Laire returned to the camp some hours later, but just before dawn as she'd said. But the sight that greeted left her rather worried. The camp was bare as though it had been abandoned in a hurry and not a soul was to be seen.
"Where the bloody hell are they?" Laire muttered to herself searching for tracks around the camp.
"I wondered the same thing myself."
Laire spun with an arrow drawn and knocked to find Gandalf at the other end of her arrow head. "By all the Gods Gandalf, ye near gave me a heart attack!" Laire exclaimed, relaxing her bow.
"My apologies, Laire, but it seems our Company may be in some trouble."
"Their tracks all head into the forest, they left in a right hurry." Laire gestured at the number of track just visible in the dim light.
The Wizard and Ranger followed the tracks to come upon a small clearing surrounded by trees and boulders and the sight was one to behold. The Dwarves and Bilbo were held captive by three, huge, ugly trolls. Some were tied in sacks on the far side of the clearing, the others were tied around a makeshift spit over a large fire pit.
"We've got to get them out of this." Laire whispered, looking around for anything that might help them.
"I have a plan, do not worry, I only need one thing." Gandalf said with a sly grin. "Time."
Laire noted that the sun was merely minutes away from breaking in the east, behind the huge boulder. "I'll give you as much as I can."
Gandalf disappeared through the trees and bushes towards the boulder while Laire thought of how she could give the Wizard and Dwarves the time they needed. Luckily for them, Bilbo had a similar thought and was doing his best to distract and delay the trolls. Laire drew her sword and leaped through the bushes and into the open.
"Oi you mangy, disease bearin, ugly, half-rottin', bone munchin' scum!" Well that certainly got their attention.
"Why don't ye pick on someone more yer size? Like me?" Laire swung her sword around as the trolls launched at her.
"Get 'er!" The first one lunged towards her but was left with a nice gash across his knee that left it squealing.
The second raised it's arm and brought it down above Laire. She raised her sword and it pierced through the troll's hand.
"Ah me hand! Me hand!" The troll jerked and reefed Laire's sword from her grip as he fumbled to pull the blade out and toss it on the other side of the clearing.
Laire ducked under another arm and rolled through another troll's legs making a dive for her sword, but the larger of the three trolls reached out and caught the back of her coat.
"Gotcha!" The troll raised her in the air, his fist tight around her middle, trapping her arms as well.
"What are we gonna do with you?" One of the other troll wondered mockingly.
A chorus of 'Let her go!' and 'Leave her alone!' came from the Company, Fili's voice carrying through the loudest.
"Does anybody know what time it is?!" Laire called out, struggling in the filthy troll's grip.
"You what?" The troll holding her snarled.
"It's almost dawn." Blurted the dafter looking of the three trolls.
Laire smirked, "Aye. exactly."
"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf appeared at the top of the boulder with his staff in his hands and the tiniest first rays of light peaking behind him.
YOU ARE READING
Honour For Bastards
FanfictionThere's a shame that can't be spoken, for children born out of wedlock. A shame that leaves a stain on their face for all their lives which leaves one to wonder why there are names left out of the great stories? Why the heroes are always noble and p...
