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floatinginwords · 3 years

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Saved by the Devil (4/?) - Tommy Shelby

Summary: You moved in with Ada Thorne when an unexpected visitor arrives as well as unwelcomed nightmares

Paring: Tommy Shelby x fem!reader (not romantic...yet)

A/n: This took really long to write. But worth it. I hope whoever reads enjoys and has a fantastic day :)

Ada Thorne was the sweetest soul you had ever met. It didn’t take too long for the two of you to become friends. The house she lived in was big enough for a small family yet it was only her and her son who resided within it. When the two of you met for the first time, she appreciated that you didn’t pry into why that was. Of course she would tell you about her husband Freddie Thorne, the love of her life as she’d call him. You trusted her enough to tell her certain aspects of your life whenever you two would talk. You noticed the same from her. You knew it wasn’t a matter of not trusting each other but rather wanting to leave things in the past. You were ready to start moving forward. And you were glad Ada was helping you to do so.

Today, you and Ada sat on separate chairs in the living room. Bare walks and boxes surrounding you as you read the newspaper looking for job openings and Ada looks over paint swatches. You both look up alarmed when you hear the front door open. Only the two of you had keys to this places. Ada gets up and opens her purse immediate, grabbing a little handgun. She looks embarrassed as she holds it up to the closed door waiting for the intruder. You don’t make any comment on it.

“Go upstairs and check on Karl.” She says

“Ada…” You hesitate hearing the footsteps get closer.

“Please, just make sure hes alright.”

You nod and leave out the back door, running silent up the stairs. You open the room of the child and find him sleeping peacefully. You close the open window beside his bed and check his closet. You can never be to safe. You can hear voices coming from downstairs. You close the quietly and run back down the stairs.

‘That’s a good sign’ you think as you get closer hearing the voices speak calmly and civilized to each other

“…there are always men watching the house.” You hear Ada say.

It was true first night of you staying here you noticed it. Ada brushed you off saying it was creeps, you feared it was Sabini wanting to know your whereabouts. You’re realizing that it might have something to deal with her. An idea you never really considered or maybe didn’t want to.

“yea. Gangsters of the worst kind.” A mans voice says as you slowly turn the nob of the door.

“Ada?” You call out, entering the room and locking eyes with icy blue eyes.

Thomas Frekin Shelby. Alarms ring off in your head. Why was he here? How does he know Ada?

Ada clears her throat. “(Y/N), this is my brother-“

“We already know each other.” Thomas interrupts.

“Barely.” You add.

Ada looks between the two of you. A mix of emotions appearing on her face.

“Tommy, I think you should head out now,” She gives you a look, “we can talk later.”

She leaves the room leaving you and Thomas alone. He doesn’t waste a minute.

“You still work for Sabini?”

“I don’t see how that’s your business.”

“It is if you’re living with my sister,” He says danger flicking off his tongue, “I’m sure you haven’t told her about your work experience amongst other things.”

“I didn’t know you were siblings.” You mumbled under your breath crossing your hands across your chest.

“Sabini tried to hurt Ada. And if I find out your part of a plan to hurt her-“

You cut him off, “He fired me, personally. Okay? And I wouldn’t put Ada in danger, she’s my friend.”

An awkward silence ensues. You avoid his eyes and fiddle with the end if your fingers.

“I didn’t know he tried to hurt Ada.” You quietly say feeling guilty for something out of your control.

“Men like that have no limits.” He states.

He stops staring at you to grab a cigarette and lighter out of his pocket. You take a moment to observe him. You notice the fading bruise around his eye and busted lip that was healing. You wonder if that was courtesy of Sabini of himself.

He catches you staring as he lights up. “you want one?”

“No thank you Mr. Shelby.”

“Call me Tommy.”

“I’m afraid that’s a bit too familiar for me.” You say.

He shrugs. “Do you like horses, (y/n)?”

Your eyebrows furrow at the sudden change in topic. “I- I do…”

“I’m thinking of buying myself a racehorse,” He says nonchalantly, “Entering em in Epsom.”

You pause as the pieces come together for you. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I think you know what I’m trying to say.”

Sabini was big in the racecourse. He was king around there and all his men had the licenses to gamble on the fixed races. You knew it one of his largest sources of income. Thomas entering a horse in the race would just make Sabini angry and territorial. If that’s Thomas plan than he would succeed but you don’t think that that’s all.

“I still don’t understand why you’re telling me this.”

“Walk me to my car.” He answers.

And you do walking slightly behind him, as he leads the way to where he parked his vehicle. In the sunlight you notice that his eyes aren’t as icy as you first thought. They reminded you of the sky on a cloudless day. You smile to yourself liking the new comparison.

“I’m going to find a horse tomorrow. I would like it if you would accompany me.”

“I don’t know much about picking horses.”

“I already know which horse I’m picking.”

“then why-“ He cuts you off

“Its cause your smart and observant. Its good to have people like that around. And you will be compensated for your time.”

You thought about it. There were no jobs in hiring, that newspaper you were reading showed you shit. And you didn’t want to rely on Ada your whole time staying here. You thought how Sabini might think those men were correct in their gossip if he saw you with Mr.Shelby. He would deem you a traitor and put a price on your head. But you were already in the hole. Might as well dig further.

*******************************************************************************************

You wake up covered in sweat. Nightmares starring your father were becoming more and more frequent. You used to get them a lot at Blue Hills. Dreams of him coming for you, killing you like he did your mother. The threats he made ring in your head as you take a deep breath. Trying to place yourself back in reality. Last night you and Ada had a long talk. She wanted to know exactly how you knew her brother and why. You were honest with what you told her not leaving out a single detail. It was probably what triggered the nightmare in the first place.

“Its not my fault, I didn’t tell you. I didn’t even know you knew him let alone were related to him.” You say at the end reminding her that she changed her last name to Thorne.

She didn’t stay to upset for long both of you ended up having a good laugh even having a drink. You don’t tell her about you going to check out Horses with Thomas. You can tell how she feels about her family. She loves them but rather keep em at a distance.

You stare outside the window waiting for Thomas’s car to appear, not wanting him to ring the doorbell and disturb Ada or Karl. He told you to dress nice but not too nice (Whatever that meant). You went with a simple yellow dress and lovely coat on top seeing as it is cold out. The nightmare still plagues your thoughts. It dawns on you that you’ve never got a confirmation if he ever killed your father. You wonder if there’s ever an appropriate time to ask.

You see a large car rumble down the street with two men in the front seat. One of them being Thomas.

You run down the stairs and open the door talking long confident strides to the car. He and the other man get out of their seats. You recognize the man from the Eden Club.

“John, go sit in the back with the others.” He says

The man who you now knew was named John smirks at you before walking to the back, you can hear other men hollering as he get in.

“you brought a small army with you?” You question

“Can never have too much backup.” He says opening the passenger door for you.

You nod a thanks and step in. He wordlessly get back to his side and starts the car. At first not a word was said between the two of you as the ride began. And there were times when you loved and valued silence but here in this small space in the car; it was deafening.

“What does your horse look like?” you ask breaking the silence with an out of the blue question. You felt like a bundle of nerves as you tried to gain the courage of asking the question you really wanted to know. You weren't scared of asking him just what his answer would be.

