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Gold, silver and even mithril.
Gold
Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, amethysts...
Gold
Necklaces, bracelets, earrings...
Gold
Swords, axes, shields...
Gold
Belts, coats, helmets...
Gold
Gold
Gold
Ori walked into the room following his brothers, looking around in awe, mouth sightly open. He had been told that the treasure of Erebor was unimaginable, but... unimaginable was too little to describe this. The room was too big for him to see it all, and it was all filled with golden mountains. Half of an average-sized mountain of those would be enough to buy a whole kingdom, Ori was sure. The gold shined so much that they could see the room perfectly illuminated only with the few torched the dwarves carries. He made a mental note of drawing it later.
As the others, Ori walked silently towards the gold, reluctantly, as if fearing that getting too close would make it go away. When he got near enough, he reached his hand and grabbed a bracelet. It was real. Real. He was touching it. He quickly tossed his torch to the ground and filled his hands with all kind of golden and silver pieces, and then letting them fall. The craftsmanship was wonderful, Ori noted. The simplest of these would make the most expensive treasure of Ered Luin seem like a trinket.
Before he realized what he was doing, he was filling his pockets with gold and silver. Had he been able to look away from the gold, he'd have seem the others doing the same. He didn't even know why he was doing it (he did it because the now asleep rational part of his mind knew that Smaug could come back in any second).
He stopped for a second. He had enough (for now). Then he started looking for something that was truly invaluable, even among those golden wonders. This necklace? No. This sword? No. And this...? Maybe that...? No. No. No. Nothing of this was good enough, Ori discovered, surprised. Well, here surely there must be something adequate...
He was about to return to digging in the treasure when he realized that Mister Baggins had been talking for a while, uselessly trying to get their attention. He looked around. Nobody else seemed to have noticed. He approached the hobbit.
“What's the matter, Mister Baggins?”
“Ori, we have to go now.”
Ori looked at him wide-eyed. What was he talking about? Why should they go?
“Why? Don't you want to see the treasure?”
Bilbo gave him a look Ori didn't know how to read. It seemed as...concern?
”Yes, this is very impressive, but it wouldn't be good to be here when Smaug returns, right?”
The Ori suddenly remembered the danger. Of course! He approached his brothers. They showed him a mithril crown (Mithril! Real mithril!). He looked at it and for a second he forgot about Smaug, but then slapped himself mentally and told his brothers about the giant furnace with wings. That seemed to alert them too, and they started telling the other members of the company.
Ori approached Dwalin, who was digging in the treasure, like himself less than five minutes ago, completely unaware of what was going on around him. He touched his shoulder to gain his attention.
Dwalin turned, annoyed for being interrupted, but as soon as he saw who was the one to do so, a smile appeared on his lips. Before Ori could say anything, Dwalin grabbed a very beautiful bead and put it next to Ori's hair.
“Yes, this one will be good enough for you.” He muttered and then put it in one of his pockets.
“Dwalin, listen to me, we have to get out of here.”
Dwalin gave him a bewildered look. “And why do we have to?”
“Because the dragon can get back at any moment and it would be better if we weren't here when it does.”
Dwalin's face was the same as Ori's when Mister Baggins reminded him of the beast. He quickly stood and, grabbing Ori's hand, started walking towards the group of dwarves that made their way towards the door.
Before crossing said door, both of them looked back to see all that golden splendour.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now that they were in the treasure chamber again, Ori started digging as he had done a few days before. He was looking for a gift worthy of Dwalin. They had gotten permission to court from his brothers (it had been hard, but they had managed it), but they couldn't give gifts to each other when they were travelling on the road. Now though, he could get something to give his beloved. He couldn't wait. But first he had to find something. A weapon? No, Dwalin was very fond of Grasper and Keeper. A shield? No, Dwalin fought with weapons on both his hands. Then nothing related to war. Jewellery then. Dwalin wasn't the most interested in that kind of things, but he was a dwarf after all, and soon he would be a dwarf-lord.
What kind of jewellery? All he knew for sure was that it had to have emeralds. After all, green was Dwalin's colour.
He started looking for emeralds. There were, of course, but none good enough for Dwalin, he kept telling himself. That was until he found it. It was a golden necklace, but he could barely see the gold under all those emeralds. Emerald, many, many, many emeralds. Hundreds of emeralds. Most of them were very little, making it seem like the gold was green, but there were some bigger, as green as the grass that he had seen on the Shire.
This must be the necklace of Girion, Ori thought. He had read about it. One of the most valuable works of the Dwarves of Erebor, that had belonged to the Lord of Dale. It was almost worthy of Dwalin, he thought.
