Chapter 3
Leaving and the Cliff
Dwalin's POV. I woke up and look where the girl was, but saw her spot empty. I stood up and a scent of food fill my nose. I head to the kitchen and find the woman standing in front of the stove, cooking breakfast. It wasn't even dawn yet. I cleared my throat and she looked up at me.
"Morning. Are you hungry? I made enough for the whole company." Vanya said. I heard running footsteps and I see all the dwarves rush in. "Take it easy. There's enough for everyone so you don't have to fight over food." The lass was full of surprises.
"It smells delicious, Miss Vanya." Ori said.
"Just Vanya. Nothing else since we will be doing this journey together for awhile." Vanya said. The dwarves nodded and went to sit down. Thorin walked to the table last as she set all the food out. I had a feeling she was trying to prove that she could be trusted. I wasn't sure about her yet.
Vanya's POV. I smile as I watch the dwarves eat their food. I sat down and grabbed a plate full of food. We finished eating and I grabbed the plates as the dwarves got up and left the table. I began to clean them for our hoast as I heard Dwalin and Thorin talking about ponies. I sigh and finish washing.
"Your keeping your secret of your heritage for now?" Gandalf's voice came. I turn and see Gandalf standing in the doorway.
"Yes for now. They probably find out if we go to Rivendell." I said. Gandalf nodded in agreement. I went and grabbed my jacket and my bag of stuff. I come outside to see that the dwarves had the ponies ready.
"We have one for you, Vanya." Fili said, bringing me over a beautiful white pony.
"Thank you, Fili." I said. I looked towards where Dwalin was and saw him watching as I strapped my bags onto the pony. I swung myself up onto the pony.
"Move out." Thorin said.
"What about our burglar?" Ori asked.
"He's not coming. Let's move." Thorin said.
"Ye heard him." Dwalin said. We moved our horses forward and we head out of the Shire. I rode by Fili and Kili as the dwarves talked. We were traveling through a wooded area. I stop my pony as I heard yelling and look behind a hobbit man running our way. I knew he was a hobbit because of his feet. No shoes and they were hairy.
"Wait! Wait!" The Hobbit called. The dwarves stop their ponies. Bilbo comes up to Balin and hands him a long paper. "I signed it!" Balin takes the contract and inspects it with a pocket-glass. He smiles at Bilbo.
"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." Balin said. The dwarves cheer and I smile at the Hobbit. Thorin didn't look impressed.
"Give him a pony." Thorin said.
"No, no, no, no. That won't be necessary, thank you." The hobbit said as we rode. Fili and Kili shared looks and went towards Bilbo. I chuckled. "But I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once- WAGH!" Bilbo was grabbed by Fili and Kili and put him on a pony.
We rode on. I must have missed something when I was cleaning as the dwarves passed coins around
"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." Oin called. Nori tosses a sack of money to Oin. Sacks of money were being passed around. Dwarves and their gambling.
"What's that about?" The Hobbit asked.
"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't." Gandalf said.
"What did you thing?" Bilbo asked.
"Hmm." Gandalf said. A sack of money was tossed to him and he puts it in his bag. "My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second." Bilbo sneezes loudly.
"Ohh. All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction." Bilbo said. He searches his pocket. He looks up holding up his hand. "No, no, wait, wait, stop!" We all stop our horses. Thorin and Dwalin looked back, not looking happy as some of the dwarves dwarves start to object. "We have to turn around."
"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asked.
"I forgot my handkerchief." Bilbo said. Bofur tears a strip of cloth from his clothing and tosses it at Bilbo.
"Here! Use this." Bofur said. Bilbo looks at the handkerchief in disgust. The dwarves laugh.
"Move on." Dwalin said. We continue going over the hills and I heard Gandalf talking, but I ignored him.
"Your a new face." The hobbit said.
"I'm Vanya. You must have went to bed when I joined the company." I said.
"I'm Bilbo Baggins." Bilbo said. I smile.
"Nice to meet you Bilbo." I said. He smiled.
That night. We were at the edge of a cliff. I sat on my bedroll sharpening one of my daggers. I kept my bed close to the fire and saw Fili and Kili sitting by it, near the rock. I get back to work as Thorin sat down and almost dozed off. I watch as Bilbo got up as the dwarves snored and went by the ponies. I set my blade down and looked up at the stars, enjoying the night. An orc screech came and I looked in the direction, my elf eyes scanning, but I couldn't see any of them.
