The Middle Earth Wonderers (The Hobbit/LOTR)

Chapter 10.

Mike's eyes snapped open the second he heard my whisper, immediately locking onto the glowing elvish blade Bilbo held. Before either of us could react, the floor beneath us gave way, crumbling like it had been waiting for this moment. We plummeted into the dark, heart pounding, air rushing past us until we crashed into the goblins' kingdom.

"Bloody hell, what's happening?!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the cavern as we hit the ground hard. The fall knocked the wind out of me, but I pushed through the pain, scrambling to my feet. The place was chaos—dark, filthy, and crawling with goblins. They were twisted, nasty creatures, their growls and snarls filling the air as they circled around us like vultures waiting for a meal.

We didn't stand a chance. Before we could even think about fighting back, they had us bound and dragged off deeper into the lair.

The Great Goblin was sitting on his grotesque throne, leering down at us with eyes that gleamed with malice. His voice boomed, bouncing off the walls, dripping with cruel satisfaction.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Strangers trespassing in my kingdom. What should I do with you all, hmm?" His smile was sharp, like he already knew our fate.

Thorin, despite being bound and beaten, lifted his head, meeting the goblin's gaze with a defiance that made me feel a little less doomed. "We are not trespassing," he said, voice steady. "We're simply passing through. We mean you no harm."

The Great Goblin's laugh was a deep, grating sound. He looked Thorin over like a predator sizing up prey. "Oh, I know exactly who you are. The King Under the Mountain. Though... you don't have a mountain anymore, do you?"

Thorin's face hardened, but the Great Goblin wasn't done. "Funny thing, your head might fetch a good price. In fact, I know an old enemy of yours who'd love it... Azog, the Pale Orc."

The name hit Thorin like a slap. His jaw clenched, eyes burning with fury. "Azog." He spat the name like it was poison.

The rest of the dwarves exchanged looks, confused. They thought Azog was dead, long gone. But here was this twisted goblin king, mocking Thorin with the suggestion that the bastard was still alive.

I clenched my fists, anger bubbling up as the Great Goblin slowly shifted his gaze toward Mike and our group, his chuckle low and sinister. His eyes locked on me, and I couldn't hold back.

"What the hell's so funny?" I shot at him, my voice dripping with defiance.

The goblin's grin widened, his yellow teeth glinting in the dim light. "Ah, the fiery one has a mouth, does she? How amusing. You dare to question me, little one?"

I squared my shoulders, glaring back. "You're laughing like you know something about us."

Jack stepped up, his voice tight with anger. "Yeah, and we don't like being laughed at. You better watch your mouth, you creepy little bastard. We might decide we don't like your ugly face very much."

The goblin's sneer deepened. "Careful, boy, or I'll have your tongue as a trophy. As for knowing something about you... oh, I know plenty. I have a keen eye for valuable targets."

Mike, calm but firm, cut in, "And what makes us valuable targets? We're just travelers passing through."

The goblin chuckled darkly, his gaze sliding over Mike. "Oh, I know your type. A mighty warrior with a strong spirit. You're worth a good ransom, or at the very least, a bloody fight for my entertainment."

Before I could stop myself, anger surged, and I blurted out, "You don't talk to my father like that!"

The cavern went still. Everyone turned to stare at me—our group, the dwarves, even Mike. The secret we'd kept for so long was out. But the Great Goblin only laughed harder, his cackle bouncing off the stone walls.

"Oh, I know more than just that," he sneered. "Your father? You mean this bear-man who found you? No, no, little one. I know who you really are. A contradiction. A freak. Half Undead, Half Human, the exiled princess of both kingdoms! Your real parents' fates... what a tragic tale. Cast out by the humans and rejected by the undead. You don't belong anywhere."

The words hit like a punch to the gut, knocking the air out of me. My secret, my past, everything I'd tried to bury... now laid bare for everyone to hear. I glanced around, seeing the shock, confusion, and disbelief in their eyes—people who had trusted me, fought beside me. Now they knew the truth.

The Great Goblin's laughter echoed through the cavern, enjoying the chaos he'd sown, feeding off the tension like a leech. My heart pounded in my chest as I stood there, exposed and vulnerable, anger boiling beneath the surface, ready to explode.