Unease began to spread through the company; without Karl, the encounter with the dragon would become even more perilous.
Thorin led the dwarves — including Dwalin and Balin — directly to Gandalf, who was speaking with Elrond in the monastery courtyard.
"Gandalf! Where is Karl? We must set out! But we have searched the entire valley and cannot find him! Has he left?"
Gandalf looked perplexed, stroked his beard, and turned to Elrond. "Lord Elrond, do you know the whereabouts of our missing friend? It seems you have sought him out before?"
All eyes fixed on Elrond. Elrond remained calm, meeting Thorin's penetrating gaze, and slowly began to speak.
"I have been in contact with Mr. Karl, and he took from me an important personal item. He said he needed to attend to this important matter, and I have not seen him since."
"Important matters? More important than our expedition?" Thorin frowned. "And he did not even tell us, his companions who have shared life and death together, but only you?"
Elrond shook his head, his gaze candid: "Forgive me, Thorin Oakenshield, but I truly do not know where he is. Though Rivendell is my domain, I must also respect my guest's wish for solitude. He did not tell me more, only emphasised that the matter was urgent and that he must handle it alone. The only thing I can confirm and assure you of is that Mr. Karl is currently in absolute safety, and his life is not in any danger."
But Elrond's answer did not fully satisfy the dwarves. Safety? They certainly believed that Karl was capable enough to ensure his own safety, but they needed a companion.
"When will he return?" Fili asked involuntarily.
Elrond shook his head again: "I cannot give an exact time... several days, several months, or perhaps longer."
Thorin was silent for a long while. He looked at his people and saw disappointment and anxiety in their eyes. He took a deep breath and straightened his chest: "We cannot wait. Opportunities are fleeting. The dragon will not wait, and neither will time. Karl is our friend, and his help would be invaluable. But ultimately, the responsibility for reclaiming the Lonely Mountain rests with the line of Durin. If he arrives in time, he will naturally come; if not..."
"...Then we must move forward! To the Lonely Mountain!"
Thorin frowned, surveying his companions, who were already ready to depart, and finally fixed his gaze on Gandalf and Elrond. "Karl is not here, but... the potions he prepared are crucial to this expedition. The road to the Lonely Mountain is dangerous and long, and battles and injuries are inevitable. Without his supply of those magical potions, the risks would increase significantly."
He paused for a moment, his gaze shifting between Gandalf and Elrond. Finally, he turned sharply to Balin standing beside him and said: "Balin, show me the contract. We need to revise it."
Balin raised his pale eyebrows, but asked no further questions; he simply gave a solemn nod. He took out a parchment scroll from his leather bag — it was the same employment contract he had signed in Bilbo's Bag End. The edges of the parchment were already somewhat rough, but the ink on it remained clear.
Thorin accepted the contract, then turned again to Gandalf and Elrond. "Gandalf, Elrond, I need you as witnesses to this matter."
Gandalf stroked his beard and looked at Elrond. A flicker of understanding passed through Elrond's eyes, and he gave a slight nod of agreement.
---
A few minutes passed in silence around a stone table in a side chamber of Rivendell. Thorin, hunched over the table, was writing furiously, his quill gliding across the parchment. He repeated the three conditions he had orally agreed upon with Karl back in the Shire. One fifteenth of the payment was transcribed word for word into the contract.
Raising his quill and waiting for the ink to dry, Thorin carefully examined the newly added clauses. Ensuring all details were correct, he signed his full name at the bottom — Thorin Oakenshield — and affixed his personal seal.
The contract was made in duplicate. Thorin took the copy belonging to Karl and instinctively wanted to hand it to Gandalf, standing nearby, for safekeeping.
"No, Thorin, do not forget — I am also a member of this expedition." Gandalf raised his hand to stop him. "Carrying such an important contract through the wilderness, or even into battle with a dragon... it is too risky. If it is lost or destroyed, it would be impossible to prove."
Thorin paused, suddenly realising the situation, then hesitated, glancing at Gandalf and then at Elrond, who stood quietly to the side. Gandalf was right; he himself was in danger, so the remaining options... he struggled with his conscience. He felt no affection for Elves, harbouring a deep-rooted hatred and suspicion toward them. Yet at this moment, among all present, Elrond possessed sufficient status, as well as a safe and stable domain. Moreover, theoretically, the only one who could remain neutral was Elrond, despite being an Elf.
After weighing the pros and cons many times, Thorin finally took a deep breath and, with great reluctance, made a concession. He turned, walked heavily to Elrond, and handed him Karl's copy of the contract. "Lord Elrond, please keep this contract safe." Thorin's voice was dry, clearly a deliberate attempt to maintain politeness. "Until... Karl himself comes for it."
Despite Thorin's reluctance, Elrond showed no emotion and solemnly accepted the scroll. "In the name of Rivendell, I shall keep this covenant intact, Thorin Oakenshield. Here, it is safe."
Out of his duty as a witness, Elrond unrolled the scroll, quickly scanning the newly added clauses. When he saw the two provisions — "Full ownership of spoils" and "One fifteenth of the wealth of the Lonely Mountain to compensate for the loss of potions" — a barely perceptible ripple passed through the depths of his eyes, and his face twitched slightly.
These two conditions... seemed simple, but in truth, they covered an area beyond the imagination of ordinary people, especially the first one. All spoils of war obtained by Karl belonged to him alone...
Elrond could imagine that the evil dragon dwelling in the Lonely Mountain would ultimately fall at Karl's hands. According to the terms of the contract, the entire Lonely Mountain and all its treasures would theoretically belong to Karl as "spoils of war." And there stood Thorin Oakenshield — a dwarf prince for whom reclaiming his homeland was a mission and an honour. Would they truly honour the contract and give up their beloved home, for which they had sacrificed so much?
He could almost foresee the coming conflict, but it was not his concern. The terms had been written by Thorin himself, added at his own behest, and solemnly signed. If disputes arose from this in the future, he could blame no one.