A/N Y'ALL WHEN I SAY IT'S LIKE THE SEIGE OF MINAS TIRITH ALL OVER AGAIN.
Yeesh. Battles are #atime
And I forgot that they take like...fucking hours to suss out and write.
Fam it's almost 11pm, I've been here since 6:30. And I had a rough first draft to go off of.
BUT HOLY SHIT BALLS
IT HAPPENED
BATTLE
OMG
LIKE PART OF ME FELT LIKE IT WOULD NEVER GET HERE
AND NOW I'M LIKE OMG IT'S HERE HOW DO I COPE WITH THIS INFORMATION
Anyway, as someone who goes to bed at like, 9pm, I think it's time I did just that.
ENJOY THE RIDE
Dawn had yet to show even a hint of itself over the hills when the company helped each other into their armor. The mountain was waking with a heavy anticipation and few words were exchanged until Thorin stood back from the group to address them.
"This battle is one in which we must be careful, it is not time for reckless decisions. Their goal is for the line of Durin to fall and to take as many with it as they can. Guard yourselves well, and you are to follow any orders Lady Josephine sees fit to give. But hold this in mind," He looked at each of them in turn, ending on Josephine with a particularly pointed look. "At no time is she to be alone on that battle field."
In response, Fili and Kili shuffled in close beside her and she felt Dwalin scoot in behind them.
"And under no circumstance does a single one of you go to Ravenhill without me."
Thorin nodded. "By days end, our home will be assured. Fight well, my friends."
It was short, simple, and enough. The group started to disperse and Thorin approached her. "During the battle, do not leave my side. You have a job to do, and so do I, but you are still far from recovered enough for war."
"If only Shire Thorin could hear you now." She teased, remembering how he'd been so against taking any responsibility for her.
"Alas, he did not have your gift of foresight." He smiled at her convincingly and added. "I will see that you return home, Josephine, now all I ask is that you trust me in that."
Sick of tears and fear and sadness she punched him lightly on the breastplate. "You got it, old man. Now let's go kick some orc ass."
He sighed to cover up a grin and shook his head. "Come now, we should take out places on the wall.
She walked out into the hall with him, ready to follow until something caught her eye, a head of brown hair ducking behind an armor stand in one of the other rooms. She knew that head, and sent Thorin on. Blocking the doorway she peered around the stand.
"Bain, what are you doing?"
He stepped out sheepishly, wearing a mail shirt that was ill fitting and holding a sword and scabbard in his hand.
"Da said I'm not old enough, but-"
She cut him off. "You're not." Josephine would be damned if she let him join the battle.
"I want to help! Da will be out there. How can I just stay in the halls and hide with the others?"
Gently she took the sword and put it back on a nearly empty rack. "Children don't belong in war, Bain. And so long as you're in this mountain it's in my power to keep you from going." Well, it was shaky at best, but he didn't need to know that.
"I'm not a child!"
"You're thirteen. Thirteen year olds do. to war." Not when she had any say in it anyway. If nothing else, this thirteen year old wasn't. "Stay with your sisters and spare yourself the memories of battles until you absolutely have to face them."
"But-"
"The best thing you can do for your father is to give him the peace of mind of knowing you're safe. Promise me you won't try to sneak out."
Frustrated, he pulled off the mail shirt and left it in a heap on the floor. "Promise."
She clapped him on the shoulder and led him out of the room and back into the main hall.
"Bain!" Sigrid's voice cut through the quiet din of the hall. "What are you doing?" She rushed up with Tilda following sleepily behind her. "We're supposed to be heading deeper into the city."
"He came to see me off." Josephine lied, knowing he'd probably had enough from her and didn't need her sisters going at him further.
"Are you really leaving after it's over? That's what Da said." Tilda asked.
"I'm needed back home, they're waiting for me." She hoped she was right. "I may be back afterwards for a bit longer but I don't really know yet."
