The Eyes of Emerald

Chapter 33

The second the worms disappeared, orc armies came flooding out of their holes. And from the top of Raven Hill, the dwarves heard the mighty voice of Azog, roaring his commands to his armies. Fili knew that at some point, they would attack Dale and kill everyone there, including Dawn. At that moment, he knew what he wanted to do. "I'm going over the wall," Fili said in determination. "Who's coming with me?" He received support, to his surprise. Even from Dwalin, who always agreed with Thorin's tactics.

"Stand down," Thorin said in a low tone.

"What?" asked Nori.

"Are we to do nothing?!" Fili demanded.

"I said...STAND DOWN!!!" Thorin shouted as he descended the stairs. But the second that he reached the bottom, he was pinned against the barricade wall by his nephew, with rage in his eyes. No one bothered to separate them just yet.

"You started this useless battle! And now you're just going to worm your way out of it!?" Fili shouted. "How much of a coward have you become?"

"I am no coward!" Thorin spat. "I stripped that witch of her power before she could destroy us all. Something you of all people were too blind to see! All the green eyed whore had to do to gain you trust was bat her lashes and give you warm nights!"

At that moment, Fili pulled out one of his daggers and held it right to Thorin's cheek, absolutely furious of the words he spoke. "Why shouldn't I just cut your throat right now as we speak? Tell me!"

"Because I am your king," Thorin replied with a smug smile. Fili then backed away slowly, still holding his dagger.

"I have no king..." he said. "Not anymore." And with that, Fili stormed off.

He went to one of the nearby halls and sank down to the floor against the wall. He began to breathe in and out slowly to try and calm down. But to no avail. He then saw Dawn's necklace on the ground. He took hold of its chain and held it up. He looked into the emerald and saw Dawn's face. Her smile and laugh. But then her face of fear, and when Thorin struck her down. When he tried to take her tears. What had he done? What could he have done? He was assigned to protect her through out the journey from any harm. Even if that meant his own kin. And now there was an orc army outside, and they'd eventually storm through Dale, and find her. There was then a sound of a war horn, and marching began to move direction. Fili knew that some of the army was heading for Dale by now. He could feel it. He didn't need to see it. He firmly grasped the center of the jewel in his fist.

"I'm sorry Dawn..." Fili whispered as he was failing to hold back his tears. "I'm sorry." He finally began to sob as he was against the wall, all alone, without anyone to see.

"Since when do we forsake our own people?" Dwalin asked as he approached Thorin, who was sitting on his throne. "Thorin...they are dying out there."

"There are halls beneath halls within this mountain," Thorin slowly said. "Places we can fortify...shore up, make safe. Yes. Yes...that is it. We must move the gold further underground...to safety!"

"Did you not hear me?" Dwalin shouted. "Dain is surrounded! They're being slaughtered, Thorin."

"Many die in war," Thorin began. "Life is cheap. But a treasure...such as this cannot be counted...in lives lost. It is worth...all the blood we can spend."

"Even at your own hand?" Dwalin said. Thorin looked away, knowing he was speaking of Dawn.

"I did you all a favor," Thorin said calmly.

"Tell that to Bofur! Tell that to Fili! Tell that to Kili! You're destroying us all with your paranoia!"

"You leave them out of this. They were only pawns!" Thorin shouted.