Chapter 13: Broken Leg

They ride up the stone stairs on the goats, Gailien's blades on either side of her as she hugs the animal under her tightly with her thighs. Any Orcs that dare come near them are slaughtered with chilling accuracy. If she is being honest with herself, she never thought she was capable to fight like this but maybe she is more of a warrior than she thought.

The goats are more than capable of handling the rocky terrain, climbing up the steep side of the rock and Gailien fears cutting Fili for a moment as she has to grip him tightly to not fall backwards. They ride over the structures into the middle of Ravenhill and Gailien leaps from the goat, landing on the back of an Orc's shoulders, her swords jamming into his head as Fili also jumps off.

The five of them fight off the Orcs around them and soon no one stands but themselves. She breathes heavily, letting her blades drop but she doesn't dare sheathe them. A small sense of accomplishment starts to run through her veins before it turns to ice. Her head snaps around, decorated with a deep frown. It's empty.

"Where is he?" Fili questions, on the same track as her. Thorin stands on the edge of a small cliff, looking over to where Azog used to stand watching the battle, their battle flags still there but not a sign of life. Gailien jogs up to Thorin, who looks over his shoulder as he hears her. "It looks empty. I think Azog has fled."

"I've only met him once," Gailien says slowly. "But he does not seem the type to flee from a battle. Especially against Durin's blood."

Thorin nods, turning around. His arm rests on her back, leading them both back down to the other three. "She's right. Fili, take your brother and Gailien. Scout out the towers. Keep low and out of sight. If you see something, report back, do not engage. Do you understand?"

Fili nods and Gailien steps closer to the brothers, squeezing Thorin's hand as she passes him. But as her gaze drifts low – only for a second – her heart seems to stop in the middle of a beat. The ground.

Her blood dripping from her finger to the stone, mixing with the snow.

"-ilien?"

Gailien blinks rapidly, shaking her head as she forces her gaze back up. The Dwarves are watching her carefully, but it is Kili who calls her name. She cannot speak, so she gives him one of the most painful smiles she has ever conjured.

"We have company," Dwalin announces. "Goblin mercenaries. No more than a hundred."

"We'll take care of them," Thorin declares, holding his sword in front of him. Gailien realises that she might not see him again. Risking a spare second, she leaps forward, wrapping her hands around his neck.

"I love you," she whispers as his non-sword hand wraps around her back. He bows his head into her neck, kissing it softly.

"Be safe," he replies. "But go now." Gailien nods, pulling herself back. "Remind me to make you another bead when this is over."

She forces another smile. "I would like that."

Thorin gives her a tight smile but gestures over his shoulder with his head, the Goblin mercenaries almost upon them. "Go!"

Gailien, Fili, and Kili run off, climbing down the side of one of the rocky stairs and onto the frozen ground separating the two parts of Ravenhill. This is it. This is going to be her last stand. But she cannot be more grateful that the brothers are here with her, at her side.

They stay under the cover of overhanging rock until they reach the area they need to cross.

But is it cruel to stay with them when she knows that she is going to die? To let them watch it. But she can't do this alone. Not when she has thought that her death would be alone for most of her life now. Not now.

But maybe things change, she thinks to herself as the climb up into the fortress, following Fili through one of the entrances. Does she say goodbye to them? Should she tell them what she told Dwalin? What is cruel and what is fair? There seems to be no answer.

Just as it looked, the fortress seems abandoned but the hair on her arms tells her otherwise. And she is proven right as the come to an intersection of the stone halls and something sounds from down to the left. Kili runs past her, gripping his sword tight but Fili holds him back.

"Stay here," the blonde prince says. "Search the lower levels."

Kili's eyes flicker between hers and Fili's as though waiting for her to say something, but she agrees with Fili. But again – this may be the last time she sees him, she just doesn't know and that is the most painful thing. Even more painful than her burning side. She raises a hand to the back of his head, bringing it forehead to meet hers. "We'll see you soon, yeah?" she says, smiling through a thick knot in her throat. Kili nods, his jaw muscles protruding. Gailien squeezes her eyes shut.

Without another word, Kili reluctantly steps back, turning around and follows his brother's instructions. She turns back to Fili, holding her blades up. "You should go with him," he says quietly.

"You promised to stay with me, remember?" she counters. "Don't break your promise."

Fili nods reluctantly and they press up against the wall. The sick feeling in her stomach grows as they sneak through the narrow halls which are covered in webs and debris of whatever battle happened here before them.

