Taming the Wolf (A Hobbit Fanfic)

Chapter 29

To their luck, there had been only a handful to take out as they arrived at the frozen lake. With a sharp gasp, Frêllian used a rock to catch her breath. The sound earning a worried look from the blond dwarf next to her - who had kept close to her throughout their fight against goblins.
The ferian gave him a reassuring smile, but Fíli did not remove his concerned gaze from her hunched over form. It seemed all this fighting had taken a toll on her. Especially her fight with Matriarch. And not to mention the energy she had used to heal her most severe wounds.
Still, she had to be prepared for an ambush. With Azog up here, she had to catch her breath whenever she could, but still be alert.
'Do you think Azog has fled,' Kíli wondered out loud, to which Frêllian scoffed.
'There is six of us and who knows how many of them,' she stated bitterly, not moving from her spot. 'Tell me, why would he flee?'
'Frêllian is right,' said Thorin as he eyed the ruins across the frozen river. Then he turned to face his heir 'Fíli, take your brother. Scout out the towers. Keep low and out of sight. If you see something, report back. Do not engage, understood?'
Fíli nodded in understanding and signalled for Kíli to follow his lead. But before the two brothers could cross the river, Frêllian stopped them in their tracks. Stating she was coming with them.
'Are you sure,' Kíli questioned in concern. Watching Frêllian making her way over to them.
'You are in no shape to fight,' Fíli agreed when the ferian stopped in front of them. 'You have fought enough already.'
But she flashed the two of them a smile, telling him Thorin had ordered them not to engage in any fights. But even if she might be exhausted, she could still use her other senses during this scouting mission.
'Besides, didn't you tell me to stay close to you?'
This earned her a smile from Fíli as he moved closer to her. While Kíli gave his brother a cheeky grin.
'Aye, that I did,' Fíli stated, inching his head in closer to hers as he stood in front of her. 'Then you shall remain by my side at all times. I will not have you hurt out there.'
Then he pressed his forehead against her own tenderly, one hand holding the back of hers, before he released her again, taking the ferian by surprise. When he released her, he nodded for them to follow him across the river. All three of them on high alert for any sound and movement. But when they heard nothing, they slowly entered the ruins that stood near the riverbank. Searching the what was left of the halls beneath Azog's signaling tower.
The foul scent of the orcs still lingered in the air, but not one was to be seen. Which troubled Frêllian. If they were not here, where had they gone of to? And why was their scent still this evident, for her to be able to pick it up this easily?
That's when she heard it. The sound of pebbles falling over the rocky ground. Fíli and Kíli must have heard it too, for they stopped dead in their tracks, listening for any other sound.
'Stay here,' Fíli told his brother, stopping him from going after the sound. 'Search the lower levels, Frey and I've got this.'
With that, Kíli nodded and turned around. But not before placing a hand on Frêllian's shoulder. With only his eyes, she got his silent message; keep my brother safe. Then he made his way to the lower parts of the ruins.
'We have to move as well, Frey.'
Feeling his hand grab hers, Frêllian allowed the dwarf the lead her through the halls. But it didn't take them long before they noticed another sound and light flickering in one of the halls ahead. Without hesitation, Fíli turned around to another corridor, only to see more light of torches in the distance. So he dragged Frêllian to another corridor. But orcs could be heard from inside that hall as well.
Fíli seemed to be in denial, but Frêllian had figured out their dire situation. They are surrounded. They had walked right into a trap, with no way of escaping. Yet the dwarf holding her hand had yet to accept the truth, or do it seemed.
'Fíli, stop,' Frêllian pleaded quietly as the dwarf pulled her after him in the hopes of finding yet another corridor. 'Please, Fíli. We're trapped. There is no way out.'
But still he seemed to be in denial. Telling her he could not allow them to catch her. That he wouldn't be able to live with himself if she was to fall into the grasp of the orcs again.
'Do you trust me?'
The question caught Fíli by surprise, effectively shutting him up. He turned to face her, holding both her hands in his as he answers.
'I would trust you with my life,' he answered softly.
His eyes looking straight at her as he caressed her hands with his thumbs. Mumbling in khuzdul to her, before he leaned in to capture her lips with his own. His braided moustache tickling her skin as he pulled her even closer to him.
'Please don't hate me for this,' Frêllian whispered as she stepped away from him.
Before Fíli could even react, she knocked him out with the hilt of her dagger. Guilt immediately builing up inside of her as she watched the unconscious dwarf fall to the ground. And right then orcs finally filled the hall she was standing in. The moment their eyes landed on the small ferian, they started mocking her, stating the pup had come running with her tail between her legs. None of them noticing the dwarf that laid on the ground. That was, until Frêllian spoke.
'I have come to speak to Azog.'