The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug Edition (ON HOLD)

12. The Bargeman

The agile current carrying a heavy band of dwarves, dirt and blood had over time begun to impede, as well as the company's burning adrenaline and galloping hearts. Although, their minds were not yet comprehensively at rest - as they threw their gazes back over their shoulders for any signs of possible threats - they had nevertheless initiated to breathe, coughing up water within their lungs and relaxing their bodies into jelly inside the wrapped barrels. The barrels that had previously been floating flawlessly; both in action as well as in demeanor - skillfully crafted by the fairest creatures on Earth, was now scarred, pierced with arrows and blades which left wooden wounds gushing water. No matter, the barrels were still afloat, turning amongst the curves of the water and the restless motility of the dwarves.

Aria's dark locks, drenched and cold, stuck to her face and over her shoulders as she ran her fingers through it, brushing it back over her shoulder blades. Her skin was blanched, her leather dress hung heavily over her body and her eyelashes twinned together. Though, she was nor angry, nor was she cold; but she feared above all the safety of her two soldiers keeping her alive. Her pale hands clutched tightly around the rough, pointy edges of her barrel, watching Kili sinking further and further down into his barrel as if he was slowly drowning, both in mind and body. Aria's forehead was creased in pain of watching his. Her lips were parted and her heart pounded mercilessly inside her chest, throbbing in her ears.

Thorin's drenched figure looked back over his company, eyes dilated and expression incredibly focused.

"Is there anything behind us?" his voice echoed against the cliff wall embracing the stream.

"Not that I can see!" responded Balin.

"I think we've outrun the orcs!" shouted Bofur.

"Not for long", said Thorin; voice raspy and hoarse from screaming and coughing, "We've lost the current."

"We almost half drowned!" growled Dwalin. Thorin cocked his head in agitation and looked to his nephew - slowly but surely fading away into pain. Thorin's jaw strained and clenched. The riverbank alongside the stream was almost completely buried in rocks and moss, with little space for sand and footprints.

"Make for the shore!" Thorin roared over the company, paddling towards the rocks with a tall, wooden stalk. The rest started digging their hands within the water, pulling themselves to the stone. One by one, the company crawled ashore, leaving their barrels to peacefully bob away in the stream.

Fili and Kili made their way out of the barrels and climbed across the rocks, getting themselves up towards the sky, scrutinizing for further even stone - though, Kili's leg quickly gave in beneath him and the dwarf fell to the stone in whimpers of pain. He sat up the best he could, carefully caressing his thigh with blacksmith-hands - the carved hole in flesh bulging, aching and throbbing, he could hear his heartbeats through the dripping red - and his fingers tried to avoid this gushing wound of brilliant red that pierced a hole through his dark cloth. He hissed and spat in the stone as he pressed a ripped piece of cloth to the wound, throwing his head back in pain, wishing he could have done something different to avoid this. But Bofur's concerned facial expression by his side shook this thought away, and Kili gnashed his teeth to prevent his whimpers.

"I'm fine", he said, turning his gaze down, "It's nothing."

As Thorin got to his feet, he threw the stalk in the river, and turned to Aria, whose barrel hit the shore. He pulled her out by her hand and gripped her waist in his palms, carefully lifting her to her feet. Her pale complexion were merely inches from his face, and he cupped her head in his hands, auditing her closely before looking into her eyes - the eyes shifting between colors.

"Are you alright?" he asked, tone of voice low and comforting. The elf placed her hands over his, as to reassure him of her well being, and she nodded. A faint smile crossed her lips as Thorin's pupils dilated, and he placed a peck to the bridge of her nose. Though shortly afterwards, she bent herself out of Thorin's comforting embrace as the whimpers and growls of pain from Kili began anew. She tripped across the stone and fell to her knees by Kili's twitching anatomy, feeling the itch behind her eyes and the heat of her face. She gripped tightly around the wound to prevent the gushing stream of red from wetting the stone further, and Kili yelled out.