Story - takes place during the first movie. I've decided to go with an AU that's mostly based on the movies, but there might be some book and definitely parts are my imagination. This is an Bilbo/Azog story.
Azog watched the little creature that stood defiantly against him and his final vengeance and victory. The male creature that had come out of nowhere killed one of his top lieutenants, and now stood defiantly over the fallen exiled King Under the Mountain. Green eyes like vibrant gems seemed to dare him, Azog the Defiler, to take the King's life, as if the tiny creature could stop him. The world seemed frozen for a moment as if it stopped to remark on the bravery of one tiny Hobbit, mark the moment when everything changed.
The wind, carrying the ash, changed direction, shifting so that the tiny creature's delicate golden curls blew in the breeze. Azog breathed deeply, and then froze. The delicate scent of summer lavender, mint, and sandalwood. It was the most alluring scent; the scent of a mate.
The Pale orcs eyes narrowed, carefully scenting the air for a split second. And then the world began to move again. From the fallen tree, dangling over the cliff, the dwarves of the company rose, rallying to their fallen king and his tiny defender.
"Grab the little one, and bring him to me!" growled the Defiler in Black Speech.
Bilbo's mind was in shock, he'd killed an orc in defense of Thorin. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest as he stood over Thorin's body, praying that his fellow company member, a leader, would live. Before him, on a raised rock sat the Pale orc, eyes glinting dangerously at him. The world seemed to pause and he was frightened for a moment; not for his life and not because of the imminent threat to his life, which he was absolutely terrified about, but for the look in the Defilers eyes that chilled him to his very core.
And then the world moved and the company rushed forth to defend their king. A shout in the harsh language of the orcs was heard by Bilbo over the roars of battle around him. A tall orc rushed him, sword ready to harm and Bilbo dodged, swinging his sword wildly in an attempt to kill or maim the creature. Then suddenly, Giant Eagles came soaring to their rescue. He watched a golden eagle grab Thorin before launching itself back into the night sky.
Large hands grabbed him from behind and he cried out in surprise as he was bodily tossed into the waiting arms of the Pale orc. His sword had been dropped somewhere in the past 15 seconds and he struggled to get away from the creature that had him.
A clawed hand flashed into his line of sight and he flinched, then stilled.
"Be still," growled the Defiler dangerously. His mate would not flee from him.
The Pale orc settled his mate comfortably across his warg's back before surveying the battle. Most of the dwarves had been taken by the eagles, the battle lost, and yet he was not sorry. He would hunt Durins line down to the ends of the earth, wipe them out, but now he'd also found his mate.
"Withdraw!" he called out, turning his warg away from the scene.
Bilbo watched in frozen horror as he was taken away from his companions. His voice was stilled within his throat, and then suddenly every comment that had been said that night on the outcrop about orcs and bloody deaths came crashing back to him with stunning clarity. His breath hitched, and then it was like Bilbo couldn't breathe at all. The threat of the claw was no longer clear in his mind, only the overwhelming need to escape.
The pale rider and his warg had travelled swiftly from the battle scene and he could hear his other riders following him.
"Return to camp," he commanded before turning his own warg away. There was a river and a hot spring nearby. He would take his mate there. He appeared to be a creature that would enjoy hot springs.
Bilbo flinched at the harsh voice behind him. He could barely contain his anxiety, he needed to escape. With a violent pitching force, he rolled his body one way, and then the other, moving out of the large hands and fell onto the ground. He hardly landed before bouncing back onto his feet and running wildly into the forest.
Azog watched his tiny mate flee, half stumbling into the dark of the night. Clearly his mate couldn't see in the darkness and was just as likely to kill himself, than escape. The white warg watched the tiny thing leave, ready to pounce after it.
"Easy Daisy," he patted gently. "My mate is frightened."
The warg shifted, turning to look at her rider. Mate? She snorted, this tiny creature was her riders Mate?
"Be kind, the Mother makes her choices wisely, if strangely."
She rolled her hunches but settled slightly.
Azog stood, allowing his feet to feel the earth beneath him. His eyes settled to the trail his mate had made before stalking off to follow him.
