Chapter 16: From Frying Pan to Fire Encounter: Part II
With Thyra's sudden arrival bringing danger, the storm finally decide to fall upon them to set the ambiance for the peril they were in. There was still no rain, but lightning lit up the darkening sky as dry air moved in to cause a shift in the wind. As one they all fled, Gandalf and Thorin took lead as they maneuvered around thinned pine trees.
Their swiftness was commendable but it was an unfortunate occurrence that the ground in which they swiftly sped across came to an abrupt end as they came to the edge of a plateau.
The drop was much too far for any species without wings to survive as would the climb down be nearly just as likely to result in fatality. With brittle slate to make up its sides and little foliage to hang onto, their attempt of decent would be doomed. Corralled like a herd of sheep, they quickly turned around to face the hungry wolves that had driven them to the ledge.
Several warg riding orcs were fast approaching and there was no chance of taking a new route as they swarmed in at all sides. Thorin wracked his brain for an alternate escape that would involve the least amount of fighting. But every possible source was blocked. There was no going forward, there was no going left or right, and to go back would certainly mean fighting their way out. He knew there were capable warriors among his group but he did not wish to chance it. By the way Thyra held herself, she was already badly wounded. Meaning, these orcs were not just farel rouges, they were organized.
As he looked to Gandalf for some hope that the wizard had any ideas, he was struck with dismay as the grey man looked around just as desperately as he had. He watched as Gandalf looked down to the valley below, then up to the sky where the treetops stretched up to the darkened clouds above.
"To the trees," the wizard said quickly as he grabbed ahold of Bilbo and began to push him up to the nearest low hanging branch.
Not entirely happy with the old wizard's solution, Thorin saw no other option. It would not help them escape but it would at least delay the inevitable fight that was fast approaching. It would give them a little more time to think and plan a method of tactics.
Thorin turned to the rest of the group as he instructed them to begin climbing. Without question they followed his command. In organized swiftness they all began to scale up the surrounding trees and await further inspiration from their leader.
As soon as Thorin gave the command, Fili moved towards the nearest tree and motioned for Sigurd as he knit his hands together to fashion her a step. Sigurd stepped hesitantly as her head tilted upwards to look up to the tall branches above. Slowly she looked back down and took a step back.
"It's ok," she said weakly. "Someone else can go first."
Confused, Fili looked expectantly to Thyra instead. However, she was too preoccupied by looking at Sigurd to notice that Fili was now waiting for her.
"Siggy," Thyra urged. "Up."
Sigurd's head slowly shook from side to side as she waved her off.
"It's ok, I will go up later," she said. "You are shorter, you go first."
Thyra's eyes narrowed as she approached the dark haired maiden. Her strong hand grabbed ahold of Sigurd and dragged her to the tree.
"Siggy, up" Thrya repeated, this time in a tone that did not suggest it was debatable.
Suddenly Sigurd began to shake as her head moved faster in protest. She began muttering a protest as she tried to pull free from Thyra's iron grip.
A sharp smack sounded as Thyra crossed her hand across Sigurd's cheek. There was a gasp of pain that escaped Sigurd's lips as well as several intakes of shock coming from the male dwarves that were waiting on them.
"Thyra, just let her go la一" began Kili as he moved to separate Sigurd from Thyra in fear that she would strike the woman again.
But Kili's protest was cut short as Thyra sent him a warning look. She then looked back to Sigurd who had a hand pressed against the reddened skin on her face.
"Climb up now or I will throw you up!" She screamed in Régínn as she pulled Sigurd closer towards the tree and started to lift the shaking girl up into the tree.
With Thyra's aggressive encouragement and Fili's more gentle added aid, Sigurd stiffly grabbed ahold of the lowest branch and slowly pulled herself up. Once standing on the second branch up with her arms tightly wrapped around the trunk, Sigurd stopped and looked down. Her hands instantly grabbed more tightly to the bark as she looked pleadingly down at Thyra. The smaller dwarrowdam ignored her and turned to Kili.
Kili, who had been focused on Sigurd, suddenly felt himself being pulled down by the collar of his shirt.
"You," Thyra growled as she pulled him to the tree. "Help her."
Having left him no room to protest nor did he have any of his own objections. Kili quickly scaled up the tree and began to help Sigurd slowly ascend to the higher branches. The moment Kili was up, Thyra turned to Thrade and pointed.