“What?” He says not expecting you to ask that

“um the horse your buying…whats it look like?”

He clears his throat, “Curly says she’s gray... I’m sure he can tell you more when we get there.”

You lean back a bit in the seat, “I used to ride when I was a kid,” You stare at window watching as London fades around you into trees and greenery, “I haven’t ridden in so long.” You say.

He doesn’t say anything. You think back to the nightmare. You were riding horses with your father. It started off like a memory. He was the one who taught you of course. And then right in the middle of you riding the horse at top speed. He shot it. And you flew from your horse tasting dirt in your mouth. You can hear him yelling at you and pistol being put at your temple. You felt like a child, helpless. You saw your mother in the dirt beside the horse. That was the worst part.

You can hear the muffed loud conversations the men in the back are having. You can’t comprehend any of it. Thomas’s voice bring you back to reality.

“Are you okay, (y/n)?” He asks.

You knew if you said nothing it woud just keep gnawing at you. You would have a hard time trying to tell yourself that the dream was nothing when it honeslty felt like a warning.

“Mr.Shelby,” You say your words slowly not wanting a single syllable to tremble, your eyes trained on the scenary passing you by, “ is my father dead?”

He glances at you bewildered, definitely not expecting you to ask that.

Read pt.5

Tags

@captivatedbycillianmurphy

#peaky blinder fanfic #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x you #tommy shelby #peaky blinders #Fanfic

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starr-fall-knight-rise · 5 years

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Humans are Space Orcs, “Rival in the Circle pt. 2″

WARNING: important life lesson immanent. Please read to the end line because there is something important I think people today need to see :)

Also, Sorry if there are any Issues, I am at the airport again running on 4 hours of sleep, so hope you like it.”

Sunny’s heart hammered in her chest, the world around her seemed to spin in tight concentric circles. Moss stood before her head proudly raised against the darkening sky. When she didn’t answer immediately, he moved forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. The gesture was surprisingly human, but most of the Drev had been affected to some degree by living with their human counterparts.

“You have proven yourself to be a commanding warrior, more honorable than your mother, and more rational than your father. You led our species into a new era, and you deserve everything that comes with that, a battle partner equal to your skill, a large brood, which is an offering that I gladly give you now. Allow me to prove myself in combat against you.” A beam of light cut through the volcanic smoke and glittered across his perfect green carapace.

That green had mesmerized her younger self. She had always admired it, found it entrancing. Moss himself, other than being a worthy mate in his level of attractiveness, was an impressive warrior in his own right. She had doubts that she would be able to beat him in open combat.

From somewhere deep inside her, she felt an up-welling of shame and embarrassment.

“Is everything alright?”

Sunny turned her head to find Commander Vir standing at her side looking up with concern. HIs bright green eye brimmed with worry for her. A hand rested on her arm, and she couldn’t tell if the gesture was supposed to be comforting….. Or protective.

“This does not concern you, human.” Moss said stiffly not taking his eyes from Sunny.

Commander Vir pursed his lips into a thin line, “To the contrary, ‘Moss’, it would be my business considering I am your Commanding officer, not only aboard the ship but also by the traditions of your people.”

The two stared at each other for a long moment, but then Moss shrugged, “You do not have to worry, Commander. I am simply and humbly offer myself to Sunny as a proper and respectable battle partner.” He glanced towards Sunny, “An offer I hope you accept.” He turned to walk away, but then paused at the edge of the rock outcropping, “I will be at the furthest circle to the north at dawn. I hope to see you there.”

***

Sunny stood watching as The tiny green spec vanished into the distance with Commander Vir standing still beside her. She glanced towards him from the corner of her eye trying to gage his reaction, though she still wasn’t sure about her own feelings on the subject. He was hard to read, very still, unmoving staring off into the distance. His face was completely neutral…. But the eyes, what was that she saw.

He turned towards her cleared his throat and then ... smiled, “He’s… a good guy, you know, smart and….. And a good warrior of course, can’t forget that. Um…”

“Are you ok?”

He waved a hand, “Not important. I should be asking you the same question.”

Sunny paused, distant laughter echoed in her head, “Um…. I’m not sure yet. I mean…. He is a good warrior…”

“And that carapace…. Green’s your favorite color isn’t it?” She watched as he glanced towards the vacant suit of Armor, which glittered a green not dissimilar to Moss’s armor. The human shuffled his feet awkwardly as he looked away, “Well I, should let you prepare. I mean this is a big deal, he practically proposed, so don’t let me get in your way.” He gave her a smile that definitely seemed genuine, though there was something about it she couldn't place, and turned to walk away passing by the armor without so much as looking at it.

That left her alone atop the hill staring down at her own feet.

She had been honest earlier, she didn’t know what she was supposed to feel, didn’t know what she ACTUALLY felt about any of this. She turned in a tight circle before sighing and taking a seat on a moss-covered rock. Ever since she was young, she had longed for a true battle partner, someone who would be able to match her skill and capabilities, someone who would always have her back, but lately she realized that she hadn’t thought much about that longing. Perhaps she just assumed that it would never happen, and as what Moss said about a large brood…

Did she really want that? Tradition and everything she had been taught since she was a child told her that she SHOULD want a large brood with many kits raised as great warriors, but that had never been something that caught her fancy. Kits were…. A handful, and she wasn’t well equipped to deal with them, so she had never really desired that part of things.

But did she really want this at all, or was that just her upbringing talking. Her mother’s teachings worming their way into her head. She sighed and looked down at her feet.

Shouldn’t she be happy about this, shouldn’t she be ecstatic that someone would be interested in her. She who was short, a slow learner, and only capable of winning battles by fighting like a human. This was likely her only change, and with someone she had admired since she was a child.

She sighed in frustration at her own thoughts and looked up. The sun was coming up, and as it did, the light was captured and then reflected by the green armor of the exo-suit. She stood and walked over to the armor in frustration, “What is wrong with me.”

The empty shell stared back at her without expression. It was just an empty, heartless thing. Nothing without the person that belonged inside of it, and even then it was just… wrong.

She sighed again in frustration and turned away.

***

Commander Vir accompanied her to the circle. Walking with him, she couldn’t read what he was thinking, and still wondered why she even cared. But of course she did, he was her friend, her best friend, and he had helped her through everything. He had accepted her before anyone else had, before even her own kind. Despite what she had done to him so long ago, he had been the first person to trust her, the first person to think she was something more than the tribe screw-up, and she felt that she owed pretty much everything to him.

“Nervous ?” He wondered flashing her another one of his unreadable smiles.

Gah! She wished humans were easier to read, she felt that she had gotten the hang of it, but the sheer control they had over their facial muscles was unreal. They paused together at the crest of a hill looking down at the northern circles. Moss was already there preparing, she could see his green carapace glittering in the sun as he danced about twirling his spear this way and that. His form was good...

Ad he looked good doing it. He was strong and precise.

A hand rested on her arm.

She looked down to find the human looking up at her large green eyes focused intently on her pupils wide black holes in the sea of green, “Look, Sunny, I…. I just want you to know that. No matter what, and no matter what you choose to do that, well, I am here to support your decision, and if this means that you are going to stay here with-with Moss and raise tons of tiny Drev babies than, well then I reserve the right to visit…. Also you have to name your first born after me, that’s non negotiable…. And if you guys decide to stay on the ship, than …. I hope that we can still be friends.” he ran a hand through his spiky blond hair, and scratched absently at the eye patch.

