The Shapeshifter (A Hobbit Fanfiction)

Chapter 27

*Bard's Pov-

"Skyrena!"  I scanned the surface and the wreckage, looking for her.  Bain sat beside me, rowing us through the water.  He glanced around and put down the oar.

"Do you see her, Da?"  I shook my head and sat down.  She must have gone under...  I sniffed, trying not to let my eyes tear up.  Crazy as she was, she saved my family.  She helped me kill Smaug, and she risked her life doing it.  "Da, what's that?"  I looked where he was pointing and saw her cloak.  Nearby, she laid on a piece of driftwood, out cold.  I jumped up.

"It's her!"  I jumped in and swam out to grab her.

*Skyrena's Pov-

"Skyrena!"  I wanted to call out to whoever it was that was calling me, but I couldn't open my mouth.

I was too weak to even lift my head in response.  All I could do was lay there, trying not to fall into the water.  I heard a series of splashes and tried to move.  Something, or someone, was coming.  I felt two arms wrap themselves around me and pull me off the makeshift raft.  I did recognize the voice, though.

"Hang on, Skyrena.  I got you..."  It was Bard.  He pulled me through the water until we hit what felt like a boat.  Someone grabbed my arms and held me up as Bard got out of the water.  "Easy now, Bain."  As they lifted me up, everything went silent.

*Bard's Pov-

"Is she dead, Da?"  I shook my head.

"No...  She's still breathing.  We have to get her to shore and find the dwarves.  They'll know what to do."

*Killi's Pov-

"We have to go find Skyrena, Tauriel."  She scanned the water, searching each of the survivors.  "She needs us!"  She shook her head.

"Someone already has her...  The young boy from the house and a man."  I frowned and looked.  Bard and Bain were rowing right towards us, but I couldn't see Skyrena.  Soon, they beached their boat, and Bard picked up a limp body.  I swallowed hard when I realized it was Skyrena.  Bard laid her down on the beach.

"She's alive, but she's out cold.  I don't know what's wrong with her."  I knelt down beside her.  Sure enough, she was breathing, but she barely moved as she breathed.  Tauriel knelt down beside and put a hand on Skyrena's shoulder.

"She's only out of energy.  She'll either sleep until she regains energy naturally, or we have to help her gain energy..."  Behind us, someone spoke.

"The sun..."  I turned and saw the blonde elf, Legolas.  Tauriel looked up.

"It is bright enough...  Let me see if I can remember how to transfer energy."  She whispered in elvish for a little bit.  Before long, Skyrena coughed and opened her eyes.

*Skyrena's Pov-

"Skyrena?"  I groaned, as though I'd just been awoken, and eased my eyes open.  Killi, Tauriel, and Legolas hovered over me, blocking out the sun.  I smiled weakly and attempted to sit up.

"What... what happened?"  Tauriel helped me to my feet as she answered.

"You fought the dragon and ran out of energy, putting yourself in some sort of hibernation."  I tried to stand on my own, but, after one step, I was so dizzy, I almost fell.  Killi, who was standing on his own now, caught me before I hit the ground.  I glanced around as Filli came to help Killi support me and saw Bard.

"We killed him?"  He nodded, making me frown.  "How'd I get here?"  Bard smiled.

"I went looking for you and brought you here.  It was the least I could do after all you've done for us."  I felt my stomach drop as he continued.  "So, you're really Skyrena of the Woods?  The one from our legends?"  I nodded.  "Why didn't you say so in front of the assembly?"  I hung my head.

"I was afraid that the men of Lake Town would kill me if they knew."  He shook his head.

"Why?  Because you're a shapeshifter?"  He chuckled a little.  "You realize the legends actually make you sound like a hero?  They tell how you saved the women of Dale from an Orc ambush only to be mistaken for a monster."  I took a minute to absorb this while an elf came riding up.

"Legolas...  Your father wishes to see you."  I turned as Legolas asked about Tauriel.  "She has been banished."  She looked like someone had just stabbed her in the back.  Legolas dismissed the elf and turned to us.

"Tauriel, let's go.  We're going to hunt the Orcs."  Filli helped me to the boat as Tauriel and Killi exchanged goodbyes.  Soon, Killi was in the boat, and we were sailing towards the mountain.

As we sailed along, I watched the ruins of Lake Town.  Some of the fire still burned, so I drained all the energy from the fire, using it to restore my stash of energy and regain my strength.  The others chatted about what they would do when they reached Erabor while Killi sat beside me.

"How're you feeling?"  I rolled my head, lazily, to the side so I could look at him.

"Dead..."  He laughed and looked back to the beach.  I playfully punched him in the arm.  "So, Tauriel, huh?"  He turned to look at me.

"Huh?"  I laughed this time, ignoring the pain in my chest.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?"  He blushed and dropped his gaze.

"Yeah, but I don't think she loves me in return..."  I rolled my eyes.

"Are you kidding me?  You're the only reason while she stayed instead of running off with Legolas before the fires.  Sides, she told me herself that she did."  He looked up at me.

"Really?"  I nodded.  He looked down and blushed.  "How'd you know I was in love with her?  Was I as obvious about it as Thorin is about his feelings towards you?"  I shrugged as the others jumped out to beach the boat below the mountain.  I smiled when I saw the gates.

"There it is, Killi.  Erabor..."