Okay! Thank you for the support last chapter, I accidently had my anonymous review off so it you tried to send one I probably didn't see it. Anyways, let the show begin!
Disclaimer: I don't own the hobbit or it's characters, I do however own my characters and artwork I put into this series.
Chapter Six: What Begins Must Always End
Lian continued to sit in the pale moon light, lost in thought, she only wondered what she had done to earn Thorin's hatred. Was it the way she looked? Did it offend him maybe?
Whatever it was it set a permanent scowl on her face, the jackass was always moody anyway so it wasn't like it wasn't something to expect. Still, the thought of him disliking her that much…hurt.
"You have traveled far, young human." Came the whisper like silk through the air, Lian once more turned, not expecting to see a beautiful she-elf where Bifur had once stood. the moon illuminated the elf's pale hair, sending almost a halo around her head as waves fell down her slender person.
"Aye, I have…" She slowly answered, not knowing whether to be weary of the elf or not, she certainly gave off an air of peace but it could easily be a cover.
"You have no need to be weary of me, child. I will cause you no harm." She smiled, her face lighting up like the moon above with a twinkle in her crystal blue eyes; so clear and wise.
"Who are ya?" Lian asked, standing to face her properly but she only reached the elf's breast, suddenly understanding how Bilbo felt when standing next to her.
"I am Galadriel," She answered. "You are troubled over the hostility shown towards you by Thorin Oakenshield but do not be upset. He has much to burden and only wishes for your safety." Galadriel glided slowly to a fountain, staring into the poor of liquid when Lian stiffened.
"How did ya…know that?" She breathed.
"I have many powers beyond those of mortals, for it was given to me by our god, Valar." She turned, her pale eyes locking with her own green ones.
"You will face many hardships traveling with Thorin Oakenshield and his company. Death, blood and pain will be the outcome if not careful. Many oppose their quest to take the mountain." Lian looked down, brow furrowed as she tried to find the right reply to convey her feelings on the matter.
"I know this, I've known since I agreed to come on this journey." She began slowly, clasping her hands tightly in her lap. "I sometimes regret my hasty agreement, fear that I'll not be strong enough to live through this and protect them." Lian whispered, closing her eyes only for them to snap open when she felt the cool slender fingers touch her cheek, looking up at Galadriel.
"You have a strong heart, Lian, it will take you far and to do great deeds. The question is not if you are strong enough to live, but if you're strong enough to fight." Galadriel dipped her pale hands into the fountain, fingers gingerly containing a glass bottle; corking it once filled.
She handed the bottle to Lian, receiving a confused look from the young woman but she simply shook her head. "This is water from the Fountain of Lorior, known to heal any wound one may bare. Wounded soldiers once bathed themselves in it's waters during the great wars of the First Age. I give this to you in hopes that you may use it when hope is needed the most." She wrapped her hands around Lian's, clutching the bottle tightly as she looked up at the she-elf. "Be safe, Lian, daughter of Lvian, may fate be on your side during your journey."
And with that the mysterious elf left, leaving an air of wonder and awe in her wake.
A gentle shake awakened Lian from her slumber, instinct doing its part as she thrusted her hand out, curling her fingers around fabric; swinging the object over her and into the ground where it let out a pained grunt, causing her eyelids to flutter open.
"When will you stop doing that?" Dori growled. "Sorry, I'm still not used to being away from home." She mumbled, sleep thick within her voice.
"Well get used to it." He snapped , turning to wake the other dwarves.
Lian sighed, closing her eye for a few moments to collect her thoughts before standing, stretching with a loud groan. She paused when she noticed her shoulder no longer hurt, only a bit stiff but that could just be from sleep.
These elves were starting to creep her out with their mysterious ways of helping. Though helpful most of the time, it did make her weary. She didn't mind them but she felt far more comfortable with dwarves.
The room was still dark despite the large windows, indicating that it was either night still or about to be dawn. The company was swift in gathering their things; last night she had noticed her clothes folded neatly by her bag. She didn't hesitate to change back into them before she went to bed so she didn't need to gather much before they took their leave of the elven city.
Thorin had yet to talk to her since yesterday, in fact he treated her like she didn't even exist and it pissed her off beyond all belief. The only thing that kept her from confronting or demanding answers was Galadriel's words.
'He has much to burden and only wishes for your safety' She had said but Lian was finding that harder and harder to believe. She knew he was always looking out for his kin but she was not his kin, only someone Gandalf had decided to throw into this mess.
Safety, tsk.
Bilbo dwelt behind the group, looking longingly back towards the elven city and she shook her head a bit. The hobbit still had much to learn and though she pitied him she knew that coddling him wouldn't help.
They trudged forward for a few more minutes before she finally noticed Gandalf was not with the company. "Where's Gandalf?" She asked Gloin.
"Our paths have gone different directions. If you have a problem with this then you can turn back now." Thorin answered instead, showing no sign of concern for her well being and looked like he'd be happier if she jumped off the mountain side right now.
"I have enough honor to finish this quest." Lian set her jaw stubbornly, tempted to cut that short by throwing him over the mountain side.
"Foolish woman." He spit.
"Arrogant dwarf." She snapped back, causing the company to grumble from the sudden tension the two displayed. Thorin turned away from her, ordering them to move forward while he storms forward.
"What did you do to make Uncle so mad?" Kili asked, falling back with Fili to talk with the snarling woman.
"I didn't do anything. He's the one who decided to be a huge ass-." She was cut off by Fili's calming pat on the shoulder, doing little to cool her simmering temper.
