A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

105. What I Must Do

I sat there, leaning against a rock inside my tent, spinning the ring Thorin gave me around and around the chain, feeling the indention's of the symbol of the House of Durin, thinking before deciding I needed to lay out the problems in question by order of importance.

First, an army of orcs, possibly coming at us from underground, to take over the mountain and reclaim the land of Angmar to the north, which will destroy civilization as we know it today.

Second, Thorin heavily under the Gold Sickness is making choices that could spell out a battle on our hands with the Ironhill's dwarves riding in from the east.

Third, I am but a person with some influence with the elves and the humans stationed in this city, but not enough to prevent a war if Thorin forces their hands, and definitely not enough of an army here to defend against legions of orcs.

Alright... it's a lot of work with, a lot to try to think of and plan around but I can if I just look at this as a precariously stacked wall of pieces, but I choose the right piece, a doorway will open in the wall and keep us all from ruin. But it has to be the right choice. Our numbers are too small to take on a legion of orcs alone and the elves and humans will be more defensive towards Dale than Erebor, leaving the Company and an army of dwarves to stand up against the brunt of an attack by orcs, if said army of dwarves arrives at the mountain on time before Azog begins whatever his plans are.

Dale here is not very well protected, the walls are in disarray from Smaug and there are plenty of hole's in it's defenses, way too many to guard from orcs trying to enter the city. There are wounded, children, and women within these walls who cannot defend themselves from an all out attack by orcs. The elves... well I have no idea how Thranduil will participate in this coming battle, but I imagine he will try to cut through as many of the ranks of orcs as his army can.

There is only one option here that I see, only one that can keep us all from a grizzly death. And that is to do something that hasn't been done in centuries, which is to get humans, elves, and dwarves to agree together and work as a united force to take on the orcs. Which means I need to figure out a way to make Thorin see reason. Time is running out on this matter and, if I do not make a move soon, all will fall to ruin and we will all die.

I stood and paced my tent. There is just one big variable I am missing here, one that could help so much with my plans. Why is Bombur so certain Thorin will not hate me or become worse at my actions? Why was Balin so certain that Thorin would not reject me? Since the beginning of this relationship with Thorin, I have felt that there is something I am just missing. I saw it in Thorin's actions many times.

How he seemed to care greatly enough for my health to break through the Gold Sickness, if for a time. How he seemed willing to do whatever he could to see me happy. Tons of little events over the last few months came back to me. The cloak, him saving my life several times inside the Misty Mountains, the Carrock and how he was determined to see my injuries seen to. Boern's Hut and how the dwarves all cared for me when I was not aware and Thorin did not reclaim his cloak. His insistence I keep the cloak due to the colder weather of the north. Him protecting and caring for me greatly while inside the Mirkwood forest, his anger and rage at Thranduil that was part of why the dwarves ended up locked in the dungeons. His worry for me after I had a panic attack. Him protectively standing in front of me and his nephews when Bard showed up, Thorin tending to the mark on my face from an arrow. Thorin not judging me at all for keeping my ability a secret, Thorin trusting me to save Kili's life. Thorin's love and care for me that night at Laketown, admitting something he probably has not told anyone other than his sister.

I paced and paced, these thoughts making my heart hurt but I needed to examine them for a possible chance they hold the answers I seek. I stopped, staring forward as a number of things came to mind...