Very carefully, he hid it inside his clothes, He didn't want Dwalin seeing it before time. He started walking, looking for Dwalin. Seemingly the warrior had been doing the same, because when he found him he was walking too, and as soon as he noticed him, he started walking towards him.
“Ori.” He greeted once they reached the other.
“Dwalin.” He greeted back. “Can we please go to somewhere more...private?”
“I was about to ask you the same.” Dwalin answered smiling at him and nodding. He offered his hand and Ori took it gladly. He wondered how someone as fierce as Dwalin could be so gentle. Dwalin started walking out of the chamber, and Ori happily followed him, wondering where were they going. Dwalin wouldn't tell him. Everyone else was too distracted with the gold to notice them going.
When they had been walking for a while, they reached the third bifurcation of the path. Dwalin took the left way, but before continuing, he told Ori about the right way: “The library is that way. I'll take you there later, or right now, if you want.”
Ori looked back for a moment, but didn't doubt for a second. “Later, please.” Dwalin continued his way then. Ori was anxious to get to the library. The library of Erebor was legendary among dwarves, they said every book ever written could be found there (that was until Smaug's arrival, of course, but Ori would make sure that was fixed soon). He had dreamt of it since he had memory. But Dwalin was far more important than any paper with words written in it. He was more important than anything.
After walking for a while, they reached a great door. Dwalin opened it with an ancient-looking key. He opened the door, showing the chambers of an obviously high-ranking family. There was dust, but not as much as in others parts of the mountain. Ori couldn't help but wonder if those were...
“Dwalin, are this chambers... Was this your old home?” He asked quietly.
“Aye, it was” Dwalin answered. “And soon it will be again. And it will be yours too.” Dwalin embraced him from behind and whispered in his ear. “Once we're married, you will live here with me, only you and me. You will be mine as much as I'll be yours.” His voice was getting husky. “And I'll make love to you here every day, give you so much pleasure that your voice will break from shouting my name.” He kissed then the back of Ori's neck. Ori shivered, the good way.
He turned to face Dwalin, putting his hands in his chest, gently but firmly putting some distance between their bodies. He had been waiting for marriage to lose virginity and wasn't going to throw it away now. Dwalin seemed to understand because he didn't look upset at all, and grabbed one of Ori's hands and raised it to his mouth, placing a soft kiss to it, adoring eyes never leaving Ori's.
“Well, if we want to get married someday, first we need to begin our courtship, don't we? That's why I wanted to be alone with you. I have something for you.”
Dwalin's face filled with happiness at hearing that. He leaned and kissed Ori with a gentleness he had only for his adored scribe. When they finished kissing, he gave a step back.
“That's also why I wanted it. Would you mind if I started? I have something for you too.”
Ori nodded. He closed his eyes at Dwalin's petition and didn't open them when he felt something like a circlet in his head. Dwalin went away for a moment. Ori heard a drawer being opened and steps that came back to him.
“You can open your eyes now.”
So Ori opened them. There was a richly decorated mirror in front of him, in Dwalin's hands, but he barely noticed it. Instead, he looked at his reflection. As he had suspected, Dwalin had gives him a circlet, worthy of the royal family (that made sense, actually. Dwalin was closely related to the royal family, and if he married Dwalin, he would enter in his house). It was white, decorated with emeralds that got bigger as they neared the front, having the greatest one in the centre of his forehead. The spaces in which there weren't emeralds there was a geometrical pattern. It was beautiful. Ori looked at it until the mirror went away. Dwalin put it in a table and then his hands were placed gently on both sides of Ori's face, his thumbs caressing him lovingly. He kissed him again and when he finished his face stayed close to Ori's.
“I give you a circlet like the ones the rulers wear, because you are the king of my life. And as you're my king, I will protect you from anything, now and always.” He whispered, his voice more adoring than ever.
Ori smiled and kissed him again, this time more passionately. He got away before either of them got too carried away.
“Now you close your eyes.”
Dwalin did as he was told. Ori grabbed then the necklace and put it in Dwalin's neck. His heart was beating faster than ever. What if he didn't like it? What if he ruined this perfect moment? What if he ruined it all? Ori forced all those questions go away from his mind. The necklace was already on Dwalin's neck. There was no going back. He got the mirror and put it before Dwalin.
“You can see now.” He said, trying to control the shaking in his voice.
Dwalin opened his eyes. When he saw the necklace on the mirror, his eyes opened much more than necessary, as did his mouth.
“This...This is almost as beautiful as you...It's... Are you sure you want to give this to me? It's too much for me...”
Ori felt relief wash the worry away. He liked it after all. He started explaining his gift as Dwalin had done before.
