The Last One

Chapter 26

Bilbo tossed and turned, struggling to sleep with the sound of Bombur snoring loudly. Agreeing it pointless to try, Bilbo got up and wandered over to Myrtle giving her an apple and praising her.

Screech!!!

Bilbo's head swung around to the wilderness around him, he scurried over to where Fili, Kili and Ruive were sitting around the fire. Ruive who was tossing one of her knives in her hand, upon hearing the noise, immediately flipped it and caught the handle gripping it as though she expected something to jump out any second.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked, still looking around nervously.

"Orcs." Kili answered in a grave tone, the three looking around for any signs that the orcs were close.

"Orcs?" Bilbo gasped, causing a dozing Thorin to jerk awake hearing the word.

"Throat-cutters." Fili nodded to the lowlands. "There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili whispered a grave look etched on his face. 

Bilbo looks away now even more frightened, this causes Fili and Kili to laugh having terrified the poor hobbit. Ruive stood up, looking down at the two with a serious expression. 

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" 

She turned and stormed off before either could reply. She walked to a tree at the edge of the clearing, she stuck her knife in the bark before leaning against it crossing her arms and watching the forests.

Fili and Kili looked down in shame. 

"We didn't mean anything by it."

Thorin who had stood up and walked over hearing the dispute, gave his nephews a look of disappointment. 

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." 

He walked off towards the edge of the cliff, looking out over the valley memories of his past coming back to him, much as they were to Ruive.

Balin wanders over, seeing the shameful look on their faces. 

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." 

He sighed, leaning against the rocks looking out at the dwarf in question. 

"After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first."

"Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King." 

Balin began to tell the tale of Thorin and Azog, Ruive could only empathize having to suffered Azog's wrath. She did her best to bite back tears, Tauriel's death playing over and over in her head. The scars over her body began to itch and tingle as the memories of the years of torture resurfaced.

"And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King." 

Balin finished speaking, and by now the members of the company who were sleeping had stood and looked at Thorin in naught but awe and respect.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked from his position on the ground.

Thorin turned and sauntered back to the fire answering Bilbo's question with venom in his voice. 

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago."

Balin and Gandalf shared a look, neither were sure if the pale orc was truly dead or not. Ruive closed her eyes, she too did not believe it to be true but she held to hope that Azog was dead. And though it may not have been by her blade, she would hope that her heart and sister may have some peace now that that filth was vanquished from the earth.

"And what of Ruive? Why does she hate orcs so?" Kili asked. 

Thorin looked to Gandalf wanting to know why she was so angered at the mention of orcs. Gandalf sighed taking a breath from his pipe. 

"That story is not mine to tell, and not one I would happily share either. If she wishes you to know, she will tell you. But let it be known that you are not the only one to have suffered at the hands of the pale orc, nor were you the first."

All the dwarves and Bilbo had a curious look on their face. They wanted to know what happened to her, was it the reason why she is cold and hidden in herself?

Ruive wiped a stray tear from her face, taking a deep breath to compose herself. She gripped the knife and pulled it from the tree before turning and walking back to the company who were looking at her with curious expressions. She sighed deciding they had a right to know of her past with Azog.

"You told me your story, so it is only fair that I should tell you mine." Ruive stated sitting on one of the many boulders. 

"160 years ago, my sister died at the hands of Azog."

Ruive proceeded to tell the story of her sister's death, leaving Mirkwood out of it knowing that they would hate her if she told them she used to live there and was betrothed to the prince.

"She died because of my pride. Then for 90 years Azog tortured me for information about dragons, but I never said a word. And I vowed to my sister that I would one day have my revenge. But now that he is dead, I guess she can be at peace along with my heart." 

When she finished, Ruive blinked back tears. She looked around the company to find looks of sympathy and pity, something she did not want from anyone. She knew in her heart that she was to blame for here sister's death, she should have followed her orders and she would still be alive. But now the only thing she could do was hunt down every orc and kill it so she might save someone else the pain she endured.

Gif is Ruive spinning her knife.