*Oreliell*
Oreliell sighed as she splashed water on her face. She glanced up at the mirror in front of her. Her eyes were still just a little red, but it was less noticeable now. She had managed to fix her hair and braided it out of her face in an attempt to look put together.
She was grateful for the company that Fili and Kili provided. Thorin's state was taking its toll on her. She hated to see him like this, so driven by greed that he could not function normally. He was not the same dwarf she had known and fallen in love with, let alone the same dwarf she had risked her freedom for in Mirkwood.
Oreliell took a deep breath to steady herself as she wiped her face dry. She would just have to take one day at a time until she could figure out a way to help him.
She stepped out of the room she had found, only to almost run into Bilbo.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Oreliell," he said. "I didn't see you there."
"That's quite all right, Bilbo." She looked at him for a moment. "Are you all right?"
"Um, actually, could I talk with you?"
Oreliell nodded. She followed Bilbo down the hall. They stopped near the records room and sat on one of the benches outside. Oreliell looked down at the hobbit, noticing that he seemed a little anxious. She stayed quiet, knowing that Bilbo would share when he was ready.
"What is that?" Oreliell glanced to the side and stood up quickly as Thorin approached. "In your hand!"
"It's- it's nothing," Bilbo said.
"Show me," Thorin demanded.
Bilbo stuttered for a moment before lifting his hand, his fingers uncurled to reveal an acorn. Oreliell glanced at it before looking at Thorin.
"I picked it up in Beorn's garden," Bilbo said.
Thorin's expression softened a little.
"You've carried it all this way?"
"I'm going to plant it in my garden. In Bag End."
"It's a poor prize to take back to the Shire."
"One day, it'll grow," Bilbo said. "And everytime I look at it, I'll remember. Remember what happened, the good, the bad. And how lucky I am that I made it home."
Thorin smiled. Oreliell smiled back. She hadn't seen him smile in so long... It made warmth bloom in her chest.
Bilbo chuckled a little and shuffled his feet.
"Thorin," he said. "I-"
Oreliell looked up when she heard heavy footsteps quickly approaching.
"Thorin," Dwalin called. "Survivors from Lake-town. They're streaming into Dale."
Oreliell watched as Thorin's expression began to darken again.
No. No, no, no. Please-
"There's hundreds of them," Dwalin continued.
"Call everyone to the gate," Thorin grumbled.
Oreliell reached out to try and grab his arm.
"Thorin, wait-"
"To the gate! Now!"
Oreliell watched him walk away. Dwalin sent her an apologetic look before following after Thorin. Her hand clenched into a fist at her side, wishing that she was able to reach out to him.
"Oreliell?" Bilbo said softly. She glanced down at him. "Are you all right?"
"I will be," she replied after a long moment. "You managed to get through to him, Bilbo. We must pray that we can do it again."
As ordered, the company gathered at the gate. Several of the dwarves looked out at Dale, where they could see the people of Lake-town moving around. They seemed to be setting up camp and lighting fires for the evening.
Thorin came toward them, his face still shrouded in anger.
"Gather what stone you can," he demanded. "We must reconstruct the gate."
"What?"
"Thorin, what do you mean?"
"Do as I say," Thorin snapped. "The gate must be rebuilt to keep out the pests."
The company exchanged brief looks with one another, but slowly set to work. They lit several lanterns and began to gather whatever stone and rubble they could find. It would take a lot to fill the entryway.
The hours trickled by and the sun set over the land. They brought pulleys and rope and ladders, allowing them to continue to build up as they went. The process was tedious, but the dwarves knew how to work with stone. Oreliell moved stone where it was needed, following whatever directions were given to her by the others.
"Up it goes!"
"More stone over here."
"That's it."
Oreliell paused to look over the dwarves. While they were making progress, the company wasn't moving terribly fast. Oreliell could tell that they were hesitant about what they were doing.
"Come on, lass," Dwalin said, nudging her.
She sighed, lifting another large stone and setting it in place. She glanced up when Thorin emerged from the hall.
"I want this fortress made safe by sunup," he called. "This mountain was hard-won. I will not see it taken again."
"The people of Lake-town have nothing," Kili suddenly said. Oreliell looked back at him, noting that he had stopped working. Several other dwarves paused to look at him, but continued working, not wanting to risk Thorin's wrath. "They came to us in need. They have lost everything."
"Do not tell me what they have lost," Thorin said. "I know well enough their hardship. Those who have lived through dragon fire should rejoice! They have much to be grateful for."
"Grateful for what?" Oreliell asked, turning to him. "Kili's right, Thorin, they've lost everything. If we have the resources, we should offer them."
He turned to glare at her. She saw that more dwarves were slowing down to listen and watch.
"They have their lives, do they not?"
"Not all of them."
"Lass," she heard Dwalin say, trying to quiet her.
She waved him off.
Thorin scoffed.
"What would you know about something like this?"