He cleared his throat again.

She looked down at the circle, “Thanks Ada- Commander.”

She thought she saw the man grow stiff, but as soon as it had come it had gone. The smile he gave her was just as warm as before, but more wooden, “Good Luck.” When she turned back, it wasn’t her friend standing atop the apex of the hill, but Fleet commander of the UNSC, and representative of the GA. His chin was raised high, his body at parade rest at-ease with his feet at shoulder width and his hands clasped loosely behind his back.

Moss looked up as she entered the circle, and spectators began to gather at its edges. A reconciler pushed his way through the throng and set himself up at the edge of the circle. With a loud clatter, he slammed his staff against the hard packed ground silencing the crowd. The reconciler was an old one, well past his prime with a deep black carapace that shimmered a deep and distinguished blue in the sunlight. The black and red cloak he wore fluttered in the volcanic breeze, and the staff he held in one hand was run through with strips of blue power fro the internal charging mechanism.

“Let it be made official that on this day the 50th under Teroc, our first moon, that Moss Volcanson challenges Sunny Lumnusdaughter to trial by combat as an offering to become a mated battle pair. As Blackrock Reconciler of Moss and Sunny’s original tribe, I hereby oversee this match as official and, in accordance with our traditions and laws I see the ring has been measured to approximate fighting length. Fighting may not leave the circle for a more than unreasonable time, determined by the laws set down by our ancestors. The match will be conducted to failure, unconsciousness, surrender, stalemate, or until one of you can o longer fight either by way of incapacitation or death.” He pointed one long talon at Sunny, “Choose your weapon.”

She didn’t skip a beat, “I choose hand to hand combat.”

Moss’s weapon was confiscated, handed to the side to be guarded over by a younger Drev assistant.

“Very well.” He slammed his staff against the ground with a thundering crack, “Do not hold back, do not show mercy, for you will only know if you are matched with each other if you cannot beat one another, or if the prospect is very difficult.” Sunny could still see Adam standing atop the hill watching. One green eye flashed with the light of the rising su.

The reconciler raised his staff, and Sunny was struck by another cloudy memory, one of a similar circle, Moss’s voice, the warmth of the stone under feet.

Stay down Sunny, before you embarrass yourself.

Laughter

The Staff slammed against the ground, and Moss lunged. Sunny dodged to the side faster than thinking intending to punch him in the side as he came, but he knew the human tricks and quickly swerved away

There is still time to forfeit.

She lunged forward catching him on the side of the head with a strike before dodging under another. He caught her with one of his lower arms, but it was smaller, and weaker, and better than getting caught by the larger arm. She grabbed him around the knees, lifted and fell backwards.

He hit the stone hard with a grunt , and she rolled to the side lunging for his neck very much intending to choke him.

Stay down, Sunny, before you embarrass yourself.

He rolled onto his back and kicked her in the chest violently. She hit the dirt, but quickly leaped to her feet even as he did. Together they charged across the circle making contact over and over and over again. She dodged a punch and caught him in the jaw with a bone crushing uppercut. Then she slammed her foot into the top of his and kneed him aggressively as he doubled over. He grunted and stumbled backwards falling over himself, but not completely.

He caught her next kick and dragged her to the ground trying to gain control that way, but she caught him in the face with a foot, and again they were both on their feet. What followed was a flurry of hands and claws blocking, swiping, punching. Sunny ducked under a punch, sidestepped a kick, then with a quick thought, she kicked a loose piece of porous stone into the air, caught it by one hand, and slammed it hard into the side of Moss’s head.

There was a clatter of stone underneath him as he staggered horribly. The crowd roared, but since the reconciler didn’t call her out, she kept going.

As she approached again, Moss turned to look at her. In his eyes….. She saw….

Surprise.

He hadn’t expected her to be this good.

There is still time to forfeit.

Honestly Sunny, what were you thinking. Moss is one of our best soldiers, and you… well…

She roared and slammed her elbow into his jaw.

He slammed to the ground hard, but she didn’t stop. She tackled him sending them both spinning across the stone with a clatter. They struggled for a long time neither of them able to gain the upper hand.

Stay down, Sunny, before you embarrass yourself.

She had been here before, in the circle with Moss. She had tried to forget it for years, tried to bite down the horrible embarrassment and inadequacy that she felt as her mother dragged her out of the circle, and Moss looked at her with pity. He hadn’t wanted her because she was short, and worse at fighting, but he hadn’t just beaten her like he should have. He went easy, he refused to fight her, he insulted her.

With a great heave, she grabbed him around the neck, and locked her legs around his waist.

He seemed surprised at her ferocity, but she didn’t let go.

He bucked and turned, but she just gripped harder.

The circle was loud with cheering and howling, so no one heard the whispering, “You bastard.” She muttered softly, “I looked up to you once, I wanted you, but I wasn’t good enough.”

Moss choked and gagged, “You ... weren't… as… good.”

“I know that.” She hissed, “But you refused to fight me, you insulted my honor greater than death, and now you expect me to come running back to you now that I can fight. You weren’t attracted to me then so you aren't now. The only thing that has changed is my power and status.” She gripped tighter, and he choked, “I NEVER recovered from that. They laughed at me, my parents almost disowned me. How dare you assume I would want YOU after your disrespect for me.”

He gagged.

“Look at me, and tell me you liked me then?”

He choked some more, “I don’t know… you weren't…. Tall eno-”

That was it. She crushed harder, he opened and closed his mouth like a fish, “Wrong answer.”

She felt nothing but anger as he struggled to breathe. How dare he think he could just crawl into her life like this, like she would pick him up because he was the first person to show interest in her because he was wrong. She had more self respect than that, she deserved more than that.

She deserves someone who respected her, who treated her as an equal, who, if not liking her from the beginning, could see past the ONE physical deficiency, someone who didn’t care about her power or lineage.

She deserved someone she could trust, who wouldn’t insult her, and didn’t ignore her because it was convenient. If he truly cared about her, he would have been with her through her hardest times even if she didn’t want it.

This was taking too long. with one hand, she drew back and cracked him over the head. The blow was so powerful that he went limp in her arms twitching slightly. The group around her was silent as she slowly stood dappled with blood.

“I win the duel, and I reject his offering.”

A stunned silence grew up around her as she stepped from the circle and onto the stone. A group of human marines gaped at her with open mouths as she walked past and out onto the open plane, alone.

She walked for a few minutes before she heard it.

The soft pattering of feet, and the sudden weight at her back. He didn’t say anything but rested his hands on her shoulders as she continued over the stone. The ground rolled by below her feet covered in a colorful array of plantflie. Adam’s breath was soft and rhythmic as she carried the two of them over the stone The weight was comforting, but the silence heavy.

“Wanna hear a joke?”

“My life.” She muttered

There was a pause, “Well actually, I was going to say your face, but I suppose your life works just as well.”

Silence.

And then she burst into a fit of laughter, which he joined in on. Together their voices rattled across the ground bouncing over stone and rippling outwards.

She wouldn’t mourn what she lost in Moss

After all she’d rather have dignity than company.

