Bloodstained (Thorin x OC)

All That I Can Carry

Agarwaen didn't leave where she hid for quite some time, but knew she had to eventually get back to the company. It took a little while for her to find her way back to the treasure horde, but once she did, she found it empty. Returning back to the old home, she found everyone sleeping. Did Thorin finally decide to let everyone rest? He must have, for even Balin and Dwalin were asleep. Thorin however, wasn't among the group, for which she was glad. She didn't know if she could face him again. Not so soon after rejecting him like that at least.

She quietly made her way to her spot beside Ori and laid down, but sleep did not find her for the entire night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Thorin and felt his embrace. Her mind wandered to thoughts of what a relationship with him could be like. It poked and prodded at her heart, but she knew it could never be.

That morning, Balin approached her as everyone else was eating the breakfast that Bombur had prepared.

"What did you do?" He asked.

"What?"

"Last night, I saw Thorin follow you out of the treasure horde. When he came back...it was almost as if the dragon sickness had left him. He told us all to go rest and keep up our strength. How did you do it?"

"I don't know. We just...talked." She tugged at her sleeves. "He told me that I am always welcome to come back here in the future." Balin scratched his chin and lowered his voice.

"I think the dragon sickness is loosening its hold on him the longer he goes without the Arkenstone." He looked up at her, his face gravely serious.

"What do you think will happen once it is found?"

"I fear it will bring the sickness back. Do us all a favor, lass, and...don't find it." She nodded in understanding. Her plan of finding it and leaving without a word played through her mind once again. Could she still go through with that? After last night? She didn't have a choice. She would have to.

When she saw Thorin later that day, he wasn't in the horde, but rather wandering the halls like she had been doing. She quickly turned around before he could see her, not knowing what she would say to him. It was not even half an hour after that, when Dwalin ran by, telling her that Thorin had ordered everyone gather at the gate.

Upon arriving, almost everyone else was already there.

"The men of laketown have taken refuge in Dale. We must rebuild this wall and fortify the mountain." Thorin said once Dwalin arrived with the rest of the company. "Lest our treasure be stolen." He looked to Agarwaen, his eyes beginning to grow gray again. She had a feeling the good wouldn't have lasted long. His eyes lingered on her, and he seemed to be thinking before he turned away again.

"Shouldn't we bring blankets and the food we can spare to them?" She spoke up, causing him to look back at her again. "It's winter. They need help or many of them won't survive."

"I'm sure they are just fine." Thorin replied. We must focus on fortifying the mountain."

"But we owe them. You promised them enough gold to rebuild their lives." She argued.

"This gold is the birthright of my people. Not theirs. They will be fine." He shifted his gaze to the other dwarves. "All of you, start bringing stone! This wall must be built by morning!" The company looked to Agarwaen, who looked upset, and reluctantly complied with the orders, walking away to fetch carts of rock.

"Can I please bring them at least something? I promised Bard I would help where I could, and there's shops in the market full of blankets and clothes."