POV Narrator
Legolas and Tauriel returned to their home with the Orc hand heading straight to the throne to which Thranduil sat.
He looked to his son who held the Orc to his knees with the blade of Atalanta at its throat.
His eyes immediately zoomed in on the blue red handle of the blade. The beautifully crafted blade held tightly in his hands.
Thranduil got up looking away from the blade to the Orc on the ground, before pacing around it.
"Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world it festers and spreads, a shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it ever was; so it will be. In time, all foul things come fourth." He spoke making the Orc just struggle against Legolas who held a firm steel grip on him.
"You were tracking a company of thirteen dwarves and a female elf. Why?" He asked and the Orc just gurgled a laugh.
"Not thirteen; Not any more. The young one, black haired archer, we stuck him with a Morgul shaft." He laughed and Tauriel's eyes widen with anger.
"The hybrid....she's going to wish she was dead..." he laughed only Legolas frowned not sure who he was talking about but Thranduil did.
He jerked forward wrapping his hand around his throat. "What. Did. You. Do. To. Her?!" He hissed and Legolas and Tauriel realized who the Orc was talking about.
Atalanta.
Legolas pushes the blade a little into the skin making the Orc squeal in pain and surprise.
He spoke in black-speech, "Ghash burns sha ghash. Ta will ushd to." He spoke and Thranduil's eyes twitched in anger. (Fire burns with Fire. He will use her.)
Legolas frown not knowing the language very well. "She will not be used." Thranduil spoke before composing himself.
"She is the last of her line. She will kill him before he could even think so." He smirked and Legolas did as well but Tauriel was frowning in worry.
She stepped forward, "What do you mean about the archer?"
The Orc chuckled, "The poisons in his blood. He'll be choking on it soon."
"Answer the question, filth!"
"Sha hakhtiz khunai-go, Golgi!" (I do not answer to dogs! She-elf!)
Legolas pushes the Orc a bit as Tauriel whips out her knife quickly.
"I would not antagonize her." Legolas just in a smirking chuckle.
"You like killing things, Orc? You like death? Then let me give it to you!" She growled before rushing forward with her knife.
Yet Thranduil stops her, "Farn! Tauriel, ego! Gwao!"(Enough! Tauriel, leave! Go now.)
The Orc snarled at her as she stepped back composing herself slightly before leaving quickly.
"I do not care about one dead dwarf. Answer the question. You have nothing to fear. Tell us what you know and I will set you free." Thranduil spoke in a quite convincing voice.
"You had orders to kill them - Why? What is Thorin Oakenshield to you?" Legolas asked and the Orc just chuckled.
"The dwarf runt will never be king."
"King? There is no king under the mountain nor will there ever be. None would dare enter Erebor, whilst the dragon lives." Legolas spoke to the Orc and the Orc just snarled at him.
"You know nothing! Your world will burn!" It yelled and Thranduil looked to the Orc who's eyes turned joyful.
"You understand what I mean." He spoke to Thranduil.
He knew now why they brought Atalanta along on this journey. It was slightly unclear but now it was bright as day.
"What are you talking about? Speak!" Legolas demanded shaking the Orc slightly.
"Our time has come again. My master serves the One. Do you understand now, Elfling? Death is upon you. The flames of war are upon you." He growled and Thranduil's eyes widen at hearing the name.
"My master is going to take one as a prize. To him. The One."
Thranduil acted quickly whipping out his sword beheading the Orc quickly. Leaving the Orc body to drop as Legolas held the head in his hands.
Legolas sighed before looking to his father, "why did you do that? You promised to set him free."
"And I did. I freed his wretched head from his miserable shoulders." Thranduil spoke as if he had no problem with what he did. Most normally don't.
The Orcs body started thrashing violently even with the head severed from the body. Thranduil stomped on the leg to keep it still.
"There was more the Orc could tell us." Legolas tried to tell his father but he just ignored him.
"There was nothing more he could tell me." He spoke walking to his throne sheathing his sword.
"What did he mean by the flames of war? She will not used?" Legolas asked and Thranduil looks to the blade his son still holds.
The flashes run through his eyes, "they plan to unleash weapons so great it will destroy all before it." He spoke and Legolas frowned.
Thranduil turned to his elven guards, "I want the watch doubled at all our borders. All roads, all rivers. Nothing moves but I hear of it. No one enters this kingdom....and no one leaves it."
——-
Legolas approached the elves guarding the entrance to the woodland realm.
"Holo in ennyn! Tiro i defnin hain na ganed en-Aran." (Close the gate! Keep it sealed by order of the king)
Legolas turns to walk away, but one of the guards call out.
"Man os Tauriel?" (What about Tauriel?)
Legolas stops in his tracks looking to the guard. "Man os sen?" (What about her?)
The elf guard spoke quickly, " Edev eb enedhor na a megil. En nandollen." (She went into the forest. Armed with bow and blade. She has not returned)
Legolas walked toward the gate, the guard pointing in the direction of which she went. Legolas held a anxious yet worried look on his face.
———
Bolg and his Orcs arrive to the shoreline which the dwarves and female entered the barge with bard.
(PSA I'm going to put the translation of the black speech for these guys. If like a main character like Gandalf or Atalanta speaks it then i will do the whole thing.)