"You next," she commanded.
Thrade shook his head.
"You first he protested."
Fili, seeing that Thyra was already out of any patience and also seeing the urgency of having no more delay as the orcs closed in, gestured to Thrade.
"Thrade," he urged. "Go on up, I will make sure she goes up after you."
Thrade shook his head again. "I am not going up until she has gone."
"No more waste time," Thrya shouted, her impatience causing her word structure to falter. "Too much delay. Get up!"
"Not until I know your safe," Thrade shouted back.
His words made Thyra stiffen.
"My duty, keep you safe," she growled through gritted teeth. "Your life before mine."
Thrade stepped closer and grabbed her, his intention clear to throw her up into the tree just as she had with Sigurd. But unlike Sigurd, Thyra quickly threw him off.
Fili was getting frustrated.
"I don't care which one of you gets up before the other, but one of you do it before we all become warg chowder!" Fili shouted as his patience ran thin.
Fili saw the instant animosity in Thyra's eyes at his words. But he was grateful that she at least understood the urgency that action needed to be taken. Ignoring Thrade's offered hands, she walked over to Fili and placed her hands on his shoulders. Before putting her foot into his linked hands she looked straight into his eyes.
"He go next," she warned.
Fili nodded then boosted her up into the tree. He then looked to Thrade who had a strange look on his face.
"Your next," Fili said to him.
Without protest Thrade moved and grabbed hold of the lowest branch. Without any assistance he lifted himself up. The moment Thrade moved onto a higher branch, Fili began to pull himself up.
Just as he was about to swing his foot up to the branch, a warg grabbed onto his boot.
Instinctively, he kicked out. The warg let out a high pitched bark as it let go and fell back down to the ground. Thrown off by the tug that resulted in the warg's attack, Fili felt his grip loosen and he began to fall back to the ground. But he came to a sudden halt when something latched on to the back of his coat.
Expecting to see Thrade when he peeked behind his shoulder, he was surprised to see Thyra crouched on a nearby branch with her arm outstretched as she held onto him.
Reclaiming a firm grip, Fili pulled himself up.
As soon as he was steady, he felt the grip on his coat loosen then let go. He looked over to give his thanks but Thyra was already moving up the tree. Her face pinched in anger as she moved up to where Kili and Sigurd were grasping onto the trees' highest branches.
The pine cones that had once been there saving grace, had suddenly become their doom as fire began to ignite and rise up to the high branches in which the company was forced to retreat. When the first few trees had caught fire and forced them to transition from one tree to another it did not seem that it was on purpose. But with each transition, the accumulation of dwarves per tree grew. Now, they were all cramped onto a single tree at the edge of the cliff with no other tree to move onto.
As Thorin took in the flaming pines that surrounded them, he realized that this had been the intention of the orcs all along. Like sheep being herded they had congregated into a cramped grouping. But it was not to the safety of a grassy hillside or a protective enclosure, instead they had been trapped and cornered by a pack of wolves.
The orcs let out their geers as they called out to the little birdies in the trees and mocked them to take flight. Several wargs tried to claw their way up to those who had been forced to take refuge in the lower branches but were easily deterred when an arrow was shot down or a sword swung low.
There was a sudden ripple of stillness that spread out over the orcs as they all fell silent and the wargs cowarded away with their tails between their legs. Instinct told Thorin that this sudden change of attitude was nothing to be celebrated as a cold chill ran down his spine. It did not take long for this to be confirmed with the approach of a long lost enemy that he had thought to be slain by his own hand decades ago.
"No," he murmured to himself. "It cannot be possible."
Thorin knew him to be dead, he had slain him himself, yet here he was. Straddling a warg that matched its master in both menace and color, the pale orc known as Azog the defiler, smiled up to the tree above with a nefarious glint written across his face.
First his eyes stopped on Thrya.
"THANK YOU," he said in black speech. "YOUR ESCAPE HAS PROVEN BENEFICIAL, LITTLE RÉGÍNN."
Thyra frowned deeply at his words. But when the pale orc's beady eyes caught sight of the male dwarf that was positioned just above him, Thyra was forgotten.
"VERY BENEFICIAL INDEED," he murmured as his eyes lit up.
Thrade was not familiar with black speech himself, but he knew Thyra was fluent in the language. At least more fluent in it than westron.
