The next morning, the Elf and Lake-town armies stand before Erebor to face the dwarves; back in Dale Alfrid goes to wake Bilbo. "Wakey, wakey, Hobbit. Up you...get?" He then looked down at the bed in the small room and saw nothing. Back at Erebor Thranduil and Bard ride slowly towards the stone gate when Thorin shoots his arrow to land in front of Thranduil. Aredhel cursed at it shot past her head. "I will put the next one between your eyes." Thorin declared to Thranduil. The dwarves cheered for Thorin when Thranduil indicated to his Elf army to aim their arrows at them, the dwarves hide behind the stone wall, Thranduil then indicated for his army to stand down. "We've come to tell you payment of your debt has been offered and accepted."
"What payment? I gave you nothing. You have nothing." Thorin scoffed. It was then that Bard took out the Arkenstone and held it up. "We have this." There silence in the castle. "They have the Arkenstone. Thieves! How came you by the heirloom of our house? That stone belongs to the king." Kili shouted. "The King may have it, with our good will." Bard put the Arkenstone back in his pocket, "But first he must honour his word." Thorin's laugh ended the period of silence. "They're taking us for fools. This is a ruse, and a filthy lie. The Arkenstone is in this Mountain, it is a trick!"
"I-it's no trick. The stone is real. I gave it to them." A small voice so quiet Aredhel could barely hear it squeaked. Thorin faced Bilbo. "You?" He questioned. "I took it as my fourteenth share." Bilbo said even quieter as he knew his 'friend' was mad. "You would steel from me?" Bilbo looked up at Thorin, "Steel from you? No, no. I may be a burglar, but I like to think I'm an honest one. I'm willing to let it stand against my claim." Thorin chuckled, "Against your claim? Your claim? You have no claim over me, you miserable rat!" He shouted the last part. "I was going to give it to you. Many times I wanted to, but..."
"But what, thief?" Bilbo's confidence suddenly grew. "You are changed, Thorin. The Dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word, would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin." Aredhel felt the silence prick up the hairs on her shoulders. "Do not speak to me of loyalty."
"Throw him from the rampart!" Thorin commanded to the dwarves. The other dwarves do not move, refusing to carry out his order. "Did you not hear me?! I will do it myself." He grabbed hold of Bilbo. "I curse you!" Aredhel jumped on the moose and ran towards the bottom of the entrance, which had recently been blocked by rocks. Thorin grabs his bow and he aimed it at her. The Mirkwood guards immediately aimed their arrows to Thorin again. Aredhel held her hand out to signal for her elves to lower their weapons. Aredhel chuckled to herself, "Dragonsickness has really affected you, Thorin son of Thrain. You can no longer determine friend from foe. The darkness really has consumed you..." she chuckled again. "Your no longer the dwarf that I took that poisoned arrow for, it's sad.." Aredhel paused faking looking sad, "to say I even called you a friend."
The other dwarves try to stop him from throwing Bilbo over the edge. "If you were up here, I would've pushed you off too!" Thorin's voice roared across the plains. "No!" Fili shouted. "Cursed be the wizard that forced you on this company!" Suddenly Gandalf appeared below, next to Aredhel, among the Elf army and walks up to the front. "If you don't like my burglar, then please don't damage him. Return him to me. You're not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain, are you, *Thorin, son of Thrain?" Thorin let Bilbo go. "Never again will I have dealings with wizards!"
"Go." Bofur whispered to Bilbo as he gently pushed him towards a crack in which the hobbit could scrabble down. "Or Shire rats!" Bilbo goes over the wall and starts going down the rope to join Gandalf and the others. "Are we resolved? The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised." Aredhel heard Bard say not to far behind her. Thorin looks over to the horizon. "Give us your answer. Will you have peace or war?" Aredhel shouted up at him after she settled herself back onto the moose behind her husband. Just as Thorin's about to decide a black crow lands in front of him. "I will have war."
YOU ARE READING
Heart Like Yours
FanficOf the thousand who left, two hundred returned. She was gone. But what happens when a mysterious elf appears in the wood not knowing who she is and how she got there?
