DAVINA ⇝ Thorin Oakenshield

Chapter 21

"Davina." A hand was grasped onto hers tightly, but in her unconscious state she wasn't grasping it back. "Davina." Another hand smacked her face lightly, this one larger, more calloused than the other. 

A groan escaped her lips as she forced her tired eyes to open, seeing Bard crouched over her and Bain at her side, holding her hand tightly. The town was still on fire, but with just one look at the two of them she knew that Smaug was gone. "You did it," she mumbled as Bain helped her to sit up. "You killed him."

"Aye," Bard said, nodding his head curtly. "But we wouldn't have been able to do it if it hadn't been for you."

Davina couldn't remember anything after she'd hit the water. She didn't remember finding her way to shore, and she didn't remember passing out. She supposed that her mind and body had both been so exhausted, that she couldn't recall how her survival instincts had brought her to land. But she did remember facing off with Smaug, how her entire being had been engulfed with fear she had forced herself to swallow. "He's gone now, and that's what matters," she said, letting out a deep, tired breath. Her eyes found Bain's then. "What of the others? Have you found them?"

"Nay," Bain told her. "We think they made it out of here, though. Da's best guess is that they're heading for the mountain."

"Do you think they're still alive up there?" Bard asked Davina as the Nymali staggered to her feet. "There's no way..."

"They're alive," she said confidently. "I know they are."

"Right," he said. "Sometimes I forget about your third eye."

An amused scoff escaped her lips. "My third eye is literally one of the only reasons we survived the night. How did you forget about that?" Bard merely shrugged, but he didn't comment as the Viator turned and skimmed over what was left of the burning town. "Mahal," she breathed. "There's a lot of work to do."

"What are we going to do?" Bain asked worriedly. "Where will we go, Da? There's nothing left here."

"Thorin Oakenshield promised Laketown a share of the treasure once they reclaimed Erebor," Bard answered his son matter-of-factly. "And we're going to use it to rebuild the town."

"That's exactly what you're going to do," Davina said as she headed for a small canoe that had somehow managed to stay intact. "I'll see you soon, Bard."

"Where are you going?" The bargeman called out to her. 

"To the mountain!" She responded. "As for you and Bain, head to the caves down the river and gather your people, then make for the mountain yourselves. There is much left to do."

"Are you sure you can make the trip alone?" Bard asked worriedly. In response, the woman merely held her hand up without even turning to look back at him as the canoe coasted across the waters. A scoff escaped his lips as he rolled his eyes. "Women," he remarked, glancing down at his son as they turned to walk away. "They are the most stubborn creatures I've ever met."

"Oh, and Bard!" Davina hollered, glancing over her shoulder with a smirk. "Watch your step."

"What are you -- ow!" Bard's foot had fallen through a rotted section of the deck, causing him to fall down and scrape himself up. Bain laughed at his father, while Davina's smirk simply grew as she turned back around and continued on her way. 

It took the better part of two days for Davina to finally reach the mountain, and by the time she was trudging toward the entrance of Erebor all she really wanted was to see her loved ones, eat something, and get some much-needed sleep. However, as she drew near, she could hear shouting coming from where the Company was gathered.