Chapter Eight
The Company fled towards Gandalf's direction, while Lalina was still out on the field fighting orcs. "LALINA! Get over here!" Thorin called out. But Lalina ignored Thorin's call, as she continued fighting the orcs. "You foolish reckless woman! I said get over here!" Thorin yelled again. Suddenly, two orc arrows struck Lalina in the leg, and she fell to the ground, as Kili leapt out firing at the orcs whom shot at her, while Thorin came out, picking her up, carrying her bridal style towards the Company.
"Into the tunnels, quick!" Gandalf ordered the Company. It was Thorin who entered first, while carrying Lalina, as Thorin sat down on the ground, holding her gently. Lalina moaned in pain. "Shh-its okay, you're safe-I got you!" whispered Thorin. Gandalf looked at her. "She had been shot with poisoned arrows." said Gandalf. Thorin looked up at the wizard. Lalina continued to moan in pain, as Thorin held her. Thorin looked up as he noticed Kili hadn't made it into the tunnels yet, because he was still firing arrows at orcs.
"KILI!" Thorin called out.
Shortly Kili slid into the tunnels. And after that a dead orc rolled in afterwards. Thorin removed an arrow from the orc with his free hand. "Elves!" spat the dwarf. "Where does this tunnel lead? Should we follow it?" asked Dwalin. "I say we follow it!" chimed in Bofur, and Gandalf leads the Company further down the tunnels. Soon, they came near to a beautiful valley, and large palace centered it. "The Valley of Imaladris, home of Lord Elrond, as it is also known as Rivendell." said Gandalf. Bilbo smiled. "Rivendell!" gasped Bilbo, in awe.
"Is this your plan all long, to seek refuge with our enemy?!" snarled Thorin. "The only ill will you bring, Thorin is upon yourself." said Gandalf. "But they will stop us!" protested the dwarf leader. "Of course they will. Lord Elrond will help us translate your map, and secondly if you wish for your wife to survive her injuries, she is dire need of healing, if not, she will die." said Gandalf. Thorin remained quiet. And the thought of Lalina dying, scared him. He didn't want her to die, not now.
Gandalf soon led the Company to the Courtyard, as Thorin carried Lalina, whom now fell asleep in his arms. Once they entered the courtyard, they are greeted by a brown haired elf, Lindir, Lord Elrond's advisor.
Soon the horns sounded off, the elves came in on horses, surrounding the Company, and Thorin shouted in his language to stand their ground. Then Lord Elrond approached Gandalf, and the two of them talked, and after that Gandalf introduces the Company to Elrond. "Thorin, son of Thrain! You have your grandfather's bearing!" said Elrond. "Strange, I don't remember him mentioning you." snarled Thorin. "And this woman, Thorin is carrying is Lalina, daughter of the Late Narin Silverfire of Ered Mithrin. She has been struck by poisoned orc arrows, and needs healing quick." said Gandalf.
"We'll take her to the healing chambers. The others can gather in the Dining Hall for supper." said Elrond, smiling at the dwarves. "I'm coming with you. I will not leave my wife alone with elves." grumbled Thorin. And while the rest of the Company went into the Dining Hall, Elrond led Gandalf and Thorin (whom is carrying Lalina) into the Healing chambers. Once they entered the healing chambers, Thorin gently placed Lalina on the bed, while two other elves entered, Elrond, and two elf healers set work on Lalina.
Gandalf asked Thorin to join the others in the Dining Hall, and he (or Elrond) would let Thorin know of Lalina's recovery, and when she would be available for people to visit her.
Three hours later, Lalina woke up and she found herself in a large room with white marbled flooring and red tapestries. She also noticed her pain went away, but her legs however, still felt sore. "Where am I?" Lalina asked. "You're in Rivendell, Lady Lalina." a female voice replied. Lalina woke up and she saw a black haired elf female smiling at her. "My name is Arwen, I am Elrond's daughter. My father sent me to get your bathed and ready for you to join the others." said Arwen.
"Where's my husband?" Lalina asked. "He's in a meeting with my father right now with my father and Mithrandir." Arwen replied, as she helped Lalina out of bed. Arwen guided Lalina into a bath house, where she took a bath. The dwarf woman sighed with relief, as she stepped in the tub feeling the hot water on her skin. She breathed in the fragrance of lavender that was poured into the water, and already Lalina could feel her strength coming back to her.
After the bath, Lalina climbed out of the tub as she quickly dried off, and changed into a light blue gown that was loaned to her. Arwen told Lalina she can explore the palace if she wanted to, and that is what Lalina did as she waited for Thorin to finish his meeting with Gandalf and Elrond. Lalina soon entered a room where the rest of the dwarves are staying.
And as she entered, she could see they had set up a make shift camp, as they continued their merriment. "Come and dance with us, Lalina!" called out Fili, as he was tuning his fiddle. Lalina declined. "I really shouldn't be dancing right now, Fee. I'll sit and listen if you don't mind." said Lalina, as she sat down as she listened to the dwarves play music. It didn't take long for Thorin, Balin and Bilbo to return. "Lalina, can we talk?" asked Thorin, gruffly. "Of course." said Lalina.
Lalina noticed Thorin wasn't in a good mood, and she didn't understand why. Soon, they were outside in the gardens. Thorin turned to Lalina. "What were you thinking, Lalina? You disobeyed my orders! I told you to come, and you should have done it! You would've gotten yourself killed! You nearly died, Lalina!" snapped Thorin. "Why are you getting on me for? I wanted to fight too! I am part of this Company too!" snapped Lalina.
