A/N: Well hello there! First chapter of 2014, hope it meets your expectations. I'm amazed by all the response I get from you guys. 3k+ views, lovely reviews and some of you even added me as their favorite author... This is surreal.
Lisse Mirelien and Birdy21: thank you for your constant support. I'm lucky to have you as my readers and I'm happy you keep reading it.
DwarvenWarrior: Thank you for your constructive criticism, I tried to take care of some in this chapter. :
DJpaigeDJ: Hahahaha that means we are really alike, cause the first chapter was based on my night before starting this story. It's only that night, tho, it's not like I'm waking up on Middle-Earth like that lucky Fai bastard of mine! :) And dear, your 2nd comment gave me the biggest smile and all the courage I needed to finish this chapter. It wasn't my intention to finish it tonight. (you'll be reading this tomorrow but it's 2 AM here.)
About this chapter, I tried not to lift any dialogues from the movie. I even abandoned the "These are Rhosgobel Rabbits; I'd like to see them try." along my broken heart. Then again, writing certain dialogues for certain characters were really challenging and educative. (for example I think Gandalf vs Radagast turned out to be just fine)
I changed the events a bit, left some parts out and naturally, added some in. A chuckle at the very and is guaranteed. :)
"DON'T EVEN DEFEND YOURSELF! When we realized you were gone, I lo- I mean we lost it!"
One could thought that being battered by some dumbass trolls would be enough. But there they were standing at the mouth of the cave, Kili and Fai. Kili was stomping madly with his fists clenched. Fai, on the other hand was calm at first, but as his scolding continued her anger built up in her little by little.
"For the last time, you damn dwarf, I was just trying to save your asses! I'm tinier than you both, needless to say that I have the ability to shut my pie hole when needed! I could steal the ponies back, I really could, if it wasn't for that pudding-head using me as a fuckin' napkin!"
It felt weird to swear whilst in Middle-Earth. But even Gandalf swore in front of her even though it was in another language, so why couldn't she? She crossed her arms and gave Kili the crankiest glare. She knew he was the protective kind, but she wasn't just going to stand there and get it in the neck.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! You're not capable of defending yourself! You couldn't bloody walk the night before, you just got lucky this time! If I didn't get there on time, you'd be split in half." It was like he swore an oath on not listening to her no matter what. They were looking quite hilarious, actually. Trying to keep their voices down so their fight doesn't become a live broadcast to those are in the cave. Shouting below their breaths, both stomping like children, they were looking more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
"Well you've showed up on time tho, haven't you? And I thank you for that, see, I have the decency to THANK SOMEONE WHO SAVES ME. I too Kili, deserve a thank you in return."
"You don't even understand-" Kili hissed, narrowing his eyes. "I'm not- I'm just not talking to you till I cool off. And I don't think I will be anytime soon."
"Fine." Fai hissed back.
"Fine!"
After "fining" each other, she stormed off into the cave without even looking at him once more. Trolls had been hoarding up inside the goodies they steal. It was like a flea market for weapons and some gems and jewels. Dwarves were all around, seeking weapons for themselves. There was an excessive smell in the cave but mentioning it would only be stating the obvious. Besides, Fai wasn't the one to talk with Troll snot all over her.
"Hey, I found these for you."
It was nice to hear a voice that doesn't call her names. So when Fili spoke, she turned to him in gratitude. It was until seeing what he brought; a bow and a quiver filled with arrows.
"You should've find me a sword or more knives instead. I'm not going to be trained by your preposterous brother." she deadpanned. Her cold declaration made Fili arch his eyebrow.
"What do you mean by that? You were right about the archery, it's the safest for you." How did they manage to have a quarrel in no time anyways? He knew Kili was flipping out about her action, but Fili thought his brother would keep it to himself. But Fai's behavior clarified that he so did not. Prayed that it wasn't that bad after all, he made another attempt.
"If Kili bummed you out, just ignore him. You know, being protective is in our nature and he is a bit quick tempered.."
"He said he won't be talking till he cools off. Well, tell him to take his time, cause I'm not talking to that idiot ever again."
So it was that bad. Fili wanted to laugh up his sleeve because they were hilarious, however couldn't dare to. If Fai did get angry with him as well, then she wouldn't let him to be around, and even though Kili put it into words dangerously wrong, he was still right. She needed protection.
"Anything you say, m'lady. I'll train you with the knives and all." Fai only nodded in return and started poking around the piles for some knives. The company had found some helpful items. Gandalf fixed Bilbo a fine sword and Thorin found himself an amazing one as well. All Fai was wishing for was a bar of soap and a river to bathe in. The only thing that made herself feel better was that none of the dwarves were better themselves. She had Kili in snot when she landed on him, and the rest of the company were stinking cause of the bags they've been put into.
