Ch 10 Out the Door

For the first time ever, her children were sullen and not getting along. Not even during the first days in Mirkwood were their moods as temperamental as this and Lapis wasn't sure how to change it. The hobbit hadn't been seen in a few days and Meio stayed away from her two siblings, an act Keahi ignored and Tarin was torn between the two. It was as if the nature of fire and water within them were suddenly clashing, to elements born to cleanse and destroy. The sun had risen not long ago, Lapis was used to knowing when it rose and set from hiding in the mountain, and she was resting in one of the chairs observing her scattered children. They hadn't slept together since Meio return either and none had decently slept whether it was night or day by themselves. Lost in thought, she jumped when a horn sounded through the halls and her children were all standing with her the next second.

Lapis frowned at the door when receding footsteps were heard and she went to the entrance to find the guards gone. It could only mean that they were needed, such as an attack on Mirkwood. Without a word, she took off running, her three children close behind her. Listening to the Elvish being shouted and from which direction, Lapis led the way down the dungeons to find the last few Elves jumping through a doorway leading to a river. It was a way out of the Kingdom, they could leave without injury. She ran to the door and held it open, watching the Elves run along the ridge serving as a walkway.

"The dwarves are gone."

She turned to look at Keahi who had spoken. "All of them?"

"From what I could see, yes."

So that was the reason for the horn, somehow the company had escaped. "We should leave as well, there will not be a better opportunity for some time." Lapis pushed the door open wider, "Come. It is large enough for us to fly out." Keahi and Tarin didn't hesitate, but Meio hovered, casting her gaze back. Lapis understood the struggle, but she wasn't about to leave her behind. "We will figure out a way for you to be with him, but please, now is not the time. He doesn't understand us yet."

Meio hesitated a moment longer before looking down in defeat and joining her family, jumping off the ledge with her siblings and casting her wings out to soar above the water. They all took a collective deep breathe, the wind carrying them and soon the sun caressing them as the tunnel ended. It had been many weeks since they had been outside and it was magnificent, like being welcomed home after so long. But the warm feeling didn't last as Tarin shouted to her mother and all eyes spied Elves and Orc in the distance surrounding the river where the dwarves sat trapped in barrels, bobbing in the water. Lapis dove down and was followed quickly, their wings speed them towards the starting battle.

"Kill the Orcs." Three shocked looks were aimed at Lapis. She had always instructed never to harm more than they needed to eat and certainly never spoke of killing anyone. "Their world revolves around killing others for pleasure, they will learn death in return."

She landed and folded her wings into her body before turning and blasting ice over three oncoming Orcs. Keahi raised a brow, looking at Meio since Tarin had no power, and they landed on the other side of the river and tucking their wings away. Taking careful note of where the Eves were, Keahi and Meio worked as a team diminishing the ranks of the swarming Orc while Tarin ran along the bank where their mother was, battling with a discarded weapon along the way. When Lapis had acknowledged Tarin had no powers decades ago, she had taught her daughter all she knew and research books for more training material afterwards. A skill finally being put to use. A scream was heard and grabbed the attention of the four dragons on land along with one particular Elf. A dwarf was on the grassy bank, shot with a black arrow with an Orc coming at him and Keahi took flight, chasing after Tauriel who was running to the rescue of the fallen dwarf. As she killed the Orc looming over him, Keahi landed not far behind her and snapped the neck of another who had been aiming his arrow at Tauriel.

The Elf spun at the sound and inhaled sharply at the sight of Keahi, wings out and fire glowing on his skin. Golden eyes looked her over carefully before narrowing at the dwarf on the ground and Keahi turned away, battling his way through attacking Orcs. He knew every move Tauriel made as she too joined the battle, and Keahi also watched the Elves to be sure none were getting injured by his hand. Behind them, the wounded dwarf had climbed the stairs and pushed the lever to open the gates before rolling off the edge and into a waiting barrel as the water rushed the company away, bouncing the barrels in the waves and between boulders. Elves, Orcs, and Dragon folk alike jumped the watch gate and continued the battle around the snaking river as the Orcs shot arrows at the dwarves who were fighting back the best they could.

