"Man, I wish we had proper rock climbing gear," said Sara, her chin tipped to the sky. "That's one long steep climb." She shaded her eyes against the sun with a hand as she took in the grooves cut into the side of the mountain. The groves stretched up out of sight and didn't resemble stairs in the least.

"That it is," said Nori, tugging the rope around her waist to make sure it was secure. She frowned at him.

"I know how to tie a knot," she said, with a scowl, folding her arms over her chest.

"Just making sure it's not a slip knot," he said with a smirk. "No need to bruise ourselves today."

"What trouble have you gotten yourself into now?" asked Bofur, approaching Bilbo who was tangled in several loops of loose rope.

"I can't seem to get this right," said Bilbo miserably. "Are you sure there's not an easier way up? Must we climb?"

"Quite sure, Mr. Baggins," said Nori. "Unless you would go to the next valley over and scale an even stepper climb and then cross over the upper slope, which we don't have time for."

"Indeed," said Bofur, rescuing Bilbo from the rope. "It seems that not only did the makers of the door intend for it to be secret, but also difficult to reach."

"It's not natural," muttered Bilbo under his breath. "Hobbits were not meant to climb a wall like a spider."

"Are you sure the door is up there?" asked Sara, braiding her hair to keep it out of her face for the climb.

"We followed the directions that Ori copied from the book," said Bofur, tying the rope around Bilbo's noticeably thinner middle. "It also matches the position on the map that we lost it in the goblin tunnels. There is a little alcove up there and a smooth stretch of stone where we believe the door to be."

"Let us hope you are right," said Thorin, appearing at Sara's side. He took her pack from its place by her feet and stashed it with the others at the base of the cliff. "We haven't time to go elsewhere before sunset."

"That elf better have a quick step," said Nori, tossing his pack on the pile as well.

"His name is Airidan," muttered Sara, pulling a tie from her pocket.

"It is of no consequence," said Thorin, taking the tie and finishing her braid. "We can not wait for him. He will arrive when he arrives, but the door will not wait."

"We'd better start the climb," said Dwalin, pointing to the sinking sun after securing himself behind Sara on the length of rope.

Today was Durin's Day. Four days past Gandalf left and Fili and Kili departed with Legolas and most of the elves for Mirkwood. Fili had still been upset with their separation but he had gone willingly enough. Before they left it had been agreed that the herbs to drug Smaug would be delivered to the dwarves camp in the valley southwest of the mountain early on the fourth day. The company had traveled with the people of lake town for two more days before they had finally split ways at the ramshackle gates of Dale. Sara had chosen to travel with her family for those two days and it had been awkward but not entirely unpleasant.

The company set up camp in the southwest valley the next day and reunited with Nori and Bofur who were pleased to report they had found the location of the door. But noon of Durin's Day had come and gone without delivery of the herbs and Thorin had grown anxious. Sensing the growing tension in the group Airidan volunteered to stay behind and see that the ponies were properly loaded with the herbs before following. Thorin had readily agreed and leaving the five ponies in the elf's care, Bofur and Nori led the company around to the west side of the mountain to where the so-called stairs were carved into the mountainside.

Thorin ordered that they use the elven rope to tie themselves together in groups of four for the climb. Sara suspected this was done more for Bilbo's and her benefit rather than the rest of the company, but after seeing the steep climb ahead, she had reconsidered. Thorin, Sara, Dwalin, and Ori would be the first to climb, with Nori, Bilbo, Dori, and Bifur next, and Bofur, Balin, Oin, and Gloin bringing up the rear. Bombur would remain on the ground with the packs and be hauled up on the ropes once the rest had reached the alcove above.

In a matter of minutes, the company was inching its way up the mountain face like a bizarre strung-out caterpillar. The climb turned out to be just as hard if not harder than it looked from the ground. It was a near-vertical ascent and the notches and grooves were overgrown and disguised with swatches of colorful lichen. As well as hiding the groves, the lichen also made the climb more difficult as it crumbled under pressure and acted like loose sand on the stone. The higher they got, the more grateful Sara became that Thorin had insisted they be tied together for at one point Ori slipped and he would have fallen if not for his tether to Dwalin above. About halfway up the cliff face, Thorin lost track of the intended trail and it took several minutes of shouting to Nori below for him to find it once again some ten feet to the left. All in all, Sara was relieved to finally reach the small hidden bay and secret door.

