Hey guys, I am so sorry for how late this it. I honestly had no intention on making you wait this long. Originally, I was going to wait until I had my eyes sorted before continuing to type, however, they haven't been done yet, hopefully will be done in New Year. But, I have found a way where I will be able to write without too much issue, so I can keep going for now! Yay!
Sorry again to keep you all waiting this long. I hope this early Christmas gift will help make it up to you. I'm not going to be updating now until after the New Year though. Thanks again for being so patient and understanding xx
Review responses;
Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967 – I'm glad you loved it! Hope you enjoy this chapter xx
LairaCapulet – I know! Poor baby! Been going through a lot lately for such a small boy. Even with PTSD, no doubt the dwarves will make him feel loads better. Yes, it was the first time he clinged to Thorin, such a cutie moment there. Thank you for the well wishes, haven't been able to have surgery yet as things kept preventing it from happening, but fingers crossed for the New Year. I hope you enjoy this chapter x
BubblyYork – Yeah, me too. And I know, poor baby xx
Chapter 12
Looking around, I see dozens of goblins carry massive instruments of torture on their shoulders, bringing them to the Great Goblin. I swallow in fear, as I hold Aiden close, knowing if we weren't able to escape, I would have to watch my son being tortured on one of those things and there would be nothing I could do to stop it. I feel Thorin tense besides me as he also sees them, holding me close to him. Meanwhile, the Great Goblin is dancing and singing lustily;
"Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung!
You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung.
You will lie down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin-town."
One of the goblins, who is currently examining our weapons, picks up Thorin's sword, Orcrist, and slides it a few inches out of its sheath. Recognizing the sword, he gasps in horror and throws down the sword. It lands in view of all the goblins.
Recognizing it, the goblins howl in fear and rage as they retreat from it; the Great Goblin runs rapidly to his throne, trampling many goblins on his way. He speaks loudly, pointing at the sword.
"I know that sword! It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks!"
As he speaks, the Goblins begin whipping all of us with ropes and leaping upon us, biting and slashing. I drop to the ground, curling myself around Aiden, holding him protectively to my chest, Thorin covering the both of us.
"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!"
I feel the goblins grab Thorin and yank him off me to hold him down, and one of them pulls out his knife and prepares to behead Thorin.
Before I can shout out for him, there is a sudden explosion of bright light; a shockwave rips through the area, flinging goblins in the air and destroying the torturing machines.
Everyone is knocked down, including the Great Goblin. When the force of the explosion has passed, most of the lights in the area have been snuffed out. Looking up, I see a shadow with a tall pointy hat walks up. Relief fills my whole being. Gandalf! He's saved us! Light slowly returns to the area as the goblins and the dwarves slowly look up, recovering from the shock. Everyone stares at Gandalf.
"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!"
The dwarves quickly get up and begin fighting the goblins. As goblins run at Gandalf, he kills them with his sword and staff. The Great Goblin, still lying on the ground, sees Gandalf's sword and points at it, crying aloud to his goblins.
"He wields the Foe-Hammer, the Beater, bright as daylight!"
The dwarves and I jump up, reach the pile of weapons and begin tossing the weapons to each other. I take mine from Bofur and without hesitation, spin around and stab straight into a goblin that rushes towards me and my son. I watch the warm, black blood seep out and onto my hand, hearing a sickening squelch as I pull the sword out, watching it fall dead to the ground. I immediately feel the bile rising up, threatening to spill out. . .my first kill. . .I'm suddenly snapped out of it by Aiden's call.
"Mummy!" I hear Aiden yell out.
Blinking, I see another goblin heading straight for us. Pushing Aiden more behind me, I meet it head on and block it's attack. The goblin proves to be stronger as it presses down hard, trying to get at me. Then, the goblin suddenly pulls back, squealing in pain. I quickly kill it before looking to see what caused it's pain and see Aiden standing next to me, the dagger he got from the troll cave in his hand, and I also see the wound in the creature's foot. So I know Aiden had stabbed it.
