22

The Company continued to collect themselves, helping each other off the ground as they dusted themselves off and found their weapons. Their slight chatter welcomed Thorin and Talia as they walked back into the troll camp, their eyes falling on the statues. The King examined the stone alongside Gandalf as Talia caught her dagger in midair, only turning to wink back at Fili after her fingers had wrapped around it. Fili rolled his eyes at her theatrics, although he was impressed.

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin asked the wizard. Talia refastened the dagger at her hip, looking up to the wizard momentarily after Thorin spoke.

"To look ahead."

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind." Gandalf retorted, taking in the once-captured King. Thorin could only nod and look at his feet, a crooked smirk tugging his lips up as he returned his gaze to the wizard. "Nasty business. Still, they all are in one piece."

"I'm sure you sensed that we had our asses handed to us." Talia added, nodding her head along with her husband in thanks.

"Well, not all of you." Gandalf tapped one stone troll with his staff, chuckling softly to himself. "Little did I know that Talia Rue had the mind of an escape artist."

"I'll relay your praise to her." She responded light-heartedly, enjoying Gandalf's resulting smile. "Though, we still lost the ponies."

"No thanks to your burglar." Thorin muttered. In his mind, the hobbit had still failed the mission, and he had yet to prove his worth. If he could not handle retrieving ponies from trolls, he most definitely could not handle retrieving the Arkenstone from the feet of a fire-breathing dragon.

But Talia thought differently. "Thorin, he distracted them so that I could get free. If he hadn't, Bombur would be stuffed like a roast chicken by now."

Gandalf hummed in agreement. "He had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." He eyed the dwarf, who only grumbled in response. Talia sighed in happiness; she loved it when she was right. "They must have come down from the Ettenmoors." The wizard continued, returning his gaze to the stone creatures in front of them.

"Since when the mountain trolls venture this far south?"

"Oh, not for an age. Not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf muttered, his eyes narrowing. As the pair exchanged a look of alarm, Talia stared at the rock that were once their foes, searching their eyes. Something about them reminded her of Dol Guldur, of the influence that the Pale Orc himself was under. The three of them shook these ideas away, returning to the present matter at hand. "They could not have moved in daylight."

"There must be a cave nearby." Thorin derived, starting to move away from the trolls with the Company in tow. Talia took the lead beside him as Gandalf followed them through the wood, not far behind.

Within minutes of travel, a horrid odor hit Talia's nose, one that literally made her feel faint. "Fucking shit." She gagged, wafting the scent away from her nose. Being the only one that had heard her profanity, Fili grinned alongside her, though it was quickly wiped away as soon as the smell reached him too.

"Oh, what's that stench?!" Bofur exclaimed, taking off his hat and proceeding to beat the air around him with it.

"It is a troll hoard." Gandalf announced, now that they were within the cave. The Company peered down inside, seeing the glint of gold and suddenly becoming motivated to push past the scent. "Be careful what you touch."

The Company made their way into the depths of the hoard, glancing at the treasure within. Most of the Company was interested in the gold lying around. Dwalin rolled his eyes at Gloin as he stood guard over their 'long-term deposit', returning his gaze to his King. He and Balin watched as Thorin and Talia moved towards a darker corner, stacked to the brim with blades of unfamiliar origin to the royals.

"These swords were not made by any troll." Thorin said, passing one of the two weapons he held to Gandalf.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men. These were forged in Gondolin, by the High Elves of the First Age." But before Thorin could put it back, Gandalf took to reprimanding him sternly. "You could not wish for a finer blade."

At his side, Talia had discovered her own treasure. She held up a simple doll, looking into its green eyes with her own. The dress she wore was of blue fabric, and her hair flowed down her back in long rivulets of yarn. But Talia saw the small cord of a necklace peeking out from the doll's collarbone, and she lifted it in interest. The necklace was composed of three charms: one resembled a wolf's tooth, and the second was a simple black bar. But the third image was what caused Talia to drop the doll in fright, sending her stumbling back into Thorin and Gandalf's grip. The doll was her.

She had been marked with the eye of Sauron.

"Talia?" Gandalf asked hurriedly, his tone grave as he steadied her. He had seen the vacancy in her eyes that he had in Bag End, the one that told him she was not seeing the present. "Talia, what did you see?"

"Does it matter?" Thorin asked as he held her. She blinked, returning to reality. "Let's get out of this foul place."

