Thorin´s Madness

He was the only one who could mend the situation. He knew it, everybody knew it. But everybody around him was against it. Gandalf, Tranduil and Bard warned him to not approach the mad King under the Mountain. His greed has completely consumed him.

Bilbo was content with knowing that everybody from Company was alive. He became friends with them on the journey. Over time, he earned their trust and friendship. It was the frienship that urged him to do drastic measures. To steal Arkenstone was a very bad idea. It only brought him banishment from Erebor and loathing from King under the Mountain. The words from Thorin hurt him.

So when he gave up hope of ever seeing his friends and Thorin again, Bard and Tranduil came to the tent he shared with Gandalf. Bilbo was shocked to see them. He heard that they tried reasoning with Thorin, but it was futile. He wouldn´t let anyone give him advice, not even Balin, Dwalin or his nephews. Bard held something shiny in his hand... Bilbo´s eyes widened at the sight before him.

"The Arkenstone..." He muttered. Bard held out his hand. "I think that you should have it. None of us know what to do anymore. We are helpless against mental illness that fell upon Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. I know how you possibly feel. But know this. You have earned the frienship of Men and Elves, but we all know that the Dwarves mean a lot more to you. Before Gandalf left to check on something... he told us." He gestured to himself and Tranduil, "That only one person can help him. One who isn´t and Elf or Man. The gold sickness can only be cured with the help of a being who cares for others more than for his own life. So..." His voice trailed off.

Bilbo stared at the Arkenstone. "Of course... That´s why he took me with them... that sly wizard. He knew this would happen and that I would grow to like them a lot. The answer to ending the curse of Durin is a... gentle heart of a hobbit. The answer is...me."

Hobbit took the huge jewel from Bard´s hand and he was dumbfounded. Gandalf knew of it. How to break the curse. Bilbo made up his mind. If he can help Thorin, he will.

He put the Arkenstone in a backpack. His gaze stopped at the Sting, laying at the entrance to the tent. He took it, albeit his hands were shaking. He fastened the belt holding Sting and he was determinated. So, this was his true purpose. To see if he could save Thorin from himself or not. He knew how Thorin would react when he saw him. Trying to kill him.

Tranduil´s hand on his shoulder stopped him momentarily. "I... come back alive. You needn´t go and try it. Eru knows how dangerous he is now. He will try to kill you." Bilbo nodded. "I know. And I am aware of the danger before me. However... if not me, then who can save him? Deep inside, Thorin must be suffering. Let me tell you something. When I first encountered him, he seemed like a sad prince, sad and proud. I was right. In time, he melted his ice armor he build around himself in order to not show any kind of weakness to me or Company. I may be a hobbit, but I know a thing or two about suffering and loss. Gandalf visited me on that day in Shire with a purpose that I now know."

Bilbo gazed long in the Elf King´s blue eyes."I will snap him out of madness. If it´s within my power." Elf King was stunned. He never expected these words from the hobbit. His bravery surpassed even the strongest and bravest warriors he has seen.

"I see. I pray that you suceed."

Bilbo smiled briefly.

He left the tent, leaving the Man and Elf alone.

"Was that wise, King Tranduil?" Bard questioned.

Tranduil didn´t answer for a while. Was it wise? Of course it wasn´t wise to let a single hobbit enter the domain of a very, very angered dwarf who suffered from gold sickness. But he was the only one who could break the curse. With his life on the line.

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Balin was trying to calm down Thorin for at least for hours. The new King was mad. Balin feared that this would happen. Thror was the first one who succumbed to the curse and now it was Thorin. In Thorin´s case, the madness was vast and it was directed upon one hobbit. Dwalin tried his best to reason with him. Kili and Fili tried,too.

But Thorin didn´t listen to anybody. He vowed that if he would see that hobbit again, he would murder him for stealing what was rightfully his.

Suddenly two guards came rushing in. They stopped and kneeled in front of their King.

"My King! We bring news!" Thorin looked at them sharply. "What is it?"

"The Halfling... the hobbit! He is standing before the main entrance and demands that he is let in and straight to your throne room, Your Majesty."

Thorin stood up, his eyes flaming with blind hate and resent. "Bring him in here."

The guards bowed and left in a hurry. Balin was worried. "Thorin. Do not do something you might regret later." Balin pleaded him to stop. He tried more reasoning. "He saved us and you know it as well. The whole Company is alive all thanks to Bilbo´s efforts. I am not saying that what he did was right, however, it did save us in the end. Your nephews would be very disappointed if you tried to kill Bilbo. Please, reconsider your resolve. Forgive him for what he did."

