Hey guys! Next chapter of Caladwen and Thorin's story is now up! I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it. . .although I almost cried a few times!

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Dragonett8 – Don't worry, it all will hand happily. Although there are a few sad times ahead. You'll have to be patient xx

The Battle of Azanulbizar

The years roll by and soon enough, it has been twenty nine years since I last saw Thorin, twenty nine years since he and his kin were run out of his home, out of Erebor, by a dragon. For the first few years of that time, I have done my best to help provide Thorin with regular food, medicine and even a bit of gold that I had managed to scrimp and save by doing odd jobs here and there. Although, always making sure Thorin or the other dwarves never see me. After Borun had driven me away the last time. . .I dare not go near their camps again.

Unfortunately, the only thing I haven't been able to provide them with, is a place they can call home, as they still wander the wild lands. I just hope and pray that Aule will be merciful to the dwarves and lead them somewhere they will be safe and continue living their lives in relative peace.

Also, during that time, when I am not helping the dwarves, I have taken the opportunity to explore Middle Earth, going to places such as; Minas Tirith, Edoras, Bree, meeting kin in Lothlorien – Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel happily accepting me into their home, and even going to Rivendell. It is here where I finally meet my saviour when I was just a newborn, Gandalf the Grey. He is grief stricken when he learns of what happened to Erebor, but equally as happy when I tell him I've been trying to do my best to help.

It is now the year twenty seven ninety nine and I am currently in the Prancing Pony, having just returned from an assassination job of some bandits that have been terrorizing travellers on the road. As I am sitting at a table, sipping on a mug of ale, I glance down at the silver band on my finger, thinking about Thorin and hoping he is still safe. I also think that, this time twenty nine years ago, Thorin and I should have been married, settled down in Erebor and happy together. I shed a tear at this, quickly wiping it before it hits the table.

As if Eru and Aule have some wild sense of humour, I am brought out of my thoughts, my attention drifting to a nearby table as the men there talk loudly.

"I joke not, I saw them with my own eyes; dwarves, hundreds of them! A few of them even came here, to Bree! To collect supplies I think. And one of them was that dwarf King from that mountain that was attacked by that dragon! I can't remember his name, though it began with a T, Thord, Thor, Tor. . ."

"Thror?" I ask.

The men jump slightly and look over, one of them glaring. "You shouldn't butt into conversation that don't concern you, woman."

I glare right back, having had one too many conflicts with arrogant men. "If you weren't talking so loud, or in front of an elf, I would not have to butt in."

He doesn't say anything. I stand walk over, looking to the man who spoke. "King Thror? Is that who you mean?"

He nods. "Yeah. . .sounds about right. I remember now as I watched them, one of the younger lads, he wore a bead in his hair, much like those." he points to my courting and engagement beads in my hair.

My heart stops. Thorin was here. . .he was here and I missed them.

"Tell me, which way did they go?"

"They went South. I'm not sure of their destination, although I heard one of them mention something about Moria, if that helps."

Moria. . .the lost Kingdom of the dwarves, one that is now currently run by orcs, if memory serves. Thror must be thinking of retaking it. . .he's mad! There are too man orcs! They'll be killed!

After quickly thanking the man, I run out of the inn – after making sure to pay for my ale – and run straight into the stables, startling Melda in the process.

"Sorry, girl. But we need to go, now!" I say as I quickly saddle her.

Sensing my distress, Melda paws the ground with her hoof, snorting away and getting ready to move away. Mounting her, we race out of the stables, people quickly jumping out of the way before they are trampled and charge through the open gates, heading South, towards Moria. Sending a quick prayer to any of the deities who will listen to keep Thorin and the others safe.

It takes a few days ride, but when I get close enough, my ears already pick up on the sound of metal hitting metal and the cries of both dwarf and orc alike in the midst of battle, and the sight I see is enough to make me freeze from atop a nearby hill crest. The dwarves already look overrun by the orcs, many bodies of both littering the ground. As I scout through the dwarves I manage to pick out those I love; Dwalin, easy to spot thanks to his hair as is Frerin with his blond locks, my heart stops as I also see Thorin fighting side by side with his father, Thrain.

