Chapter 8 Don't mess with the line of Durin, it is protected

The man was not happy that Nori had gotten away with banishment, although if he understood dwarves correctly Nori wouldn't find any hospitality anywhere nearby. He was annoyed that Gandalf had interfered, but everything seemed to be going to plan now. He had to wait for Gandalf to leave; he had stayed for a month following the incident. The man watched as Thorin was allowed up and around if he used a cane, then he was allowed without the cane. He had seen the miner given a crutch, and released home to the care of his cousin and brother. He could see the annoyance that he couldn't work, frustrating the guy. But the reason the man watched miner was that he spent his time carving at his cousin's toy shop and the two princes were frequent guests, often with Ori and a book somewhere nearby. Three months after the incident security was still tight but the Man decided to take his chance, he would get to Thorin via the princes.

The man slipped into the toy shop, careful to avoid being sighted by the toy maker and made his way through to the work shop. Here he found Bofur carving and telling a story to the princes, Ori was writing something out of a book in a neat script. The Man used to walking in and taking what he wanted stepped out into the open.
'Hello sir, what can I do fer you' The miner asked in a rather over loud voice but jolly never the less
'hehe well it's not so much what you can do and what you won't do, I am going to take these two off your hands and you are going to stay quiet and not say a word to anyone'
'Excuse me, but you're not going to take anyone anywhere alright' the miner growled, but the man leant forward knife in hand and reached for Kili. Bofur was up like a shot, he grabbing his crutch and swung it at the man. The wood splintered giving Ori and the princes' time to move behind Bofur who seemed to be holding his own. Bofur was backing up, hoping that Bifur had gone for help, he needed the princes to remain were he could see them. This man was good, he was almost as good with knives as Nori. Bofur was starting to have trouble his right leg was trembling as they fought, and then he went down a new cut across his hip. The man triumphantly stepped towards the princes to find Ori standing in front of him. The man mused that Ori was similar to his brother in many ways, the young dwarf was now facing him holding a small knife and a sling shot.
'Leave them alone' the young dwarf growled, sounding oh so similar to his brother the man almost jumped with glee, he leaned forward, knocking the slingshot to the ground neatly slicing the young dwarfs arm. Ori's eyes widened, realised he was about to be killed and flipped his other wrist. The small knife caught the man on his hand and made him drop his knife. Ori glared the man, now the princes stood shoulder to shoulder with him holding up carving knives they had found. The man knew this was a battle he wouldn't win, as he herd running feet outside in the street so he left as silently as he arrived.

Ori was staring at his small knife now laying on the flood with blood on it, cradling his arm against his chest. Fili grabbed a cleaning rag to try and stop the bleeding whilst Kili call out were they were. Dwalin burst in followed closely by half of the guard only to see Bofur lying on the floor, splintered wood everywhere and the two princes huddled over Ori.
'Dwalin we have to help them, they saved us'
'I think Thorin's man was here, he tried to kill Kili but Bofur got him good. But you know Bofur's no fighter and the crutch wasn't enough the knock him out so he stabbed him in his bad leg.'
'We were looking for knives and thought he would get us but Ori was awesome he stood there and stared the man down and told him to leave us alone, the man didn't take him seriously and cut him bad. But Ori got him, he cut his hand with his knife, he threw it and it hit the man, I think Ori would be great at longer distance weaponry Dwalin, maybe he could join me in artery'
'Alright alright Kili, right now if we don't move them fast the only people they will be joining will be in Mahals halls'

