Sephira clutched her cloak tighter around her, the deep hood pulled up and hanging limply around her as it dripped with water. She was freezing. Far more than she had been those days back when it was raining and they traveled on pony. This was much worse, far more dangerous, and highly unpleasant. The hills got higher and higher, and smaller in width until they had no choice but to walk in a single file line. Sephira was between Fili and Bofur; Fili in front and Bofur trudging along behind her. Sephira sucked in a sharp breath as her foot slipped on a wet rock and sent her pinwheeling. Her hands clutched the back fo Fili's sopping wet furs, panic shooting through her as she sent a glance over the edge. Bofur's arms shot out, catching her by the arm as Fili's arms shot behind him and grasped her hip to steady her.
"Easy lassie." Bofur said shakily, rightening her and releasing her arm.
"This is bloody ridiculous!" Sephira growled, shuffling over so she was closer to the rocky wall of the mountain.
This was the first time she had slipped, but she was not the only one. Ori had slipped many times, having to be rightened by his brothers. Kili's footing had faultered, but he caught himself before any major slipping could happen. And their poor burlgar had slipped and almost tumbled off the cliff a good three times. Each got him a glare from Thorin and a barked order to watch his footing least he should fall.
"I agree, but there is not many other choices to travel by. Going around would take too long." Fili said, not removing his hand from her side, even as they began to carefully make their way forward again. He was not going to risk her slipping and falling again. Next time, he may not be as quick to steady her. And no offense to Bofur, but Fili was not about to trust him with Sephira's safety.
"It'd be warmer." Sephira grumbled, but said no more. There was a great rumble of thunder, and Sephira jumped, clutching tighter to Fili's furs and squinting her eyes against the lightening that followed.
She stood by what she told Fili. This was indeed bloody ridiculous. Sephira was not, nor would she, question Thorin's order, but this was insane. One of them was going to end up slipping if he kept up this fast pace. He wanted to travel as far as they could before nightfall, and it was going to end up getting one of them injured. Or in Sephira's case, reinjured. She did not know how many more slips her ankle could take before it started causing her pain once more. Bilbo slipped once again, almost falling from the side of the mountain pass had it not been for the quick movements of the dwarves.
Just seconds after, another round of thunder came, and Sephira's footing slipped dangerously as she jolted precariously towards the rocky caverns on the side of the mountain. That time she had been unable to hold in her panicked shriek, and Bofur shot forward, arms extending, while Fili's grip on her waist tightened.
"We must find shelter!" Thorin bellowed, wet tendrils of hair wipping around him.
"Oh, now you've decided to look for shelter?" Sephira snapped heatidly, her voice an octive higher as the adrenaline of almost falling over the edge still washing through her.
On a normal occasion, had Thorin given such an order, Sephira would have held her tounge. But she was not in the mood. She was wet, she was freezing, she'd almost fallen off that bloody mountain pass twice, and was in no mood to deal with his lack of thinking. They moved forward again, Sephira being more mindful of where she stepped than she had ever worried about something before in her life, her hand clutching tightly to the arm of Fili that still held her secure by the waist.
"Look out!" Dwalin bellowed, and Sephira found herself being slammed into the wall of the mountain as a prodigious rock flew towards them. It struck not far above them, shattering to pieces and plummeting past them. Something sharp cut into Sephira's cheek, a warm liquid following after it but she paid it no mind. There was more pressing matters than a small cut to her cheek. For instance, the large rocks that were flying towards them.
"What the-" Sephira began, but was cut off as Balin spoke. Well, more like shouted.
"This is not storm! It is a thunder-battle!" Shock washed through Sephira as she cranned her neck forward, around Fili, and looked out at the rest of the mountains.
Her father had told her stories of them, of the Stone Giants, but none of the stories or the most descriptive words could have prepared Sephira for what they were actually like. They reminded Sephira of the Ents, the race of trees that she had the pleasure of meeting back when she was but a child. Only these were far larger, the size of mountains and then some, made of rock and stone. They were terrifying to behold, and Sephira felt herself shrinking back into the mountain wall as more of them dismembered themselves from the mountain side.
