Thror had his eyes on Moria, claiming that as the heir of Durin the land was his. He gathered an army to head towards the mines of Moria to claim the land. No one ever dreamed the outcome would be so dim.
The battle of Azanulbizar was terrible and victorious in its own right. Many were lost, but the Orc and Goblin numbers were greatly decreased. So many dwarrow marched towards Moria Saari held close to Balin and Dwalin, Thorin stayed by Thrain and Thror. Tension was high before the battle, while the dwarrow camped and prepared for the battle the following day.
"I wish ya would have stayed put in the Iron Hills, lass, I know you are a competent warrior but we already have so few women." Saari turned to face Krowan, a younger guardsman, as he lamented once more.
"Aye, and leave ya to be spitted early into the fight? I think not. Yer defense has always been shoddy, Kro, it's why I've always begged ya to pick up a shield." Saari raised her brow, challenging the dwarf to challenge her decision once more. "A lass I may be, but I am a warrior through and through. Ya cannot expect me to sit back while battle rages any more than ya are willin to do so yerself." She gave a curt nod and followed it with an uneasy grin.
"Aye! I won't hear anymore of ya questioning the lady, lad. She has proven herself many times over already. She's lost enough to warrant a place in this battle." Dwalin piped up behind Saari and clapped her on the back. "Who else is gonna protect dear Balin?" the large dwarf chuckled.
Hearing his name, the old dwarf clicked his tongue, "Yes, because I cannot have Dwalin at my back, no no!"
Laughter erupted around them and Saari grinned at the elder dwarf. "Aye, if ya want a true warrior at yer back then look no further!" Saari bellowed and stood tall and proud.
Dwalin's eyes shone with mirth as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders easily. "Mahal knows she'll be able to duck any blow headed her way!" Dwalin cheered and rubbed her head with the palm of his hand.
The group talked around the campfire, most unable to find much before a battle but thankful for the cheerful atmosphere despite the coming threat. Thorin looked onto the group with a mildly entertained expression before the chatter quieted and the dwarves tried to find some rest before the morning.
The cheerful mood was all but gone when the sun rose above the mountains, though morale was higher than it had been thanks to the playfulness of the guard captain and her friends. Saari was exceptionally quiet, some would say she was even brooding, but none questioned her.
She clasped her plate armor into place and tied everything to her body in record time. Her armor shone in the early morning light and she flicked a bit of dust form the stamped insignia over her right breast. Saari pulled her wildly braided hair high onto her head and tied a leather strip to keep it high before stuffing it into her helmet.
Horns blew near her and she heaved a sigh. The final march towards Moria began now. She made her way towards Thorin and Dwalin and marched with pride.
There was no time for words for as soon as the army made it to the valley before Moria, they were met by the unnerving howls of the Orcs and the charge began.
"FOR DURIN! FOR MORIA!" Thror's voice was heard above all else as the dwarrow lunged into battle.
Azog the pale Orc was at the head of the line of Orcs, howling words in the dark tongue that none wish to repeat. Thror and Azog clashed in the center of the valley and the war truly started.
Saari rushed to stay close to Thorin and his father, leaving Thror in eyesight, but to fight his own battle against Azog. She dodged many attacks by swinging her upper body out of the way and met blades with her wooden shield. She flung and slammed her mace into any Orc flesh that was within her reach and pounded the pommel into many skulls.
She felt the wind change behind her and turned just in time to see Dwalin bat a smallish Orc away from her, effectively smashing its jaw and most likely most of its skull. She nodded her head in thanks and pushed her way through the thick Orc army, trying to keep an eye on her king.
The battle continued for hours. Thror's battle with Azog ended in agony for the dwarrow as his head was cleaved from his shoulders and thrown to the feet of Thrain, who paled and looked sick while Azog laughed in victory.
"No!" screamed Saari, momentarily distracted by the sight of her king's head landing in front of Thrain.