Dismounting Melda, telling her to stay away, I slide down the hill, drawing out my bow as I go and shooting any orcs that get too close to the dwarves. The dwarves I manage to save, look around for their saviour, only to see me now drawing out my blades. I expect them to look at me with the same hate Borun did twenty nine years ago, but surprisingly, they just give me a thankful nod before continuing with the fight, with me fighting beside them.

Swinging my swords, I cut down many orcs as I can, fighting my way through to try to at least reach someone I know. After feeling someone bump into my back, I spin around prepared to attack but stop at the familiar face.

"Frerin!"

His eyes widen in surprise, a large grin splitting his face.

"Caladwen!"

He tackles into me in an embrace, after staggering slightly, I hold him just as close as he is me. Luckily, the dwarves around us allow us to have a little reunion as they circle around us and fighting off the orcs. Pulling away, I smile at him.

"Thank the Valar you are safe!"

He lets out a little laugh, which sounds like the bark of a dog. "Uninjured, yes. Safe, none of us are just yet."

I nod as we immediately get back into the battle.

"Wait until Thorin finds out you are here! He's going to be so happy to see you!" Frerin says in between grunts and we slice through orc after orc.

"You think?" I ask, still unsure on if he feels the same for me as I still do for him.

"Of course he would! You're his one, Caladwen! He loves you and hasn't been able to stop thinking of you!"

This makes me smile. Could Frerin be true? Could Thorin still love me, even after what my own father did to him? I am soon brought out of my distracting thoughts by a gash to the arm. Wincing slightly, I whip around and slice off the head of the orc who cut me. Taking a quick look to my right bicep, I see a deep diagonal cut going from the shoulder to just above the elbow, the blue sleeve now turning purple with blood.

"Cal! Are you alright!?" Frerin asks as he notices.

I nod, grimacing in pain as I swing my arm. "I'll be fine."

He doesn't say anything as we continue fighting. Not long after, we hear a roar. Looking up, I freeze as I see a large orc, larger than any of the others and the colour of snow, deep scars covering his body. But what has me immobilized is the head he holds in his hand, King Thror!

"Oh no. . ." I mutter.

The intermingling cries of both Thorin and Frerin ring through the air as the orc tosses the head towards Thorin and Thrain. Before I can stop him, Frerin runs off, shoving aside orcs in his haste to get to the orc.

"Frerin! NO!" I cry out trying to get to him, but am immediately stopped by orcs.

As I fight, I keep my eye on Frerin as he gets closer and closer to the large pale orc. My heart jumps into my throat as I watch Frerin and the orc fight against one another and I pray that Frerin can hold on until I get to him. Alas, that wasn't meant to be, as a few seconds after my prayer, he is struck hard in the chest by the orc's mace, sending the dwarf flying.

"NO! FRERIN!" I scream as I change course and run for him, shoving and slicing any orc that gets in my way.

Reaching him, along with a few other dwarves who fight around us for protection, I see the mace didn't just hit his chest, but also the lower half of his face, his chin and jaw a mangled mess. Checking his breathing, I am relieved to find he is still alive, his breaths coming out slow and ragged. Grabbing the shoulder of a nearby dwarf, I turn him to face me.

"Do you have any healer tents set up?"

He nods. "Aye, just beyond the fighting border."

"Get some others and take Frerin straight there."

"Aye, lass."

He and another dwarf carefully carry Frerin while others run along beside them, fighting off the orcs. Standing as I look around, I see most of the dwarves fleeing as the orcs rage upon them, the dwarves now leaderless. That is when, for the third time today, my body is rendered immobile when I see the Pale Orc charge towards Thorin!

I immediately move toward them. That orc has already taken two sons of Durin, he is not about to take a third! And definitely no my beloved!

While fighting the orcs, I almost scream as I see him sent flying the same way Frerin had, and I start to panic before seeing him move. He is now unarmed as he faces the orc. As the pale orc swings at him, Thorin picks up an oaken branch and uses it as a shield to deflect the attacks. After the third swing, the branch breaks. But Thorin doesn't stop, finally able to get onto his feet, he picks up his fallen sword and with a cry, swings up, managing to cut off the orcs left arm from just below the elbow, leaving a bleeding stump. I stop, as does those around me as the pale orc falls to his knees, crying out as he holds his stump. Other orcs quickly get him and drag him back to the gates of Moria.

