Hello! See, Monday- Like I promised! ^^
Enjoy…..
Bofur groaned as he tried to wipe the oil off his face; the stuff stank worse than Balin after eating mushrooms.
He was acutely aware of the torch that the Goblin-King was holding; he didn't like the way the beast kept swinging it around- didn't anyone ever tell him playing with fire was dangerous?
His eyes swivelled to his sides; Gloin was still fighting off the goblins that had grabbed ahold of them again after their little dousing, and Nori was in much the same position as before- shaking with his eyes closed.
He looked up at their leader; the whip was in his hands, and he was standing over Kili. He replayed the last few words they had shared, in the midst of the other dwarves. He cursed as he looked around; the plan wouldn't work if he was here…..
Thorin gripped the wood of the whip tightly in his hands; sweat was dripping from his palms, his stomach was fluttering with shock.
He looked across at his nephew; Fili was silently shaking his head, mouthing no over and over again- although his eyes never left the form of his brother.
Kili, who was slumped beneath him, tried to look up, but his face was at the wrong angle. 'Just…do it….' He managed to get out; Thorin saw blood spurt from his mouth. 'Thorin….just do it…..'
Thorin supressed a cry; he bit it back, anger resurfacing. He lowered the whip a little, shaking his head.
'No….no I can't….I can't…' he whispered, wiping his brow. He looked up at the Goblin-King, who had, for once, kept silent.
'No? Not going to do it, even for your friend's lives?' he raised his eyebrows and shrugged. 'Very well….' He lifted his hand, the torch was right on his fingertips- any moment now and it would slip…..
'Wait! Wait please!' Thorin cried. He cursed the goblin race, cursed them to hell- he chanced a look to the trio of dwarves behind the King, at one in particular.
Bofur shrugged, eyes wide- what could he do? It wasn't his choice to be dragged to the front.
Thorin nodded his head to the side, widening his eyes for a second. Unfortunately; he wasn't so inconspicuous with his looks.
The Goblin-King peered round, a sneer on his face. 'What are you doing?' he roared, looking from Bofur to Thorin.
'Never you mind!' Bofur growled, although he was very relieved that no-one heard him.
Back up by the stocks, Thorin took this moment of distraction to check on Kili; whose eyes had shut once more.
Fili tried to move forwards, eyes wide. 'Is he ok? Is he alive?' he asked, heart beating in his throat.
Thorin nudged his fingers under his nephew's chin, felt the weak pulse in his neck. He nodded, sitting back on his haunches as he ran a hand down his face. Fili closed his own eyes, relief flooding his body. 'Thank Durin….' He whispered.
Thorin had had enough. 'Let my friends' go- I'm warning you!' he growled, standing up, whip still in hand.
'Or what?' The Goblin-King countered, crossing its great arms. 'I've had enough of this- teach him how torture is really done!'
'What?' Thorin didn't have time to move; a goblin knocked him to the side with a punch to the face- he felt the whip being ripped from his hands.
Before he could move to reclaim the weapon a goblin grabbed him; he couldn't move save for kneel up. 'NO!' he screamed, as he watched the goblin advance on Kili with the whip.
'HAVE MERCY!' He heard Fili cry.
Thorin shook his head, fresh tears flowing.
'I told you there would be no mercy here! You had your choice- now you will see how we dish out punishments….' The Goblin-King spat, before raising his hand.
The great Goblin brought down the whip with such ferocity that Fili was sure his brother had broken. He screamed, long and drawn out as his brother didn't even wake. 'Please! Please for the love of Durin PLEASE!' he screamed, hands flexing to get to his brother.
The Goblin was just about to deliver another blow; he had lifted the whip, a smirk on its face….
'WAIT!' Thorin yelled, eyes dark. He was now stood amongst the goblins, arm outstretched.
'I'll do it.' He growled, eyes fixed on the Goblin-King as he turned.
'Fine.' The King spat, nodding his head to the goblin that held the whip.
The Goblins let him walk back to the stocks; everything had gone silent.
Fili held his breath as his uncle took back the whip; he didn't know what was going on, didn't know what to think. He only cared about his brother now.
Thorin held the whip deftly in his hands, turning it over again as if seeing it for the first time. He didn't even look at Kili; he knew his heart would break if he did that.
He was aware that the great goblin from before was still beside him; he could hear its breath, high and panting. Good.
He put his hands in the correct position for maximum damage; he had to make himself look convincing.
He had to do it properly, to appease the King.
He breathed out slowly, feeling every muscle in his body relax and slow. Finally; a feeling he recognised- the adrenaline before a battle; there was nothing in the world quite like it.
He exhaled even slower, eyes now roving the company, at Fili, and finally the three dwarves next to the king. His eyes met Bofur's; the two of them exchanged the look each one of them had been waiting for.
Finally, he turned, whip raised high. He brought it down- at the last possible second he bodily moved, the direction of his hit changing; the goblin got the Knout full in the face. It fell back, clutching its bleeding face, screeching.
Not even taking the time to breath, Thorin turned again, brandishing the whip like an old friend. He hit out again and again, at all the goblins near him; the sounds of the cracking whip now made him smile, the sight and smell of blood gave him renewed strength.
Back with the other two, Bofur yelled, launching himself forwards, smashing his head into the nearest goblin's skull. Gloin laughed manically, grabbing another and twisting its head till it broke with a dull pop. Together, along with Nori, they managed; by pure Dwarf rage, to beat and kill their captors. With a war cry and a laugh rolled into one, Bofur saw his fellow dwarves do the same- the Goblins were dropping like flies.
