Come to Morning Through The Shadows

Divided

"Home is behind, the world ahead,

and there are many paths to tread

through shadows to the edge of night,

until the stars are all alight."-J.R.R. Tolkien

Chapter 10:

*WARNING*: Depictions of violence in this chapter (not sure HOW violent they are but I'm giving you warning now.)

She tightened her belt one last time and adjusted the hood to cover her hair, wary of who might see in the coming light.

She didn't have much time to make her move before they would come knocking.

Silently, she made her way towards the doorway and edged along the staircase, mindful to take the lesser known walkways towards the entrance.

Towards freedom.

It's not that she didn't care for her kin, for her father, for everyone.

There was just something more important she needed to do.

She feared a cage.

She feared confinement.

Of being separated from the one she held above all others.

And she couldn't sit by an allow the world to turn, allow HIM to fight without her doing something (anything) to protect him.

'Hurry. They must not know.' The voice hummed in her mind as she slid, like a shadow, into the trees.

*****

Gandalf's command was clear.

They were to run.

And Lyla was swift to agree. She wanted as much distance between them and the orcs as possible.

But they didn't run.

Not right away.

"The horses will slow us down," Thorin's voice was low, hard, as he gazed at the wizard.

Gandalf's expression was dark as he tightened his grip on his staff, his lips pursed into a thin line.

Lyla gazed around, her heart hammering wildly as she strained to hear where the howls were coming from, to determine why she was held in place by Thorin's firm grasp.

"What do your elf eyes see, Legolas?" Estel remarked, "Can you see them?"

The elf prince sprung forward, scaling the small incline of rocks before them, his blonde hair whipping about in the harsh wind as he peered into the distance.

"The pack is no more than five leagues from us. They are moving as if their very masters were after them." Legolas exchanged looks with Gandalf and then shot another look towards Lyla, "We cannot outrun them."

"No, we cannot," Gandalf murmured tiredly, leaning on his staff, rubbing his chin, "We cannot all out run them."

The wizard's eyes suddenly flashed as his gaze riveted towards Lyla.

He frowned.

"Go!"

Lyla's stomach dropped as the howling got louder.

They couldn't outrun the orc pack. There was no way. So why would Gandalf make such a demand again?

"Gandalf," she began, "We can't—"

"Thorin!" Gandalf's voice was loud, commanding as the hobbit watched him glare beseechingly at the dwarf king, ignoring the hobbit's pleadings.

Suddenly Lyla was airborne, Thorin's grip tight around her arm as he hefted her off her feet and into the air.