Concerning Hobbits

Pansy ran after the hoard of Goblins ducking under rocks at any time they looked back. Gripping her crossbow tightly her arms shook with intimidation. Could she be of any help? “I’ve not any other choice” she thought with gulp as she ran out from her rock to follow the Goblins. “AH!” she shouted quickly firing an un-aimed arrow at the Goblin whom had jumped in front of her as if he had fallen from the ceiling. She opened her shut eyes slowly to find the Goblin lay dead on the ground. “I did it” she whispered gawking at the body. Her arrow lodged in the chest of the sickening creature. She looked up at the tunnel ahead of her with a new found determination, running she snatched her arrow from the Goblins chest and sprinted down the passageway. She thought she had lost them, but soon she could hear the Goblins dreadful singing. They had gurgling cruel laughs and were off key to a tremendous level. Pansy could hear the lashing and cracking of whips and the struggling of her Dwarf company. She ran cursing her feet for not being fast enough. “If you need help, hoot once like a brown owl” she could hear Kili’s voice in her head “and once like a barn owl” she heard Fili’s. Pansy tucked her bow under her arm and cupped her hands around her mouth and began to hoot. Never mind knowing what specific sounds different owl’s make. A hoot of any kind, deep in Goblin caverns should serve as enough of a signal.

Kili’s head shot up and he stopped his struggling, faintly in the distance he could hear a crude hooting. Certainly no owl he had ever heard before, but its tone was familiar. He looked over to his brother whom seemed to have heard it as well. “Sounds like someone’s having owl for dinner” One of the goblins chuckled in a pitchy little sneer. “Rare find in these parts, mighty tasty, sound on its last leg, it does” said another. Kili was at a loss, it could not have been a call for help, as Pansy had to have known very well that they had been captured. Was she trying to help them? The only thing he could think to do was buy time. Kili halted refusing to be pushed along further by the Goblins. Digging his heels into the ground he became dead weight. Being so much taller than the Goblins leading him it took a good handful to even try and heave him along. Fili followed suite, heavily annoyed by now of the little pests, he drew back his foot and kicked one in the shin. It yowled and lashed at him with its whip, “Fili!” Thorin called out at his nephew’s yell. Kili kicked the same Goblin again “Ey don’t touch him!” Kili barked.

Pansy followed the tunnel she had not realized just how far behind she had fallen, but she could finally hear them louder now. She readied her crossbow as she ran. Notching in an arrow she came to a halt with the Goblin hoard in view. Unseen for the moment, she took in a deep breath and took stance and aim. She followed each step as she remembered Kili teaching her. Blushing lightly remembering and trying to envision in her head how he positioned her arms and legs. She glared as a Goblin went to lash its whip forward at Kili who with Fili was giving them quiet the time. She fired, her hand slipped a bit and through off her aim, however she still struck him. The Goblin cried out in a loud wail as it held its arm looking over the arrow that had lodged into it. “Missed” Pansy muttered bitterly fumbling to get another arrow ready, she no longer had time to aim, she hide behind a rock to wait for a good time. “What was that?” a goblin asked “phantom archers?” Asked another “sneaky very sneaky” spat yet another one. Pansy’s heart raced as she prepared herself to try again, she climbed up the rock and tried to take aim. “Little Baggins!” Kili called out much to Pansy’s dismay “Kili!” she barked as Goblins turned their attention to her, Thorin rolled his eyes, he had knew she was there for a while now and he had caught a sense of her plan. Leave it to Kili to unroot said plan. Pansy quickly fired off her arrow and the Goblins advanced at her, but she had not aimed properly and only managed to hit one in its eye. It was enough to stop it but it wasn’t dead. Four Goblins rushed her, Pansy rolled off the rock and through the goblins to the other side of them. She pulled out her dagger and held it in front of her awkwardly she didn’t know how to weld it. “Catch it!” A goblin cackled “its sweet meat tonight” He added in a hungry grumble. Pansy all at once became frightened and nauseous the last thing she wanted to be was someone’s meal. Frozen by her fear a goblin seized the chance and lashed its whip at her, the whip wrapped around her wrists binding her. Pansy yelled at the stinging pain and then after fear as four more goblins circled her. “Silly wrench!” it sneered yanking the whip Pansy fell to the ground. Another goblin kicked her in the side “Get up!” “Leave her alone!” a few of the dwarves called out. Wide eyed Pansy tried to get to her feet, as she got up to her hands and knees it kicked her gain “I said up!” “Pick on something matched for you!” Kili called out fighting against his bonds. “Pansy had fallen back down to the ground but made quick business of standing up. The Goblin giggled giddy, being such hateful creature this was great fun. With a loud snap of a whip the goblins herded the group onward into the caverns.

