I do not own any of the characters or the Hobbit (just the AU storyline and my OC) those are the work of the esteemed and brilliant John Ronald Reull Tolkien, and without his genius,this and many other fan fics would not be in existence.
Please review! I love getting them-they keep me encouraged J
I feel that I must include a warning here-there will be HEAVY language in this chapter. I normally do not swear, and neither does my OC, but the swearing in this chapter is crucial to the plot, so if you are easily offended, please understand why it was done. I hope you enjoy this chapter nonetheless, and please review!
The goblins hustled them across the pathways, causing many of the dwarves and the young woman to stumble on loose planks in the process. Cirashala noticed that the sides of the walkway weren't very well shored up, and, despite wishing that she wasn't completely surrounded by goblins, she was grateful for the slight buffer between her and the edge.
The goblins who were carrying their weapons threw them down in a heap in front of the Great Goblin. Cirashala felt jostled on all sides as clawed hands gripped her arms and ripped through her sleeves, leaving minor scratches on her arms. She suddenly felt the clawed hands retract, and glanced behind her as Fili, Balin and Gloin shoved her to the center of the group, preventing the goblins behind them from being able to reach her.
"Keep your head down and your hood up," Balin whispered in her ear, and Gloin nodded.
"Do not let them know your gender," the red haired dwarf hissed, causing Cirashala to look at the fiery tempered dwarf in astonishment, her mouth gaping slightly.
I-is he….protecting me?
Her astonishment was short lived, however, as she felt a tug on her neck. Before she could turn to see what it was, her hood was pulled up over her head and fell over her eyes, allowing her to see nothing except her boots and Kili's in front of her.
"Keep your hood on!" the voice she recognized as Fili's hissed over her shoulder. "Do not look up!"
There was more jostling as the goblins rounded them up, and she felt someone bump into the back of her, causing her to bump into Kili in turn with a slight grunt.
XXX
The young dwarf didn't need to look back to know that Cirashala was behind him. He had heard the soft grunt, and kept his eyes fixed forward at the enormous goblin in front of them in order to avoid drawing attention to her. However, he did plant his feet and reach his hand back slightly, grasping her arm gently and steadying her until she regained her balance. Once he felt her stop wobbling against his back, he let go and brought his hand back to rest against his side.
The jostling ceased, and the great goblin stepped down from his enormous throne, using a pile of pitifully squealing goblins as a footstool. He stepped down onto the platform with a loud thud, before sneering at the group of dwarves, who were regarding him with glares and looks of disgust.
"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?" he asked, his enormous chin wobbling back and forth, before standing up straight. He had a large scepter in his left hand, a skull of a tusked and horned creature adoring the top of it, and it hit the platform with a slight thud as he glared at the "invaders".
"Spies? Thieves? Assassins?" he spat, earning even deeper glares from the angry dwarves at the insulting titles he heaped upon them, but not one of them said a word.
Kili's breathing quickened, and his fingers twitched, wanting nothing more than to silence the disgusting creature he laid eyes on. At the same time, he was very worried about what would happen should the goblins discover the gender of the young woman behind him. He may not know much about women and how certain activities were performed, but he wasn't completely naïve. He knew that it would not bode well for her at all should the goblins realize they had a woman amongst them, and for the first time, he wished she hadn't accompanied them into this danger.
The goblin in front of the young dwarf spoke up, answering his master.
"Dwarves, your malevolence," he replied, and the great goblin sneered.
"Dwarves?" he spat, looking at the group with indignation and hate. The goblin that had answered nodded.
"Found 'em on the front porch," he said, moving forward and pointing at the group behind him.
"Well, don't just stand there!" the goblin cried, pointing his finger over the group. "Search them! Every crack, every crevasse!"
The goblins immediately jumped to it even as the great goblin spoke, and Cirashala could feel the dwarves press into her on all sides. Her breathing quickened and the blood drained from her face as the great goblin's words rang through her mind.
Every crack, every crevasse.
XXX
Kili heard a slight gasp of horror behind him, and moved back into her as the goblins pressed forward. They rifled through his clothing with absolutely no regard for dignity, shoving their grimy, clawed hands into his coat, and between his jerkin and tunic. His face showed little emotion, but disgust shone from his eyes. The others fared no better, one goblin stamping on Oin's hearing trumpet after wrenching it out of his hand, but as one goblin moved to pass the young prince, the impassive mien melted away, and he shoved his fist into the goblin's face.
