I awoke with a jolt. Looking around carefully I saw nothing amiss, and guessed it to be just after midnight. Laddybuck looked up from where he was dozing off and I stood. My instincts were a buzz, something was wrong. And since nothing was wrong here...then the others! Grabbing my pack and shoving my blanket into it, I whistled to Laddybuck. Kicking dirt onto the coals of my fire I put my sword onto my back. I said to the horse, "I think there is something wrong with the others. We're going to go take a look."
Slipping my pack on over my sword I saw Laddybuck cock his head at me, "I thought you were angry with them. And now you want to help them?"
I nodded, grimacing, "I'm a glutton for punishment. And, not all of them are so bad. It can't hurt to check."
Laddybuck just sighed but said no more as I swung on and we headed back towards the others. The closer we got the more I worried. It was too quiet, no animals could be heard and I didn't even hear ponies when we were nearly upon the camp. I stopped Laddybuck and looked at the embers of the camp fire. From what I could see, they had been there. But their bedrolls were still on the ground, tho no packs or ponies. And no Dwarves.
Slipping off Laddybuck I looked carefully at the ground, thankful the moon was bright enough for me to see some. From what I could see, they had been grabbed and trotted off somewhere by a large group of people. Listening carefully I finally heard a screech. Opening my mouth I screeched back and had to watch carefully as an owl silently drifted down to a tree near my head. It was a Great Horned Owl and it hooted, "Yes?"
I smiled at it and asked, "Pardon me, but have you seen that Dwarves who were camped here?"
The owl turned it's head but not it's body to look behind him, "The Bandits came by and grabbed them. Took them to the Keep not long ago."
I frowned, glancing around worriedly, "Bandits? The Keep?"
The owl looked at me and said, "Yes, there's a fort at the base of those cliffs." He looked to the right, "Den of thieves live there, they kidnap people to be forced into fights for pleasure."
I thanked him and the owl wished me luck before he took off to hunt. I quickly gathered the bedrolls and flopped them onto Laddybuck's back before getting on behind them and we headed for those cliffs, all the while I worried for the Dwarves and how I was going to free them.
0o0
I could hear the Fort before I could even see it and I stopped Laddybuck a ways from it and made sure he would stay put in the forest while I went to take a better look.
A lone cliff face loomed ahead and I could see a road cut into it that lead up to a huge cave that was fenced off and I could see smoke coming out so there might be buildings inside the fence. It had guards and torches posted and I heard the roar of the crowd. I hoped the Dwarves were alright and felt something touch my leg. I looked down at a small brown polecat who asked, "You want to go in?"
I said softly to it as I knelt to see it better, "My friends are in there, I have to get them out." The polecat moved up to the top of my knee and raised itself to look me in the face, "Kidnapped huh? Then they are probably going to be forced into the fights."
I heard another roar and I asked it, "How would I get them out before the fights?"
The polecat's nose twitched and it said, "You'd have to fight their fights for them. And give gold to the Master of the Thieves for an admissions fee. Or else they will tear you apart."
I hummed, thinking this over and it said, "I'll help you, let me ride on your shoulders and I'll tell you the best places to get the gold you need and where the arena is. It's a maze in there and you may not have much time." I looked at it in surprise and it have a toothy grin, "I've been in there many times to get food. And I owe the Masters cat one for eating my mate and kits."
I ran my hand down it's soft back, "I'm sorry for your loss." He nuzzled my hand and said, "My name is Cheese. If we get out alive, give me some cheese and we will call it even."
I grinned at him and stood, raising him so that he could ride on my shoulders, hidden in my hair. He said warningly, "But if you fight, they will make you fight in your underclothes to be sure you have no weapons hidden."
I grimaced but thanked him and went back to Laddybuck. There I explained to him what I was going to do while taking off my hidden sheaths and making sure my underclothes were secure. I put my sheaths and throwing knives into my pack and then fastened it on top of the bedrolls with some rope to Laddybuck's withers. He wished me luck and told me to call when I was ready for him. I gave him a final pat before fastening my cloak to my shoulders and over my head.
Scowl firmly in place I slipped into the shadows and up the ridge, unseen until I reached the gate. My glare and scowl made the guards notice me and think me a thief, but they weren't about to let just anyone in. Until I slipped them two silver pieces.
