40

"I want this Fortress made safe by sun-up. This mountain was hard won; I will not see it taken again." Thorin commanded, watching as the Company hauled stones to the gate. Now, the Company had their doubts on the virtue of Thorin's leadership. His actions seemed unwarranted and paranoid—why was he barring their kingdom, full of beds and food, from those that needed it most?

"You really think they will take it." Talia croaked, rolling her eyes from the shadows.

Thorin whipped around to face her. "Say what you mean, Talia. I don't have time for games."

She scoffed, stepping forward. Her injuries had improved since Thorin last paid attention to her, but she was still weak. She had lost weight since she had arrived, and her face was gaunt from exhaustion. At least it had spared her from the labor Thorin demanded; he hadn't deemed her worthy of work, since she hardly had the capacity to stand up straight. Like Thorin, she rarely slept or ate, for she was so focused on finding a cure to stay his madness. But the more she tried, the worse his illness grew and the more sickly she felt. Put simply, the Queen looked terrible, and everyone but Thorin seemed to care.

"You heard me. It is absurd to think that the Lakemen will rob you in their current state. They've just survived Smaug's wrath, and you truly believe that this mountain is their focus?"

"The people of Lake-Town have nothing." Kili snapped, tossing the stone he carried aside and siding with his aunt. "They came to us in need. They have lost everything!"

"Do not tell me what they have lost!" Thorin hissed, glaring at his nephew. "I know well enough of their hardship. Those who have lived through dragon fire should rejoice! They have much to be grateful for."

But Talia was tired of letting the Mad King have the last word.

"You disgust me."

That got the King's attention, as well as the Company's.

"Excuse me?"

Talia met her husband's shocking glare. She was dying for him to explain what exactly Lake-Town had, for gratitude was the last thing she expected. She would love to watch him attempt to make up for his blasphemy, because if no one else dared to challenge him, then she would. At this point, all of her researched remedies had failed her. And as she had told their nephews, she intended to suffer burn after burn of his fire if it meant she was chipping away at his infection.

What else was there to lose?

"You disgust me, O Great King Under the Mountain! You daresay that Lake-Town has much to be grateful for, when you know that dragon fire took their homes, their families? How can you say such a thing, when you know damn well that it is no different from what we suffered?! We lost everything that day, Thorin! All we had was each other! And yet you prance around these halls, acting like you have won."

"We did win!" Thorin snarled, his rebuke just as firm and menacing. "The dragon is dead. Erebor is reclaimed. Even back then, we had won. We rebuilt our lives in the Blue Mountains."

"A life of what? Pain, suffering?"

"Just because your parents burned doesn't mean the whole kingdom did."

The Company held their breath in shock. Thorin had said some awful things to Talia, but this was by far the worst. Ironically, their views of Smaug's attack on Erebor had been much different before the quest. Thorin had always thought the Blue Mountains wasn't enough for the dwarves, and Talia had always been content to settle wherever her people did. Now, the juxtaposition between their past opinions was jarring, especially to the Company. The illness truly was warping everything into a twisted new reality, one based on gold and survival that sacrificed all prior principles.

"We won by living through those times. We won by reclaiming our homeland."

She shook her head, tears slipping from her emerald eyes. "No, Thorin. This time, just like the last, others died on our behalf. We lost. Again."

Thorin tilted his head, shifting the heavy crown on his brow. Balin inhaled deeply, frightened for his friends. He wasn't sure if even their love would save them now.

"I lost nothing." He began, getting closer to Talia with each footfall. "I don't care what they have lost, because they are not us. I did not take back this mountain for them; I did it for my legacy."

Her chest heaved in anger and pain. The look in his eyes was killing her.

"And yet they suffered because of it. And yet you turn them away, just as the goddamn Elf did to us. For what? Your pride?"

"For my people."

Talia let out a hoarse laugh, taking the Company aback. "That's rich."

Thorin narrowed his eyes at her, but stayed quiet. Something deep down told him to remain silent, whether it was the tears in her eyes or the cracks in her voice.

