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The icy water was lapping at the posts holding the wooden boardwalk up, as the Company crept along towards the armory.

She felt bad betraying Bard, but the dwarves couldn't accept the weapons, and she was not about to let them go alone. If they were going to recklessly burglar a town's weaponry, then someone responsible had better be involved. The Valar knows it wouldn't be any of the males.

So when Thorin had stalked to the door, and moved the protesting Bain to the side, and left, Alenia had just offered an apologetic look to the boy, and had followed the Company out the door.

"Shh! Keep it down." Dwalin hissed, as the clumping of their feet grew louder.

The group quieted, as a watchman strolled past their hiding place, before Thorin pointed to Nori and said, "As soon as we have the weapons, we make straight for the mountain. Go, go, go!"

The dwarf ran to the hidden pyramid of dwarves, bounding up their backs, before he reached an overhead window and rolled in.

"Next." Thorin said, and Bilbo went.

Alenia followed soon after, leg screaming in protest as she barreled up the dwarf ladder, before she rolled in the window and landed. She hissed on impact, and Kili shot her a concerned look. She attempted a smile, which was more of a grimace, before she stood.

The half-elf moved to the walls lined with weapons, sheathing a sword at her hip, daggers in her boots and a bow over her shoulder, along with a quiver.

"You all right?" Thorin asked, as she struggled to lift a cluster of weapons in her arms, her wound aching.

Alenia nodded. "I can manage. Let's just get out of here."

The Ranger moved to the stairs, but as her foot hit the first step down, her leg gave out, and she fell with a cry, the weapons clattering to the ground below.

Men cried out from outside, and rapid footsteps approached.

Kili leaped down, and hauled Alenia to her feet, just as the soldiers burst through the doors. The dwarf shoved the half-elf behind him, as the men held swords up to them.

The soldiers wrestled the weapons off of the two, before the lovers were shoved out the door to rejoin the rest of the Company.

"Fuck." Alenia said, as she felt her warm blood soak through the bandage she had wrapped around her leg, causing her to stumble.

"Whoa. Steady." Kili said, draping her arm around his shoulder to help her walk, his arm around her waist. "Why the hell did you not tell me how bad your wound was?"

"Because I didn't want you to worry. And I knew we couldn't stop, but I knew that you guys would if you knew. That was too many knews in one sentence."

"Yes it was." Kili agreed, before he continued in a more serious tone. "I wish you would have told us."

"And that you weren't so self-sacrificing." Fili added, as he took the half-elf's other side to help support her.

"It's in my blood." Alenia joked, which turned into a hiss, as they were bumped by the other dwarves, as the Company was herded into a courtyard in front of the largest house around.

"What is the meaning of this?" A fat, balding man asked, as he stormed out the front door to meet them.

"We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire." The captain of the guard said.

"Ah. Enemies of the state, then." The man said, who Alenia now realized was the Master of the Town.

"This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire." Alenia could recognize that voice anywhere.

Ew. Alenia thought. Alfrid is even worse than I imagined. At least I got the pig nose right.

"Hold your tongue." Dwalin snarled. "You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!"

The dwarf gestured behind him, and Thorin stepped out to declare, "We are the dwarves of Erebor."

The crowd shifted, as people murmured and moved to get a better look at the Company.

"We have come to reclaim our homeland." Thorin said. "I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the center of all trade in the North."

People started to nod in agreement.

"I would see those days return." Thorin said, his voice raised in earnestness. "I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!"

The crowd cheered and clapped, as the Master looked on, silently calculating.

"Death!" Bard yelled out, as he stepped from the crowd, eyes blazing. "That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all."

The people began to whisper again, worriedly.

"You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" Thorin said, causing the whispers of fear to turn into shouts of happiness at the prospect of a thriving town.

"All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!" Bard yelled, causing the crowd to fall silent immediately.

"Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!" He yelled, and a few people yell back, "No!"

"And for what purpose?" Bard asked. "The blind ambition of a mountain-king so riven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!"

The Master stepped forward, as Bard and Thorin stared at each other, and the townspeople once again began to mutter, to say, "Now, now, we must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!"

Alenia's head whipped around to look at Bard in astonishment. No wonder Bain was so passionate about Girion loosening the scale of the dragon.

"It's true, sire. We all know the story: arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark." Alfrid agreed, as the crowd murmurings grew louder.

"You have no right, no right to enter that mountain!" Bard said to Thorin, as the people began to yell at the bargeman in misguided anger.

"I have the only right." Thorin replied darkly, glaring at the man.

The Heir of Erebor turned to the Master to say, "I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?"

The courtyard was silent, as everyone waited for his answer.

"What say you?" Thorin asked.

"I say unto you...welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!" The Master cried, smiling happily.

Causing Bard to stare in horror at everyone's smiling faces, before he turned and raced for home, only Alenia watching him go.

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a/n:

here's the second part of the double update :))

it's still kinda short but it's all i had time for today, sorry about that

hope everyone's having a good break from school, whether it's just starting or is halfway done, or finished. fuck, idk how other schools do breaks haha

anyone, love y'all and thanks so much for all the support on these... it really means the world <33

- ash xx