Chapter Three
"No," someone demands, "I'm not handing her to you." I recognize the voice, but I can't place it. I try to open my eyes. They won't respond. A moan escapes my lips as if protesting. I hear another voice telling the first something which fades from my hearing before it registers.
A third voice replies gently, "If you do not let me take her she will die." What happened to me that I could possibly die? I try to think of it when flashes come into my mind's eye. Sharp nails raking across my back. A burning pain. My blood curdling scream. Then, all thought fails me as I slip back into the darkest dark.
I open my eyes to a bright light. I squint with a groan. Something blocks the light from my face allowing me to open my eyes completely. A tall older man is peering down at me. He has blue eyes and dark brown hair. "Violet, I am Lord Elrond," he introduces himself, "Do you remember what happened to you?" Images of being chased and pain as claws rake down my back flood my mind. I nod. Elrond continues, "I have healed your wounds. You will be able to leave here by morning. Please feel free to stand and move around a bit." He bows to me before leaving the room through a large ornate door.
Gandalf steps into my line of sight. Relief is written on his face. I smile up at the Wizard as he smiles back. "Your companions are worried about you," he imparts, "Some more so than others."
"Fili," I mumble. He nods. I sit up feeling a slight twinge in my back. I clench my teeth. "What time is it," I ask swinging my legs over the side.
Gandalf replies, "It is almost dusk." I nod at him looking for my clothes. He turns picking something up from a nearby chair. Handing it to me he chuckles, "Your clothes were shredded. Elrond kindly gave you these. They're better for traveling and they're warmer." He steps outside to give me a chance to dress. I slip on a pair of plain brown pants that fit just right. The wheat-flour colored shirt hangs just below my hips. I tuck it in so it doesn't look ridiculous. Next, is a vest of forest green that fits snuggly against my torso. On the back of the chair is a cloak of dark grey and by its feet is a pair of black knee-high boots. I drape it over my arm proceeding out of the room.
The Wizard looks down at me smiling. I smile back looking down at myself. I like the feel of these clothes. At this time night has fully closed in. Gandalf leads me through the halls to a thick door. I can hear people talking on the other side. "Your friends are in here," he explains, "I must go now. There is something that I must attend to." He turns and walks away leaving me at the door.
I push it open as Bofur calls, "Bombur," and tosses a roasted sausage at him. The thick Dwarf catches it. The table beneath him creaks before collapsing under the weight. Everyone bursts out laughing including me. Once the Dwarves quiet down and catch their breaths heads begin to turn toward me. I suck in a deep breath as I'm gathered up in a tight hug. The pressure to my back makes me cry out.
I'm released with a hurried apology. Taking a couple deep breaths I look up at Fili's face. His eyes are filled with relief, as well as humor from Bombur's fall earlier. I give the Dwarf a broad smile as I'm suddenly swarmed by loud people. I'm passed around and hugged my eyes never leaving the blond Dwarf's blue-eyed gaze.
Glad to be robbed of all the attention I go over to the wall to try and sleep. Kili clears his throat as he comes over to where I'm standing. I smile at him which he returns. Holding out a light brown colored pack he whispers, "An Elf brought this to Fili and me while you were gone. He wanted you to have it so you'll be prepared for the rest of the journey."
"Thank you, Kili," I whisper back, "Tell me what's happened since I've been gone." He begins by telling me everyone thought I was going to die and that they were all scared for me. He then proceeds to tell me that Fili would not give me to Lord Elrond for fear that he'd never see me again. Kili laughs when he tells me that Fili would pace the hall because he couldn't sit still waiting on word about me. I giggle, "He was that worried about me?"
His face turns serious for a moment, "Yes. Just between us I think my brother fancies you." His eyes sparkle with humor, but I know he isn't joking completely. I will never let someone hurt you like that again. Kili stands making his way back to his pallet. I curl up and allow myself to drift off to sleep.
Balin shakes me awake saying, "Come on, lass, we are preparing to set out again." I sit up stretching noticing it is just before dawn. Yawning I pack my bedroll and blanket in my pack. I wolf down a quick breakfast. The company is ready to leave in twenty minutes. Thorin leads us out onto a mountain pass. As the sun kisses the top of the mountain Thorin states, "Be on your guard. We're about to step over the Edge of the Wild." Turning to Balin he commands, "Balin, you know these paths. Lead on."
"Aye." Bilbo stops on the path looking behind us at the now distant Rivendell. I pat him on the back as I pass him.
The day passes quickly and once again the sun is setting. Rain clouds move in to block the last rays of the sun. The sky opens pouring rain shortly after that. The darker it gets the harder the wind begins to blow and the rain falls. Thunder rumbles overhead. I slip grabbing onto the rock wall for support. "Look out," Dwalin yells over the rain. I look out across the chasm as a large rock comes flying toward us up above. It collides with the mountainside cascading a bunch of debris down on our heads. I back up against the rock trying to make myself one with it so as not to be hit.