"Get away!" he cried, blocking the angry goblin's arm as it swung back at him in retaliation. He felt a whip lash across his face, jerking his head to the side as the angry leather ripped his cheek open. He paid it no mind, swinging out again. Several of the dwarves had also begun pushing against the goblins as they attempted to get past to search the young woman in the middle of the group.
Suddenly, four goblins at once were on Kili, grasping his arms and neck and dragging him forward and off to the left. He growled, fighting against them, but it was no use. He watched in horror as several more goblins overwhelmed Ori and Bifur, pushing them aside as well, until they reached the young woman.
"No!" he cried, surging forward. But two more goblins joined the four holding him back, and he watched with wide eyes as Cirashala swung out, backhanding a goblin in the face with her right fist and immediately turning to land her fist in the stomach of another. But she was overwhelmed in half a second, and the goblins began searching her as well. She kicked out, hitting another goblin in the face, but as she did, her hood fell off. The goblins paid her no mind, finishing their quick search and standing back, but Kili's eyes widened slightly in surprise, as did several of the dwarves.
For she had taken the hair from the front half of each face, and brought it forward and under her chin, braiding it tightly against her jaw in a single braid that trailed down in front, as well as leaving several tendrils of her long bangs hanging over her eyes slightly. The effect between the two served to hide most of her face, and give her the illusion of a handsomely long beard. To a dwarf's eye, it was incredibly obvious that it was no beard.
But, to the goblin's untrained eyes, she was nothing more than another dwarf man.
XXX
Thorin looked at her in barely disguised surprise as well, but hid it as soon as it showed.
That is the worst looking "beard" I have ever seen, he thought to himself. But it seems to have worked. But how did she do that in such a short time?
He had no time to ponder his question, however, because as soon as the goblins backed away after their search, the dwarves huddled again, discreetly moving around her back. The goblins holding Kili shoved him back toward the group, where he took up his place in front of her again, glaring at the goblins.
"What are you doing in these parts?" the great goblin asked. Bofur and the others glanced between each other, discreetly running their eyes over Cirashala as they did so to make sure she was relatively unharmed, before glaring back up at the great goblin.
When the giant did not receive an answer, he grew very angry. "Speak!"
Still not receiving a response, he stood up straight, pointing his finger at them.
"Very well, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk!" He looked around at the cheering goblins like a child who has just been given permission to play. "Bring up the mangler! Bring up the bone breaker!"
He waved his scepter around as cheers resounded through the cavern, the goblins becoming more and more excited at the promised entertainment. The great goblin turned, pointing toward the group at what appeared to be Ori.
"Start with the youngest!" he cried, but before he even finished the last word, a decidedly female voice rang out, shouting above the din.
"I am the youngest!"
XXX
Thorin had opened his mouth to speak up, but turned in shock at the young woman, who had quickly undone her "beard" and thrown her hood back, staring defiantly up at the equally surprised great goblin as her auburn curls fell in a wildly tangled mess down her back and framing her face. Kili whipped his head around with a gasp, eyes as wide as tea saucers with a panicked look on his face, even as the great goblin began to chuckle.
"Well, well, well!" the great goblin cackled. "Looks like we have a female dwarf amongst us! What a wonderful surprise!"
The dwarves looked at her in shock, before huddling around her so closely that she almost couldn't breathe. She pushed against them to step forward, but as she went to pass in front of Kili, the young dwarf grabbed her arm so hard his knuckles turned white, shoving her behind him with a glare even as Thorin spoke up.
"Wait!" Thorin shouted, attempting to move forward. The dwarves parted for him, several hands now gripping her arms tightly, though she struggled against them. The great goblin's eyes widened, and a wicked smirk crossed over his face.
"Why, look who it is! Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain!" he bowed low, his great chin sweeping the platform as the goblins cackled. The whole company recognized the mocking gesture for what it was, and glared daggers at the goblin who dared to disrespect their king.
"Oh, but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain!" The goblin continued, "And you're not a king, which makes you….nobody really." Thorin glared at him, and just as the great goblin opened his mouth to speak, an angry voice shouted, causing hundreds of pairs of eyes to turn toward the speaker.
"GET AWAY FROM MY KING, YOU MOTHERFUCKING SON OF AN ELVISH BITCH!"
XXX
Thirteen pairs of completely astonished and dumbfounded eyes turned toward the young woman, whose sky blue eyes had been replaced with a steely grey, unbridled fury emanating from her entire body.