Thorin turned to face Balin with a look he never saw on the lad´s face before. "Forgive him? Why should I do such a thing? He stole the Arkenstone! He stole the symbol of my kingdom!"

Balin retorted. "And what? It´s not worth someone´s life."

Thorin didn´t say anything. The two guards threw the hobbit he hated inside the throne room. He landed on the not so soft solid ground and groaned in the process. Balin didn´t like the idea of manhandling Bilbo. He deserved better treatment.

He opened his mouth to ask the unmoving hobbit on the ground, if he´s alright, but Thorin stopped him with his hand raised. Thorin slowly stood up, descending the stony stairs and approached the hobbit who finally got back to his feet.

"How are your new friends? Did they banish you, too?" Thorin asked in a sharp tone, full with resentment. Bilbo looked shaken up. Maybe he got his head re-injured after the fall? Balin pondered. The hobbit managed to stand still and straight, but he still blinked a few times, before he recognized Thorin coming closer to him.

The same Thorin who hugged him at Carrock, the same Thorin who smiled at him. It made Bilbo happy that he made the prince happy. And now, the same Thorin was approaching him with deadly intentions. Bilbo in the last moment saw how Thorin freed Orcrist and ran towards him, picking up speed.

Bilbo on a reflex pulled out Sting and managed to parry the fatal strike. His hands hurt a lot. Thorin´s strenght was formidable. Bilbo was amazed at himself that he parried at all. Thorin had a mad expression on his face and Bilbo didn´t recognize him anymore. This wasn´t Thorin Oakenshield.

Thorin kicked him in the stomach and Bilbo flew a little and then he landed on the unforgiving ground, again. Bilbo groaned in pain and tried to catch his breath. His Sting was two feet away from him. Thorin stood above him, holding up Orcrist.

"Nooo!"

"Bilbo!"

This momentary disturbance caused that Thorin looked at the entrance to throne room and saw his two nephews, who were pale. They ran to them, as did Balin who had enough of watching.

Thorin didn´t appreciate them interrupting his revenge. He wanted to tell them to mind their own business, but the hobbit who could hardly stand up on his shaky legs panted heavily before he screamed.

"FILI!KILI!BALIN! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES GET CLOSE TO US!THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND THORIN!"

The three of them stopped in their tracks, lost at what to do. They stopped, but Kili feared what would Uncle do to Mister Baggins. He wasn´t a warrior.

Kili made a step forward, but Fili stopped him. Kili glanced at his brother, who had a serious expression. Fili shook his head. Kili´s look changed to hopeless. Balin looked on. Bilbo told them to stop. He must have a plan... at least he hoped Bilbo had a plan.

Bilbo still felt pain. His head hurt, he probably re-opened his wounds when he was thrown inside and his hands hurt a lot, too. He wasn´t a warrior, but he wouldn´t give up. Do not give up, Bilbo Baggins. He stared at the King under the Mountain, who glared at him madly. Thorin stepped a few feet back. "Is that all, Mister Burglar? Pathetic. Do you think you stand a chance against me?!" Thorin yelled at him.

Bilbo didn´t flinch at the intesity of hate he felt in his voice. It´s the gold-sickeness. The real Thorin didn´t hate him. Quite the opposite. Bilbo picked up Sting, using it as a means to stand up properly. He glanced at the mad King. "I don´t think I will win. But I still can´t give up. Kill me if you must in the end. I hope my death will satisfy you."

Kili, Fili and Balin looked on in horror at the hobbit. Bilbo... wants that Thorin kills him?

The King under the Mountain did like what he heard. He let out a laugh that left other four people in the throne room frozen in fear. "Your death would surely satisfy me. That and the return of Arkenstone." Bilbo smiled a little. "I see... you won´t hesitate to kill me. How about I give you one more reason to hate me?"

Thorin looked on as Bilbo pulled out the Arkenstone from his backpack and a small, ceremonial dagger with strange and foreign symbols on it. Bilbo set the stone down on the ground. "This is a special dagger that can cut anything. It was made in a land, far far away from Middle Earth. I found it in Smaug´s lair. The language is foreign to me, but Gandalf deciphered it for me. Now..." Bilbo raised up the dagger "I WILL DESTROY IT!"

Before anyone could even move a muscle, The Arkenstone was cut in half and then in shattered completely, scattering the white light embeded in bright rainbow colors everywhere. Thorin realized what was done and he roared, charging forward the hobbit who stared at him with fear visible in his eyes. "Yooou! I WILL KILL YOU!" Thorin yelled at him, with his face twisted in an angered expression.