Up at the front, the Goblin-King was looking on, eyes wide. Thorin didn't even notice- he had dived for his weapon, kicking the pile into the direction of his company.
'Take up arms!' he roared to them as they bent to pick them up. 'Take them down!'
The roar that met his words sounded like music to his ears. He turned, suddenly enraged, at the goblins around them; he whirled his sword round, the glint in his eyes as he embedded it into the torso of a goblin.
An axe went crashing past him; a goblin, sword raised for his head behind him, fell backwards, twitching. He nodded at Bifur, who growled as he wrenched the axe from its head.
Fili was struggling in his stock; he tried kicking out at any goblin who might come his way- he only hoped he didn't get his legs broken, or trip any of the dwarves up.
'Thorin!' he yelped, for he now couldn't see anything, only the face of his brother; he wanted to get to him. He tried to turn his head. 'THORIN!' he screamed, voice cracking.
Suddenly, his eyes widened; a goblin had come into view, a broad knife in its hand- it had crept upon Kili, who was still unconscious against the stock.
He watched, not breathing, as it raised the blade high. Seconds later, a cry sounded, and someone barrelled into it, knocking it off its feet; they both went crashing to the floor.
'Get your hands off my nephew!' Thorin roared, using his own knife to cut its throat- blood spurted on his face. He growled as he pushed it away, spitting on the corpse.
'Thorin! Uncle!' Fili yelped. Thorin looked up and immediately ran to his oldest nephew. He pushed the heavy wood off his head and helped to steady him. Fili immediately made to move to his brother, but Thorin pulled him away.
'I need your help!'
'But- Kili…'
'Kili won't be getting out of here unless you help us!' Thorin growled, trying not to sound harsh. Fili felt anger rise again, but let it flow over him. His uncle was right.
He nodded, and ran to pick up his sword, Thorin nodded once, smiling, before they both dove into the fight, finishing off the last of the goblins that had held them captive.
The Goblin-King looked upon the scene, eyes wide. 'Kill them!' he roared to his goblins. 'They are merely dwarves! Kill them all!'
Fili, feeling an overwhelming sense of anger, looked for a weapon from the pile. He spotted a bow and arrow set on the floor; Kili's bow.
He took it up, fixing an arrow deftly into the weapon. He aimed silently, moving within good reach.
The Goblin-King looked at him, his face in the sight. 'What?! You can't do this! You-'it didn't even finish it's words. The arrow hit it between the eyes, knocking it off balance.
Not taking any chances, Fili took up another arrow, loosing it straight in the face; he was aiming for the actual eye, but then Kili was always the shooter between them.
The Goblin-King, finally un-throned, toppled forwards, hitting the floor with an almighty thud.
'That was for my brother!' Fili spat, eyes dark. 'Long live the king!'
He quickly put the bow to his back and ran to his brother, heart skittish. He fell to his knees; he lifted his brother's weak head. 'Kili….' He breathed.
The whole world seemed to slow, the colours meshing into one whirl of noise and darkness. He felt against his pulse like Thorin had. Nothing.
Panting, feeling tears erupting once more, he felt again , high up his neck; there! A pulse- it was weak, but it was there. Fili let his head gently fall onto Kili's; he savoured his brother then, thanking the world he was still breathing.
Finally he stood, and using all his strength, managed to pull the heavy wooden stock off his brother's form. Kili fell to the floor, but Fili was there, catching him before he hurt himself. He gently let him go to the floor; he looked around, trying to find something to wrap his wounds with, if only for now.
He spotted his cloak, matted with blood. Surely it didn't matter, he thought- he grabbed it, moving some of the worse stains off, before laying it across his brother. He felt Kili shudder beneath him, before he curled into the material. Fili let himself smile, and carded his fingers through his little brother's hair.
The battle was over- for now, Fili noticed; the majority of the goblins had been dispatched, the rest had fled when they realised that their king hand fallen. Thorin ran up, a cut to his face, but a victorious look in his eyes. They both knew the goblins would be back, with back-up.
'We need to get out of here…' Thorn growled, putting a hand on Fili's back. He nodded, and looked down at his brother. 'How are we going move him? He hasn't woken up.' He asked.
Thorin shrugged, 'Pick him up! Drag him- we need to move, now!' he hissed, before bending down to help support his nephew.
Nodding, Fili did the same; together they managed to move Kili so he was in a standing position.
'Move him so he's on my back.' Fili muttered.
'We might need you to fight-'
'-Kili needs me more!' Fili spat, eyes flashing. Sighing, Thorin nodded, and manoeuvred Kili so he was on his brother's back and shoulders; Fili hissed as his brother moved against his painful skin, but he tried to ignore the pain.
Thorin growled at the rest of the group, pointing to a hole in the cave where they had been taken. 'We go through there, and we don't stop moving until we come out into daylight! Let's go!' he commanded.
He looked across to Fili. 'You go first- I don't want you two left behind….' He muttered.
Fili nodded a thanks, and made his way to the cave, Kili resting on his back.
'Don't worry Kili….I've got you….' He whispered as they entered the darkness.
'…..I won't let you fall.'
To be continued…..
I hope you enjoyed their escape, and it wasn't too far-fetched for you all! At least I didn't use Gandalf! ^^
Next chapter…..the comfort starts! But don't worry, I'm not done with the hurt part yet…
A/N- I was just wondering, whether you'd be kind enough to read 'Fight For Survival' by LuckyPixi- I know many of you have! It's my sister's first Hobbit fic ^^
Thank you for reading, and please review!
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