The Clouds Burst:
I slept uneasily that night. My growing anxiety about the coming fight was gnawing at me. I got up and went onto the balcony to clear my head. I stared at the fires in Dale and wished Thorin hadn't been so bullheaded and had agreed to honour his deal with Lake Town. I clenched my fist and muttered a few curses before turning my gaze back inside to Bofur's sleeping form.
I smiled at the bizarre way he was arranged on the bed. His hat was askew and it looked like he was trying to tie his limbs into a knot. I returned to bed and focused on his peaceful face. I was attempting to imprint his features into my memory in case something happened to him in the battle. I gently placed a kiss on his nose and sat against the headboard; staring at the stars until dawn broke.
The next morning we arranged ourselves on the wall in anxious preparation. Bard and Thranduil approached shortly after, followed by the army of elves. Thorin loosed an arrow in their direction; striking the ground in front of Thranduil's moose.
"I will put the next one between your eyes!" he growled.
The dwarves cheered and waved their weapons around. Suddenly the elves, as one, strung their bows and aimed them at us. All the dwarves, apart from Thorin, ducked for cover. A few seconds later Thranduil raised his hand and the elves put their weapons down.
"You can get up now" I whispered.
"We've come to tell you, payment of your debt has been offered...and accepted" Thranduil smirked.
"What payment? I gave you nothing! You have nothing!" Thorin retorted angrily.
"We have this" Bard said as he reached into his coat and pulled out a stone that had a strange glow to it.
"They have the Arkenstone? Thieves! How came you by the heirloom of our house?" Kili asked angrily "that stone belongs to the king!"
"And the king may have it – in our good will" Bard replied "but first he must honour his word."
"They are taking us for fools" Thorin muttered "this is a ruse, a filthy lie. THE ARKENSTONE IS IN THIS MOUNTAIN! IT IS A TRICK!"
"It – it's no trick" Bilbo stammered "the stone is real, I gave it to them."
Thorin turned around with a thunderous expression "you..."
"I took it as my fifteenth share" Bilbo replied.
"You would steal from me?" Thorin asked incredulously.
"Steal from you? No. No. I may be a burglar, but I like to think I'm an honest one" Bilbo stood his ground "I'm willing to let it stand against my claim."
"Against your claim? Your claim! You have no claim over me you miserable rat!" Thorin growled as he threw his bow to the ground and strode towards Bilbo.
"I was going to give it to you" Bilbo backed up slightly "many times I wanted to, but..."
"But what, thief?!" Thorin was irate.
"You are changed, Thorin!" Bilbo shot back "the dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word! Would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin!"
"Do not speak to me...of loyalty!" Thorin choked out. He turned to the others "throw him from the ramparts!"
We all shifted uneasily as Thorin glared at us all individually.
"DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Thorin roared before grabbing Fili's arm.
Fili shook him off and Thorin spun around in a circle for a moment before rounding on Bilbo "I will do it myself!." He grabbed Bilbo's coat and started pulling him towards the edge.
The dwarves leapt forward trying to separate the two, but Thorin proved stronger and soon had Bilbo bent backwards over the rampart.
"Cursed be the Wizard that forced you on this Company!" he growled.
"IF YOU DO NOT LIKE MY BURGLAR..." Gandalf's voice resounded across the plain "then please do not damage him. Return him to me."
Thorin's gaze settled on me for a very unsettling moment and I was sure he was going to order me thrown off the sheer drop as well.
"You're not making a very splendid figure as king under the mountain, are you? Thorin son of Thrain!" Gandalf continued.
Thorin slowly let Bilbo up and some of the dwarves quickly pulled him away.
"Never again will I have dealings with wizards..." Thorin growled as Bilbo threw a rope over the wall. "Or Shire-rats!"
I waited for him to say something about me but he didn't, he just turned back to face Bard and Thranduil.
"Are we resolved?" Bard asked "the return of the Arkenstone for what you promised."
