Chapter 8: Armour and Arrows
Gailien beams as she finds two Dwarvish long knives – long enough to almost be considered short swords. They are heavier in hand than her old ones but no less balanced and no less lethal. Sheathing them, she begins to look around for any suitable armour. For the most part, what is in Erebor's armoury is more of a danger to wear than the alternative. It is too wide and would hinder her movements as it is made for a stockier build.
But in truth, she also doesn't want to put on armour. Not because it is too heavy or bulky, but because it would mean that she is going into battle, a feat she has never been through before. To wear the armour of a warrior means that she is preparing herself for something that she isn't ready for. She doesn't know how to fight in it, where the weak spots are or its strongest. But she knows her own body. So Gailien settles for the small chainmail vest, shin and forearm guards.
It hangs loosely around her waist and she begins to look around for something but Kili appears in front of her with a tight smile. He reaches around her, wrapping around a leather belt and fastens it on her upper stomach. Her wound is healing, but it aches more than she wants to admit.
"Le fael."
Kili nods once and with nothing more to do, follows him as he searches for his own armour. He finds something suitable, holding it up against himself. He pulls the pieces on and begins tightening to many clasps. To occupy herself, Gailien begins helping him, taking the ones on the back.
"I can do it myself," he says without malice.
"I know you can," she replies, moving to his side and doing the one under his arm up. "But I want to help, and you can't stop me."
"I wasn't going to." His eyes dart from her to something over her shoulder. Looking herself, she sees Fili coming towards them. "Found something then?"
Fili nods, shifting his armour around a little. "A bit big but it will do."
A hand grasps her upper arm firmly but someone walking behind her, and she is pulled away from the brothers. Thorin leads her just a little way away from the main part of the armoury and Gailien waits for him to speak first.
"You are going to fight with us?" he asks, looking over her partially armoured state. Gailien nods slowly.
"I am," she answers. "Thorin, I love you and while I may not…agree with everything I will fight by your side to the death." No matter how right or wrong anybody may be in this situation, there is an army of Elves out there threatening her family and she would rather put her own blade to her neck than not fight with the Dwarves. Thorin may be sick, but there would not be a war if Thranduil had stayed in his forest. The only person in the true right here is Bard and if she could haul enough gold to help them…
Thorin tilts his head to the side slightly. "You love me?"
"I've already told you," she hums. "Before you left for the mountain. Gerich veleth nín. You have my love."
Thorin takes a step forward, his armour slightly clinking against each other. He lifts a hand up to her chin, his thumb tracing along her jawline as he lets his eyes drift over her face. "And you already know you have mine." He bends down, placing a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.
He begins to pull back but Gailien raises her own hand to the back of his head, pulling him back to her in a moment of desperation. Thorin eagerly gives in, biting her bottom lip for entry. His hands move around to her back before they slide back around the front, softly over her lower stomach but adds more pressure as he trails them back up to her chest.
Gailien pulls away, her eyes flickering everywhere as she coughs. She can't tell anymore whether it is truly him or not. "I'm just going to double check everything," she says quietly, brushing past him.
She almost jogs back to the brothers, heading straight to Fili's side and begins checking all the clasps. Fili raises a brow, lifting his arms to allow her to work. "I know how to put armour on," he muses.
"I know," Gailien retorts. "But I'd feel much better checking myself. If it'll give me a little peace of mind…" she trails off, finishing checking. As he promised, the armour is done up as well as it can be. "Thank you."
Her eyes drift past his shoulder. She rests her hands on the hilt of her two blades in contemplation before striding over to the wall. Gailien plucks one of the few bows off the wall, taking an empty quiver as well. It might be better to have something else other than just her two blades.
She returns to the brothers asking, "do you know where I could find arrows?"
Kili nods, gesturing over with his head as he leads her to the other side. "Should be in here," he says, opening up a barrel. Sure enough, the barrel is full of red-feathered arrows. "I thought you said you found a bow cumbersome, as you put it."
"I'd rather have it and not use it than not have it and need it," she notes, filling her quiver. She looks over him, smiling at the sight of him donned in armour. "You look like a true warrior, Polodren er."
"Didn't I always?" he cheeks.
"You always have been a warrior, but now you look like one." She sighs, placing the arrow and quiver over her back. "Kee, I know I told you that I would encourage you when you want to push yourself but please don't if this truly comes to war. I would much rather you come back home than die a hero."
"What if I'm trying to protect someone else?"
"Don't 'what if' me," she replies with a long breath. "Just…think of yourself first. I'm going to be telling Fili the exact same thing."
"Only if you promise as well," he counters, raising a brow.
Gailien resists rolling her eyes. "Leave you lot behind? Never," she chuckles. She nudges his arm with her elbow, gesturing back to the others. "Come on, your brother looks lonely."
Fili chucks Kili a shield as they return, holding one for himself. "I don't think a shield is your style," he says as Gailien stands with empty hands. She nods in agreement, pulling out the two short blades. It wouldn't be viable to take a shield with a dual weapon. "Are you sure you're alright to fight?"
"What's the alternative?" she counters. "Watch you all go without me?"
"It's not just that," he sighs. He steps closer, leaning more towards her ear. "We're going to war against Mirkwood. I know you aren't fond of them but fighting them is a whole other thing."
Gailien stands taller, gripping his shoulder tightly. "You are more my kin then they will ever be. Gwanur."
"What does that mean?" he asks, looking between her and Kili who stands by Gailien's side, checking over his weapons.