Pansy’s heart sank she saw that they were being lead who a whole Goblin city. Ahead of them on a crudely crafter throne of old wood and bones, sat the largest Goblin one could have ever imaged. With a massive head he did not seem to sport a neck of any kind behind a long flap like beard of flesh. His skin riddled in boils and bumps, enflamed and filthy, abnormal and suggestive of disease. Viciously demented bloodshot eyes, large and unblinking. Even at a distance he wreaked of foul and terrible smells. Spotting the group the large goblin hurled himself off of his throne and onto the ground. Bending over he squinted at the group “who are this miserable persons, who should be so bold to come into my kingdom!” he bellowed. Pansy shrunk down, maybe if she made herself seem smaller she would go unnoticed, she was already very little but every bit would help. For all she could think of was very unpleasant things. She had read about this creatures in her book and even the shire folk knew of them for Goblin where very common. As crafty as the best of dwarves but as cruel and unforgiving as the lands of Mordor. They liked no one and hated everyone, taking pride on the kills and not sending any unfortunate soul to waste as all became their meals. Pansy eyed the Goblin King’s crown which looked to be made of rope and rib bones. “Dwarves, and this!” Called a Goblin urging two of the ones that held Pansy to come forward. “no! no, wait!” she stammered as she was pushed to the front falling to her knees as she tripped over a loose plank of the alarmingly unsound wooden road. She kneeled there petrified. The Goblin King Eyed her “We found them sheltering in our Front Porch.” Said a Goblin driver. “Up to no good, I'll merit! Snooping on the private business of my people, I predict! Thieves, Murderers and friends of Elves, not unlikely! Come! What have you got to say?” The King called out, but the group remained silent. The dwarves each leering at the Goblin King with an immense amount of animosity. “Well do not stand there search them!” He called Pansy looked around trying to avoid the grubby fingers of the Goblins as the pulled her to her feet and groped at her clothing, and finger through bocks, plucked through her bag, and even pulled at her hair. “Every crack and every Crevasse!” The Goblin King added. Tears slipped down Pansy’s face, she had never felt as violated of her personal space, no had she ever seen such lewdness and vulgarity shown to anyone in her life.

“What have you to say?!” The king called once gain he received nothing but hateful glances and silence. Pansy looked around at the dwarves “Speak!” he ordered growing ever more impatient. “Well, if they won’t talk, let them squawk!” The Goblin King called out in amusement. Goblins lining the walls of the city cheered and clapped at the thought of such a horrible show. “Bring up the mangler!” He called “Bring up the Bone Breaker!” He crowed, Pansy’s legs shook “Start with the youngest!” The Goblin King cheered. “n-n-no!” Pansy said in a peep trying to find her voice as she took a step forward. “Pansy Baggins…t-the hobbit at you-your s-service!” she stammered curtsying in false respect “Of the things which you dub us and imagine us to be, we had no thought of at all. We sheltered from a storm in what seemed a convenient cave and unused, you see we had been caught in a battle between three stone giants, we needed rest that is all; nothing was further from our thoughts than inconveniencing goblins in any way.” Pansy spoke her voice was small and she felt even smaller. Almost cowering her body curled over to protect itself much like a whipped dog would. She found she could not keep eye contact with the Goblin King, the site of him made her Ill. He smirked amused and feeding off of her fear “you lie!” he chuckled grabbing a hand full of her hair, Pansy yelped “no! Not at all! Honest, I tell not but the truth” Pansy pleaded. “And for your lies you will go first out of the youngest!” the Goblin King called picking her up and lifting her into the air by her arms. Pansy’s heart stopped and dropped to her toes, her mouth hung open as she looked at the King Horrified. “Wait!” Thorin called over the cheering sea of Goblins. Pansy gasped and looked down at him kicking her feet slightly “well well well Look who we have here!” the Goblin King cheered “Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror!” The Goblin king roared “King under the Mountain” He chuckled mocking Thorin he bowed in a foolish manner.

