SoulBlind

Chapter 21

I had gotten very little sleep that night. I had too much on my mind. Gandalf knew something about me and hasn't said anything, not to mention his suspicious behavior regarding me being soulmates with Thranduil. It was clear that Gandalf didn't like like him. Then I worried for Thorin and Bilbo, Fili and Kili...Kili and Tauriel. Everyone. Tomorrow the sun would rise and depending on everything I've done and said up till now, the day would decide our fates. I wasn't sure I was ready to face it.

Thranduil seemed to have trouble sleeping as well, holding onto me like I might to slip away again. He refused to sleep till I finally did, perfectly nestled in his arms. So perfectly warm.

I woke alone in bed, the glow of daylight coming through the bottom of the tent. I jumped up, wiping the grogginess from my eyes as I made my way out of the tent in search of Thranduil. But he was gone, as well as his army. "So I can't leave him but he can leave me?" I growled to myself before rushing out of the town and towards Erebor.

Seeing them so close I broke into a sprint. I never ran so hard in my life. I had a horrible feeling feeling Bilbo would still admit to betrayal if I didn't do it first. I managed to catch up just in time though.

"It's fake! The Arkenstone lies here! Behind this wall!" Thorin yelled.

I stopped just past Thranduil, who seemed startled by my presence. I could see Bilbo begin to open his mouth with a guilty look.

"No! The stone is real! I gave it to them!" I yelled.

Bilbo's mouth snapped shut and all the dwarves looked own at me clearly shocked to see me on the other side of the wall.

"Andriel...you should have stayed back in Dale. This is no place for you!" Thranduil said.

I looked back to him as he reached out a hand. I let him pull me up into his stag, placing me behind him.

"My place is with you. No matter where you are." I said low enough for only him to hear.

If looks could kill, I'd be dead. Thorin glowered down at me. "You elven bitch! I never should have trusted you!" He yelled viciously. "You should have stayed where you me from!"

The sting of his words hurt more than I expected but what I never expected at all was for him to actually shoot an arrow at me.  I let out a small cry of surprise as I felt it fly past us, the stag stepping to the side quickly. I clung to Thranduil tightly as I felt his arm reach back, pushing me further behind him so I couldn't be a target. I could only imagine the look on his face.

Just as Thorin drew another arrow so did the entire army, ready to fire on command.

"No!" I said squeezing Thranduil's arm. "Don't do this..."

I could feel he was tense as he stared daggers at Thorin. But the other dwarves either ducked down or helped push Thorin's bow down. Bilbo just told there, a look of horror on his face.

"Thorin! She is our friend! She always has been and she has saved our asses several times now!" Bilbo yelled.

"She is a thief and a liar!" Thorin argued.

"You have changed Thorin!" Bilbo said as the elves lowered their bows. "She wouldn't have had to do this if you had never gone back on your word! Which the Thorin I know never would have one that!"

"You are siding with her then?" Thorin said.

I peeked over Thranduil's shoulder for a better look, worry weighing in my heart.

Bilbo looked to me and swallowed hard before looking back to Thorin. "No...my place will always be at your side." Bilbo took Thorins hands. "I just wish you would realize that."

Though I was far away I could still see a tiny glimmer of the old Thorin, the one that wasn't riddled with dragon sickness. I thought for a moment that maybe he'd come back us now, cut away the biggest hurdle. But a raven landed just off to the side of Thorin catching his attention.

"So, what will it be? Will we receive our payment? Or will you have war?" Bard asked.

Thorin's greedy glare came back before he looked to the hill next to us, where the sun was rising. "We will have war!"