CHAPTER 17

"Come on!"

Keeping my mouth shut, I follow the group without comment. Kicking myself for my loose lips, I try to ignore the unsettled looks being thrown my way every few seconds. Each time I so much a stumble, a rogue hand swoops in to set me to rights as if I'm some invalid. THIS is what I was afraid of. This is the last thing I would have wanted but my weak mind broke and now my right mind must pay the price. I'm no longer a stupidly stubborn girl who could probably handle herself because she's too crazy to die, oh no. Now I'm a pitiful one that needs to be protected from every obstacle. At least I kept my biggest secret under wraps. I think they'd all die of gentlemanly remorse if they knew.

"Stay together!"

My legs burn as we fly through the field but I push on, following the Wizard's orders as if they were scriptures. Radagast cackles insanely in the distance but it won't be long until the orcs figure out what's happening... And then the killing will start. And knowing that, I can't change that without sacrificing myself and isn't that just unacceptable? My steps falter only to be forced to speed up again when Dori grabs hold of my wrist. He tugs on it painfully tight, spurring me on.

"Move!"

Hissing out the order, the dwarf King heads the group but something is... off. His attention is on too many things: Our location. The group. The Wizards. The Orcs. And most worriedly, me. With so much begging for his attention, he is bound to make a mistake. I suppose he's lucky that I'm here to spot it when he does. Speeding up, I yank Ori back behind the stone covering before he exposes himself to the enemy.

"Stop worrying about me, you idiots!" Dori allows me to snatch my hand away if only so he can grab his brother. Pointing boldly at the king, I whisper harshly at him "You need to focus. So keep your attention on your enemies."

"Are you no longer my enemy?"

"Moron." Rolling my eyes as we stand still for a moment, I watch for any it orcs "I may not like you, but I'm not your enemy. Except for Dwalin's, of course."

"Of course."

"All of you, come on!" The coast clears, giving us the chance to move again. Our boots pound the Earth as hard as our hearts do our ribs. Keeping my own advice, I focus on the run and ignore the fact that life and death situations seem to happen more regularly then I'd like to acknowledge "Quick!"

"Where are you leading us?"

Gandalf merely glances back at the dwarf before pushing forward again until we reach where the climax of the situation shall occur. A hand wraps around my forearm firmly, turning me to face the kingsguard. His eyes flicker to the Wizard's back before coming back to settle on me.

"Where is he leading us?"

"... You won't like it, but somewhere safe."

He opens his mouth to question me further but I bring a finger to my lips to silence him. Pointing above me, I watch as his eyes light with understanding as the orc comes into view. He quickly alerts the king, who in turn instructs his nephew to kill the creature. Turning to face the wall, I cover my ears and shut my eyes tightly; pretending it's not happening. I don't hear the arrow fly but the thud of bodies is as unmistakable as the squeal of death that is abruptly cut off. I wonder if he was scared, that lone orc, when the arrow struck. I wonder if he knew he was going to die and if he was blowing that horn to fulfill a duty or if it was his futile attempt to call for help.

What would have been the point otherwise? If orcs are as cold and uncaring as they are made out to be, then what would have been the point of alerting the others? If cold they would not have aided him, so why waste the breath? If unruly, then why carry out your duty when you won't be punished for disobeying? I'm sure that they are more evil than good but aren't we all a little of both? The orcs would kill the dwarves... But don't the dwarves kill orcs too? Didn't I just help? Aren't we all just trying to... stay alive? Either way, death comes for us all and crying over the wonders of this world, or any other, would not stop it.

"Move!" Peeling myself off of the stone before I fully ruin my image, I follow the Wizard's voice. Pointedly ignoring the shredded remains of the orc and warg pair, I swallow the bile in my mouth "Run!"

My breath comes in pants but I keep going. It's just a little further. We'll make it to the secret entrance and dive in. The battle that ensues will not have us as participants. We'll get to Rivendell and split up. Elrond and Galadriel will collaborate with the Wizards to get me home and that'll be it. It'll be over. I just have to make it to-

"Look out!"

