Hi all! Thank you for the lovely feedback on the last chapter! Sorry it's been so long, life has been busy! It's really late here for me so I'm really sleepy, so please forgive any typos I've missed, and please enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Ninety-Four: The Bell Tolls

Nori had never had time for heroics. More often than not, they went against logic, and against sense. He did not see the point in charging face first at your enemy, in laying down your life in a dramatic stand to save strangers. It far better to guard your life with your logic, to stick to the side-lines, keep your head low. Calculate your risks. And never – ever – do anything without a plan.

Ever.

"Nori, are you listening to me?"

Ignoring his brother with ease, Nori adjusted the straps of his bag over his shoulders. He had no plan now, and he knew it would not end well. He knew that without one, he had no chance of getting out alive. He knew everything.

"If you reject Saruman's hand, we will bring you the girl's head. Just her head. Wouldn't that make little Bróin sing, watching the rest of her split between the troops for pudding?"

It did not matter that he was going to die. His little Nelly was captive in Isengard, at the mercy of a treacherous wizard and a hoard of uruk-hai, and he had to do something. He had to try.

He had spent all his life living by his own rules, looking after his own skin, but then twenty years ago a wide-eyed, curly haired bundle of mischief had adopted him as her dwarf, and things had changed. Slowly, at first, but then strongly, and then irrefutably. In fact, though not even Nelly knew it, it was for her that Nori had volunteered to head the City Watch for Thorin, and for her that he built the Watchers into the elite force they had become. It was arguably the greatest work of his life, but it was all little more than an attempt to earn the respect and admiration that shone in her eyes when she looked at him.

Now, Nelly was his closest friend, his biggest confidant – she was the most important person in his life. She was the closest thing to a daughter he was ever going to get, and even if some strange twist of fate blessed him with a child, he could not imagine ever loving anyone more than he loved Nelly.

And now Saruman had her, and he had to do something.

"Nori! I said, are you listening to me?"

"Just because I'm not agreeing with you does not mean I'm not listening," growled Nori, though in truth he had not cared to hear a word. He slammed the draw shut, and shoved the last map into his pack. "Get out of my way, Dori."

"Nori-"

"Move!"

Dori moved, pressing himself against the wall as Nori strode past and flung the bag down against the front door. Without even slowing down, he stormed into his back room and began to arm himself, taking every blade that he could possibly hope to hide on his person.

"Nori."

Ignoring his brother, Nori grabbed his mace, strapping it to a belt that he slung across his back. He raised his hood, and went for the door.

"Nori!"

Nori's nostrils flared at the sight of his brother blocking his own front door, his great arms folded, and a scowl carved into his face.

"I thought I told you to get out of the way," snarled Nori. "Don't try to stop me from leaving, or I swear, Dori, I will hurt you!"

"I'm not going to stop you," said Dori, sounding almost exasperated. "If you'd just listen! I said it makes no sense to leave via the Hidden Door and go down the mountain right away. We should climb up to the North Eastern side of the mountain, and then track down through the crags there. They'll offer us cover for a little longer."

A little taken aback, Nori paused, but then he nodded. "Thanks. I'll do that." Dori stepped aside, shaking his head slowly, and Nori wrenched the door open, charging out into the hall. It was almost midnight, and very quiet. The snick of his door locking behind him sounded like the toll of a great bell in the silence.

Without another word, he headed to the Hidden Door. Dori was behind him, no doubt wanting to say an emotional goodbye at the very last moment, and Bofur, Bombur and Marta met him along the way. They huddled into the small side chamber off of the doorway, and before they could share as much as a hello, Thorin loomed in the doorway.

"I know there's probably nothing I can say that will make you change your mind, but please, hear me," said the king, his voice heavy. "To leave like this – this is suicide. The mountain is surrounded, and since you arrived the enemy has doubled their presence. You won't make it to Mirkwood, let alone to Isengard! You know you're of no use to them dead."

"I know," said Bofur, his voice soft and sad. "We know."

"If you just wait a day or two, we could try and find a better plan, give you more of a chance," protested Thorin. "I will not stop you, Nori, but if you just wait-"

"I'll give the scum a head-start back home, and Nelly's good as dead,' snapped Nori. "There's no time."

"Who will save her if you fall, Nori? Who will save her then?"

Nori paused, turning slowly to face his king. "Are you telling me you wouldn't even try?"

Thorin shook his head. "Only that you have more chance than any of us to get them back, and that chance will be even greater if you just wait."

According to Nori's own rules, Thorin was right. It was always better to wait, to plan, to be careful. But if he waited too long…

"I can't," he said quietly. "If you want to wait, and set out after me, go for your life," he added to Bofur. "I'm out of here."