"For your people." She echoed, smiling maliciously. "You don't give a shit about your people. You only care about the gold, the gold that has blinded your conscience and brought the great King low. You deem the Lakemen as lesser, unworthy of help, but you made a promise. You made a promise to aid them in return for what they did for us, and yet you break that promise by barring them from it. You bar them from their salvation just like Thranduil did to us, except your motive is less true. At least he did it for his people; you do it for yourself."

Thorin stepped forward, close enough to strike her. However, he did not move. His eyes reflected an internal war, one between himself and the sickness. He was fighting to expel the beast from him, to purge the evil within him and take back his terrible words. But of course, Talia could not see this through her tears.

"You think you're so mighty, with your titles and your treasure. But you have never been lesser, Thorin. Never."

Talia stormed off, retreating back into the mountain. On the way, she snagged Bilbo's arm, motioning for him to follow her. He scurried after the Queen, leaving the King and the Company back to their own devices.

"Why have you stopped?" Thorin growled, jerking his head at their unfortified entrance. "More stone! Bring more stone to the gate!"

His voice echoed, growing more and more distant from Talia and the hobbit. Finally, when she was sure they could no longer be heard, she tucked herself and the hobbit into an old closet. With the help of a handkerchief provided by Bilbo, she recollected herself, thanking him for his kindness.

"Will you be alright, Talia?" He asked, his brown eyes filled with concern. Bilbo hated seeing his friend like this, and he hoped that this madness would be over soon.

"Yes. I'll be fine." She sniffled, wiping away her tears. "I think I know what to do with the Arkenstone."

"What?" The hobbit hadn't expected her to be so forthright.

"We both agree that Thorin will only become worse if it is in his possession, so the question is who will receive it. The Lakemen will surely come to barter for their promised gold and refuge within the mountain soon. As Thorin has made clear, he will deny them of their claim, and the bargain will fall short. They have nothing that interests him; even their desperation will not sway him now."

"But what if they did?" Bilbo concluded, seeing her plan.

"Exactly. He will grant them rooms, food, and clothing in exchange for the Arkenstone, even if it is only temporary."

"I still don't understand how this will make Thorin better. The Arkenstone will still be in his possession at the end of it."

Talia could only give him a grave look in response. Then, Bilbo understood.

"You don't think he will get better."

"You were always the optimist, Master Baggins. Either way, if someone should benefit from his madness, I'll be damned if it isn't the Lakemen. They deserve it more than anyone."

...

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

The day had come. Talia and Bilbo stood at the ramparts alongside the rest of the Company, including the King. Bard had journeyed to the mountain to seek his claim within it's walls, for his people could not survive much longer in the ruin that was Dale. What Talia had not predicted was the army of Elves that stood guard within the city, led by the Elf-King himself. Still, Bard had tried to appease the King as best he could, and had greeted him alone at his gates.

But Thorin was far from pleased. "Why do you come to gates of the King Under the Mountain armed for war?"

"Why does the King Under the Mountain fence himself in, like a robber in his hole?"

Before Talia could grin at Bard's jest, Thorin had fired back. "Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed!"

"My Lord." Bard began, holding back his tongue. If he were to be a true leader of his people, especially during these desperate times, he would have to put his personal feuds aside for the sake of diplomacy. Still, he wished he were striking the deal with Talia, who he found to be the more reasonable of the two. "We have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?"

Much to his surprise, Thorin nodded, beginning to traverse down the steps to the bottom of the stone wall. Talia went to follow, but Thorin held her back. "This does not concern you."

"I am the Queen."

"Which can change, should you forget your place."

Though they had spoken quietly, Bard heard them. He shot her a look of surprise; the dwarf had never treated her so poorly. Something was amiss, and his friend's lack of rebuttal worried him. But Talia only shook her head in response, willing him not to question it. She was numb to Thorin's abuse by now.

Eventually, Thorin brought his visage to a small gap in the stone wall, revealing his cloudy grey irises to Bard. "I am listening."

