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Valadhiel sat on the cold stone floor, Fili on one side of her, Kili on the other side, and Thorin in front of her. Her good wing was folded behind her, and her broken wing was sprawled out behind her, hanging limp. She shivered a little and sighed. They had been down here for a little while, a couple of days now, and each day her wing only hurt more. Thorin, guided by Oin, had been able to set it, and there was a rag tied around it- the lower part of her shirt, leaving her lower belly, bellybutton included, exposed. There were also rips in the back of her shirt from the whip a couple days before.

Despite not having any way to clean the wounds, Valadhiel got no infections, being part elf, and her wing was already healing, as were the wounds from the whip. Not only was she elven, but she was also dragon, and dragons were well known for their incredible healing abilities.

The other dwarves were in the other cells, as they weren't wanted by Azog and the Black Dragon. They would most likely be killed once Thorin, Fili, Kili, and Valadhiel had been handed over to the Pale Orc. Thorin, across from her at the barred door, was listening to the other dwarves' conversations, though he wasn't doing a lot of talking. He was thinking about what Valadhiel had told them about how she knew the Great Goblin. She had been traveling this way seven years before, apparently, and had been captured. Thanks to a creature named Gollum, she escaped. He was also thinking about Azog, back when he killed his grandfather.

After a moment, Valadhiel stood and began pacing in an agitated sort of way. Not only was Night Fury allied with Azog, but Azog was undoubtedly on his way here to not only kill the remaining heirs of Durin, but to bring her to the Black Dragon so that she could be killed. She, too, was being killed because of her royal bloodline.

"Vala, what's wrong?" Kili asked after a moment, standing up as he looked at her in concern. "You should really be resting."

"I can't believe that Azog is still out there." Valadhiel growled in response, ignoring the next comment that Kili made. "When I see him again, I'll kill him. I swear it!"

"Who is this Night Fury, lass?" Bofur asked after a moment of solemn silence, looking between the bars of the cell he was in.

Valadhiel sighed a little and quit her pacing, sitting down on the floor once again. "Well, he's a dragon who wants me dead." She replied, speaking slowly as she tried to decide whether or not she should tell them she was technically royal. Only Bilbo and Balin knew, as they hadn't old anyone else.

"We gathered that, but why?" Fili replied in question, looking at her with a furrowed brow. What was she hiding?

"Well... that would be because..." Valadhiel trailed off, then she closed her eyes and swallowed before she continued. "He wants to be the next ruler of the dragons, and he doesn't want to have to worry about me returning to reclaim my rightful place as queen." She glanced around to see everyone either staring in surprise or gaping, then she shifted uncomfortably and kept her eyes averted.

"You're... royal?" Thorin asked slowly and quietly, looking at her in surprise. He scooted a little closer so that she would, hopefully, stop looking at the ground and look up at him.

"Why didn't you say anything before, Vala?" Kili and Fili asked in unison.

Valadhiel gave a light shrug, then cringed a little when her wounds stung because of the movement. She then looked at Kili, Fili, and Thorin. "I didn't want any of you to know I was royal. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not. I never wanted to be a ruler, and I never asked to be one. But I'll become one if it keeps the few remaining dragons from being ruled by a tyrant such as Night Fury. He doesn't want me to rule because I could bring peace between elves, dragons, and skinchangers, and he claims another reason I can't rule is because I'm a mixed breed."

"So, which of your parents was royal?" Ori asked curiously.

"Both of them, actually." Valadhiel replied with a small smile. "My father was king of the fire-drakes, and my mother was the princess of the cold-drakes."

"What was your mother's name?" Bofur asked curiously.

Valadhiel smiled. "Her name was Deragwyn. She was the most beautiful dragon I'd ever seen, and she was the kindest, most wonderful mother anyone could hope for."

"What was your father's name?" Ori asked curiously, after having smiled as the elvish dragon talked about her mother.

Valadhiel forced herself to keep a calm face, and she was about to open her mouth despite not knowing what she was going to say, then she turned her head. "Someone's coming. The stench of goblin is nearing."