Thorin bowed his head. "Very well. I wish you all the luck that this world can hold."

"I – I should," stammered Bombur, but Bofur shook his head, squeezing his brother's arms.

"No. Your little ones need you here, and this… well, even if we get there in one piece, we won't be back for a while. It'd make more sense to double back to the Shire, or the Blue Mountains, even. That's too long for you to be away, Bombur, but I'll find him, if he can be found."

Nori shifted, giving his friends a little privacy and turning to his own brother gruffly. "A'ight. I'll see you on the other side, then."

Dori's nostrils flared, and he huffed angrily. "For the love of… will you never listen? I'm coming with you."

Nori felt his eyes bulge. "You - no-"

"Don't bother arguing, Nori, it's just a waste of time. And somebody has to try and keep you two fools alive," scolded Dori, but then his face softened, and he stepped closer, putting a hand on Nori's shoulder. "I know what they mean to you, Nori. And I love them too."

A lump rose in Nori's throat and he nodded. "Right then," he said. "Time to go."

Thorin nodded, leading them out towards the door.

"May the Valar protect you," he said softly, a thousand fears carved into the lines on his face. "And may fate help you bring them home."

Again, Nori nodded, and then the door was opened, and a cool rush of night air threw back his hood. He pulled it back up and stepped outside, stooping as low to the ground as he could. He half expected an arrow to shatter against the stone beside him, but there was no sound, and no movement. He heard the soft, steady footsteps of Bofur and Dori behind him, and Thorin's barely audible whisper of 'good luck,' and then the quiet grinding of stone on stone as the door was pulled closed. A thrill of doubt ran down Nori's spine.

They were alone, now. No help would come from the mountain if they came to trouble – it was one thing sacrificing his own life, but he was not the only one out here. He took a deep breath and locked away his emotions as best he could. They would not serve him now. Slowly and carefully, he began to climb, scaling the cliffside to the left of the door. Bofur and Dori followed, and every so often he caught a glimpse of their faces, pale in the moonlight. For the most part, their hoods covered the backs of their heads, and he was grateful. If an orc caught sight of pale skin in the darkness, they were dead.

It was slow work, the climb, and difficult. In the gloom of the night, finding grips and foot holes took time, and his fingers and forearms soon began to ache. Now and again, he would hear a soft curse as one of his companions lost their footing, but no one fell. Higher and higher they rose, winding their way around to the west, until after an hour of solid free climbing led them to the area of the mountain commonly called the Deathless Crags. There, the stone was rough and ragged, with deep crevices cutting into the rock, and hidden passageways formed from the formidable forces of long ago.

According to legend, they were the scar left behind after the great war Morgoth wrought upon Middle-Earth. Nori did not know whether or not that was true, and frankly, he did not care. All he cared about was the fact that his brother was right – the crags did well in hiding the trio of dwarves from any watching eyes. They began to descend, making northwards as best they could, towards where it was believed the lines of the enemy were thinner, but as they did, an eerie, rumbling sound began to growl from the southern face of the mountain. Where the doors were.

Holding up a hand to signal to the others, Nori paused, listening intently. It sounded like the tramp of many feet, only duller, almost muffled – as though a horde of men were trying to move without making any noise. At once, his mind turned to the army of men at their doors, but if it was indeed them moving, the quiet made little sense. There was no tactical advantage to it – if they were advancing speed would serve them better than silence. The guards would spy them a mile away.

"What is that?" Bofur murmured, and Nori shrugged slowly.

"Let's just keep moving," he said, and though both his companions hesitated, they nodded.

Crouching a little lower, Nori pressed on, ignoring the growing sound, and keeping his mind focused. Nelly and Bróin – he had to get to them. He had to reach Isengard before that damn uruk did, he had to. If he failed –

He pushed forward, faster, further, travelling with as much speed as silence would allow, until finally, the land before them grew smoother, and he stooped almost to the ground. Bofur and Dori followed him, creeping up to a large boulder and peering over the top of it to see how many soldiers they would have to face.

Nori blinked, and shook his head slightly.

"I thought you said the whole mountain was surrounded?" he hissed at Dori, and his brother shook his head, staring down in shock at the empty land below them.

"I thought… It was – the scouts've said for weeks they have us surrounded, and it's only got worse since you arrived. It's a trap! It's got to be!"

"For us?" asked Bofur uncertainly, and Dori nodded.

"Not us specifically, but I reckon they'd know Thorin would try and send someone, and they know we couldn't go out the main door… Thorin's right. We should turn back, regroup."

