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Chapter 4

Over the next few days, we continue riding throughout the day, only stopping before sunset every night to rest. I divide my time between all the of the company, getting to know each one of them. Although, I do keep my distance from those that are less trusting. Which seem to be the Ri brothers more than anything at the moment. Mainly Dori. I do hope in time that they will be able to learn to trust me.

Every few nights, I haven taken it upon myself to hunt for our food. Often enlisting Kili to come help, which makes him extremely happy.

I also spend a lot of time riding between Fili and Kili as they tell me stories of their childhood, which I enjoy listening to. I love listening to everything they got up to in their youth, feeling more and more sorry for Dis, just knowing how rambunctious these boys actually were.

After hearing what happened to their father, I cannot help the guilt and grief I feel. I should not have stayed away for so long. I should have pushed everything aside and gone to the Blue Mountains a long time ago. I could have been there for Dis, Thorin and the boys. I could have helped them through this.

Fili, sensing where my thoughts had gone, takes my hand causing me to look to him.

"Do not blame yourself, Cal. You are not at fault for any of this. Our father died in battle with dignity. A dwarf cannot ask for more than that."

I smile as I squeeze his hand. "Spoken just like your uncle."

I lean over and kiss his head, allowing him to wrap an arm around me in an embrace.

"Hey! What about me?" Kili pouts from my other side.

I laugh as I pull away, Fili grinning as I leave over and do the same with Kili.

"I am proud of the dwarrows you both have become. And I know your father would be too."

"Thank you, Cal." Kili says as we pull apart.

Over a week after we had left the Shire, Thorin calls for us to rest. I look around as Thorin has chosen a rocky clearing on a cliff edge. It seems to have only one way in or out, so at least we won't easily be snuck upon.

As I dismount from Vanya, I check her over to make sure she is alright before taking my pack saddle off her with a pat on the neck, letting her wander off.

"Do you ever fear she will run off?" Thorin asks as he stands besides me.

I shake my head. "No. I know she never goes too far. She always stays where she will be able to hear my whistle."

He just nods at this.

Looking around, I notice Bilbo stretching his bones and muscles from the long ride. After a moments thought, I walk on over to him, patting his shoulder as I go past.

"Come with me."

I sense his confusion before he does follow me. I lead him to the edge of the camp before I stop and turn to him, making him stop. I take a quick glance over him before nodding to myself.

"Alright. I have thought long about this. Dwalin was right when he said the wild is not for someone who can fend for themselves. So, we are going to be changing that."

He blinks. "W-W-What do you mean?"

I smile at his nervousness. "I will be teaching you how to fight."

His eyes go wide in shock. "Oh, er, that-that won't be necessary. I'm a hobbit, I can't fight."

I smile. "Hobbits may not be bred for fighting, but they are quite good in a skirmish from what I remember." At his confusion, I continue on. "The year twenty nine eleven. The Fell Winter. Wolves and orcs had managed to find their way into the Shire. Gandalf and I were among the Rangers that helped to dispatch them. I remember a few brave hobbits risking their lives to also help. Your father being one of them, if memory serves me, correctly."

He looks to me for a moment before he looks down with a sigh. "You are right. He went out to keep myself and my mother safe." He goes quiet for a moment before he looks up at me, with a nervous but confident look. "Alright. I will do my best."

I nod, pride for the hobbit swelling up inside me. "Good. We will begin with footwork and posture."

For the next hour, I help Bilbo with his footing and stance, getting them right before getting him to swing a suitable stick I found for the occasion and correcting how he holds his arm. I soon have him stop.

"Okay. That is good to start with. We will do this every night before dinner until you are ready to hold a blade."

He nods before walking back to camp. I look to the dwarves before my eyes land on the blond prince. He looks up as I call his name. After making a come hither motion with my finger, he stands and begins to make his way over until I stop him.

"With your blades. Let's see how well your uncle has taught you."

