Stone was still being stacked higher and higher, and looking up at it, Agarwaen realized she didn't know how she was going to get in.

"Hello?" She called. "Thorin? Fili?"

"You're back!" Kili's voice came from a little diamond shaped hole in the wall. She looked through it to see him giving her a forced smile. He obviously wasn't happy about this wall.

"How do I get back in? Just scale it?"

"We will toss over a rope for you." Thorin walked past the hole behind Kili. She waited there for a few moments before finally a rope was tossed over the rampart. She used it to climb back up, and just watched sadly as the dwarves continued to build.

"How are they?" Fili asked her quietly as she climbed down a ladder to reach the floor below.

"Their severely injured numbers just over a hundred. What I brought barely did anything." She replied.

"Kili and I have tried convincing him to help, but it's not working."

"I fear nothing will work."

The sky was just beginning to lighten in the east when the wall was finished.

"Agarwaen," Thorin called. "I want you to stay on the ramparts and watch the city, as you can see better than any of us. Report to Dwalin or myself should anyone travel toward the mountain." Now it was not just his eyes that held the signs of dragon sickness. His voice dripped with it, and he sounded almost drunk in his gold lust. She was afraid to even go near him now. Breaking through to him again would be near impossible.

"Yes, my king." She replied, hoping her curt response would make him go away. It did, and she simply left to sit atop the ramparts. No one bothered her, no one said anything to her. Everyone was concerned for Thorin, and an air of uneasiness floated among them.

It was late morning when Agarwaen shot up, unbelieving of what she saw.

"Thorin! Dwalin!" She yelled as she bolted down the steps they'd built. She made toward the treasure horde, where she had a feeling Thorin would be. Upon arriving, dwarves were rummaging through the piles as Thorin walked through it, back in his haze.

"Thorin, elves from Mirkwood. They're arriving in Dale." Thorin turned sharply to stare at her with a cold look. "They're arriving with an army."

"Everyone, to the gate!" His voice boomed and echoed off the stone cavern as she ran back to her post, soon followed by the rest of the company.

"How many of them are there?" Dwalin asked. Agarwaen squinted as she looked upon the ranks she could still see that hadn't entered the city yet.

"A couple hundred." She replied.

"Then we must prepare for war. We must defend the mountain." Thorin said angrily. "They will not be able to penetrate the wall and fight us off at the same time, and not to mention,." He turned to Dwalin, "We have allies to the east. Ready your weapons." The company nodded solemnly and dispersed. "Keep an eye on them." Thorin said to Agarwaen before leaving, himself. She returned to her spot, and eventually the group trickled back to the front of the mountain with new dwarven weapons and whetstones. Nori handed her one, and she started sharpening her sword from Laketown. Movement on the ground near Dale caught her eye, and she looked up to see what was happening.

"Bard rides for the mountain. He is alone." She called down.

"Come on." Thorin ordered everyone else, and they all filed up to the ramparts.

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

"Why do you come to the gates of the king under the mountain armed for war?" Thorin replied.

"Why does the king under the mountain fence himself in, like a robber in his hold?"

"Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed!" Agarwaen rolled her eyes. Thorin was so blinded by greed that he could not see beyond his own nose. These people seek only what they are owed.

"My lord, we have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement."

"We have spared enough of our goods last night." Thorin responded. "And yet you come seeking more?"

"A few blankets is hardly enough to rebuild a city." Bard looked to where Agarwaen stood beside the princes. "Will you not speak with me?" Thorin nodded to him, motioning for the man to come to the gate. He was taking him to that blasted hole. Agarwaen clenched her teeth in frustration. Just give the man a few handfuls, it would not be missed among the sea of gold.

As Thorin started off down the stairs, he stopped and looked to Dwalin, handing him a small scroll.

"Send word to Dain." At Agarwaen's look of confusion, he explained to her. "My cousin, Lord of the Iron Hills." Dwalin attached the note to a raven that was previously perched on the rampart, and told the bird to fly to the Iron Hills. This was just one giant mess, and Agarwaen feared the worst would come of it. Going to war over the mountain was foolish when all could be settled by returning that which belongs to the people and, as much as they hated the idea, the elves.

Everyone eventually followed Thorin down the stairs, and stood listening to the ongoing conversation.

"And what of your conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is just?" They heard Bard's voice echo through the small tunnel. "My people offered you help, and in return you brought upon them only ruin and death."

"When did the men of Laketown come to our aid but for the promise of rich reward?" Thorin sneered back.

"A bargain was struck!"

"A bargain? What choice do 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?" Thorin moved away from the hole and looked back to where the company stood, looking at him expectantly. Agarwaen gave him a pleading look.

"Be gone!" Thorin yelled suddenly. "Ere our arrows fly!" Agarwaen sighed along with many others. This was all so incredibly petty. Beyond petty even. Disputes like this is what started the hatred between elves and dwarves, and it made her upset that even after all this time Thorin spent with her, that he could not see that. He was willing to waste dwarven lives for the sake of a few coins and white gems. She was beginning to want no part in defending the mountain, but if she didn't help them...they would die. She couldn't let her friends perish like this.

Thoughts of her previous plan to run away with the Arkenstone shifted to running instead with sacks of gold and the white gems of Lasgalen for the men and elves. She'd never be able to show her face before the mountain again, but at least they'd be alive.

The company returned to the top of the ramparts, and watched Bard ride away.

"What are you doing?" Bilbo asked. "You cannot go to war."

"This does not concern you." Thorin replied without even looking to the hobbit.

"Excuse me, but just in case you haven't noticed, there is an army of elves out there." Thorin finally turned to face Bilbo. "Not to mention several hundred angry fishermen. We are in fact, outnumbered."

"Not for much longer."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, master Baggins, you should never underestimate dwarves. We have reclaimed Erebor. Now, we defend it." Thorin then took his leave, descending down the stairs.

"We have to do something. Balin, surely you cannot see reason behind this?"

"What can we do? He is our king."

"King or not, this will end in great bloodshed! I...I cannot stand to see any of you harmed!"

"He is beyond reasoning with. To go against him will invoke wrath." He looked at her with saddened eyes. "That is how Thror was."

"So you will stand by folly's side to stay in his good graces?"

"Enough, Agarwaen." He warned, then sighed. "I will not hold anything against you should you decide to leave." She shook her head.

"I am standing by folly's side for the sake of your lives, for you are my friends and I will do what I can to preserve your lives. My loyalty lies with the dwarves of Erebor." She swallowed hard, and Balin gave her a sad smile.

"You are too loyal for your own good, lass. Don't let it be your downfall."