I do not own any of the characters from Tolkien's brilliant mind, just my OC and AU storyline. In addition, I will be using direct quotes from the movies which I do not own; I give all credit to the wonderful team of The Hobbit and Peter Jackson. Without the hard work of these artists, I would be unable to write Brianne's story!
Welcome back to Libertas! Thank you for all the support after the last chapter! Please be advised that the following chapter does have descriptions of violence and torture.
Sliding against the smooth stone, Brianne repeatedly collided into the wall during the fall, grunts of pain slipping from her. The company shouted around her as they too slid deeper into the mountain. Flashes of fire appeared around her, revealing glimpses of their captors. After a moment she was free falling again into a roughly made cage.
Slamming against the hard stone, Brianne cried out as others fell on top of her. A quick flex of her appendages assured her that she hadn't broken anything, but she could feel the bruises already forming. Taking in her surroundings as the dwarves shouted in confusion, Brianne released a scream when she saw an army of goblins charging them from all sides.
When the first one wrapped its spindly fingers around her arm, she struck it with a balled fist. It recoiled from her, but another dragged her up by her braid. She struggled against it, clawing against its tight grip on her hair. In a desperate attempt to separate herself she kicked backwards, catching the goblin in the leg. It howled and released her, only for Brianne to run her dagger through its chest.
Around her the dwarves were fighting against a sea of goblins, which moved them deeper into the mountain. She shocked the next goblin that grabbed her a little too hard, kicking him off the narrow bridge. Another one came at her and she froze it before shattering its arm with her dagger, which was promptly confiscated by a pair of goblins.
As the goblins jostled and pulled her, she searched through the crowd counting the company. Her stomach sank when she lost sight of Bilbo, but still she called out, "BILBO?!"
Brianne knew she wouldn't hear his response if he had even heard her, but still she searched, struggling against the goblins. Around her she heard shouts from the company as they too struggled against their captors.
"BRI!" she heard Fili's voice call out from behind her. She turned against the tide, reaching out for him. Their fingers brushed before a goblin smacked her hard against the face. Stars swam in her vision as the goblins carried her forth.
As they arrived at the main platform Brianne's vision cleared, only to see one of the most repulsive creatures in her life sitting on a throne doing vocal warm ups. A sudden kick from behind her, sent her to her knees, making her effectively disappear between the dwarves. A hand grabbed hers and when she saw Kili, she almost cried in relief. Fili, on her other side, wrapped an arm protectively around her shoulders. The other dwarves shielded her from view of the large goblin on the throne.
Clap, snap, the black crack
Grip, grab, pinch, and nab
Batter and beat
Make 'em stammer and squeak!
Pound, pound far underground
Down, down, down in Goblin Town
With a swish and smack
And a whip and crack
Everybody talks when they're on my rack
Pound, pound far underground
Down, down, down in Goblin Town
Hammer and tongs, get your knockers and gongs
You won't last long on the end of my prongs
Clash, crash, crush, and smash
Bang, break, shiver, and shake
You can yammer and yelp
But there ain't no help
Pound, pound far underground
Down, down, down in Goblin Town
If their lives weren't in danger, Brianne would've laughed at how completely ridiculous it all was. Instead she kept her head down and lips sealed. Who knows what the Goblin King would do if he discovered a woman amongst their company.
"Catchy isn't it?" the Goblin King asked, "It's one of my own composition."
Balin called out, "That's no song. That's an abomination!"
The Goblin King began rhyming in response, "Abominations, deviations, that's all you're gonna find down here."
The goblins began their search in earnest, pulling at the dwarves and removing their weapons. Brianne shuddered when the goblins began to search her. Their fingers prodded and pulled at her. When one got a little too familiar, she punched it hard in the face before stabbing it in the eye with a hidden knife, which was promptly batted away as another goblin took its place. Every time they killed one goblin, two more took its place.
"Who dare comes armed into my kingdom?!" the King orated, "Spies? Thieves? ASSASSINS?!
"Dwarves your malevolence," a goblin spoke, "And a human woman. We found them on the front porch!"