By the time Gloin clambered last into the grassy alcove, the sun was rapidly approaching the horizon. Thorin untied himself and followed Nori over to examine the flat stretch of stone where they believed the door to be. Sara inched towards the edge of the cliff, her boot knocking a cracked and empty snail shell off the edge. It was a very long way down. Below Bombur had shrunk to a small dot on the rocks and their packs even smaller specs. A stiff breeze blew up the cliff, brushing past her face and making her loose hair whip around and stick to her lips which she had just licked. Her back and buttocks flexed tight as iron as she looked over the edge.

"Even yer body's telling ya to back away from the edge lass," came Dwalin's voice behind her. She was so stiff and rigid she hadn't even jumped even though his voice had startled her. "Come away from there before ya fall," said Dwalin, tugging gently on the rope still tied around her waist. "We still need to pull up Bombur and the packs."

Cautiously she backed away from the cliff and untied herself, offering the loops of rope to Dwalin. Soon the packs were pulled up the cliff and stacked to the side. Then came the altogether trickier task of lifting Bomber to their lofty perch. To say the Bomber was unhappy about being hauled high off the ground was an understatement and Sara really couldn't blame him. Elf rope or no, she would have been just as nervous if she were in his place. By the time they dragged a puffing and panting Bomber up over the edge and into the alcove Bifur was chiding his younger cousin for his abysmal language.

"Right," said Dwalin, clapping his hands together. "Now that we're here, what's next?"

"We wait for sunset," said Ori. "If we have not severely miscalculated, the keyhole should then appear."

"What exactly did the moon letters say?" asked Gloin, shaking sand and grit from his hair and beard.

"Let me check what I wrote," said Ori, diving into the satchel at a side where he kept his papers and records. But it was Bilbo who answered.

"Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole," said Bilbo absently as he picked patches of lichen off the rock he and Bofur sat on.

"Here now," said Bofur, turning to him in astonishment. "How did you remember all that? It's been months now."

"Not so long," said Bilbo, shrugging. "I recently read the account from Sara's phone because I wanted to know how my encounter with Smaug went. But the moon letters, in particular, have stuck with me because they always seemed a bit of a riddle to me and I do so love riddles. I have thought about them often but I must admit I still don't quite understand them. I mean all this stone is gray, or at least it is under the lichen. So where exactly is one meant to stand? Not only that but I don't exactly see any thrushes around nor is a wild bird likely to approach this spot with us all crowded here in front of the door."

"You make a fair point Mr. Baggins," said Balin, before turning to Ori. "What exactly does the book say about the opening of the door?"

"Just that as the sun is slipping down past the horizon the last ray of light shines from behind the clouds on the keyhole. Bilbo is the one to find it."

"Then perhaps we ought to sit and wait. It can't be very long now," said Balin, pointing to the sinking sun.

Reluctantly the group sank to sit on the stone, all save Thorin who paced back and forth in front of the flat stretch of rock. His eyes glanced to the horizon every dozen seconds or so. Sara approached him, staying out of his path.

"You all right?" she asked. A curt distracted nod was all his reply as his feet continued their monotonous pattern, his hands deep in his pocket. She watched him impatiently for several long minutes and at last, could stand his jittery energy no longer. She seized his hand and dragged him to sit on a stone with her.

"It's going to be fine," she reassured.

"We can't afford it not to be," he said, his body tense. "Everything rides on us finding the door. Without it, we cannot hope to take the mountain or defend ourselves in the coming conflict. It is imperative that we get this right."

The weight of his words settled over her like an electric buzz and she suddenly found herself wanting to pace. The sun had nearly sunk below the horizon and the company held its breath as the last orange sliver of sun sank lower and lower out of sight.

"Come on," said Sara, under her breath, unable to keep her knee from bobbing. Clouds dotted the sky overhead but none marred the setting sun. Sara stared at the stone wall waiting for something... anything to happen.

