"Any sign of it!?" Thorin called out from his perch, as the dwarves shifted through the gold, searching for the Arkenstone under their king's command and for their own sakes.
"Nothing here!" Bifur called out from where he was searching as he turned to look up at Thorin for a moment.
"Nothing here!" Ori followed as his eyes never left the patch of gold as he dug into it with his hands, before giving up and sitting back as his eyes scanned the endless gold ocean, hope beginning to dwindle in his gaze.
"Keep searching!" Thorin encouraged as he noticed some of the dwarves began to slow down.
Dwalin huffed as he looked out across the hoard of gold, "That jewel could be anywhere."
Thorin began to pace looking out from his perch, "The Arkenstone is in these halls. Find it!" He ordered, his voice echoing along the stone halls.
"You heard him, keep looking." Dwalin spoke as he urged the others, some who were either held a look of sadness or confusion towards Throin's sudden behavior change.
"All of you! No one rests until it is found!" Thorin called out as Bilbo watched him from afar, he let out a sigh as his head dipped low, unable to recognize Thorin anymore. He turned around, walking away from the shining room behind him as he made his way towards the great hall where the once liquid gold had now hardened and cooled.
Across the way lay Saharia, unconscious since her fight with Smaug, her wounds healing slowly. Bilbo walked up to her, sitting down beside her head, listening to her soft breaths as she snoozed.
The words of Smaug ringed inside his head, "I am almost tempted to let you take it, if only to see Oakenshield suffer. Watch it destroy him. Watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad."
Bilbo let out a sigh as he reached his hand inside his coat pocket, pulling out a bright glowing stone, the Arkenstone. "I don't know if I should give this to him, Saharia ... Thorin has changed." He spoke as he examined the beautiful stone in his hands. "He's losing his mind to greed, in a way he reminds me a bit of Smaug with how much he cares about the treasure." Bilbo added, before slipping the stone back inside his coat pocket, before leaning back against Saharia. "I wish you were awake, Saharia, maybe you could snap Thorin out of it."
Bilbo nearly jumped when he heard a loud screech, his attention snapped upwards seeing a falcon, carrying herbs in its beak as it landed on one of Saharia's golden antlers. Bilbo watched the raptor as it seemed to break the herbs as much as it could inside its beak before flying down and placing it on her stomach wound which was covered in cobwebs, some being red. It then flew out of the mountain, seeming to go gather more herbs.
Fili and Kili both looked at one another from where they were searching through the gold, nodding to each other before leaving their spots, climbing up the stairs towards their uncle. "Uncle." Fili spoke, gaining Thorin's attention.
"Why have you stopped searching?" Thorin questioned as he turned to face his nephews, a different look in his eyes.
This time Kili spoke, "We wish to see Saharia. To see how she's doing." Filli nodded along with his brother, agreeing with him. Thorin gave them a suspicious stare as he took a couple of steps towards them.
"You are not done searching." He stated, his tone dropping, making the two brothers take a small step back. "She doesn't matter at the moment." Thorin did a double take, not believing what words fell out of his lips.
"Doesn't matter!?" Kili growled as he glared at his uncle while Fili stopped him from charging forward towards their uncle.
"Are you alright uncle?" Fili questioned as Thorin took a few small steps back.
"Sorry I'm just tired." Thorin answered, causing Kili to relax, his shoulders slumping. "Go ahead, go see her." Thorin stated with a wave of his hand as he rubbed his temples, his head beginning to pound.
Fili and Kili looked at one another before leaving their uncle as they walked down the halls of the mountain. Thorin shook his head before looking out towards the gold trying to clear his foggy mind.
*****************
Bard watched as the townspeople loaded up the food gifted to them by Saharia as well as anything they desperately needed to survive like warm clothes and blankets. "Take what you need." Bard spoke to the citizens. "We have a long march ahead." He handed blankets to a woman before picking up some pieces of firewood to use once they reached their destination.
"Where will you go?" Legolas questioned as he looked over at Bard, a calm expression on his face.