Tilda hurried over and wrapped her arms around her. "Will you come and visit?"
Josephine smiled and kneeled down. "As soon as I can, but you have to do me a favor cause it'll probably be a really long time. Can you try for me?"
She nodded.
"You've gotta live a really amazing and long life, like you've gotta live to be a hundred years old!" She said with wide eyes, like she was joking even though she really wasn't.
"I can do that! Great grandfather lived to be a hundred and two!"
"It'll be easy for you then. Okay, one more hug, you three need to get to shelter."
Tilda gave a tight hug, with Sigrid following, and Bain, while holding back from all the hugging, nodded and gave her a small smile. Josephine watched them until they turned the corner and were out of sight, lost in the shuffle of the people of Laketown.
Along the fully blocked gate of Erebor, the Company stood in a line facing the field, full of Thranduil's men as dawn crept forward. Thranduil rode towards them alongside Bard, Gandalf, and Bilbo who looked around Gandalf's cloak at the scene ahead of them. He caught Josephine's eye and they steeled themselves. Dain would arrive at any moment and their ruse would continue.
Josephine closed her eyes, felt the warmth of the sun on her face, and let herself slip away for just a few precious moments. To Gondor and her city, shining like silver with the bustle of banners in the wind and craftsmen starting their work on the first level. The smiles of her friends gathered in the feast hall of the citadel, and Aragorn's hand in hers, warm and strong. This was for her people, her friends, and for him. It would be over soon enough, all she had to do was make it through.
With a sharp breath in she stiffened and opened her eyes, mumbling to Thorin out of the corner of her mouth. "Are you sure Dain is going to play his part? He's awfully obstinate."
"He wasn't pleased with aligning with elves, but I believe I impressed on him the importance of the situation. He will send a raven when he is ready to show himself."
"And if he doesn't cooperate?"
"Then I will merely set you loose on him. I'm certain you will think of something."
She smirked and pretended not to be amused. "Har har."
A couple long minutes passed before the dark shape of Dain's raven swooped onto the stone beside Thorin. At this, Thorin began to play his part, raising his sword and bellowing a war cry at Thranduil.
His men drew their arrows and aimed towards Erebor, holding until moments later when Dain and his men appeared on the ridge, the sun to their backs with horns blowing. Step by step things continued, Thranduil's men turned to aim at the ridge.
Dain seemed a little unsure still, that was until the rumbling began. Deep in the hillside to the south east the ground shook.
"Welcome to Ararkis." She grumbled as the wereworms burst through the stone. "Thanks again for that one, Peter."
The faint sound of a voice echoed over the valley followed by an orc horn. The flags unfurled on Ravenhill as Azog gave his first order.
Orcs flooded from the holes made in the hills, but Thranduil's men were ready. A small shift was all that was needed and their aim moved to the hoard. From the crest of the hill Dain's men began to send their own and readied for a charge.
Along the wall, they each grabbed the rope coiled at their feet and tied off, throwing it down over the wall. Erebor was secure, the battle had begun, their part in the act was over for now. As each of them hit the ground in front of the wall, Bombur lit each of the ropes on fire, letting their usefulness to anyone trying to breach Erebor burn with it.
Half of Dain's men made to join the elves, and the other spit off for Erebor. Dain rode up, brandishing his hammer.
"Quite a plot ye've got, cousin. Complicated as all hell I say. Why can't we jus take 'em head on?"
"Perhaps one day I will be able to explain. But for now, hold to the plan."
The dwarves formed their lines as another horn sounded and the orc forces split off towards Dale. They'd find their own surprises there when they realized the city was empty. Well, except for Bard's hidden soldiers anyway. His archers could pick them off from above like shooting fish in a barrel, and with no civilians to protect it would make their jobs even easier.
Dwarves in place on either side and behind them, Dain reached to the horn on his belt and let out a long blast once, then twice.
"To the King!" He bellowed.