"Someone's coming!"
The sound of dozens of swords pulling out followed Thorin's alert. All of them started running from the source of mysterious noise, with their guards put up. Fai was side by side with Bilbo and Fili. Bilbo's new sword and Fai's daggers were up and ready as well. Fili, to her left was holding her arm, making both of them run at the same pace.
A sled pulled by rabbits crossed their path and made all of them stop in a blink of an eye. Fai, Fili and Bilbo crashed in to Oin and Gloin, happened to run in front of them. And a second later Dori and Nori hit them from behind, jamming them in between. "Damn.." she moanad with her last breath.
"Radagast the brown! What on Middle-Earth brought you here?" Gandalf's voice heard from the front of the bunch. Is Radagast here already, she thought remembering what was going to happen next, this is no good. Her heart began to race and she could hear the blood pumping through her veins. She had to be trained by now, and now it could be too late when they come.
"Something evil, Gandalf. Something sinister to the core." The brown wizard was looking delirious and the tip of his nose were crimsoned. He wore an hat that resembles Bofur's and it was hard to find a spot on his clothes that wasn't ripped, ragged or covered in poo. And the most appaling thing about this wizard was that there were animals dwelling on him, woodnotes coming from the inside of his hat could be heard, and there were mice and porcupines peeking from his pockets. And there was.. Bird poo, hardened on his hair.
None of the company were familiar with this kind of madness except Gandalf. They all stood there in incredulity as Gandalf did the talking. Fai noticed with the corner of her eye that Ori was sketching the brown wizard with his rabbits. It was surprising how he manages to draw in such narrow workspace. She tried to stood still to avoid tilting his arm, and heard swishings coming from the paper.
"A darkness has twined around the Greenwood. The air is fouled with decay. Plants are sick, so are the trees. Also webs are into the bargain as well. Gandalf, the forest is covered in webs." His eyes were filled with worry. Fai could see how he was affected by all, as if what sickens the forest was sickening him as well. He was feeling the malady in his bones. He was looking unbalanced and there were dark circles ringing his eyes. The words caused him great pain as they leave his mouth.
"Webs?" asked Gandalf, it sounded more like a question to himself. Dwarves' glances was landing upon the two wizards by turn, as if they were watching a tennis game. Ori gasped after hearing about the webs, and Fai heard Bofur's husked whistle. Two wizards of two different colors however, didn't seem to take a blind bit of notice of anyone but each other at that moment.
"Exile me if it is not true, but I know for certain that they are some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, that spiders. And trust me when I say giant ones. I followed them after they attacked me in my cottage..." His malicious words startled the dwarves. Some of them got a tighter grip on their weapons. She felt Fili getting closer to her and Bilbo instinctively, as if the three of them weren't standing on the same square meter. Bilbo seemed terrified, the nature as he knows it, does not "get sick" just like that, and the spiders in Shire, well, the biggest of them was in the size of a coaster. The grass was green, the flowers were bright and colorful and the fields were fertile. He felt even farther from home and it made his heart ache. "...and they come from Dol Guldur."
"Dol Guldur? It's out of the question, the old fortress is abandoned, and abandoned it is for years." quavered the grey Wizard. Fai scared that he would grow taller again. She felt her hands ache from holding onto her daggers too tight. Too tight in fact, that her knuckles had gone white. What she was afraid of could be about to come in any moment. Wizards would ran out of words soon, and she was scared to death of what might follow after.
"Are you alright?" Fili's whisper pulled her back to reality. He was eyeing her with a note of worry on his face. Fai felt his hand holding her upper arm and felt thankful for it since to remain afoot was slowly becoming a problem. She nodded comfortingly since she couldn't reveal the true reason eating her up inside. "I'm just- it's just hard, listening to what they say." Her statement got more convincing with the word necromancer coming from Radagast's lips. The word turned into an imperceptible breeze that made them all shiver. Suddenly Radagast slid into some sort of coma and his eyes started to stare vacantly, however he didn't stop talking. Fili's grasp on Fai's arm went tighter as Radagast maundered about what happened in Dol Guldur.
He came back to himself with a strong jump after finishing the story. "I'm sorry."
Gandalf helped the brown wizard with a draw from his pipe. He then exhaled, seeing Gandalf looking at him questioningly. Without letting him speak, Radagast pulled out an object wrapped in a piece of clothing. Fai couldn't see what it was since Oin and Gloin were standing in front of her.
Then she heard the howl. Not coming from afar.
She bit her lips as a very tense Bilbo asked whether it was a wolf or not. "No," said Bofur, graveness dripping from his voice.
