Chapter 5

Originally posted on: 11th February 2014

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They ran, ran as fast, as long and as tirelessly as if superhuman strength had joined them.

Blood, their blood was everywhere - in their hair, on theirs clothes, on theirs arms and legs, theirs faces.

Everything hurt, the whole body, but it didn't matter.

Their lungs were on fire, but it didn't matter.

They ran and ran because the lives of those they loved depended on it.

They ran and ran, as if death itself was chasing them, whose judgment they had been fleeing from stubbornly for so long.

Help, they needed help. Dorian and Sybil had realized how little they could do on their own. How ridiculously small their capabilities were. Azog’s chase counted a lot more orcs than they had assumed. The siblings had attacked the gang at night. They hadn't thought through the course of the skirmish well enough. They had been surrounded, bitten, wounded and had got shot. Terrible end had been close. Only Sybil's crazy idea to mount a warg devoid of its master had saved them from the worst. Since then, they had been running  almost without stop. They had killed many of those filthy creatures, but still about two dozen of them had stayed alive. Wrath of the Pale Orc was huge. This caused that he was getting closer to Thorin and his Company very quickly. Too fast. If Thorin doesn't agree on visiting Rivendell, all will be lost.

Rivendell. Imladris. The Last Homely House East of the Sea. Only there they could search for hope of finding help. Perhaps it was too bold, brazen, naïve and stupid to enter there and beg Elrond Half-elven for rescue. Yet, he did not meet them. Sybil and Dorian had never been to his house, even though they knew the way. They had heard all best about the host of Rivendell. From his mother’s site he came from lineage of Eldar, so surely he could be characterized as brigh and kindn. From the paternal lineage he was of human race - that made him seem somehow closer. He should not remain deaf to their entreaties. They understood that there were nobodies, just ordinary people in comparison to the High Elves living in Imladris. Why would these magnificent creatures expose themselves to danger in a combat with the orcs, in order to protect dwarves, at the request of two children?

But it was their last, futile hope that they would cling to until the very last minute.

When they felt that, in a minute, their hearts would break of effort, legs fall off and they were close to spitting out their own lungs, Dorian and Sybil entered the Hidden Valley.

Their breaths caught in throats. This place ... this place was ... they ran out of words. The watched The Last Homely House, shinning in the rays of the rising Sun, amazed. They forget about all their worries. An incredible aura of the place worked on them right away. Blissful smiles spread on their faces. This spot seemed to be blessed. Dorian and Sybil walked toward the splendid house shyly. Elf, whose task was apparently greeting guests, came up to meet them.  

“Welcome to our valley, elf-friends!” he said. “My name’s Lindir. I see that you need help. It will be given to you with a greatest joy. Make yourself at home and stay with us for how long you want. Lord Elrond would be delighted to welcome so young people. We didn’t have someone like you here for years. But first let us take care of you, you’re seriously wounded,” the beautiful elf ended with a note of concern in his voice.

The siblings bowed low.

“Hail Lindir! I'm Dorian, son Brandon, and this is my sister Sybil, daughter of Cora. We’re honored to be so welcomed. Our first request is a moment of private conversation with the venerable Lord Elrond, preferably immediately. We got a matter of urgency which we much desire to discuss with him,” the boy spoke quickly.

Time is running out, time is running out!

Big astonishment appeared on Lindir’s fine features.

“If that is your wish. Come with me,” he just said.

He led them through the stunning garden full of waterfalls, streams and gazebos, followed by a large, wonderful rooms, up to the point where there was a single stone table, which Elrond Half-elven was standing beside, his turned back to them, and looking down upon the entire valley.

“Wait here,” Lindir whispered to them and then stepped closer to his ruler. “My lord, two children have just come to our house. They say that they desire to speak with you about some matter of urgency.”

Lord Elrond turned around and glanced at the young people. Sybil and Dorian suddenly felt extremely intimidated by his beauty and majesty. They realized how small, ridiculous, meaningless and little knowing they were. It also seemed to them that his gorgeous eyes pierced through their souls.

“Truly remarkable guests you are, children of Brandon and Cora.” Lord of Rivendell stated. “Come closer.”

So siblings did, bowing very low, whilst Lindir departed.

There was a moment of silence. Elrond gazed at his new guests thoroughly and he had read a lot in their eyes. He saw the tragedy as well as sacrifice to the heirs of Durin. He saw the faces of their parents, whom they had loved above all and lost, and also the calculates those who had done them so much harm. He comprehended how precious their hearts were, their fortitude great, and they were also very brave and unyielding. These children gained his respect immediately. ‘People like that are hardly to meet in recent times,’ he thought, amazed greatly. ‘In addition, there are still so young, too young to suffer so much.’

