Adventures Of The Powerful, Strong, and Desperate

Chapter 22 Lake Dude

Sam

~~~

As soon as the current slowed down Allie had Alex and Kili's barrels shoved down to her. She latched onto their arms and starting sucking their pain. Her veins turned black and her face twisted in discomfort.

~~~

"Allie don't take to much. You could kill yourself. You know Alex and Grace have a high pain tolerance so anything they feel is almost unbearable for you!" Bilbo scolds when Allie's face turns white.

"I-I need to h-help them," Allie stammers out then let's out a strangled scream.

"Wait she can take pain?" the boy man elf squeaks. Yes I'm still hanging onto him and Thorin seems to done with everything to care.

"I understand that confusion. I am new to this company as well," Lacy sympathizes. I almost forgot about her the whole time we were floating down the river. She's so quiet.

"Anything behind us?" Thorin asks while Allie shudders her whole body wracked with pain. Bilbo rips his tailcoat and tries his best to balance in the barrel and wrap Alex's face.

"Not that I can see," Balin answers.

"Thank you Allie. You are truly amazing," Kili mutters and breathes a deep sigh of relief.

"I think we've outrun the orcs," Bofur states hopefully.

"Why are you still carrying me? Why does he look like he's felt all the pain she has? Most of all how did you escape?" the elf rattles out.

"Not for long, we've lost the current," Thorin states. Thorin, Dwalin, Balin, and Bofur are having an entirely different conversation than us.

"Well you're cute and I wasnt gonna drop you in the rapids. They are romantic and platonic so they both feel all the others pain and stuff. Natalie helped us escape," I explain, answering all his questions.

"We almost half drowned!" Dwalin exclaims.

"Make for the shore!" Thorin orders.

"Aye," Dwalin says and we all start paddling towards shore. Allie lets go of Kili and Alex and hangs low over her barrel. Lacy somehow manages to drag herself out of the barrel. She ripped her ball gown before we dropped into the river but the dress still has heavy fabric.

"Come on, let's go!" Thorin shouts and crawls onto to shore while slowly helping the other dwarves. When Allie's barrel floats up he actually picks her up while she weakly punches his chest.

"I freaking hate you put me down," she mumbles and grabs his shoulder. Instantly he flinches away and Allie sighs. "Do not touch my skin the pain I just took needs to settle or it will escape my body onto whoever I touch." Thorin gently sets her down on a rock and then helps Kili while Dwalin carries Alex and sets her down next to Kili. I get out with ease with the elf in one arm and helping Bilbo with my other.

"How is she this strong? I'm pretty heavy," the elf says to Bilbo.

"She's kind of amazing," Bilbo replies.

"Hey guys I'm not kind of amazing I am amazing. I'm the definition of amazing," I brag making them laugh. Fili scoops up Emily and pulls her sleeping form from the barrel.

"We are so screwed," Allie mumbles and clenches the rock. Her veins are black and she's shivering. The company is in shambles and we've lost Grace.

"On your feet," Thorin orders.

"Kili, Alex, and Allie are wounded while Emily is knocked out," Fili points out.

"Alex's face is practically shredded, most of us are covered in blood and exhausted," I argue and set the elf down.

"There's an orc pack at our tail. We keep moving," Thorin counters flatly.

"To where?" Balin asks.

"To the mountain, we're so close," Bilbo adds in.

"Wait mountain, are you taking me?" the elf questions rubbing his arms to warm them up.

"A lake lies between us and that mountain, we have no way to cross it," Balin points out intelligently.

"So then we go around," Bofur suggests.

"The orcs will run us down as sure as daylight. We've no weapons to defend ourselves," Dwalin objects.

"You have two minutes to rest," Thorin announces and shuffles a few feet away to grumble and think.

We are running out of options.

"So what's your name?" I inquire to the elf.

"Jacob Scim," he says simply without pause. My heart stops and Bilbo grabs my arm, squeezing it tight.

"Oh my Valar," I breath. How is it we've found him so quickly.

"Holy fuck I jinxed it," Allie snaps.

"Jinxed what?" Jacob gulps.

"I said their new soulmate would fall from the sky during the rapids and you did," Allie answers callously and I glance at Bilbo. We are both seized by shock and now Jacob is gawking.

"Bilbo and Sam but I've only just gotten your names!" Jacob shouts. "I mean this is quite lucky!"

"We've only hair gotten yours too. But I have a feeling we're both happy about this," Bilbo assumes and reaches to touch Jacobs shoulder.

"One minute!" Thorin warns looking as if he's about to yell. Allie gives him a sharp look so he inhales before speaking. "I guess he can fight so he can come with." I cheer and Bilbo claps while Thorin hangs his head. "I can't believe I keep letting elves join."

"Hey us elves are fun!" Lacy squeals.

"Thank you."

~~~

Allie

~~~

Agony is ripping through my body in waves. My hands are shaking and my skin is almost white. I took too much pain, but it is still not enough.

Kili looks marginally better but still bad. He's clutching Alex's hands and holding the cloth to her bleeding face. The wound cannot be stitched being so close to her eye so we must hope the bleeding stops.

"Are you faring better?" Thorin prods and sits next to me.

"I will not speak to a man to cowardly to admit his feelings for someone," I hiss. "I know when people lie Thorin. I'm an expert."

At this point in my life after everything I have endured I will not tolerate anymore grief caused by others.

"Maybe I did lie but I do want us to stay apart," Thorin admits.

"Will you ever tell me why?"

"No."

"You are a fool Thorin Oakenshield," I insult darkly, manage to get up, and walk away in dignity. But the pain keeps me from going far. I crash by Ori as he sits by the water and emptying his boots.

Everything is quit except the constant chatter and questions from Sam and Bilbo to Jacob, that is until I hear an arrow whiz by and land right into a stick. Ori whips around as I do to see Dwalin standing in front of us holding a branch with an arrow burrowed in it. The bowman who shot it is standing at point blank range. Four more steps and I could grab him. Dwalin caught the arrow meant for Ori obviously. Fili jumps up holding a rock which gets shot out of his hand.

"Do it again and you're dead," the bowman threatens and points an arrow at Sam who currently looks the most dangerous.

Balin hops up prepared to speak politely and holds his hands in surrender. The bowman watches him suspiciously.

"Excuse me, but um...you're from Lake-town, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire by any chance?" Balin stammers but still manages to be diplomatic. The man lowers his bow slowly and nods.