- Chapter 35 -
Legs and lungs burning, she ran as fast as she could. Clutching her bow in one hand, she raced through the streets without a backwards glance; trying her hardest to keep her direction to the North. She couldn't take the main road, because that was the direction Legolas and Tauriel had run, so she stuck to the side streets because her pride and stubbornness overruled all of her common sense. The main street would be faster, but she also knew that by now her guards would realize she was missing and that might be the first place they looked.
She ducked under a broken down archway and only had to slow her steps once or twice as an orc darted into her path. Ravenhill was up ahead and as she drew closer to the edge of the city she quickened her pace. She didn't stop to rest or to breath as she raced up the first few steps of the mountainside.
She took the steps two at a time but then was forced to slow down the closer she got to the top since she had no idea what she might be walking into. She met a couple of stray orcs on the way up but her arrows were quicker than their fumbling feet, and she shot them down with ease. Retrieving the arrows as she passed, she knocked her bow again and hunched down as the ruins sprang up around her. Tunnels led in varying directions off to both sides of her but she had no idea which way to go. She needed to get higher to see where she was, so she ducked down a short passage when she saw a set of stairs and climbed them as quietly as possible. Seeing no one, the screeches of the orcs outside caught her attention and she hurried down a dark passage to the end of a tunnel and peered outside. At least thirty feet down from where she stood, it was a clear drop to the icy tundra below.
A flash of red caught her attention to her left, and she watched as the redheaded elf was slammed into the side of the mountain and Shyloh's breath escaped her. Where was Legolas? Hadn't the two of them been together earlier? Her eyes scanned the cliff side quickly but there was no sign of him. Drawing her bow, she let go another breath, trying to calm herself. The orc Tauriel battled with was massive; almost double the size of any orc she'd ever seen and he was clearly overpowering her.
She took her aim and measured the distance between her spot on the shelf and where the orc was standing. She had to make this shot, otherwise Tauriel might be killed.
Why should I care about her? Her brain screamed and she squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head.
"Because he cares about her," she answered out loud, and her heart fell a little. Bonded or not, she sighed and made up her mind: she would try to save the redhead if she could because it was the right thing to do.
Opening her eyes once more, she quickly calculated the distance between herself and the orc on steroids again, and released her breath just before letting the arrow fly. It soared through the air with a whistle and just as the orc wrapped his hand around Tauriel's neck, she was sure it would miss. However, the orc reached full height and the arrow embedded itself into his left shoulder. The impact forced him to drop a now dangling Tauriel, and she fell to the ground in a heap at his feet.
Knocking another arrow, she doubted she would be able to make another shot like that, especially since he just caught sight of her down the rocky ledge. She could feel the anger in his glare as it radiated off of him but she couldn't just leave Tauriel there. Raising her arms, she made quick aim but an arrow whizzed past her head and ricocheted off the stone wall next to her. She ducked, but was too late as a second arrow scraped her upper left arm, and she dropped to the ground and rolled out of their sight.
She quickly checked the cut while she had cover. It wasn't deep but it was bleeding, and the arrow hadn't stuck, so she wiped away her worries, and gathered her bow and arrow again.
Peering out from the rock, the orcs below seemed to have moved on, because they were racing over the icy surface. She looked ahead of them, trying to see what they were running at, when her eyes widened in horror. In the middle of the icy lake, Thorin stood with his elvish blade drawn. He battled orc after orc as they descended upon him like flies, felling one after the other but they just kept coming.
Taking aim, she stepped out of her makeshift shelter and shot an orc in the back. He fell in a heap; sliding across the ice and into another orc who nearly tripped over the body of his fellow comrade.
The angry eyes sought her out as she knocked another arrow and took aim at the back of another orc. The orc fell once the arrow pierced it and as an arrow spiraled towards her again, she ducked back down and attempted to search for Tauriel. To her dismay, the over sized orc hadn't given up and was after Tauriel once again. Clearly the arrow sticking out of his left shoulder didn't hinder him at all, because he reached towards the elf on the ground before him.
