CELIA

The dwarves finish their song.

"That was beautiful," I say, so mesmerized by their harmonic voices I completely forget my place. I forget I'm not one of them. Thorin looks away from the fire and into my eyes.

"Will you sing us a song?" Bofur kindly asks, trying to include me. Dwalin chuckles.

"No, I won't pester you with my voice."

"She really is awful," Rowan adds, trying to help the uncomfortable situation.

"Nonsense!" Bofur exclaims. "Every dwarf is blessed with a melodic voice."

"Well, maybe they're not dwarves," Dwalin coldly says. I have no response. I look down into the fire. I find whenever I look into flames, I instantly start to daydream. It's a pleasant escape.

"Perhaps, if you are not skilled in song, you will play us something," Thorin says. His tone is calm, yet his voice holds such power. I can't seem to tell if he's being kind or ordering me. He holds out a golden lyre. I do actually enjoy playing the guitar at home, and the cello. I love string instruments and although I've never tested my fingers with a lyre, I wonder if I'd be good at it. I look at the golden lyre, then into the sad eyes of Thorin. Even though I want desperately to decline, I feel like I cannot. Thorin Oakenshield always gets his way.

He gets up and walks over to me. I look up at him as he stands in front of me and hands me the lyre. He takes a few steps back and watches. They all watch. I hold the lyre and think of any song I can. I don't know any dwarf melodies. Fuck. I look up at Thorin nervously. He just stares, waiting. I look down at the lyre, then close my eyes. I imagine they're not there. I think of home and a song comes to mind, a song that always keeps me company when I feel alone. I begin to play the Claire de Lune. It takes me only moments to get used to the strings and my confidence grows. I think of dancing to this song with my father in his library, my small feet on top of his as he teaches me to dance. It's one of the few moments I can remember him or my mother showing affection to me. Freya sits on my mother's lap in the corner, clapping along to the music. This rare happy thought makes me smile and starts to bring tears to my eyes.

I reach the end of the song, and after strumming the last note, I open my eyes. A tear streams down my cheek and I quickly wipe it away, hoping no one saw. But unfortunately, when I get the courage to look up at my audience, all eyes are on me. Ori has tears in his eyes that he does not wipe away. Even Dwalin looks touched.

"Well, bless me, young lass," Bofur softly says. "Where did you learn such a beautiful tune?"

"My father," I say with a smile.

"How lovely you play," Ori unexpectedly says. I smile at him. He hasn't spoken to me since my capture. Thorin kneels down in front of me. He looks like he is going to say something, but stops himself and takes the golden instrument from my hands. It sparkles from the reflection of the dancing flames.

Thorin takes his seat on the other side of the fire.

"Your father would be proud," Rowan whispers. He always knew my father well.

The comfortable silence is interrupted by Rabastan. "May I have some more broth?" Rabastan asks rudely. My heart starts to race a bit. I know he's trying to provoke the dwarves.

"Everyone had an equal share," I say. "He's fine."

"Well, I'm still hungry," he says again.

"Are you not thankful for the bit you got?" Dwalin says, his voice getting loud. "You're lucky you got any after what you lot did."

"If I remember correctly, which I do, I didn't do anything."

"You're in a company," Dwalin fires back, now standing. "You're a part of each other. What one of you does, all of you do. Do you have no loyalty?"

"Of course I have loyalty," Rabastan says as he too stands. "In fact, I have a vengeance to fulfill."

"Watch yourself now, boy," Dwalin commands.

"Rabastan, stop," I say, standing. "Now." I look deep into his eyes as if trying to control him, but I know there is no talking sense into him.

"I suggest you sit back down," Thorin says, exuding power. Even for a dwarf he seems tall. "You seem to forget you are a prisoner, and you and yours have been treated very well as such."

"Rabastan, he's right. Please," Rowan tries, but no luck.

"No!" Rabastan shouts. "Do you forget why we're here, old man? We must complete our mission." I look at the dwarves. They look confused, but also ready for a fight. Dwalin takes out an ax.

"You think that frightens me?" Rabastan asks as he pulls out his wand. Ori gasps.

"That was taken from your possession!" Bofur exclaims.

"You merely took a stick."

"It's fake," Dwalin says.

"Oh?" Rabastan smirks.

"Rabastan, don't!" I shout.

"Stupefy!" he yells, sending Dwalin flying back into a tree. Thorin, now seeing the magic firsthand, looks shocked. He runs to Dwalin. Rabastan points his wand at the rest of the dwarves.

"Take one step closer and I'll do the same to you!"

Thorin runs back to the fire. "He's not dead, but the wind was knocked out of him." Thorin looks at Rabastan. "What is this dark magic?"

"It's none of your concern!" he yells. Fili pulls out his sword. "Put that down! All of you, weapons down!" The dwarves wait for instructions from their prince. He slowly puts his sword down. The rest follow, Fili being the last and most reluctant.

"Where did you send the dwarf that killed my friend?" Rabastan asks. "Where?" I know they will not say, and for that I am glad. I don't want Rabastan with Freya in this rage. "You tell me now, dwarf. I swear to God—"

"Shh!" Fili says. The dwarves are silent.

"Don't tell me to be quiet!"

"Orcs are among us," Fili says to Thorin, his voice low. Orcs, the owners of the hair Thorin found by the tree. I want to know what these things are. I feel so vulnerable without my wand. The dwarves' attention breaks from Rabastan, and they pick their weapons up, looking around.