"On behalf of the people of Lake-Town, I ask that you honor your pledge. A share of the treasure, so that they might rebuild their lives."

"I will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door."

"That armed host will attack this mountain if we do not come to terms."

"Your threats do not sway me."

"What of your conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is just?"

Talia groaned at the conversation below, walking back through the ranks to reach Bilbo. Though it was far from surprising, their lack of progress was worse than she had thought. They would have to act soon in order for their plan to work, for if they failed, war would occur instead. She relayed these thoughts to the hobbit, who nodded along as the King and Bard conferred.

"My people offered you help, and in return, you brought upon them only ruin and death." Bard continued, narrowing his eyes at Thorin.

"When did the Men of Lake-Town come to our aid, but for the promise of rich reward?"

"A bargain was struck!"

"A bargain?" Thorin echoed, offended at the prospect. "What choice did we have but to barter our birthright for blankets and food; to ransom our future in exchange for our freedom?! You call that a fair trade? Tell me, Bard the Dragon-Slayer, why should I honor such terms?"

Bard glared long and hard at the selfish King. Now he understood Talia's grave stare; Thorin was changed, and it was no doubt because of the cursed gold within his halls.

"Because you gave us your word. Does that mean nothing?"

Thorin stepped away from Bard's view momentarily, thinking. Again, that inner war was waging in his eyes, only this time, Talia could see it.

Maybe if she had spoken up, things would've been different.

"Begone! Ere our arrows fly!"

Thorin climbed up to the ramparts, watching Bard ride angrily away back to Dale. The Company could only watch him go sadly, feeling powerless against their King. But Thorin was not Bilbo's King, and so he would speak. He could no longer remain silent during this madness.

"What are you doing? You cannot go to war!"

"This does not concern you."

"Excuse me, but just in case you haven't noticed, there is an army of Elves out there, not to mention several hundred angry fishermen! We are, in fact, outnumbered."

Thorin turned back to him, smirking. It was then that Talia noticed the raven flying from the mountain.

"Not for much longer."

"What does that mean?"

"Thorin, what did you do?" Talia growled.

The King ignored her. "It means, Master Baggins, that you should never underestimate Dwarves. We have reclaimed Erebor; now, we defend it."

Talia grumbled, turning away from the ramparts and disappearing back into the mountain. The others soon followed, knowing that their Queen still had some of the authority and all of the sense. If Thranduil and Bard were associates in this negotiation, war surely laid ahead.

Before long, the dwarves were readying themselves for battle, for they surmised that the Elf-King's patience would not last any longer than dawn. Talia stood with Balin and Dwalin a little ways off, helping fit the others with armor as Thorin oversaw their progress.

"Master Baggins." He called, walking away from the Company. "Come here."

Talia watched as the hobbit was pulled aside, shaking her head. The look on her face caused Balin and Dwalin to exchange a glance. No one loved Thorin more than she, and though this was tearing all of them apart, their friend was suffering the worst.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Talia?"

"For what? War?" She shrugged, holding up a chest plate half-heartedly to survey it's wear. "It's nothing new."

"No." Balin interjected, clarifying his brother's statement. "For this."

Talia sighed, blinking quickly to stay the tears. She didn't need to ask them to explain their vagueness, for she understood well enough. They were worried about her and Thorin, when really, Talia knew that their relationship was the least of their problems. She had tried everything to get him back in the mountain, a process which the brothers knew had sacrificed their relationship and nearly killed her. Allowing Balin and Dwalin to dwell on it would be false hope, hope that would be cruel to draw out and believe in.

"We have bigger things to worry about." Talia whispered, her voice low and raspy. "There is a war ahead, a war caused by his insolence."

"Dain will defend us."

"Dain is a pig that knows nothing else but how to headbutt his way through life." Talia snapped, scolding Dwalin for his foolishness.

