Chapter Thirteen, War Starting
"Solis? Lunam? What're you doing here?" Ninfea asked as she rushed to hug her brothers who held on just as tightly as if they'd never let her go. "We took the emergency Portkey that would take us to where you last were." Lunam explained holding on to his little sister tightly.
"Don't you ever scare us like that again!" Solis chastised. "Do you have any idea how worried we've been?" He demanded a hint of panic in his voice as he pulled her out of Lunam's arms and into his own. "I'm just glad your safe." He sighed kissing his sister's forehead.
"Right enough I've already spoken to your sister she knows she did wrong." Elrond said firmly stopping the other older siblings from berating her. "Adar?" Elrhoir asked surprised. "What're you doing here?"
"You didn't think I'd let Ninth return by herself do you?" Elrond asked. "You're my children and I will not let you fight this alone. I will not lose any of you I've already nearly lost Ninth twice already in the last forty-eight hours I will not let it be a third time."
"WHAT!!!" His eldest children and Legolas shouted drawing the attention of the men of Laketown.
"Ninfea!" Tilda shouted running out of her father's arms as she spotted the elfling. "You're alright." She cried happily wrapping her arms around Ninfea's waist tightly. "Hello Tilda." Ninfea said happily as she ran her fingers through Tilda's hair as Bard, Sigrid and Bain joined them. "Ninfea are you alright?" Bard asked concerned looking her over. "I'm okay Bard thank you." Ninfea smiled tiredly as she let go of Tilda and snuggled into her Ada's side. "Thank you for looking after my daughter when I could not." Lord Elrond said as he held out his hand to Bard to shake. "Think nothing of it my Lord. I hope that if one of my children were injured someone would look after them until I could be there or they were healed." Bard waved off as he shook Elrond's hand.
"My Lord Elrond. I tracked Bolg the spawn of Azog to outside Escagorth, where he fled into the north. He's a Gundabad Orc." Legolas informed grimly. Elrond's eyes widened as he held his youngest child closer to himself. "Gundabad." Elrond breathed eyes wide. "This is worse then I feared. We cannot let Angmar rise again not now especially with Sauron gaining power. He's raised the Nine and Azog from their graves and was in league with Smaug. He wants the mountain." Elrond realised as everyone's eyes turned to the mountain. A determined look set upon Ninfea's face as she looked at the mountain trying not to let her fear overwhelm her she grabbed her sword and was ready to leave when her Ada stopped her.
"You're not going Ninfea and I mean it." Lord Elrond said firmly looking at his youngest sternly. "But Ada-" Ninfea started only to be interrupted by Elrond. "I know they need to be warned but you need to rest. You'll be no good to them or yourself if you collapse from exhaustion. You can wait till tomorrow."
"I don't mean to interrupt Lord Elrond, but we are heading that way, you could travel with us and Lady Ninfea can get some rest." Bard said hesitantly not wanting to come between the father and daughter. Smiling gratefully at the man Elrond agreed as they set to work on helping the people of Laketown make the long journey to the mountain while Legolas and Tauriel rode of for Gundabad.
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Kili was pacing up and down nervously the rest of the company apart from Thorin-who was in the Throne room- watched him with bemusement. "Brother calm down I'm sure she's fine." Fili tried to reassure his brother but to no use. "You don't know that Fili. You know where she's gone and we have received no word." Kili snapped. Sighing Fili gave up his brother as a hopeless case as he turned to Bilbo. "Bilbo-" Fili started but was interrupted by the Hobbit. "Please don't Fili. I don't want reassurances only to find they were false, not again." Bilbo rambled as he too paced up and down.
"What do you mean Bilbo?" Bofur asked concerned. Bilbo sighed as he seemed to gather his courage to speak of what was troubling him. "You all think that us Hobbits have not had our fair share of grief from war but we have. I was in my tweens only a child still used to come home after dark and go travelling with my mother, my father loved his books and maps but loved us more and let us do what we want no matter what the other Hobbits said. Until one horrible winter, we call it The Fell Winter. Hundreds of Hobbits were killed my parents among them. The Brandywine river froze over first time in existence happening and wargs and orcs came into the Shire breaking into Hobbit holes killing all in their path.
Many tried to escape into Bree and make it to Rivendell. We were among those who tried to flee to Rivendell but we were surrounded my father who'd never done any fighting took them on with a frying pan and a kitchen knife -all he managed to grasp as we ran- to give me and my mother time to escape but they killed him and came after us. My mother hid me and took them on with her dagger, she was a Took they always were more adventurous of the Hobbits. But in the end she died too I though I was next until Rangers and Elves came killing the wargs and orcs and helping the survivors." Bilbo explained tears running down his face. "After that I vowed never to leave the Shire." He said turning away from the others wiping his face and clearing his throat.
