The sun was rising over the land...slowly extending its fingers of light..touching everything as it traveled. In the distance a town could be seen, trapped within the mountains shadow..attempting to thwart the fragile rays of light from reaching the seemingly deserted town. Light and shadow pushed against each other...battling for dominance until eventually the mountain loses to the suns might as it rises higher into the sky, overpowering the gloom. As the mountain concedes defeat to the suns power, it narrowed its vision to desperately clutch within its shadows a doorway that had not been there before on the previous days reckoning. Now protected by the shadowy grip was a patchwork door made of different sized stones...blocking what once was a hole into the mountain side ,now sealed up. The sun laughed at the mountains attempts but allowed it to keep the door within its shadow...for now.
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Earlier..as the moon had looked on, the sounds of rocks being hefted and moved could be heard and a loud bellowing voice rang into the mountain. Thorin was grunting as he shifted rocks towards the open entrance..seeing his comrades doing the same...he bellowed out to rally them in moving faster.
"I want this fortress made safe by sun up. This mountain was hard won...I will not see it taken again. He commanded...noticing though that his nephew, Kili, stopping to look at him...concern upon his face.
"Uncle. The people of Laketown have nothing. They came to us in need. They have lost everything." his voice pleaded with Thorin, hoping he would see reason and not be so cold to the others plight.
"Do not tell me what they lost." Thorin snapped at Kili. "I know well enough of hardship. Those who've lived through dragon fire should rejoice! They have much to be grateful for." He looks across to the town Dale where he could see people building small fires for warmth as they settled in for the night. "More stone! Bring more stone to the gate !"he barked out...not seeing the hurt look upon Kilis face or the look of despair in Bilbos and Kechis expression at Thorins harsh behavior...even Bofur was confounded by him. The Thorin they knew was a man filled with compassion for those who needed help..he suffered from those who turned their backs when his people were in need and he swore he wouldnt do that to others. And yet as Kili looked on at his uncle, he saw this man he admired, doing that very thing...just like the elves he hated so much. Kili watched his uncle head back inside the mountain with a glazed look coming over him...heading for the treasury once more..a chill wormed itself across Kilis spine, but he got back to work.
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Thorin walks across the golden metal sea..listening to the sounds of metal rolling against each other..pleasurable shivers, like a lovers caress, danced across his senses and he groaned in delight at the sound. Moving across the shifting gold a gleam of white catches his eyes and he makes his way over to it...seeing a chest filled with gems and gold, laying on top of the mound was a necklace made of white gems that glittered like starlight. As he reached down..picking it up to hold within the torches light better he recalls Thranduils words back in Mirkwood.
"There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight." the elf king had tried to downplay his hunger for the gems then..but Thorin saw through it. Now as he gazes upon the gleaming necklace he laughs as realizes its these very gems the elf wants so bad.
"The white gems of Lasgalen. I know an elf-lord who will pay a pretty price for these." his laugh is sarcastic sounding, as he throws the necklace back down onto the pile and walks away to survey his golden lover.
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Bofur and Fili heaved the last stone into place and leaned against the makeshift wall to breath...suddenly upon the wind a cry like a childs could be heard and Bofur reached up to rub at his chest as he looked out over to the now occupied city in the distance. Fili saw the action he made and placed a hand on Bofurs arm in concern.
"You alright?" his blue eyes filled with concern for his cousin...Bofur quickly deflected the princes worry by giving him a half smile.
"Yeah..Im fine lad. Just a touch of indigestion is all. Dont yeh worry about Bofur now." smiling he turned away to head back to where the others were gathering ...leaving Fili behind, not seeing the knowing look in the princes eyes.
Fili watched Bofur walkaway ...knowing the truth about his cousin...It wasnt indigestion paining Bofur, but something else. He knew there was no use in saying anything..if Bofur wanted to call it that then so be it. Fili followed the toymaker down to the others.
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*DALE*
The morning sun was warming the land as a group of elves began marching through the city of Dale, heading for the mountain up the way.Up upon a magnificent white stag sat the Mirkwood King, Thranduil, who was watching his armed elvish guard walking past him. His attention is diverted by Bard coming up to him upon a horse...distressed very much by what was transpiring before him.
"Wait! please wait!"he looked to the elf king who raised an eyebrow at the human before him." You will go to war over a handful of gems?" incredulous at the reason why the king was willing to go to war.
