A Single Dream is More Powerful Than a Thousand Realities

War and Rain

WARNING: Depictions of Violence (it is a war after all).

Elrond stared out into the garden, his thoughts far from the tranquility of Imladris' borders.

His thoughts were on a company of dwarves.

And a hobbit.

"They will need you before the end," Galadriel's voice rang softly in his ear.

All the elf lord could do was nod his head, a seed of dread sowing into his heart.

*****

They rolled.

Over jagged rocks, that dug into Lyla's back, and down the steep slope, the two of them bounced over one another as they descended in a tangle of limbs and loud cries of surprise and pain.

The connection with the ground at the bottom was rough.

With a cry, Lyla landed atop the warrior Dain, her head crashing, rather painfully, into the armor across his chest, as dirt and pebbles rained down upon them, the roar of battle drumming in Lyla's ears. Stars danced in front of her eyes and the world around her wobbled dangerously as she lifted her head.

The dwarf beneath her groaned lowly, but never loosened his grip on the hobbit, his fingers digging into the thin fabric covering her arms.

She noted a few dwarves, still near the gates, quickening their steps towards them, their cries lost on Lyla's ears.

Panic hammered at her heart and she tried to rise, to get away.

But Dain would have none of it.

"You," he seethed, his voice laced with pain as he shoved her backwards and propelled himself into a sitting position. His grip never loosened on her arms.

"You tried to kill me."

Lyla tried to twist from Dain's grasp, kicking her feet and shuffling backwards. But nothing worked.

"It wasn't like that," She mumbled, her own voice sounding strange in her ears, as she tried to get her bearings, "I was just-"

"You stupid creature!" Dain hissed cutting her off, "Do you think that I would ever believe you?!"

The dwarf rose to his feet, dragging the struggling hobbit with him. He gave Lyla a hard shake, making her head pound.

Ignoring the way that colors swam together, Lyla steadied herself by grasping onto the dwarf's arms and bringing her feet forward to strike at the creature's knees.

She missed the first time, her footing unsure, and Dain continued to shake her, making Lyla's teeth rattle and he head spin.

But the second time she kicked, Lyla managed to land a solid connection with Dain's knees.

"Lass!"

She recognized that voice.

Dwarves converged upon them as Dain released his grip on Lyla whose own knees buckled as she landed upon the ground. Rising, as quickly as her body would allow, the hobbit tried to put as much distance between herself and Dain Ironfoot, as possible.

Which proved difficult with the others getting in her way.

"Lass!"

She heard the familiar call again as strange dwarves grabbed at her, tugging at her clothes and her hair, and blocking her escape from their leader. With angry grunts, they pressed around her, trying to push her back, force her back into the mountain.

But she'd had enough.

With a frustrated growl of her own, Lyla leapt forward, pushing her arms outward and barreling into a surly looking fellow with dark hair, knocking the surprised dwarf backwards and sending Lyla stumbling past the creature, her head spinning from adrenaline.