Hello, my beautiful readers! I've tried not to keep you waiting so long this time, since that was such a cruel cliffhanger. (LoL I couldn't help myself. Your reactions were priceless.) A massive thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, favorited, etc. It lets me know you're enjoying what I put out, so thank you. :)
I will give fair warning though: this chapter contains violence and attempted sexual assault.
I don't plan on upping the rating for this story for just violence, because The Hobbit movies are already a violent thing on their own. However, I know sexual violence is completely different, and that is why I just wanted to give you a heads up even if it is just a tiny scene.
Now.
I will let you read already. You have all been so patient. :)
The Loudest Silence
Chapter Seventeen
The world was swaying, lurching. My head felt like fifteen garden gnomes had taken up residence inside my skull, going at it with pickaxes.
"They couldn't have gone far."
"Depends. If they really did lose their ponies, they could be anywhere."
"Don't tell me you believe that load of…"
"Do you see any ponies, Gavin?"
Oh my God, my head hurt so much… The world wasn't just swaying anymore, but spinning. I felt so light, like gravity had stopped working, and I was sure I passed out properly this time. When consciousness finally started its return, I struggled to open my eyes.
"What do you propose we do then, eh?"
"We wait."
"Wait? Wait for what? We can't collect a bounty if he's been eaten!"
"Be quiet, you dolt! Don't you think I know that?"
What the hell…? I was just staring at a blue cloth… no, wait. It was a shirt. I looked up and wound up staring at the ground and the backs of some legs walking, which confused me greatly. Up is down, down is up; what was happening? How long was I out for? It was still relatively dark, though there was a certain chill to the air that made me think some time had passed – but how much?
Slowly, things began coming back to me, and I realized the world wasn't upside down – I was. Jean's arm was wrapped tightly around my torso, keeping me in place on his shoulder. I have to say, it was not the most comfortable place to hang out, since his wiry frame was digging into my stomach, but somehow I didn't think they were concerned with my comfort. I didn't want them to know I was awake before I could get a feel of the situation, and it took a great deal of willpower not to wiggle for a less painful position.
I felt something tickle my neck and tried to covertly tilt my head to figure out what it was. There was a… a thin cord? Then it hit me. Literally, my whistle tapped me on the ear and I realized it must have slipped out of my shirt, now dangling beside my face. I thanked every deity that it hadn't slipped off my neck completely while I was out.
"If you knew anything at all, you'd know how Trolls worked, Gavin," said the man holding me. "They turn to stone in daylight."
Oh. So they'd found the Company then, I supposed? Shit. It dawned on me then, that even if I managed to get the whistle in my mouth in this position, the others wouldn't be able to come get me while they were tied in sacks. It wasn't daylight yet, so that meant they were still trapped. I had to wait for the right time.
"Well how does that help us now?" I recognized the voice of Gavin asking.
The shoulder beneath me readjusted, and I tried not to tense up when it dug into my abdomen further.
"If you'd been listening back there then… agh, just – take her for a while, would you? Heavy little witch…"
Well excuse the fuck outta me, Mister.
I quickly closed my eyes and tried to remain limp, which was easier said than done. Jean crouched down and basically just dropped me on top of forest floor debris, tiny pebbles poking into the back of my head and several twigs stabbing through my clothes. Obviously, because I am a human being, I flinched.
There was a long pause. Somewhere in the distance, I heard the shouting of several voices, followed by the rumbling of lower ones. Correction: Bigger ones. The Company was so close!
"Seems like we've got ourselves a performer," Gavin said, very close to my face. Suddenly I was yanked up by my arm and my eyes flew open automatically, giving away my badly portrayed act as I was brought to my feet.
It was dark, but I could still make out the two Men before me. Despite my lightheadedness, the sight of them pissed me off again, and I clenched my teeth as I remembered what they did to Bofur. The nicest Dwarf you would ever meet and they hit him over the head with a brick.
"You were right about her voice, lucky for us," Gavin chuckled. "She really can't make a peep."
Jean wasn't as impressed by this revelation, scanning through the forest, not bothering to glance our way. "I told you as much," he said offhandedly.
How long had these guys been following us? Since we left Bree? The thought sent a chill up my spine. Those shadows and sounds that I'd brushed off as a breeze or as wildlife… Next to the creek, when I accidentally splashed Thorin. God, had they been there, watching us? It made me want to hurl. If I had told Thorin what I heard instead of assuming it was paranoia, would it have prevented any of this?
I looked in the direction that Jean was staring, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Through the trees, barely visible, was a dot of orange light. The Trolls were probably attempting to cook my friends on a spit by now, the others stuck in bags like groceries. Defenseless. If these creeps made a move…
"It'll take them a while to deal with the ones they've got cooking," Jean said, obviously formulating a plan. "You saw Oakenshield – he was in the other pile, right in front of their faces. They'll see us if we try to sneak him out."
"Plus the others might start making a racket and give us away. They ain't mute like this one," Gavin tossed in.
"Yeah... By the time those Trolls finish with the first lot, dawn will be close," the brunette said. He turned away from the trees, giving me a once over before taking a few steps in thought. "If we can wait, and make sure Oakenshield isn't eaten before then, we could distract the Trolls long enough for the sun to rise. Half the Dwarves'll be out of our hair and the others will still be bagged up."
My heart was going crazy, thumping away in my ears as I tried to think of how to escape. Gavin's hold on me had loosened slightly as he listened to his brother's plan, and I knew this was my window. If I bolted now, I could… I could… Dammit, what could I do? Find Gandalf? I had no idea how far away he still was. Head for the Troll camp? The Company wouldn't be able to help me. If anything, that plan seemed likely to get me tied up with the others or eaten straight away.
