Thank you all for the favs and watches!
No sooner had the Company of Dwarves ran after Gandalf onto a nearby bridge, did the Goblin King reappear, barricading the exit. A grin plastered his face as he tightly held the dwarf maiden.
"You thought you could escape me?" He tightened his clutch around the feeble body for personal entertainment as he swung his staff at the grey wizard. Nori and Ori caught him as the others called out to their companion being crushed.
Horror struck their faces as Éla gasped under the pressure in pain. The sensation truly felt like someone was crushing your bones into dust. She stole one last glimpse at the dwarves before wanting to fade into blackness. The room spun and blurred as the pressure lifted.
"What are you going to do now, wizard?"
Gandalf didn't hesitate as he used his own staff to jab the large goblin in the eye, dropping Élarinya in the process. Not a moment was spared as the wizard swung his sword, slicing through the fiend's stomach and dropping him to his knees.
The Goblin King tended a hand to his wound. "That'll do it."
One final strike cut through his throat as he slumped forward, dead.
Gandalf took one step forward but paused. Everyone remained motionless as they heard a crack. Éla gradually lifted herself up upon hearing the alarming sound creaking through the wood. It wasn't without great difficulty though. Another crack etched its way from where the massive body lay. She faced the company.
"Everyone move back slowly." Gandalf ordered. "Élarinya, do the same."
"We can't just leave her over there!" Dwalin argued. There was nothing they could do but back up. The maiden would have to find an alternate route if at all possible.
Whilst attempting to shift the load away from the centre, the weight of the goblin abruptly broke the bridge in two. Thorin and Gandalf moved forward.
"Éla!"
Éla stared in hazy disbelief as her friends were gone in the blink of an eye, plummeting into the dark, murky shadows. She looked over her shoulder to see the other goblins moving to safety, not wanting to face the same end. Something had to be done. She prayed in Durin's name that some way, somehow, her friends would be alright. After all, she was still breathing...for now.
With the goblins in temporary retreat, Éla took the opportunity to start backing up on her stomach. All actions ceased as another crack formed beneath her, marking through to the dead corpse. She listened intently, not making any sudden movements and held her breath.
Two long seconds passed before Éla slowly exhaled. Her forehead touched the cool wood in relief. No sooner had she performed the minimal action, what remained of the bridge shattered.
The goblin's body was the first to slide off, closely followed by the dwarf, seconds behind. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she suddenly fell into pitch blackness. She so desperately wanted to scream again, but was too focused on hitting and rebounding off the rock ledges.
"You've got to be joking!" Someone yelled, the voice echoed upwards. Dwalin. They were alive. Éla squinted in the dark past her feet, only to see a great blob of mess before landing on the wreckage.
The first thing she hit was the goblin's body, silently thanking whomever for the somewhat soft landing zone. She rolled off the mound in disgust, and then slid down the debris. The pile was so steep and uneven; she practically jumped off barely grazing past Bofur and Kili. A small yell escaped her lips.
"Watch out!" She shouted out of uncertainty and minor excitement.
Those who had already freed themselves looked up just in time to see the female dwarf sliding down, and unintentionally jumping off the lowest level straight into Thorin. He barely had enough time to react as he turned to grab her, his footing staggered and both fell backwards. Éla carefully lifted her upper body in discomfort, only to have firm blue eyes staring back at her questionably as she looked down.
"I'm so sorry." She found herself pressed against him. Awkward didn't express her thoughts on the matter, but it might have for the others staring at their positioning. She got up with haste as Thorin straightened them out; her face tinted in embarrassment and minor distress.
"There are bigger issues to worry about. Glad to see you're still with us." Thorin stared hard into her eyes, but didn't smile. He got up and helped the others out of the crushed platforms. The act was emotionless but there was something there that wanted to be told. Or perhaps it was nothing. She figured she was looking far too into it, so shrugged it off.
Éla turned around as Kili was in the middle of freeing himself, looking up with widened eyes.
"Gandalf!"
"There's too many!" Dwalin yelled, aiding Nori out of the rubble. "We can't fight them!"
"Daylight will save us. This way!"
Gandalf ushered the dwarves to follow him through the tunnels down a narrow passage. Sure enough, they reached the entrance out into daylight in no time. He allowed them to exit first as he counted heads. Bombur was a bit further behind, but they all managed to escape the abominable place safely.
They progressed down the slopes and ridges of trees under the temporary safety of the setting sun. The company stopped at a path with overhung branches and bush. The wizard did a final head check as each dwarf approached slowly. "Ten...Fili, Kili... Éla and Bombur, that's fourteen..."
He looked around. "Where is our hobbit? Where's our burglar?"
The rest gave weary glances here and there as they searched their surroundings.
"Curse the Halfling, now he's lost?!" Thorin burst. "He was with Dori a second ago."
"Don't blame me!" Dori sputtered.
Nori spoke up. "I think I saw him slip away when they first cornered us."
"I'll tell you what happened," Thorin walked to the front in annoyance, "Master Baggins saw his chance and took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and warm hearth ever since he stepped out of his door. We will not be seeing out hobbit again. He is long gone."
