This chapter will be focussing on Thorin, Bilbo and the other members of the company, next week's chapter will be focusing on Kili, Cassy, Fili etc.

I hope you like it! Please comment, vote and follow! Thank you!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Caspian's POV*

The sky was already darkening when what was left of our company reached the shore on the other side of the Long Lake. I looked up suddenly as Thorin jumped out of the boat, I followed quickly and immediately helped the others pull it further up the shore and onto the land. My gaze drifted upwards and I could just see the faint outline of Esgaroth in the distance.

All I could think about was my sister and the others we left behind. I knew that Cassy wanted to stay behind with Kili and I knew that she didn't want to let the company go on without someone to watch out for them, that's why I was here and not back in Laketown with her. I understood Thorin's reasons for leaving Kili in Laketown, it was obviously the better idea for Kili to rest in his injured state, even though it felt like we would've reached the mountain in time even if he had stayed with us. Especially considering we still had the whole of tomorrow to reach the hidden door. Of course, our first task was to find it.

"We will go on until we reach the outskirts of the mountain." Thorin announced effectively snapping me from my thoughts. "Then we make camp and move on with the first light in the morning."

I sighed silently to myself at Thorin's grim voice. Thorin was determined not to lose any time and so we moved along as he led us from the front.

It didn't take too long until we had journeyed far enough for Thorin to allow us to make camp and get some rest. We sheltered near a large rock that resembled something like a cave opening, it offered enough place for us to sit and it helped shield us from the cold wind. Gloin quickly made a campfire and we all sat as close to it as possible.

None of the others talked much and many of them went to sleep early and eventually only Balin, Bilbo, Thorin and I were still sitting by the fire together.

"Do you think they are all right?" Bilbo asked breaking the silence.

"I'm sure they are, lad." Balin replied.

"Cassy's with them, they'll be fine." I assured the hobbit with a smile.

"When do you think we will reach the mountain?" Bilbo asked quietly after a while. Thorin ignored him and continued to stare into the dying flames.

"If we continue at this speed, I think we shall reach Dale near noon tomorrow and then it is merely a few hours to the doors of Erebor." Balin said.

"We should get some sleep." I said as I moved over to my bedroll.

I heard the other's move to their various places where they were going to sleep and before long everything was quiet with the exception of the crackling fire and Bombur's loud snores.

............................................................................................................................................................

I awoke early the next morning and Thorin didn't give us hardly any time for breakfast before he forced us to move on with the first light of the day.

We walked up a rocky cliff for several hours and as we arrived at the top, a little out of breath, and I looked over the edge, seeing the ruins of a city in the valley below.

Bell towers that once must have been high lay broken in the debris of the town, houses and streets reduced to rubble and ash from the dragon's attack all those decades ago. I felt my heart sink slightly at the sight, a glum feeling filling my stomach as I glanced over the remnants of the city.

"There lies all that is left of Dale." Balin spoke as he came to stand beside the Bilbo, looking down over the ruined town as well with a sad look on his old face. "The mountain's sides were once green with woods and all the sheltered valley rich and pleasant in the days when the bells rang in that town." The old dwarf paused for a moment, an almost distant look coming to play on his face as he sighed quietly. "That was until the desolation of Smaug."

"The sun has almost reached its peak." Thorin spoke up from where he had been standing. "We move on. It is only a few hours now until we reach the mountain." He said as he turned away from the city.

I followed directly after Dwalin with Balin behind me. It was about six hours after we had come across Dale that we reached Erebor. Thorin slowly came to a halt and the rest of us gathered behind him as he looked upon the front gate of Erebor that lay before us at a safe distance. I had heard tales of the dwarven kingdom in my life, mainly from my father, but those stories did not compare to seeing the mighty mountain with my own eyes. It reached up high into the sky, adorned by two tremendous statues carved into the mountain walls on both sides of the gate that lay broken from the dragon's entrance so many years back and yet I could still see how it must have once looked.

Upon Thorin's order we quickly split into groups to make the search for the hidden door more efficient as we set out to find it.

We searched and searched until we heard Bilbo yell. "Over here!"

We looked at him questioningly as he first waved at all of us to come closer before he then pointed excitedly to what he'd found. We followed his finger, surprised smiles coming to play on everyone's faces as we spotted the stone carven stairs ourselves.