Sword raised, the company charged ahead into the fray. Thranduil's men spit as best they could to make way and Thorin pushed them into the enemy lines like a spear. It shattered the orc line and the heavy hit of armored dwarves stunned the nearest enemies. There was, thankfully, relatively little for her to worry about all things considered. Between the elves and the dwarves surrounding her she was picking off stragglers at the most. Smooth slices and quick footing downed orcs already unsteady from hammer blows.
She could feel the change in her body, a stiffness in her swing still, but it didn't hurt so much that she couldn't push past it, the adrenalin of battle put a lightness in her that was just enough to keep her stamina going.
Dwalin laughed as he lunged past her, slicing the arm off an orc several yards away. The dwarves wove around her like they'd rehearsed it. But their good fortune couldn't last the whole time, and she swore she smelled the troll before she saw it.
"Troll!" She yelled, grabbing their attention. It's not that she didn't, at this point, have a fair bit of experience with trolls, but none of them had had maces for hands.
Kili hollered something and a green blur flashed past the corner of her eye. Legolas shot through the air, apparently having used Kili as a spring board, and sank his knives into its chest. He stabbed them into the troll like ice picks until he reached the rider and sliced off its head.
"Fucking show off, every damn time." She muttered.
"So it's not just me, then?" Tauriel asked with a knowing smirk as she joined Josephine.
"He only gets worse about it with age."
Legolas hopped down and came back over to them.
"Just couldn't stay away, huh?"
"I'd rather not owe you a favor for the next several decades is all."
"Uh huh. Sure. We'll be talking about this when I get home." She joked. "Seven, so far, by the way. That troll only counts as one." She pointed her sword to the still body behind him.
He frowned and looked back. "One what?"
"Oh forget it!"
"What is it with you and that sniveling elfling?" Nori yelled as he ran by.
Thorin's voice cut through the noise of the battle, calling her name as he rode up on one of the goats brought by Dain. "It's time! If we do not go now, we'll be overrun."
"There's two thousand orcs between you and the hill." Legolas reminded her as she took Thorin's hand up onto his mount.
In the distance, cheers sounded from the chariot that Dwalin, Fili, Kili, and Balin had just taken over.
"Sounds like we need a diversion then." If Legolas had anything to say in reply, Josephine didn't hear it. Thorin told her to hold on tight and pushed the goat into a gallop.
They burst through the lines in a flurry of blades, the ringing of steel and smell of blood so thick in the air it was stifling. By the time they reached the bridge she had to let her sword arm drop and a grunt slipped out before she could stop it.
"Josephine?"
"I'm fine. Go!"
They sped up the hill, Fili, Kili, and Dwalin riding up behind them. The forces protecting the hill were sparse, and she let the dwarves cut them down. She'd need everything she had for what was coming.
The fight was quick once they reached the top and stood on the edge of the frozen river. Josephine had thought about this day for months now, dreading it and hoping for it all at the same time. It was silent, only a few first flakes of snow blowing through the fog that crept in around the tower.
"It looks empty, like Azog has fled!" Kili said with excitement.
"Empty indeed." Thorin said warily, looking over at Josephine.
"No one goes in that tower." She said quietly enough to not be overheard by the enemy.
"Thorin!" Dwalin yelled from his lookout point. "Goblin mercenaries, no more than a hundred."
"Bolg's forces will be waiting for us, all of you stay close!" Thorin ordered, grabbing her by the arm. "Keep low, conserve your strength. Kili! Watch after her, we'll handle the goblins."
The three charged into the squeaking forces climbing over the walls and Fili drew her back away from the fighting, up into the ruins along the river.
The goblins were barely anything for Thorin and the others after dealing with the large Gundabad orcs down below. At least they had their backup in place, ready to come as soon as Azog showed himself. Sure, Bolg's forces might surround the hill, but if the elves could get the high ground things would go a lot smoother.
