Now I see fire, inside the mountain.

had tried all the old remedies twice over, Oín had done all he could, there was nothing left to do but wait for a miracle. After the fourth hour of her healing, the fairy stole away to the small porch outside Bard's home and sat on the top stair, her face buried in her hands. When the door cracked open she did not even bother to look back, she only looked up when Fili sat next to her and laid his arm around her shoulders. "Arethusa, what's wrong?"

The fairy sighed, she could not cry in front of these dwarves when they knew her to be a bearer of strength, yet everything was unraveling and there was nothing she could do but tug on the strings and try to mend the tatters. "All my life I've known exactly what to do, Fili, I had a treatment for every ailment and more, but I don't know how to help your brother. I've tried all that I know how to do. I'm sorry." She felt as if she was failing them, the company, and Thorin.

"I know one or two things you could do." Fili mused.

"And what is that?" She managed a weak smile, as did the blond dwarf.

"Sing, I've heard you have quite the voice. Or tell him more about your home. Just something to distract him." Arethusa nodded and stood, as did Fili. For only a moment she embraced the young dwarf with such a warmth and kindness that it felt as if his own mother was there. The fever was taking hold of him, his skin was so ashen pale that he looked to be dead already. Bofur and Oín stepped away when Arethusa came back and took a seat at the edge of the small bed. She smoothed a cool cloth over Kili's forehead and at the contact his eyes opened despite their weariness.

"A king he was on carven throne

In many-pillared halls of stone

With golden roof and silver floor,

And runes of power upon the door.

The light of sun and star and moon

In shining lamps of crystal hewn

Undimmed by cloud or shade of night

There shone forever fair and bright fair and bright."

She had to pause to swallow the growing lump in her throat and to remember the words of the song her mother used to sing to her long ago about the dwarves.

"The world is grey, the mountains old,

The forge's fire is ashen-cold;

No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:

The darkness dwells in Durin's halls;

The shadow lies upon his tomb

In Moria, in Khazad-dûm.

But still the sunken stars appear

In dark and windless Mirrormere;

There lies his crown in water deep,

Till Durin wakes again from sleep."

For now, he slept again, his breathing was steady despite the effects the fever had on his heart. Arethusa had sent Bofur off to find more kingsfoil, she would not give up in her attempts. She would give her life before seeing harm come to the Sons of Durin. The reverberations of something truly massive echoed through the air, churning the water and causing dust to fall from the ceiling, the house seemed to creak more so now. It had woken Kili and he laid writhing and moaning. Now it was a matter of time before the town would be in flames, she knew the sound of a dragon waking. Arethusa looked to Sigrid and Tilda, "Bard, you should leave us. Take them and leave."

The bargeman looked down at the fairy, "And go where? There is nowhere to go." Had she faith in Thranduil she would have told him to venture upriver, yet it was true, there was nowhere to go, there was nowhere for any of these people to go. Arethusa turned to Tilda, the girl's face was the picturesque definition of fear. "Are we going to die, Da?"

Bard shook his head, "No, darling," but even he did not sound convinced of his own words

"The dragon, it's going to kill us." The bargeman reached into the ceiling and pulled down a black arrow that had been concealed by drying plants and towels. Arethusa looked at him in shock, it had been years since she had seen such a weapon, and the dwarves looked on in the same type of disbelief. "Not if I kill it first."

⌘⌘⌘

Sigrid's alarmed scream was the only warning before orcs began to storm the small house. Arethusa quickly gripped her small throwing knife, having nothing else. Without hesitation she threw herself at the foul creature, using the table bench to leap up and drive the small blade into the orc's neck. Yet while one was dead more flooded into the room, even dropping through the ceiling. The fairy ushered Bard's children under the table and upturned benches, standing guard. Magic was pooling in her gut, rising through her veins, when two orcs charged forward all she had to do was lift her hand and the light that poured from her palm turned them to dust. Fili looked on his shock that was directed from her to the elves that had joined the fight.

