What Once Was Lost (3 of 3)

The next few hours are shrouded in questions and doubt. Then I remember the army of elves. I look up and then run to the gate where I see the elves positioned in the fields between Erebor and Dale. I go and find Thorin and tell him the army is outside the gates, he looks at my armour scrutinising it but doesn't comment, just walks right past me and calls this rest of the company to the top of the gate. As we get to the top I see Bard on a white horse and Thrandul on a large elk and approach the broken bridge. From above the blockade, Thorin draws a bow and shoots an arrow at the ground directly in front of Thranduil and Bard, who immediately halt their mounts in surprise.

"I will put the next one between your eyes!" Thorin warns as he knocks an arrow and draws his bow again. From the tone of his voice he's not bluffing.

The company cheer and shake their weapons. If there was ever a time not to be conflicted, now would be that time. But I am conflicted. How can I choose between kin and kind? I am both elf and dwarf. The elf king is my great uncle but I've spent months with these dwarves. Thranduil stares at Thorin looking amused but then he turns serious. He inclines his head slightly. Instantly, several rows of elves pull out their bows, nock their arrows and aim at the dwarves, all in one fluid motion. I step back surprised and the dwarves' cheering cuts off abruptly as they duck behind the ramparts. But not Thorin. I look at him as though he's mad, he didn't even flinch.

After holding the pose for a few seconds, Thranduil raises his hand, and the elves easily put away their arrows. But Thorin keeps his bow drawn.

"We've come to tell you: payment of your debt has been offered...and accepted." The elf king says simply.

"Payment?" I say quietly, causing me to wonder what he means, is this some sort of trick?
A confused look crosses my face and I look at Kili who is also confused.

"What payment? I gave you nothing! You have nothing!" Thorin says sounding as though he knows nothing of this either.

Thranduil looks as though he mentally says 'oh really, before looking to Bard

Bard reaches into his inside pocket and pulls out a large white gem radiating a cosmic light.
"We have this." He says holding it up. I gasp shocked, that's the Arkenstone, how did they get that?
Thorin lowers his bow slightly and looks at it in stunned silence.

"They have the Arkenstone? Thieves! How came you by the heirloom of our house?" Kili says sounding furious "That stone belongs to the king!"

"And the king may have it" Bard says sincerely "with our good will." He throws the stone in the air once before putting it back into his pocket "But first." he pauses "He must honour his word."

"They are taking us for fools." Thorin whispers just loud enough so those closest to him can hear him. "This is a ruse, a filthy lie."

Balin looks shocked and I share his concern, could Thorin's mental state have deteriorated so drastically?

"THE ARKENSTONE IS IN THIS MOUNTAIN! IT IS A TRICK!"

"It-It's no trick. The stone is real. I gave it to them." The Hobbit says causing us all to turn and look at him.

"Bilbo?" I say quietly wondering why he did it. I think I understand why: He was trying to prevent a battle resulting in all of us dead.

"You…" Thorin says sounding betrayed

I look at Thorin who can not see what his friend was trying to do, blinded by his greed and hatred

"I took it as my fourteenth share." Bilbo explains. It's been so long I forgot about the contracts, in it we were promised a share of the wealth.

"You would steal from me?" The blind dwarf accuses

I look at Thorin annoyed by his foolish attitude. He is willing to get us all killed for his greed and Bilbo is trying to find a peaceful solution to it.

"Steal from you? No. No. I may be a burglar, but I like to think I'm an honest one." He says smiling a little and trying to lighten the mood a little. But it didn't have the desired effect so he adds "I'm willing to let it stand against my claim."

"Against your claim?!" Thorin asks sounding insulted. He then smiles menacingly "Your claim!"
"You have no claim over me you miserable rat!" Thorin shouts throwing the bow down in anger and stepping towards him.

I step between them causing him to stop. He glares at me for getting between him and The Hobbit. I don't care who he is, King or no, right now he's not the Thorin we all know. If he wants to get to Bilbo he will have to go through me.

"I was going to give it to you." Bilbo starts to explain. "Many times I wanted to, but..."

"But what, thief?!" Thorin Spits venomously.

