Chapter 17: The Clouds Burst
Next day the trumpets rang early in the camp.
Soon a single runner was seen hurrying along the narrow path. At a distance he stood
and hailed them asking whether Thorin
would now listen to another embassy
since new tidings had come to hand and
matters were changed will be down said
Thorin when he heard they will have got
wind of his coming I thought that would
alter their mood let them come few in
number and weaponless and I will hear he
caught at the messenger about midday the
banners of the forest and the lake was
seen to be borne forth again a company
of twenty was approaching at the
beginning of the narrow way they laid
aside sword and spear and came on
towards the gate wandering the dwarf saw
that among them were both barred and the
elven king before whom an old man
wrapped in cloak and hood for a stronger
caskets of iron bound would hail Thorin
said Bard
are you still of the same mind my mind
does not change with the rising and
setting of a few Suns onset Thorin did
you come to us me idle questions still
the off host has not departed as I bade
till then you come in vain to bargain
with me is there than nothing for which
you would yield any of your gold nothing
to you your friends have to offer what
of the Arkenstone of Thrain said he and
at the same moment the old man opens the
casket and held aloft the jewel the
light left from his hand bright and
white in the morning
Welle Thoren was stricken dumb with
amazement and confusion no one spoke for
a long while Thorin at length broke the
silence and his voice was thick with
wrath Dola was my father's and this mine
then he said why should I purchase my
own but wonder overcame him and he added
but how came you by the heirloom of my
house if there is me to ask such
question of thieves we are not thieves
but answered your own we will give back
in return for our own Oh came you by
oats shouted Thorin in gathering rage I
gave it to them squeaked Bilbo who was
peering over the wall by now with a
dreadful fright
yo cried Thorin turning upon him and
grasping him with both hands
Robert you are discharged burglar he
shouted at a loss for words and he shook
poor Belleville like a rabbit for the
birth of Doran Oh shine Gandalf air
crossing for us choice of you may his
beard weather us for you I will throw
you to the walk he cried and lifted the
load in his arms sure roars granted said
a voice the old man with the casket
threw aside his hood and cloak an answer
sooner saves if you don't like my
brother please don't damage him put him
down and listen first to what he has to
say you seem in late said Thorin
dropping silver on the top of the wall
never again will I have dealings with
any wizard or his friends one of you to
say you descendants of rats Tammy Tammy
said Bilbo I'm sure this is all very
uncomfortable you may remember saying
that I might choose my own 14th share
perhaps I took it too literally I've
been told that dwarves are sometimes
polite or in words and indeed the time
was all the same when you seemed to
think that I had been of some service
descendant of rats indeed is this all
the service of you and your family that
I was promised Thorin take it that I've
disposed of my share as I wished and let
it go at that
I will set Thoren grimly and I will let
you go a dot and may we never meet again
then he turned and spoke over the wall I
am betrayed
he said it was rightly guessed that I
could not forbear to redeem the
Arkenstone the treasure of my house for
it
I will give one fourteenth share of the
hoard in silver and gold setting aside
the gems but that shall be accounted the
promised share of best writer and with
that reward he shall depart and you can
divide it as you will he will get little
enough I doubt not take him if he wish
him to live a no friendship of mine goes
with him get down now to your friends he
said to bill burr or rob will throw you
down what about the gold and silver must
Bilbo not shall follow after us can be
arranged said he got to down until then
we keep the stone cried Bard you're not
making a very splendid figure as king
under the mountain said Gandalf but
things might change yes they may indeed
said Thorin and already so strong was
the bewilderment of the treasure upon
him he was pondering whether by the help
of Dain he might not recapture the
Arkenstone and withhold the share of the
reward
and so Bilbo was swung down from the war
and departed with nothing for all his
trouble except the armor which Thorin
had given him already more than one of
the dwarves in their hearts felt shame
and pity it is going
farewell he cried to them we may meet
again as friends pay off called Thorin
you have mail upon you which was made by
my folk and is too good for you it
cannot be pierced by arrows but if you
do not hasten I will sing your miserable
feet so be Swift not so hasty
said bard we will give you until
tomorrow
at noon we will return and see if you