Fili and Kili bartered doubtful looks as some appeared irritably hesitant. Éla couldn't believe the sudden outbreak. If it weren't for them all catching their breath, and her body leaning against a tree stump, she would have scolded their leader over his harsh words. It pained her to think the hobbit might still be back in the goblin tunnels alone.
"No, he isn't."
The company looked behind Balin to find their hobbit on the elevated rock, unscathed.
"Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf proceeded towards the Halfling, relieved. "I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life."
Thorin lowered his axe, taking a step back from guilt.
"How on earth did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked, astonished by the mystery.
"How indeed?" Thorin glowered at the hobbit.
Éla looked from Thorin to Gandalf, who noticed Bilbo secretively hiding something in his pocket as he covered his hands in the fabric of his waistcoat.
"What does it matter?" The wizard smiled. "He's back."
"It matters. I want to know," Thorin stated, "why did you come back?"
Éla pitied the hobbit for having to tolerate the uncomfortable gaze Thorin was giving. Bilbo held his ground, even if he appeared a bit timid.
"Look, I know you doubt me; you always have. You're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books and my arm chair, and my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back; because you don't have one. Yours was taken from you, but I'll help you take it back if I can."
The dwarf looked away, only to gaze back in slight remorse. With the air cleared, the others sighed in relief. An uneasy feeling settled in Éla's stomach as the sky darkened. She began to feel nauseous. If not for a cool breeze rustling through the trees, she might have been sick right then and there.
"We must move on." Gandalf pressed after noticing the night closing in. His plea was answered with grumbles from some. They were all exhausted with barely any sleep and no food. Éla leaned off the birch and followed the young brothers in silence. Each step taken gradually inflicted more pain than the last. She flinched as her footing slipped on the rocky slope and slide down to another clearing of bush and thick trees, almost bumping into Kili.
The still peace soon ended as a shuddering howl echoed from atop the mountainous hills. The dwarves stopped uneasily, unsheathing their weapons. Thorin spun around, his sword already drawn.
"Out of the frying pan..." He began.
"...and into the fire. Run!" Gandalf finished.
They followed the grey wizard as the trees became scarce, save for a few near the edge of the cliff they now stood on. Dori and Nori peered over; backing up as there was no escape down.
They were cornered.
Éla's pace slowed as a sharp, nerving pain shot up her left side. She shifted her weight onto her right as she ran past Dwalin, who turned around after a horrific growl all too familiar drew near. He lifted his hammer over Éla's head, and for a mere second, she thought he was going to hit her. Dwalin swung it at the beast that hunted them so closely. Wargs quickly followed their scented path.
"Up into the trees!" Gandalf commanded. "All of you. Hurry!"
The dwarves promptly did so. Dwalin was the first to jump up in a slender fir, reaching down to help Éla and then Balin. Thorin quickly followed once everyone was off the ground. They climbed as high as they could. Éla glanced down to see Bilbo only now yanking his sword out of the skull of a dead warg, and running towards the shortest branch he attempted to reach. Dori helped him up with a moment to spare before more wargs barricaded the surrounding glade.
Heart racing, Éla felt her hands turn numb from the blood pounding throughout her body. She knew the numbness wasn't caused by it, but rather it being more of a state of mind, injuries and the excessive adrenaline rush they've had to undergo the past day or so. She reached for the branch above, only to lose her grip and slip.
Wargs began jumping and attacking the trees in fierce hunger, shaking them violently. Luckily, Thorin was standing on a lower branch and caught her waist before falling any further. He aided her back up without a word. Another howl resonated under the newly blackened sky. Bewilderment curiously took hold as Éla looked over her shoulder, hearing Thorin's horrified undertone, "Azog."
Pacing on a rock ledge a few hundred meters away, stood a large, white warg and its rider, a ghastly, pale creature. Éla shuddered from his venomous gaze. That's the pale orc...
There was no time for pause as the wolf-like animals began jumping more aggressively at the trees, causing each to topple over into the other. The dwarves had no choice but to leap onto the last one standing at the very edge of the mountain's slope where Gandalf remained perched at the top. Blood-rushing adrenaline continued to pound through Éla's body. She couldn't recall ever being shocked into stasis. Naturally one would fight or flee, but since there was no escape, she remained glued to the tree branches.
Any previous encounters didn't come close to the fear that spread over them now.
Luck continued to linger for the dwarves when all of a sudden; a spark flew to the ground and bounced. The vicious, fanged creatures bolted back as a small flame rolled over dry grass, slowly growing. Éla glanced above to see Gandalf dropping lit pinecones to Fili and a few others as they helped light some more seeds before throwing them. Soon enough, the clearing was engulfed in flames and the wargs retreated. They howled angrily into the night.
Not all luck was favorable.
The burning fire loosened the soil, uprooting the tree as it began to lean over the rim of the mountain. A strong root held it in place. Éla heard Ori scream as he lost hold and grabbed onto Dori's foot, both swaying on a weak branch. Her feet dangled in mid-air as her own body lay over a thicker bough. All her energy was used to remain as unmoving as possible, scanning tree-tops below. Pain grazed her side as she clung to the branch, pressing her chest further into the bark.
