Chapter 13: On the Run

Thorin was as good as his word; the company was up, packed, and ready to leave in fifteen minutes. Oin had washed Sara's stomach and put some of his ointment on it and she had also applied the last of her triple antibiotic before he had bandaged her up. There was not much to be done for her ribs but to try her best not to re-injure them. Sara had taken a Tylenol for the remaining pain and grit her teeth as she donned her coat. Fili and Kili had distributed her belongings among the others but Sara noticed they kept many of her belongings to carry themselves. The sun was setting and the sky was stained a deep orange as they set out again. At first, Sara had a hard time keeping up with the pace the dwarves set but she soon found a rhythm of breath and step that pained her ribs the least. Kili had she looked and sounded ridiculous, but she had snapped back that he could have the cracked ribs and she would take to pack. The sun had disappeared taking its light with it, plunging the company into darkness. The dwarves seem not to mind the dark as they continued down the road moving quickly. Sara, however, kept stepping in the ruts and divots in the road and painfully jarring her tender ribs.

"Fili?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, what is it?" he whispered back.

"I can't see. Who has my headlamp?"

"I do," he replied. "But you can't use it Sara."

"Why not?" she groused. "I keep stepping in the dips in the road." As if to illustrate this, her foot dropped several inches further than she had been expecting, and she stumbled forward into Fili, hissing in pain as he caught her. Fili and Kili came to a halt.

"What's wrong sis?" asked Kili.

"She can't see where to put her feet," said Fili to his brother. "She will twist an ankle or re-injure her ribs at this rate." The company was still moving quickly leaving them behind.

"Well what about her portable light?" suggested Kili.

"Do I really have to explain it to you too?" said Fili sounding exasperated. He released Sara who took a step back and would have stepped into the same divot had Fili not grabbed her arm gently. "If we use her light, the Orcs could see it, and we are trying to put as much distance between us and them, not let them know our exact location."

"Oh yeah, I suppose you're right," said Kili glumly. "Well what can we do? She can't see. She could hurt herself or get lost."

"I suppose we will have to guide you ourselves," said Fili, grabbing one of her forearms. "Kili take her other arm," and together the guided her quickly but relatively surly for the rest of their trek through the dark. They walked for what seemed like hours, the moon climbing high into the sky behind the clouds. Bilbo it seemed was having some difficulty as well, as he held onto the coattails of Bofur who spoke gently to him informing him of obstacles in their way. Sara was sure the sun would be rising any minute and her ribs ached when Thorin had finally called a halt. He led them cautiously up a small hill and between some large rocks and then turned to the group.

"We will rest here for a few hours. Do not unpack, simply layout. We must be able to move on quickly and quietly should we need to. We will light no fires, and you will be as silent as possible. Come sunrise we will move again. Nori, Bofur, you will take watch. Stay low in the rocks and do not be seen." The others were now sinking onto the ground trying to find the best patch of earth to sleep on. Fili and Kili still has her hands and Bilbo's also, as Bofur had moved off to take up position on watch, grumbling all the way. Thorin moved to stand in front of them, those Sarah was not sure who it was until he spoke.

"Ms. Sara, I hope you understand when I say that for the time being, you will have to forego your private shelter. It is too bulky, to brightly colored, and would be a hindrance to your safety should the orcs catch us. For the time being, you will have to sleep with the rest of us, and I would prefer you to sleep in the interior of the group, and not on the edge. Bofur had apparently not moved out of earshot just yet.

"If I weren't on watch lass, you could sleep next to me." he called in a sultry tone. Thorin opened his mouth to answer the presumptuous dwarf but Fili beat him to it.

"Over my dead body," he said. "No heart sister of mine will be sleeping anywhere near you." He sucked in a breath looking to Thorin for his reaction to his words.

"It was only a joke lad," called Bofur's voice.

"It was a poor joke," came Thorin's rumble from beside Sara. "Get to your post toymaker." They heard footsteps recede. All was still for some moments as the three waited on tenterhooks for Thorin to speak.

"Since when, do my sister sons take a heart sister?" asked Thorin his voice low and his tone demanding an answer.

"Uncle we…" began Kili.

