Chapter 30

Thorin looked around the battle scene, hoping to catch sight of his son. "Dain! Where is Bilbo?"

Dain shook his head. "I don't know, my king. I saw the Elf-King grab him and unchain him, but I lost sight of them both after that. None of my men, as far as I know, have seen his body, so he must still be alive. They haven't reported anything."

Thorin clutched his sword in anxiety. "If anything befalls my son…"

Thranduil rode past them. "Bilbo is in Dale. I told him to find cover." With that, the king was off again, decapitated ten Orc in one swoop.

Dain scoffed. "How many Orcs I could kill if I had arms as long as his!"

Thorin snorted. "I'm heading towards Dale. Keep your backs to the mountain. We cannot allow the scum to get inside."

"Which scum? Elf or Orc?"

Thorin barked a laugh and dived back into the fighting. He found a war ram and mounted it. After looking around for Dwalin, he found his nephews and the two brothers in the biggest chariot that could be found in Erebor. A small smile twisted his lips when he heard Dwalin laughing as he ran over Orcs.

Waving to them to catch their attention, Thorin shouted. "I'm going to Dale. Bilbo was last seen there!"

Dwalin nodded and rode past Thorin, only to halt the rams. "Here. Give this to the lad." It was the mithril shirt. Thorin smiled gratefully at his friend.

"What would I do without you?"

"Be dead in a gutter somewhere, I'd imagine!" Dwalin grinned fiercely and started trampling the Orcs again. Fíli and Kíli were laughing as they decapitated as many Orcs as they could. Balin was trying not to fall off.

Thorin rode on ahead towards Dale. He found the eldest of Bard's children huddling her siblings close and hiding in an alley. "You must find some shelter!"

"Where?!" Her eyes flashed. "There are Orcs everywhere! The walls have been broken by the trolls! They've breached the city! We barely had time to hide the gold!"

Thorin cursed. "Take your siblings and run to the southern sector. There is a storm drain you can hide in. I know; I helped make it. Go!" She nodded and took her siblings, calling to the others who would listen to her. Thorin looked around and saw Thranduil somersault off his Elk and wipe out an entire squad of Orcs. He huffed.

"Flashy wood sprite." Mounting his ram again, he raced through the streets looking for Bilbo.

Thorin saw a flash of light and a tall grey hat. "Gandalf?!"

The Wizard turned. "Thorin! How glad I am to see you!" He studied Thorin closely, and his features ease. "You have a strong will, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin huffed. "It wasn't my will but my love for my son. Where is Bilbo!"

Gandalf grew grave again. "I was making my way there. I saw Bilbo looking towards Ravenhill. Azog is camped there."

Thorin felt cold. "No…" He didn't waste time talking anymore. He quickly made his way out of the city and towards Ravenhill.

Dwalin noticed him and followed. Thorin waved to them. "Bilbo's at Ravenhill! Come on!"

Thorin rode as fast as the ram could go. He had to get to his son before Azog did. When he got there, it was deserted. Thorin frowned and slowly moved into the tunnels. He looked around and then heard a scraping sound. Turning he impaled an Orc. It had a milky eye and metal sticking out of it's body.

The Orc snarled and tried to kill him even while Thorin's sword was in his torso. Thorin snarled and twisted the blade. "I have survived far worse to be killed by the likes of you, scum!" Pulling out the blade, he lopped off the head.

"I will not die by some Gundabad Orc." Thorin spat on the body and moved on. He edged into a courtyard and saw Dwalin and his nephews wiping out a group of Orcs. Fíli looked at Thorin.

"Did you find him?!" All looked crestfallen when Thorin shook his head.

Thorin snarled. "We split up."

Dwalin stepped forward. "No. Greater numbers is better defense. We stay together!" Thorin was torn.

"My son…"

"Wouldn't want us to die on some hair brained strategy to save him." Dwalin countered. His voice rumbled.

Thorin growled. "Very well. Let's hurry."

All four of them moved swiftly through the tunnels, looking into little rooms, checking alcoves. Bilbo was nowhere to be found. Thorin moved a little ahead. Dwalin growled in frustration and motioned for the boys to keep up.

They found Bilbo around the next turn. It was another courtyard.

Bilbo was fighting Azog.

Thorin shouted and tried to get to them, but Azog roared a command and a swarm of Orcs swept in from where they had been hiding. Thorin tried to fight his way through, but he was going far too slowly. He couldn't allow himself to be distracted and killed.

Bilbo, meanwhile, was struggling. Azog was unfairly strong and tough. "Come on! Why can't you just die already?! It's no longer funny!"

The Orc smirked and made a grab for Bilbo's hair, but the Dwobbit was too fast and ducked out of the way. He slid between the Orc's legs and stabbed Azog in the rump.

Kíli decided to pass on Dwalin's advice. "Hit him in his jambags!"

Bilbo ducked the angry swipe of Azog's clawed hand and the Orc's mace and backpedaled away quickly. He breathed slowly, trying to keep up his adrenaline. He flipped away from Azog's mace.

Bilbo fingered his last throwing blade and then threw it right at…

…Azog's jambags.

Azog gave a roar of agony and attacked Bilbo with even more ferocity.

Bilbo yelped. "Thanks for nothing, Cousin! I do believe I just made him angry!"