She took aim and let loose the arrow. It hit her target and the orc stumbled back with an angry cry, allowing Tauriel enough time to get up and regain her footing, but it wasn't enough to kill him. Shyloh had to move, and she darted back through the tunnel and raced down the stairs she came up; her bow and arrow raised and ready to fire if need be.
Surprisingly, she met no one on her way to ground level and took off towards the edge of the lake. Aiming, she took down another orc and he fell as the arrow pierced his neck. Another orc fell suddenly, taken out by an arrow straight to the chest and she twisted around to find the one that shot it. Standing on a high outcropping of rocks, the blond head of Legolas was clearly visible to her. He raised his bow and fired again, and quick enough another orc fell. Thorin spotted her then, on the side of the lake as she shot another orc that was closing in on him.
His hardened face split into a grin when their eyes met, and despite everything that he'd said to her, she couldn't hate him if she tried. He was her friend, and had been for many months even if their relationship had been patchy. Now, he looked much like he had months ago, and not like he was ravaged by dragon sickness.
Nodding his head at her once, he turned back to the orcs that were coming towards him. She fired again with renewed determination and the orc she hit flew backwards, head over heels when her arrow struck his forehead.
There never seemed to be an end. Movement behind her made her turn, and she ducked her head just in time before a blow landed into the side of the rock behind her with such force that shards of rock sprayed out and dug at her. She twisted away from the over sized orc as he made another move to behead her.
Whether this was the orc that battled with Tauriel only a few moments ago she couldn't tell at first, but the broken end of an arrow embedded in his left shoulder told her it definitely was. His one white eye was horribly blank and empty looking but she could see it swivel around to look at her. He growled and lunged but she ducked and twisted just in time. However, her bow got snagged on a rock and it tumbled out of her hands. Lost to her, she quickly drew her blade and aimed a blow at his right arm but only nicked it.
He swung his own blade around and she dropped and rolled out of the way, but he was quicker and his foot struck the side of her hip, sending her flying backwards into the rock. A tiny glint of something shiny caught her eye for only a second but she didn't have time to discover what it was.
Gasping for air, she fumbled to gather her footing and she twisted out of the way just as his blade made contact with the stone wall. She blocked his next blow with her own sword but he was so much larger than she was that it sent her flying back again. He bared his teeth as if grinning and advanced on her. Her foot slipped and she stumbled backwards into the tunnels.
"Nowhere to go," he growled and her skin shivered. The malice that filled his eyes glinted with victory but she wasn't going to give up so easily.
Whirling her blade around, she came at him with everything she had, letting her senses take over. She moved her feet and thrust her blade at him, making him stumble back in surprise. She leapt up onto a ledge above him with skill she didn't even know she had, but he was much quicker on his feet than she anticipated. He followed her, up level after level until they could go no further and she was forced to turn and face him. The nasty grin spread across his face again but at least here she had more room to maneuver. She did not have the sheer strength that he did, so she was going to have to come up with a better plan.
He gripped his blade and without hesitation, closed the distance between the two of them quickly, so she ducked at his blow and swung low but he was prepared for her this time, and rushed her at the last minute. His body collided with hers with such force that it tripped the both of them, and she went flying; her sword slipping from her grip. Again, she collided with stone but he was right on top of her, and when his fist came down she bent her head and he made contact with the rock instead. He screamed as his hand crunched from the force of his own blow.
Taking advantage of his distraction, she wiggled loose and tried to reach for her sword but before she could reach it, a hand grabbed her ankle and yanked her backwards. Twisting around, she aimed her free foot at his left shoulder and shoved the broken shaft of the arrow into him farther. He howled again but didn't release her leg, and yanked her even closer, threatening to drag her down the side of the cliff to the icy lake below. He was raising his arm for another hit when a knife whirled through the air above her head, making contact with his right side.
She couldn't see who had thrown the blade, but it was enough for the orc to release her leg and fall back, disappearing down the cliffside, and she scrambled backwards just as a pair of hands grabbed her right arm from behind, and she was hauled to her feet. Arms wrapped around her middle and she spun so fast that her feet tripped over themselves, and she briefly glimpsed blond hair before her chest collided with his; knocking the air from her lungs.
