An Unexpected Feeling (Bagginshield)

The battle starts

The next morning, Bilbo woke up in a small, squeaky bed. He had to take a moment to remember where he was. As he remembered, he was shocked.

'I must go with them to the Mountain... I must find Thorin...' he thought.

Bilbo got dressed and ran to search for Gandalf. However, he couldn't find the wizard anywhere, so he decided to go to the Mountain by himself.

As he approached the entrance of the Mountain, he realized that there was an army. An army of Elves and Men right on their doorstep. Right on Thorin's doorstep.

Bilbo decided to climb the wall so that he could talk with Thorin. Luckily, he had left his rope hanging down yesterday. He could climb it unseen. And so he did.

Just as he finally got up, Bard had showed the Arkenstone to Thorin. Bilbo thought that Thorin would trade with them, but he was wrong. Thorin was angry and could hardly believe what he saw.

'I have really underestimated the dragon sickness...' Bilbo thought. He had to do something. This had all been his idea.

"It's not a fake. I gave it to them," Bilbo said with a shivering voice as he stepped in front of Thorin. No one had noticed Bilbo until now.

Thorin couldn't get a word out of his mouth.

'He... He gave it to them? Him... My love... I never thought that he would... He betrayed me, that's why he left' Thorin thought. He felt tears growing in his eyes. He couldn't cry... Not now...

"You." Thorin whispered.

Bilbo was a bit scared. He remembered how Thorin had reacted when he had told him about the Arkenstone. Thorin was very unpredictable. He could do anything to Bilbo.

"Throw him from the rampart."

'Oh, no, no... No...' Bilbo thought. He was desperate. He was sure he was going to die. All because of that damned Arkenstone. And all because of him.

But the other dwarves did nothing. They didn't want to hurt Bilbo. Not even if their king told them to...

Thorin decided to do it himself. He grabbed Bilbo and was ready to throw him. Bilbo didn't even struggle.

'This is a bit different than him carrying me to sleep... Thorin, please, please, be yourself again...' he thought.

Then, Bilbo whispered something that made Thorin halt for a moment.

"Amrâlimê..." Bilbo didn't even notice that he had said it out loud.

Thorin was conflicted. He wasn't sure what to do. Luckily, Gandalf opened his mouth at the right moment and told Thorin to return Bilbo to him. And Thorin did, but he was still angry.

Bilbo descended.

Suddenly, they saw an army of Dwarves coming from West. It was the army of Dain the Ironfoot, Thorin's cousin. Thorin had asked for him to come so that they could fight the Elves.

And then came the Orcs. This was the danger that Gandalf had warned Bilbo about.

The Dwarves attacked the Orcs first. The Elves and Men joined them. It had begun, the battle.

Thorin and the dwarves went back inside the Mountain.