Thorin ignored him and stared at the ridge in the distance.
"Give us your answer!" Bard demanded "will you have peace...or war?"
At that moment a raven swooped down and perched next to Thorin.
Thorin stared at the bird for a few seconds before raising his head high. "I will have war!"
A strange rumbling echoed across the plain, causing us to look at the ridge in the distance. Movement caught my eye and I was amazed to see a large contingent of heavily armoured dwarves marching into view.
"Is that what you meant by never underestimating dwarves?" I asked Thorin with awe in my voice.
"You are correct" Thorin replied turning towards me "and I think it is time you went inside."
"How come?" I asked growing uneasy.
"You have not the right to join in arms" he replied.
"Are you serious?!"
"Very! Now get out of my sight!" Thorin retorted.
I stalked away muttering curses under my breath. I went back to my room and perched myself on the balcony to watch how things unfolded. Due to the lay of the land I could just make out what was being said below.
"Good morning! How are we all?" a dwarf asked as he rode towards the elves on an armoured boar. "I have a wee proposition, if you wouldn't mind giving me a few moments of your time" he said "would you consider...just sodding off!"
The elves drew their swords and stepped forwards as the townsfolk retreated a few steps.
"All of you - right now!" the dwarf sounded like he was getting angry.
"Stand fast!" Bard ordered.
Gandalf strode forwards "come now, Lord Dain!"
"Gandalf the Grey" Dain seemed surprised "tell this rabble to leave, or I'll water the ground with their blood!"
"There is no need for war between dwarves, men and elves!" Gandalf retorted "a legion of orcs march on the mountain! Stand your army down!"
"I will not stand down before any elf!" Dain fired back "not least this faithless woodland sprite!" he gestured to Thranduil. "He who wishes nothing but ill upon my people! If he chooses to stand between me and my kin – I'll split his pretty head open! See if he's still smirking then!"
"He's clearly mad" Thranduil replied "like his cousin!"
Dain turned back to his army "you hear that lads?! Come on! Let's give these bastards a good hammering!"
A dwarf yelled out a command and the army raised their weapons and cheered. The elves responded by arranging their shield and spear wall in the front with their archers behind. The armies faced off and then a sudden rumbling came from the base of a mountain spur. The mountain exploded as giant worms broke through the tough rock with their crushing jaws.
"Oh, come on!" Dain sounded exasperated.
The worms retreated and at the sounding of a horn, legions of orcs began to pour from the bowels of the mountain.
"The hordes of hell are upon us!" Dain called "to battle! To battle, sons of Durin!"
Part of the army, with Dain at the head, turned and rushed towards the orcs.
"I'm going over the wall!" Fili's voice echoed along the wall "who's coming with me?"
"Stand down!" came Thorin's voice.
"What?"
"Are we to do nothing?" Fili asked.
"I said STAND DOWN!" Thorin roared.
Was Thorin really not going to go and assist his cousin?! I rushed back to the others to find Thorin gone.
"Does he really mean it?" I asked.
"I'm afraid so lass" Balin replied a look of sadness crossed his face.
I looked back to the plain and saw the dwarves had stopped and built a shield wall. I gripped my sword in concern as the orcs approached the wall at a very quick pace. Just as the orcs reached the dwarves, however, the elves leapt up and over them wielding their swords as one as they attacked. The elves pushed the orcs back and soon the dwarves raised their shields and followed. I could just see Dain riding through their ranks, laying about with his enormous hammer as he went.
I saw movement in the tunnels and my stomach dropped as more orcs and, to my horror, huge trolls rushed forwards. Thranduil noticed and shouted orders to his troops. They stopped and pulled their bows out, preparing to fire.
Another horn sounded and a legion of orcs turned from the battle and made for Dale.
"Where are they going?" Ori asked.
"Towards Dale!" I replied with mounting concern "there are women and children in the city! What pit of hell did these foul creatures come from?"
"All of you, fall back to Dale! Now!"