"Since the orc scout," stated Fili. "But in truth I feel as though a long time before that."

"And does Ms. Sara understand the weight of your offer, such as it is?" asked Thorin his voice heavy with implication. Neither prince said a word. "By your silence, I take it that no, you have not explained to Ms. Sara properly. You do her a disservice."

"I am determined uncle," said Fili with more bravado than Sara would have been able to muster. "I will make her my heart sister. She has already accepted my offer." Thorin's eyes flicked to Sara, but his eyes were unreadable.

"Indeed, are you?" questioned Thorin. "And how long will your determination stand against my sister, your mother?" They were silent again. "That's what I thought," said Thorin, and he stepped away to speak softly to Balin. Kili squeezed her hand softly.

"What was that all about?" asked Sara but they did not reply as they pulled her towards the others.

"Come on Sara, let's find a place to sleep." said Kili ignoring her question. In the end she wound up between Bilbo and Kili with Fili on the hobbit's other side. The day had been long and exhausting and it took Sara some time to find a comfortable position. She had cracked the ribs on her left side, her preferred side for sleep, but soon enough she was dreaming.

After what seemed like mear minutes, Sara I woke with a painful start, and for a moment she was afraid; the dream she had been having still vivid in her mind; but the hot breath near her neck was not that of a monstrous wolf but Kili who have moved closer to her in his sleep his hand grasping her arm. She looked to her right and saw Bilbo and Fili sleeping peacefully. Sara sat up slowly, careful not to waken her companions or jostle her ribs and looked around. She was surrounded by sleeping dwarfs, most curled up with their heads on their packs, though some leaned against the great rocks such as Bifur and Thorin were. Gandalf and was missing again. She spotted Bofur asleep, his hat still jammed on his head, at the outside of the group. She looked towards the setting moon and made out two silhouettes, those clearly belonging to Nori and Dwalin. Sara stood and made her way through the live obstacle course to where the pair on guard sat their backs to her. Thorin's blue eyes watched her go, before closing again, a frown on his lips as he tried to find sleep again.

"Morning lass," said Dwalin. She came to stand between the two. "Can't sleep?" asked the warrior.

"Not very well" she said rubbing at her ribs and trying to ignore the stinging sensation in her stomach. Nori moved from his rock and gestured for her to sit. She gladly sank down upon the offered seat. "My ribs hurt." she confessed.

"Ya were having a nightmare to I would wager," said Dwalin, as Nori sat down in the dirt. She nodded a bit embarrassed.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"We saw your tossing and turning in your sleep," said Nori. "Though almost being eaten by warg would be cause enough to suspect anyone of nightmares." They were quiet for a long moment before Sara's belly gave a particularly loud growl. Dwalin chuckled, and Nori began to fish in his coat for something. Sara became acutely aware of how long she had been without food, for she had missed the previous evening meal in all the commotion of the night before. Nori had found what he was searching for and offered her a hunk of bread and something that felt like leather, but she could not quite see in the gloom.

"Thank you," she said taking a bite of the bread. "Where did you get this?" she asked.

"He's a ruddy sneak thief, who takes more than his share," said Dwalin from his own rock. It was Nori's turn to chuckle softly.

"Well I for one am glad that you are Mr. Nori." she said taking another bite her mouth still full. "Thank you I really am hungry." She took a bite of the other thing he had given her. It tasted like jerky and was really tasty. She ate in silence for a while listening to the insects as she chewed and swallowed.

"Does your offer still stand?" she asked when she had finished. The sky was beginning to brighten behind them.

"Aye, it does," said Dwalin softly. "If ya have a mind to accept it. Though I have not talked with Thorin yet."

"I don't care anymore," she said pulling her coat closer to her body a shiver wriggling up her spine. "I want to be trained."

"We thought you might feel that way after yesterday," said Nori his eyes roving the horizon for movement. "Nothing like a near-death experience to spur one into action."

"It's more than that," she said slowly. "I almost cost Fili his life. He was to busy trying to keep my safe that he almost died himself. I don't want that to happen again, with anyone."

"Ya can train all ya want lass, but I don't think there's a dwarf here who would hesitate to protect ya. It's in our nature, no matter how capable ya are." replied Dwalin turning to face her now. Sara huffed loudly.

