Chapter 18

I roughly hit the Earth at the bottom of the secret entrance before Bombur lifts me to my feet, dusting me off as best as he can. An angry retort dances on the tip of my tongue but then Thorin slides down and the company settles into an uneasy quiet. Its that type of silence that makes you more cautious off breaking it than what's causing it. We all listen with rapt attention to the slaughter happening just out of our sights, preparing for what will happen if it spills inside. Except for me. For my own part, I anxiously make sure that I'm not standing on the soon-to-be dead body's landing pad.

"Aiiie!"

As expected, the orc rolls into the spot, causing everyone to jump back in surprise. Even as they realize that he is dead as a doornail, arrow to the throat, I'm still jostled to the back of the group as they grumble and jeer at the turn of events. Folding my arms impatiently, I wince at the pain it causes. Without looking, I know the scratch on my hip is really a gash that seems to span up to my lowest rib. Great. I'm going to need stitches. Pulling my coat closed, I ensure no one can see the bloody front of my shirt. Dwalin actually got shot and is fine but me? Nope, not I. I can already hear the scoldings now and no thank you.

Buttoning the snaps just to be sure, I begin to explore the Cave. The entrance and initial Cove are clearly natural but the deeper I go, the straighter the corners look. Time-worn rocks giveaway to smooth chiseled stone. Yes, this is the right place. Running my hand across the stone, I cut my eyes at the stomping to my right. Dwalin stands there, stoically gazing around in displeasure. Pressing my lips into a thin line, I can feel his question before it leaves his mouth.

"Is-"

"Yes, this is it."

"... It doesn't seem very safe to me, but it's hardly a thing to dislike upon."

"That's because we're only standing at the entrance. You just wait until we get inside."

The dwarf stares at me through squinted eyes but I don't back down. I know my face betrays nothing, I've lived long enough because of it, and that seems to annoy him a little more than it should. Good. It serves him right to feel a little of what I've felt since I met the guy. Scoffing after a few moments of silence, he turns toward the cavern we entered through, shouting towards his leader.

"I cannot see to where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or not?"

"We follow it, of course!"

"Well that's hardly your choice to make." I grumble with a sigh as Bofur rushes forward, paying me little mind "Not that I planned on climbing back up anyway. A tad bit dangerous. "

"This path is a safe one though." Dusting his hat off, Gandalf replaces it on his head. He is careful to keep his neck slightly bent as to avoid scraping the pointed cap on the ceiling "It will not take us away from where we need to go."

"But perhaps to where we would rather not like to be?" Gloin raises an eyebrow at the wizard but he merely shrugs and examines his staff for scratches. Frowning deeply, the dwarf turns to me with a snide expression "And what say ye, Farseer Bloodstone?"

"Oh? So my opinions matter now?"

"Make no mistake, girlie: I ask for fact. Yer opinions are yer own and I have no need of them."

"Oh, well then. Since you put it that way..." Pasting an obviously false smile on my lips, I start up the crooked path "Considering you have nothing but the clothes on your back and last night's food in your belly, I'd consider it FACT that you would like to be anywhere but here. In either case, I'm going this way."

"Humph. Women."

"A woman with enough sense to get out of here."

"I too think that would be wise."

I turn back to see the wizard grinning in my direction and I almost, ALMOST, grin back. Lifting my chin, I nod once and march on. Just as Iam about to enter the thin passage, Dwalin's arm snakes out to block my path. I peer down at it for a moment before following the appendage up to its owners face, giving him a questioning glare.

"It could be dangerous."

"Yeah? And what do you care if I find myself in a little danger?"

"Must you be so stubborn?" Rolling my eyes so hard that I give myself a headache, I aim to push his arm out the way. The arm doesn't move, until he brushes past me himself "Not first. Not you."

The passage is a thin curling path that won't allow me to pass him once we are inside without me crawling over his head. Allowing a few dwarves to go ahead of me, I place some distance between myself and my dog's murderer. As cordial as he's being, his sins have not been absolved. Little by little everyone falls into line, with me somewhere in the middle. It is not a long walk, maybe 15 minutes at best, before light starts to filter through the cracks in the walls. No one ever mentioned how dark this flipping passage is. Soon though, a glow becomes a stream and a stream turns into a beam and a beam opens up with a burst of light that has us all shielding our eyes from its intensity. The wizard, of course, is unaffected.

"The valley of Imladris. In the common tongue it is known by another name."

"Rivendell..."

The hobbit's breathy sigh does not go unnoticed by those close enough to hear it. And if they are too far to hear, the immediate bristling of their leader's shoulders is easy enough to catch. Not that Gandalf cares as he ushers me forward.