His face splits into a wide grin, glad to finally have some one on one time with me, before he rushes back to grab his twin swords and runs over to me. I notice Thorin raising a brow at me.

"Are you insulting my teachings, amralime?"

I grin at him. "Oh, nay, meleth nin. You are never too old to learn more."

He gives a playful glare to my wink as I turn to Fili who is standing in front of me.

"Whoever gets three hits wins?"

He nods. "Sounds good to me, irak'amad. But, how about we make this interesting?"

I raise a brow. "I am listening."

"Whoever loses gets first watch for a week."

I look over him for a moment before grinning. "Make it two and you have a deal."

He grins as he twirls his blades. "Deal."

I smirk as I reach up, taking hold of the hilts of my daggers and pull them out, twirling them a few times before getting into position. I can sense the buzz of excitement from the others as they watch, even hearing most of them taking bets on who wins. Out of the corner of my eye, I also notice Bilbo watching carefully. Good. Maybe he'll learn something.

Fili and I begin by circling each other, one foot over the other as we go. I nod in approval.

"Footwork is good. He taught you well with that at least."

Fili grins. "Thorin and Dwalin were both excellent teachers."

I smile. "Well, let us see then."

Fili and I both rush into the middle, our blades clanging in the middle. The strength of the dwarves always amazes me, as I feel the reverberations run through the daggers and into my arms. I don't show any sign of it affecting me as Fili and I push on each other, seeing who will be the first to break.

The strength of dwarves get the better of me as Fili is able to push me back, quickly swinging his right arm down to tap the flat part of the blade against my leg. I couldn't recover quick enough to block him.

"Point." Fili says with a smirk.

I smile. "Well done. But, do not get ahead of yourself. You only have one."

"For now."

Our fight continues on until the sun has set. At the moment, we are both tied with two points each and are both giving it our all, not letting the other get through to get the last hit. Though, I do see Fili starting to tire. One thing to say about dwarves; they may be strong, but they tire quicker than elves would. Which leaves me at an advantage.

Noticing a gap, I fake a swing and as he's going to block, I reach a leg out, wrapping my ankle behind his left foot and pulling to send him flying onto his arse, his blades falling from his hands. I hear the others gasp as I lean a dagger down to point the tip at his throat, stopping his attempt at rising, the flat of my other blade touching his shoulder.

"I do believe that is three, dear nephew." I say with a smirk.

Breathing heavily, he grins up at me.

"Aye. I do believe it is."

Smiling, I pull my blades away and reach a hand down, which he gladly takes and I help him up. The dwarves cheer as Fili and I embrace. We pull away and I kiss his head before he retrieves his fallen blades. We go back to camp as pouches are flying to those that bet for me; Gandalf, Dwalin, Balin, Bofur, Oin, Gloin and Thorin.

Fili gives a mock gasp. "Uncle, you would go against me?"

Thorin grins at his nephew as he puts his pouch away. "If it was anyone else, I would not. However, I know her strength. I would be a fool to bet against her."

I smile as I sit beside him. "Your uncle knows that all too well, after I also bested him."

He scoffs. "That was a tie, and you know it."

I chuckle as I bump my shoulder against his. "Aye, I do know that. We will have to see if we can break that tie, one of these days."

He grins back at me. "We will. One day."

I smile, thanking Bofur as he hands me a bowl of stew. After eating, I enjoy sitting quietly, taking care of my weapons, as I listen to the others talking and telling stories. When it is time for sleep, everyone go to their bedrolls, apart from Fili who takes first watch, thanks to the bet. Kili also stays up with him. After Thorin settles down on a boulder, I sit on the ground beside him, leaning up against the boulder and resting my head against his leg. My eyes start going out of focus as I feel Thorin's fingers thread through my hair, until darkness eventually takes me.

A screech jolts me out of my sleep. Bolting upright, I look around, but thankfully find I am still in the camp with the company. Though my mind races at the screech. It sounded like an orc.

"What was that?" Bilbo asks as he runs over to Fili and Kili, who are still on watch.