"I still want to learn," she said. "Even if you are all prone to being overprotective mother hens." Nori whistled quietly between his teeth. "Sorry I didn't mean it to come out just like that," she backpedaled.

"It's alright Ms. Sara we know what you meant," said Nori "I was only teasing."

"I just don't want to be the reason that one of you gets hurt or killed. That would be horrible," she meekly.

"As soon as yer well then lass, we will begin." assured the warrior. They sat watching the moon sink below the horizon as the sky behind them turn to pink.

"What happened to Bofur?" she asked suddenly remembering that he and not Dwalin was supposed to be on the watch.

"That sleepy sod kept nodding off on post, so I sent him to bed and woke Dwalin," said Nori. "Did I hear right, Fili and Kili intend to make you a heart sister?" he asked.

"I guess so," said Sara. "Though Thorin didn't seem pleased about it."

"I'm not surprised," said Dwalin. "But I suspect ya will have more trouble with Lady Dis when the time comes."

"Thorin said something to that effect. He didn't seem to think Fili and Kili stood much of a chance" Nori snorted loudly. "He also made it sound like a heart sister is a bigger deal than the boys were letting on." She looked to Dwalin. "What did he mean?"

Dwalin's eyes shifted behind him and he straightened a bit in his seat. "That is for your intended heart brothers to explain," he said. "But I would advise you to think it over before you agree to anything, though I suppose it may not matter, as yer not likely to meet Lady Dis for quite some time, if ever." Sara looked to Nori but he just shook his head. She shrugged her shoulders, determined to pester answers out of the boys later. As the sun crept over the horizon Nori stood brushing himself off.

"I best wake Thorin" he said turning, but then froze.

"No need Nori," came Thorin's voice from behind Sara. "I'm up." He came to stand between Dwalin and her, eyeing her carefully. She held her breath wondering how long he had been there behind them. "Anything to report?" he finally asked.

"Nothing as of yet," said Nori.

"Good. Let's keep it that way." Sara breathed a little sigh of relief as a dwarf king turned and with the help of the two sentries began to wake the others. In five minutes they were all up and on the road again. They were now traveling through a more open country and had left the forest behind them sometime last night. Thorin pushed them to a faster pace then the night before alternating between a brisk walk and a light jog all day with a few small breaks. Sara had had a hard time keeping up as a jogging pained both her stomach and ribs, and several times throughout the day she took her pain pills which were running very low. Oin had looked her over and reapplied his save to her stomach at the midday break. He expressed concern at the red swelling he found. Oin asked Thorin when they could expect to restock their supplies and it was then that the dwarf king told the group of his and Gandalf intent to go to Imladris. Almost all the dwarves have complained loudly, but none so loudly as Dwalin. The only dwarf who seemed to take their plan in stride was Balin. Bilbo seem to have perked up at the mention of their destination but Sara was at a loss, not recognizing the name. She turned to Fili and Kili who stayed beside her all day and asked "What is Imladris?" It was Bilbo who answered.

"Imladris is the name given to the home of Lord Elrond," said Bilbo excitedly.

"Oh! Rivendale!" said Sara forgetting herself. "Oh, I've always wanted to see that place."

"So have I," said Bilbo, now practically bobbing with pleasure. "I've always wanted to go and visit the elves." Bifur was nearby watching the little group talk, a small frown on his lips.

"Why would you want to see the elves?" asked Kili wrinkling his nose with disdain as he watched Sara and Bilbo talk excitedly.

"Why not!" Sara said. "In my world, in all the stories that have elves in them, they are awesome!" Fili and Kili just shook their heads not understanding their two queer companions. The arguing between the other dwarves had risen in volume.

"Enough!" roared Thorin. "We are going to the hidden valley. I myself am no more pleased about it then you are but…"

"Then why are we going there at all?" interrupted Dwalin. Many of the others muttered their accent. Thorin opened his mouth to reply but was again interrupted.

"We go there because we have no other choice," came Gandalf's voice as he reappeared to stand next to the Thorin.