"Bless me, the legends are true!" Bofur breathed, eyes wide with shock. "Giants. Stone Giants!"
"Yes, Bofur, real bloody Stone Giants!" Sephira shouted, wincing as the movement pulled on her sliced cheek. Distantly over the sound of thunder and the rocks being thrown about, Sephira heard Thorin shouting at them to move.
But none of them got the chance to move forward. Another Stone Giant, from further along the mountain side and to their right, pulled away from the mountain and grabbed a large boulder. Sephira's eyes widened as it hurled the boulder, and she promptly followed the barked order to "Move to the wall!" She did not fancy having another gash on her cheek. Everything was highly confusing. Sephira did not know whether or not they should move or remain standing. And when the mountain they were on began to shake violently, she did not know if it was from thunder, or from another boulder striking it. But as she heard Fili and Kili's panicked shouting, Sephira realized that it was neither. As a large crack steadily grew larger, seperating Fili from Kili- who was shouting at him to take his hand- Sephira realized they were standing on the knees of a Stone Giant.
"Bless me..." Sephira breathed, an inaudible sound that choked in her throat. If Sephira hadn't been so absolutely petrified, she would have sank down onto her bum as the muscles in her legs gave out.
But as it were, Sephira was completely frozen where she was, one hand digging painfully into the rock wall behind her and the other clutching at Fili's coat. This had to have been the most frightening thing Sephira had been through since she was eight and the pony her and Thorin had been on while traveling to see his relatives in the Iron Hills fell into the half frozen river and he'd been knocked unconscious. This was far worse. Sephira had been seperated from Thorin and Dwalin by half the group of dwarves, and now she and Fili had been seperated from Kili by the knees of a Stone Giant. An arm like steel was thrown across her torso, and she glanced to the side to see Fili staring across the way with wide eyes, a look of utter terror on his face. Sephira followed his gaze, and she found herself locking eyes with the other half of their company. How they had ended up clear over there, Sephira never found out. Nor did she wish too. After the experience was done with, she'd pushed it to the furthest parts of her mind and ignored it.
"We're going to smash into the mountain side." Sephira said in a faultering voice. Her eyes were wide as a full moon, staring at the jagged edged rocky moutain side that the knee of their Stone Giant was headed towards at a fast pace. No one seemed to hear her, and the numb hand that clutched at Fili's soaked fur coat gave a feeble tug. But it caught his attention, and he looked down at her, blue eyes light with panick.
"Fili..." was all Sephira managed to say, jerking her head forward. He followed her gaze, and a curse left his lips.
"Hold on!" he shouted. Just in time too, for just seconds after his order, the knee of the Stone Giant had collided sharply with the moutain side, jarring them and sending them flying forward.
Sephira's grip on the rocky wall was ripped away viciously, but Sephira's mind was too blind with panic to register the pain it caused. Fili's grip around her tightened, just as Sephira slammed her eyes shut. The sensation of falling was brief and short lived before she knocked into what felt to be hard, solid rock. A body landed on top of her, snuffing out what little breath Sephira had gained. Vaguely, Sephira could hear the shouts of raw anguish that one would think someone dear had died. Wait...Sephira's eyes ripped open, a startled, half laugh leaving her lips. Of course they would think someone had died! The Stone Giant they had been on crashed into a mountain side! But they hadnt died and...The blonde dwarf on top of Sephira groaned, lifting himself up as he looked down at her.
The relief that flooded through him at seeing her, gray eyes that looked more stormy and full of shock than anything, was so great and so gut-renchingly painful that Fili acted without thinking. He lifted one hand, tangling it into her soaking hair and pulling her head up, crashing his lips to her's. Her lips were soft and warm, despite the freezing temperature around them, and it felt so good to be kissing her.
But his mind finally seemed to process what he was doing, and before Fili could think twice about whether Sephira was actually kissing him back or if she was shivering with cold or trying to talk, Fili pulled away from her, avoiding eye contact. Neither one had to struggle for long with avoiding looking at eachother, for a pair of hands grabbed each one of them and hauled them up. Fili was pulled into the tight embrace of his little brother, their hair tangling together and creating a sharp contrast as they clung to eachother. Sephira was pulled into a bone crushing embrace, wet fur and sopping tangles of dark hair tickling the flesh of her face.
