Mermaids Curse

Barrel Ride

It took Thorin a few moments to process what had just happened, even when he'd passed under the fallen tree he still half expected the Orcs to reappear out of thin air and he to have imagined the orange blur jump from the water, but he didn't and they never did. He glanced around, catching Balin who looked as confused as Thorin felt (as well as totally miserable and dishevelled from being thrown around in the turbulent water), but he didn't have time to dwell on this however for he was pushed away with the strong current.

The chaos continued, Orcs attacking the Dwarves from all sides, and Elves surrounding the Orcs. The Dwarves had very little to defend themselves, if anything at all, they just had to make do with what they were able to catch from any falling Orc or the occasional Elf.

Thorin was engrossed, too preoccupied with trying not to drown or be killed to notice anything going on around him. Water hit them all from every angle, getting in their eyes and pouring down their throats. The barrels they were in were luckily sturdy, otherwise they would have crumpled by now from all the rapids and rocks.

Poor Bilbo was holding onto Kili's barrel for dear life, he may know how to swim; having taken his fair few dips in the river that ran through The Shire, but he knew full well he stood no chance in waters like these. His grip was already beginning to wane and despite Kili trying to hold onto the Hobbit he was injured, and his strength fading. Bilbo's hands cramped up, and one moment he was bracing himself for an oncoming rock and then the next he was forced under water. As soon as he got below the surface he was whisked away, being pushed and pulled through the current. He clawed desperately at the water but wasn't strong enough to reach back to the surface.

It was then he saw her. He instantly stopped scrambling and let the golden haired girl wrap her arms around him and pull him towards the surface. He broke the water with a gasp, Amara's arms still tightly around him.

"Amara!" Fili yelled and instantly Thorin's head snapped round so fast he nearly lost balance and fell out his barrel. He'd been deaf to the world until then, too busy trying to fight off Orcs but as soon as he heard that name it hit him like an arrow to his heart.

Desperately his eyes scanned the turmoil of water, finally landing on Amara who was trying frantically to push Bilbo into a barrel. Eventually she did, and quickly disappeared beneath the waves again without even a glance at Thorin.

Thorin's heart fell to his stomach at those brief moments, her brow had been furrowed in worry, her eyes black from adrenaline, and her teeth bared with danger. If it was possible for his heart to speed up, then it would have. But unfortunately he wasn't able to dwell on her, for the scenario was far too demanding for any lack of concentration.

He turned back around, and to his surprised she was already ahead of him. He watched as she jumped from the water, landing on a bank corner with an unusual amount of grace for her, her legs already in place for when her feet touched the rock. Her sword was drawn, and in a few strikes she struck an Orc. Before it had even crashed to the floor she was off again, running towards an Orc who was aiming an arrow past Thorin and towards...

"Fili!"

Fili's head snapped around and his eyes widened when he saw the Orc, instantly he started thrashing around in his barrel to get out of the line of danger. But he hadn't needed to, for Amara closed the distance between her and the Orc, her shirt clinging to her and her feet bare. In one swift moment she tackled the Orc from around its middle, pushing it with her into the turbulent waters to drown it.

This behaviour continued, and Thorin had a hard time not continuously scanning the water for the Mermaid, eyes desperately searching for her, to make sure she was alright. Every time she was of course.