The Elf, the Hobbit and the Dwarf - Book 1 NEW VERSION

The Deal

Míriel had dressed in the armour that Thranduíl had made for her, with the cloak over her shoulders and the crown on her head. She felt out of place when the people in Dale looked at her, and she hated the look Gandalf had given her. A look of confusion, and a look of disappointment that she was dressed in the clothes from an Elf who intended to destroy the Dwarves if they did not trade some of their treasure for the Arkenstone.

Míriel walked toward the old Wizard to explain everything to him but was suddenly stopped when Thranduíl came riding on his magnificent elk yet again.

"Míriel, my mind has been changed," Thranduíl said to her and now she wondered what he meant. But for some reason she felt a tiny spark of hope had lit inside of her, perhaps the King had renewed his plans? "You will ride by our side to Erebor, the risk of you getting hurt is not as great anymore."

Míriel didn't know if this was a good thing or not for she did want to see the Dwarves again and speak to Thorin, but at the same time, she knew how it would look when she came riding next to their enemy. Thorin was going to loathe her for it, something that Míriel wasn't sure she could handle since she cared so much about him and his kin. She knew she had no choice, though, since she had to do what Thranduíl wanted and she was going to use it to her advantage. This was her chance to see what was really happening with Thorin, for Míriel didn't recognise the person that he had become. He was now someone who didn't keep their word and locked himself up like a coward.

Gandalf said it was Dragon Sickness, the same sickness that Thrór had fallen ill to when the dragon Smaug had attacked, something that Thráin also seemed to have fallen sick to before he disappeared. The gold in that mountain brought forward the worst in people, and Thorin's line had a tendency to fall for it - just like Elrond had once said. Míriel wished she had warned Thorin and the others about it before, but she knew he would have just been angered. Balin probably already knew about it, she had heard him speak about it before if she remembered correctly.

Míriel rode next to Thranduíl, and Bard, all the way up to Erebor. The army of Elves had already placed themselves there in the early dawn, and they moved away as their king, future princess and the dragon slayer Bard wanted to pass to get to the Dwarves. Thranduíl stopped where it appeared that the Dwarves had cut the bridge off so that no one could get to them. There were hundreds of Elves behind her now, ready to strike whenever their King ordered it. She felt bad for wearing his crown, his clothing and riding on a horse that belonged to him.

"Míriel," she heard some of the Dwarves whisper to themselves as they saw her.

She glanced down at her hands shamefully and then met the eyes of Kíli, then of Fíli, pleading for them to understand her. They did not seem resentful toward her despite this, only confused which was a relief. Perhaps they understood what she was trying to do and that this was all for them and Middle-Earth. When Míriel met Thorin's eyes, though, she was sure that he would've killed her if he could for she had never seen such hatred when someone looked at her.

Thorin suddenly grabbed a bow and placed an arrow on its string. He aimed and quickly shot the arrow by the hooves of Thranduíl's elk. The elk didn't even flinch, he was trained to do this and not to be frightened every time an arrow came rushing toward him. But the Elves behind had sure reacted and placed their hands on their bows. If Thorin tried that again, they would shoot him and all the other Dwarves. Thranduíl didn't seem very frightened - only offended and angry.

"I will put the next one between your eyes," Thorin said and aimed another arrow at Thranduíl, making all his fellow Dwarves cheer since they thought their King had done something very well. Thranduíl merely smiled smugly because all of his archers loaded their bows and aimed at the Dwarves since they had received a sign from their King to threaten the Dwarves. This worked as all the Dwarves except Thorin gasped and hunched down to hide behind the rocks in case the Elves would shoot.