"Are you alright?" the rumbling voice that belonged to none other than Thorin asked, his voice cracking with relief. The young Fae in his arms, too shocked to do much else than hold on tight as she stood there, dumbfouned, gave a breif and tiny nod.
Thorin pulled away from her, holding her at arms length to check for any damage. Other than the cut on her cheek- and the obvious fright of what had just happened- she appeared fine. If not a little shocked. But what she was shook up about was not what Thorin thought. And as he moved along to pull Fili into a bone crushing hug as well, Sephira was pulled into another tight embrace; this one far more natural and familiar to her.
"Don't you ever do something like that to me again, do you understand?" Kili growled in her ear, chest reverberating with the sound. Sephira nodded, squeezing her eyes shut against the sudden tears that threatened to fall and burried her face in his chest.
Kili's grip tightened around her, his heart beating wildly in his chest. Those had to have been one of the most terrifying events he'd ever witnessed. When the rock had seperated Kili from his older brother, Kili could have sworn his heart stopped. And when he realized that Sephira had been behind Fili...Kili had never felt so lost in his life. It had always been the three of them. ALWAYS. It felt like a part of him had been ripped away from him when they were torn apart. Kili pulled away, grabbing Sephira's face on either side and forcing her to look up at him. Her face was ashen, contrasting sharply with the red gash on her cheek, and her eyes were dull, yet shinning with a light that made them look almost irridescent.
"Do not, ever, do that to me again, Sephira." he breathed. Sephira nodded, unable to do much more. The Stone Giants, the falling, Fili kissing her, the way Kili's eyes were burning with alleviation and- dare she say- love. It was all too much. Sephira was still hardly able to process the fact that there had been freaking Stone Giants. Let alone all this other stuff. But she nodded all the same, swallowing around the lump in her throat and giving a shakey smile to the dwarf in front of her.
"I shall try my best." she promised. "Though i do not know how well I will be able to keep that promise." she added thoughtfully, pursing her lips. At Kili's snort of laughter, something in Sephira was put back in its place, and her mind began to clear. That was normal. The humor, the inability to take anything serious. That was what Sephira needed.
"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur's anxious and worried voice questioned, and Sephira and Kili pulled away from eachother and turned to glance around. Sephira's insides twisted with worry, and her caliginous gray eyes searching around frantically. Sephira had completely forgotten about Bilbo in the frenzy of events, and now she could not find him anywhere. A small yelp was heard, and Sephira dropped to the side of the mountain, easing her neck forward so she could look. And sure enough, there was Bilbo, clinging onto the rocky edge for dear life.
"Bilbo!" Sephira pipped, eyes locking on his panicked ones. As she manovered herself to reach down and help, a pair of strong hands grabbed her by the shoulder and hauled her up, much to her protest. Dwalin.
"You'd be no good to the hobbit if you cant lift him." Dwalin growled in her ear, shoving her roughly towards Fili and Kili. The two steadied her, hands lingering a moment longer as she glared at the back of Dwalin's head.
That dwarf was damn lucky he was so frightening. Had anyone else done that- with the exception of Thorin, Balin and Bofur (that axe in his head made Sephira a little weary of angering him)- Sephira would have walloped them. So Sephira stood back and watched as Thorin lept off the side of the mountain and lowered himself down to where Bilbo was hanging, grabbing him by the waistcoat and throwing him up. As he began to climb back up, part of the rock crumbled, and he slipped, grabbing hold for himself. Dwalin was quick to react and he caught him by the wrist, hauling him back onto the ledge.
"I thought we'd lost our burglar." Bofur said, a goofy grin on his face as he helped rightened the poor little hobbit. Thorin steadied himself, turning around and fixing a glare on the hobbit.
"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come." Thorin growled, his voice harsh and as scathing as his steely glare. Without another word, Thorin turned and continued walking, saying something about a cave not far ahead of them. The dwarves sent pittying looks to the hobbit before walking on, following after their king. Sephira placed a comforting hand on Bilbo's shoulder, gently leading him forward as they followed after Fili and Kili.
