A Single Dream is More Powerful Than a Thousand Realities

Deserving and Undeserving

'Go' the voice hissed lowly, 'Go and drive them back. Silence the spy. '

With a loud shriek, the beast reared backwards before charging, wings flapping, into the sky.

The hooded figure tightened his grip on the reigns, his iron clad hands clinking against the beast's hard scales.

*****

"Drive 'em back!" Dwalin's command rang through the air as Bolg's form slumped forward, his weapon dropping from his hands as life's blood finally seeped into the mud. He watched the enemy, left standing after the wizard's words, reel backwards as many of their comrades fell, stumbling and shirking away from the onslaught of dwarves and elves and men.

And eagles.

Dwalin was surprised that so many had fallen at the wizard's words, and he wondered WHY, though he didn't have time to dwell on that fact.

He'd ask the wizard later. That was a certainty

For now, they needed to assure their enemy that they would NOT be defeated. The line of Durin, the dwarves of Erebor WOULD stand, they WOULD fight. The elves and men and the grey wizard, they'd all drive them back.

As Dwalin charged forward, he recognized the familiar, hulking form of Beorn reaching Thorin and Kili and Fili and he knew that they would be well taken care of. He trusted the bear and those eagles far more than he trusted his enemy, that was for certain. And it was no doubt that these creatures came and behest of their wizard friend.

And knowing that Thorin and his nephews were looked after was a comfort to the dwarf. Now he could focus on the battle at hand.

However, in the back of his thoughts, a dark fear grew ever larger in his brain.

He wondered where the lass had disappeared to. The tiny, stubborn little mess of clumsy limbs, and poor swordsmanship with a determined frown and the courage that rivaled the most battle-hardened warrior was nowhere within his field of vision

With a sharp pain, Dis' face flashed in his mind's eye and he cast his eyes about, searching for Lyla once more.

He wondered where his hobbit was.

*****

Fili didn't realize how much his chest hurt, how much his arms stung, and how much his muscles ached.

It was many hours after the battle had ceased that these thoughts came to the forefront of his mind.

After he watched Bolg, the giant Gundabad orc succumb to his injuries, after driving the rest of the orcs and goblins still standing back, rallying the troops and pulling together to fight. Turning back as the enemy retreated and seeing his brother stumbling to his knees near their uncle, seeing the injuries both of them bore.

Shouting for aid for their king and his brother.

Watching Dwalin take over the command as he and Kili and Thorin were guarded by Beorn, the giant bear fending off the onslaught of unsavory creatures.

Watching his uncle being carried away as the eagles finished off the stragglers, finally putting an end to the whole, ugly affair of battle.

Discussing the need for provisions with Dwalin, knowing that his uncle would be in no shape to issue such orders and knowing that HE, the inexperienced heir, would be called upon to lead the people for a time.

It was only after being assured, by Oin, that Kili would make a full recovery and that Thorin was resting-severely injured, but resting-that he finally took stock of his own injuries.