****Hey all! Sorry for the delay in updating. These next few chapters have been really hard for me to write. The current theme of grief and loss is difficult for me, as I'm going through the same thing myself. I haven't been able to write as much as I'd hoped because I can't spend much time writing without getting too emotional. Thanks for your continued support of me and this story. I'm really excited for what is coming up next!****

Chapter 33

Annelise was quickly becoming overwhelmed by the sheer number of orcs that were surrounding her as she stood at her fallen cousin's side, taking them down as quickly as possible.

She found herself being pushed back out of the tunnel onto the frozen surface of the waterfall that fell from Ravenhill.

The sound of metal clashing distracted her and she turned for a split second to see who was fighting nearby. Her heart leapt in her chest when she recognised her father's form, but her relief quickly turned to concern when she saw that the orcs she had previously been fighting had begun running toward the Dwarf king instead.

She quickly followed after them to her father's side, taking down as many of the orcs as she could on her way.

She watched her father's eyes widen in relief as he saw her coming to his aid, though she also a hint of fear. They fought side by side against the foul creatures but Annelise knew their luck would run out soon as there seemed to be no end to the sea of orcs coming toward them.

She was facing off against one of the larger orcs when she began feeling the weakness in her arm once again from her previous injury.

She started struggling to keep up with the orc's strong blows and it took everything she had to simply defend herself. Thorin could see that his daughter was struggling but he was unable to come to her aid as he was preoccupied by his own opponent.

Annelise was shocked when suddenly the orc before her fell to the ground with a familiar arrow through its skull. Seeing she had a couple moments to catch her breath, she turned in the direction the arrow had come from and a smile grew on her face as she saw Legolas standing atop a crumbling tower, shooting arrows and taking down orcs surrounding she and her father.

She managed to catch his eyes and gave him a nod in thanks and she could see him smile slightly back at her.

Annelise then moved closer to her father and began fighting beside him once more, with occasional arrows from Legolas taking down the oncoming orcs.

When they found themselves with a moment to breath, Thorin turned to Annelise and grabbed onto her arm, looking at the cloth he had seen wrapped around it while they were fighting.

"I'll be alright," she tried to reassure him when she realised what he was looking at.

"Are you ok?," she asked him, seeing the sad look in his eyes.

"Fili-"

"I know," she interrupted him quietly, tears coming to her eyes at the recollection of her fallen cousin.

Thorin could only nod in acknowledgement at her words, knowing that nothing he could say at the moment could lessen their grief at the loss.

"You must find Dwalin," he said after a moment of silence to get his bearings once more. "Bilbo is with him. They could probably use the help."

"I'm not leaving you," she protested, the loss of Fili making her more desperate to stay at her father's side.

"I can handle the situation here," he responded. "Bilbo is not an experienced fighter and Dwalin is no doubt distracted with trying to protect the Hobbit and defend himself."

Annelise couldn't deny the logic of her father's statement and Thorin could tell by the slump in her shoulders that he had convinced her.

"The last I saw them, they were over there," he said, pointing to the right bank of the frozen river. "They are likely still somewhere in that section of the watchtower."

Annelise nodded and began making her way in the direction Thorin had shown her. She stopped short when her father yelled out her name.

"Be careful!," he shouted to her once she had turned to face him again.

"You too!," she yelled back before turning and running toward the bank of the river.

Annelise continued making her way through the maze of the watchtower in search of Dwalin and Bilbo. Her progress was not very fast as she continually found her path blocked by orcs.

As she fought through the creatures, she found that her mind had completely cleared of anything except finding her friends and praying to the Valar for strength as she began getting more and more tired.

Annelise sliced her long sword across the middle of an orc in front of her and sighed in relief when she saw that there were no more approaching her for now.

She took a moment to tie the cloth on her arm tighter and then strained her ears for any sound that might be coming from Dwalin or Bilbo.

She let out a quiet sound of happiness when she was able to vaguely make out the sound of Dwalin yelling in anger as he fought. She decided the sounds were coming from ahead of her and broke into a run to try and find the dwarf warrior, and hopefully Bilbo with him.

She made it to the end of the tunnel and stopped for a moment to assess the scene before her. Dwalin was fighting against an orc, with two others running towards him. She quickly sheathed her sword and pulled out her bow, firing two arrows in quick succession to take down the two orcs before turning her attention back to Dwalin.

