Oy... this was a hard chapter for me to write for some reason. It might have to do with the fact that school is starting again tomorrow... err... today now. Or it might have to do with me having an idea for another story and my muse is busy running around with that one. Blahh.
Anyway, I hope you all like it! Also, I'm not quite sure how my grammar or spelling turned out in this chapter, as I'm really tired now and just wanted to get this out for you guys, so let me know if I made any mistakes that need to be fixed!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my own ideas and characters. Everyone else either belongs to JRR Tolkien or JK Rowling.
Special thanks once again to my wonderful reviewers, to the support from LadyDunla, and the wonderful insight from my anonymous guest. All of you guys rock!
Oh... and sorry for all the angst by the way... I promise it will end soon. Possibly. I feel like life is always full of angst, just waiting to come out in random moments... which is what will happen in this story. The girls won't dwell on their sadness so much as handle them when they surface.
Chapter 11: Goblins and Eagles
For the first time in a month, the girls slept without nightmares. Rivendell seemed to sooth their minds and allow them a few hours of precious peace. All too soon for her liking, Arianna found herself awake and staring at the intricate designs on the elven ceiling. Looking to her right, she smiled as she saw her best friend curled up next to her still asleep. Isabella's bangs fell over her eyes while her newly cut hair stuck out every which way.
Arianna knew that Isabella had been just as affected by her father's death. He had practically raised her raven-haired friend after her own father left. Isabella's mother had successfully hidden her magic from the muggle man she had fallen in love with and married for years; unfortunately, Isabella's accidentally magic blew a hole in that secret. When her father discovered the truth he left his young daughter and wife, disgusted and ashamed.
Arianna reached out and stroked her best friend's head, stuck in memories of Isabella running over to her house in the middle of the night, crying because of her mother's accusations. They had become best friends at the age of 7, after meeting during a muggle game of kickball. The first time Isabella told her the things her mother said to her, Arianna swore to herself that she would try her hardest to make sure her best friend was never sad again.
"Papa left because of me. Mother says that it's my entire fault and that it's because I'm a bad girl. She says that bad girls don't deserve good things." Isabella was sobbing, her voice breaking in the middle of her sentences. Arianna, with all the strength and compassion her 8 years could give her, hugged her friend before stating "Your mother is clearly a poop head. Of course you deserve good things; you have me for a best friend." Isabella raised her eyes in shock at the red head, a nervous smile on her face.
"Really? You want me to be your best friend?"
Nodding vigorously, Arianna smiled. "The very bestest friend. Forever and ever."
"Forever and ever." Arianna repeated smiling before turning to wake her best friend up. It was time to go find their dwarves.
Gandalf was already awake when the girls walked out of their room. Passing each of them some honey bread and two apples a piece, he explained their plan.
They were to journey to the Misty Mountains, where Gandalf had instructed Thorin to wait for him. "However, knowing the stubbornness of dwarves as well as I do means that I highly doubt he has stopped at all. Thus, we must leave now for I fear I have stayed away from them for too long already."
Isabella was struck with a strong sadness as she followed Gandalf and Arianna away from the beautiful House of Elrond. She had felt whole and safe there and a part of her didn't want to leave. However, a larger part of her was determined to find and help the company… and see Kili again. She doubted he would recognize her as she barely recognized herself. She hadn't told Arianna this, but the real reason why she cut her hair was because she felt like such a different person that she couldn't handle the familiar reflection staring back at her. Brushing her bangs from her eyes, she saw rain clouds obscuring the peaks of the mountains they were heading for.
'Please let them be safe and not in that storm' she wished.
It had taken them only a day to reach the mountains as Gandalf had pushed them hard. The girls were just settling down to sleep when Gandalf stood up from where he was leaning against a boulder. "I have a very bad feeling about our company. Quickly, we must reach them!" he cried. Both girls grabbed their wands and lit them with a quick "lumos" while they saw Gandalf place a rock in the end of his staff. A strange muttering later and the rock began to glow. Then, to the surprise of both girls, he took off running up the mountain as if it were nothing but a mole hill. Rushing to keep up with him, they scrambled over rocks and loose shale. Suddenly, Gandalf stopped which caused Isabella to run into his back. Gandalf seemed not to notice, as he was looking about wildly. For what, the girls didn't know until he started running again, this time towards a cliff face. Confused, the girls followed him once more until the wizard stopped again, this time in front of the mouth of a cave.
"We must go quickly and quietly in here; stay close behind me."
"What is this place Gandalf?" Arianna asked.
"An entrance to Goblin City where I am afraid our friends have been taken."
These goblins were not as Isabella thought they would be. Granted, she hadn't been completely expecting the little pointy-nosed angry looking things that she had come to see every time she stepped into Gringotts, but these… these creatures were twisted. Some of them were literally twisted, with limbs that didn't quite match up and faces that not even a mother could love. 'If they even have mothers…' she thought. Shaking her head quickly (thoughts of the reproductive habits or natures of these creatures were so not welcomed right now) she glanced past Gandalf to see how Arianna was handling the sight. From her face, it would seem to be that she was handling it pretty well.