They let me in, I sighed in relief even tho those were my last coins. Then I only had to listen to Cheese to know where to go for some easy steals. Good thing I had Cheese, because the buildings were meshed together and it really was a maze. The cave went way back into the cliff and there was more shady people there then I had ever seen in my life.
I slipped through them unnoticed and with a light hand, picked the pockets of whoever Cheese told me and came out loaded with silver and gold. I put the silver in one pouch and the gold in another. I could tell from the people I stole that they were the higher ups of this place, and thieves themselves. But apparently they didn't think to be stolen from here or from someone as good as me. I eyed the buildings and a wild grin formed on my face. Swiping some rope I went unnoticed as I made a few adjustments. Satisfied with my work I nodded to Cheese.
Next Cheese directed me to the arena and I found myself at the gates, guarded by two big guards. Hiding my face in shadow I flashed two silver coins and they disappeared into their hands and I was let in. The noise was almost deafening and I made my way through the crowd with well placed elbows and shoves. Finally finding myself at the edge I saw two men fighting in the arena, going at each other with daggers. Instead of watching the fight I scanned the crowd. Cheese nudged my neck with his nose and whispered in my ear, "That's the Master, the one with the scarred cheek. Next to him in the red vest is his right hand man."
I saw the men he was talking about. The Master was a decent looking fellow with a jagged scar on his right cheek bone, neat black hair slicked back and a goat tee. His right hand man looked like a rat with straw like hair, squinty eyes and buck teeth. A roaring cheer told me that the fight was over and the dead man was dragged from the arena and the winner given a purse and lead out. I moved down the stage I was on and then down some stairs to a gate that lead into the arena. I heard the rat man yell, "And now! Our latest catch!" He pointed across the arena.
I looked across the arena to a cage built into the rock. Then the thirteen Dwarves of my Company was shoved into the arena by armed beefy guards and shoved into the cage. My heart worried for them, the older Dwarves kept Ori and the Princes in the middle of them but they all looked a bit scuffed up. The rat man yelled eagerly, "We will see them fight! Unless one of you would like to fight for them?"
The boo's and roars made my ears ring and I smiled at the guards at the gate. They eyed me and I said, "I'm fighting. Let me pass."
They didn't, but after I bashed their heads together they moved to take a nap. I opened the gate and walked into the middle of the arena. The crowd saw me before the Master or the rat man and whispers rose as they eyed me, a lone cloaked figure in the big arena. I pulled back my hood and bowed gracefully to the Master, "I'll fight for them."
The Master's eyes narrowed and the rat man barked, "Who the hell are you!?"
I glared at him and he shut his trap with a snap, "I wasn't talking to you." I looked at the Master, "I was talking to the Master of this fine establishment."
The Master leaned forward and said, deep voice rising above the whispers, "I'm listening." His dark eyes were intelligent and curious. I said loudly, "Your men took my friends." I gestured to the Dwarves, who looked shell shocked to see me, "and that was very rude. But I'm willing to negotiate. I hear that if I fight for my friends, we go free."
He hummed and I said innocently, face carefully blank, "And we'd like our packs and ponies back as well if that's not too much trouble."
His laughter startled his people but I just gazed at him, waiting. He grinned widely at me and asked, "And what makes you think I'll just let you do as you please?"
I grinned, shrugging, "I hadn't thought much of anything recently," and then tossed him a pouch, "Or is it that I forgot to pay the fee?"
He caught the bag and his eyes widened when he saw the gold in it. I then tossed him the silver, "For the packs and ponies. If I win."
He pocketed the pouches and nodded to me, impressed, "If you win. Thirteen fights. For your... friends." Then his rat face friend smirked, "Without your clothes or weapons." I asked, hoping I wasn't pushing my luck too much, "May I see that my friends are unharmed before we begin?"
The Master waved to me to go ahead, but said, "After you give your weapons to a guard." A guard was helping the two I knocked out and another came up to me. Cheese was hidden in my hair and I was careful with that in mind as I took off my sword and daggers. Glancing at the Master, the guard said, "You get these back if you win." His smirk said that he didn't believe I would win. I smiled back pleasantly as I handed my weapons over with my cloak.
