The Oncoming Storm (Book 2 in the Lionheart Trilogy)

Chapter 9: On the Horizon

  Reyna was traveling as fast as she could in the direction of Laketown.  Once she got to the lake, she could travel faster.  The Bender knew that Smaug would come sometime, but for now she had the jump on him.  She tried to compose a strategy in her mind, but all of the negative thoughts and emotions got in the way.  Thorin's words still ran through her mind, making her heart ache with each one.  Had he really thought her so low as to let Kili suffer?  She had grown close to the lead dwarf, so much so that he had become an uncle, or even father-figure to her.  Reyna could not stand that he thought so little of her. But that was the greed talking right?  He hadn't meant those horrible things, had he?  Now it looked like she would never find out.  However, in a way, it made her decision that much easier.  She did not have as much holding her back from what she had to do.

  The Bender had never been so sure of herself.  She knew exactly what had to be done.  Reyna realized that her whole life, all that had happened to her, had led up to this fight.  She was destined to defeat Smaug.  By whatever means necessary.

  Reyna approached the lake as the sun began to set again and stepped onto the water, eyes glowing.  She did as she had when escaping the Woodland Realm, moving on top of the water easily.  She had to get to Laketown as soon as she could.  They needed to be warned, and if all went as planned, evacuated.  Reyna heard a deafening roar in the distance and looked back at the mountain.  She saw fire burning on the mountainside.  So it begins, she thought to herself grimly.

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  Caden Fireblade was starting to catch up with the dwarves. After he had been injured, Beorn had taken him back to his house.  The skin-changer had bound his wound and had kindly replenished the Bender's supplies.  Now Caden was doing his best to make up lost time.  He had went through Mirkwood without incident, as he been stationed there before.  He had found two of Reyna's arrows, along with several dead spiders in the woods.  Other spiders had been shot with what looked like Elven arrows...  Not good.  Dwarves and Elves did not mix.

  But those were not the most disturbing things that he had stumbled upon. He had been heading down the banks of a river, on the way to Laketown.  If the dwarves were to continue to the Lonely Mountain, they would need to resupply there.  Caden found many dead orcs on the banks, and some were floating in the river.  Several had Reyna's red-fletched arrows sticking out of them, and others, Elven arrows.  But what really had him worried was what he found further down river.  Caden now stood on a large slab of rock, following the tracks of the orcs that persued the Company.  He found two patches of dried blood on the rocks, and an orc dagger lay next to the larger one.  This meant that at least one of the Company members were injured.  His stomach dropped at the thought that it could be Reyna.  She couldn't heal herself, and if she had taken the knife in the wrong area...  Caden stood up fully and sprinted onwards.  He had to find Reyna, make sure that she was okay.  And tell her how he really felt.  He had waited for seven years, and now he was sure.  He had to tell her that he loved her.

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  Reyna wasn't expecting to have to fight orcs when she arrived back at Laketown.  She was floating on top of the water, when she came upon the nearest dock.  The Bender continued to travel on the water, using the waves to keep her above surface.  The sun had almost disappeared, when Reyna caught sight of a familiar figure fighting several orcs.  She made her way over to the elf, who was currently getting his ass kicked.  A particularly large orc threw him into the wall.  Reyna, with her eyes still glowing, pulled two of the attackers into the water's depths.  The elf slashed through another one.  Reyna noticed that the larger orc, obviously the leader, had tried to slip away.  She went to stop him, but an orc tackled her from behind.  Reyna hit the wooden dock with a thud.  She then kicked backwards, taking her attacker in the stomach.  With a little help from her powers, the orc was thrown off of her.  Reyna got to her feet as the elf cut through the last beast.  He then slumped against the wooden building next to him.