Thorin was alone in the house, Fili and Kili were down at the toyshop there new favourite place, and they were with Ori and Bifur so he was sure they were safe. His sister had left town about a week ago with one of the trading parties and was due back any day now but Thorin avoided putting too much weight on his leg, he wanted it to return to full strength before he completely returned to normal. So that was where the man found him, at home with a guard outside, the Guard was killed with a swift slice across the neck and Thorin would be next. The man would get what he wanted, he always did there was no one here to protect Thorin and as promised there would be no third meeting.
'Well here we are Thorin, this is the end'
'How did you get in here'
'Oh you know, I had a promise to keep and that guard well he was hopeless'
'What do you want?'
'You know the answer to that, think back to the incident with our favourite thief, I am going to end you because I can. Just like I almost ended him, but now is not the time for chatting' Thorin watched as a knife appeared in his hand, and was suddenly impacting in his bad leg. Thorin wasn't going down without a fight, and managed to release his own blade. It was then he noticed the cut on the man's hand, he had a target so he might be able to do this after all. But another knife hit his shoulder just has he threw his blade altering the aim and missing the man entirely. He prayed to Mahal, this couldn't be happening. The man was now leering over him.
'Little Kili looked just the same as it put a knife to his throat, after that Fili was easy his fight was all off because he was missing half of himself. Well now you can join them Thorin'
'No …. No …'
he now had his hands locked around the mans advancing arms but they were shaking the blood loss would get to him soon. He was devastated he couldn't have gotten the boys, he just couldn't have.

Nori had slunk back into town and was creeping home when he heard Kili chattering away excitedly. He paused in his trip when he noticed that Kili and Fili were with the guard, and they were carrying two dwarves. Nori froze when he heard reference to Thorin's man, and he knew he would have to wait till later to find out who was being carried. He dropped his bag, then leapt up on to the roof of the nearest house and raced towards to Thorin's home. He saw the guard and knew this was where he needed to be.
'ello there, long time no see' he called out as he leant in the door way casually flipping one of his knives. Nori enjoyed the look of shock on both their faces before strolling into the room.
'You really shouldn't be ere you know, but it's not like you ave anywhere else is it?'
'What do you mean and it's you who shouldn't be here'
'Aw yer about that, well banishing is very much in the terms, not allowed on the streets but you would know that's not a problem. And just so's you know I don't think you will find much of your old network'
The mans eyes widened, he had wondered what he created all those months ago when he tested out his potion. Well now he knew, he had released a monster, but one that hid in plain sight and had weakness. The man pulled out some more blades and they began to fight. Thorin watched as his consciousness wavered, Nori looked like he was dancing with death. He had a mad grin but there was not hollowness he was enjoying this legacy of what this man had done to him. Things took a turn as Nori notices his hand.
'ooo looks as if someone is losing there touch, someone got your dominant and'
'Oh Nori I almost forgot, that was your brother, you know the quite bookish one'
Nori froze, his mind was screaming at him that it was Ori being carried to the healing house with Kili. Then he felt a vice like grip on his dominant arm, then he felt the knife slicing it open from wrist to elbow, he felt the blood flowing freely and growled at the man.
'Oh just like your brother you will die, shame I can't cut a sling shot out of your hands. He so want to be like his older brother, standing over two cowering princes. He practically begged for death as I killed them all' that hit Nori, he had seen the princes the man was lying to him maybe Ori was ok.
'LIAR' Nori leapt forward Grimacing as the knife buried into his elbow as he pushed against the man. Then he jumped high, tore the knife from his arm and sliced it neatly through the mans neck.
'The line of Durin is protected' he growled at the man as the life left his eye.

Nori raced over to Thorin, who was not certain what was going on. All he knew was that Nori was back and sitting with him, it was true what the man had said about Nori.
'They arnt dead, no matter what e told yer'
'What do you mean?' Thorin felt that was all he could ever say at the moment
'I saw em large as life before coming ere, they didn't see me mind'
'Nori I am sorry'
'for what, I am alright … ok maybe no me arm tingles a bit'
'He told me that if I killed you we would be unprotected, I thought Dwalin …'
'You rely on that lug too much Thorin not everyone's going the be a orc or goblin'
'Well if we get out of this would you mind providing your services'
'one condition no one knows, They can guess if you like but don't tell anyone'
'Alright …'
'Stay with me Thorin …'
'Nori …'

That was how Dwalin found them when he arrived after making sure Oin was looking after the others. The King and the thief leaning on each other, covered in blood and the body of a very dead man in the front room of Thorin's home.