The chilly dawn covers the land..the burning town upon the lake can be seen in the distance..a smoking ruin that reminds any who see it of the destitution that Smaug had wrought upon the peaceful town. Over the sound of lapping waves upon the shoreline, cries could be heard from survivors of the destroyed town as they swam or boated towards the dry land before them. As the only legacy of the town stepped onto the shoreline they began to shout for family members that had become seperated from each other...hoping against hope that they would find them.
Bofur and Fili grunted as they propelled their small vessel towards the shore..the two girls, Sigrid and Tilda, sat huddled against each other softly crying in fear...afraid that their father and brother were lost to them. In the back end of the boat sat Alysi and Kechi helping the two men row while Oin and Ahmi sat with Kili who held onto the whimpering child close to him. Finally the old wooden craft scraped upon the sound, signaling they had finally arrived and all breathed a sigh of relief to be back on dry earth. The moment they stopped moving Bofur reached for the child, who had started whimpering louder in Kilis arms but calmed down as soon as he was in Bofurs arms again...he placed him to his shoulder, rubbing the childs back while the others helped the injured archer out of the craft. Sigrid and Tilda leaped out and began to frantically search for their family..the dwarves just watched them, praying for a miracle to come.
"DA!...DA!...DA!"shouting out as they held hands..easing through the throngs of other survivors. Tilda made a small sobbing sound in the back of her throat as they walked..suddenly she felt her sisters hand tremble in her own and an excited shriek fell from her lips as they spotted their brother. "BAIN!" all three ran to each other, collapsing into one anothers arms as they cried in joy...strong, large arms appeared , enclosing around the three and looking up Tilda saw Bard, who was smiling with tears in his eyes. "DA!"
The dwarves made their way over to the reunited family...halting a bit to give them a moment of privacy. Bard peered up seeing the group and gave them a grateful smile.
"Thank you, master dwarves, for protecting my family." he picked up Tilda and walked over to them..shaking each of their hands in thankfulness .Bard goes to shake Bofurs hand when he notices the smoke stained bundle he is holding begins to move and make a mewling sound from within..he gives the hatted dwarf a questioning look. Bofur reached up to uncover the child and began to make soothing noises to calm him..the green eyes looked at him pitifully but settled within moments.
"Its alright laddie...yeh tell Bofur whats wrong." suddenly the child stretched as a loud sound and foul odor emitted from him, who started to cry at his new discomfort. The look on Bofurs face was priceless at that moment..he scrunched his nose and looked down in horror at the wailing child, but he quickly shook it off and got down to business at easing his situation. "Come on lad, lets get yeh cleaned up and maybe we can scrounge up something teh eat fur yeh." his only answer was a sniffle and a pouty lips from him. When Sigrid offered him help he excepted and they walked over to where a woman was handing out blankets and what nots to the survivors. With a thank you to the woman they both began to clean up the child using water from the lake, which didnt sit very well with the child who made his displeasure well known quickly.
"Im sorry lad. I know its cold, but its what we got. We will make it quick..then yeh will get warm again." he spoke softly to the child..big, fat tears rolling down his plump cheeks. Bofur looked over at Sigrid, who was preparing the nappy for the child and asked her the question that was on his mind since he found the child. "Uhhmm...Sigrid?" she glanced over to let him know she heard him..he sighed deeply at his discomfort. "Do yeh know if the lad has family he can go teh?" he watched her thinking.
"No. I do know this child. Hes an orphan that came to Misses Thackery. She only took him because he has no one since his mum died last spring from the fever that swept through the town. Many people died then...especially children." Sigrid felt sadness at the loss of innocent lives..all because of the squalid conditions most were living in.
"What of his father? Wheres he at?" she shook her head as she began to tie the makeshift nappy onto the child.
"Nobody knows. His mum came here a week before she died...no one else was traveling with her and she didnt talk. I think she couldnt maybe...a mute I think...so we dont even know what name she gave him. All misses Thackery ever called him was bot or child." she could see Bofur was upset at the news, but it couldnt be helped. "We believe hes roughly 2 years old..he babbles mostly, says a few words and he walks good." pulling his hat over his face to conceal how this news effected him... Bofur felt a deep pain inside for the child. They had just finished cleaning him up and was giving him some stale bread to gnaw on when he heard Fili hollering out that it was time to go. They stood up walking towards the others, Bofur carried the child in his arms towards the awaiting boat when an idea came to him.
"Sigrid..I think its best if he stays here..maybe yeh can find him a good family that will love him." she gave him an understanding look...a cold mountain full of uncertainties was no place for a young child. Once at the boat. Sigrid reached for the child to take him from Bofur...he must have known something was up because his grip became tighter around Bofurs neck and his screams echoed across the lake. With each scream and shake of his head, Bofur felt like blades were slicing across him..but he gritted his teeth and resolve , knowing this was the best thing for the child ...prying the boy off of him. He quickly turned from the wailing boy...trying to not see the tears running down his cheeks as he screamed heart brokenly in Sigrids arms..he climbed into the boat not looking back for fear of collapsing from his breaking heart. As the oars dipped into the water each time , he could hear the childs despair and Bofurs hand reached up to rub at his chest that had become painful with each pull of the oars.
Fili could see how effected Bofur was by the boys cries and he reached down to place his hand onto the toy makers shoulder in comfort.
"He will be fine. Its for the best cousin." Bofur reached up placing his own hand over Filis..squeezing it briefly.
"Aye." taking a deep breath Bofur looked towards the mountain where the fate of their family and friends still remained unknown.
