The filler before the storm
Tw: Violence, decapitation, general against orc violence, flashback, Bilbo being an anxious mess, Kili is sort of sad, Fili rights. Short chapter, but only because we have like two/three left.
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"The key to taking down your opponent is your own balance."
The break the company had gotten at Beorn had been welcomed, to say the least. Raewyn had taken it upon herself to teach Bilbo the basics of fighting. At least so he'd survive the rest of this journey. She figured that they'd come across much more than orcs in the meantime.
"How do you maintain balance when walking?" The hobbit wondered aloud, pointing towards his own feet, before looking up at Raewyn.
In return, the Asha smiled at him, offering him one of the two sticks she found in Beorn's garden. She figured they'd minimise the damage, would any be dealt.
"Tackle me."
Looking up at her with wide eyes, the hobbit shook his head. "You're still recovering."
"Believe me. I'll be fine."
Though unnerved by her words, Bilbo grabbed the stick. He observed his friend for a short moment, trying to assess the perfect place to strike. As if she heard his thoughts, Raewyn tapped the side of her knee with her stick, now parting her legs for a stronger stance.
Inhaling deeply, the hobbit nodded, grabbing the stick with both hands before advancing. His weapon hit the shown spot, but due to his carefulness, it felt like a mere nudge to Raewyn's legs.
She raised her eyebrows at him, giving him an expectant look.
"I can't just hit your knee." He defended, referring to her still healing body. Rolling her eyes at him, the ranger struck her smaller companion on his shoulder, causing him to grow distracted. Turning his head to look at the hit shoulder, Raewyn nudged her foot between his, before kicking to the left gently, making the hobbit stumble before falling to the floor. Aiming her makeshift weapon at him, she smiled, shrugging as he shot her an incredulous look.
"Wounded enemies will still strike, Bilbo."
Huffing in defeat, said hobbit clambered back up, hitting his thighs as to shake off the sand.
"These are your gravitational points." Raewyn continued, pointing to her hips, then gesturing to her friend's. "They should be aligned with your feet. Part them too far, or too near, and you'll easily fall."
Bilbo copied her movements as she parted her legs slightly in demonstration. Wielding the stick, she silently urged the hobbit to wield his as well.
"Now, the key is not to hack your opponent aimlessly; try to get them off their balance."
"And how do you do that?" Bilbo asked, swinging his weapon slowly, trying to mimic everything his friend was doing.
"Well, orcs and goblins will most commonly be your enemies. They lack basic fighting skills. All they know is punch and slash. They'll be easy to knock down."
A confused furrow of his eyebrows was all Raewyn got in response. Smiling at the hobbit again, she went on with her explanation: "Get your opponent moving, strike when one foot has left the floor. Sheer panic will force them to put that foot down. It is up to you whether they regain their balance, or if you let them fall."
"That's when I strike?" The hobbit repeated for clarity, to which Raewyn nodded. "That's the easiest way."
Spinning the stick in her hand, the Asha gestured to her knees, then her feet. "Try it. With more urgency now. I won't break."
Inhaling deeply, the hobbit not held the stick in firm hands again, holding it out in front of him. Advancing slowly and hesitantly, he aimed towards his friend's knee. Stepping back as his attempt, Raewyn showed him a playful smile.
Setting his face in more determination, Bilbo advanced again, quicker this time. Letting the hobbit have his chance, Raewyn shielded her other side, effectively allowing the hobbit to successfully tap his target. With a dramatically wounded expression, she fell to the ground, clutching her knee.
Dropping his weapon in shock, Bilbo rushed to his friend kneeling down beside her. Calling her name, he laid his hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention to him. When she lifted her head, Bilbo could see the huge smile on her face, followed by heartfelt laughter.
"You heathen!" Bilbo sighed, returning his hand before shaking his head.
"I got you good." She spoke between laughter, rolling over in joy.
"You're hilarious." He stated monotonously, standing up from the ground.
Whilst Raewyn laughed off her joke, the hobbit wandered back to his gatherings, staring at his sword in particular. The blade Gandalf had gifted him. As if she could sense the sudden change in the air, Raewyn stopped laughing, raising herself from the floor as well.
