"Where's Agarwaen?" Fili asked as the dwarves gathered in front of the gate before the sun had risen.

"She...she left." Dwalin told him.

"What? Why? She would never just leave us!" Kili wasn't sure what to think. Dwalin looked around for any sign of Thorin before lowering his voice. "Thorin banished her." He whispered to the company, earning confused mumbles and questions. "She tried to stand up to him, and he attacked her." The confused mumbles turned to ones of rage.

"Did he hurt her?" Gloin fumed. Dwalin refused to answer.

"Is she alright?" Bofur asked.

"Aye, it was just a cut. She's alive but...I don't think we'll be seeing her again."

"I would hope not." Thorin's voice startled them. "Because if we do, she will never live to see another sunrise again."

"You can't be serious!" Fili shouted.

"I am. She was a traitor. Once you learn to look past your...attachment to her, you will see it as well. My eyes were opened. She's been deceiving us all along, only joining us so she could take the Arkenstone for herself." Thorin started up toward the ramparts.

"She never wanted riches. What would she do with the Arkenstone?" Balin asked.

"I do not know her motive, but she said it herself. If she were to find the Arkenstone, she would not give it to me." Balin sighed, knowing exactly why she wouldn't. Kili kicked a stone left over from building the wall in anger.

"This isn't right. She was our friend. She pledged her loyalty to us!" The prince yelled.

"Did you not hear me? I said she was a traitor!"

As dawn broke to the east, the elven army with Bard's men in the middle, marched upon the mountain. Gandalf and Agarwaen walked together at the front of the gathering of men, and upon reaching the foot of the mountain, the ranks stopped, letting Bard on his horse and Thranduil on his elk through to the front where they continued on. Thorin and the company stood atop the ramparts in their armor, brandishing their weapons. Seeing this scene from outside the mountain made Agarwaen feel like there was a gaping hole in her chest. She was supposed to be up there beside them.

As long as the ransom for the Arkenstone was paid, everything should play out just fine, and they'll be ready for the army from Dol Guldur. No dwarf would have to die by elven hands, and no elf by dwarven hands.

Thorin fired an arrow at Thranduil's elk's feet, causing him and Bard to stop.

"I'll put the next one between your eyes!" He yelled and the company cheered. The elven archers in the frontal rank notched their arrows, and the company ducked below the rampart wall, but Thorin remained standing with another arrow drawn back. After a pause, Thranduil gave the signal for the archers to stand down.

"We have come to tell you, payment of your debt has been offered. And accepted." Thranduil called.

"What payment?" Thorin asked. "I gave you nothing. You have nothing."

"We have this." Bard held up the Arkenstone, and Thorin withdrew his still notched arrow.

"Thieves!" She heard Kili shout. "How came you by the heirloom of our house? That stone belongs to the king!"

Upon wondering how the man obtained his treasure, Thorin could think of only one way.

"The king may have it. And our good will." Bard smiled and put the stone back into his pocket. "But first, he must honor his word."

"Where is she?" Thorin yelled down at them. "Where is the elven snake who gave you what is mine? Agarwaen is down there with you, I know it! Cursed be her name until the end of all days!" Agarwaen flinched at this, but knew that this was a much better assumption than Bilbo. She would rather have him think it was her.

"It wasn't her." She could just barely make out the sound of Bilbo's voice, and she turned to Gandalf with wide eyes.

"Bilbo is up there." She told him.

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Gandalf, he's admitting that it was him."

"Fool of a Baggins." Gandalf muttered, worriedly turning his attention back to the mountain. She continued to listen as best she could, catching snatches of their voices.

"Against your claim?" She heard Thorin say. "Your claim...You have no claim over me you miserable rat!"

"You are changed, Thorin." Bilbo said. "The dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word! Would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin. Would never have tried to kill his own friend!"

"Gandalf, he's going to kill him." Agarwaen started to panic.

"Throw him from the ramparts!" Thorin's voice bounded across the plains.

"Come on." Gandalf grabbed her wrist and they started making their way through the elven ranks.

"Did you not hear me? I will do it myself!" Fear for Bilbo caused Agarwaen to tremble, almost dropping the helmet that she still held. "Curse you! And cursed be the wizard that forced you on this company!"

"If you do not like my burglar," Gandalf shouted, using his voice and shadow trick yet again. "Then please, don't damage him. Return him to me." They stood behind Thranduil and Bard now, and Thorin met her eyes with a cold stare. Bilbo was pressed against the rampart wall, extremely close to being dropped on his head. "You're not making a very splendid figure as king under the mountain, are you, Thorin, son of Thrain?" Thorin let Bilbo go, and she watched Bofur help him over to the rope they'd used the night before.

"Never again will I have dealings again with wizards, she-elves, or shire rats!" Thorin bellowed as Bilbo climbed down.

"Are we resolved?" Bard asked, shifting to the matter at hand. "The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised?" Bilbo ran up to Agarwaen, breathing heavy and looking ghostly pale.

"Are you alright?" She asked quietly, kneeling down and holding his shoulders. He nodded. "That is what happens when you do what I did." She said sadly, before standing up, one hand never leaving his shoulder to comfort him.

"Will you have peace? Or war?" Bard questioned. Thorin did not give an answer just yet, but when the raven she'd seen the day before landed back on the ramparts, she knew exactly what his answer would be, and a new fear overcame her as she looked to the east.

"I will have war." The silhouette of an army began appearing over the hill as the sound of marching filled Agarwaen's ears. It was not something one would normally wish for, but she prayed that Azog's army would arrive before any unnecessary blood was spilled.

"Ironfoot." Gandalf mumbled.

"Just as I said." Agarwaen replied. Ram-drawn battle wagons were scattered at the front of the ranks, along with who she assumed was Dain, who rode a giant boar. The company cheered at his appearance.

Thranduil rode past Agarwaen, ordered his army to turn east and prepare for battle with the dwarves, and the army began to march. Her and Bilbo followed after Gandalf, who also walked to the east, trying to figure out what to do.

"Who is that?" Bilbo asked. "He doesn't look very happy."

"It is Dain, lord of the Iron Hills. Thorin's cousin."

"Are they alike?"

"I've always found Thorin to be the more reasonable of the two." The elven army stopped at the foot of the eastern hill, and waited for a command.

"Good morning!" Dain started in a thick accent. "How are we all? I have a wee proposition if you wouldn't mind giving me a few moments of your time. Would you consider...just sodding off?" He yelled over the army. "All of you, right now!"

"Come now, Lord Dain," Gandalf stepped forward.

"Gandalf the Grey." The dwarf said with a grin. "Tell this rabble to leave, or I'll water the ground with their blood!"

"There is no need for war between dwarves, men, and elves. A legion of orcs march on the mountain. Stand your army down."

"I will not stand down before any elf. Not least this faithless woodland sprite!" Dain pointed at Thranduil with his red axe. "He wishes nothing but ill upon my people! If he chooses to stand between me and my kin, I'll split his pretty head open! See if he's still smirking then." He turned his boar around and rode back to his ranks.

"Dain, wait!" Gandalf called after him.

"Let them advance. See how far they get." Thranduil said.

"You think I give a dead dog about your threats, you pointy eared princess? You hear that lads? We're on! Let's give these bastards a good hammering!" War cries erupted from his ranks as Thrandil rode toward Bard.

"Stand your men down. I'll deal with Ironfoot and his rabble." Agarwaen then came forward again to stand beside Gandalf.

"How soon until Azog gets here?" She asked desperately.

"I do not know." Gandalf replied as Dain shouted to send out the goats.