*Fili's POV*
"Everyone! Look for the stone! No one shall rest until it is found!" Thorin ordered all of us. In all likelihood, we have been searching for the stone for almost four hours straight with no breaks in between. I sighed in exhaustion and desperation at the sight of the huge mounds of gold. I know for a fact that I, along with others, have searched every inch of this place. It's obvious the stone does not lie in these halls. But Thorin demands we keep looking.
Running my fingers through the gold, I spot something that catches my attention with its marvelous shine. There laid a golden ring, with a beautiful sapphire gem in the middle, on both sides had diamonds.
This is the one, I thought to myself.
This is perfect.
I managed to swiftly slip the ring in my pocket without my uncle looking, thinking I was up to no good.
I continued with the search for the Arkenstone. I didn't try as hard as I was before. What was the point? It wasn't here either ways. Where could it have gone? I haven't a clue.
Eleanor was in the other side of the room, a look of exhaustion was also written on her face. I felt awful. Not only because of her but because of Kili too. I wish I could do something about this but my uncle doesn't seem like he could be reasoned with at this moment.
*Eleanor's POV*
Four hours. Four hours searching for this accursed stone. I was on the verge on completely giving up on everything. However, I couldn't just stop looking for it. If Thorin saw anyone sitting down, and not looking for the stone, he would yell at them and say the same thing over again.
"No one shall rest until it is found!"
I've had enough of this. I don't care what Thorin does or says. I stand up from my spot and quickly make my way up where he was by walking up the stairs.
There he was. Sharply looking down at the others, hands behind his back as his crown sat boldly and proudly on his head.
"Thorin," I began saying. "We have been searchi-"
"What makes you think you could talk to me?" He answered coldly.
"Well I thought since-"
"Yes and you thought wrong." Thorin interrupted me once again. "I am the king now. I won't be listening to a wench like you."
My eyes widen in disbelief. How could he say something like this? Yes, we had our ups and downs before. But as far as I remember, we ended up on good terms.
"You are not yourself, Thorin." I whispered, my eyes began to sting, tears were on the verge of coming out.
"What did you say?" He was now slowly walking towards me as I started going backwards.
"Nothing. I will just leave now." By this time, my vision was clouded with tears.
Dwalin was walking towards Thorin to inform him of some news from outside. Apparently, Bard was waiting to speak to Thorin about the share of gold he promised him back at LakeTown.
I rushed out of the room, searching all over Erebor until I stumbled upon an empty chamber. When I entered, I quickly shut the door and sat down on the ground. Bringing up my knees to my chest, I couldn't stop myself from crying. What has gotten into Thorin? Did this all start as soon as they entered Erebor? Is this the Dragon Sickness I have been hearing about?
No matter what the cause was, I knew this was not the same Thorin from the start of this quest.
A couple of minutes later, the door swung open. My head shot up, my heart beating rapidly. I was afraid that Thorin was the one who opened the door. But to my relief, it was only the person I wanted to see at the moment.
"El. There you are, my love." He smiled but it soon faded when he took a good look at my current state.
Sitting down beside me, I snuggled close to him, silently crying on his shoulder. He continually rubbed my back and moved some hair away from my face.
"It's Thorin, isn't it?" He asked as I nodded in response.
"I'm starting to worry about him too. He refused to give some gold to Bard and the people of LakeTown, even though he gave them his word."
"I don't know what's gotten into him." I stated.
"The Dragon Sickness, perhaps. Don't cry, my love. Sooner or later, this will all pass." He said as he wiped a tear from my face. "I hope."
"Now, show me that smile I love." He said. I couldn't help but do as he said, especially at the way he was looking at me.
"There it is."
For a while, we sat together in silence, not being interrupted by anyone or anything. Just the both of us. Enjoying each other's company. We never really can be together like this a lot considering there isn't much time with all that is going on, so this means a deal to me.
Fili, all of a sudden, began acting anxious. His body language was what gave it away.
"What troubles you?" I asked him.
"I have something important I need to ask you."
"Well go on. You know you can ask me anything." I reassured him, putting my hand on his.
"Eleanor, I love you. Always have loved you, always will. It didn't take long for me to realize that you are my One. In this quest, we have been through so much, almost to the point of losing each other. I know I cannot imagine a world without you in it. I'm sure you already know of the dwarf customs of braids seeing that you have one already but to me, it seems there is one missing. When a dwarf finds his love, he will put a braid in her hair and she will do the same, as a sign that they belong to one another. And to show others they are already taken."
I grinned widely, seeing where this conversation was going.
"But first things first..." He continued as he reached into his pocket, taking out the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.
"Will you...marry me?" He held out the ring in his hand. I was speechless and all I could do was nod my head as a huge smile spread across his face. He gently slipped the ring on my finger.
"And second of all, would you allow me to put a braid in your hair?" He asked with a nervous smile.
"As long as you let me put one in yours." I said.
He opened his legs slightly and patted the spot between them, allowing me to sit down. I felt him part a small section of my hair and begin to braid it. After a few minutes, he took out a golden clasp and put it around the new braid before letting it fall into its place.
"I love it." I said as I kissed him on his cheek. "Now it's my turn."
I got up and quickly sat down facing him, sitting in a criss-cross way. I did the same as him by starting with parting a small section of his hair, then expertly braiding it. After I was done, I took out a gold clasp from my pocket.
"This was given to me by my father. It has my last name on it." I explained as I put in on the braid.
"It's beautiful." He grinned as he kissed me. Everything right now was perfect and I wouldn't change a thing. I wish I could put this moment in replay and keep reliving it. He was officially mine. And I am his.
A knock at the door caused us to break apart.
"Who is it?" I shouted.
"It's Kili!"
He opened the door and smiled at the sight of the two of us whilst he had one hand behind his back.
"I see the both of you made it official! I am happy for you guys. But that's not why I came." He got serious after the last sentence.
"What do you want then?" Fili asked, getting a bit annoyed.
"Well I just wanted to-AHHHH" Kili fake screamed as he threw a dead rat at me. I just stared at it with a blank expression.
"Neither of you got scared?!" He said in disbelief. We both shook our heads.
"As a matter of fact, I've seen worse things than a dead rat. Just saying." I stated.
"I found that thing in one of the chambers. You should of seen Dwalin a couple of minutes ago! He freaked!" He bursted out into a fit of laughter but then slowly came to a stop seeing Fili and I's blank faces.
"Fine. I'll take my dead rat elsewhere. Let's go, Whiskers." He picked it up and left the room.
"He even gave it a name?"
"Just a reminder that I am related to him." He said as I giggled at his younger brother.
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I hope you guys liked this chapter as much as I do!❤️ and omg that Kili part was really random, I felt that I had to add some humor in it so there ya go!😂