A hit to the back of her head send her to her knees and she feebly tried to raise her shield to protect herself. The Orc swung unforgiving swings at the shield and her arms grew weak.
Thorin's agonizing shout rang clear behind her and he grabbed an oak stump and marched for the pale Orc, ramming his blade into the chest of the Orc that pinned Saari in the mad rush to defeat Azog.
"Thorin, no! Think, ya fool!" She shouted at his back. She was either ignored or unheard as the prince continued to head towards Azog. Saari turned to search for Dwalin and Balin, but both were occupied by Orcs themselves.
A rush of adrenaline was all Saari needed to fight at Thorin's side, willing to protect the fool prince from being slain before ever reaching his target. She bashed skulls with her shield and crushed the throats of any who approached her prince.
Thorin took on Azog with his oaken shield, and Saari could only watch his back so he did not get overrun by the filthy Orcs that were swarming them.
The prince took a punch to the face; Saari began to rush towards him, but was stopped suddenly by the screech and slap of an Orc.
She faced the ugly thing and swung her mace, missing it by inches. She turned when she heard the pain ridden yell of Azog and saw that Thorin had claimed his arm. The foul Orc clutched his arm to his chest and began his retreat. Saari grinned, but did not see the tip of the Orc's blade as it sliced her eye.
Saari let out a pained yell and swung her mace at the Orc's head with all her might, smashing it's skull with a loud crack. She fell to her knees as she watched the bloody wretch fall to the ground. She gasped for breath as she clutched at her damaged eye, unable to see through the blood. She heard her name through Dwalin's mouth before weakness overtook her and everything went dark as night.
She sputtered awake a few hours later, much to the relief of Balin as he hung over her on the battlefield. Relief that was short lived as her cries of pain escaped past her lips.
"What's wrong with her, brother?" Dwalin's deep voice sounded to her left.
Saari would have been overjoyed that both had survived the battle if it was not for the burning in her veins.
"Orc poison, she needs a better healer than I. Give me flannel, we need to keep pressure on that wound." Balin pressed the cloth to her eye, his mouth set into a grim line.
Dwalin knelt and gathered her into his arms and began the trek towards the healing tents, praying to Mahal that they did not lose her to this poison. 'Take her eye, if ya must, but not her life.' Her father's shield and mace were forgotten in the valley. She would never see them again.
Saari thought of her family and wept once more through the pain for a short time before slipping into unconsciousness before ever arriving at the healing tents.
The battle of Azanulbizar ended. Azog proclaimed dead. Thorin was named Oakenshield, and Thrain went mad. Most know this already.
But what of Saari, you ask? Saari recovered from the poison a week later, thanks to her skilled healers. She was left with a gnarly scar that cut through her left eyebrow and most of her high cheeks. She did not lose her sight as most believed, but the poisoned blade tinted the white of her eye black.
She was seen as tainted by the Orcs. Most did not trust her, believing that something dark was born inside her that day. Superstitious as the dwarrow are, the rumors spread.
She fled to Ered Luin with most of the other dwarrow after the battle. Though she was unable to find work, Dwalin and his brother Balin took pity on their friend and allowed her to live with them.
Saari worked hard around the house as the brothers continued their crafts and made their living. She forged blades and shields in Dwalin's forge that she would give to her friend to sell at the market.
She forged her own mace and shield and engraved the names of her father, mother, and brother on the inside of the shield. She never forgot her family and grieved them every day.
And there she lived as peacefully as she could for years before Thorin called upon the trio to reclaim their home in Erebor.
A/N: I'm gonna try to update this as often as possible, but there may be a few breaks needed depending on how fast I can crank out these chapters.
The next chapter is going to start with the actual movie/book at Bilbo's Hobbit hole. Speaking of, I should probably watch the movie again just in case I get tripped up on something.
Let me know what you guys think about this story so far! I'm super grateful to have a couple of followers for the story!