Nori gritted his teeth. "Turn back then, and shut up."

"Nori-"

"I said shut up!" he snapped, shielding his eyes and peering deeper into the gloom of the night. The sapling forests that had been upon the mountainside that all been burnt down and destroyed - they would be naked as soon as they left the cover of the rocks, and would be for several miles – until they reached the edge of the Long Lake, at least, but he could not catch sight of even a single guard. He shrugged, then looked at the others. "Right. If I make it three hundred feet, I reckon it's safe enough for you to follow."

Dori's eyes bulged. "Nori-"

"Wait!" gasped Bofur, reaching for him, but Nori had already leapt over the boulder, and he hit the ground running. He kept low, and he kept fast, speeding over the dirt and stone, and making as straight a line for the Lake as he could. Gravity urged him along, hastening him down the mountain, and he soon heard the dull treads of Dori and Bofur running along behind him. A thrill ran through him, sparking hope in his gut. They could make it – they might make it yet. His arms pumped faster at his sides as a grin of grim determination spread across his face.

And then he heard a bell. It rang loud and clear, a warning, an alarm, and his hope turned to horror.

"Run!" he cried, pouring on speed, and he could hear Bofur and Dori hurrying after him. They had to have been spotted. Any moment now, surely, the orcs would be upon them, but after a few moments, the bell stopped ringing.

Silence fell.

And then the sound of an explosion blew the quiet of the night to oblivion.

All her life, Pervinca Took had been known as the poised one. She was the one that watched folk for hours before forming opinions, the one who listened for minutes or even hours before she spoke.

She was the one who could not be read, the one who kept their feelings behind a graceful mask, the one who spoke of her fears to only a few. She was less dramatic than Pearl, and less impetuous than Nelly. She was nowhere near as animated as Pippin.

Some thought it was simply a matter of self-control, but Vinca was not so sure. She had always been that way, almost hesitant, even as she grew more sure of herself. The last time she had sobbed had been the night they buried Soren. Before that, she could not remember.

Now, her throat burnt and her cheeks stung with the residue of fading tears. She was still trembling, her lungs still trying to slow her breathing down, but her tears had stopped, and she was not sobbing anymore. With trembling hands, she strung Nelly's beads onto the chain around her neck. Nori had given them to her when he told her what the uruk had said, and they had been clenched in her palm ever since. The rich patterns of their carvings were emblazoned red on her skin, but now the beads sat against her chest, and she bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. Nori had told her of his plan – if it could even be called a plan – there and then, but he had begged her not to join him. He said that she was too young to go on a quest ending in death, that Nelly would never want her to go. That he would lock her in the dungeons before he would see her in such danger on the road.

So Vinca relented, and promised to stay.

Never, in all of her life, had she felt so alone.

She had never been away from her parents for so long, she had never been ripped away from her siblings by darkness and cruel twists of fate. Only once had she come close to feeling such grief, such loneliness and terror and emptiness, and that had been when Pippin and her father were kidnapped by orcs on their way to Erebor.

This was worse.

As a child, she had not really understood what was going on, and though she had been absolutely terrified, her mama had been with her. Her mother had comforted her, and shielded her from the worst-case scenarios as best as she could. Pearl had been with her too, and even though her voice had trembled and her tears had fallen into Vinca's hair, she had held her sister close through night and day, and had not let go of her hand until they reached Mirkwood. Beside them had been Nelly, and though she had spent most of her time with Nori, she had been there, and if Vinca called for her it would be only seconds before her sister appeared.

Nelly was not there now, and Vinca was not a child. She knew what could be happening, what her sister could be going through. She knew what it meant that Nelly was at the mercy of a traitor. She did not want to know, she could not bear to think or to imagine, but she knew. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Nelly there, bruised and bloodied, or screaming – or dead.

She could imagine her sister's head, delivered to Erebor on a silver platter, and there was no one there to chase the image away. She could not talk to Dís – there was enough stress on her already, and it was not good for the babies, but other than her sisters and her mother, Dís was the only soul that Vinca had ever truly confided in. She was the only person in the mountain that Vinca would want to talk to about her grief and her fear.

Almost.

She peered down at Nelly's beads, now sitting against her chest, and her resolve shattered. Biting her lip, she rubbed the remains of tears from her cheeks and stood up, grabbing her coat and lighting a lantern. Breathing slowly, deeply, she tried to ignore the lump in her throat, and slid a long, sheathed knife into her belt. Just in case.

It was gone midnight, after all.