Lord was he strong!
The brief scent of pine and forest filled her nose as her cheek planted itself right into his shoulder, and her arm twisted awkwardly round his neck. As if she weighed nothing, he pulled her around and she tensed, preparing herself for the impact she was sure to come with the wall, and squeezed her eyes closed tightly.
"Look at me," he demanded as he pulled back a little. "Shyloh, look at me!"
Reluctantly, she peeled her eyes open once she determined he wasn't going to slam her into a wall. His eyes searched her face briefly and she had a hard time reading his expression.
"Don't move!" He growled in her ear, and that was all he said before he drew his second long knife and left her in the tunnel alone.
Gasping for air, she could hear the battle outside despite the ringing in her ears, and for a full minute she stood there frozen in place. The smell of him stuck with her and she couldn't understand why. Having him so close like that, wondering what it would be like to have his arms around her, was something she hadn't allowed herself to think about.
As her senses slowly returned, so did the pain, and as it seared across her back and neck, it was the throbbing in her arm that jolted her back to reality. Warm liquid trickled down her left arm and she raised her hand. Her eyes widened at the sight of the bright red blood that smeared over her skin. Perhaps the cut had been a little deeper than she thought.
There was no time to examine it again though, and despite Legolas' orders for her to stay put, her attention was drawn back to the frozen lake. Her bow was still back down the other tunnel, so she forced her feet to move and she raced back for it. Checking her quiver just to make sure her disobedience wasn't all for naught, she confirmed that she still had three arrows left.
Spinning on her heel, Legolas and the giant orc were nowhere in sight and she didn't know if she was relieved by that fact or terrified.
Why would he come back for me? Shouldn't he be looking after Tauriel?
She was almost tempted to slap herself. Now was not the time for silly questions.
Dashing back down the tunnel, she stepped up to the edge of the lake and assessed the scene before her. Standing in the middle of the open space was the pale orc and Thorin. They stood apart from the other, as if sizing each other up and she grimaced. Azog was huge; possibly even bigger than the orc she just escaped from. He easily towered over the dwarf King. To her surprise, they were the only ones out there still standing, and she knocked her bow after making sure she was alone this time, and that no one would sneak up behind her.
She took her aim just as the two of them started quarreling, blocking the others' blows with their own blades, dodging out of the way, and slipping and sliding on the glassy surface beneath their feet. Even she knew they would be much quicker if the ground under them was actual dirt, but the ice made everything more difficult.
Thorin ducked as Azog sent a blow his way, and in his fury Azog swiped his arm backwards, attempting to behead the King. Her heart raced in her chest and she raised her arms, waiting for the perfect moment. They never seemed to stop after that though, and she had to readjust her position a couple of times while they fought.
It was when the ice cracked beneath their feet that the two of them halted, even though it was only for a moment. She took advantage and let loose the arrow. It soared through the air but narrowly missed and she screeched in frustration. Two arrows left.
They were back to fighting despite the fact the ice was now moving and crumbling beneath them. She was forced to wait until they stopped again but her patience was gone and she chewed on her bottom lip.
She couldn't grasp the bow in her left hand so she crouched down and scooped up a handful of snow; washing the blood from her fingers and bow. Drying her hand on her leggings, she stood once more and aimed for Azog. She hesitated though, and the arrow missed and she cursed again.
She could not miss this time.
Holding the last arrow in her hand, she glanced down at it for a second; noticing the softness of the dark feathers at the end of the shaft and the perfectly pointed metal tip. She could not miss.
Fitting the arrow, she took aim one last time just as Thorin fell beneath the massive frame of Azog. The white orc leaned over him with all his might, attempting to thrust his blade into Thorin's chest.
Letting her breath out, she drew the string back. Her hand touched the corner of her mouth and she calmed herself. The string was released from the tips of her fingers and the arrow sailed through the air. Everything seemed to move in slow motion and she froze in place. Heart hammering in her chest, Thorin's face twisted with pain before his eyes widened in surprise.
