Here it is, the final chapter! I think this is one of my favorite chapters, just because of the final paragraph. Thanks for reading my fanfic! You're amazing! Don't forget to review! Reviews are magical!
As they entered the cave, all they saw was darkness. As far as they could see, just darkness. It was extremely quiet, too. The orcs must have been expecting them.
"They're gonna ambush us!" Lulyn hissed to Thorin, trying not to disturb the silence.
Just then, orcs came from every direction, encircling the group. They seemed to appear from thin air as they rushed out of the darkness. They came in thousands, maybe even hundred thousands. "Draw weapons!" Thorin called to the company. Everyone readied their weapons as orcs closed in of them. Lulyn and Kili began firing arrows, which then made the orcs charge. The company began fighting, but they were being driven back into the darkness, where nothing could be seen. As Lulyn fought her way toward the mouth of the cave, torches on either side of the wall were lit. Then the number of orcs could be seen. Lulyn drew her dagger. She began skillfully battling the orcs. A few began to gang up on Lulyn and things began getting difficult. She was knocked on her back and was begging to lose her battle. Lulyn was almost overwhelmed and was going to give up hope when she saw a tan figure fly by. She smiled brightly. "Kor!" She shouted. Lulyn kicked an orc in the chest, stabbed another then slit the throat of the third. Kor came and landed on her shoulder, screeching to her. She ducked through the crowd of orcs to the front of the cave where Thorin was standing, staring out at a large army of elves. Lulyn smiled. Thorin gave her a questioning look as she nearly squeaked with joy. Kor fluttered down to land on Lulyn's shoulder again. "I may have called for a little help." She said, stroking Kor's head. Thorin gave Lulyn a glare, which turned into a smile. She turned and began fighting the orcs again. Then elves began springing into the cave, and they fought with great skill. Lulyn ducked under an orc's axe, spun, and thrust her dagger into one's side. It roared and fell over dead. She somersaulted and finished on her knees, shooting an orc that was about to run Bombur through. Just when things were looking good, an Orc grabbed Lulyn from behind. She let out a cry as he slammed her against a wall. He went for her neck, but then realized there was no necklace. He growled angrily and began dragging her off toward the back of the cave. "Kili!" She screeched. She couldn't think of anyone else at the moment as the cold, harsh grip of the Orc tightened, then she felt another Orc slap hand over her mouth. "Lu!" Kili called back. "I'll find you!"
Lulyn was taken down many hallways and into a large, surprisingly well crafted room deep inside the heart of mountain. The room was filled with lots of artifacts, probably things the orcs had stolen from dwarves and elves and whatnot. But then it was also filled with other gross "artifacts". Like eyeballs and hair from who knows what. She was thrown to the feet of an Orc who looked just a bit too much like Azog. A close relative, maybe? Anyway, he took her by the neckline of her dress and stood her up. He got right in her face, nose to nose with her.
"Where is the necklace, dwarf scum?" He growled. His voice was low and scratchy, but it also had a very intimidating boom to it.
Lulyn smirked. "I'll never tell."
The Orc growled and threw her backward. She managed to keep her feet without crashing into a wall.
"Tell me now, if you want to keep your life. Where. Is. The. Necklace." He threatened.
Lulyn just kept her smirk on. "It was destroyed." She said.
"WHAT?!" The Orc roared. "You'll be lucky to escape with your life now."
Lulyn ducked out of the way as the Orc took his giant mace and tried to whack her with it. He smashed a glass case filled with gold. Lulyn noched an arrow and aimed at the Orc. He caught her off guard and whacked the bow out of her hands, cracking it in half. The blow knocked her to the side. She hit her ankle on the leg of a table. Lulyn cried out. Her ankle throbbed as she caught herself on another table, her hand landed on something smooth and round. Then, she felt something like a thousand lightning bolts run through her body. She tried to cry out, but she couldn't. She stared at the round stone that seemed to be causing this. When she did she took in a sharp breath. She found herself staring into a fiery eye. Then harsh whispers filled her mind, they felt like knives each time the voice spoke. "Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul..."
She struggled to drop the stone and it rolled across the floor. Lulyn collapsed and lay panting on the cold cave floor. The Orc picked her up and shoved her against a wall, holding a dagger to her throat. Two orcs came and put the seeing stone back on table.
"What did he tell you?!" He demanded.
