When Everything Crumbles

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After the company was ordered to destroy the bridge using the head of a statue at the front gate, they all headed to the armory to prepare for battle.

"It may not be the best fit," Dwalin said, handing Agarwaen a pile, consisting of chainmail, a smaller breastplate, metal gauntlets, and small, but still far too broad pauldrons. "But it will serve its purpose."

"Thank you." She took it as he left in a hurry to help everyone else find suitable armor. She then set it down on a table, shedding her blue overshirt and slipping the mail on. After seeing how the breastplate would fit, she was annoyed, but not surprised at how ill-fitting it was, mostly due to it being men's armor. It wasn't a difficult problem to fix, though. She asked Oin for a roll of bandage, and left to another room to wrap herself before coming back to put on the armor. It fit better this time, and now she just had to tighten the leather straps as best she could.

"Do you need help?" Thorin asked from behind her as she attempted to tighten a strap under her right arm. She jumped at the sudden voice, and gulped when she saw him.

"I, um...I can manage." She was able to pull it to the tightest hole in the belt, and tucked the excess leather in. Thorin nodded but didn't leave. "Do you need something?"

"I want to speak with you and Bilbo as soon as you're done." She lifted the pauldrons over her head and sighed at how far past the edge of her shoulders it came.

"I look ridiculous." She fumbled with the straps of it.

"You look safer than you would be without it." He smiled, almost like he used to, almost like the Thorin she had come to love dearly was peeking out from wherever he hid.

"I don't think I can shoot in this. Much less those gauntlets." She held her arms out in a typical archer position. Just like she expected, it was extremely uncomfortable to do so. Thorin then began scrounging around for anything else that she could use, and eventually found an old leather cuirass in a corner. He dusted it off, sending a spider scurrying away, and then went on to find some fingerless leather gauntlets, metal bracers, and metal faulds.

"These should work better." He set them down as she started taking off the breastplate. She wondered if she should try to reason with him now that he was here with her and in a better mood.

"Those elves will take nothing from me, and they will not take you either." He said, handing her the cuirass. She ruled her thought of reasoning out at that. Apparently now was not the time. But she had to try at some point today. She looked down at the king, clad in his golden armor and wearing his crown. His jaw was set in determination to keep his treasure safe, but his face still held kindness for her. In all honesty, she hated it. He was willing to bestow upon her jewels, gold, and riches, but not the people who needed it most.

After reluctantly letting Thorin help with the straps across her back, she put faulds on over her hips, and then the breastplate, which she again refused help with. The metal bracers went over the leather gauntlets, and finally, she strapped on her scabbard, quiver, and bow.

"A mighty sight to behold." Thorin commented.

"Should I take this off?" She asked about the diamond and sapphire necklace she still wore.

"No, it will not break in battle. They all need to know on which side you fight." He said, his face becoming cold once again. "Now come, I must speak with you and Bilbo." He led the way to the armory door, and picked up a chainmail shirt along the way.

"Master Baggins," He called upon seeing the hobbit down the hall. "Come here." Bilbo hesitantly went to meet them, and Thorin took a few steps forward. He gave the mail to the hobbit, explaining that it was made of mithril and that no blade could pierce it. She was glad that it was being given to Bilbo, the one member of their party who wasn't really a fighter. Should danger find him somehow, that gift could be the difference between life and death.

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