Sure enough, goblins appeared and began to drag the dwarves out of the cells. When Thorin tried to resist so he could stay near Valadhiel, they shoved him forward and told him to move unless he wanted harm to come to the elf.

Valadhiel didn't move as the goblins bound her wrists, though she gave a small cry when her wings were tied together, then clenched her teeth before she walked along after the others. Her leg was very sore, but it no longer hurt nearly as much. It was definitely feeling much better than her wing was.

Soon, all the dwarves and Valadhiel were in the throne room before the Great Goblin, who was dancing around excitedly as he sang.

"Bones will be shattered, necks will be rung! You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung! You will lie down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin Town!"

Valadhiel looked over at an orc that was going through the weapons that had been taken before, and she furrowed her brow, wondering why they hadn't gone through them before. After all, Valadhiel was certain they'd been here for two days. She watched as the goblin picked up Thorin's sword, gasped, jumped back, an shrieked. When the Great Goblin saw it, the coward ran back to his throne.

"I know that sword!" He cried out. "It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!"

Valadhiel's eyes widened, and she whipped around toward Thorin. Despite the fact that she was wounded and in much pain, she began working on getting her wrists free. She set a finger on a part of the rope, and soon, she smelled a burning smell before she heard a very quiet snap. She watched as goblins held Thorin down, and another pulled a knife, raised it, and was about ready to behead him. She gritted her teeth and ripped the rest of the ropes off of her wrists before she angrily lunged toward the goblin holding the knife and knocked him to the ground.

Once that goblin was out of the way, the Great Goblin ordered them to grab her and secure her. However, before anyone could move, a bright light filled the entire place, causing everyone to stumble back, and all of the goblins shrieked.

Valadhiel shielded her eyes, then she went about burning the ropes off of her wings. When the light died down slightly, she saw Gandalf, and she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Take up arms!" Gandalf shouted. "Fight. Fight!"

Every dwarf leaped to their feet, and several made their way to the pile of weapons that had barely been touched over the course of two days. Valadhiel quickly leaped to the pile of weapons and began passing, even tossing, them to the dwarves, knowing which belonged to who. Not only because she'd spent that much time around them, but because of the scent of each weapon. She soon found all of hers, though couldn't get to all of them at first. She fought a couple of goblins here and there before she'd finally gathered all of her weapons.

The Great Goblin saw Gandalf's sword and cried out, "He wields the Foe-Hammer, the Beater, bright as daylight!" He finally came down from his throne and began fighting along with the others, and when he saw one of the dwarves stumble back, he came towards him with his mace in hand.

"Nori!" Dwalin shouted in alarm.

Thorin jumped forward and deflected the Great Goblin's blow, causing him to stumble back. He almost fell back, but didn't, so Thorin was about to raise his sword to aid his descent, but Valadhiel beat him to it. He gave a nod to her before they continued to fight, side by side.

Valadhiel swung her sword, which glowed blue and had glowing yellow flame shaped streaks along it, whacking the head off of a goblin, then she stabbed another and twisted it when it was plunged into its chest before she kicked it off.

"Follow me!" Gandalf ordered, waving for them to follow after he killed another goblin. "Quick! Run!"

Valadhiel sheathed her sword, grabbed her bow, and knocked in an arrow before she lifted the bow and ran after Gandalf, alongside Thorin in the back. She still wondered where in the world Bilbo was, and she desperately hoped that he was okay.

After reaching a passageway, she looked back to see hundreds of goblins running after them. She bit her lower lip before she kept running after Gandalf, who yelled, "Quickly!" She then glanced back again before she added, "They're catching up!"

Dwalin, seeing several goblins in front of them yelled, "Post!" He and some other dwarves cut down a post, lifted it, then held it up in front of them like some large spear. "Charge!"

They charged and swept several goblins off of the pathway. They dropped the rail and sliced at the remaining goblins, as did all the other dwarves. Valadhiel shot the ones that went nearly undetected by the others with her arrows, then she turned and shot the ones that were coming up behind them.

"Cut the ropes!" Thorin yelled.

The ropes were cut, and some goblins got entangled in them. As Kili fought some goblins began to shoot arrows at him. He deflected them with his sword and then dropped himself onto a nearby ladder on the goblins. They crossed the ladder and Dwalin was about to break it before he realized that Valadhiel hadn't crossed. "Valadhiel! Come on!"

