Chapter 7 - Goblin and Orc Attacks
"Bilbo!" Bofur shrieked over the sounds of crashing stone, as he slipped off the edge of the mountain hanging over the edge by his fingertips.
"Get him," Thorin called out, waving a hand towards Ivy.
Her eyes narrowed angrily though she still leaned forward following the orders, the edge of the cliff tore up the flesh on the inside of her arm painfully, as her grip slipped in the rain she grasped onto Bilbo's hand tighter watching the blood soak through her sleeve. She began to pull Bilbo up over the edge she gasped out in pain, clinging to him tightly as Thorin hopped over the mountain's edge onto a smaller ledge helping Bilbo up. Sighing, thankful to be relieved from Bilbo's weight she leaned back applying pressure to the wound.
"I thought we'd lost our burglar," Dwlain commented leading Bilbo away from the edge.
"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us." Thorin sneered, as he helped Ivy sit up he tore the fabric of her tunic to take a closer look at her new found injury. "Let us find somewhere safe for the night."
"We should keep going, get off theses mountains as soon as possible." Ivy insisted, despite the injury.
"It looks safe enough," Dwalin informed as he checked over a nearby cave.
"Search to the back, caves in the mountains are seldom unoccupied," Thorin ordered eyeing their surroundings.
"True enough, which is why we should keep going."
"It is another two day trip across this path," Thorin argued, "We stay here."
Ivy sighed throwing her hand in the air, "Have it your way." Slumping to the ground she prepared herself for the worst.
"There's nothing here," Dwalin answered, after touring the entire cave Ivy still sat with unease.
Everyone slowly walked in, all happy for a place to rest. Oin clambered over to Ivy sitting down he cut away the blood-soaked sleeve.
"Thanks, Oin," Ivy gritted her teeth as she eyed the damaged the mountain made of her own flesh.
"Tis nothing, lassie. It's what I do." Oin smiled, digging in his bag pulling a small rolled up leather pouch. "This may hurt a bit there, lass."
Nodding she braced herself eyeing the needle he held, "Fuck." A cursed flew from her lips as the needle dug into her flesh and out again, in a painful rhythm.
Kili came round with a teasing smile, "Language, Ivy, it isn't suiting to a lady."
"A Lady? Where?" Fili jested from the side along with his brother.
Ivy took a swing at Kili who stood the closest, causing Oin to grumbling at her movement's. Kili quickly pinned her arm back down, as Oin finished wiping down the blood before rubbing a salve over it.
"All done, lass." Oin stood cleaning up his supplies.
"Thanks, Oin," Thorin patted him on the back, nodding respectfully. "Get some sleep, we start at first light." He informed the others, Ivy made her way to move to a better position to take watch for the night, as she had always done during the quest so far.
"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan." Balin argued.
"Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch."
"Thorin, I'm fine. I can do it, let Bofur rest." Ivy pushed herself off the ground grimacing in pain.
"I wasn't asking, now rest for awhile. You need it." Thorin rolled to his side to sleep some himself as Bofur headed to the cave's entrance.
Sighing Ivy relaxed into Thorin's chest resting her mind for a time knowing it was wasted to try and argue with him.
"Where do you think you're going?" Bofur whispered as Ivy became aware of the movements around cave keeping her face hidden from view by the hood of her cloak
"Back to Rivendell." It was Bilbo.
"No. No. No. You can't turn back, now. You're part of the company. You're one of us." Bofur argued.
"I'm not, though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking. I should've never run out the door."
"You're homesick, I understand."
"No, you don't! You don't understand, none of you do, you're dwarves! You're used to...to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere!" Bilbo's voice raised slightly before crashing to a sullen whisper, "I'm sorry. I didn't..."
"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere." Bofur was right, as was Bilbo. "I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do."
"What's that?" Bofur asked the soft sound of metal scraping metal reached Ivy's ears. Sitting up her eyes shot around the cave watching the floor cracking all around the company.
"Wake up. Wake up!" Thorin ordered, just as the floor caved in upon itself throwing everyone into a large makeshift prison.
Before any could gather their senses, goblins were running down the only paths grabbing and pull them away. Several goblins dragged the company to the Great Goblin king, who sat upon his own sort of Throne.
"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?" He screamed.
"Dwarves, and an elf your Malevolence." A little puke remarked faithfully.
"Dwarves? And an elf, you say." He mused over the new information.
"We found them on the front porch," the smaller goblin replied.
"Well don't just stand there, search them! Every crack, every crevice! What are you doing in these parts? Speak!" the leader of the goblins ordered, as all remained silent waiting for Thorin's orders.
"Very well, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring up the mangler, bring up the bone breaker! Start with the youngest."
"Wait!" Thorin suddenly called out.
