Chapter 4: The Arkenstone
Gailien's hand presses against her side as she walks as fast as she can through the halls. She would prefer not to be walking around so much but times call for certain measures. She cannot spend too much time out there looking for the Hobbit as Thorin is expecting her back. Although, he is so engrossed in his search that he might not even be thinking about her when he cannot see her.
The halls are eerily quiet, long abandoned and with the entire population of Erebor in the treasury besides her and Bilbo, it is almost like walking through a gravesite. And in an even more morbid way, it is a gravesite.
She finally spots Bilbo sitting outside. Gailien almost walks past him, only briefly glancing to the small area. "Bilbo," she sighs with content. "I'm glad to see you're alright."
What she had hoped to be a happy reunion with the company turned into her having a quick exchange with the brothers before being kept at Thorin's side as the rest worked through the long day. She hasn't even had a chance to say hello to the rest of them.
"Gailien," Bilbo greets with what looks like a relieved smile. "I see you've escaped his clutches."
Gailien huffs, sitting down next to him on the stone. "I think this is what I was trying to warn you about, I just didn't know it myself at the time. I do that sometimes, it's that instinct I was talking about." She sighs again, resting her forehead in her clasped hands. "It's only going to get worse from here if we don't find a way to help him."
"Do you know how to help him?"
Gailien chews the inside of her bottom lip, looking past the boundaries of Erebor towards Dale. The people of Lake-town will no doubt take refuge there. "Do you have the Arkenstone?" she questions in place of an answer. Bilbo sits still for a moment, a little bit of fear settling into him, but he nods. She had seen him find it before he even did. "Then don't give it to him," she warns. "Don't let anybody but myself know that you have it. I fear that it will only worsen what has already begun."
"What do I do with it then?" Bilbo pulls it out of his pocket and Gailien lies her eyes on it for the first time in reality. It is ethereal, a white stone that is almost transparent and the inside glows with all the colours she saw inside the treasury. No wonder they call it the King's jewel.
"Keep it hidden. You can give it to me if you want," she offers. "If you get caught hiding it, you'll be considered a traitor."
"No. Thorin is around you more than me," he counters, pocketing the stone once more.
"You have a much more cunning brain than I, Bilbo. Trust in yourself and do with it what you see fit."
Bilbo shakes his head softly with a solemn expression. "So, we're just going to continue letting them look for a stone that isn't even there? How long, days? Weeks?"
"Until we can find an answer," she answers honestly. "I hate myself for it, but... I'm terrified of speaking against him. I know I shouldn't be, that I should stand up for what I believe in and even though it isn't really him I don't want to be cast out or have him look at me with hatred."
"I know how you feel," Bilbo responds immediately. Gailien looks at him with a regretful smile. "You want to help him, not make things worse and fighting him would seem like the latter. I couldn't imagine what he'd do if you spoke against him. When you were knocked out –" he shakes his head with wide eyes "- Fili tried to keep you in the room we've bunkered down in and Thorin just wouldn't have it."
Her stomach feels sick. "That's...awful to think about." Explains why she woke with Thorin while lying over the gold. "I haven't even been able to speak with them properly. Any of them. I told Thorin I was getting a drink to even come to speak to you."
"He'll let us rest in a few hours," Bilbo says. "For dinner and sleep but it'll be the same thing tomorrow."
"For some reason, I doubt things will stay like this for long," she mutters, peering out at Dale. "Word will have spread that the mountain has been reclaimed and we'll have an entirely different mission ahead of us."
"Like what?"
Gailien raises a brow. "Like keeping the mountain."
Xx
As Bilbo has told her, by nightfall Thorin had dismissed the hunt for the jewel to allow the Dwarves to eat and sleep. He had done so with the utmost displeasure at the idea though. But still, she could not yet eat and was pulled along to the Throne Room with Bilbo, Balin, and Dwalin. The throne itself is made of stone, which is not a surprise. It has carved out designs partially destroyed but she can spot the place that the King's Jewel would have sat. She never saw it all those years ago when she did visit Erebor. She never came into the Throne Room.