Shyloh walked down a deserted tunnel until she reached a small landing that overlooked the battlefields below. Erebor was off to her left, while Dale was off to her right. Smoke rose up from the war torn valley and from the streets of Dale. She watched in amazement as the Eagles swept through the remaining forces of orcs like they were simply dominoes. Somewhere in the frenzy below, the massive form of Beorn could be seen battling his way through the retreating orcs; seeming determined to take as many out as possible.
She sank down onto a cold step, and placed her bow next to her. Her sword was broken and when she'd gone to retrieve it from the tunnels she felt her heart sink a little at the sight. The orc she'd battled, had somehow managed to snap the blade in two so she left it behind, too disappointed in herself to pick up the pieces.
Turning her head, she eyed the figure lying in the middle of the icy lake. With an arrow protruding out of either side of his head, Azog the Defiler would never move again. Her shot had been a success. The relief though, that Thorin was alive had not quite registered with her yet, but he stood there, staring down at the corpse of his long time enemy while his companions came one by one across the lake to his side. Fili she knew, would not be joining them. Seeing his body lying on the cold ground only moments ago sent icy daggers through her chest, and her heart broke. It was a risk, she knew, that some members of the company might not survive the war. That was the shitty thing about war.
Thorin's battle with Azog, however, was over.
She would not join them on the ice, and once the orc's body fell and she confirmed that Thorin was still alive and mostly unharmed, she disappeared back down the tunnels and out of sight while her chest convulsed. Desperate for a moment alone, she walked as fast as she could until she came to the end of the twisting tunnel system and could go no further. Sure no one would find her, that was where she sat now and she clutched her chest as the relief, heartbreak, and pain flooded through her entire body.
It was over.
The horns of victory echoed throughout the valley below; reverberating off the rocky shelves and walls of the city like a wave. Horns blew from both Erebor and Dale.
The war was won.
Letting go the breath she was holding, she moved her fingers up to her collar bone but then her hand froze. Where her necklace had always been from the moment she received it when she was sixteen years old, was now bare. Her necklace was gone and anguish flooded her. She searched the ground around her but there was no sign of it, so she checked all over her person and came up empty. There was no sign of the necklace anywhere.
A lump formed inside her throat and tears threatened to escape from the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away. How could she be thinking of a necklace at a time like this? She'd just survived a battle for crying out loud – her first battle to be exact – and if that wasn't enough, she had to go and mourn the loss of a piece of jewelry. She was alive, most of her friends were alive from what she could tell, the war was won...why was that not enough?
Her heart grew heavy as she sat there and slowly, long shadows began creeping their way over the valley below her as the sun began to wane. Had they really been battling for their lives all day? It seemed like only a short while ago that she was standing in the middle of Dale, watching the first arrows fly through the sky at the dwarves.
Her eyes skimmed the battlefields below, and she watched as the last Eagle soared up into the sky. She watched until they were out of sight before sighing. She had no idea how long she sat there, but it was slowly getting darker. If they were looking for her, she did not care.
Her arm felt like it was being poked with dozens of little needles, and she felt her stomach swirl. She tried to remember the last time she ate, but couldn't properly recall. It must have been last night. Pinning the uncomfortable sensations on the lack of food and rest, she pushed aside the troubling aches.
The sudden sound of soft footsteps behind her made her spine tingle with anticipation, and she felt herself stiffen. It was not the heavy boots of orcs, nor even dwarves. Even Bilbo's bare feet had a distinct sound she had grown to recognize over the last few months, and these footsteps were not his. Which meant, that they must belong to an elf.
She didn't have to turn around to see who it was; she could sense his presence. She couldn't explain it, but she knew it was him. His tall dark boots were the first to enter her peripheral vision, and he stopped beside her. She could feel his eyes on her; assessing, calculating, and possibly wondering. For a little bit, neither of them moved, then he crouched down to her level, and peered at her.
