Concerning Hobbits

Pansy had fallen asleep, she did not know when Tauriel had left but she awoke to the dwarves talking. “I wager the sun is on the rise, must be nearly dawn” Bofur called out. Pansy stirred in her sleep to find Thorin’s coat covering her up. She looked at it and then to him as he stood by the cell door. “we’re never going to reach the mountain are we?” Ori asked hopelessly. Fili sighed in frustration and leaned against the cell wall. “not stuck in here your not” Bilbo whispered, appearing from seemingly nowhere yet again and holding the ring of keys. Jingling it before Thorin on the other side of the bars. Thorin’s eyes glimmered he knew it. “Bilbo!” Balin cheered grasping the bars of his cell.

The dwarfs began to cheer, Pansy got up and handed Thorin his coat “thank you” she said to him while Bilbo tried the keys “Shhhh!” he said to the cheering dwarfs “there are guards nearby!” he warned. Thorin took back his coat and slid it on, it was warm with Pansy’s body heat. Finally, Bilbo got the door open. Pansy hugged him and smiled, Bilbo returned it and went to let the others free. One by one they gathered to Thorin. Bilbo released Kili and at once he went to his Uncle standing at Pansy’s side. “your brother is amazing” he said. Pansy glanced at him but said nothing. “little Baggins?” Kili questioned resting a hand on her arm. Pansy looked away from him “yes, yes he is” she said dryly refusing to look at him. The feel in the pit on her stomach wouldn’t let her. Thorin watched them confused, he had thought they were close, but it seemed as though something had changed. Kili looked up at his uncle as if he knew what was wrong but Thorin looked off to watch as Bilbo released the remaining company.

“follow me down here!” Bilbo whispered leading them down some steps. Thorin ushered everyone ahead of him, Pansy following behind Bofur, Kili and Fili behind her. The stairs were large and Pansy found it hard to navigate them. Kili reached out to help her but she rejected his hand. “I have to show him that I do not need him anymore” she thought to herself. “to everyone that I do not need help” she thought with a new resolve.

Down they went, further than the dungeons and into the cellars, Bilbo lead them into the wine holdings. And inside, in the dark, two guards were in a drunken sleep. Pansy eyed them it was the first time she had seen an elf not look quite so beautiful.

“come on this way” Bilbo called after making sure all the guards were still sleeping. Pansy followed after him and then Kili, who turned to her with a grin “ I don’t believe we’re in their cellars!” he said excitedly. Pansy brushed him off, causing him a frown a bit and continued after Bilbo. “you are supposed to be leading us out not farther in!” Bofur said in a hushed voice. “ I know what I’m doing!” Bilbo snapped “shhh1” Pansy warned as she saw a guard stir. Bombur walked ahead of her and pansy gave Bilbo a nod “ we trust you Bilbo” she said with a smile. Kili watched her bewildered, wondering in his head how Bilbo got smiles and he got nothing. “this way” Bilbo pointed down a row of large wine barrels. “everyone climb into the barrels quickly!” Bilbo ordered. “are you made, they’ll find us?” Dwalin asked him “nono no they won’t I promise you , Please! But you must trust me!” Bilbo said hushed and slightly frantic. Bilbo looked to Thorin who looked over to everyone else “do as he says” he said, and with that, they all climbed in. Pansy poked her head out only to come face to face with Kili she gasped as he smiled at her carefully. “what do we do know?” Bofur asked. Bilbo walked to a lever “hold your breath” he said pulling on it, the floor then tilted up and the barrels slowly rolled down. Pansy panicked but this time, she held back her scream, and ironically all the other yelp and made remarks in her place. “wait, Bilbo!” Pansy called but her barrel had already fallen down int eh caves and into the river. She quickly held her breath, as her barrel came up, she found herself soaked “oh why are you always getting left behind!” she said looking back to see he had indeed gotten stuck.

Just as she thought this, down fell Bilbo from the sky. Gloin reached his hand out to him and pulled him into his barrel and out of the water. “well-done master Baggins” Thorin said, “now go , go!” Thorin called pointing up the river, the company paddled their way along. “I think I was spotted” Bilbo called. “then we must hurry!” Thorin called out. Soon up ahead Pansy could see daylight, she smiled, they might actually make it. Thorin’s eyes grew large as he saw a small fall before them. “hold on!” he cried out, Pansy gripped the edge of her barrel with all her might as she and the rest tumbled down the fall right into roar rapids.