Gailien stands next to Bilbo as Thorin stares up at the placeholder of the missing stone which is sitting in Bilbo's inner pocket at this very moment.
"It is here in these halls, I know it," he rasps.
"We have searched and searched," Dwalin speaks up.
"Not well enough."
"Thorin, we all would see the stone returned."
Thorin spins around, storming to the front of the Throne platform. "And yet it's still not found!"
Not her Thorin. Her eyes stay planted on the floor, not even being able to associate that jealous and greedy fuelled voice with Thorin as she knows him. The man who fights with honour and pride. He makes mistakes but he's not a bad person.
"Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here?" Balin suggests reservedly. Thorin turns back around from the throne to the two older brothers. "The Arkenstone is the birthright of our people," Balin continues. Gailien holds herself steady but her feet shift under her.
"It is the King's jewel," he states slowly. "Am I not the King?! Know this, if anyone should find it and withhold it from me, I will be avenged." He begins to stalk past them, but his arm reaches out, hooking around her hips, thankfully just below her healing wound.
"Actually, I would like to spend time with the others," she says quietly. Thorin stops, his head tilted down but his eyes pierce in her direction. She swallows the large knot in her throat. "I'll come find you after dinner." His hand drops from her and she doesn't miss the twitch of his cheek as he storms off alone.
Bilbo, Dwalin, and Gailien return to their makeshift camp while Balin goes off on his own somewhere. She lets the other two lead the way, not yet having been there while conscious. As usual, she can hear them before she sees them and a smile of memory plants on her cheek.
Rounding past the archway, she finally sees the company in full. The first she sees is Bofur who grins broadly as he sees her. She strides up to him, engulfing him in a hug. "Thank you for carrying me," she laughs. "I don't know what I'd do if I was by myself."
Bofur only grins in reply, squeezing her shoulder. Gailien moves past him, hugging a few more Dwarves, keeping the pain it causes to herself. She searches around the room for the two brothers but doesn't see them at first.
An arm rests across her shoulders, two figures appearing from behind on either side of her. Her eyes close at the small scare, her mouth pulling upwards even further. She considers giving them a tease, but she can't bring herself to bother with joking. "You have no idea how much I have missed you both," she confesses.
"Hear that, Fee? She can't even live a week without us," Kili taunts to his brother on her other side.
"She can't?" Fili scoffs. "You almost ventured back to Lake-town."
"I'm honoured, Polodren er," Gailien smirks. Kili rolls his eyes, dropping his arm from her shoulders. "I don't want to sound needy, but I can smell food and I'm starving."
"Bombur just finished cooking," Kili answers. "I'll go get us some."
Gailien smiles fondly as the younger Dwarf saunters around the chamber to Bombur's little kitchen area. "I'm sorry," she says to Fili, "if I caused any hard feelings between you and your uncle. I heard about what happened."
"Don't worry," he dismisses. He attempts a smile but his lips just thin. "How are you feeling, by the way? I thought you should rest more but obviously that hasn't happened."
Gailien pulls the side of her blouse up, revealing the white bandage that is little speckled with blood spots. "Healing," she answers. "It definitely isn't as bad as it could have been, I was just exhausted from everything." Her stomach grumbles loudly. "And hungry," she adds sheepishly.
With immaculate timing, Kili returns, balancing three bowls in his hands. She takes hers before her dinner ends up on the floor and the three find a spot at the end of the table. Her mind yells at her to slow down but her hand keeps rising to her mouth, the broth sliding down into her stomach faster than her brain can even keep up.
She quickly finishes off her portion, looking regretfully at the empty bowl that she didn't savour the flavour well.
"Hungry, are we?" Kili teases, barely half-way through his own.
"I haven't eaten in four days," she growls back. Kili drops his spoon and pushes himself off the table seating and marches away. Gailien watches with a curious brow for a moment but turns her eyes back to Fili who sits opposite her. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine," he shrugs. Gailien tilts her head with a look of accusation. Fili shifts in his seat, swirling his food around. "It's hard. Seeing him like this."
"And how is Kili doing?" she presses.
"Worse," he admits, glancing over at his brother. "Don't tell him I told you. He doesn't like being seen as weak in front of you."