She put her bow back into her quiver and pulled out her twin swords and moved out of the tunnel entrance just as another orc turned the corner and ran toward the dwarf.

Dwalin managed to dispatch his opponent and turned to face the new orc, but Annelise beat him to the punch and had already killed it.

"Lassie, what on earth are you doing here?," he shouted in disbelief, just as a small group of orcs came running through the fog towards them.

"What does it look like I'm doing?," Annelise chuckled to herself as they fought side by side. "Father sent me to find you and Bilbo. Where is he?"

"He was alive last I saw him," Dwalin answered as he blocked a blow from an orc that had managed to sneak up behind Annelise. While their blades were locked, Annelise quickly turned and took down the foul creature.

"If he's any brains at all, I'm sure he found himself a nice place to hide," Dwalin continued once they had managed to take out the latest wave of orcs.

Just as Annelise opened her mouth to respond, her attention was caught by something at the edge of her vision. Something large and brown flying through the air. She turned to look at it better and broke out into a huge smile.

"The eagles!," she shouted, turning towards Dwalin and laughing in disbelief. The stern warrior looked up at her with a tiny smile on his face as well.

"We might just make it through this."

"Now where was Thorin last?," Dwalin asked after they finished fighting off yet another group of orcs.

"He was at the waterfall."

"You should return to him. I can handle myself here and I'll join you shortly."

"But he told me to stay with you," Annelise protested, though she really did want to return to her father's side.

"Azog means to end the line of Durin," Dwalin said sadly. "Thorin needs protecting more than I."

Understanding his reasoning, Annelise placed her hand on his shoulder firmly in acceptance before moving away from the dwarf.

"That is the fastest way back to the river," Dwalin advised, pointing to a different tunnel than the one she had taken before.

Giving him a small salute with her right hand that was still wrapped around one of her blades, she turned and ran through the tunnel.

Once she made it to the frozen river, she began scanning the area for her father. Her heart jumped for joy for a moment when she spotted Bilbo.

She opened her mouth to call out to him, but choked on the words when she saw what, or rather who, he was kneeling next to on the ground and speaking with.

"Addâd!," she shouted and ran as fast as she could toward the pair.

"Annelise," her father said weakly when she fell to her knees beside Bilbo near his head. "I'm happy you're here."

"None of that," she said sternly as tears began gathering quickly in her eyes. She reached out to his chest, intent on examining his wound when Bilbo laid his hand across hers to stop her movement, wanting to spare her from the gruesome sight of her father's wound.

"Don't," the Hobbit said quietly and her heart stopped as she realised that there was nothing they could do for her father.

"I love you, my treasure," Thorin said, having to force the words out. "Never forget, I am so proud of you."

"Addâd, please, you can't leave me. I'm not ready," she sobbed, tears rolling off her cheeks and on to his as she leaned over him.

"Yes, you are. But I will never be far from you, my child," he said, using what little strength he had to place his hand over her heart. Annelise quickly reached up and grabbed his rough hand between both of her own and held onto it tightly.

"I l-love you, Annelise….."

With these words Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain breathed his last.

And all the people in the valley below stood still for a moment as a heart wrenching cry echoed through the air from Ravenhill.

The already present tears in Bilbo Baggins' eyes began streaming down his face at the sound of the deep sobs racking through Annelise's small frame.

He flinched at the anguished scream that tore from the girl's throat and quickly moved to her side to engulf her in his arms, trying in vain to provide any comfort he could to the grieving girl.

"I am so sorry, dear friend," Bilbo said softly, unable to think of anything else to say that might bring her solace.

Annelise wrapped her arms even tighter around the Hobbit's small frame, clinging to him as if he was the only thing holding her together at the moment.

"Where is Kili?," she asked quietly, wanting her cousin with her as they would both be grieving for the loss of their family.

"I don't know," Bilbo answered after a moment of hesitation, fear creeping into his heart as it had been a long time since he had seen the young dark-haired dwarf. 'Just after we lost Fili,' he thought to himself sadly, causing more tears to build in his eyes.

