Dwarrowdam Warrior

Not Built For This

Soon all the dwarves were free from the spit or their sacks. Nell stretched and made her away over to a large rock to sit. She stretched trying to get her sore muscles to relax. Being tied up and left in an uncomfortable position on the ground hadn't done her any favors. Leaning back on her arms, she tilts her head back and closes her eyes, soaking up the sun. As she waits on the others to check out the troll cave she began to softly sing to herself. It was a soft tune, but a happy one. One filled with love.

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world

Hearing Nell’s soft sweet voice Fili and Kili join her on the rock. She keeps her eyes closed, head still tilted toward the sky. “Send in the hobbit, it'll be perfectly safe.” She opened her eyes to look at them. “You two dimwits are lucky Bilbo caught on to what the trolls were saying and played for time. If I had gotten eaten I swear I would have come back and beat you both,” she scolded. Both princes looked at her sheepishly. She wasn't mad at them she was just aggravated about how her night had went. She had gotten to spend time with them, sure, but not in the way she had wanted. “It may not have been the brightest plan,” Kili started. “Or even the best, but it all worked out in the end,” Fili finished wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Kili hugged her from the side and rested his head in the crook of her neck. This right here was why she couldn't stay mad at them. No matter what they did, all they had to do was cuddle up to her and she would forgive them. “Oh I suppose you're right. We all are safe and unharmed.” She turned and kissed Kili's forehead before turning the other way and kissing Fili's chin.

Of course the tender moment was soon shattered by some crazy, wild eyed looking wizard on a sleigh pulled by giant rabbits, crashing into the clearing screaming, “Thieves! Fire! Murder!” Nell, Fili, and Kili joined the others while Gandalf talked privately to Radagast. Nell wasn't sure why he was there, but she was sure it was nothing good with the way he had shown up. She kept her eye on the wizard, but made sure to listen to her surroundings as well. When a howl pierced the air she unsheathed her sword and looked around for the source.

“Was that a wolf? Are there wolves out here?” asked a frightened Bilbo.

“Wolf? That was not a wolf,” Bofur replied just as a warg; a big nasty wolf like creature jumped over them knocking Dwalin to the ground. Thorin was quick to kill it, but then another showed up. Kili shot it and Dwalin and Thorin finished it off. “Wargs. Means an orc pack is not far behind,” Thorin said. “Orc pack?” Bilbo asked. Gandalf stormed over to Thorin. “Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?”

“No one.” Thorin looked confused.

“Who did you tell?”

“No one I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?” Thorin didn't like where this was going. “You're being hunted,” Gandalf told him. Nell looked to her husbands, worry evident on her face. Ever since she had heard the story of Azog she had feared for her family and this just made it worse. Fili and Kili grabbed her shoulders and gave them a squeeze saying everything would be alright. She wanted to believe them, but she wasn't sure she could.

“We have to get out of here,” Dwalin told them. Little Ori killed that idea before it even got anywhere by saying, “We can't. We have no ponies, they bolted.” A collective groan spread through the company. “I'll draw them off,” Radagast suggested. “These are Gundabad wargs they will outrun you,” Gandalf argued. Radagast then gave what Nell thought was a cocky grin. “These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try.”

The company was then running across rocky plains trying to stay out of sight while Radagast lead the wargs and orcs away. Of course there were a few times when the company had to stop as the hunting party came too close for comfort. Nell welcomed those moments. She wasn't used to running like this. Her lungs hurt with every breath she took, her legs felt like they were on fire, and she had a stitch in her side, but she wouldn't give up. She would keep running to wherever it was Gandalf was leading them. At least she thought he was leading them somewhere, she wasn't really sure since he hadn't answered Thorin, when he asked.

They ran and ran and ran some more. Nell wanted to know when the running was going to end. “I'm not built for this,” she muttered as they came to stop under a large boulder with an overhang. When they didn't start moving again she tried to figure out what was going on. She then heard movement and sniffing above them. An orc rider had found them. Thorin gave the order and Kili shot, but it didn't stop the cries that the creature emitted before they killed both warg and orc. Everyone started running again, but things began to look dire. The orcs now knew where they were and were closing in.

“We're surrounded,” Fili shouted. Nell held her sword tightly as the foul creatures crept closer. Her muscles may ache, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. “Kili shoot them,” Thorin called. And so everyone began fighting. Even Ori with his sling shot, but it wasn't doing any good. If anything the little rocks just made the beasts angrier. But when Nell began to think all was lost Gandalf popped up from behind a rock. “This way you fools,” he told them. She didn't question it nor did the others as they ran forward and slid down into the hole. Thorin stayed at the entrance making sure everyone got inside. “Kili run.” Thorin then jumped in and Kili followed after.

A horn sounded and Nell could hear what sounded like battle. A dead orc slid down to rest in front of them and Thorin pulled the arrow from it. “Elves,” he spat. A sigh left her as she knew they must be near Rivendell. Great Thorin isn't going to be happy, she thought as she walked over to her husbands. They both looked over her to make sure she was safe. Other than being drained of all energy and wanting to sleep for a week she felt fine, she assured them. “I can't see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?” Dwalin asked. “We follow it of course,” Bofur answered. Nell stuck with Fili and Kili as they made their way through the winding, narrow pathway.

“I never want to have to do something like that again. We aren't meant to run like that,” she told them. Both laughed and nodded in agreement. “I'm sure that will be the last time we have to run for a long distance,” Fili told her.