Price of Battle ➝ The Hobbit ✓

Part Three

PART THREE ~

"What do you mean they've left!?" Arien shrieked at her mother, breathing heavily.

"They've just gone. Can't remember where to exactly. Nor why."

A heart-wrenching sadness erupted in Arien's body and she slumped down onto the chair, her eyes welling with tears.

"How could he leave without telling me?" She muttered, tears silently rolling down her cheek, glimmering like tiny crystals.

Her mother shrugged and took a seat in front of her daughter. She took hold of her daughter's hand and stroked it reassuringly.

"I'm sure he had a reason," She said softly, and Arien let out a sob that wracked through her whole body.

Her mother leapt forward and took her in her arms, stroking her daughter's soft hair as Arien sobbed into her neck.

They stayed in an embrace for some time as stars began to peep out and glimmer in the sky outside, and the grass waved in the breeze and shimmered with pools of moonlight.

Arien eventually broke away, sniffing and wiping the tears from her cheeks. Her mother raised her eyebrows and her daughter nodded in reassurance, forcing a small smile.

Excusing herself, she staggered up the steps wearily, and shut the door behind her when she had reached her room. She let her sword clatter to the floor and flopped onto her bed, sighing.

Soon, she fell into a dreamless slumber.

~

Arien awoke to a gentle wave of birdsong as it floated through the window and met her ears.

She blinked her eyes groggily, pushing herself onto her elbows. She sighed, realising she had slept in her clothes, and dragged herself off the bed, changing into a new pair of hunting leggings and a light cotton top.

Arien glanced out her window and memories of last night flooded back to her. Fili, her best and only friend, had left without saying a word to her.

A sudden desire to see him swept over her, making her heart beat slightly faster. At once, she knew she had to discover the fate of the dwarf.

She bounded downstairs, quickly devouring a light breakfast, before leaving the house and hurrying to the village to ask for news on Fili's whereabouts.

Upon reaching the village square, bustling with vendors and buyers as they got to business over wares and goods, Arien searched amongst the crowd for any friendly faces with whom she could talk.

Arien's face lit up in recognition as her eyes fell on a young dwarf with whom she was acquaintanced.

"Hey, Thoros!" She shouted over the clatter of footfalls and the mindless chatter of the crowd, pushing her way toward him.

He spun round after hearing his name and his eyes searched the mob to see who had called it. His gaze fell on Arien and his face lit up in surprise.

"Arien!" He said, but then gestured to talk someplace quieter as he failed to catch the words being uttered from the girl's mouth.

She nodded and followed him to a quiet spot near a deserted stall.

"Thoros! Have you had any news on Fili?" Arien asked without preamble, looking expectantly at the dwarf

His face fell immediately. "Well, I... No," He muttered, looking somewhat confused. But then a thought came to him and he let out an exclamation of surprise.

"Oh! You mean... You don't know?!"

Arien frowned and shook her head, her heart missing a beat the the seriousness of his tone.

"He marched out with the army of Durin into battle."

Arien let out a cry of surprise, her eyes growing wide in horror. "What do you mean?!" She cried.

"Orcs had been attacking and raiding small settlements somewhere to the East," He explained, Arien listening intently. "They set out with a small army to defeat them. Fili rode out with his brother and uncle yesterday evening." He paused and glanced up after hearing a cry of distress. Thoros sighed and shook his head. "My mother is calling me. I need to go. Nice talking to you... for once." He mumbled the last part before pushing past Arien, not unkindly, and disappeared within the mob.

Arien stood in shocked silence for a long time, processing what she had just heard. Her best and only friend had marched into battle... without saying a word to her?!

~