Bilbo rolled away in time before Orcrist literally cut him in half. He grabbed his Sting, staring face to face in the mad King under the Mountain. He heard gasps from their three witnesses of their battle. Bilbo was in despair. How can he save him? He destroyed the Arkenstone before his eyes. He hoped that if he destroyed it, Thorin would come back to his senses. It didn´t work. It only angered him even more.

Kili, Fili and Balin wanted to enter the battle and stop them. Both Bilbo and Thorin yelled at them to stay where they are. Thorin started to circle around Bilbo and then he charged forward, Bilbo only so-so parried with Sting. Thorin´s attacks were getting fiercer and more agressive. Bilbo didn´t think he could hold on much longer.

Thorin attacked him relentlessly. Bilbo was beginning to fear for his life. He didn´t want to die yet. He still had a lot to do, he wanted to help rebuilt Erebor, watch over Kili and Fili and maybe, held mend a lonely heart of the King under the Mountain. Their swords danced around each other in a deadly dance. Parry, block and evade. That´s all Bilbo did. He never once raised his sword with the intent to attack Thorin. His hands stung, his head was heavy and he felt weakened.

Suddenly, Bilbo´s vision faded for a moment and didn´t see nothing. Thorin saw his chance, he vigorously swung his Orcrist and knocked Sting out of Bilbo´s hands. The impact send him flying and he laid where he landed, panting heavily.

Balin didn´t want to watch this terrible scene. He liked Bilbo a lot and knew why he did all of these things. Kili and Fili both ran to Bilbo´s side.

"Bilbo!" They screamed, tears running down their faces. The hobbit´s vision returned at last and saw two young princes. He smiled at them. His smile froze when he heard Thorin´s roar as he dashed towards them, only murder on his mind.

Bilbo´s eyes widened in shock. Kili and Fili are in the way! He used the little strenght he had left and pushed them away from harm. His head hurt even more than before. He surely injured his head again. As result, Orcrist pierced him through his left arm. Bilbo screamed out from more pain. Bilbo faintly heard the screams coming from Kili, Fili and Balin. Thorin pulled his sword out with a sick sound. Bilbo fell to his knees, holding his bleeding arm.

In that moment, the rest of Company marched in and stopped to look at the intimidating sight. They were speechless, to say the least. Thorin looked at him, ignoring the arrival of Company. "Tell me, Halfling. Why did you come back after I banished you? Then you destroyed The Arkenstone before my eyes! Why?! Time and time again, you betrayed my trust! Tell me why you did all of this!"

Bilbo stared at him. Surely, Thorin knew. Or... he didn´t know the reason behind his "betrayal"?

The hobbit felt quite weak and didn´t have enough strenght to move even an inch. He felt the sword on his throat. Bilbo never thought that the day when the one he loved would kill him would come. Thorin wanted to know why? Alright.

"I did all of this for you. Only for you. I didn´t want to see you dead. It would mean the death of me." Bilbo confessed slowly, his eyes fixated at the King under the Mountain who only stared at him in disbelief.

"Oh, really? And why is that?!" Thorin growled, Orcrist pressed against Bilbo´s vulnerable throat.

Bilbo surprised everyone when he chuckled a he stopped. Even that hurt him. "Thorin. Before you kill me... you should know that..." Bilbo´s voice trailed off, as was his vision again. It seems he lost too much blood. He didn´t see Thorin, but he still looked up and smiled at him widely, with the feelings deep inside him, which were burried have finally reached the light.

"You should know... that I lo- v..." Bilbo felt like he could faint any moment now. Now his voice was shaking, too. Great timing. "I lo-ve yo-u..."

Thorin dropped Orcrist, staring at the hobbit on his knees. Something in his heart stung.

He didn´t hear right. "What...did you say?" He asked the small hobbit, who barely kept his head up. However, he was still smiling at him.

Bilbo´s vision returned once again, but for how long, he didn´t know. He saw the confused look on Thorin´s face. He could see his Thorin. His smile grew. "I love yo-u." Bilbo repeated, softly. His throat was dry, his head felt like it would burst and the wounded arm only added to his current state.

Thorin´s eyes widened in realization as he saw the battered up, wounded hobbit. What has happened?! Bilbo´s small frame fell forward and Thorin catched him. He shook with him, slapping his cheeks. "Bilbo! Bilbo! What happened?! Why are you wounded?! Answer me?!" Thorin´s voice was hysterical at that point.

The hobbit didn´t answer him. Balin snapped out from the shock of what just happened and ran to them. The rest of Company joined,too. Oin immediatelly checked the hobbit´s pulse.