Then I went over to the Dwarves, whispering to Cheese and saw that Thorin was red in the face and about to murder someone. But before Thorin could yell, I put a finger to my lips and said, "No names. And don't bother trying to talk me out of this, your stuck and I'm in the best place right now to get you out. Are you all alright?"
Thorin hissed, "What are you doing?" I grinned at him, "Busting you out. And I think I deserve to let off some frustrations after all the crap you've put me through."
That shut him up and I winked at them, "No worries. If I lose, you can chew me out then." Nori grinned at me, "Glad to see you lass, tho I don't think you are very wise in doing this."
I laughed, which startled most of them and said, "Eh, you'll see." I looked at Ori and asked, "Hey Ori, would you mind watching over something for me?"
He straightened himself and came up to the cage and I reached through the bars and clasped his arm. Cheese went down my tunic sleeve and then up Ori's arm and to his shoulder. Ori looked surprised but pleased, "This is Cheese. Keep him safe."
Ori nodded vigorously, petting Cheese with gentle fingers and I heard a shout for me to get ready. I rolled my eyes and stood. Going over to the gate closest to the arena I closed my eyes for a second to gather my courage and then stripped. I heard the Dwarves shocked and angry voices before the cat calls and whistles from the crowd drowned them out. Folding my clothes neatly, with my boots on top and my socks in my boots, I gave them to the guard that had taken my swords and swung my arms to get them loose.
Moving to stand before the cage I heard the sharp intake of breaths from the Dwarves and curses. I didn't need to ask why, standing in just my loincloth and breast band. I figured my scars would make a nun swear. My back was scarred much like I had been dragged on my back across glass and sharp rocks. No patch was the same and my back was littered from just below my neck to my waist and the back of my thighs.
One of the three worst scars was a two inch wide scar that went from my spin in the middle, down to my left hip and disappeared into my loincloth and down to the inside of my thigh. It was rough, bumpy and in some places shiny from being burned. The second worst was a scar that went from my right shoulder, across my collar bone, to my left shoulder. The third worst scar was on my stomach where I had been gutted. The rest of my torso and some spots on my limbs were littered with scars. All of these were made because of that man. A constant reminder of the man who had hunted me most of my life.
I just flashed the Dwarves a grin, seeming unfazed but their looks of shock and horror made my gut wrench. It didn't help when the crowd began shouting their shock and disgust. I just grinned like a maniac and called, "So whose first?"
A rough looking man came into the arena, and when he looked me up and down his grin made my temper flare. But I was excited, ready to let loose some frustrations on things I could hit. He came at me with a closed fist, obviously not expecting me to fight back. Or to fight well. My foot in his gut that sent him flying back to the other side of the arena where he crumbled like a cookie, changed his mind.
The silence in the place was amusing and I flicked my fingers at the Master, "Is that the best you got?"
I heard Nori's hoot and flashed a grin back at him as my next opponent came into the arena. Him and the next four weren't even worth mentioning. A quick hard hit each and they were done. The next three were a bit better, but I still took them out with relative ease. Hell, Ori could have beaten these guys one on one.
The rat man looked almost like he was having a heart attack, red faced and screeching. Apparently I wasn't suppose to last this long. The Master just looked amused and rat man barked for someone to get someone. I guessed better fighters. I walked over to the cage and leaned against the wall next to it, asking Nori quietly when he came up, "What do you think?"
He snorted, "I think Ori could have taken those guys." I chuckled and nodded, "I agree." Ori looked up at me with a grin, Cheese peeking out from under his brown hair. Dwalin said gruffly, "Don't get cocky."
I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm not, I'm bored. These guy are hardly a threat. The only reason they got all of you is because they had the numbers, am I right?"
Dwalin seemed surprised but Balin chuckled, "Right you are lass. Ah, I think they have your next opponent."
I looked as a man came into the arena and gave a nod of thanks to Balin before moving to the middle to meet him. The man had a shield on one arm and a sword in his other hand. The Dwarves cried foul for the weapons but I hadn't expected this place of thieves to play fair. The man smirked at me and I got a chill at the cold look in his eyes. He said in a voice of silk, "You know, when I gut you, I get that pretty dark haired Dwarf all to myself."
