Rue (A Thorin Oakenshield/Hobbit Fanfiction)

41

"Rest up tonight. You must leave on the morrow."

"What?"

Gandalf was walking with Talia and Bilbo through Dale, leaving Bard and Thranduil for the night. They had reached on an agreement shortly after the Arkenstone was presented; it would be used at dawn to barter on behalf of the Men and the Elves. Bard would be able to settle his claim on the gold so that the Lakemen could rebuild their lives, and Thranduil would be able to retrieve the precious white gems of Lasgalen. The Queen and hobbit were proud of their accomplishments, but it was only temporary. The true measure of their success would be the exchange that was to occur in the morning.

"Get as far away from here as possible."

"Gandalf is right, Bilbo." Talia interjected, placing a hand on his arm gently. "No matter how Thorin reacts to the Arkenstone, the threat of war still remains. The Orcs will swarm these lands on Azog's behalf, for they are already on the move. The battlefield is no place for a hobbit."

But the Queen and wizard always seemed to underestimate the strength of his kind. "I'm not leaving."

Talia stared back intensely. "What?"

"You picked me as the fourteenth man. I'm not about to leave the Conpany now."

"There is no Company, not any more." The wizard rebuked. "And I don't like to think what Thorin would do when he finds out what you've done."

"But Talia was a part of this, too. I will not leave her to deal with the consequences alone."

"Bilbo Baggins," Talia stopped abruptly, halting their journey through Dale. The way she placed her hands on his shoulders told him how serious she was. "You are too kind to me. Do not stay on my behalf. This is my fight, and my fight alone."

"No, it isn't." Bilbo stated matter-of-factly. "We all care about him. I'm not afraid of Thorin."

"Well, you should be." Gandalf rebuffed. "Don't underestimate the evil of gold, gold over which a serpent had long brooded. Dragon sickness seeped into the hearts of all who came to this Mountain... almost all." He paused, looking between the Queen and the hobbit.

But before Gandalf could call over the weasel of a Lakeman named Alfrid, Talia grabbed his arm. "Mithrandir, I would not trust anyone but myself to look over Master Baggins. Allow him to enjoy the comforts of Erebor for one more night before he leaves. He will stay in my charge—I'll see him off myself."

Although the hobbit didn't enjoy being argued over like a child, he was very grateful for it. Plus, the bickering of Talia and the wizard was quite comical at times; it had kept the Company on their toes throughout the journey. That is, when they weren't being hunted or cooked or chased, of course.

Gandalf grumbled to himself, adjusting his hat and staff before reaching a decision. "Fine. Never mind how much I like you, Master Burglar—if I should ever see your face this far east again, then I will be far from pleased."

Talia urged Bilbo on, nodding her thanks to the wizard. He watched them disappear into the streets of Dale, lost to the night during their journey back to the mountain. He could only hope that the morning would be much better than the last, for he was not sure what he would do if his counsel failed.

...

The night had passed, and the fretful day had come. Thranduil and Bard rode slowly towards the stone gate, followed by Thranduil's legions of Elves. The Company and the King were already at the ramparts to greet them, staring down indignantly. Talia and Bilbo remained at Thorin's side, ready to interject and explain the situation when it presented itself. Per Gandalf's request, they agreed to be his voice of reason, the reason that would prevent battle between Dwarves, Men, and Elves. War was coming either way—still, they had to ensure that it would be between the right forces.