"You are changed, Thorin! The dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word! Would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin!" Bilbo, now getting frustrated at the block-headed dwarf

"Do not speak to me... of loyalty!" Thorin sounds hurt and frustrated and steps forward again expecting me to move, which I don't

"Throw him from the rampart!" he commands looking at the other dwarves. I step closer to Bilbo protectively. The other dwarves move away from him confused and completely shocked at Thorin's outburst. He is surprised that no one obeyed him.

"DO YOU HEAR ME?!" He yells grabbing Fili's arm, but Fili shakes him off. "I will do it myself!"

I stand rooted in place as Thorin tries to push me out of the way but I fight back. He steps backwards and hits me with the back of his hand. The armour splitting my lip on impact, drawing blood instantly. This surprises me causing me to stumble away giving Thorin an opportunity to grab Bilbo. He starts to drag the Hobbit but the other dwarves grab Thorin and Bilbo trying to separate them.

"Curse you!" He yells dragging Bilbo towards the edge.

"No!" Fili protests. Grabbing Bilbo and giving me enough time to get between the Shireling and the ramparts as Thorin pushes him.

"Cursed be the Wizard that forced you on this Company!" Thorin yells as Bilbo is pushed into me causing me to hang over the ramparts as I hold onto the stone preventing the dwarf from throwing him off.

"If you don't like my burglar" the voice of Gandalf rings out from the elven army causing Thorin to stop and look at the source of the voice surprised. I ignore the pain in my lip as I feel blood on my chin, Bilbo is more important than a split lip. "Then please don't damage him. Return him to me!" The wizard says in a loud echoing voice.

"You're not making a very splendid figure as king under the mountain, are you? Thorin son of Thrain!" Gandalf continues after a short pause.

Thorin releases his grip on Bilbo, and I grab the young Hobbit protectively as I move to the side away from the mad king.

"Never again will I have dealings with wizards... elves" he says giving me the evil eye as I look at him slightly as I let the shaking Hobbit go. Bofur gently pushes him away and I look to the shaken Hobbit.

"Go." Bofur says softly. Other than shaken the brave man seems fine as he quickly climbs down the length of rope. I look over the wall watching my little friend go before glaring at Thorin as he finishes his rant.

"Or Shire-rats!".

"Are we resolved? The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised." Bard asks. In all the commotion I had almost forgotten the presence of the elf army and the group of men from Esgaroth.

Thorin, panting heavily in frustration looks to a rise off to the left of the mountain as he starts to pace alone the top of the ramparts.

"Why should I back that which is rightfully mine?" He asks as he continues to angrily pace and look around as if looking for a sign, anything that may help him.

"Keep the stone, sell it" Thranduil says to Bard "Ecthellion of Gondor will give you a good price for it" he taunts, raising the ire of Thorin further.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" He shouts pacing in boiling rage. "BY MY OATH I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

"Your oath means nothing" Thranduil snaps back at him "I have heard enough"

Thorin stops pacing as an elf issues commands.

"Thorin, lay down your arms, open these doors. This treasure will be your death" Gandalf says trying to reason with the stubborn dwarf.

"Thorin. We can not win this fight" Balin adds.

Thorin bows his head in defeat but doesn't say anything.

"Give us your answer! Will you have peace" Bard asks "or war?" he adds reluctantly

A large raven flies up to the ramparts and crows as it perches in front of him. Thorin and the raven stare at each the bird chirrups.

"I will have war!" Thorin says looking up to where an army of dwarves are appearing on the hillside. I look to Bilbo who has just gotten to Gandalf and the company cheer as they see Dain riding his battle pig.

Thranduil issues commands to his army as he rides to the approaching dwarven army."Ribo i thangail!"

Dain calls to Thorin as dwarf commanders issue orders to their soldiers as the army makes it's way down the steep incline.

The two armies halt a short distance from one another, and Dain rides his pig onto a rocky overlook to address the Elves and Men.

"Good morning, how are we all?" He asks as his war hog stands looking over the elf army on a small outcropping of rocks in the ground. "I have a wee proposition, if you wouldn't mind giving me a few moments of your time." The polite tone of voice is very unexpected for the armour clad, violent looking dwarf "Would you consider..." But then his facial expressions change and so does his tone. "Just sodding off?!" Dain shouts

The townspeople step back, unnerved by the sudden raised voice of the heavily armoured dwarf directly before them.