His eyes are wide and he's trembling as he's staring at the dagger and then the goblin. I quickly kneel in front of him, pulling him into me.
"Good boy. You saved me, thank you."
He just whimpers into me. Pulling back, I kiss his head and after taking the dagger from him to put away, my face hardens hardens as, while keeping Aiden close, I fight the goblins, killing some and pushing others off the side.
Looking up, I see the Great Goblin run up to Thorin to attack.
"Thorin!" I call out.
Thorin spins and swings, deflecting the Great Goblin's blow, causing the Great Goblin to stumble backward and fall off the edge of his platform, falling to the depths below.
"Follow me. Quick! Run!" Gandalf calls out.
As we all begin to run, Dwalin suddenly drops in front of me, his back towards me.
"Quick, get 'im on, lass!"
Understanding what he's implying, I take hold of Aiden and put him onto Dwalin's back. Aiden wrapping his arms and legs tightly around the dwarf.
"Hold on tight, lad, and don't look!" Dwalin yells as he stands, Aiden burries his head into his back.
After tossing Oin his pack, we all run on, with me in between Dwalin and Nori, Gandalf leading the way from the platform and through a tunnel.
We all run through the passageways and across the bridges of Goblin Town, with thousands of goblins tailing after us. I can feel my body tiring, but I push myself past that, keeping up with the dwarves and swinging at any goblins that get too close.
We soon get split up into two groups, some of us using the bridges above and the rest of going along below us. In front of me, Dwalin suddenly stops as goblins run towards us ahead.
"Post!"
He and some of the dwarves cut a guardrail post from the side of the path and they hold it out in front of them like a massive spear.
"Charge!"
Also taking hold of it, the other dwarves and I charge at the oncoming goblins and sweep them away with the long rail. Dropping the rail, Dwalin pulls out his axes and begins knocking aside goblins. The rest of us do the same, pulling out our own weapons. I quickly place a hand on Aiden's back to let him know that I am still here, I'm still right behind him.
"Cut the ropes!" I hear Thorin yell from ahead.
He and some of the dwarves cut the ropes holding a raised platform in place; the platform falls outward, entangling the goblins swinging on the ropes.
As our path ends, we drop down onto the bridge below us and see Kili grabbing a ladder and dropping it onto some goblins, he and the others use it to push the goblins forward as they run. They soon come to a missing are in front of us and the ladders drops, sending the goblins down and creating a bridge for Kili, Bofur, Bifur, Bombur and Ori to reach us. Once Ori is across, Dwalin kicks the ladder into the cevern below, preventing the goblins chasing us from crossing it.
"Quickly!"
Dwalin and I run on with the others, running through the maze-like paths; we soon get on a section of the path which suspended by ropes from above. Thorin slices some ropes, and the pathway swings away from the rest of the path, approaching a different path.
"Jump!" he yells out.
Balin, Bifur, Dori, Kili, Dwalin and I jump off. Looking back, I see the others swinging back and instantly panic as the goblins jump on. Gandalf and the dwarves fight them as the platform swings back and they all jump off, Fili cutting the ropes to the platform to send it and the goblins down into the deep cavern.
Patting Aiden again, we all continue running along, cutting goblins which end up in our path. Gandalf strikes a rock above us with his staff, causing the rock to fall down and begin rolling in front of us, squashing all the goblins in their way.
We soon approach a bridge between two walls of the cavern. As we try to cross it, the Great Goblin suddenly breaks through from underneath the bridge and pulls himself up onto the bridge, in front of us. As we stop, hundreds of goblins approach us from all sides. I take Aiden into my arms as Dwalin stands in front of me with Thorin behind. Gandalf steps forward to face the Goblin King.
"You thought you could escape me?"
The Great Goblin swings his mace twice at Gandalf, causing the wizard to stumble back and almost fall, Nori and Ori catching him.
"What are you going to do now, wizard?"
Gandalf leaps forward and strikes the Great Goblin in the eye with his staff. The Great Goblin drops his mace and clutches his face in pain.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Gandalf then slices the Great Goblin in the belly. I turn Aiden's face away from the sight as I can actually see into the goblin through the wound as the Great Goblin falls to his knees, clutching his belly.