A piercing cry rang over them. She froze and listened.
"Thorin!" Dwalin yelled as he tried to climb back up onto the trunk, only to catch another branch as one broke under his weight. Éla couldn't bring herself to look up remotely as she didn't want to shift the balance of her support and that of the tree itself. There was enough bustling to her right, and quite possibly above her that she refused to be the source of blame if they fell to their doom.
Any remaining strength diminished as the tree started swaying. The only thing she could do was watch Dori and Ori fall from clinging to Gandalf's staff. More cries escaped the members.
"So this is the end." She muttered, closing her eyes in despair.
Her body strained against the force of a now shaking tree. Sudden gusts of wind swooshed past her, and a cry of legends replaced those of her comrades. Eagles.
The commotion they caused above rendered cheer and battle cries from a few dwarves. She chanced a look upwards. Eagles flew around them, some grabbing dwarves off the tree, others falling onto their backs. The swift gusts from their wings shook Éla, unfastening her hold on the branch and dropping her onto an eagle waiting below. It came and swirled above the flames before following the others, away from the scorching battle.
Hands clutched its feathers. She had never been so high above ground, let alone any dwarf for that matter. A turn of the eagle's head suggested that she loosen her grip.
"Sorry." She whispered.
The wind was calm and soothing as they safely flew through the night. Éla closed her eyes in exhaustion, hoping for some rest to follow but not wanting to lose complete consciousness of what was happening around her. The vague throbbing pain faded as her mind focused on the cool night air and soft feathers. The motion of the eagle's wings had a lulling effect both physically and mentally. It was peaceful.
Morning soon came with a rising sun.
The eagles began descending over a rich green forest, circling above a lone stone core near its edge. The dwarves were set down one by one after Thorin's body was primarily laid to rest on its peak. Éla became worried as her eagle landed behind the crowd. The cry she had heard at night must've belonged to him. Gandalf hurried towards the dwarf king, unmoving. Éla carefully slid off the feathered body and walked over to her companions.
In no time, Thorin opened his eyes and was helped to his feet by Kili and Dwalin. Gandalf had muttered something happily, but the female dwarf didn't catch the exchanged words.
"You." Thorin turned to the hobbit that stood alone. "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed!"
Bilbo remained still, uneasy by the sudden accusations. Silence fell over the others.
Thorin continued to seethe. "Did I not say you were a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" He closed in and wrapped his arms around the hobbit in a tight embrace. "Never have I been so wrong in all my life. I'm sorry I doubted you."
Relieved, the dwarves cheered happily.
Bilbo's face lifted at the sudden action and kind words. "No, I would've doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior. I'm not even a burglar!"
Everyone laughed before noticing something protruding in the distance. Thorin's face lit up. A lone mountain stood tall over the acres of forest and valleys below.
"Erebor, one of the last great dwarf kingdoms of Middle Earth." Gandalf explained in awe for the group.
Thorin stood with pride as the others moved up from behind. "Our home."
Éla overlooked the mountain in amazement. She doubted any of them had expected to return to such a beautiful sight so soon. Its dark silhouette was the focal point over the colorful orange sky turning blue. A small chirp whizzed past them.
"A raven!" Oin exclaimed excitedly. He held his hearing mechanism closer to the source of the sound.
"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf said.
"We'll take it as a sign." Thorin added, turning to the hobbit next to his side. "A good omen."
Bilbo looked back to the mountain in the far distance. "You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us."
After a moment, Thorin turned back to his company. They no longer had to worry about wargs and goblins. They could finally relax. The leader's brow furrowed as he counted those who stood before him. The dwarves parted to either side as Thorin inspected each of them. Balin and Nori parted from the back, leaving Éla center staged. He smiled softly at the female dwarf, gentle hugging her like he did the Halfling.
"I'm sorry for doubting you as well."
A quiet grunt parted her lips upon contact. Thorin pulled back concerned, barely holding onto her shoulders. "Are you alright? You did take quite a beating back there."
"I'm fine, just a bit sore, but fine." She did her best to keep her voice steady and reassuring.
Thorin's eyes questioned her as he searched her features for any sign of anguish.
"Really, I am. You needn't worry." She smiled.
Taking her word, he faced Gandalf who now inspected a stone path leading down to the grounds below. Thorin would keep an eye on the female dwarf for the next short while to make sure she truly was alright. Their experience in the goblin tunnels was not very welcoming. Regrettably, they had received the better end of the bargain compared to Éla herself.
Alas, time would be the determining factor.
The next chapter will be the starting point for a few unexpected scenarios.
This story will be 'slash'-free with no side relationships, in case anyone was wondering ;)
While I refrain from reading any other fan fictions about Thorin for my safety of not hindering my ideas based on those of others, I have read summaries and stories about other characters. (Stories involving Thorin will be read after I finish my own. Excitement has been put on hold.) I can honestly say that it was my first encounter learning about the terms: slash, mary sues (which I had to look up a definition of) and what readers expect in a fictional piece with these beloved characters. Boy was I clueless...
Hopefully Éla hadn't come across as a mary-sue. She is a dwarf after all.