I decided I'd take my chances.
As Jean began talking again, I yanked my arm out of Gavin's grip and launched myself in the direction of the orange light. They both cursed as I began my bolt to freedom with rapid footsteps behind me, but I only managed a few yards before the hood of my jacket was yanked backwards. I fell flat on my back, hard, and it knocked the wind from my lungs.
Jean stared down at me and a knife suddenly appeared in my line of vision. He crouched and put the blade against my neck as I lay there, trying to breathe properly.
"Just kill her already! This bitch has caused us more trouble than any I've seen," Gavin urged, probably just bitter that I managed to slip away again. "We won't need a hostage anymore. The plan has changed."
I thought I was going to die. My throat felt thick as I grew terrified, more tears trying to surface. I was really going to die like this, at the hands of a random man. Not a Goblin, or an Orc, or a Warg. No. I hadn't even made it that far. I would die before we even reached Rivendell. I would die, and if I died, so would any hope of saving Thorin, and Fili, and Kili. Hell, would they even be able to get into Erebor? The last time I saw the map, it had sort of been on fire, and I was the only other copy.
I had ruined the quest, barely even a month in.
"You're right."
I closed my eyes.
"The plan has changed."
Suddenly the knife was pulled away, and I was yanked up by my already very sore arm, causing me to open my eyes in confusion. I glanced between Gavin and Jean wildly, trying to figure out how I was still alive. Holy sonofabitch, how was I still alive?
Gavin seemed pissed off and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Making sure we have a distraction for the Trolls," Jean answered calmly, jerking me back and shoving me in the other's direction.
I stumbled forward and was caught by Gavin's rough grip, one hand on my arm and one at the crook of my neck. He said with exasperation, "We could've come up with something less… irritating."
"Irritating she may be, but I have no desire to be caught and trussed up like them," Jean said with a tip of his head in the Dwarves' direction. "Tossing her in there as a diversion is just what we need."
This was both a relief and a nightmare.
On the one hand, I wasn't going to die this very moment. They would keep me alive and throw me to the Trolls so they could kidnap and subsequently murder Thorin Oakenshield. There was a chance of survival for both of us if I could escape the Trolls and stop them in time (ha, right). On the other hand… I was stuck with these bastards until dawn.
My hands went clammy.
Jean stood up a little straighter as he looked towards the fire, like he had seen something, and slid his knife back in its sheath. "Take her back to camp, pack our things, and wait for me. Be ready when I return. I need to see what's happening," he warned, and glanced back at Gavin before adding, "And don't do anything stupid."
Gavin scoffed as his brother started making his way to the Troll camp briskly, but quietly. He snuck away into the darkness, leaving me with the last person on Middle Earth I wanted to be stuck with. Excepting maybe Azog or perhaps Sauron himself.
"Come on then, Miss Hollander," Gavin spit out, pulling me after him. It made me wonder why they bothered to remember my name at all if they were just going to use it as a curse.
I had no idea how far away their camp was, but I realized I could see our surroundings better as he dragged me along. The forest floor wasn't pitch black anymore, but a dull grey, and my steps came easier since I wasn't tripping over twigs. The change in light made me glance upwards. Through the trees, I spotted the sky.
Dawn was closer than I thought.
"Hurry up!" Gavin scolded when I stopped paying attention to my pace. I glared at him to no effect, simply earning another jerk of my arm that caused me to stumble again.
It wasn't long before we reached an empty patch of forest. It wasn't big enough to be called a clearing, in my opinion, just enough room in it for Tweedledee and Tweedledum. There were a few camping supplies, but they had obviously been travelling light for speed and stealth. The two bedrolls, and their bags, with a few various items that looked like they were dropped midway through their usage – I recognized a blade sharpener among them.
Gavin didn't waste any time pulling me with him to the center, bending to grab something from his bag. As he bent, I shoved his side with my free hand, hoping to throw him off balance and make him let go. Yes, it threw him off balance, but no, he did not let go. In fact, his grip around my wrist tightened as he threw his other foot out to catch himself, standing upright with a death glare. I'd only pissed him off more.
"You are pushing your luck, wench," he hissed out, pulling me forward. I drew my head back with a grimace when I could feel his breath across my face.
What he grabbed from the bag was rope, I realized as he spun me around and shoved me to the dirt. I landed hard on my chest and he pulled my arms behind my back, wrapping my wrists together tightly. The tension in my limbs being at such an angle was already bad enough, but then I felt a stinging on my upper arm and I just knew my cut had opened back up. This motherfucker…
"Don't move again or I'll throw you to the Trolls right now, regardless of what Jean says," Gavin said testily, pushing off of me to stand and crushing my ribs into the earth in the process.
So I didn't. Much to my shame, I let my forehead thump onto the ground under me as I lay there, on my stomach, tied up like a fucking damsel in distress. It's what I was, honestly. If I couldn't get out of here with my hands free, how did I think I would do it with both hands literally tied behind my back?
I sighed shakily. My head hurt. My face hurt. My arms hurt, my stomach hurt, my everything hurt. I hoped Yavanna was having a grand ole laugh right about then, because I sure as hell wasn't amused. I wanted to cry. Oh, wait, shit. Yeah, I was already crying. Oops.
I turned my head away from Gavin's direction so I could let the little tears slide down the side of my face. Like I was about to let him have that satisfaction of seeing that. It wasn't a proud moment for me, stuck there, listening to my kidnapper roll up sleeping bags, and pack away gear.