"Well, well, well! Look who it is! Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, king under the mountain. And the elf bitch, you keep by your side. 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 would pay a pretty price for your heads. Just your head, nothing attached, but your elf, you, they want whole. Perhaps you know of whom I speak, an old enemy of yours. A pale orc astride a white warg." He mocked, Ivy was seething with anger she fought desperately against the restraints the goblins had upon her.
"Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He has been slain in battle long ago." Thorin spat back.
"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" the goblin let out a sickening laugh turning to his scribe. "Send word to the pale orc, tell him I have found his prize." The small creature hurried away. "Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung, and 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."
As if being tortured by the goblins singing wasn't enough, his small minions pilfered their way through their belongings after having chained Ivy away beside their king. It was no small thing to capture one like her, they could easily sell her to the pale orc, who wanted her nothing more as bait for Thorin Oakenshield, or perhaps strike up a better bargain with an elven king.
A goblin searching through their belongings let out a screech tossing Thorin's glowing blue sword across the floor, Ivy smirked at their horror. Though she tried to stay silent as she tried to break free of her chains.
"I know that sword! It is the Goblin-cleaver! The Biter! The blade that sliced a thousand necks!" His singing stopped, at the sight speaking more to himself before yelling out his i orders. "Slash them, beat them, peel them, kill them all!" The Goblin ordered Thorin's head cut off.
"No!" Ivy screamed from out beside desperately trying to break free to get to his side.
An explosion went off nearby, through the vast caverns, it rumbled and shook a deep booming voice reached their ears. "Take up arms. Fight. Fight!"
Gandalf had come barging in last minute to save the day, trust in Gandalf. Thorin and company scrambled to gather up their weapons.
"He wields the Foe-hammer, the beater, bright as daylight!"
"Follow me. Quick! Run!" Gandalf called out, knowing as we did that there were far too many goblins here to fight off ourselves.
"What about Ivy," Thorin screamed trying to reach her, but the Goblin king towered above him and more goblins were pouring in all around them.
"Go, Thorin! Just get out!"
Thorin stood fighting off the goblins, struggling to obey Ivy's words but he was soon forced to run with remaining of the company, the goblins hot on their trail fighting the way through the caves.
Skidding to a halt the great goblin was abruptly blocking the path. "You thought you could escape me!" He roared angrily pushing backwards. "What are you going to do now, wizard?"
Sneering Gandalf stabbed the great goblin in the eye stunning him long enough for him to draw out his sword digging in deeply into the goblin's stomach. Dropping with a loud crash he fell to his knees. "That'll do it." it breathed more to itself than anything.
With a quick swipe Gandalf slashed its throat, collapsing lifelessly on the bridge, it broke under his weight and everyone one went falling down to the darkness.
"Well, that could have been worse," Bofur commented, who had clearly spoken too soon, as the body of the great goblin dropped upon the pile of rubble and dwarves.
"You've got to be joking!" Dwalin cursed out still stuck within the rubble.
"Gandalf!" Kili screamed, looking up from the dwarves vast amounts of goblins were charging them done. Thorin grabbed a hold of Kili's hand pulling him free of the rubble, he immediately began shooting down goblins giving Gandalf a little more time to pull the others free.
"There's too many, we can't fight them," Dwalin called, pulling Ori free.
"Only one thing will save us. Daylight! Come on!" Gandalf answered pulling Gloin free. "Here, on your feet."
As the last dwarf was free Kili turned running to find daylight, rushing down the mountainside to safety.
Gandalf stood off to the side letting the dwarves pass him as he counted quickly to ensure everyone got out of the caves safely.
"Five, six, seven, eight. Bifur, Bofur, that's ten. Fili, Kili, ah Bombor that's thirteen. Where's Bilbo? Where is our hobbit? Where is our hobbit?!" Gandalf exclaimed, already knowing where Ivy was.
"Curse that Halfling! Now he's lost! I thought he was with Dori!" Gloin grumbled.
"Don't blame me!" Dori defended himself.
"And where did you last see him?" Gandalf questioned.
"I think I saw him slip away when they first collared us." Bifur offered.
"What happened exactly? Tell me!" Gandalf pressed on for more information.
"I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's 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." Thorin growled, always hating on that poor hobbit.
"No, he isn't," Bilbo called stepping into the clearing.
"Bilbo Baggins. I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life." Gandalf smiled.
"Bilbo, we'd given you up!" Kili admitted.
"How on earth did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked.
"How indeed?" Dwalin mused as Bilbo chuckled slipping his hands into his pockets.
"Oh, what does it matter? He's back." Gandalf said.
"It matters. I want to know. Why did you come back?" Thorin demanded of the hobbit, eyes glaring down at Bilbo.
"Look, I know you doubt me. I know...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, cause...you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you, but I will help you take it back if I can."
A deep appreciation grew from the company to their hobbit friend.
"Ivy! There must be a way to get her out of there." Thorin demanded of Gandalf when a deep growling and the padding of paws against the earth.
"Wargs!"
They began howling the sound reaching the ears of all those around.