Those who had been holding her back loosened their hold in shock, every dwarf gaping at the furious young woman, whose glare directed at the great goblin could not match even Thorin's. She violently wrenched free from their grasp, stepping forward and looking the great goblin straight in the eye.
"If you even think about harming any of these dwarves, I will skin you alive, cut off your balls and shove them down your throat, cut off every single appendage you have slowly and painfully, and put your disgusting, filthy head on a spike!" she screamed, all fear gone as she stared down the massive goblin, who was easily three times her height and about a ton heavier than her. Her fists clenched at her sides, and the fury in her gaze was enough to make some of the smaller goblins back up in fear. Blood dripped down from the scratches on her face, but she paid it no heed.
"You are disgusting, you damned thrice to hell motherfucking bastard! You evil spawn of elves, you will rue the day you ever insulted a dwarf!" Her voice had dropped low and dangerous, every word cut with steel. "And not even Melkor himself will save your pathetic hide."
XXX
The room was eerily quiet as the goblin king stared at her. The stunned dwarves looked wide eyed at the fuming young woman, her eyes neither blinking nor leaving the great goblin.
Where's the cowering, injured young woman the lads rescued in the troll cave? Dwalin thought, his stunned gaze turning slowly into respect as he nodded to her. It appears the lass has a backbone after all.
The great goblin looked her over, before a smirk slowly crossed his face. He began to chuckle, the sound starting low and building, until his laughter rang throughout the cavern. Breaking the dwarves out of their astonishment, they turned and began glaring at the goblin king once more, clustering behind her in support.
"Bring her forward," the great goblin said, once his chuckles had dissipated. "This one will be fun to break."
Kili's eyes widened, and he tried to reach out and pull her back to safety, but the goblins saw him move and in the blink of an eye stood between her and the dwarves. They jumped on her, dragging her forward, her glare never leaving the goblin king. He tried to push his way through, but Dwalin and Thorin pulled him back.
"No!" he cried, before a gloved hand clamped over his mouth.
"Kili, no!" Thorin hissed in his ear. "He wants to get a rise out of you! You must not let him!"
"Aye, lad," Dwalin whispered. "Wait!" Kili stopped struggling against them, looking at Dwalin with wide eyes, fear barely concealed in the brown depths.
Thorin removed his hand and let him go, and the young dwarf looked at him in disbelief, before his worried gaze shot to Cirashala. He swallowed heavily, but did not move forward, having been trained since he could hold a wooden sword to listen to those in command in battle no matter what, even though every fiber of his being yearned to disregard his uncle's orders as he saw the young woman shoved to her knees.
For the first time in his life, he wondered if his uncle had truly lost his senses.
XXX
Cirashala grunted as her knees slammed into the platform. She looked up at the great goblin, disgust and anger seething from her gaze.
How dare they threaten Ori? How dare they harm ANY of the dwarves? She thought to herself. I will NOT allow anyone to be harmed, as long as I draw breath. I swore an oath, and I will keep that—
She heard the distinct crack of a whip behind her, and her eyes widened just slightly. Unfortunately, the goblin king noticed, and laughed.
"Ah, yes. I almost forgot after your little interruption," he leaned his head down to her, sneering, and her nose wrinkled at the disgusting smell coming from his mouth. "Your king has someone who would pay a pretty price for his head, and I would imagine that same someone might be interested in such a…spirited plaything." He rubbed his hand over her head and the side of her face, and she jerked it away, glaring at him, clenching her jaw so as to not show her fear.
Gandalf, please hurry, she silently pleaded.
XXX
The goblin king stood up, and was about to inform Thorin in greater detail about just who it was that put the price on his head, when he noticed the young looking dwarf in the front. While the other dwarves glared at him as well, this young one looked at him as though he would like nothing more than to murder him. The great goblin smirked.
This should be fun, he thought to himself.
"Of course, the pale orc didn't say anything about you," he sneered at the young woman, "Just that he wants the head of your king. As for the rest of you, I was told I could do as I wished. Grinnah!" The goblin who had addressed him when the dwarves were first brought forth stepped forward.
"Yes, your malevolence?" The great goblin smirked as he looked at the cluster of dwarves.
"Beat her."
XXX
As soon as the order was issued, the dwarves surged forward, goblins rushing in to push them back.
"Tie them up!" the great goblin cried, and green ropes were brought forth. The goblins surged in, every hit the company landed seemingly ineffective as another goblin took the place of those who fell. The goblin king turned toward his scribe.
"Send word to the pale orc. Tell him we have found his prize," the great goblin instructed, and the scribe cackled evilly as the line was released, sending him away from the scene.