"Here lies-"

"Where I come from, we usually start tombstone inscriptions with the phrase 'here lies.' Are we visiting a graveyard?" I press my lips into a flat line again and open my eyes needlessly wider to give the wizard a deadpan look. I've been pressing my lips into a lot of thin lines today. It's just that kind of day "No? Then... perhaps 'Welcome' would be better."

"Yes. Well then. Welcome, though the welcome is hardly mine to give, to the last homely House East of the sea."

"Thank-"

"You welcome us to a place you have no right to welcome us into, wizard." The king steps completely free of the cave and flips his gaze around at the natural beauty with disgust. Straining not to bear his teeth at the sorcerer, Thorin keeps his voice surprisingly level as he cuts me off "This was your plan all along, wasn't it? To seek Refuge with our enemy."

I might have listened a little longer but the hobbit bumps into me slightly as we descend the uneven steps on his way to avoid the talk behind us. It isn't a big thing, though he apologizes profusely, but it serves to remind me that I am kind of wounded here.

With the adrenaline of the mad dash fading, the pulsing gash turns into a rising burning sensation that is quickly becoming difficult to ignore with each throb. Looking down, I growl quietly at the blood spotting through my coat. It's still light but is bad enough to have bled through the thick material, meaning its apparently worse than I thought.

I could use a hand... just a little. If I say something would they... help?

Shaking my head, I dismiss the girlish thought. As if I would sink so low as to ask anything from anyone. Regardless of that, all the supplies are gone. Even if the group wanted to, they couldn't help me. They'd have to take me to Rivendell anyway, which Thorin or Dwalin or Gloin or anyone else would no doubt blame me for. So... I'll be fine on my own. I'm always fine. Wiping my palms on my thighs, I put on my game face. I can make it to Rivendell. Whether the dwarves know or not no one is carrying me, I'll be no one's burden, so it will take just as long. It will hurt just as much. So I'll be fine on my own.

"Are ye alright, lassie? Yer looking a mite pale."

"Yes, thank you. I'm fine, Bofur."

Speeding up to the front of the group before he can say anything else, I thank my lucky stars that Thorin is sulking and Bilbo is gawking. If they weren't in their own little worlds, they'd notice my predicament. Why the heck is everyone paying attention to my complexion any way? One would think that with such a daunting task before them, these dwarves would be a little more focused. It's a wonder they make it to the mountain at all.

Departing from the cliff face, we reach the bridge and I immediately feel sick to my stomach at the height. I don't believe in phobias that are understandable. It's common sense to fear something that could kill you with ease. Bridges without guardrails over ravines are one of those things. I sway on my feet but a constant pressure on my back keeps me moving. In the back of my mind I know its a person but I can't tell them to back off without possibly falling to my death. So ignore it since it allows me to focus on keeping the contents of my stomach inside me. I suppose the arrow didn't cut out my cancer then if it still has me living with my gut in my mouth.

"Mithrandir."

"Ah, Lindir!

I didn't notice that we'd finish crossing the bridge, let alone that we had actually entered the... Entrance. Fear will do that too sometimes. The hand disappears and I purposely don't look to see who it was, looking in every direction but that one. The dwarves whisper amongst themselves with gusto; some are curious while others are full of disdain. All are cautious. As for me... I'm just trying to avoid listening to the conversation I've heard countless times before. Stepping forward to stand before the elf, I place a hand on my hip and decide to move things along.

"Yes, we crossed into the valley and Gandalf wants to speak with Elrond."

"I beg your-"

"Of course he can't because your Lord Elrond isn't here. Gandalf, you may ask 'Where is he?' He's out hunting Orcs. No need to worry though, he'll be here in a moment. In the meantime, I'm kind of bleeding." Gesturing towards the spotted front of my coat I show off the blood to the elf. He blinks in surprise as the dwarves at my back offer the scoldings I'd been expecting. The slight worry peppered in brings a frown to my mouth and confusion to my mind, so I ignore them all because I'm obviously going crazy if I think they are WORRIED about ME. Hilarious, I know "Can you get someone to help me with this?"

"Straight away, Miss..."

"Farseer Bloodstone is an associate of our troop." Gandalf offers the title and LIE when I say nothing to the elf's unasked question. I rolled my eyes at it but don't bother fighting it now. I won't be with them for much longer, so does it really even matter? "She has been traveling with our group and seems to have sustained a most recent injury."

"You should have told us you were injured, Lass." Stepping up to my side, Dori looks me over without touching me "We would have-"

"-Made a fuss about it, whether from annoyance or some misguided sense of duty." A nameless elf appears at the top of the stairs and after a quick look to Lindir for confirmation, I head towards her "I told you before that I neither need nor want your help."

"Farseer Bl-"

The horn blares from over the bridge, taking everyone's attention but mine. I use the moment to slip into the home, safely hidden away from anyone who could get their blood on my hands.

Hi! Sorrrry. It's been awhile.