Brianne flinched when the goblin mentioned her, hyper aware of some of the too interested looks the nearby goblins sent her. She bared her teeth at them, snarling when one got too close.
Fili and Kili batted away a few more goblins before the Goblin King demanded, "Don't just stand there! Search them! Every crack…Every crevice!"
Brianne didn't think it was possible for the goblins to get more personal, but sure enough their bony hands roamed all over her, relieving her of her other dagger. When the goblins turned to throw her belongings into the ever growing pile, Brianne tucked her pendant into her tunic. At least she wouldn't be completely defenseless if they managed to get out of this mess.
"It it my belief, your Great Protuberance," one goblin spoke, offering the Goblin King a candelabra, "That they are in league with elves."
The Goblin King snatched it from his subject's hand, reading aloud, "Made in Rivendell. Second Age… Couldn't give it away! What're you doing in these parts?"
When Thorin moved forward to speak, Oin gently moved him back before stepping forward, "Don't worry lads. I'll handle this."
"What's this?!" The Goblin King demanded, "I want the truth, warts and all."
You're going to have to speak up!" Oin responded, cupping his ear, "Your boys flattened my trumpet!"
The Goblin King stumbled from his makeshift throne, "I'll flatten more than your trumpet!"
Bofur shoved Oin behind him before addressing the Goblin King, "If its more information you're wanting, you'll want to talk to me!"
Brianne could see this going downhill fast when Bofur stumbled over his explanation. These dwarves were terrible with stalling. Where was Bilbo when you needed him?! Glancing around, the hobbit was nowhere to be seen. Brianne hoped that he was around somewhere preparing to swoop in.
"SHUT UP!" The King shouted, "If they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring up the mangler; bring up the bone breaker. Start with the woman…Let's show these dwarves what we do to thieves and liars."
Brianne was yanked up by her hair again before she was dragged before the Goblin King. She felt Fili and Kili's hands grasp at her, only to be batted away.
Closer to the creature Brianne eyes watered, but a group of goblins rolled out a familiar contraption and bile rose in her throat. Swallowing down the fear, Brianne took a deep breath and released it slowly. As she exhaled, she burrowed into the deep dark place she had only been a handful of times.
Noise dulled around her, while the steady beat of her heart grew louder. Her eyes focused on the monster in front of her, Alec taking its place momentarily. She could taste the ash from the fires on her tongue. The smell of burning flesh and the Goblin King reminded her of the battlefield. As a pair of goblins tied up her hands, she grasped the rough leather. Cool steel was placed at the base of her neck, then in a quick motion, the knife sliced her tunic off of her back.
The gasps from behind her nearly pulled her from that place within herself, but she stamped down the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. The last time Brianne had seen her back in a mirror it was mangled, six large scars crossing her back. No amount of magic would ever heal the physical or mental scars, so she sunk even further into that hole within herself.
"It seems this woman is familiar with a whip boys," the Goblin King chuckled gleefully, "No reason to hold back then."
"Don't watch," she demanded, the authority in her voice making a few of the company look away, but she could feel most of their eyes boring into her. Brianne let her feelings fade into nothing, before chuckling darkly at the Goblin King, "Give me your worst, Your Majesty."
His grin revealed broken and rotted teeth, "Oh my dear….You shouldn't have said that."
CRACK There was the warning lash, just like Alec used to do.
CRACK Flinching when she received the first lash, she bit her lip to keep from crying out. The dwarves roared and some part of Brianne's mind noted that a fight had broken out.
CRACK The second lash was worse than the first; she moaned and pulled hard on her bindings. She could feel her warm blood sliding down her back.
CRACK She screamed this time. She could have sworn she heard Fili crying out her name.
CRACK Screaming again, she pulled so hard that she felt her wrist crack.
CRACK Dark stars danced in her eyes. The dwarves' roars behind her became muted as she struggled to keep breathing.
CRACK Six…All she could do was count. The Goblin King did not hold back. Each strike landed right on one of her scars tearing skin that was already beyond saving. She saw the shadow of another strike rise and readied herself.
