The Darkling(Legolas/The Hobbit) Book 1 ✔️

VIII

So sorry this has taken me so long! You see I have just moved to Canada, and have been quite busy settling in here, time difference, class schedule and all!

I want to dedicate this chapter to Betchtakeme2theshire - thank you for your insightful comment

She could hear voices battling through the darkness - almost as if they were reaching out to her, coaxing her out from the shadows in the darkest corners of her consciousness.  The pains from her shoulder and side that had been subdued by the darkness were returning, and she could soon feel it streaking through her side like a soft thudding that slowly but surely got stronger.

            "Arya!"

            "Smaug-" she pushed out, her voice barely a whisper.

            "He's gone. Arya, he is attacking Lake-Town!" She recognized the voice as Bilbo and could almost taste the despair in his voice. Her eyes opened then, the pain that had grown from dull pulsations roared to life and she screamed. Swallowing her second scream she blinked her eyes, desperately trying to clear out the tears and black spots.

            "Keep pressure on her side!" She heard Thorin's voice - taking charge as always. She found some reassurance in that, and slowly calmed down. She would still moan in pain, tears still pouring from her eyes, but her eyes were clear of the black spots, and soon she could see her companions gathered around her. Balin and Óin kneeling by her shoulder and stomach to keep pressure on the gaping wounds Smaug had left behind after he bit her.

            "Forgive me," she moaned, "please... forgive me." It was Dwalin who slid down next to her head, picking her head softly off the ground before he gently rested it in his lap, his thick fingers gently brushing her hair out of her face: "don't you worry lass, this is not your fault."

            "I'm –" She coughed violently, blood coming out of her mouth. "Monster," she continued. "I am a monster."

            "You are no such thing," Dwalin said reassuringly, she looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but truth. His eyes lifted, and she knew he was looking at Thorin. Moving her gaze slightly she met the blue eyes of their leader, he was watching her carefully before he looked at the dwarves and Bilbo surrounding her.

            "Did you know?"

His question caught her off guard, and it took her several moments of silence to reply. "You know I didn't, I have been traveling with you for a long time Thorin Oakenshield. If I had known I could fly, do you not think I would have mentioned it?"

He looked at her for a couple of seconds in silence before the corners off his lips twisted upwards, a smile forming on his face. "It would have been very convenient if you had. Imagine how fast we would have reached the mountain."

A chuckle passed her lips, but she was soon coughing up more blood.

She soon became aware that most of the dwarves had moved towards the edge of the mountain, their gazes locking onto the horrid sight below them.

"He fell, Smaug fell!" Bilbo's voice reached her even though she was slipping away again, her eyelids getting heavier at every moment that passed by.

"Smaug?" She managed to press through her lips, her eyes opening slightly to look upon Dwalin that was still pressing a cloth to the wound on her neck. "He has fallen, Arya. Smaug has fallen."

Arya's eyes closed in contempt, not sure if the voice of Thorin was something of imagination or reality – "Erebor... It's finally mine." She certainly hoped that the tone of his voice was something she imagined – and not reality.