Concerning Hobbits

Pansy hide behind a large stone molding with Dwalin and the others, highly confused as to what the plan was. Her arm now throbbing up to her elbow. She touched it lightly, it was all swelling now. She winced a bit and frowned. No time to worry about that now. “You think you could deceive me!” Smaug bellowed “Barrel Rider!”

“you have come from Laketown! Yes! This is some sort of scheme hatched between filthy dwarves and those miserable trout trading lakemen!” Smaug rambled. “those sniveling cowards with their long bow and black arrows perhaps it is time I paid them a visit!” He roared. Pansy froze “oh no, Kili and the others.” Pansy thought chewing on her tongue nervously. She turned to Balin “we can’t let him leave here” she whispered. Balin nodded and patted her shoulder “just wait for it” he said. “wait!” Pansy heard Bilbo yell from the ground floor. “you cannot go to Laketown!” He shouted. “ You care about them do you?” Smaug asked. “ Good! Then you can watch them die” he hissed “here!” Thorin called out.

Pansy looked up to the top of the stone mold to see Thorin. “where did he come from?” she gasped. “you witless worm!” He yelled. Pansy wished she could have seen what was going on beyond the stone mold. “You” Smaug said slowly with disdain dripping in his voice. “I am taking back what you stole” Thorin told him. Smaug hissed and slithered “You will take nothing from me! Dwarf!” The dragon barked. Pansy could hear his large steps getting closer. “I laid low your warriors of old, I instill terror in the hearts of men” He said. “I am king under the mountain!” Smaug hissed, Pansy could now see his head as his face lay inched from Thorin, who seemed perfectly calm. “this is not your kingdom! These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold!” Thorin shouted. “and we will have our revenge” he said. “stand back” Balin said to Pansy as she backed away from him on the wooden pile-on steps. He and the others grabbed onto large chains Thorin called out to them in Dwarvish, It had been her first time hearing him ever use it, The others pulled the chains with all their might.

As they snapped the stone mold broke apart, crumbling. Thorin gripped the chain and kicked off the crumbling stone, hanging in the air he watched as a large golden monument stood, glimmering even in the very dull scarce moonlight. Smaug marveled at it, it had to be the largest and most beautiful piece of gold he had ever seen. “whoa” Pansy said letting out a breath of air, amazed herself. Then gold liquid popped from its eye, and then again from its side and soon the statue melted and a golden river rushed from it, consuming the dragon. Smaug yelled and failed about, but was soon lost under the golden river as it settled in the hall. Bilbo watched from the safety of the stone steps and Thorin smiled as the beast was overtaken. But it did not last long. Smaug reemerged from the glen river roaring as he ran for the exit.

“Revenge! Revenge!” He screamed out dripping in gold, splashing it about “I will show you revenge!” he roared. Thorin’s smile faded to horror and Smaug busted through the front gates of Erebor and into the night. Pansy ran down the wooden steps onto stone floors of the kings hall, she ran down the side of the golden river which now flowed outside the gate, Bilbo right after her, they stood outside on the rubble and looked towards late how. “no” Pansy panted shaking her head. “no, no, no they don’t know!” she breathed. “what have done” Bilbo whispered as the two glanced at each other in terror.

“we have no time we must leave!” Tauriel said as she rushed into the house, She had seen the Dragon in the distance. “get him up!” she said. “come on brother, let's go” Fili said helping Kili to his feet. He looked around “wait where is Pansy?” Kili asked. Fili looked at Kili and then glanced to Bofur, but did not reply Kili searched his eyes and then pushed Fili free of him “I’m fine! I can walk” he said then turning to Bofur “where is she?” he asked. Tauriel gathering things glanced back at Kili with a mixture of guilt and pity. “she’s gone” Bofur said. “gone? Gone where? She’s in danger out there on her own!” Kili shouted. Fili walked to him “she went to the mountain” he said. Kili inhaled slowly and searched his brother’s face “what, no, she was here” He said “she left” Fili stated again, he patted his brother's shoulder and went to help collect things. “we’re not leaving! Not without our father!” Bain said to Tauriel. “If you stay here your sisters will die is that what your father would want?” Tauriel asked him. “why did she go?” Kili asked walking behind Fili, Fili backed and ignored him. Kili grabbed his brother's arm and spun him around his eyes demanding to know.