Raising the lantern, she stepped quietly out of her front door, peering up and down the road of the Halls of the High Nobles. She could see no one else around, no man or woman or child – only the shadows of the guards lingering at the ends of the halls, just out of reach of her lamp light. She could feel their eyes on her, but it was not until she reached the exit of that one tried to stop her.

"Forgive me, my lady," he said. "I must advise you to return to your rooms. The night is no longer as safe as we would like it, and no one ought to be walking alone without care."

She inclined her head. "My thanks for your concern, sir. I may be alone, but I'm not without care. I hear your warning, and I ask you to kindly let me pass, please."

The guard bowed low. "As you wish, my lady. Take care."

"You too," she murmured, and she left the Halls of the High Nobles behind her. She had never been outside them at night before, not alone. Nelly had, all the time, but it drove their mother insane and Vinca would much rather avoid the arguments.

What she would not give to hear one now…

She blinked away fresh tears and sniffed, quickening her pace. The cool, deep darkness of the mountain was somehow comforting, though she could see little beyond the soft glow of her lantern. The streetlamps were no longer lit past eleven, given that fuel was becoming dearer.

Suddenly, she felt very much alone.

Vinca felt the urge to cry rise within her again, and she forced it back down, wiping her eyes on her sleeves and speeding up until she was all but running.

"Halt!" called a voice so suddenly and sharply that she jumped, and froze the moment her feet hit the floor. Slowly, she turned to look at the dwarf who had yelled, and her stomach gave a small swoop of fear. It was a guard, but not one who she knew, and his sword was pointing right at her.

"Who are you?" he barked, "And where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Kindly lower your sword, sir," she said, raising her chin. "My name-"

"Do not presume to tell me what to do!" snapped the guard, shoving his sword closer towards her. She leapt back, but the guard stepped forwards, resting the tip of his blade on the base of her neck, between her collarbones. Vinca froze. "I am sick and tired of you menfolk prancing around like you own the damn mountain! I've told Lord Dwalin we need a curfew, and this is why! Just what are you doing sneaking around in the dead of night, wench? Are you a thief, perhaps, or a whore?" he spat at the ground, and Vinca's fear was fully replaced by fury. She drew back her shoulders and raised her chin. Here, she knew that Nelly would speak in a voice like ice. Pearl would probably falter, or splutter in indignance or outrage. But Vinca was the most poised of her sisters, and so she merely lifted an eyebrow, and spoke in a voice as soft and sweet as she could make it.

"I am Pervinca Took, daughter of Lord Paladin of Erebor."

Fury still contorted on his face, the guard opened his mouth, but then he paused, and his eyes flicked down towards her bare feet. Concealing a grin, she drummed her hairy toes against the ground and watched as the blood drained from his face. He thrust his sword into his scabbard with such speed that he fumbled, and then he bowed so low that his beard scraped the floor.

"Forgive me, my lady!" he stammered. "I, I thought you were one of the Bardings!"

She shook her head slightly, her thumb tracing the base of her neck, where his sword had sat. "And you think that's a decent way to talk to one of the Bardings?"

The corner of the guard's eye twitched, as though he was fighting away a grimace. "I'm sure most of them are fine people, my lady, but you have to understand, there are some of them sneaking around at night, putting their noses where they ought not to put them. There've been thefts, and muggings and all sorts, down where the Men are staying, and it's my job to keep the people of the mountain safe."

"But a Barding my size would be a child," she said. "You would point a sword at a little girl and ask her if she was a thief or a whore?"

"I knew you were not a child," he protested, his gaze landing inevitably on her chest. Vinca stiffened, and fought the urge to back away, or draw her coat more tightly around herself. Slowly, the guard met her eyes, and a tinge of red coloured his cheeks. He grunted and looked away. "Besides, some women are short."

"What is your name, Guard?" she asked.

"Nifar," he grunted. "Son of Narfi. At your service. And here – if you tell Lord Dwalin of what I have said, I won't deny it! I speak only the truth. You interact with the noble Bardings, the ones with manners and morals – you don't see the rabble the rest of us deal with. They will be the death of this mountain."

"I will tell Lord Dwalin what you have said," she replied, keeping her voice soft even as she drove steel into her voice. "And I have half a mind to tell him that your blade touched my skin before I had a chance to offer my name."

Nifar turned a deeper shade of red, his scowl contorting his face even as alarm flickered in his eyes. "Do what you must, my lady."

"I might not mention it," she said slowly, "if you tell me one thing. Where is Ari, son of Orvar, positioned tonight?"

The dwarf paused, his scowl fading just a little. "Ari Lightfoot?" When she nodded, he jerked his chin towards the south. "He's in the first Guardroom after the doors. Near where the elven scu- where the elves are staying."