But as Thorin helped his wife out of the cave, Gandalf stayed behind and did not heed Thorin's instruction. Walking slowly to the item that Talia had dropped, he prodded the doll with his staff. Immediately, he recognized it was fashioned after her likeness, which only made his worry grow. Then, he saw the mark that had shocked Talia, flinching away from it in horror.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Thorin whispered to her outside the cave, keeping his voice low so as not to alert the Company. His arm was still wrapped tightly around her waist in support.

But Talia knew that Thorin's knowledge of it would do him no good. Their current focus was on this quest, and she knew that it needed to remain that way. The doll had not told her anything she didn't know, for her century within Dol Guldur had taught her many things. What she had seen was a war for another time. "Nothing."

Then, Gandalf reemerged from the cave, placing a wrapped item within his satchel and holding another out to their hobbit. "Bilbo," The wizard began, handing the hobbit the sword.

But Thorin was not about to let the subject go so easily. "Talia—"

"It's nothing, Thorin. Really. I promise."

Just as Gandalf finished convening with the hobbit, a rustling in the trees diverted the King and Queen's attention. The pounding of many feet on the ground filled the air as the dwarves huddled together, readying their weapons and forming a tight circle. But just before their guest burst through the wood, Talia recognized the footfalls of his associates, lowering her weapon in relief.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" The Brown Wizard halted his sleigh of rabbits, holding on as his discombobulated self regained a sense of gravity.

"Radagast." Talia sighed, pushing past Thorin and his shocked expression.

"It's Radagast the Brown! What on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf asked, placing a hand on his friend's arm in concern.

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong." Radagast began before catching sight of his old friend. Talia smiled up at the wizard, rushing over to greet him. The Brown Wizard knelt to welcome her embrace, laughing softly as they hugged. "Wonderful to see you, my dear! I suspect your memory has returned?"

"Indeed it has." Talia said, releasing him. "I knew we would meet again."

"As did I." Radagast began, but gasped upon remembering why he had rushed across the lands. "As much as I have enjoyed this reunion, I must speak to Gandalf. Well, actually, the both of you. Talia Rue has some information that may confirm my suspicions."

The three stepped aside to confer, Gandalf and Talia listening intently as their friend told them of the sickness lying over the once great Greenwood. This came of no surprise to the Queen, for she had seen it herself during her short stay in Radagast's home. But when Radagast began speaking of Dol Guldur and reliving his experience in examining the fortress, Talia was shocked to hear that it no longer housed the Orcs, but instead the Necromancer. She narrowed her eyes at the information. This meant that Azog was on the move, and it was surely not without purpose.

The Company milled about as the meeting continued, chatting amongst themselves quietly. Thorin, however, was not feeling so talkative. Balin and Dwalin looked over and followed his gaze to his wife, who was speaking to the two wizards with earnest. There was something she was keeping from him, and he knew it wasn't negligible as she claimed. What was she hiding from him? And, more importantly, why was she doing so?

Suddenly, a howl sounded through the wood, alerting all of the dwarves and ceasing their conversation. Thorin, Balin and Dwalin all exchanged looks of unease, returning their gazes to the source of the sound.

"Was that a wolf?" Bilbo asked, his voice laced with worry. "Are there... are there wolves out there?"

"Wolves? No, that is not a wolf." Bofur shook his head.

Just as Bilbo began to ask, two enormous Wargs burst out from the forest, carrying two Orcs on their backs. Thorin and Dwalin both made quick work of each beast as Fili and Kili killed their riders, one sibling using a discarded blade from the treasure hoard as the other opted for an arrow.

"Warg scouts!" Thorin announced, pulling his blade from the carcass. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?"

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf boomed, turning to Thorin with a grave look on his face.

"No one." Thorin said, eyes narrowing at the upcoming threat.

"Who did you tell?!"

"No one, I swear! What in Durin's name is going on?"

Standing beside her husband, Talia was trying to connect all of the pieces. Her escape from Dol Guldur with Radagast's assistance, both of the wizards' presences, the doll from the troll hoard, the trolls being so close to camp... it all fell into place. Trolls do not value items such as cloth dolls; they had been sent by the darkness itself to reclaim her, using the doll as a guide. Furthermore, after her escape, her enemies had surely picked up on her scent. And not only that, but the magic shared between the two wizards amassed a force that could attract anything in Middle Earth, especially that of the very wizards who had aided Talia's getaway. Talia was her own trap, and she had led the Company right into it.

"You are being hunted."

