What Once Was Lost (3 of 3)

I'm sitting in front of my fireplace again which is where I mostly stay these days. Since coming back I've barely been away and it's a perfect place to think. I hear footsteps and turn expecting to see Bilbo. But instead, it's the last person I thought it would be. No longer dressed in his royal robes and armour, but in a simple well tailored clothing. Thorin stands in the doorway.

"Thorin?" I say surprised, quickly standing.

"Chase..." he says softly looking sorrowful. He steps forward and takes hold of my hands gently

Not quite believing my eyes. I simply look at him cautiously, curiously.

"I have no right to ask this of you, but... Will you forgive me..? I should never have struck you..." he says softly caressing my cheek with his hand as his thumb gently runs over my lip where he split it. Even though he is being careful the black and blue bruise protests under the slightest touch. Noticing I wince he takes his hand away. I look away unsure what to do, or say so I blurt the first thing I think of.

"I can handle it. Besides, I've had worse" I automatically regret what I say because he looks hurt, but understanding. He moves away as he turns to leave. I mentally curse and I grab his wrist. He stops and looks at me surprised.

"I forgive you" I say apologetically and quickly letting his wrist go.

He smiles a little before looking to the floor. "I am sorry for everything I have done. I was not myself" He looks sincere and regretful.

"It does not matter, you are yourself again" I say softly, smiling a little.

"Last time I was here I did not tell you all that I waned to tell you." He admits looking up at me.
"...It was that night, on that fateful day that I was going to ask your father for his blessing" He says softly. I look at him surprised, yet unsure what he is trying to say. "I was going to ask him for his permission to ask you to marry me" he says holding my hand palm up. He places something in my hand but I don't look at it. I'm too shocked by what he has just said.

"These belong to you" he says looking down to what he had placed in my hand. I look down curiously to see a small pouch. I open the cotton bag and tip out two items onto my hand. A ring and a locket. I gasp as I see them and cover my mouth with my hand. They belonged to my parents. They were all they had left after the dragon attacked and they sold them for supplies. I have to sit down feeling weak and vulnerable for the first time in several decades. Thorin crouches in front of me. I feel my hands shaking as I open the locket to see a drawing of my mother and my father on their wedding day. I close my eyes as tears start to stream down my face. I've seen the other drawings of them but these were their last possessions before they died. Without thinking I hug Thorin tightly and I fall to my knees a little awkwardly because of my armour. He hugs back. After a long moment of silence I pull away and sit on my heels looking at him.

"Are you fit to fight?" He asks wiping my tears away.

"Against orcs? Always" I say feeling a new sense of purpose. Thorin smiles and takes the locked and ring from me and puts the ring on the chain.

"Allow me?" He asks holding the locket up motioning for me to wear it. I nod and move my hair away and he clasps the chain around my neck.

"Thank you" I say softly. "Now let's go kill some Orc" I say confidently.

We head towards the gate where the company are all sitting and standing around.
They rise as they see Thorin approaching. His sword drawn.

"I will not hide behind a wall of stone, while others fight our battles for us!" Kili says after standing quickly and starts to walk towards Thorin, approaching each other. "It is not in my blood, Thorin."

They stop in front of each other and I stay back while they speak.

"No, it is not. We are sons of Durin. And Durin's folk do not flee from a fight." Thorin says as he lays his hand on Kili's shoulder. Kili visibly relaxes and smiles at him. They rest their foreheads together for a brief moment before Thorin turns to the rest of the dwarves and walks towards them.

I smile at an emotional Kili and pat him on the shoulder and hug him with one arm as we turn to look at Thorin as he walks towards the others Dwalin comes to stand behind Thorin when he stops and Kili and I stand on the other side..

"I have no right to ask this of any of you... But will you follow me? ...One last time?" Thorin asks.

The dwarves rise and raise their weapons, ready to follow their friend. Their Leader. Their King.

"How are we getting out? Over the wall?" I ask wondering. Which would make us perfect targets and would be difficult with our armour on I hope there is another way.

Thorin looks thoughtful for a moment.