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seavoice · 4 years

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We’ll Dream Of A Longer Summer

A stairwell, some chocolates and the last summer.

[beckendorf/silena]

this is so...random! and unedited. but, it’s here anyway, so just some beckendorf and silena stuff set before tlo, because there’s not enough with the two of them. you can scroll down to keep reading, or click on the title to read on ao3.

Spring bled into summer, and his eighteenth year bled into his nineteenth. Suddenly it was the approaching winds of August that filled the sweet scent of New York breeze, and if the Fates could be counted upon, soon would follow the end of the war.

That’s what Beckendorf had told his mother at least, as he had packed the bags to camp for the last time under her watchful gaze. August was near, and so was the war’s end. This was his last summer at camp—next year he would be off to NYU, and Camp Half-Blood would be a chapter of his life closed for the most part, only to be pried gently open now and again to check in on his siblings through Iris Messages, or to drop by to teach a quick lesson on metalworking for the newbies. But, for the most part, Beckendorf had told her, this would be the last time. This would be the last time his mom had to swallow down her fear and wave goodbye from her car as Beckendorf trudged slowly up Half Blood Hill, to train and craft for the summer.

He was no longer the uncertain eleven year old his mom had dropped off all those years ago after a particularly nasty monster attack. His mom no longer had to drive him to Camp, and she certainly never needed to pick him up. She did so anyway, because Ada Beckendorf always claimed that the summer was too long without him, like an extra hour in the car could fill in the months away from each other, the months worth of uncertainty and fear and missing missing missing .

Some years, Beckendorf had to stay more or less year round, because the monster attacks had got too violent, too frequent. His mother agreed to drop him off during winter break too, sometimes, just to celebrate the holidays with his siblings and friends. But for some reason, summer had always been the hardest. Hardest to say goodbye.

“You miss the entire summer holidays with me,” his mom had told him once, when he was thirteen and greener, and could fit so much more easily in his mother’s embrace. She had been crying the days leading up to the beginning of summer, and Beckendorf had eventually just decided to ask her what the problem was, because he had been getting prickly about her constant tearing up. “I don’t get to see you even for a day.” She had pressed a kiss to the top of his shaved head. “I understand of course, with the monsters and all, and it’s not your fault, baby. But I just—I just wish. It would be nice to spend a day in the city together, when we both are free.”

“When the monster attacks get less frequent,” Beckendorf had promised, feeling that prickliness melt into fondness. A week of summer, when his mom didn’t have to teach college classes for her architecture students, and when he wasn’t getting stalked by dracanae, Beckendorf had promised they’d binge a sitcom, catch a movie, design some fancy building. The promise had been forgotten, like many promises inevitably were when made as a throwaway consolation when you’re thirteen and running late for the Greyhound.

But. He had made it to the other side of his eighteenth birthday, and his mother had a break from her teaching, and he wasn’t getting stalked by dracanae. He had retrieved that promise from its abandonment, taken a cab from Long Island Sound to Manhattan, and he had made it to his mother’s front door. One summer , he had promised, thirteen and tired, and now it was that summer.

That throwaway promise had been fulfilled.

If only he could bring himself to knock. Beckendorf had never hesitated with his mom; he had never felt anything other than at ease with her, but for some reason, he couldn’t help but hesitate now. A line of nerves drooled down his back, and he found he couldn’t make himself knock on the bright candy pink apartment door.

“It’s just your mom,” Silena said, nudging him slightly so that he snapped out of his reverie. She’d accompanied him to the city, and they’d even made a pit stop at her dad’s chocolate shop to pick a box for his mother. “She’s the sweetest lady in all of Manhattan. What are you staring at the door like that for?”

Beckendorf swallowed. “She could be busy.”

“She’s not. You checked her schedule, Charlie.”

Beckendorf tightened his grip on the bag of chocolates he was carrying. “She could have gone out.”

Silena frowned at him. He couldn’t blame her; he wasn’t exactly explaining himself. He didn’t think he could explain himself to her, though. “Well,” Silena said finally, after a few minutes of confused silence. “Only one way to find out.”

Silena lifted the knocker and let it fall against the door. There was no sound from within. Beckendorf pressed a ear against the door and rapped his knuckles thrice against it, quickly. No sound.

“She’s out,” Beckendorf said, stepping back. “Aw, man, I think she’s out for groceries. She usually goes to pick them up around this time.”

“We can wait,” Silena offered. “She won’t be too long, will she?”

Beckendorf shook his head. “Not too long. But no point waiting for her either. We can…” He cast around for some way to finish his sentence. “We can come back...later?”

Silena crossed her arms, the charm bracelet Beckendorf had made for her glinting at her wrist. “Are you asking or telling me?”

“We can come back later,” Beckendorf said. Outside, the sky was streaked pink and orange, tourists and evening commuters zipping through the streets. “Uh, you can call Blackjack, maybe? Take a spin around this city, drop back in a half hour?”

Silena shrugged. “Look, I don’t mind, Charlie, at all. That sounds lovely. But if your mom’s gonna be back soon anyway...I don’t see a point in leaving. The chocolates are gonna melt if we take too long.”

Beckendorf kept his eyes on the cotton candy clouds drifting slowly against the vast expanse of sky. They were bathed golden in the fading rays of the setting sun. Eyes still on the clouds, he said, “You’ve got a point there.”

“Yeah.” He didn’t turn around to look at her, but from the slight staying hitch in her voice, he could make out that Silena was a little confused. “Yeah. I do.”

He didn’t say anything. Silena waited for a minute, and then she slipped her hand in his, and they were taking the stairs two at a time. By the time Beckendorf could open his mouth, Silena had whirled him around so that they were face to face in the stairwell.

“Hey,” Silena asked. “Is everything alright?” She smiled—half comforting, half concerned. “You—you aren’t making a lot of sense right now.”

“I’m sorry—“

“No, no, it’s fine.” Silena shook her head. “It’s cool. I just...you were so excited all week to meet your mom, for me to meet your mom, and then you kind of, uh, froze up at the door? And it’s fine, you know. I get it. I totally get it if you’re nervous about bringing me home as your girlfriend to meet your mom, but are you okay? Is something up?”

“It’s not you,” Beckendorf said. “It’s not the girlfriend thing...my mom already loves you. She knows you. You’ve got nothing to worry about. I’m not worried about that. It’s not even my mom . It’s just…” he trailed off. He sat down jerkily on the bottom step of the staircase.

Silena waited a few beats before she prodded. She joined him on the last step. “It’s just what?”

“It’s gonna sound kind of dumb.”

“Try me.”

Beckendorf sighed. “I was just...on the way here, I kept thinking about how I finally get to spend like, considerable free time with my mom for one summer. It’s been years of summer vacations where I kept promising her that I’d take a break form Camp and visit, and we’d just...hang out I guess. And I kept thinking about how I’d managed to push it to the last possible year I could, and that was you know, it was fine! It wasn’t like we never got to spend time together. She calls. I drop by over winter break. We send letters. It’s cool. And it was fine, it was all fine, and then suddenly it hit me that this isn’t the last summer I get to just hang out with her.”

“Okay,” Silena said. She paused. “And that’s a bad thing because…?”