"If there was ever a time for you to not be reckless, Kili, it's right now." She said warily, eyeing the tower and keeping the other eye on the fight.
"I'm the reckless one? You shouldn't even be here, Josephine! You're in no shape for this fight, I can see your sword arm shaking."
She shifted her sword to her other hand and stretched her arm carefully. "It'll be fine, this'll all be over soon enough."
One way or another.
From their vantage point the battle was going well, but movement caught her eye and she turned. Through the fog dark bodies crawled over the rock, aiming to flank Thorin.
"Shit." She hissed. They hadn't taken the bait, hadn't sent anyone in to check the tower, so the orcs were going to plan B. Sword back in hand she started creeping towards the opposing force which hadn't noticed them hiding below.
"Josephine," Kili whispered when saw what she was thinking. "No!"
"Josephine, yes." She whispered over her shoulder.
The fog gave the orcs good cover, but it also gave her and Kili enough cover to not be noticed as they drew closer and closer.
Josephine chose her timing carefully, waiting until they were close enough to Thorin that they could split off and take care of Bolg's forces and the last of the goblins. Finally, when she saw her chance she lunged, slicing into the lead orc's achilles, sending him tumbling down into the battle below and getting Thorin's attention.
Besides her, Kili sprang into action, sending orc after orc rolling down as the two of them retreated towards Thorin and the others. It was going well, but she was nervous. She'd changed things and now she either saved them all, or really fucked them over.
There wasn't time for Thorin to scold them for joining the fight, the forces were thick and getting heavier. The sound of battle was filtering up from below as the elves took their chance.
Kili went up against a large orc near the edge of the river and a heavy arm threw him off onto the ice, too far from the rest of them. Much too far.
Josephine bolted, too afraid to take her eyes off of him as he lay there, stunned.
"Kili!" Thorin yelled, following close behind her.
She dropped to her knees and slid up next to Kili, who was trying to catch his breath and wincing in pain.
That was when they heard the drums.
Deep within the tower they thrummed in her chest and coming through the mist, she saw him. Azog. He was smiling, staring at Thorin with a smug grin from the other side of the river.
"Stay here." Thorin commanded, stepping away to meet Azog's challenge. "All of you." He added, when Fili started towards them from the other side.
"Uncle!" He called.
"Fili, take Kili and go help Dwalin." She snapped, trying to draw his attention.
"I will not leave him to fight Azog alone!"
"Go. Now!"
"Josephine!"
"Fili, this is why I'm here. Now take your brother and go! No heroics!"
As reluctant as she'd ever seen him, Fili shouldered Kili's weight and hurried back towards Dwalin. Josephine stiffened, drew her shoulders back, and pressed her free hand to her chest, above the tree carved inside her armor. There were no more seconds for thoughts or wishes, all that mattered was reaching Thorin.
Thorin was fighting Azog further up towards the tower, holding his own for the time being. Orcs got in her way but they were the least of her worries, she'd be damned if one of them was the reason she failed. The closer she got the more her heart pounded, the less she felt the strain in her limbs, and the more fearful she was.
Azog brought his blade down on Thorin's and he stumbled as she reached them. She slammed into the back of Thorin, giving him the leverage to push Azog away. He could be mad at her for showing up, later.
Two on one and they still struggled against the pale orc. He was massive, bigger than an Uruk-Hai and far too intelligent. But Thorin's fury was giving him the strength he needed and even as they skidded back onto the ice they held their own.
"Foolish." Azog laughed, swinging his blade in a wide, flat arc that sent them both ducking.
Thorin was tired of this, Josephine could tell, and worried about both of their waning strength. His brow was drawn deep and he tensed, just barely noticeable to her and Azog surely missed it. He charged towards the orc, lashing out while his blade was still out of the way.
Azog couldn't strike him with his sword arm, but he did catch him with the other and flung him into a wall. Thorin slumped down, his eyes shut.
