Misty Mountains (A Hobbit Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

Also unedited. Two in one day woohoo.

Moments later Gandalf gave us word the coast was clear, "Come on, quick!" And we followed each other, carrying our weapons, preparing for the worst.

I briefly heard Thorin ask, "Where are you leading us?" to Gandalf, who didn't answer.

I was about to die, honestly. Not by the orcs (yet), but by my lungs. Breathing heavily, I contemplated my life choices. Bad decision coming on this quest. Very bad decision. I don't run. Ever. Why would I do that? I didn't need exercise to make jewelry and I was skinny enough as it is. I felt like my heart was going to burst from my chest and my lungs would collapse. Please, let this end.

The sixteen of us halted behind another huge boulder. There was a noise above us, on the stone. A growl and the sound of a sword being pulled from a waist. Fuck, an Orc. I huddled next to Bofur, with Bilbo close by my side. The dwarf king saw what we had heard. Kíli was next to him, his bow ready. Thorin nodded to his nephew as we waited in silence for our fate.

Kíli gave me a tiny smile, pulled an arrow from his holder, set his bow and stepped into the open, aiming for the Orc. It hit the warg and they both tumbled to the ground next to us. The Orc sprung up, sprinting toward us, but Dwalin got in his way, smashing him with his axe with the help of Bifur and Thorin.

The loud groans and screams of the warg and Orc caused the pack to quit chasing Radagast. They came our way instead. There was loud howling and Bilbo looked up at me with a scared expression.

"Move!" Gandalf shouted. "Run!" We followed him through the lands, in between trees. The Orcs were right behind us. Mahal, I finally felt the true weight of the gear I was carrying on my back and it was awful. It was as if someone stuff rocks in my bag.

"There they are!" Glóin shouted, pointing towards the blurs in front of us. My eyes went wide.

"This way!" Gandalf led us to the right. "Quickly!"

How is it he knows where we are going? I asked myself. He's a wizard, that's how. Even though our hands were drenched in sweat, Bilbo and I were inseparable at the moment. He wouldn't be leaving my side. Thorin stopped in front of us; the Orcs waited upon the hill. I turned my head over to the sound of Kíli yelling.

"They're coming!"

On instinct, we spread out, preparing to fight. Bilbo pulled out his little sword and stood behind me.

"Kíli!" Thorin shouted. "Shoot them!"

As Kíli's bow and arrow worked faster than I could comprehend, Fíli informed us, "We're surrounded!"

"Where's Gandalf?" One of the dwarves shouted.

Bilbo looked frantically around as we gathered to Thorin. "He's abandoned us!" Dwalin growled. The Orcs sulked in; Ori shooting a rock from his slingshot only pissed the warg off more.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin commanded.

Fuck, I didn't want to die this soon. My sword shined in the sun and my eyes wandered to Thorin for just a single moment before what looked to be our demise. He was already looking at me. His expression was sad; his eyes hid a feeling he didn't want to share. I nodded to him, turning back to the enemy, holding Bilbo back with an arm.

"This way, you fools!" Our heads whipped around. Gandalf stood in between two boulders, holding his staff in the air.

"Come on, move!" Thorin said, running towards the wizard. "Quickly, all of you!" I felt Bilbo release from my grip as Thorin screamed, "Go, go, go!"

"Kíli!" I shouted. The young dwarf was still shooting at the Orcs, who were drawing near. I ran to him, "Come on, we have to go!" He didn't look at me while he kept shooting. "Kíli, please!" I took his hand before he went back for another arrow. Kíli's eyes were full of fire and rage when he looked down at me.

Thorin shouted again, "Kíli, run!"

The dwarf's expression changed in a matter of moments and he gripped my hand, and pulled me with him as we raced towards the boulders. I jumped in after Fíli, Kíli following and then the king. Nori and Bifur caught me before my head smashed into a rock. I jumped up, thanking them with a sigh of relief. There was a horn, a very distinct sound and Thorin frowned.

I ran to the halfling, combing my fingers through his curls to hold his face in place, searching him for any injuries. "Are you okay? Are you hurt at all? How do you feel?"

Bilbo smiled at me, touching my hands, pulling them down from his head. "I'm fine, Laelia. You protected me well,"

We listened to the struggle above us for a minute, until I leaned into Bilbo, whispering into his ear, "I told you not to leave my side." He frowned at me, but I shrugged.

An Orc with an arrow to the heart tumbled down between the boulders, landing in front of my feet. Gandalf pointed his staff at the thing and Thorin pulled me back, his fingers lingering on my arm and stepping forward. My skin produced goosebumps from the contact. He tapped the Orc with his sword, then yanking the arrow from its chest and examined it briefly. "Elves," he spit, tossing the weapon to the side.

Thorin stepped towards me, closer than necessary while angry grumbling came from the dwarves. The dwarf king moved my long hair to the side, his rough finger tips skimming my neck. I shivered, my eyelids fluttering. His thumb stroked my top vertebrae, causing me to let out a shaky breath.

But Thorin stopped. No, don't stop! I whine in my mind. I peer at him, mentally tell him to continue. His thin, yet plump lips form a stupid smile, winking. Oh, fucking hell.

Dwalin came into sight, from where exactly? I'm not sure. "I cannot see where the pathway leads! Do we follow it or no?"

"Follow it, if course!" Bofur said, right behind Dwalin. Bombur quickly followed after him and we merged into a line, Bilbo in front of me, Fíli behind.

Gandalf stayed in back, commenting, "I think that would be wise."

The path walls were tall, jagged, worn-down stone. It was narrow, even Bombur didn't struggle to get through at first, no one did. But the deeper we went in, the smaller the walls got. I could pass through easily, of course, I was unnaturally skinny compared to the dwarves. The sun shined brightly down on us from in between the thin lines separating the two giant walls. Here and there, I would stumble on a rickety rock laying in the way. Fíli would catch my arm and lift me straight onto my feet.

The inevitable happened. The thing I realized seconds ago might happen, did, in fact, happen. My claustrophobia spread like a wildfire in a chemical-drenched forest. I clutched Fíli as my body shut down from fear. Fuck, fuck and fuck. My words slurred, my vision played tricks on me, but I didn't go under.

The best part of everything was that only Fíli knew what was happening with me, which saved me from embarrassment. The dwarves kept on, trying to locate an ending to this terrible pathway, hoping that we weren't stuck. Fíli held both of my arms, keeping me moving.

The path finally ended. It widened and I immediately felt better; a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Ahead there was a mini waterfall, but no one noticed. They didn't care. The men looked east and so I did, as well. Thorin set down his axe with anger. With a gasp, I took Bilbo's hand in my own.

Holy shit, it was beautiful. A city carved from the side of a mountain with gleaming white walls stood in front of us. Moss and plants grew everywhere, as if it was natural. The water splashed a beautiful aquamarine as the sun set just beyond the horizon.

"The valley of Imladris," Gandalf informed us with a smile. "To the common tongue it's known by another name,"

Bilbo squeezed my hand, "Rivendell,"