"She is right, brother. He may have claim over the Iron Hills, but he has little else about him." Balin agreed. Then, a slight chuckle escaped his chest, causing both Talia and Dwalin to look over in shock. "Do you remember when Dain visited Erebor with the Iron Hills and challenged Thorin to a duel?"

"Mahal, you and Thorin were only ten. He said he was the best fighter in Middle Earth." Dwalin recounted, causing Talia to snort.

"Until Thorin knocked his face into the ground and broke his nose."

"Well, he wasn't alone. You helped."

"It was an absurd thing to say!" Talia defended herself, albeit with a smile. "That was the first real punch I ever threw; Dain's hair was more red than usual. I'm surprised I didn't get in more trouble that day."

"Aye." Dwalin nodded. "I'd reckon that if you were anyone else, you would've been. Attacking a royal—ridiculous behavior."

"Well, you were always Thror's favorite." Balin recalled, a grin on his rosy cheeks.

Talia sighed, hoping a similar opportunity would present itself again. "It was worth it."

"Thorin would agree." Balin added, gripping Talia's hand discreetly. Her smile slowly faded as Balin's gaze became more serious. "You've always defended him, Talia. Don't tell me that you've stopped now."

She shook her head, much to Balin and Dwalin's relief. "If all goes according to plan, our hobbit may just be our saving grace."

"Bilbo?"

"Yes." Talia pulled Dwalin in closer, looking from him and Balin. "We need to leave this mountain tonight, unseen and unheard. Can you help us?"

They nodded, not having to question their Queen. If she was doing it for Thorin, then her purpose was true.

"Good." She smiled. "I could not be more grateful for such wonderful friends."

...

"You must set aside your petty grievances with the Dwarves. War is coming." Gandalf began, slowing his stressful stride to a steady pace. "The cesspits of Dol Guldur have been emptied. You are all in mortal danger."

"What are you talking about?"

Bard, Thranduil, and the wizard were all within the Elf-King's tent, sharing a crucial discussion about the upcoming threats. When the wizard had rushed into Dale, rousing a frenzied group of Lakemen, the two rulers were immediately notified. He knew that the future was bigger than just them, for the time he had spent in Dol Guldur revealed more to him than even Talia's findings. It was worse than he could have ever imagined; if the east was not prepared, then unimaginable horrors would occur there.

But Thranduil was far from convinced, along with the weary Lakeman. "I can see you know nothing of wizards. They are like winter thunder on a wild wind, rolling in from a distance, breaking hard in alarm. But sometimes, a storm is just a storm."

"Not this time." Gandalf snapped, silencing the Elf-King. He had never enjoyed dealing with Thranduil, for he was far too narrow-minded for his liking. However, when so much was at stake, a little discomfort was necessary. "Armies of Orcs are on the move. These are fighters. They have been bred for war—our enemy has summoned his full strength."

Of course, Thranduil knew of whom he spoke. "Why show his hand now?"

"Because we forced him." The wizard stated simply. "We forced him when the Company of Thorin Oakenshield set out to reclaim their homeland. The Dwarves were never meant to reach Erebor; Azog the Defiler was sent to kill them. His master seeks control of the Mountain, not just for the treasure within, but for where it lies, its strategic position. This is the gateway to reclaiming the lands of Angmar in the North. If that fell Kingdom should rise again... Rivendell, Lórien, the Shire... even Gondor itself will fall."

"These Orc armies you speak of, Mithrandir." Thranduil drawled, asking the question of the hour. "Where are they?"

Meanwhile, Talia and Bilbo shimmied down the ramparts on a thin rope, nodding to Balin and Dwalin once they were down. Talia beckoned her beloved hobbit to follow, running into Dale as fast as she could. They had little time, for if the Arkenstone was not in the city by dawn, they would risk much more than Thorin's wrath. This thought urged them on, pushing them into the city and through it's winding streets.

But Gandalf and his associates were less successful in their own endeavors. All three of them had become frustrated, for they could not reach an agreement on the truth of Gandalf's words, let alone the proper way to handle such an attack.