XXX
Kili shoved against the goblins as best he could, as did Bofur who stood next to him, but to no avail. The mangled creatures surged in without mercy, pushing them back. Kili looked above their heads in horror as goblins held Cirashala down and tore her tunic in half, exposing the leather corset underneath.
Grinnah reached down, sifting through the company's weapons until he spotted Kili's knife. He eyed the serrated edge, before moving toward her. He used the knife to saw the leather of the corset in half, and pulled it apart, exposing the bare flesh of her back. He glanced at the knife, before grinning and flashing his hand, slicing a shallow ripped cut across her back, causing the young woman to flinch away from it with a strangled scream.
As the red rivulets of blood began to drip down her previously unmarred back, blood drawn by Kili's own knife, the young dwarf surged forward with a growl, heedless of the goblins who tried to hold him back.
XXX
Grinnah struck twice more with the knife, leaving two more shallow yet painful gashes across her back, before picking up his barbed whip.
He repeatedly struck her in rapid succession, glee shining in the goblin's features as the barbs tugged on the ragged edges of the knife wounds. The goblin king grew increasingly annoyed as she refused to cry out, biting her lip so hard it dripped blood. Her strangled growls and screams were muffled through her tight lips, eyes shut against the pain as tears streamed down her cheeks. The great goblin held up his hand, and Grinnah's arm stilled.
The great goblin reached down, sliding his grimy hand under her chin and forcing her face upward. She slowly opened her tear filled eyes, pain and anger in the steel eyes.
"What are you doing in these parts?" he asked. She looked up at him defiantly, blood dripping from her swollen lip.
"Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul," she spat through gritted teeth, her jaw clenched against the pain and also to keep the nausea from revealing itself. She could vaguely hear the struggling pause behind her, before the dwarves began shouting additional insults at the great goblin.
She remembered Gimli delivering that particular insult to the elves in Lothlorien, and decided that would work, even if she honestly had no idea what it meant. She almost gagged as the vomit came up, spurting out her clenched mouth to land straight on the great goblin's enormous feet.
Through the rushing in her ears, she could faintly hear the dwarves fighting to reach her, but as black spots danced over her vision and her body trembled violently, she could not turn her head to look in their direction.
The goblin king roared in anger, and grabbed her by the hair on the back of her head, forcefully turning her around. Her eyes fell on Kili as her hands went up to hold the front of her tunic in place, who met her gaze. The young dwarf's expression was one of abject shock, anger and horror, and he surged forward, ducking under the rope being used to bind them and snapping the neck of the first goblin he reached. He lurched down towards the swords, but the goblin king had no intention of him succeeding in his attempt.
"Grab him!" the goblin king shouted, pointing to the dark haired dwarf, and several goblins jumped on Kili just before he reached them. He landed on his stomach, seeing the gleaming blades within a few inches of his hands, before they were yanked back. The goblins grabbed his hair, yanking him to his feet and began dragging him forward as he struggled against them. They threw him to his knees in front of Cirashala, who looked up at him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I tried." But before Kili could respond, there was a shout.
"NO!" Thorin's voice sounded above the others. The goblin king sneered at the dwarf king.
"Bring the king forward too! We need his head!" The great goblin cried, and several goblins moved to grab Thorin and drag him forward. Grinnah moved toward the pile of weapons, knowing exactly which sword he wished to use. He picked up the dragon hilted sword and looked at it with interest. Deciding the king deserved to have his head cut off with such a fine weapon, he began to unsheathe it.
But the second the runes etched onto the blade became visible, he cried out in horror, throwing the sword down on the platform with a loud clatter. The goblins who could see the sword shrieked, and the great goblin stepped back toward his throne in fear, pointing at the sword.
"I know that sword! It is the goblin cleaver!" he cried, his fear giving way to anger. "The Biter! The blade that slashed a thousand necks!" The goblins cried out in unbridled fury, piling on the dwarves like ants on dropped foot, quickly overwhelming the warriors in their raw hate. The whips began singing, the claws began grabbing, and the fists began flying.
Kili got yanked away from Cirashala as the great goblin grabbed her by the back of the neck, powerless to stop the assault.
"No!" he cried, the injured young woman disappearing from his sight as goblins swarmed over him.
"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all!" The great goblin cried. He pointed to Thorin, who by now had become pinned under the weight of six goblins. "Cut off his head!"
Thorin watched with wide eyes as the knife loomed over him, the blade glinting in the flickering light, before it flew down towards his exposed neck.