Pansy’s heart raced as her barrel popped back out of the water, Bilbo had fallen back out of Gloin’s Barrel and clung desperately to Oin’s “Bilbo!” Oin called, “help!” Bilbo yelp. “hold on!” said Thorin as they floated down the fast river. Dwalin looked around as an Elvish horn sounded off “they’ve caught on!” Pansy called out over the roaring waters. Various guards called out to each other in elvish and the party looked around frantic. Ahead of them, the guards were closing the small damn, pulling on the lever it closed. The dwarfs got stuck under the bridge. “no” Pansy breathed standing up on her tip-toes to see out of her barrel better. As she watched the guards a black arrow pierced ones heart through his back, he fell dead and behind him jumped an Orc. “no!” pansy called even louder. And soon more rushed the guards they seemed endless. Pansy watched horrified and grabbed her crossbow. She slowly tried to take aim but all her shots missed and with each one she hated herself more. “curses!” she shouted.

An Orc fired back at her, and she just nearly got hit, popping back out of her barrel she brandished the oaken shield on her arm, the Orc fired again and this time, she blocked. Bolg the Orc captain called out commands in black speech, and more Orcs flooded the area. While Thorin and the other tried to open the dam, an Orc jumped down to attack them. Bilbo hidden in the waters managed to stab it with Sting and with a roar it fell dead into the water. Dwalin elbowed another knocking it out. Pansy looked around and then her eyes fell on the lever on the bridge. She watched it with a hard gaze, she looked over to see Kili watching it too, their eyes locked and he nodded at her. “I’m stronger, cover me!” He called to her, Pansy nodded and reached back for her bow. “please” she prayed closing her eyes as she readied it. “ I cannot miss” she breathed. Kili hopped out of his barrel and across some others until it made it to the rock shore. He was quickly met by Orcs, but was weaponless, Pansy was the only one who had her weaponry thanks to Bilbo who had managed to gather her things. But this made her role all the more important.

She fired at an Orc who rushed Kili, she hit it’s shoulder causing it to jolt back. This gave Dwalin enough time to toss Kili and orcish blade he had taken from a fallen Orc. By the time the Orc went to attack Kili, he was table to meet his attack and find it off. Kili stabbed the Orc and kicked him into the water. The others punched at the Orcs attacking them in the barrels, until which time they manage to swipe a blade from them. “go Kili!” Pansy called out she fired her arrows, there was an opening to the lever and he had to take it quickly.

Pansy took her eyes away from Kili just for a moment and notice Bolg had spotted him, She bit her jaw and hurried to set up her next arrow. Men while Kili was being attacked by two Orcs at once. As one raised his blade to swing it down, Fili managed to find a dagger he had hidden and tossed it into the Orcs skull, it fell dead. And Kili was able to finish off the other. And headed towards the Lever. Pansy fired an arrow at Bolg but it bounced off his armor and when unfazed, she tried again and missed completely and again with the same result. He raised his large black bow and took aim at Kili. Pansy’s heart race “please, please just hit the mark!” she murmured as she fired again, but it she was a few second short, and Bolg had already fired his bow. Pansy’s arrow landed in Bolg’s forearm, he hissed at the pain and his eyes fell on her “Kili!” Fili cried out as the long thick arrow landed in Kili’s leg just below the knee. He still reached for the lever but his leg would not hold him and he fell to the ground. Thorin listened below the dam’s bridge and looked to the worried Fili.

“K-Kili!” Pansy called and as Bolg went to fire at her she leaped out of her barrel and into the water swimming swiftly to the shore, she pulled herself to her feet and ran up the steps to Kili. Dropping at his side she examined the arrow. “n-No go to the lever Pansy the lever!” he called. Pansy looked up towards the lever and then down to Kili “I can’t let you lie here” she said swinging his arm over her shoulder she tried to help him up. While doing so, an Orc was headed towards them. “P-pansy, go! Run!” He called, as Pansy looked back at the Orc an arrow whizzed over her head and lodged in his heart. Looking behind them the two saw Tauriel run from behind a rock. Her eyes met Kili’s and they locked. Bolg snared displeased, another Orc Rushed the dwarf and hobbit. But Tauriel was quick and fired again before another blocked her path. “come Kili, up” Pansy said taking his eyes away from the elf. He gripped her shoulder for support and stood. Bolg gave some Black Speech orders and soon all of the Orcs focused on Tauriel. “we have to help her!” Kili called. Pansy looked at him, the lever and then Tauriel, her heart beat so fast in her chest she thought it would pop out. She reached for her bow, although she knew she would not be much help. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Legolas, he came from the trees and fired at the Orcs attacking Tauriel and one blocking the path to the lever. He gave Pansy a look and a nod. Though confused by this,Pansy brushed it off “come on Kili He will have her back we must get the lever!” Pansy said.