Kili’s eyes darted between his Uncle and the Goblin king, Pansy stopped flailing under the Goblin King’s Grip. Thorin stared at him not in hate but in irritation, He was losing patience with the Goblin King, he was losing patience with the string of unfortunate events. “But I’m forgetting, you don’t have a mountain!” The Goblin king jeered an unpleasant grin coming to his large face. “And you not a king, which makes you” The Goblin king paused Thorin glanced down for a moment resisting any urge to retaliate “nothing really” The Goblin breathed, making the words last as long as he could. “Pansy began to flail around again kicking furiously trying to swing her body around “You fat old nasty! That’s not true!” she barked, cheeks puffed out like an angry toddler she squinted her eyes at the Goblin King. “Look behind him, he’s got an army! One so strong it only takes those few, and He does have a Mountain! One of Grand halls and hidden Jewels, a fortress like no other!” she yapped some more finally kicking her legs hard enough to swing her body, “and you’re in the way!” she growled with her farthest swing she kicked the Goblin king in the gut. With a grunt he dropped Pansy to the ground and she rolled landing at Thorin’s feet. She glared at the Goblin king who snarled at her “you little worm!” he bellowed. “You’re just mad! That your City is filthy, and decided. No one talks about your city not in song, history and any tale, not on its own.” Pansy took in a breath “and” Thorin pulled Pansy to her feet in shock of the quick act Pansy stopped in the middle of her statement “Pansy enough” Thorin growled pushing her behind him, “do not make things worse” he scolded Pansy lowered her head “but” she muttered “no” Thorin warned.

The Goblin King chuckled to himself and the laughed loudly, Thorin gave him his attention “No mater!” The Giant Goblin roared, he then snorted, and with a crazed look he leaned down a little closer to Thorin’s height. Pansy gripped Thorin’s sleeve and shrunk back behind him, biting her nails fretful “I know someone, who would pay a pretty price for your head” Said the King, he was calm now, far to calm for pansy’s liking. She had chalked the Goblin King up to being boastful and loud, but this knew tone, was sly and coy. The Goblin king then simpered a dangerous look danced in his buggy bloodshot eyes. “Just the head” he added with a bit of amusement “Nothing attached” Pansy gripped Thorin’s sleeve tighter and tugged him back a bit however Thorin shook his arm free of her and glared crossly now at the Goblin king. “Perhaps you know of who I speak” The Goblin went on Pansy looked back to Kili whom shook his head, her eyes went to Fili who shook his head as well, “an old enemy of yours, The Pale Orc astride a white Warg.” The Goblin was almost singing as he spoke, anticipation building, waiting for Thorin’s reaction. Thorin’s gaze became hard “Azuk The Defiler was destroyed” Thorin spoke at last, be it softly but his voice rose “He was slain in battle long ago!” he roared the Goblin King was getting the reaction he had wanted “so you think his defiling days are over do you?” The Goblin king spoke in a dark tone and was very quiet, he looked Thorin in the eyes and chuckled hobbling over to a small round Goblin about the size of a human infant. Pansy was becoming more and more nauseated by these deformed rank creatures. “send word to The Pale Orc, tell him I have found his prize” The Goblin King ordered, without another word the little goblin swung away on its zip line seat into the darkness of the caves, giggling giddy at the evil task, quite pleased.

Pansy looked on as Thorin looked to the ground, his eyes darted from left to right, trying to figure out if this was just a ruse as Goblins were tricky untruthful creatures, or if it was an ill-fated truth. Pansy was no longer concerned with the Goblins, if this Azuk was really alive, it was him who she was afraid of, she would rather stay here within the Goblin city and risk the “mangler” than meet with him. True Thorin stopped him once, but none of the dwarves, not even Thorin were in any shape to take on such a foe, not after having escaping the rock ogres, and certainly not after having to put up a fight against the Goblins. Pansy backed up as the Goblin King returned to them, Drums were being beaten, and Pansy could see a large contraption made of wood being pushed into view, she gulped as the Goblin King began to dance and sing gleefully “bones will be shattered, neck will be rung you be beaten and battered form racks you’ll be hung!” The King sang Pansy cringed as Goblins surrounded her and the dwraves, pushing through them “Die down here and never be found, here in the heart of Goblin town!” The King sung off key, Pansy yelp darting away from a Goblin that had tried to grab her. She ran to Kili but stopped as He was trying to push two goblins off of him “Let go!” she called kicking her feet in protest as two goblins took her one buy each arm. “Let me go!” She called again.