Arethusa paused for a moment, looking at the flash of golden hair that jumped in front of her before the orc could take advantage of her distracted state. Kili's agonizing screams drew her attention to the dwarf again as he had fallen to the floor. Rushing to his side, the fairy stood poised to fight with her hands raised, the numbers were dwindling and the final one to pull his blade out and approach her met a death that was quicker than a blink. "You killed them all," Bain muttered, his eyes wide as looked at the corpses. Both the fairy and the auburn-haired elf knelt and began tending to Kili.

"We're losing him, Tauriel." The look in her eyes was indistinguishable, Arethusa continued to push a palliative energy onto the dwarf. He was doing himself no favors by writhing and thrashing. Legolas had called her to leave and with a hesitance she stood and left, the fairy felt her heart fall into the pit of her stomach, the binding magic was burning her wrist to the point where it was all she could do not to cry out herself. Fili looked down worriedly as she tried to cover the black design on her wrist.

She poured all the energy she could give to help ease Kili's suffering. Hope had not forsaken them, though, Tauriel returned, breaking kingsfoil leaves away from the stem and the three dwarves lifted Kili onto the table. Arethusa looked up at Tauriel as she pressed the herb onto Kili's festering wound and began chanting. "Menno o nin na hon i eliad annen annin, hon leitho o ngurth." The fairy's magic was not enough to calm the sick dwarf, it took everyone within the house to restrain Kili in his fevered daze, but soon he calmed and Arethusa knew that he would live through this.

Though she had used kingsfoil on the dwarf it took elven blood to truly unlock the healing potential of the herb, without Tauriel, Kili would have surely been left to the Shadow World. The elf maiden bound Kili's leg with a clean cloth, Arethusa sat in the corner, exhausted from the numerous energy transfers and the toll using magic had taken on her. Fili came and sat next to her, taking note of the slender cut on her cheek and the orc blood that stained her hair, in some kind of beautiful way, she looked feral.

The fairy looked out of the broken door, into the night. Nobody could understand what was going to happen. She strode from the wooden home to the steps and turned her eyes to the mountain. A deep golden glow was coming from Erebor. Arethusa stood to watch, her hands clutching the splintering hand rails. It took several moments for her eyes to focus on the large black shape that was in the sky. "We have to go. Now!" The watchtower bells had begun ringing, people were flooding from their homes in a panic. Small boats filled the canals.

She had gone down to the boat, readying it for their journey away from the town. Sigrid and Tilda were the first to step down, then came Bain, Tauriel, and the dwarves. Arethusa reached for one of the poles to push themselves through the water but Fili took it out of her hands with a grim glance. Violet eyes turned upward as the dragon's shadowed form flew overhead, its great belly swelling with yellow and reds. The next time Smaug passed them over the city was on fire with flames so hot that even the cool night hair and humidity from the lake could not quell the heat. Her heart thudded rapidly as the roar of the beast reverberated through the air and the beating of his wings was like a hurricane.

There was silence for a long minute, the dark silhouette had disappeared from her vision, Tauriel looked up as well but Arethusa could feel the hair on her neck stand on end and with wide eyes, she spread her arms as fire burst through a house and into the canal. With the tips of her fingers, she had created an impenetrable wall before the boat. Flames licked around it to the sides and above. The children looked up from where they had huddled together at the fairy in awe. When the flames stopped she lowered her arms and slumped against Kili. "What are you?" Bain's eyes were wide, Sigrid and Tilda almost looked afraid of her.

"A fairy." Bofur and Fili still propelled them through the water, Arethusa was left to soothe the occupants as Tauriel held the boat under an overhang while the dragon passed over again. The collision with another boat was so sudden that the fairy could not brace herself, she toppled into the icy water, struggling to kick herself back up to the surface with the weight of her furs dragging her further under. Gold coin and treasures sank into the lake along with her. There was a hand extended down and with burning lungs, she tried to reach. Her vision grew spotted, the water cut at her like a thousand knives, she kicked once, twice and barely touched the outreached fingers but that was all it took for Fili to grip onto her collar and haul her from the frozen lake. She spluttered and coughed before the cold set in, gnawing at her bones.

