Star-Crossed

Chapter 55

"KILI!" Fili shouted from his barrel, unable to get to his brother. Kili collapsed, the arrow imbedded deep into his thigh. He fell back, crying out at the pain. Fili desperately looked for a way to get to his brother, knowing full well that that orc climbing over the wall was not going to spare him. An arrow stopped the orc, a perfect headshot. The red headed elf, Tauriel he thought he'd heard her leader call her, stepped through the bushes, a small smile on her face at the sight of a battle. Kili struggled to his feet, pulling the lever before collapsing again. "Kili!" Fili shouted once more, his brother looked to him, rolling over the side of the bridge and landing stiffly into his barrel, breaking off the arrow in his leg. 

"I'll need a horse." Beruen said, looking to Celeborn, who nodded and sent word with Haldir for a horse to be readied. Galadriel had long since left. Arwen watched helplessly as Beuren shouldered her quiver that had been removed by the elven princess. 

"Who will you go to?" 

"Who do you think?" Beuren snapped, looking up into her fair eyes. "He's alone." Arwen's heart shattered. "I haven't a choice." 

"Yes, you do." Arwen rose to her feet. "I will go to him. I can protect him." She clasped her hand about an amulet that hung from a silver chain. Beuren looked curiously at her. 

"The Evenstar..." Beuren's voice trailed off. With a smile she took Arwen's hands in hers. "I cannot thank you enough, my lady. I owe-" 

"Do not worry, you owe me nothing." Arwen smiled shyly. "I care for him too." Beuren was shocked to hear such a statement from Arwen. "Deeply." A grin overtook Beuren's features.
"I approve." Arwen looked up at her. "Just in case I get eaten by a dragon..." Arwen giggled, a sound not common of elves, and stood. Haldir returned to notify Beuren that her horse was ready. 

"Haldir, ready Asfaloth." Arwen declared. "I will need him for my journey." 

"I'm not a stable boy." He grumbled as he led the two women to the stables. 

Fili knelt before his brother, looking at the damage to his leg. Bofur watched over his shoulder. Kili, insisting that he was fine, cringed as he dug the arrowhead out of his thigh. 

"On your feet." Thorin barked.

"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding." Fili snapped in return. 

"There's an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving." Thorin's voice was stern, harsh even.

"To where?" Sarcasm dripped form Balin's voice. 

"To the mountain; we're so close." Bilbo tried his best to sound encouraging despite looking like a drowned rat.

"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it." Balin reminded Thorin.

"So then we go around." Bilbo sounded a bit more frustrated now as he glowered at Balin. 

"The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves." Dwalin interjected, knowing full well of where they were. 

"Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes." Thorin relented, looking back at Fili. 

While the rest of the company took a much needed break, Oin stood before Kili, giving the young lad's brother instructions on how to properly bind the wound. Kili groaned as Fili tightened the binding, offering an apologetic look. Ori, bless his pure soul, had taken a seat by the river to empty his boots of the river he still carried in them. A shadow loomed over Ori which caught his attention. He turned, fearful of what he saw. Dwalin had noticed this too, taking up a branch, the only weapon he could find and taking a stand before the dwarfling. As he rushed the stranger, an arrow shot into the branch just over his heart. Kili's quick reflexes kicked in and he grabbed a stone. Another arrow put an end to that. 

"Do it again, and you're dead." Balin, the ever-cunning, looked behind their attacker and smiled. 

"Excuse me, but, uh, you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?" The bargeman lowered his bow, staring down the company.