Home

38: Future Looks Grim

38: Future Looks Grim

I was happy to find that I didn't wake up in pain. My eyes stared around the room until they laid on Kili who was still in bed, snoring. I couldn't contain the smile growing on my face, and I forced myself to stand. My joints ached for relief, and I thought I had slept wrong.

I quickly braided my hair and went outside the room to empty the bucket Kili laid his drinks and food in. As I stepped out, I realized it was like a ghost town. Everyone must've been drunk and sleeping like Kili; it scared me to think they'd all wake up hung over. I dumped the contents of the bucket into the icy river, and then threw the whole bucket in.

The wind danced across my skin, and I let my hair flow with it.

My hair has grown so much, and I didn't even realize it. I ran my fingers through the end of it. Sunrise is such a beautiful thing. Los Angeles could never have this type of view.

I leaned on the rampart and took the scenery in. Snow-tipped trees that were kind of dying, a barren landscape to the left covered in snow, and to the right... I squinted.

An army of elves?

They were dressed in gold and there must have been over two hundred of them. They were placed in Dale, and each elf was motionless.

"Why in the hell are they here? The heck are they doing?" I whispered to myself, and it hit me.

Tauriel is here too. My heart fluttered with the thought of seeing her again. Just being around her made me happy.

How about I do the smart thing and go get Thorin? I told myself.

I turned around and he was right behind me. I jumped back in shock.

"Thorin," I whispered.

He stared at me. "What are you doing awake at this hour?"

The tone of his voice set me on edge. Where was my friend?

"I don't know," I looked away and crinkled my nose. "It kind of smells like beer in there."

He chuckled. "Well there was a party last night. Did you enjoy it?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "I really liked it. Hey, by the way, how did you guys ever manage to defeat Smaug? None of you were hurt right?"

"The Arkenstone was not found," he hissed.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Um, that's not what I-"

"What if he has it? He is at the bottom of a LAKE!" He shoved past me and stared in the distance.

Is this dragon sickness? I thought. Is this what Thorin feared becoming?

I quickly recovered myself. "I'm sure it's inside."

"What is that?" His voice dropped even lower.

"I believe that's an army of elves," I told him.

He snapped, "We rebuilt Erebor, he cannot get in."

You didn't rebuild a thing. You stayed in the gold room the entire time indulging in your greed.

"There is still more to be done, but we are fine." I scratched my nose.

It was as if I didn't exist. My words fell on deaf ears, and Thorin kept muttering and glaring in the distance.

The song played out in my head. Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend. A meme suddenly filled it and I had to stifle a chuckle. Hello darkness my old friend.