"WAIT!" Thorin roared, "STOP! THAT'S ENOUGH!"
It stopped at the last minute, missing her savaged back by a breath. Sagging in relief, she dropped heavily in her bindings. Though Brianne's vision was hazy, she could see Thorin out of her peripheral as he stood up to address the Goblin King. She was thankful he had stopped it, worried that if it had continued she could never come back to herself, but remain in that cold dark part of herself. She still lingered in that place as darkness entered her vision and she slipped in and out of consciousness.
"Well well well…Look who it is. Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror, King Under the Mountain. Oh but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain, and you're not a king, which makes you nobody, really. I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head, just the head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak? An old enemy of yours. A pale orc astride a white warg."
"Azog the Defiler was destroyed…" Thorin snarled, "He was slain in battle long ago!"
"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" the king responded, "Send word to the pale orc. Tell him I have found his prize!"
Someone cut Brianne down from the posts, throwing her back to the dwarves. The sudden movement made her cry out in pain. The dwarves protectively surrounded her, while Fili and Kili kneeled down beside her.
"Oh gods…Brianne…" Kili muttered looking at her destroyed back. The black spots danced in her eyes again and she struggled to focus on their faces. She tried to note details about them: a small scar just above Kili's lip and the red tint to Fili's beard. Glancing up into their eyes, she could see the wide eyed shock in Kili's and the conflicting rage and sorrow in Fili's.
"Help me sit up…" she panted as she struggled to push herself up with her free hand. Together Fili and Kili pulled her into a sitting position. Brianne dropped her head to Fili's shoulder, cradling her broken wrist to her chest. The skin of her back burned with every breath, but gritting her teeth she focused on the magic in her pendant, sending nearly every drop of it to her back.
"Bri…Bri…wake up," Fili shook her awake, panic leeching into his voice. Blinking slowly, Brianne looked up into his face. Her back was tender, but healed and a too large tunic covered her small frame. All at once the noise of Goblintown flooded back into her senses, making her bolt upright.
Kili rested a heavy hand on her shoulder, "Slow down Bri….We just watched you…"
"Please don't finish that sentence… I won't be able to manage this if you say it aloud," Brianne whispered, "Better me than any of you."
"I KNOW THAT SWORD! It is the Goblin Cleaver, the Biter," the king cried, "The blade that sliced a thousand necks! Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! KILL THEM ALL! Cut off his head!"
The Goblin King pointed at Thorin, commanding the goblins to attack. Brianne shocked any goblin that got too close, but even the small burst of energy left her vision spinning and stomach heaving. Around her the dwarves pushed against the goblins as one pinned down Thorin with a wicked dagger hovering over his chest.
Just when all hope was lost, a sudden blinding white light engulfed them. It was almost like an explosion, sending goblins soaring off the platform. Darkness replaced the encompassing light and from within Gandalf called, "Take up arms. Fight…FIGHT!"
Goblins attempted to rise around them, confused and looking for the source of the explosion. Without another request, the dwarves were a flurry of motion as they grabbed their weapons, throwing punches and kicks without hesitation.
Brianne rose on unsteady legs, sliding over to where her daggers rested. She clipped both scabbards to her belt, then drew one to slash at the nearest goblin, which clutched at the deep cut in its gut. As more goblins approached her, she grunted as she shifted her broken wrist before swiping at any that got too close.
"He wields the Foehammer! The Beater! Bright as daylight," The Goblin King roared from behind her. A glance over her shoulder showed Thorin swinging Goblin Cleaver at the monster, sending it flying off the platform. Brianne sheathed her dagger when Kili grabbed her arm as the dwarves began to battle their way through the underground city.
"BRIANNE!" Gandalf called, "CATCH!"
Ripping her arm from Kili's grasp, Brianne caught Gandalf's staff midair. Suddenly the dregs of her magic turned into an ocean. Simply thinking of her broken wrist, it snapped angrily back into place forcing a yelp from her lips.
"FOLLOW ME!" Gandalf called, beckoning the company, "Quick! Run!"