"Bombur, I need you to sound the Horn or Erebor on my signal" Thorin says motioning towards the ramparts and Bombur runs off to find the horn.

"Chase, how is your aim?" He asks turning to me.

"You do realise who you're asking, right?" I ask grinning. He smiles.

"What's the plan?" I ask curiously.

"We're going to break open the barricade using the old bell," He says pointing to the bell behind Kili and I. "you'll need to shoot the rope we are going to tie it up with, as close as you can, then we are going to run through the opening, you can cover us from the ramparts then join us with Bombur" He says before turning to Balin. I nod and start to run towards the armoury to get a bow and arrows and quickly head back. Once I return I see the dwarves heaving on a chain and lifting a golden bell that is positioned in front of the barricade. They secure the chain in place and tie a rope to the bell and start to pull it and also tie it off before gathering their weapons.

"Chase shoot the rope and get to the ramparts! Bombur, now!" Thorin calls

Bomber blows the war horn from atop the wall and I shoot the rope as close to the bell as possible so the rope doesn't trail on the ground. The bell swings towards the barricade and just as Bombur stops sounding the horn the bell collides with the stone sending debris flying with a loud ring. I get to the ramparts as Thorin and co start charging through the gate after the bell swings back into the mountain, the chain breaks and it lands just inside the doorway with a loud thump.

"To the King! To the King" Dain calls as the dwarves part to let Thorin through, a rallying cry bolstering the surviving dwarves morale as they see their king lead the charge against the spawn of evil.

"Du Bekar" To arms The King cries as he charges, leading the wedge formation. I shoot at the trolls as dwarves also throw spears at the large creatures. One by one they topple and the dwarves break into the ranks of the enemy. As the armies clash I cease fire so I don't hit any allies and Bombur and I head out and join the fight, killing every orc in our path.

I fight alongside Bombur, Bofur and Bifur. I kill a large orc which falls to the ground to reveal a large mutilated troll heading towards us. It's arms below the wrist have been cut off and replaced with large bladed flails and it's legs have been hacked off below the knee and replaces with spiky maces a rider sitting on a chair embedded into the creatures back steers it towards using chains that are attached into the creatures eye sockets where it's eyes have been gouged out. I'd pity the poor creature if it wasn't about to squish me. I move quickly, narrowly missing being hit. Other dwarves are not so lucky. Dwarves throw their spears at it which just angers the beast as the rider barely tries to control it.

I have to quickly duck as an orc swings at me, almost decapitating me. I kick it's legs out from under it and swing my sword in a downward motion slicing between body armour and helmet, decapitating it. I hear the troll behind me and turn around to see Bofur now in control of it and heading away from the dwarves and into the orcs lines.

No orcs are nearby so I start to shoot at the opponents of some dwarves who are in trouble. I spot Thorin seemingly in a bit of bother so I make my way towards him only stopping to shoot. He looks at me and nods I hear a roar besides me and quickly turn to see an orc. I reach for an arrow but have none left. The orc swings at me and I block it with my bow but it breaks. I try to dodge the second attack as it swipes upwards just a little slow, I get cut on my cheek and fall onto my back. I use the broken bow as a weapon and stab the armour-less armpit of my assailant as he goes for a heavy two handed strike. It screams and stands on my armoured chest so I can not get up. I look around for a weapon I can reach since I am unable to reach my own. I look up hearing armour splitting and a blade protruding through the chest of the orc from behind. It drops sideways and I see Thorin who leans down and helps me up quickly.

"Now we're even" I say before he makes any smart comments.

"Duck" he says suddenly, so I quickly do as he swings and decapitates an orc that was running up behind me.

"You had to go one better huh?" I ask smiling. I quickly grab a bow and an arrows off a dead elf just out of arms reach of where I was and turn and shoot a warg that was rushing for him.

