his exception

chapter thirty-five: blood

A figure appears in the mist, breaking Thorin's train of thought. Thorin knew it was none other than Azog the Defiler, coming to destroy the Line of Durin. He bore a large flail as a weapon, Thorin observed. With Orcrist in his hands, Thorin struts towards The Pale Orc, hearing the faint sound of the war-horn being blown in the distance. This was it, the moment he would honor his grandfather's death. Azog roared fiercely before running towards the King Under The Mountain, thrashing his flail in the direction of Thorin, who effortlessly dodges the attacks. He dodges the flail several more times before striking the orc, hitting the metal of Azog's armor. Azog throws his flail onto Thorin who avoids it, and the flail lands onto the ice with an audible crack. An idea comes to Thorin's mind which he quickly put it into effect.

He ducked as Azog's flail comes crashing yet again to the ice beneath them, the dwarf almost falling but quickly regaining his balance.  Azog dragged the flail on the ice as Thorin circles him. The Pale Orc thrusts the flail onto Thorin and fails when Thorin steps to the side, and it hits the ice with so much force that the ice begins to tilt. That doesn't stop Azog from his attacks though. He relentlessly thrashes the flail again and again, and Thorin continuously dodged it, until he made the mistake of slipping onto the ice.

Maethel panicked as she saw Azog hovering above Thorin, who was lying on the ground, helpless, knowing what was to come. She tried to think of anything that could save Thorin. After a few seconds of rummaging her brain, she found the solution. 

"LET HIM GO!" Maethel demanded, just in time, as she took in the aroma of Azog. Her hands and feet trembled but she could not show him her fear. Azog smiled contemptuously as he raised his chained weapon. "What are you doing here, Maethel? It's not safe for you.." Thorin shouted as Azog walked closer to her before turning back to face Thorin. "PLEASE... PLEASE!" The Elven princess shouted. "KILL ME.. NOT HIM!" She cried. "M-Maethel NO!" Thorin shouted as Azog turned to face her. "Ahh how cute she sacrifices herself for her loved one." He sneered as he made his way closer to her.

Se knew it would be crazy to do it, but it would save the both of them, and she didn't really have a choice, so Maethel did. When she spoke the words " Take me instead." Thorin was absolutely heartbroken. He tried to stop her from doing it. But she wouldn't listen. While he was held back by a strong force. "It's going to be okay," She whispered to him. She ran to Thorin, throwing herself onto him right before Azog stabbed her. Maethel thought she heard Thorin shout "NO!" but all she could hear now was the loud thumping of her heartbeat. She could feel the impact of the blade piercing through her armour. It paralysed Maethel in pain for a moment.Her breathing was heavy and uneven as she raised her hands in the air in surrender. Heart racing. Of course, the enemy took great pleasure in killing her in front of him.

He fell in love with a vulnerable girl who was at her lowest point, who knew loving her will get him deeper.  She didn't see a demon like everyone else, she saw a boy who didn't know how to love the dark, she saw a wingless angel.

 He watched as the sword appeared out of nowhere. Maethel barely felt it penetrate her stomach, not until it was wrenched out when the now-beheaded body of the orc fell back. Her sword hit the ground, and a hand pressed up against her stomach, trying to hold the wound closed. She screamed and she felt her body grow weak, like she was shutting down. She took one final look at her dwarf before she swayed from side to side. Suddenly, she collapsed and fell off the ice to hit the cobbled steps below. Nearby, Legolas heard a loud thud which shook the stairs. He turned before he slashed down orcs as he tried too quickly make his way to his sister, hoping that it was not too late. "We're just kids.." She whispered as she hit the cobbled stairs. "NO." Thorin screamed. While Azog just smirked.

As her body sank down to the ground she had a last glance up at the sky and suddenly the end didn't seem to sad anymore. The future barely started. The end is near, she lay there in her pool of her own blood knowing that her final moments on earth would soon be over.

blood.

blood.

blood.

it's cold.

everything is cold.

the world is blurry.

too blurry.

what happened?

how could she let this happen to herself?

when did she become so weak?

so useless?

so dumb?

And even in her last moments, she's on the battlefield and the only person on her mind was Thorin. Death is the price you pay for love. She wanted to cry as the pain seemed to come to her. There was a huge ache in her side and the smell of blood filled her nose. She's dying. She's bleeding out. It's over. She knows it. "Maethel!" a voice broke through the air and she almost jumped. "Maethel, Maethel, Maethel!" the person mumbled and pulled her close. The blonde hair. The blue eyes. It's blurry, she recognised the person.

When her brother reached her, he slumped beside her. "Maethel..? Maethel..? Please stay with me, please." He repeated as tears flooded from his eyes. "B-brother.. y-you've got.. got to to let me g-go.." Maethel whispered. Shaking his head vigorously he looked into his sister's eyes. "N-No I won't let you go... I can't lose you too.." Maethel felt her breathing hitch, "L-Legolas t-there's nothing y-you can do.. I-it's too d-deep.. I can hear the halls calling me, brother, my time has come.." Legolas continued to shake his head. "No! Maethel no! You can fight.. listen to me, you can fight this." He finished as he gently picked up her limp body and tried to carry her to anyone who could help. "Get my friends and tell t-them that I love them a-and I'll miss them.." He felt his sister grow cold by each second. "just let me go," she whispered and Legolas glared at her, at least that was what Maethel thought. "This isn't goodbye.. it's see you later on the other side. Try not to miss me too much." She joked and she coughed in response.

"I won't... I just can't live without you.."

Love is Both a curse and a blessing, it can heal your heart but it can also shatter it, to where it can never be healed again.