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The Company raced through the forest once they heard the howls, leaping over rock and tree to evade the Orcs as best they could. A few scattered looks were thrown back to see what chased them, but the Wargs were as black as midnight and just far away enough to be out of sight. They all panted as they ran, wishing their terribly long night would come to an end. Thorin led the dwarves away while Talia remained closer to Gandalf and Bilbo, who all exchanged looks of unease as they ran.

"Talia!" Gandalf yelled, causing her to spare a glance in his direction. "You have escaped the Goblin Tunnels before; do you know what lies ahead?!"

"Not here!" She replied, shaking her head. "Last I was in these parts, I left from the other side of the mountain!"

They reached the edge of the woods, only to find that there was a cliff preventing any further escape. The Company skidded to a halt as the first few Wargs hopped over the rocks and in front of them, coming between the dwarves and the edge of the cliff. Thorin, Dwalin, and the other warriors made quick work of them—even Bilbo got a kill in, however unintentional it was—but it was clear that their victory was only temporary. They were surrounded by death on all sides, and had nowhere else to go.

Gandalf's hopeful expression fell upon seeing the cliff. "Well, now we know."

Talia grumbled at the sight, ripping her sword out of a Warg aggressively. "You've got to be joking."

Since their options on land had run dry, the wizard could only think of one other option. It would only buy them time, but time was the only thing keeping them alive at the moment. "Up into the trees. All of you! Come on, climb!"

"They're coming!" Thorin yelled as he scaled the tree closest to him, urging his Company to move faster. They did as he suggested, scaling the trees with ease that was surprising for dwarves and hobbits alike. The howls were getting closer, so close that they could hear the thundering of Warg paws on the forest floor.

Talia was the last to escape the snapping jaws of a Warg, kicking it away and causing it to yelp in pain and back away. Thorin grabbed her and hoisted her up next to him, helping her reach the other side of the trunk so that she could hold on. The Wargs now circled them underneath, and the King and Queen had no means of escaping them. Then, Talia's face lit up as she thought of a solution, for if the Company could not run on land, the only other way was up.

They would have to fly.

But before Talia could relay the plan to the wizard, she saw Gandalf already executing her thoughts from another tree. The wizard reached out with his staff and gently brought back a moth from the brush, whispering to it in an indecipherable language and volume. Within seconds, the moth was airborne, flying east with an important message to deliver.

Thorin saw the look on his wife's face, but before he could ask her about it, another being caught his eye. As the Company had expected, the Great Goblin's insufferable scribe had succeeded in relaying a message of it's own.

"Azog."

The Pale Orc rode astride a White Warg, just as the goblins had claimed. He donned little else but the silver blade embedded in his stump of an arm and the scars carved into his skin. The missing flesh that was one of his ears now was a nasty lump, but the other still formed a sinister point that told the Company of his Gundabad origin. His blue eyes, so fair they were nearly white, pierced into the King and Queen as he raised his chin, licking his lips and sniffing the air.

The Company was transfixed by the evil before them, for they had not seen a thirst for dwarven blood stronger than the Defiler's. They couldn't believe he hadn't killed them already, but more horror hit them as a new realization enlightened the Company. He didn't just want to wipe out the line of Durin like he had years ago, no— now, it was so much more than that. After Thorin had escaped him in Moria and Talia had escaped him in Dol Guldur, he wanted so much more from them than their deaths. He wanted to make them suffer. He wasn't simply planning on killing them; he was challenging them.

"Do you smell it?" Black Speech rang out as he talked to his associates, his voice guttural with raw hatred. "The scent of fear? I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin, son of Thrain."

Talia growled at his words, her green eyes locking with his as she literally began to shake with anger. One of her curses of living in the darkness' captivity for over a century was her fluency in the language. Although he had said many nasty things to her in the past, his words to Thorin were what made her seethe the most. Gandalf looked to her, shocked at her understanding. Thorin was too transfixed by his enemy to do the same.

Azog's gaze switched from Thorin to Talia, his grin widening even more when he saw her. "You have evaded me for far too long, my dear. Would you care to rejoin me, Talia Rue?"

Her eyes widened at his words. "How do you know who I am?"

"You think I would not have discovered your identity when you have, too? I know you truly did not know who you were in Dol Guldur. But the darkness has spoken to me, and now we both have our answer."

Talia growled at the monster before her, but their audience was too shocked by their Queen to pay him any more mind. She was speaking Black Speech, his language, as well as she spoke theirs. Though they knew of their Queen's past, it became apparent that they would never know the entirety of it. How many more secrets did she have from the Company?