"Now we're even" he says nodding as orcs start converging on us. I hang my bow over my back and quickly strap on the quiver of arrows as we start fighting weaving in an out of each other fighting and killing opponents as if swapping dance partners. We get separated during the fighting and for a brief moment there are no orcs by me. The dwarves around me begin running to help their comrades and I look around. It looks as though we might win this battle. I spot Thorin and his cousin talking before the king mounts an armoured goat. Balin steering a battle chariot towards him with Fili, Kili and Dwalin on board. Thorin heads off and they follow and I spot Bofur in a bit of bother with an orc. I take aim with my bow but just as I'm ready to shoot Bifur runs and jumps at the orc, headbutting it. They don't move apart so I'm assuming his axe has gotten stuck in the orc too. Bofur gets up to help, he grabs Bifur by the waist and starts pulling him and Bombur runs to also help doing the same to Bofur. I start making my way towards them to help. When bofur shouts

"PUSH!"
They head towards a slight rocky overhang, the orc goes out of sight and they don't pull back, Bombur jumps down going out of sight and as I get there Bifur and Bofur fall backwards.

"Are you alright?" I ask the two of them as I get to them

"By Durin! You've lost your axe" Bofur comments surprised as he looks at Bifur. But not as surprised as Bifur who moves to touch the gap in his forehead where the axe once was. He laughs happily as Bombur rushes over waving the axe piece around.

"No he's not" Bombur says happily handing him the axe piece. "There you go cousin"

Bifur looks at it, glares at it more like.

"You know where you can stick that!" he says tossing it over his shoulder as he gets up. I look at them shocked. That's the first time I have ever heard Bombur speak and first time I have heard Bifur speak in Westron.

I hear fighting behind us and turn to see mounted dwarf soldiers fighting orcs. Bifur, Bofur, Bomber and I go to help them. Some fare less than others and are killed, falling off their goats which continue to attack. We join the fray and turn the tide, flanking the orcs. Something catches my eye off to the side and I see look to see four goats riding up to Ravenhill. I look closer and see Thorin, Fili, Kili and Dwalin. I look at one of the unmounted goats and mount up and charge through the orcs as I head for the old bridge to Ravenhill

There's a trail of dead orcs leading up to the watchtower and once at the top there are a lot of goblins which surprises me. I didn't know goblins where here, these are the first I have seen. I plough straight through the goblin, fighting them as I pass. I hear fighting up ahead and I see Thorin and Dwalin, but where are Fili and Kili? My goat goes down with a loud bleat and I'm sent flying, but not unbalanced, I cut off several heads as I swing with my sword before landing on my feet and continuing fighting.

"Where's Fili and Kili?" I ask after the last goblin has been defeated.

"Scouting the tower" Thorin replies looking over to the ruins and Azog's abandoned wooden signalling machines which are visible through the mist. I sigh relieved that they are still alive and I look over to the tower.

"Where is that orc filth?" Dwalin asks sounding impatient as Thorin paces slightly.

"He fled?" I ask surprised.

I hear footsteps behind us and I turn with my weapon at the ready but I see nothing. I blink and Bilbo appears out of breath as he slows to a stop.

"Thorin…" Bilbo says taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Bilbo!" Thorin says relieved to see him, but no doubt also surprised.

"You have to leave here! Now! Azog has another army attacking from the north. This watchtower will be completely surrounded. There'll be no way out." The Hobbit says barely stopping to breathe.

"We are so close! That orc scum is in there. I say we push on." Dwalin says frustrated

"No! That's what he wants. He wants to draw us in." Thorin says before realising what the news meant "...This is a trap..."

"Fili and Kili are over there, they need to be warned..." I say worried for them.

Bilbo looks horrified as he looks at the tower

"Find Fili and Kili! Call them back!" Thorin says to Dwalin, worried for his nephews/

"I'll go, I can run faster" I state and start making my way to cross after Thorin nods.

"Thorin, are you sure about this?" Dwalin asks

I barely get three steps away when I hear a drum sound, causing me to look up and see a light appear atop the tower. Azog strides forward dragging Fili and holds him above the one hundred meter drop.

"No!" Thorin gasps and moves next to me as I stare in horror.

'This one dies first.' Azog says in blackspeech 'Then the brother. Then you, Oakenshield. You will die last.'

Bilbo and Dwalin come to the edge of the broken bridge where Thorin and I are standing.