“It’s not.” Beckendorf grinned. “It’s not, it’s really not. But I kept psyching myself out by going “it’s the last summer” over and over again...but it’s not. It’s not my last summer that I spend with her. But it is the last summer when I’m head counsellor of my cabin. The last summer I can drop by Camp Half Blood as a regular camper, and not an instructor. For a minute, I just forgot what I was here for, and what that promise I made to her actually meant. When the monster attacks became less frequent, I promised. When it’s not as dangerous.”

“So you got all weird and staticky at the door because you...remembered you’re gonna be missing camp?”

Beckendorf spread his arms. “I don’t know. I remembered the first time I told my Mom that I’d visit her for a week in summer—I told her I’d take a break from camp. And I was just saying stuff because I was getting late for the Greyhound. I did get late for the Greyhound, actually, and Mom had to drop me. I can’t believe that…”

He turned to look at Silena. “I mean just…college? Did you imagine? That we’d make it to eighteen?”

For the first time that day, Silena looked just as uncertain as he felt. “Well, I’ve always…” She sighed. “No, I guess. My dad always talked about me going off to college. He didn’t ever have a doubt that I’d...make it to eighteen. He’s always making plans for the future. A Europe trip together, he always says. I’m saving up for a European holiday. He’s always wanted to go. He’s always said that we’ll go together when I’m eighteen.” Silena pulled up her knees to her chest and put her chin on them. “I didn’t really start believing that till I cut that birthday cake this Jan.”

Beckendorf could understand that. The day of his eighteenth birthday he had woken up to his siblings singing the most ear splitting rendition of the birthday song, and that was when it had sunk in for the first time— they would be getting to the other side. Just till the end of the war. Just till the end of the summer. And there had been so many summers before.

Beckendorf reached into his bag and retrieved the box of chocolates they’d picked out for his mom. He cracked open the seal and offered one to Silena.

“Hey, we bought that for your mom--”

“She won’t miss a couple,” Beckendorf assured her. “Take it as an apology for making you sad when this was supposed to be a fun date in the city.”

“You didn’t make me sad,” Silena said, choosing a truffle with a caramel filling. “This isn’t--sad. This is happy. Eighteen. Who would have thought?”

Beckendorf picked out a chocolate for himself and knocked it against Silena’s like a cheers . “Not me,” he admitted. “Not after the battle at camp last summer. Not after everybody left or died…”

“You were actually right,” Silena said, taking another truffle. “I need another one of these before we start talking about it all.”

"We still will visit, won't we? You're the best pegasus riding instructor in camp. I can't possibly leave my siblings all alone when it comes to forging. Like the demand for the whole of camp is so huge--"

"Of course we'll come back some time," Silena said. "We won't just disappear. They'll tear each other apart. Once Drew and Mitchell get going, I'm the only one who can tear them apart. And you have your brilliant new automaton dragon...it won't be the same, of course, but we'll come back. It won't...this is not goodbye forever."

"It won't be the same."

"It'll be good, though. Different, but good."

"You sure?"

"As I can be." Silena slit the wrapper with her forenail. The chocolate immediately flopped to the ground. Silena groaned. "Anyway, like I said. This isn't goodbye forever. This is just...a change. A lucky change."

They sat in silence for a moment, Silena casting periodic mournful glances at the candy on the floor. A childhood of helping her father with the candy shop had left her with a deep distaste for wasteful chocolate practices.

“I prefer the bon-bons,” Beckendorf said. He offered one to her.

Silena made a face. “My dad loves those. They taste like cardboard.”

“Never really had cardboard,” Beckendorf said. “But if it tastes anything like this, I wouldn’t mind chomping down on a couple of boxcrates myself.”

Silena rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “Alright. Next time I get something in the mail…”

“Postal is dead,” Beckendorf said. “Don’t make empty promises, Silena. Take it from me. Never know when you’ll be staring at some random door having a breakdown about the end of an era.”

Silena laughed, just once, a bright sparkle, and then she was leaning forward and kissing him. Beckendorf allowed himself to melt into the kiss, and by the time they were pulling away, his lips smelled faintly of caramel.

“You put on a new charm,” Beckendorf observed. He nodded towards the miniature curved sword on her bracelet, between hearts and fish and tiny doves. “It’s cute.”

Silena’s eyes dropped suddenly to her wrist, like she was seeing the charm for the first time. “Oh.” She grabbed the charm between her thumb and forefinger. “Oh. I forgot that I--ah, shit, I can’t believe I forgot to take this charm off--”

“It looks nice,” Beckendorf said. “Why would you want to--”

“Charlie?” His mom had come through the front door, lugging with her two armfuls of grocery bags. “Silena! Oh, did I keep you dears waiting?”

“It’s fine.” Beckendorf jumped up to his feet and kissed his mother’s cheek, coaxing a bag from her hold. “Hey, Ma.”

“Well, come on in! It’s going to get chilly.” Nevermind they were in the middle of one of the hottest summers New York had ever seen. “This is such a pleasant surprise, Charlie!I wasn’t expecting the both of you till the evening at…” Her voice grew progressively fainter as she trailed into the apartment. Beckendorf smiled at his mother’s enthusiasm, before turning to look at Silena, who was still standing at the bottom of the staircase. Her fist was curled around something. Her wrist was bare.

“Silena,” he said.”You alright?”

Silena shook her head. “Yeah, I’m...uh, this bracelet doesn’t really...I forgot. I had something else in mind. To wear today.”

“It looks really good, I’m not kidding.”

Silena inhaled deeply and then stuffed her curled fist deep into her pocket. “Thanks.”

Beckendorf nodded towards the ajar door. “You coming inside?”

“Yeah,” Silena said. “Charlie, you know I love you, right?”

“I love you too.”

“I know,” Silena said. “I know you do. But all that talk about eighteen, about reaching years you didn't think you’d reach...you know I love you, don’t you? Whatever happens. I love you.”

Beckendorf was half tempted to blurt out I love you too again. But he knew that wasn’t what Silena was asking. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. Of course.”

Silena nodded. “We say it a lot,” she said. “But we don’t--of course we mean it, but sometimes it gets lost doesn’t it? What that means? In between the small things, it doesn’t--it doesn’t seem big enough sometimes.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself,” Beckendorf said. “I get it.”

Silena bit her lip. “I don’t know if I love you is big enough. I don't know if the fact that I love you is enough. Will be enough.”

For what ? For him? For them?

“It will be,” Beckendorf told her, because it was the only thing he knew for certain. “I promise.”

“It seems so now, but if--when something happens -- ” Silena stopped suddenly and closed her eyes. Her breath was uneven. “Really? You think it’ll be enough?”

“It’ll be enough,” Beckendorf said.

#charles beckendorf #silena beauregard #percy jackson #pjo #voop fic

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berjhawn · 5 years

Text

Elastic Heart - Part 20 - Changing Fate

Warnings: Fighting, mentions of abuse, mentions of death, ETC

Pairings: Hobbit X OFC; Thranduil X OFC; Fili X OFC; LOTR X OFC

A/N: Since Tumblr is Broke you’ll have to go to my master-list to find all the other parts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I smile as I pull Ithildin up and follow suit as Thorin and his company along with the dwarves army starts attacking the Orcs. I smile as the dwarves find their second wind. I fight through Orcs until I make it to Fili’s side. “What took you so long?” I joke as I quickly impale an approaching Orc. Fili smiles at me and we continue to kill the Orcs as we fight side by side.