An arrow shoots past my side; slicing through the skin on my hip and narrowly missing in killing me . It is due to the hands at my back that shoved me to the ground, knocking the air from my lungs. The owner of said hands, none other than Dwalin himself, collapses on top of me with a grunt of pain. Thick blood oozes sluggishly from the second arrow that had apparently sunk itself into his shoulder, which he waste no time yanking out. Dark droplets rain down on me, speckling my cheeks as he pulls me to my feet.

"Are you injured?"

"Not fatally..."

"Hm. Eyes open now, Farseer."

"Don't... Don't call me that."

"Fine." Giving me a once-over and a clean bill of health, or at least as clean as I can be right now, the dwarf returns his gaze to the orcs "Lady Atina, then."

"Hell no." Stepping back towards the rocks, I let the stones act as a natural defense for my back as the enemy approaches. Pressing my hand into my side, I frown at the blood that wets my palm. It'll seep past all the cloth I'm wearing soon but for now it's ok "You've no right to call me anything but 'please ma'am don't chop off my family jewels with that rusty spoon.'"

"What!?" Taking down a warg that strays to close, the ax-wielding dwarrow throws an unhappy look my way "I just took an arrow for you! Bled for you!"

"I nearly took one for myself too. You owe me all the blood in your body anyway after what you did! One measly arrow, that I didn't ask you to block, isn't going to change that!"

"Why you little-"

"Oi! Stop it!" Waving his bow like a maniac, Kili directs our attention back to the problem at hand "There are more coming!"

"Kili!" More yelling. The head dwarf honcho points his sword at the approaching Vanguard with a hilarious 'the-heck-are-you-doing' expression on his face "Shoot them!"

"R-Right!"

Tossing my head, I search for Gandalf. Locking eyes with me, he turns away, picks up his skirts, and darts behind the stones. If I didn't know better, I'd think he'd been hit by surprise diarrhea. Giving him a moment either way, I contemplate being useful.

I could pick up a small stone, and I could hurl it at an orc. All those years of softball would pay off as the rock would strike the creature and scare the others into backing off. They would depart before the elves arrived and no one would have to die... A lovely dream. I don't bother picking up the rock, instead resolving to stay out of everyone's way.

"Where is Gandalf?" The dwarves argue amongst themselves but Bilbo trembles at my side. What will eventually be dubbed Sting dangles in his loose grip as he looks up at me with a question in his eyes "He... He hasn't abandoned us... Has he?"

Patting his head softly, I shake my own but offer no extra information. The hobbit really just needs to have faith, in himself and others. I don't think I can give him faith, considering I have none to give. Scanning the field I find the lone orc that will return to Azog with his tail between his legs. He stands further away than the rest, not knowing that his safety now will be the death of him later. Catching my stare, he opens his maw to expose his sharpened teeth. I'm not impressed. Raising my hand, I point straight at him.

"That one is going to escape and return to his leader." I make a point of not saying who his leader is. He's too far for anyone, even Kili, to hit at this point. Doing this little bit won't add to the death count on my end, but it'll give the dwarves a heads up "He'll be killed for fleeing. At least there's that, right?"

"Yes. Thank you, Farseer Bloodstone but we haven't time for that!" Keeping his sword at attention, should another orc test his patience, Thorin commands his men to the ready "Hold your ground!"

Fighting the urge not to bend down and grab a handful of dirt, I swing my head in the direction Gandalf went. I believe he's had enough time, so sprinting to the spot where I know he will appear, despite the protests of the nearest company members, I wait. Just as Gandalf sticks his gray clad head up, I am overcome with a need. That's why when he comes up, I pop up in return.

"Boo!" He actually stumbles backwards, with a look of fright. The wizard stands there judging me for a few good moments and I feel a little bad "Uh... Gotcha?"

"That was hardly an appropriate use of your gift, Farseer Bloodstone." Straightening out his robes with the huff you'd give a fussy three-year-old, Gandalf calls to the dwarves "This way, you fools!"

"Come on, move! Quickly!" I stand to the side and watch the dwarves slide into the secret entrance. Thorin, too watches them go before spotting me and offers another one of his best 'are-you-an-idiot' looks "ALL of you!"

"...Right." I take a deep breath and slide into the darkness