"That'll do it."
Gandalf again swings his sword and slices the Great Goblin's neck, causing him to fall down dead. His weight causes the bridge to start shaking; suddenly, the section of the bridge on which are standing on breaks away from the rest of the bridge and starts sliding down the side of the cavern.
As we all drop onto the bridge, Thorin and Dwalin keep Aiden and I pinned onto the platform, stopping us sliding off as we fall at a terrifying speed down the cavern's wall, demolishing everything in its way; we all cling on, screaming in terror.
The bridge slows down and lands at the base of the cavern, breaking apart and burying us in the timber and wood. Gandalf gets up from the pile of wreckage and inspects the rest of us, who are still stuck in the wreckage, groaning. I drop Aiden onto the ground and slide off myself, with the help of Thorin and Gandalf.
"Are you alright, my dear?" Gandalf asks as I stand.
I nod as Aiden clings right back onto me, causing me to kneel down so I can hold him better and check him over.
"Well, that could have been worse." Bofur pipes up.
Gandalf, Aiden and I jump as the heavy corpse of the Great Goblin suddenly lands on the wreckage, squashing the dwarves further. They all cry out in pain. I try not to laugh at the irony of it.
"You've got to be joking!" Dwalin exclaims.
As the dwarves extricate themselves from the rubble, Kili suddenly shouts out for Gandalf. Looking at what's caused Kili's distress, I pale as I see thousands and thousands of goblins crawling down the walls towards us, looking like tiny spiders.
"There's too many! We can't fight them." Dwalin says as he pulls Nori up.
"Only one thing will save us: daylight! Come on! Here, on your feet!" Gandalf replies as he helps the dwarves.
I also help the dwarves to get free and, once everyone it out, we run away, following Gandalf. We all run through the tunnel, Aiden once again on Dwalin's back. After a while of running, light soon appears ahead and Gandalf stops to make sure we're all together before we run out. Appearing on the slope of the mountain, we run down and through the trees. Once we are some distance away from the mountain, we stop to collect our breath. Dwalin stops next to me so I can take Aiden into my arms.
Once the shock and adrenaline of everything has passed, I suddenly think of everything that happened that night; risk of torture, the fear, the death, smell of blood, Aiden putting himself into the middle of it. . .it all becomes a bit too much. Putting Aiden down, I move to the side where I begin to throw up yesterday's lunch. I just killed something. . .I willingly killed a living creature. . .true, if I didn't we could've been dead. . .but, I'm a doctor. . .I took a vow to heal not to kill.
I feel Dwalin's heavy hand on my back as he rubs it up and down. "It's alright, lass. Just let it all out. You're not the first to be sick after the first kill."
I'm soon able to stop and shakily stand, thanking him as I accept his water canteen and take a drink. "Does-Does it get easier? The killing?"
He nods. "After a while it does. I know it's different in your world, but here, it's fight or die a lot of the time. You fight to survive."
I nod, handing him the canteen back before he helps my shaking form to a boulder, where Thorin is standing with Aiden in his arms. After sitting, I take my son into my arms and hold him close as he trembles in fear. I run a hand over his head to soothe him.
"Shh. We're safe now, my love. Everything is alright."
I feel Thorin's hand on my shoulder as he kneels beside me and I look to his concerned expression.
"Are you alright?" he asks, checking over me for any injuries.
I nod. "I will be."
He nods and stays knelt beside me as we hear Gandalf's head count as the others catch up.
"Seven, eight, nine, ten. . .Bifur, Bofur. . .that's twelve. . .Fili, Kili. . .that's fourteen. . .and Bombur - that makes sixteen." Gandalf pauses. "Where's Bilbo? Where is our Hobbit?"
We all look around but don't see him. I instantly start to worry.
"Curse the halfling! Now he's lost?!" Dwalin hisses.
"I thought he was with Dori!" Gloin says.
Dori turns to him. "Don't blame me!"
"Well, where did you last see him?" Gandalf asks.