“There's too many of these buggers, Thorin. I hope you've got a plan.” Dain says and I turn toward Raven hill as Thorin says, “Aye, we're going to take out their leader.”

My heart drops and instantly follow Fili over to a ram and say, “Fili, I’m going with you!”

He turns toward me with worry in his eyes and says, “No, you stay here.”

I smirk as I say, “Are you going to stop me from going with you?” He shakes his head and I smile as I climb onto the Ram behind him and wrap my arms around his waist.

“Lead on!” Dwalin yells out and I hold tight to Fili as Thorin, Dwalin, Kili, Fili, and I ride off towards Ravenhill. When we reach the top we start killing dwarves until not more are seen. We look around but a morning fog is shielding our eyes from the ruins.

“Where is he? It looks empty. I think Azog has fled.” Fili says and my heart drops as I know he has not.

“I don't think so.” Thorin says before he slowly turns back to us. “Fili, take your brother. Scout out the towers. Keep low and out of sight. If you see something, report back, do not engage. Do you understand?”

They nod but I quickly interrupt as I say, “Wait!” They all slowly turn to me and I hide the emotions from my face as I say, “I will go,”

“No!” Fili says as he grabs my arm. “I won’t let you!”

“I am lighter on my feet than you, I will be fine I promise.” I say as give him a reassuring smile.

“Uncle you can’t-” Fili starts but Thorin quickly interrupts him as he says, “If Randír says she can do it then I trust her.” He slowly turns to me as he says, “Be safe.” I give him a forced smile before I quickly bound off to the other side of the frozen river right as a hoard of Goblin mercenaries attack them. I let out a heavy sigh as I manage a quick glance back toward Fili. Tears threaten my eyes as I knew what was going to come next but I wasn’t afraid. I would die so that the line of Durin would live on. “Amin mela lle.” (I love you)

I slowly scout through the towers when I hear a noise. I glance around the corner and see the shadows of Orcs coming towards me and I turn to run the other way but see Orcs there as well. Suddenly I am overwhelmed. They grab me and I am instantly brought before Azog. “I remember you,” He says as he lifts my face up to his. “Melethril, daughter of the traitor Celebrimbor, You challenged me when I was going to kill the Halfling.”

“And I would do it again!” I say through gritted teeth.

“You will make a good example.” He says as he takes me by the back of the neck and drags me out onto a balcony. I look forward to see Thorin, Dwalin, Kili, Bilbo, and Fili staring up at me. Fili starts to rush towards them but Thorin quickly grabs his nephew and holds him back. “Randír!” Fili cries out and my heart clenches.

“Melethril, you cannot die. You have much more to do in this world.”

“Ada?” I say as I frantically look around me.

“This one dies first. Then the brothers. Then you, Oakenshield; you will die last.” Azog says and I feel fear fill my body.

“Now Melethril!” I hear my father’s voice call out and I quickly jump up into the air catching Azog by surprise as I pull myself from his grasp and kicking him in the chest send him stumbling backwards as I fall over the edge of the balcony. As I fall I reach out and grab the closest thing to me which happens to be the side of the tower and smile as I draw Ithildin and slide down the rest of the way until I am safely on the ground.

“Randír!” I hear Fili cry out and I smile as I turn toward his voice and start making my way back over to him but end up stopped in mid-run as an Orc jumps down before me.

After I dispatch him, more and more start surrounding me. I reach down and grapping a nearby Orc’s sword; use both it and Ithildin to cut down Orcs as they make their way toward me. After a few moments my sword comes down to meet metal and I look over to see Fili standing in front of me his sword blocking mine. He smiles as he says, “I told you I’d remember.” I smile and before I am able to say anything an Orc runs up behind him and I twirl behind him and quickly slice the Orcs throat.

“Randír,” He says as I turn back to him and I smile as I pull the front of his shirt toward me making his lips crash against mine.

“What was that for?” He asks when I pull away from him.

I smile brightly as I say, “For good luck.” He returns my smile as he reaches up and gently touches the braid in my hair. Suddenly I hear a loud cry and turn to see Bolg, the rest of the Orcs, and the giant bats arrive at Ravenhill and my heart drops.

“Where are Thorin and Kili?” I ask not able to hide the fear in my voice. He follows my gaze and we run atop a boulder to see Thorin fighting Azog. I hear a noise behind me turn to see Kili fighting Orcs and my dream starts to come into my mind and I gulp down a breath of air as I say, “Don’t leave my side.”

He stares at me confused for a moment but nods. I see a shadow cross the ground before me and I look up to see Legolas holding onto one of the giant bats legs to fly over to the top tower, Tauriel then notices Kili fighting with the Orcs and I watch as she runs up beside him and starts fighting along with him. Then I watch as in the chaos Bilbo is knocked unconscious. I turn and running over quickly cut down an Orc who has his sword prepared to slice Kili’s back. I look up at him and Tauriel and give them a quick nod before I say, “Leave this place, and take Fili with you.”

“NO! I will not leave you here!” Fili says and my heart clenches and I turn to Tauriel and say in elvish so only she would understand, “Gar tírad tîn guruth, ann Thorin’s sui mael sui Kili’s. Nányë maeg an echad- sûl ten umë tolo taug. Lá núta ti e sís!” (I have seen his death, and Thorin’s as well as Kili’s. I am going to make sure it does not come true. Please get them out of here!)

At the mention of Kili’s death her eyes widen slightly as she says, “Sui-d iest.” (As you wish) She gives me a slight bow before I hear Fili say, “What did you say to her?”

“Fili please, go with Tauriel and your brother.”

“How many times do I have to say it, I’m not leaving you.”

“They need your help defeating Bolg, I will go to Thorin. I will see you after this is all over, I promise.” He looks away and I eye Tauriel and I see the knowing in her eyes. She knew I had no intention of coming back and that I would give my life to protect him just like she would for Kili. Fili’s eyes find mine again before he reaches up and grabbing my neck pulls my lips down to meet his.

“Be safe amrâlimê.” He says to me after he pulls away and heads off after Tauriel and Kili. I feel my heart leap in my chest before it once again clenches. I was his love. I feel tears threaten my eyes but I quickly push them away as I run back toward Thorin. I watch as Thorin tosses Azog's boulder and throws it to Azog, making him slip down the broken ice and sink into the water.

I smile as I feel like my dream had been averted until I hear Thorin cry out in pain and I quickly run over and right as Azog bursts through the ice. Before he is able to pin Thorin down, I push Thorin out of the way and fall to my back as I quickly bring Ithildin up to block his death blow.

“I will not allow you to interfere again She-elf!” Azog cries out as I try to hold him back from impaling me. I feel my arms start to buckle and a single tear falls from my cheek as I yell out, “If I die... you die with me!” I pull Ithildin away letting his sword come down impaling me in my shoulder. I cry out in pain and I can swear I hear Thorin’s voice in the background but I can’t make out his words.