"All of you - right now!"

"Stand fast!" Bard says to his group group of about fifty villagers, while the Elves pull out their weapons and stand defiantly.

I see Gandalf step forward.

"Come now, lord Dain!" Gandalf says calmly

"...or I'll water the ground with their blood!" Dain says, but I can't quite hear the start of the sentence

"There is no need for war between dwarves, men and elves!" Gandalf's voice carries on the air
"A legion of orcs march on the mountain. Stand your army down!" I hear him say, yet barely audible even to my elf ears. Orcs? Coming here?

"I will not stand down before any elf! Not least this faithless woodland sprite!" Dain says as he gestures his large warhammer in Thranduil's direction.

"He wishes nothing but ill upon my people! If he chooses to stand between me and my kin, I'll split his pretty head open! See if he's still smirking then!" Dain turns his pig around and starts to head back to rejoin his army. The Erebor dwarves cheer.

"Dain, wait" Gandalf calls after him

"Let them advance, see how far they get" Thranduil says defiantly

I look at the company who seem quite thrilled with the outcome of what's going on. But I worry about Bilbo down there, I worry for all of us if what Gandalf said is true.

"You think I give a dead dog about your threats you pointy eared princess" Dain calls back as he continues to ride away

"He's clearly mad, like his cousin!" Thranduil taunts

"You hear that, lads?!" Dain "We're on! Let's give these bastards a good hammering!" Dwarves shout a chant as Dain rejoins them and the elves besides Bard's men move forward and spread out in front of the untrained civilians. Behind the lake men the elves move to the gaps where there has been space made allowing the humans to move to the back of the army. Troops are kept in reserve but most of the large elven force is preparing to fight the dwarves as the Iron Hills army is issued commands in Kuzdul and prepare.

"Thorin, please, stop this before it's too late, there's no need to fight" I beseech him, despite everything that's happened I still hope he will see reason and that all this has been a bluff. He doesn't turn or even acknowledge that I have even said anything.

"Send in the goats" Dain calls on top of the rise. From behind the army armoured war goats make there way forward as the footsoldiers part to let them pass ash Thranduil issues orders to his army. The elves prepare their bows and ready to fire.

"Thranduil this is madness" Gandalf calls as he moves to the back with the lake men.

On Thranduil's command the archers fire at the mounted chargers and on Dain's order the dwarves fire their war machines, spears with a metal chain twirl taking out all the arrows just as they were about to hit their targets. As the goats keep charging, the spiralling javelins land among the Elves ranks causing havok.

"How do you like that, the ol' twirly-whirlies" Dain taunts "Haha. Ya' buggers"

I don't want to watch death over a petty dispute, yet I can't even force myself to look away.

Both fire again with the same result. As the riders get closer to the Elves they perform a complicated manoeuvre to put their shield-and-spear bearers at the front of the army creating a slightly inclined shield wall. The goats jump over the shield wall and the elves split up pointing their spears at the attackers as others shoot arrows. Meanwhile Dain and some foot soldiers have been charging and smash into the elves, Dain's war-pig cuts through their lines. The dwarves also leave soldiers in reserve. The fighting last for what feels like forever but has probably only been minutes. But then. Rumbling can be heard in the distance as though rock is being crushed in a grinder. The armies grow silent and as they stop fighting and turn to look at the mountain.

"Oh no..." I say knowing what that means. "Were-worms" I have read about them, but I never thought they were real.

Moments later the rock bursts open as five massive wereworms break through the surface before retreating just as quickly into the tunnels they'd made. A voice calls out on the still air, I look for the source of the blackspeech and see Azog and a handful of Orcs standing atop Ravenhill. Behind them are several massive contraptions made of wood, rope, and cloth.

As Azog gives a sign, one of the wooden structures opens up and positions itself as a horn sounds. Immediately, legions of Orcs begin pouring out of the tunnels.

"The hordes of hell are upon us! To battle! To battle, sons of Durin! Fight to the death!" Dain and his remaining army as well as the reserves turn and rush toward the oncoming Orcs, vastly outnumbered at least forty to one. The elves do not move.

