The Three Women Of Durin

Erebor Arrival

Bilbo plunged around the corner, slightly pink-cheeked and came to a skidding stop when he spotted the group.

"Mr Boggins!" Kili called happily, if this was a few months ago, the girls might have smiled.

"Yes, yes," Bilbo heaved as he bent double trying to catch his breath. "Look, you've got to come quickly, you've got to see this," Bilbo said, pointing a finger to the direction he just came from.

"See what?" Fili asked, pulling his arm away from Cece.

"Thorin," Cece spoke up, looking at the floor.

"What about him?" Oin asked. As if on cue Bilbo, Cece, Frankie and Rosie all spoke at the same time.

"He's sick," Bilbo gave Frankie and Rosie a weird look as if he didn't understand how they knew.

"Let's go," Cece said quickly and began jogging back through the halls, everyone not too far behind. They wove their way through the dwarven halls until they entered a balcony with an overlook of the jewels, they came to a halt.

The small group watched as a form emerged from the shadows and made its way across the thrumming gold of Erebor. Without the light even falling onto his features, you could tell it was Thorin. By the way he walked and moved around the piles and piles of gold it was obvious. But it wasn't just that, something radiated from him, something dark and unknown that caused your stomach to twist and turn.

"Gold," Came a whisper and for a moment Rosie wasn't sure that was the mountain talking or him. "Gold beyond measure," Squinting slightly into the darkened halls she watched as her friend's body moved into the light, looking at one thing. "Beyond sorrow, and grief," It was in this moment that Thorin acknowledged their presence, as he stared up at him, his blue eyes now dark and unrecognizable. "Behold, the great treasure horde of Thor," Thorin continued as if it was something to be in awe of.

Then in a flicker of movement, something whizzed through the air, aimed at their group. Fili brought his hands up just in time and caught the red ruby which Thorin had thrown. He looked down at it with a pause before up at his uncle.

"Welcome, my sister-son, to the kingdom, of Erebor! Thorin breathed cried raising his arms as he basked in the sickness of his grandfather. The small group did not say anything in return, simply looked down at their friend with confusion and despair. Slowly, Fili, Kili and Oin began moving away leaving the three girls and the hobbit to look down at Thorin.

Rosie thought that Thorin wouldn't be too appreciative of his nephews walking in another direction from the gold but as Rosie once again looked down, she saw that Thorin did not even notice their departure. Something within her cracked. Slowly, Frankie and Cece turned and left, leaving Bilbo as Rosie's only company.

"What are we going to do Bilbo?" She sighed, keeping her voice low, Bilbo looked taken aback.

"We can do something?" Bilbo asked, surprised.

"Of course we can," Rosie said, a touch of sadness in her voice, "He needs us, and we're going to be there for him," She continued whilst watching as Thorin picked a large clear jewel up, laughed to himself before chucking it carelessly back. The two stood for a moment, each of them thinking their own thoughts before Rosie turned to go. The Hobbit also turned around and began heading back down the halls, but not before Rosie caught him patting his coat slightly, just a flicker of the hand. And Rosie was reminded of what they were supposed to do.

The small group re-joined with the others with hugs and cheers before they were each sat down to rest their aching feet and talk of what happened the previous evening. Once, all stories were told and accounts spoken of, the company found themselves chatting about less important things and more things of friendship and inside jokes. Frankie at some point found her body become droopy and her limbs heavy and decided that it was in fact time for bed. Bidding her farewells, she started to make her way back through the halls before realising she had no idea where she was going. Sighing she was just about to give up all hope when someone spoke up from behind her.