The Hobbit | The Lost Bender {Book 1}

20 | Bones will be shattered

{Rigmor POV}

"Hey, be careful!"
"Who do you think you are, Goblin scum?!"

The Dwarfs cried out in anger, trying to intimidate the tiny creatures that circled around our feet. It was a relief that my hands weren't bound, but that didn't make the situation less dangerous.

I was pushed roughly by a pesky little Goblin against my back.

"Watch out where you put your hands, reptile! I am a woman after- Ouch!"
Those vexing fellows could kick pretty hard, so when one of its feet hit my calf to hurry up, I found out it would be wiser to obey to its orders and hurry up to follow the rest of the Company.

Myrna was highly upset as she tried to swat off the grasping hands of the gremlins, who were, according to her, only destroying her fine tunic with their greasy fingers.

"Myrn, just do as they say. This won't work in any way."
We walked on for what seemed like hours, the sudden sound of music suddenly starting to play as we approached something that looked like the leader of the Goblins, according to his size, crown and sceptre.

The creature was huge, the smell of sweat wafting towards me while his enormous chin moved at every movement he made. His skin was covered in warts and his thin hair seemed like it could fall from his scalp any moment.

Being held up by his peasants, he chanted in a horrible voice the anthem of his settlement, the Goblins around the place joining in as we got pushed further towards him roughly. Our weapons were thrown onto a pile after they were stripped off of us.

Clap! Snap! The black crack!
Grib, grab! Pinch, nab!
And down, down to Goblin town

You go, my lad!

Clash, crash! Crush, smash!
Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs!
Pound, pound, down underground!

Ho, ho! my lad!

Swish, smack! Whip crack!
Batter and beat! Yammer and bleat!
Work, work! Nor dare to shirk,
While Goblins quaff, and Goblins laugh,
Round and round far underground!

Below, my lad!

After the final tune, not even sure it was to call a tune, the creatures around him cheered, three of them forming a pyramid in front of his throne.
He grumbled and used them as stairs to climb up to his seat.
I couldn't help but feel bad for the small monsters.

"Catchy, isn't it? It is one of my own compositions." the leader said, as if we were supposed to be impressed.

"That's not a song, it's an abomination!" Balin insulted the Great Goblin.

"Abominations, mutations, deviations are all you gonna find down here!"
he responded smugly.
Then, he hopped from his throne, crushing the Goblins that were underneath with his heavy weight.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?"

"Dwarfs, Your Malevolence." one of the laborers slurred.
The Great Goblins eyes narrowed, a low growl coming from his throat. "Dwarfs?!"
"We found them on the front porch."

The Great Goblins nostrils flared in anger.
"Well, don't just stand there, search them! Every crack, every crevice!"

His workers started to search us, grabbing anything that could be used against them and threw it in the front to the floor alongside the weapons.
"What are you doing in these parts? Speak!" he pressed.

No one responded, and the leader grew impatient.
"Well then, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker! Start with the youngest." he barked, pointing towards Ori, and the poor lad looked like he was about to faint.

"Wait!" Thorin's voice echoed through the halls, the rejoicing sounds of the Goblins dying down. The Dwarven king stepped forward, facing the greasy gremlin in front of him.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror... King under the Mountain!"

Mockingly, the Great Goblin bowed at the Dwarf.

"Oh, but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you nobody, really. I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just the head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak, an old enemy of yours. A Pale Orc astride a White warg."

Thorin's face had turned dark.
"Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago!"

"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" the Goblin murmured, turning towards one of his servants who was hanging in some sort of installation, holding a piece of parchment between his long fingers.

"Send word to the Pale Orc, tell him I have found his prize."
The servant scribbled it down, pulled a rope and slid away into the distance, his laughs audible.

Suddenly, I realized something was missing, or rather, someone. Of course I knew who it was. I leaned towards Thorin, my voice a whisper.

"Where's Bilbo?" The Dwarf spun towards me.
"He left the cave before he fell in as well. He is long gone."

I shook my head.
"No, no he's not. I saw him here just when we got captured." The Dwarf shrugged.
"Then he won't be alive for much longer, lass."

I huffed in annoyance.
"Thorin, you can't give up all hope!"
"Who will be there to save us, then?"

Torture devices started to be carried in, and my stomach turned. Perhaps it would be better if Bilbo was dead right now. At least, he wouldn't have to suffer as much as we would have to in a few moments.

The leader started singing again, an annoying, mocking song about torture and death.

Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung!

You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung.

You will lie down here and never be found,

down in the deep of Goblin-town!

One of the Goblins reached out for one of the swords, the one that Thorin had carried with him. It was a wrong move of him, he realized.
He gasped, throwing it to the ground in pure horror as if it were hot metal that he had touched with his bare fingers.

Cries of dismay spread around the halls as the Great Goblin jumped backwards onto his throne, pointing at the sword in terror.

"I know that sword! It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks."

A horrible pain rippled through my spine as an old rope collided with my back. The Goblins started hitting us painfully, following their leader's orders.

"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!"

One got a hold on Thorin, slamming him onto the ground while another grabbed a blade, preparing to cut off his head. Suddenly, a burst of light, followed by a shock-wave blasted through the halls.

Everyone got knocked down, even the Great Goblin himself.

When the confusion died down, I vaguely recognized Gandalf's shadow as he stepped into the light.
"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!"