"The past matters not." Azog turned away from her briefly, feigning indifference before looking into her eyes again. "You have been more helpful in the recent months than you ever were in the past century... You have led me to my prize."

But Talia had to know. "Then why do you want me back? How can I be of any more use to you, now that you have us right where you want us?"

"Because I know you and the wizard called upon the Eagles, just like you did all of those years ago. And I must make sure that you never get the chance to do so again." Azog growled, his initial joy in his successful hunt soured. It was no longer a game to him; now, he just wanted them dead. The Defiler pointed to her and Thorin, turning back to the Orcs behind him. "Those ones are mine. Kill the others!"

Upon his command, the Wargs launched their attack and started jumping up at the dwarves, teeth biting and jaws snapping. They held onto the trees as the Wargs began to ram against the trunks, looking to Gandalf for assistance.

"Drink their blood!"

The wargs had now managed to topple the trees over, sending the dwarves leaping from tree to tree as they screamed in fear. Thorin and Talia followed the Company to the last tree standing, knowing they could do nothing but wait. The fourteen dwarves, the hobbit, and the wizard were all piled onto one tree trunk, helpless as the Wargs ran towards them.

But before all hope was lost, Gandalf started lighting pinecones on fire, throwing them at the Wargs to deter them. They howled as the pinecones lit their fur and the landscape around them ablaze, sending the entire area up in flames. He lit and passed them to the dwarves, who juggled the heat and hurled them at the enemy. The Company was now shielded by a line of fire that roared between them and the Wargs, who whimpered and began to back away. The dwarves started to cheer, enjoying their short-lived victory.

Suddenly, all celebration was cut short as the tree sagged under their combined weight and started to fall, causing the dwarves to scream in fear. Now, the tree hung over the edge of the cliff, parallel to the ground. Though some of the dwarves were still hanging on to the branches, others could not hold on any longer.

"Mister Gandalf!"

Without a moment to waste, the wizard thrust out his staff and caught Dori and Ori. The older of the two was holding on tightly to the staff, while the younger one gripped onto his brother's feet.

As the rest of the group held onto the branches of the tree for dear life, Thorin looked upon his people, seeing the fear in their eyes as the cowered from the Orcs and Wargs. He returned his gaze to Azog, reading the delight that rendered in his features upon feeling this fear. It was in that moment that Thorin knew his Company had suffered enough at the hands of this Gundabad Orc. He had killed his grandfather, father, and brother, while simultaneously torturing his wife for over one hundred years. Thorin could not bear another minute of him, could not live another second cowering behind the branches. He was going to put an end to Azog the Defiler once and for all, as he should have done all of those years ago.

Thorin stood on the toppled tree trunk, unsheathing his sword and taking a step forward. But before he could move any further, something grabbed his arm, halting him right where he stood.

"NO!"

He turned to face her, meeting her emerald green eyes.

"He has taken enough from me!" Talia pleaded, her brow furrowed and her expression grim. "I cannot let you do this."

Thorin could only tilt his head slightly at her. "I am not asking your permission, Talia."

She looked at him, seeing the determination in his eyes. From this moment on, she knew there was no stopping him, no matter what she did.

"I must do this."

Talia exhaled shakily, staring at him with an indecipherable expression. As Thorin looked at her, she seemed to be frozen in time.

"Don't miss."

Thorin ran off into the fray, leaping over flame and tree. There he was, reliving his most heroic moments as he held his sword and oaken shield, killing every Warg in his way. The Company watched on in disbelief and horror, both amazed and scared of the perseverance of their King.

But as Talia looked on, she saw the Pale Orc grin, bearing his pointed teeth. He did not urge the White Warg onwards to meet Thorin, nor did he raise his sword in defense. He did not move. And it was in that moment that Talia knew it was a trap, for Thorin did not stand a chance against the Pale Orc and his Warg.

That is, he did not stand a chance alone.

Talia's feet pounded on the forest floor as the Company screamed after her, watching as their Queen also accepted Azog's challenge. She only stopped when she saw the White Warg knock Thorin to the ground, skidding to a halt in front of Azog and the beast.

The Defiler moved his Warg aside to show her husband, breathing heavily on the ground behind them. "Do you really think you can save him?"

Talia cocked her head to the side, whipping out her sword and twirling it in her hands. "I'll die trying."

"I'm not so sure you want to."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you remember this Warg?"

Talia looked upon the beast that stood in front of her, growling and drooling. It stared at her with a bloodthirsty anger, one that was no different than any other Warg. But when she met it's eyes, she saw something deeper in the animal than the need to kill, deeper than even it's recognition of her from Dol Guldur. She saw revenge.