Whatever sound they heard before becomes louder, and they are evidently not alone. She hopes that whatever filth lies in this fortress is not heading towards Kili who is alone. Another bout of guilt hits her. If she had just tried to see something more…

Fili backs into her, knocking out of her distracted state. There are torches lit down the hall, more noise coming from what are most likely Orcs. Gailien holds her blades towards both her front and back, standing by Fili's side instead of behind him so she can cover both fronts.

"Go, go," he whispers hurriedly, pushing her off to the side through another hall as the creatures come closer to their positions. Gailien grips his chainmail through her spare fingers, pulling him with her but another group of footsteps sounds from behind them. They are trapped.

Then from around the corner, heavily armoured Orcs come towards them, sauntering as though they have the entire time in the world. Their secrecy ends and the pair start running in the opposite direction. She thought about her own death: but what about theirs? They could die. Her breathing becomes ragged as the reality of their position hits her. They are surrounded.

Another few Orcs comes from the direction they are running, but they cannot turn back as Orcs close in behind them as well. Their heads flip between the two fronts, Gailien's back moving against Fili's to cover each other's behind. "We're going to live," she says to him, watching the Orcs near her. "You are going to go home to your mother." It is more for her than him, but Fili nods, pressing himself up more against her. "To my last breath, I'm going to fight for that."

The first Orc comes into range and Gailien steps forward and with an almighty grunt, slices her blades through the air, the metal cutting through the Orc's armour. It doesn't kill him, but it is enough to throw him and allow her a mortal blow. From behind her, Fili also engages in battle, metal heavily clanging against the enemies'.

Her next enemy is a little harder to kill but she manages to fend him off enough to change to offence and he falls next to the other body. And it goes like that for minutes, each Orc being replaced by another until they will no longer be able to stand.

And that moment comes when one of the Orcs hits her side with the brunt of his elbow.

"Gah!"

Gailien crumples inwards, her swords not dropping but loosening in her grip as she falls to her knees.

"Gailien?" Fili cries, looking over his shoulder to her. A sword comes down at her head, but he leaves his own opponent to block the oncoming blow to her. Gailien's chin is tucked to her chest, nothing but blood rushing through her ears being heard. But she can't stay there. With a low growl through clenched teeth, she raises back up to her feet, taking the enemy Fili left to defend her and block a blow that would have gone straight through his back.

"Bring me the prince." Gailien recognises the voice, even if she has only heard it once. "Kill the other."

She doesn't know what Azog has ordered but suddenly Fili is kicked to the ground next to her, his sword flying from his hand. "Fili," she exclaims, making a move to defend him while he is down but it seems that every Orc has turned its eye to her.

Two Orcs bend down, picking Fili up by his arms. Gailien fights off the remaining three Orcs, barely able to even glance at the Dwarf, let alone try and get to him. Fili kicks and shakes his body to try and get the Orcs off him as Gailien continues to call his name.

Then Azog appears at the end of the hall. The two Orcs drag Fili to his feet and the Pale Orc sends Fili to the ground with a heavy backhand. Gailien manages to kill one of the three remaining Orcs but fighting becomes no less easy.

Fili is dragged of sight by the Pale Orc and that is finally what gives her the power to kill the filthy creatures that stand in her way. No one takes those boys away from her. A scream of anguish rips through her throat as she thrusts both blades through the air, cutting into both of their stomachs.

The Orcs squeal and squirm, falling to their knees. Gailien takes a deep breath, holding her blades high and pointed down and with one final effort, sinks both into their heads. The squealing ends with their lives and as she takes her blades back, they fall to the ground silently, their blood splattering over her face and chainmail.

A heavy drum sounds and Gailien isn't given a moment of peace. Her feet pound against the ground, trailing in the direction that Fili was taken. It isn't hard to hear the scuffle with her Elvish ears, leading her all the way up to one of the upper levels.

Her running slows as she reaches the balcony that Azog stands on, and she pauses just around the corner. He is flanked by at least six Orcs as he stands on the edge, holding Fili by his coat. Gailien's chest shudders and ever so quietly, she puts her swords back in their sheaths. As Azog speaks out to Thorin who is still on the other side, Gailien pulls out her bow and a single arrow from her quiver, nocking it.

Calling for the Elvish blessing of a light foot, she steps out of her hiding, aiming her bow at Azog's back. The Orcs are none the wiser. Azog holds Fili over the edge, the poor Dwarf's legs dangling many feet above the ground. But small enough to survive a drop.