"I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us." Nori explains.
"What happened exactly? Tell me!"
Thorin speaks up, his voice full of anger; "I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone."
Everyone goes quiet at this, and even though I am not happy with what Thorin says, I don't have the strength or the energy to argue, I just hold Aiden close to me as he sobs, trying to give him some comfort.
"No, he isn't."
Bilbo steps out from behind a tree. We look up in shock and relief. Gandalf laughs as he speaks.
"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"
Bilbo strides forward into the group; he pats Balin affectionately on the shoulder.
"Bilbo!"
Aiden breaks away from me and rushes to the hobbit before hugging him. Bilbo staggers back slightly, but pats his back with a smile. I smile at the affection Aiden gives him, happy that he seems to be finally healing.
"Bilbo, we'd given you up!" Kili says smiling.
"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!" Fili asks.
Dwalin looks to the Hobbit with suspicion. "How, indeed."
There is an awkward silence as Bilbo tries to think what to say. In the end, he gives a nervous laugh and puts his hands on his hips, although I do notice him putting something in his pocket. As I watch his hand, I have a niggling feeling in the back of my head. He's got something that's causing me to get this feeling, I don't know what it is, but it's important.
"Well, what does it matter? He's back!" Gandalf says happily, pulling me from my thoughts..
"It matters!" Thorin answers Gandalf before turning to the hobbit. " I want to know; why did you come back?"
Bilbo looks to him for a moment. "Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."
After Bilbo speaks, there is silence as the dwarves think about what Bilbo said, even Thorin bows his head slightly. Gandalf just smiles, a relieved smile. I hold my arms out as Aiden comes back to me. Just before I am able to check him over, a howling is heard in the distance, coming towards us.
"Out of the frying pan. . ." Thorin starts.
". . .and into the fire! Run! RUN!" Gandalf finishes.
At Gandalf's shout, no one needs telling twice as we all get up and run, Fili carrying Aiden this time as we run further down the mountain. The sun has now set as the warg catch up to us at the bottom, some of us having to fight them while the ones in the front managing to run on to where the mountain ends. I'm relieved to see Fili and Aiden have gotten past the warg as the rest of us deal with them.
Taking my hand, Thorin and I run together, soon reaching a large outcropping of land with a few trees growing on it; We are trapped, a sheer drop in front of us, and about two dozen sharp teeth behind us.
"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Bilbo, climb!" Gandalf calls out.
Bifur throws an axe, killing a warg which was approaching him. Bofur jumps off a rock and grabs a tree branch, using Dwalin's head as a stepping stone to the tree. Other dwarves begin climbing into the trees as well. Bilbo tries to pull his sword out of the dead warg's head, but it is stuck firmly. He continues to pull.
"They're coming!" Thorin yells out.
Thorin gives me a boost up a tree before following me. I stop halfway up, just below Balin, Thorin next to me and I instantly look around for Aiden, finding him safe with Fili and Kili, causing me to breathe a sigh of relief. He may not be with me, but I'm glad he is with others who can protect him.
"He'll be fine." Thorin reassures me, slipping his arm around my waist to keep hold of me.
I lean into him, placing a hand on his chest, my head dropping onto his shoulder as I try to keep my breathing steady. I'm not used to this much running, this much exercise. Even the hike up to the mountain wasn't this bad.
Having finally gotten his sword free, Bilbo soon joins Fili, Kili and Aiden in their tree, just as the warg rush below him. I just breathe a sigh of relief. One more second and they would have had him.
Dozens of warg circle the trees in which we are perched. The warg suddenly cease their growling, looking up, I see them looking to a white warg which bears a larger white Orc, scars all over its body, a large chunk of it's left ear missing and a metal claw for an arm. I instantly realise this is the Pale Orc from Balin's story, the one Thorin fought many years ago. Looking to Thorin in worry, he catches my eye before looking to the Orc, his face paling as he brushes a branch away to see properly, looking at Azog in shock. I feel his hand on my hip tighten.
"Azog?!"
