Sorry its been so long for an update I've been super busy with work lately. But I hope you enjoy this update.
Despite being wet and cold Kierielle is quite glad to be out of the cells, but as she looks around at the others she realizes Bilbo has not joined them. Panicked, she looks up just in time to see the trap door open and Bilbo falls through. As he surfaces he grabs a hold of her barrel and she reached for his hand with a wide smile.
''Brilliant Bilbo!'' she compliments him.
''Well done, Master Baggins'' Thorin comments and Bilbo waves his hand in thanks.
''Come on, let's go'' Thorin speaks again and without hesitation they begin to paddle along using their hands.
The current from the river pulls them along at a rapid pace.
''Hold on!'' Thorin shouts and suddenly they move over a waterfall and their barrels are plunged through the rapids.
Kierielle struggles to grip Bilbo's hand, making sure he doesn't lose his grip as they continue to float down the raging river. Behind them Kierielle catches a glimpse of Legolas emerging from a gateway. He shouts, but Kierielle cannot make sense of his words until she hears a horn blow and they round the corner to see a heavily guarded gate in the distance. At the sound of the horn the guards spring to action, pulling a lever and causing the gate close.
''No!'' Thorin shouts as the barrels come to a stop and pile into one another.
Kierielle looks around sure that things cannot get any worse when suddenly the guards above them are attacked and out of the woods come the Orcs.
The Orcs swarm over the guard post killing the remaining elves and though Kierielle's first reaction is to reach for her bow she comes up empty handed and curses. They were weaponless and they were trapped.
''Watch out! Those are Orcs!'' Bofur shouts out.
The Orcs begin to throw themselves onto the company and beside her Bilbo kills one with his sword. As the now dead Orc falls into the river Kierielle reaches for his sword thankful to now have something to defend herself with. The company continues to fight around her when suddenly Kili emerges from his barrel. Kierielle watches in awe as he runs up the stairs towards the lever ducking to avoid an axe in the process.
''Kili!'' Dwalin shouts managing to throw a sword to the dark haired dwarf who catches it and fights his way up the stairs.
Behind him another Orc appears, but Fili fires a dagger at it killing it instantly and allowing Kili to focus on the Orc in front of him. Kili kills the Orc, but as he reaches for the lever in front of him an arrow hits him in the calf. Kierielle watches in shock as he stops short, gasping.
''Kili!'' Fili shouts, but Kili falls backwards, letting out a groan of pain as he does.
''Kili'' Thorin calls out.
Kierielle is out of her barrel faster than she could have ever imagined. She rushes up the stairs as an Orc approaches Kili and manages to stab him from behind, killing him before he touches the dark haired prince.
Legolas and the other elves emerge from the bushes taking on the Orcs as Kierielle reaches down to brush a strand of Kili's hair away from his face.
''Kili'' she whispers blinking back some tears in the process.
''The lever'' he gasps out and Kierielle nods, leaving his side to pull the lever opening the gate and letting the dwarves through. Once the gate is open she rushes back to Kili.
''We've go to go'' she speaks helping him to the edge and watching as he slides back into the barrel.
She winces as the shaft of the arrow snaps and without hesitation she follows him down, grabbing the side of Kili's barrel as they are pushed down the waterfall with the others. Kierielle struggles to hold on to the side of Kili's barrel as they are pushed down the river. Around them the others continue to fight off the Orcs who have used the shore to follow them down the river. Kierielle is pushed around with Kili's barrel through the raging river. Not only was she struggling to hold on she was being slammed into rocks as they moved along. She gasped in pain as her back slammed into a sharp rock her fingers slowly slipping from the barrel when a hand managed to grab her and pull her back up. Kili gripped her hands tightly with a look of determination crossing his features and Kierielle knew he would not let her fall.
Eventually the flow of the river began to calm down, allowing for the dwarves to paddle their barrels down the river. Kierielle was relieved that she finally had a moment to catch her breath.
''Anything behind us?'' Thorin asks and they all begin to look around.
''Not that I can see'' Balin replies.
''I think we've outrun the Orcs'' Bofur comments.
''Not for long; we've lost the current'' Thorin responds.
''Bofur is half drown'' Dwalin shouts.
''Make for the shore! Come on, let's go!'' Thorin shouts.
Without hesitation they follow his order making their way to the riverbank where there is a slab of rock jutting out into the river. Kierielle lets go of Kili's barrel so that he can paddle more easily and she slowly swims to the shore. Once there she pulls herself up ignoring the ache in her back as she waits for Kili to join them. Everyone is soaked from head to toe and Kierielle is thankful that for the moment the weather seems to be mild enough to keep them from freezing.
When Kili comes onto the rocks he falls to his knees in pain and instantly Fili and Kierielle are at his side.
''I'm fine, it's nothing'' he tries to brush them off.
''It's not'' Kierielle replies subconsciously reaching for her bag and cursing when she realizes she no longer has her healing supplies.
''On your feet'' they hear Thorin say.
''Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding'' Fili argues as Kierielle leans down to examine his injury further.
It did not look too bad though the shaft of the arrow was still buried within. They desperately needed some healing supplies, but she knew they had no time to find it.
''There's an Orc pack on our tail; we keep moving.'' Thorin argues.
''To where?'' Balin asks.
''To the mountain; we're so close'' Bilbo replies.
''A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it.''
''So then we go around.''
''The Orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves.''
''Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes'' Thorin finally says and Kierielle springs into action.
While Fili rips some cloth from his clothing, Kierielle rips her own piece from herself and dunks it into the river. She approaches Kili and slowly begins to clean around the wound. He hisses in response.
''I know I'm sorry'' she mutters and slowly he reaches his hand over pushing her hair from her face.
''Don't worry about it'' he hisses again and she frowns.
Fili then approaches so Kierielle finishes up quickly and watches as Fili affectionately binds his younger brother's leg. Suddenly there is the sound of footsteps and everyone jumps in surprise as they see a man pointing an arrow at Ori. Dwalin grabs a branch and shields Ori, but the man shoots the arrow at it. Beside her Kili retrieves a rock, but it his shot from his hand before he is able to throw it.
''Do it again, and you're dead'' the man speaks and the company pauses unsure of what to do next.
Balin is the one to approach him his hands held up in front of him.
''Excuse me, but uh, you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?''
The man lowers his bow and climbs aboard his barge so slowly the company approaches him.
''What makes you think I will help you?''
''Those boots have seen better days'' Balin comments as the man begins to load the empty barrels onto his barge.
''As has that coat. No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?'' Balin continues.
''A boy and two girls''
''And your wife, I'd imagine she's a beauty.''
''Aye. She was.'' the man replies.
''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-...'' Balin starts to apologize when Dwalin interrupts.
''Oh, come on, come on, enough with the niceties''
''What's your hurry?''
''What's it to you?''
''I would like to know who you are and what you are doing in these lands.''
''We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills'' Balin intercepts.
''Simple merchants, you say?'' the man questions eyeing Kierielle and Bilbo suspiciously.
''We'll need food, supplies, weapons, can you help us?'' Thorin asks.
The man leans down and examines the barrels once more.
''I know where these barrels came from.''
''What of it?''
''I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Laketown but by leave of the Master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He will see you in irons before risking the wrath of king Thranduil''
''I'll wager there are ways to enter the town unseen'' Balin presses.
''Aye, But for that, you will need a smuggler.''
''For which we will pay double.''
After a moment of hesitation the bargemen agrees. The company boards the barge and they all take their seats as the man begins to bring them down the river.