have brought from the hoard the portion
that is to be set against the stone if
that is done without deceit then we will
depart and the elf host will go back to
the forest in the meanwhile farewell
with that they went back to the camp but
Thorin sent messengers by rho AK telling
day in the forted past and bidding him
to come with weary speed that day passed
and the night the next day the wind
shifted west and the air was dark and
gloomy the morning was still early when
a cry was heard in the camp runners came
into reports that a host of dwarves had
appeared around the eastern spur of the
mountain
and was now hastening to Dale Dale had
come he had hurried on through the night
and so had come upon them sooner than
they had expected each one of his phone
was clad in a whole birth of steel male
that came to his lead and his legs were
covered with a hose of a file and
flexible mesh the secret of who's making
it was possessed by Gaines people the
dwarves are exceedingly strong for their
height but most of these were strong
even for dwarves in battle they wielded
heavy two-handed Mattox but each of them
had also a short broadsword as a side
and a round shield slung its back their
beards were fought and plaited and
thrust into their belts their caps were
of iron and they were short with iron
and their faces were grim
trumpets called men and elves to arms
before long the dwarves could be seen
coming up the valley at a great pace
they hold it between the river and the
eastern spur but a few held on their way
and crossing the river drew near the
camp and there they laid down their
weapons and held up their hands in sign
of peace bard went out to them and with
him went Bilbo
we are sent from Dane son of Maine they
said when questioned we are hastening to
our kinsmen in the mountain since we
learned that the kingdom of old is
renewed but who are you
that shit and a plane as force before
defended walls this of course in the
polite and rather old-fashioned language
of such occasions meant simply you have
no business here we are going on
so make way or we shall fight you they
meant to push on between the mountain
and the loop of the river for the narrow
land there did not seem to be strongly
guarded but of course refused to allow
the doors to go straight onto the
mountain he was determined to wait until
the gold and silver had been brought out
in exchange for the Arkenstone for he
did not believe that this would be done
if once the fortress was manned with so
large and warlike a company they had
bought with them a great store of
supplies for the dwarfs can carry very
heavy burdens and nearly all of Danes
folk in spite of their rapid March
bought huge packs on their backs in
addition to their weapons they would
stand a siege for weeks and by that time
yes more dwarves might come and yet war
for Thorin had many relatives also they
would be able to reopen and guard some
other gate so that the besiegers would
have to encircle the whole mountain and
for that they had not sufficient numbers
these were in fact precisely their plans
for the Raven messengers had been busy
between Thorin and Dain but for the
moment the way was barred
so after angry words the dwarf
passengers retired muttering in their
beards but then sent messengers at once
to the gate but they found no gold or
payments arrows came forth as soon as
they were within shot
and there hastens back in dismay in the
camp all was now a stir as if the battle
for the drawers of Dane were advancing
along the eastern bank fools laughed
bird to come thus between the mountains
armed they do not understand war above
ground whatever they may know of battle
in the mines there are many of our
archers and spearmen now hidden in the
rocks upon their right flank dwarf male
may be good but they will soon be hard
put to it let her set on them now from
both sides before they are fully rested
but the Elven King said long will i
tarry near I begin this Wharf of gold
the dwarves cannot pass us unless we
will or do anything that we cannot mark
let us hope still for something that
will bring reconciliation our advantage
in numbers will be enough if in the end
it must come too unhappy blows but he
reckoned without the dwarfs the
knowledge that the Arkenstone was in the
hands of the besiegers burned in their
thoughts also they guessed at the
hesitation of Bart and his friends and
resolved to strike what they debated
suddenly without a signal they sprang
son
to attack those flank
battery is about to be joined still more
suddenly a darkness came on with
dreadful swiftness a black cloud hurried
over the sky winter thunder on a wild
wind rolled roaring up and rumbled in
the mountain and like
and beneath the Thunder another
blackness could be seen whirling forward
but it did not come with the wind and
came from the north like a vast cloud of
birds so dense that no light could be
seen between their wings