"You have keen eyes, Master Baggins." Thorin praised with a genuine smile.

We quickly gathered the rest of the company and made to climb the stairs. It took us a long time to reach the top and the sun was slowly starting to sink already as we climbed upwards. Once we reached the top we saw a very narrow path which we moved along in a single file, always holding on tightly to the stone wall to our right in order not to fall down into the valley.

Once the path eventually ended, we found ourselves standing on a small clearing right before another stone wall that was blocking our way. A little grass was still growing on this clearing, and a few small snails adorned the walls. Thorin began inspecting the flat wall with a small thoughtful frown on his face.

"This must be it." He muttered to himself as his he shortly pressed his palm flat to the stone, his gaze wandering to the lower part of it, close to the ground. Thorin frowned slightly when he saw that the wall's edge was smooth and upright where it met the floor but without a joint or crevice to be seen. We saw no sign of bar or bolt or keyhole, and yet we all had no doubt that this was the secret door. Hope and anticipation filled all our hearts as we all looked at the sky where the sun was setting slowly on the horizon.

Thorin looked at the door expectantly, the key he had been wearing around his neck for the past months now securely held in his hand. The last sunlight of autumn passed over the stonewall and we all held our breaths as the sun set slowly behind a distant mountain chain on the horizon and finally its last light lingered on the grey stone before us.

Still nothing happened. "Break it down! Hurry!" Thorin ordered suddenly.

Most of the company grabbed their various weapons and began smashing them against the stone wall but still nothing seemed to be working.

"It's no use." Muttered Balin.

"No." Mumbled Thorin as he grabbed the map and began re-reading it as he muttered under his breath. "Balin... What did we miss?"

"We've lost the light." Balin replied sadly looking as faint glow from where the sun was. "There is no more to be done... Let's go lads."

Balin turned and began slowly walking away when I realised something... "The moon." I muttered to myself but both Thorin and Bilbo looked at me questioningly. "The sun is not the last light of Durin's Day, it's the moon. The last moon of autumn!" I said loud enough for everyone to hear.

A hopeful look adorned Thorin's features as he looked up at the clouds that were covering the moon. We watched as the moon emerged from behind the clouds.

Thorin gripped the key so tightly that it looked painful. Suddenly a large thrush came flying past us, making us all flinch slightly. The bird picked up a snail from the wall in its beak and then began knocking it against the stone, the sound disrupting the quiet in the clearing. We watched with wide eyes as the thrush knocked and slowly patterns began to appear on the wall, old dwarven runes forming on the stone before finally, the light of the moon shone upon a small crack, illuminating it for us all to see.

"The key! Quickly!" Bilbo called out urgently from beside me, moving towards Thorin and effectively ripping Thorin out of his momentary dumbstruck state. Thorin hurried forward, the key still held tightly in his hand as he pushed it into the crack, started to turn it and heard a significant deep click within the stone wall.

The large thrush fluttered away at the same that the click sounded.

Thorin pushed his weight against the stone wall and I watched in awe as the stone gave in beneath the dwarf-king's touch, swinging open inwardly.

"Erebor." Thorin breathed quietly, his voice filled with the longing and memories of decades. Balin stepped up behind him, his voice trembling when he spoke.

Thorin finally took the first step inside the mountain.

"I know these walls." He muttered quietly, voice thick with emotion as the rest of us followed him inside. "These walls. This stone... You remember it, Balin. Chambers filled with golden light."

"I remember." Balin replied with a melancholy smile as Thorin turned to him, looking at the old dwarf with joy in his eyes.

Gloin read the meaning of a few dwarven runes that were carved into the stone above the door out loud. "Herein lies the seventh kingdom of Durin's folk. May the heart of the mountain unite all dwarves in defence of this home."

"The throne of the king." Balin said from beside me as he looked up at the runes under which the carved image of a mighty throne could be seen.

"And what's that? Above it?" Bilbo asked pointing to the runes.

"The Arkenstone." The old dwarf replied after a few moments. Bilbo nodded shortly before he frowned once more.

"And... what's the Arkenstone?" He asked.

"That, Master Burglar," Thorin murmured from where he was standing a bit further ahead, staring down the dark corridor that undoubtedly led further into the mountain, "Is why you are here."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you liked it! Next Wednesday's chapter will go back to the events in Laketown!! :)