The Half-Blood (A Hobbit Fanfiction)

My Withering Heart

"Move out of the way, boy." Rose heard Dwalin say. Rose turned around and saw Bain, trying to block the door. "No! Da said for you to not leave!" Thorin pushed past the young boy and was followed by everyone else. Bain desperately grabbed onto Kili's sleeve, trying to stop them. Bain was pushed backwards and fell to the floor. Rose quickly got to her feet and helped the young boy up. Rose gripped Bain's shoulders. "Are you alright?" She asked. Bain nodded. "Yes, but those dwarves are surely getting themselves into trouble." Rose sighed and walked over to the wooden table and grabbed her daggers. She then ran out the door, following the company of Thorin Oakenshield.

Rose made her way past wooden boxes, fisherman, and dodged the people walking along the docks of Laketown. Rose kept following Kili, who was last in line. Rose was slowed down, a crowd of people blocked her path. She let out a frustrated sigh and gave up. But from the corner of her eye, Rose caught sight of a stack of wooden boxes. Rose ran over and climbed the boxes, leaping up onto the roof. Rose looked around for any sight of a dwarf, and suddenly, she saw it; a line of small figures climbing into a window. 'They must be breaking into the armory, those fools.' Rose thought to herself. Rose ran across the roof, jumping from one house to another. Rose silently crawled on the roof of the armory. She slowly peeked into the window. Rose watched Thorin hand Kili a pile of weapons. He gave his nephew a concerned look, but Kili took the weapons anyways. Rose watched as Kili fell to the floor, the weapons falling from his arms and clattering to the ground. "Oh, Kili..." Rose whispered. "Why must you go so far?" Rose turned her head and listened to the yells of watchmen from the distance. "Run!" Dwalin yelled. Rose saw two men outside, ready for the dwarves to come out. They pointed their spears at the dwarves. Rose slowly climbed down as the guards dragged them away. Rose quickly followed the dwarves, but someone stuck their foot out, tripping the running elf.

Rose fell to the ground, and she felt her ankle twist a bit. She breathed out a small groan of pain, and she looked up. Alfrid stood over her, his mouth curling up into a smirk. "Where are you off too, my lady?" He said, pulling Rose up by the wrist. He pinned her to the wall and leaned close to Rose's face. She breathed, heavily, trying to escape from this man's grip. "Get off me! Ego![Go away!]" Rose kicked Alfrid and ran away. "I'll get you later!" Alfrid yelled to her. Rose ran past a large dock and stopped, catching her breath. Rose looked up to the sky and saw snow, fluttering through the sky. She dropped to her knees, and sighed. She then heard a bunch of people talking, and Rose heard Dwalin's voice. "Get off of me!" He said loudly. Rose got up and peeked past the corner of a house. A fat, ugly man burst out of the building in front of the group of people.

"What is the meaning of this?" He shouted. Alfrid strode to the side of this fat man, who Rose knew was the Master of Laketown. Rose quietly made her way through the crowd and next to a old woman, who was staring at the dwarves in wonder. "We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire." A man holding Kili said. "Ah. Enemies of the state, then." The Master of Laketown said. Alfrid locked eyes and glared at Rose. "This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire." "Hold your tongue. You do not know to whom you speak." Dwalin growled. "This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!" Thorin stepped forward, and the crowd murmured in excitement. Rose felt her heart beat quicken; why was she so protective of Thorin? He is nothing but a worthless and brainless slug...

"We are dwarves of Erebor!" Thorin shouted, his tone filled with arrogance. "We have come to reclaim our homeland."Thorin said. The crowd surrounding the dwarves all craned their heads to get a better look. "I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the center of all trade in the North." Said Thorin, and the people nodded their heads in agreement. "I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!" Rose widened her eyes. Were they going to go into the mountain? The crowd of people began to clap and cheer, for the race of men were greedy and obviously wanted the gold that Thorin spoke of. Rose felt someone push through the crowd, and Bard was next to Rose, his expression angry and intense. "Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin." Bard said loudly. "If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all." "You are all begging to be burned in the fires of a dragon!" Rose stared at Thorin angrily. "I advise that you not go." She growled. Thorin turned his head.

"You can listen to these naysayers, but I promise you this; If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" Thorin yelled. Rose finally understood; they are bargaining with the people of Laketown. Thorin would never keep this promise; dwarves care nothing about the world, jewels and gold took over them. Rose shook her head and turned to Bard. "They are going to get into the mountain. I am sure of it!" She told the bargeman. Rose watched the Master of Laketown nod and smile, agreeing to Thorin speech. Bard pushed through the crowd even more. "All of you! Listen to me! You must listen!" Bard said desperately. "Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!" The crowd of people quieted down, remembering what had happened the last time Smaug burned this town. "Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!" Bard yelled. People in the crowd began to yell. "No!" Said all. People began to yell and scream louder and louder, but the Master of Laketown shook his head. "Now, now," He said. "We must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!" He said, pointing to Bard. The bargeman looked away, and Rose felt Thorin's eyes glaring at her and Bard. She gave the dwarf king an angry look.

"It's true, sire. We all know the story: arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark." Alfrid said, pointing at the Lonely Mountain. Bard looked around helplessly as the crowd of people around him began to shout angrily at him. "You have no right, no right to enter that mountain!"
Bard yelled to Thorin. "I have the only right," The Dwarven king growled. Thorin turned his back to Bard and faced the Master of Laketown. "What say you?" Asked Thorin. The fat Master of Laketown was silent for a few seconds, but he smiled. Rose shook her head. "No...don't." Rose whispered as the Master pointed to Thorin. "I say unto you...welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!" He said loudly, holding out his arms in welcome. "It's no use," Bard said. He turned to Rose, who looked on sadly. "They will not listen." Rose laid her hand on Bard's shoulder as they had their eyes upon Thorin, who was walking up in front of the cheering crowd. Rose glared angrily at Thorin; if looks could kill, he would have been dead in an instant. Rose watched Bard stomp off angrily. "Bard," Rose said, following the bargeman. "I'm sorry. I know how stubborn dwarves can be." Bard stopped and sighed. "It's fine. Well, we should get back. We all need rest." Rose nodded glumly. She sighed heavily and followed Bard to his home.