“I give you this because I thought it was the only thing near to be worthy of you in the treasure chamber. It is... I think it is the necklace of Girion.” Dwalin's eyes opened even more after hearing that. “I give this to you also because it is one of the most valued treasures of the dwarves, and you deserve it more than anyone else.”
This time it was Ori the one to kiss Dwalin. Their kiss was full of love, no more words were needed. They kissed and embraced each other until they stopped a moment for Dwalin to open a room with a large bed (they were only going to sleep. It was late and they didn't want to return to the others yet). They fell to it as they continued kissing. They would have continued doing so, but they both knew that now that they were in a bed, getting carried away was too easy, so then they only embraced until they fell asleep, each one caressing the other and the gifts that had been exchanged.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Dwalin couldn't believe it. He couldn't.
How did they dare!?
The treasure belonged to the dwarves. They had wandered homeless for years. They had travelled through Middle-Earth to get the Mountain back. They had fought trolls and goblins and orcs and wargs. They had been almost eaten by giant spiders. They had been imprisoned by elves. They had risked being killed by the dragon. The treasure was theirs, there was no other way to see it.
And now those damned lake-men and nauseating elves demanded a part of what belonged to them.
HOW DID THEY DARE!?
He couldn't wait for Dain to arrive so they could finish off all those disgusting thieves.
He had thought that the worst of them was that disgusting king of the tree-shaggers, but no, surprisingly, the one he wanted to kill the most was that man, Bard. That blasted, pathetic bowman.
He had dared to demand the necklace of his forefather, the necklace of Girion, the necklace that now belonged to Dwalin, because his beloved had gifted it to him.
Dwalin smirked darkly. As soon as Dain arrived and the battle started, he would find that dirty bowman and behead him. Oh yes, he would.
He lifted an amethyst from a pile. It was the same colour that Ori liked. But it wasn't good enough. Dwalin snorted. Nothing was good enough for Ori, and he knew the scribe felt the same towards him, but they'd have to do with this. After all, the best jewels in all Arda were gathered here.
He tossed the gem and looked for Ori. Ah, there he was. He was killing time putting gems together according to their colour. He had a pile of emeralds, some rubies, a few amethysts and was currently piling sapphires. Dwalin approached him. When he got close he noticed Ori's book open next to him, in the floor. He had started a drawing of the treasure chamber, but seemingly had gotten tired of it and preferred the real treasure.
When he noticed Dwalin at his side, he turned his head to smile at him, his hands leaving the sapphires to work on the untended amethyst. But Dwalin could feel some uneasiness in that smile. He frowned. Ori should never be uneasy. He should always be happy. It was the fault of those damned greedy elves and men.
“Don't worry, lad. They won't get our gold.”
Ori didn't seem surprised that Dwalin knew what he was thinking. Not any more. They were so close they knew how to read each other.
“We've suffered much to get it, and it's unfair that we have to fight to keep it.”
“I know. But don't worry, they won't touch an single coin as long as Thorin's alive. They'll die before they get close to the gates.”
Ori sighed. It seemed that the treasure wasn't all that worried him.
“But it's such a pity we have to start Thorin's rule with a bloodshed. I understand why the men want the gold. I mean, we awoke the dragon, and it destroyed their home just because they helped us. And Bard killed the dragon. I think they deserve our help. Maybe if instead of giving them a part that could be too big, we gave them gold as they need it...” The last part was said in an unsure tone, as if he knew it was the right thing to do but still didn't like the idea. “If only they hadn't allied themselves with the elves! How do they dare to demand our treasure after the imprisoned us!?” He said, his tone changing to raged indignation.
Dwalin smiled at Ori gently. He was angry at the elves, but he still pitied the greedy men and was willing to help them. He was too generous for his own good. But then again, that was one of the reasons why Dwalin loved him so much. Because he was gentle and understanding when Dwalin was rough and selfish.
“Yes, if they hadn't. But they have, and they've signed their death sentence. And even if they hadn't, we would still be their enemies, because I would still kill that king of theirs for daring to demand what you have given to me.” When he said that, he caressed the necklace that he now wore proudly. Ori also wore the circlet he had been gifted with.
“I wouldn't want you to get in trouble because of me, you know.” Ori said, smiling, as Dwalin sat next to him.
“I would kill the Necromancer himself if he tried to take anything you've given me.” As he said this, he embraced Ori and kissed the top of his head.
“And if he took me?” Ori asked, returning the embrace and hiding his head in Dwalin's neck, something that always made him feel safe.
“Then, killing him would be too merciful for him. Nobody takes what is mine, and you're the most valuable of that.”