Bilbo opened his mouth to speak once more but turned his head sharply at the sound of running footsteps. Annelise quickly jumped to her feet, drawing her sword as she feared more orcs were approaching, though somewhere in the back of her mind she recognised that the steps were too light to belong to an orc.

She let out a small sigh of relief when she saw Legolas sprinting into view.

"Are you alright?," he asked urgently as he got closer to her, looking over her form frantically for any injuries. "I heard your scream…."

Legolas' sentence trailed off when he saw the form lying on the ground behind the young woman.

"Annelise-," he began to say, sadness coating his voice at her loss. He was cut off, however, when Annelise suddenly moved toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly and began crying once more.

Legolas hastened to wrap his arms around her shoulders as tight as he could, knowing she would need his strength when she heard the news he had for her.

"Kili," she said softly and Legolas felt his heart clench in pain, knowing what he had to tell her. "Was Tauriel able to find Kili?"

"She found him," Legolas sighed and Annelise tensed in his arms at his tone, dreading the answer to her next question.

"Is he alright?," she questioned so quietly that Legolas barely heard it even with his enhanced hearing.

Legolas pulled back and looked into her eyes and Annelise knew without him having to say a word.

"No," she sobbed under her breath, repeating the word louder and louder until it was indiscernible from the gasps and sobs that were escaping her.

Legolas knew she was going into shock and began to worry she would faint from hyperventilating.

Just as he reached out to try and calm her, Annelise felt her world shift on its axis and Legolas barely had time to catch her before she fell to the ice beside her father.

Annelise came to a few minutes later to find herself wrapped up tightly in Legolas' arms. The elf had lowered himself to the ground and had pulled the girl into his lap when she'd fainted and was whispering to her softly in elvish to try and keep her calm.

Tears began streaming down her cheeks once more when she remembered the reason behind her fainting. Legolas simply rubbed his hand up and down her back, rocking slightly as he continued speaking to her softly.

After a few minutes of this, Annelise had finally composed herself enough to begin thinking clearly once more.

"Where is he?," she asked finally, wanting to see her cousin.

"Come with me," Legolas said finally after examining the girl's face to see if she was alright, or as alright as she could be given the circumstances.

Legolas carefully lifted the young woman off his lap, before jumping to his feet and reaching down to help her stand. He was unsurprised when, as soon as she was standing, she reached over and wrapped both arms around one of his own as they walked.

He reached over with his other arm and held tightly onto one of her hands as he began leading her down the tunnels that would lead to where Tauriel was with the fallen dwarf.

When they rounded the corner, Legolas quickly released her hand as the girl let out a small cry and fell to her knees again next to her cousin.

He was relieved that she did not start sobbing once again, but felt an ache in his heart as he watched the tears fall slowly down her face in a constant waterfall.

Annelise reached down and brushed her hands through his hair, remembering how he always would tease his brother that he and Annelise shared the same hair color. The memory caused a small sob to break through her throat but she managed to hold herself together.

After stroking his hair for a few seconds, she leaned down and placed her forehead to his and stayed like that for a few moments. When she moved again, she placed a soft kiss to the same spot before turning to look at Legolas again.

As soon as the elf saw her look to him, he moved to her side once more and helped her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her again.

Annelise pulled away from her friend when she felt another hand on her shoulder and turned to see the she-elf she had not acknowledged as she cried over her cousin.

"I am sorry," Tauriel said softly. "I could not save him."

Annelise surprised the female elf by wrapping her arms around her tightly and Tauriel began crying again in earnest at the kind gesture.

After a few minutes, Annelise pulled back and Tauriel went to Kili's side once more.

Legolas tipped his head toward the opening they had come through in a silent question and Annelise nodded, moving with him toward it. She knew how much it must hurt him to see the elleth he cared for grieving for another man.

As soon as they passed under the entryway, they were met by Thranduil who looked overjoyed to see them both alive.

"Go on," Legolas said softly to Annelise, squeezing her hand once before releasing it. "Join your companions. I will find you later."

Annelise simply nodded, knowing the prince wanted to speak with his father in private. She gently laid a hand on Thranduil's forearm for a second as she passed him before leaving the two elves alone.

When she made it back to the waterfall, her heart ripped apart even more at the sight that met her eyes.

The Company of Thorin Oakenshield was gathered around their fallen king and one by one, they sank to their knees in grief.