"Thank you," she said, as lightly as she could. "Now, if it's all the same with you, I'll be on my way. And please, Master Nifar, I know that things are uneasy, but please try to be a little kinder to our allies, now."

He bowed, stepping aside and letting her pass, and she walked by with all the slow decorum she could muster. As soon as she turned the corner, she sped up, but it felt like his gaze was still boring into her as she hurried through the darkness. She shivered.

Dwalin had said that things were getting tense, but she would never have imagined that a Guard of Erebor would do such a thing. Her hand rose again to the base of her throat, and she wondered what would have happened if she had not been a hobbit. It made her feel rather ill.

She wrapped her arms around herself as tightly as she could and hurried on, passing the quarters where the elves were sleeping and making a beeline straight for the nearby guardroom, but the as soon as she reached the open doorway, she froze. Ari was not alone – his captain was with him, and their heads were bowed low over the table in quiet conversation. If Captain Tolchar suspected that Ari and Vinca were seeing each other…

She stepped back, but Tolchar looked up, and then rose with a short bow. Beside him, Ari's eyes widened, and he stood up too.

"My lady," said Tolchar, bowing low. "Can we be of assistance?"

"I-" she choked, and tried to clear her throat, but a wave of tears rose like a furnace within her, and she shook her head slightly. "I just – I – I didn't…"

"What's wrong?" asked Ari, concern filling his eyes. "Vinca, are you alright, are you hurt?"

Tears fled down her cheeks as she shook her head, and stepped back again. "I, I'm sorry, I shouldn't've… I know you're on duty but I… I just wanted to talk to you. To Ari." Her voice came out like a broken whimper, and she felt herself begin to shake again. Embarrassment rose within her, a shame that she could not be stronger, but her poise seemed to have abandoned her entirely. "I'm sorry, it, it was stupid, but you - there's no one else in the mountain that I, I can talk to. I'm sorry, it was stupid and selfish and-"

"It was neither stupid nor selfish, Miss Took, though I grant that I think your wandering the mountain alone at night ill-advised, especially in such a state," said the captain, in a voice so gentle that Vinca gave a little gasp of shock. He strode over to her, taking her by the elbow and leading her to his chair. "I know that you and Master Ari have been friends since childhood, and I am well aware what news you heard yesterday. You have my deepest sympathies, my lady. Truly."

"Thank you," Vinca whispered, fumbling frantically for a handkerchief, but her pockets were empty. As if reading her mind, Captain Tolchar took a small, neatly pressed handkerchief from his own pocket and passed it to her.

"I know that you need your friends, but these are dangerous times, and in future it may be best to keep visiting to the daytime," he said quietly. "Nevertheless, you're here now – I don't believe there would be anything wrong with your taking your break now, Ari. When the hour is up, you may walk Miss Took home, and I expect you back here in no less than half an hour after that."

Ari looked up. "Are you sure, sir?"

"Certain," said Tolchar, bowing to Vinca once again. A look of sympathy and sorrow, deep and sincere, was carved into his face, and he nodded. "Once again, my deepest condolences, my lady."

He held out his hand, waiting for Vinca to rise and guiding her and Ari to the door. At once, Ari's arm slipped around her waist, high enough to look like the grip of a close friend, but he held her close as he led her out of the guard room and a little way down the hall in the opposite direction of the gate.

"I know somewhere close," he murmured to her. "Somewhere no one will disturb us. It's no far, I promise." She nodded mutely, and he led her up a small stairway to an old, wooden door. He unlocked the door with the ring of keys that hung from his belt, and pushed it open, leading her inside a small, windowless room, complete with a small bench. "It used to be an old watch room. My favourite, actually. Where this new stone is, that used to look over the front gates, and the view… It was beautiful…" Ari sighed, gazing at the stone as though he could somehow still see through it. "It was deemed too much of a risk to leave the window open. It was damaged by Smaug, and it'd been sured up, of course, but once the mountain was under a threat like this… No one can afford weak spots." Sniffing, Vinca nodded and wiped her nose, and Ari winced.

"I'm sorry," he said, taking her arms. "I'm sorry. You don't want to talk about that now."

"No," she whispered, fresh tears springing to her eyes as her voice choked on the lump in her throat. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't've, shouldn't've come out, I – your job, your honour, Ari, I, I'm sorry-" She fell silent as Ari wrapped his arms around her, sinking his fingers through her hair and pulling her close.

"Shh," he murmured, resting his cheek on her hair. "It's alright. It's alright. I'm here. I'm sorry I couldn't get the evening off. I tried… I wanted to be there with you. I'm so sorry, Vinca."

