A Hobbits Tale

Chapter 5 (New)

"We didn't mean anything by it. Didnt mean to upset her." Kili says to Bilbo. Fili echoing his brother and they did sound sorry.

Bilbo sighs and sits lowering his voice a little, bless him, but i could still hear. "Y/N's mother was killed by Orcs several years ago. She didnt even get to say goodbye." As he speaks i can feel the boys eyes trained on the back of my head but i wasnt ready to face them yet.

"As for Thorin," Balin says in the silence walking over to the boys. "Dont mind him laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs."

And with the boys no longer watching me i do turn to watch Balin as he speaks. "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 a legion of Orcs led by the most Vile of all their race: Azog the Defiler." New anger spread through me and i could almost see the battle Balin described. Horrible. Bright and full of screams, and chaos, and death.

"The giant Gundbad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin." At his words i look over to Thorin. Not all that far away from me but refusing turning away from watching the forest.

"He began by beheading the King." Balins voice ever so slightly breaking and just hearing it hurt. The sorrow in his voice. "Thrain, Thorin's father was driven mad by grief. He went missing. Taken prisoner or killed we did not know."

My heart went out to Thorin. He has lost so much and in a way i could understand his pain. With my mother having been killed by Orcs and my father gone i could understand it if even just a little.

"We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us." Balin gave a sad smile looking over to Thorin. "That is when I saw him. A young dwarf prince facing down the pale orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe. His armor rent weilding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken."

"Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. And our enemy had been defeated." Then he looked down and even from my distance I could see the great sadness this memory brought Balin. "But there was no feast nor song that night for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived and i thought to myself then 'there is one who i could follow. There is one I could call king."

I got to my feet turning to look at Thorin and I see all the others do as well. He turns to face us his face serious and i could help but think he looked majestic. He gives a slight nod and then begins to head for his bed roll.

"And the pale orc?" Bilbo asks looking back to Balin and i listen curious myself. "What happened to him?"

But it was Thorin who answers. "He slink back into the hole whence he came. That filth died from his wounds long ago."