"Because I have been through dragon fire and seen my home be destroyed, just like you and just like the people of Lake-town. You know that, Thorin. You knew that before anyone else." A brief silence came over the company at her revelation. "They've lost their livelihoods, families and friends. They are lost, Thorin. They have no one to turn to except us."
"They appear to be doing well enough on their own."
She stood up straighter. Her eyes met his narrow, dark ones. She knew that she was challenging him, but she hoped that she could knock some sense into him again like she had earlier.
"When Erebor was lost, did you not wish that someone would help?" she asked. "And when you were denied help, weren't you angry and hurt? Would you truly choose to follow in Thranduil's footsteps here?"
"I am nothing like the elven king."
"No? You're turning your back on others, just like he did. You claimed that Thranduil lacked honor. Where is your's now?"
Thorin roared. He moved quickly, picking up a piece of debris and hurling it through the air. Several dwarves cried out, stepping forward slightly to try and stop him. But Oreliell gasped and jerked back slightly upon feeling a sharp pain at her forehead. She felt someone close by reach out to stabilize her. She lifted her hand to her face, touched lightly where the pain was, and pulled it away. Her fingers were red. She could feel blood dripping down her face, close to her eye.
"Oreliell!" several dwarves gasped, noticing her new wound.
She ignored them and looked up at Thorin. His chest was heaving up and down, and his fists were clenched at his sides as if he were restraining himself.
"Men shmek menu," he growled. "Get out. If you set foot in my kingdom again, I swear to Mahal that I will kill you." Oreliell stared at him in shock. How could she not have recognized how far gone he was? "Go! Now!" (translation: /I will kill you.\)
Fili gently pulled on her arm.
"You need to go," he said sadly. "I don't want to think what he'll do if you stay here."
"He's not himself," she said.
"No. He's not."
He tucked a piece of cloth into her hand, his eyes darting up to her wound. Oreliell gave him the smallest nod and went to the wall. Bifur and Nori were there, setting up a way for her to safely get over the wall. She smiled slightly at them. She paused to glance over her shoulder. Thorin was glaring daggers at her.
If looks could kill...
"Menu gajatu, amrâlimé." She hoped her forgiveness in Khuzdul reached him through the dragon sickness. (translation: /I forgive you, my love.\)
She heard scattered gasps and murmurs come from the company. She was aware that she had revealed her relationship with Thorin, which was more than likely a shock to them, but she kept her eyes on Thorin.
Thorin, however, simply growled again and reached for another rock.
Oreliell grabbed hold of the rope the dwarves had provided and quickly went over the wall. She lowered herself down, leaving small traces of blood on the rope. Once her feet touched the stone bridge, the rope was pulled up out of reach. Oreliell looked up to see several faces looking down at her, including Thorin's harsh scowl.
Oreliell turned and started across the bridge. She was barely a few yards from the gate when a rock came flying at her again, barely skimming her shoulder. She did not turn around, nor did she stop walking.
"More stone!" Thorin shouted. "Bring more stone to the gate!"
A tear ran down her face, mixing with the blood. The wind caused the cut to string, but she almost felt numb to it. Her feet felt heavy as she walked. She could hear stones being placed down even as she got further and further away.
It took her a long time to cross the field. Every step felt harder and harder to take.
"Vedis," she called out.
"Oreliell? Is everything all right?"
"I am approaching Dale. Where can I meet you?"
"I will be there in a minute."
Oreliell nodded even though Vedis could not see her.
The bridge into Dale eventually came into sight. When Oreliell looked at it, she noticed Vedis standing at the entrance, waiting for her. She felt a lump form in her throat upon seeing her sister. Vedis quickly crossed the bridge, extending her arms toward her sister.
As soon as Vedis's arms were around her, Oreliell felt the dam break. Her legs gave out and she practically crumbled to the ground. Her body shook with heavy sobs as tears flowed down her face. She couldn't hold it in any longer. So many things had happened that it had become far too much for her. Vedis held her tightly, lowering them both to the ground as Oreliell cried. Vedis ran her hand through Oreliell's hair, hoping that it would help calm her down.
Oreliell eventually felt Vedis lift her back onto her feet. She looked at her sister. Vedis's eyes scanned over her face then honed in on the cut on her forehead.
"What happened?" Oreliell shook her head, but Vedis refused to let her look away. "Tell me."
"Thorin cast me out," she said, her voice quiet and rough. "He's building a wall at the gate to keep people out. He's been searching for... that stupid stone. He's become blind to everything else. I couldn't reach him, Vedis. I tried, and I couldn't-"
Vedis shushed her softly, wiping away Oreliell's tears. She gave Oreliell a gentle yet sad smile.
"We should get you settled," she said. "Let me tend to your head then you can get some rest."
"What about the people of Lake-town? Surely they need your help more than I."
"We are doing what we can for them, but you are my sister. {Let me take care of you.}"
Oreliell nodded. Vedis wrapped her arm around Oreliell and gently began to guide her into Dale.