That's Another Story For Later

Cheapest Life

When it did, the pain flared from my cheek, white hot. I staggered away, holding the affected area. I cried out in shock and pain. It was cold outside, the hit stinging more than it usually would have. He had struck with the palm of his hand, hard. Tears ran down my face on instinct, and Thorin's face was red with anger. I felt Kili pull me away, and Dwalin and Fili almost blocked me from the enraged king. "Uncle! This is one of your best fighters! She has followed you with all her loyalty. How could you do this?" Fili cried out.

"You hurt her. Do you not realize who you have become? You resorted to hurting someone for something so stupid." Kili said, anger clearly resonating in  his voice. My cheek had started to swell. Kili's hand reached out, touching the sensitive skin. I flinched, before standing tall again, traces of tears gone. If there was a time to not show pain, it was now.

"Thorin, she would follow you to her death if it meant doing it for you, because she believes in you. You hurt her for standing up for something she believed in! If that is what you do to someone who is faithful, then I may not follow you." Dwalin growled. I stared at him in disbelief.

"You are helping a traitor. You are all traitors!" He shouted, sweeping away. After a moment of shocked silence, we turned back to the battle. We watched as Dain rushed toward the Orcs. The Elves did nothing, and the dwarves were clearly outnumbered. Thranduil looked back to the charging dwarves. They stopped and built a shield wall with their huge spears facing outward, like a spiky turtle. The orcs were moving fast.

Then, at a turn of events, the Elves leapt over the shields, wielding their swords, and rained down on the orcs in a flurry of silver and gold. The elves pressed forward, and the dwarves started moving their shield wall forward. More Orcs fell. I saw Dain riding on his pig, smashing the creatures left and right with his hammer. The rest of the elves continued to march forward, and some sort of relief fell over my body.

The battle was still gruesome as people started to fall dead. They were skewered decapitated, maimed, anything. These people would never see their families or friends or lovers again. Tears sprung to my eyes as I realized the chaos of war again and again. Kili wrapped his arms around my waist, and I pulled away. The metal was uncomfortable, and I didn't want to rest against it. Azog shouted another order, and the signaling devices changed their position to show something. More tunnels opened, and more legions of the monsters poured out, along with massive trolls, and other monsters.

Thranduil shouted to the elves. They pulled out their bows. Azog's commands seemed to penetrate deep into my mind, and my stomach churned in nervousness. This was completely horrifying. If this was war... I wanted it to never happen. Another dreaded horn sounded, and the signaling device changed once again. Another group of the enemy marched away from the elves and men, almost in the opposite direction.

Large trolls were headed that way as well, goblins riding atop them. I realized where they were headed. I screamed loudly, falling against the ramparts. I couldn't do anything but watch as they headed toward the city of Dale. "Iridian!" Dori had shouted. The entire company faced me like I was possessed. They had never heard such a scream from me. While they had heard me scream in fear and fright and pain; this was sheer terror and potential loss.

"They're- they're headed toward Dale! Tilda! Bain! Sigrid!" I screamed again. Eyes widened, and those who were with me, understood why I was so afraid. They were so young to die. To young. They couldn't, and I was trapped, helpless, behind these goddamn walls. The dwarves with me understood I would do anything for them, and the fact I could not was torture. Dwalin's eyes hardened, and he turned to me.

"Follow me." He said, storming off. With one more glance at the advancement to Dale, I followed in a hurried pace, my mind far away. Tilda, Bain, Sigrid. They had to be alright. I could only hope. I turned back to the matter at hand. Dwalin looked downright furious.