In The End-The Hobbit

Chapter 10 : The Goblin Tunnels

I toss and turn in my makeshift bed, half asleep and half awake, unable to fully sleep with my mind clouded thinking of what I'll have to do in the morning to regain control of the company. I can't help but think that if I do fall asleep, Thorin might try something, like just leaving in the dead of the night with the company following or that he may even toss me over a mountain face, although that is a little farfetched. The thoughts still don't help me sleep however, wondering how long Gandalf will take and how long I'll be able to stall Thorin. Too much going on in my head for any rest.

I pull my blanket tightly around myself as a cold breeze washing in through the entrance to the cave. Oddly enough though, the breeze doesn't feel as though it's coming from the entrance, but rather under me. I groan, rolling over in an attempt to get my head to shut up so I can sleep. I'm almost fully embracing the darkness as I listen to the light hum of muffled voices, probably some of the dwarves talking.

Only seconds later I wake to Thorin's voice yelling "Wake up! Wake up!" my brain still hazy from sleep, I stumble up to my feet, withdrawing my sword as I do so with shaky muscles. It takes me only a moment to fully regain conciseness, immediately I look down at the floor as cracks begin to appear and sand begins to sift through.

I look up for but a second to ask Thorin what's happening, before feeling the ground disappear under my feet. My train of thought is thrown away as my body spins around, tumbling down a stone tunnel with 13 dwarves following. I let out a shriek as a sharp rock cuts across my arm, the warmth of liquid begins to run down my arm. The spinning doesn't last long as there's a sudden drop. I feel a light breeze before a sudden halt as I hit another body. With the wind knocked out of me, I gasp for air, before the wind is knocked out me again by the remaining falling dwarves.

Immediately everyone groans in pain and shouts in protest. I realise as my bearings begin to come back that I'd fallen on top of Thorin, you grumbles under me in protest. Quickly, I scramble to get up, pulling my way out from under the dwarf mass trying to find a weapon. Just as I pull myself onto my feet weighing the possibilities of what just happened, my eyes are caught by a huge crowd of goblins shrieking and running in our direction. Looking around for a weapon in a sudden panic, I'm caught off guard when as goblin grabs me around my neck, forcing me back into an uncomfortable position.

I scream, hitting my elbow into the creature behind me. It releases, allowing me to kick away another that quickly approaches, but soon I'm crowded by tens and hundreds of goblins, many holding me down as I kick, hit and scream furiously. The goblins gather the dwarves and take their weapons, dragging us away further into the giant stone cavern. The company tries to fight against our captures, but to no success.

We get pulled through a few tunnels before we are dragged into a huge open cavern, almost as big as a dwarf mine. A whole colony of goblins cheer and yell, echoing off the stone walls. In the distance I see a massive Goblin, huge and foul, sitting on a massive throne, a mace in hand with a skull at the top. I let out a groan of reluctance, realising to whom we're taken captive. The Goblin King, as he likes to go by, how original! I've heard tales of him from travellers passing through these lands. He hasn't got a great rep, but I mean, what foul creature like him would? He is far larger than any other goblin, and he is incredibly ugly, with warts all over her swinging chin.

The dwarves and I get pushed, or rather thrown, into the centre of a wooden platform in front of The Goblin King. Our weapons are thrown aside out of reach.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?" The Goblin King asks "Spies? Thieves? Assassins?" He yells.

"Dwarves, Your Malevolence," One of the goblins say.

"Dwarves?"

"And a Woman," Another Goblin adds "We found them on the front porch!"

"Well, don't just stand there. Search them! Every crack, every crevice" The Goblin King yells.