Acts of Courage (The Hobbit fanfiction)

Acts of Courage

You felt anxious, scared even, and it made you uncomfortable because you were not used to feeling so nervous. A fear cluched onto your heart as you raked through the shoreline with you gaze, tried to find familiar faces from the midst of this chaos; the people of Laketown were shouting and crying, and as their screams of both despair over the ones they had lost in the dragon fire and happiness over those who had survived mixed up, you found it hard to find the voices you were looking for through all that.

The cold water was dripping from your soaked clothes and tangled hair along with the blood oozing from the injuries you had received, but you paid them little to no attention. You were too focused on searching for him and his family to notice the hypothermia looming over your shoulders; the tips of your fingers were tingling and your lips were slowly turning their hue to blue. You walked through the mass of people, limping your left leg slightly, your head spinning as you looked for familiar faces. Anyone. Where were they all? Where was Tauriel? Where were the dwarves? Where were Sigrid and Tilda and Bain? And where on earth was Bard?

"y/n!"

Suddenly you heard your name being called from behind you, and by the time you turned around to face the caller, you received a tight hug around your waist from a girl who was sobbing because of the joy of seeing you alive. You recognized Tilda immediately and the feeling of relief that flashed through you was unimaginable as you dropped down to your knees and hugged the little girl back just as tightly as she hugged you.

"Are you all right?" you asked her once she let go of you, and you examined her closely even though she nodded to your question. She looked mostly unharmed, thank the heavens, and that lead you to ask for further information: "Where is your sister? Have you seen Sigrid?"

When you couldn't find Bard, it was obvious to you his children were your main worry and responsibility until he'd find his way back to them, and back to you. You knew he would come back. He'd better. You didn't know what you would do - what you could do - if he wouldn't return, but you didn't want to think about the probability of that and refocused on Tilda.

"Yes, she is over there. Tauriel helped us out."

"Tauriel?" So she had stayed. You were glad if that was true, even if seeing her had been a surprise and not completely a pleasant one. You had not walked away from Mirkwood without waking ire in many, and you knew Tauriel had been one of those you had angered with your departure. You looked at Tilda and smiled to her, hiding the pain your injuries caused you because you didn't wish to trouble her with your own suffering. "Where is she?"

Tilda took your hand when you stood up again and lead you through the bustling of the people, all the way to the shoreline where you saw the dwarves readying a boat for themselves to head to the Lonely Mountain and rejoin their company. You also saw Tauriel standing there with Kíli, talking to him and him handing to her something, you didn't know what. You just watched for a moment, not daring to interrupt, before your attention was diverted from them when Tilda called out Sigrid's name and waved her older sister to come to her. Sigrid also hugged you, asking if you had seen bain or their father. You had to say no and when you saw her eyes get teary, you kissed the top of her head, assuring her that everything would turn out just fine. You barely believed it yourself, but you saw these people needed all the hope and reassuring they could get. Who were you to deny them that?

"You're hurt", she said then, swallowing and blinking away her tears. She looked at your face but you only smiled to her, shaking your head.

"Do not worry for me. I'm fine."

"You're bleeding and freezing, we must find you a blanket to keep you warm."

"Sigrid, I have lived long enough to know how to keep myself alive. Look after yourself and your sister rather than me, keep that as your main priority till we find your brother and--"

"DA!"

Tilda's cry of happiness made you and Sigrid both turn, and she soon left your side as well to run to her father and siblings and hug them all and shower them with kisses. You looked at them and stood up straight again, and you did nothing to hide the smile the sight caused you. It made you happy to see the kids happy... and it made you happy to see that Bard was, indeed, alive. You could hardly believe it even when you saw it with your own eyes. This man had to be blessed somehow, to live through something like that, there was no other way. The image of the belltower collapsing into the lake had burned to your mind, how you were forced to watch, helpless, Bard and Bain both fall to a certain death as the dragon climbed up to the sky to escape his own doom. And yet, there they stood, alive and mostly unharmed. It felt too good to be true.

You watched how the people gathered around him to cheer the dragon-slayer, staying outside the crowd for now, only looking from the sidelines how the people celebrated their new hero, the saviour of the day. You saw how Bard didn't enjoy the attention. He had never liked being in the spotlight, and while it sometimes amused you how far he was ready to go to remain as a nameless helper of his people, you also loved his humble heart. It was such a rare trait in humans and elves alike these days, treasuring it was only rational.

You gave yourself and your eyes the permission to wander away from Bard and his family and to the smoking ruins of Esgaroth and to the shoreline. The dwarves had gotten their boat ready and were already a good long distance away, and you saw Tauriel still standing there and watching after them, holding something in her hand. Legolas was there as well, looking at her and talking to her. You knew you could have heard what he said if you had just tried, but you didn't feel the need. Whatever it was, it was their business. Legolas and Tauriel's affairs were no concern of yours... not anymore. Those days were far behind you and you wished to keep them there. As much as you loved your own people, your heart now layed elsewhere.

Speaking of which, you turned your gaze away from the elves and back to the human crowd, and it finally met with Bard's. He looked at you and he seemed surprised, as if he had not expected to see you there... and then the confusion disappeared and made room for a smile, a relieved and comforted one, and he let Tilda down from his arms as you made your way to him. He also came towards you and when you finally were within an arm's reach he pulled you in to a hug so tight you could barely breathe. You wrapped your arms around him and closed your eyes and just enjoyed the unbelievable fact that he was there, that he was actually there, alive and well, and not laying dead in the bottom of the lake. The feel of him holding you, the scent of his skin, it was all so overwhelming you barely understood what he did next. Regardless of the amount of people around you, he pulled away just enough to be able to look you in the eyes for a mere second; then he lifted his hands to your neck and cheek and brushed his thumb gently over your lips before sealing them with his own. It took you by surprise but you didn't resist, everything but that. The kiss was small at first, but it grew bigger, more intense, and soon it was something one might call assertive. As a contrary to normal, Bard didn't seem to give a damn about the people around him and because of that, neither did you. The freedom in the way he played with your tongue was alluring and you wanted to feel and taste everything there was to it.

It was only Tilda's loud 'ewwwww' that made you two pull apart from each other, but he still remained so close you felt his breath warming your lips and his forehead against yours. You glanced at the little girl and both of you started laughing because of the way she was looking at you. It was an amused laugh and it was elated, grateful for the fact that the other was alive and right there, and you buried your smile to his hair as you hugged him again before finally letting go. There was really no need for words between you and him - actions had spoken loud enough to tell everyone around you what you thought of one another - but you still heard his whisper, so soft it only reached your ears:

"Le melin."

You looked him in awe, rendered speechless for a moment, yet you didn't even try stopping the smile spreading to your face. Apparently Bard had paid more attention to the Elvish lessons you had held for the kids than you had thought, though, you did not remember ever saying that particular phrase out loud or explaining what it meant. You were curious where he'd learned it.

"Guren min gaim lín."

Bard eyed you curiously, but after a short moment a small sigh of disappointment escaped from his mouth. "That exceeds my skills."

You gave him a fond and just a little bit amused smile. "I know. I'll translate it to you one day."