"We are losing the light," said Gloin impatiently. The sun was only a tiny slit on the horizon now. Thorin's hand gripped hers tightly as they watched in silence. Sara's heart stuttered as the sun slipped out of sight, only the orange and pink sky left to show where it had been moments before. No one moved or spoke for a long moment. Thorin's hand went slack in hers.

"Was that it? Where is the keyhole?" asked Bofur.

"I don't understand," said Ori. "The sun was supposed to show us the keyhole."

"Are you sure that's what the book said?" asked Dwalin, staring at the empty horizon.

"I'm positive, 'The setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole.' That's what the moon-letters said."

"Did we miss our date?" asked Nori. "Are we sure today is Durin's Day?"

"Positive," said Balin. "I have calculated it several times in the past month and always come up with the same date. Today is Durin's Day."

Thorin stood and went to the wall, running his hands over the smooth stone.

"Then this must not be the right place," said Dwalin.

"Where else would it be," asked Nori in agitation. "This place fits the description of the book, not to mention..."

Sara tuned them out as their voices grew louder and angrier. Her attention was focused on Thorin. He stood with his forehead pressed to stone for a moment before roaring in anger and slamming his fist into the unyielding stone. He turned and sank to sit with his back to the mountain drawing the key to the door from his pocket. He held it in front of his face dangling loosely from his fingers for a moment before tossing it to the side. It fell with a dull clatter on the stone at her feet. She bent to pick it up and turned to face Thorin, her mind numb.

"What did we miss?" he asked in a miserable whisper, his head in his hands. "Why did it not appear?"

"We've come all this way for nothing," argued Gloin loudly.

"We can't give up now, lads," said Balin. "It's not only our fate that rides on us taking the mountain." But his gentle voice was lost in the growing argument.

"I don't understand," repeated Thorin, running his dirty hands through his hair as Sara crouched in front of him.

"It will be okay," she said, knowing how empty her words were. "Can... Can we go in any other way?" He shook his head

"The only other way in is the front gate."

Her heart sank even lower. Just two days past they had seen the ruins of what had once been the front gate. It was collapsed in a heap blocking any entrance. No doubt this was the work of Smaug to keep intruders such as themselves out as he slept year after year. Even if they did find a way to move some of the rubble the noise would be sure to wake Smaug. There would be nowhere to hide once he emerged from the mountain and any caught would surely perish in the heat of his wrath. What were they to do? Not only them but what were the people of Laketown to do? They could not stay in the tunnels under Dale forever and they could neither return to Lake-Town with the orc armies on the move.

The argument had only grown louder and tempers were running dangerously high among the others of the company. The only one who seemed largely unaffected by all this was little Bilbo. The hobbit paced back and forth in front of the stone wall running his stubby fingers over the lichen-encrusted surface, muttering to himself.

"It must be here... last light of Durin's Day... keyhole... Where is the keyhole? Knocking thrush... whatever that has to do with it."

Sara watched him for a moment before returning her attention to Thorin. The sky was growing dark, the pale glow of the new moon visible behind a thin veil of wispy clouds. A small dark shape flew toward them out of the dimming sky and quite unabashed landed on a stone not far off. It was a small bird, dark feathered with a lightly speckled breast. It trilled brightly and then hopped off into the grass nearby.

"We have to chance a frontal assault on the main gate," said Dwalin. "There's nothing else to be done. We must draw Smaug out."

"That would be the epitome of folly," argued Nori. "Even if we did draw him out we would be gobbled up like so many crackers. There is no cover near the front gate."

Thorin raised his head. There was a hard set to his jaw that was all too familiar to Sara. Her stomach felt as though it were full of cement as he got to his feet not looking at her. To her left Bilbo had picked up a rock and was tapping the wall, listening carefully to the reverberations.

"We shall have to chance an attack on the main gate," said Thorin, rejoining the others.

"But it's a suicide mission," countered Nori. "Any near the gate are sure to perish."

Tap... tap... tap went Bilbo's stone.

"Which is why I will go alone. I know the risks involved, and you need not share them."

"But you are the king," said Bofur. "Surely there's another way."