"You first then."
She met Azog's cold, hate soaked eyes and swung her sword to block his, skidding back with no traction as the ice started to mix with the fresh snow. With Thorin out of the way, Azog could toy with her like a cat, wear her down, which was exactly what he was enjoying.
Block after block, injury or no, she wouldn't last long, and Thorin was showing no sign of waking up.
Her sword flew out of her hand and Azog's fist closed around her throat, lifting her into the air. He drew his blade back, slow like he was savoring the moment. Slow enough for her to reach behind her, grasp the hilt of Aragorn's sword, and slice it down into Azog's wrist, nearly severing it in the process.
He drew the limb back towards him, trying not to lose his hand entirely, distracted just enough that Josephine took the chance. She charged him, stabbing at his leg and knocking him to the ground.
As his sword came up to block her she threw all her weight against his arm and used two hands to bring the knife down on it. It cut into the muscle, leaving half his limb hanging by a handful of veins and tendons.
Fumbling, he tried to grab at her with nothing but bloodied stumps, but even he wasn't so strong that the blood loss wouldn't faze him. Hot arterial blood ran into pools beside him, steaming against the ice.
Panting, straining, she dropped knee first onto his chest. Both hands wrapped around the knife, she raised her arms over her head, bringing it down into the soft point of his right eye socket with a guttural, angry scream. He twitched twice and went limp, but she didn't stop. Couldn't stop.
She raised the knife again. And again. And again. She didn't stop until his face and neck were no more than a pile of broken bones, flesh, and blood.
Only when she started to hear the world around her again, did she realize there'd been a rushing in her ears. With sound came sensation, a searing burn in the scarring on her back, a trembling in her arms. She looked down at her hands, coated with sticky black orc blood and the tip of Aragorn's knife, dripping thick drops onto the ice.
She pushed away from Azog, now sure he was dead, and entirely spent. Her chest heaved with exertion as she fell back onto the ice and stared up at the sky. Morning fog was lifting and hues of blue were starting to peek through.
"Josephine!"
Thorin.
He pulled himself to his feet, still unsteady and waking up, and fell down to his knees beside her.
"I'm okay." She panted. "I'm not hurt. Well, no more than is to be expected but I'll…" another pant "Be fine."
He looked at Azog, somewhere mixed between happiness and disappointment. She knew he'd wanted the last blow to be his. "I'm sorry it wasn't you."
"You've done what I could not. He is dead, it matters not who struck the final blow."
"You would've managed without me, but I wasn't too keen on you dying for it." With a grunt she started to push herself back up and very suddenly decided against moving. "Fuck…"
"Rest." He said gently, drawing her head up into his lap. "You have more than done your duty." He smiled widely and looked up at the sky as the eagles joined in the battle.
"Well it's about damn time." She sighed. "Every time they show up I'm unconscious."
"Uncle! Josephine!" Fili hollered, with Kili limping beside him.
Kili sat down hard beside her and winced. "Are you okay?"
"She will be fine, Kili, do not fear." Thorin assured him.
The sounds of battle in the valley were quieting and Josephine let out a deep breath that she felt like she'd been holding since that day in the Shire. With another grunt, she held a hand out to Fili. "Come on, help me up. My ass is going numb."
The three of them pulled her to her feet and once she was upright and got her bearings they walked to the edge of the falls and looked down over Erebor and Dale.
A fourth voice startled them, and Bilbo stepped up next to her with his hands on his hips. "Well then, it looks like you've had things well in hand."
"Mission accomplished." She grinned, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she looked at the three Durins, alive and well.
She and Bilbo shared another smile and she turned back to look out over the valley.
But there was no valley, no city, no mountain in front of her. A biting cold wind blew through thick evergreen trees and bare shrubbery. Hills rose behind her and below, a wide river flowing to the south. White capped mountains stood beyond that, a familiar south eastern line.
She knew the woods around her. Ithilien.