"That is just nasty." The red head whispered, pulling a face.
Then again… perhaps not as well as Isabella thought.
Gandalf placed a hand on each girls' shoulder. "I'm leaving you at this point. Continue around the bend on this ledge. I believe you will see our friends on the other side. I will be traveling to the other side of the city, which will take me longer. Do whatever you must to keep our dwarves safe until I arrive."
Nodding, the girls faces had looks of determination on them as they gripped their wands. Their eyes, he noticed, showed some hints of the fear they must have been feeling inside however. Whether it was for themselves or the dwarves and Bilbo, he couldn't decide. Turning away, he found his path to the other side of the Goblin City, where he would have the best possible vantage point.
The girls did indeed find their friends… standing on a large wooden platform in the center of the terrible city. A rope bridge connected the path the girls were on to the platform and, surprisingly, it was not covered in goblins. Their friends however, were. In front of them sat a giant blob of a creature on a crude throne.
Arianna was able to make out the hugely disgusting goblin's words and her face paled.
"Bring up the Bone Crusher! If they won't talk, we'll make them squawk! Starting with… the youngest."
Knowing who the youngest was, Arianna prayed that Isabella didn't have as good of hearing as her. Glancing over, she saw her friend's stricken face and knew that she had indeed heard the goblin's words.
"He better not…" she started, making to rush over the bridge. For the first time in their friendship though, Arianna was fast enough to stop her. Pulling her back down, she covered Isabella's mouth just in time to hear the goblin's next words.
"Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain. Only… you aren't a King. And you don't have a mountain. Now, I know someone who would pay a great deal for your head. Just your head. An old enemy of yours… a pale orc."
Arianna felt her heart clench as she watched the large goblin order a pitiful, crumpled thing in a chair to go do something. As the little goblin sped away down a rope, she saw a mass of the creatures bringing large contraptions of sharp, pointly objects towards her dwarves. Feeling the bile rising in her throat, she tried not to think of Kili in one of those things. She wouldn't even allow herself the chance to dwell on the thought of a beheaded Thorin.
The goblins had worked themselves into a frenzy as the torture devices had reached the center platform. "Bring up the youngest!" the Great Goblin ordered again. Arianna could see Thorin trying to stop the four goblins that had grabbed Kili.
Isabella realized that Arianna's grip had loosened on her and took advantage of it. Arianna watched in horror as her friend raced across the rope bridge and burst through the group of goblins.
"I'm the youngest!"
Shit. There was only one thing left for Arianna to do then. Running across the bridge as well, she shoved her way past the disgusting goblins, taking them by surprise. 'Idiots' she thought. 'Where in the blazes is Gandalf?!'
Isabella could feel Kili's gaze on her, but she refused to look at him just yet. Focusing all her attention on the giant creature in front of her, she was surprised by Arianna's voice next to her.
"No, I'm the youngest! And I can scream the loudest too."
Looking at her best friend, Isabella caught Arianna's slight wink. Inwardly smirking at her friend's plan, she turned to face her.
"No you aren't, you old hag! You're at least six months older than me. And besides, you got to play on the Bone Crusher last time! Greedy pants!"
Both girls started circling each other while shouting random insults at the other, identical plans forming in their heads. The goblins were still slightly stunned by their appearance and the self-proclaimed Goblin King seemed to be too entertained by their argument to try to stop them. The girls finally stood still, with Isabella facing the giant goblin. Both had their wands outstretched and the goblins thought it was highly amusing, two female humans fighting each other with sticks for the right to be tortured.
Only the dwarves paid attention to Arianna's evil smirk as she looked at Isabella. Smirking back, Isabella thrust her wand forward, a green bolt of energy leaving it. Arianna barely ducked in time, a look of horror on her face. A roar of rage was heard next, followed by a series of rhythmic thumps. Confused, Arianna whipped around to see the Goblin King doing what looked to be a dance. He was kicking his legs out in a supposed pattern, before leaping sideways on the tips of his toes. Unfortunately, the spell forced him to make one more sideways leap and the entire platform watched in shock as the Great Goblin jumped off the platform, toes pointed perfectly and arms bent in an arch above his head, screaming obscenities the whole time.
"Really? The Tarantella spell? That's the one you chose? You know dozens of spells and you picked the dancing one?! Thank the gods you didn't pick the tickling charm."
Isabella was just standing there, still staring at the spot that the Goblin King had so elegantly leapt off of, a huge smile on her face. Looking around, Arianna realized that the dwarves were all staring at it too, but with looks of surprise instead of smiles. 'Still trying to figure out what they just saw' she thought, laughing out loud. She quickly realized that they were still surrounded by goblins however, when one of them snapped out of its daze and let out an angry roar. Arianna quickly blasted it off its feet but realized that she couldn't do that for the dozens that were now surrounding them. The dwarves had snapped out of their shock as well and were trying to fight the goblins bare-handed.