“You're the most valuable of what is mine too.” Ori said, and pressed his body tighter against Dwalin, seeking the peace that only his One could give him.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
“I gave it to them!”
Ori couldn't have heard right. Either he had mistaken the voice for Mister Baggins' or Mister Baggins had said something completely different. He was sure of that. But as sure as he was, he still turned to look at Bilbo with eyes very open. The others had the same reaction, Ori noticed. He hadn't misheard, he realized when he saw the look on Bilbo's face.
Thorin still was facing the way of their enemies, completely rigid. Slowly, very slowly, he turned, until he was facing the hobbit.
“...What have you said?” He spoke, his voice cold as ice.
“That I gave it to them.” Mister Baggins repeated, his voice shaking.
Slowly, Thorin began walking towards their burglar (or maybe he wasn't their burglar any more?), hatred and anger emanating from him. Ori realized that he was probably going to hurt Mister Baggins, and, even if he had given the Arkenstone to their enemies, he was still their friend. Before he realized what he was doing, he was starting to walk too, but Dwalin's strong hand grabbed his wrist and pushed him back to the place he had been a second before.
Thorin finally reached their (not theirs now) hobbit. Fear was as clear in Bilbo's face as anger in Thorin's. The king made a move and it seemed that his hand was going to his sword, but he stopped himself and, after breathing deeply, asked in an emotionless voice: “And why have you given the Arkenstone to our enemies, thief?”
“Because I think that your lives are worth more than any jewel. More than the treasure.” Answered the hobbit.
“FILTHY HALFLING! The Arkenstone is mine! You had no right to give it away! It is worth much more than YOU, that much is certain!”
Ori saw as the argument continued, still trying to go to help Mister Baggins, who was obviously in great danger, but Dwalin's hold of him became stronger, to the point where it hurted. When he tried to shout to Thorin, Dwalin's hand covered his mouth roughly before any sound came out of it. No one seemed to realize.
“Keep quiet.” Dwalin muttered with a cold voice.
Ori was confused. Why didn't Dwalin let him help their hobbit? Why didn't he help him himself? Right, he had made a wrong decision, but he really believed he was doing the right thing. He had done it for them. He continued struggling.
“I said keep quiet. It's an order.”
Ori listened the argument for a while, at the same time that he tried to fight Dwalin, who was hurting him more with each second that passed, making his hold stronger. When Thorin was about to throw Bilbo, he felt his blood froze. Was Thorin going to kill Bilbo for a stone? Maybe Bilbo was right and they had become too obsessed.
Then Gandalf appeared and Ori felt relief. When Bilbo was walking towards the elves and the men, Kili shouted something about meeting again in better terms, and the look Thorin gave him made clear what he thought of the halfling now.
Once the hobbit was out of sight, Thorin stormed inside of the mountain. One by one, the members of the company followed him, until only Ori and Dwalin were there. Dwalin still was holding Ori too strongly. He released his mouth, but didn't do the same about his wrist. Without answering Ori's questions, he stormed inside the mountain. Ori had to run to keep up with him. He was sure there would be a bruise where Dwalin was holding him.
After a while, he realized where Dwalin was leading him. To his chambers. Once they were there, Dwalin opened the door, pushed Ori inside, finally releasing his wrist, entered himself and closed the chamber with a slam. Then he closed it with the key.
Ori was checking his pained wrist. When Dwalin approached him, he looked up at him, only to fall to the floor when Dwalin hit him hard. When he recovered, he looked up at Dwalin, who had been waiting for him to do so to hit him again. Before Hh could recover again, Dwalin grabbed him by the arm and forced him on his feet. The he put each of his hands in one of Ori's arms and pushed him roughly against the wall. Ori felt tears begin to form on his eyes. He was confused. Why was Dwalin doing this? Why was his loving, adoring, gentle Dwalin doing this?
Dwalin whispered then. “I ordered you to keep quiet. And you disobeyed me. This is what happens when you don't follow my orders.”
“But Thorin was about to-” Ori tried to speak, but got interrupted.
“And he would have done right. You saw how he looked at Kili, didn't you? He is his nephew. He wouldn't have been so considerate with you. You're lucky no one noticed you wanted to help the traitor.”
Ori tried to speak again, say that Bilbo wasn't a traitor, but managed only a pained groan because Dwalin pressed him harder against the wall. Then he grabbed him to the bedroom. Ori felt confusion, and then fear. Surely Dwalin wasn't about to...?
