Bloodstained (Thorin x OC)

An Invitation to War

Stone was still being stacked higher and higher, and looking up at it, Agarwaen realized she didn't know how she was going to get in.

"Hello?" She called. "Thorin? Fili?"

"You're back!" Kili's voice came from a little diamond shaped hole in the wall. She looked through it to see him giving her a forced smile. He obviously wasn't happy about this wall.

"How do I get back in? Just scale it?"

"We will toss over a rope for you." Thorin walked past the hole behind Kili. She waited there for a few moments before finally a rope was tossed over the rampart. She used it to climb back up, and just watched sadly as the dwarves continued to build.

"How are they?" Fili asked her quietly as she climbed down a ladder to reach the floor below.

"Their severely injured numbers just over a hundred. What I brought barely did anything." She replied.

"Kili and I have tried convincing him to help, but it's not working."

"I fear nothing will work."

The sky was just beginning to lighten in the east when the wall was finished.

"Agarwaen," Thorin called. "I want you to stay on the ramparts and watch the city, as you can see better than any of us. Report to Dwalin or myself should anyone travel toward the mountain." Now it was not just his eyes that held the signs of dragon sickness. His voice dripped with it, and he sounded almost drunk in his gold lust. She was afraid to even go near him now. Breaking through to him again would be near impossible.

"Yes, my king." She replied, hoping her curt response would make him go away. It did, and she simply left to sit atop the ramparts. No one bothered her, no one said anything to her. Everyone was concerned for Thorin, and an air of uneasiness floated among them.

It was late morning when Agarwaen shot up, unbelieving of what she saw.

"Thorin! Dwalin!" She yelled as she bolted down the steps they'd built. She made toward the treasure horde, where she had a feeling Thorin would be. Upon arriving, dwarves were rummaging through the piles as Thorin walked through it, back in his haze.

"Thorin, elves from Mirkwood. They're arriving in Dale." Thorin turned sharply to stare at her with a cold look. "They're arriving with an army."

"Everyone, to the gate!" His voice boomed and echoed off the stone cavern as she ran back to her post, soon followed by the rest of the company.

"How many of them are there?" Dwalin asked. Agarwaen squinted as she looked upon the ranks she could still see that hadn't entered the city yet.

"A couple hundred." She replied.

"Then we must prepare for war. We must defend the mountain." Thorin said angrily. "They will not be able to penetrate the wall and fight us off at the same time, and not to mention,." He turned to Dwalin, "We have allies to the east. Ready your weapons." The company nodded solemnly and dispersed. "Keep an eye on them." Thorin said to Agarwaen before leaving, himself. She returned to her spot, and eventually the group trickled back to the front of the mountain with new dwarven weapons and whetstones. Nori handed her one, and she started sharpening her sword from Laketown. Movement on the ground near Dale caught her eye, and she looked up to see what was happening.

"Bard rides for the mountain. He is alone." She called down.

"Come on." Thorin ordered everyone else, and they all filed up to the ramparts.

"Hail Thorin, son of Thrain!" Bard yelled up to them. "We are glad to find you alive beyond hope."

"Why do you come to the gates of the king under the mountain armed for war?" Thorin replied.