"Don't take it personal Bilbo; Thorin's as stubborn as the dwarves get, he'll come around." she said gently. Bilbo sent her an impugnable look, his eyes disbelieving. Sephira was certain the hobbit wanted to add a snort to that, but had wisely chosen against it. Sephira offered a smile.
"He doesnt trust a lot of people. And it takes a lot to for him to ever admit someone is of use once he's decided otherwise. I personally am grateful you've come along." Sephira said lightly, still keeping a reasuring hand on the hobbit's shoulder as they walked. Bilbo sent her another piteous glance, still looking disbelieving and unwilling to take her words to heart. Sephira stopped, pulling Bilbo with her as they paused just outside the cave entery. She turned to face him head on, brows arched ever so slightly.
"If it weren't for you, Bilbo Baggins of the Shire, we would not have even made it to Rivendell or here. As horrid as this mountain trip has been, we are making progress. Which would not have been possible had you not been with us."
"You dont know that. You're dwarves...and a Fae..." Bilbo added, sending her a quick glance. "You'd have made it."
"If i remember correctly, it was you that distracted the troll long enough so that dawn arrived before we were cooked. None of us dwarves, or Fae," Sephira added with a small smirk. She did not take offence to being called a dwarf. Many a times, while growing up, she'd been called a peculiar dwarf by ones in the market. She was around the height of a dwarf, only slighter in frame than all of the females, and she had no beard. It wasnt until they saw her pointed ears, or saw her with the heirs of Durin, that they realized she was not a dwarf at all.
"Had thought to buy us time. You saved our hides. Quite literally. Concider ourself proud Master Baggins." Sephira said before removing her hand from his shoulder and walking past him, heading into the cave. Bilbo stayed out a moment longer, shoulders pulling back with pride as he realized that her words were true. They would have all been cooked had it not been for his quick thinking. But that was not enough to keep Bilbo from taking hede of Thorin's words. He was lost. Useless. He should not have come.
Sephira sank rather ungracefully to the ground between Fili and Kili, tugging her sopping wet cloak around her in an attempt to warm herself. Not helpful, mind you, burrowing into something as wet and cold as outside was. She did not look at either of them, nor at anyone else for that matter. Not until Kili broke the silence, a smirk to his voice.
"You know, if you took that cloak off, you'd feel a bit warmer." he said lightly. Sephira shot him a glance, her expression unreadable.
"Your pack is right there. You did bring your coat, didnt you?" Fili asked, sending a sideways glance her way. His stomach was bubbling with nerves, his whole body shaking with the urge to fiddle with the fur linning of his coat. But if he did that, everyone would be able to tell he was awkward and uncomfortable. And that would be odd in itself. Fili was never awkward or uncomfortable with what he did, especially when around his little brother and Sephira. But after he kissed her-
"Yes," Sephira said dubiously, shooting him a scathing look. "I packed my coat. But it will be wet and-"
"Still warmer than your cloak." Fili cut off with a small smirk. Sephira just blinked at him, gray eyes looking uncertain before finally she sighed, looking away and reaching for her pack.
"Bloody know it all." she muttered. Fili chuckled, the knot of tension that had built in the pit of his stomach disappearing. If they could still act like nothing had happened...well it was better than everything between them growing awkward.
Sephira set to unclasping her cloak, tugging it off of her and tossing it onto the cave floor a few feet away. She shivered as the wind from outside gusted in, and she quickly dug through her pack with shaking hands for her black, fur lined coat. Once she tugged it out, she was startled to realize that it was not wet at all. In fact, it wasnt even damp. She tugged it one gratefully, shivering against the sudden warmth that enveloped her.
"Get some sleep. We set out at dawn." Thorin ordered, making his way through the cave. Sephira glanced over at him, but decided against saying anything. She did not want to push her luck. Not after having snapped at Thorin earlier out on the mountain path.
"We were supposed to stay here and wait for Gandalf." Balin said, speaking the words Sephira so desperately wanted to say. Thorin just looked at him, face impassive.