Dwalin sit on the bed and tossed Ori on his lap. One hand kept Ori in his position and the other arms was raised a little before it quickly and roughly slapped Ori's ass. Ori shouted. Dwalin was very strong. This wasn't the sexual spanking he had heard about. This was a real punishment, with the intention to hurt, not to arouse. Dwalin kept hitting him.
“Dwal-!” Another slap.
“Please s-!” Another one.
“Stop!” To his surprise, Dwalin did stop. He didn't look up. He kept looking at the floor.
“And why should I stop?”
“Because this is humiliating... This is for children...” He managed to mutter between the sobs.
“Precisely. You're not grown enough to understand when you have to do as you're told.” He wasn't grown enough. Dwalin had touched a nerve. They both knew.
Dwalin didn't return to the spanking, but Ori wished he had. Because what came now was far worse.
Dwalin forced him to lay on his back, and then he laid atop of him. He kissed him roughly. Ori tried to bite his tongue, but it was useless. After all, dwarves were physically hard. When Dwalin's mouth left his, it wasn't to apologize, but to come down to his neck, leaving bruises and using his teeth to bite and drain blood.
He continued like that, in the worst moment of Ori's life. Worse than the goblins, worse than the spiders, worse than anything, because this came from someone he loved, someone he had trusted.
Dwalin had told him that he was going to make sure he enjoyed his first time, that he was going to be sweet and gentle. Instead, he was making this a nightmare. Oh, he gave him pleasure, but it wasn't a pleasure he wanted. It made it worse, even though Dwalin meant it to make this less horrible.
When he finished, Ori was covered in bruises, his face full of tears. He didn't have the strength to fight Dwalin's arms around him. Dwalin was kissing his neck, gently this time. But it was too late. He raised his head until his lips brushed against Ori's ear when he talked.
“Are you ever going to disobey me again?” He asked gently.
“No.” Ori answered weakly.
“Good.” He said, his tone satisfied. “I know this has gone too far, but it was necessary. If I tell you not to do something, you don't do it. Thorin would have been able to kill you if you tried to help that traitor.” He said, his voice full of distaste when he said those two last words.
Right now, he preferred death, but chose to not anger Dwalin further, so he said nothing.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Dwalin approached Ori from behind. He had been avoiding him for the last two days, and when Dwalin got remotely near, he went to his brothers. No one suspected what had happened, but Balin, Dori and Nori were starting suspecting that Dwalin had done something very wrong.
He had been at a meeting with Thorin, and when he returned, he saw that Ori was sitting alone, doing nothing. Without anyone else. This was his chance. His heart stung when he saw that Ori no longer wore the circlet he had given him.
He looked at the bracelet he had in his hand. It was very beautiful, silver, and decorated with amethysts. He approached Ori, very carefully, and then embraced him from behind. Ori tensed. Dwalin tried to calm him by leaving soft kissed in the back of his neck, but it only made it worse.
“I'm sorry” He whispered. Ori didn't answer.
“Look, I've gotten this to you. It belonged to my-”
“And you think it will fix this?” Ori asked sharply, interrupting him.
“What?” Dwalin asked confused. Ori's tone hurt him.
“You think that giving me a shiny trinket will make me forget what you've done?” He asked, rage in his voice. “Bilbo was right, the gold has turned us all mad. And I had to get raped by you to realize it!” He said, angered but not loudly, for no one else to hear.
Dwalin looked at him blankly.
“Would you...Would you call it rape...?” He asked, muttering. He had assumed it had been only rougher than Ori would have wanted, enough of a punishment, but not to the point of rape.
Ori turned, breaking free from his embrace. His face was as full of rage as his voice.
“Oh, of course not! I enjoyed it so much! That was why I was crying!” He said sarcastically.
“Ori, please, forgive me... I- I didn't know you disliked it so much...” Dwalin began, his mind still trying to understand that he had raped Ori.
Ori looked at him in the eye, and after a moment inspecting Dwalin's eyes, all rage left his face, leaving only sorrow.
It was worse like this.
“Just...Just give me time, OK? I know it wasn't really you the one doing it, it was the sickness, but...I need time to see if I can ever return to be with you.”
Dwalin's heart froze. No, no, nonononononono. He couldn't have heard right.
“You can't stay away from me forever. Please! You're the most important thing in my life!” Dwalin begged, trying to make Ori see how sorry he was.
Ori looked at him, sadly, but without tears in his eyes.
“Am I?” He said, and his voice, his question, made Dwalin realize just how much wrong he had done in his anger.
Dwalin wanted desperately to say 'How can you doubt that?', but he knew now he had no right to say it.
Ori stood and began walking away. He stopped for a moment and turned, facing Dwalin.
“Come on, Dwalin. We have to get ready for the battle.”