Finally, chapter 10! Don't forget to review! Reviews are magical!
Orcs came running around the corner, heading straight for the company. Lulyn looked at Thorin, waiting for instruction. "Run!" He called as they kicked the ponies into a gallop. They ran around bends, twists and turns, and soon found themselves on a high peak. The ponies came to a cliff and reared, throwing the dwarves off, then running off down the hill. Kor flapped overhead. "Kor, get the ponies safe and get us help!" She orderedthe owl. Kor screeched in reply and flew off in the direction of the ponies. She focused her attention on the orcs and nocked an arrow. She aimed and let the arrow fly, hitting an Orc in the chest. The others still kept coming, weapons ready. Lulyn glanced at Thorin. "We can't fight them! There's too many!" She said.
Thorin kept staring at the oncoming orcs. "This is why we're here." He told her. "Hold your ground!" He ordered the company. Lulyn drew her sword and gave Thorin an unsure look. She glanced back at Kili who aapeared to be feeling the same thing as her. Intense. Overwhelming. Fear.
She tried to keep her hand from shaking as the oncoming legion of orcs seemed to speed up. A battle broke out between the orcs and dwarves. Lulyn ducked under an axe being swung by one Orc as she stabbed the other, then turned to the Orc who was going to have the same fate. Lulyn took an arrow from her quiver and jabbed it into an orc's back, then yanked it free and shot it at another. She spun and took the dagger from her belt, thrusting it into another unlucky Orc. Lulyn sheathed her dagger and shot at a few more orcs, each arrow hitting its mark. Most of the orcs were dead by is time. She glanced at some orcs who were retreating to their leader, Ugrot. He smiled wickedly and drew his weapon, a jagged, blood stained blade. Ugrot stalked toward Lulyn, ready for another battle. Lulyn swallowed hard and stood her ground. When Ugrot began to charge, he caught Lulyn off guard and knocked her aside, she slammed into a rock and she was dazed. "Lu!" Kili yelled somewhere nearby. Through her blurry vision, she saw Kili go to stab Ugrot, but he too was knocked aside by the giant Orc. She hoped what she heard was a branch snapping, and not one of Kili's arms. Her vision focused and she saw the great Orc advancing toward her. She stood...or sat...her ground as he came right up close and got in her face. "So...this is the she-dwarf I was told of. The one from the thieving line of dwarves and her blood tainted by the elves." Ugrot said in a low, raspy voice with breath that smelled worse than a dead rat. Lulyn tried to casually reach for her sword, but Ugrot snatched it up and looked at it. It shone bright blue in his hands, he squinted at the blade. "Elvish. Disgusting." He snapped the sword like a twig and threw the pieces aside. Lulyn wanted to scream. That was the second sword she'd lost on this journey. And she wasn't happy about it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "So. Elf-dwarf." He said with distaste. "I'll take this," he gestured toward her necklace. "And I'll be on my way...after I've killed you." He sneered. Lulyn felt rage and hate well up inside her. "Leave now, snake. Anin fueya ten' lle, 'ksher!" She exclaimed. Ugrot growled and smacked Lulyn across the face with the flat side of his sword, giving her a nice cut across her cheek. "Do not say such things to an Orc with power such as I possess." He sheathed his sword and picked Lulyn up by the neck, like a goose. She wanted to squirm out of his grasp, but the more she did, the tighter he would hold her. "Lulyn!" Kili called. He rushed forward, but Thorin stopped him. "Wait." Thorin said. Kili looked at Thorin with anger and question. But Thorin just watched in Lulyn's direction. "This is her fight."
Lulyn closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath. Ugrot enjoyed watching her suffer. "Yes, indeed this is her fight. One that she will lose. Just like her father did." As He spoke, Lulyn felt her airway close off. She gasped for breath. Ugrot smiled evilly and continued, "Though Azog may not have been able to end your line, I will do it for him. To avenge him." He pulled the necklace from Lulyn's neck, snapping the lace and he threw Lulyn to the feet of Thorin. She lay on the ground, coughing and gasping for air. She pushed herself up to a half sitting position to see Ugrot drawing his weapon. "Then, maybe I'll kill Oakenshield. Though, I thought he was already dead. No matter, let's get on with this. He said, raising his weapon. Lulyn was defenseless, her strength had gone and her sword was broken. She closed her eyes and waited for Ugrot's blade to fall. But it never came. She heard the zing of a sword being drawn and the sound of a stab. Lulyn opened her eyes to see Ugrot fall to the ground...dead. She turned to see Thorin sheathing Orcrist. Lulyn was breathing heavily as her arms gave out. Kili knelt quickly and cradled her in his arms. She felt a few tears slip down her cheeks as she finally managed to take a few ragged breaths. She used her final burst of energy to fight the surviving orcs. The battle ended as quickly as it had started, and Lulyn stood, legs shaking and eyes watering. She knelt and picked up the shattered pieces of what once was her necklace. It had been trampled and the lace had been cut. She let out a quiet sob as she stared at the broken reminder of her past. Kili came up behind her and hugged her.
