Lacy

~~~

"Oh my Valor Alex!" I exclaim and grab her before she can hit the ground. Bofur grabs Kili's falling body as well.

"We need to get them somewhere safe," Fili says sternly. He has a worried look on his face.

"Bard's house," Oin murmurs and we all nod. I hoist Alex up and Fili does the same with Kili. We move as quickly as we can through the dispersing crowds with the weight of our companions to Bard's home.

Bofur knocks on the door when we get there and Bard has it yanked open in seconds.

"No. I'm done with dwarves, go away!" he snaps but I catch the door before he can slam it.

"No! No! No one will help us. Kili's and Alex are sick,"'I plead and Bard looks a there pale forms of what used to be great warriors.

"They're very sick," Bofur whispers. Bard gives us a pitying look and opens the door.

~~~

Emily

~~~

The boat moves speedily across the lake with the dwarves rowing it. Thorin seems to relish the wind lightly blowing his braids as he stands at be front staring at the mountain. Allie sits at the back flapping her wings to help the boat along she is smiling and occasionally flips a wing to send air at Thorins back. He doesn't care. Thorin is so preoccupied with his mountain he barely notices anything else.

I'm so preoccupied with the absence of Fili I can't notice anything else.

~~~

Once the boat docks at the shore we trek up a large hill to the overlook onto an abandoned city and the mountain.

"What is this place?" Bilbo asks a little fidgety.

"It was once the city of Dale. Now it is a ruin. The Desolation of Smaug," Balin grimly mutters.

"The sun will soon reach midday. We must find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way," Thorin orders ignoring the ruined city and stomping past us. He's got his eyes on the prize.

"Wait. Is this the overlook? Gandalf said to meet him here, on no account were we to-"

"Do you see him? We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own. Come," Thorin demands cutting off Bilbo's worried words. Thorin turns again as starts leading the company closer to the mountain.

"We aren't even there and he's already obsessed," Allie grumbles, crossing her arms and frowning.

"Allie fly and search for the door!" Thorin yells. Allie huffs, extends her wings, and with a mighty swoop launches upwards.

~~~

Traipsing around the mountain we intently search for some sort of stairs to lead to a small outcropping. Sam and Jacob stand in different positions slowly scanning while the dwarves sprint, stop, look and start over.

"Anything?" Thorin asks loudly for everyone to hear.

"Nothing!" Dwalin replies.

"Nada," Sam says.

"Zilch," Jacob adds. Thorin sighs and opens the map again.

"If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us," he murmurs to himself and us. I look up listlessly and squint. I just see rock. Bilbo however elbows me and points upward at a large carving of a previous king in the side of the mountain. The ace he holds look almost like it has stairs carved out.

"Is that?"

"I think it is," I answer Bilbo.

"Up here!" we both shout and Thorin dashes over.

"You have keen eyes, Master Baggins and Miss Emily," Thorin praises and waves the company over.

Thus the annoying uphill climb began while Allie helpfully cheered us on. She can't carry anyone but she did carry some packs up which was nice.

~~~

Allie

~~~

Thorin's intense focus on getting into the mountain concerns me a little bit but it also forces me to work harder.

I fly next to the company while they climb occasionally taking a bag up but mostly just making sure no one fell. Once everyone made it to the top I let myself take a breath.

"This must be it. The hidden door," Throin muses and runs a hand over the unnaturally smooth part of the mountain wall. He holds out his hand to me and I sheepishly pull the key from my shirt and push it into his hand.

"I guess you can have it back now dwarf king," I say. He faces the company smiling widely and holding up the key.

"Let all those who doubted us, rue this day!" he exclaims and we all cheer and clap. Excitement runs through my body and I have the urge to yell out "I MADE IT" but I don't. I'm just so happy that me, a pathetic little hobbit from Bag End, managed to make it this far. I look at Emily and her eyes reflect the same notion. We couldn't be prouder of ourselves or more glad for the dwarves.

"Well I doubted you but I think this is a good day," Jacob interjects and we all groan.

"Jake no," Sam groans and rolls her eyes.

"Anyway now, we have a key.." Dwalin mumbles and stalks forward and starts touching the wall. "Which means there's somewhere there is a keyhole." Thorin looks up at the sun daringly almost. It's close to setting.

"The last light of Durin's Day...will shine upon the keyhole," Thorin says under his breath but loud enough for me to hear. I notice that I've gravitated towards him standing close. Dwalin's touches bring up nothing and no evidence of a key hole. "Nori." Nori pulls out a glass and a spoon and rushes to the wall. He starts talking and listening looking for a hollow spot.

I'm not nervous. No I just think we're missing something.

"We're losing the light. Come on!" Thorin snaps anxiously. Dwalin desperately starts to kick the wall and Nori starts tapping frantically.

"Be quiet. I can't hear when you're thumping!" Nori whines.

"I can't find it. It's not here! It's not here!" Dwalin exclaims and I raise an eyebrow. Something from this puzzle is missing.