Suddenly my body starts to burn up with a unknown heat and I swear I feel someone else take my body as I hear my father’s voice escape my lips, “I told you we’d go together!” My body moves on its own as it swiftly brings Ithildin up stabbing Azog straight through his heart. Azog stares down at me his eyes full of both shock and anger. Suddenly I feel someone rip Azog off me and I turn to see Thorin deliver the final blow driving his sword through Azog’s body into the ice finally killing him. I smile as I watch the light go out in his eyes.

Suddenly Thorin is beside me his eyes full of panic and anger, “You fool what were you thinking?!” I smile softly as I say, “I had to keep you all safe. I made a promise.”

“What good is a promise like that when your life hangs in the balance?” He asks and I feel tears start to fall from my eyes. “You once told me you thought of me as a father figure, well I think of you as the daughter I never had. I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you Randir.”

I feel my heart lift in my chest causing tears once again to pour as I say, “Please call me Melethril, Ada.”

“Melethril, this is not the end. I will not let your life end this way.” He says as he frantically looks around him. “Bilbo!” He cries as he see the Hobbit regaining consciousness. "Find Oin or Gandalf quickly!”

“Please tell Fili that I did what I had to, to protect you and him and Kili.”

Thorin looks at me curiously as he says, “Why do you say that?”

“I saw your deaths and I couldn’t let that happen. I needed to keep you all safe, and I did.” I say as I wince in pain.

“You saw our deaths and you didn’t say anything?”

“Would you have, Or would you have done all you could to protect your family?”

“You should have told me.”

I look up at the sky right as an eagle passes and I smile as I say, “The battle should be over soon my lord.”

“Melethril do not die, I forbid it!”

I chuckle as I say, “You’re ordering me not to die?”

“I am your king am I not?”

“That you are my lord.” I say through a wince. I could feel myself slowly fading and my vision starting to blur. “That you are, but I’m afraid this may be one order I cannot follow.” I feel my body grow cold and I know the end is close. “Please tell Fili that I was proud to be his amrâlimê.” Then everything grows dark.

Will Continue-

#berjhawn writes #berjhawn #elastic heart #hobbit fanfiction #hobbit x oc #the hobbit #thranduil x ofc #thranduil fanfiction #thranduil x oc #fili x ofc #fili x oc #fili #fili fanfiction #fanfiction

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letaliabane · 7 years

Text

Truth (Care For Series)

Pair: Thorin Oakenshield x Healer!Reader (a pretty short one too lol)

Genre: Arguing, Angst (lots in this one so fair warning), Fluff (eventually)

Warning: Lots of blood (descriptive)

Inspired by prompts from imaginexhobbit + Don’t die on me– Please

A/N: Thorin has gone and done it done it again, and this time, too far. Will Y/N continue to be apart of the company, or will she go back to the girl she was before ... In fact, who really was or is she?

PREVIOUS (Hate)

I cried into my hands, trying to hold back my sobs to seemed to escape me nonetheless, hiccuping every once in while. I had finally reached my quarters, leaning against the wall I had collapsed against.

Thorin’s words had pierced me like a knife, wedged between my ribs and twisted. How could he be so cruel!

I had always believed that deep down, like Fili had always said, that he had kindness in him, having to give up your life for your people you did. But he didn’t. He was cold, brutal and pitiless.

‘Y/N?’ I ignored the calling of my name, only looking up when two dwarfish feet came into my vision to find Balin standing over me.

His eyes were filled with worry and sadness at the sight of my expression. ‘Come on my dear, up you get,’ He said gently, yet firmly as he pulled me to my feet, careful and cautious as he did.

Once I was up, he sighed, wiping the stray tears beneath my eyes with a small smile, ‘Lets get you cleaned up now.’

Balin pulled me towards the vanity, sitting me down before starting a fire in the cold grate. He disappeared only to appear with one of the cauldron’s,filled with water and spilling the contents here and there upon the marble floors before finally placing it over the fire.

While it heated, the elderly dwarf unbraided my hair from the tight intricate bun I had done up for the day, gently running his fingers through the kinks and curls that represented my hair.

As he did this I sighed, allowing my thoughts to dwindle down, smiling lightly to myself, ‘Thank you Balin, you didn’t need to do this.’

‘I did, you are very dear to us, little one. You should never forget that.’ I couldn’t help but role my eyes at his words, ‘Thorin doesn’t seem to think the same ...’

‘Now you leave Thorin to the rest of us!’ Balin said firmly, now standing before me, staring down at me with great sternness that I had ever seen from him, ‘Gandalf is taking care of it as we speak!’

‘Oh Mahal, and if I know Gandalf, he’ll make it a lot more fun for himself than the one who’s on the receiving end!’ I groaned at this as the dwarf just chuckled.

Thorin sat up rather ungracefully, letting out a hoarse yell as he felt a cold substance trickle down his neck and back, looking up to see Gandalf dangling an elvish wine glass from his fingertips that had been filled with the contents of ale not too long ago, not even looking the slightest bit detested by Thorin’s half naked state.

‘We need to talk!’ The wizard barked at the bewildered dwarf who instantly grabbed the nearby tunic, at least making himself a little more decent as he grumbled, ‘I don’t know what of-’

‘Oh you know very well of what! You tarnished that poor woman today Thorin! A kind young woman who WANTED to assist you on this damn quest of yours, but no, obviously your stubbornness had to get involved and look where its gotten us now.’

‘It wasn’t my fault-’

‘Wasn’t your fault?! Poppycock it damn well was your fault! You insulted her and set her on edge-’

‘Why should I care Gandalf!’ Thorin bellowed as he got himself out of bed, dragging himself to pour another glass of ale, ‘I told you before we began on this quest at that stupid Hobbit’s house, I will not be held responsible for the hobbit’s or HER demise if anything were to come of it!’

Gandalf scoffed at this, pulling out his pipe aggressively.

‘What he did was disgraceful, even to a human. I couldn’t even stomach the sight of him when he came looking for the rest of us after what took place.’

I couldn’t help but feel guilty at this. ‘I didn’t mean to split you and your leader apart, all I wanted was to be equal with the rest of you but I guess I got more than I bargained for.’

‘No you did not! Though we dwarves may be seen as stubborn for trusting our own kind easily, we do not DOWNGRADE other races!’

‘But Balin ... I think you might if you knew the real me.’

‘Yes but you can at least show her some curtsy! I don’t know WHAT you’ve got against her but it simply won’t do! You need to realise that EVERY ONE of your company members are valuable, including the hobbit and the human!’

‘Oh why should I?’ Thorin sighed at this, turning to him only to face the grim faced wizard. ‘Because you are not the only one who has gone through losing a home, family and their soul in the midst of war far greater than their own.’

‘What do you mean?’ The dwarf questioned as Gandalf sighed, looking towards the open scenic view that was a clear outlook to the sunset, reds and pinks flourishing in the sky. ‘Many years ago, Y/N lived in her village with her family. Her parents, and two younger siblings, a brother and sister.’

‘Come on Y/N! You’re never going to catch me!’ I smirked as I ran after my little brother, Eric, his long legs clearly his only advantage as we trekked through the forests. Finally when we had reached its edge, I came to lean against one of the many trees, looking up at the sight of his eager grin, ‘Told you!’

‘Oh shut it!’ I said, finally grabbing him around the head in a headlock, ruffling his head as he squealed and hit my arms in retaliation. Finally I let him free with a large smile as he reached down to massage the back of his ankles with a groan, ‘Eh, they make us train like this at the Camp but not this fun. We crack a smile and its down and doing tens!’