Pansy looked to Bilbo “I need to go” she said, walking past him “go where?” he asked “to them, Kili, Fili, Oin, Bofur there are still out there!” she yelled pointing to Laketown. “go go back there and you will be killed, you couldn’t make it back in time anyway!” Bilbo reasoned. “they are burning!” Pansy yelled as she stood with the others on one of the highest points of Erebor, and though it was very far away the town could be seen, as it was not but a bright mass of fire in a sea of blackness. “poor souls” Balin whispered. Nori shook his head in despair, and Bombur looked horrified and Gloin gazed down at the ground. Pansy watched them her stomach sick with loathing, would no one do anything not even for their Kin. She looked for Thorin but she could not see him. “Bilbo? She questioned, “where is he?” Bilbo looked around and down the snow capped hill he saw him. Thorin stood with his back turned to lake down and his eyes lingering on the gates of Erebor

Kili sat in the boat with his Kin, Tauriel, and Bards children. He watched as the city around them was nothing but fire. His heart ached. If Pansy had gone back, surely the only reason the Dragon was there was because His Uncle and the others had woken it. If it was now over them it surely must have slain them all. “what had I last said to her?” He asked for he could not remember, Fili wasn’t listening he was to focused on rowing and the way ahead of them. Watching for Tauriel’s signals. “Dad!” Bain called suddenly spotting an arrow through the air and a figure on the town bell tower. Bard notched another arrow and fired hitting Smaug again but it bounced right off its iron scales. “He hit it! He hit the dragon!” Kili called out. “his arrows cannot pierce his hide” Tauriel said as the town burned down around her. “I fear nothing will” she said. Bain looked down in deep thought and spotted the boat he had hidden his Fathers Black Arrow in. Grabbing onto a hook that hung above them he swung off of the boat and onto the docks. Bofur and the others reaching to bring him back “what are you doing!” Bofur called out “come back!” called Fili but Bain was on a mission.

“leave him we cannot go back!” Tauriel shouted. Kili looked up at her amazed, squinted and then turned to look back at Bain as Tilda cried for him. Fili watched his brother “she wouldn’t have left a soul” He thought.

“Look! Look!” Bifur called, Pansy ran to eh edge and looked to the sky, she could see Smaug rising higher and higher, but something was different he was flailing about and thrashing. And then, he became still and started to fall. She leaned forward. “they did it?” Pansy whispered. “but who?” she wondered. Watching the dragon fall into the sea of fire that he created. Bilbo rushed after her “it fell I saw it!” he called as the others stood up. “it’s dead” Bilbo breathed. “Smaug, is dead” he said. “By my beard, I think he’s right!” Gloin called out. Pansy watched the town, and her eyes welled with tears. “but are you all ok” she murmured. Thorin listened to them from where he stood, he took in a deep breath but his eyes remained on Erebor. “look there!” Bombur called. Birds crowd in the sky. Blackbirds flocked to the mountain. “the ravens of Erebor are returning!” Dwalin called. “aye, word will spread before long every soul in Middle Earth will know the dragon is Dead!” Balin cheered. The dwarves laughed with glee. Still Pansy’s heart felt heavy. She walked through them and looked down the hill, her eyes stopping on Thorin who was headed back towards Erebor’s gates. Pansy squinted her eyes at him, it was as if he didn’t care. She turned her back to him and ran back to the overlook. Her eyes looking out to the shore. “they will be headed this way to Dale” She thought. “if they are alive, if they made it, they will be with the people of lake time when they come” her eyes fell on the lake. She turned sharply and headed down almost as if after Thorin. “were are you going?” Bilbo asked her. “to the shore” she called back him. “alone?” he asked surprised a small smiled came to his face. “you’re growing Pansy” he whispered. Watching her go “you won’t need me too much longer” he sighed, and somewhere inside Bilbo though proud, felt a wave of sadness.

As Thorin spotted Pansy pass him he grabbed her and pulled her to him “no” He said with an unwavering sternness. Pansy looked up at him and then to his hand on her arm. “let me go” she said. “No, you need to have your arm looked at” He said. Pansy looked into his eyes and again they looked wild. She peered into them and did not like what she saw. “you will come with me now into the mountain” He said. Pansy looked down at his hand, it was leaving red marks in her arm, she winced “alright but please, Thorin...you are hurting me” she said. Thorin looked down at his hand and removed it quickly and looked shocked at himself. Pansy watched him carefully her eyes asking him “what is happening to you.” she let him lead her away, but Glanced back up the hill to Bilbo who looked watched them with worry.