As he continued the cleanup, however, I realized there was a noise that I hadn't registered before: Birds. Birds were chirping! It was then I noticed colors coming back to the world. From my poor vantage point on the ground, the grass began to look greener, the tree trunks around us just a little more brown. I turned my head a little further to peek at the sky from the corner of my vision.
Daylight?
Somewhere in the distance, there was a very great, very brief rumble. The sky was clear, so I knew it wasn't thunder, and it didn't feel like an earthquake. Maybe a landslide? Or maybe… half of a giant rock splitting and falling to the ground? My heart rate picked up.
"What on earth…? Damn Trolls…" I heard Gavin mutter, pausing his activity for a moment.
I rolled onto my back – and subsequently, my arms – in order to sit up straight and take a look around. Once upright, I just saw layers and layers of trees and shrubs in every direction, but it was definitely lighter now. Then I caught Gavin eyeballing me with a tight jaw.
"Thought I told you not to move," he said, oddly calm. It was unsettling to the maximum degree, not helped in the least by the way his eyes roved down to where they shouldn't.
Eventually, thankfully, Gavin pulled his gaze away and sat down beside their newly packed bags. He brought out a piece of dried meat and munched on that for a while, glancing over at me every so often. I didn't like it one bit, trying to think of a way to get my whistle to my mouth without him seeing. His attention never left me for long enough, though, and when he finished his snack, I still had nothing. No plan, no clever scheme. Just clammy hands and a sense of dread.
The man dusted his hands off as he stood again. My stomach twisted uncomfortably and I could only stare as he slinked over, crouching down beside me.
"You know," Gavin commented in a casual fashion. He laid a hand on my shoulder in a sick display of false goodwill. "I never got to pay you back for my nose."
I paled.
As soon as that predatory look sunk in, I tried to jerk my shoulder from his grasp, only causing him to strengthen his grip and grab the other shoulder as well. I went to bite his forearm, but he tilted it away and shoved me backwards onto the ground, causing my teeth to clack together loudly.
"Not so fast, you little viper. Don't you think I deserve a little fun after what you did?" he asked sardonically, adding a click of his tongue at the end, shaking his head.
Um, fuck no?! I thought in a panic. I tried to lash out with my feet, so he simply lifted a leg over and sat on top of me, on my hips, rendering me completely immobile. No matter how much I dug my boots into the ground, I didn't have enough leverage or strength to lift myself, and I couldn't even get a good hit into his back with my knees at this angle either.
I thought of the whistle around my neck before that hope was dashed as well. I realized there was no way I could get it to my mouth like this, and even if I could, the monster on top of me would just stop my cry for help before it even began.
I tilted my head away to stare at a tree, disbelieving. I didn't want to watch this. Any of it. When a breeze hit my bare torso, I felt ill, and I realized he had lifted my shirt up to my collar bone, revealing my bra. His other hand glided across the exposed skin of my stomach, sliding upwards over my ribcage, towards my breasts… No no, please, no. This couldn't be happening. This was not happening.
"You've been nothing a pain in our necks. I'm going to enjoy mak…" He suddenly trailed off with a frown, eyes darting away. When he straightened up, removing his hand from my person, thank fuck, I noticed a sound heading our way.
Footsteps. It was definitely footsteps, rushing through the forest, kicking up leaves. My heart leapt into my throat as my hopes rose, until I realized the steps were too light. Too long-legged. I wanted to sob. It wasn't any Dwarf.
This was proven when, moments later, Jean pushed through the foliage. Judging by the look on his face, things had taken a different turn than he planned, and he was especially not happy with the sight before him.
"What are you doing, nitwit? I told you not to do anything stupid, did I not? To be ready when I came back?" Jean stormed. He put his hands on his hips before looking to the sky momentarily with a huff, then glared back at us, saying, "Doesn't matter. You can play later – we have a bigger problem."
Gavin glanced down at me with a sneer, shoving off of me to stand up and walk over to Jean, who had started pacing. I didn't know what to feel. Relieved? No. I wasn't out of the woods quite yet. I couldn't even pull my shirt back down, but I wriggled to sit up again all the same, despite what it caused last time.
"What's the problem?" Gavin asked quickly.
Jean ceased movement, rounding on his companion, and said, "A Wizard, Gavin. The fucking Wizard we saw in Bree is with them! Everything was going fine – they had their own distraction going, and we wouldn't even have needed to come back with our own, but then he shows up! Breaks a boulder in two, lets a little sunshine in, and next thing I know, the Trolls are stone. Like we wanted them to be."
"And you… couldn't get to – "
"No, I couldn't reach Oakenshield, you dolt!" Jean interrupted, absolutely peeved. "Did you miss everything I just said? They have a Wizard."
Gavin didn't respond for a long time, but eventually asked, "So what do we do?"
Jean seemed thoughtful, his pacing having started again as he put his hands back on his hips. He stopped after a second, looked to me with a malice that made me cower, and stated, "We go back to our original plan - hostage. Get Oakenshield to hand himself over otherwise we slit her throat."
"Will that still work with them having a Wizard and all?" Gavin questioned, leering at me.
"Who knows," answered Jean indignantly as he turned away, more irritated than I'd seen him yet. He grabbed his bag and the bedrolls, heaving them over his shoulders. "I will take these if you take her. We should get going before they realize their whore is gone."
I became ticked off at the insults they kept hurling, but he had already started walking in the direction opposite of the way the Company was. Gavin was murmuring something, glancing the way his brother went while making his way towards his bag. His back was turned. It was now or never.