Valadhiel looked back, then kept firing at some goblins as she backed away quickly. She would tell him to go ahead and cut the ladder, but she couldn't fly right now, nor could she shapeshift. She didn't have enough energy or strength to do so, plus she was unable to shapeshift very well when she was injured.

"Vala!" Dwalin again called for her.

Kili, noticing the trouble that Valadhiel seemed to be having, sheathed his sword, grabbed his bow, knocked in an arrow, then began firing at the orcs with excellent aim, allowing Valadhiel to be able to turn around.

Once Valadhiel was across the ladder, Dwalin cut it with his axe before he ran after the others, making sure that Valadhiel was ahead of him. It would be best if she kept near the front since she was already injured and weak.

"Quickly!" Gandalf called.

They continued through the paths and got onto a section that was hanging from ropes. They sliced some of the ropes, causing the platform to swing.

"Jump!" Thorin shouted to everyone.

They jumped to the other side, but half were still stuck as the platform swung back, Valadhiel included. Goblins climbed onto it, so Valadhiel put her bow up, grabbed her sword, and sliced at the goblins that did get on the passageway. Many of them fell into the dark void below.

When they swung back to the side the others were on, they all jumped across. Valadhiel, however, lost her footing and grabbed onto the edge, giving a startled and pained cry when her wing hit a rock that jutted out to the side.

"Vala!" Kili shouted, but before he could rush forward, Thorin pushed past him and made his way to her. His eyes widened when Valadhiel's hand slipped, leaving her dangling by only a few fingers.

"Take my hand!" Thorin shouted after he hurriedly got onto his belly and grabbed the hand that Valadhiel was hanging onto the ledge with. Once she reached her other hand up and grasped it, he lifted her up, just as an arrow flew by, missing him by inches.

Valadhiel got to her feet. "Thank you." She breathlessly told Thorin, then she was about to run with him, but she cried out and stumbled when an arrow hit her ankle. Whenever she got injured, it seemed that she got very injured.

"Vala!" Thorin looked at her in concern, then he knelt down, told her what he was going to do, then removed the arrow. It hadn't gone in deep enough to cause damage by pulling it out, though he was sure it caused a great amount of pain. And if it was poisoned... he prayed that it wasn't. He lifted Valadhiel into his arms and took off after the others.

They soon came to a bridge between two walls. Before they could cross, however, the Great Ugly Goblin popped up from below and climbed onto the platform, giving them a hideous, malice-filled grin.

"You thought you could escape me?" He swung his mace twice, causing Gandalf to stumble back. "What are you going to do now, Wizard?"

Gandalf leaped forward and poked the Goblin King in the eye with his staff, causing him to drop his mace and cover his eye in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

Gandalf, while the goblin was distracted with his eye pain, drew his sword and sliced him in the belly. The goblin stopped his "owing" and fell to his knees, clutching his fat belly.

"That'll do it." He said, seeming stunned and dazed.

Valadhiel clenched her teeth and, having had enough of him, lifted a palm. Soon, ice sprouted from her hand and took the shape of a sharp blade, then she grasped it and threw it at him. It hit his neck with enough force to behead him, causing his head and his body to fall to the bridge. "Goodbye, Goblin King." She quietly hissed.

Thorin looked at her in surprise when she displayed that ability, but he said nothing of it. Now wasn't the time for questions, or for wondering how many more abilities this dragon possessed. He felt his heart begin to race when the goblin's weight shook the bridge, and soon, they all went falling down with the bridge and the dead goblin.

Valadhiel groaned when she was pinned between Thorin and the wreckage of the bridge once they had landed, and she and Thorin were attempting to get out of the wreckage already, as Thorin was worried about her.

"Well, that could have been worse." Bofur commented.

Seconds after Bofur spoke, the Great Goblin's body fell on top of them all. Every dwarf grunted and groaned, and Valadhiel gave an involuntary squeak when a large board pressed into her chest, stealing her breath.

"You've got to be kidding!" Dwalin cried out.

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