Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

There was no moment of confusion. It was with complete clarity and sense of purpose that Maranda opened her eyes. The sounds of battle were all around her and as she leapt to her feet the necklace tapped her chest importantly and her wings whirred on her back. Strong and new and there, fixed between her shoulder blades right where they should be. At a glance she saw Thranduil and Legolas fighting side by side on the far bank, several Orcs attempting, and failing, to kill the house of Greenwood. She had a mission. She took off flying back up to the platform where Azog had dropped her from a few minutes before.

She landed and dashed through the hall and froze in the doorway. Dwalin and Fili were facing down Bolg, and losing. Fili was struggling to his feet, sword in hand, as Bolg lifted Dwalin from the ground by his wrist. Blog grabbed Dwalin's waist and grinned evilly. Maranda knew that look. It had been on Azog's face when he had removed her wings. And she wasn't about to let that happen to Dwalin, with no Gods or Elves to return him his arm. She launched herself at Bolg and he dropped Dwalin in shock. The two of them crashed into the wall and she punched the side of his head with a  hand coated in blue magic. She stumbled back as Fili cried out in joy. He pulled her to his chest and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Mara, you're alive!" he cried out, tears on his cheeks.

"No tears, Fili. This one dies today," Maranda said curling her hands into fists. A hand landed on her shoulder and she span.

"Go help your king. We're fine here," Dwalin vowed, hefting a huge hammer. King. King?

"Thorin," she breathed and grabbed Fili's shoulder. "If you are injured, on the edge of death, call my name. I will come," she vowed and kissed his brow. She took off and flew through the halls, following the sounds of sword on sword and the howls of giddy violence from Azog. She almost flew past them but went back, assessing the small corridor where the battle was taking place. Azog had managed to implant another false sword into his arm, so he had no hands, but two deadly jagged scimitars slicing at the raven haired Durin Sons. Only then he stabbed.

Very few people understand the meaning of the words 'self-sacrifice'. In your day and age one would take it to mean giving up a treasured possession, or spending a day serving the community. People forget that in old times, sacrifice meant death in many cultures. Be it sheep, cattle, or the odd goat. In a sacrifice blood was spilled, and many times in some of the darker cultures of our world that blood was human. So when you say 'self-sacrifice' you don't really mean 'self-sacrifice'. Kili had used that word once. Maranda remembered it.

'You are so lucky I'm such a self-sacrificing person or I would tell Uncle that you were the one who stole his big warm cloak last night rather than me.' He had been teasing. He didn't know what it meant. They had been cold and Maranda had crept on light feet and snatched the cloak, covering her and Kili in it when Thorin stormed over and Kili took the blame. Maranda rolled her eyes as he used the term. He didn't know what it meant. But now, as he shoved his uncle aside and Azog's blade pierced his heart, he knew.

"NO!" roared Maranda and flew like a furious bullet at Azog. Her hand itself glowing an electric blue that came up like a rocket and sent Azog through the stone wall he was in front of and out onto the ice of Raven Hill. Maranda dropped to her knees, cupping Kili's face. "Ki, lad look at me," she said firmly and his eyes found her, a smile creeping onto his face.

"Mara. We thought you-we thought you dead," he gurgled.

"Shut up and hold still," she said.

"Maranda," Thorin said dropping down beside her.

"Thorin, go help Thranduil. The idiot has backed himself into a corner," she said sternly and he looked at her for a minute before kissing her brow and running through the hole Azog left behind.

"I want him here," Kili cried as tears rolled down his face. "M-maranda tell-ll Tauriel I l-"

"You'll tell her yourself now shut up," she commanded and pulled the seed from her neck. She planted it in Kili's wound and took in a deep breathe. "Come on and work," she breathed and charged her hands with Healing. Green light coated Kili's body and he gasped in surprise or pain, she could not tell. She grinned. "That's it. You told me to save them and here I am. Saving Durin's Sons. And by Aule, I'm good at it." She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath and poured her healing into Kili's wound. He cried out as light danced around him.

The flower bloomed and reached up, filling the dark halls with light and comfort. Strands of music, Elven music about stars and fate filled the rooms and quick footsteps charged down the hall. Maranda didn't bother looking up, she knew Tauriel's footsteps. With a gasp Kili sat up, eyes glowing green and when he blinked, his eyes were no longer crystalline blue, but a sparkling turquoise. The flower fell from his chest and he held it gently.

"Kili..." Tauriel breathed in joy and Kili wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek gently.

"I'm here."

"I felt it in my heart when you began to die. The music-oh Kili, love," she breathed holding him close and pressing kisses to his face.

"I get that you guys are soul mates, but Bolg is back there about to eat Fili, so scoot," Maranda said firmly standing up. In a blink Kili was off with Tauriel on his heels. Maranda watched after them and closed her eyes. She could see Bolg, speared on Fili and Tauriel's blades as Dwalin's hammer came crashing towards his head. She opened her eyes a smirk on her face. "Killer of the father shall be killed by spawn," she said softly and looked out the wall crevice. "My turn," she breathed and flew out to the ice.

Legolas had just decapitated yet another orc when Maranda crashed onto an Orc and it screamed before she silence it by caving in it's head. Wisps of blue fire danced across her knuckles as she cast her eyes around. On the ice was Thranduil and Legolas, gaping at her as Thorin stabbed yet another Orc through his heart.

"Mara!" he cried out. "Kili?"

"Whole, hale and killing Bolg," she replied plunging her hand into an Orc's stomach and tossing him off the side of the cliff. "You?"

"As good as can be expected," he replied. They found themselves back to back. "Switch," he snapped and they ducked around each other and dealt easily with the Orcs. The last of them fell before the foursome and Thorin turned to Maranda. He grabbed her and tugged her close, pressing his brow to hers and smiling faintly. "I wish to apologize for-"

"Look out!" cried Legolas and Maranda yanked Thorin onto the ice.

"Chick flick moments later," she said standing up and glared at the being who had flung the spear at them. "Right now I have a price to pay," she growled. Azog leered at her as Legolas' glare deepened.

"I believe this is yours," he said softly and pressed Orcrist into Thorin's hands. He took the Dwarven sword and dragged his father towards a group of Orcs charging them from the far side of the ice. There was a painful silence as Thorin stood beside Maranda, clenching his sword as Azog cocked his head to one side slightly.

"I believe you said you would kill me personally, bitch," Azog snarled in Gundabad.

"What did he say?" Thorin mumbled. Maranda didn't even blink.

"He's taunting us. Like a coward," she spat the words and Azog snarled at her. "Which is why he will not fight us both like a true warrior. I will not give him the chance." Thorin growled.

"I have waited a long time to kill this beast. Leave him to me. Go see to-" he stopped at Maranda's hand on his shoulder. She was looking at him in regret and pain.

"Thorin,  know this is important to you...but I promised." The words were soft and her lips trembled.

"What do you mean?" Thorin said softly. She smiled faintly and rose up on her toes. She pressed a kiss to his cheek, lingering and gentle on his skin. With shimmer of red light she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed.

"I'm so sorry. Goodbye," she whispered and with a flash of red light he slumped to the ice fast asleep.