suddenly and stood alone with arms
uplifted between the advancing dwarves
and the ranks of waiting
in a voice let's funda and his staff
blazed forth with a flash like lightning
no no trouble at all alas it is come
more swiftly than I guessed the goblins
are upon you bulk of the north is
clubbing no Dane whose father you slow
in Moria behold the banks are above his
are made like a sea of locusts the
rideable wolves and work sir in that
vein
amazement and confusion fell upon them
all even as Gandalf had been speaking
the darkness grew the dwarves holton and
gazed at the sky the elves cried out
with many voices Klarman
called Gandalf there is yet time for
counsel
what's dying soul of man comes swiftly
to us so began a battle that none had
expected and it was called the Battle of
five armies and it was very terrible
upon one side with the goblins and the
wild wolves and upon the other where
elves and Men and wards this is how it
fell out ever since the fall of the
great goblin of the Misty Mountains the
hatred of their race for the dwarves had
been rekindled to fury messengers had
passed to and fro between all their
cities colonies and strongholds for they
resolved now to win the domination of
the north tidings they had gathered in
secret ways and in all the mountains
those forging and in the army then they
marched and gathered by hill and valley
going ever by tunnel or under dark until
around and beneath the great mountain
gundabad of the north
their capital a vast host was assembled
ready to swoop down in time of storm
unawares upon the south then they
learned of the death of Smaug and joy
was in their hearts and they hastened
night after night through the mountains
and came with us at last on a sudden
from the north hard on the heels of Dain
not even the Ravens knew of their coming
until they came out in the broken lands
which divided the Lonely Mountain from
the hills behind how much Gandalf knew
cannot be said but it is plain that he
had not expected this sudden assault
this is the plan that he made in Council
with the elven king and with bard and
with Dain for the dwarf Lord now joined
them the goblins were the foes of all
and at their coming all other quarrels
were forgotten their only hope was to
lure the goblins into the valley between
the arms of the mountain and themselves
to man the great Spurs that struck south
and east yet this would be perilous if
the goblins were in sufficient numbers
to overrun the mountain itself and so
attacked him also from behind and above
but there was no time to make any other
plan or summon any help
soon the Thunder passed rolling away to
the southeast but the bat cloud came
flying lower over the shoulder of the
mountain and world above them shutting
out the light and filling them with
dread
to the mountain cold body to the
mountain let us take our places where
there is yet time
on the southern spur in its lowest
slopes and in the rocks at its feet the
elves were set on the eastern spur were
men and dwarves but bard and some of the
nimblest of men and elves climbed to the
height of the eastern shoulder to gain a
view to the north soon they could see
the lands before the mountains feet
black with a hurrying multitude ere long
the vanguard swirled round the Spurs end
and came rushing in today these were the
swiftest war fighters and already that
cries and howls rates the Arif are a few
brave men who struggle for them to make
a feint of resistance and many there
fell before the rest to back and fled to
either side as Gandalf had hoped the
Goblin army had gathered
the resistive Vanguard and pour'd now
enrage into the valley driving wildly up
between the arms of the mountain seeking
for the folk their banners were
countless black and red and they came on
like a tide in fury and disorder it was
a terrible battle the most dreadful of
all bill burrs experiences and the one
which at the time he hated most which is
to say it was the one he was most proud
of and most fond of recalling long
afterwards although he was quite
unimportant in it actually I may say he
put on his ring early in the business
and vanished from sight if not for more
danger a magic ring of that sort is not
a complete protection in the goblin
charge nor does it stop flying arrows
and wild spears but it does help in
getting out of the way and it prevents
your head from being specially chosen
for a sweeping stroke by a goblin
swordsman the elves were the first to
charge their hatred for the goblins cold
and bitter their spears and swords shown
in the glue
of chilly
the host of their enemies was dense in
the body they sent against it
and each
as if with stinging fire behind the
arrows a thousand of those
down and charged the
the stained black with goblin blood just
as the goblins were recovering from the
onslaught and the elf charge was halted
there rose from across the valley a deep
throated raw
on the other side and beside them came