She bit back a sob, pressing her face against the firm lines of his armour. "I – I should, should've gone with Nori, I-"

"No. You did the right thing – but that doesn't mean we can't help. We'll keep trying Nelly, we'll keep doing anything we can to help, and if we can figure out how to get out of the mountain alive, we'll do it. I was thinking, if we send word to Mirkwood, Thranduil or the Beornings might be able to help. Come on, let's sit down." He steered her gently to a nearby bench, but kept his arms around her, drawing her into his lap.

"They'll be dead by the time we get there," she whispered, her fingers tightening around his arm. "Nori's right. They… they won't be coming home."

Ari held her tighter. "I'm so sorry, Vinca. I'm so, so sorry." She squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered, and he began to slowly rock back and forth. "It's alright," he whispered. "I'm here. You can cry. I've got you."

Vinca shook her head, but sobs broke free from her nevertheless, as though they had been waiting for Ari's permission. Resting his chin on her head, Ari hugged her close, and after a few moments she could feel his tears falling upon her hair.

"I know," he mumbled, his voice raw. "I know…"

At once, she thought of Austen and Auden, of Glóin finding their corpses, of Ari knowing with utmost certainty that his brothers would never be coming home. She let out a short wail and twisted around, crushing her face into his breastplate. She felt him take a deep breath, felt him shudder, felt him press kiss after kiss onto her hair.

For more than half an hour they sat like that, entwined, until final Vinca's sobs lost their strength, and left her be. Then, for a moment, they sat in silence.

"I wish there was something more I could say," said Ari softly, gently pulling a lock of hair away from Vinca's face and tucking it behind her ear. "I…"

"I know."

Ari glanced down for a moment. "I – it may sound callous but I – I'm glad you're here, Vinca. I'm so glad you're home. I was so scared... So scared."

Despite everything, a tiny shadow of a half-smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. "I'm glad I'm here too. I missed you."

"I missed you too. So much. I – I love you, Vinca."

"I love you, too," she whispered, drawing in a slow, deep breath. "Are you sure you won't get in trouble?"

"Positive," he said. "And I wouldn't care if I did."

"I would care," she said, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. "I don't want… I've said before that this is worth waiting for, Ari."

"I know," he replied, kissing the end of her nose. His eyes, usually so bright a shade of green, were dark with tears and sorrow. "You will always be worth waiting for. But grief doesn't wait. Pain doesn't wait. And if you need me, I won't wait either."

A lump grew in her throat and tears sprang to her eyes, but to her relief she did not start crying again. Instead, she reached up and took one of his braids between her fingers.

"I won't wait either," she promised. "Not when you need me."

He gave her a sad echo of a smile, and bowed his head. He had not talked to her about the twins' deaths. He had cried with her, and she had sat with him and held him, but he had not said a word, not even their names.

Now, she understood.

They sat in silence for a while, with Vinca twirling his braids over her fingers, and Ari twisting a hidden braid at the base of her scalp, but as they sat, Vinca's ears began to twitch. Beside her, Ari sat up a little straighter, listening too, and she frowned a little.

The sound was distant, an odd, rumbling trudge like an endless toll of thunder, or the muffled tread of a moving crowd, and it was growing louder. She glanced up at Ari. Confusion was furrowing his bow, but he gave a little shrug.

"It can't be anything dangerous," he assured her. "The Guard would have seen, raised the alarm."

She nodded, but kept listening. As the sound grew stronger, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she stood up.

"Ari, I think something's wrong."

"Alright," he said slowly, rising to his feet. "You think it's outside?"

"Sounds like it, doesn't it?"

He nodded, listening intently for a moment. "I know somewhere we can look out over the gate, from the side. This way," he said, leading her out of the door and back down the corridor. He stopped by another small door, opening it with another key from his ring. There was a small, stone staircase curling up behind it, and he began to climb, his hand trailing back to take Vinca's. The sound was louder here, much louder, but still oddly muffled, and after a moment or two they came to a small platform. Above it, just a little higher than their heads, was a long, thin window. Unlike an archer's window, it sat horizontal, long enough for two dwarves to easily gaze outside, but small enough that a man would struggle even to shove his hand inside. Ari and Vinca shared a glance, and then they stood on the platform, and peered outside.

Vinca's heart plummeted down through her stomach as her mouth dropped open, and her free hand closed on the cold stone of the windowsill.

It was impossible.

The army of Mordor was standing but fifty yards from the gate, their torches lit and their swords glowing red in the light of the flames.