"That ain't no wolf."
It leaped in the midst of them, knocked down one of them, which one she couldn't tell. The beast was bigger than she remembered. Her heart stopped beating the moment it growled, and bowed its head towards the dwarf he was standing on. Which one of us, she cried in her mind. It all happened in a blink of an eye, as Thorin slaughtered it with Orcrist, another one emerged behind but fell down the second it took an arrow to the head. And dropped dead when Dwalin stabbed it in its chest.
So it wasn't Kili that got under.
It was Bifur, who insanely got back on his feet in wrath and searched for something to headbutt. Fortunately there was none. Thorin pulled his sword off of the beast.
"Warg-scouts." he spat. "If there are wargs then Orcs will follow."
Dwalin's face got crooked with anger when the certain word came up. They all stood there in disbelief, it was no coincidence, these creatures were especially sent for them. Fai felt Kili's worried gaze, but she didn't turn to meet it. She made sure that he was alright before and that was enough. Instead, she returned to Fili and spoke in a low voice. "Lend me a sword. Knives would not be enough."
Fili shook his head softly, his gaze hardened on the contrary. "You won't be needing one, for we will be protecting you. You said it yourself, a sword wont be suitable. Ours at least, will not be anyway, they are heavy." She rolled her eyes, knowing perfectly that she definitely will be needing one. She felt good with the knives before, while fighting with trolls but they were anything like wargs. They were heavy, slow and predictable. Wargs, on the other hand were fast as bullets and they have sharp teeth and claws like blades. She had to learn how to use a weapon, any weapon, as soon as possible. Since they didn't talk to each other anymore, wondered how she would learn archery from Kili.
"You are being hunted." hissed Gandalf, stating the obvious.
"But why, in the name of Durin-" Thorin was ready to go mental in any minute, too bad there wasn't time for it. As another howling echoed in their ears, Dwalin interrupted impatiently. "We have to get out of here."
Radagast got on his sled and drove in the opposite direction, just to mislead some of the wargs. Now they were running close to each other. Kili was standing next to her again but Fai didn't even bother to look at him. She just concentrated on the running. She never thought she could run this fast, but it was amazing what one can do, when her life is on the line. Gandalf was running his feet off in the frontmost, shouting orders alongside Thorins'.
They heard couple more howls and Fai turned to Fili. "You will regret your decision when I'm thorn apart by some warg." Fili didn't gave her a reassuring look which made her felt like she really was right.
"What decision?" shouted Kili with frustration, and whatever it was, he didn't felt like he'd be OK with it. His question left unanswered as they kept running. Well you wanted this, thought Fai.
For a little moment Radagast appeared between two hills, with a Warg pack following him behind. Fai thought she saw Orcs on some of their tops. Gandalf led them behind a huge pile of rocks and they all hid there. All silent, but short on breath. She saw Thorin's eyes went wide as they heard something approaching them from the top. None of them dared to breathe.
Kili slowly moved and readied her bow. He was waiting for Thorin's mark. Fai bit her lower lip so hard that it literally started to bleed. Fili clenched his fists as he didn't broke his gaze even for a second. The beast growled louder, as they heard its rider's excessive sniffing.
Then, Thorin nodded.
It was all by leaps and bounds. Kili darted forward and shot an arrow. They all knew he reached the target when the beast yelped wailfully and tumbled down, making the rider on it snarl. He immediately turned against the company but Dwalin chopped his head off with his axe. The Orc's dying cry drew attention of the other Orcs chasing Radagast, and in no time the company became the new target.
They were on the run again but not as a pack this time. It was Thorin's direction that got blocked first, then Balin's voice heard from the side, shouting them not to run that way. Fili, Kili and Fai were headed to another direction, and they got stonewalled by an Orc jumped on their way.
Fai couldn't hear anything but the growling of the Wargs and some phrases in Black Speech that probably has something to do with beheading or drinking their blood. It was the first time she sees an Orc from this close. It felt like she was rooted to her spot, couldn't move, couldn't do anything but to look at this foul creature. Its face was covered in a raft of cuts and open wounds. And its tooth were crooked beyond belief. Standing still, Fai felt someone's hand taking a firm grip on her waist and pulling her closer. She knew it was Kili when the feathered end of an arrow in his hand touched her arm. It wasn't the right time to resist, so she didn't.
Fili threw a knife and it hit the Orc right in his neck. He spat some shit in Black Speech once more before collapsing. Fili went to pick up his knife back and using this minute on their advance, Kili hold her from both of her arms and turned her towards himself.
"You doin' okay there?"
