Bloodstained (Thorin x OC)

Mixed Feelings

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bain asked after she finally let him go.

"It means exactly what it sounds like. You all need to get to safety. I'm sorry I cannot tell you more." And with that, Agarwaen was out the door and had caught up to the dwarves. It took a few minutes, but they finally located the armory, and a high window to the back of it. They improvised and climbed on each other's backs to make a dwarf staircase. Nori was the first one into the window, then Bilbo, then Agarwaen. She stepped lightly on their backs, and landed silently on the wood floor inside. Bofur, Kili, and Thorin followed after her, and they all started collecting weapons to take out to the others. Agarwaen slung a bow and a quiver full of arrows over her shoulder, then grabbed a few swords. Thorin handed Kili an armful of weapons to take back outside to the others, and it seemed everything would go according to plan, when Agarwaen jumped at the sound of crashing. Kili had fallen down the stairs and dropped everything he was carrying. Surely the entire town had heard them now.

Sounds of shouting were heard from behind walls, and within seconds, spears and swords were at everyone's necks. Agarwaen sighed and put down everything she carried. They had three days, and three days only. They could not afford to sit in jail. Perhaps they could strike a deal with the master of the town.

The guard who held his sword to Agarwaen's throat grabbed her arm, and she was the first to be ushered out, followed by everyone else who was in the armory. Those who had been the stairs outside joined them upon exiting the building, also detained. The townsfolk all around poked their heads out of their windows to see what all the commotion was about, and those who were still out and about formed a crowd around the company. They were then brought before a rather large house, presumably where their ruler lived.

"What is the meaning of this?" A large red-haired man reminding Agarwaen of the late goblin king walked out.

"Caught them stealing weapons, sire." A guard announced.

"Ah, enemies of the state, eh?" The man sneered.

"The makes for a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire." Another gross looking man with oily black hair said. Now that the company stood together with no way of escape, Agarwaen ripped her hands loose from the guards grasp and rubbed her wrists.

"Hold your tongue." Dwalin growled and stepped forward. "You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal, this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!" Thorin stepped forward as well.

"We are the dwarves of Erebor. We have come to reclaim our homeland." He spoke. Whispers erupted throughout the crowd, and Agarwaen just crossed her arms and waited to see how this would go. Thorin went on to speak of how this town used to be the center of all trade in the north, and promised that he would return it to its former glory with riches. The crowd cheered in support, but Bard interrupted.

"Death!" He shouted as he pushed his way through the mass. "That is what you will bring upon us. Dragonfire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all." Agarwaen looked at Thorin, and both of them knew that if they wanted to make it out of here, if they wanted to make it to the mountain, they would have to convince the town to disregard Bard's words. As much as that pulled at her conscience, it had to be done. The snow falling from the sky provided extra uneasiness, as it was a reminder of how much time they had left.

"You can listen to this nay-sayer, but I promise you this: If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" Agarwaen did not pretend to cheer with the group. Bard was right, and fooling these people into thinking he was wrong made her stomach churn with the all-to-familiar question beginning to make her head throb. The right choice or the easier choice. But which one was which? If they failed to retake the mountain and war raged, what then? But Laketown would burn on the other hand. Neither option was good. Both ended in death.