As his White warg growls, Azog strokes it and talks ominously.
"Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast? Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob"
I gasp. Once again, I am able to understand something I shouldn't. I don't know what that language is called, but just like with the dwarven and elven language, I can understand Azog as if he spoke in English.
'Do you smell it? The scent of fear? I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain.'
"It cannot be." Thorin speaks besides me.
Hearing his voice choking up, I reach out a hand to take his free hand, trying to bring him some comfort. I feel him squeeze it, but he doesn't look to me.
Azog speaks to his warg and Riders.
"Kod, Toragid biriz. Worori-da!"
'That one is mine. Kill the others!'
At his command, whatever that is, the warg leap forward and try to climb the trees. They jump as high as they can, scrabbling at the tree trunks and breaking apart branches in their jaws in their efforts. The trees shake violently at the assault, and we struggle to hold on. I cry out as we almost fall, though Thorin keeps a tight hold of me, almost pressing me up against the tree to keep the both of us upright.
"Sho gad adol!"
'Drink their blood!'
With the weight of the wargs climbing and colliding with the tree we are in, it gets uprooted from the ground and begins leaning wildly. As more warg grab onto it, the tree tips over and lands on the next tree; Thorin keeps hold of me as we jump from the falling tree to the next. However, this tree also tips over as do the rest and, like dominoes, all the trees we are in begin falling over, until we are all safely in the tallest and last tree, which so happens to be right on the edge of the cliff. One wrong move and it is a long drop. Thankfully, this tree doesn't fall over, strong enough to hold all our weight. . .for now.
I can hear Azog laughing at our predicament. As Thorin and I steady ourselves, I look around and find Aiden still safe, although I see him with his head buried in Fili, my heart breaking at hearing him cry.
A flaming pinecone suddenly flies past and lands in font of the warg, who retreat in fear of the fire. Azog is startled and angry at the unexpected resistance. Gandalf lights two more pinecones and throws one down to Fili.
"Fili!"
Fili catches the pinecone. Bilbo and the dwarves gather pinecones and Gandalf sets them on fire; they then throw the flaming pinecones like missiles at the warg. All the area around the tree gets set on fire, forcing the wargs to retreat a distance. At least one warg gallops away with its fur alight.
Azog roars in anger and frustration as the dwarves cheer. Suddenly, their cheers turn into cries of fear as the roots of the tree they are in start to give way; the tree tips precariously over the edge of the cliff, but comes to a rest sticking straight out away from the edge of the cliff. I let out a scream as my hands slip, causing me to fall for a second before Thorin grabs hold of me.
"Sophia! I've got you!"
While keeping himself on the tree, he manages to pull me up and gets me to where I can swing myself onto the branch. He hovers over me to make sure I don't fall again. I keep a tight hold of his hands, the fear running through me. Looking towards the Orcs, I freeze as I see Azog looking right at Thorin and I, a sick grin appearing on his face. Feeling movement besides me, I look to see Thorin pulling himself up, Orcrist drawn, and walking down the leaning trunk as we all hang from the tree, looking on.
"Thorin! Don't! Come back!" I cry out, trying to grab him but missing.
But he doesn't listen. He runs through the burning ground towards Azog and his white warg.
Azog spreads his arms wide with a smug grin on his face. Thorin growls as he runs with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouches, then roars as his warg leaps at Thorin. Thorin tries to swing his sword, but the warg hits him in the chest with its forepaw, smashing Thorin to the ground.
"Thorin!" I yell out.
The others in the tree look on in shock.
As Thorin gets back on his feet, panting, Azog and his warg wheel around; they charge at Thorin again. Azog swings his mace and smashes Thorin in the face before Thorin can react. Thorin is brutally flung to the ground by the impact.
"Nooo!" Balin yells out.
Azog roars in excitement. Bilbo manages to stand up on the tree. The white warg clamps its jaws around Thorin and Thorin yells in pain. I'm frozen to the branch, unable to take my eyes off what is happening.
Dwalin tries to get off the tree to assist Thorin, but the tree branches he is holding on to break, swinging him precariously over the edge and preventing him from reaching Thorin.
