The Gathering Storm. The Hobbit fanfic. A Thorin Oakenshield love story.

Chapter 66: The Bargeman.

"Anything behind us?" Thorin asked Taryn, using his large stick he acquired to steer their barrel.

"No," Taryn answered as she looked down the river behind them. "Not that I can see. I think we've outrun the Orcs."

Thorin shook his head. "Not for long. We've lost the current."

"Bombur's half drowned!" Dwalin shouted out.

Taryn sighed as she looked back at the Dwarves. "Make for the shore!"

"Come on, let's go!" Thorin commanded.

All of them paddled through the water to the shore, though it was difficult due to the currents. Getting out of the barrels was even worse. The Dwarves boots were heavy with water, so it was difficult. Taryn's boots were light, but she still managed to trip over the rocks. She almost fell on her stomach, but Thorin caught her and steadied her. He took her hand into his own and pulled her away from the barrels.

"Thanks," she murmured to him as she let out a relieved sigh. Falling on her stomach would have been very dangerous for their unborn child. She walked up onto the shore with Thorin.

Taryn sighed as she heard Kíli groan in pain. He sunk down to sit, grabbing a cloth and applying it to his wound. Taryn grimaced as she walked over, and knelt down next to her nephew.

"I'm fine," he grumbled. "It's nothing."

"No it isn't nothing Kíli," Taryn replied to her younger nephew. She moved the cloth out of the way to inspect his wound. She was trained in healing by her Uncle Lord Elrond, but she lost all of her healing herbs and other items in Mirkwood. The wound was bloody, really bloody, but Taryn could see that the arrow didn't pierce his bone. But that didn't matter, she knew most of not all Orc arrows had poison on them. She put a hand on Kíli's forehead and she frowned, his temperature definitely felt different. She didn't say anything, but she knew this was bad.

"On your feet," Thorin commanded as he walked over the stones.

"Kíli's wounded," Fíli retorted, as he tore a piece of his shirt off and wrapped it around his brother's leg. "His leg needs binding."

"There's an Orc pack on our tail," Thorin said, looking behind him. "We keep moving."

"To where?" Balin asked.

"To the mountain," said Bilbo. "We're so close."

Balin sighed and shook his head. "A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it."

"So then we go around," said Bilbo.

"The Orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight," Dwalin said, standing next to his friend and leader. "We have no weapons to defend ourselves."

Taryn frowned as she stood and looked at Dwalin. "I have weapons," Taryn retorted. Her quiver was magically spelled to never run out of arrows as long as she was wearing it.

"No, Taryn," Thorin said sharply. "You almost got killed a few times back there. I won't let you put yourself in harms way again."

Taryn huffed out in frustration. "Fine!" She replied as she crossed her arms over her chest. He was always so protective.

Thorin sighed as he looked at his wife. 'She was so stubborn,' he thought to himself. He then turned his attention to his nephews. "Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes."

Fíli nodded and started binding Kíli's leg. Thorin approached his grumpy wife and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You're always so stubborn azyûngal," Thorin said to her with a sigh and kissed her forehead.