"Okay, okay but something's got his knickers in a bunch. Maybe the meeting with the Elf lord?" Fili wondered aloud.
"Whatever it is, I tire of his constant mood swings." Lian grumbled.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to his mood swings." Kili winked, only making her frown as they continue onward. Growing farther and farther away from Rivendell and closer to the steep incline of the Misty Mountains. They traveled without breaks towards the Misty Mountain's, climbing steep slopes one after another until they stood upon the base of the mountains. Only then did they stop, setting up a fire so they could eat before moving on.
The Misty Mountains loomed over them; almost menacingly as the sun beats straight down from directly above, indicating it was somewhere around Midday.
"I'm starved." Gloin complained, trying to urge Bombur to hurry up with the cooking; and there was plenty of that considering the amount of food they stole from the elves pantry.
"Don't rush me." Bombur snapped, clearly not appreciating the constant nitpicking of the dwarf as he stirs a pot of stew. Soup seemed to be the only thing they ate really and though Lian was grateful for food, she tired of it. She craved meat, not tiny bits in soup but a whole damn turkey on a stick.
She squeezed in between Fili and Bofur, laughing along with the others when Fili let loose a fart: a blush coloring his cheeks, he didn't know how to respond in front of a woman. Luckily he didn't have to when Lian let out her own fart, far louder and stankier than Fili's.
The dwarves shouted out complaints, quickly leaving their spot beside her as she obnoxiously slammed her hand into her leg whilst laughing and they finish eating to continue on their path, several of the dwarves keeping a distance from the grinning woman. The red hues of the evening sun cover them as they walk, the mountain path becoming smaller than what would be most comfortable and the air had grown thinner as they climbed, cold winds nipping her nose in a familiar manner.
Lian's nose suddenly perked up, taking a deep lungful of air through her nostrils with narrowed eyes. "It's going to rain, we'll have to find shelter soon." She called up to Thorin, not daring to try and move closer in fear of falling off into the canyon below.
"We move on!" Thorin commanded, ignoring her warning.
It did not take long for night to fall, rain following behind in a powerful downpour with harsh winds threatening to send them toppling over. Lian had grown almost nauseous at the sight of the sheer drop below them, her gut twisting in fear every time she would catch glances over the edge.
Suddenly her foot slipped against the slick black rock, her knee hitting the edge of the path painfully, nearly sending her over if she had not stabilized herself with Bilbo's helping hand.
"Thank ya." Her voice shook a bit but the loud storm drowned it out as he gave her a reassuring nod.
"We must find shelter!" Thorin yelled, his stubbornness long gone under the constant torment of rain and freezing wind.
"Get down!" Dwalin bellowed out of nowhere, a bolder quickly coming into view as it hurled it's self into the mountain above us, shattering into large masses of rubble. Lian doesn't even think twice, pressing herself into the mountain side as much as she could, eyes squeezed shut; the smell of wet earth filling her nose as rubble fell all around them.
"This is no thunder storm; this is a thunder battle." Balin exclaimed as a creature of stone emerged before them, taking a chunk out of the mountain nearest to it.
"Giants! Bless my beard, its stone giants! The legends are true." Bofur yelled in awe and bemusement.
"Why can't ya have normal mountains?!" Lian yelled over the rain, yelping when another bolder is hurled towards them; not wasting time to flatten her body against mountain as it flies past them to slam into another giant who had emerged behind them.
"Get down, you fools!" Thorin bellowed as thunder suddenly shook the mountain around them, rock shifting and giving under them when a large split formed between the company.
"Hold on!" Dwalin called.
The thunder had not shaken the mountain but the mountain it's self was what moved, a stone giant emerging and the company was split in half on each of its knees.
Lian's stomach gave a sickening lurch as she clung to the rock, breathing erratic as they swayed back and forth. The other half of the company having already safely jumped onto the mountain side but they were not so lucky as their giant was hit, sending them lurching forward with several screams.
Lian quickly wrapped herself around as many of the company as she could, Bilbo directly under her as she felt the tips of her boots struggle to barely stay in contact with the stone ledge under her.
They collided with the mountain side, sending Bilbo and Lian over the edge and Bilbo was quick, grabbing a hold of the ledge. Lian clumsily grabbed a hold of his wrist, temporarily halting their spiral downwards as the harsh draft caused her to sway in the wind, making it harder to hold onto Bilbo.
"Lian." He cried, panic in his voice as they felt his grip slightly give on the slippery rock, he wouldn't be able to hold on for long, they both knew it.
This is it, die trying or die not.
Lian looked up towards Bilbo, their eyes locking as she let a sad smile grace her lips. "Be strong, Bilbo." Her lips had hardly formed the words before Bilbo's own had opened in terror.
"Lian, no-." She loosened her grip upon the hobbits wrist, their fingers brushing against each other lightly before air took her from below, encasing her within its arms as she plummeted into the dark abyss below.
"Lian!" She heard Bilbo scream but she couldn't see him anymore, only the pitch black sky above her. Her life didn't flash before her eyes, she didn't feel at peace with herself, only numb before pain blazed a trail along her back, her form connecting with hard rock and knocking the air from her lungs. Her body bounced once on impact, forehead colliding with the earth before everything turned black.
Surprise Mothafucka.
Link to artwork is on my profile.
Also, it's come to my attention that some of you may wonder why Lian says 'ya' or 'yer' over 'you and 'you're'. This is apart of her accent, later on in the series it'll explain this. If you don't like the way she speaks then either suck it up or stop reading cause I'm not going to change it.