So when she looked at him with a strange and confused look, he knew that he was not mistaking it when he could have sworn the orc was addressing him specifically. Or at least referring to him.
He felt his brow furrow as he looked back down at the massive orc.
Like Thyra, Thorin had a familiarity with the dark language of the orcs, but as Azog addressed Thyra and Thrade, he began to wonder if perhaps he was not as well versed in the black tongue as he originally thought.
"IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME," Azog continued as he looked up to Thrade. "IT SEEMS SOME OF US HAVE CHANGED MORE THAN THE OTHER SINCE THEN. THE YEARS HAVE BEEN GOOD TO YOU BUT TONIGHT THEY END. LIKE YOUR FATHER, SO WILL I END YOU."
Azog lifted his missing arm and let the metal prongs of his misshapened trident glint in the darkness as a fork of lightning lit up the sky. He gave out a cynical chuckle that sounded more like a growl that a humored tone.
"I WANT THAT ONE FOR MYSELF," Azog announced to his minions as he pointed to Thrade.
His arm then moved down to point to Thyra.
"THE RÉGÍNN REMAINS ALIVE. SHE WILL PAY FOR THE OTHERS SHE SLAYED"
Carelessly, he waved his arm around to the rest of the group.
"THE REST ARE TO BE EXTERMINATED LIKE THE RATS THEY ARE. BUT THE DURIN HEIR IS MINE."
With his final words, the wargs were sent towards the tree as they scratched and lept against the base of the trunk. Before Thorin could fully make any sense of Azog's confusing words, he felt the tree begin to lean as it began to become uprooted. Just as he felt the shift in the sturdy pine, he was struck with a realization.
Azog had mistaken Thrade as himself.
Thorin grasped tightly to the thick branch with all his upper strength as the bottom half of his body hung dangerously over the valley below. His mind raced as he heard the cries of strained efforts from his men as they too struggled to stay latched onto the tree that was now over hanging the ledge of the plateau. As his eyes searched out in panic for a better hold in which to keep himself up, he caught a glimpse of Azog approaching.
The massive scarred body of the pale skinned orc moved leisurely with steady steps towards them. But it was not his approach that truly struck fear into Thorin. It was the direction in which his attention was focused.
The orcs small grey eyes were focused on a struggling Thrade at his position closest to the uproot of the tree. The revelation that had dawned upon Thorin just before the tree capsized came flashing back.
It was an instinctual strength that gave him the energy to pull himself up and finally find purchase for his feet against the rough bark of the tree trunk. With steady steps and calm breaths, Thorin walked towards the bottom of the tree. He heard a few cries for him to stop but they went ignored.
Over the past weeks, Thorin had had little time to truly get to know Thrade. But from what little he saw and learned of the young man, any earlier doubt he had was nearly diminished. Though he was still not sure, it was enough in this moment.
Azog had already killed his father but he would not let him kill his son. He would not allow any more loss into Asha's life.
As he approached, he noticed Azog's attention move from Thrade to look at him.
The orc did a double take, his eyes flashing from himself to Thrade before settling back on him. A menacing smile came across the pale orcs face. It was clear understanding written upon his scarred features as he made a connection.
"IT SEEMS YOU DID GROW UP LITTLE DURIN," Azog commented to Thorin. "LIKE ME YOU TOO HAVE SPAWNED."
His words sent Thorin into a rage that spurred him forward. With little regard to his kinsmans cries of protest, he sped forward to engage battle with his long ago enemy.
Thorin would not let any harm befall anyone under his care from the pale orc again.
As the majority of the company surged forward to attack, Kili stayed behind with Sigurd near the edge as they each began to fire arrows at any warg or orc that tried to come near themselves or the rest of the group. An arrow shot by Kili pierced a warg's side as it let out a howl of pain and changed its direction into retreat. With a brief rest, Kili took a moment to glance in Sigurd's direction only to feel his stomach drop.
She was preoccupied with watching the rest of the groups backs that she was failing to watch her own. A warg was charging straight for her as she targeted her arrow and focused her attention in the opposite direction.
"Siggy," Kili cried as he dropped his bow and pulled his sword free from its scabbard.
His call brought her attention but instead of looking towards the danger approaching, she remained unaware as she glanced distractedly at him. The warg lunged, its fangs and claws bared as it soared towards Sigurd. Pushing himself forward, Kili only did what his instincts told him and that was to protect, to keep safe, to prevent.
