A Tale of Time

Chapter 10: Battle at their Feet

Chapter 10: Battle at their Feet

"Wake up!" Gailien jolts, awoken by Thorin's deep call which echoes through the chamber. "All of you! Now!"

Her head feels full of heavy metal, her eyes drooping down as she slowly pulls herself up. "That was the worst sleep I've gotten in a while," she mutters, pulling on her shin and arm guards.

"You kept kicking me," Fili grunts, also putting on his armour.

"You're telling me," Kili grumbles, appearing on her other side. Gailien glances at him briefly but her eyes quickly return to a mark on his face. He runs his fingers over the spot and they both wince.

"Was that from me?" she gasps, reaching over. She pushes his fingers away, tracing over it herself. It isn't anything overly painful looking, just a scratch but it shouldn't be there, nonetheless. "Remind me to sleep further away tonight."

Once they are fully suited up, Thorin calls for them to gather on the battlement. The sun has barely risen but it seems everybody within a hundred leagues is already awake. Lined in front of them is Thranduil's forces, their golden armour taunting her past. And her future.

Would it be by one of their hands? Or maybe one of Lake-town's people. Gailien finds a spot next to Balin and she quietly notes Bilbo's return with him. Her left hand rests ready on the hilt of one her blades, as though ready to attack from where she stands. Her bow is strung across her back, the quiver strapped with it.

She knows that the only reason they have yet to attack is because of the new bargaining tool they have been so graciously offered by their resident burglar.

Gazing over at Thorin she hopes to find him in one of his better moments but the expression on his face says otherwise. She looks past him to Bilbo who catches her eye, giving her the smallest of nods.

Fourteen against hundreds. The odds are not in their favour.

Thranduil, mounted on his elk and accompanied by Bard slowly make their way through the Elven army who orderly move out of the way as the two steeds and their master travel through. Thorin loads his own bow, taking aim but he doesn't shoot until Thranduil and Bard have reached the foot of the mountain.

The arrow flies, bouncing off the ground in front of the Elk's hoof.

"I'm going to hope that was a warning shot and not just bad aim," she glowers to Balin.

Thranduil glances down to the spot the arrow hit then back up to Thorin and his company. "I will put the next one between your eyes." The Dwarves begin to cheer, throwing insults over the wall. Gailien doesn't join in, only eyeing Thranduil, waiting for his move.

With a slight tilt of his head, the archers of the army move as one, pulling arrows from their quiver and aiming it up at the mountain. All the Dwarves duck, leaving Thorin as the lone stander, even Bilbo and Gailien moving behind a rock. If she is going to die, it is not going to be because of two King's pettiness.

They don't move back up until they clearly hear the arrows being put back in their quivers.

"We've come to tell you payment of your debt has been offered and accepted," Thranduil announces, watching Thorin's reaction carefully.

"What payment?" Thorin growls. "I gave you nothing. You have nothing."

Bard reaches into his jacket and pulls out the Arkenstone, holding it high. Even from her spot the beauty and etherealness is overwhelming, the spiral of colours shimmering against the morning sun. "We have this."

"They have the Arkenstone," Kili cries. "Thieves!" Gailien sucks her cheeks, holding her head low. "How cam you by the heirloom of our house? That stone belongs to the king!"