Meio was basically drowning all her victims, either surrounding them with water or forcing them to fall into the river where they sank. Scorch marks littered the ground from Keahi, followed by trails of blood from Tarin, and frozen bits of bodies left over that Lapis didn't destroy. Arrows from Elves and Orcs decorated the hills and dead from both parties, though not many dead Eves. Lapis and Tarin stopped together at one point and watched Legolas use the dwarves as stepping stones, shooting more Orc dead from the middle of the rushing river. It was almost comical as the Elf ran between them and land, using their heads as a bridge to cross the water. Lapis gestured to Tarin who followed her over the rocks and trees, Keahi and Meio joining them and all four killing and straggling Orcs. She saw one about to strike the Elf Prince, but before Lapis could shout, a sword flew from the river and her eyes went straight to Thorin who had thrown the weapon.

Another Orc tried to sneak up on Legolas, but Tauriel reappeared and knocked him to his knees, stopping with her dagger at his throat as the Prince shouted at her in Elvish. Lapis and her children arrived at the same outlook the two Elves and Orc occupied, watching as a legion ran after the disappearing dwarves. A pair of pale blue eyes pinned Lapis in place who merely stared back blankly when she noticed.

"You four are to return with us."

"I think not. We were taken hostage wrongfully and will not meekly follow you back. We did as promised, none of us shifted or helped the dwarves escape your kingdom." When Legolas opened his mouth, Lapis cut him off. "You don't have the power to take us and we are leaving, feel free to tell you father whatever you deem necessary. Let's go." Lapis shifted halfway and waited in the air for her children. Tarin was the first to join her, Keahi took a step towards Tauriel but thought better of it seeing the position she was in and unfurled his wings from his back.

"I will see you again, Cor Meum."

Meio was staring off where the dwarves had disappeared before looking back in the direction they had come from. Lapis had a wrenching feeling in her stomach, one that told her she wasn't about to like the decision that was about to be made.

"I'm returning with them."

Her heart dropped. Keahi and Tarin glanced at one another before looking at their mother, and then to Meio. Lapis momentarily felt the urge to take her daughter back against her will but took a deep breath. "He might not accept you for who you are, will you be prepared for such an event? Or see us again?"

"I want to give him a chance, there is something there even if he won't recognize it yet. I will see you again mama, I promise."

Legolas and Tauriel glanced at each other and then to the blue haired girl coming towards them. Both were a little baffled, but Legolas just extended a hand to her and led the group away. Lapis watched as her daughter walked away from her, incredible sadness welling up in her chest. It was her decision, Meio was old enough and found her other half, there was no more she could do for her.

"Come, let's make sure the dwarves survive the river before returning home."

They flew low, keeping out of sight, passing over the Orcs as they chased down the escaping company. Finally, the dwarves steered themselves to the shore and the three landed on the rock formation across the water where they wouldn't be noticed. Keahi shifted next to his mother as his eyes found Thorin and watched him for a minute before speaking.

"Why are we helping them try and destroy our lives?"

Lapis looked at her son, "They didn't do anything on purpose. Besides, Erebor is their home."

"I thought you didn't like dwarves after everything that has happened."

She paused, giving thought to his statement. "Not entirely, certain aspects yes, but as a whole I don't have a particular problem with them."

It was just the one then, Thorin. Tarin and Keahi exchanged a look before returning to their surveillance. A boat docked to the left of them and they remained hidden, Lapis didn't want to interfere unless necessary and even then, she wasn't sure if they should. Crouched, the family of now three watched the exchange between the bowman man and dwarves. Lapis frowned at the man, something very familiar tugging at her memory and she couldn't quite put a finger on it. When he let the dwarves aboard his boat, Keahi tapped her on the shoulder.

"I think they are safe enough now."

With a frown, Lapis continued to watch them, or more specifically, Thorin. The dwarf in name turned and looked up at the hill where they were and stared for a few seconds before continuing onto the boat. Whether he had actually seen them or it was a sixth sense, Lapis didn't know and she wasn't intending to find out. "We will wait for the sun to set and then go home. Shouldn't be to much longer, get some rest."

Tarin and Keahi rolled over and bask in the sunlight while Lapis continued to watch the boat sail away, many thoughts jumbling in her head.

Not much to say, thank you everyone who followed this book since i last wrote. I hope this chapter went over well, I hope to get another up by this weekend.