Aerlinniel POV

"It is here in these halls. I know it." Thorin says.

"We have searched and searched..." Dwalin starts to say.

Thorin shouts, "Not well enough!"

"Thorin, we all would see the stone returned."

"And yet, it is still not FOUND!" Thorin yells angrily.

They have been looking for the Arkenstone but cannot find it. I, of course, know where it is. I know I should tell him, but I would never do that to Bilbo. And, I just think that it would be a bad idea to give it to him. He is not acting like himself at all.

"Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here?" Balin asks him. The Arkenstone is the birthright of our people."

"It is the King's Jewel." Thorin says and then shouts, "AM I NOT THE KING?! Know this - If anyone should find it and withhold it from me, I will be avenged."

I hear Bilbo's heartbeat quicken and I put my hand on his shoulder.

~~~

Bilbo and I are walking, looking for Balin.

"What if he finds out, I do not want Thorin to be mad at me. He is really not himself at all."

"Bilbo, it will be all right." I tell him and I then hear Balin's heartbeat.

"Dragon-sickness - I've seen it before. That look. That terrible need. It is a fierce and jealous love, Bilbo. It sent his grandfather mad." Balin says to Bilbo.

"Balin, if-if Thorin...had the Arkenstone..." Bilbo starts to say and pauses for a moment before continuing, "...if it was found. Would it help?"

Balin tells him, "That stone crowns all. It is the summit of this great wealth, bestowing power upon he who bears it. Will it stay his madness? No, laddie. I fear it would make it worse. Perhaps it is best that it remains lost."

Gandalf POV

"The battle for the Mountain is about to begin." I tell Radagast and turn to leave.

"Wait." He says and I turn back around. He hands me his staff. "Take this. If what you say is true, then you'll need it more than I.

I shake his hand and tell him, "Thank you."

"A word of warning, eh? It can get a bit dicky sometimes. You just have to twiddle with the top. I expect you'll manage." Radagast says as I leave.

Bilbo POV

Currently, I am sitting on a bench. Aerlinniel went to go talk to Mallory and Imryll. I reach into my coat pocket and grab out the acorn.

"What is that?" I turn to see Thorin walking towards me. "In your hand!"

"It-It's nothing." I tell him.

"Show me."

"It..." In start to say and then hold out my hand to show him the acorn. "I picked it up in Beorn's garden."

"You've carried it all this way?" He questions.

"I'm gonna plant it in my garden, in Bag End." I tell him.

Thorin smiles at me, "That's a poor price to take back to the Shire."

"One day it'll grow. And every time I look at it, I'll remember. Remember everything that happened, the good, the bad. And how lucky I am that I made it home."

He smiles at me and I smile back, this is real Thorin. I try to say something, "Thorin, I..."

"Thorin, survivors...from Laketown. They are streaming into Dale. There's hundreds of them." Dwalin interrupts.

Thorin's smile fades into a stern face. "Call everyone to the gate. TO THE GATE! NOW!"

Thorin is having us use pieces of a statue to block the entrance.

"I want this fortress made safe by sunup. This mountain was hard won. I will not see it taken again."

"The people of Laketown have nothing. They came to us in need. They have lost everything." Kili says to him .

"Do not tell me what they have lost. I know well enough their hardship. Those who have lived through dragonfire should rejoice. They have much to be grateful for. More stone! BRING MORE STONE TO THE GATE!" Thorin commands.

We have been working all night, the stone wall is finally built. Aerlinniel, Mallory and Imryll have joined us.

"Come on." Thorin says and we all follow him.

We climb to the top of the stone wall. There is an army of Elves. And Bard is riding on a horse towards us.

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

"Why do you come to the gates of the King under the Mountain armed for war?" Thorin questions him.

"Why does the King under the Mountain fence himself in, like a robber in his hold?" Bard questions back.

"Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed."

"My Lord, we have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?"

Thorin motions for him to come over and Bard gets off his horse and walks towards us. I watch as a raven fly's away.

We follow Thorin down and wait while he talks with Bard.

"I'm listening." Thorin says.

"On behalf of the people of Laketown, 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." Thorin tells him.

"What of your conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is just?! My people offered you help. And in return you brought upon them only ruin and death!" Bard says, starting to get angry.

"When did the men of Laketown come to our aid, but for the promise of rich reward?!" Thorin says, also getting angry.

"A bargain was struck!"

To which Thorin says, "A bargain? 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 Dragonslayer...Why should I honor such terms?"

"Because you gave us your word. Does that mean nothing?" Bard asks and Thorin turns away from the hole, so Bard cannot see him. Thorin then looks over at us.

"Be gone, ere our arrows fly!" He shouts to Bard who slaps the rock angrily, then mounts his horse and rides back to Dale.

"What are you doing?! You cannot go to war." I question him.

"This does not concern you." Thorin tells me.

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

Thorin turns to me, smiling. "Not for much longer."

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"It means Master Baggins, you should never underestimate Dwarves. We have reclaimed Erebor. Now we defend it!"

~~~~~~

Oh my Gondor! I cannot believe I am on the sixth book in my series! I have soooo many plans for this book, I am so excited and I hope that you all are too! :) Also, today is my 2nd year anniversary of me being on Wattpad! I cannot believe it has been two years! I want to thank you all so much for all of your encouragement and for sticking with me. :)

Love you my elves from the realm of llamas,

~Ellethwen <3