Bilbo's breath was ragged, eyes wild with fear and desperation. He tripped, stumbling, hands flailing wildly to catch himself and then kept running.
Azog tensed, watching his mate nearly fall and fought to not catch the tiny creature. Further ahead of his mates frantic path was a section of rocky soil. Carefully, Azog moved into his pathway.
"Why do you run, little creature?" he asked as gently as he could.
Bilbo froze, the voice seeming harsh and dangerous before him.
"What are you? You smell not like a tiny dwarf, though you travel with them. Nor like wizard."
Bilbo broke from his hold, darting away from the voice and the unknown to him, onto the safer path through the night. Onward and onward he ran, changing direction every time he heard the Defiler behind him, until finally he could run no more.
Azog had been impressed by his mate, who'd run nearly blindly for half the night. Yet, even with all of the creature's stamina, he still tired.
Bilbo gasped in air, fighting to keep from passing out. He could sense the Defiler coming out from the forest near him. "Have you had your fun then, Defiler?" he spat angrily. He was going to die, and the Pale Orc had toyed with him half the night. There was no point in running, there was no escape.
The large orc said nothing, instead crouched down, sensing that his mate was weary of his height. Carefully, he offered up his water flask, freshly filled.
Hands on his knees, breathing heavily, Bilbo could only see the flask dangling before his eyes. He looked incredulously at the creature holding it out to him.
"You cannot be serious," groaned the hobbit seriously.
"You do not require water, little creature?" asked the giant orc, confused.
Bilbo took a moment to look at the creature before him; attempting to set aside his fear and frustration. The giant orc, easily over 7 feet tall, was crouched down, bending down upon himself until he was eye level of a hobbit. He was also keeping his distance, hand extending out to offer the water, close enough to reach, but far enough away to give an illusion of distance and safety for the hobbit. The orc displayed no threat on his face once Bilbo recognized and was able to look past the Defilers orcish facial features. If anything, the dangerous pale orc looked like a kicked puppy wanting a bit of affection.
"No, err… Yes, I do," he said, putting his new revelation's shock behind him. "Thank you." He took the flask, opening the cork. Carefully he scented the liquid before drinking. He was surprised to find it still cold and very refreshing.
Azog, with his keen eyes, watched some of the water spill some of it, and had to bite his tongue.
Bilbo, feeling much more refreshed, reached out to hand the flask back. Azog couldn't help himself, as he reached back for his flask, his finger touched his mate's skin. The hobbit started, warm fingers touching his before the flask was taken back.
"There is a hot spring nearby. You have run far this night and dawn will come soon. It is not safe to be out during the day," spoke the pale orc gruffly.
Bilbo stepped back, while he knew the orc could catch him with little effort, prey instincts were powerful, but he was also tired and growing annoyed.
"You bloody well chased me all night!," he snapped in frustration. "Tried to kill my friends, took me and then lead me on a very merry chase. Now you offer up hot springs? And safety?"
Azog growled at his mate's comment. His mate could not be friends with dwarves; it would not be allowed.
Bilbo flinched from the sound, anxious yet again. He didn't think it would make sense for an orc to give a captive water only to kill him again, but since when did he knew anything about orcs? He hardly knew anything about the dwarves and he'd been travelling with them for nearly 3 months.
"You stank of mindless fear. Now it is only a lingering scent," replied the orc as if that made perfect sense, which it didn't.
Bilbo just looked at the orc, frown growing on his face. "I have no idea what that even means!" he cried when his frustration became palatable.
Azog shrugged, time was growing short. If his mate didn't agree to come soon, he'd be forced to carry him to the hot springs. "You will follow me?"
Bilbo snorted, "It's not like I have a choice."
"Little creature will always have a choice," replied the giant orc as he stood.
Bilbo was never more aware of the Defilers size then at that moment. The pale orc uncurled himself from his crouched position and stood, towering even over men or elves.
"Are you going to eat me?" he asked softly, all defiance and bluster vanishing into the night.
