Chapter Fifteen: Face Off at Sunrise

Notes: This is the last chapter of the week AND the last chapter of Book Two! Because of the holiday next week, I will try my best to still upload every day but there might be a gap on Christmas day. Enjoy!

I rushed down the side of the mountain, dodging pine trees and bushes while the world still swirled in the colorless waves around me. As I jumped up onto a rock, I could see them not far off. They were gathering together, counting off to see if everyone was accounted for. Gandalf was there with them, and I figured he got them out of another sticky situation.

I jumped down and ran the rest of the way to join the group again. Though my body still ached from the fall, I ignored every shot of pain and kept running toward the group. As I drew close to them, I was ready to take off my ring until I heard the sharpness and anger in Gandalf's voice.

"Where is Lydia? Where is our hobbit?" I came up to the edge of the group and hid behind a tree, even though I knew they could not see me. "She wasn't left behind, was she?!"

Everyone was silent and looked amongst each other, seeing who was going to inform the wizard on my presumed fate.

"What happened exactly? Tell me!" Gandalf demanded, slamming his staff into the ground. "Someone! Have the dignity to tell me the truth!"

"I will tell you," Thorin said, standing forward. He pushed his shoulders back. "During the struggle when we first were captured, Lydia had fought with the goblins and they realized she was not a dwarf and would not be worth anything to the Goblin King. So they…threw her down into the mountain. But…I think we should give her time to catch up to us."

Everyone looked at Thorin and said, "What?!"

Kili pushed his way past Bombur. "There's no possible way she could have survived that fall, Uncle!"

Dwalin shook his head. "Waiting here would only be a waste of time. I'm sorry to say it, but we need to keep moving."

Thorin did not shift. "None of us know how long that drop was. I think that if she can survive being pummeled by a troll, she can survive that fall. I do not want to lose our hobbit just because we didn't give her any time."

I leaned my back against the tree and closed my eyes for a moment. I felt my heart warm up, from corner to corner. I then slipped the ring off my finger, returning the world back to its normal textures and hues, and slid it back into my pocket.

I stepped out from behind the tree. "Well I'm glad someone believes in me." They spun around and gasped, grabbing me and hugging me. They shouted in joy and shook me excitedly. "Careful! I'm breakable you know! Especially after that fall!" They laughed and released me, making sure I wasn't broken.

"Lydia Barclay! I've never been so happy to see someone in my entire life," Gandalf sighed in relief.

"How in the world did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked.

"How indeed," Dwalin asked skeptically.

Gandalf scoffed, "What does it matter? She has survived and joined us again."

"I want to know," Thorin said. Even though he was the only one who thought I was still alive he still looked at me as though I was a ghost. "I knew you weren't done with this journey yet, but…how did you survive?"

I laughed nervously and tried to wipe the flush off my face. "To be honest, it's not a very glamorous story. I hit a lot of ledges on the way down, and even though it hurt like hell it did slow my descent so it didn't kill me. What can I say? Those bar fights really prepared my body to be knocked around a lot." I intentionally left out the bit about the ring. I didn't know if I was ready to share that tool with everyone yet. "I don't know about you all, but my dedication is to taking back Erebor, not dying inside some random mountain that stinks of goblin."

They chuckled and nodded, accepting that answer and I was relieved they didn't ask for specifics. I made eye contact with Thorin, and he appeared to be pleased that I was back in one piece. I gave him a dimpled smile as the sun rose over the horizon.

Our reunion was cut short by the horrible sound of growling, followed by the battle cry in a tongue I did not understand. It traveled down the mountain and by that point we all recognized the howling of wargs.

"No rest for the wicked," Gandalf said, starting to wave everyone away.

Thorin ordered, "Run! Everyone run!"

We all ran as fast as we could down the rocky part of the mountain, having to crawl up rocks and jump over fallen trees. The sound of them coming up on us would be enough to make any of us sprint for our lives. The snarling on our heels made me forget about any pain and just put my feet against the ground harder and faster.

A warg jumped out in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. I fumbled backward, trying to grab my sword. It charged at me just and I was able to pull it out and run itself through on the end of it, I just had to stand there and keep my ground. As it died, I quickly took my sword back and tried to keep running while more fighting happened around me.

All of us looked on in horror as we came to the edge of the cliff. We looked around, not sure what to do. They were going to be upon us in moments and they vastly outnumbered us.

"Into the trees!" Gandalf ordered. "Go on! Up! Hurry!"

They all leapt up and climbed onto the branches, helping those who weren't strong climbers. I jumped up and missed the lowest branch by a mile. I was about to call one of the others, but I was lifted straight off the ground. I looked down and Thorin had put me on top of his shoulders.

"Go Lydia! Jump!"

I stood up and leapt into the tree, grabbing onto a branch and pulling myself up. I looked down to see if Thorin needed any help but he had already climbed up the trunk and was climbing higher into the pine tree. I followed after him.