Tap... tap... tap went Bilbo again. Sara glanced at him wondering what he was hoping to find now the sun was down.

"Before entering Mirkwood I held my life as forfeit to this quest, what difference is death by dragon then death in battle. If we do not take Erebor many more lives will be lost. But I will listen to any well-reasoned idea if you have one."

"Then let us go," said Bofur. "Our people need a king more than they need toymakers."

"I am the one who started this quest at the behest of Gandalf. I will see it through. Fili will make a fine king if anything should happen to me. I want ..."

Tap... tap... tap went Bilbol again, interrupting them.

"I don't want you to go," said Sara, coming to Thorin's side and grasping his arm."There must be a way we can get into the mountain and not be exposed, a spell or a delayed trap or something."

Tap... tap... tap.

"I will not walk into this blindly," he assured, turning to face her and taking her by the biceps gently. "Any plan you suggest I will listen to, but any risk in any plan will be mine to take."

"But that's so stupid," she said, anger mixing with fear at the thought. "Please don't do this." Her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides. "I told you already, I can't...I won't watch you die."

"The idea does not exactly appeal to me either," he said, his earnest face lit by the light of the new moon above as it began to peek out from behind the clouds above.

"But Thorin you can't..."

Tap... tap... tap. Thorin's fingers tightened in frustration around her arm.

"Mr. Baggins, must you continue knocking about? The door will not..."

"It wasn't me," said Bilbo. He was sitting on a rock and raised empty hands. "I gave that up some minutes ago. It's the bird that's knocking about..." He trailed off, watching the bird. "That is a thrush is it not?" he asked, getting to his feet.

"What has that to do with anything?" asked Thorin impatiently.

"But don't you see! Oh, my stars!" The change of tone in Bilbo's voice drew the attention of the others. He was hopping about excitedly.

"Whatever has possessed you?" asked Bofur. "Bilbo, have you taken leave of your senses?"

"Look!" exclaimed Bilbo, pointing to the bird as it beat a snail on the wall. "Don't you see! Or rather hear?" They were all quiet watching their companion. "It's a thrush... A thrush that's knocking on gray stone."

"Perhaps laddie," said Balin kindly. "But we've lost the light. The sun has already set."

"But that's just it," said Bilbo excitedly. "I've only just realized the rest. The last light of Durin's Day... It's not the sun but the moon."

"But that's plumb crazy," said Bofur. "How can it be the moon?" But he fell silent as a sliver of the moon above finally made its bid for freedom from the clouds. Its pail light shone down on them and over the wall. Bilbo rushed to the stone and ran his fingers over its surface.

"It's the light of the moon," insisted Bilbo. "After all, the moon only reflects the light of the sun does it not? "

"Even so," began Nori, his voice dripping with disbelief. But he was cut off by a shriek of excitement from Bilbo.

"Look there! See in that small crack. It was not there a moment ago. A keyhole!" Sara's heart lurched. Could he be right? "Quickly Thorin, where is your key?"

In a moment Thorin was searching the ground, but Sara stopped him, handing him the key she held. He took it, hastily placing a kiss on her forehead before he approached the door.

"Look, just there," said Bilbo excitedly, pointing. Thorin clasped a hand on Bilbo's shoulder as the others gathered around. Thorin carefully slipped the large key into the hole and twisted. There was a dull click and a thud but nothing else seemed to happen. Leaving the key in its place Thorin put his hands on either side and gently pushed. A square door swung open silently. Stale air wafted out over them as if the mountain were letting out a great sigh.

"What is that smell?" asked Bilbo, a hand over his nose and mouth.

"That my lad, would be the stench of dragon," said Balin, stepping closer. Thorin hesitated only a moment before stepping inside the dark hallway, his head turning this way and that. Without a word, Dwalin lit one of their lanterns and handed it to Thorin who took it with a nod. Stepping further inside Thorin ran a hand over the wall to his left.

"I know these walls," he said in a reverent whisper. "Do you remember it, Balin?"

"I remember," said Balin, coming to the door, his voice cracking.

One by one the others filed quietly inside, speaking in the low reverent tones of their people, their words sounding like a prayer. Sara and Bilbo hung back just outside the door