Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Thorin searched through the piles. The Arkenstone. That would show her she was her King. Then she would love him. She would. She would because if he was king he could give her whatever her heart desired and she would be happy and he could make her happy and give her everything and she would love him. Love him. So he searched because she was the one treasure he didn't have yet. And the Arkenstone was the key to getting her. He didn't even hear it when Balin came in.

"Lad..." he said gently.

"It's here somewhere, Balin," he mumbled.

"The Arkenstone is the stomach of a dragon at the bottom of Long Lake," Balin sighed and Thorin stopped, turning to him. "Maranda...she saw...Smaug eat it. There's no retrieving it, laddy." Thorin stared at him dumbly. "Lad. Will we be helping the people of Dale?" he said softly and Thorin snarled.

"That bastard Bard stole from me my One! He has turned her against me! I will not give him a single coin. I will not part with any of it!" he roared and Balin sighed. "You understand don't you, my old friend?" he breathed.

"Aye. I understand lad," Balin said tears in his eyes. But Thorin didn't see. He was examining a golden goblet. Balin went back to the others and they sat in silence listening to their leader going through golden hills and his crazed laughter. When Thorin grew weary he wobbled his way to his Grandfather's throne and slumped into it, grinning, and closed his eyes.

 

He was walking through the halls of his childhood and and heard soft singing. He followed the soft words and saw a sight he feared to see. Maranda sat on a pile of blood covered gold, singing softly to Smaug himself. Fire leaked from the dragon's mouth, filling the floor with magma and as Maranda sang Thorin ran to her side.

"Come away from him!" he said in worry and she laughed, still singing. Smaug roared and the lava fell onto Thorin. He wailed in agony and fell, burning slowly as his One sang to his enemy. She looked to him and grinned eerily.

"I told you your love was empty," she said in a ringing voice that wasn't her own. Thorin tried to speak but couldn't. "Now see where you are? What can you do but wail in pain? What can you do but burn?" and-

Thorin woke up.

-

Maranda and Bilbo stopped at the main hall and Bilbo flopped onto the ground.

"I...hate...flying..." he panted and glanced at Maranda. She was motionless on the ground. "Maranda?" Bilbo said softly and rolled her onto her back. She was asleep again. "HELP! BARD!" He shouted and several people ran into the square. "Please, fetch Bard!" he said and tried to wake Maranda. "Come on wake up," he mumbled and Maranda moaned. She opened one eye.

"Food?" she said softly and he laughed,

"BILBO! MARA!" cried a familiar voice and Bilbo pulled poor Kili into a very tight hug. Then Bofur showed up and the two idiots were hugging and Maranda was left to stumble to her feet as Bard walked into the square.

"Kili told me you left to speak with Thorin...how did-"

"He's too far gone for me. He...I can try again later, but right now we need to fortify the wall and get all the people into the center of the city. Set up walls at every intersection once the area is evacuated. This city needs to be more heavily fortified than Gondor, Bard," Maranda panted gesturing. She swooned and someone caught her her.

"You need rest," said Tauriel. "Your aura is weak and frail. You must eat and sleep."

"No time. Need to get ready," whined Maranda, squirming.

"You need to rest," reprimanded Bilbo.

"Is there a faster way?" demanded Maranda.

"Wine," Tauriel said dryly and Maranda groaned.

"Fine. Get me-"

"I was joking," snapped Tauriel and Maranda sighed. "You need to sleep and eat before you fly or use magic. You'll die if you carry on like this," she said and Maranda snorted.

"Who me? Not a-"

"Fly out of my arms," Tauriel said and Maranda looked at the ground. She tried to and simply fell facedown in the dirt.

"There is the small possibility you're right," she said as Tauriel lifted her up.

"This way," Bard said, leading them into the main hall. Maranda fell asleep in Tauriel's arms and Kili was the one who sat beside her all night, watching as she writhed in her sleep, calling out and pleading like she had done for weeks. But now it was not Azog's name she wailed into the night sky.