“So you are in a dramatic need of help,” only that Elrond said aloud. “And it is not help for your tortured, wounded bodies. You desire rescue for those whose lives you value more than your own …”

“Lord Elrond, forgive us our audacity,” Dorian interrupted him quickly. “Thoirn, son of Thrain and his companions are in a grave danger. They are chased by the Pale Orc and about two dozen of others, all mounting wargs ... I don’t know if Thorin is going to pay you a visit and stay in your house that is truly blessed. However, if he doesn’t do this and no one comes to his rescue, the King Under the Mountain together with his people will be wiped out.”

“So what do you want from me exactly?” Elrond asked, knowing the answer far too well.

“We beg you to go off with your knights as soon as possible and kill the orcs chasing Thorin Oakenshield and his Company,” Sybil asked, almost bumping in tears.

“Rightly I would do, fulfilling your request. It is disturbing that a group of orcs dared to cross Brunien and step into my lands. I will do what you want, although I am sure that will not hear a word of thanks from the dwarves,” Elrond said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. “I will do it because of you,” he added. 

Relief. Warm wave of incerdible relief rushed through the siblings’ hearts. They did achieve almost impossible. They did! Suddenly, they felt with the full force how much they were exhausted, wounded, weak. They became deadly tired, so much that they could not stand on their feet and sank to their knees in front of Elrond.

“If it means anything, you have our greatest thanks, my lord,” Dorian mumbled. 

“Will we ever reward your generosity and kindness, Lord Elrond?” Sybil said, audibly touched.

“Thanks from beings as good as you mean very much to me,” the half-elf stated.“If you return to full strength while being my guests for the next few days, I'll feel sufficiently rewarded. Meanwhile, please let yourself go under my people’s care. I'm setting off immediately,” Elrond said and after that, he summoned an she-elf called Ireth, ordered her to take care of Sybil and Dorian. Then, he went away briskly.

Before they fell lifeless, Sybil and Dorian heard the beautiful sound of elven war horns piercing the morning air.

***

It had been a bittersweet meeting.

Curiosity killed the cat indeed.

Fili and Kili, however, felt as if they were in its most horrific depths.

The news about Brandon’s and Cora’s deaths as well as about the burning of Ettinor, had caused the dwarves’ hearts to fall apart into pieces.

They felt as if they had lost their own family members.

And home.

How could they live, play and sleep peacefully for two years while their loved Dorian and Sybil were starving, freezing to the bone and rubbing shoulders with death, being left alone to the mercy of fate?

In addition, they sacrificed their lives for them.

Fili and Kili had determined that they do not agree on it. In their view, Dorian and Sybil should be exalted above every earthly honors.

And that would happen. They didn't know how, didn't know when, but they were sure that when Thorin would become the King Under the Mountain, those two people would be the only ones the king would bow to. Fili and Kili would take care of it.

How difficult it was be to hold their tongues, knowing that Azog the Defiler was alive and chasing them! But they had promised staying mum to Dorian and Sybil when they parted with them.

They did not remember how they came back to camp after the meeting. Consciousness returned to them with all its cruelty when they had been awakened in the morning. They had had horrible headaches. First of all, because of crying. But they also had had a slight hangover.

This morning was one of few moments when Kili wanted to be the person who didn'd draw the other’s attention. He felt the stares of the Company upon him when he silently functioned throughout the day. He wasn’t up to anyting, he didn't laugh at all, and often stared into the distance, his head ducked and his arms slumped. And he obeyed Thorin’s commands without any objection.

It was behavior odd enough to trigger a stir among the rest. Only Bilbo did not seem to be surprised, though, he also was as quiet as Kili and his brother.

Fili had noticed it quickly, too.

He did not want to accept the truth. He wanted to make sure that he had dreamed. That Brandon and Cora were alive, and lead a happy life for which they deserve a hundredfold. Fili wanted to make sure everything was nothing more than a nightmare.

On the other hand, he did not. He wanted his dance with Sybil not to be only a dream.

Fili had tried, tried so hard to behave normally, but with a little success. Knowing about the tragedy that had befell Sybil and Dorian, he couldn't think about anything else. Even the reclaiming of Erebor had lost its significance. His feelings had to be visible, as he had noticed the growing tension among the members of the Company. They were whispering among themselves about him and Kili. Only Bilbo did not. Their Burglar knew something.

It would have to be explained.

This was something that Fili was afraid of the most - a time for explanations. He was not ready for it.

However, before any time like that could have come, they had been caught by Azog’s chase.

A huge fear wrapped around Fili's and Kili's hearts. They didn't fear for their own lives very much, make no mistake. The feared for their siblings’s lives. Since they had designated themselves to the task of stopping the orcs, did that mean that they were dead?

When Lord Elrond came, together with a handful of his knights, killed their oppressors, and then accommodated the Company of Thorin Oakenshield in Rivendell, Fili and Kili were the only ones not at peace.

Dorian, Sybil, where are you?

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A few days after the bittersweet meeting, our beloved siblings paid for their temerity.

But they should be congratulated because of their physical condition.

Elrond will play a significant role in my story.

That's half of the first book.

Should I post on?