Before long daylight came, The people of Laketown gathered at the shore, Tauriel looked over all the chaos and pain around her, as people searched for loved ones or cried because they had found them. Kili spotted her and went to her “Tauriel” he called, she turned to him, but the look in her eyes was very conflicted. “you are not mine to hold” she thought turning her eyes up towards the mountains and away from him, but even feeling this, she couldn’t help her feelings. “Kili!” Fili called seeing him with her “we’re leaving!” he called trying to help Oin and Bofur push the boat back into the water, to head for the opposite shore, the shore to Erebor. “they are you people you must go with them” Tauriel said give Kili a last glance she went to walk away. Kili felt the sides of his heart at war with one another. He quickly turned “come with me!” he called because his mind could register what he had said, but his mind was filled with the memory of Pansy’s silvery eyes and slowly they faded and Tauriel's look their place. Tauriel stopped and turn to Kili stunned “I am not afraid I know what I feel and you make me feel alive” He said to her. Fili watched from the boat, his hand dropped to his sides and he closed his eyes in defeat. “I tried” He thought with Pansy in mind.

As Tauriel went to turn away, he whispered softly in Dwarvish. Tauriel paused her back slightly to him “I do not know what that means” she said her eyes tearing up her heart beat excitedly in her chest. But the look of pain that had been on the hobbit girls face as she had cried over Kili as he lay in pain, it stayed with her fresh in her mind. “I think you do” Kili said with a smile as he turned Tauriel around. A small smile started to form on her face as well. Fili opened his eyes and looked up, behind Tauriel walked Legolas, looking less than pleased. Tauriel stood straight and her smiled faded before ever forming. Kili looked up into Legolas’ eyes as he watched only Tauriel, He said something in Elvish. Legolas eyes were stern but far behind them was hurt. Kili looked at Legolas, he had now understood. Kili glared at him, as Legolas’ expression changed, he looked on at Tauriel’s back with a softness. And continued to speak, Tauriel turned her head towards him and exhaled Kili looked to her waiting. She looked back down to him and opened her mouth to speak. Kili’s heart beat with anticipation but she said nothing. Tauriel shook her head and turned body, Kili could feel one side of his heart crack a bit, as he backed away nodded and headed to his brother at the boat.

Tauriel watched him go, but he halted in his steps. Rushing back to her, face full of sadness and determination he took her hand and laid his mother rune-stone in her palm. He closed her fingers around it gently and took her hands in his “keep it, as a promise” he said looking her deep in the eyes. Tauriel’s heart became heavy and her mind whirled with confusion, on one hand she was worried what this look like to Legolas, she could feel his eyes burning a hole through her, but, this feeling that was thundering in her heart. It suddenly felt like each side of her heart was tugging in different directions. Kili gave her a nod and with a slight limp raced to the boat which Oin, Bofur, and Fili had already pushed off from the shore.

Tauriel looked at the stone in her hands, and tears welled in to her eyes again, she breathed in trying to stop them. But her heart hurt as it fought with itself. She had seen what love looks like in the Hobbit girl, she had known what fondness felt like through her ever growing feeling for Legolas, but now she was feeling Love thrown upon her by Kili and all at once she could not find out her own feelings. All she had every dreamed of before was for Legolas to be allowed to love her, but now. Now she had found herself falling for a dwarf who’s heart, though he did not know it, seemed more than destined to someone else. It all hurt and Tauriel wondered was this the pain the Hobbit girl felt when she fled from the house.

Legolas watched Tauriel and his heart knew he’d lost her, she might not have gone from him, or with them. But still he knew, and he watched her gather herself, with a pain in his body he’d never known before.

Fili looked to Kili as he climbed into the boat. His eyes were cold and hollow towards his brother. Kili raised a brow, but Fili turned his head. Kili brushed it off and took a look at Tauriel back on the shore. Fili saw this out of the corner of his eyes, now more than his brother making a huge mistake, and more than the breaking of one he’d already took in as his sister, he was worried about the pain Kili was now about to bring onto himself.

Pansy sat in the Kings Hall with the others. Thorin hovered over her, as Nori and Bilbo unwrapped her hand. The fabric pulled away from her skin with strings of puss, blood, and yellow liquid. “ugh!” Bilbo gasped looking at Pansy mortified. “what happened?” Thorin breathed. Pansy looked down. “we were attacked by Orcs...I was trying to protect Kili, the Oaken Shield cracked and my hand slipped, the Orc brought down his blade I had to stop it” Pansy looked down at her hand as Nori handled it carefully. “but the blade sliced my hand” Her palm fell open slightly near in two. “and the force of the blow broke my wrist” Bilbo looked at the bone peeking from her skin. “I do not know if this can be saved” Nori said slowly. Thorin’s eyes wide he rested a hand on Pansy’s shoulder gripping it tightly “you try” he demanded of Nori. Nori nodded and pulled some thread from his bag and for small sticks as splints. “pansy” Bilbo breathed sitting at her side. “I would do it again” she said watching as Nori sewed the pieced of her hand together “I can give the hand” she said her eyes fluttering as she recalled again Kili’s words to Tauriel. “I can take any pain so long as he lived” She added softly. Thorin raised his head and watched her turning his head leered at the ground. Bilbo squinting at pansy lowered his head to her eye level “do you? Do you lo-” Thorin whipped around and eyed Bilbo dangerously “Enough talk, let Nori work, after she is taken care of, Send for Dori and Balin to take her to be changed, her clothes are torn” Thorin said his voice slightly cruel as he stomped off. Pansy watched him go and bit her lip. “He is not happy” Bilbo muttered getting up and following him.