"I'm going over the wall! Who's coming with me?" Fili asks as he makes his way to the rope Bilbo used to get down.

We all cheer in agreement and begin preparing to make our way over the wall.

"YES! Come on! Let's go" Dwalin says eager to join the fight

"Stand down!" Thorin says turning and starting to leave.

"What?" Dori asks confused "Are we to do nothing?"

"I said. STAND DOWN!" Thorin commands as he descends the steps and heads inside the mountain.

We all look at each other in confusion and back out at the fighting that's going on.

Despite the overwhelming numbers of the enemy and the now regrouped elves lack of assistance, the dwarves form a shield wall sticking their pikes through the small gaps as the orcs advance on them.

I look on in horror, if Thranduil doesn't help the dwarves will die, then the orcs will fight the elves if they have not retreated and then they will take the mountain killing all of us. Just like what I saw in my dream. All of us dead.

Thranduil suddenly gives an order and portion of the elves start to run towards the dwarves. Then, in silent cooperation, the elves jump onto the dwarves and springboard over the front line just as the orcs are about to collide with the dwarves taking away the pounding the wall would have received from the un-hindered orcs. The elves fight multiple orcs at once with graceful, deadly skill. Those that passed the elves were then impaled on the dwarves pikes as they break the shield wall and charge forward.

The elves and dwarves who were fighting each other a moment ago have put aside their differences to fight the greater threat. If only they had listened to the wizard lives would not have been lost over a petty squabble and we could have prepared.

Thranduil issues more orders and his archers move into formation ready to fire at the second wave.

Another horn sounds and the wooden signal mechanism changes, armoured trolls and mutilated war beasts that were once trolls emerge from the tunnels making their way through their hoard and towards the elves and dwarves.

Ahead of the elven and dwarven footsoldiers that are battling the first wave the dwarven battle chariots are approach the oncoming second wave of trolls and orcs. On command the archers fire and decimate the wave clearing the way for the war machines which plough through the remainder and head straight for the thick of the orc army.

A horn sounds again and the trolls rush towards the chariots, taking them off their wheels as though the metal constructs were nothing. I can't take anymore of this and turn around to go and try and talk some sense into Thorin, cursing in several different languages as I walk. I head straight for the throne room where I pass a slow moving Dwalin who looks defeated.

"Dwalin?" I say questioningly, stopping for a moment to speak with him.

"It's no use lass, he's lost to us" He sighs.

"I refuse to believe that" I say shaking my head.

I look down the corridor and head off without saying anything else to Dwalin. I am not giving up on Thorin. Not yet. I'm not sure what I'm going to say, but I need to try.

I walk along the large walkway towards Thorin who is sitting on the stone throne.

"They are dying out there! Your own cousin is fighting out there while you are sitting here on your grandfathers throne worrying over gold!" I say frustrated as I stride towards him

"Many die in war. Life is cheap. But a treasure such as this cannot be counted in lives lost. It is worth all the blood we can spend!" Thorin says.

I unsheathe the dagger he gave me so long ago and he reacts quickly, grabbing my hand which is holding the hilt of the blade that is pressed between two of my armour plates as I hold it over my heart. He looks shocked as if I was going to attack him but realising I'm not he looks at the blade

"If life is so cheap then just kill me now. I'm already dead"

He doesn't know how to respond, he just looks back at me confused.

"...You claim you're not your grandfather, yet you put gold above the lives of your kin..."

"Do not speak to me as if I were some lowly dwarf lord..." He says looking as though he's getting angry "I am your king" he says through gritted teeth

"No. Thorin Oakenshield is my king. You are not that man anymore. You are your grandfather"

He pulls away, pulling the blade from my hand as he does and looking a mix between angry and shocked.

I sigh. Not knowing what to do, I feel hopeless and helpless. "Thorin... You're stronger than this. If there is anything of you left in there, find yourself. Come back to us. We need you..." I say looking at the floor. "I... I need you" I admit after a long pause. After what happened to Erebor I grew up mostly alone, I became independent, to admit that I need someone was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I don't look at him and I turn and walk away quickly.