"No, I am being hunted." Talia refuted, causing Thorin and the Company to turn to her in shock. "The Orcs know my scent, and they surely track the magic of the two wizards that helped me escape." She turned to Thorin. "What I found in the cave was a doll, fashioned to my likeness and marked with Black Speech. It is symbolic of bounty; the trolls surely used it to track me down. Though they were too stupid to figure me out, it worked in the end. Their master found me."

"Who?" Ori asked in concern.

"Azog the Defiler." She said, causing the Company to gulp in fear.

"We have to get out of here." Dwalin said, but as the others looked around, they saw no ponies that could aid their getaway.

"You have to get out of here." Talia stated firmly. "They hunt me, not you. For all they know, the wizards and I could be alone, since there was no correspondence between the trolls and the Orcs."

"I'll draw them off." Radagast said, readying his sleigh of rambunctious runners.

"And I'll join you."

"No, Talia!" Thorin interjected. "You are not to be separated from us. They will catch you." He pulled her close, his blue eyes imploring hers.

"No, they won't. Radagast and I escaped once; we'll do it again." Talia fired back, her green eyes hardening against Thorin's. "I'll circle back in the cover of night and meet with Gandalf. I can already estimate where he will lead you."

"Talia, you are part of the Company—"

"Which is why I do it for the good of the Company!" She snapped back. But then, seeing the worry in his eyes, her gaze softened. "I'll come back, Thorin. I promise."

He looked into her eyes, which begged him to leave her. If Thorin had been a leader of false heart, he would abandon that Company in a second to protect her. He had lost her once, and he refused to do it again. But Thorin knew he belonged with his people, and that was why he knew he had to let her go. "You better."

Talia tore away from him bittersweetly, climbing onto the sleigh with Radagast. He watched as she gripped onto the reigns alongside the wizard. He had never felt more powerless.

But Gandalf was still not convinced. He rose from examining the dead beasts, pulling his hand away from their teeth. "This is no ordinary foe. These are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you."

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits." Radagast retorted, narrowing his eyes. "I'd like to see them try."

Then, the thumping feet of the rabbits launched into action, spurring Radagast and Talia forward on the sleigh as they bounded to the outskirts of the forest. Thorin and Gandalf could only watch as they saw them break the forest line, followed almost immediately by the Wargs at breakneck speed. "Come on!" Thorin drew the Company in the opposite direction of the pack, rushing to the rocky outcrops.

"Come and get me!" Radagast looked over his shoulder, whizzing under rock and over hill as he and Talia laughed merrily. Although they were being chased by nearly twenty Wargs, they were reminiscent of their time together just a few months ago. As much as Talia enjoyed the rabbits, nothing would compare to the feeling of riding an enormous bear's back and watching the Eagles pluck Wargs off the ground, as if they weighed nothing.

Meanwhile, the Company pressed their backs against a set of boulders. Gandalf dared to peer over his shoulder, seeing the last Warg follow Talia and Radagast further onto the plains. "Come on!"

They raced along the grass as if their lives depended on it, since they did. Thorin led them on, parallel to the cover of the rocks, but he froze as he heard Talia's sword hit a Warg's snout, seeing her and Radagast fly past only a small ways in front. The Company caught their breath as their King held up a hand, looking to Gandalf in desperation. His wife's plan was not working well, for he could tell that her and the wizard had to keep looping back to the Company to divert the Wargs' attention away from the dwarves. They had caught their scent.

Gandalf nodded slightly to Thorin, confirming his suspicions and pitching forward. "Stay together."

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked, remembering how Talia had said she knew where to meet them. But Gandalf only gave him an uneasy glance and continued on, causing Thorin to growl at his expression and follow after him.

As the Company ran, the wizard and Queen were still being pursued themselves. Talia looked behind her and saw one Orc rider shift his gaze away from her, pulling it's Warg apart from the group. She watched in horror as it followed the rock that the dwarves hid behind. She had no way to warn them, but she could help them.

"Radagast! Lead me back to the dwarves!"

"Are you insane?! They'll kill you!"

"Either way, the dwarves are dead!" Talia yelled over the roaring wind, facing Radagast. "One Warg has strayed; they are already found! Once I get off, continue to lead the others away from them!"

The wizard spared a glance at her before whipping his sled in the opposite direction, chuckling to himself as Talia slashed through riders in their pursuit. "You wish for death, my dear!"

"Not at all! I merely challenge it."

The rider and it's Warg stood on the top of an enormous boulder, both of them sniffing the air as the beast's claws clipped the stone. They were so close to the scent they could practically taste dwarf blood. Unbeknownst to them, the Company was pressed against the boulder, literally hiding right under their nose. Thorin looked to his left side, nodding at Kili's bow and staring at his nephew. Doing as instructed, Kili notched the arrow and rushed out, letting it fly. The Warg screeched as it hit it's leg, tumbling down the boulder. Dwalin and Thorin took to finishing the job, but Gandalf sighed, knowing it was too late. The cries of the beast had surely alerted the others.

