Warning: This chapter contains some gruesome moments, aka torture. I don't know if anyone has a squeamish stomach or just doesn't want to read that sort of stuff, but if that's the case then skip the end of this chapter. When I post the next chapter I'll put in a quick "previously" note to clear things up for anyone who had to skip the end of this one.
Sorry for any inconveniences.
Halfway through the night Amelia and Kili switched watch, and when the sun again rose Kili was sitting at the mouth of their little cave, watching its ascent with wistful eyes. He sat there for a few minutes longer, and in that time Amelia had woken and moved silently to sit by his side.
"It's beautiful," she commented softly.
Kili nodded. "Tis a sight to behold," he agreed. He sat back with a sigh. "There is something about the sight of a sun rising over mountaintops that I love. Streaks of pink and pale gold against the grey stone. A brighter hope against a seemingly bleak barrier."
"Don't you dwarves love your stone?" asked Amelia.
"It is not the stone itself that we love, but what lives within it," Kili said.
Amelia nodded. "Ah, yes. Within each bleak, stony mountain, there are gems that glitter as bright as any sun."
Kili grinned, nodding his head in agreement. "Tis the light of the sun that makes them shine so."
"The brightest gems need no sun to shine. The world surrounding them is lit by their very presence."
Amelia glanced over to Kili, feeling butterflies in her stomach. She didn't fight so hard against them now, though there was a voice in the back of her mind that was telling her to do so. That warned her only pain would come of those butterflies.
Kili glanced over toward the Phoenix, eyebrows drawing together as he saw she was already watching him. As their eyes locked a small smile passed between them.
"I think you're quite right," he said at last. "These gems of which you speak are the best of the lot. I do wish they didn't hide so much beneath shields of rock."
Amelia shrugged, and her face became tinged with sadness. "They hide for protection," she told them. "Their own and that of others."
With that she rose, walking from the cave and into the morning air. Kili watched her, watched the way the sun bounced off her brown hair, alighting its red pigments. She moved with wary grace, always alert to the world about her yet confident in her ability to face its dangers.
He felt his heart twist in his chest.
She turned back to him and, catching him watching her, raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"What?" she asked.
Kili shrugged as she made her way back to the cave. "Nothing," he said. "I'm just worrying. Do you think the others are alright?"
Amelia sighed as she sat again. "I don't know," she admitted. "How I know events we were captured and held until Gandalf came to rescue us. The goblins meant to keep us all alive until Azog could arrive, for they sent word that the line of Durin is in the Misty Mountains."
"But you said you changed events."
Amelia nodded. "I believe that much will hold true." She glanced back into the cave where her bag rested against the wall. "It is a good thing we have Orcrist."
Kili frowned at her. "Why?"
Amelia slanted him an amused look. "The goblin cleaver, it is called. The goblins would take off Thorin's head themselves the moment they saw he wielded it."
Kili gulped, face paling, and Amelia put a hand on his arm. "Relax," she said. "They will be fine."
Kili nodded. He seemed about to say something when Amelia frowned and stood, her eyes sweeping downward.
"What is it?" asked Kili.
"Shh." Amelia held up a hand. She crept forward, bow appearing in her hand. "I saw something."
Kili gulped and swept dirt onto their fire, which had been burning low anyway. Amelia swung her bag onto her waist; Kili had lost his in the fight above the high pass and had none. Both then nocked arrows and crept forward silently.
"What did you see?" Kili whispered.
"I'm not sure." Amelia's voice was hardly more than a breath. "Something or someone was emerging from the mountains, below where we came out. I couldn't see who."
They moved quickly through the trees, knees bent against the slope of the mountain. Soon Amelia signaled for Kili to slow; they had reached where the figure had emerged.
They moved silently forward, but whatever was there had gone. Still, the two could feel someone watching them, and their eyes scanned about warily.
"Phoenix! Kili!"
Amelia spun just as Bilbo appeared. The hobbit was grinning broadly, the sword in his hand lowering. He was dirty and all the buttons were missing from his vest, but he looked no worse for wear. Amelia thought she saw him shove something into his pocket, and her heart sank.
"Bilbo!"
Kili strode forward and swept the hobbit into a wide hug. He swung him about, something which he knew very well Bilbo hated. This time, however, Bilbo didn't complain.