"The heirlooms of my people are not forsaken lightly." looking at the bothersome man with an lofty air as Bard gazed at him in disbelief at the elvish kings pettiness.
"We are allies in this. My people also have a claim upon the riches in that mountain. " he tried to speak reasonably to the arrogant king. "Let me talk to Thorin."
"You would try to reason with the dwarf?" he looked at Bard as if he thought the man was out of his mind.
"To avoid war? Yes!" he stated as the elf king rolled his eyes and in a bored voice uttered ~Fine. Whatever~ as Bard promptly spurred his mount into motion..trying to get to the mountain quickly and talk to the king.
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Thorin walks down the hallways..back to the front gate seeing the now sealed entrance, a feeling of pride at their accomplishment swells inside his chest. He stops at the base , surveying their work and a smile settles upon his face as he rumbles out his approval.
"Nice going lads...nice work." he hears a sound in the distance coming closer and a frown replaces that was there moments ago. "come on!" he growls out...climbing to the top where a balcony that overlooks out towards Dale was at. Peering out over the small wall he sees an army of elves marching out of Dale and a lone rider racing, all heading for the mountain. Thorin raises his lip in anger at seeing the elves and a snarl leaves his mouth. "Thranduil." Looking down at the rider he sees it is Bard and he grits his teeth in vexation as the man draws closer..stopping near the sealed door.
"Hail Thorin, son of Thrain. We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." Bards tone seemed jovial..Thorin wasnt fooled, he knew he was after something..they all were.
"Why do you come to the gates of the King Under the Mountain armed for war?" he sneered down at the bowman.
"Why does the King Under the Mountain fence himself in like a robber in his hole?" he queried back perfectly, hoping this encounter would go better than last time, contrary to Thranduils belief. Bard wanted to believe that Thorin was reasonable...he did after all seem like a honorable dwarf back in Laketown...he hoped, so he pressed on. "My Lord, Ive come to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?" seeing Thorin nod his head, Bard dismounted and made his way to a hole in the stone wall...where Thorin stood waiting for him.
"Im listening." his tone was gravid as he stood there watching Bard through the hole.
"On behalf of the people of Laketown, I ask you to honor your pledge. A share of the treasure, so that they might rebuild their lives." Bard tried to evoke Thorins sense of honor...praying that the elf-king was wrong about the dwarf king. His prayers must of not been heard because Thorin scoffed at the mans beseeching words with clear disdain upon his face.
"When did the men of Laketown come to our aid, but for the promise of rich reward?" he snarled...seeing anger in the way Bard held his body.
"A bargain was struck!" Bard realized his words were falling on deaf ears the moment Thorin called him "dragon-slayer"..as if it was an insult and not praise.
"Why should I honor such terms?" Thorin was incensed that this man would dare to ask for his treasure. He Thorin fought , bled, and almost dided for this..not this lowly bargeman...Thorin.
"Because you gave us your word." Bard was surprised..he truly thought this man had honor..just like in all the stories he heard as a child about Dwarves. In that instant he realized he was wrong. "Does that mean nothing?" he could feel disappointment settling inside of him as he watched Thorin step away from the hole and out of sight.
Thorin peered out over the great hall...something in his chest feeling heavy and he reached up to rub it as he ponders over Bards words. He knows what Bard is asking for is not unreasonable..they did after all make promises and wake the dragon...sighing he was about to turn back to the hole to say the deal will be honored but something inside stopped him... a whispering thought entered his mind.
~Look at your people..if you give them what they ask then your taking from your people...from usss.~
"He has suffered...just like my people."
~Not like our people...they will not wander, begging for scraps like you did. Besides what has he done? What has he sacrificed for his people? Nothing! This is ours...ours, not his. If we give to him this time whats to say they will not keep wanting more? Nothing.~ Thorin felt a deep rage flood through him at those thoughts and he bellowed out to the bowman.
"Begone! Ere our arrows will fly!" he could hear Bard curse out in his fury as he ran to his horse...heading back to the awaiting elvish army. Hearing the men up above cheer on the balcony made him grin..them not really knowing what all was said below between the two below.
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Kechi sighed as she fiddled with the straps of her armor...latching it onto her frame. As each catch snaps into place her heart fills with a sense of how wrong this all seemed to her. Looking up for a brief moment she sees Thorin walking over to Bilbo with something metal in his hand...purpose in his steps as he stops several feet away from the hobbit.