"Orcs." Kili says after a moment.

So I did hear them. Next to me, Thorin's leg hits my shoulder as he also jolts awake upon hearing the word, "orcs."

"Orcs?"

Fili takes his pipe from his mouth to speak. "Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood."

Looking to Bilbo, I notice him looking away in fright. I stand and place a calming hand on his shoulder, before glaring at Fili and Kili as I hear them laugh at each other.

"You think that's funny, do you?" I ask, my voice dripping with anger and disappointment. The boys look to me in surprise. Having been a victim of a night raid, I do not take this lightly. "You think a night raid by orcs is a joke? Something to use to scare others?"

Kili looks down in shame as he speaks quietly. "We didn't mean anything by it."

Thorin scoffs as he stands. "No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world."

Thorin walks off to the edge of the cliff and looks out over the valley; I follow as Balin walks up to Fili and Kili.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first."

The Battle of Azanulbizar. . .I remember that day like it was yesterday. After hearing about the dwarves in Bree, I rushed to Moria to help out and seeing the carnage that was happening. After fighting my way through, I had managed to reunite with Frerin, the both of us fighting side by side.

Swinging my swords, I cut down as many orcs as I can, fighting my way through to try to at least reach someone I know. After feeling someone bump into my back, I spin around preparing to attack but stop at the familiar face.

"Frerin!"

His eyes widen in surprise, a large grin splitting his face.

"Caladwen!"

We grab each other in an embrace, holding on tightly. Luckily, the dwarves around us allow us to have a little reunion as they circle around us and fight off the orcs. Pulling away, I smile at him.

"Thank the Valar you are safe!"

He lets out a little laugh, which sounds like the bark of a dog. "Uninjured, yes. Safe, none of us are just yet."

I nod as we immediately get back into the battle.

"Wait until Thorin finds out you are here! He's going to be so happy to see you!" Frerin says in between grunts and groans as we slice through orc after orc.

"You think?" I ask, still unsure on if he feels the same for me as I still do for him.

"Of course he would! You're his one, Caladwen! He loves you and hasn't been able to stop thinking of you!"

This makes me smile. Could Frerin be right? Could Thorin still love me, even after what my own father did to him? I am soon brought out of my distracting thoughts by a gash to the arm. Wincing slightly, I whip around and slice off the head of the orc who cut me. Taking a quick look to my right bicep, I see a deep diagonal cut going from the shoulder to just above the elbow, the blue sleeve now turning purple with blood.

"Cal! Are you alright!?" Frerin asks as he notices.

I nod, grimacing in pain as I swing my arm. "I'll be fine."

He doesn't say anything as we continue fighting.

"Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King."

Hearing a roar, I look up, freezing as I see a large orc, larger than any of the others and the colour of snow, deep scars covering his body. But what has me immobilized is the head he holds in his hand; King Thror!

"Oh no. . ." I mutter.

The intermingling cries of both Thorin and Frerin ring through the air as the orc tosses the head towards Thorin and Thrain. Before I can stop him, Frerin runs off, shoving aside orcs in his haste to get to the orc.

"Frerin! NO!" I cry out trying to get to him, but am immediately stopped by orcs.

As I fight, I keep my eye on Frerin as he gets closer and closer to the large pale orc. My heart jumps into my throat as I watch Frerin and the orc fight against one another and I pray that Frerin can hold on until I get to him. Alas, that wasn't meant to be, as a few seconds after my prayer, he is struck hard in the chest by the orc's mace, sending the dwarf flying.

"NO! FRERIN!" I scream as I change course and run for him, shoving and slicing any orc that gets in my way.

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc."

After getting Frerin away from the battle, I look around, to see most of the dwarves fleeing as the orcs rage upon them, the dwarves now leaderless. That is when, for the third time today, my body is rendered immobile when I see the Pale Orc charge towards Thorin!

I immediately move toward them. That orc has already taken two sons of Durin, he is not about to take a third! And definitely not my beloved!