"Since when has my council counted for so little? What do you think I'm trying to do?!"

Thranduil's sharp blue eyes met Gandalf's. "I think you're trying to save your Dwarvish friends. And I admire your loyalty to them, but it does not dissuade me from my cause. You started this, Mithrandir—you will forgive me if I finish it."

Gandalf groaned as Thranduil barked out the order. "If anything moves on that mountain, kill it. The Dwarves are out of time."

Finally, Gandalf resorted to the only buffer left. "You, bowman! Do you agree with this? Is gold so important to you? Would you buy it with the blood of Dwarves?!"

Bard admired the wizard's sentiment, but he did not expect a real war like Thranduil did; the Company was vastly outnumbered. "It will not come to that. This is a fight they cannot win."

Then, Talia and Bilbo rounded the corner, rushing into the tent and panting. Gandalf smiled at his hobbit while Bard grinned at Talia, who returned the favor and gave a gentle wave. She ignored Thranduil staring daggers into both of them, urging the hobbit forward to speak his piece.

"That won't stop them. You think the Dwarves will surrender? They won't. They will fight to the death to defend their own."

"Bilbo Baggins!" Gandalf's smile was now a chuckle, never being more relieved to see someone in his whole life.

Thranduil felt differently. "If I'm not mistaken, this is the Halfling who stole the keys to my dungeons from under the nose of my guards."

Bilbo could only sniffle, averting his gaze. "Yes. Sorry about that."

"That is hardly the matter, Thranduil." Talia interjected, narrowing her eyes. "We have come to negotiate on behalf of the Dwarves."

"They have already made their decision."

"Well, it wasn't the right one, was it?" She snapped back. Bard and Gandalf exchanged a glance, nearly having half the mind to laugh. "If there is even a chance we can reach peace, then I will not hesitate to take it. Thorin has called upon Dain, his cousin and the Lord of the Iron Hills, to assist in defending the mountain. But, as I am sure Gandalf has told you, their concept of the battle to come is heavily misplaced. If war should occur between Dwarves, Elves, and Men, then we will have no resource to defeat the true enemy."

"And how do you intend to stop this war? With more kind words?"

"No, with proof." Talia asserted. "I saw much during my time in Dol Guldur, and I know that Azog has more planned for the Company. He was breeding his people for over a century in that horrid place. Now, we know why."

"Still, there is more at stake." Bard refuted. "No matter the truth of your words, debts are owed. If my people are not granted what was promised to them, then we cannot back down. I'm sorry, Talia."

She shook her head, smiling softly at Bard. "I understand. Which is why we have not come empty-handed." 

Bilbo revealed the Arkenstone, which seemed to exude the light of the universe. "We came to give you this."

"The Heart of the Mountain. The King's Jewel." Thranduil looked on, admiring the gem.

"And worth a King's ransom." Bard added, looking back to Bilbo. "How is this yours to give?"

"Because—"

But Bilbo refused to allow any excuse she had. Talia had enough blame on her shoulders as it was, and Bilbo did have a reason that would later excuse their actions. "I took it as my fourteenth share of the treasure."

"Why would you do this? You owe us no loyalty."

"I'm not doing it for you." Bilbo began. Talia was shocked; though she had a motive that encompassed all of Middle Earth, she hadn't given any thought to his. What on earth could he be risking his life for?

"I know that Dwarves can be obstinate and pigheaded and difficult. And suspicious and secretive, with the worst manners you can possibly imagine." The hobbit gave it a little more thought. "But they are also brave and kind, and loyal to a fault. I've grown very fond of them, and I would save them if I can. Thorin values this stone above all else. In exchange for it's return, I believe he will give you what you were owed. There will be no need for war."

Everyone in the room looked at Bilbo with a newfound admiration. It truly was the ordinary folk who kept the evil at bay, for they had reasons to fight stronger than any other.

"At least, not war between Elves, Men, and Dwarves." Talia corrected. "We must not forget that there are still darker times ahead; the battle for Middle Earth is far from over."