She was pale, to the point it was almost unnatural. Her usually bright blue eyes were dull and sorrowful, and the glow she always seemed to radiate was less now than when he first met her. Her curly hair escaped its braid and stuck out at odd angles.
When she finally mustered the courage to look at him, she found his eyes were hardened and they searched hers carefully. She wanted to pull away from his gaze, but as she stared at him she found herself growing angry. Why was he here? Why was he here with her, and not with Tauriel?
His eyes left hers and searched her person, gliding down her torso to her legs, searching for injuries perhaps, then back up to her injured arm. By now, the bleeding had stopped, and she was sure it looked much worse than it was. Her hand was stained red, and there were smear marks all over her left thigh where she had wiped her hand on it.
His eyes met hers once more, but this time they looked worried, as if he were suddenly concerned about her.
"I need to get you back. Galdiron should look at your arm."
"Why are you here?" she asked, surprising even herself by speaking.
Legolas was quiet for a moment, but his eyes never left hers.
"Why did you not stay in the city?" he asked, ignoring her question. "You were supposed to stay there with the guards."
She raised her eyebrows. "I failed obedience class," she snapped, and he sucked in a breath, then let it out slowly. He blinked, and ran a hand over his face in frustration.
"Is this how it's going to be with you?" he sighed heavily, and she scowled.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked defensively, recoiling a little away from him.
"Shyloh, I did not assign my guards to you for no reason. You were supposed to stay with them, they would have kept you safe."
"You didn't need to assign them to begin with," she snapped.
"What was I supposed to do? Leave you without protection?"
"The only reason you assigned them, is because my uncle is Lord Elrond."
He shook his head angrily. "That is not why I assigned them."
"Why are you here?" she asked again. "Shouldn't you be looking for Tauriel?"
His face fell, and then he understood her a little bit more. Of course, he should have seen it.
"Do you think I am with her?"
She turned away uncomfortably. "Legolas, it is none of my business. You can do whatever you want." She made to stand up but he grabbed her arm to stop her.
"Do you not know what happened back in the clearing the first time we met?" he asked hesitantly, his eyes widening slightly.
Her lips formed a thin line and she pulled away. "I'm well aware of what happened, thank you very much."
"Then you know that we bonded?"
She nodded, albeit reluctantly.
Then he breathed a frustrated sigh. "Do you not know how the bond works?"
"I have a general understanding," she huffed.
"Then you know, that I could never choose anyone other than you."
"Don't sound so disappointed."
He shook his head. "You don't understand."
"I understand just fine," she said, and she stood up and went a few paces away from him, crossing her arms over her middle, despite the throbbing ache that coursed up through her left shoulder. "I had the fortunate pleasure of being entertained by the top two gossip queens of the Woodland Realm during my time there. I got the entire run down on your feelings towards Tauriel, and lets not forget the negotiations with Lord Iamben. I hear you and his daughter will be very happy."
It was his turn to scowl and he stood up but turned away from her.
"Tauriel is one of my closest friends. We go back many, many years. Yes, I had feelings for her, but that was before I met you, when I thought there could be something between her and I. I have seen what true love looks like, and I know now there could have never been anything like that between us. It is you I have been waiting for all these years."
She sucked in a breath and felt her body tense. For some reason, she believed him. Strange, how easily she understood what he just said.
"And Lastril?"
He actually had the audacity to smile. "The counselors love trying to marry me off. Unfortunately I'm their favorite puppet."
"Imagine that."
"My father would never agree to an arranged marriage."
"So, why didn't he turn Iamben down right away when he asked?"
He shrugged. "I think he enjoys the entertainment."
She nodded and then her stomach swirled again. The walls around her started to blur a little and she swayed on the spot.
"Shyloh?"
"I don't feel so good," she breathed, and then the ground was rushing up to meet her.
Getting a lot of editing done lately, hence all the updates. (Otherwise you must think I have nothing better to do lol)
So here's another chapter for you right away.
A little Legolas/Shyloh action is way overdue, so yay he's back!
-S
