Hope and Memory[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Forty One]

Freya ran down the hall, not even knowing if she was going in the right direction, The only thing on her mind was finding Bilbo. Thorin wasn't far behind her, only focused on one thing, to find the woman before she had a run in with the dragon. Freya soon figured it out that she must of took a wrong turn, when she no longer felt the hot area against her skin and she was right when she rounded the corner, and the hall was blocked off by ruble, probably the dragon's doing long ago. The woman wasted no time and ran back the way she came and ran down the only other hall.

Thorin, didn't need to think twice, which way to run. It didn't matter how long it's been since he stepped foot in these halls, he still knew the exact route like the back of his hand to get to the treasure room. As he rounded the last corner, he got hit with the hot air against his skin and ran a little further and stops abruptly in his tracks, breathing heavily as he stares at the mounds of gold around him, his main reason for coming in after the woman had vanished from his mind as he continued to look at the treasure in awe.

Thorin is pulled from his gaze when he hears footsteps coming up the steps and he held his sword at the ready when he saw it was the hobbit himself. "You're alive!"

" Not for much longer." Bilbo urged, as he ran up the last step and headed for one of the halls and Thorin stood in front of it.

" Did you find the Arkenstone?"

" The dragon's coming." Bilbo warned, but Thorin didn't seem to heed the hobbit's warning and he demanded once again.

" The Arkenstone." The two of them stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, as the breeze blew passed them. "Did you find it?" Bilbo was about to answer, when he noticed the dwarf was acting rather odd, like a darkness seem to take hold of him.

" No. We have to get out." Bilbo pressed and went to walk pass the dwarf to enter the tunnel when Thorin suddenly swing his blade across it, preventing him from going any further and look at his friend confused. Freya run down the steps coming up behind Thorin and stopped when she saw that he had his blade pressed against her cousin.

"Thorin?" Her voice broke behind him. The dwarf continued to walk towards the hobbit, causing him to stumble back, clearly ignoring the cries from the woman.

" Thorin. Thorin!" Bilbo panicked as the tip of the sword was pointed directly at his chest and he was now standing on the very edge of the platform. The dwarf's face seemed to be blank and emotionless at what he was doing.

" Thorin, don't do this."Freya begged him, as she slowly approached him. Bilbo all of a sudden looked to his side, and then had to look twice to be sure he saw what he saw and then he glance at Thorin and back at the very thing that was approaching them. Thorin looked at the hobbit, as if he was trying to pull a trick on him when he heard the noise coming from behind and he turned to his side to see the beast in the flesh as it snarled at the sight of Thorin.

The rest of the dwarves came charging through the hall yelling with their weapons drawn, Smaug roars and rushes at them. " You will burn!" He roared at them, as his chest and neck glow orange.

"Run!" The company jump over the edge of the platform into the gold, as the dragon breathed fire at them. They all made hast to the nearest tunnel and go through it. Infuriated, the dragon breathes fire in all direction. Thorin, the last one in the door, is pushed in by the force of the flames. He runs into the room at the other end of the tunnel with the back of his coat on fire, and he throws himself on the ground and rolls to extinguish the flames. He jumps back up.

" Come on!" Thorin commanded, clearly in his right mind again and they follow him down the tunnel, Freya looked behind as the dragon roared. As the company followed down the hall, it had grown increasing quiet, too quiet for the dwarves liking. There had been no sign's of where the dragon could possibly be waiting for them, which put them on edge as they come to a stone bridge over a chasm. Thorin raises his hand and quiets the group. "Shh, shh, shh, shh." And he peers around the column for any signs of their nemesis.

" We've given him the slip." Dori whispered.

" No. He's too cunning for that." Dwalin stated, thinking this would take a lot more to fool a dragon, then just getting lucky escaping through the tunnels.

" So where to now?" Freya wondered

" The western guardroom." Thorin suggested as he looked at the others. "There may be a way out."

" It's too high," Balin insisted. "There's no chance that way."

" It's out only chance. We have to try," He pressed. Thorin began walking slowly, and quietly as he could across the bridge with the others close behind him. Their eyes on high alert, searching in every direction for the dragon. " Come on." Thorin whispered, wanting them to go a little faster.

Freya was right behind Thorin when something landed on the bridge, making a clinking sound, they all stopped in their tracks and the woman walked right into Thorin and he steadied her.

Bilbo began searching himself, think he might have dropped something that he carried or worse, that some of the coins had got stuck to his clothing and it came loose off of him. The hear a number of coins hit the bridge and they all looked above to see Smaug crawling just above them, as more coins continued to fall from his chest. Thorin motion's for them to keep going, and he pulls Freya by her hand, when her gaze wouldn't leave the beast that was hunting for them.

They made it across the bridge unseen and start running down the hall and turn left around the corner to the western guardroom. "Stay close," Thorin urged when they all came to abrupt stop as they laid eyes on the horrendous sight before them.

" That's it, then. There's no way out." Dwalin pressed, as he stood by the entrance. The dwarves gathered as they saw dozens of their kin that had never made it out, women, and children as well. Freya silently cried, closing her eyes at the sight.

"The last of our kin." Balin sighed sadly. "They must have come here..hoping beyond hope." all of them remained silent, doubting they would find another way out of here. "We could try to reach the mines." the elder dwarf suggest. "We might last a few days."

" No." Thorin finally spoke and stepped forward, "I will not die like this. Cowering, clawing for breath." He turned around and looked to the others with a plan. "We make for the forges."

" He'll see us. Sure as death." Dwalin stated.

" Not if we split up."

" Thorin," Balin stepped toward him. "We'll never make it." Freya looked at the ground and swallowed at the thought that there was a chance they would not make it out of here alive.

" Some of us might." Thorin pressed. "Lead him to the forges. We kill the dragon. If this is to end in fire..then we will all burn together."