"Me specifically?" she questions.
"He looks up to you," Fili says with a slightly mocking tone. "It's strange because I see you as younger even though you're nearly five hundred years old." He laughs softly. "And he will absolutely kill me if he finds out I'm telling you but..." he leans closer to her over the table. "...He fancied you for a long while."
"Fili," she hisses in a low hush. "You can't just tell me that."
"I'm his brother," he laughs. "It's my job to embarrass him. Just don't tell him I said anything."
His smile brightens as the said Dwarf returns, placing another full bowl in front of Gailien. She sends a playful glare to Fili. "Thank you, Kili," she says as he sits back down, oblivious to his brother's antics. Fili smirks to himself, continuing to eat his dinner. "I suppose Bofur has reason to call me fat now," she jokes, scoffing at the toymaker as she cleans off her second bowl. Fili scowls but Gailien cuts him off before he can speak. "I'm just joking."
"Would you like me to get you another?" Kili asks, stacking her bowls into his empty one.
"No, le fael," she responds, smiling softly. Kili takes their bowls over to the pile of dishes to be washed. Gailien turns her attention back to Fili who is watching his brother with a look of disbelief. "What?"
Fili looks back at her then he picks up his empty bowl sitting in front of him. Gailien snorts, reaching out to the bowl.
"I will take it for you," she chuckles.
"You don't-"
Gailien rolls her eyes, taking the bowl away before he can argue. As she passes Kili who is on his way back, he leans closer to her. "Did it annoy him?" he whispers.
"Sure did," Gailien replies. Kili grins to himself, prancing back. "Brothers," she mutters to herself with an affectionate smile as she places Fili's bowl down as well. Standing back up, she looks around the room in thought. Surely, he would be hungry by now since she hasn't seen him eat all day. Gailien walks over to the small kitchen area, taking a clean bowl and scoops a good portion into it.
She looks over to the brothers to tell them of her leave, but they are in a small playful bickering, so she quietly exits the small chambers. Erebor is a considerably large kingdom and she has next to no knowledge of the different rooms or areas that Thorin could have wandered to but she hopes that he has found getaway in one of the few places that she does.
She checks the Throne Room first as it is the easiest to find but it is empty. Wandering around for a little longer, she peeks into different rooms but her main goal is the treasury, which is in one of the deeper parts, though nowhere near as deep as the mines.
As soon as she enters, she can see him. Thorin stands on the platform that overlooks Erebor's golden mountain. Holding the bowl steady, Gailien descends down the many stairs. Her eyes stay locked on either the floor below her or Thorin as looking at the treasure is almost sickening.
"You must be hungry," she calls out, so not to frighten him out of whatever thoughts are capturing his mind. Thorin's shoulders drop and his head slowly turns over his shoulder. "I brought you some dinner."
"I am famished."
Gailien hands him the broth and Thorin eagerly starts eating at it. "I apologise if it is cold. It was served a while ago and it took me a while to find you." She pulls at her sleeves, feeling a slight chill being so low below the ground.
"It's fine," he assures.
They make small talk as Thorin eats away at his dinner and Gailien tries to keep the topic well off anything to do with the Arkenstone. It works for a good while until Thorin finishes his bowl, placing it on the top of the stone railing.
"Amrâlimê, I must ask you something of grave importance."
Gailien tries to not let her discomfort show, the shifting of her feet and her inability to look him in the eye. "Ask away."
Thorin steps forward, bringing a gentle hand to the side of her neck and his head tips forward. "Do you think anybody here has betrayed me?"
Gailien's eyebrows push together as she shakes her head. "No, I really don't Thorin." Her arms rise, circling around his neck. "Everybody here would see you as King."
Thorin breathes slowly for a minute in silence, leaning closer. "May I ask you another question?"
"You may ask as many as you would like."
"That...man you spoke about in Mirkwood," he chokes out. "I...don't know what I'm really asking here." He laughs softly and Gailien cannot help but smile at the sound. It is something that she has not heard in what feels like a long time. A reminder that his true self still lies under this sickness.
Tilting her head, she smirks knowingly. "Yet I think you already know the answer," she quips. "Balin has always had my heart."