Bending forward as much as my bound arms would let me, I grabbed the cord between my teeth and pulled it upwards to rest on the folds of my hoodie collar. From there, I wrapped my mouth around the end, taking the deepest breath possible.
The shrill sound pierced the air and startled Gavin. After he recovered and realized what was going on, he lunged across the clearing to stop the noise, but I fell onto my back and threw out my feet, jamming my boot into his crotch. He doubled over, and I kept on blowing the whistle for as long as I could, up until Gavin recovered enough to grab my ankles.
"You bitch – You're gonna regret that!" he shouted, throwing himself on top of me and snagging the cord of the whistle, pulling it from my mouth. He wrenched the string, snapping it painfully against my neck, and tossed it aside. I watched with wide eyes as my gift tumbled away, out of my reach.
I was momentarily stunned when the back of a hand came down across my face, stinging like no tomorrow. Flinching, I realized I couldn't lift myself up, as he had his body on top of my legs and one hand on my throat.
"I don't care what the plan is, I've had enough of you," Gavin sneered. He reached behind him, pulling a tiny knife from his belt.
God, I didn't think this far ahead. I could only wriggle, trying my hardest to escape, but nothing was working! I was trapped good and well this time, and I knew death was about five seconds away. Either the Dwarves arrived on time or they didn't. There was no in-between for me now. I was toast.
Of course, that's when I heard it.
Another rumble. Not like the last one, though, like the rock that Gandalf had split. This was closer, and lighter. Not an earthy sound, but more like a… motor? The noise confused me, because it certainly wasn't footsteps, but I couldn't take my eyes off of the knife Gavin had pulled out. He was saying something about gutting me, more threats that I didn't want to hear, while I was concentrating on the sound.
It grew closer, stopping momentarily, then beginning anew. And I realized it wasn't rumbling.
It was growling.
Somewhere through the trees, in the direction Jean had gone, there was a shout of terror. Only then did Gavin freeze, snapping his head up with wide eyes. The sounds of forestry being disturbed during a struggle reached us, followed by a shriek, and then a hush.
Still staring at the trees, Gavin called out, "Jean?!"
The growling started up again, right beside us.
I quickly turned my head to look for the source, just as a massive set of snarling teeth burst through the bushes. There was no time to brace myself or for the man above me to react.
The gnashing jaws clamped down on Gavin's torso, a giant paw the size of a dinner plate narrowly missing my head as it landed, claws digging into the dirt. I had barely recognized the creature as a Warg before the screaming began. My mind blanked, pure fear coursing through my body. Oh God, I can't tell you how that sound still haunts me.
Gavin screamed so unbearably – so loudly and desperately – thrashing around in his panic, knees digging into my own legs before he was completely lifted off of me. I didn't even realize I had closed my eyes, turning my head away as much as possible when I heard a revolting 'CRUNCH'. Something… Oh fuck, please no, don't let that be… something warm dripped down onto me, onto my face, my neck… The scent of blood hit me like a tidal wave and I gagged, still refusing to look upward. I could feel the beast shake its head, splattering more droplets everywhere as Gavin's shrieks turned to gurgles. Then he was silent.
I was quivering. The dead weight of the Man was suddenly released, falling on top of me. When he landed so heavily, I gasped for air and opened my eyes, lungs feeling crushed beneath what was now a corpse.
My breath was too loud.
The Warg's ears flicked and its nostrils flared as it scented the air. Suddenly it was looking down upon me, the thunderous growl vibrating the ground as it realized there was a survivor beneath its previous victim. This thing was enormous – so much bigger, so much more dangerous than I ever imagined. Its sharp teeth, with canines longer than my some of my fingers, were dripping crimson as it prepared to strike again.
I could only watch.
Those golden liquid eyes bore into me. Its lips curled up, twitching as it snarled.
'THWACK.'
I didn't have time to register the whoosh sound before an arrow was suddenly imbedded in the Warg's skull. Right above the eyes I had been staring at, waiting for death.
"Jenna!"
The Warg collapsed right next to me, the fur of its neck brushing against my face. My mouth had fallen open as I tried to regain oxygen, my breathing too rapid for me to actually succeed. The world was turning into a pinpoint.
The weight of Gavin's body was suddenly rolled off of me. There were voices, but they sounded so muffled and so far away, like everything was underwater. God, I couldn't breathe. My head was so light.
"Is she alright? What… What's wrong with her? Is she hurt?"
"No, don't look like any of that's hers. She's just in shock, lad."
"Miss Hollander?"
My shoulders felt like fire when the ropes were suddenly cut, and my arms were free. When did I sit up? I didn't remember sitting up… I was grabbing someone's hand but I didn't know who, my fingers brushing over the cold metal of a large ring. Something that felt like smooth leather. An arm guard of some kind. The grip was sturdy, though nothing like the ones that had been on me all morning. This grip was careful. A second hand was at my elbow, the world trying to right itself.
"Miss Hollander."
I knew that voice. Thick hot chocolate, my mind supplied. The world wasn't spinning so badly. Was gravity finally working again? Come on, use your lungs, you potato. In, out. In, out… Nice. Keep going.
"Jenna."
I began blinking, the shroud around my vision clearing up as I tried to see who was in front of me. I mean, I knew who it was, but why did he use my first name? He never used my first name… There was the armor and the familiar blue fabric. Huh… No fur-lined coat, though. There were the two shiny beads that held the braids. Silver streaked hair. The neatly trimmed beard. Yeah, there's his pointy nose too…
Oh.