She sat Kili down next to it and pulled at it. But it was no use, she wasn’t strong enough. Kili managed to push himself up off the ground and wrap his arms around the lever “together!” he called “pull!” and with that, they both pulled and the lever went down. Kili fell onto his back but Pansy supported his hand in her lap as he groaned in pain grasping his leg. “Kili” she breathed, he managed to look up at her and smile. “we have to get back down” she said peering over the bridge she saw Kili’s empty barrel. “I’ve got to drop you down ok?” she asked, Kili nodded. Grasping his arms Pansy dangled him over t he edge of the bride”Kili!” Fili called reaching out for him. “on three” Pansy said, “one” Kili counted “two” said Pansy. “three” Kili said as she let go of him, he dropped into the barrel but the Arrow broke off in his leg. He cried out from the stinging pain. “Kili!” Pansy called but he and Fili had already floated out of the dam. Pansy eyed her barrel and went to jump in but Bolg fired at her, dodging the arrow caused her to miss the barrel and instead she plunged into the water.

The current drug her out of the dam and down the river, being that she was so small she caught up to the others, be struggled to stay above water. “h-help!” she called gasping for air, “Pansy!” Kili called reaching out his hand, but he was not fast enough and she drifted by him. Thorin spotting her lunged out his hand and grabbed her hood, pulling her into his barrel. “got you” he said, Pansy clung to him and shivered with closed eyes “t-thank you” she gasped trying to breathe. The rapid got treacherous, “hold on!” Thorin shouted to her as he clung to the barrel and she clung to him. All Pansy could see was a tumbling mixture of white water and Orcs that chased them on land. The rapid calmed down just a bit after a while and Pansy could see Legolas and Tauriel making chase after the Orcs, killing them as they went.

Thorin managed to grab a fallen Orcs blade, and not a moment to soon as an Orc hung from a tree branch over Oin, Thorin tossed the blade it struck the Orc causing him to fall and then Thorin caught the blade as it fell over his moving barrel. “Ori!” He called tossing it back to him. Ori tossed it to Balin to tossed it to Fili, who used it to kill and Orc. Dwalin head butted an Orc whom jumped his barrel and took from it, it’s axe. Each dwarf having gathered an Orcish weapon chopped at a log that crossed the river on which the Orc stood as they floated beneath it. Eventually, it broke in half sending the Orcs into the waters. Pansy smiled in glee as she watched the Orcs float off or sink. She looked up at Thorin who looked down at her equally pleased with the idea. It was becoming rather fun.

Bombur’s barrel got flung onto the shore and he rolled down the stony hill rolling over Orcs that were in his way. Pansy giggled and pointed the scene out to Thorin who watched stunned and unsure how it had even happened in the first place. But his barrel soon broke and Bombur had to fight off the Orcs. He used the remaining parts of his barrel as she shield, cutting his way to the river, he jumped in and landed right in Pansy’s former barrel. Pansy exhaled in awe at Bombur's good fortune. Legolas reached them and fired at the Orcs that were aiming at the dwarfs. He evaded an attack that forced him to jump into the river, yet skillfully landed on Oin and Dwalin’s head, standing atop them he road down the river firing at the Orcs. He jumped from their heads to Bifur’s and them back to the shore, sliding across the Orc like a board. Taking out two more Orcs and then hopping back across the dwarves heads to the opposite side of the bank attacking the Orcs on that side. Pansy blinked a few time and rubbed her eyes did she really just see all of that happen. “its like they aren’t even real” she muttered looking up at Thorin who had his eyes glued to Legolas “I don’t think I like that thought, they’re too agile” She said. But as she said it an orc was coming behind Legolas unseen. Thorin spotting it flung his blade at the Orc hitting it dead on in its chest. It fell dead from the banks int the water. Legolas finished off his Orc and fired at another jumping got Bombur’s barrel. He stopped at the cliff edge and watch as Thorin and company floated away. He had stopped making chase and let them go.

Pansy watched Legolas fade away in the distance, “they’re letting us free!” she said happily, Thorin, however, was not pleased he looked down at her and then to the banks with worry “yes, but now we face the Orcs alone” he said. Pansy’s smile faded and she slowly turned her eyes to the shore were the Orcs still chased them. Less of them now, but still enough to count.

Looking around Pansy spotted Kili’s barrel she got on her toe tips to see better, he looked awfully pale, almost as pale as herself. She frowned. And turned her eyes to the river ahead of them.