"I thought you two were dead," Bilbo said. "You fell… how are you alive?"
Amelia chuckled. "We were lucky," she said. "We landed on a ridge and managed to climb to safety. But let's not speak here. We have a camp nearby, out of the way of prying eyes."
With that she led the way uphill, the others behind her. The morning was still a bit chilly, so she lit a new fire that the three gathered eagerly around.
There Amelia and Kili took turns explaining what had befallen them. Bilbo listened intently, eyes wide.
"What happened to you?" asked Kili as he finished. "How did you escape? Where are the others?"
Bilbo blushed, his head hanging down. "I managed to slip away from the goblins. I'm not sure exactly what my intentions were; to sneak after them as a rescuer or to flee." He paused after this admittance, gazing fearfully at his two companions as he waited for their reactions.
Kili looked uncertain, glancing at Amelia. She remained blank faced though, so the prince decided to hear out his burglar.
"Then what happened?" he asked.
Bilbo grimaced. "A goblin came upon me, and while fighting we fell into the deep tunnels. Caves, really. There was a- a creature there. He called himself Gollum."
Bilbo broke off as some expression he couldn't name twisted across the Phoenix's face. She nodded for him to continue though, and so he did.
"We had a game of riddles," Bilbo said. "I won, and my price was for Gollum to show me a safe passage from the caves. Only now have I emerged onto the mountain side, not at all sure of what to do. I am glad to have found you."
Kili nodded and smiled, albeit a bit uncertainly. "Well, it is good to have you back."
"So," said Bilbo. "What do we do now?"
"How tired are you?" asked Amelia.
"Fairly tired," admitted Bilbo. "But I was knocked unconscious for some time when I fell; I think I slept a bit then besides just from conking my head. I have enough strength to go after the others."
"Are you sure?" asked Kili. His face hinted that he didn't want to hear the answer, that there were doubts of the hobbit playing in his mind. What if Bilbo decided to abandon them?
Bilbo took only a brief moment, and then he nodded. "I know you've doubted me," he said. "So have I. But I'll not leave Tho- the company to imprisonment and death."
He locked eyes with Amelia and Kili, and gradually both nodded. Kili broke out into a wide smile, much reassured.
"Alright," said Amelia. She turned to Kili. "Explain to me everything we can expect from the layout of those tunnels."
"Remember," said Amelia. "We can't expect the goblins have stuck with the intended purposes the dwarves set to the tunnels of Moria. We may have a general idea of where the company may be right now, but we can't be sure."
On either side of her, Kili and Bilbo nodded. They were creeping silently down the tunnel that lead to the heart of the mountain, all three with weapons drawn and ready. Bilbo's eyes were wide in fear, but he held steady.
"I can sneak ahead," he offered. "Find them and report back to you."
"No," said Amelia. "That's not an option."
"This place is crawling with goblins," admonished Kili. "Even you would be caught. And you have not the training to defend yourself."
Bilbo sniffed indignantly, but didn't argue.
"We go together," Amelia said. She didn't want Bilbo to use the ring- which she knew he was planning to do; the less he used it, the better off his mind would be for it. She highly considered drawing him to the side and warning him of the ring, but they didn't have time for the long explanation that would be needed with that.
It didn't take long for them to come to where the goblins resided. The tunnel opened up into a great cavern, where shaky bridges crisscrossed and multiple tunnels branched off, curving back into the mountain. Goblins swarmed all over the place, and even Amelia gulped worriedly.
"Now that I have a chance to properly look," whispered Kili. "They're ugly."
Amelia rolled her eyes. "Where should we go from here?" she asked.
Kili bit his lip as he considered. "There," he said. He pointed down and to the left, to a tunnel that disappeared into the mountain. "That should bring us in the right direction."
Amelia nodded and swung out of the tunnel, onto the inside rock face of the mountain. Sighing about having to contend with yet another cliff, she began to work her way sideways, the others following.
At each tunnel they passed along the way they rested briefly, until they had reached the one they wanted. It was dark here, but they didn't dare light a torch.
Kili took the lead, but as they went on his footsteps began to falter. Within fifteen minutes he was frowning, and Amelia felt annoyance stirring.