Then I could see him: Thorin Oakenshield. Those blue eyes, right there in front of me, searching for any indication that I had come back to reality. He was down on one knee, urging me to focus, and I tried to hear what he was saying. The noise of the world rushed back as I heard the rustling of trees and howling in the distance.
"We must go, now. Are you able to stand?" he asked.
I found myself nodding, even though I wasn't a hundred percent sure if my legs would cooperate. Thorin was here, so that had to be a good sign, right?
"We'd best get a move on if we don't want to wind up like him," said Dwalin, who I only then noticed was standing a few feet away, with a nod to the corpse nearby (that I didn't dare look at). His two battle axes were at the ready as he glanced about the area.
Beside him was Kili, bow in hand, watching me with concern. I was suddenly glad this nerd had skipped Iglishmêk lessons to practice archery or I might've been dead. There was no time to thank him just yet, though.
Thorin helped me stand on unsteady legs. They had all the stability of Jello, but the strong hand holding mine never left, and I was able to regain my balance as his other hand slid upwards from my elbow to my shoulder. However, on the way, he rubbed over my newly opened cut. I sucked in a breath through clenched teeth and the hand was immediately gone.
I noticed Thorin's eyes dart from my injured arm, to each side of my sore face, to the blood splatters all over me, and I realized I probably wasn't looking too good. His jaw tensed before he finally turned away to glance at the trees again, listening for something.
The other two Dwarves were suddenly on edge as well, and I understood why when another Warg came charging in, from the direction that Jean had been attacked. Thorin pulled me behind him then finally let go of my hand, and brought out his heavy Dwarven sword, Deathless, but the beast was slain by Dwalin in about two seconds. The warrior yanked his axe from the dead Warg's neck while I was still staring at Thorin's weapon in confusion. Where was Orcrist?
"Quickly," Thorin said, on the move already.
Kili came up beside me and passed something small over to my shaking hands. "I believe this is yours," he said with a gentle pat on my back, urging me forward carefully, like he was afraid I might start freaking out again – which was a high possibility, to be honest.
I glanced down to see the whistle that Bifur had crafted for me. I clenched it tightly for a moment in thanks, before stuffing it into my pants pocket and sprinting after the three Dwarves. The cord would have to be fixed, but I was glad my whistle was otherwise unharmed.
The forest raced past us, a blur of branches and greenery. While my adrenaline was pumping, my thoughts were oddly blank, and it concerned me a bit. I knew an actual breakdown was at hand, but I couldn't allow that just yet. Wait until we reach Rivendell, I told myself. When we get to Rivendell, you can freak out. It wouldn't be that long now. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Yep. Hop, skip, jump.
My mind was not in the same place as my body, and it was making it difficult to concentrate on the terrain. I tripped up several times, never quite falling, but not exactly helping our speed, either. As we ran further onward for I don't even know how long, I began to spot things through the leaves of the trees in front of us. Figures that, no matter what distance, I would be able to identify.
We made our way down a rocky, moss-covered slope, Kili at my side making sure I didn't just give up and roll the entire way down, and we came to a halt in front of many familiar faces. The entire Company was gathered in this little clearing at the bottom of a hill, a scene I would have recognized had I been in my right mind.
There were noises of both relief and of horror when they spotted me, greetings mingling with questions of what could have possibly happened, but it was almost impossible to register all they were saying. They seemed to realize – probably from my status as a hot mess, looking like a stunt double in a Carrie remake – that a few things had happened since last we parted.
One Dwarf, however, managed to clear my brain for half a second.
"Lass!" I recognized Bofur's voice call out, making me bring my head up to look around.
There was a surge of relief at seeing the hatted-dwarf, walking and talking like he had never been knocked out at all, much less with a brick. He was there suddenly, wrapping me in a hug before I could even blink, despite the fact that I was covered in some dude's blood. Of course, I was rather sore and I tensed up in surprise, but I couldn't stop myself from returning the gesture after a moment. The solidity of another person nearly did me in. Tears tried to well up in my eyes and I bit my lip, ending the hug before I started to cry. I couldn't have a break down just yet.
Bofur took a step back, with Bifur and Bombur – who was sporting my backpack as well as his own bags – having joined us upon seeing my return as well, staring at me in concern. Bofur opened his mouth, I think to ask what in the world happened to me, but I just kind of stared at him, begging him not to. If he asked me, I would be weeping in seconds, there would be no stopping it, and we definitely didn't have time for that sort of drama.
Wait for Rivendell, Jenna.
There was one not-so-familiar face, though – well, familiar for me, but not for anyone else except Gandalf.
"Who is this?" Thorin suspiciously asked Balin in a hurry, who had stepped forward to greet the returning members.
They were staring, of course, at the short Wizard speaking with Gandalf some ways away. The newcomer had parked a sled full of giant rabbits nearby, as I knew he would when he came around. I finally caught sight of the wooden contraption and the furry critters, wishing I was in a better mood so I could go pet one. Would they let me? Probably not if they smelled blood everywhere, I was willing to bet. Damn.
Gandalf had peered back upon our rejoining of the Company, doing a minor double-take when he spotted me. I met his eyes momentarily and his brows furrowed, something Radagast said pulling his attention back away, though they eventually both turned and came over to the group. I noticed a sword at Gandalf's hip, realizing it was Glamdring. So Thorin doesn't have Orcrist, but here is one of the three Elvish swords? Bilbo better have Sting, or I was going to have a meltdown.
Balin was holding Thorin's trademark fur-lined coat, passing it off to its rightful owner as he answered, "He calls himself Radagast, The Brown."