And, sure enough, it did. The Orcs froze, changing their direction upon their leader's command and racing towards the dwarves. Seeing her opportunity, Talia jumped off the sleigh and rolled on the grass from the momentum, quickly collecting herself and standing. She only had one other idea to direct the Company away from the Wargs in order for Gandalf to lead them on, and it was probably the dumbest idea she had ever had.

A piercing, bloodcurdling scream sounded throughout the plains. The Company froze in response, knowing it could only belong to one other.

"Talia." Balin breathed, causing everyone to pale.

But the wizard knew exactly what she was doing, and why. The pack was in between the Company and their destination, which she knew; she was buying them time to make it to the hidden tunnel and evade the Orcs on the way. He had to trust that she would take care of herself in order for the plan to work. They had to keep moving. "Come on! RUN!"

And so Thorin led them on, running faster than ever before in order to reach his wife. The Company followed with the same earnest, Fili and Kili exchanging a worried glance before returning their gaze to their Uncle. Then, they saw her.

Talia stood alone against the pack, battling each rider and Warg as they came towards her. The pack had encircled her and was trying to pick her off one by one, their leader sending rider after rider in the center to kill her. But each time, Talia killed the Warg and the Orc just as the next appeared, bending backwards and ducking low to avoid the snapping jaws of the beasts. The Company raced to their Queen, watching as the pile of bodies surrounding her grew with each slice of her blade. Now, they understood how she had earned her title as Butcher of Beasts.

At this point, the pack had picked up on the incoming Company and split apart from Talia, widening their circle to trap all of the dwarves. Though the dwarves spread apart so that they were less of a target, more and more Wargs kept appearing around them. With their blades unsheathed, the Company readied themselves for an ugly battle, one that did not favor them. However, they would fight to reach their Queen, who was still too far from them and too close to the Orcs.

Thorin saw his wife. He saw her movements grow slower and slower from fatigue, and watched as she cried out from more and more cuts and bruises forming on her skin. A Warg stirred beside the bodies around her, lifting it's head slightly. But Talia was too preoccupied with her current enemy to notice that it was not dead, and Thorin had torn his gaze away from her in order to gage their surroundings.

Then, a sickening CRACK sounded as the Warg's jaws clamped on Talia's foot, causing her to scream so horribly that it echoed throughout all of the plains. White hot pain seared through her body as she wrenched herself out of the Warg's grip, bringing her sword through it's skull and killing it for good. The Company could only spare a glance in her direction in fear, their expressions twisting into that of agony for their Queen.

"We're surrounded!"

"Where's Gandalf?!"

"He's abandoned us!"

"Hold your ground!" Thorin said, looking again to Talia and furrowing his brow. She was still fighting one last Warg, crying out as she dug her blade into it's side. She nearly fell over with it as she pulled the sword out, clutching her side and limping away from the beast.

Then, just as Thorin was about to run to help her, the wizard in question appeared miraculously before their eyes, peeking his head out from a scattering of stones. "This way, you fools!"

Thorin ushered the Company towards Gandalf, peering down and seeing a tunnel that led to a small cave. As they funneled over, sliding down the tunnel one by one, Thorin started towards Talia, but he was caught by his sleeve. Balin pulled him back, shaking his head and pointing to Kili. The King's eyes darted between the two of them, knowing he had to make a choice. As much as he loved her, this was his sister's son. He had sworn to protect him with his life.

Talia would have to make it on her own.

"KILI!" Thorin screamed, distracting the dwarf from firing arrows. He turned, running towards Thorin and sliding down the tunnel.

"Get in, Thorin!"

And so he did, jumping down without a second glance. As soon as he landed, the King looked up expectantly, though he knew it was for naught. If she wasn't there by now, she wasn't coming at all.

But Talia practically fell into the hole moments later, tumbling down the steep rock and smacking against the stone floor. She moaned, clutching her side and coughing out red. She was bloody, bruised, and even more injured than what the Company could see. Their Queen looked like hell had just spat her out.

The Company fell back as Thorin, Oin, and Gandalf rushed forward, examining her. But before they could say another word, a horn sounded from above, the richness in it's tone indicating it was not that of the Orcs.

"The Elves." Talia announced weakly in between coughs. "Take me to the Elves."