The Lonely Mountain [1]

Gundabad Orcs

Amara and Legolas followed Bolg until the very outskirts of Esgoroth. There was a warg pack waiting for him. Legolas stopped the horse and they both dismounted. They moved silently to the top of the outcrop they were on and dropped to the ground at the edge. They surveyed the orcs below as Bolg addressed them.

"That's the mark of Gundabad." Legolas said. Amara looked closer at all the orcs; they all bore the same mark. "These are Gundabad orcs." He snarled.

She knew how he felt about Gundabad orcs. They had killed his mother. Her father and Thranduil had made an alliance to destroy the remaining orcs at Gundabad. Their armies had walked into the ancient fortress but only half of the soldiers had walked out. Legolas' mother was among the fallen. She had been one of the best fighters of the woodland realm and had died to protect the man she loved. Thranduil had left Legolas in the care of Amara's mother in Rivendell as he went to war. Amara would never forget either of their faces the day Thranduil returned alone. Legolas was clearly having the same memories; his hands were clutching the reins so hard; his knuckles had turned white. Amara dismounted and quietly moved to the edge of the outcrop they were standing on. Legolas joined her a minute later.

"What do they want?" He asked.

"I am not sure." She said. "I thought there would be more."

"More?"

"Where is Azog? If this is all of them, then where is he?"

"What you said to my father, an old enemy, you have seen something?"

"Yes, two ways what is about to happen may end, and a shadow growing in strength. My father sees it too. This fight will only be the beginning." She told him. "We have to go back and warn the others." She said before standing and walking back to the horse.

She climbed on and looked to Legolas. He stayed a moment longer; his blue eyes filled with anger. Finally, he turned and walked back to her before climbing onto the horse behind her.

"Let's go." He muttered.

They rode back to find Lake Town burning. It was beginning to get light as they rode up to the shore. People were scrambling out of the water and trying to salvage anything they could. Screams of heart-breaking loss and people trying to find their loved ones echoed across the shoreline. They exchanged a glance as they dismounted. Legolas tied his horse to a tree near the banking. They began to move through the people searching for the dwarves and Tauriel. They found them by the shore, Fili, Balin, Bofur and Oin getting a boat ready, Kili and Tauriel talking.

Tauriel straightened up as she sensed their approach. "Hîr nín, Legolas, Ríen Amara. (My lord Legolas, lady Amara.)"

Amara smiled at Kili who smiled back before glaring in Legolas's direction.

"Maewado i Naug! Boe i nadh egeno. (Take your leave of the dwarf, you are needed elsewhere.)" Legolas said.

Amara looked at him, astonished by his rudeness. As Kili and Tauriel said their goodbyes, Amara turned to Legolas.

"I am going with them." She said.

"Why? You belong with your people." He said, taking a step closer to her and threading his hand into her hair. "You belong with me."

"I made a promise, Legolas. I promised I would get them to the mountain. I mean to keep my promise." She rested her forehead on his and took his free hand in one of hers. "Take Tauriel and find out what is happening in Gundabad. I will find you when this is all over."

He nodded slowly before leaning down and kissing her. They pulled away and looked at each other.

"Be safe." He said as she walked over to the boat.

Kili finished talking to Tauriel and they both jumped in the boat as the other started to paddle.

"Why are you coming with us?" Kili asked.

"I made you a promise, remember." She said. "And I need to warn the others. Legolas and I followed Bolg out of Lake Town. He met with a warg pack but Azog was not with him, I worry where he might have been."

All four dwarves looked at her with worry.

They reached the far shore and began the long trek to the mountain. Soon the ghostly ruins of Dale and the magnificent doors of Erebor came in to view. They walked further up to the gate. However, when they got closer, they began to see the ruin of the dragon.

The doors were smashed open, the golden bell that had once been magnificent was lying on the floor, chain snapped. They all looked at each other in worry before they stated to run towards the gates. They entered to find the inside in no better condition than the outside. There was rock strewn all around and the old bodies of dwarves littered the floor. At least they hoped they were all bodied from sixty years ago.

"Hello!" Kili called, breaking the deathly silence.

"Bombur?! Bifur?! ANYBODY!" Bofur shouted as they walked further in.

They started to go further in searching for anyone. They were running down a stair case when the heard Bilbo calling.

"Wait! WAIT!" He yelled.

"That is Bilbo!" Amara said with a smile.

"He's alive!" Bofur called as Bilbo approached.

"Stop! Stop!" Bilbo said running over to them. "You need to leave. We all need to leave." Bilbo said in a hushed tone while the others looked at him like he had lost his mind.