Her murmured spells and chants were not enough to rid her body of the cold, it burned, she almost thought the flames would not burn as much as the cold did. The bell still tolled with its solemn song as the town burned. The bell tower was not unoccupied, from the distance she could not tell who the brave soul was that was standing up to the dragon with nothing more than a bow and arrow but the children recognized the lone figure. "Da!" She could only watch as Smaug circled the town, the shouts of those in water and boats alike all came to sound the same. Her senses came to when Bain jumped onto a passing hook and swung away from the boat. "Come back! Bain, come back!" They reached out to the boy but missed, Tauriel would not allow them to backtrack now. Tilda cried out and had Arethusa not have been half drowned she would have brought the girl into her arms.

They had entered open waters when the dragon fell onto the remnants of the burning town and by morning fall their small boat had come to the shores of the Long Lake along with others. Arethusa's wet clothing had stiffened with ice yet her instinct to help immediately started up. She searched the people, some denied her help for those that were worst off, for some all she could do was ease their passing. Bodies had begun to wash ashore with planks of wood that still burned. What was left to be salvaged was brought together in heaping piles, spare clothing and blankets were laid out to dry. The healers of the town looked to Arethusa and she bid them a list of items that could be found in the nearby forest to help. She walked through the crying and screaming of the refugees, never in all her long years had she seen such a sight, it was one she never wished to see again.

She came across Bard and Bain in the crowd, knowing that somewhere in the crowd Tauriel was helping Tilda and Sigrid search for the two. "Bard!" Arethusa rushed up to the man and boy, a look of relief washing over her face as Bofur and Fili prepared a boat for the journey to the mountain.

"My girls?" He questioned, looking back over the crowd. The fairy nodded with a faint smile, "Are safe."

Bard knelt to be eye level with the small woman, his hand rested on her shoulder. "Arethusa, you have done all you can do for us. Go with them, I know that is where your heart desires to be. I can look after my own people."

In the traditional farewell of fairy she reached out and touched the bargeman's cheek lightly, her head lowered. "You will not be forgotten, Bard." With those parting words, he stood and disappeared into the crowd. A warmth enveloped her small frame, she looked back to see Fili, he had draped a thick blue scarf around her shoulders.

"Uncle Thorin would not be pleased to find you sick." She wanted to smile but all that came was tears, she was afraid of what they would find in the mountain. How could they have possibly survived the wrath of Smaug? Arethusa turned and threw her arms around Fili's neck. She wondered if he was frightened, or if he was just excellent at concealing. "They're all okay, Arethusa. You hear me? We'll enter the mountain and they'll be waiting for us." She wanted to believe him.

Arethusa sat in the boat, with all the dwarves except for Kili, he had gone back to Tauriel. Her eyes were set on the mountain and the ruined city that lay before it. When Kili joined them they began the venture across the Long Lake to the opposite shores. An ominous silence loomed over the small group as they passed the smoking remains of Laketown, in the midst of the carnage was the corpse of Smaug, splayed out and black as tar. They came upon the shore, naught even a mile down was the second boat.

The trek up the mountain was long and tiring, by the time they had all reached the flat plain before the front gates the sun had already passed midday. The fairy looked on in shock as she saw the destruction of the front gate that had undoubtedly been caused by Smaug. From the sight alone it seemed all her fears had been confirmed. She looked to both Kili and Fili before they sprinted towards the entrance. The halls of Erebor were shrouded in darkness, it was a desolate sight. Dust clung to every surface, what came to be the most shocking thing about the great kingdom was how cold it was within. There was no light or warmth. Bofur called out for his brother and cousin, for anyone.

The fairy followed where the dwarves went, down staircases, further into the mountain. "Wait! Wait!" A familiar voice echoed off the stone walls, Bilbo ran up to meet them. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" Arethusa's brows furrowed at the hobbit. "You need to leave. We all need to leave." He caught her downcast eyes and gave a sympathetic look. "I have tried talking to him, but he won't listen."