"Master Baggins, come here." Bilbo is startled at the sound of his name being called...quickly gathering himself as he slowly walks over to Thorin who gives him a half-smile. Kechi slowly begins to walk around as she belts her axe to her back...watching the exchange between the man she loves and the hobbit, as Thorin holds out a beautiful vest made of mithril..she smiled. "This vest is made of silver steel...mithril it is called by my forebearers. No blade can pierce it. Put it on."Bilbo is surprised by how light the vest is as he puts it on...a bit uncomfortable doing it. After it is on he takes a look at himself and giving Thorin a rolling of his eyes he remarks to him in exasperation.
"I look absurd. Im not a warrior. Im a hobbit." Kechi heard him speaking and smiling softly she had to agree at his observations. She stayed a bit to the shadowy area of the room so as not to be in anyones way as they all kept putting on their armor...or be seen.
"It is a gift, a token of friendship. True friends are hard to come by." Kechi suddenly heard Thorins voice change..a sliver of something dark and chilling entering the air around them.Looking in his direction she sees Thorins eyes turn suspicous as they shift around...passing over her as if she wasnt even standing ten feet from where they stood.
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* A small part of Thorins mind-unconcious part- where gold sickness lies*
It could feel Thorin looking around the room for any stray ears that could bare witness to his words. The sickness swiftly clouding his mind..not letting him see ...her. The only thing that could break the sirens call over Thorins mind was that red haired woman..Kechi. It knew it lost its hold over the golden haired Dwarf earlier, all because of the woman with sunlight hair...it didnt realize how strong love could be...no one had ever broken its call before so it had become arrogant and lax. Not this time. This time it was going to be diligent and not lose this dwarf to that blasted emotion..called love. The sickness was going to prove that it was stronger than that pathetic emotion.
~I am stronger...Not love..I am~
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Kechi eased closer to where Thorin and Bilbo stood, hidden in the shadows out of sight of the others...she slipped quietly within the shadows, closer...listening to them speak in hushed tones.
"I have been blind, but now Im beginning to see. I am Betrayed!" he growls lowly... staring into the hobbits eyes...a strange dark gleam peering at the hobbit who squeaked out ~Betrayed~ as Thorin snapishly replied. "The arkenstone..one of them has taken it. One of them is false." his rumble was low...Kechi almost didnt hear him as she was to surprised at his words.
~Betrayed? Who here would ever betray him? How could he possibly think that? These men gave up their lives for him. These men had shed blood, sweat, and tears along with him. It was madness of him to think this...but madness was what had consumed him it seemed.~ so wrapped up in her thoughts she almost missed what they were saying.
"Thorin...you made a promise to the people of Laketown. Now is this treasure truly worth more than your honor?" ~ very good Bilbo.~ " Our honor, Thorin. I was there too..I gave my word." she could see Bilbo trying to reach some part in him but looking at Thorins face as he gazed down at the hobbit with a patronizing expression upon his face..she knew it was a lost cause, he was to far under the golds spell.
"For that , Im grateful. It was nobly done. But the treasure in this mountain does not belong to the people of Laketown. This gold...is ours and ours alone. " Thorins voice turned dark as he hissed ~ours~ the sound reminding Bilbo and Kechi of Smaug. Kechi could see Bilbos fear hearing those words and sound falling from the man he greatly admired, lips. "With my life, I will not part with a single coin. Not.. one..piece ..of it." Thorins eyes glowed within with an eerie light. Bilbos eyes flickered to where Kechi was standing..their eyes mirroring one anothers in that shadowy hall..fear prevalent within them.
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Bofur was slowly unwrapping the scarf Tia had given him at the start of this quest, from around his neck..gazing at each color upon it and thinking of her words of love to him. He could feel her love in each stitch, each color for him and a wave of loneliness rolled over him at that moment. He so desperately wished he was back home in her arms right now and not here. In that moment he wasnt as sure if being here was the right thing...if the gold was even worth all of this. Exhaling deeply he folded up the stained scarf and placed it onto a shelf to keep safe, and with a last glance at it, he made his way from the room..to get ready for war. Unsurity within his heart that he may not see his beloved wife ever again...sending a prayer up to the heavens above.
"Oh, Mahal...if you are listening. Please watch over us and protect us through our up coming trials. Deliver us from harm and bring us safely back to our families. Please Mahal. This in your name I do pray." he touched his chest ,then his forehead,as he sent his prayers to the heavens and hopefully to Mahals ears. "Aman" sighing mightily he walked to where the others were waiting for the battle to begin.