36 || Pieces

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Thorin had insisted that with the entire company back together, they all search the gold hoard for the Arkenstone

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Thorin had insisted that with the entire company back together, they all search the gold hoard for the Arkenstone. Leo found the search pointless and while she was not necessarily scared of Thorin, she searched simply to keep him happy in his sick state. Leo hoped that, eventually, she could break him - it was her goal to get him out of this. Whenever she felt as if she made a bit of progress, a moving gold piece would snap him back into his trance. She was determined nonetheless.

Leo stood on the pile of gold, her light-weight preventing her from sinking like the hefty dwarves that wadded in the pile like snow. Instead of searching, she walked around and picked up gems and coins to admire them.

Fili was seemingly doing the same as Leo as he would pick up gold coins, gaze over them, and threw them back into the pile. Occasionally, however, Fili would pick up a coin he found suitable and discreetly place it in his pocket once he made sure Thorin wasn't looking.

Kili took notice of Fili's suspicious actions, fearing the sickness might be settling into him as well. He trudged over to his brother. "Whatcha doing?"

Fili side-eyed him. "What do you mean?"

"Nothin'..."

Fili smiled, noticing his brother's nervous tone. "I'm fine, Kee. Just...searching."

Kili raised his brow. "For the stone?"

"Yeah...for the stone." Fili trekked down the pile of gold, leaving Kili pondering.

Fili continued his search for perfectly shiny gold coins. He picked up a coin that looked promising only to conclude that it wasn't. Throwing it to the side, he looked back down to see something small and green glimmering underneath. Reaching his hand into the gold, he grabbed onto the gem and pulled it out - it was a beautiful little emerald. He smiled at the sight as the image of Leo's green eyes flashed through his mind. He turned around to look at her wandering around the reserve aimlessly, picking up coins with her toes out of boredom. Fili smiled to himself before glancing back to the emerald and putting it in his pocket.

"Pssst! Kili!" Bilbo whisper-shouted as he scurried to the dwarf. "What is Fili doing?"

"I don't know..."

"Hmm. Keep an eye on him. I'm worried about him being around Leo if he...you know."

"I know." Kili nodded in agreement as the two continued their search.

"Any sign of it!?" Thorin shouted over the hoard to the scattered dwarves.

"Nothing here!" Balin.

"Nothing here!" Ori.

"Keep searching!" Thorin barked.

Leo huffed at his unreasonableness as she kicked some more gold around mirthlessly. She glanced around to see Bilbo listening to the dwarves intensely as he rubbed his sweaty palms on his coat - he seemed nervous.

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