I glanced to where he was looking and saw Kili duck behind Fili, who looked like he was going to murder this man. If Thorin didn't get to him first. When I looked back at the man his perverted look and him licking his lips, pissed me off! I knew he wasn't talking about fighting Kili, he was talking about Kili being a prize!
I snorted, causing the man to look at me and I said coolly, "I don't think so. You'll have to get through me first."
This just caused him to laugh and twirl his sword. I flexed my hands and said smoothly, "And I don't think he would mind too much if I defend his honor this once."
I looked back at Kili and winked. He gave a hesitant smile before his look turned to horror and I spun, dancing away from the sword slash and ducked a strike from the shield. Dancing further away, he pursued me as I watched him carefully for a weakness. I slowly began to grin when I saw one and he paused for a moment, frustrated. "Stop dancing away bitch!"
I cocked an eyebrow, anger growing and my grin turning feral. I stood relaxed in front of the cage and shrugged. This made him angrier and he lunged with a roar. His swing was to the side and I heard the gasps. Just before the sword connected with my side I lunged forward and grabbed his wrist before it connected. He cried out as my hand crushed bone and strike out at me with the shield. I grabbed that arm and twisted hard with both hands. His wrist and forearm snapped and he screamed, sword and shield dropping. He fell to his knees with a whimper and I grabbed the front of his tunic and forced him to look at me, "Stay the hell away from him you piece of shit!"
My fist connected with his jaw and I felt his jaw shatter underneath my knuckles. Spinning on my heel I slammed my foot into his chest and knew I broke some ribs as he skidded back, blood pouring from his mouth. With a disgusted snort I backed away as a guard ran up to retrieve the sword and shield and another to drag the man out.
Another man walked in before the guard could even get out of the gate and cracked a whip in the air. I sighed heavily, rolling my eyes, "Really? A whip? Why not a spear? A hammer? Something original."
He snorted and cracked the whip near my feet. This tactic was meant to make me keep my distance and to wear me out by making me run from the whip. But I didn't move an inch, making him frown and he snaked it out to get my face and I blocked with an arm. It wrapped around my arm and his smirked told me he thought he had me. But his smirk faded when I dashed in, catching him unawares and with a punch in his gut, he crumbled. I grabbed his arm and threw him after the man before he was even out of the gate. He crashed into the man and both fell with a groan.
Dusting off my hands I tossed the whip after them and heard the cheering of my companions. I bowed comically to them from the waist and cocked my head at the rat man, waiting. He seemed to be pulling his hair out and barked for the next to come in.
I felt the blood drain from my face when a giant of a man stalked into the arena. It took my brain a moment to realize that it wasn't Bruce, but close enough in size and shape that it could have been. But unlike Bruce, who was bald, this man had mane of brown hair that stuck out wildly and a big beard. He wasn't wearing a shirt and I saw the scars on his chest that was as wooly as a dog. I heard Dwalin curse under his breath and Fili murmur, "Well, so much for our freedom." His yelp told me that Kili had elbowed his brother.
The man sneered at me, seven feet tall at least and as wide as a barn. I stared at him for a moment and then was startled when he moved much faster than he should have been able to! Putting up a block not a second too soon, his fist smashed into my arm and face and sent me flying! All I could think of was, "Fuck me."
I hit the wall next to the cage with my back, feeling the grain of the rock dig into my skin and crumbled. Laying there stunned, mostly from the fist blow than the hit with the rock wall. I heard the cheers of the crowd and the roars from the Dwarves. Ori, Fili and Kili were yelling for me to get up and the others shouted encouragement to me or threats at the man.
The man roared his victory and I blinked the stars from my eyes and pushed myself up, wincing at the bruises. I tasted blood, my lip was cut and my jaw and arm was sore but thankfully not broken. The crowd gasped as I got to my feet and I glared at the man as he turned, looking surprised. My anger from the past few days boiled over and I spat at his feet, "My grandmother, gods rest her soul, can hit harder than you, weakling!"
A voice in the back of my mind told me not to antagonize the wall of muscle but I usually didn't listen to it, so why start now?
