Little burgalar (Thorin Oakenshield x reader)

Chapter 24. The Dragon Sickness

~TA 2941 23 of October~

I stand on the rock and watch Lake Town burn. "Poor souls." Balin say sadly. I feel tears run down my face as I think how those who live there suffer, they lose their home and loved ones. I look back and see Thorin staring at Erebor, this worries me a lot.

After a while I can not longer look how they suffer, but then I hear a thud. "What was that? What happened?" Ori ask. "It fell. I saw it." Bilbo say. I get up and I really don't see Smaug anywhere. "It's dead. Smaug is dead!" Bilbo say amazed. "By my beard! I think he's right! Look there! The ravens of Erebor are returning to the mountain!" Gloin say, I look up and see the birds return to the mountain. I am happy that he is dead, but still it hurt to know what he did to the people of Laketown.

"Aye - Word will spread. Before long every soul in Middle-earth will know - The dragon is dead!" Balin say. I turn to see how Thorin react, but I see him rushing to the gates of Erebor. He is not the same as before, he have act distant.

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~TA 2941 26 of October to 1 of November~

I wander around Erebor's halls when I hear Bofur's voice ask "Hello! Bombur? Bifur? Anybody?". I start to run to them , I get there in the same time as Bilbo. I see both Fili and Kili standing alive in front of me. I jump in their arms at the same time and hug them, saying "I was afraid for you. Thank to valars' you're alive".

"WAIT! WAIT!" Bilbo shout. "It's Bilbo! He's alive!" Oin say noticing my brother. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" Bilbo still shout. "You need to leave. We all need to leave." he say as he reach us. "We only just got here?!" Bofur say. "I have tried talking to him, but he won't listen." Bilbo say, I feel my smile evaporate when Thorin is mentioned.

"What do you mean, laddie?" Oin ask worried. "THORIN. Thorin. Thorin. He's been out there for days. He doesn't sleep. He barely eats. He's not been himself - not at all. It's this - It's this place. I think a sickness lies on it." Bilbo explain to Bofur, Oin, Kili and Fili. When Bilbo talks Fili look somewhere and from his look I think he see something interesting. I tried to talk with Thorin, but he didn't listen.

"Sickness? What kind of sickness?" Kili as worried. Then Fili start walking down the corridors of Erebor. "Fili. Fili. Fili!" Bilbo and I shout and follow him. As we continue, a golden light appear before us. Turning from a corner, a great mess of treasures spreads before us. The others stare the treasure, I notice Thorin appearing in a furry coat, exploring the treasure with ownership. It hurt to see him like that, he isn't like the Thorin that I met.

"Gold - Gold beyond measure. Beyond sorrow and grief." Thorin mumble. He look up and see us, saying "Behold - the great treasure hoard of Thror.". Thorin throw something to us, Fili grab it, it's a big read gem. "Welcome, my sister's sons, to the kingdom of EREBOR." Thorin say, spreading his hands.

I drag Fili and Kili away, and Bofur and Oin follow us. I take them to the other dwarves. As soon as Bofur see Balin, he say "Balin!". Then the others notice the newcomers and rush to them. The dwarves start hugging each other so that I don't know who hugs who. I can only hear Nori shout "Kili!" and Bombur "Bombur!".

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I stand up on a loft and watch the others look for the Arkenstone. "Any sign of it?!" Thorin ask, he's standing next to me. "Nothing yet." Dwalin shout from somewhere. "Nothing here." Nori shout from the other side. "Keep searching!" Thorin command. "That jewel could be anywhere!" Oin shout behind a gold mountain.

"The Arkenstone is in these halls - find it!" Thorin command harshly. "You heard him - Keep looking!" Dwalin say. "All of you - No one rests until it is found!" Thorin say. "Can I help you" I ask Thorin carefully. "It's not your job, you're a woman" Thorin say and this time I dare not argue. I think that if I say something he will be mad for someone from the company. I sneak out unnoticed and go wander.

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I was called to the throne, there are also Balin, Dwalin and my brother. "It is here in these halls - I know it." Thorin say. "We have searched and searched..." Dwalin begin but Thorin interrupt him "Not well enough!". "Thorin, we all would see the stone returned." Dwalin say, trying to appease Thorin.

"And yet, it is still not FOUND!" Thorin say irritably. "Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here? The Arkenstone is the birthright of our people." Balin ask first and then say truth about the Arkenstone. "It is the King's Jewel." Thorin say and then he shout "AM I NOT THE KING?!". This make me jump and I run away trying to hold my snobs. Lastly, I hear Thorin say "Know this - If anyone should find it and withhold it from me, I will be avenged.".

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I sit with Bilbo on a bench in a hall. Bilbo take a acorn from his pocket and show it to me. "What is that?!" I hear Thorin ask hardly behind us. We both get up. "In your hand!" Thorin say suspiciously. "It-It's nothing." Bilbo say. "Show me." Thorin insists. "It..." Bilbo start and reach out the hand where the acorn is. "I picked it up in Beorn's garden." he explain.

"You've carried it all this way." Thorin say much softer. "I'm gonna plant it in my garden, in Bag End." Bilbo explain, and Thorin smile for the first time in a while, saying "That's a poor price to take back to the Shire". "One day it'ill grow. And every time I look at it, I'll remember - Remember everything that happened, the good, the bad. And how lucky I am that I made it home." Bilbo say solemnly, and we all tree smile.

"Thorin, I..." Bilbo begin but Dwalin interrupt him "Thorin, survivors...from Laketown. They are streaming into Dale. There's hundreds of them.". Thorin's smile fades and he demand "Call everyone to the gate.". Thorin leave us and shout "TO THE GATE! NOW!". And he is gone again.

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At the gates, the others pile stones at the gate that Smaug broke. I would have liked to help but Thorin denied it again because I am a woman. "I want this fortress made safe by sunup. This mountain was hard won - I will not see it taken again." Thorin order. "The people of Laketown have nothing. They came to us in need. They have lost everything." Kili say angrily, dropping the stone he hold.

"Do not tell me what they have lost. I know well enough their hardship. Those who have lived through dragonfire should rejoice. They have much to be grateful for." Thorin say in a cold tune. He pick up a stone and throw it to the gate and shout "More stone! BRING MORE STONE TO THE GATE!". I sneak away again because I can't see the person I'm attracted to, more than I should, suffer.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Tomorrow is my birthday, I turn 16. And my summer job is over. ~R