Azog looked down at his mate and his face twisted in sadness. "You are safe. None shall harm you little creature." And then the giant creature walked off; leaving Bilbo with a sense of sadness, like he'd somehow disappointed the large creature. Which was silly. He was a hobbit being held captive by a fearsome orc, yet something twisted in him, something new that told he was missing something important.
Bilbo realized he was being left behind and quickly hurried to follow behind the orc, making sure to stay back far enough that he could pretend that he wasn't a prisoner, but close enough so that he could see the orc in the dim moon light.
Azog could hear his mate behind him. The Hobbits steps became more staggered, more awkward as they travelled longer into the night.
Bilbo was exhausted, staggering in the gloom. His sweat had long turned cold, chilling him. He felt numb, and disco-ordinated. He was going to trip soon, that was inevitable and he hoped his captor wouldn't punish him if he couldn't get back up.
Just as his mate was about to fall, he turned, careful of the metal prosthetic and picked the little creature up, careful to cuddle him into his chest and under his chin.
Bilbo squeaked, startled at being lifted up 7 feet into the air and the settled on the pale orcs chest like a child. Yet the Defiler was warm, with a strong arm holding him up, leaning him against a strong hairless chest. His head was tucked under the orcs chin. The once feared metal prosthetic rested gently against him, giving him stability as Azog kept walking.
Bilbo waited for a stench to overpower his nose, and waited. The scent that came to his nose was of the earth, freshly tilled and still damp; fresh grass, and a hint of mind and lavender. It was the smell of home, or as similar to it as possible on a body. He sighed, uncaring of the indignity of being carried, uncaring that the Pale Orc was likely carrying him to his death, torture, or maiming, and so he relaxed, settling into half sleep as the orcs warmth seeped into his bones.
Azog felt his mate settle and relax, pleased he hadn't been rejected. He kept walking. The hot water ponds weren't much further.
Bilbo sighed, half exhausted and nearly asleep. "Thank you," he whispered softly.
The Pale orc felt a rush of pleasure. His mate was pleased with him. His mate was comforted by him.
Bilbo heard a rumbling in the orcs chest as his ear was pressed against the shoulder. It continued for long moments at a time and it was several moments before he realized that the comforting sound was purring. In his befuddled mind, it was odd to imagine the larger orc as having similar traits to a house cat. He hummed after a moment, thinking that a large predator cat was a more descriptive image.
Azog listened to his mates breathing, listening to it even out into sleep.
Moonlight came out from the shadows now that she knew the tiny creature was asleep.
"Hunt for us this night, Daisy," he rumbled, his purr carrying into his words.
The white warg nodded before vanishing into the right.
In very little time, Azog found the cave system that led to the hot springs. He made his way carefully into the absolute dark. The dampness of the cave gave way to humid warmth, the further they traveled until finally he found what he was looking for.
With great care the Defiler set the creature down onto the warg furs that had been placed there. He gathered wood from the wood pile and started it within the marked stone ring that lay directly under a narrow updraft opening, creating a safe up draft.
The golden brown hair curled, framing the tiny face and sloping lips. He was overwhelmed to recognize the innate beauty; the glow of the creature. He reached out to run a hand across the little creatures check and flinched back, seeing his dangerous claws and angry scars.
He controlled his mate like night and day. He was a dark creature, violent and scarred. He looked down at his prosthetic arm and growled lowly at his less than whole body. In contrast, his mate carried the glow of a sun kissed life. His mate had led a gentle life, never in fear or suffering hunger.
The Goddess sought to punish him; giving him a mate that lived in the day while he lived in the night.
Daisy walked in, carrying a young stag on her back, blood smeared along her white fur. She dumped the carcass down onto the ground before laying down away from the fire and the heat of the springs.
With ease, Azog skinned the stag, cutting the meat into manageable pieces before placing it hung over the fire to cook. He took the liver, heart, and a large part of the leg and brought it to the pale warg.
"Thank you for your hunt tonight," he said, kneeling down to place the choicest pieces before his wolf.
She bowed her head to him before accepting the meat.
What did you think if that? Not sure if I'll keep this story going. I've got a few chapters pre-written. Curious to see what peoples response are.
Please review if you want to keep reading this. Thanks!