"He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield"

While fighting the orcs, I almost scream as I see him sent flying the same way Frerin had, and I start to panic before seeing him move. He is now unarmed as he faces the orc. As the pale orc swings at him, Thorin picks up an oaken branch and uses it as a shield to deflect the attacks. After the third swing, the branch breaks. But Thorin doesn't stop, finally able to get onto his feet, he picks up his fallen sword and with a cry, swings up, managing to cut off the orcs left arm from just below the elbow, leaving a bleeding stump. I stop, as does those around me as the pale orc falls to his knees, crying out as he holds his stump.

"Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken."

Other orcs quickly get Azgo and drag him back to the gates of Moria.

"Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!" Thorin calls out to his dwarves.

I charge in along with the dwarves around me, killing any orcs that I can get my blades into, grief and rage filling my whole being.

"Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived."

What seems like days later, but is probably a few hours, the battle is over. The dwarves have won. But at what price? As I look over the battle field, I see more dwarves on the ground than standing. There will be no celebrations for the dwarves for a long while after the events of today.

Looking up, I smile with pride as I see Thorin, looking around at the carnage, still holding his sword and branch. He stands tall, although weary, he looks like the king he was born to become.

That is when I turn and leave, after sitting with Frerin. Thorin would not need me, I kept telling myself. No one would follow him if he was with me. He deserves to lead his people, to be their king. I will not be the one to stand in the way of that.

Feeling someone take my hand, I look over to see Thorin giving me a small smile, his eyes full of emotion and unshed tears. I smile back as I squeeze his hand in comfort.

"And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."

Thorin and I turn away from the view beyond the cliff; the entire Company is awake and standing in awe, staring at him. Thorin gives my hand one more squeeze before he walks between the dwarves towards the fire.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asks Balin.

It's Thorin that answers him. "He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago."

My breath is caught in my throat as my heart stops as I look to the back of Thorin. He believes he his dead? Turning my gaze to Gandalf, I see him looking right at me, the both of us knowing full well that he is alive and is on the hunt for Thorin.

Turning away from Gandalf, I look to Fili as everyone else settles down.

"Fili, get some sleep. I will take over watch duty."

He looks to me in confusion. "What about the bet?"

"Never mind that. Sleep, all of you. I will keep watch for the night."

"Are you sure, lass?" Balin asks me.

I nod. "I am. Rest well."

He just nods before he lays down to sleep. Once I have checked everyone is down, other than Thorin who is sitting up and watching me, I turn back to the valley. How am I supposed to tell Thorin of Azog? How do I tell him that his family have yet to be avenged. . .that he still lives?

Looking across the valley, I pause as I look into the trees.

"Thorin."

Hearing my call, Thorin makes his way over to me. "What is it?"

I don't say anything at first before nodding towards the trees. "Over there, I thought I caught a glimpse of something."

Thorin also looks over. "Orcs?"

"I do not know. . .it could be. Do not worry, they will not be able to get to us." I turn to him. "Go sleep Thorin. Nothing will get past me."

He looks to me a moment before nodding, pulling me down slightly so that he can kiss me. Pulling away, he presses his forehead against mine.

"Do not work yourself too much, ghivashel."

I smile at him. "I won't."

He smiles and kiss me once more before making his way back to the boulder to sleep. Turning back to the forest across the way, there is nothing there. Did I imagine the orcs there? The story of Azog playing so much on my mind that it created the image of orcs? No. . .these orcs were on wargs. . .Gundabad wargs. I close my eyes, trying to banish those painful memories from my mind. I cannot get distracted from the past. I will need to be vigilant going ahead. Taking off my bow, I keep it in my hand as I keep watching, pacing from one area to the other all night.

Well, there's chapter 4 done. Hope you all enjoyed it. Please leave your comments and reviews, I love hearing from you and hope to do so soon xx

Translations;

Amralime – My love

Meleth nin – My Love

irak'amad - Aunt

Du Bekâr! - To arms

Ghivashel – treasure of all treasures