The pack of wargs ran around the trees, circling us and attempting to jump at us. All of us were far enough up to avoid them. If the wargs were upon us though, that meant that the orcs weren't far behind.

"Azog," Thorin gasped.

I looked at him and all the blood had run out of his face. I followed his eyeline and there on the mountain, riding a white warg was the pale orc. Azog the Defiler was the largest orc among them by far and was scarred over every inch of his body, and I knew it had to be him from his missing arm that was replaced with a weapon. He chuckled and spoke his black speech. I had no idea what words he was saying but with the way he looked at Thorin I knew he was probably saying the most vile things about him or his company or his family.

"It cannot be…" Thorin said, shaking his head slowly.

Azog gave his order and the wargs started trying to knock over the trees. They clawed at the tree trunks and used each other to get higher and try to snap us into their jaws. With them jumping up and ripping off branches, it was only a matter of time before the trees began to fall. They started falling onto each other, making us jump from one to another, still trying to stay out of their grasp until we were all huddled into one final tree that stood at the very end of the cliff.

As a final line of defense, Gandalf lit a pinecone on fire and threw it down onto the wargs, setting them and the brush ablaze. He handed more pinecones off to us and we lit more and more pinecones from those ones, so we were able to rain down fire onto them until they had to retreat back to safety. I tossed the hot pinecones out of my hands and watched them set wargs and orcs on fire. I grinned, seeing them back off from our tree.

We all cheered for the small victory, but once again it did not last very long. We all felt the tree shift and the cheering stopped immediately. The roots gave out and we all held on for dear life as the entire thing tipped over. I winced and closed my eyes, hoping the whole thing wasn't going to tip right over the edge of the cliff.

The tree did hit a hard stop and knocked a few of us loose once it laid on the ground, still mostly tipped over the edge. I heard the shouts of Ori and Dori and when I looked back I saw them both hanging from the tree. I gasped and tried to untangle myself from the tree to go help them, but Thorin got up onto his feet. I looked up at him as he began to walk…towards the orcs.

"Thorin!" I shouted as he began to run through the flames, once again bearing a shield made from a log.

I watched on in horror as Azog charged forward on his warg and knocked Thorin to the ground. When he tried to get back to his feet again, he came back down upon him with his mace. I looked away, seeing that Gandalf was attempting to help Dori and Ori using his staff. The other dwarves reacted in dread to the fight between Azog and Thorin, some attempted to help but their branches broke or they were overcome by fear.

I was not going to be overcome by fear.

I struggled but I got up onto my feet as the warg clamped its jaws around Thorin. My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach as I heard him shout out in pain. I started running, my sword out and ready. Thorin stabbed Orcrist into the mouth of the warg, getting it to let him go but it still whipped him against a rock.

When he did not immediately move to get up, I ran even faster.

One of Azog's orcs dismounted from his warg and approached Thorin with his sword in hand, but I did not allow him to get too close. I shouted as I ran into the orc, plunging my sword into its side. It screeched in pain but when I got it on its back, I stabbed it directly in the head and it ceased its horrible squealing.

I trembled as I rushed back onto my feet and stood in front of Thorin, aiming my sword at Azog. "You stay away from him!" I screamed. My arms trembled as I held the sword up, adrenaline and terror making me shake. Pure rage also filled my veins. I would see them punished because they had harmed him.

Thorin managed out a weak, "Lydia…don't…"

"Hang in there, we'll get you out of here!" I stared daggers at Azog. "You fucking coward, not even warrior enough to fight him on even ground! Well come forth, let me take your other arm you bastard!"

His face darkened and he pointed his mace at me, giving another order. I had no idea if he knew what I said, but the other orcs approached me, most likely to kill me where I stood. I locked my heels into the ground, ready to protect Thorin with the remaining strength in my body. They snickered at me, not intimidated by me.

I was ready to prove them wrong.

Suddenly the other dwarves leapt into action, fighting the orcs back. I could breathe a little easier, knowing I wouldn't face them all on my own. I immediately joined them in the battle and my eyes were set on Azog. I pushed through the other fights and flashed my blue blade at him. The warg stepped closer with a growl and Azog narrowed his eyes at me. I slashed my blade forward, nicking the creature on the muzzle. It snapped at me and tried to rip my head off my shoulders, but I ducked and shoved my sword up through its jaw, going into its head. It didn't even have a chance to make a noise before it died. I dodged out of the way just in time before it could come down and crush me.

Azog jumped off the dead creature, just being missed by the biggest birds I had ever seen fly down and pick up the dead warg. The crying of eagles circled around us as they knocked trees onto the enemy and flung them off the cliffs.

I looked back to Thorin and saw that one of the eagles had picked him up onto its talons. Azog rushed forward to take a swipe at me, but I was also grabbed by one of the eagles. I swung my foot as hard as I could and kicked Azog right in his mouth before being carried away by the large creature. I was dropped onto the back of another eagle and breathed a sigh of relief.