He lunged forward, his arms wrapping around Sigurd's waist as he collided with her and pulled her down to the ground.
They landed roughly, Kili's body pinning Sigurd down to the rough ground as he turned his head to watch the warg soaring over them, its head snapped wildly in the air as its body flailed around in an attempt to turn around mid air. He did not wait for the feral canine to land.
Pushing off of Sigurd, he quickly stood and ran his sword through the warg's side the moment its feet landed on the ground. It let out a high pitched bark of pain that was cut short as he drove the tip of his sword deeper into its rib cage and the creature fell limply onto the ground.
Breathing heavily Kili quickly turned back around and offered a blood soaked hand out to Sigurd.
"Are you ok?" He asked worriedly.
Wordlessy Sigurd nodded with wide eyes as she reached up to grasp his bloodied hand. But then her face changed as she took in a breath and quickly pointed behind him.
"Ki-Kili lo-look out," she stuttered in warning.
Kili spun as he lifted his sword up not a moment too late as the sharp blade blocked the orc that had been approaching from behind. He continued his thrust up before bringing it back down across the orc's chest. With a strong kick he sent the corpse backwards onto the warg's dead body to form a pile of carcasses.
His heart thudded widely.
It had been close but he felt a small peace in his mind that at least Sigurd was okay.
A gust of wind hit his back as well as the fluttering sound of what Kili thought were wings. He turned around to check on Sigurd but was only greeted by empty air. Sigurd was gone, nowhere to be seen, as if she had disappeared into thin air.
The small peace that had formed early was shattered as a panic formed in his chest. His breathing turned from deep labored breaths from fighting, to fast shallow ones of hyperventilation.
"Siggy!" He cried out.
His wild eyes darted around frantically but only to catch sight of empty ground and sky where the ledge formed. His stomach churned at the sight of the dangerous ledge.
Had she fallen or slipped?
He moved to run to the edge but as he took his first step something strong and forceful wrapped around his body and he felt his feet leave the ground. Kili immediately began to pull at the constricting tightness around his abdomen but stopped when he took in what was holding him.
Large talons grasped around his middle, not hard enough to cause harm but tight enough to keep him firmly within their grasp. Slowly, he looked up to see the wide set of wings and narrowed head of an eagle.
Kili was struck dumb as he gaped in awe.
He had heard tales of the great eagles but he had never imagined their majesty to be so beautiful. Before he could take in the eagle fully, he felt its grip loosen and he was falling down with no time to grab onto anything.
His fall was cut short as he landed on something soft and warm As his fingers grasped onto the surface beneath him he realized it was also feathery. His eyes that had shut when he began to fall through the air snapped open. He was on the back of another eagle as the one that had just dropped him swooped down again towards the ground to where it grabbed Bofur who was still latched onto the over hanging tree.
It was then that he suddenly remembered Sigurd. In his disoriented state of being swept up and dropped he had nearly forgotten that she had suddenly disappeared. He looked around spotting Dori and Ori atop another eagle to his left and below, Dwalin and Bifur rode another. He swiveled around wildly as his eyes searched out and took note of the rest of the company. But with each eagle and newly accounted member of the group, he felt his hysteria rise. Sigurd had still yet to be accounted for.
As if on cue, there was a light thud behind him, accompanied by a small gasp and followed by a constraining pressure around his chest as a pair of arms wrapped around his torso. Kili looked down to see a familiar set of feminine hands tightly gripping onto the front of his tunic as a warm bodice pressed up against his back.
"Siggy?!" He called out as he peeked over his shoulder to see the top of her dark hair wiping around her head and his own shoulder.
Her face was buried into his shoulder and she gave no verbal response to his concerned question. The only response he got was the tightening of the collar of his tunic as Sigurd grasp more tightly to him. Her vice like grip squeezed so tightly he had difficulty breathing each time his chest expanded with each inhale.
"Siggy I cant breath," he said in a breathy tone.
Again she made no response but he heard her voice faintly murmuring to herself. Tilting his ear to hear her better, he caught her mantra faintly between the wind gusts of each flap of the eagles wings.
"Do not look down. Do not look down. Do not look down," she repeated over and over.
It was then he became aware of her trembling body against his back and he made the realization. Sigurd was afraid of heights. It now made sense why she struggled with getting into the tree until Thyra yelled at her.