Bard let out a sigh, "There is only one place." He then looked towards the mountain, before Alfrid walked up to his side, following his eyes.
"The mountain?" Alfrid questioned before looking at Bard with a smile, "You are a genius sire. We can take refuge inside the Mountain. It might smell a bit of dragon, but the women could clean that up. It's safe and warm and dry, and full of stores, bedding and clothing, the odd bit of gold." Alfrid continued as Bard went around to help preparations, pulling his weight.
"What gold is in that Mountain is cursed. We will take only what was promised to us, only what we need to rebuild our lives." Bard responded to Alfrid, turning to him as he gave him the wood piled in his arms.
Alfrid wrinkled his nose in disgust as an old woman walked past him, he shoved the wood in her arms speaking in a growl, "Here, pull your weight." Alfrid then walked away in a huff.
"News of the death of Smaug will have spread through the lands." Legolas spoke, causing Bard to freeze in his actions.
"Aye." Bard spoke in agreement before continuing his work on preparing everything for the move.
Legolas took a few steps towards him, "Others will now look to the Mountain for its wealth or its position." He stated in warning.
Bard looked back at him with a confused look, "What is it you know?" He questioned the elf.
Legolas looked away from him and out towards the horizon, as if expecting something to come marching over the hills, "Nothing for certain. It's what I fear may come." He answered as he allowed Bard to continue helping his people.
Tauriel walked up to him, overhearing his conversation he had with Bard. "You saw something out there?" She questioned him.
Legolas gave a small nod, "The Orc I pursued out of Lake-town, I know who he is. Bolg, the spawn of Azog the Defiler. A Wargpack was waiting for him on the outskirts of Esgorath." He started as he began making his way to his horse with Tauriel walking by his side. "They fled into the north. These Orcs were different from the others, they bore a mark I had not seen for a long time. The mark of Gundabad." Legolas finished as he stopped to turn to Tauriel.
"Gundabad?" Tauriel questioned as she looked up at him confused.
"An orc stronghold in the far north of the Misty Mountains." Legolas stated, before turning his head when he heard hooves hitting the earth, seeing an elf guard of Mirkwood coming up to him, looking down at him from the back of his horse.
"My lord Legolas. I bring word from you father. You are to return to him immediately." The guard spoke in elvish as he looked at Legolas.
"Come Tauriel." Legolas spoke as he began to lead the way towards his horse before stopping once the elf guard spoke.
"My lord ... Tauriel is banished." He stated with slight hesitation, furry burned in Legolas's gaze as he whirled around. He couldn't leave his closest friend alone in this world filled with evil, he then realized why his father was calling him back, so they could hide away from the world as the darkness increased.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in and out as he reached up to stroke his bow in comfort. The same bow Saharia helped him make years ago, so they could go on patrols together. He even remembered hunting for Saharia so she could eat meat every once in a while while she stayed in Mirkwood. He then opened his eyes once more, knowing what he must do, after all it is what Saharia would do. "Banished?" He questioned, turning around as his gaze hardened. "You may tell my father if there is no place for Tauriel, there is no place for me." He growled, Tauriel taking a few steps towards him with her head low to the ground, guilty of ever asking Legolas to come with her.
"Legolas, it is your king's command." She stated, knowing she might have to continue alone.
"Yes he is my king." He turned to look at her before looking towards the mountain, knowing Saharia was most likely recovering from her fight with Smaug. "But he does not command my heart." He stated as he walked away heading towards his horse, "I ride north, will you come with me?"
"To where?" Tauriel questioned. "Shouldn't we be helping Lady Sadaria heal?"
"Saharia won't have time to heal if there are thousands of orcs heading her way." Legolas countered as he climbed on his white stallion's back from where it was waiting ways away. "That is why we are heading to Gundabad." He stated as he helped Tauriel to sit behind him.
I know it is a bit shorter than usual which I apologize for, I have been very busy preparing for the next college semester where this time I actually be in the classroom ... for only one class though but it's better than nothing! Till next time readers! And let me know if you guys have any ideas for either the next chapter!
Till next time! Again so sorry for the delay and short chapter.