"Put out the fire," Thorin demands. Fili easily lifts the heavy pot of stew and dumps it onto the flames. We are now in darkness, except for the blue glow of the moonlight.

"I said put your weapons down!" Rabastan shouts.

"Be quiet," Thorin harshly says.

"I will not be quiet! My demands will be heard!"

Thorin marches over to him, not fearing the wand that is now covered in darkness. This intimidates Rabastan and Thorin takes the chance and grabs his jaw.

"Do you wish an Orc attack upon us?"

"Piss off!" Rabastan shouts. I hear something in the trees behind me. I turn around and walk backwards towards Bofur. Everyone looks in the direction of the sound, except Thorin. His eyes are still on Rabastan.

"Now look what you've done." He lets go of Rabastan's jaw. "Dwalin!" he yells. Dwalin, who's now bleeding from his cheek from Rabastan's spell, tosses Thorin his sword, which he effortlessly catches. Bofur motions for me to stand behind him. Fili grips his sword. We all stand in the darkness, listening to the sounds all around us that appear to be getting closer. I grip the back of Bofur's jacket.

"Take the knife out of my belt," he whispers. I do as I'm told. It's a small, sharp knife. I don't know what I'm up against, but at least I know I have something to defend myself with. I hear a growl and instantly freeze. Multiple screeches are heard all around us like a war cry, but from God knows what.

"Get ready!" Thorin shouts.

"Stay close," Bofur says to me. "And if you get the chance, run and climb as high as you can." My heart is pounding through my chest. I am not ready for whatever's about to happen.

The screeching is now right in front of us, and the Orcs violently emerge from the trees. Thorin, Dwalin, and Fili yell back their war cry like thunder as they run at the Orcs, weapons drawn. I get my first look at these monsters. Huge. They smell awful, and look like nothing I've ever seen before. Their skin like mud, yellow sharp teeth. Even with my wand, I'd be too scared to kill one.

The mighty crash of swords erupts and chaos breaks out. I stand behind Bofur, frozen, too scared to move. I watch as Dwalin plants his ax into the head of one. Fili cuts the leg of the Orc he's fighting. It falls to the ground and he stabs it in the heart, leaving it dead before fighting off another. I don't see Rabastan anywhere, but I spot Rowan holding a rock for protection.

"Rowan!" I yell. He looks over at me and I toss him Bofur's knife. He catches it a looks around. Thorin is skillfully fighting an Orc who also carries a sword. However, he seems to be struggling because of a bloody gash on his bicep. Rowan bravely jumps onto the back of the Orc and slits its throat. It falls to the ground and he stabs it in the head. He and Thorin watch it fall and take its last breath. As the distracted duo watch, an Orc tackles Rowan so hard, everyone can hear the thud as he hits the ground, knocked unconscious. Thorin watches as the Orc points the tip of its blade to Rowan's chest and does nothing. He continues fighting.

"No!" I yell so loud that it hurts my throat. The Orc plunges its sword into Rowan, sticks its huge foot on his chest, and yanks the blade out hard, covered in Rowan's blood. Without thinking, I run over to Rowan, my only friend here. Bofur, no longer feeling me behind him, turns to see where I've gone. I run to Rowan, oblivious to the creatures.

"Fili!" Bofur shouts, pointing at the Orc about to attack me. Fili blocks the Orc's blade just before it hits my back. He fights it away from me and Bofur runs in front of me, protecting me from further attack. I try to shake life back into Rowan. It doesn't work. He is dead.

I hear a growl in front of me. I look up and see an Orc that almost looks like it's smiling at me. An evil smile. Not breaking eye contact, I grab the knife from Rowan's dead grip. I stand up. I want to do nothing but run as fast as I can, but I don't move from the towering Orc. I scream and hold out the knife with the intention of running at it, not thinking about the consequences, but Dwalin beats me to it. He drives his ax right through the Orc's head. It's dead.

The sound of swords and axes dies down. The stench of blood fills my nostrils. I kneel back down next to Rowan's body. I can't believe he's dead. Bofur, exhausted from the fight, collapses next to me. He gently places his hand on my shoulder. It stings and I shrug away. I look down and see a huge gash in my shoulder. I didn't even realize I was cut. I feel numb.

"We'll get that cleaned up," Bofur kindly says. I want to put my head on his chest and cry, but don't. What good would it do? I hear an Orc's now all too familiar screech on the ground. Fili puts it out of its misery. I see Ori sitting, facing away from the massacre that just happened. He has a cut on his neck, but for the most part seems alright. Dwalin walks around, eyeing the Orcs, making sure none are still alive. I don't see Rabastan anywhere. I know he ran, the coward. He could have used his wand to protect us but didn't. he's going after the Stone himself, and will probably get transported home by himself. If he does, I'll be left here alone.

I hear footsteps stop in front of me, and this time, instead of seeing an Orc, I see Thorin. I stand up, angrier than when the Orc was there.

"You let him die! I saw you!" I yell. Dwalin starts to tell me not to speak to him like that, but Thorin puts his bloody hand up, silently telling him to stand down. "Why didn't you help him?" I cry. It's hard to breathe. "He saved you and you watched as the Orc killed him! Why?"

He doesn't answer, which makes me angrier. I shove his strong chest. He barely moves as I am extremely weak, probably from the loss of blood. I'm hysterical. I'm crying harder than I ever thought possible. I can barely breathe. I try sucking in as much air as I can, but it's impossible. My knees buckle and I fall into Thorin. He catches me.

"No! Let go of me!" I yell. "Don't touch me!" I try to push him off, but everything around me starts to go black.