He put a hand on hers which was chilled in the wind.
"Do not worry Siggy," He said soothingly. "I've got you."
Her grip loosened at his words. Not enough to make a large difference but enough for him to finally take in the oxygen he needed. He smiled slightly. Sigurd was ok. She was close and she was safe.
Fili felt the gust of wind as another eagle swooped down and took another one of his comrades up into the safety of the air.
Doing his best to not let the fluttering of wings distract him from the orcs that chose to attack him, he continued to fight and hoped that soon all of their group would be swept up into safety.
Throwing a powerful kick up into the belly of an attacking orc, Fili sent the foe tumbling to the ground were he took advantage of his gain and quickly dispensed of the orc. He took a chance to glance around, taking note that the majority of the company was now safe.
He was relieved to see that his brother and uncle were not among those still fighting on the ground. It seemed there where only a few left with himself included. To his left Thrade and Thyra were both engaged in their own duelings. Thrade finished off his enemy quickly before casting a glance to check on Thyra.
The orc she was battling was not particularly large and she too ended its life quickly. However, another orc took advantage of her blind spot as she focused on a different orc that was advancing towards her.
Fili watched as Thrade moved quickly to place himself in between Thyra and the orc sneaking up behind her. His attempt was galliant, Fili noted. But it was also sloppy. His effort was driven out of protective panic rather than calculated defense.
While he achieved placing a protective barrier to Thyra's back, he failed to lift his sword to provide himself with his own protectiveness.
Thankfully Thyra was always aware of her surroundings and she instantly turned at his approach. With a hurried maneuver, Thyra quickly drew her sword up and blocked the orc's crude weapon in time to keep it from descending down upon Thrade. With a gruffness she pushed forward, knocking Thrade to the ground as she quickly shoved the orc back before swiftly slicing her sword across its neck. Blood poured from its throat as it dropped its weapon and let out a gurgled wheeze.
As Fili witnessed this he noticed, that while Thyra easily maneuvered her attacks, it had distracted her from her original foe that was now all too close. Moving into action, Fili quickly sped towards them, his right hand sheathing one of his dual swords before quickly grasping one of his throwing axes attached to his thigh.
With quick movements he drew back his hand and sent the axe flying. It embedded itself into the side of the advancing orcs skull just as it was within attacking range of Thrya and Thrade. He did not slow down until he was at their side.
Thyra had turned around the moment she heard the thud of his axe, alarm in her eyes until she caught sight of the fallen orc as Fili approached her. As soon as he reached them she had moved on to look down at Thrade, a fire in her eyes as she spoke harshly to him.
"You fool!" she growled out along with several words in Régínn that Fili was positive where nothing more than curses.
She opened her mouth again to continue berating him as he picked himself up but was cut off when she was suddenly swept up by an eagle. The sudden disappearance of the Régínn startled both males but before either of them could process what had happened, they too had quickly been swept up. First Thrade, then Fili.
At first Fili struggled against the large birds talons but soon found himself relaxing when he realized he was not in danger. The eagle swept down to dispense him down onto the back of another.
Thyra was already perched on its back, her hair whipping around in the air as she leaned low to the eagle. As Fili was deposited right behind Thyra, she startled at his sudden appearance. Her dark eyes flashed behind her to take in Fili. Her face was void of any emotion but he could see the angry ire within her eyes. Though he was unsure if it was his sudden appearance to be the cause or a remaining anger from earlier.
Whichever the reason, he knew better than to anger her anymore. So he did his best to keep a small distance between them as he held on as best he could. He noticed her body slightly quaking with small tremors and he tried to determine if it was from the cold or from something else entirely. He was prompted to ask her directly but convinced himself to ignore the instinct by reminding himself that she would most likely ignore or refuse any remedy he would be able to provide her.
So instead Fili ignored the woman in front of him as he distracted himself by checking on the welfare of the rest of the group. All seemed well with one exception, his uncle.
Thorin was unconscious and separate from any that could provide him with the aid he needed. Fili caught sight of a worried looking Bilbo who was checking on Thorin from his position above the Durin heir. Fili swallowed nervously as he sent a prayer up to Mahal for his uncle. He was not ready for anything to happen to his uncle, he had to have faith that Thorin would be alright.
. . . . . . . . . .