"What does Karr'a mean?" she counters with a knowing smile. Fili narrows his eyes, taking a moment to gather the meaning then she sees the realisation grow on his face.
"Kili," he chides with a small laugh. "You cannot keep secrets, can you?"
Kili looks up innocently, not having an idea of what they are talking about. Gailien chuckles, shaking her head. "No, he cannot. But don't worry, I think you're both even now."
"Even?" Fili questions. "What do you mean?"
"You both cannot resist trying to embarrass the other."
"What did he tell you?" Fiil demands, glaring at his brother who both smirks but is a little hesitant to also know what Fili had told Gailien. "Gailien," he drags out impatentienly.
Gailien shakes her head, clicking her tongue. "I'm just going to let the anxiety sit with you for a while," she teases. "I've got to have my own fun." The Brothers stare at each other, almost daring the other to admit what they have said. Their banter is a nice distraction from what is going on right around them.
"Master Baggins, come here."
The three look to the front of the armoury where Thorin stands, fully armoured and he holds up a thin-looking chain vest. Gailien eyes off the metal as Bilbo nears with scrutiny but her jaw slowly opens as she realises what it is.
"You're going to need this. Put it on." Bilbo hesitates but starts taking off his blue coat (his red one long gone). "This vest is made of silver steel. Mithril it was called by forebears. No blade can pierce it."
He hands Bilbo the vest and pulls it over his head. "I look absurd," he chokes out.
"You look safe," Gailien speaks up as the entire company watch the interaction. She is glad the Thorin has done so.
"I'm not a warrior, I'm a Hobbit."
"It is a gift, a token of our friendship. True friends are hard to come by." Gailien frowns at the tone he uses at the end and it only deepens as Thorin suddenly pulls Bilbo away, out of earshot from the company, but not from her ears.
"I think-"
"Shh!" Gailien hisses, putting a finger to Kili's lips. Kili leans back, wide-eyed as Gailien stares at Fili who is waiting for her to speak to him, but it is her hearing that she is focused on. Thorin and Bilbo are hard to hear over the rest of the Dwarves. She gives up, the clanging of metal ringing too heavy in her ears to pick up on their conversation. She looks up at Kili who's forehead is pulled back tight. "Sorry," she mutters, dropping her finger then she frowns, looking at her finger. "Did you lick me?" she asks incredulously.
"You practically shoved your finger in my mouth," he defends. Gailien cringes, wiping her hand on his arm.
"You really are a dog," she says, looking at him with eyes on curious wonder. Around them, the rest of the Dwarves begin moving out, fully suited and ready for war. "Let's go," she grumbles, falling into line with the rest. As she passes Thorin and Bilbo, she doesn't miss the Hobbit's terrified expression, nor Thorin's sick one.
Xx
Gailien sits on the edge of the battlement, her legs hanging over the edge as she waits. It is almost the middle of the night and the Dwarves have returned to their original camp. By now it almost seems inevitable that they are going to war. But would be it really be much of a war if it is almost the entirety of Thranduil's army, hundreds of Lake-town people against thirteen Dwarves, an Elf and a Hobbit? They don't stand a chance.
"Don't worry, Bilbo," she calls out into the night. "I'm just here to wish you luck."
Bilbo emerges from the shadow, holding a long rope around his shoulder. "Do you think it's a good idea?"
Gailien swings her legs around so she faces Erebor. "I think it's an idea," she answers honestly. She had seen Bilbo leaving with the Arkenstone while she and Fili were in the camp that morning. "And at the moment, that is more than I have. "I will make sure no one knows where you have gone."
"Thank you. Do you…Do you think it will work?"
Gailien shrugs one shoulder, looking past the battlement edge and in the direction of their camp, imagining Thorin standing around the fire as the Dwarves sit quietly. "I think that Thorin is entirely unpredictable at the moment. But if he desires anything, it is that stone." Sliding off the rock, she saunters over to the metal ring connected to the wall, taking Bilbo's rope and ties a strong knot around it. "Either stay down there and out of everything that's coming or return as soon as you can," she warns. "I don't want to even think about what will happen if you get caught."
"What if you get caught helping me?" he asks.
"Then I get caught," she replies simply. "I think it's worth the risk at this point."
It feels dangerous, playing two sides. On one hand, she has pledged her loyalty to the Dwarves, both to Thorin and the group as a whole. She is preparing to fight a battle with them, yet she is also helping betray them.
Bilbo takes a strong grip on the rope, stepping close to the edge. "I'll come back," he says. Gailien smiles in appreciation at the Hobbit's dedication and loyalty. He tips himself over the edge and Gailien watches over the side as he lowers himself to the ground then scurries off along the road towards Dale.
She looks around, making sure there is nobody else that has been lingering in the shadows and she almost misses him if he had not moved. Her breathing halts as the Dwarf steps closer into the light, his white beard reflecting under the white light of the night.
"It is a dangerous move, lass," Balin notes solemnly. Gailien's breathing restarts and she steps away from the edge. "But I think it is a necessary one."
"You're not going to tell Thorin?" she questions, almost preparing to run herself.
Balin shakes his head, sucking his lips. "You and Bilbo have shown nothing but loyalty to us. I warned Bilbo that the Arkenstone would only make Thorin worse. If there's any chance that it could stop this from happening…" he shakes his head, resting his hands against the stone wall. "I just hope that Thorin will see sense."
"If this doesn't work, I will retrieve the Arkenstone," she states. "I have no intention of just giving it to them." Even if she has to slaughter Thranduil herself.
"I know you will."