"Another of the Istari?" the King asked quickly while he slipped his coat back on.
"Aye," was the short response from Balin, and he cast an anxious glance my way. "Are you not going to tell us what happened, lad? We heard howling."
"We ran into a problem. A big one," Dwalin said, staring at the rabbit sled briefly before turning to his brother.
"Dwalin is right," Thorin agreed tensely, upping his volume so others could hear. "Warg scouts found the Men before we did – which means an Orc pack is not far behind."
This caught the two Wizards' attention. They had meandered over, seemingly through with their conversation, frowns forming on their faces. (Well, on Gandalf's, certainly.) I felt several eyes from the Company dart over to me at the mention of Wargs, and I figured all of the blood probably made more sense to them now.
"Orc pack?" Bilbo echoed in alarm. I noticed then, the little sheath at his side, Elvish handle easily recognizable. Sting confirmed. One less worry out of the way.
Gandalf stepped forward, asking the Dwarf King a familiar line, albeit in a different tone, "Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?"
"No one," Thorin answered. Though he was on edge, he was not distressed as I remembered him being while saying the line.
It dawned on me that the two Wargs they killed, the two Wargs that mauled Gavin and Jean, must have been the ones meant to find the Company in this grove. The canines found and attacked the Men first, though... No wonder my companions were calmer than their original counterparts. They hadn't just had a couple of demonic Scooby-Doos jumping down on top of them, like in the movie canon.
"Who did you tell, Thorin?" the Grey Wizard questioned, a little more impatient.
"No one, I swear," Thorin replied. When the other simply tightened his lips and huffed while glancing around in thought, the King asked, exasperated, "What in Durin's name is going on?"
Equally unenthused, Gandalf said, "You are being hunted."
All at once, everyone in the clearing seemed to hold their breath, waiting for orders on what to do.
Dwalin was the first to speak up, with an obvious, "We have to get out of here."
"We can't! The ponies bolted last night, after we freed them from the Trolls," Ori announced, not from atop the hill, but from a regular spot in the grove with the others.
There were sighs and groans, and then there was me: standing there with nothing more than a slight frown at the thought of running again. Oh yeah, definite breakdown ahead after all this shit.
It was that point when Radagast spoke for the first time since I had arrived.
"I'll draw them off," the Brown Wizard said bravely, not the least bit concerned.
Gandalf was having none of his nonsense though, and argued, "These are Gundabad Wargs – they will outrun you."
"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits," Radagast declared, pointing a proud thumb over his shoulder at the wooden sled and his team of fuzz balls. "I'd like to see them try."
Gandalf looked as though he wanted to argue, but didn't even get a chance. The other Wizard was already scuttling away towards his ride, the rabbits popping up from their relaxed positions when he approached. He seemed to talk to them for a moment, oddly enough, though they gave no indication of listening. I wondered if he was the Middle Earth equivalent of a crazy cat lady then, just with bunnies instead.
The odd thought passed as Radagast departed swiftly and yet more howls sounded in the distance. The noises were not nearly far enough away from us for my liking.
"Here, Thorin."
I looked over to see Gandalf holding the final sword I had been fretting over, Orcrist. It had already been cleaned and dusted, appearing brand new as it was offered up.
"Where did this come from?" Thorin asked him, obviously not trusting the sudden materialization of a shiny new weapon.
"We found it in the Troll hoard, if you can believe such a thing. Though it is of Elvish make –"
Eh, nope. Wrong. Thorin immediately scowled, taking a step back like the thing tried to bite him.
" – It was forged in Gondolin, by the High Elves of the First Age," Gandalf continued, pretending like nothing had happened. When the other made no move to grab it, the Wizard said irritably, "You could not wish for a finer blade."
Slowly, with great hesitance, Thorin took the weapon in hand, unsheathing it to inspect momentarily. After a long few seconds, he replaced Deathless to its own holder and with the Elvish blade in one hand, armed the other with his long-handled axe. Orcrist was here now, where it was meant to be. All swords accounted for.
Gandalf and Thorin began walking and the Company followed, unsure of what the actual plan was. Hell, I wasn't sure of what the actual plan was, and I was the bearer of mystical Tolkien knowledge. Regardless, I knew Rivendell wasn't far off now. That one thought kept me from dissolving into a mess, and I kept reminding myself of it like some kind of mantra. Wait for Rivendell.
The Company neared the edge of the forest, all of us peering through the trees at a vast expanse of brownish grass and large rocks scattered about. Though the terrain was full of hills and possible hiding spots, it looked so much more open, so much more intimidating now that I knew what a Warg was truly like. Teeth, golden eyes –
Wait for Rivendell.
Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur had not left my side since we reunited, and we waited anxiously for any sort of signal or warning to start running. I was shaking despite all my efforts to suppress it. The youngest, most rotund of the Ur family took notice, giving me a small pat on the back with a nod of understanding. My lips tightened together as I stamped down my emotions.
The howling sounded off once more, with twice as many as we'd heard previously and twice the vigor. That was our cue, it seemed – Radagast had been spotted.
"Now!" Gandalf announced.
With that, the whole crew bolted from the safety of the trees. I forced myself to surge forward with the others, whether I wanted to or not. The sun hit my face and the dry grass crunched beneath my boots with every step, and I tried to just concentrate on breathing.
We made it to the first cluster of rocks with relative ease, the sounds of large paws travelling across the ground in a mass still somewhat far away. Of course, all it took was two seconds for that to change. Within moments, Radagast was darting past our line of vision, drawing the Wargs in the opposite direction. Again, they sounded far away, but I knew how fast they really were now.
