The King and Dragon Lord

Ch. 10

Once everyone got prepared we all went over to Dale to get horses for everyone but me, Gandalf, and Bilbo, since we had our own and Bilbo, had a pony.

We set off toward Mirkwood but where we left later in the day we had to make camp for the night.

*** (in 3rd person)

Thorin was standing on a cliff overlooking the land. Mirkwood being in the distance. Balin went up to him. "You seem troubled," Balin said sounding concerned.

"She doesn't trust me," Thorin said hurt. He tried not to show it.

"What do you mean?"

"She said she trusted me up until we needed the Arkenstone. Which how could I blame her. That stone could make me go mad again."

"I know you won't. We all know you won't. But Nex wants nothing more than to trust you. I'm sure of it. She's just scared of being disappointed. For her, it's better to not trust someone at all than to trust them and be destroyed."

He sighed. "I suppose." Thorin turned and looked at everyone as they slept and his eyes landed on Nex. "I don't want no harm to come to her Balin."

"And none will," Balin said reassuringly. "Now get some sleep." Thorin nodded and he went and sat against stones. He crossed his arms and legs and turned his face to Nex and went to sleep.

*** (out of 3rd person)

My eyes opened to the sight of no one. Everything was still here so I knew everyone was still around.

I sat up and stretched and then got up and got most of the things packed. "Where the hell are they?" I scanned around and saw nothing so I decided to walk around. When I got around a hill I saw everyone standing together talking to Lord Elrond. He had a few of his men with him.

Everyone turned to me when they saw me walking up. When I got closer to them Elrond walked up and hugged me. "It's good to see you're still alive." I was used to Elrond sounding worried but this was different.

"What do you mean?" I looked at Elrond when he pulled away.

"We should go sit and talk now that she's awake," Gandalf said. We all headed back to where we camped for the night and we sat down. Lord Elrond left his horse with all the others and his men stood around to keep watch.

"So what's going on?" I looked at Elrond. He looked as if he didn't want to say. "You had a vision, didn't you? What was it?"

"Possible death." When Elrond said that I looked over at Thorin. He couldn't do much since he was sitting across from me.

"Death of who? Where?" My focus went back to Elrond.

"All that was seen was a pack of Orcs raiding this area." He looked at Gandalf. "Where were y'all heading?"

"We going to retrieve the Arkenstone from Thranduil." Gandalf sounded as if he hoped Elrond would understand.

"The Arkenstone? What business does that have with everything going on?"

Before Gandalf could answer one of Elrond's men came over. "My Lord Elrond. A pack of Orcs is coming." Everyone got up and grabbed their weapons and when we got to where Elrond's men were. We saw the Orcs.

"That's more than a pack." Said Thorin. We all looked over to the hills in the distance as we heard what sounded like wolves.

"What the hell are those?" I asked. Fear filled my voice for once.

"Wargs of Gundabad," Gandalf replied. "Get on the horses and run!" We all headed for our horses and once we mounted them we started running. The Orcs that were on foot were far behind us but the Wargs were on the hill following us.

I was never used to using my bow while riding but now was the time to learn. I took a deep breath and quickly let go of the reins and grabbed my bow and an arrow and aimed for a Warg. When the pack got closer I shot one down.

We stopped at the entrance to Mirkwood and fought off the rest of the Wargs. "Follow me," Elrond said. I knew he didn't want us to go to the Woodland Elves but we had no other choice. We all formed a line with our horses. I was in the front with Elrond. "Thorin's very fond of you Eldaerenth."

"Yeah. Also, I go by Nex now." Elrond nodded.

"Do you feel the same, Nex?" I laughed when he called me that. It was the first time he had called me anything other than my real name.

"I do but I hate it." I looked down at the Elven road. We didn't say anything for a bit. "Did you foresee any of this happening?" I looked up at Elrond.

"I did. Which is why I didn't want you to leave Rivendell. But your curiosity has always been an issue." He looked at me and grinned when he mentioned my curiosity.

I laughed. "Yeah, it is. Also. How did you know Thorin had feelings for me?"

"When I came with some of my people to help with your. Almost fully broken body." The tone in his voice made me realize how much that hurt him to see me like that. "And we went to inform Thorin on your recovery he looked as if his life was falling apart."

I looked behind us at Thorin. He was talking to Gandalf and when he looked at me I looked away. We were finally at the home of the Woodland Elves and the guards opened the gate. "Looks like we were expected," Elrond said looking at me and then at everyone else. When we got in some more guards came up and took our horses.

Thranduil was sitting on his throne and when we all got closer, a few more guards came up behind us and Thranduil came down. "Came to rethink the trade? King Under The Mountain." Thranduil said looking at Thorin. When he looked at Gandalf and Lord Elrond I could tell he immediately changed his thought. Thranduil raised his hand and his guards grabbed all of us. "I just want to speak to these two if you don't mind." He looked at Thorin as we were all pulled away.

We were all thrown into cells. I was thrown in one with Balin, Thorin was in the one across from us. When I was tossed in after Balin, my foot slipped and I fell on my stomach. I groaned at the pain that filled my whole body. "Are you okay lass?" Balin asked as he rushed over and knelt in front of me.

"Balin, what happened?" I heard Thorin ask as he ran to his cell door.

"C'mon Nex." Balin helped roll me over on my back. He went to feel my ribs to see if they broke again but my vest was in the way. "We need to take your vest off to relieve the pressure."

"Balin?!" Thorin called out.

"She fell on her ribs Thorin," Balin said sounding slightly annoyed. He helped me get to the wall so I could lean against it.

Once I did I took off my vest and some of the pain went away. "I don't think I broke them again." I pulled up my shirt just enough to see my ribs. "Of course they're swollen." I sighed and let my shirt fall.

"What do you think they're talking about up there?" Asked Kili.

"Probably me," I said as I looked at Thorin.

"What's wrong with you?" He said sounding ignorant.

My eyes widened and I lifted my eyebrow at him. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong. With me?" I got up and walked up over to the cell door. "I've told you. What is wrong with me. Do not ask me. What in the hell is wrong."

"Why don't you trust me?" He snapped back. We were staring at each other now.

I laughed. "I don't trust you because I know that damned stone is going to drive you mad and I'm saving myself the disappointment."

"It won't..."

"No. It will. You may not be acting like it right now but I can see in your eyes that. Sickness is filling you."

He scoffed. "You're being dramatic."

I paused in awe. "I'm being dramatic? Clearly, you just saying that shows that the Arkenstone is already taking over your head!" He was looking away and wouldn't say anything. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I am so sorry. That you have to deal with me. And I am so sorry. That me being dramatic is because I am terrified of being disappointed by someone I love. Clearly you know nothing of it." Thorin continued to look away and then one of Thranduil's guards came down. They came over to my and Balin's cell and took me out of it.