Pansy looked to Nori “I’ve gone and done it... Haven't I?” she asked him, for she knew that he like most of the others did, where she had been that night in The Masters manor. Nori sighed and nodded a bit. Pansy watched him work on her hand. “I need to let Kili go” she thought to herself. “I can be happy with Thorin just as well” she thought.

Nori had finished up with her, and now Pansy sat in a small room, down a corridor just a bit away from the Kings hall. Dori and Balin with her went through a trunk of clothing. “what's that?” she asked.”they belonged to the past queens. “ it will suit you well” Balin said looking up. Dori pulled out a White gown, it’s fabric was thick for the cooling air, and though it faintly looked elven. It was rougher in design, it was not as frail looking and was not overly feminine. Yet still it was one of the most beautiful gowns Pansy had ever seen. “it’s beautiful Balin” Pansy sighed as she walked up to touch it. “aye it is” he said with a smile. Being with the elder dwarves Pansy did not mind undressing and dressing before them. Besides they helped her get the dress over her injured arm without causing it more distress. Dori brained up pansy’s hair back into place. And turned her to a stone mirror. “you look lovely!” Dori cheered. Pansy looked at herself with large eyes. And touched the mirror lightly with her hand. “Is that really” she paused looking herself over “me?” she asked. Her arms were covered in scars, her fingers were missing, she looked more mature than she had ever looked before as she scanned her own face. Something about her eyes were colder, and something within them a bit older, wiser. “you’ve grown my dear” Balin said going to her side. “come, I am sure Thorin is waiting” he said with a cheeky knowing smile. Pansy blushed a deep pink and nodded exiting the door.

Balin and Dori went ahead of her. Thorin sat on the throne, talking with Dwalin and Gloin as Pansy walked up the hall, lead by Balin and Dori. One by one the dwarves stopped what they were doing and rose to their feet as she walked through the soft rays of sunlight. Pansy blushed more as they looked upon her. Bilbo too stood up and blinked a few times “p-pansy?” he questioned at the foot of the throne. “ By my beard” Dwalin whispered, getting Thorin’s attention. Thorin looked away from Dwalin to see what it was he had been gazing at. Pansy stopped just before the steps to the throne. She looked up at Thorin her hands crossing in front of her nervously as he slowly rose to his feet. He looked to Dwalin as if asking if he saw her too. Dwalin nodded to him and Thorin almost cautiously came down the steps. His eyes trailed from her toes to the crown of her head, he stopped before her and looked down into her eyes. She seemed to nearly shine in the soft pale sunlight. He kneeled on one knee before her slowly as he reached for her injured hand he kissed it with tenderness and gaze up into her eyes.

The Room was silent and his words echoed off the stone. “you” he started breathlessly “You shine like a globe of a thousand facets” His words were soft and Pansy’s heart raced under his gaze, it was as if he wanted to look down into her soul. “like silver in the firelight, like water in the sun, like snow under the stars” He got up her hand still in his hands he stood before her closely, never breaking his gaze, Pansy searched his eyes, lost and swooning at his words at his gaze, her heart constricting. “like rain upon the Moon” he whispered leaning into her ear. Pansy turned her head to look at him as his leaned just over her shoulder. They’re caught in each other. “of all the treasure I shall name you unto myself” he said to her, Pansy shivered as he stepped back from her traded her wounded hand for her left hand and raised it in the air. “we will welcome into our Halls, as Future queen!” Thorin shouted, Pansy’s eyes grew wide with amazement and slight distraught “Pansy Arkenstone!” Thorin cheered with a large smile on his face, Bilbo nearly choked while the other clapped and cheered Thorin looked over their faces and turned to Pansy beaming as he cupped her face in his hands “the kings jewel” he said softly. Pansy pursed her lips and gulped as her body shook. It was sudden, it was dreamy, it was exciting, it was painful, it was joyous, but more than anything, it only made her that much for confused, as even then she could only think of young dwarf she left back in Laketown.