"Thorin! Nooo!"
As the warg holds Thorin in its mouth, Thorin manages to hit its snout with the pommel of his sword. Roaring, the warg throws Thorin several feet away onto a flat rock nearby. Thorin lands heavily, his sword falling out of his hand.
As I am watching all this, my heart seems to have stopped beating, the fear I felt for myself mere moments ago vanishing, only to be replaced with a new fear. Fear of losing Thorin. Throughout the past few months, Thorin and I have become really close, just the other night, us revealing we have strong romantic feelings for one another. I can't lose him, not now.
Pulling myself up onto my feet, I pull my sword out just as Bilbo does with his. Our eyes meet and after a second we both nod and the both of us running down the tree towards Thorin. I hear Aiden shouting for me, but I continue to run. He will be safe with the others.
"Biriz torag khobdudol."
'Bring me the Dwarf's head.' Azog says to one of the Orcs.
My eyes go wide at this. Biblo and I have to make it in time. I pick up speed, as does Bilbo, as one of Azog's warg riders jumps off his warg and approaches Thorin, watching him, I see Thorin struggling to grab Orcrist, which is next to him. As the orc places its sword against his neck; raising it, ready to decapitate Thorin. As the orc begins to swing its sword down, Bilbo throws himself at the orc and knocks him over, away from Thorin.
While Bilbo is fighting the orc, I reach Thorin and fall to my knees next to him, leaning over him, his face covered with bruises, scratches and blood.
"Thorin?"
His eyes turn to me, his hand reaching up to my cheek. "Sophia?"
I smile as I take his hand. "I'm here. Everything's going to be alright now."
He looks to me for a few more moments before his head lolls back, eyes closing. Reaching a hand out to his neck, I feel for a pulse and let out the breath I was holding as I feel one, although I begin to worry as it is very weak. I close my eyes and pray to anyone who is listening to keep him alive. . .
Opening my eyes, I look up and see Bilbo standing in front of us, protecting us both, waving his sword wildly at Azog and the other warg. Azog gives a sickening grin and speaks in the to his Orcs.
"Kill him."
The orcs and wargs advance and before I can get up to stand with the Hobbit; Fili, Kili, and Dwalin, who have managed to get off the tree, suddenly rush forward and plough into the warg from the side and start fighting them.
In the confusion, Bilbo yells and leaps forward, wounding a warg. The white warg hits Bilbo with his head and sends him flying, however. As the fighting around them continues, Azog and his White warg approach Bibo to kill him, with two others. Fili, Kili, and Dwalin have been surrounded by warg, and Bilbo is at Azog's mercy.
Taking my sword, I jump off and raising my sword, swipe at Azog, making him roar in pain and anger as I slice through his arm before coming to a stop in front of Bilbo, facing down the pale orc. He turns a snarl onto me as he advances on me, but I don't budge, glaring up at the one that has caused so much heartache to my Thorin. My heart is pounding in fear, but I'm not going to let anything happen to Bilbo.
Suddenly, several giant eagles appear and join the fray. I watch in shock and surprise as some grab wargs and orcs to toss them over the cliff, others knock down trees which crushes the wargs below them and they also use their wings to fan the flames, causing an inferno to burn the warg. I kneel beside Bilbo while Azog is distracted, both of us watching all this happen. My attention is on an eagle which flies to Thorin, gently taking him and his sword in its talons and flies away. As Thorin is lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slipping off his arm and landing on the ground. I watch with worry as his limp form is carried away.
Azog roars and jumps back as an Eagle flies by him; right for Bibo and I, grabbing us both before dropping us. Bilbo and I scream as we fall, only to land on the back of another Eagle, him sitting in front of me. Looking back, I see the rest of the Eagles snatching the other dwarves up and flying away, Gandalf voluntarily jumping off and lands on one, once he knows the others are safe. Azog's roar of anger and frustration echoing in the distance as we fly away.
"Well. . .that was unexpected." I breathe out, still trying to come to terms with everything that's happened the past couple days.