A Goblin shrieked in a sudden burst of terror and threw the elvish blade Thorin had found to the ground after partially removing it from its sheath. The two Goblin holding Pansy let her go and the Giant Goblin King, leaped his enormous body back into his thrown, cowering like a cat before a washing. “I know that sword!” The Goblin king squawked scrambling to get higher into the chair, eyes wide. Pansy had fallen back onto her rear her eyes landed on the sword but went to the Goblin king her jaw had fallen in awe of his reaction “It is the Goblin Cleaver!” he yelled, the Goblins became enraged and advanced on the dwarves, beating and whipping at them with flogs and whips. Pansy screamed as she dodged a whip, looking up she could see another Goblin ready to lash at her. She gasped and quickly pulled free the Dagger Thorin had given her, she gripped it with both hands and thrust her arms forward. The Goblin made a gurgling noise and fell dead. Another Goblin seeing this raised his flog from behind her it growled and Pansy turned around to see it bringing it’s flog down, She screamed and covered her head. She could hear the impacted but it wasn’t on herself, looking up Thorin had taken the blows as now two Goblins were battering him. Pansy trembled looking around franticly as they were all suffering from wither whips or flogs, some bats. “The Blade that sliced a thousand necks!” The Goblin King went on, Pansy looked to the blade that still lay on the ground and then to the Goblin King. Noise started to rumble in her ears, the Moaning and Creaking, but where was it coming from. It was getting louder and louder as her anxiety and fear grew. A few rocks fell loose from the top of the cave as well as a few pebbles and dust. A goblin looked up curiously but shrugged it off. “Slash them! Beat them!, Kill them!” The Goblin King called. Pansy’s eyes darted around to her company as the Goblins became more and more violent, her heart raced with every blow a Dwarf received, Two launched themselves at Thorin taking him to the ground, and two towered above her now grinning and chuckling. One flicked back it’s whips and lashed it forward. “No!” Pansy screamed shutting her eyes, she heard that rumbling, and shortly after and sickening crunch, the splintering of wood, and terrified cries from a Goblin. Opening her eyes she could see a large rock had fallen landing on the goblin it tore through the wooden road and now Goblin and boulder were falling into the bottomless shadow.

The second Goblin backed away, Pansy glared at it, and another Boulder fell form the cave, but the Goblin evaded it. Pansy watched in amazement “did I?” she thought looking up at the top of the cave. No, no certainly she had not, it was just a bit of much deserved (and long overdue) luck. “Kill them all!” The king ordered. Pansy’s hood fell over her face as she rushed to her feet, she had forgotten she was wearing her cloak, she went to remove the obstruction away from her face she remembered the Rock giants, and she remembered something else. Looking up she swung her cloak off of her back, running to Balin who was being beaten heavily she wrapped him and herself into the cloak which expanded quickly to fit them. Seeing that they were protected from the blows Balin quickly took his sword and stabbed threw the cloak killing the Goblin. Pansy remove the cloak and the two looked at each other. Pansy was shocked it really worked but she was grateful. “Cut off his head!” the Goblin King commanded. Pansy looked around to see who was under this new attack. She spotted Thorin on the ground a goblin hovering over him with a blade above his head. Pansy tugged on Balin’s arm and pointed, the two made for Thorin. Goblins tried to get in there way, Boulders of all sizes fell from the cave top, and the rumbling came back into Pansy’s ears. The Boulders were taking out the Goblins that would try and block her and Balin’s way. But the crowd was still far too thick and the Goblin was bringing down the Blade above Thorin. Pansy went to scream as a blinding light as pure as the heavens rushed through with a tremendous wind and a thunderous roar. The wind knocked Pansy to the ground, with her she took down three goblins, Goblins flew left and right through the air. Thorin exhaled in shock and relief as the goblin whom had the intentions of beheading him had been pushed off by this marvelous light. Just as quickly as the light arrive it dissipated in a puff of fog and all became dark , Goblin Town was no longer lit buy it’s crude torches.

