Lady of Rivendell

Chapter 7

Aelin ran past a group of humans, following Thorin up to the mountain. She was terrified that she was too late. Kili and Fili were gone, and the tears were still streaming down her face. Tauriel had stayed by Kili's side, and as much as Aelin disliked the guard, she was glad that Kili had had her by his side when he died, if he had truly loved her.

Bilbo, she knew, was trying to find Thorin too. She searched for him from the mountain ledge and waved wildly, trying to catch his eye. Finally, he looked up and, eyes widening, started to follow her up. Sweet little Bilbo. He had been hiding behind a rock most of the battle, trying to hold onto Sting without the blue glow being seen.

She spotted a flash of Azog's head and his sword, whirling furiously. So Thorin had not yet fallen. She turned, her back against a rock that was blocking her from Azog's line of sight, waiting for Bilbo. It was a few minutes before he came to her side, huffing and puffing for air. They turned, but to Aelin's horror, nothing could be seen of either Azog or Thorin. They raced up the steep and slippery slope, only to see two bodies. Azog's head rolled around his body. Thorin however, was still breathing. The elf and hobbit raced to their friend's side.

"I'm sorry, my friends. I did you wrong." Thorin's side was red with blood. Aelin searched for herbs of some sort, hoping to help, but she knew that he was too far gone for their help.

"Thorin, it wasn't you. It was the stone affecting you." She could tell her voice was higher than usual, holding tears back.

He smiled tiredly. "Maybe so, maybe not." He touched her cheek fondly. "Go, Aelin. Be happy with your prince. You've been loyal when you didn't have to be. I'm afraid I was not as fair to you." She smiled, tears streaking down her cheeks and falling onto his face.

Bilbo came forward from behind her, and she moved back to let him speak to Thorin. She stared at the battlefield below, which was covered with still bodies. Bilbo and Thorin's voices blurred in her head as she stared down, numbly noting that little figures were coming out to carry bodies off the field.

Behind her, Bilbo stood, sobbing, and turned and ran down the mountain. He stumbled as he went, tripping. But she barely noticed, simply moved back to Thorin's side. He was gone, gone beyond retrieval.

The weight of Fili, Kili, and Thorin's deaths came down on her all at once, and she wept quietly. Death had no meaning to her; she had never lost anyone before. Even her mother's loss had been easy to bear, as young as she was, knowing that they would meet again. But this- this was different, horrible, something to be feared. She wondered vaguely how mortals could bear it, losing their loved ones and knowing the same fate would befall them. No gift this seemed, death.

She must have been there an hour or two when Legolas came up, placing his hand on her arm gently and kneeling by her side. She leaned back into him without realizing it, and they sat like that for a while, silent.

"Come on," he said finally, cupping Aelin's face. "We've got to get down, or they'll think you're dead too."

She nodded slowly. "How did you know I was up here?"

"Bilbo. He came down and ran right into me. He told me you were still up here and that he thought that I should come up and get you."

She stood, wobbling. Legolas caught her and wrapped his arm around her, and they walked down slowly together.

***

Legolas swung Aelin off her horse onto the forest floor. "Thank you for accompanying us, Mithrandir." He smiled at Bilbo.

Aelin gave Mithrandir a swift hug, than similarly embraced Bilbo. "I'll visit you, Bilbo. Good luck with that acorn." She moved back to Legolas's side, and they walked towards the palace arm in arm.

Thranduil threw yet another party that night, and Aelin decided to go. She chose a simple blue dress, one that matched her eyes, and readied herself for an evening of dancing with strangers.

When she got down from her room into the Great Hall, however, Legolas was almost instantly at her side. He offered her his hand and said with a slight smile, "I think you owe me a dance." She laughed and took his hand. "It would be my honor."