"The tooth you wear so proudly around your neck is her mother's." Azog explained, bringing a hand down to pet the beast. "I'm sure you remember the day that you earned your title. But so does she," The Defiler continued, his grin spreading as he dismounted the White Warg, "And I'm sure she wants to take it back."

Talia narrowed her eyes as the White Warg crept closer to her, ignoring Azog's menacing laugh behind it.

"One for me, one for her. It works perfectly."

But Talia laughed hoarsely, her eyes shifting to Azog's.

"We'll see about that."

Talia roared as she ran towards the White Warg, iron clashing against teeth. Meanwhile, Azog had summoned the Wargs to attack Thorin. Though Talia was busy with her own foe, she screamed as another Warg's jaws clamped down on her husband, watching in horror as it tossed him across the burning trees. He landed heavily on a nearby rock, moaning upon the impact.

By now, Azog was tired of the theatrics. "Bring me his head."

An Orc riding beside his leader dismounted his own beast, walking towards Thorin slowly with a grin on his face. Talia fought harder and harder against the White Warg, but no matter how many times Talia sliced at the Warg's coat, it still came after her furiously. She could not get to her husband, and she roared with the agony of it as she attacked the White Warg. The Orc raised his blade above Thorin's head, licking his lips as he readied the blow.

But just as the sword came down, Bilbo Baggins himself rushed in and slammed himself against the Orc. He pushed him away and killed him as he embedded his blade in it's stomach, grunting from the effort. As soon as the Orc was out of his sight, Thorin relaxed, giving into the fatigue and pain and falling unconscious. The Company watched on in disbelief as Bilbo stood in front of Thorin, protecting him from harm's way in his defenseless state. A hobbit, of all people, had been the one to save the King Under the Mountain.

Azog looked on at Bilbo, his expression contorting into that of surprise and amusement. "Kill him."

The Orcs moved in on Bilbo, and the hobbit thought that this was the end of his journey. But then, the rest of the dwarves rushed in to fight alongside him. They took to killing any immediate threat around Bilbo, screaming as they launched into action. The hobbit fought off some of the Orcs and Wargs as well, using a newfound courage that he had never known before.

However, Talia was still at odds with the White Warg, although her husband was saved. Both of their movements were slower, for they had both landed cuts and bruises on the other in their efforts. Blood seeped through the fur of the White Warg, tainting it's pure white color. Talia's own clothing and skin was ripped apart by the teeth of her foe, but she still stood tall against it. They both paused, taking a moment to catch their breath as they stared into each other's eyes. This was easily the longest fight both the Queen and the Warg had been in.

Then, a high cry sounded through the land, followed by the howl of the wind formed from enormous wings. Talia glanced back at the White Warg, grinning and giving it a wave. "Bye."

The Queen turned and leapt off the side of the cliff, soaring through the air. For a moment in time, she was weightless. She closed her eyes, spreading her arms out wide as she fell through the air.

An Eagle caught her within seconds, swooping low and shooting up again once she had a firm grip on it's back. She sighed and laughed at the bird, nuzzling her forehead into it's neck. "Thank you."

It cawed loudly in response, circling back to the cliff to the rest of the Company. From her high vantage point, Talia watched as the same birds that had saved her and Beorn began to pick off the Orcs and Wargs yet again. They followed the same patterns as they had during her rescue, ruthlessly killing the Company's enemy better than she could ever imagine. She heard Azog and his White Warg scream in anguish as the Eagles took to picking up the Company as well, flying them out of his sight and saving them once more from his wrath.

Her Eagle was the last to return to the cliffside, picking up the leader of the Company gently in his talons and flying off behind the others. Talia peered over his wing down at her husband, sighing at the cuts and bruises all over his face. He was breathing, but he was deeply unconscious. By the looks of him, she wasn't sure if he was going to wake.

Their Eagle made more haste than his counterparts, flying past them with the King and Queen in it's clutches. Her bird was the first to arrive at Carrock, lowering Thorin gently onto the rock and resting him on his back.

Talia whispered her thanks once more before dismounting the beast, rushing over to him. She cradled her husband's head in her hands, lowering her forehead to his as she muttered every prayer she knew under her breath. The Company began to arrive after her, watching from a distance with somber expressions as the Queen held their King.

"Thorin!" Gandalf was at her side in moments, kneeling beside their leader. "Thorin."

Talia leaned back as the wizard rested his hand just above Thorin's head, moving it ever so slowly across his face as he murmured the ancient spells of ages past. She bit her lip as the Company also stared on in anticipation.

