A Mercenaries Love (A Hobbit Fan Fiction)

Chapter 23- Spiders

Ava's Pov

I groaned, my stiff muscles aching, the bandages underneath my shirt (or rather Fili's shirt) feeling like the only thing keeping all my body parts together. The effort of carrying Bombur's stretcher has started taking it's toll. I'm not doing it alone of course but even with 3 dwarves it is a big task.
When Bombur wakes up i'm making him go on a diet, I grumble to myself. I know it's harsh but so is the pain in my arms.

"Ava, are you alright?" Adisa asks concernedly.

"I'm fine" I reply a little too harshly.

"You don't sound alright, do you want to swap positions?" Adisa asks worriedly.

I bite on my tongue to stop the sharp response that first comes to mind and make myself think before I speak.

"Yeah, the forest is just starting to get to me. It's no big deal" I reply, trying to shake the effects of the sickness off. How could I even think of telling Bombur to go on a diet, how cruel would that be.

My mind starts to wander as my legs continue on like they have a mind of their own.
Last nights dream comes to memory and it only helps to lessen my mood. Still the same dream, yet with the added ending with my mother. The only difference being it went further than the last dream.

"You must be brave, my dear, never show your fear. I am relying on you to be strong. Now go, I will follow you" mother says before she lets go of my hand and slaps my horse on the rump. Sidal jumps off and I glance behind me to catch a glimpse of mother mounting her own horse.

I also catch a glimpse of guards who are quickly approaching and I turn Sidal away from them. I turn again as more guards block the end of the path. They are everywhere and I am still confused as to why I am running, this is my home. Is it not?

"Ava, quickly this way" mother urges riding her horse next to Sidal. She points to another path I had not noticed. I thought I had found every path in this kingdom in my many adventures, yet I had never seen this path before, maybe it was a secret path.

I hurry to follow mother, not wanting to be left behind. The path starts to become narrower and big trees start lining the path. The path gets so narrow we have to go in single file, mother in front, setting the pace.

The trees get thicker and thicker and I realise we are in the forest. I had never been aloud this deep in the forest without the guards to protect me and I worry what father will say. I always begged him to let me go out with the guards but he said I was too young, it just lead to me training harder to become a better warrior.

Loud shouts can be heard behind us as the guards hurry to catch up. Mother increases the pace and frantically looks behind her to make sure I am still keeping up.

"Hurry, Ava" She urges as she pushes her horse onto even greater speed. I quickly push Sidal on even more to keep up with mothers horse.

"Why are we running mother? They won't hurt us" I yell over the noise of the guards to mother as I duck to avoid a low-hanging tree branch.

"Don't talk, just keep going" Mother yells back but we get no further as Sidal suddenly stumbles, I jerk in surprise as Sidal never stumbles. My sudden movement unbalances Sidal even further and before I know it Sidal bucks and I go flying, the last thing I remember is Sidal falling to the ground and not moving.

That would explain why my father brought me a new horse, yet he said that Sidal died in her sleep. Another lie of course, I think to myself as I once again remember where I am and the pain in my aching body.

My relief comes when Thorin calls for a switch and the stretcher carriers are changed. I stretch my arms and sigh in relief it's good to get that weight of my shoulders, literally. I would rather be at the front of the company, making sure they stay on the path and out of trouble.