Lulyn stood on the edge of a cliff a few hours later, holding the remains of her necklace close to her heart. A tear slipped down her cheek as she looked at the pieces. "You alright?" Kili asked, coming up behind her and putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Kili, I think I need to be alone right now." She said. Kili stood beside Lulyn and stared out at the setting sun. He glanced at the broken pieces in Lulyn's hands.
"Hey, you need to let it go. Remember what you told me before, it's the past now, it doesn't matter." He said. Lulyn hesitated.
"Will it make the pain go away?" She said, voice wavering.
"No. But it will be a step in that direction." He gave Lulyn a sad smile. She returned it weakly. Without another word, Kili turned and left. Lulyn took one last look at the broken pieces in her hands and looked out at the depths below. She held the pieces close one last time, then cast them down, they disappeared into the mist below. As tears clouded her vision, she turned to see the whole company standing behind her, Thorin in front. Lulyn went to Thorin and hugged him, sobbing as she did so. Thorin hesitated a moment, but held her close as she cried into his coat.
The next day, Lulyn lingered behind the company as they travelled. She seemed wilted, less bright than usual. Kili tried to talk to her every now and then, but she wouldn't respond. Eventually, Bofur dropped back to see if he could make her feel better. "How are you doing, lass?" He asked gently. Lulyn stared at the ground and shrugged. "I don't know. Okay, I guess." She mumbled. Bofur smiled and put a hand on Lulyn's shoulder. "That's good to hear." He said. "Would you like to hear a story?"
Lulyn glanced up and gave Bofur a curious look.
"It'll make you feel better." He said.
Lulyn smiled. "I guess." She said, her voice cracking.
"Alright. I'll tell you about the time I fell down the stairs."
Lulyn giggled lightly as he told the story. She felt a little bit better after that.
That night, Lulyn couldn't sleep again. She hadn't slept well for the last week or so. She tossed and turned, then sat up and groaned. She huffed out a breath and walked to the mouth of the cave that'd found for shelter. Lulyn felt the wind on her face as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, smiling at he refreshing breeze. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" A deep voice said from behind her. She spun and saw Thorin leaning against the stone, arms crossed. He walked over and stood beside her as she turned to face the night. "I couldn't sleep." She admitted. Thorin put an arm around Lulyn and held her close. They sat against the stone just outside the cave. Lulyn stared at the ground. "Uh, Thorin?" She said, not taking her gaze from the ground.
"Hm?" He hummed, raising an eyebrow.
Lulyn got up her courage and looked the dwarf in the eye. "Why are you all the sudden being so nice to me?" She asked awkwardly.
Thorin chuckled and half smiled. "You make my nephew happy, I don't think I have much of a choice. Besides, you're not half bad for an elf-dwarf. I think I can tolerate you."
Lulyn smiled. "Are you sure? Or am I just growing on you?" She said teasingly, elbowing him.
"Well maybe a little." He admitted. Lulyn laughed and leaned into Thorin. She reached to play with her necklace, but realized it wasn't there. She lowered her hand back to her lap.
"If you don't mind my asking, why was that necklace so important to you?" He said. Lulyn felt tears stinging her eyes, but she blinked them back.
"It was the last reminder I had of my family. My father gave it to me before he—" she faltered. Thorin gave her a questioning look as she swallowed hard. "Before he...died. He was killed by Azog." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Azog." He echoed quietly.
Lulyn looked up at Thorin, who seemed to be deep in thought. "You know of him?" She asked. Thorin nodded.
"I've had dealings with that Orc. He's the reason they call me 'Oakenshield'." He explained.
Lulyn squeezed her eyes shut at the memory of her mother's death, how she had been killed right in front of her. A single tear ran down her cheek.
"Is there anything that you want to talk about?" Thorin asked. He had a warm gentleness in his voice, something Lulyn hadn't heard from him before. His tone coaxed her to tell him her backstory. She hadn't told anyone before, Thorin was the first person she'd trusted enough to tell. Wait...when did that happen? All of the sudden she trusted this random dwarf...who cared about her. Not in the same way Kili did, but in another way...like, a fatherly way. Lulyn rested her head on Thorin's shoulder and began to drift off to sleep. Thorin woke her when he said, "Why don't you head off to bed." Lulyn nodded and stood, walking to her bedroll and soon finding sleep.