his exception

chapter twenty-four: taken

Suddenly, Maethel saw the leader, the same one who had attacked them in the barrels. She pulled out her sword. She looked behind her and saw her brother running from a different direction beside her. "You love to put yourself in dangerous situations." Legolas joked and then his smile dropped when he noticed Bolg walking up Maethel. Without time to react, his sister was thrown to the side and her body smashed through a nearby building and Legolas heard her let out a small cry.

As they walk toward each other, the other two Orcs appear out of hiding spots on either side of the alley and attacked Legolas. Legolas knocked the two of them down just in time to deflect a blow from Bolg. Legolas fought all three Orcs at once, and when he had knocked down the two again, he stabbed at Bolg's stomach, but Bolg dropped his weapon and caught Legolas's sword between his arm and ribs. He pulled Legolas closer to him using the sword and then threw him against a wooden pillar. Legolas dropped the sword. Before he could get up, Bolg grabbed him and threw him again, this time into a wall.

Maethel recovered and gathered her strength for the other orcs which had snuck up on them. There were three of them, surrounding her. She ducked blocked and sliced with her sword, killing all three of them, one by one. But more came from behind the big orc. Just as were about to attack her brother, Maethel shot them with her arrows. Two more came from behind her, and she killed them as well. But one of them had managed to slice her lower abdomen with its dagger, and it made a deep cut. She tried to help her brother. 

 Bolg strode over and kicked at Legolas, but Legolas managed to grab Bolg's leg and knock him off balance and into the wall behind him. Legolas leapt in the air and delivered a flying punch to Bolg's face. He grabbed Bolg and smashed his head repeatedly into the wooden post.  Maethel attacked with her sword. But he was extremely strong. He blocked her sword with his and pushed her aside with so much force, that she almost lost her balance. But luckily Maethel was able to move aside, just in time to dodge his next slash. The prince attacked him from behind, but the orc blocked him too. She attacked by lifting her sword and trying to jab it into the back of his neck. But he was quick. She was thrown to the side again and she fell into the water.

Legolas managed to pull out a knife and slice Bolg lightly on the stomach, but Bolg grabbed him and threw him toward the other two Orcs, who have gotten back up. 

Legolas looked at where his sister had fallen in but he didn't see her re-surface. Quickly, he turned and blocked another strike. He threw Bolg against a wall, but Bolg rebounded from the wall and grabbed Legolas in a crushing embrace against his chest. He squeezed Legolas and Legolas strained in pain, then jerked his head back into Bolg's face, forcing him to release him.

Her vision was hazy, but Maethel could make out that the orc was crushing Legolas's chest in a tight grip from behind. Once the prince broke out of it, he was a little dazed, he continued to pursue the Orcs and killing them with his knives. Bolg turned back to the Orcs.  "Gur! Abguriz!" (Go! You! Come with me.) Maethel was grabbed by one of the orcs screaming. Her brother continued to kill the orcs as he tried to make his way towards his sister. But he didn't reach her in time. Then Bolg began to escape. He clearly didn't have time to wait and kill her brother.

 Bolg strode across a bridge and issued a command to his Orcs and Wargs who were waiting there. "Zidgar Guldur-nar! Ekinskeld Erebor-nar nakhan!" (Send word to Dol Guldur! Oakenshield has reached the Mountain!) He then turned to the Orc which was holding onto Maethel on the back of the Warg, "Take the elf princess with you." Bolg and the Orcs turned when they hear the sound of steel and fighting in the town behind them. As the Orcs turned to leave, Bolg and two Orcs strode back toward the town. The remaining Orcs and Wargs galloped across a long bridge connecting Laketown to the mainland. Bolg rode across the bridge on his Warg; close behind him was Legolas on a white horse.

Outside the mountain, it is now night; The great doors of Erebor closed and shut. Suddenly, the side of the mountain broke as an enraged Smaug smashed his way out. He flapped his wings and lifted off into the sky, spinning and causing the remaining gold on him to fall off in a golden shimmer. He swooped off toward Laketown. In Laketown, people see the fire and light coming from the previously closed gates of Erebor, and they shout and cower in fear. Bard grabbed the bars of his cell in shock. In Bard's house, the dwarves, children, and Tauriel looked about in fear.

Bilbo ran out of the destroyed gates of Erebor and climbed up some ruins, looking after the flying Smaug. He fell to his knees. Smaug soared through the air toward Laketown, talking to himself.  "I am fire. I am...DEATH!" Watching him fly away, Bilbo despairingly panted and looked on in shock.  "What have we done?"