"Gandalf!" Arianna screamed. "Now would be a great time to show up!"
They were safe. Barely.
Somehow, the dwarves, wizard and girls all had made it out of the Goblin City relatively unharmed. However, everyone's relief turned to worry as they noticed that their burglar wasn't with them. Everyone was looking around frantically before Bilbo stepped out from behind a tree. Thorin was more shocked than anyone, having harshly declared that the hobbit had seen his chance to return to his home and had taken it. He demanded an explanation for Bilbo's return.
"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. That's why I came back - 'cause you don't have one, a home. It was taken from you, but I will help you take it back if I can."
Still smiling at the brave little hobbit, Arianna risked a glance at Thorin; the first one she had allowed herself to make. As if sensing her gaze, he turned to look her in the eye.
"And you two, what in Durin's name did you think you were doing back there?! And why are you back here, I thought you went home, where you belong!"
Arianna snorted. 'Come Dark Lords or Goblin Kings, nothing would ever make Thorin Oakenshield change.'
"Well?" The dwarf king repeated, clearly fuming.
Out of the corner of her eye, Arianna watched as Isabella's face fell, her eyes moving to the ground between her feet in embarrassment. Arianna felt her temper rise in the way that only Thorin could make it. Her friend had been looking forward to getting back to the dwarves since the moment they had left Arda and clearly had not been expecting this reaction. The red head noticed that Isabella was no longer standing near Kili, having moved closer to her.
I swear she'll never be sad again. Arianna's 8-year old voice drifted through her mind as she recalled the promise she had sworn to her father the night he explained more fully about Isabella's home situation.
Giving in to her rising temper at the impudent dwarf in front of her, Arianna drew herself up as high as possible. Granted, 5'1" wasn't that impressive of a height, but she would try to make herself as tall as a mountain if need be. Lacing as much sarcasm and anger in her words she spat "Of course, your Majesty. We have spent the past year, which was only three days to you, learning as much as we could to help you. We have experienced the return of the most powerful Dark Wizard of our Age, saw the terror on our friends and families faces as they realized how helpless we really are, saw children younger than us be attacked by his evil followers, cried at the sight of our headmaster's body lying broken on the ground after being betrayed by the person he trusted most, and on top of that, we had to bury my father, the one man who always looked out for us and whom we both loved more than anything! All because he decided to protect muggles and his home! And now we're here to protect you Thorin Oakenshield, from a Dark Lord who knows about Arda and is most likely on his way here to destroy it! So that's why we're back you.. .you… stubborn, heartless son-of-a-Dwarf!"
Her chest heaving with emotion, Arianna was appalled to find her cheeks wet. Still staring at Thorin, she took particular joy at his contrite face before eerily familiar howls rang out.
A look of such weariness crossing his face, Thorin sighed. "Out of the frying pan…"
"And into the fire. Run!" Gandalf ordered them.
Isabella had been pulled aside by Kili the minute they had stopped running from the underground city.
"You cut your hair..." he said softly, looking at the face he thought he would never see again.
All she could do was nod... her brain had fled the minute he had pulled her over to him. "I'm sorry for leaving." she said quietly, finally discovering her ability to speak. "I didn't want to."
Suddenly, Thorin started shouting at her and Arianna. Hurt and ashamed at his reaction, she refused to look at Kili again for fear of seeing the same anger in his eyes that Thorin held in his voice. Inching closer to her best friend, Isabella just stared at the ground, all her Gryffindor bravery leaving her. She had dreamed of meeting them again every night for a year and now that her wish had come true, it seemed that they weren't even wanted.
After thinking that, she startled as she heard Arianna start screaming at Thorin. Looking at her best friend, she watched in shock as tears started spilling out of the red head's eyes as the verbal release of all the pain she had felt the past month slammed into the temperamental dwarf in front of them. As her friend's tirade came to a close, Isabella wrapped her arm around her in comfort as she finally looked up at the completely shamed dwarf king.
The howl of a warg completely destroyed what ever chance Thorin had at a quick apology though
Arianna was going to curse that dwarf once she got her hands on him. Her earlier rage had changed into panic and fear. Fear of losing another person that she cared about. For she did care about Thorin she realized. Cared about him more than just as a platonic friend, more than just respecting his strength and confidence. Even when he was putting his foot in his mouth, she wanted to hug him and kiss that stubborn mouth... after slapping him of course. Hanging on the eagle beneath her, she begged to the gods to keep him alive.
"Please don't take him too."
Sooo... what did you guys all think? I hope you all liked it! Please leave me beautiful reviews to make my first day of Spring Semester bearable :).
Seriously... I have a Jurisprudence class at 8am. Have mercy lol.