"I'm so sorry Bilbo." Bofur said as he came and hugged his friend. Bilbo smiled at his friends as they all offered they condolences now understanding why Bilbo was so set against leaving his home to begin with. "I met Ninfea four years ago and we helped pull each other out of our depressions." Bilbo explained as of that answered why he was so protective of the elfling which in fact it was for the dwarves. The silence was interrupted by Dwalin's booming voice who was on watch. "Survivors from Laketown are streaming into Dale. There's hundreds of them, I'll go let Thorin know." He said briskly as he stormed off to find Thorin. The rest of the dwarves and Bilbo ran over to the gate to get a look to see if they could spot Ninfea, being the only one with red hair from Laketown.
"There!" Nori shouted pointing to a man who was obviously an elf with long dark hair dressed in armour is posture tense as he carried his precious cargo close to his chest, Ninfea's blood red hair streaming over his arm slightly her head lolled lifelessly to the side. "That's Lord Elrond....carrying Ninfea." Bilbo said slowly as he recognised the elf Lord. "Maybe she's asleep. They wouldn't bring her this way if she was injured or- they would've taken her to Rivendell then sent word." Bilbo assured though he hardly believed his own words though he prayed to the Vallar his words were true.
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The company were standing at the gate on the wall of stone they'd built during the night watching as Bard ride towards them on a white stallion Ninfea sat in front of him to the delight of most of the company. "Ninfea!" Kili shouted happily. "We thought- last night you looked...." He breathed out sharply unable to finish. "She gave it her best shot." Bard said with a weary sigh. "Collapsed about half way to Dale." Ninfea huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "I'll have you know fighting a Dark Lord and his nine ring wraiths are no easy feat as well as healing Gandalf and my grandmother." Ninfea argued.
"He's back then?" Bilbo asked fearfully not that he doubted her. "Yes Bilbo." Ninfea sighed.
"What happened to Gandalf?" Bilbo asked fearfully for his long time friend.
"Sauron destroyed his staff and was draining his life we got there just in time any longer and he'd be dead. Sauron tried to take Gandalf's Ring of Fire. He's taken all Seven Dwarf rings all Nine rings from the Men and now he only needs the three Elf rings and his Ring of Power before he covers the land in death and Shadow."
"Who have the Elf rings? Ori asked curiously.
"Gandalf has the Ring of Fire, my grandmother has the Ring of Light and my Ada has the Ring of Water." Ninfea explained hesitantly looking around her fearfully.
Before she could warn them of the coming war Thorin called scornfully to Bard. "Why does Bard the Dragon Slayer come to my door with an armed host?"
"That armed host will attack this mountain if we do not come to terms. We have not come to rob you My Lord. Will you not speak with me?" Bard asked. Thorin thought about it for moment before nodding his head and exiting the wall. Bard smiled squeezing Ninfea's shoulder comfortingly when he saw how tense she was before climbing off of his horse and walking up to the gate to talk to Thorin.
"What is it Ninfea?" Bilbo asked worriedly seeing his friend so tense and looking around her as if expecting an attack which confused and worried the Dwarves. "War is coming." She said softly but her voice carried to those on the wall causing them to tense up. "Why do you say that Lassie?" Balin asked.
"Sauron has sent out his army to kill everyone here, led by Azog. There is another army led by Bolg, Azog's son from Gundabad I cannot see what they have planned yet, though I know it is nothing good. Legolas and Tauriel went to check it out yesterday. You must make an alliance with the people of Laketown and Thranduil if you don't it will be the death of us all." Ninfea pleaded Kili nodded his head straight away causing Ninfea to smile, just as Kili was about to say something he was interrupted by Thorin shouting. "BEGONE AIR ARROWS FLY!!" Bard stormed away from the entrance climbing on to his horse behind Ninfea and turned around without a backward glance to where Thranduil was waiting on the bridge.
"He'll give us nothing." Bard sighed disappointed.
"Well you tried." Thranduil said with a hint of satisfaction in his voice. Bard turned to look back at the mountain where they could vaguely see some stone shifting. "Why? Why would they risk war." He asked confused.
"Who knows how the dwarves minds work thru care only for one thing." Thranduil said ignoring Ninfea's glare turning his elk around he withdrew his sword as he called over his shoulder. "We attack at dawn. Are you with us?!"