I looked down and saw Bard, the townsfolk, Gandalf and Bilbo start towards the city to block the orcs.
"I have to go!" I said through clenched teeth "I must be with my people."
"Are you mad lass?" Dwalin asked "you're injured! What hope do you think you have of getting to Dale in one piece?"
"Smaug killed my whole family" I shot back "my nephew is that only one who survived and he is currently down there unprotected and alone, and the city is about to be overrun with demons! I will not abandon my kin regardless of how injured I am."
Bofur patted my arm "are yer sure about this?"
"May the gods keep you from harm lass" Balin replied.
"You aren't going to stop me?" I asked suddenly thrown off course.
"No, we understand what drives you" Balin gave me a small smile.
"Take this with yer, in case…well yer know..." Bofur held out his tooth earring.
"What?" I took it and looked at him in confusion.
"If I don't make it, this'll be somethin' to remember me by" Bofur replied.
"In that case" I pulled out a pendant from my boot "this was my mother's, she gave it to me when I left on my journey" I placed it in his hand "if something happens to me..."
"Time to go, lass" Balin said in a resigned voice.
"I love you" I whispered as I placed the pendant over Bofur's head.
"I love yer too" he whispered back.
I attached the earring to one of my braids and made my way to the rope Bilbo had used. I looked back at the dwarves and with a brief nod eased myself over the edge. My ribs screamed and I clenched my teeth as I slipped down the rope as quick as I could. I could see Bard a short distance away so I steeled myself against the pain and started running.
"Come on! Move!" Bard yelled at the townsfolk as they ran past.
"B-Bard, take me with you!" I wheezed as I reached him.
He whirled his horse around and turned very pale "Anduin? What are you doing here? I thought you were safe in the mountain?"
"My nephew is alone and scared and the city is going to be overrun with orcs what did you expect me to do?" I replied "sit back in relative safety with a gold-crazed dwarf or fight for my people?"
"Point taken, on you get" Bard grabbed my hand and pulled me up behind him.
I hissed at the pain but we were soon galloping towards the city. We crossed the bridge and I heard crashes coming from the far side. It wasn't long before the screaming started. The orcs had made their way inside!
"Hold on Kanin! I'm coming" I whispered fiercely.
We rode into the city and dismounted, drawing our swords.
"Kanin! Where are you?" I called searching the fleeing people anxiously.
"My children! Where are my children?" Bard called.
"I saw them" a woman said as she passed by "they were down in the old market."
"The market?! Where are they now?" Bard searched the mass of people "Tilda! Sigrid!"
"Was my nephew there are well?" I asked the woman before she left.
"That he was, he was with Bard's young ones" she replied before disappearing.
Percy suddenly appeared leading a group of Lake Town soldiers. "Bard, orcs are storming over the causeway!"
"Get the bowmen to the eastern parapet" Bard replied "hold them off for as long as you can!"
"Archers, this way!" Percy called as he headed off.
"The orcs have taken Stone Street!" a man cried as he fled in past "the market's overrun!"
"The market?! that's where the little ones were!" I looked up at Bard in a panic.
His mouth set in a grim line Bard squeezed my shoulder and turned to the rest of our group "the rest of you, follow me!"
We set off and it wasn't long before we encountered the orcs. Gritting my teeth at the pain in my chest I hacked at the orcs, one after the other falling before me. We made little headway in their numbers but we pushed the enemy back a few dozen paces. I tried to stay as close to Bard as I could but we got separated and I found myself on the edge of the knot of townsfolk.
I paused to catch my breath and suddenly heard familiar voices shouting from down the hill. I looked behind me and saw Bard's children and, to my relief, Kanin waving at us from the bottom of the lane. I glanced at Bard and saw he'd noticed them as well. All of a sudden his face turned pale and I spun back to the little ones to find a troll approaching them. I fought my way to Bard and helped him overturn an old cart, which we launched down the hill. We raced towards the children at such a fast pace I was sure we'd run them down.