"Dwarf blood! They were here!" The Orcs hissed to his group in black speech.
Another scent, the females was caught, making some of them uneasy. It was strong and they knew she was able to kill them easily.
One of the Orcs picked his nose up crying out, " another scent! Man flesh!"
Bolg just growled, "they have found a way across the lake."
————-
The wind blew in Atalanta's face gently as the cold fogginess entrench then.
Her eyes ahead of them. Seeing what the others could not. Encase of a trap.
The dwarves at her feet pulling out coins. Bilbo being the closest to her, feeling the most safe and secure around her.
"Stone." She spoke calmly but Bofur reacted loudly.
"Watch out!"
Bard expertly poles between the two rock formations which happen to the ancient ruins. Atalanta let her hand gently guide across it.
A ghost of a smile appears on her face.
"What are you trying to do? Drown us?" Thorin snapped at Bard.
"I was born and bred on these waters master dwarf. If I wanted to drown you I would not do it here. As well as she said stone." He motioned to Atalanta who's hair gently in the wind.
Her dress flowing as well making them all look to her for a moment.
Dwalin scowled angrily at the man, "Oh I have enough of this lippy Lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him."
Atalanta rolled her eyes at his impatience and uncertainty of the man. Sure she would be the same way, but the sadness he gave and the worn clothing he wears shows her that he is pure and kind.
For now.
"Oh, Bard, his names Bard." Bilbo said making the female raise a brow tilting her bead downwards for a moment.
Bofur questioning her thoughts, "how do you know?"
Bilbo gave him a dumb faced look. "Uh, I asked him."
"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him." Dwalin spoke and Thorin nodded before looking to Atlanta who was staring at the foggy water.
"You do not have to like the man, Master Dwalin. You just have to trust him to get us across the lake. I trust him that much." Atalanta spoke calmly and in a soft tone making the dwarf look down with a grumble.
He had learned to take into consideration when he saw the woman defend them in many ways. So when she says something, he listens.
"Like she said, we do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him. Come on now, lads, turn out your pockets." Balin spoke nodding to Atalanta who just nodded her head.
The dwarves begin to pull out their coins and valuables. Dwalin looks to Thorin.
"How do we know he won't betray us?"
Thorin looked to Atalanta who had a frown gracing her face and his turned into one as well. He believed it didn't not belong on hers.
"We don't, but if Atalanta trusts him then I do as well." He spoke and the females lips quirked up slightly.
Balin counts the coins and frowns, "there's, um, just a problem we're ten coins short."
Atalanta sighs before going to her ring finger. It was a gift from a friend. Pulling it off her finger she drops it into the hand of Balin who looked surprised as did everyone else.
"Just pay the man." She spoke in a hard voice walking away to stand at the side of the boat. Bard looked to the female with a curious glance.
"Would you help paddle?" He asked and she looked to him nodding.
Walking over to him he gets behind her showing her how it goes. She smiled as she paddles with him.
Thorin looked to them with a glare, yet he did not catch onto Fili's glare as well.
Both staring the man down. Thorin growled lowly before taking the ring from Balin. Who gave the man a curt nod.
Thorin turned to Gloin, "Gloin. Come on. Give us what you have." Thorin spoke and Gloin huffed.
"Don't look at me. I have been bled dry by this venture. And what have I seen for my investment? Naughty but misery and grief and-"
He stops when he realizes that the others have stood up and are looking at something in the distance. As the fog thins, they all see the lonely mountain.
Atalanta sees it as well and she sucked in a breath as she could feel it.
The darkness inside the mountain. It was so far away....yet so close.
She moves away from Bard over to Fili and Kili who both glance at her. Kili leans against her for support which she responded in wrapping her arm around his waist.
"Bless my beard. Take it. Take it all."
He handed Balin his sack of coins he had secretly withheld before. Bilbo nudges Atalanta who looked to him before looking to Bard.
She whistles softly making them all snap out of looking to their home.
Bard approaching the group with an anxious look on his face.
"The money, quick, give it to me." He spoke a hand out and Atalanta looked to him with a frown and Thorin stepped up, snapping at the man.
"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before."
Bard looked ahead before looking to the female, a pleading look covering his eyes.
"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." He motioned and she nodded before looking to Thorin and Blain who looked to her.
She looked up ahead and sure enough she saw the guards.
Nodding her head she looks to them, "pay him. Now."
Balin hands then man the coins and he motions to them to get inside the barrels but before they do Thorin takes Atalanta's hand.
She looks to him with questions and he gently slides the ring back on her finger before walking away making her smile and stroke the ring.
Closing her eyes she slips into the barrels and Bard looks down at her and whispered a quiet sorry before she was piled on by the one thing she thought smelled worse than a goblin.
A fish.
———————-
Chapter. Is. Up.
Whew! I'm getting so close to my favorite part of this whole story I'm literally shaking wanting to write!☺️
Tell me your thoughts?!❤️I love hearing them!
As well as the black speech stuff if it's just the Orcs speaking it I'm going to put the translated part in bold or italics.
If it's a main character then I will have the actual black speech and the translation. It's just an ass trying to do both!
Anyways! Hope you all enjoyed this!❤️