"Since when has my counsel counted for so little?" Gandalf spoke in anger to the Elven King.
Everyone were back in the tent, the rays of the Sun soon being turned into shadow's of the night. Veryan has also made his way back to the tent, wanting to know everything that was to happen.
"What do you think I'm trying to do?" The Wizard asked Thranduil again, who looked bored once again, sitting upon his wooden throne.
"Save your Dwarvish friends, and I admire your loyalty to them. But it does not dissuade me from my course" he stood up, his eyes fixated on Gandalf, who had his back to the Lord, smoking his pipe "You started this, Mithrandir. You will forgive me if I finish it"
Veryan scoffed "What does a stuck up ass like him know anything about friendship? He has no compassion for anyone" Veryan hissed out harshly as he watched Thranduil talk to one of his guards.
Mirani stayed quite, not being able to find the words to counter argue with her brother. What he said was true. The Elven Lord hadn't shown any kind of compassion for anyone after his late wife's death. You could see the King break day by day the queen wasn't with him. And as much as it pained Mirani to watch the man she fell in love with fall apart and become as harsh as he is now even with his own son, she could do nothing to ease the man's pain. She was in no power to help the man's heartache. But maybe the gems his wife held dear would. That's why she agreed to follow him, until he was reunited with the precious gems, thinking it would be good for him. But because of her selfish desires to make the Lord happy, she didn't see what kind of war could come out of it.
Mirani's and Veryan's eyes quickly darted to Gandalf's form, as the man quickly hurried out of the tent and to Bard "Bowman. Do you agree with this? Is gold so important to you? Would you buy it with the blood of Dwarves?"
"It wont come to that. This is a fight they cannot win" Bard explained, sure of himself.
The figures stood frozen when another voice spoke "That won't stop them"
Veryan quickly pushed Gandalf slightly to the side, and watched Bilbo's form standing in front of him. "Bilbo" Veryan greeted happily, the Hobbit smiling back at him.
"You thing the Dwarves will surrender? They won't. They will fight to the death to defend their own" he explained hurriedly.
"Bilbo Baggins" Gandalf exclaimed happily, Bilbo smiling back to him just as he did Veryan. Thranduil walked back into the tent, and sat down on his throne once again. "If I'm not mistaken, this is the Halfling who stole the keys to my dungeons with the help of the young Wizard" he explained, looking as if he could throw them down a rabbit hole and not feel bad about it.
Veryan smirked proudly as it took Bilbo a bit to answer "...Yes. Sorry...about that"
Mirani shook her head at her brother, her smile small but present, as Bard smiled at the two with amusement. Bilbo straightened up and spoke "I came to give you this"
He walked to the table in front of Thranduil, and placed a clothed thing on it, unraveling it to reveal a glowing jewel, not bigger than a hand, glowing with every shade of blue, pink and even purple.
Veryan's breathed hitched as his eyes landed on the stone, his smirk quickly disappearing from his face as the rest just stared at the precious stone.
Thranduil stood up, amazed by the beauty in front of him "The Heart of the Mountain. The King's Jewel" "And worth a King's ransom. How is this yours to give?" Bard finished for Thranduil, asking the Hobbit.
"I took it as my 14th share of the treasure" Bilbo replied simply to the two. Veryan shook his head, but the amusement didn't leave unfazed. Everyone could clearly see him trying to cover up a smirk, that started to appear rather quickly.
"Why would you do this? You owe us no loyalty" Bard asked once again.
"I'm not doing it for you. I know the Dwarves can be obstinate, and pigheaded, and difficult. They're suspicious and secretive, with the worst manners imaginable, but they are also brave, and kind, and loyal to a fault. I've grown very fond of them, and I would save them if I can. Now Thorin values this stone above all else. In exchange for it's return, he will give you what you are owed. There will be no need for war"
"It's only fair we see to the Hobbit's request" Mirani spoke from her place beside's the throne. Thranduil turned to her surprised, not really used to the woman speaking out. "If it save's us a fight we might regret, then I think we should take it" she stated, her posture stiff like her voice. It was clear even she was new to speaking out.
Thranduil turned to nod after a moment to think "Very well then. By Lady Mirani's request, we will bargain with the Dwarves, but if this doesn't work, don't count on me retreating"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyone but Mirani were ushered out of the tent, Bard turning to walk back to his children, whilst Gandalf turned to walk with Bilbo and Veryan.
"Rest up tonight. You must leave on the morrow" Gandalf ordered the Hobbit as the three walked through the street's of Dale.
"What?" Bilbo looked up at Gandalf in confusion.
"Get as far away from here as possible" "I'm not leaving. You picked me as the 15th man. I'm not leaving the Company" "There is no Company. Not anymore. Imagine what Thorin will do when he finds out what you've done"
"I'm not afraid of Thorin" Bilbo finally stopped, trying to win over the argument he had going with the grey Wizard.
"Well, you should be. Don't underestimate the evil of gold" Gandalf replied matter of factly, turning to look at Bilbo from ahead him where he too has stopped walking.
"Gold over which a serpent has long brooded. Dragon-sickness seeps into the hearts of all who come near this Mountain. Almost all, heh" he finished with a light chuckle, gesturing at Bilbo.
Veryan couldn't help but breath a sign of relief when the arguing stopped. He never wanted to hear of what terror a person with Dragon-sickness could bring. And he knew just as well as Gandalf what could happen to the Hobbit if he were to travel back to the Mountain.
"You there" Gandalf called out to Alfrid "Find these young lads some beds and fill their belly with food"
Veryan scoffed as he watched Alfrid trudge their way. When the henchmen was close enough, he gesture for the two to follow. They were led through an old brick house, to a room with two almost broken beds, and a lone window.
"Stay here, you scum. I don't need any more orders from old sicko here. I'll be back with food in the morning" Alfrid mumbled, leaving the two completely be.
Just when they couldn't hear Alfrid anymore, Bilbo turned frantically to the very calm Veryan, who laid on the bed, arms crossed over his chest. "I have to be there, Veryan. I don't know what i will do if i don't know what may happen to Thorin. And-"
Veryan waved a dismissive hand in his face, smiling "Would you just lie down and rest for once? I'll wake you just when the sun rises. Don't worry, I know just how much Thorin means to you"
Bilbo was still very unsure if he should sleep, or if he should trust his companion. But Veryan proved to be trust worthy, and he almost never went against his word, so this time, Bilbo decided to stop thinking about Thorin's health, and went to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A gentle hand shook the Hobbit awake. Bilbo groggily opened his eye's, squinting as sun rays filled his vision.
"...Veryan?" He asked sleepily, still trying to adjust to being woken up.
Veryan rolled his eye's and stood up "Better get up, sleeping beauty. Alfrid will be up here any moment, and i don't think the hundred old sheet's i have secured together will hold much longer"
Bilbo shot up from his leying position, looking over at the window, where a rope of sheet's was tossed over the window, being tied to Veryan's bed. The male did keep to his word.
Bilbo gratefully nodded at the latter, rushing to the rope and beginning to climb it no question's asked. Veryan too made his way out of the room, although, he took the approach to just jump out of the window, landing on the ground securely just as Bilbo finished climbing.
The two gave each other silent glance's, before Veryan found his stallion. He helped Bilbo get on, and with a final look back at Dale, he made his stallion run full speed through out the city, and into the line of fire.