Bilbo gives a breathless chuckle. "You can say that again."
"Mummy!"
Looking around, I smile as I see Aiden riding with Balin, relieved he is alright. Balin nods to me with a smile, letting me know he's got him, before he says something to Aiden, the boy nods, smiles at me again before leaning back into Balin and closing his eyes to sleep. I smile at this, hoping that he can get some sleep after all this
The Eagles soar through the sky over a great distance and over many landscapes, the sun not long since risen to show it is still morning.
"Thorin!" Fili yells out to his uncle.
Looking to our right, Bilbo and I see Thorin hanging limply from the Eagle's talon.
"Thorin. . ." I breath out in fear.
I feel Bilbo gripping my arm.
"Will he be alright?"
"I don't know. . .I hope so. . ." I reply, unable to take my gaze from the dwarf King.
The eagles soon approach a massive rock structure shaped like a bear. The eagle carrying Thorin gently deposits him and his sword on a flat area on top of the Carrock. Another eagle lands on the Carrock and Gandalf slides off its neck, running toward the unconscious Thorin.
"Thorin! Thorin."
Thorin is not responding. As our eagle lands by the point of the cliff, Bilbo and I jump off, watching Gandalf. Gandalf places his hand on Thorin's face and whispers a spell. While he is doing this, Aiden runs over, throwing his arms around me. I hold him close as he turns to watch Gandalf also. Then, after thinking we might be too late, Thorin's eyes flutter open and he gasps for air. He speaks weakly;
"The halfling?"
"It's all right. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe."
By now, the other dwarves have all been landed, and they surround the wounded Thorin. Bilbo and I breathe a sigh of relief as Dwalin and Kili help Thorin up. However, once he's up, he shrugs them off and approaches Bilbo.
"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?"
Thorin advances until he is face to face with Bilbo, who looks worried and frightened. I'm also watching in utter confusion. How can he be yelling at Bilbo, he saved his life! As I'm about to say something, Thorin says and does something that surprises me.
"I've never been so wrong in all my life!"
Thorin grabs Bilbo and embraces him deeply. The other dwarves cheer loudly and slap each other on the back and Gandalf smiles. I'm also smiling, as well as Aiden as he grins up at me. I place my hands on his shoulders as Bilbo, who is looking quite surprised, hugs Thorin back before they pull apart.
"I am sorry I doubted you."
"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior. . .not even a burglar."
This causes the adults to chuckle. Aiden then steps forward and surprises me by hugging Thorin. Thorin is also surprised by this as he looks to me with wide eyes, not knowing what to do at first, as Aiden has never willingly hugged him before, until he wraps his arms around the boy. I just watch with a surprised smile, knowing how he felt about Thorin before, but his actions in the Goblin tunnels must have helped Aiden to trust him. Looking to the others, I also see them watching in surprise, all of them knowing Aiden's situation. Aiden looks up at Thorin.
"Are you okay now?"
Thorin smiles as he lifts the lad into his arms. "I'm fine now, Aiden. Do not worry."
Aiden smiles as he wraps his arms around the dwarves neck. This causes happy tears to come to my eyes as Thorin rubs his back. That's when the eagles fly away, screeching. Thorin looks beyond Bilbo and sees something, Bilbo and I follow his gaze.
"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asks.
As we walk to the edge, in the distance, on the horizon, we see the outline of a single, solitary mountain.
"Erebor - The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth." Gandalf explains.
"Our home." Thorin says with a look on longing and pride on his face.
I look up and smile at him as I stand closer. He slips an arm around my waist and pulls me into him as a bird cheeps and flies by.
"A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain." Oin pipes up.
More birdsong is heard.
"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush."
"But we'll take it as a sign - a good omen."
Thorin smiles to Bilbo, who smiles back.
"You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us."
We all look on at the Lonely Mountain as the sun rises behind us.
And there we have it folks, An Unexpected Journey is finally done. Up next, Desolation of Smaug!
As I said at the top, I won't be updating until after the New Year, so I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you all in 2025 xxx