"No! RUN!" Fili calls before the Defiler pierces Fili through the back, his blade protruding through the young prince's chest.

Too stunned to scream and too horrified to look away. I grip my sword handle tighter as I feel my eyes well up and spill onto my cheeks.

'Here ends your filthy bloodline!' Fili dwars his last breath before being dropped and plummeting to the ground at Kili's feet.

"KILI!" Thorin shouts as he sees the rage driven sibling starting to run up the tower steps. Thorin runs down to the bank of the frozen river and begins running across the ice. I feel myself shaking with rage and jump off the bridge, onto the ice, before starting to run after Thorin as he climbs the steps of a small boat dock.

"Thorin!" Dwalin calls from across the river.

Orcs poor from the ruined tower and I kill two before they can even swing. A third bashes me with his shield sending me flying and landing on my back. I get up as he charges towards me and I cut his legs out from under him. I fight like a berserker, each hit I use as fuel for my rage as I fight everything that comes at me. I kill one last orc and begin running after Thorin again. I slide to a stop as I feel a punch in the gut when I see the lifeless body of Fili lying on the blood soaked snow. My rage fades as I kneel down next to him and close the dwarf prince's eyes. I blame myself, if only I had gone straight in when I got here I could have saved him, or I could have shot Azog and the other orcs giving Fili a fighting chance. More orcs start running towards me as though they are coming out of the brickwork taking me out of my sorrow, now isn't the time to grieve. I get up and fight my way through the ruins trying to find Kili.

I hear a female voice shouting for him and Kili's calling "Tauriel"
I follow his voice fighting any foul creature that gets in my way.

I climb up some steps and find Kili gasping for breath with blood all over his chest. I drop my sword and kneel next to him.

"Kili!" I say hoping the wound is nothing serious. I look and see the gaping wound, gasping at the sight.

"Ch-" he tries to speak but I shush him

"Lie still" I say ripping some clothing and putting pressure on the wound.

He shakes his head "N- No use" he says coughing up blood and with it his last breath.

"No- No... Kili!" I shout at him. I close his eyes then rest my forehead on his shoulder shaking my head. I look up quickly as I hear Thorin fighting. I pick up my sword and rush to the sounds of fighting. When I find him he's standing on the frozen river looking down at the ice. The army that's behind him is being torn apart by giant eagles and a large bear. Beorn? I breath a sigh of relief and look down as I try to catch my breath. Thorin cries out in pain causing me to look up as the ice suddenly bursts from below.

Azog pins Thorin down and swipes at his several times which Thorin deflects. #The Pale Orc lunges at the Dwarf King which he blocks using Orchrist.

Azog, using gravity and his superior weight and position, slowly pushes his blade further and further, and Thorin struggles to keep it away. I reach for my bow and an arow to find I have no arrows, they must have been knocked out of my quiver when I was thrown around.

I begin to run towards Thorin to help him, but I'm still quite a distance away, otherwise I would have thrown my sword.

Thorin suddenly slides his sword out of Azog's forked blade, allowing himself to get stabbed before raising his sword and stabbing Azog through the heart, Azog cannot avoid it. Thorin pushes against the orc and flips Azog over onto his back on the ice. I stop at the edge of the river as I see Thorin, struggling to stand. He stumbles toward the edge of the frozen waterfall, looking out over the battlefield below. He collapses onto his back and Bilbo rushes to Thorin's side. I run over the ice and slide to a stop as I look at Thorin from a meter away.

"Bilbo…" Thorin says painfully and struggling to breathe

"Don't move! Don't move! Lie still!" Bilbo says reassuringly

Bilbo examines Thorin's wound, then recoils in shock.

"Oh!" Bilbo exclaims in horror.

I close my eyes at the sight of the wound, there's no surviving it, it's punctured his lung. I limply hold my blade as I stay back to let Thorin talk to Bilbo, knowing he would wish to make amends for his actions.

"I'm glad you're here…" Thorin says trying to smile.

"Shh." Bilbo says trying to get him to save his strength.

"I wish to part from you in friendship." Thorin says appologeticlly.

