We never slowed for a moment as we continued through the mountain until we neared the front gates where most of the attacking dwarves were stationed.
"She escaped? I've never heard such foolishness!" My mother dived into a side hallway with me in tow. She was panting as much as I was and put her hand over my mouth.
"Shhh," she whispered as we listened to the dwarves bicker.
"What about the daughter?"
"She's gone too. They had been spotted in the banquet halls but no one has seen them since." The sound of metal on bone reached my ears and I grasped my mother's waist as a thud hit the ground.
"Observe kinsmen! Incompetence! Find them! Double the guard, search every room in this mountain until you find them! They cannot leave this mountain!" My mother took me in her arms after sliding down the wall to my level.
"It's going to be okay," she whispered as she kissed my forehead, "I won't let them take you." I nodded with tears streaming down my face and refused to let go of her.S he picked me up and backed down the hallway. She moved carefully and cautiously, being sure to look around every corner before we walked through. There were many guard's bodies lying around us, their lifeless eyes staring at us. I tucked my head into my mother's neck and continued to cry.
My pony stumbled in the dim light but I could still hear the archer behind me. I urged her onwards despite her hesitation. Another arrow flew past me barely missing my cheek. My heart pounded in my ears as I squinted to see the road before me. With no weapons on hand there wasn't anything I could do but run.
"Bordan! Bordan! Where are you?" I didn't dare look back as I stared at the road trying to avoid obstacles. The frozen mud beneath my pony's hooves was uneven and dangerous with travelers that had disturbed it during the day. The snow around me glistened in the growing light helping to outline my way and after a few steps I noticed something blocking what should have been a clear patch of snow. As I neared it gained shape and I could begin to make out a figure with a long sword in hand. I urged my pony onwards despite her cautious steps.
"Stop!" they yelled as they took a swipe at us with their weapon. I clung to the saddle as my mount reared and began sprinting past. Glancing up I saw at least three more blocking the road brandishing weapons. I felt her make a correction in footing as she sped up and suddenly leaped into the air. It was like slow motion as we sailed towards them. They dove out of the way and we landed safely on the other side.
She flew like lightning down the dangerous road and I clung to her for my life. The whistling of arrows shot by me as I ducked as close as I could to her. My empty stomach sloshed and I felt as though whatever was left in there would make an appearance. The shouting voices of my attackers were fading quickly as the road turned and began to climb. Her pace slowed slightly and her caution returned but she kept a solid pace watching where she was going. When the road leveled out she quickened her pace as the road had become quite visible without the trees blocking the light.
"Bordan!" I glanced back. I couldn't see anyone but the soft sound of hooves was approaching. I urged my pony to move faster and she complied as the first rays of dawn shone over the horizon. The Blue Mountains loomed over me with their snow-covered peaks. I squinted but couldn't yet see the large doors.
The whizz of an arrow sounded beside me and ricocheted off a nearby boulder. Its remains bounced towards us. My pony reared unexpectedly and threw me from her back. I landed on the ground knocking the breath from my lungs. There was another whistle and I saw the projectile protruding from her back leg. She neighed loudly and began running down the road, limping as she went.
Panic began to set in as I forced myself to turn over and looked back down the road. There were three horses approaching with four riders on their backs. I got to my feet as quickly as I could and began running down the road while my lungs were recovering. It was obvious that they could easily catch me. I could hear their faint cackling as I glanced over my shoulder. They had gotten closer but were keeping a descent distance from me. Toying with me as a mouser plays with their prey.
I struggled to keep my feet under me but my body wouldn't have it. Tired from exhaustion and the cold I could feel my adrenaline beginning to fade. I still felt as though I couldn't breathe as the horizon began to tilt and sway with each step.
"Bordan! Anyone!" My voice cracked and each word stung my throat.
"Oh someone help me!" I heard them mock behind me as I felt myself beginning to slow. I breathed deeply finally feeling as though my lungs finally worked again and willed myself to go on. I managed to continue for a few more steps before I fell to my knees.
"Bordan!" I shouted again in my hoarse voice as I tried getting back on my feet. I could hear them getting closer, snickering amongst themselves.
"He's nowhere around here," one of them called, "There's no one to help you." I managed to make it to my feet but my head was pounding and spots dotted my vision. I began putting one foot in front of the other even though my head felt as though it was being hit with a hammer. I put my hand over the pendant that was still under my shirt and kept moving forward.
"Name a spot that I could hit them at." I heard an arrow dock behind me.
"The knee."
"Then they wouldn't be able to run. That's not fun at all."
"The arm then, right between the bones. Dwarf, hold out your arm. Give me a good target." The three of them began laughing hysterically as I heard the creaking of the bow.
I willed my body to move forward but it simply refused as I heard the whistling of the arrow pass me.
"How could you miss?"
"I was just trying to scare them."
"It was just a waste of an arrow if you ask me. Just shoot them."
I felt my body begin to shake uncontrollably and I couldn't stop it as it betrayed me and fell onto the cold and wet ground.
"Bordan!" My voice was just barely a squeak now as I paused for a moment to catch my breath. The men behind me also went quiet.
"Did they die already?"
"Nah, they're still breathing." The whizz of another arrow startled me.