"I know you are part of the Company, Lalina. Its just, I don't want to lose you. I love you very much." said Thorin gently. "Thorin, I never told you this, and I should have told you this before. I made a promise at the graves of my father and my friend Torche, that I will avenge those orcs who killed my father and my people." said Lalina emotionally, and she began to weep. Thorin sat there, as he reached for her hands.
"You would've been quite impressed Thorin, if you saw me fighting all those orcs on my own, and managed to escape, alive-alive!" said Lalina. "You will get your revenge, and so will I. And will do this together." said Thorin, as he brushed his hand gently on her cheek. Thorin pulled Lalina into his arms. "I'm glad to see you a recovering quickly." said Thorin, as he kissed her on the cheek. "THORIN!" called out Balin, who came out to them. Thorin and Lalina looked up as the old dwarf approached them.
"Gandalf had just spoken to me, and he told us we must leave Rivendell immediately." said Balin. Thorin nodded. "We have to go." said Thorin. Lalina nodded, as she followed Thorin and Balin back inside the palace, as everyone packed their belongings. After packing, the Company departed from Rivendell. "Is there a reason why Gandalf hurried us from Rivendell?" asked Lalina as they left the Elven Valley. "I don't know. He didn't say." Balin replied.
The Company pressed on in silence, and hours later, they reached the Misty Mountains. The weather turned for the worst by the time they reached the Mountains, as it began to storm. As they climbed, Lalina and Bofur took notice of two large stone giants tossing boulders at each other.
"Bless my beard! The legends are true! Stone giants!" exclaimed Bofur. "We must seek shelter!" called out Thorin. Thorin turned and noticed Lalina and Bilbo slowing down. "You two, keep up!" Thorin called out. "We're trying, Thorin!" Lalina called out, and she and Bilbo tried to keep up with the Company, when suddenly Bilbo was the first to slip from the edge of the Mountain. "BILBO!" Lalina cried out as she knelt before him, as she tried to help pull Bilbo up. "Reach for my hand, Bilbo! You can do it, I know you can!" said Lalina softly.
"But the Mountain-its too slippery from the rain!" cried out Bilbo. "Go on, Bilbo reach for my hand-!" Lalina encouraged the hobbit. Suddenly, soon as Bilbo tried to reach Lalina's hand, Lalina felt her foot slip and she too slipped from the mountain, with a loud cry. "O, for Durin's sake!" shouted Thorin, angrily. As Dwalin and Thorin rushed towards the two, as Dwalin helped Lalina, and Thorin helped Bilbo pulling them up back on the mountain surface.
"I thought we lost our burglar and Lalina!" said Dwalin. "They both should have never came. The hobbit has been lost since he left his home, and Lalina should have stayed in Ered Luin!" growled Thorin, as he turned around. No soon he said that, he felt sharp pain in his cheek and a loud CRACK!
Lalina slapped her husband with a sharp blow on his right cheek. "You bastard! Everything-Everything I've done helping you on this quest, and this is what I have to hear? And another thing, you need to give Bilbo a chance to prove himself worthy! He has done no wrong to any of us, and deserves to be part of the Company! If I were you, don't sleep ten yards near me tonight!" Lalina shouted. "We'll camp here tonight!" Thorin called out to the others, as they followed Thorin into the cave.
Lalina was already a step ahead of them as she bolted inside the cave, angry at Thorin of his words. "No fires, Gloin." said Thorin. "Why?" asked Gloin. "Plans change." said Thorin. "Thorin, I like to have a word with you." spoke up Balin. Thorin walked over to Balin. "I really don't get you sometimes, Thorin. One minute you're nice with Lalina, and the next minute, you're getting hateful towards her. And as for what you said about the hobbit.." began Balin. "ENOUGH! I am no mood for lectures Balin!" snarled Thorin, turning away from Balin.
"So you two are going to spend the entire quest and your marriage not speaking?" said Balin, sternly. Thorin remained silent. "I'll leave you to your thoughts then, good night, Thorin!" said Balin, icily and he walked away. Thorin looked over at Lalina whom sat alone, looking down at her feet.
Balin is right, the two of us cannot go on like this, thought Thorin as he approached Lalina. "Lalina, is this place taken?" asked Thorin. "No, and didn't I tell you to stay away from me?" asked Lalina. "Yes, you did say that Lalina. I just want to tell you that I take back the words I spoken to you outside the cave, moments earlier." said Thorin, as he sat beside her. "Why did you say it? And don't you say because you are worried for us. You're just repeat yourself." said Lalina.
"Are you thinking that I don't care for you, Lalin? I do care for you, and everyone else in the Company!" said Thorin. "And Bilbo as well?" said Lalina looking into Thorin's eyes. "Maybe him too.." said Thorin quietly. "I understand you still don't trust him, Thorin. But in time, he will prove that he is worthy member of the Company. I have faith in him." said Lalina. And the two sat quietly. Lalina laid her head upon Thorin's shoulder. "Here, just lay in my arms, if you're tired." whispered Thorin, as he pulled her close to him.
"Sleep, my imur!" whispered Thorin, as Lalina laid her head upon Thorin's chest. Although Lalina went to sleep, Thorin remained awake, as he overheard a conversation between Bofur and Bilbo. The conversation was bittersweet, and Thorin realized he had crossed the lines with his words outside the cave.
Thorin noticed Bilbo withdrawing his sword, and it was glowing. Thorin quickly took a look at Orcrist, and it was glowing as well. "Lalina, wake up-danger!" Thorin whispered as he gently shakes her. Then, Thorin stood up. "WAKE UP!" shouted Thorin to the rest of the Company. Suddenly, the Company could feel rumbling coming from the floor of the cave. Suddenly, the floor gave in, and everyone fell through, and they crashed landed in a large underground cave, surrounded by goblins.
The goblins approached the Company, confiscated their weapons, and dragged them to their leader, the Great Goblin.