"This is no thunderstorm," Balin exclaims, "It's a thunder-battle!" My brow furrows in confusion as a large stone creature comes into view.
Bofur gasps, "Well, bless me. The legends are true. Giants! Stone-Giants!"
"Take cover you fool," Thorin yells at the dimwitted Dwarf.
I stumble as the path beneath my feet breaks in two. I fall back into Kili looking at his brother as he moves farther and farther away from us. "Fili," I call out terrified as he disappears from sight. I grab onto Kili and the rock as I squeeze my eyes shut not wanting to look. The Dwarf wraps an arm around my torso fastening us both to the rock as all the air is sucked out from around us. I can feel rock scraping against rock when suddenly air rushes back in to my surroundings. I crack open my eyes as someone calls my name. I'm lying on the path shaking. I shift to my hands and knees and clamber to my feet as an arm around my shoulders guides me into a cave.
It's dark inside, but I no longer feel the rain stinging my face. Fili sets me down against the dry rock wall. I'm shivering from fear or cold I don't know. I stare at the wall across from me as a blanket from my pack is draped over my shoulders. I allow myself to doze off just as Thorin yells, "Wake up! Wake up!" I jump to my feet as the floor drops out from beneath us. The next thing any of us know we're sliding down a long rocky chute lit by torches. I can hear someone screaming. I realize that it's my scream as we barrel down into the unknown.
We land in a large metal basket as Goblins grab us forcing us to move along the path at a dizzying pace. My heart continues to pound inside my chest as I reach for Fili's hand. My fingers skim his palm as my reach is barred by a goblin that has come between us. I shove back against their grimy hands as the crowded path opens up into a huge cavern. The biggest ugliest creature I've ever seen leaps from his horrible throne making the wood beneath us shake. My sword is taken and deposited in front of this creature.
"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom," he demands, "Spies? Thieves? Assassins?"
"Dwarves, Your Malevolence."
He asks in disbelief, "Dwarves?"
"We found them on the Front Porch."
"Well, don't just stand there. Search them. Every crack. Every crevice." Swallowing I inch closer to Fili slowly so as not to be seen. The goblins begin to search my friends. "What are you doing in these parts? Speak," the Goblin King pauses, "Very well. If they will not talk, we'll make them squawk. Bring up the mangler. Bring up the bonebreaker. Start with the youngest." I grab onto Fili's arm as pure fear races down my spine. He tucks me slightly behind him protectively.
Thorin bellows, "Wait!"
"Well, well, well," the Great Goblin scoffs, "Look who it is. Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain. Oh, but I'm forgetting. You don't have a mountain. And you're not a king which makes you nobody, really. I know someone who will pay a pretty price for your head. Just a head. Nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak. An old enemy of yours. A pale Orc, astride a white Warg."
Thorin sneers, "Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago."
"So you think his defiling days are done, do you," he chuckles, "Send word to the pale Orc. Tell him I have found his prize."
My heart lurches into my throat as the huge Goblin King begins to dance and sing much to the enjoyment of his creepy creatures. I grab onto Fili tighter as the wood we stand on shakes with each hop the goblin takes. "Fili," I whisper my voice cracking, "I'm scared."
"I know," he replies swallowing, "So am I." He takes my hand giving it a reassuring squeeze.
The Great Goblin begins to sing a new song:
Bones will be shattered
Necks will be wrung
You'll be beaten and battered
From racks you'll be hung
You will die down here
And never be found
Down in the deep of Goblin-town
Tears pool in my eyes as the thought that I survived a Warg attack just to die in the depths of a mountain race through my mind. I'm jerked from my thoughts as the singing stops. "I know that sword," the Goblin King cries out, "It is the Goblin-cleaver. The Biter! The blade that sliced 1,000 necks! Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his Head!" The goblins surrounding us attack beating at us with their bare hands and whips. A blinding white light bursts from a dark corner of the cavern momentarily blinding everyone and extinguishing the torches.
Gandalf's form appears from the area the light originated from. "Take up arms," he commands, "Fight. Fight!" I lunge for my sword. I follow Gandalf and the others as I hack at the goblins in my way.
"He wields the Foehammer! The beater," the Great Goblin yells, "Bright as daylight!"
Fili and several more Dwarves fall in behind me keeping me from the fighting as I race along the paths away from the goblins. It doesn't take long before I'm breathless, but my terror gives me the ability to keep up. Looking behind me at the trailing goblins I come to an instant stop against Bombur's back. Gazing up and ahead I see the Goblin king barring our way.
"You thought you could escape me," the creature bellows swinging his club at Gandalf, "What are you going to do now, Wizard?" Gandalf jabs him in the eye with his staff and slices through his belly with a single swift stroke. On his knees the goblin agrees, "That'll do it." Gandalf heaves one final slash across the monstrosity's neck killing it. He collapses rocking the bridge we stand upon. Several cracks and pops hint at what is about to happen. The bridge breaks away from the main path sending us barreling into the black nothingness bellow.