"See?" I began reaching out for a small rock protruding from the ground to pull myself forward. I failed to hear the sound behind me and I stared at my arm for a few seconds before I realized what had happened. I began screaming, which actually sounded more like an animal that had been shot in the throat, at the black shafted arrow that now had me pinned against the road at mid forearm.
"Thanks for the target!" one of them howled as the other two joined in.
"Stick out your other arm!"
"Bordan!" I shrieked as I shakily forced my legs under me and tried to pull myself free. It stung but not as badly as I had thought. I reached under trying to get the arrowhead out from its place in the now bloody dirt. I stared at the shaft that was protruding out from my arm as I attempted to concentrate on what my other hand was doing. The sun was over halfway on the horizon when I gave up on the arrowhead. I reached up on the shaft and snapped it.
"What are they doing?" I began sliding my arm up the shaft grunting and crying during the process. My arm came free and I pushed the exit wound against my body covering the entry hole with my other hand.
"That's not going to help when you're going to die."
I struggled back to my feet and ran a few more steps before collapsing again, my arms slamming into my gut. It knocked the breath from me, again.
"They've got will; I'll give them that but this has gone on long enough."
"Will counts as nothing when you're dead." I heard an arrow knock and the bow creak. I closed my eyes and accepted my fate.
"Who goes there?" the voice threw us all off guard. It came from down the road and I used what strength I had to look up. There were four or five ponies; I couldn't tell the exact number, my vision was failing me.
"This is none of your concern, dwarves!"
"You are within the boundaries of Ered Luin's claim. State your business." My attackers didn't reply as I felt the vibrations of their horses moving and eventually fading away, "After them!" Two ponies suddenly separated from the group and rushed past me.
"Kili," I heard one of them say, "What's that on the ground?"
"A body, uncle!" One of the ponies sped up and once close enough stopped as the rider dropped to the ground. I watched him with extreme caution as he bent down beside me. I flinched as he reached out to move my hair from my face. His face was soft and a dark stubble adorned his jawline.
"I-I…"
"Shh, save your strength. I'm going to roll you over, okay? Ready?" He pushed gently on my shoulder and I winced in pain. He pushed forward anyways and I flopped to the ground. The sky was an assortment of colors and had large fluffy white clouds hovering overhead.
"Someone tend to his injuries. Kili keep an eye on him; see what you can find out about what happened." The dwarf barking orders stood in the sunlight, his silhouette was strong and well built.
"What's your name?" My vision blurred and I began to relax a little as I kept eye contact with him.
"K-Kà…Argh!" I flinched at the pressure someone was applying to my arm.
"Careful! Mahal knows he's been through enough."
"She," the beardless dwarf corrected, "It's a dwarrowdam, uncle." They all went silent for a moment as I laid there. I saw someone pull something from their belt.
"Are you thirsty, lass?" A small canteen was placed at my lips and I drank it eagerly as the Young dwarf lifted my head. Another dwarf took off his cloak and laid it over me.
"Who was your escort? Father? Brother?" the leader asked still standing in the sunlight.
"B-Bordan," I whispered.
"Bordan? The forgeman?" I nodded before flinching at the pain in my arm again.
"Kili, Dwallin and I will take her back to the mountain. The rest of you continue pursuit of her attackers and finish the patrol." His words were answered with a chorus of acceptance before the extra dwarves returned to their ponies and bounded off.
"Can you stand?" I heard the third dwarf ask. I struggled to move from the ground but I didn't get too far. In one swift motion I was scooped into the arms of a tall bald dwarf. He looked fearsome with multiple scars decorating his hard face but he was gentle with me.
"She can ride with me," the leader stated as he boosted himself into his saddle. I felt myself being lifted by the other two dwarves and was caught by the leader. He pulled me onto the front of his saddle and turned the pony towards the mountains. I shivered under the cloak and tightly held my arm close to me.
"Who are you?" I whispered as I tilted my head up at him.
"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror who was King under the Mountain. Now try not to speak."
"Thror? The line of Durin?" He nodded. I dropped my head back onto his chest, feeling my mother's pendant sliding towards him. The grandson of Thror. Someone I could trust. I allowed my eyes to close, my body suddenly feeling relaxed and soon found myself in a deep slumber.
I dreamt of the river, the raging and angry water that turned red when I tried fighting back. I could feel it pulling and sucking me under as I struggled for breath. The rapids and currents quickly stopped and I could finally see what was around me. There were others with me all pale and wrinkly from their extended time under the water. The one closest to me was my mother, her hair swaying like an underwater weed. Her rosy cheeks gone and replaced with the ghastly blue of death and tattered clothes that covered what was left of her decaying flesh.
Beside her was my father with his beard and hair burned like it was the day he found me wandering in the woods. His long cloak reaching with frayed fingers for the surface. Next to him and even farther, almost to the point that I couldn't discern any great detail, was my uncle. He was filled with those black shafted arrows all over his body. There were people farther out but the water disturbed their features too much for me to tell.
I felt the pressure of the water beginning to affect me as I began to fight back to the surface. The bodies of my loved ones suddenly came to life, their glass and lifeless eyes opening. They swam to me and began to pull me under into the darkness that the water held. Their cold hands burning my skin and pulling me down by the pendant as I watched the light from the surface disappear.