‘Well you have to whipped into shape like the rest of the boys before you join the guard, or even become the Captain while I become a housemaid like the rest!’

He rolled his eyes at this, ‘I know but still, it would be nice if things were a bit easier.’

‘Don’t worry little brother, I’ll continue to whip you into shape so you’ll be a captain in no time! Then I can show you off and make you my body guard!’ I wrapped my arm around his waist as he tugged me in, beaming almost wildly before we looked towards the village as the clock struck, ‘Damn we have to get back or Ada will kill us-’

‘RACE YOU!’ I screamed as I ran down the hill, the winds lifting our laughter as we once again trekked towards the village.

‘What they didn’t know was that they’d return to only the things you’d see in nightmares.’

Thorin looked up from the fireplace grate towards Gandalf, whose expression had darkened, but it wasn’t for the lack of light.

‘What happened here?’ I whimpered beneath my breath, looking around at our village-well what was left anyway.

Many of the houses and village town halls were burning brightly against the afternoon light, the heavy stench of ash and blood evident in the air. Eric was too shocked for words to leave his lips.

I gripped my brother’s hand as we made our way towards our home, too scared to run, as if it would disturb the volatile peace that grew thick over the current havoc.

My heart nearly when I glimpsed what used to be our house now in ruins, but dropped to my knees, a scream that was not my own leaving my lips.

My parent’s bodies hung on spears, their hair drifting ghostly in the wind, their eyes staring into the setting sun, open and empty.

My sister, my baby sister, her body mangled and unrecognisable as her blood dripped steadily down the spear.

Eric gripped my shoulder, holding me close to his body as sobs racked my body.

‘Oh my dear!’ Balin yelped from beside me, cradling my hand within his own two, tears welling in his eyes. I couldn’t help but stare into the fire, watching as the flames danced and licked at the air, flickering and quivering. ‘Yet that wasn’t even the worst of it.’

I looked around in fear, two orcs staring at me hungrily before I elbowed one in the face, sending him backwards before kicking the other in the shin, sending him to the floor. And I ran as fast as my legs could take me, jumping over fallen trees and moss covered rocks.

That was until a heard a loud cry echo through the forest, making my blood run cold. ‘ERIC?!

At this, I turned and ran back to find myself in the village again, looking around helplessly before freezing at the sight of the knife held at my brother’s throat, his eyes wide with fear. With a sigh a raised my hands in defeat.

I screamed as I was dragged alongside Eric, two orcs gripping each of my arms painfully tight, almost leaving behind claw marks. We were thrown to the ground, looking up instantly to find ourselves faced with a large overgrown cave troll, leaning its head down blindly to reveal and ugly face orc-well, all of them were ugly anyway.

It stared down at the two of us, squinting as it looked into each of our faces, chuckling to himself, ‘Okay, she’s coming with us! Him-Kill Him!’

‘NO! PLEASE NO!’ I screamed in protest, the orcs gripping me as they pulled Eric away from me, his expression having fallen at the orc’s words, now blank. ‘Please, kill me instead! I’m useless, I can’t do anything! Just let him live! Let him live-’

‘SHUT UP WOMAN! He dies, and just because of that, I’m gonna let you have the pleasure of watching him die!’

My head was forced roughy towards Eric’s as another orc held its sword to his neck, barely flinching at it as he stared deeply into my eyes, ignoring the tears that soaked my face, giving me a familiar smile as he mouthed the words.

Be strong

When the blade slit across his throat, when the light left his eyes and blood washed his garments, when his body hit the gravel, I could hardly recognise the scream that left my lips.

It was torturous, painful, heart ripping.

I broke free of the tight grip of the orc who held me, skidding to a halt before my unmoving brother as I held his body in my arms, practically smothering it against mine as I cried out desperately into the night.

‘Don’t die on me– Please! ERIC PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME!’

‘After that they enslaved her, working alongside many others they had taken captive. However she was clever,’ Gandalf said as he cleaned his pipe, and once more lit the weed he placed in it.

‘She watched and took note of her surroundings, how many guards were put on watch, how to use a weapon from just watching. With these skills she escaped. And that is when I met her.’

I lay against a tree, breathing heavily and yet painfully, holding my abdomen that was bloodied and bruised. I was going to die. I just knew it. I would die, and then at the steps of Valhalla, I would meet my family once again and all those who I had lost on that one day—

Suddenly a black shadow was cast around me, the sunlight blocked even behind closed eyes. ‘If you going to kill me do it quickly. I’ve suffered enough, I think I deserve and would like, to die peacefully.’

‘Now, if I wanted to kill you I would’ve already done it by now!’ I opened them to find a tall wizard before me, robed in great grey robes, a tall but crooked hat, and a staff held firmly in his grip.

He gave me a small, sympathetic smile as he knelt before me, pushing back the hair that shrouded my face, ‘My dear what is your name?’

‘Y/N ...’

‘Y/N, well, lets get you fixed up shall we. I know a friend around here who would indeed help us.’

‘I took her into the forest just before Mirkwood, where I stayed and helped her heal, before taking her up as my apprentice, teaching her how to be a skilled warrior and healer.’

Thorin was silent as Gandalf finished speaking. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. A woman like Y/N, really had suffered all of that, worst of all had been enslaved by those beasts.

He got to his feet aimlessly, staring out the window as Gandalf sighed mindfully, still staring into the fire.

‘She taught herself a lot of the skills she has today, but the most important was to hide her pain, unlike you. She built a new life for herself in Bree, a life she could have stayed true until the opportunity arose to help you, even protect you-’

‘What?!’ Thorin only turned at this, the wizard ignoring his gaze.

‘Oh yes, she was there since we met in Bree, and followed you to your meeting in the Blue Mountains before reaching the home of Mr Baggins. So indeed Thorin, you have underestimated her, as you always do.’

I was now leaning my head against Balin’s shoulder as we stood on the verandah where we had moved to, allowing me to speak, stroking my head every so often, ‘With Gandalf’s help, I became the woman I am today.’

‘A strong one indeed, dearie,’ Balin said with a smile as I just chuckled, ‘I hope so. At least, if I can be for my family. I lost my soul, and it died the day my whole family perished too. And that part of me is no more, I’m nothing but an empty shell.’

‘Thats not true-’

‘But it is. Yes I may show kindness, but thats because all that I would’ve given to my brother and sister and parents is still there. If I hadn’t gone through all that, I don’t think I would’ve realised how precious life could be, realised how meaningless war and anger is when we have so little time. I do not regret joining the company but I regret offering my help to such a horrible King! I promised my brother I’d be strong, but I CANNOT be ridiculed by your leader any longer Balin for things that are not true.’

The elder inclined his head, gripping my hand firmly in his own. Balin left with kind words that he would allow me to sleep on it, to rethink my place amongst the company, but also on the journey, and would address me in the morning.

And finally I turned my head towards the distant pair of eyes that had been watching for quite sometime, staring into his deep, endless blue caverns that shone like diamonds against the moonlight, before turning back into room without a second glance and casting the curtains shut.

NEXT (Begging) or Care for Series or Masterlist

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