"Well, that could've been worse," Bofur comments as we land from our fall. The goblin carcass lands on top of us. The air is forced out of me as I'm hit with an arm as I roll away. I lay on the ground trying to catch my breath.
Dwalin exclaims, "Haver! You've got to be joking!"
"Gandalf," Kili cries out as screeches begin to filter down to us getting closer quickly. I look up to see hordes of goblins racing down the walls.
Dwalin barks, "There's too many. We can't fight them."
"Only one thing will save us, daylight," Gandalf proclaims, "Come on! Here! On your feet." Once again we race through the tunnels. Ahead of us I can see orange sunlight. I put the last of my strength into getting me outside into the fresh air and away from the mountain. A safe distance away we stop to regroup. "Where's Bilbo," he wonders, "Where is our Hobbit? Where is our Hobbit?"
We all look around for him. "Curse that Halfling! Now he's lost," Dwalin growls.
"I thought he was with Dori," Gloin states.
He snaps, "Don't blame me."
"Well, where did you last see him?"
Nori answers, "I think I saw him slip away when they first collared us."
"And what happened, exactly?"
Thorin grumbles, "I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it. He has thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door. We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone." We all look down as the thought saddens us.
"No. He isn't," Bilbo huffs, "Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag-end. I miss my books. And my armchair and my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back. Because you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." I go up to Bilbo and hug him fiercely glad that he's okay
We all hear growling coming our way in the distance. Thorin grumbles, "Out of the frying pan…"
"And into the fire. Run," Gandalf finishes, "Run!" Once again we're running for our lives in the light of the setting sun down the mountainside. "Up into the trees. Go!" I look up as a close to the ground branch comes into view. I jump using my forward momentum to lift me high enough to grab the limb. I quickly clamber up the tree towards the top far out of the reach of the Wargs. I watch in horror as the trees in front of me begin to topple over from being leaped into by the massive creatures. I look over at Thorin as he says something under his breath. I follow his gaze to a pale Orc missing one arm riding a white Warg. I gasp. Azog the Defiler!
I scream as the tree I'm in falls into the tree behind it. I latch myself onto a branch in the still upright tree and continue to leap from tree to tree until I'm in the last tree with everyone else. Flaming pine cones are passed down the tree. One lands in my hands. I quickly throw it as the tree falls to hang over the cliff. Panic starts to set in as I struggle to get myself out of the air. "Thorin," I call as he marches toward the Orc. "Thorin," I scream as loud as I can as he is planted on his back.
He climbs to his feet only to have Azog's mace placed in the center of his chest. From the ground the white Warg clamps its large mouth around the Dwarf Prince's torso. He cries out in pain. I flinch at the sound of it. I watch, terrified, as Thorin slashes at the Warg which throws him across the clearing where he lands with a sickening thud on the ground. Azog says something to an Orc that's nearby. The Orc dismount approaching the fallen Dwarf crude sword raised. Bilbo charges forward leaping and killing the orc with his sword. The Hobbit stands in front of Thorin as several more Orcs walk toward him. No longer able to stand there immobile I race forward into battle brandishing my sword.
I swing right then left. Hacking at the Orcs. Pushing them back. Eagles squawk in the distance as they swoop in picking people up and fighting the Orcs. As I jump to use my body weight to bury my sword in the chest of my adversary I'm grabbed by my shoulders and lifted up into the sky. I'm released falling through the air. I am whisked away on the back of a giant eagle. I sheath my sword allowing myself to collapse from exhaustion.
I watch the dawn from my place on my savior's back. The view around me is breathtaking. Fili yells, "Thorin!" my heart clenches inside my chest. Thorin. I look behind me and up at the limp lifeless form of our leader. Please let him be alive. The eagles swoop down over the mountains before letting us off on a mountain top. I immediately look to Thorin seeing no movement. Rushing to Fili's side I wrap my arms around his back to keep him from going to look.
"It's alright. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe," Gandalf soothes. I release a sigh of relief as I let go of Fili.
Thorin climbs to his feet with assistance from Dwalin. "You," he snaps at Bilbo, "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the Wild? That you have no place amongst us?" Thorin's voice softens as he wraps the Hobbit in a hug, "I have never been so wrong in all my life."
We all cheer and laugh in relief that is palpable among our group. I look up at Fili both of us smiling like fools. I follow my urge and hug him tightly resting my head against his chest. His arms circle around my back his cheek coming to rest on top of my head. We both turn to look out across the land to where a single solitary mountain stands in the far off distance. "Erebor," Gandalf names it. I look up at Fili's bright face as he gazes upon the home that he has only ever heard stories about. In a moment of weakness, and attraction, I lean up on and kiss him lightly on the cheek. He looks down at me with a broad smile blushing.