Fai looked him in the eye and nodded in response. She was breathless, then again it was hard to remember the last time she breathed normally. First the Trolls, then the Wargs, and know, Orcs. Kili's eyes narrowed as he saw the blood on her lips. He furrowed his brows. His grip on her left arm got tighter, while he placed his hand on her cheek and wiped the blood off of her lower lip with his thumb. He wasn't intending to, it wasn't a conscious gesture. And it only lasted a second, after coming to his senses he quickly pulled away.
"What happened there? I didn't see you got hit?"
"It happened when y-" She couldn't believe in her own indiscretion. There was no way she was going to tell him when and why it happened. Her gaze turned into a glare, then she stated harshly. "It's none of your business. I thought you weren't talking to me anyways."
Unfortunately there was no time for him to answer as they heard others' outcries. Fili ran towards them as Fai drew her daggers out again, and the three of them headed towards the voices. Kili's arms were no longer wrapped around her as he drew an arrow from the quiver and equipped his bow.
But when they approached, there were only couple of dwarves left. Got muddled by what they see, they didn't know what to do for a moment. Then they understood. Gandalf and Thorin were standing in front of what seemed like a rock, leading everyone into a hidden hole beneath. Fili started moving again and then they followed him. Kili was falling behind, as he took care of the Orcs appearing here and there. It was all proceeding at full speed.
Fili ran even faster in order to vanquish a beast tagging Thorin behind. He reached just in time and thrusted his sword into Warg's mouth. Blond headed prince then disappeared behind Thorin, apparently he thought his brother and Fai were following him closely.
He couldn't be more wrong.
Fai stopped in the middle when she felt Kili could no longer considered as near. A hundred meters away, there was Thorin, insanely waving his hands in their direction. Then she turned back to see Kili reaching for the last arrow in his quiver. She wondered if he was aware of that.
"Kili!" screamed Thorin, his voice echoed at least ten times. With his full power, he was grappling with Fili, who happened to realize their absence and struggling to free himself and help them.
Kili took the Orc down with his last arrow and it fell down from his Warg.
Fai was blind to the fact that she was sprinting towards him. The wind roared in her ears, it could be Thorin's voice as well. And when she realized she was running, she freaked out. When she saw the Warg knocking Kili down, she freaked out even more. She let out a loud, long scream of despair. It was meaningless really, nothing made sense in that moment.
She was a screaming tiny little girl running fast with daggers in her hands.
Kili was kicking the beast in the face and trying to reach for the sword suspended to his back.
She was a tiny little girl who just jumped on a Warg's back.
"ARE YOU MENTAL?!" This time it was Kili's turn to scream. He reached for his sword again but couldn't draw it because of all the Warg's weight upon him.
She was a tiny little girl who just stabbed the living daylights out of a Warg.
The creature was jerking in pain and a second later, Fai got spilled by it and hit the ground. Kili quickly got back on his feet and successfully drew his sword. He darted forward and cut its head off for dear life.
There was no time to pause, he turned to Fai who just lifted herself up. They held hands and headed towards the hole.
"Wait, I've got to get my dagger back!" the girl said and immediately went into shock from what she just said.
"YOUR DAGGER? YOU COULDN'T EVEN WALK THE DAY BEFORE AND NOW YOU'RE EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED WITH YOUR WEAPON?!"
Enough with the damn walking. She struck out towards the monster anyway, and used all of her force to remove the dagger from its head. When it finally got free, she found herself falling backwards from all the built up energy.
Kili, once again, cursed in some ancient languages and reached for her as she landed in his arms. He quickly raised her and there they were, running for real this time, towards a furious yet somehow relieved Thorin.
"Get in here you bloody fools!" he roared, as they both slid from the sloped surface and fell into the hole. They landed on top of each other, however quickly pulled away and got back onto their feet in a nanosecond. Kili studied her with his eyes from head to toe, it was clear that he was searching for possible wounds and scars.
"Do you feel okay?" he asked. "Did you get hurt?" His question made Fai realized that she might be. All the adrenaline rush prevented her from feeling any pain, but now that it is partially faded, she could think about the scars now. To her surprise, there wasn't anything major. Couple of little cuts only. But she was shaking to the core. She wanted to postpone her breakdown as much a possible. I stabbed a damn Warg, she thought. It didn't die, but still, I stabbed it.
"No, nothing too important." Fai answered with a half smile on her lips. She hid her shaking hands behind her and clasped them. Kili looked relieved at first, but suddenly his temper took a dramatical turn and he clenched his fists again.
"Good," the dark haired prince said. His voice sounded surprisingly calm.
"Because I'm not talking to you for a hundred years."
Ending Note: I have to take Fili's side on this one, Fai and Kili really are hilarious when they fight. :D
reviews are always welcomed! :3