Drawing a dagger and wielding Gandalf's staff in her other hand, Brianne cast walls of air, pushing goblins off the walkways and slashed at any that managed to evade her magic. After clearing a path, she shouted to the company, "This way!"
Further into the city they raced, battling goblins along the way. Brianne was a whirlwind of magic and daggers. She froze a goblin that got too close and used Gandalf's staff to shatter it. Ahead of her the company split in two, one group heading higher up while the others continued on the path ahead. Dwalin led the group below, knocking goblins off the walkways with a pole. Bodies tumbled from above as the company slew a host of goblins.
The company rejoined as they crossed a bridge. Brianne watched in awe as the dwarves fought their way through the goblins. While most of the company used their weapons well enough, there were a few distinct warriors amongst them.
Dwalin slammed his hammer into the goblins' guts, shattering ribs. Balin was controlled and deft in his movements with his sword, eyes alight with the fire of battle. Fili and Kili battled back to back; the former flinging daggers from within his coat, while the latter hacked away at the encroaching goblins. Thorin was a sight to behold, spinning and swinging his elven sword, which glowed blue in the presence of the goblins.
Too soon the company reached a dead end. Simultaneously Brianne and Fili cut the ropes holding the bridge to the permanent walkways, sending the bridge soaring. The sudden movement sent Brianne stumbling nearly over the edge, only to be caught by Fili's outstretched hand.
Like a pendulum, the bridge swung back and forth. Goblins mounted the bridge each time it swung close only to be batted away by Brianne wielding Gandalf's staff.
"BRI!" Fili shouted, "JUMP!"
Without hesitation, Brianne leapt to the solid bridge on the other side, her knees groaning in protest. She turned to look for Fili, the last dwarf on the swinging bridge. As it reached the side closest to her he leapt, reaching out for her hand. His momentum carried him further than she predicted and they went tumbling.
"QUICKLY!" Gandalf's shout had them rising and bolting after the company. Brianne exclaimed when they finally reached solid rock, shooting a wild grin at Fili running beside her.
"BRI, THE STONE!" Thorin called as he pointed to the cavern ceiling. Thrusting the staff a large boulder dropped down and began a slow roll. As it picked up speed, it crushed the goblins underneath it. One last bridge stood between them and freedom.
The Goblin King burst through the bridge snarling, "You thought you could escape me?! What are you going to do now, wizard?"
Brianne ducked beside Gandalf as the Goblin King swung his scepter at them before sheathing her dagger and summoning flame to her hand. In the moments before Brianne incinerated him, the Goblin King had the good sense to look afraid. Unfortunately she underestimated the power of Gandalf's staff as her flames ate away at the bridge's support beams.
In the same way they had entered Goblintown, the company began to plummet to the cavern floor. Though the cavern walls slowed their descent, Brianne cast out air below them to soften the impact. When they slammed into the cavern floor the dwarves groaned.
"Anything broken?" Brianne shouted as she pulled herself from the wreckage. A chorus of no echoed back at her. Her relief was short lived as goblins began to scurry down the cavern walls, pursuing their victims.
"GANDALF!" Kili shouted from beneath the wreckage, his eyes glued to the cavern walls. Brianne and Gandalf made quick work of pulling the dwarves from the rubble, their eyes watching the goblins grow closer.
"Now what?!" Thorin demanded.
"Only one thing will save us now!" Gandalf shouted "Daylight!"
The company ran through the small tunnels. Behind them the screeches and howls of the goblins could be heard gaining on them. Gandalf led them them through the twists and turns of the cavern, never stopping. Brianne wondered how he knew they were going the right direction when light could be seen in the distance.
Brianne paused at the narrowest part of the tunnel, allowing all of the company to pass her. Fili stopped beside her as she pulled deeply from the staff and cast a solid wall of ice to seal the goblins in. Fili held his hand out for her and hand in hand, they dashed into the sunlight.
So our company has escaped Goblintown, but at what cost? I hope you enjoyed out newest installment and if so, please review, favorite, and follow. Until next time readers!