And lying strewn across the balcony at the top of the gates were the bloodied bodies of fifty dwarven guards, each motionless. Each dead.

"It can't be," breathed Ari, his grip on Vinca's hand crushingly strong. "They – they would have raised the alarm; we would have heard something!"

"Look!" whispered Vinca, pointing at a rope dangling down by one of the bodies. "They came from above, it was an ambush – it's an ambush!"

Ari swore, sprinting back down the stairs so fast that Vinca's arm would have been wrenched from its socket if she had not been already running after him herself. They flew into the corridor and then Ari stopped abruptly, pressing his keys into Vinca's hands.

"Get back to the window and lock the door, stay there until I come back!"

"Where are you going?"

"The War Bell," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "It's right by the gate, but it's the quickest way to alert the whole army. Anything else will take too long."

She nodded, and pushed his keys back into his palms. "Let's go." Ari paused, pain twitching across his face, but she took his hand to the hilt of her knife. "I am not afraid of death."

He shook his head slightly, biting down on his lip and raising his hand towards her cheek. His eyes searched hers, and then they closed, and he nodded. Ari leant forward and kissed her forehead, lingering just a little longer than usual.

"I fear your death more than anything," he whispered. "But we are folk of Erebor, and fear cannot hold us." He paused, and then nodded at her left hand. "We should leave the lantern here – if they see us…"

She nodded, blowing out the flame and tucking it behind the door, plunging them both into gloom and darkness. It was not utterly black – the corridors nearest the gate were lit with candles, but they were few and far between, meant to offer enough light for a dwarf to glimpse his way. For a hobbit, it was not easy to see far beyond the reach of your arms.

"Stay close," Ari murmured, slipping through the darkness with as much stealth as a hobbit. The moniker Lightfoot had not been given poorly – Ari had been practising sneaking since he first met Bilbo all those years ago, and he made no more noise than Vinca did as they sped back towards the gate.

Footsteps began to sound in the darkness and Vinca stiffened, grabbing Ari's hand. Without a moment's hesitation he whirled around, grabbing her and pulling her behind a nearby statue. Heart pounding hard in her chest, Vinca tried to flatten herself against the wall as the footsteps grew closer. She glanced over her shoulder, peering through a hole in the statue in an effort to catch a glimpse of whoever was coming. Wedged in beside her, Ari did the same, and after a painfully long moment, a dwarf came into view.

Tolchar.

The captain was wiping his hands on his tunic, strolling back towards the Guard Room that he and Ari had been in as if he had not a care in the world.

"What a time for a bathroom break," breathed Ari, and Vinca started to smile, leaning out from around the statue.

And then a goblin dropped down from the ceiling and wrapped its great arm around Tolchar's mouth, smothering the furious roar of the captain in an instant. With a soft, snickering laugh, the goblin dragged his knife across Tolchar's throat, and Vinca's eyes widened in horror as the dwarf crumpled to his knees. Grappling at his neck, Tolchar choked for a moment, but then he slumped against the ground, his eyes wide and open, and dead.

Vinca whipped back around behind the statue, meeting Ari's horrified eyes as several more thuds met their ears – more goblins dropping from the ceiling, landing on the floor. Five, at least.

"Damn it, Radbug," snarled a cruel voice, and Vinca heard a soft thud as another goblin landed on the ground. "That one was mine!"

"There's plenty for all of us," sang Radbug quietly, stepping over Tolchar's body and striding down the corridor. "Besides, I got a bet on with Muzgash as to how many of the scum I can kill before they realise we're here. He reckons nearer a dozen, but I've beat that mark already. Aiming for fifty."

The other snorted. "Before the others get in? No chance. Any moment now that wall will be cracking."

"If you say so," said Radbug. "But how about a wager of our own – I bet I can stick three women before you can."

"You're on!" growled the other happily. "Come on, boys, let's find us some fresh meat before the rabble arrives!"

The other goblins cheered and cackled quietly, surging forwards down the hall – surging past Vinca and Ari. Still as the stone behind them, the pair watched the retreating backs of the goblins, but whether by fate or luck, not a single one of them turned around.

Ari and Vinca shared a glance for only a moment, and then they tumbled out from behind the statue.

"Do we, do we go after them?" Ari breathed, kneeling by Tolchar's side. Rage and grief trembled through his voice, and Vinca shook her head slightly.

"We have to raise the alarm," she whispered. "You said it yourself, we have to do it now!"

He nodded, rising to his feet, and then they ran, sprinting to the gate with all the speed they could muster. They came across no more goblins, but corpses littered their path. Guards, dozens of them, each taken by surprise, each spilling their blood across the flagstones of their city. So many of them Vinca knew, most by face, but some by name, and when she had to step around the corpse of Dwalin's brother-in-law, Darben, she felt her stomach clench and churn.