"You're lost," she guessed. "Aren't you."
"No, no." Kili dashed between two nearby side tunnels. "I'll figure this out. Just give me a moment."
Within two moments he was standing between the two corridors, glum looking and scowling.
"Great." Bilbo threw his hands in the air. "What will we do now?"
"Shh!" Amelia signaled for Bilbo to lower his voice, but it was too late. There was a noise from down the tunnel, and shadows began to move on the wall.
Kili shoved Bilbo behind him just as the first goblin appeared. Amelia took it down with her bow, and Kili shot the one behind it. There was a last creature, and to his surprise the Phoenix stepped forward, drawing Orcrist from the bag on her waist.
The goblin wielded a nasty looking blade, but it wasn't a match for her. Within moments it was pinned against the wall, Orcrist shining blue at its throat. To Kili's surprise the Phoenix didn't strike the killing stroke.
"What are you doing?" he asked. "Kill it!"
Amelia ignored him, holding the sword in the goblin's face so it could see.
"Do you know what this is?" she asked.
The goblin studied it with beady little eyes. A moment later its eyes widened in recognition, and with a snarl its struggles to break free intensified.
"Yes," said Amelia. "It's the goblin cleaver. Now, I am going to ask you some questions. You will answer them honestly, or you will face the bite of this blade."
The goblin snarled and fired off some curses in a language that Kili didn't recognize. Amelia's face hardened, and she dug the sword into the creature's neck until a bead of blood appeared against the point.
"You captured twelve dwarves yesterday," she said. "Where are they being kept?"
The goblin snarled, and Amelia sighed. She tore a large chunk of cloth from her cloak and stuffed it into the goblin's mouth, then, with a quick swipe of her sword, slashed the creature along the arm. It howled, the sound masked by the cloth bundled in its mouth.
"Stop!" Bilbo and Kili leapt forward, both pale faced.
"Phoenix, what are you doing?" asked Kili.
Amelia didn't bother looking at him. "Getting information."
Again she cut the goblin, higher up on its arm, and again it screamed. Amelia lifted Orcrist once more to hover over the goblin's throat, the blue glowing blade now stained with black blood.
"Where are they?" she growled.
The goblin spat several more curses at her, and Amelia responded with several more cuts. As she did she chanced a glance over to Kili and Bilbo. Bilbo was green looking, and was nearly to the point of hurling on the wall. Kili stood stock still, watching Amelia with horror filled eyes that burned from a pale face.
She pushed down the guilt she felt and turned back to the goblin.
"Where are they?"
Amelia made to strike another cut, but the goblin made a series of frenzied noises. Frowning, Amelia removed the cloth from its mouth.
"One tunnel down," it snarled. Tears leaked from its eyes, which burned with hate. "You'll die," it hissed. "All three of you. You'll never escape the tunnels alive!"
It began to cackle, but Amelia pressed against one of its wounds, and the goblin hissed in pain.
"Where did you put the weapons you took from them?" she asked. "Where?"
The goblin hesitated, but when Amelia moved to slash it once more it began to talk. "Two tunnels to the right, if you're standing at the center of the cavern looking toward this tunnel."
Amelia studied the goblin for a moment. It seemed as though it was telling the truth. She would have to hope it was.
She drove Orcrist through the goblin's eye. When she pulled the sword loose it slid down the wall, leaving a smear of black blood.
Amelia turned to Kili and Bilbo to find them watching her still, both looking shocked- and could that be disgust in their eyes? She gulped under their stares, and her gaze dropped from theirs.
"What have you done?" whispered Kili.
Amelia struggled not to let the fear in his voice affect her and failed.
"What I had to."
She turned away, stalking toward the entrance to the tunnel. She wasn't sure what had happened. Just that something had come over her, some sort of hard, cold, trance. A murderous rage, a need to be the one inflicting the pain for once, not just enduring it.
She looked down at Orcrist, which was still stained in goblin blood. Disgust overcame her, and she had to resist the urge to throw away the sword.
"Go find the company," she ordered. She didn't turn around as she spoke, unable to face her friends once more. "I'll find their weapons and join you. Wait for me in the cells."
With that she disappeared, leaving Kili and Bilbo staring after her.