Oín tilted his hearing trumpet towards the hobbit, "What do you mean, laddie?"

Bilbo shuffled on his feet, "Thorin. Thorin. Thorin. He's been down there. He doesn't sleep. He barely eats. He's not been himself - not at all. It's this - It's this place. I think a sickness lies on it." Both she and Fili looked past the hobbit to the stairs that the hobbit had rushed up. Arethusa felt her heart clench, afraid to know exactly what had become of Thorin, she had asked the prayed to the Valar that he be spared from the Dragon-sickness.

When Fili walked past the group it did not take long for Arethusa to follow, they were guided by the golden light that illuminated the corridors. "Fili! Fili! Arthie!" Bilbo was chasing after the two. Arethusa stopped at the sight of the treasure, heaped so high that the floor was covered, the vast room was piled high with gold coin, jewels, and trinkets. That was when she saw Thorin, walking around aimlessly over the mountains of treasure, an ostentatious robe sat on his shoulders, the clothing he had worn at his departure was gone, and more rings adorned his fingers, her heart clenched at the sight.

Thorin looked up at them, he looked anything but himself. "Behold - the great treasure hoard of Thror." Hoard indeed. Arethusa wanted to leave, to be as far away from the accursed mountain as possible, she wanted to drag Thorin from the halls have him see reason. A stone was flung up to where the stood, Fili caught it in his hands to reveal the blood red gem, a ruby. "Welcome, my sister's sons, to the kingdom of Erebor." She could not look away from what was happening before her. The others had left to rejoin the company, leaving Arethusa to look down at Thorin.

After several long minutes she descended the stairs and walked over the golden piles, Thorin came to stand before her, he seemed taller, or perhaps she felt smaller. No matter how deep her despair was she could not stop the small smile that tugged at her lips. In this room, her violet eyes had flecks of gold, Thorin had never loved them more than he did in that moment. She had nothing to say, yet when words began to form she was taken aback when hands seized her waist and lips brushed over hers. Her arms wound around his neck, her feet didn't even touch the floor. In a dazed trance she watched as he pulled her mother's necklace out from his tunic, but before he could remove it completely she placed her hand over his. "Keep it, Thorin."

From a pocket sewn within his fur-trimmed cloak, he pulled out a long silver chain, the key to the secret door hung on it. "Then I wish for you to have this." The chain was warm when it came to rest on her neck, Thorin took Arethusa's hands into his own but frowned at how cold her skin was. "You are frozen."

The fairy pursed her lips, the sensation of the water came rushing back, the fear she had felt upon sinking further from the surface, the light of the burning homes fading further away. "I fell into the lake. The water's chill has not left me since." The dwarf pulled her into his side, the thick cloak falling around her shoulders. For the moment. he seemed to be the Thorin she had come to know.

He seemed to notice the scabbed cut on her cheek next though in truth it was nothing to concern anyone with. "And what is this?" Her chin was within his grasp as he tilted her head up to see the cut clearly. She opened her mouth to respond to the question, to make mention of the orcs and the elves that had saved them but her reply was broken by his gruff voice. "Come." She was glad to be gone from the surroundings of gold, the halls turned dark, the light of the setting sun reached through crevices and flooded passing rooms with light. Still, they traveled deeper into the old kingdom. The doors grew scarce on each passing hall until there was naught but one of two.

A door with intricate carvings stood before the both of them, tall and regal. Thorin opened the doors and ushered the fairy in. Sunlight flooded through a crystal skylight and illuminated the dusty room, at its center was a bed, the sheets had begun to be tattered by age. A desk in the corner had scrolls of paper and a quill sitting next to a half-empty inkpot. Clothes hung out from an open wardrobe, and next to it laid a broken harp. Tapestries had faded and the great stone fireplace was cold. Arethusa slipped away from Thorin and looked around, curiosity taking the better of her. There was a small bowl filled with rings and beds next to comb that had strands of raven black hair stuck between the teeth. "It's lovely."