"Where have you been?" asked Gloin waspishly. Gloin had also strongly protested their current plan of action. The wizard looked down his nose at the dwarf in question.

"I went to scout our way ahead," came the wizard's cool reply.

"And what brought you back to us?" asked Dori.

"Looking back and seeing a troop of fools arguing on the roadside," said the wizard. "One would think you'd have more sense than to waste time arguing a moot point out in the open."

"I will not go to the elves," growled Dwalin determinedly.

"Then where pray tell would you go?" snapped Gandalf. "Any home who took you in would then fall prey to the orc pack which is indeed trailing you. Would you be so poor a house guest to wish that upon your unsuspecting host?" The burly dwarf dropped his baleful gaze from the wizard's muttering under his breath. "If you have any better ideas master dwarf, then I suggest you share them, if not keep your biased opinions to yourself. In the meantime we make for Rivendale"

They were up and moving again in a matter of minutes, though there was still some muttering among the elder dwarves. Thorin seemed even more determined to make it to Rivendale as Gandalf had said that they could reach it by midday tomorrow. It was after dark when they finally stopped and climbed another small hill, this one topped with trees. The princes had been guiding Sara for the past hour, as it had once again grown too dark for her to see. Bilbo too had to be helped along and it was Balin who guided the small hobbit through the dark. Sara's ribs burned, in fact all of her seemed rather hot and she shucked off her coat and laid it down on the grass dropping onto it carefully, spread eagle on her back.

"Aren't ya going to be cold like that lass? Ya never go without yer fuzzy coat." called Bofur as he lay down nearby. Sara shook her head and moaned to tired and uncomfortable to form coherent words. The boys came to lie on either side of her, and Bilbo settled near Bofur, but Sara Miller was fast asleep before they had even laid down.

For the second night in a row Sara jerked awake painfully. Again she was surrounded by snoring dwarves. So much for being quiet, she thought as she got to her feet, grabbing her coat off the ground. She noted that the Thorin and Balin were missing and surmised they had taken the night's watch. She thought to check the time, but her phone had been dead for several days as there had not been much time for charging it, or really anything at all except the steady beat your feet on the road. To be honest she was not even sure who had her charger at this point. She had not even changed her clothes since the morning of the orc attack and she wrinkled her nose just thinking about the state of her socks.

Sara saw what she was fairly sure was Balin at the edge of the trees, and not seeing Thorin nearby she picked her way over arms and legs to where the elderly dwarf sat. She hoped that sleeping in the group would not become a permanent thing for it would make nightly trips to the toilet more complicated than they needed to be. Tripping over a grumpy sleepy dwarf in the dark with a full bladder was the last thing that Sara wanted to do. When she came up beside Balin he turned his face up to her; the moon was waning crescent and very bright on this clear night allowing her to dimly make out his welcoming expression.

"Hello Balin," she said sitting down next to him and pulling her coat closer around her shoulders.

"Hello Sara. What's has you up so early?" he asked.

"I can't seem to stay warm, and my dreams are bothering me again," she confessed as she let her gaze wander over the grassy expanse before her.

"I would imagine they are," said Balin. "How are your injuries?"

"My ribs are killing me, and I'm almost out of Tylenol," she said. She thought she saw a figure moving through the tall grass at the base of their little hill and pointed it out to Balin quietly.

"That's just Thorin," replied the dwarf as he drew his pipe from his coat pocket.

"What's he doing down there?" asked Sara.

"He's too restless to sleep or sit, so he sent Gloin back to bed and has been patrolling around our hill for hours now."

"A restless Thorin?" she said and with an eyebrow raised. "That's something I would not expect. He always seemed so collected. What could even do that to him?" she asked.

"Orcs," was Balin's only reply.

"Orcs?" she asked. "I still don't get it. I mean I get that they're scary enough for me, but I have seen Thorin and Dwalin spar and I wouldn't think that anything short of a dragon could make Thorin's knees knock." Balin eyed her carefully.

"You say some very odd things sometimes," he said. "Thorn has more reason than most to fear and hate orcs." They heard a throat clear behind them and Sara jumped before turning to see Bilbo standing in the gloom.

"May I join you?" he asked meekly.