"Plans change." was all he said before taking his spot on the cave floor. Sephira shook her head, leaning sideways and resting her head on Fili's shoulder as she closed her eyes. A wave of nerves washed through her, but she bit them back and instead relaxed against the warmth of his body. Sephira did not know what Fili had meant by that kiss; whether he was doing it simply because she was pleased that they had not died- a heat of the moment thing- or if Fili actually had other meaning behind it, but she was not going to let it ruin what they already had. Besides, it was going to be a long enough journey without the awkward air between them.
"You're warm." Sephira mumbled, curling into his side. Fili chuckled, a soft sound that reverberated through his shoulder and into her ear.
"Yes, it's fine. Leave me over here to freeze." Kili muttered to himself, shifting as he prepaired to lay down. But Sephira put a stop to that as she reached out and grabbed his coat, tugging him over and allowing him to curl into her side as they used the wall of the cave to prop themselves up on.
"Shut up and go to sleep Kili." Sephira said, manovering her position so she was laying more comfortably in between them. Which unfortunately resulted in her head resting against the rocky wall instead of Fili's more comfortable shoulder.
"Yes m'lady." Kili whispered sarcastically, also making himself more comfortable. Despite the clinging wet clothes that hugged their bodies and rubbed uncomfortably against one another, the three were quick to fall into sleep, warmed by the body heat coming from one another.
It had not been long that they had been asleep, but she knew it had not been long. Mostly due to the unusual groggy state of her body and mind that accompanied awaking too soon after just falling asleep. Somehow, they had moved from their upright positions and were laying flatly on the floor of the cave, her head resting on Kili's chest and her legs tangled with Fili's. Both were still asleep on either side of her, breathing deeply and evenly. What had aroused Sephira from her sleep, she wasnt sure. Not until she heard the muffled voices of Bilbo and Bofur talking not far off. They were arguing about something, that much Sephira could desipher. The topic of their disagreement, she did not know. Sephira could not make much out of their hushed whispering, but she caught something about a home and not belonging.
"Kili..." Sephira mumbled, stirring slightly as she tried to distangle herself from their limbs. Bilbo apologized, but was cut off by Bofur speaking. He mentioned something about him being right, and as Sephira became more awake, her hearing heightened.
"I wish ye all the luck in the world. I really do." Bofur said gently. Sephira's brows furrowed, and she lifted her head off of the dwarf's chest as she struggled to see what was going on. From the sounds of it, Bilbo was planning on leaving. But her attention was caught by a soft noise, one of pebbles rolling and slipping over the edge. And before she could react, Thorin was shouting for them to wake up.
"Wake up!" Thorin roared, just before the ground beneath them disappeared and they were falling. Fili and Kili had awoken to Thorin shouting, and now Kili's grip on Sephira had grown painfully tight as they fell down. Later, Sephira would find bruises where Kili had held her, but at the time, she could worry about nothing more than their freefalling descent downwards. They hit the ground with a thud, and Sephira groaned as Fili landed on top of her once again.
"You really ought to stop doing that.." she groaned, coughing as she struggled to get air into her lungs. Fili grunted an apology, shifting to stand up. That chance never came as horrid screeches filled their ears. They looked to the side, and what they saw caused Sephira's heart to freeze in her chest and desperately wish she was back out on that mountain pass, where her only fear was falling off the side. Goblins, gray and covered with boils and sores rushed at them, weapons clammering and teeth nashing. Bony, rough hands grabbed at them, lifting them up and forcing them forward.
"Get off me!" Sephira shouted, jerking away and desperately trying to get out of their painful grip. It did little more than bruise her more, sending a burning pain through her flesh where they touched and pulled and scratched.
"Bilbo!" Sephira gasped, her mind- for once- working properly while they were in a dangerous situation. She cranned her neck backwards, trying to spot the little hobbit amongst the dwarves and screeching goblins that were surging around them. But she could not see him. Not over the heads of so many dwarves and all the goblins that were Sephira's height or taller. Sephira growled visciously as a goblin's hand brushed too close to a private area for her liking, and before anyone had a chance to blink, one of her daggers was embedded into its skull.