It's here, all the dwarves rally back together as Thorin calls out to everyone.

"Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!"

From what I remember of my Khuzdul lessons, that means; "To arms!". So with the dwarves, I charge in, killing any orcs that I can get my blades into. What seems like days later, but is probably a few hours, the battle is over. The dwarves have won. But at what price? As I look over the battle field, I see more dwarves on the ground than standing. There will be no celebrations for the dwarves tonight.

Looking up, I smile with pride as I see Thorin standing as he looks around a the carnage, still holding his sword and branch. He has done his family proud this day. I'm sure Thror will be proud in Mahal's halls.

I then think about what Frerin said, about Thorin still loving me and never stopped thinking about me. When he said this, even in the heat of battle, I had thought about staying behind after and seeing if there was anyway we can salvage what we had, anyway we can go back to how we were before Smaug arrived. But now. . .with his grandfather dead, his father missing and now his brother. . .I would only be a distraction to him. And besides. . .even though Frerin said what he said. . .he may blame me for the death of his grandfather, his father missing and his brother critically injured, because my father didn't help.

With that, I turn and after another glance to him, walk away, heading towards the healing tents to check on Frerin. Reching the tents, I find the one holding Frerin and walks over to him, kneeling beside him as I look over him. His tunic is now off and his chest wrapped in bloody bandages and his lower face from him lower jaw down also covered. It pains my heart to see him in so much pain. As he opens his eyes and looks to me, I gently take his hand in my own.

"Caladwen. . .you survived. . ." he manages to get out.

I smile as I squeeze his hand. "We both are. You hang in there, alright? Thorin needs you now."

"He needs. . .you too, Caladwen. Y-You're staying with us, aren't you?"

I don't say anything as I reach up to my neck, unclipping my mother's pendant and laying it in his hand, closing his fingers over it.

"Makes sure Thorin gets this, nadadith, tell him. . .tell him I love him and I'm sorry."

Leaning over, I gently press a kiss to his brow before standing and striding out, ignoring his calls. I don't look back, if I did, I know I wouldn't be leaving.

After looking over the destruction the battle brought to him, Thorin lets out a huge sigh of grief. His grandfather is dead, his father missing and his brother. . .freezing, he suddenly looks around for his brother, but doesn't see him anywhere.

That's when another dwarf comes up and tells him his brother is in the healing tent. At that, Thorin rushes off, running towards the tent. When he gets there, he tears in and stops as he sees Frerin, laying out on one of the cots with a bandage around his chest and lower face. He holds back a sob as he walks over.

"Frerin?"

Frerin's eyes turn to him and he can see tears in them.

"Thorin. . ."

"Shh. Don't speak, nadadith, save your energy." Thorin soothes him.

"No, C-Caladwen. . .Caladwen's here!"

He freezes. Caladwen was here?

"Where is she?"

"She left. . .She-She told me to give you this." He takes Thorin's hand as he passes something over.

Just as he's about to look, he hears a familiar whistle. It's the same whistle Caladwen uses to call her horse, Melda. Bolting up from the chair, he rushes out and looks around, soon spotting Caladwen on the crest of a hill mounting her horse.

"Caladwen. . ."

She's there. . .after all these years. . .he's finally seen her. As if she heard him whisper her name, she turns on her horse and their eyes meet. After they look to each other for a few seconds, she bows her head to him before she rides away. Thorin feels his heart break, he saw in her eyes the hesitation. He knew she didn't want to leave, so why is she going?

Remembering what Frerin said, he looks into his hand and his heart sinks again, laying in his hand is the pendant that belonged to her mother before she died, the one that she never ever took off. His fingers close over the pendant as he holds it close to him. That day, as he is surrounded by death and grief, he swears that one day, he will find her again and they will be together.

"Don't give up, amralime. We will be together again soon. . .I swear it."

Well, there we have it, the Battle of Azanulbizar is done. I hope you enjoyed this. Please keep your lovely reviews coming and stay tuned for the next chapter xx

Translations

Nadadith – little brother

Du Bekar! – To Arms!

Amralime – My love