"Gandalf said he hoped I wouldn't have to use it." Bilbo voiced as he pointed to the weapon.
"As do I," Raewyn spoke, immediately catching onto his meaning. "But I am a lot more realistic than Gandalf. I know you will have to face opponents before this quest is over. I'd rather have you tactically prepared, than give you words of encouragement and bravery."
Scoffing lightly in agreement, Bilbo sat down of a log next to the bags.
"What was it like? Travelling with Gandalf when you were younger?"
A tiny grin formed on Raewyn's face at the interest. She knew her friend to be naturally curious, but where others would usually ask about her blood-related family, it was Bilbo who had been the first one to show genuine interest in Raewyn's history with Gandalf.
"You learn manners quickly," She answered, after thinking about it for a while. "You wouldn't say, but Ashas can be unfriendly to those outside their kin. You wouldn't be able to separate us from dwarves if it was not for our language. And even that sounds Khuzdul."
A questioning glance was thrown her way, causing her to snicker in humour, before clarifying her words. "Dwarvish."
Mouth opened, Bilbo nodded, not saying anything. Taking it as a silent invitation to keep on talking, Raewyn obeyed his silent order. "Gandalf is caring," she concluded. "You naturally feel safer around him. Not because of his magic, or intimidating appearance."
Stuck on the thought, she fell silent, staring off into the distance. "I really couldn't tell you why." She admitted, before continuing: "You can trust him. Always. There is not a safer place on Middle-Earth than beside him. He'll watch over you. Even after you parted ways."
'There is no safer place on Middle-Earth than beside him'
Bilbo had no idea why that memory suddenly rushed through his head, but as he and Gandalf made way towards Laketown, he was glad to have been with the wizard. Every ounce of respect he held had been given to Raewyn in the mere months he had known her, but she was right to say he'd feel safer beside Gandalf.
The lakemen had stormed into the town, adamant to defend their home. Gandalf and Bilbo had ran with them, walking away from the large battlefield in front of Erebor. The hobbit was glad they had Raewyn. Of course, it wasn't a guaranteed victory, especially not against an orc army that large, but he knew it was the right side to fight on.
It did leave him anxious to be surrounded by men all of the sudden. He was half their size and didn't have an ounce of the courage they had. There was panic in his eyes as he watched the orcs nearing the people, slaughtering them as they paved their way.
"What do we do?" He gasped, his voice on edge as another step took him closer to the wizard.
"We fight, master Baggins," Gandalf spoke glumly. "We fight, or we lose."
Across the plains, their friend stood her guard, taking down as many opponents as she could muster. The dwarven army kept shrinking by the second, and she could see the realisation setting in as she looked towards Dain.
The dwarf in question swallowed thickly, not letting his intimidating facade fall, but allowing it to water just slightly. His eyes were set in determination, whereas Raewyn's were assessing the situation, building strategy as her mind went.
"We need to fall back!" She concluded, knowing they had lost too much of their army to continue pushing. "We're losing too many soldiers!"
"Not now!" Dain protested, dismissing the Asha's order as she cut down multiple orcs in one swing. "We almost got them!"
"No, we don't! Look around, Dain!" She yelled to him, urging the dwarf to obey her order. He had seen his kin fall, but only now did he see the amount of dwarven bodies littered over the floor. "We're no good for Thorin if we're dead."
Distracted, an orc advanced towards him quickly. Failing to call out of time, Raewyn grasped her axe with both hands, raising it above her head, before lunging it forward, the blade embedding in the creature's torso harshly.
Turning around at the sound, Dain watched the creature fall to the floor, sending a nod to the woman who had thrown the axe. Swinging his weapon violently, he began to call out.
"Fall back! Fall back!"
Swiftly turning around while picking up a stray sword, Raewyn followed the dwarves, keeping a close eye on Dain. She had only been fighting for a couple of minutes, but she could sense her muscles tensing in her arm, tiring of the unexpected heavy armour and clumsy dwarven weapons.
"To the barricade!" Dain continued yelling. "Fall back!"
Ignoring the protests her body was giving her, she resumed her path, pushing the heavy feeling down. Dwarven endurance be damned, she never wore iron armour. And she had begun to understand why.