"Come on," Gandalf said, launching off once more.
Passing hills of rocks far taller than ourselves, we followed. The clamor of Wargs snarling and (now discernible as well) Orcs yelling were behind us, then off to the left, changing positions rapidly. Around me, the Dwarves were glancing about for any sign of the creatures having spotted us.
Good God, my breathing was already absolute shite. At this rate, I'd be lucky if I didn't pass out before we even got near that damn secret entrance.
The group rounded a large craggy hill just in time for Radagast to fly by, several yards in front of us, Wargs hot on his tail. Thorin came to an abrupt halt, causing everyone else to do the same. Gandalf eyeballed the situation, mumbled something, and then shifted our route more to the right. Thorin yelled out for us to move, but we were already on it. Didn't have to tell us twice.
I sprinted along amidst the others, trying not to trip on invisible things – I didn't want to be that person, especially right now. A rock the size of a house, nestled in another mound was our next stop, though we didn't know it until our path was interrupted yet again. Everyone pulled to a halt behind it, except for one.
"Ori, no!" Thorin shouted, grabbing the Scribe and yanking him back before he was spotted. "Get back!"
Then, surprise, we were running again. The Middle Earth cardio regimen from Hades.
Wait for Rivendell.
The Company was all jumbled at this point, formation not meaning much when you're running for your life. Bifur had managed to stay at my side and Bombur was behind us somewhere, and Fili had found me as well. We jumped over a small row of in-ground rocks, darting to another possible hiding spot as the sounds of a chase swerved around us.
A lone Warg rider was heard approaching, so everyone flattened themselves against the nearby hill. On one side, I had Bifur, glancing around wildly and holding tight to his spear, and on my other side was Fili. The young prince had a defensive arm spread across my stomach, like I might jump out of hiding if I didn't have a seatbelt. As if I was going to move an inch with this thing growling above us.
Nobody dared to breathe – well, I was still gasping for air, but I was trying to do it quietly – silencing ourselves as much as was possible for a Company of our size. On the opposite side of Fili was Kili, pulling an arrow from his quiver with stealth after a communicative look from Thorin. He nocked it, and that was when I truly did hold my breath.
Kili jumped out in front of us and spun, shooting as soon as the creature was in his sights. Even for a pro like the prince, a kill shot while being so rushed was near impossible, and the Warg snarled and snapped its jaws in pain. The sound was so close to our heads, I cringed involuntarily.
Another arrow was let loose, knocking the beast off balance and sending it toppling off the hill, right beside Balin at the end of our ensemble.
This was my first time seeing an Orc. Honestly, I could have done without it, that day in particular, but what could you do?
Dear Lord, just… Wait for Rivendell, Jenna.
It was fugly as hell – beady eyes, big flat nose and almost no upper cranium to speak of, accompanied by sickly looking blue-grey skin. The thing was dressed in furs and leathers, jumping up from its prone position on the ground to charge at us with a roar. Its Warg leapt up as well, growling with wide jaws and dripping fangs. I trembled anew at the sight, Fili shifting slightly to put me behind him, and I peeked around his head to watch in morbid fascination as the fighters hopped to action.
There was nothing to worry about, because Dwalin was already on the job, and Bifur had darted from my side to go help. The Warg fell quickly to Dwalin's axe, though the Orc was slashing about with its crudely-shaped weapon still. When the foe refused to go down between just Bifur and Dwalin, Thorin rushed in and landed a blow in its shoulder with Orcrist. Of course, Bifur jabbed in one more strike, just to be sure.
The whole thing was, obviously, louder than the THX logo before a movie.
Gandalf stepped forward, peering over the hills worriedly as barking and howling and all sorts of horrible noises went off all at once.
"Move!" he shouted, turning back to us. "Run!"
Instantly, we were shoving off, not really needing his warning to know we were in trouble. Fili moved out from in front of me and laid a hand on my back, giving me a much-needed nudge until we returned to full momentum. God, I was tired. Mentally, physically, everything-ly.
"There they are!" Gloín hollered out, pointing, and we changed direction again when we saw the Warg riders crossing the grass field in front of us.
"This way – quickly!" Gandalf called for us.
We followed, running over more knolls, down into lower ground, which in normal circumstances is a bad idea. There were hills dotted with Wargs and Orcs all around us, forming a very bumpy, very dangerous bowl of sorts.
That was when I noticed the massive rock sitting in the center of it all, smaller rocks lined up in front of it.
"There's more coming!" Kili warned, running up to join the scattered circle of Dwarves.
I glanced around as me and Fili jogged along, coming to the circle as well, and noticed this was very true. There were way more Wargs than I thought.
Thorin was gripping Orcrist, taking in the situation, and shouted, "Kili! Shoot them!"
While Kili set to work, beside me was Fili, pulling out one of his twin swords as we came to a halt. His distress was plain to see when he spun around and caught sight of just how screwed they were. "We're surrounded!" he announced, earning from me the official title of Captain Obvious.
"Where's Gandalf?!"
"He's abandoned us!"
The Company was at a loss, looking all over for where their Wizard had run off to. Yelps echoed out as Kili took down several more Wargs, but it was not nearly enough, and everyone was sure this was it. I mean, I knew logically that we would get out just fine, but seeing the giant canines closing in was not helping these logical thoughts one bit.
"Jenna, go – go over there, with Bilbo. You'll be safer there," Fili told me as the Wargs crept nearer, gesturing with his free hand towards our Hobbit friend in the center, before gripping his blade with both hands again.