"Surely, come join us Master Baggins." said Balin. "The more eyes and ears on watch the better; my eyes are not what they used to be."

Bilbo came to sit on the dwarfs other side and after a moment asked. "Is that Thorin down there?" Balin nodded.

"He's patrolling," said Sara. "What has you awake Bilbo?" As if in answer Bilbo's middle gave an indignant growl.

"An empty stomach is a hobbit's worst nightmare, but one that has been empty for so long is simply unbearable," groused Bilbo.

"I'm sorry laddie, but there is no food to be had till we reach the elves." commiserated Balin. "Try smoking to distract yourself. I find that often works." Bilbo drew fourth his pipe, and soon they sat in silence puffing away. Sara watched Thorin circle the hill three more times.

"Balin," she asked finally. "Why does Thorin hate orcs so much? I mean yes anyone would, but you said more than most. Why is he down there for patrolling?" Balin let out a long sigh.

"After Smaug took Erebor and while Thorin was still very young, younger than Fili or Kili even, his grandfather King Thror tried to take back the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria from the orcs who had overrun it. We fought legions of orcs who were led by the most vile of their race, Azog the Defiler." Sara felt a shiver crawl up her spine at the mention of the name and she drew her hood over her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "This giant Gundabad orc had sworn to personally wipe wut the kings line of Durin."

"What exactly is the kings line of Durin? I've heard that before," asked Sara as she shifted in her seat.

"The line of Durin is the line of Thorin's ancestors leading back to Durin the Deathless, the first dwarf to ever be. Thorin, Fili, and Kili are the only direct male descendants left of the kings line," said Balin. "To this day our kings have always been direct descendants to Durin." he explained.

"So if the only three of kings line left are with us," asked Bilbo lowering his pipe. "What happened to Thror and Thorin's father?" A dark look came over the dwarfs lined face as he answered.

"Azog began by beheading our King. Thorin's father Thrain was driven mad with grief, we still do not know if he was taken prisoner or killed. Thorin was the last person to see him as he led a charge against the pale orc. Thorin still believes his father to be alive, but our people did not hold much hope."

"That's terrible." said Sara quietly. Bilbo's pipe lay forgotten in his hand. "What happened?" she asked.

"We were leaderless and defeat and death were upon us" continued Balin and his face began to brighten a bit. "That is when I saw him, Thorin, a young dwarf prince facing down the pale orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken."

"He did this at what age again?" asked Sara impressed.

"He was fifty three during the battle for Moria," said Balin smiling down at her.

"So … like seventeen in human years. Not even a full adult." she whistled lowly.

"Aye," said Balin. "He was very young."

"What happened with the battle and Azog?" asked Bilbo, ever the one to want all the loose ends tied up neat and tidy.

"Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back." Here Balin paused and took a deep steadying breath, his pipe also forgotten in his hand. Sara and Bilbo waited patiently for him to continue. "Our enemy had been defeated, but there was no feast or song that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. It was this battle that bestowed both the kingship and the name Oakenshield on Thorin." Sara sat quietly digesting the dwarf's words.

"And Azog? What happened to him?" asked the hobbit.

"That question, Master Baggins, has never been satisfactorily answered," said Gandalf coming to stand behind the small group.

"Thorin believes Azog to be dead," said Balin watching the dwarf king circle once again. "But there has never been any proof to substantiate this, other than he has not been seen or heard from since."

"Much like Thrain," said the wizard. There they were all quiet for a while.

"Well that explains a lot about Thorin," said Sara as she shivered in her seat. "Why is it so cold?" she complained rubbing her arms. Balin looked to her, concern clear on his face.

"It's not a particularly cold night lass, in fact it's rather warm." he said. Bilbo nodded, drawing on his pipe again.

"Well I'm freezing. I'm going to go back to bed and try and get a few hours of sleep." She rose and dusted herself off gently, still sore. "Who knows, maybe Kili will roll over again in his sleep and keep me warm." she said sarcastically.

Balin chuckled. "Kili has always been quite the snuggler. It used to be all Thorin could do to get the lad to sleep in his own bed as a child"

"I noticed that," said Sara ruefully. "Goodnight," she called softly as she left them.