"What was that?" Bilbo asked.
"Orcs." Kili said. Another scream came and Thorin jerks awake at the word of orcs. Bilbo comes running over.
"Orcs?" Bilbo asked.
"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili said.
"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood." Kili said. Bilbo looks away in fright and I shot the boys a glare as the boys start to laugh.
"You think that's funny?" Thorin asked. I look up and see him come stand by Bilbo, looking at the boys. "You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Kili sighed.
"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said.
"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin said. He walked away towards the ponies. Balin came over and put a hand on the tree that was there.
"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." Balin began his tale, but my mind wondered off because I heard the tale of Thorin and Azog before. My mind went to a memory. A memory of my mother when my brothers and I rescued her from the orcs a thousand years ago.
Memory (A thousand years ago.)
Elladen and Elohir were ahead of me as we head to the orcs lair. Father wasn't happy that I went with, but my brothers reassured him that I was a strong fighter and they would bring me back. Mom had been taken by orcs for a few weeks and we finally tracked her down. I kept my hand on my sword as I followed my brothers.
"Get her out without making noise and making yourself known." Elrond had said. I knew it would be a miracle if that happened.
"We're getting closer." Elladen said. We came to an opening and hid behind rocks. We saw the orcs eating and talking in the black speech.
"Go find mother. We'll separate. Yell if you need help." Elohir said. I crawl off in one direction. I kept to the shadows as I look for my mother. I found the cells and look through them. Most of them were empty, except one. An elf with silver hair lay in the corner.
"Mother." I said in elvish. She moaned in pain. I looked around and found the keys. I grab them fast and open the cell. I run in and turn her over. She starts punching and kicking me. "Mother. Mother. Its Vanya, your youngest." I said it in elvish. She stops and looks at me. She looked terrible with bruises and cuts. She touches my face.
"Vanya." My mother said. I helped her stand up and walked her out the cell. She was weak. Elohir and Elladen ran over.
"We need to get out of here. Now!" Elladen said. Evil laughter came as Elohir took our mother and threw her over his shoulder as we pull out our swords. A huge white orc and another young white orc stood there. I heard the older one call his son Azog and pointed at us.
"Run." I said. We ran. Orcs came at us from everywhere and we killed them all as they came. The white orc came at us and I jump in front of my brothers and block his attack. "Get mother out of here. I'll be coming." I block all his attacks as the others disappear. I slash the sword and cut off the orcs arm. He screamed in pain. I swung my sword again and sliced off his head. I saw the young white orc running yelling in the black speech. I ran with the roar of the young orc ringing through my ears. I jump on my horse. My brothers look at me. Mother was on one of the horses.
"Let's go." Elladen said. We rode fast to Rivendell.
End of Memory
"There was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived." Balin's voice pulled me out of my memory and I look up to see all the dwarves standing, facing their king. "And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King." Thorin turns to look at all of us. Thorin nods and walks towards the fire.
"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked as I stood up to walk to the cliff.
"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That fifth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin said. Gandalf, Balin, and I shared looks. Azog was alive and he wanted me dead for killing his father and I knew he was hunting Thorin and his nephews and Gandalf wanted me with them to help protect him. I came to the edge of the cliff and looked. I saw movement, but they disappear before I could see who or what they were.
"Ye seemed lost, lass." Dwalin's voice came. I turn and find him watching me.
"Just remembering my mother." I said. I was surprised I was opening up to a dwarf.
"She alive?" Dwalin asked.
"Some years ago, she was captured by orcs and tortured. My brothers and I saved her and brought her home. She was never the same after it. I was attacked by her when I came in to bring her food and father had to pull her off me. She's not with us anymore." I said, deciding to keep that she sailed to the undying lands for the moment.
"I'm sorry, lass. Yer strong. I'm sure she would be proud of ye." Dwalin said. I smile at him and I saw him slowly crack a smile.
"Thank you. I should get some sleep. I'm tired." I said. Dwalin walked with me back to the fire. I laid down in my bedroll and fell asleep, peacefully.
AN: I took a guess on how the twins rescued their mother with Vanya and the memory was to tie her and Azog together. Hope you enjoyed it.