I looked around to make sure everyone else was with us. I counted and saw every single one of us was accounted for as the tree finally fell from the cliff and tumbled loudly down the mountain. We left the furious orcs behind us, shooting off arrows with no avail. There wasn't much time to feel triumphant about our narrow escape.

The eagles took us across the Misty Mountains, bringing us far away from the orcs and the other danger that followed us. I'm sure the view was beyond words, but I kept a close eye on Thorin as we flew. I felt completely sick. During the entire flight he was unconscious and not responding as people shouted his name, trying to see him show signs of life. I just wanted to land so I could know if he was okay and what I could do to help him.

"Just don't be dead Thorin," I said, my words lost along the wind. "Please, of all the things, just don't be dead."

Eventually we were all set down on a secluded rock, impossible for anything to get to us besides the eagles. Thorin was set down first and I was not patient enough to be set down, so I jumped from the eagle and rushed to his side.

I dropped to my knees and hovered my hand over his mouth and nose. Feeling nothing, I dug open all of his layers and pressed my ear to his chest. It was so faint, it could have been mistaken for my own heartbeat in my ears, but I knew it had to be his. My heart was thumping far too hard and fast to make that mistake.

"He's alive, but barely." I wiped my face, I guess I was sweating or crying, I didn't know which. The dwarves crowded around us, trying to see what state their king was in. "Gandalf! Help! We're going to lose him if something isn't done right away."

He hurried over and dropped in close as well. He put his hand over his face and closed his eyes, whispering words I did not recognize. I ground my teeth and held my fists against my chest, trying to keep myself calm.

I felt like my heart was going to stop if I let go of myself.

Slowly, Thorin's eyes opened and looked up at us. Color returned to his face and I bowed my head down in relief.

I couldn't keep a little sob from escaping my lips. I whispered, "Oh thank goodness, thank goodness."

"Lydia?" he said groggily.

Gandalf put his arm around my shoulder and nodded. "That's right, Lydia is here with us. She and everyone else is safe."

He suddenly wanted to be up on his feet so the other dwarves assisted him. I got up on my feet as well to try and help him but he looked back at me with a severe looking expression, which made me back up and give him space.

"What were you thinking?!" I was caught off guard by the anger in his tone. "Facing Azog by yourself?! Do you know what could have happened?!"

Shellshocked, I stared at him with my mouth agape. "I-I…was trying to…"

"Trying to do what?! Get yourself killed?!"

I blinked, his words not making sense in my head. "What? What do you mean? You were the one who ran head first into a pack of orcs."

"I can handle-!"

"I just went in there after you to keep you from getting yourself killed!" A fire started to burn in my stomach and I hated that more tears spilled down my face. "What were you thinking?! That you didn't need the rest of us? That this stupid fight with Azog was more important than taking back Erebor? Because I knew what I was thinking about Thorin, I was thinking that I didn't want to lose you! You…you fucking jack ass…"

I turned away from him to hide the ugly crying. Even though I was crying and angry with him, I was still so relieved he was alive.

His voice changed, becoming lower and sofer, "Lydia…" I heard him come up to me and I turned to keep arguing with him.

"Screw you, you ungrateful-!"

I was caught completely off guard when I felt him wrap his arms under mine and tuck his chin onto my shoulder. I stood there completely stiff.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he whispered. "I owe you my life Lydia."

Blood flooded to my face and I was still in a state of disbelief as I lowered my arms and hugged him back. The morning sun warmed us both and I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation of being wrapped in his arms for those few moments.

He retracted and I wiped my face off on my sleeve. "I hope more than anything that you're unharmed."

"Me? Oh I'm fine. If anything Azog should be the one to get checked out after I kicked his ugly teeth in," I chuckled.

His eyes grew. "What?"

"I saw that!" Kili said excitedly. "I've never seen something so ballsy in my entire life! While we were getting carried away by the eagles Lydia kicked him right in his mouth!"

Balin laughed, "Yes! I saw that too! Nice aim, Lass!"

The others clamored around us about the fight and Azog's face after I kicked him. Thorin stared at me, dumbfounded. I tucked some hair behind my ear and smiled at him, soaking in the praise and excitement from everyone.

His expression was asking for more explanation so I simply said, "He hurt you and was going to do the same to everyone else, if anyone deserved a swift kick to the face I think it was him, don't you think?"

"You are…something else."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Please do." His eyes traveled over my head and his shoulders seemed to relax. "Is that what I think it is?"

I turned around, worried that it was yet another enemy that was going to come down on us. But when I looked, it was just the landscape being lit up by the early morning light. When I looked harder I could see very distantly a single mountain sitting along the horizon.

"Is that it?" I asked, surprised to actually see it.

"The Lonely Mountain," Gandalf said, catching everyone's attention. "The last of the great Dwarf Kingdoms of Middle Earth."

Thorin said, staring at it fondly, "Home."

End of Book Two: An Unexpected Journey