Thorin chokes on his laughter, his back straightening and he draws her head under his chin. "Then he is a very lucky Dwarf. What has he done to win your heart?" He kisses her head, brushing away stray hairs.
Gailien hums softly. "Well, there are many things. I love to hear him sing," she says. "He is brave. Honourable. Loyal. But you can't tell him this or he'll have a head bigger than Erebor itself." Thorin chuckles deeply. She sighs in content, leaning back against the railing that is behind her. Thorin's hands latch onto the railing on either side of her. "I think it is my turn to ask a few questions."
"Then ask away, amrâlimê."
"What does that mean? Amrâlimê?"
"It is a term of endearment," he answers softly. "You could translate it to; my love." Gailien blushes like a child in front of their crush. Thorin smiles to himself, kissing her cheek softly. "I have waited a long time to do this. I must say, it took me a long time to try and figure out if you returned what I feel. I tried a few times. I hoped that Kili had taught you enough about our beads to know what this was." He reaches behind her, gently pulling at the braid.
Her mouth slowly opens, her fingers running along his as they trace over the bead. "I...I didn't even put that together," she gapes to herself. All this time she has been wearing a show of his affections and she has been clueless. "In my defence, you didn't exactly give me a hint that it was."
"I was nervous I'll admit," he confesses, still tracing the bead with his thumb. "It was supposed to be a sign of my affection for you, to see if you would accept it. But I got the hint that you didn't really know that at the time."
"Is it your mark then? Legolas said that it has someone's mark on it?"
"Yes," Thorin nods. "It is my name."
Gailien smiles fondly at it as Thorin finally places it back on her shoulder. Slowly, she turns around, resting her own hands on the railing as she leans back into his chest. Her stomach is becoming more painful as time wears on, needing another salve applied but this time alone with him, while he seems almost unaffected by Gold Sickness, is too valuable.
Thorin pushes her hair to one side, placing a kiss on the back of her neck. Her hand raises up behind her, finding the side of his face as he peppers her skin. He manoeuvres around her neck, stretching his own forward to reach the front of hers. Gailien's head tilts backwards against his shoulder, fingers threading through his hair. His hands rest on her hip and she takes another small shuffle backwards to get closer. His fingers tighten as he shifts his legs wider.
Her chest heaves with deep laboured breaths. Slowly his hands turn her back around, but instead of drawing her closer, he bends a little and suddenly her feet leave the ground. Her backside takes refuge on the stone railing. Peeking over her shoulder, her stomach does somersaults at the height and her stomach flares in pain, but all those thoughts disappear as his arms run over her thighs and clasp behind her, keeping her steadily in place. His mouth returns to her skin, just underneath the collarbone.
Gailien wraps her hands around the back of his head, sighing as he begins to use more than just his lips and she locks her ankles behind him. He trails lower and her eyes close, tugging at the hair on the base of his neck as he pushes the edge of her blouse away.
"Not tonight," she whispers. Maybe not ever. But certainly not when he isn't himself. And she isn't sure he knows the complete implications of what would be if they were to continue. Thorin leans back, looking up at her with lustful eyes. "Come back to the company. It's late and you need to sleep."
His face shifts as he peers past her towards the gold. "I need to find the Arkenstone."
Gailien sighs, dropping her head forward. For a few moments, she had him and now he is lost once more for spirits know how long. Placing a soft kiss on his forehead, she uses his shoulders as leverage to lower herself. Her side flares in pain, reminding her to check in with Oin. "I'll be with the others if you need me."
"Do not leave me."
Gailien stares at Thorin with a slight glare. Is he commanding her? "You may come if you wish, but do not stop me from going to them."
"But you are mine, not theirs," he seethes.
"I am nobody's but my own," she counters, reminding herself to keep her head when he can't keep his own. "I am not a jewel, Thorin. I am a person."
Thorin steps close, the tops of his boots touching hers. His finger traces along her jawline. "They think that you are theirs," he whispers, the corner of his eye twitching.
"I am a person," she restates firmly but kindly. "And this person needs to sleep, and you will find me doing so with the rest of the company, as I always have."
"Come back to me."
"Always."