"No. You are not going anywhere, Thorin. You're going to live." Bilbo says not accepting that his friend is going to die. I don't stop the tears from flowing down my black blood soaked face.

"I would take back my words and my deeds at the gate. You did what only a true friend would do. Forgive me...I was too blind to see. I'm so sorry that I have led you into such peril." Thorin says regretfully and emotionally as he begins choking up blood and grasping the Hobbit's hands in both of his.

"No, no, I'm glad to have shared in all your perils, Thorin. Each and every one of them. And it's far more than any Baggins deserve." Bilbo says reassuringly.

They smile at each other.

"Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books and your armchair. Plant your trees, watch them grow." Thorin says quietly. Bilbo looks away trying to be brave for his dying friend as Thorin coughs. "If more people valued home above gold this world would be a merrier place." Thorin looks from Bilbo to me and smiles softly.

Thorin gasps deeply

"No! No! No! No! No! No! Thorin! Oh don't you dare!" Bilbo begs as Thorin breathes his last breath. I hold my hand over my mouth and look away closing my eyes.

"Thorin, Thorin, wake up. The eagles...the eagles...the eagles are here. Thorin...the eag…" Bilbo stops, realising his friend has gone.

"Where is Kili?" Bilbo asks. I look back to him and realise he is asking me. I shake my head.

"He didn't make it" I say quietly.

Bilbo cries in sorrow and gets up and moves away from Thorin and I. I leave the Hobbit be. He just needs time. He goes sitting out of the way and I move to Thorin and kneel next to him closing his eyes.

"Rest well My King. Be at peace in the halls of your fathers'" I say quietly.

Soon all the company find their way up here and stand around the body of their King in silent benediction for their fallen friend. I stand and walk away from the dwarves and sit inside one of the tunnels of the ruins where I lie with my head resting on my arms with my knees tucked up to my chest.

I look up as I hear footsteps and I see the dwarves carry the bodies of their fallen king and the two young princes. I hang my head and sit their in silence.

The surviving men sound a horn giving their respects to the fallen which can be heard throughout the halls of Erebor. Thorin, Fili and Kili and lying on stone with runes carved into gold seams that run around the edge as the those who travelled with them walk between them paying our respects.
I put an arm around Bilbo who begins to cry and we move aside to face the surviving dwarven warriors and the newly crowned King Dain.

"The King is Dead" Gandalf proclaims for all to hear.

"Long live the King" Balin calls raising his sword towards Dain.
"Long live the King" We all repeat raising our own weapons.
"Long live the King" Dain's troops call, also raising their weapons from behind their new King.
Dain bows his head respectfully.

"My cousin was a great warrior, he will be remembered as a hero, they all will, we will feast and drink in their honour" Dain says, short and simply before dismissing everyone.

The ceremony ends and I go and pack my belongings ready to head off with Bilbo. My place is not here, I thought it was, but it's not, I need to get Bilbo home like I promised and then I will find out where I belong.

I head to the gate to see the company standing there to see Bilbo off.

"Bilbo!" I call as I see him mounting a pony. The dwarves turn to look at me and are surprised to see I have luggage.

"You're not leaving are you?" Bofur asks shocked. I nod

"But this is your home" he says reassuringly. I shake my head.

"It was, once, but I made a promise to Bilbo to get him home safely. And I keep my promises" I say smiling at the Hobbit. "I will be back, you can count on that" I say smiling
He smiles and hugs me, I hug all of them and notice another pony, it seems they knew I would be along. I smile as I mount up and we head off.

As I promised I got Bilbo safely home which took several long months.

30 years later

I knock on a green painted circular door and look up at the moon. I hear the door open and look to see the Hobbit who has not aged a day.

"Chase!" He says happy to see me and then he looks to the dwarf standing next to me and looks surprised.

"So this is the Hobbit?" my companion asks.

I smile at the hobbit who looks bewildered and shocked.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr Baggins, my mother has told me a lot about you" He says smiling causing more surprise from the Hobbit. "Thorin, at your service"

Bilbo looks at me completely surprised and I just chuckle.