The Story of Us (Fili/The Hobbit)

18. The Orcs and the Bowman

Chapter 18! Here we gooo(;

We could only watch as the orcs attacked the elves. Panic and fear arose in me, we didn't have any weapons to defend ourselves. We were practically helpless.

Orcs began to jump onto the barrels, one of them almost managed to pull me under the water, if it wasn't for Bilbo stabbing it with his blade. I thanked him with a quick nod. For a while, this is all we did. Fighting off the orcs by kicking, punching, and bashing their heads on the wall every now and then.

It didn't take me a while to realize Kili jumped up onto the rock to pull down the lever. While he was fighting off one orc, another was in back of him, raising it's weapon. Without thinking, I grabbed a knife that one of the orcs had dropped in the water and threw it at its head. But what I didn't see was the leader orc aiming an arrow at Kili and piercing his leg.

"Kili!" Fili shouted as he watched his brother fall to the ground. Kili still managed to pull the lever down, letting the barrels slip through the entrance. Fili held onto Kili's barrel as he dropped himself into it as the arrow in his leg snapped, causing him to groan in pain.

The orcs continued to follow us, just as we followed the fast rapids of the water. More elves joined the fight. Including Legolas and the red headed elf named Tauriel whom I believe Kili has taken a liking to ever since she saved him from the spiders. It was a great help to us since they were killing the orcs. We managed to escape but nonetheless, they were still after us.

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The current began to slow down more and more, allowing us to get on shore that was up ahead. My breathing was heavy as I steered my barrel onto the solid ground, along with the others. The first thing I did when I stepped out of the barrel was wring out my wet hair and shake out the water from my boots as I sat down on large rock. From the corner of my eye, Kili was limping and made his way to a rock not far from where I was.

He put a piece of cloth to his wound and winced in pain. He looked over to Bofur, who was also concerned and then to me. "It's nothing." He muttered. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not Kili. You're hurt." I said to him but he didn't have time to reply as his brother came to him and casted him a worried look before inspecting his wound.

"We need to go now." Thorin said, not taking any notice of his nephew.

"Kili's wounded, his leg needs binding." Fili told Thorin as he tried wrapping a piece of cloth around Kili's wound.

"There's an orc pack on our tail. We keep moving."

"Thorin please. Just give him a moment to help Kili." I pleaded. Although I have warmed up to Thorin a little more, his stubbornness is something I still couldn't deal with.

"Bind his leg quickly. We have two minutes." Thorin agreed to which I silently thanked him.

Suddenly a shadow was casted upon us. Turning around there was a man with a bow, ready to fire an arrow. Dwalin raised a stick but before he could do anything with it, the man shot the arrow through it. Kili did the same with a rock but the man shot it out of his hand.

"Do it again, and you're dead." Said the man.

"Excuse me," Balin spoke up whilst bringing his hands up in peace.

"You're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken. That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire by any chance?"

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"Why would I help you?" The tall man with the shaggy dark hair that reached slightly above his shoulders asked Balin.

"Those boots have seen better days. As has that coat. No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?"

"A boy and two girls." The man answered as he dragged barrels onto the barge.

"And your wife, I imagine she is a beauty." Balin says in a friendly manner.

The man stopped as he had his back turned to us.

"Aye. She was."

My heart sank as I realized how heartbroken he really was. I could never imagine how it would be like to live that way. I don't think I could live without Fili. I had a newfound respect for this man, being able to work and still support his family is something incredible.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Balin sorrowfully apologizes.

"Oh come on, enough of the niceties." Dwalin complained as I felt annoyed by his lack of sympathy.

"What's your hurry?" The man asked, hearing Dwalin's comment.

"What's it to you?"

"I would like to know who you all are. And what you are doing in these lands."

"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains, journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills." Balin explains.

"Simple merchants, you say." The man says slightly smirking, obviously not believing us.

"We need food. Supplies. Weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin questioned.

The man placed his hand on the barrels, observing them for a short moment.

"I know where these barrels came from."

"What of it?" Thorin asks.

"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Lake Town but with the leave of the master. All his wealth came from trade with the Woodland Realm. He would see to in Irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil."

"Please, we really need your help." I spoke up as I stood in front of him whilst he was preparing his barge. "We can pay you anything you want. Just name the price and it's yours. Please that's all I ask of you."

The man hesitated at first before nodding his head, agreeing to smuggle us into Lake Town.