Thorin didn't know if he'd ever felt such fear as that scream shattered into the world. That scream of undiluted pain and fear. The scream that made him freeze even as his sword sliced through the neck of the last orc.

And after the scream –– silence.

The silence was the worst thing he'd heard. Thorin moved like lightning, pushing aside the branches at the edge of the trees and shoving his broad shoulders between them.

His heart nearly stopped as he beheld Arien lying amongst the leaves, unmoving. As he beheld the dark red blood pumping from a wound in her back. The orc standing over her, its blade buried in her body.

"No," he whispered. Whispered, and attacked.

So fast the orc could not react, Thorin's sword slashed across its stomach. It stumbled back, its own blade ripping free of Arien and falling to the ground. Thorin parted its head from its body in one smooth movement. It slumped to the ground.

Black blood was crusted all over his body, and his sword dripped with it, but Thorin didn't care. He knelt beside Arien, assessing the wound. It was deep and pumped blood onto her clothes, but it didn't look like it had hit anything vital. Yet a wound that deep, with the blood loss...

Thorin didn't let himself finish that thought. He scooped her up in his arms and began to walk as fast as possible towards his home.

***

"Princess?"

Dis, daughter of Thrain and fourth in line to the throne of Erebor turned at the sound of her title.

"Yes," she replied, quickly slipping her sword under her bed. "Come in."

Farin, her husband and lover, slipped in and shut the door behind him. His eyes flicked toward the bed, where a gleam was still visible.

"Having fun?" he asked, grinning.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied innocently.

Farin just raised his eyebrows. "Our esteemed Princess, using her spare time to practice in combat? I think I might die of shock."

Dis laughed. "You're certainly a distraction from my over-serious family." She frowned. "Speaking of which, Thorin was supposed to be back this morning. Do you think anything's happened?"

Farin crossed the room and took her hand. "I'm sure he's fine. If anyone can handle himself, it's your brother."

"I know, but..."

"You're worried. I understand. But he'll be fine, Dis."

She nodded. "I suppose so. Well, now that that's out of the way, maybe we can..."

A knock on her door cut her off.

"What is it?" she snapped.

"Your presence is requested at the gates immediately, Princess.