Only Time

Ch. 15 ~ Love Surpasses All Boundaries

As we made our way up the mountain of ice to where Thorin and his kin had run to fight the two orcs and their disciples, we separated unconsciously to take on those who came at us from all sides.

Thranduil meanwhile was still standing below the mountain still as a statue speechless over what had just transpired as Gandalf looked at him and said:

"Your wife left you more then those gems. She left you a son. Tell me my friend, which would she have you value more?"

He whirled around toward Gandalf then with a startled yet pained expression on his face. The first cracks in the armor had formed. Those words were like a truth dagger to his heart. Something he was forced to face.

Back on Ravenhill, Tauriel quickly started searching for Kili. Legolas, meanwhile, climbed on top of a peak and started firing off arrows at orcs and trolls that were trying to get to Thorin as he faced off against Azog. I took off searching for Fili and Bilbo who were supposed to be in the area; through the tunnels just as a shriek was heard and I came running out of the tunnel to see Azog holding Fili. I was below Tauriel as we both watched in horror as Azog stabbed Fili and let his lifeless body fall to the ground below.

That is when we saw Kili and his aghast face; with a fierce cry he ran after Azog who disappeared into the side of the cliff. It seemed like the whole place was a total maze. Finally, as Kili faced off against orcs, Bolg saw Tauriel and advanced on her. Kili called her name but she was prepared. I ran toward them just as Bolg was ready to hit Tauriel, I slammed into him sending him flying forward. We both took him on as he fought us one at a time. Finally he got his big boulder sized hands on each of us and slammed us into the rock face. Tauriel fell down but my angle gave me the ability to land with my feet against the rock wall, horizontal to the ground and I corkscrewed off the wall and sent Altherial into his arm. Though protected by armor, she cut deep.

In anger, he took a swing at me and this time when he sent me flying, the back of my head collided with a rather sharp edge of the rock face and I fell to the ground. The pain was instantaneous and I would be blasphemous if I did not say I saw stars. Legolas from his post high above shrieked my name and it was his voice that brought me out of the dazed state I was in. At that point, Kili had leapt on Bolg's back as both Tauriel and I lay on the ground. There was not any room for me to maneuver to help him out and Tauriel was too far so we watched in horror as Bolg gained the upper hand fairly quickly and while looking very satisfied and downright arrogant, stabbed Kili through the heart and dropped him.

At that point, I kicked out my leg catching Bolg's and sending him flying face first in Tauriel's direction as she grabbed him and he took her on and they both fell off the cliff onto a ledge. I staggered to my feet to hear Legolas call her name and come off his perch hanging on to a giant troll and go to try and help her out as I lost sight of them all. I was too out of it to do anything but my strength was returning as I heard heavy breathing behind me. Orcs were gathering all around and closing my eyes, I let Altherial give me the strength I required, I plowed into them knowing that this fight with Bolg was personal for Legolas and it was his to finish which seeing two of his own thrashed around by the beast gave him even more motivation.

I ran through the caves--my eyes completely closed, working off feeling and something I could not yet fully understand--as they followed me and I took them out with throwing stars and my beloved and trusted sword. It seemed like forever until I was standing among what seemed like a plethora of dead orcs and trolls. It was silent. I walked slowly toward the light as I saw Legolas standing there with Thranduil. They were talking; I stood back and did not want to eavesdrop or intrude but I did catch a few bits of the conversation.