An Unexpected Romance

Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty Six

*Ariel's POV*

After an eternity, I finally put the tip of my blade to the ground. Corpses littered the stone around me, blood soaking into my boots. I panted; my adrenaline kick was finally wearing off. The cut on my fave had stopped bleeding, but that's not to say I hadn't attainted several more nicks and bruises. I wiped carelessly at a gash on my hairline, flinching at the sudden pain.

"Dwalin," I called, massaging my jaw, which had taken quite a hit earlier. "You good?"

"Aye." He grunted, freeing his axe from an orc's chest. "I'm going to head down to the ground, see if I can help out."

I nodded and ran a hand through my hair. "Go on. I'll stay here."

Dwalin jogged off and I was left alone with nothing but a few dozen bodies and an unconscious Hobbit. Oh, Bilbo. He wasn't supposed to be here. He was supposed to be far away, safe and out of trouble. Of course, that never really was his luck, was it?

I was polishing my blade when I heard fighting somewhere below me. My head snapped up and I saw a huge orc, standing over a figure a top the frozen waterfall. All I could see of the other person was dark hair.

"Thorin." I breathed.

I watched in horror as the orc brought down his mace. Thorin rolled out of the way just in time, leaving a sizable crack in the ice.

"THORIN!" I screamed, breaking into (yet another) sprint.

Finding a route was easy, I just had to go down. I jumped down several flights of stairs and slid around corners. I probably sprained my ankle somewhere in the process, but I didn't care. When I finally reached their level, I could see a different Orc looming over a helpless Thorin. The creature raised his weapon with a snarl.

In a split second motion, I whipped the bow off of my back, knocked an arrow, and let it fly. Just as my arrow pierced the back of it's skull, a sword implanted itself in the things chest with a thud.

"Thorin!" I yelled, running to him as the orc fell over the edge of the waterfall.

He looked at me with his eyes wide, a newfound sword in his hand. How clever. He grabbed it out of the orc's chest as it fell.

"Ariel, you have to go." He said, climbing to his feet.

I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his waist. He rubbed my back soothingly for a moment, then stepped back and held me at arm's length.

"You need to go, now."

I shook my head. "I'm staying with you."

Thorin began to speak, but his expression was erased, leaving behind only a blank mask. He was looking at me anymore, but instead was staring behind me. I spun around and quickly realized why.

There stood Azog, through the mist. He was watching us with a look of sick amusement. He smiled cruelly and I shivered, putting away my bow and gripping the hilt of my blade.

"Your child will die, Oakenshield." Azog snarled.

"As long as I'm breathing, filth, you will not touch my daughter." Thorin spat, urging me behind him.

"Her death will be slow." The Pale Orc continued. "I shall bring her to the brink of death and then revive her, only to start all over again."

I was trembling. Partially with fear, and partially with anger. Thorin began walking slowly towards him, Elven Blade at the ready. Thorin kept walking, seeming unphased when the horns began to blow. Azog's smirk grew with every step Thorin took.

Finally the orc roared and ran towards Thorin, who still took his time. Azog swung his mace and Thorin ducked effortlessly, time after time.

"Come, Oakenshield's Child!" Azog bellowed. "Fight beside your father! Die beside him!"

"Thorin.." I called warily as he took a swing at Azog.

"Stay back!" Thorin warned, dodging another one of Azog's blows. His mace hit far too close to Thorin for my comfort.

I had begun to bounce without realizing it. Nervous energy coursed through my body, leaving my throat dry and my mind blank. Flipping my blade in my hand, I licked my lips and watched their battle unfold in front of me.

If I joined it, it might distract Thorin. Or, it would help him and we would win! But I could get him killed.. Or I could get myself killed.

I blinked at my selfishness and chided myself. Fili died so that I could live. He knew what would happen if he helped me escape and he did it anyways. He died to give us a chance, not just to save me.

I was shaken from my trance at the sound of splintering ice. Once again, Azog's mace had left fractures in the frozen river. I let out a strangled gasp as the ice under their feet cracked, leaving both to float away on different chunks only ice. Azog whipped around his mace and knocked Thorin backwards with a strong blow, advancing on him quickly.

I yelled and charged Azog. Navigating my on broken chunks of ice that were already covered in freezing water was harder than I expected it to be. Thankfully, Azog wasn't anticipating my attack, so I had that much on my side. I tackled the orc, knocking him off balance. We slid around on the ice chunk and barely avoided spilling into the freezing water. I couldn't land a clean blow, but I was buying Thorin time. That's all that mattered; Keep Thorin alive.

That's what I thought about as Azog finally regained control and grabbed me by the collar. I screamed as he lifted me into the air, cutting off my breathing supply. I kicked out and clawed at his grip, but it didn't do me much good.

"Ariel!" I heard Thorin yell from somewhere, but it was all very fuzzy.

I'd dropped my sword, which made me feel incredibly exposed. I yelled out defiantly, giving one last kick before Azog threw me across the ice. I skittered helplessly on the slippery surface, clawing frantically for any type of grip at all. I felt two of my nails rip off, leaving the smallest blood trail imaginable.

The last thing I heard before I went over the edge was Thorin, screaming my name.