Suddenly, Thorin's crystal blue eyes flew open, his breathing becoming heavier and more lively. Talia gasped in relief, still holding his head in her hands. "The Halfling?"

"It's alright." Gandalf said, offering a hand to Thorin as he sat up. "Bilbo is here. He's quite safe."

Thorin began to stand with the help of the Company, his eyes finding the hobbit. Once he saw him, an expression came across his face that Talia could not read. She watched as he panted, staring at Bilbo intensely.

"You!" He began, stepping away from the dwarves and towards the burglar. "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild? That you had no place amongst us?"

Thorin had walked forward until he was right in front of Bilbo. Talia remained by Balin and Dwalin, eyeing him carefully. Though to everyone else he seemed angry, Talia knew him better than that. She could tell that he was feeling something deeper than his typical annoyance with the hobbit.

"I have never been so wrong in all my life."

He embraced Bilbo tightly, chuckling as a smile spread across his beaten and bruised face. Talia was the first to cheer of the dwarves, who roared along with her mere seconds after. Though Bilbo was initially shocked at the gesture, his surprise faded from his expression as he patted the King's back, smiling softly. Talia laughed at the merry sight, throwing her arms around Balin and Dwalin in happiness.

Thorin released the hobbit, looking at him with the most genuine regret that he had ever seen. "I am sorry I doubted you."

"No, I... I would have doubted me, too." Bilbo assured him, looking around the Company. "I'm not a hero, nor a warrior. Not even a burglar." He added, looking at Gandalf as he chuckled along.

Thorin then turned away from the hobbit upon hearing the laughter of another. Talia Rue was giggling incessantly as she held onto Balin and Dwalin, her eyes closed in bliss. Though she could not see it herself, no one else in the Company missed the way Thorin looked at her in that moment. If anyone had doubted their devotion before, that second in time proved it to the Company.

Eventually, Talia opened her eyes and untangled herself from the brothers, stepping forward upon seeing Thorin. She was still giggling softly when she reached him, intertwining her hands with his. "What?"

Thorin shook his head, looking down at their hands and smiling. But he forced himself to lift his gaze up, for he would not shy away from this moment. "I'll never understand why you still follow me, even after all of these years."

"You'd be dead without me, let's face it." Talia smiled into his blue eyes, cupping his cheek. "When you love someone, you'd go to the end of the earth for them. No matter what."

Thorin had never been more enamored with her in his life. "Amralizi, Talia." He breathed.

"Amralizi, Thorin."

The King swept his Queen into his arms, holding her by the waist as he kissed her passionately. Talia wound her arms around Thorin's neck as she returned it, smiling into him while the Company cheered all around. They weren't usually ones for such a public display, but right now, they didn't mind. When they broke apart, they rested their foreheads on each other momentarily, closing their eyes and enjoying the small moment together.

The Company watched as the Eagles flew off in silence, leaving them to enjoy their peace on Carrock. But before they could take their leave, Thorin stepped forward, his eyes fixated on something beyond the magnificence of the Eagles.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asked from Thorin's side, while everyone else walked up to the edge of the cliff to take a closer look.

"Erebor." Gandalf began, leaning on his staff as he gazed at the solitary peak. "The Lonely Mountain. The last of the Great Dwarf Kingdoms of Middle Earth."

"Our home." Thorin smiled, taking in it's glory.

"A raven!" Oin said, pointing to the sky. "The birds are returning to the mountain!"

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf corrected gently. 

"We'll take it as a sign." Thorin looked to the hobbit. "A good omen."

His friend smiled. "You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us."

The Company watched as the thrush flew to the Lonely Mountain, flapping it's wings gently in the breeze. It was as the portents had foretold; it was time for the dwarves of Erebor to reclaim their homeland. Thorin and Talia intertwined hands, exchanging a quick grin and returning their gaze to the kingdom. If no one else could do it, those two would be the ones to take back their home. Because those two, they...

They always fought back.

_____

A/N: Just wanted to pop in quickly to translate some of the Khuzdul used in this book so far! I'm sure we all know that Amralime means my love/love of mine, but in this chapter I also used the verb form: Amralizi, which means I love you.

I got the word from another Thorin fanfic on here that I absolutely adore, Words Like Wind by @Sierra_Laufeyson . Thank you to the author for the word (if you'd rather I don't use it, let me know and I'm happy to change it)! I may use some more phrases from that book in the future, but I'll provide translations and credit when it is due. Thank you all for the support so far! Much love!

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