"GET DOWN!" Bard yelled as we barrelled down the hill.
The children flung themselves on the ground as the cart bounced over them, straight into the troll. We were flung out and I braced myself for landing because it was going to hurt a lot. I landed in a snow drift while Bard flew forwards into the troll; his blade going through the beast's heart.
"Auntie!" Kanin cried as he ran over to me.
I eased myself to my feet and crushed the boy to me, thankful he wasn't hurt. "Sweetheart, I'm glad you're okay" I kissed his forehead and carefully picked up my sword.
Bard lead the way up an empty street before turning to his children. "I need you to gather the women and children. Take them to the Great Hall and barricade the door." He looked at the children intently "do you understand – you must not come out for any reason!"
"We wanna stay with you!" Tilda replied.
"Show your father some respect!" Alfrid sneered as he stepped out from a doorway "you leave it to me, sire. You heard him, we make for the Great Hall!" he started pushing the girls away as Bard called after him.
"Alfrid, women and children only. I need every man fighting" he stared at the man in front of him "see that you return!." He thrust the sword he'd taken from Bain into Alfrid's hand.
"I'll get them to safety, sire" Alfrid replied as orcs appeared nearby "and my sword is yours to command."
He started rounding people up and Bard held his son's face earnestly.
"Look after them!" he whispered fiercely.
"Kanin, stick to them like a shadow" I said embracing my nephew "I'll find you when this is over, I love you."
"I love you too" he wrapped his arms around my neck and placed a kiss on my nose.
I watched with a heavy heart as the children disappeared from view but the orcs wouldn't leave me alone with my thoughts for long, and battle soon recommenced.
In the ensuing fight I was separated from Bard and found myself pushed towards Gandalf and Bilbo. In the brief respite that followed I struggled to find breath and went down on one knee gasping.
"Anduin?!" Bilbo asked astounded "what are you doing here?"
"Protecting...my...family!" I wheezed, struggling to get back on my feet.
"Up you get, my dear" Gandalf said gently pulling me up.
I glanced at the battlefield and was appalled at the state of things. Dain's army had been decimated and had set up a shield wall in front of broken causeway to Erebor. The orcs had lined up in huge ranks in preparation to attack. Several heavily armoured trolls shouldered their way to the front and started forwards as a horn sounded.
"Can you do anything?" I asked Gandalf. If the orcs broke through, everyone in the mountain would die!
"I'm afraid not" the wizard replied grimly.
He opened his mouth to say something else when a different horn sounded. I snapped my head around to face the battlefield again, the horn had come from Erebor!
"Thorin!" Bilbo breathed.
Suddenly the rock barricade the dwarves had built was smashed from the inside by an enormous golden statue. As one the dwarves rushed across the debris and passed through Dain's soldiers.
Dain raised his hammer and started shouting "TO THE KING! TO THE KING!"
"Du Bekar!" Thorin roared as he lead the way.
The dwarves smashed into the orcs and started making a dent in their numbers.
"The dwarves!" Bilbo said "they're rallying!"
"They're rallying to their king!" Gandalf sounded close to tears.
Bard's voice echoed through the city "any man who wants to give their last - follow me!"
The sounds of fighting grew closer and I shook off my fatigue and started towards the fighting.
"Anduin?" Bilbo called after me.
"I have to go, my friend" I replied with a tight smile "if I don't survive, it was a great pleasure meeting you."
I walked away and fell upon the first orcs I saw with a ferocity that surprised me. I fought my way to the Great Hall and was amazed to see the women pouring out the building wielding whatever weapons they could get their hands on. I took my place among them and together we did our best to defend the infirm and children.
While facing off against one orc, I failed to see another coming behind me until it crashed into me. My ribs flared in pain more excruciating than I'd felt since the injury had occurred. I managed to kill both orcs before sinking to my knees; struggling for air. I managed to take a few deep breaths but it wasn't enough. My vision went black and the last thing I heard was screaming and clashing blades as I fainted.