"It´s faint, but he is still alive. Quickly! Kili!Fli! Carry Mister Baggins into the infirmary!"

Kili and Fili tried to pry their Uncle away from Bilbo´s body, but he wouldn´t let them take him away. Dwalin sighed. This was Thorin they knew again. King or no King, he slapped him across the face. Thorin stoppped lamenting and looked up at Dwalin.

Dwalin had a concerned look on his face. "Thorin! Now is not the time! He must be threated now or he will die!" Thorin went pale at the thought Bilbo might die. He loosened his grip and let his two nephews carry him out of throne room. Soon everyone left, only Balin stayed behind.

A very confused and shaken up Thorin turned to his longtime friend and advisor. "Tell me... what did I do?"

Balin put his arm on his shoulder. "Lad..." Balin didn´t know what to say. Thorin almost killed Bilbo. "Do you remember what happened?"

Thorin blinked. "I remember how angry I was when Bilbo stole the..." Thorin froze in the middle of his speech and briefly remembered what happened.

Bilbo thrown inside throne room. Destruction of Arkenstone. Their fight.

Thorin felt weak suddely. He felt disgusted with himself. He stared at Orcrist. He wounded Bilbo with it. He was about to kill him when...

Thorin gulped down and he held back the urge to burst into tears. "He said he loved me. I heard him. In the darkness. His voice reached me. He brought me back."

Balin hugged the King. Thorin choked up and began crying like a little dwarfling. "I almost killed him Balin!" Balin patted his back, reassuringly. "You came back to your senses. That´s what matters. I am sure Bilbo felt the same way."

The mighty King under the Mountain was weeping and crying at the thought that Bilbo could die and he was in danger. All because of him. He almost missed Balin´s last words.

"Lad, the curse of Durin is broken. It will never again plague your mind."

Thorin couldn´t help but sniffle. "But at a high price, Balin."

Balin let go of him and offered the King under the Mountain a handkerchief. Thorin took it and wiped away his tears. "Thorin. Everything has a cause and a result. You are the one who decides what the result is. No one else."

Thorin gave him back the handkerchief. "Are you implying that... it was meant to happen?"

Balin nodded. "Yes. Gandalf knew exactly why he chose Bilbo Baggins of Bag End to join our Company led by you, Thorin. He expected that the curse would claim you. Gandalf told me to keep it a secret and to observe both you and Bilbo. Gandalf told me that only a gentle heart of a hobbit could save the line of Durin from madness. Hobbits do not thrive in the glittering light of gold and jewels like us. That´s why he could do what we couldn´t. Destroy the Arkenstone and bring you back."

Thorin was caught speechless. "It was a fated meeting, then?"

Balin nodded again. Thorin fell to his knees, hitting the ground with his knuckles. Balin let the freed King under the Mountain vent out his frustration.

"I was so stupid! Bilbo was the one who stayed by my side even though he wasn´t here. Because he never left me. He never betrayed me! I was so blinded that I didn´t see anything!"

Thorin screamed, his knuckles hitting the ground, while tears leaked down his face. Balin felt bad about Thorin. He knelt beside him and put his hand on his shaking hands. "Thorin. Lad. Think. Now is not the time to weep and regret. Think. Aren´t you needed somewhere right now?" Balin asked him.

Thorin stopped pounding the ground and his mind wandered back to the moment he heard Bilbo say he loved him.

He stood up and staggered a bit. Yes, Balin was right. He was needed. Thorin needed him to free him of that dreadful curse, which Bilbo did in the end. And now it was Bilbo who needed to know he can´t leave Thorin alone. If he wasn´t such a fool... he could have avoided all of this.

"Bilbo. He needs me. When he wakes up... He needs me!" Thorin ran towards the entrance and headed to the infirmary. Balin waited for a while, before he moved towards the exit of the throne room. "Indeed, lad. You are quite stubborn, but thank goodness that Bilbo was even more stubborn to give up on you."

Balin walked down the tunnels, where he saw the King ahead of him in the distance, running. He couldn´t help but smile.

AN – I am stuck with Yearning for Recognition. Ugh. This is something that came to my mind when I read the original Hobbit, looking for inspirations. I hope it wasn´t so bad. Possible two shot. Sorry for any mistakes. I did no proofread, so sorry again for any mistakes you find. Title of story adopted a little from Alice- Madness Returns… it fits, doesn´t it? First Thorin´s grandfather and now Thorin.

I will be back with the second chapter, if anyone is interested. Any kind of constructive criticism is welcome as always.