Golden Thrones and Moonlight Veils (HOBBIT FANFICTION)

Goblin Town

Talessa was startled awake by the sound of muffled voices. Sitting up quietly, she noticed Bilbo and one of the dwarves-Bofur, maybe-standing near the cave entrance.

"No, no, you can't turn back now, eh?" Bofur said, looking at Bilbo with concern. "You're part of the company; you're one of us."

"I'm not, though, am I?" Bilbo shot back. "Thorin thinks I should never have come, and he's right." He shook his head. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"You're homesick," the dwarf replied kindly. "I understand."

"No, you don't. None of you do." Bilbo's voice was sharp. "You're dwarves-you're used to this life. Living on the road, never settling, never truly belonging anywhere!"

Talessa gasped at the hobbit's harsh words. Everyone knew the dwarves' story-how they had lost their home to Smaug and had wandered Middle-earth ever since, working hard to survive without finding a place to call their own. Her heart ached at the thought of such rootlessness, of being deprived of somewhere safe to return to.

"I'm sorry," Bilbo murmured, his anger fading. "I didn't mean-"

"No, you're right." Bofur's voice was quiet now as he looked around the cave at his sleeping companions, a defeated expression on his face. "We don't belong anywhere."

Talessa glanced toward Thorin, who lay among his men, and wondered what it must feel like to be a king without a throne. But now, at least, they had a chance to reclaim their long-lost kingdom.

When she turned back to Bilbo and Bofur, she saw them both staring at Bilbo's sword, now glowing blue. Their confusion lasted only a moment before Thorin's voice cut through the stillness: "Wake up!"

And then, without warning, the earth opened beneath them, and they were falling.

✧

Thorin didn't have time to react, only to brace himself for impact as they dropped through the cave's floor, his men yelling in surprise. They tumbled down a rocky hollow for what felt like minutes before they landed harshly on a ramshackle bridge in a network of sprawling caves. A goblin den, by the looks of it.

In a matter of moments, they were swarmed by hundreds of the nasty creatures. This was going to be tough, and Thorin damn well hoped the elven guard was skilled enough to protect the women he'd been charged with.

✧

Eline held onto Tessie as they fell, her scream cut short when her back slammed against a jagged rock. They landed atop Ýrdor and some of the dwarves below. The elven guard quickly pulled them to their feet, shielding them as an army of strange, deformed creatures flooded the cavern. Orcs-or goblins, she realized. These must be the deep-dwelling pests of the Misty Mountains.

Struggling to keep a hold on her stumbling friend, Eline was pushed and dragged forward, towards the center of the horrid construction. She glanced back, trying to find Fíli, but all she could see was Bilbo, crouched on the ground, unnoticed by the goblins. Her eyes met Bofur's, who also saw the hobbit's lucky break. Maybe he can escape, she thought with a small sense of relief, even if none of us will.

They were led before a massive goblin with a head nearly as large as his belly. The dwarves' weapons had been stripped from them, now piled in front of the creature's crude throne.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?" bellowed the grotesque creature. "Spies? Thieves? Assassins?"

"Dwarves, your Malevolence," one of the goblins hissed. "We found them on the Front Porch."