It was clear he was not entirely convinced by his own words, but I did as he suggested. I took a few wary steps away from him, feeling oddly exposed without at least one person in my immediate vicinity. The feeling was less prominent once I was beside Bilbo, the small man casting alarmed glances in every direction as we backed up towards the rock. Was it too early to jump into the cave? Could I just bypass the additional terror of waiting?
"Hold your ground!" Thorin commanded in his battle stance. Fierce, ready to fight to the death, he certainly made a formidable image.
Of course, a fight to the death wasn't necessary just yet.
"This way, you fools!"
Everyone spun to see Gandalf peeking out from behind the small rocks, waving his staff at us like an old man does at kids on his lawn.
"Come on, move!" came Thorin's furthering of the orders. We didn't need any more prompting than that, though, all of us gravitating towards the hidden tunnel that Gandalf had disappeared down into.
The Dwarf King leapt up on the rocks to make sure all his Company members got in safe, yelling, "Quickly, all of you! Go! Go!"
Bofur was the first to just launch himself in there, hopping down without hesitation. Bilbo was next, and I approached the rocks, forcing myself not think on it too much before I jumped over them – honestly, the slope was the last thing that should have concerned me.
I slid rapidly, my bum and my back hitting several uncomfortable bumps. Suddenly I was sideways though, rolling the rest of the way, and tons of dirt kicked up when I landed roughly on my stomach at the bottom. I coughed on the cloud as Bofur quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me up. Stumbling, I moved out of everyone else's way with the Miner's help, as the rest of the Dwarves piled in, sliding down and coming to a stop.
Close by, I could hear Gandalf counting. I watched as each Company member joined us at the bottom, either rolling, careening, or just gliding down like a pro, the number of people growing. I had made sure to position myself far, far off to the side, away from any flailing dwarrow limbs. What kind of shit luck would I have to get kicked in the face by accident, on top of everything else?
We were only lacking two when, back up top, Thorin shouted Kili's name, and the paranoia struck me again for one horrible second. I thought maybe something had gone wrong, but no sooner had this thought crossed my mind than both the prince and his uncle slid down to join us.
Not a minute too late, it seemed.
The majority of the group was crouched at the bottom of the slope, looking upward at the entrance as a horn sounded above. I was just behind them, listening to the rapid hoof beats mixing with the panicked screeches of Orcs, and even though I knew to expect it, I still jumped out of my skin when a body toppled down into our cave.
Everyone leapt backwards automatically with a few gasps. As Gandalf aimed his staff at the Orc, and several others brandished their weapons again, they realized it was (thankfully) already dead. The noises on the surface began to die down, hooves and paws alike retreating from the area.
Thorin stepped over to the unmoving Orc, bending to yank an arrow out of its throat. "Elves," he spat as he investigated the object, subsequently dropping it like it held the plague.
"I cannot see where the pathway leads!" Dwalin called from a little ways down the tunnel. "Do we follow it or no?"
"Follow it, of course!" answered Bofur like it was the stupidest question in Middle Earth.
The Company was all too glad to have an alternate route, instead of having to go back out and face either Elves or leftover Wargs, neither one sounding too promising. Which, they would have to face Elves anyway, but they didn't really know that. Regardless of what might possibly await, they began moving on down the mysterious path, one by one, as I tried to convince my feet to move.
"I think that would be wise," Gandalf said quietly while he followed.
Bilbo was the only one left, hesitating when he didn't see me make any motion to do the same. He took a step towards the tunnel, then stepped backwards while staring at me, and made another false step forwards. Eventually he gave up trying to convince himself that I was alright and turned straight towards me.
"Miss – oh, sorry, I keep doing that, don't I? …Erm, Jenna?"
Wait for Rivendell.
Wait for…
Fuck.
It wasn't Rivendell, but it was close enough.
"Oh! Are you – are you alright? Jenna?" I heard Bilbo ask, along the sound of quiet feet padding over quickly.
I was too busy collapsing onto my knees to pay him any attention. All at once, it hit me, and I couldn't stop it. Being kidnapped, nearly molested, having a man be mauled to death right on top of me – fucking hell, I was still covered in his blood! It was dried on my neck and in my hair, it was on my clothes…
Sobbing. I was just full on sobbing by then, shudders tearing through me as I sat there on the cold stone floor, hands covering my face. I didn't want them to see me break down like this, but it was a little late for that, I supposed. Bilbo was beside me, hesitant. I could tell he wasn't a hundred percent sure what to do, either.
"What are you two dallying about for? We've got to get…" Bofur's voice trailed off as he rounded the corner, coming back to the cave. "Jenna? What's happened?"
"I – I don't know, she just… started crying all of the sudden," Bilbo said in equal parts confusion and worry.
Bofur came over with a sad sigh and knelt down as well, setting a kind hand on my back, telling me everything was going to be alright. He told me there was nothing to worry about, that the Wargs and the Orcs and the Men were gone. He told me we could rest up, get some food. Always with the food.
For once, the kind-hearted Dwarf was wrong though.
There would be more Wargs. There would be more Orcs. There would be more blood, more death. He was wrong.
Yavanna was wrong.
She had made the wrong choice.
She picked the wrong person.
Another sob shook me, and I knew.
I can't do this.
Oh dear. :)
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please, please, please let me know what you thought! Every bit of feedback I get is absolutely treasured. What did you like the most? What did you like the least? All the usual questions! I swear I don't bite. Not like a Warg, anyway.
Thank you all so much for reading, and thank you all for your support.
Until next time~! ;)