Pansy pushed herself up whipping her hair out of her face her eyes rose to the shadowed figure that advanced towards them. It couldn’t be him? No they were days and days head but, “a wizard arrives exactly when he means to” Pansy said in awe looking on, some fires revived themselves on the torches and in the Light she saw his face “Gandalf” she whispered breathlessly the Goblins around her started to rise “take up arms, fight!” Gandalf called out “fight!” he roared again, Thorin reached and grabbed The Goblin Cleaver and swung it into the neck of the Goblin above him, it’s head rolled to the ground with horrified eyes. Thorin got to his feet and rushed at the next Goblin to head his way, likewise as if awakened all of the Dwarfs readied their weapons and fought back. Gandalf fought his way over to Pansy and helped her to her feet, He nodded at her and continued on Pansy’s eyes scanned the room for a high place, but there was none that she could reach without rope. She ran to the King’s throne “it’s the Foe Hammer!” he cried laying on the floor arms wrapped around the legs of his throne and she watched Gandalf in fear. “Shut up already!” Pansy muttered as she hopped onto his large stomach to get onto the throne, the Goblin king grunted in pain, Pansy climbed to the very top of the chair, it crackled a bit and some pieces splintered but she managed to stand up steadily. She draw her cross bow and fired randomly into the fray. Kili felt an arrow whizz by him, it did not hit any form of target, He looked behind him to Pansy and smiled “remember, take your time! You need to take aim!” He called out to her while slicing through another Goblin. Pansy closed one eye and stuck her out of the corner of her mouth as she took aim, she had her eyes set on a Goblin near Ori, but her target changed as a Goblin rushed Kili and Fili from Behind. Pansy gasped and released the string she watched paying it would hit the mark as the Goblin raised its blade. “Bright as daylight!” the Goblin King ranted on.

Kili and Fili turned around to see a Goblin had a blade raised over their heads, but it was not bringing it down. It had wide eyes and its mouth was open, blood tricking down from its corners. Kili and Fili looked around to the Goblins back to see an arrow sticking out. Kili looked up to see Pansy still in a firing stance. Pansy smiled and pumped her fist “got him!” she cheered, but in her excitement she lost her balance, “no, no , nono, no!” she yelped as she fell sideways off of the throne, as she did this the Goblin king as risen and went into the battle “Thorin!” Fili called, Thorin turned quickly to meet the Kings attack. Blocking with the elvish blade caused the large Goblin to stumble backwards onto the throne. Pansy looked up in a silent fear, she lay on the ground and found that shock held her still as she watched the Goblin king stumble back onto the throne, breaking it and falling back off of the wooden road. Thorin froze, Pansy rolled evading him but as the King groped for something to hold onto he grabbed her leg. Pansy screamed at the top of her lungs at a pitch so high it could probably be heard from miles above the surface. Thorin grabbed her arms and dug his feet into the wood, pulling but the weight of the Goblin King was too great and the most he could do was hold her there. “Thorin!” she cried kicking her feet trying desperately to free herself from the Goblin King. Thorin grunted loudly as he tried pulling her back up but only slid back into their original place. The Goblin King tried to climb up Pansy like a Ladder causing her to cry more. “Thorin!” she called again, she could feel her hands slipping. “ Hold on!” Thorin called but his feet slipped more causing Pansy to scream. “Pansy! Thorin!” Kili called seeing them fast two Goblins he had been battling, he pushed past them and darted towards his Uncle. Grabbing one of Pansy’s hands he to pulled “Kili!” Pansy called kicked more to set herself free from the Goblin king. The Large Goblin lost his grip a bit and slide down Pansy’s back, but had a hold of her ankles his arms wrapped around them tightly she could no longer kick her feet and his grip was tight. “Fili!” Kili called out to his brother as he and Thorin slid further and closer to the edge, Pansy screaming more.

“Fili! Help!” Kili called out again, Fili looked around franticly and spotted them, he made quick work of his foe and dashed to his brother. He grabbed the same arm Thorin had a hold of. “Pull!” Thorin called and all three Males pulled with all the might they had left. Pansy closed her eyes and the whole cave shook. Kili, Fili and Thorin looked up to see the cave top was crumbling, rocks tumbled through the air, one knocking the Goblin King in the head, he cried out in pain and released Pansy falling into the dark. Pansy was flung back into Kili, Fili, and Thorin as they had still been tugging. She groaned in mild pain but latched her arms around them in a grateful crushing hug. Thorin exhaled and rested a hand on her head, Kili sighed in relief and returned her hug “in coming!” Fili called pointing at a Goblin who was bringing down its hammer on them. The Four rolled away in all directions just evading the attack. “Follow me!” Gandalf called over the loud battle, “quick!” he urged. “Come on” Kili said grabbing Pansy’s hand he pulled her off the ground as they ran after Gandalf.