"Who is 'he'?" She asked weakly.
"The eye! What did he say?!"
Lulyn took a shaky breath. "I...I don't know. He said something in black speech. I don't—"
"Don't lie to me, dwarf scum! No one uses the seeing stone without hearing something. What did he say? Speak quickly, or never speak again!"
Just then, an arrow pierced the orc's shoulder. He roared and turned to see Kili who had another one noched. "Let her go, or the next one goes between your eyes." He said. Lulyn slid down the wall and sat, whatever that stone was, it sapped a lot of her energy.
"Ogu, Dalforg! Seize him!" The Orc ordered.
Two orcs ran toward Kili, but each was killed just as fast. Lulyn, while the Orc was distracted, drew a dagger and shakily stood. She stabbed the Orc, and he fell to the ground and cursed in black speech with his dying breath. She sheathed the dagger and closed her eyes, trying to gather her strength. Kili ran to her as her knees buckled. He caught her and hugged her close. "Told you I'd find you." He smiled. Lulyn pulled away and took another shaky breath. "We need to get out of here, Kili. That thing is watching us." She said. Then, the mountains shook. "The orcs are trying to bring down the mountain." Kili said, looking at the ceiling, pebbles began to fall, then rocks, they began to get bigger and bigger. Lulyn glanced at her broken bow, then the Seeing Stone. She ran and put her cloak over the Seeing Stone and leaned on Kili as they ran from the room, which collapsed behind them.
They ran through many tunnels and came out to the cave where they had come in. The elves, dwarves and orcs were still battling. "Thorin! The orcs are bringing down the mountain!" Kili warned. "Retreat!" Thorin ordered the company and elves. Everyone began to retreat from the cave. Lulyn turned to see a few orcs with the seeing stone leaving. She picked up an elven bow and nocked an arrow that lay on the ground. She shot down a few but then had to get out of there. The company and elves made it out alive, along with a few retreating orcs. The orcs ran south, toward Dunland. Boulders fell and covered the mouth of the cave, creating clouds of dust. When it cleared, Lulyn smiled and looked at the company. Thirteen. She laughed and ran up to give Kili a great big hug. Lulyn began to pull away, but Kili didn't let go and kissed her. After a moment Lulyn pulled away when she remembered the company was still here. She turned a little red as the whole company stared surprised at them. They all smiled and laughed. The sun was rising now, and after a pleasant breakfast with the elves, the company began heading out of Ered Mithrin.
That day, the company met up with the ponies, who miraculously, were all there and unharmed. Lulyn ran up and threw her arms around Brisa. The pony nickered a greeting. The company rode off, a little bruised and beaten and tired, but they had completed their task. Lulyn looked up at Thorin, who looked out across the terrain, deep in thought. "Where are we going next, Thorin?" She asked.
Thorin shrugged. "Wherever the road takes us. We've got no plan."
Lulyn smiled. "Fantastic." She said.
And so the company continued on, heading south. Lulyn wondered if she were to see Gandalf again, and what she would do without a sword. Though, the elven bow seemed to suit her well, even if it was a tad big. She had plenty of other weapons. She could manage without a sword for a bit longer.
The company found themselves in the plains that night, they all slept and didn't even bother setting anyone for watch. Besides, Kor had things handled with the ponies. As everyone slept—well, almost everyone. Lulyn still wasn't asleep, though she felt like curling up, going to sleep and never waking up again. She was exhausted. She sat against a boulder that had rolled down from the mountains and looked at the company with a smile on her face. She breathed a laugh at those who snored...namely Bombur, and looked down at the ground. "Do you ever sleep?" A sweet, familiar voice said from next to her. Lulyn met Kili's dark eyes and smiled. "I'm beginning to ask myself the same thing." She laughed. Kili put an arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"See, we're all still here. You had nothing to worry about." Kili grinned.
"Except for being thrown against a wall several times, nearly breaking my ankle, and a stone that whispers evil things to me." Lulyn reminded. Kili laughed and they both went silent. It was a pleasant silence though. They simply enjoyed each other's company.
"I have a family again." Lulyn whispered. Kili looked at her and blinked. "Hm?"
Lulyn took a breath and looked up at Kili. "I have a family again." She repeated. "It's sort of like having eleven brothers, an uncle, and...and you." She smiled. Kili chuckled. "That's exactly what it is."