the men of the lake with long swords
panicked came upon the goblins
and even as they tend to meet this new
attack the L is charged again with the
nude numbers already many of the
government's were flying back
to escape through the traffic and many
of their own wolves returning upon them
and rending the dead in the water the
victory seemed at hand when a cry rang
out on the heights above goblets had
scaled the mountain from the other side
and already many were on the slopes
above the gates and others were
streaming down recklessly heedless of
those that fell screaming from cliff and
precipice to attack the Spurs from above
each of these could be reached by pods
that ran down from the main mass of the
mountain in the center and the defenders
had too few to bar the way for long
victory now vanished from hope they had
only stemmed the first onslaught of the
Black Tide Dave threw on the goblins
gathered again in the valley
some logs came rather late and with them
in the bodyguard of Poland goblins have
huge size with scimitars of Steel soon
actual darkness was coming into a stormy
sky while still the great bats swirled
about the heads and ears of elves and
men or fastened vampire-like on the
stricken now bard is fighting to defend
the eastern spur and yet giving slowly
back and the elf Lords were at bay about
there carried upon the southern arm near
to the watch post on Ravenhill suddenly
there was a great shout and from the
gate came a trumpet call they had
forgotten following part of the wall
moved by levers fell outward with a
crash into the pool
out lept the king under the mountain and
his companions followed him boat and
cloak were gone they were in shining
armor
red light left from their eyes
the great dwarf
in the dying fire rocks were hurled down
from on high by the goblins above but
they held on left down to the Falls foot
and rushed forward to battle
his axe with mighty strokes and
he cried and his voice shook like a horn
in the valley
heedless of order
was obtained to his health
down to came many of the Lakeman so Bart
could not restrain them and out upon the
other side came many of the spearmen of
the elves once again the goblins were
stricken in the valley
were piled in heaps until daily was dark
and hideous with that corpses the works
were scattered and Thorin drove right
against the bodyguard of all but he
could not pierce the Reich's already
behind him among the Goblin dead lay
many men and men eat wharves
and many affair elves that should have
lived yet long ages merrily in the wood
and as the valley widened his onset grew
ever slower his numbers were too few his
flanks were unguarded soon the attackers
were attacked and they were forced into
a great ring facing every way and all
about with goblins and moors returning
to the assault The Bodyguard appalled
came howling against
their ranks like waves upon cliff
society their friends could not help
them for the assault from the mountain
was revealed with redoubled force
and upon either side men and elves were
being slowly beaten down on all this
Bilbo looked with misery he had taken
his stand on Raven hill among the elves
partly because there was more chance of
escape from that point and partly with
the more tutush part of his mind
because if he was going to be in the
last desperate stand he prefered on the
whole to defend the elven King Gandalf
to unless a was there sitting on the
ground as if in deep thought preparing I
suppose some last blast of magic before
the end that did not seem far off it
will not be long now
thought builder before the goblins win
the gate and we are all slaughtered or
driven down and captured really it is
enough to make one beep after all one
has gone through I would rather old
Smaug had been left with all the
wretched treasure than that these vile
creatures should get it and poor old
Bombur and Balin and fili and Kili and
all the rest come to a bad end and bar
two and the lake man and the merry elves
misery me
I've heard songs of many battles and I
have always understood that defeat may
be glorious
it seems very uncomfortable not to say
distressing I wish I was well out of it
the clouds were torn by the wind and a
red sunset slashed the West seeing the
sudden gleam in the gloom bilva looked
around he gave a great cry he had seen a
sight that made his heart leap dark
shapes small yet majestic against the
distant blown
he shouted Bilbo's ice was seldom wrong
the Eagles were coming down the wind
line after line in such a host as must
have gathered from all the Aires of the
north
Bilbo cried dancing and waving his arms
if the elves could not see him they
could hear him soon they too took up the
cries and it echoed across the valley
many wandering eyes lift up there was
yet nothing could be seen except from
the southern shoulders of the mountain
cried Bilbo once more but at that point
a stone gurgling from above
with a crash
and knew no more