Her mind strains for her to call out, to let Azog know that she has come for her brother, but the risk is not worth it. Azog raises his sword and Gailien releases her arrow.

She watches as the red feather slices through the air, sinking into Azog's shoulder. The Pale Orc bellows in pain, his grip of Fili releasing. Her ears do not miss the short scream of the Dwarf who falls through the air, nor does she miss the sound of a bone-crunching but what follows is horrifyingly beautiful. Fili's cries continue after he lands. He's still alive.

Every Orc on the balcony snaps their heads to her. "Don't mess with my Dwarves," she growls before spinning her on her heels and high tailing out of there before she can become overwhelmed with all the Orcs, not to mention Azog himself. Her destination is already on her mind and she doesn't stop to think as she runs back through the narrow halls as the Orcs chase after her. She takes a few miss-turns to get them off her trail, but her mind never leaves where she needs to go.

She rounds another corner, only a few seconds from where she wants to be as her body collides with another going just as fast as her. Their chests are crushed in from the force, sending them both to the ground with a moment of loss breathe.

"Kili," she breathes out, her voice raspy and barely coming out as one word. Kili coughs, pushing himself off the ground. She coughs herself, her throat burning as the cold air is brought through it.

"H-He's alive," Kili gasps out. "I...I need to go after him. Thorin is going after Azog."

Gailien pushes herself to her knees, sending another silent thanks that she is seeing him again. "Go," she says. "I'll stay here and look after Fili." She is more than happy to protect the injured Durin and know that Thorin is not going to be going after Azog alone. She just wishes that she could split herself in two and do both. Kili nods, squeezing her hand and he pushes himself up to his feet and continues sprinting in the direction he was going, turning right at the corner instead of the left that she came from.

Gailien also continues running, knowing the Fili has to be around here somewhere. She doubts that Kili just left his brother lying around in any old spot. She reaches the end of the hallway and her feet slow to a walk as she enters a lower balcony area, right where Fili should have fallen.

She can hear fighting in the near distance and recognises Kili's grunts through them. "Fili?" she calls out.

"Here."

Her head snaps to the right. Situated behind a large rock and between the wall is Fili, sitting on the ground. He has one of his legs lain out in front of him and his face is screwed tight in pain. Pain, but alive. Gailien's chest caves again as she jogs over to him. "I'm sorry," she says. "I didn't know what else to do." She kneels by his legs, his body leaning up against the wall.

Fili gives her a pained smile. "Lass, I would have been dead without you." He tries to shift himself up more but his leg flares in unimaginable pain. Gailien reaches out, holding his shoulders still.

"I don't have anything to bind it with," she mutters more to herself than him. She thinks for a moment, then pulls her bow and quiver off her back. "Take these," she says, handing him the weapon. He would be able to defend himself if she cannot without needing to stand. And he probably still has a few daggers on him if it comes to it. Fili frowns but takes the weapons. "I'm going to try and keep the Orcs off us. But just in case…"

Instead of answering, he digs into his chest pocket, pulling out a familiar dagger.

"Ardoth," she says.

Fili holds it out to her. "A promise," he says clearly, looking her in the eye. A promise. A promise to come back, just like last time. Gailien's fingers begin to lift, reaching for the dagger but the stop, falling back to her side.

She shakes her head, trying to keep a voice clear. "You need it more than I do," she protests.

"I need your promise," Fili argues, pushing the dagger even closer to her. "To come back, like you always do."

Tears prickle in her eyes dangerously and she only barely holds them from falling. She closes her eyes for a moment, trying to keep her breathing that seems to be out of order back to normal. "That's not a promise I can keep," she croaks in a barely audible whisper and her throat burns as the sob threatens to erupt.

Fili stares at her, the skin between his eyes creasing, trying to truly understand her words. Gailien watches as his eyes change, flickering between hers. "Take it," he demands, thrusting it into her chest as though to test her. Gailien bites her lips together, her hands closing around his fist.

"I can't," she rasps, trying to get him to understand what she is saying. Braving fate, Gailien stands, letting Fili's hand drop. "Keep hidden," she instructs, beginning to walk away, unsheathing her blades. "I'll be near."

"Ga-Gailien!" he cries, desperately wishing he could run after her. "I don't understand! Please!"

"Quiet, Fili," she hushes, forcing her tone stern and she holds her blades at the ready, beginning to look for her next victim.