"Out of the frying pan," Thorin growled himself, turning on his heels to run cursing to himself as he was forced to leave her behind.
"And into the fire. Run. Run!" Gandalf gave the command.
Ivy could feel blood leaking down her arm having pulled a few stitches from flexing her arm as she tried to free herself. All struggled end when the harsh footsteps reached her ears. And the pale orc came into view.
"Oakenshield."
"He's escaped," A goblin bowed cowering in the corner as Azog roared, "but we have the elf." He piped up jabbing a grotesque finger towards Ivy who was trying to keep herself hidden.
Azog sneered as he walked over, towering over the elf he grasped her by the hair hauling her up. The goblin released the chains and Azog dragged her from the caverns.
Ivy spent her time screaming, struggling in his grip but it was a futile attempt she soon found herself astride his white warg, hands bound with filthy robe Azog kept the blade that was now his arm tucked along her side resting the tip on the side of her neck as they rode.
"They're coming!" Thorin yelled as he climbed up the tree.
The wargs began circling beneath the trees taunting them from ground.
"Azog!" Thorin cursed, disbelievingly as he saw Ivy bound in front of him upon his warg. "Ivy!"
"Thorin,"Ivy cried out, her words quickly cut off by the beast blade digging further into her neck.
The pale orc sneered out as he pointed in Thorin's direction, the wargs immediately began to jump up the trees tearing at the bark, toppling the trees to the ground. Ivy feared for her friends trapped within those trees. Gandalf used his staff lighting nearby pine cones on fire throwing them at the relentless wargs, they had no other options while it meant putting more distance between Ivy and themselves there was nothing they could if the wargs pushed them over the cliff.
Slowly with everyone throwing fiery pine cones, they began to retreat cheering slightly at the small progress. With the toppling trees, the dwarves jumped together trying to avoid the ground at all cost, with all of the combined weight the tree began to sag falling over the edge of the cliff.
"Mister Gandalf! Aah!" Dori screamed, dangling from the tree hanging from Gandalf's staff as he reached to catch him.
Thorin jumped from his position attacking Azog, "Thorin, no!" Ivy yelled as she heard a satisfied chuckled from Azog. Azog's warg easily took Thorin into its mouth casting him to the side, "No!" Suddenly Bilbo was seen charging and Ivy could hardly believe her eyes as this hobbit bravely stood over Thorin, a dead orc beside him standing up before the pale orc who was slowly inching forwards.
As the pale orc and his warg approached Bilbo he was flung to the side after fighting off another warg and orc off.
"No! Bilbo!" Azog whipped his blade away catching Ivy along the cheek as he began to raise his weapon ready to kill Bilbo, Ivy screamed her throat growing sore from the strain she put on it.
Out of the blue an eagle swept down grabbing Bilbo out of his reach, Ivy's voice was stolen from her out of pure shock her hand upon her stomach trying to calm her breathing watching almost breathlessly as the eagles swooped around saving them all. Azog sat stunned, Ivy noticed his arm go slack in shock taking her chance she leapt from the warg running away from the pale orc as an eagle flew past she leapt upon its back before it flew by picking up Thorin.
The Eagles slowed dropping us off upon a safe cliff top, hopping down Ivy fell beside Thorin, hugging him tightly. "Thorin! Thorin." I screamed out as I dropped to the ground, Gandalf coming over performing some sort of magic. Slowing he came around to his senses once more, sighing a smile broke over my face one he returned before standing.
"The Halfling?" Thorin called out, and suddenly Ivy's heart stopped at the sound of his voice after everything she had seen him do in such a desperate time, standing up to the pale orc for him she wanted nothing more than to protect Bilbo now.
"It's alright. Bilbo is here, he's quite safe." Gandalf informed.
"You! 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, and you had no place amongst us." His voice grew angry, Ivy reached out to him though she did not know what to do. "I have never been so wrong, in all my life." He spoke his voice suddenly soft and welcoming he pulled the halfling into an embrace. "But, I'm sorry I doubted you."
"No, I...I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero, nor a warrior. Not even a burglar." Bilbo chuckled, along with Gandalf.
"Thank you, Bilbo, for saving him when I could not" Ivy whispered, bending low embracing him into a tight hug.
Bilbo only smiled back happily.
The company all stood staring off into the distance watching the Eagles as they flew away, Ivy felt Thorin pulling her into him, looking proudly into the distance.
"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo questioned, as everyone came to stand at the edge.
"Erebor! The Lonely Mountain. The last of the Great Dwarf Kingdoms of Middle-earth." Gandalf recited cheerfully.
"Our home." Thorin smiled, squeezing his elf tighter.
"A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain." Oin called, as his eyes followed the bird.
"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf corrected.
"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks..." Ivy breathed out remembering Lord Elrond's words, from the runes.
"Indeed, Ivy." Gandalf and Ivy shared a smile.
"Well, we'll take it as a sign, a good omen," Thorin called smiling broadly for the first time in a long while.