Adventures Of The Warriors And The Dead

Chapter 14 Mark

Allie

~~~

I feel sick and guilty. I cannot believe I just betrayed Thorin.

After a long minute of guilty silence Gandalf ushers Emily, Bilbo, and I out.

"Rest up tonight. You must leave on the morrow," Gandalf instructs and I let out a choked gasp. He can't be serious.

"What?!?" we exclaim in surprise.

"Get as far away from here as possible,"
Gandalf orders.

"I-I'm not leaving," Bilbo stutters.

"I will not leave Fili in a time like this. In fact I will never wildly leave him," Emily states.

"I can't leave Thorin. I don't know why but I can't," I say barely above a whisper. I feel attached to him.

"Oh?" Gandalf asks with a raised eyebrow.

"You picked me as the fourteenth man. I'm not about to leave the company now," Bilbo argues and gives his foot a stomp.

"And after all Allie and I have been through with this company we can't leave them when they need us most," Emily adds with an unwavering strong voice. She really will make a great princess.

"There is no company, not any more. And I don't like to think what Thorin would do when he finds out what you've done," Gandalf counters. He is right. I don't want Thorin to know I betrayed him.

"He wouldn't hurt us," I pipe up.

"I'm not afraid of Thorin," Bilbo and Emily say together. Our minds seem to be on separate tracks about Thorin.

"Well, you should be. Don't underestimate the evil of gold. Gold over which a serpent has long brooded. Dragon-sickness seeps into the hearts of all who came to this Mountain. Almost all," Gandalf murmurs.

"You're right. It's seeped into his mind. You can see it can't you? In his eyes," Smaug pipes up. We turn to see him and Natalie had followed us out. He barely ever speaks unless he has words that are worthy of being said.

"I see it. But I'm not scared he'll hurt me. I don't care about that anymore. I care about him and the rest of the company. They're my friends and I will die to protect them," I confess and nervously tug at my shirt. I don't want to die again but I will. Maybe the third time it'll stick.

"I will not stop you from fighting but I do ask that you stay here," Gandalf sighs.

"Allie, Emily, Bilbo, please stay. We only want you to be safe. Please," Natalie pleads and reaches to gently grab my arm. I glance at Emily and Bilbo who give me a look that says we'll definitely be leaving.

"Fine. We'll stay," Emily huffs. It's a facade. As soon as we're left alone we are leaving.

"You there! Find these hobbits a bed and fill his belly with hot food. They've earned it," Gandalf calls to that sleaze Aflrid. Alfrid grumbles and groans as he shuffles over with the most pissed off face ever. I watch as Gandalf grabs his arm and leans into whisper. Alfrid gives a nod and stomps over to us. Gandalf promptly leaves after that. No doubt he's going to argue with Bard and Thranduil more.

"Move it. Stupid hobbits," Alfrid grumbles and shoves Bilbo. In turn Emily glares at his jacket so hard it starts to smoke.

"Move along Alfrid I'll take care of them," Natalie demands. Before he can object Smaug growls at him. That makes him scurry away right fast.

"Gandalf doesn't want you to leave. He'd have that scum watch you for him," Smaug huffs when Alfrid and Gandalf are out of sight.

"Yeah well sorry but we are leaving now," Emily remarks with a sarcastic smile.

"I don't object, but first Allie I have your katana. I forgot to give it to you back in Erebor. I stole it back for you," Natalie says and hands over my weapon. I cautiously reach out to take it. It's still heavy but right now I feel comforted by it. "It was the only one I could carry, I apologize Emily." Emily gives a smile and nods in forgiveness and understanding.

"I never thought I'd miss a weapon this much," I admit and clutch it tightly. The sheath is still soft to me.

"I get the feeling. Now go before Gandalf comes back or worse Alfrid," Natalie hisses with a chuckle.

"Stay safe Natalie. You too big guy," Emily murmurs and gives Natalie a tight hug. Without any fuss we slip away back into the night.

~~~

Making it back into the mountain was harder than getting out but we managed to do it before morning.

~~~

With quiet feet I tiptoe through the mountain to the bedroom I've been staying in. It's also the bedroom Thorin stays in. He's been clinging right to me. Slowly I open our door and slink in.

"Allie?" Thorin asks in a gruff voice. "Where've you been?" I seize up and let out a small squeal of surprise.

"Thorin oh I am sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I've just been wandering around. I couldn't sleep. I'm too nervous and jittery about everything," I answer quickly. My hands are shaking and I feel out of breath.

"You should have woken me," Thorin says and sits up. The covers fall from his chest revealing his shirtless torso. I try not to choke on air at the sight. Usually he wears a nightshirt!

"I-I-I," I stammer and stare.

It's my name.

"What's wrong?" I clear my throat and take a deep breath.

"That's wrong," I choke out and point at his chest. "That's hobbitish."

"I don't see a problem. Is the name someone you know? Why are you upset about my mark?"

"Yes I know the name. I'm upset because the language of hobbitish was in fact invented so species outside of hobbits wouldn't know if their soulmate was a hobbit. A language specifically made so that hobbits would stay with hobbits. Isn't that stupid?" I start to laugh manically as tears run down my cheeks. I can't believe this is how my life has turned out.

"Allie why are you breaking down about this now?" Thorin questions and gets up from the bed to walk towards me. He tries to hold me but I back away.

"I'm upset because if your mark wasn't in hobbitish you'd know!" I scream. I can't contain all these feelings anymore.

"Know what? Talk to me Allie!" Thorin yells desperately. I shake my head and hold my face tightly as I cry.

"You'd know that I'm your soulmate Thorin Oakenshield and if you knew maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way."