Everything around her froze as the goblin's pitiful squeal and gurgle of death echoed around them. The dwarves looked on in shock, and the goblins looked on, dumbfounded. The goblins let out another shriek, one far louder and more terrifying than before, and Sephira felt a sharp, goulish hand connect with her cheek. Angered outroars ripped from the dwarves as they were all shoved forward, weapons being removed violently and passed along through the throng of goblins.
"Sephira!" Kili shouted, surging forward as he tried to reach her. They were seperated by a mass of goblins, and him and Fili could see her golden hair rippling as she was shoved and struggled against the goblins reaching hands.
"That's bloody personal!" Sephira growled, her booted foot connected sharply with the goblin's head as it's hand brushed her chest. It rocked backwards, and Sephira heard a sickening crack as it dropped to the floor, dead. She was more stunned than anything at how easily the neck had snapped, and her struggles grew still. It would do no good to fight them and kill them. For every one goblin Sephira had killed, ten more surged towards her, clawed hands scratching her and grasing her exposed flesh, ripping and tearing at her coat and breeches as she was moved along.
"Kili!" Sephira shouted, voice high and panicked as they were migrated along, making turns and bends and being forced over rickety bridges that dangled dangerously over the caverns and drops.
This was far worse than dealing with Stone Giants in Sephira's opinion. She did not like being handled by the repulsive hands of the goblins, the scent of death and decay more pungent than in the troll cave. Her heart was a stone lump in her chest, beating erratically and bruisingly as she strained to look behind her. Just to catch a glimps of Fili and Kili, or Oin and Gloin, or Bofur and his brother Bombur. Bifur was not far from in front of her, grunting and cursing in in an old dwarven language as he tried to fight out of their grasp. Sephira twisted around, desperate to see someone else that was still being dragged along by the goblins. Her feet lifted from the ground as they continued to surge through the underground pathways. A startled yelp left her lips, the sound followed closely by the sound of her name being ripped from someones throat in anger and fear.
After a few more surges and twisted, Sephira felt the hands of the goblins leaving her, and they moved out some, circling around her and the other grumbling dwarves they had released. Two hands grabbed her arm simultaneously, yanking her backwards. Fili and Kili. Both stood in front of her, their shoulders blocking her from being in the front as the other dwarves grouped near by.
"Who is so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?" a gurgling, thundering voice demanded from up ahead of them, cutting easily across the goblins. "Thieves? Spies? Assassins?" the voice continued.
After she peeked over Fili and Kili's shoulders, Sephira wished she hadnt. Sitting among a makeshift throne, held up by tons of other goblins, was the largest, most nauseating creature Sephira had ever seen. It's head was large, with a wriggling, groteque bulg hanging down that Sephira was going to call it's chin. It rippled every time the great creature moved or breathed or spoke. It made her stomach twist with nausea, and she had to swallowed audibly to avoid loosing the contents of her stomach. Ori was standing beside her, his face an unhealthy pale as he stared with wide eyes at the goblin king before them. She reached out and took his hand, giving it a reasurring squeeze and a small smile as he turned to look at her.
"Dwarves, your malevolence." one goblin said, bowing as the Goblin King stood up from his throne. "Found them on the front porch." it continued. Sephira's grip on Ori's hand tightened as the Goblin King stooped down and peered at them with owlish eyes, the growth on its chin wobbling. Sephira was thankful for her short height, and very thankful for Fili and Kili blocking her from view. She did not want that...thing spotting her.
"What are dwarves doing in these parts? Hmm? Speak!" the goblin shouted. No one said a thing, some of the dwarves even exchanging glances with eachother. Kili gave a steely glare to the goblin king, jaw twitching, while Sephira sent another reasuring glance to Ori, who's grip had tightened painfully around Sephira's hand. He was strong for such a humble, shy little dwarf.
"Very well, if none will talk...we'll make them squawk! Start with the youngest!" the goblin king thundered, and all hell broke out within seconds.
Thank you all to those who review and read! It means alot that you all like my story so much. And thank you to the advice, it really does help to improve my writing :)
~See you all next chapter!