain and began to fall over, but Fili caught him. "Kili? Kili!" He used. Maethel caught onto one side of Kili and she and Fili held onto him whilst Oin tried to examine him.