Ch. 25: The Whole Truth; Nothing But the Truth

The river was dark and cold, but Kylie kicked her way to the surface. Several voices were calling her name, but she couldn't focus on those. The pale orc, this "Bolg," was growling at her from the barrel, holding his sword high. She kicked away, but the orc was at a definite advantage. Kylie could not hold her sword and hope to stay afloat at the same time. She was a strong swimmer, but the cold water and limited access to oxygen were zapping her energy.

Then a dwarvish cry caught her attention. Thorin had caught up to them. But Kylie couldn't watch. She could not find the energy to stay afloat any longer and started to sink. Then several arms pulled her out of the water. Bofur was in front of her, helping her into a barrel with Kili. She crouched inside so both of them would fit and turned their attentions to the battle at hand.

Balin and Dwalin caught up quickly, but the pale orc was focused on Thorin. The orc's sword slashed Thorin's barrel, causing it to leak. The orc then hit both Dwalin and Balin on the head. She couldn't tell if Bolg was trying to kill them, or simply get them out of the way. Regardless, it gave him better access to Thorin, who was trying to balance on his barrel. The dwarf was barely able to repel the attack as the large orc bore down on him again. Kylie reached back for her bow only to find that Kili was attempting to do the same thing. This was one thing they had not counted on: putting both of the archers in one barrel incapacitated them. They both struggled for a better reach, almost tipping the barrel over in the process.

Suddenly the orc jumped. It cried out as an arrow, which was likely aimed at his head, embedded itself in his shoulder. Bolg fell into the rapids. Kylie turned around and stared. Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, was balanced on a tree branch hanging over the water. When their eyes met, he gave her a curt nod and then resumed the fight with the orcs. The dwarves, meanwhile, paddled themselves as far from the battle as possible.

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Kylie was shivering by the time the tide pulled them to shore. Kili tipped their barrel over and the two of them crawled towards the grass. They were exhausted, and every bone in each of their bodies ached with discomfort. Balin and Thorin were in a similar condition, although their combined weight was much higher than that of Kili and Kylie. That, lus Balin was sporting a very handsome bruise on his forehead. Their barrel had sunk lower, so they were much wetter than Kili. But Kylie, who had thrown herself into the water, looked and felt like a drowned rat.

Suddenly, something grabbed her shirt. Several of the dwarves cried out Thorin's name as he pulled Kylie to her knees as his eyes bored into her.

"How do you know their language?" he growled.

"Their language?" Kylie's brain legitimately could not register what he was saying.

"You warned the elves about the orcs in their own language!"

"That? Oh, that's the only word I know…."

"How?" he repeated.

"And how did you know that prince's name?" asked Dwalin from the back. That was when Kylie noticed the rest of the dwarves. They were just staring at her. Some looked on in betrayal. Others, such as Bilbo, simply stared at the interaction in confusion. Some stared at her with such intent hate that it was scary. Thorin fell into the last category.

"I… I…." She could not think of any explanation.

"You have been dishonest. You have been vague. I have given you many chances to tell the truth to myself and this company. This is your last chance. Now."

Kylie's eye shifted back and forth. The dwarves continued to stare, and even Bilbo seemed to see that there was something wrong. That was when she realized that the truth was the only option.

"You're not going to believe it," promised Kylie. Thorin looked like he was literally about to combust. "No, no… okay… but please listen, okay?" She sat down, still utterly exhausted. "I'm from the future." Thorin's eyes flashed with fury. "No wait, I promise it's true! I came here three years ago my time and like eighty years ahead in yours! The trolls? Where I came in? We saw those then. They were still standing there. And we went to Rivendell, and then that quest to Gondor? That's eighty years from now."

"And we are supposed to believe that?" scoffed Thorin.

Kylie's eyes widened. "You don't?" This was different from when Legolas and Elrond didn't believe her. Considering her current predicament, she needed Thorin to believe her. The dwarf king was on the edge. For the first time since she joined the company, outside battles of course, Kylie was frightened for her safety.

"A story such as that?"

"It's the truth! We went from Rivendell to Moria to…."

"You traversed through Moria?" grumbled Thorin.

"Yes! And I went with Gimli!"

Gloin perked up. "You said, Gimli?"