~~~

Jacob

~~~

I snicker3: to myself after my comment. I sort of enjoy pointing the logic out for my own amusement.

The sun is technically setting slowly but for the dwarves and the rest of the company is must pass like lightning.

"Break it down!" Thorin orders and Bofur Gloin and Sam step forward. In sink they slam their axes and hammers against the wall. Each hit breaks the metals a bit more. "Come on!" The hits become harder making the tools break faster.

"It's no good! The door's sealed! Can't be open by force. Powerful magic is on it," Balin points out sourly. The hits stop and they broken tools are dropped. Sam glares at the metal shards and wood handle.

"The sun is set," I report bitterly when darkness settles on the sky. I was really rooting for these dwarves despite doubting they'd make it.

"No!" Thorin yells disbelieving.

"Thorin I think we missed something," Allie utters and touches his arm gentlly. Thorin rips open the map and goes over it.

"The last light of Durin's Day...will shine upon the keyhole." His voice is small and pitiful. I feel sorry for him and the other dwarves. This whole journey for nothing. "That's what it says. What did we miss?" Allie bites her lip thoughtfully. I looks up then at the wall, thinking quietly. Bilbo snaps nervously. The answer is right there! But what is it? "What did we miss? Balin." Balin shakes his head sadly.

"We've lost the light. There's no more to be done. We had but one chance. Come away, lads. It's over," Balin states downcast. Dejected the dwarves start to step away one by one.

"Wait a minute, what?" Bilbo asks staying behind.

"How can you give up just like that?!" Allie questions loudly.

"Where are they going?" Bilbo asks turning to Thorin.

"Stop them Thorin!" Allie demands.

"I agree no way can this be over like that," I chime in.

"You can't give up now!" Sam shouts. Looking completely crestfallen Thorin drops the key onto the ground and shoves the map into Allies hands before stomping off.

"Thorin," she chokes out. "Please there must be more." Thorin ignores her.

"You can't give up now!" Bilbo repeats as Thorin joins the rest of the dwarves on their way down.

"That cannot be it. There is more," Emily mutters. "Stand by the grey stone. When the thrush knocks, and the setting sun. And the last light of Durin's Day will shine..." Emily starts to pace and looks back at the door then to the rising moon.

"The last light. The last light," I repeat furrowing my eyebrows. There is definitely more to that sentence than we think. Suddenly there's an audible clinking noise. All heads still here turn to see a thrush rapping a nut against the wall.

"When the thrush knocks," I utter, staring wide eyed. The pieces click into place one by one for us. The clouds pass and direct moonlight shines on the door.

"The last light will shine upon the keyhole!" Allie exclaims excitedly. Gripped by a rush of hope we all watch as the moon reveals a small keyhole perfect for the key once held onto Allie's shirt. That's a story I'd like to hear.

"The keyhole!" Emily squeaks. Bilbo runs to the edge and looks down at the dwarves.

"Come back! Come back! It's the light of the moon! The last moon of Autumn!" he screams then laughs to himself. Allie giggles and fluffs we wings happily.

"Where's the key? Where's the key?! Where's the-" I stop short when my foot hits the metal key and it falls right off the cliff. My stomach plummets and I gasp. Allie lets out a yelp and throws herself right off after it.