Author's Note: I own nothing.
41 Battle Begins
The battle began before any of them could have seen it coming. The elves of Mirkwood and the dwarves of the iron hills had been facing off against each other when the deep dark horn had sounded stopping everyone in their tracks. It rang out again as the ground rumbled and burst apart several giant worm like beings snaking out of the ground before diving back into sending many of the gathered warriors stumbling. Out of the holes the worms left behind flooded a dark army that screeched and roared an the unknowable language of the Orcs. Bella's breath caught in her throat as the dark army advanced. Thorin's cousin Dane turned on his mount, a boar near twice the size of an ordinary animal, and called for his army to turn and face the Orcs, the elves to his flank all but forgotten. They too were turning, and with a nod from Thranduil arrows flew but it was not going to be enough. Both armies were clearly outnumbered, even fighting together there was only a slim chance of victory. Gandalf caught Bella by the back of her shirt pulling her off his horse and setting her on the ground.
"Get back to Dale, evacuate with the others! You should not be here to begin with." His tone was commanding but apologetic. She could not help but wonder if he had known that Thorin might lose himself to the gold madness that had taken his grandfather. She shook her head pulling Sting, the blade glowing like a star.
"I will not run. Not now." Not even when Thorin, in his madness had thrown her from his side for her thievery of the Arkenstone. She'd known what she was risking in attempting to broker peace between the gold mad Thorin and those most affected by Smaug's wakening and death, but it hurt no less for the knowing of it. Gandalf shook his head.
"Sometimes I think you are more Took than Baggins." He commented, drawing Glamdring. Bella smiled, it was strained and small but her first smile in what felt like days. Part of her was regretting ever leaving her hobbit hole. Another part of her would not have traded these past months for anything. But there was no more time for talk. The grating sound of metal on metal clashed through the air and then there was fighting everywhere.
If asked later Bella would not know how she came to be near the edge of Dale, her blade near stained black by the blood of Orcs and goblins. But by chance she was there when she heard a clear low horn sound and the ranks of the dwarven army began to rally as a clang of metal on stone sounded and the barricade Thorin had ordered built in the gaping front gate of Erebor flew to pieces, knocked down by a great bell that had once rested on the floor of the entrance. Bella stared in the momentary peace she'd discovered as thirteen figures raced from the mountain. Her dwarves, or no, not hers, not anymore. Her heart stung at the thought but she didn't have time to think about it long as another few goblins rounded the corner and she was again engaged in combat. There were quite a few of them and Bella was nearly overwhelmed, Sting momentarily knocked from her grasp when arrows began to sprout from her opponents.
She scrambled back wiping the blood from her cheek and picking up her sword as she glanced around for her rescuer. She spotted them, for there were two of them, Legolas and Tauriel, returned a bit later than she'd hoped from their scouting party. Tauriel leaped from her horse.
"I though you were meant to be with the dwarves." She said a bit of concern in her voice as Bella's heart constricted.
"Bit of a long story I'm afraid." She said her voice choked. Tauriel's brow knit but Legolas gracefully dismounted his horse.
"Have you seen my father? He must be warned."
"Warned, warned of what? As you can see we are in the midst of a battle here." Bella asked incredulously waving her blade. She couldn't help it she had never been in a more stressful situation, except perhaps her conversation with Smaug, had that really only been a few days ago?
"There is another army coming from Gundabad! They mean to sweep in from the north and cut off both armies." Tauriel explained and Bella felt the little color drain from her face. "They will sweep around Raven Hill and wipe us out from the rear."
"Raven Hill?" Bella asked turning to glance at the spot where she had first heard news of the dragon's death. Tauriel nodded just as Bella spotted several of the mounts Dain had brought from the Iron Hills leaping up the rocks. There were four of them and four dwarves riding astride the rams. Bella could just make out Thorin and Kili's dark hair, Dwalin's bald scalp and Fili's deep gold locks against the snow. She swore.
"Thorin and Kili are up there!" She called and Tauriel let out a swear word Bella was unfamiliar with in Silvain. She snatched Bella up and swept them both onto her horse taking off despite Legolas's half hearted call for her to stop. They barreled through the war around them. Somehow Bella wound up with the reigns while Tauriel was slashing left and right with her blades. The horse did not balk at the rocky hill. Bella was sure she'd never met a braver mount. If they lived she'd have to ask Tauriel what their name was. But as they made it to the broken lookout post atop Raven Hill something slammed into the horse sending it toppling and screaming. Bella did not see what happened to Tauriel. Her world was a mess of snow and rocks and pain as she landed hard. Somehow she regained her feet as screeches of goblins and the screams of the dying horse sounded in her ears. She slipped into the shadow of the fortress and slid on the ring, vanishing from sight and breathing a little easier. Now she just had to find Thorin, or maybe one of the others.
Was it wrong of her to hope she found one of the others first? Perhaps a bit cowardly. She did not know that she wished to meet Thorin right now with the wounds his words had caused still so fresh. But they had to be warned before the other army reached them.
She spotted Dwalin first but close at hand was Thorin, her heart hammered in her chest for a moment remembering gold stained eyes glaring into her very soul. For a moment she couldn't move at all, her voice caught in her throat, feet frozen to the icy mountain top.