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It was a long walk from the lake shore to the mountain, after their boat had landed on the other side of the lake....made all the more longer because of Kilis injury. On some level Fili and Kili didnt mind because they at least got to talk to the girls which seemed to help pass time along. They both held onto their hand within their own...feeling that warmth they had missed along this quest, grasping upon the others. Soft whispers that couldnt be understood except by those it was directed towards could be heard as they traversed the rocky terrain up towards the mountain that they had all heard tales of since they were dwarflings.
Fili heard Alysis laughter chiming up his way and he glanced with a smile to see his brother beaming with love at the dark haired beauty..feeling a warmth spread through him, he peered back to his own lovely blond love..a small laugh shared between them as they traveled onwards.
"So Alysi...will you?" he looked into her silvery blue eyes..hope flaring within his own browns.
"Will I what?" her teeth worried her bottom lip between them..unsure what he was asking, but very hopeful as he blushed a bit.
"Will..will you let me court you. When this is finally over and we are settled inside..may I pursue a courtship with you?" he felt her hand tighten on his briefly then suddenly she pulled him almost off his feet as she wrapped her arms around him..swiftly dragging his lips down to hers..whispering ~Yes~ before their lips met. He was startled for a moment at her boldness, but he quickly smiled for that was one of many things he loved about her..her confidence, her cheekiness, everything about her was absolutely perfect to him. They both stood there lost in each others arms until Oins cursing broke them apart...blushing at their unbecoming display.
"Oh by Mahals faslmaganu zharmur ( mahals hairy balls)! Cant you two quit snoggin and get a moving! Some of us would like to get to the mountain before dark." he huffed loudly as he began walking once more..the others sniggered at the two lovers who blushed furiously. "They keep this up ..we wont be in that blasted mountain before dawn. Younglings." he grumped for a bit...not seeing or hearing them all laughing behind him.
Eventually the doors came in sight..stones scattered about from the late dragons exit out of the gate. Entering they all looked around, seeing it looking deserted ..an eerie feeling casting itself around the group...ensnaring them within its grip.
"Hello! Bombur? Bifur? Anybody?" Bofur called out into the silence..praying to hear an answer as they wandered the halls. Suddenly a voice echoed to them off from a side passage.
"Wait! Wait!" it was Bilbo, sandy haired curls bouncing along his shoulders as he ran towards them panting out of breath. The group felt their spirits lift at the sight of him. "Stop! Stop! You need to go leave. We all need to leave." they all looked confused at the hobbits words as he bent over, placing his hands onto his knees, gasping for breath... thinking ~ they had just gotten here..why would they leave~. Bilbo finally gulped in enough air as he stood up to look at them in the eyes...worry written all over his features as he spoke. "I tried talking to him but he wont listen." he stammered out ..eyes falling on the three unfamiliar women briefly, but his attention was focused back onto his friends as Oin asked him what he was talking about. "Thorin! Thorin, hes been down there for days." he huffed out. "He doesnt sleep, he barely eats. Hes not been himself, not at all. Its this..." he gestures wildly around him"...its this place. I think a sickness lies upon it."
"A sickness? What kind of sickness?" Kili looks very worried as he grips Alysis hand tighter in his own..a feeling of a need to protect her washed over him.
Fili looks around for any danger to them when something catches his eyes..a golden glow beckoning him and he begins to walk towards it, not letting go of Ahmis hand as he takes a closer look..vaguely hearing Bilbos shouting out his name, with the others following along in his wake. Stepping through an archway onto what appears to be a landing with steps leading down, they stare in shock at the sight before them. A sea of gold reflecting light from torches around the enormous chamber and walking upon it was Thorin dressed more splendidly than ever after all these years since he was sent into exile long ago by Smaug.
Thorin looked up at the sounds of gasps above and his eyes met both of his nephews..gesturing grandly with his arms out...his rich voice rolling up to them.
"Gold. Gold beyond measure, beyond sorrow and grief. Behold the great treasure horde of Thror." Thorin tosses a gem up at Fili who catches it deftly and stares at the ruby in his hand..a mesmerized look enters his face briefly and he smiles entranced by the glittering red stone. Ahmi felt a shiver run down her spine at the look upon Filis face...she knew by glancing at both of their faces it was the very thing she feared..Gold sickness was consuming them and she didnt have a clue on how to stop it or on how to save them. Hearing a gasp behind her Ahmis eyes saw Kechis wide despairing eyes gazing down at Thorin..tears filling her green orbs at the sight of him. He didnt look like himself...his eyes were different, almost hazy and distant. Ahmi shifted her gaze to look at Kili..afraid of what she might see there...her eyes widened in surprise. He looked ...normal, as if he was unaffected by the sight before him....his eyes were not on the gold but focused on Alysi..smiling in delight at her.
"See men hulwule (my sweet)..our home once again...Erebor." he swung her in his arms as she laughed.
In that moment Ahmis promise to save them strengthened ...there had to be a way to break this and she had to do it or die trying.
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It took a while to pull everyone..especially Fili away from that golden temptress..but they all made their way down to the dining hall where Bilbo said everyone else had gathered to rest shortly ago. Entering the dark dining hall they were greeted by the other..cries of joy echoed all around the room at seeing everyone alive still. There was hearty embraces, tears, and knocking of heads as they greeted each other. Some were not to happy at the sight of the women...dont you know women should stay home protected- per Gloin...but he got over it eventually...whats done is done. Through it all Ahmi was thinking hard...knowing there had to be a way even if it looked like there was no hope..there just had to be, she knew it couldnt end like this...could it?