"Yes, your son!" said Kylie. "He had your axes, and he sort of looked like you!"

"He always did favor my father," reminisced Gloin.

"That's why I rescued you back with the trolls," explained Kylie. "I thought Gloin was Gimli, and so I attacked."

Thorin looked far from convinced. "And how is this supposed to convince me that you are trustworthy?"

"Thorin, I had planned to give Gimli these axes when he comes of age," said Gloin slowly.

"Even if this were true," said Thorin slowly, "she has befriended the elves of Mirkwood! The enemy!"

Kylie coughed. "I swear Thorin, they weren't the enemy! We had another enemy!"

"Another enemy?"

"Thorin, come," said Balin. "We shall resolve this. But for now, we must continue to safety. Who knows if the orcs followed us? Or elves?"

"Aye, and Lake-town is only a little while away if I remember correctly," approached Bofur carefully.

Thorin nodded. But in a quick display of strength, he pulled Kylie's face inches away from his own. "This is not finished," he promised firmly.

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Thorin, Fili, Kili, and Bilbo went ahead to Lake-Town. All the rest could do was wait anxiously as the four went ahead. Kylie curled up by a fire, trying to get warm. But it was really cold, and she'd spent way too much time in a river. She knew that she probably should change clothes, but she didn't have another set. So she just lay there.

Bofur plopped down next to her. "At least you have one thing to look forward to," he said confidently.

"What?"

"Good food. I'm sure Thorin will get us into Lake Town. If I remember correctly, the townsmen of Dale had very good relations with the King Under the Mountain. When there was one."

"Dale?"

"Dale was the city that lay beneath the mountain," explained Balin. "They were our allies when the mountain prospered, but the town was destroyed when the dragon came. All the descendants of Dale live in Lake Town."

"So they'll help us?"

The dwarves shrugged. Kylie noticed that some of them looked warily at her. They didn't trust her; at least most of them didn't. "I won't betray you to the elves or anything. You're my friends!" she said.

"What I don't understand," said Balin, speaking for the rest of the dwarves, "is why you were not honest with us from the beginning."

"Well, it's not like you'd believe me anyways," she mumbled.

"I'm still not sure you speak the truth," grumbled Dwalin from the other side of camp.

"That's why I didn't tell you! I mean, would you have believed me if I told you that I went from Rivendell to Rohan to Isengard to Gondor and then to Mordor with two men, an elf, a dwarf, a wizard, and four hobbits?" The dwarves continued to stare and Kylie inched close to the fire again. "Honestly, I've seen things that make the elves look like child's play. That's why I can trust them. They were paranoid, but that's it." Kylie dissolved into a coughing fit and Bofur pat her on the back.

"While we are on the topic, what business did you have throughout all of Middle Earth?" asked Balin.

"We were trying to make sure Sauron wouldn't come back."

Most of the dwarves' heads shot up. The "S" word certainly got their attention.

"What do you know about such matters?" asked Balin very seriously.

Kylie curled into a fetal position. "Well, I know Sauron's seriously evil and has a major power complex. But he'd never be able to rise up and become supreme Lord over Middle Earth unless he got his ring back."

Balin nodded. "You claim he will rise, and try to find his ring."

"Yeah, something like that."

All the heads turned as heavy footsteps approached from the pathway. "We can discuss this later," said Balin suddenly. "Thorin!"

Kylie merely rolled over. The small group that had departed returned. Thorin's face looked much happier than Kylie had ever seen it. "Come! We were all invited to a feast in town!"

"Perfect!" cried Bombur, struggling to his feet.

"The Master of Lake Town wants to have feast just for us!" cried Kili, picking up Bilbo. The hobbit spurted water and coughed the entire way to Lake Town.

A/N: Well, there's the next chapter! I'm going to try to keep up writing, but I start school Monday and I'm going to be pretty busy until then! But I'll try to update around once a week!

And as always, thank you so much for all the support and lovely reviews! I always appreciate feedback. And many of you have mentioned really wanting a reunion with Kylie and the fellowship. And... depending on where this story ends up... it might be possible. Or I may write a third story. Thoughts? Opinions?

A/N 12-15-13: Again, just put Bolg in instead of Azog. Hope the chapter still flows smoothly, and we've not seen the last of our evil orc duo 3:)