Commands in dark speech were thrown over the field, no doubt originating from Azog. Raewyn didn't have to look around to realise he was rounding up his army for a final attack on the mountain. Groaning internally upon the realisation, she clutched the swordin her hand a little tighter
On top of the gates of Erebor, the dwarven company watched on as their kin began to return to the front of the mountain, trying to fortify there. In desolation, they stood there, looking down in remorse and sadness.
"This isn't how it should be," Fili complained, his voice muffled in a grumble. "We shouldn't be sitting around while others fight for us."
"Aye, I tried, lad." Dwalin tried to console. "He won't listen to me."
"Balin?" Bofur tried to help. "You're his oldest friend."
But his response was a broken expression, shaking his head sadly. "Once the sickness has gotten to him, you can't turn it back. I'm afraid we're stuck here."
Mumbles of disappointment ran through the group, but none dared make another remark, frightened of the king's response, would he be listening. That was, all but one.
"No, we're not. We can leave."
All eyes fell upon the heir of the throne. He had stood up from his seat, looking down at the battle with pain in his eyes.
"And disobey the king?" Dori protested, his heart with the people on the floor, but his loyalty to Thorin still.
"I will not watch more lives be forsaken because one person told us we couldn't fight!"
"Fili, lad," Balin began, looking at him in sorror. "I admire your bravery, but we have to heed the king's every order. You've seen what he does to those who fail to listen to him."
The reference to Raewyn hadn't been a pleasant reminder for any dwarves. But on the contrary of how they met her, they now thought back in pain and sympathy, for the longer their journey became, the more they had found themselves sympathizing with the young Asha. And now she had ultimately left, not only on bad terms with their king, but without a proper goodbye.
"Maybe she was right to refuse his words." The blonde went on. "We know this isn't right. But we do nothing!"
Where his brother was defending the honour and heart of their kin below, Kili had distanced himself from the group, staring down at the battle in horror and anxiety. His heart was beating at a dangerously quick pace, a sinking feeling entering his stomach. One he just couldn't shake despite what he thought of.
"I've sent her to her death." He mumbled, his hands shaking as he tried to run a hand over his face in frustration.
"She would've left anyway, lad," Gloin attempted to comfort, familiar with the anxieties Kili was dealing with, and having sat closest to him to hear his self loathing. "If she was here now, she would not have sat idly."
"What if she falls?" The younger dwarf shot back almost immediately, his lips trembling as spoke his worries aloud, now comprehending the entirely realistic possibility. "I'd be because of me."
"You can't think that." His companion tried to soothe, but Kili shot him down.
"It's true."
Before Gloin could find it in himself to argue with the prince, a figure came from out of the mountain, drawing the attention of everyone on top of the gates.
There, Thorin walked, his crown, armour and robes forsaken, now dressed in plain leather, his sword drawn as he walked up to his company.
"I will not hide behind a wall of stone, while others fight our battles for us!" Fili proclaimed, walking up to his uncle. In return, Thorin walked towards him specifically.
"It is not in my blood, Thorin."
Kili slowly rose as well, despite his anger and pain, still siding with his brother.
"Nor in mine." He spoke as he stood beside Fili.
"No," The older dwarf returned solemnly, his face now different than last they saw it. They were faced with their friend and kin now; no longer the mad king. And smiles begun to spread through the crowd as the company slowly began to realise this.
"It is not. We are sons of Durin." His head now turned to the rest of the dwarves, speaking louder. "And Durin's folk do not flee from a fight!"
Turning back to his nephews, Thorin laid his hand on Fili's shoulder, a smile climbing onto his face. Swallowing thickly, Fili smiled back, Kili copying his movement with tears in his eyes.
Thorin leaned forward slightly, connecting his forehead with Fili's, closing his eyes in affection. Unable to suppress the grin growing on his face, Fili gleefully returned the gesture, bathing in this silent moment of peace. As Thorin broke away, he looked to his other nephew, a look of sincerity in his eyes.
"I have no right to ask this of you,", then, he turned his head to the rest of the company, speaking to all of them. "To any of you."
Before he could even ask his questions, his friends had already stood up, weapons drawn. Not in a threatening manner laced with malice, but rather in one of determination and joy.
"But will you follow me one last time?"
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