And then they reached the gate. The door to the balcony was hanging open, swinging slightly on its hinges, and Ari crept towards it, glancing outside.

"It's clear," he whispered, gazing up. "Far as I can see. The bell's at the far end!"

She nodded, and they crouched down below the wall, sneaking out onto the balcony. The wind was cold, and whipped over Vinca with a sudden lash that raised every hair on her body, but she refused to let herself shiver. She had to keep vigilant, had to keep looking up. If there were more goblins above them, if they were just waiting to drop…

"The rope!" Ari hissed, looking over his shoulder with eyes wide with horror. "They've cut the rope!"

Vinca followed his gaze up a long column to a large, heavy bell, and her heart sank. Sure enough, only a yard or so of rope remained hanging there, over fifty feet above their heads. Of course the goblins would have thought of that, if they had been smart enough to plan an ambush against this. She and Ari should have slayed Radbug and the others where they stood, they should have run screaming back into the city until the whole kingdom was awake. It was what Nelly would have done.

Vinca gasped.

"I have an idea. Cover me, if you can." Without waiting for his reply, she darted around the column, and let out a small sob of relief. "You're always right, aren't you Nelly?" she whispered. Ten years ago now, her sister had got in trouble for climbing one of Erebor's great columns – her defence had been that any column with carved decorations that made excellent hand holds was just asking to be scaled. For a dwarf, or a man, or even an elf, climbing using the engravings would be almost impossible, but hobbits had tiny fingers, and if Nelly could wedge her toes into the tiny gaps, so could Vinca.

So Vinca climbed, her heart skipping a beat every time that her fingers slipped. Cramp shot painfully across her hands, and her core began to shake, but she kept climbing, higher and higher, until finally she was just a little higher than the bell. She took a deep breath, and then she jumped, pushing away from the column and reaching out –

And her hands grazed the rope –

And closed around it –

And she swung -

And the bell tolled, and it was a sound so loud that she cried out in pain, cringing downward and trying to raise her shoulders up to cover her ears. She could feel it vibrating through her, feel the sound shuddering through every morsel of her body, shaking the rope from her grip, and her ears hurt so much she was sure that they were bleeding.

And in that moment, she thought of Nelly.

And she gritted her teeth, swinging herself forward again with all her might. The bell tolled again, louder, and she swung again, and again, and again. An arrow shattered against the wall behind her, and then another and she winced, but then she heard it – another bell, an answer.

"Vinca!" Ari roared. "Let go! Come on, we have to go! Let go, I've got you, I've got you!"

There was a great, screeching clang as an arrow hit the bell, and Vinca let go, too frightened even to scream as she plummeted down, but two strong arms caught her before she could hit the ground, swinging her around to lessen the impact. Ari ducked to the ground, out of range of the arrows, lowering her to the ground and brushing the hair from her face.

"Are you hurt?" he asked urgently, holding her face in his hands. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she gasped, grasping his wrist, but as she shook her head it span painfully. A new sound began to swell around them, one that made her skin crawl.

Laughter. The army was laughing.

"We need to move," said Ari, pulling her up onto her feet. "Now!"

She nodded, wincing at the movement, and they ran back inside. Ari threw himself against the balcony, peering down to the inside of the gate, and his eyes widened.

Catching the look on his face, Vinca peered down, her eyes narrowing in confusion. By the base of the gates, was a great metal ball, at least three feet wide, and spiked like a mace. She could smell it too, smell something burning, and she could spy the flickering of a flame below.

With a great roar, dwarven soldiers began to pour into the foyer below, but none came from the level that Vinca and Ari were on – none came from the balconies. Outside, the sound of laughter grew so strong that she could hear it, awful, jeering cackles, and among them a chant.

"Too late! Too late! Too late!"

She looked down again at the strange ball, and at the flame drawing nearer to it, and then she saw how the flame was alight. It was a fuse.

Just like fireworks.

Or a giant flash flame.

"Run!" she cried, seizing Ari's hand and sprinting as fast as she could back the way they had come.

She only made it five feet before the ground beneath them exploded in a tremendous roar of fire and sound, and then she was flying, flying and screaming with Ari's hand still clinging to hers –

And then there was nothing.

I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! I'm not overly comfortable writing romantic relationships as it is very much not my forte, so I hope I did Vinca and Ari justice. Please do let me know what you think, I love hearing your opinions and your theories!

Until next time, take care, and thank you for reading!