A Thousand Miles[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Thirty Two]

The dwarves, Bilbo and Alyndra had vacated the mountain and climbed to one of the towers that looked over the lake. The dragon was flying high above in the sky right for the town and it was all because of them. Alyndra couldn't tear her eyes away from the burning lake. The screams of terror and the bells ringing echoed in her head and she couldn't make the noise stop. Only a few of the dwarves were able to watch this terrifying sight of the dragon terrorizing the innocent people of Lake-Town.

The skin-changer jumped at the sound of fire exploding in the water, and the young woman raised a hand to her lips to muffle the cry's. She feared not only for the innocent people of Lake-town but for Fili, Kili, Bofur and Oin. They were over there..trapped like animals waiting to be slaughtered. Alyndra was starring into the distances when she felt a firm hand grab her arm. "Lass, I know what your thinking. If you try and fly over there, you'll be killed." Balin pressed.

"But....Fili, and Kili are there. Oin and Bofur too..." Alyndra's voice broke. "We can't just leave them there to die."

"Maybe, by some miracle they'll make it out of there and return to us. But if we lose you. Thorin will never forgive himself." Balin stated quietly. Alyndra looked around and noticed Thorin didn't appear to be among them. Which surprised her, she was sure he would be by her side, praying for the safe return of his nephews and his other men. She finally found him and her heart sank. He was down on the lower platform, starring at the mountain and paying no attention to chaos happening on the lake behind him. Alyndra glanced from the mountain and then back at the dwarf. It was as if something was trying to call him inside but he wouldn't move until the threat flying around lighting everything on fire was dead.

The skin changer walked down the flight of stairs and approached the dwarf on the side. "Thorin we can't just stand here. What about Fili, Kili, Bofur and Oin?" The woman pressed. The king hadn't turned to look at her, he was still looking at Erebor with such desire for what was inside waiting for him.

"Their's nothing we can do for them. Their on their own." Thorin muttered.

"How can you say that Thorin. Those two boys are your blood. Bofur and Oin have been loyal to you since the beginning. They do not deserve to die!" Alyndra hissed.

"I won't have this discussion with you Alyndra. This doesn't concern you." Thorin growled.

"Fine. I'll go after them myself," The skin changer snapped quietly and she turned away from the dwarf and started to march back up the stairs. Thorin felt the anger build up in him and he whirled around and grabbed the woman by the arm. Alyndra gasped at how tight the dwarf's grip was on her arm.

"You are not going anywhere. Do you hear me?"Thorin sneered. His face was inches from the skin changer's and he could hear the soft whimpers.

"Thorin. Please let me go. You're hurting me." Alyndra begged. He looked at her and she looked him in the eyes and that's when she saw it. It was a look she had never seen him have before. It wasn't his usual concern for her safety look. This expression was twisted with a look of hostile and wry and for the first time she was actually feeling afraid of him. The dwarf narrowed his eyes at her, seeing the pain in her eyes and looked down at his hand that gripped her arm and let it go.

"W-what was that?" Ori's asked in a shaky voice. " What happened?"

"It fell. I saw it." Bilbo stated. Alyndra turned around, hearing this and looked to the sky and sure enough she saw no sign of the terrible beast unleashing its wrath on what was left of the town. "Smaug is dead." Thorin did not join his men or the woman who had walked over to the ledge to see for themselves. He was back at the end of the platform before the stairs, starring at Erebor. The mountain was finally there's once again. Now he could begin his search for the arkenstone.

"By my beard, I think he's right! Look there! The ravens of Erebor are returning to the mountain." Gloin exclaimed. Alyndra half smiled as she heard the dwarves around her beginning to cheer and she had to have hope that her four friends had made it out alive.

Alyndra's smile faded when she caught sight of Thorin leaving down the stairs. She walked to the very end of the platform and watched as he was already halfway back to the mountain. " Alyndra, are you coming?" Ori asked, shyly. The skin-changer looked at the young dwarf, slightly confused and didn't even notice the other dwarves had began the descend down the stairs after their leader. She nodded and slowly walked with Ori down the stairs.

Once they reached the entrance of the mountain. They saw their king was nowhere in sight and the young woman was beginning to feel a pity growing within her. The dwarves went down the hall to the treasure horde where Thorin would most likely be, leaving the skin changer and the hobbit alone to walk the hall behind them. As she trudged down the hall Alyndra felt a wave of dizziness hit her.

"Alyndra, are you alright?" Bilbo asked in concern, noticing she wasn't walking straight.

"I'm fine...just tired." She sighed. It all happened so fast. Alyndra suddenly got hit with a feeling of nausea and fell onto her hands and knees and she began vomiting her own bile. Once it was over, the young woman was panting heavily and she collapsed onto her side.

"Alyndra!" Bilbo shouted, he was at the skin changers side and shook her gently trying to wake her up.