"I cannot delay long.""There's no point in going to Gundabad." I told him.Legolas rounded on me pinning me with an intense look. "The party of Orcs that followed the dwarves will have made for Gundabad." A breeze ruffled his pale blond hair. He pressed the plant into my hands and stepped back. I'm glad I got through to you."Legolas found the athelas quickly and cut a cluster with a knife from his boot. "Perhaps.I shall aid you."I planted my fist on my hip. "You are a strange mortal." He looked back through the trees to where Tauriel sat beside Kili and held his hand. He'd probably never had anyone talk back to him before. "Get rid of the stick up your ass and help me! I'm not in the mood for your racism! A person needs help and that should be enough for you!"Shocked, Legolas stared at me. "Why would I help a dwarf?""Argh!" I wanted to strangle him. I need your help to find it."Legolas pulled free, his expression cold. "Hurry, Adelaide."Hearing the urgent note in her voice I sprinted toward the woods grabbing Legolas' arm along the way and hauled the elf prince after me. Sitting her bow aside she, pushed up her sleeves. Tauriel loped across the grass and knelt beside Kili. Tauriel!" I shouted in the direction of the she-elf.Her super hearing caught my voice over the din. "We believed you safe in the Elf King's halls."I shook myself free of my stupor. "Adelaide, how came you to be here?" His blue eyes were puzzled. His face was a sickly gray.Fili adjusted his hold on his brother's waist. The dwarves were a bedraggled lot, their long hair and beards streaming water. "My thanks.""Shaft Killer?" A familiar voice said behind me.I spun around to find a part of the company staggering onto land. It only takes a small bite and they'll be full."The woman eyed the bread with suspicion before nodding grudgingly. These poor people."The children are hungry." A woman murmured."What should we do? We don't have a tally of our supplies." Her companion muttered, wringing her hands.A small child wailed and soon others took up an ear-piercing chorus.There wasn't much I could do for them but.I fumbled in my pocket, pulling out a wrapped piece of Lembas Legolas had given me.Grabbing the sleeve of one of the mothers, I offered her the bread. Maybe I was overdoing it but I couldn't stand by and do nothing.Women were weeping. Gritting my teeth, I pressed my arm closer to my side. I wrapped it around the shoulders of a shivering woman, ignoring the chill that bit at my bare face and rippled down my spine. I'd even welcome some of his annoying riddles.A woman passed me a blanket from a stack. I averted my gaze when a body drifted closer.Nothing I did here would truly erase my mistake, but I had to try. Ducking my head, I squinted and searched the floating debris for anyone else in need of help. Did Bard's children die because Legolas and Tauriel weren't there to save them from the Orcs? What of Kili who needed Tauriel's elven healing magic to recover from his poisoned wound? These were just a few of the questions that circled around in my head as more and more people stumbled onto the shore.The sun broke over the eastern ridge, the bright rays striking against the surface of the water. Not long after reaching the edge of the lake Tauriel, Legolas and I watched the dragon plummet from the sky shot down by Bard's black arrow.I'm the reason the elves weren't there before Smaug's attack. "Everything is gone."A floating barrel bumped against my leg as I reached for the next person and the next. She fell to her knees with a sob, trembling. Her hand was icy cold and gripped my wrist in a strangle hold. The water lapped at my boots as I reached down to help an elderly woman to shore.
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